Chapter 354: Zach

Chapter 354: Zach

Decision

Zach stepped to the right and evaded the large double headed axe headed his way. Okim pressed forward, swinging again. Zach raised his sword, the thrum of voices inside his head guiding him, and blocked, then turned and stabbed with his blade. He missed as Okim used an ability to blur away.

The miss made Zach grimace. Okim was strong, but not nearly as strong as Zach was. He had an Immortal Class, a warrior type, sure, which accorded him some advantages, but he wasnt even close to Zachs level. And yet here they were. Zach could win every fight, 10 out of 10, but that was if he overpowered him. If he used his greater willpower to make any mastery irrelevant. And this wasnt about that. Zach had more stats, he was faster and stronger, and still Okim could evade.

He couldnt touch Zach, his flaws were laid bare, but even though Zach could see them it he couldnt quite take advantage. His movement, even guided by the Spirits of the Last Sovereign of Terra he was clumsy. No, not clumsy, his movement were as perfect as the voices and his own fighting mastery could make them. But for some reason Okim could read them. Zach could see the flaw in Okims weapon, knew that he could shatter it with a well placed strike, maybe even just a block. But he wanted more, to outclass, as he is supposed to, not just overpower.

Zach tried to remember the fight he had before. With a blademaster that had been so far above his current opponent, and even Zach himself. Hlyanis had been a true master. Her flaws few, her mastery supreme, and he won. Not through mastery of his own, but overwhelming willpower. He had used it like a club to smash everything in his way. No, not like a club, he had wielded a mountain on the end of a stick and used it to crush his opponents. He could do that still. He felt his will just beneath the surface, a mountain waiting to be used again. He had recovered most of it by now, though something was lacking and he knew that it would never return. He had been charged before, the dissonance between the reality he had lived for five thousand years and the real world had filled him. He couldnt tell what was real and what was not, and that made reality easier to control, to do what he wanted.

Now, after a lot of reflection and meditation, he believed that he had nearly tapped into the Mind Essence plane, perhaps even Soul, back then. He was almost certain that the reason why he was drawn to those two Essences was because of it.

Still, he wanted to improve in other ways too. He needed to learn, it was one of his drives.

As Okim attacked again, Zach dashed back, putting more distance between them. He had no problem dodging or avoiding hits. After all his |Perfect Accelerated Movement: My Time, Slower Than Theirs| let him move faster than his stats suggested with the Skill Perk. And on its own, the skill let him experience time more slowly. The more willpower he put in it, the slower it passed. It was a strange sensation, it allowed him more time to think, to analyze, to see.

His hand was in his Time Blade form, though he wasnt using its abilities. He found that it let him get more in tune with time when it was active. It let him draw from the plane of Time with greater ease. He refused to touch it now, of course. A part of it was training his restraint, and another is that he really shouldnt need that in order to win.

Perhaps, a voice from his sword spoke. You might try to embrace change?

What do you mean? Zach answered, inside his head.Thi/s chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.co/m

It seems to me that you are too rigid, predictable, Ravallim said.

What? Zach frowned.

You are letting yourself be guided by the spirits in your head, but so many voices, all with differing opinions, the only thing they agree on is the basics. You are fighting fluidly, but you are not straying far from the basics. Your opponent understands that, he is simply reading you.

What would you suggest I change?Zach asked.

Ravallim told him. Zach figured that he could try it. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he let his perk seep into him, and then he stepped forward.

Okim attacked first, trying to press him, using an ability to gain a burst of speed. Zach parried with his sword, than stabbed forward with his blade. Okim blocked with the pauldron on his shoulder, knocking his blade up in the air. Zach couldve pushed that, his strength was greater, he didnt. Instead he did as Ravallim suggested, he let change into his being.

The spirits guiding him faded away, and only a single voice remainedMiyamoto Musashi. A single style of fighting. Zach felt lighter on his feet as the mastery of the spirit filled him, mingled with his understanding of his body and power. He danced. He whirled and attacked, taking Okim by surprise. He pulled his strikes, but he could see it in the minotaurs eyes, the understanding, as Zach tapped him on the helmet and wrist with his sword and blade.

Okim disengaged, trying to get more distance, and Zach let Musashi fall away, pulling in someone else. A new spirit rose, and for the first time Zach felt a tug of something from his sword. A trickle of knowledge, understanding of what change really meant.

He danced, switching styles as different spirits came to the forefront every two or three attacks. Okim was overwhelmed in seconds. The minotaur fell to the ground and Zach placed his sword at his throat.

I yield, Okim said.

Zack changed his blade back into a hand and helped him up.

You were toying with me, werent you, Okim said.

No, not at all, Zach said slowly. Youve helped me discover some revelations, he inclined his head. Thank you.

Ah, Okim looked a bit embarrassed. No problem, anytime.

I will take you up on that, Zach said. It was strange how conversation came so much easier to him now. Well, not really easier. He still had to think on what to say. But his connection to Time allowed him more well, time, to think things through. It helped.

Warden Zacharia! One of the runners called as he was heading in his direction. Commander asks for your presence, if you are able.

Zach tilted his head. Bera had summoned the best of what remained of the Wardens, those that could make the trip easily at least. They were supposed to be having a meeting to decide what to do. He wondered why she wanted him there.

He nodded his head, and headed toward the keep.

There were seven wardens not including Bera, Zach, and Naha, in the room. All were looking expectantly at him.

Ive informed them of the contents of the letter, Bera started. Weve talked about it, but they would like to hear your opinion on it.

My opinion? Zach asked.

Youre surprised? She tilted her head.

I guess that I am, Zach said slowly.

Look around this room, Bera said. Can you tell how strong all of us are?

Not precisely, but Zach could tell that none were anywhere close to him. He just nodded.

Our strongest either fell, were taken, or had just left. This is what remains. We are not what we used to be. You, the two of you, she corrected. You are the strongest we have now. You wouldve been the strongest even at our peak. Your opinion matters.

Zach saw that everyone in the room seemed to agree with that.

Personally, Zach started. I will join the war whether you do or dont. I agree with the sects, the longer we allow the threat to remain, the more people will suffer. And that is what Wardens were supposed to prevent. To protect people, yes?

They exchanged looks, weary expressions and tired eyes. But there was something inside of them, a spark.

We should do what is right, always, Zach said.

Bera took a big breath, then nodded. Thank you.

Zach left the meeting, letting them make a decision on their own. Naha remained though. Zach made use of the time by putting in some more memories into his bandthe process wasnt quick. A few hours later, the doors opened and the wardens walked out.

Naha approached him and he looked up at her.

War, she just said.

Zach felt relieved that they had made the right decision. Ill be by in a bit, I want to talk with the Commander.

Naha tilted her head, and then nodded.

He entered the room to see Bera slumped over her desk, exhausted. It took her a moment to notice him standing in front of her desk.

Warden Zacharia? You need something?

Yes, he said slowly. I do.

She composed herself and gestured for him to take a seat. What can I do for you?

Id like to know how much you know about slaves and slave collars? Zach asked.

Bera blinked, she hadnt expected him to ask that. I I bit, why?

He told her about what the sects knew, about the taken collaring people.

That is She paused. We, as in the Wardens faction, didnt do much work in the factions that condoned collaring. And only a few factions do, slavery is largely despised across the Settled Territories. True slavery, that is, I should clarify. Indentured servitude is something that some factions use to deal with their criminals rather than just putting them in prisons. Slaver Classes are considered criminal nearly across all of Settled Territories, and people that try to enslave others are often quickly put down. Collars though

What about them? Zach said when she didnt respond immediately.

They are tricky. There are some situations where they are used, where the intent is not exactly enslaving someone. They are still abominable.

Do you know how to remove the collars?

There are many types, but removing can usually only be done through the right key, passcode, or blood of the one who put them on.

Zach grimaced, that limited his options. Are there no ways to break them by force?

I know that it had been tried, but it almost always kills the wearer. The collars are formations or arrays, so a crafter might know a way, but you would need to find someone who knows how to make them, and they dont exactly advertise the knowledge. And then get them to reveal it to you, if it even exists.

That wasnt encouraging, but at least he had a direction now.

Thank you for your answers, Zach told her, and stood up.

Why are you interested in that?

Eliminating the threat of the taken and the dome monsters is important, Zach said. But, lives are more so. I am not going to let those people remain slaves, not if it is within my power to do something about it.

You are not going to follow the attack on the Citadel, are you, Bera said.

There will be plenty powerful people there, with you coming along they will understand the terrain and the defenses they need to overcome. I am not needed there, but those people, they need me.

Bera gave him a long look, and then nodded. As you say, Warden.

Titles

First Kill

Kill the first monster in the Framework-run World

+5000 Essence

First to Ten

First person in the world to reach level Ten

+10% to all stats, 10 000 Essence

Adventurer

Hunted more than 100 monsters

+5 to all stats, 5000 Essence

Hero of Promise

Save more than 10 people with a single action

+5 to all stats, 5000 Essence

Chief

Create an outpost

+3 to all stats, 1000 Essence

Leader

Upgraded outpost to a town

+3 to all stats, 2000 Essence

One Against Many

Fight against more than 10 opponents and win

+5 to all stats, 5000 Essence

First to Sixty

First to evolve their Class in the world

+10% to all stats, 100,000 Essence

Class Evolution VI

Evolved your class for the sixth time.

+150 to all stats, 75 000 Greater Essence

True Understanding XIII

Evolve a skill to tier 6

+20 to all stats, 20,000 Greater Essence (per tier 6 skill)

Apprentice Bounty Hunter: Wardens

Complete 10 faction bounties for people no more than two tiers of power below you.

+5 to all stats, 1000 Greater Essence

Crucible of the Mind

Go through a harrowing experience to improve your mind by forging it in the harshest conditions possible based on your mind state.

+500 to intelligence and wisdom, +2% to all stats, Enlightened (Mind Perk ), 50 000 Greater Essence

Beyond Understanding VIII

Focus and specialize your understanding of a tier 6 skill.

Greater Rift Tear (Class Perk)

Once per day, you may forcefully tear a weak spot in the plane you are, releasing a blast of corresponding Essence damage that will be boosted by 100% of your intelligence.

Greater Rift Seal (Class Perk)

Once per day you may seal any type of rift or portal that is within 100 meters of you.

Rift Shout (Class Perk)

Once per combat, unleash a devastating shout that sends a blast of planar power in a cone in front of you. The blast will deal Essence damage corresponding to the last plane youve visited, and it will weaken the area in front of you creating new rifts leading to the closest Essence planes.

Whirling Tempest (Skill Perk)

Your My Art, Whirling Tempest makes you unrelenting. A fraction of that power bleeds into your ordinary movements. Slowing effects are 60% less effective on you. Gain +20% to dexterity.

True LinkNahamassa Plainrunner (Class Perk)

Allows you to make a link with Nahamassa Plainrunner, and enter a Linked State. While in the Linked State you gain awareness of Nahamassa Plainrunner and you gain a bonus of 10%(15%) her stats added to your own. Allows for the activation of True Link perks. Picking this perk will make it impossible for any other mind linking perks with other living beings or contract perks to be learned. Depth of awareness depends on your bond with Nahamassa Plainrunner.

Warriors Stamina (Class Perk)

Your stamina regeneration rate is increased by 50%.

True Link Our Power (Class Perk)

Allows your partner to designate one perk and share it with you. You will be able to use an active perk once per five days, or a passive one for four. Once the perk is used or five days has passed, a new perk can be designated. Both sides will be able to use the perk independent of one another. Cooldown depends on your bond with Nahamassa Plainrunner.

Pillars of the Aspects: Immortality (Class Perk)

You seek to understand the aspects, placing the basis of your being in their pillars. Allows you to place three pillars anywhere, in any plane, in the Infinite Realm. Upon death, your soul will be sent to the Ethereal Realm and you will retain the power of three perks (Gate Fissure, Last Lord of Terra, Rift Shout). You need to make your way to one of the pillars in order to be reborn. Every future Class evolution will give you two more pillars to place and one more perk to be retained. If all pillars are destroyed your soul will move on to the afterlife.

Unleash Arsenal (Class Perk)

Once per day unleash a powerful attack in front of you, dealing 8x your intelligence damage which is based on one of the aspects in your arsenal. Once you use up one aspect you cant use it again until you use the other available first.

Lord of Grace and Woe (Class Perk)

Using this perk grants you a 50% buff to overall speed, +25% effectiveness to the powers utilizing the aspects in your arsenal enemies using the aspects in your arsenal have their related powers effectiveness reduced by 25%. You also gain +100% stamina regeneration while your mental stamina is drained at a rate of 5% per second. The effects last until turned off or until your mental stamina is drained.

Time Strikes (Skill Perk)

Your My Strikes, Rend Time influence your attacks. Any anticipation and precognition powers of equal or lower tier that could detect and anticipate your attack will not work. +10% to dexterity and +10% to intelligence.

Temporal Fighting (Skill Perk)

Activating this perk makes your movements happen 0.1 second after they were executed. Drains mental stamina at a rate of 8% per second. +10% to dexterity and intelligence.

Arsenal Infusion (Class Perk)

Activating this will infuse your being with a chosen aspect from your arsenal. While this aspect is infused it cannot be used by any other power, and it grants you benefits based on the type of aspect. After the effect is ended, the aspect used will not be usable again until the rest of the aspects from your arsenal had been used.

SoulYour attacks will deal 50% of their damage as soul damage, and your soul defenses and soul regeneration are increased by 250%. You can sense nearby souls. Costs 10% of mental and physical stamina per second, every attack consumes an additional 1%, every soul injury received consumes an additional 1%.

WindYour attacks will deal 50% of their damage as wind damage, your overall speed is increased by 250%. You can control wind around you freely. Costs 10% of mental and physical stamina per second, every attack consumes an additional 1%, every injury received consumes an additional 1%.

TimeYour attacks will deal 50% of their damage as time damage, any damage you receive is delayed by 5 seconds. Effects of time related powers on you are 250% reduced. Costs 10% of mental and physical stamina per second, every attack consumes an additional 1%, every injury received consumes an additional 1%.

Exploit Flaw (Skill Perk)

Once a day you may exploit a flaw in any object, decreasing its durability by 50%. +10% to dexterity and intelligence.

Always Focused (Skill Perk)

Your mind is always focused on the tasks at hand, you are unlikely to be distracted. +20% to intelligence.

Focused on Flaws (Skill Perk)

Flaws in all objects around you are always apparent to you, their durability is decreased by 15% in your presence. +10% dexterity and intelligence.

Clear of All Flaws (Skill Perk)

All flaws on the objects you possess have their effects decreased by 20%. +10% dexterity and intelligence.

Telekinetic Armor (Skill Perk)

You can shroud yourself in armor wrought out of your will. Its durability will be equal to 7x your intelligence, and up to twice that with the application of your will. +10% to endurance and intelligence.

Across Time (Skill Perk)

Damage that you inflict with your strikes inflicts its effects as if it happened 0.1 second before. +10% dexterity and intelligence.

Key to Chamber of Treasures (Title Perk)

Your Soul is marked with a key that will open a certain door.

Hastur's Bane (Unique)

Youve proven yourself against the hordes of Hastur. All of your powers are now 10% more effective against any 11th Dome Monsters.

Ripples of Time and Space (Skill Perk)

Your My Step, Through Time and Space allows you to sense the smallest of fluctuations in time and space around you. You sense any spatial powers used in your immediate surrounding a moment before they are executed. Gain +15% to intelligence.

Aspect of Time (Title Perk)

You are in tune with the Aspect of Time, in truly focused moments you can draw from the Aspect of Time's Origin Plane and increase the effectiveness of all your related powers. Effectiveness depends on your understanding on Time.

Sage of Time (Title Perk)

Your connection to the Plane of Time is superior. All Time related powers have their effectiveness increased by 100% when touching the Plane of Time. Your understanding of the core principles of time are superior. All time related perception powers have their effectiveness increased by 100%. You may manipulate Time in a limited radius around you and you may alter others perception of it, effects depend on your connection to the Plane of Time.

And So It Was Once Again (Title Perk)

Turn back world time. Amount of Time turned depends on your understanding of Time and willpower, cooldown depends on the amount of time turned back.

For Every Second, Two (Skill Perk)

You can activate For Every Second, Two, your body draws from the Time around you allowing you to extend your time by one second. For every second that passes in the real world you will be able to act as if it was two. Gain +15% to dexterity.

Tireless Will (Skill Perk)

Your body can no longer get tired, you store energy in moments of less movement and expend during periods of high activity. If you ever expend the energy reserves your body will survive on your will, draining it instead. Gain +15% to endurance.

Class

Lord of Aspects ( Re )

Level

419

Combat Ability

Aspect Whirling Wings

Movement Ability

Aspect Wings

Support Ability

Aspect Binding Chains

Additional Ability

Aspect True Sight

Additional Ability

Aspect Shutdown

EVOLUTION ATTUNEMENT BONUS:

Ethereal

All Ethereal based powers are 10% more effective. All special attacks deal 0.5% of the total damage dealt as soul damage. Gain +10% to strength and wisdom.

Phantom Hunter

Gain +20% to stamina and -20% to ability cooldowns when fighting spirits or shades. Gain +10% to strength and +10% dexterity.

Planar

All planar powers gain +20% to their effectiveness. Change your abilities and relevant perks to Planar type abilities and perks. Gain +10% to strength and +10% to dexterity.

Riftborn

Passing through a rift gives you a 20% bonus to total stats and -50% to all ability cooldowns for twenty seconds. Gain +10% to strength and +10% to dexterity.

Aspectborn

You may choose three aspects that you have used before as part of your arsenal (Soul, Wind, Time). All powers using these aspects are 50% more effective (Future perk choices will largely be influenced by aspects chosen). Perk and ability evolution. Gain +15% to strength and intelligence.

Passive Skills

Active Skills

I Focused And Saw All flaws

I Strike Through Time

Perfect Darkness Sight

Perfect Spatial Evade: My Step, Through Time and Space

Perfect Tireless Body: My Body, Under My Will

Perfect Nullifying Slash

Perfect Accelerated Movement: My Time, Slower Than Theirs

Perfect Mind Training Analysis

Perfect Greater Parry

Perfect Telekinesis: My Will, Made Manifest

Perfect Field of Frozen Time

Strength

9304

Dexterity

9630

Vitality

6984

Endurance

7335

Intelligence

12692

Wisdom

9474