System Change

“What are we going to do?” Jace asked with a wicked grin.

“Tell me,” Derek said, avoiding Jace’s question. “Will we be able to build your Battlelust up by sparring? You know, to get you to your full battle potential before going at them?”

“That… is a good question,” Jace answered. “We should be able to, but it will build slower than normal since neither of us will really be aiming to defeat the other. A battle is always going to increase my Battlelust, but intent is also a big factor.”

“That’s easy,” Derek said, then a wry grin formed on his face. “You can just go into it with the mindset that you are trying to defeat me. Hell, try to kill me. Even without my armor on, you’re not any danger to me until you use that skill. Even then, I already know how you move and everything, so you’re still not much of a threat. Plus, I won’t be removing my armor again.”

“That… could work,” Jace said. “But if it doesn’t, or if it doesn’t work well enough because we both actually know each other’s real intent, I already know the best way to build Battlelust on this planet. Give me a half hour or so and a couple of the arrays, and I’ll be ready to go up against anyone… except you. If you recall, that’s how I built my Battlelust up before I came here.”

“I see…” Derek said.

“Now… if we are sparring just to battle without any ulterior motives…” Jace continued. “Then my Battlelust won’t have any problem building up to help me in a fight like that.”

“For such a strong skill, it sure does have a lot of weaknesses and limitations,” Derek replied.

“We can’t all take a vacation in the void, then come out with god mode, now can we?” Jace clicked his tongue. “Most of us have trade-offs… and everyone has weaknesses… except for you, apparently.” He snorted. “I’m still going to beat you up again one of these days. You can count on that.”

“It’s good to have a dream.” Derek smirked. “Even if it is impossible. Besides… I’m not invulnerable or anything. You saw firsthand that I’m not. Who knows what would have happened if you had gone for my neck at the end of our fight?”

“You probably would have dodged with that shifty skill,” Jace said.

“Well… probably…” Derek replied. “Still, I went through a lot to get to where I am.”

“Didn’t you just sit in the dark for like… a hundred years or something? Give me Meditation and I could do that, too.”

Derek reached over and grabbed a ripple from the void, then pulled. Suddenly, a tear was created in space, revealing the first layer of the void—the part where Derek had been stuck for so long. “Go on, then. Hop in,” he said. “I’ll be back to get you in…” He looked at his wrist like he was checking a watch. “One hundred… no… let’s make it one hundred and fifty years. You’ll be super strong by then.”

“Alas…” The ghoulish Jace looked up and sighed heavily. He placed his hand on his chest and slowly shook his head. “My path has already been chosen. I shall never be able to experience such power leveling in my lifetime. The door to cheating in such a way has forever been closed to me.”

Derek closed the rip in space and said, “Okay, Shakespeare. You know that I’m not the only person to be trapped inside a Portal, right? It seems that I am just the only one… or at least one of the very few to make it out alive.”

“Semantics…” Jace shrugged. “I’ll shore up my abilities and beat you the old-fashioned way… with hard work and…”

“Batshit lunacy…” Derek finished his sentence. “Got it…”

“Hey!”

“Hey, what?”

“I don’t know… it just seemed like the right thing to say after an insult,” Jace replied with a shrug.

“Is it an insult if it’s true?” Derek asked, and Jace shrugged. Derek shook his head. “Still… I can totally be beaten. I’ve had my cockiness get me in trouble a time or two while I’ve been on this planet. I’m working on it, but it still happens. That’s why I’m in no rush to go out and fight all of those Champions by myself at the same time. Am I scared that I’ll lose? Not really,” Derek said with a shrug.

“But it’s always a possibility. They could be hiding more than you think. You said yourself that what you know is just surface-level stuff. That’s why I’m going to go in with some preparation and backup.”

“I’m the backup?” Jace asked.

“Yes,” Derek said. “And… maybe one or two more. I’m not leaving anything to chance.”

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“What are we going to do about my Battlelust?” Jace asked. “We can try…”

“We’ll just go with your way since you know it works,” Derek replied. “I already know how to make that work just fine. I just need to talk to granddaughter Brandt.”

“Granddaughter Brandt?” Jace asked. “You mean Ashley?”

“Is that her name?” Derek asked. “I never asked.”

“And everyone calls me a psycho…”

***

“Can you do it?” Derek asked Brandt’s granddaughter.

“It will be easy enough,” Ashley said. “I’ll have a scout or two set up a relay just in case I go out of range—though I doubt that will be a problem.”

“Good,” Derek replied. He then turned his head to Silvi, who was sitting on his shoulder. She was still a little angry about the lizard tail, but overall, all the new ingredients that Jace had given her were enough to satisfy her for the time being. “And you’re okay with this?”

“I get any ingredients we find from the Champions,” she replied.

“That’s fine with me,” Derek replied, then turned back to Ashley. “Release your aura.”

The white-haired woman shrugged, then a light aura that actually seemed to increase the brightness of the surroundings spilled out. It was warm and not overpowering. The woman seemed to have very good control over it.

“That’s good,” Derek said, and she reined the aura back in. “Do you have it?” he asked Silvi.

“Already had it,” Silvi replied.

“I just wanted to make sure,” Derek said. “Your Void Sense is capped at level 10, after all.” Though… I guess there’s a chance that new ingredients are involved, so Silvi would definitely be careful.

“It’s good enough,” Silvi replied. “I’m going now. Come get me when ready.”

“How long do you think it will take you?” Derek asked Ashley.

“I’m fast,” David’s granddaughter replied. “Since I know where I’m going and can use teleporters, it shouldn’t take more than a day.”

“Great!” Derek said. “If that’s the case, then we’ll be ready before Jace is fully healed. And by the sounds of things, the Champions don’t plan to move until Jace is healed… and until they gather everyone, so we’ll have plenty of time.” Finally, as Silvi put all her belongings into a pot and prepared to use Void Travel, Derek said to Ashley, “And remember, don’t get too close.” A moment later, Silvi used the skill, and Derek continued. “That can’t be felt by anyone, so stay far enough away so that it isn’t… then, increase that distance even further.”

“Yes, yes…” Ashley said. “You’ve already told me that.”

“I don’t like this,” David said from the side. “I should be doing it, not her.”

“Oh… sure…” Derek said. “I’m sure that you can be very sneaky, being a Guardian and all… that will go really well.”

“I just don’t like the idea of Ashley going…”

“Then we can find someone else,” Derek replied. “I just thought she was best suited for the job, but I’m sure that there are more than a few people who can handle it.”

“I’m fine, grandfather,” Ashley said. “After you, I can control the light better than anyone else. I am the best for this task.”

“Just be careful,” David said.

“I always am,” Ashley replied. Finally, she turned and left.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” Derek said to David as Silvi closed the space behind her. “After all, she’s really not doing anything that dangerous. It’s more of a light scouting mission than anything else. Besides, she said she was very fast, right?”

“We are,” David replied. “Our speed is close to that of lightning users and usually on par with most wind users. And that is without focusing much on our movement. Even the light-based healers are quite fast.”

“See… there’s nothing to worry about, then,” Derek said with a smile.

“Well… hopefully all of this will be over soon.”

“It will,” Derek replied. “One way or another, I doubt it lasts more than a week longer. Really, it all depends on how quickly the Champions can gather for me.”

“That’s good,” David replied with a nod. “Are you sure you don’t need my help for anything else?”

“Nope,” Derek said. “You’re good. You just need to stay here and defend in case anything unexpected happens. I’m debating leaving Marrick here, though I’m not sure he would like it if I did.”

“That is for certain.” A door opened, and Marrick came floating through. “You will not leave me out of the battle. This is the best chance I have to go out in a battle for the ages instead of as an impotent old man. If I die, then I die. I’d much rather these old bones have one last good fight than turn to dust while waiting around.”

“That’s what I thought you would say,” Derek sighed and shook his head.

“There is no need to mourn me,” Marrick replied. “I have had a very long and good life. I’ve watched great-grandchildren grow up to become fine young adults… and I’ve watched them grow up to become no-good lazy pieces of… uhem…” the Old Goblin turned his head and coughed. “Well… that is neither here nor there.”

“I can’t argue with that,” Derek replied. “But don’t go in planning to die. It’s always better to make it out alive so you can tell your last story to those no-good pieces… uh… those fine young adult great-grandchildren that you have.”

“I would never go into a fight solely to lose.”

“Good…” Derek said. “Now… because of your status as a Guardian, it’s going to be a little trickier to involve you. But I think I have a way to do it. You just may have to lag behind a bit is all.”

“That is fine by me,” Marrick said. “As long as I don’t miss the fight.”

“I can’t promise anything,” Derek replied. “I’ll be leading the charge. If they are a disappointment, then it’s possible that nobody else gets a chance. I’ll give them a chance to give up, but after that, I don’t plan on taking it too easy.”

“Hmph…” Marrick snorted. “If that happens… well… I hope they put up a fight. Let’s leave it at that.”

“I think I would rather crush them and be done with it, but we’ll see.”

“Speaking of crushing invaders,” Marrick said. “How is your friend? Is the ruse going well?”

“I think it is,” Derek replied with a shrug. “They don’t seem to suspect anything, but you never know. They have been a bit cautious. And Jace should be ready to go in a day or two, probably. Not to mention that it seems they don’t want to start anything until he is ready. They’ve already realized that he could be vital to beating me.”

“I see…” Marrick replied. “Once this is all over, what are that man’s plans?”

“I… don’t know,” Derek replied. “We haven’t spoken much about it. We’ll see when the time comes.”

“You do that,” Marrick said. “It seems that the two of you get along well. It is good to have someone who matches your energy. Maybe not mentally good for those around you… but…” he scratched at the few hairs on his chin. “good nonetheless…”

“I think… you just insulted me…” Derek said, flashing back to earlier when Marrick did the same to Jace.

“Did I?” Marrick tilted his head. “I’m sure you must be hearing things.”