Ob woke up to snoring. He lifted his head to see the group had gathered inside an abandoned shack near the beach where they were ambushed. He stretched and walked outside to listen to the waves. As the waves gently crashed onto the shore, he sat and thought about his life in this new dimension. In some ways, it was so different than the world he left. The differences were very apparent. For starters, there is magic in this world. The myths of his old world are just everyday facts in his new one. Another is the harmony between races of humanoid beings, for the most part. Elves, humans, werewolves, demons, aquine people. They all exist in this world and exist with each other peacefully.
Ob never felt like he had to repay the Jones for all they had done for him. Now, being here, that desire was even smaller. He has interacted with people and helped them all without thinking about repayment. Then he was approached by an actual god as a thanks for his kindness; that was wild. Ob thought I had never expected anything from anyone. They just seemed so mistreated. It felt right. He thought about Helvuna. Prancey appreciated how Ob talked to her so much that she told her beautiful cousin about them. This led to the first romance since Charlotte; he smiled absently, and he missed her.
The party had been on this expedition for about a month or so. The quest took a long time; however, Ob felt it was going quickly. This was the second giant swarm they encountered on this quest. The dark Kraken was much stronger than the giant wasps they fought the first few weeks. That swarm was at least 1000 smaller wasps and then a final queen the size of a city bus. Being able to use fire made that battle much more manageable. Ob had gained a lot of levels during that fight. He couldn't imagine the spoils and experience from this one. They were all higher level than the wasps.
Monster Defeated: Drowned (x568)
Reward: 1m gold pieces (amulet effect)
Reward: Drowned Trident (x5)
Reward: Drowned Armor (x10)
Reward: Sea Coral (x100)
Reward: Sea Boots (x5)
Monster Defeated: Dark Kraken
Reward: 250k gold pieces (amulet effect)
Reward: Tentacle of the Dark (x6)
Reward: Dark Kraken Trident - Legendary
Reward: Dark Kraken Eye
Reward: Mystic Feather
Mystic Feather? Ob thought to himself, Is that another Keystone Item? Shoot, let me look at that.
Item: Mystic Feather
Keystone item
Legendary
The feather of a magical being. Using Mystic Feather will unlock an available skill. The skill will be related to any mystic ability, power, or skill. Would you like to use? Yes/No?
Yes.
Item: Mystic Feather has been consumed. New Skill Unlocked.
Power: Maverick
Skill: Mystic Air
Mystic Air. You have gained the skill to feel the magical energy all around you. Begin the initial steps to control the air passively. It cannot be used for attacks.
I would like to use the remaining Explixer on Mystic Air.
Item: Explixer l, m, xs, and s have been applied to skill: Mystic Air.
Level Up: Skill - Mystic Air
Mystic Air is now level 20
Mystic Air now allows the user to hover/levitate. Increase to speed attribute.
Level Up: Skill - Celestine Fusion
Celestine Fusion is now level 24
Level Up: Power - Federation: Maverick
Maverick is now level 22
Level Up: Skill - Dragon's Breath
Dragon's Breath is now level 29
Dragon's Breath can now be released from the hands and mouth,
Level Up: Skill - Dragon's Hide
Dragon's Hide is now level 25
Dragon's Hide has added extra resistance to vitality, a significant increase. It now allows the user to coat himself in conjured dragon hide armor.
Level Up: Power - Natural: Draconian Ally
Draconian Ally is now level 27
Level Up: Skill - Stalker
Stalker is now level 25
Stalker can now bring other beings with him to hide in the shadows.
Level Up: Skill - Light Bolt
Light Bolt is now level 30
Light Bolt can now create an enormous blast of light. Upon impact, enemies can be temporarily blinded.
Level Up: Power - Nurtured: Slayer
Slayer is now level 27
Level Up: Skill - Celestine Vigor
Celestine Vigor is now level 25
Celestine Vigor has increased manna, integrity, and vitality significantly. Users can now summon two small orbs of manna to act as shields to protect from projectile attacks.
Level Up: Ob Jones
Ob Jones is now level 25
Ob Jones has progressed to Silver Tier. All attributes have increased by 100.
Attribute coins: 474
Status: Ob Jones
Race: Celestine
Level 25 Silver Tier
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Natural Power: Draconian Ally - Level 27
Skill: Dragon's Breath - Level 29
Skill: Dragon's Hide - Level 25
Nurtured Power: Slayer - Level 27
Skill: Stalker - Level 25
Skill: Light Bolt - Level 30
Federation Power: Maverick - Level 22
Skill: Celestine Fusion - Level 24
Skill: Mystic Air - Level 20
Hidden Power: Celestial - Level 22
Skill: Celestine Vigor - Level 25
Skill: Celestine Chef - Level 18
Attributes Ob Jones:
Vitality: 400 + 500 (skill bonus)
Speed: 175 + 100 (skill bonus)
Strength: 250
Manna: 875 + 200 (skill bonus)
Integrity: 475 + 200 (skill bonus)
Attributes Ob Jones Updated: Would you like to use the attribute coins?
Yes, 100 vitality, 125 speed, 100 manna, 149 to strength.
Attributes Ob Jones Updated:
Vitality: 1000
Speed: 400
Strength: 399
Manna: 1175
Integrity: 775
Ob looked down at his hands and saw silver light shining from inside him. The light started to expand and swirl all around him. He was inside the light show and saw a massive bright light. In that light, he saw a person floating in the white light. She turned towards him, "Ob," the voice said, "Ob, how can I see you. Where are you?" Ob couldn't say anything. There was a lump in his throat. He couldn't believe his eyes. Right before he was able to say anything, she vanished. The only word that came out of his mouth was "Daisy."
How could she be alive? How did she see him? That was not a dream. That was a vision. Similar to when Vincent saw Abigail in the prison. Ob was sitting there at a loss. What was he going to do? How was he going to find his sister?
I thought she died, Ob thought to himself. I guess so did I, but she died years ago. Several years before I died. Ob started to cry. He never thought he would have to confront Daisy again. He thought she was gone forever, and he would have to live with the guilt of leaving her behind. That would eventually cause her death. Ob teary-eyed, looking at the waves again. He has to find her.
"So that is why the gods have approached you. You have a very kind heart," a divinely powerful voice said. Ob looked up, and to his surprise, the scenery hadn't changed like the other time he had been approached by an insanely powerful being. There was a woman in front of him. She had long, flowing brown hair. It looked like a slight wind constantly blowing her face to make her hair flow that way. She was a head shorter than Ob. She wore a brown dress with gold trim. She had a staff with a design that Ob found interesting. It was a golden circle with a web. On the web was a little bat. This made zero sense to Ob.
"Oh?" Ob responded, "You can read minds? Can all gods?"
The woman giggled, "I am no god, Oscar-Blane. I cannot read your mind, no, but I can read your face. It is one of grief."
"Ob is just fine," he responded, "if you're not a god, then what are you?"
"An ally," she replied, looking at him with golden-brown eyes. "I am an ancient tier Celestine. You appear to be in the midst of inner turmoil." She sat down next to him. Ob noted that she smelt like jasmine tea. He couldn't help but smile at the smell. It was familiar. It was a good memory from his old life. "My name is Cherish."
Ob reached out a hand to shake; Cherish stared at the hand and shook it after a few seconds. "Nice to meet you," Ob said, "So you're an ally? You know about the gods visiting me? You know I am a Celestine. Otherwise, why would you be here? What do I owe the honor?"
She giggled again, "Slow down; we'll get to questions soon. We keep a watch on all the Celestines. Especially new and powerful ones. The ones with the potential to reach ancient." she responded, looking at him with gentle eyes.
"Is that symbol on your staff the symbol of Celestine?"
"No, it is one of my powers. Perhaps you will find out one day. Anyways, O B," she said slowly, pronouncing each letter, "I came to introduce myself, that is all. You will find being a Celestine to be difficult yet rewarding. You will also find there are not too many friends of Draconian Allies, especially not a Celestine. That makes for a potent and vicious pairing."
Ob chuckled at the way she said his name, "Why?"
"What do you know about being a Celestine?"
"Physical beings with magical potential are split 50/50. Magical beings with physical potential are 100/100. Their magical potential doesn't diminish; it just adds a physical form. Dragons and griffins are great examples of this."
"Correct. Celestines are more similar to dragons than they are to humans. That means you have a dragon with very high magical potential working in tandem with a being with just as high physical potential -"
"It makes me so strong I am a threat," Ob said, interrupting Cherish. "Okay, so I am a threat, a threat to what?"
"Balance," she responded. "Some gods are not happy that you were brought here. That will be cause for trouble moving forward."
"Do you know how I got here?" Ob asked, perking up with hopeful eyes.
"I do," Cherish said, nodding, "but it is not time for you to learn that. I must go, Ob. Congrats on making it out of the bronze tier! I will see you soon." Cherish began walking toward the water, and she slowly faded away.
Why does everyone keep warning me? What the hell is comin' after me? Ob thought to himself. Will it be that bad? Strange.
"Whatchu looking at love?" As she sat next to Ob, Maeva said, "Oi, why you crying? What happened?" She put her arm around him to comfort her friend.
"I just progressed to Silver Tier," Ob responded.
"That's why you are crying? Cause you have much more power?"
"Not at all; I love the power; I got a brand new one."
Maeva smacked him on the shoulder, "Stay focused, love."
"In the midst of my level-up thing where I transition to the next tier, I saw my sister."
"Another dream, love?"
"No, it was her. She even talked to me."
"Isn't she dead?" Maeva said, "Ob! We have to find her!!"
"I don't even know where she is. Or how to get there. We'll find her, I swear. But for now, we have our own quest to finish. Strangely, that was not the weirdest thing I saw."
Maeva paused, raised her eyebrows, and gave him a look. "Oh? Seeing your dead sister from a different world speak to you was not the strangest thing you saw, love?"
"Well, when you put it like that… I met a Celestine Ancient tier. She-"
"That's hardly strange, Ob." Maeva interrupted, "You meet extremely powerful beings, that you should have no business meetings frequently. I'd say that your dead younger sister is more strange, I'm willing to bet."
Ob laughed, "You're on! 50k from our spoils?"
"Money? No love, we don't need to bet money, we're a party, it's all the same. I was thinking something else, like a favor."
"Oh-kay, what do you have in mind?"
"Let's bet Legendary items. Even if it is beneficial to you or me. Whoever loses has to give the other person that item?"
"You just want a charm, don't you?"
Maeva put on her best innocent face, "No, I want to prove to you that the Celestine wasn't the stranger of the two."
"It is!! You know what, fine, let's go ask the party."
"Definitely dead sister," Abigail said.
"Yeah, what, Ob? Who cares about an ancient tier." Vincent responded.
"I agree with the other two," Zephyrus said.
"You're an idiot if you thought we would say it was the Celestine," Eclipse responded.
Maeva started cheering and poking at Ob. Ob put his head down and shook his head; this was not how he had expected this to go. Ob looked at Eclipse and Zephyrus; there was something different between them. He was sure only he would notice; he narrowed his eyes at the pair. They looked back with innocent looks. "Damn, fine, you win. Mae. You get my next legendary item."
Abigail burst out into laughter, "That is what you bet. Ob, you are terrible at gambling. How did you not think you would lose that?"
"Alright, now it's getting mean," he said in a mock, hurtful tone. "To be fair, I have died and came back from the dead. Seeing my sister alive meant that she suffered a similar fate that I did; she also must be quite strong because she died several years ago at this point."
"What made the Celestine so special then?" Vincent asked.
"It was another Celestine, for starters. Secondly, she knew who I was and how I got here, and she talked about my potential rivaling gods. That seemed like important stuff I needa find out." Ob responded.
"That is fair, that is important information." Abigail agreed, nodding, "Why did she appear now?"
"No clue; all she said was that she wanted to introduce herself and to warn me. But I have been getting warnings since I have arrived. Some gods really do not like me."
"Whatchu want to do then, bro?" Vincent said. He looked around to see surprised looks on everyone's faces.
"Bro?" Maeva said slowly, "Are you from Earth-like Ob now?"
"I like the word; it's smooth and familial," Vincent said with a big grin.
Ob chuckled, "I want us to finish our quests. I'm not sure what is out there, but something is coming. I would prefer to be prepared for that and not be weak before it comes." Ob said.
"Okay then, Ob, if you ever want to hunt for your sister. Quests can wait." Abigail said, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"I know," he said, looking at the ground. "Thank you. There are too many unknowns, and I wouldn't know where to start. Let's just finish what we started and go from there. I appreciate y'all." Ob looked up, teary-eyed, and gave the group a warm, sad smile.
