Netherwitch - 72 (Patreon)

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-oOo-Chapter 72-oOo-

Bo-BOOM! The whole ship shuddered.

Sylvester stopped, a halo of ki wrapping his hand. Crimson eyes took in the rattling shelves. The open lid of his briefcase swayed, nearly falling closed as he watched. There was a brief twitch in his mind, life force moving to extend a long, silvery tress to catch the lid. Except, Sylvester didn’t have tresses of any kind. His hair was cut short to match his masculine figure.

So he leaned forward and caught it with his hand instead.

“That was not a normal sound,” he commented as he straightened.

It’d been two weeks since the Unmyeong Naru left Geomun Naru. The warlock was in his luxurious private room. The space was huge for a single man, stretching seven meters in either direction. Paper walls with sliding doors split the area, dividing bedroom from living room.

Not everyone received such accommodations. Lower grade passengers had a tenth the space shared by four people.

The ship swayed. Sylvester’s ki fluxed, his local gravity shifting to offset the momentum. The Unmyeong Naru suddenly turned hard toward starboard. Bo-BOOM! The ship shook again, a second set of thunderous explosions ripping through the transport’s frame. This time, he saw sparks crawling through the walls. A sharp, metallic odor hung in the air.

Lightning ether. They’d been struck by lightning cannons.

But scent didn’t linger for long. The energetic flow was sucked up by the Unmyeong Naru’s main beam. Four jolts ran through the ship in rapid percussion. Each was lighter and more abrupt than the previous explosions. This time, instead of taking hits, the Unmyeong Naru was shooting back.

“We’re under attack,” he noted with a click of his tongue. “And to think, I was casting fated request every day.”

Wynn would be thrilled.

In no hurry, Sylvester finished massaging a potion into his cane. Once done, he returned the glass bottle to his metal briefcase. Eyes of jasper skimmed over the contents. There were eight canisters of elemental dust, each massing fifty droms while holding one thousand ether. A single dungeon core remained, with a spiritual mass of around 170 droms. With these were a collection of niceties: clothes along with transformation potions for his equipment.

Thunk.

The silver-haired man slammed the lid closed then secured the locks with a click. He stood, cane of twisted chrome and dark wood firmly in hand. He could hear fainter bangs and rumbles, but no heavy hits from enemy’s cannons. Not since the first four. The Unmyeong Naru, however, had fired a second volley.

“I suppose I should take a look,” he mused to himself.

Thud. Thud. Thud. His cane rose three times, pounding into the floor. With these lazy motions, Sylvester unleashed a stream of two hundred and eighteen runes. Space and void were catalyzed into fate. A magical eye opened in the starry void, its vision displayed on a blue screen beside him.

What had Sylvester been doing?

He’d been maintaining his equipment’s outward form. Transformation magics could be applied to objects as well as people. His Three-Faced Visage even went so far as to provide this service directly. But the crimson-eyed man had not used this feature. The Three-Faced Visage’s simulacrum had a serious flaw, the illusion cast over his clothes would peel whenever he was struck. A potion, by contrast, provided a result that was more stable.

Better yet, since equipment didn’t have a spiritual immune system, the potion-based spells could hold for a full week. Thus, he would be assured that there would be no awkward moments where his dashing suit reverted into an adorable, pink dress.

Why, if such a thing happened, a man would never live it down.

Not that he was a man. But Sylvester would rather the angels remained unaware of that fact.

“Pirates, as suspected,” he noted, gazing through the blue window.

Two massive ships swam in the dark. One was a giant, bulky tub. The other, was a sleek predator blending into the black. The Unmyeong Naru had turned so its port side faced the threat, its starboard hull already sporting four horrifying craters. The blows had not only left the ship’s interior exposed to the void, they had destroyed two of the transport’s cannons.

The ship jerked again. Two jagged bolts stretched across the twinkling dark, crashing into the approaching predator. Lightning shattered on the pirate ship’s hull, the resulting wounds shallower than those rent into the Unmyeong Naru. With his starlight eyes, Sylvester glimpsed the reason.

Wood ether flowed into the frame of the pirate ship, enhancing its defense even as law suppressed the wood element’s natural weakness to lightning. A second magic was used to restore the hull, offsetting a portion of the damage. Strangely, the pirates made no reply. Sylvester’s eyes narrowed. They were reserving energy. In the starry void, ether was thin. Each shot was a strategic tool to be considered carefully. Primordial dusts could offset this, of course, but dust was a consumable best saved for emergencies.

What were the pirates reserving their ether banks for?

His prying eye turned, witnessing the chaos on the Unmyeong Naru’s main deck. Two giant squid phantasms lashed out. Each beast was forty meters long, their tentacles grasping and flailing. Wood cracked under their blows, turning the unlucky fey into pulp. A third phantasm lingered off the ship’s starboard side, body squeezing into the gap. Its limbs reached into rooms and halls. A screaming spriggan was snatched from around a corner then shoved into the squid’s ravenous beak.

The fight was not one-sided. A dead squid was already decaying on deck. Captain Lugh, a third consolidation kelpie, faced another of the beasts. The fey warrior wielded a giant trident of water, each thrust plunging through the titanic squid’s rubbery hide. The captain’s elite guard stood at his side, fending off the squid’s tentacles so Lugh could focus on his offense.

Sylvester’s gaze flicked back to the pirate ship. Captain Lugh might finish off all the titans on his own, but by then he would’ve exhausted most of his strength.

“It’ll be a problem if I lose my ride,” he decided. A vile smile spread on Sylvester’s lips. His left hand flickered, invoking rune gate even as he chanted a different spell. “■■■■■ ■-■.”

Ethers of fire and water poured from Sylvester’s palaces while earth was sucked from his staff. Three streams of energy flowed into the Disk of the Depths which hung from his belt. There, the basic elements were catalyzed into abyss. Runes danced, twisting into a greater sigil Zirgaf. This was pure rune of the abyss element meaning: ‘a crushing grasp.’

Sylvester’s spell, black hand, took form.

Teleported by his rune gate, the dark palm appeared over the Unmyeong Naru. The giant hand was twenty meters long, making it akin to a fist cast by the colossal ships. The squid squeezing into the starboard side was sucked toward the atramentous appendage. The titan’s tentacles gripped the halls to resist.

Useless. Sylvester’s hand clenched. The pit of black mimicked his action, fingers wrapping around the phantasm. The black hand collapsed into itself in a dark whirl as though it were a black hole.

The titan shrieked.

Abyss was the element of the deep. It captured the crushing pressures of the ocean, the heated magma of the planet’s core, and the grinding force of shifting continental plates. Like the earth and metal elements, it pierced through all defense. And akin to gravity, the destruction it wrought only became greater when facing larger foes.

Squeezed by the eldritch force, the rubbery hide of the titanic mollusc shrank. The squid’s eyes bulged, blue blood spraying from the phantasm’s body as it was brutally crushed. Still, it survived. But Sylvester was relentless. One hand followed another.

Three more black hands appeared one after another. The second crushed the colossal squid hanging off the starboard side. Two pinned the living titans that hung over the Unmyeong Naru’s main deck. Of the giant squids, only one survived his onslaught.

Captain Lugh didn’t stop to question his good fortune. The kelpie dashed over the deck, before lunging at the survivor. On the distant pirate ship, lightning sparked. Brilliant blue beams shot from the sleek predator’s stern. The bolts took two ninety-degree turns in a blink before crashing down on the Unmyeong Naru’s deck.

His water trident already thrust into the titanic mollusc, the kelpie captain had a fraction of a second’s warning. That was more than enough. He twisted, his spear ripping free to cast out a wall of water. The first lance of lightning blasted it apart, showering the captain with scattered sparks. With the path cleared, the second lance struck the kelpie head-on. Captain Lugh’s ki held, dispersing half the power, but the shock flung him halfway across the deck.

The pirate ship wasn’t done.

The sleek predator had never stopped its approach. Now it was just two kilometers away from the Unmyeong Naru. Ballista bolts flew across the distance, exploding on the transport ship’s deck. Fire washed over the weaker fighters, reducing them to cinders while leaving the strong dazed and injured. The pirate’s rear cannons flashed again, jagged beams piercing through the toughest of the lot. Against this overwhelming power, Captain Lugh was forced into retreat, half his elite guard slaughtered by the storm.

The kelpie himself was injured to the point of ruin.

“Those are some nice guns,” Sylvester observed casually. The silver-haired warlock adjusted his suit and tie, not the least bit worried. Carefully checking his visage in the mirror, he flashed a smarmy smile. “I am, indeed, a handsome man.”

Having allowed himself two minutes to restore his elemental palaces along with Chrome Tempest, he cast another spell. It wasn’t just the astralships that suffered from the dark. The rate at which his ether recovered was likewise cut to a tenth.

Though, interestingly, his trait Deep Reservoir II meant his mana regeneration was only reduced by half.

“■■■■ ■■ ■■■■■.”

Dense flows of ether passed through the Disk of the Depths. Scales of the abyss dragon was a spell consisting of six hundred and ninety-seven runes. The magic wrapped around Sylvester, coating his suit with a dark, obsidian sheen. Unlike aqua shell and glacial scale, the spell wasn’t ablative by nature. It directly reduced the impact of individual blows. Thus, scales of the abyss dragon was more effective when faced with numerous weak attacks.

What the powerful feared most was to be drowned in numbers. Mages were particularly vulnerable to that tactic. With scales of the abyss dragon, Sylvester could outright ignore most first consolidation enemies. Though, he still had to consider the risk they might batter him around or use armor-piercing arts.

“I’d best say hello to our guests,” he chuckled. His hand flickered, creating three barrier frames. To the outer layer he added a ward against lightning, forewarned by the captain’s noble sacrifice. A pair of glacial scales followed. He smirked. “After all, they were so kind as to bring me a beautiful ship. ■■■ ■■.”

Chains of runes were tied into a wreath. Through the middle, Sylvester tossed a knot of glittering glyphs. Realm ether whirled, half the energy fueled by the bottle of space dust hanging from his belt. Voomp. The warlock stepped through, emerging 50 meters above the pirate ship.

The blue-green swirl closed behind him.

Scores of pirates teemed on deck, sailors from every bloodline. A blue-skinned gandharva shouted orders while a brown-haired dwarf stood near the bow. There were elves, ogres, foxes, hogmin, harpies, satyrs, and even a witch in the mix of fighters adjusting the ship’s fins and tail.

Th-thoof. Javelins shot from the ballistas, crossing the starry void. Each of the bows was protected by an armored pod, which itself was further guarded by a swirl of water. Eyes, however, had already turned up. The opening of Sylvester’s gate had attracted attention even with the din.

“Gate above!” The brown-haired dwarf roared.

Battleaxe in hand, the small man leapt into the air, a pair of white wings opening behind him. He wasn’t alone. Two ballistas suddenly fell back. Unlike the Cumulus, this was a proper warship. Each of the bows, along with their pod, was mounted on a giant hinge. With this, the weapons could fire straight down or straight up.

Time slowed.

Psychic water drained from a crystal pool in Sylvester’s brain. The mirrored lake sutra kicked into gear. The warlock’s mind accelerated. As a high-level fey, he was faster than most of his enemies. With this art, his mind and reflexes reached four to five times those of the pirates.

Which gave him plenty of time to consider everything around him.

Ballista bolts flew up toward him. Space stretched beneath Sylvester’s feet. Gravity pushed down, accelerating him toward the deck of the pirate ship. To the warlock’s crimson eyes, the fall was straight. To those on the outside, twisting space made him stretch and slither as though he were a snake.

“■-■.”

Two strings of runes were woven in the same instant. Ninety-three were knotted into the shape of icealtop – arctic gale. Seventy-four formed a coiled circle – wind scythe. Both spells were unleashed in an instant. A blizzard exploded out around him, swallowing half the ship. Then, half-hidden by the whirling snow, a buzzsaw was launched screaming through the air.

Sh-sh-shoo-sh-c-crack!

The ballista bolts arrived. Two went high, unable to catch the warlock’s sudden descent. The remainder led his motion perfectly. Sylvester found himself dancing around four spears, space twisting to exaggerate his motion. A javelin flew past his nose, another behind his bent back. The warlock’s cane whipped around as he spun, smashing into the haft of another. The last crashed into a wall of ice, sending splinters through his glacial scale.

His feet touched the deck.

The nearest pirates charged, swords and spears at the ready. Half the group was freezing, white hoar frost growing on their skin. At the helm, the gandharva unslung his harp. Two notes blasted back a swathe of the storm. Closer to Sylvester, a salaman bravely breathed out a column of fire to fight the cold. A wind scythe tore him in half, leaving his torso spinning above the deck. Further away, a prisma parried with a desperate glacial scale. The fotia beside her wasn’t so lucky, his head cut in twain by the warlock’s hidden blade.

Crimson eyes gleamed. The pirates’ disciplined actions had served their purpose. Instead of slaying forty, the warlock’s arctic gale and wind scythe threatened as little as a dozen.

“Die!”

An ogre roared, giant hammer crashing down on the tiny, silver-haired gentleman. Sylvester stepped forward, his motion so fast the ogre could hardly blink. His cane hooked the fey’s foot. A jerk, and the warlock tore the limb out from underneath the giant, leaving him to stumble. Another shift and Sylvester wriggled past a wight, his prior strike translating into a spiral thrust straight into a faun’s face.

All throughout this, Sylvester’s chant never missed a single beat. “■, ■.”

Magic tore from the asteri, a quartet of wind scythes joining the first. The blades of wind ripped through the crowd. The pirates nearest became fountains of blood and flesh. Mind quickened by the mirrored lake sutra, Sylvester manipulated each blade with an expert hand, slaughtering a score of sailors in a second even as his arctic gale faded.

At the helm, the gandharva plucked strings on his harp. Each sound was a sword, slicing through the air. The first struck a wind scythe, sending it flying. The next, shot forward in a spear. A weakened glacial scale moved to intercept. Crack! Ice shattered into chunks even as a third note dropped on Sylvester’s head like a guillotine.

The warlock sidestepped, but the gandharva wasn’t alone. A bolt of lightning ripped from the prisma’s hands, splintering on Sylvester’s elemental ward. The sparks struck his armored barrier, obsidian scales manifesting wherever they touched. A sword cut in from a different angle, skittering off the same defense.

In an instant, Sylvester’s barrier had been drained by half.

But sometimes, a single instant was enough.

“■■.” Pop!

Sylvester vanished, just as the brown-haired dwarf’s axe slammed down on his prior position. A realm skip put the silver-haired gentleman on the bow of the ship. Jasper eyes glowed, an evil smile on his lips. With a deft hand, Sylvester directed his wind scythes, letting them reap pirate lives like so much wheat.

Where once stood sixty men now remained thirty.

“-■, ■.”

Merciless, he added two more, a casual flick of his hand restoring the glacial scale he’d lost. The dwarf, gandharva, and a wight worked in tandem to fend off the screaming blades with only partial success. This bought enough time for the third and fourth ballistas to turn. Six javelins shot from the pods.

C-crack. Sylvester intercepted two with his glacial scales then lazily stepped back. Space twisted, sending him from the top of the ship’s stem to the bottom, four ballista bolts whistling uselessly through the dark. Then, just as easily, he stepped forward again. Up and down reversed, returning him to where he’d previously stood.

Crimson eyes narrowed on the armored pods. Not a single member of any ballista’s four-man crew had been touched. Yet, those on the open deck had been trimmed to sixteen.

A silence fell. The pirates stared, shaken and wary. Sylvester smiled. Suavely, he bowed, doffing his hat.

“Gentlemen, I must thank you for bringing me – ”

Lightning sparked.

Two, brilliant bolts erupted near the ship’s stern. The jagged streaks turned ninety degrees in mid-flight before suddenly making another correction. The distance was so short there was barely any time to react. But that ‘barely’ was multiplied many times over by Sylvester’s agility and the mirrored lake sutra. The warlock judged the trajectories in an instant, glacial scales veering into the lightning’s path.

Then they hit.

The first thing struck by the jagged lances was Sylvester’s lightning ward. Law magic made the bolts splinter, reducing their power by a third. Next, the scattered energy smashed into walls of frosty ice. When faced by the sheer power, the shields shattered. What made it through these layers of protection was a shotgun spray of sparks. Thin threads of electricity crashed into his armored barrier, obsidian scales flaring to add to his defense.

It wasn’t enough. Invisible air fractured, triggering Spring Blossom’s special effect ‘Safety Glass’. The broken barrier burst as though it were reactive armor, pushing back the scattered static.

“ – this most magnificent ship,” Sylvester finished, his short silver bangs stirring as the air shook around him.

Smoothly, he rose, returning hat to head. Behind his back, his left hand subtly flickered. A prying eye opened, revealing the gunnery command responsible for the rude interruption. Five pirates within were waiting for the gun’s runes to stabilize before their second shot. That wouldn’t do. That wouldn’t do at all.

Sylvester’s fingers wiggled again. Rune gate was followed by meteor blast. Boom.

The muffled explosion was dampened by the layers of wood in between them. Sylvester clicked his tongue. He could only hope the important parts of the control system weren’t damaged, but needs must. Thinking this, the warlock suddenly glared at the four ballistas pointed in his direction.

“Any more rudeness to your new captain, and you’ll be wandering the void for a very long time,” he warned darkly.

“All men, stand down!” the dwarf roared, lowering his axe.

White wings folded into little stubs on the thickly built dwarf’s back. The System marked him as C-IV/High. If Sylvester were to judge, the dwarf was first mate. As for the captain?

“Belay that cowardice!” the captain roared. He was the blue-skinned gandharva. “Kill him! Kill him now! Don’t leave the mage a second of respite or he will recover his ether!”

Not a single sailor moved according to the gandharva’s orders.

He was right, of course. Sylvester was operating on fumes. His primordial ether had been burnt down to near nothing. In fact, he’d been forced to burn several hundred points of pure mana to unleash that meteor blast. And right now, he was burning a touch more as he subtly cast worms of rot. The gated curses appeared beside the gandharva’s feet.

“Good sir,” Sylvester interjected with threatening emphasis. “Perhaps your eyes have been caught by this most recent battle, but I remind you that the Unmyeong Naru is alongside.”

The silver-haired man gestured with his cane, a vile smile on his lips. The second the gandharva’s attention turned, the curses crawled into the pirate captain’s feet. They wormed and wriggled before wrapping around his heart. The gandharva hardly noticed. While they fought, the giant three-hundred-and-fifty-meter transport vessel had risen in the starry void. Right now, its three port side guns were pointed at their relatively fragile deck.

“Of course, if you insist on continuing this battle, we may,” Sylvester said with courteous manners. “But I’m afraid I won’t be so polite as to stay. Instead, I will gate over to my quarters and enjoy a fine glass of wine while my ether recovers. There will be plenty of time to deal with whomever remains after.”

The gandharva’s face turned purple.

There were brutal truths in warfare. Currently, the Unmyeong Naru occupied the preferable tactical position. Most astral warships had softer armor up top. This meant, any strike delivered from that angle was a mild critical hit. The pirate ship would probably survive, but this hardly mattered. The helm itself was at risk, and if the pirates lost it, they’d be dead in the astral sea.

Which would leave them with a single tactical choice, to board the Unmyeong Naru and seize the transport. Victory by this means was possible. The gandharva was C-V/Mid and most of those who’d died during Sylvester’s assault were weaker.

Yet, the same principle applied to the Unmyeong Naru. Furthermore, could the pirates slaughter the crew in the three minutes it’d take Sylvester to recover his ether? And even if they could, were they willing to sacrifice their ship in exchange for a clunkier transport?

“Everyone, stand down,” the dwarf ordered again. He broke out in a broad grin. “Stand down and greet our new captain. My name is Gerwen, your lordship. It is my privilege to serve under an esteemed battlemage of the fourth consolidation.”

The crew stirred. Gerwen’s reminder of Sylvester’s strength made the sailors all the more certain it was wiser to surrender.

“You traitorous dog!” The captain whirled, his handsome face an expression of fury. “Listen here, you fools. The Federation will put you in a nightmare box for a century for your crimes. And you, Gerwen, do you think you’ll get anything less than execution of the soul?”

Gerwen let out a hearty laugh.

“Perhaps I would be more worried, Kabir, if his lordship did not express his criminal designs on our ship. I’m not a man afraid of a gamble. And, I think, fortune weighs more heavily in my favor serving under our new captain than hoping our souls escape into the long dark.” The dwarf stomped his foot twice. “Or did you forget the beacon we keep on this ship?”

Many of the men nodded along with the dwarf.

“I’d rather scuttle the Ouranó Fídi than hand it to a thief,” Kabir, the gandharva spat. A scroll materialized in the captain’s hands. “You’ll get noth – ”

Sylvester snapped his fingers.

Pale worms erupted in the pirate captain’s chest. Kabir screamed, swaying under the sudden assault. His ki flared, swiftly crushing the nascent curse.

The warlock wasn’t surprised. When cast in stealth, worms of rot demanded five minutes to fully incubate. He had acquired no more than three. But this short-lived distraction was more than enough. Even as the curse came to life, Sylvester lifted his cane then gave it a tilt. Both motions were a gesture, releasing a chain of eighty-nine runes. Into this string was fed lightning ether. A jagged lance sparked, the brilliant bolt tearing straight through the stunned captain’s heart.

The gandharva’s corpse collapsed onto the deck.

“Gerwen, was it?” Sylvester commented, strolling toward the dwarf. “Show me my new ship.”

“It’d be my honor, captain…,” Gerwen trailed off as he bowed, waiting for the missing name.

“Captain Swift,” Sylvester answered. His jasper eyes peered at the ballistas. “My name is Sylvester Swift. And get those men away from the bows. I don’t like having them pointed at me.”

“You heard his lordship!” Gerwen roared. The doors to the pods opened, the gunners filing out. The dwarf’s gaze returned to the warlock. “I think the men would be more at ease if you guaranteed their safety.”

Sylvester huffed. “Very well. Then let me make things clear, I have no intention of wasting my time to ensure your arrest. Much less am I willing to part with skilled sailors needed to man my new ship.”

His voice echoed over the deck. His crimson gaze swept over those gathered, stopping on a dark-skinned, green-haired prisma.

“If anyone arrives from the Unmyeong Naru, tell them this ship has been commandeered. If they wish to speak to me, they can wait. Any presumption will arouse my displeasure.”

The prisma nodded hurriedly. Sylvester paid her little mind. Instead, he took in the condition of the Ouranó Fídi as Captain Kabir had called her.

Roughly two score pirates were living, if Sylvester included those manning the ballistas and those below deck. The ship had taken a beating, thanks to the transport’s cannons. Fortunately, most of the damage was to the port side hull, which would regenerate. Some shaping and artisan work was needed, however, or that side would remain weak. Particularly, the defensive wood element enchantments had to be reapplied to the restored surface.

After confirming the Ouranó Fídi was void-worthy, his eyes turned to the prize, the ship’s numerous weapon systems.

He started with ballistas.

Each triple-stringed, heavy bow was set in an armored pod. The ballistas themselves weren’t special, sporting minor enchantments to increase projectile velocity and range. The real item of interest was the housing. The frame and the canopy were made from wood and metal. For greater defense, a water barrier had been added combined with a weak lightning ward. More fascinating, was the divination screen wrapped around the inside of the pod.

“Captain Kabir always wanted to link the ballistas to the Tilaka targeting system used by the Vijaya mk 3 cannons,” one of the shooters, a light elf named Frida, explained.

Sylvester admired the design, probing every nook and cranny with Observe Item. The screens not only let the gunners see right through the pod’s walls, they provided a line of sight extending directly through the ship.

“How does the Tilaka targeting system work?” he asked.

He pulled a lever. The housing swung on its hinge, putting it back on a flat plane with the deck. The powered action took no more than two seconds. Sylvester would try his hand at unscrambling the earth-moving enchantments attached to the platform later.

“It lets the operator project three eyes up to two kilometers from the ship,” Frida explained. “They can mark targets of priority, with an active divination layer helping to track and highlight.”

The elf’s idea of fashion was decidedly punk with far too much skin revealed for Sylvester’s liking. A series of tattoos were writ onto Frida’s pale flesh, which couldn’t be easy as they’d have to be replaced every time the light elf died.

Sylvester nodded, absorbing the answer. The Tilaka was quite the sophisticated system. He wasn’t too surprised, however. High-end military equipment in the netherworld, with its layers of enchantment, shared many of the same tactical concerns as the weapons built on Earth.

Which made it weirdly Sci-fi.

“Show me the cannons,” he ordered.

To Sylvester’s shock, the rear cannons were authentic Vijaya mk 3s. He had no idea how the pirates got their hands on them. The Vijaya series was the premier anti-personnel gun of the Fey Federation, albeit these were seventeen centuries out of date. Compared to the common lightning cannon, they had a weaker bolt with higher velocity and better armor penetration. The real charm, however, was the broader cone of correction. Vijaya guns were harder to dodge than a lightning lance.

Throw in the space reflection feature, which let the beams make two hard turns near the ship, and Vijaya had 360-degree coverage. And all of this tied into the Tilaka targeting system. The exact targeting system Sylvester had blown up when taking the ship. The warlock looked at the damaged, burnt command center with an ugly expression on his face. Frida stood behind him, looking very nervous.

“I’ll try to fix that mess later,” Sylvester decided.

The last guns were a pair of Raijin III Darkstorms. The cannons were fifty meters long and mounted at the ship’s front, sporting a rather narrow angle of fire. Not only did they outrange the Raiju IIs Sylvester had picked for Lady Vallenfelt many years ago, they provided more bang for their buck. Ether efficiency was important here in the starry void, as the Ouranó Fídi’s bank was only good for five shots, a supply shared with the Vijaya cannons.

As he had with everything else, Sylvester hit the guns with Observe Item. Ca-ching! That was the sound of beautiful merit points flowing into his pocket.

With the weapons out of the way, he turned to the ship’s core components. Before he could explore them thoroughly, Gerwen descended from the main deck. The brown-haired dwarf promptly sent Frida on her way, directing his new captain toward the main beam.

Or, more accurately, the large box attached to it.

“And that, right there, is the main issue, your lordship,” the brown-haired dwarf said. “Only the captain – excuse me – former captain, Sir Kabir, can release the lock. Without him the ether flow will be cut off in three days. Then we’ll be dead in the dark, as they say.”

“I see,” Sylvester observed, stroking his chin.

With faintly luminescent eyes, Sylvester studied the locking mechanism. The box wasn’t an after-the-fact addition, it’d been built directly into the ship’s main beam from the start. The most direct solution was to cut it out, but the engineering required to do so was incredibly complicated. The beam of a ship was a masterpiece of forging and enchantment.

A fact he knew well. Sylvester had an entire ship-making industry named after him.

“I drew Kabir’s soul from the beacon, your lordship,” Gerwen pressed. The dwarf presented a black soul lamp in which burned a powerful blue flame. For lamps, third consolidation was generally the limit. “Our ship has a resurrection pool and our former captain has a husk. We can bring him back in a day. Your lordship can decide how best to earn Sir Kabir’s support after.”

Sylvester continued to stare at the box blankly. Unknown to the dwarf, the warlock had a virtual screen open to Runeworks Studio. After fiddling with a chain of runes, he smirked. Sylvester was quite confident he could crack this lock given half an hour. The tricky question was in how he’d improve it.

A cryptographic key would surely thrill magisters who tried to steal his ship in the future.

“Sylvester Swift,” the silver-haired man asserted belatedly. Sylvester casually took the lamp, linking it to his belt. “Or Captain Swift if you must. I am not a lord of anything.”

Technically speaking, Sylvester was a ‘princess’. So ‘your highness’ would actually be the appropriate form of address.

“Ah, but you are a lord of magic,” Gerwen said suavely, the brown-haired dwarf’s voice a deep rumble. “And lord of this vessel. And what a vessel it is. The Ouranó Fídi is a skyship. You don’t see many this large and this capable. I can remember the day Captain Kabir and I caught her. We spent a full month hauling her hull to a small plane, where we found a zoi strong enough to puppet her prior captain, a rather vicious tengu, into breaking the lock.”

Jasper eyes veered to the dwarf. A skyship? How wonderful. That was like winning the lottery and finding out the jackpot was five times larger than expected. Skyships could travel air or void, which made them much more expensive.

“You have a way with words, Gerwen. And don’t concern yourself with the lock. I have it handled. As for Kabir? I’ll deal with him later. And not just him, I’ll be reviewing all the sailors on this ship. Those who prove… disloyal to the new regime will enjoy a slow drift among the stars.”

A dark light flickered in the dwarf’s brown eyes. Sylvester let out a cruel chuckle. He wasn’t so remiss as to think these pirates were his friends. Some undoubtedly were plotting theft or mutiny. Secrets, however, had a way of revealing themselves. Especially when confronted by skilled divination.

But those matters were for the future.

“As you say, Captain Swift,” Gerwen accepted, his deep voice cautious. “Another thing to note, Captain Lugh of the Unmyeong Naru is on deck. He wishes to see you immediately.”

“He certainly took his time,” Sylvester commented, tone snide.

The silver-haired asteri had been examining the Ouranó Fídi for well over an hour now. He was quite curious as to why Captain Lugh had been so dramatically delayed. Cane thumping on the wooden deck, Sylvester strolled back out into the star-filled void.

Captain Lugh was a kelpie, officially Aos-si Fuath Cefyl. Having reached the third consolidation, he could be considered reasonably powerful for his role. Then again, the Unmyeong Naru was a large vessel. Perhaps only someone of his strength could be trusted with an asset of such value.

As an Awakened fey, Lugh had undergone humanization. He had four fingers and a thumb instead of the standard three digits of his bloodline. Likewise, his face was horse-like in the insulting human sense of the word rather than in the very literal way it applied to other kelpie.

If Captain Lugh was diligent and lucky, Transcendence would render him handsome. For now, it could only be said that he was more pleasant to look at than Lord Potami. Sylvester knew this was an unfair bias, but it was a real one. Humans always preferred those who were attractive, hence the term ‘high demon’. Or, in this case, ‘high sidhe’.

The captain had brought with him two warriors of the second consolidation. In Sylvester’s view, they were just barely tough enough to count as road bumps in a fight. Along with the pair was a very out-of-place faerie. Wynn gave a sheepish wave, his already light complexion sickly pale. He must’ve been quivering in fear.

“Mr. Swift, I presume,” Captain Lugh greeted. The kelpie’s dark, green eyes studied the smaller warlock. “Thank you for your assistance. Without your efforts, the Unmyeong Naru might well have been lost. And my apologies, if I had known we were host to a fourth consolidation battlemage, I would’ve met you at an earlier date.”

“If I had wished to be known, I would’ve announced my presence forthwith,” Sylvester replied. Casually, the silver-haired man floated up, legs crossed and fingers tented as though he were lounging in a chair. “Now, what brings you gentlemen to my new ship?”

A cursory examination made obvious why it’d taken Captain Lugh a full hour to arrive. The man had chugged a healing potion. Then, while he recovered, he had taken the time to learn more about his astonishing passenger. Crimson eyes flicked to Wynn. It was no surprise, then, that the faerie was here.

The kelpie’s expression grew tight. Sylvester’s lips spread in a smile. His indulgent posture was a power play, an intentional impropriety intended to remind Lugh who was greater among them and who was smaller.

“Mr. Swift,” the captain spoke again, after a moment. “Perhaps you are unfamiliar with void law. If so, let me remind you. Any vessel captured during an act of piracy must be surrendered to the governing body to which the predominant party belongs. That means, the Ouranó Fídi belongs to Jeolsung. Once legal issues are resolved, the pirate vessel will be auctioned off. The proceeds will be divided among all parties, first covering damages. Only after will the remainder be rewarded according to everyone’s contribution to the capture.”

That was a reasonable system. However, Sylvester had no intention to surrender his prize to the Jeolsung government. Earth bureaucracy was already slow. If he were to wait for his reward in the netherworld, it’d take years or decades. That was to say nothing about the fact his identity was utterly fake.

Thankfully, he had no need to speak. Gerwen spoke for him.

Thud! The dwarf’s axe smashed into the deck, the blade digging deep into the wood. The short, heavy, brown-haired man swaggered forward.

“And who’d agree to that, you damn fish?” Gerwen spat, his deep voice rumbling. “Be grateful Captain Swift intervened on your behalf, otherwise your soul would be wandering the dark for decades. That is, if we didn’t sell you to the outsiders.”

“You’ll be lucky if you spend the next two centuries in a nightmare box, dwarf,” Lugh returned, green eyes flashing with anger. “If not for the mercy granted by your surrender, Jeolsung would see your soul burnt to ash.”

Gerwen let out a booming laugh. He pointed his giant axe. “That’s for his lordship to decide, not you, fish.”

“Indeed,” Sylvester interrupted. His jasper eyes gleamed as he leaned forward. “Captain Lugh, let me make this crystal clear. The Ouranó Fídi belongs to me. Any attempt to harm this vessel or its occupants will be treated as an act of piracy. Which is to say, I will defend myself and my property.”

It was an irrefutable fact of life that, as power increased, the law grew more flexible. As a warlock in the latter part of the fourth consolidation, Sylvester’s strength had reached the point where he could flip the table. Of course, such decisions had consequences. Even Lord Azazel faced pushback due to his atrocious behavior. But, Captain Lugh was in no position to apply those consequences. Nor did Sylvester fear Jeolsung, because ‘Sylvester’, quite simply, didn’t exist.

“Just so you are aware, Mr. Swift, I’m required to report this to the authorities upon my return to Jeolsung,” Lugh said firmly, his green eyes full of warning. “And there is a considerable chance you will be regarded as a pirate yourself due to your actions.”

Sylvester leaned back into empty air. He spread his hands, showing his lack of care. “Do as you will, Captain Lugh. Just be sure to make clear that I did, in fact, save the Unmyeong Naru from certain destruction.”

Lugh nodded stiffly. White wings forged from the essence of an ersetu storm gull spread out behind him. The kelpie leapt into the starry void. His guards followed behind him, one gripping the boyish faerie.

“I’ll be at the International Exposition of Magic!” Wynn shouted as he was dragged away.

Good fellow. A grin on his lips, Sylvester settled back onto the ship’s deck. Eyes of jasper turned toward the brown-haired dwarf.

“Don’t just stand there, Gerwen, make ready for Tartarus,” he ordered. Then his smile turned nasty. “And find me a port where my new ship can dock.”

With this said, Sylvester returned below deck. Many features of the Ouranó Fídi required study. It wasn’t every day that he had a chance to thoroughly dissect a skyship. He wanted to see the engines, the fins, and every other component as well. But first, he wanted to examine the soul stones of the Ouranó Fídi’s four titanic beasts.

-oOo-

♦ Netherworld >> Cloud Island Wilderness >> Viridian CityTopic: Dragon Attack!!!!!

ZombieMan02 (Original Poster)Posted: 3 days ago

Dude, this is no joke. There is, seriously, a dragon burning the ever living fuck out of Viridian City right now! I’m not shitting you here. There’s an actual fucking dragon burning the city to fucking ash!

Edit: Best pictures of the thread.

[Pic: Nithe unleashing a column of molten fire onto the city.]

[Pic: A gamer crying in front of the scarred remnants of their house.]

[Pic: Thousands of gestating bodies in the city’s resurrection pool.]

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► QuestBasher [Posted: 5 hours ago]

Wow, it looks like Nithe flattened the entire north-eastern quarter of Viridian City. The pictures are incredible. It’s like he cut a line toward the river then said: “Everything Lakeside of this goes.”

Any word out on how many people lost their homes?

► DesperateBowman [Posted: 5 hours ago]

I don’t want to say: ‘I told you so’, but ‘I told you so.’ Governor Swallows put a special property tax on the urban blight for a reason. Then, because people couldn’t pull their heads out of their asses, they voted them away. Now, who’s better off?

We should’ve elected Natalie Ward. Instead, I got to listen to a bunch of dumb asses whining about witch dynasties.

► SongGirl [Posted: 4 hours ago]

Don’t bring politics into this, DesperateBowman. A lot of people are hurting right now. Have some sympathy.

► Npc72 [Posted: 4 hours ago]

LOL. I just came from a thread where the players were planning to hunt Nithe in revenge. He’s what, level 2,800? I think I can already see how this is going to end.

Really, I get the anger, but when Lenape feels the need to scold you for disrespecting Yaalon, you really do need to rethink what you’re doing.

► BlueRangerSPD [Posted: 4 hours ago]

Latest news:* The disaster bill passed parliament* Anything built within 2 kilometers of Yaalon Lake now requires a special permit* All west bank regulations and building codes now apply to the east bank* These changes are for new builds only

The disaster bill also provides funding to rebuild the damaged parts of the city. Gamers are allowed up to 2 gold in compensation, but how much you get depends on how much you lost. Separate bills on taxes and permitting rules are being argued in parliament as we speak.

► BeastCatcher07 [Posted: 3 hours ago]

I still can’t believe we’re reading about this on a thread created by ZombieMan02, a known PK and guildmaster of Laughing Coffin.

► ZombieMan02 [Posted: 3 hours ago] (Original Poster)

Wild, I know.

► DrSodium [Posted: 2 hours ago]

The dragon attack was obviously part of a corporate conspiracy! I don’t know why nobody is bringing it up, but the connection is undeniable. Only CutestSilverBird interacts with the immortal beasts. She’s the one who benefits most if the city is burned. She even found an excuse to be off plane as an alibi.

Follow the money! I’m telling you, CutestSilverBird is behind all of this! I know it!

►AD: Wells and Swallow Construction

Are you looking for a new home? Are you looking to open a new business? When it comes to construction, there is no name more trusted than Wells and Swallow. Our skilled artisans and architects are the best in the business. Choose a name you can trust. Wells and Swallow, we’ll give you a home worthy of royalty!

► QuestBasher [Posted: 2 hours ago]

DrSodium’s post then that Ad, creepy.

► SilverLove [Posted: 2 hours ago]

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► Npc72 [Posted: 1 hour ago]

Oh, look and now the Cutie fanboys come pouring in. DoctorSodium, why? Why did you have to speak the name of the devil? Now we’re going to be drowning in that garbage.

► DesperateBowman [Posted: 55 minutes]

@SongGirl – If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that if you don’t talk politics during the disaster, you don’t talk politics ever. It’s no secret that Governor Sanchez ran a campaign promising to get rid of Governor Swallows’ eastern bank reforms. Putting the fire under his feet is our duty as citizens of the Cloud Island Wilderness. If we don’t, a lot more people will get hurt.

► CutestSilverBird [Posted: 43 minutes ago]

Okay, let me make this clear:

I had absolutely nothing to do with burning down north-eastern side of Viridian City. Nithe is a dragon. He doesn’t listen to me. And there certainly isn’t any reason to believe, as some rumors have recently claimed, that any house or building constructed by a company other than Wells and Swallow will meet a similar fate.

Thank you. And just to leave no doubt: Buildings constructed by companies other than Wells and Swallow won’t be burned to ash by a giant, invincible dragon. You hear me?

► SilverLove [Posted: 38 minutes ago]

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► SecretProtagonist [Posted: 31 minutes ago]

Facepalm. I honestly don’t know how to respond to CutestSilverBird’s latest post.

► Npc72 [Posted: 28 minutes ago]

I think one of two things is true. Either Cutie is behind it all and she’s trolling us with the most unbelievable denial in history, or she’s trolling people by intentionally telling the truth in an unbelievable way.

Either case, Cutie’s a troll.

► SecretProtagonist [Posted: 16 minutes ago]

Yes, Cutie being a troll is well established by now.

► Joshua.Sanchez [Posted: 5 minutes ago] (Planar Governor) (Official Account)

For the sake of easing any confusion, the Cloud Princess is completely unrelated to Nithe’s actions. Further, there is no reason to believe that houses constructed by companies other than Wells and Swallow will be subject to greater risk.

The Government has met with Nithe and the other immortal beasts. They have made their reasoning quite clear. The newly signed bill has passed their review. To ensure there is no repeat of this tragedy, Lenape now has veto rights over all building permits set near Yaalon Lake.

As a final note, the disaster relief bill limits any one construction company from receiving more than 30% of the reconstruction funds. While Wells and Swallow will be allowed to participate in the rebuilding effort, they will be given no special advantages during the bidding.

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♦ Netherworld >> Cloud Island Wilderness >> PoliticsTopic: Representative Natalie Ward Wins Special Election

OfficeOfTheGovernor (Official Government PR)Posted: 1 day ago

We are pleased to announce Natalie Ward’s electoral victory. Representative Ward is now the 24th member of this august body. She will continue to serve in her seat until the general election of the governor six years hence.

Natalie Ward is a starlight witch. She served as the Guild Hall head of the Beginner’s Village for two years before joining Mayor Marshall in Viridian City as a deputy. Later, she famously participated in the Governor’s race against Joshua Sanchez. After her loss, she temporarily exited politics and assisted with the development of the women’s only guild Fantasia.

We all look forward to seeing the skill and experience of this capable woman.

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► Zoe.Marshall [Posted: 1 day ago] (Mayor of Viridian City)

Congratulations on your election, Miss Ward. It was a pleasure to work with you in the Mayor’s Office. The Cloud Island Wilderness is lucky to have you as a representative.

► BigSister11 [Posted: 1 day ago]

Congratulations on your election, Natalie! We all support you! I’ll never forget the days we worked together in Beginner’s Village. Even now, I still keep looking back, thinking Sylvia will be there looming over my shoulder.

► MidwestSoccerFan17 [Posted: 1 day ago]

Sylvia doesn’t loom. She’s too short for that.

And congrats, Natalie. You earned this. Go get them, girl!

► WiseGuy [Posted: 22 hours ago]

Okay, recently I’ve been looking at the math hoping to determine the algorithm the System uses to identify when a new seat will be added to parliament. As everyone here knows, the first 10 seats came with the official election. Since then, the System has been holding continuous special elections to expand the legislative body.

What I’ve found, is that each new seat is announced the month after the Cloud Island Wilderness crosses a specific population threshold. After charting it out, the pattern is clear. Seats 11 to 20 came when the population hit 12k, 14k, 16k, and so on. We’re now seeing seats 21 to 24 arising after each increase of 3,000. From this, I can calculate that we’ll have 40 parliamentary seats when the population hits 100,000, and 50 seats at 150,000.

Of course, I expect this growth pattern to break at some point. The United States has approximately 1 representative for every 750k people. Sometime after reaching 50 seats or 100 seats, I think things will slow way down.

► ActuallyABlackGirl [Posted: 14 hours ago]

Ugh, why did Natalie have to win? She’s such a bitch. And she still has that thug of hers, Camila. I fucking hate Natalie Ward.

► SongGirl [Posted: 9 hours ago]

Congratulations, Natalie! Girl power! It’s been a shame how few of the first parliamentary seats went to women. Especially after Cutie and the others practically built the world for everyone.

► DesperateBowman [Posted: 7 hours ago]

Agreed. In the last few elections, it’s become clear that the pushback against witches in government has finally ended. I was beginning to get worried about Mayor Marshall, given her election is at the end of the year. Especially now that Esmeralda Vallenfelt has stepped down as Mayor of Starport.

Here’s to hoping Chloe Foster wins Mayor Vallenfelt’s seat. Don’t get me wrong, we need to build the breadth of experience on the bench, but there’s no reason to pass mayor positions to anyone but the asteri until our politicians have enough experience. We need some sanity after Viridian City got burned.

► EmeraldElegance [Posted: 55 minutes ago]

Congratulations on your election, Miss Ward. It’s been heartening to see so many of my girls rise in this world. As I step down from my position, it moves me to watch the next generation take my place. The Cloud Island Wilderness remains at the beginning of its journey. I have hope to see a much greater world in ten years, just as I have witnessed so much growth in the ten years prior.

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♦ Netherworld >> Cloud Island Wilderness >> Access RailwaysTopic: Access Railways closes its doors

AccessRailways (Original Poster) (Official Corporate Account)Posted: 20 days ago

Today, with sadness, I must announce Access Railways is no more. Despite months of efforts, we weren’t able to raise enough capital to keep our doors open. When Access Railways was created, it was built with a dream, a dream of bringing railroads to all of Pyrinas. Unfortunately, we dreamed too big and too early.

For everyone who supported us in this endeavor, thank you. Do not let the dream of rail die with us.

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► Npc72 [Posted: 9 days ago]

I’m shocked AR held out for so long. Two years ago, WiseGuy wrote an incredible take-down showing the AR’s entire framework was pure bunk. When I read it, I thought the company would fail in the next six months. Somehow, they held on four times longer than that.

► DesperateBowman [Posted: 7 days ago]

The whole affair was a travesty from start to finish. I knew they were junk back when they lost Everwhite Pass. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

► ZombieMan02 [Posted: 7 days ago]

I don’t know man, the Northern Tunnel and the related dungeon is fire. I would’ve liked for them to hang on until they opened the Eastern Pass. It’s like, what, 90% done?

► DesperateBowman [Posted: 6 days ago]

Agreed. Access Railways was a bunch of grifters, but the Four Roads quest line has done a lot of good. When the Northern Tunnel went in, it really opened up the wilderness. But the tunnels are built by Empress Idetta. AR only provided a portion of the funds.

Governor Sanchez never should’ve given those AR scumbags so much money.

► BeastCatcher07 [Posted: 4 days ago]

Didn’t Governor Swallows throw AR a good chunk of support? Don’t be so biased.

Also, what happens to Everwhite Pass? Access Railways was underwriting half the town, and it was a nice place to stay when I was working in the area. I’d hate it if I had to camp out in the wilderness. Viridian City is too far when traveling on foot and I don’t like the Windroost area. You have to ride a falcon to get anywhere.

► TrueSoldier [Posted: 4 days ago]

I haven’t been paying attention to Cloud Island politics since I returned to Earth, but, if I remember right, Governor Swallows only funded the Northern Tunnel. She never gave money directly to Access Railways.

► CutestSilverBird [Posted: 4 days ago] (Cloud Princess)

Exactly!

Seriously, what kind of person do you think I am? You actually thought I’d fund a competitor to my transport monopoly? LOL. Imagine being so stupid.

BTW, I picked up a couple of assets when Access Railways went defunct. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the flying carts. Sad. Just imagine how much more I could’ve price gouged everyone if I did.

► Npc72 [Posted: 3 days ago]

LMAO, that’s the Cutie we know and love. So, are you going to tell us what top secret mission you’re on now? Everyone’s been hush hush on why Esmeralda and you disappeared.

► CutestSilverBird [Posted: 3 days ago] (Cloud Princess)

Don’t worry, I’ll come back with a whole pile of pictures. But, until then, you’ll just have to wait. Also, if everyone loves me then… doesn’t that mean I’m not charging enough?

► ZombieMan02 [Posted: 3 days ago]

Puke. Could we please get a competitor for Swift Ships? The princess doesn’t need a bigger monopoly.

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► QuestBasher [Posted: 2 days ago]

At this rate, CutestSilverBird is going to own the whole plane. I’m so glad I’m still living here on Earth.

► Npc72 [Posted: 2 days ago]

Tell me about it. I tried to convince Cutie to let me manage her stock portfolio, but she insisted it should be handled by a professional. Man, if only I could handle that sweet cash. Just think of all the merit points I could buy.

► ZombieMan02 [Posted: 1 day ago]

Dudes, the sooner you die, the sooner you start putting on levels. What’s the point of clinging to a mortal life?

► Npc72 [Posted: 14 hours ago]

To post silly comments on the internet, of course :) :) :).

No, really, I’m thankful for all you hardworking people who’ll make my eventual arrival in the netherworld very comfortable. I don’t have any grand plans for what comes after. I just want to hang out on the net all day posting garbage.

► SecretProtagonist [Posted: 4 hours ago]

Don’t listen to anything those Access Railway fuckers say. Their CEO is a con artist. Just yesterday, he announced that he’d be making a brand-new transport company called Central Express. A company that just so happens to have a number of AR’s best assets. Apparently, the fucker sold them to his new company before AR went bankrupt.

Access Railways was a scam from the start.

► CutestSilverBird [Posted: 2 hours ago] (Cloud Princess)

… O_O No wonder I missed my chance on the real goodies during the firesale.

Now I’m wondering if their CEO, Kenneth Madoff, ran AR just to siphon funds into his own pocket. What a brilliant scheme. Why didn’t I think of it? Wait, that’s because I actually know how to make money, LOL.

► Npc72 [Posted: 15 minutes ago]

Hey, SecretProtagonist, I just checked out the CEO’s handle on the merit boards. His points are at -1,261. Apparently the System agrees with you. Ha! Someone quick, find the handles for the board of directors. I want to see how far the rest of them dropped.

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♦ Netherworld >> Cloud Island Wilderness >> Nimbus WeeklyTopic: Article: Back in Black [Subscribers Only]

BlueHairedReporter (Original Poster) (Author)

Posted: 6 days ago

When I first met Valerie Baker, she was a blonde-haired girl and white as can be. She had a face pretty enough to be the center of any human interest article. The truth of her origin, however, wasn’t so simple. After death, our mortal identities are erased by the nether code that fills our soul. Miss Baker wasn’t the white girl she appeared as. Instead, Valerie was a black woman raised in the American Midwest.

“When I was first brought into the Timeless Beryl Wilderness, it shook me. Being black isn’t just a skin color, it’s an identity. It’s part of who you are,” Valerie explained, when asked about her past. “I hated the Starlight Nether Witch Academy for taking that from me.”

But what was lost can be found. With a happy smile, Valerie posed, showing off the body of her birth. I could see her shine, the sense that everything had returned to what was right. Then I asked how she did it.

“I’m using a visage,” Valerie answered. “But, I’ve already purchased the character customization tool. The moment I Awaken, I’m making the real me permanent.”

Valerie wasn’t alone in this experience. In Hell and the Fey Federation, it is normal to receive a bloodline with little concern for one’s preference. However, that doesn’t mean gamers make no mistakes. Character customization and class selection can also leave players with lasting regrets.

“When I was offered the Starlight Witch class, my mind immediately flashed to the full-ride scholarship the Moonlight University offers to any asteri,” another interviewee said. “In games, if you play a beautiful girl, people give you things for free. So I figured it wasn’t a big deal. But life isn’t like that. Being transformed into a girl, it’s as though part of your soul has been twisted.”

The witch in question, a former man, also expressed their interest in purchasing a visage tool when they could afford it. As for Valerie? She has no regrets.

“Some people ask me: ‘why would I want to look like this’? They tell me I was prettier before. I always say, this is who I am.”

I wish her the best.

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► CutestSilverBird [Posted: 2 days ago] (Cloud Princess)

Oh, this is way too funny. Some guy actually chose the Starlight Witch class just for the free ride scholarship? LOL, LOL, LOL! I’m never going to forget this one. I’ll have to ask EmeraldElegance who you are later, so I can give you the good old Charm Club welcome.

► Npc72 [Posted: 2 days ago]

Wow, Cutie, that’s harsh even for you.

► QuestBasher [Posted: 1 day ago]

If the rumors are to be believed, CutestSilverBird used to be a man herself. I think this one falls into the category of: ‘misery loves company.’

► SilverLove [Posted: 1 day ago]

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► Npc72 [Posted: 15 hours ago]

The Loli Sword God will always be a loli, no other image is allowed. You won’t pollute my mind with any insinuation to the contrary, QuestBasher.

Except, of course, if you want to post Cutie the Troll memes.

[Pic: Sword bearing twin-tailed Sylvia faces off against a hideous troll.]

► LadyKiller [Posted: 10 hours ago]

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► ActuallyABlackGirl [Posted: 8 hours ago]

I just wanted to thank everyone who came here and posted their support. Thank you. Thank you all.

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