Anti-Mage

As Anton looked around the top of the tower a few more Notifications populated his vision.

Congratulations! You have received 1 million XP and 11 million credits for permanently destroying the Artifact, “The Crystal of Ancree.”

Congratulations! You have earned levels 24 through 34.

You have destroyed the City Lord of Ancree, would you like to make the City of Ancree an official domain of yours, Yes or No?

Anton chose “Yes”

Congratulations! You are now the City Lord of Ancree and its surrounding hamlets.

You have earned 10,000 XP for conquering a city one category greater than your own.

Anton took in the notifications and then activated Specter. Next, he extended the duration by 10 minutes and opened up his Status Screen while he floated above the roof of the tower. He distributed his attributes as he had been, 1 point per level to each attribute, except Perception which received 2. He also noted the bonus attributes to Perception, Intelligence, and Willpower he received every 5 levels. Anton pulled up his Attributes to check their current values.

Strength 86

Agility 88

Dexterity 88

Endurance 290

Constitution 96

Perception 168

Intelligence 96

Wisdom 86

Willpower 296

Charisma 86

Luck 90

Hit Points: 485

Stamina: 3,070

Mana: 0

Psychic Energy: 409

His regeneration rates were great but he knew that for his Hit Points, it didn’t matter. If they couldn’t kill him within 2 combat turns, his health would be fully replenished which would make his regeneration rate 24.25 per second if that’s the way his regeneration worked. It didn’t of course.

As he looked over his Status Screen he noted that he’d unlocked another Class Skill at Level 30.

Planar Shift - You may move from your current universe or dimension into an adjacent Universe or Dimension for 100 Psychic Energy. While useful for reaching adjacent dimensions this skill will only allow movement to other Universes where they intersect which is usually near portals or leylines. Not this Class Skill allows the user to bypass any dimensional locks that might prevent one from crossing a dimensional barrier.

Anton intuitively knew how the skill worked and realized that the skill had been automatically unlocked because he’d been trapped in the void. So much for being stuck in the void again, unless they took the skill away of course. Then again, could they? Better not to find out. Satisfied with his new attributes and skill, Anton floated down the stairway and through the door.

On the other side of the door, he found the wizard's room with the SYSTEM Shop node in it. Otherwise, it was a pretty bare and sparse room. Anton activated Spectral Reach and touched the Node and looked for a way to move the node. In the end, he tried to move the node to his Personal Storage and it worked. The node moved into his Personal Storage and Anton deactivated his Spectral Reach skill. Next, he went looking for the City Node, He found it in the next room next to what could only be defined as a Throne Room which had two guards protecting it.

Anton deactivated Specter and appeared in the Throne Room. Two guards turned to him and drew their weapons as the one on his left called, “Halt!”

Anton pulled a longsword and shortsword from this inventory, “I have destroyed the Arch-Mage, The Crystal of Ancree is no more I am the rightful ruler of this Domain. Stand Down!,” Anton declared with conviction.

He had hoped if he appeared to know what he was talking about these two guards would just go along with it. That was a big no as the guard on the left that had called out moved to attack him while the one on his right stepped back and began casting a spell.

Anton ignored the spell caster and parried the guard who was moving into attack with his offhand short blade while he slipped the longsword up under his guard and drew the blade across his wrist. The guard was wearing chain mail which made no difference to Anton’s sword. Especially, since any magical defenses in the armor were negated while within 22 feet of Anton. The chainmail would normally have blocked the blow but Anton’s strength pushed through the armor's defense and while he didn’t cut the man's wrist he brought enough pressure from the blade that the guard dropped his weapon.

The anti-magic field also proved especially effective and satisfying as the second guard finished casting his spell and nothing happened. As the caster looked at Anton in bewilderment and the other guard pulled out a healing potion and started to drink it, Anton withdrew the SYSTEM Shop Node from his Personal Storage and placed it on the floor before the Throne while he reached out and touched the City Node.

“What are you doing?” a robed man said as he ran in from the other room. “You are not the City Lord!”

“In point-of-fact, I am the City Lord. Who are you?” Anton called out as he withdrew his shotgun from his inventory and pointed it at the ground between the two soldiers. “If either of you two approach me again without being asked to do so by me…”

Anton was cut off when the guard who had recovered his sword started to rush at him. Luckily for the guard, Anton had pulled out a different shotgun that was loaded with bean bag rounds because you never knew when you’d want stopping power that didn’t kill your opponent. Without hesitation, Anton aimed the shotgun just below the man's navel and pulled the trigger. There was a loud “BOOM.” The guard’s sword went flying as he crumpled to the ground holding his family jewels and moaning. Everyone else in the room was too stunned to move and froze up.

Anton cleared his throat and then projected his voice with an air of command and authority like a military drill instructor, “Now that I have your attention, I was going to say that if you approached me without permission, I was going to shoot you with my BOOMSTICK!” Anton almost lost his composure as he paused to get himself back under control. He’d always wanted to say that.

Anton looked around the room before he continued, “Now, someone come drag this guard to the back of the room and summon a healer. Magic will not work near me so heal him over there,” Anton said as he pointed to a corner of the room. Anton focused his attention on the man in the robe who had entered the room, “Now, who are you and why can’t I be the City Lord?”

“I am Martin Longshire, Head Merchant of Ancree. You cannot be the City Lord because there are contracts and oaths binding the…”

Anton cut the man off, “I’m pretty sure any agreements you had with the previous City Lord are null and void. In fact, let me help you with that,” Anton said as he opened the City Tab in in his Status window and pulled up the Tax information.

Anton kept an eye on the people in the room as he looked over the city tax settings which made absolutely no sense. There were loopholes within loopholes which ultimately led to the City Lord and the Merchants making all the profit. He also found the XP Tax which was set to 95% which was insane.

As he looked over the City Status Anton realized these people were woefully unprepared for what was about to happen to them. Also, if he decided to leave the city, which was what he was going to have to do anyway, someone would rise to power and would just do this again. He could start the process but how would he know what was fair? Nope, it was time for these people to choose for themselves. These people were going to get a SYSTEM integration, just like Earth had where everyone was equal and then they could strive for dominance just like everyone else.

Are you Sure that you would like to sell the rights for the City of Ancree back to the SYSTEM? There will be a significant penalty to this sale, Yes or No?”

Anton chose “Yes”

Ancree

Current Population? 517,344.

City Perks

+10% Population Growth Rate

+10% Healing Rate

+25% Population Happiness

City Bonuses

City Bonuses help in all associated tasks.

+25% Food Production

+50% to Trade

+25% to Mana Regeneration

Current City Funds 17,644 Gold

Current Value: 138,498,800 SYSTEM Credits

Cost Breakdown

Population: 51,734,400

Funds: 1,764,400

Food Production: 15,000,000

Trade: 55,000,000

Mana Regeneration: 15,000,000

Sale Value: 13,849,880 SYSTEM Credits

Repurchase Price: 152,348,680 Credits

If repurchase is not desired a basic City Node may be purchased to replace the previous City Node for 10,000 Credits. All perks and benefits associated with the previous City Node will be lost.

Anton pulled the SYSTEM Shop Node out of his Personal Storage and placed it beside where the City Node used to be. He’d gained just over 13 million credits for the sale which was nothing to laugh at but it still wasn’t enough for him to purchase the means to get back to Earth.

“What have you done?” the robbed Martin Longshire screamed, as everyone else in the room made a swiping motion to close their notifications and also looked back to Anton.

Before Anton could answer a new notification appeared in his vision.

Congratulations! You have completed the secret quest, Self Determination.

The SYSTEM provides avenues of progress through personal growth and social growth. Ether method is acceptable as there is always progress and innovation. Those individuals or items within the SYSTEM that take from others and/or hamper their personal growth are abhorred by the SYSTEM. While The SYSTEM will not go out of its way to target such individuals for items specifically should a circumstance become available in which the individual or item may be dealt with the circumstance of that correction will be rewarded.

Reward? You have gained 517,343 Karmic Luck, 10,000 XP, and the Title Fate’s Arbiter

Fate’s Arbiter – As an Arbiter of Fate you will receive specific quests and direct guidance to ensure SYSTEM cohesion. To facilitate your new role Constitution, Willpower, and Luck have received +10 and receive a +100% Efficiency bonus.

Anton read the notification and closed the window. Karmic Luck, whatever that was good for. 10,000 XP, always nice though it left him 17,757 XP shy of level 35. Finally, he’d received a new Title with a small bonus to three attributes and an overall large effect to those attributes.

Anton opened his Status Screen and checked. Constitution’s Base had been increased to 58 but with the efficiency bonus now at 200%, Constitution now sat at 174 and provided a +82 attribute modifier. Willpower’s effective value was 474 and Luck was 195. One thing he noticed immediately was that he now had a damage resistance. It looked like for every 100 points in Constitution he received a point of Damage resistance which was removed from all incoming physical damage before any damage was applied. That could come in handy.

Anton closed his notification to find Martin still looking at him. It also looked like he didn’t take kindly to being ignored. Now that his notifications had been reviewed he turned to Martin, “I completed a SYSTEM-generated quest. I also pulled out the SYSTEM Shop that the Arch-Mage had hidden in his quarters because I’m pretty sure you all are going to need it going forward. Anyway, I’m not your City Lord so, remember monster spawns happened now that the Crystal of Ancree is no more and this isn’t a City or Safe Zone, Good Luck!” Anton said as he activated Specter and floated up through the ceiling. Once he was above the city he followed the main street south and out of City.

As he flew over the city he noticed that guards were leading people to larger structures and people seemed to working together. It looked at lost less panicked than he’d felt when the SYSTEM came to Earth. Now that the city node was gone, the people here would start leveling normally and hopefully, they’d be able to work together to re-establish Ancree. If not there would be survivors and they would move out. Sure, he could have tried to help the city out but this was a world with politics he didn’t understand. He wanted to get back to Earth and try to at least help the people from that Alternate Earth. Barring that, he could try to get to his original Earth. Maybe the next time he was in a shop he’d try to purchase information on how to his original universe or back to Minneapolis on the Earth he’d ended up on. He could do so in Ancree but decided to cut his losses, or theirs, and headed out

As he traveled he thought about his new title, Fate’s Arbiter. It wasn’t his job to save everyone but maybe he could make existence a little more fair for people that crossed his path. Two towns in less than a day and the most powerful in both areas were left with a mess to clean up. Maybe he was Karma’s instrument? A small instrument to be sure but still, he had to admit, he felt kind of good about sticking it to the asshole of the world, material plane, Universe? Of course, there would be a bill to pay at the end, or had he paid it way back at the beginning?

Anton continued to rise into the sky until he was just under the cloud level and followed the coastline south for a bit and then slowed to a hover as he activated Battle Mediation to recover the Psychic Energy he’d spent over the last hour. In less than two minutes he was ready to go and continued south. The other city, which Serena had only referred to as “The City” was a lot further south of Ancree than Ancree had been from “The Town”

Anton followed the coastline. From as high up as he was it was easy to discern that this area resembled the Gulf of Mexico though it was much smaller and this definitely wasn’t another alternate Earth. After another hour traveling at a respectable 100 miles per hour, Anton passed over a small hamlet. He could also see the larger city off to the south.

It looked like there were gate guards and sentries and patrols. It also looked like this would be as good a place as any to make an entrance. Anton used Battle Meditation to replenish his Psychic Energy and moved to a point one mile north of the hamlet. After he checked to make sure the coast was clear, Anton deactivated Specter and appeared in his leather armor with his long sword and short sword in visible sight. He’d chosen the place to reappear carefully and stepped out from behind a couple of trees onto the road and started walking south. Anton activated Eagle Eyes and Aura Sight to help him see in the dark but it almost wasn’t necessary as two moons were in the partly cloudy sky making sure there was enough light to see by.

Anton walked south along the road for about 15 minutes until he came within range of the hamlet where two sentries stood at the gate.

“Hello their stranger, Where would you be headed?”

Before Anton answered he willed the radius of his Anti-Mage aura to as close to his skin as possible. If word made it this far south he didn’t want anyone to automatically assume it was him. At least not yet. After he’d adjusted his Anti-Mage radius he said, “A weary traveler looking for room and board, maybe a place to get a mug of ale and pillow to rest my head on.,”

The second guard called out in a gruff voice, “It’ll be two silver to pass through the gate and enter the town. There might also be an entry fee to enter the city as well.”

“The city south of here?” Anton asked

“That would be the one, you're coming from the Arch-Mages territory aren’t you?”

“It was, the Arch-mage has fallen,” Anton said.

“Truly? What of the Crystal of Ancree?” The first guard asked with barely contained excitement.

“I received the following message just a short while ago,” Anton said as he summoned a notification window to share the message with them.

Warning the Crystal of Ancree has been deactivated. Mana Flow and normal SYSTEM rules have been reinstituted.

“It’s hard to fake one of those Rob,” The first guard said.

“I know, I know. You run and tell the Captain. I’ll watch the gate. You,” the second guard said as he pointed at Anton, “You, can enter the hamlet for free. The news you just brought us is more than enough compensation. Taven is about a hundred feet down the street on the right,” Rob said as the first guard ran off toward a building in the distance.

“Thank you, Rob is it?”

“You’re quite welcome, now be on your way,” Rob said.

Anton stepped through the gate and started walking down the street as he looked for the Tavern. It was quite easy to notice as the sounds of multiple conversations and a musical voice rang out of the building into the night.

Mental Influence Resisted!

Anton hadn’t received that notification in a long time. As he focused on what could have set off his resistance he realized it was from the voice of the singer. The voice was just so beautiful that he wanted to get lost in it. Even so, he walked into the Tavern and looked around to see a silent crowd watching an elf sing near the back of the room. The language wasn’t familiar but the emotions that were conveyed made it abundantly clear that the beautiful elf, in her light blue dress with green eyes and platinum highlighted blonde hair was singing of a loss she would never recover from. As the song came to an end Anton noticed that there wasn’t a dry eye in the tavern, save the bartender and himself.

Many Patrons walked forward and placed a coin or two in a bowl on a table that another female elf sat at. She had the look of a warrior or rogue and was dressed in leathers like himself. Anton made his way forward and pulled out a gold coin from his inventory which he placed in the bowl. The leather-clad elf’s eyes widened a bit but then she recovered and Anton moved to the bar where he took a seat.

A burly human, bald with a trimmed mustache and giant beard walked up, “The name’s Bard, not like the class, it's just my name, What can I get you?”

“A beer or mead, whatever you have,” Anton replied.

“Mead it is!” Bard said as he pulled a glass from under the bar and a bottle appeared in his hand which he poured into the glass, “that’ll be a silver please?”

Anton pulled out three silver and handed them over, “Two silver are for this drink and a refill, the third is for you.”

“Thank you, Sir. What can I call you if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Anton. It’s nice to meet you, Bard,” Anton said as he took a long drink of the mead.”

Bard turned from Anton and went about his business as the elvish singer sat down beside Anton on his right and the leather-clad elf set down on his left.

“Good evening Anton, I am Aredhel and my friend with the daggers on your left is Lia. I’d like to thank you for your generous donation even though you weren’t mentally swayed by voice.”

Anton was taken aback. He hadn’t even considered that someone would blatantly use their abilities to make a living. As he considered her words he realized he should have. If you needed money there were only a few ways you were going to get it in this crazy SYSTEM run world and someone with a magical voice could definitely pull in money with that voice.

“You have a beautiful voice, I thought you deserved more than a copper or silver coin,” Anton said with a smile.

“See Lia, there are decent humans in the world,” Aredhel said.

“If you say so,” Lia answered blandly.

Anton knew immediately that winning Lia over was going to be a chore. Anton considered his next action and then asked, “It seems that you knew my name before I came over here. Can I ask how you did? I haven’t been in the city long.”

“The same way we know that you’re level 34 and that you’re a Tier 1, Specter, whatever that is,” Aredhel said.

“Analyze?” Anton asked.

“Analyze, the skill, not the spell, our spells didn’t work on you,” Aredhel said.

Just then Bard walked up. Before he could ask a question, Anton pulled out a gold coin and put it on the bar, “Whatever the ladies are having.

“Ladies?” Brad said questioningly

“Two meads will be fine, Brad,” Aredhel said.

Brad pulled out two glasses, filled them, and handed them over as he pocketed the gold coins. Once both ladies had taken a drink of their mead Anton asked, “So what can I do you?”

“We need to return to the Elvish City west of here. We were hoping to hire you to help us do that,” Aredhel said.

“As I understand it, that is quite far from here,” Anton said.

“It is, we’ll pay you well once we get there,” Aredhel said.

“When do you need to leave by?” Anton asked.

“Tomorrow at the latest…”

Anton raised a hand which caused her to go silent, “Unfortunately I won’t be able to leave so soon, I just arrived here and I have some things to do first,” Anton said as he noticed the disappointment on Aredhel’s face at his word, “But, I’ll tell you what, if you’re still here in a couple of days I’ll think about it.”

“Don’t think too long on it, If we’re here I’ll pay 1,000 gold for my safe arrival to Fariday.”

“While money is nice, if I accompany you I’d also like to learn more about this world and maybe start working on learning Elvish or whatever language you were singing in?” Anton said.

“Well, as you said, it will be a long journey with plenty of time to talk. I do hope to hear from you within the next couple of days, if we haven’t left,” Aredhel said. “Now, we need to go find a table and let those others who also donated coins have an opportunity to come speak with us. Thank you for drinks Anton, Good day.”

“Good day to you Aredhel and Lia,” Anton said as both stood and walked toward a corner of the Tavern.

“Everything okay?” Bard asked.

“Yes, why do you ask?”

“That was Aredhel Moonlit, Princess of the Moonlit Clan of elves, soon to be Queen of the Elvish Territories, if the rumors are true,” Bard said.

“If that’s true, what is she doing here?” Anton asked.

“Rumor has it that the two of them are the only survivors of a party that entered a dungeon near their kingdom and exited the dungeon in the city.”

“There’s a Dungeon in the city?” Anton asked.

“Yep, and it contains a gate to the Labyrinth beyond.”

“What is the Labyrinth?” Anton asked.