Chapter 313

The Angel Express, Portland, Maine - 12:23 AM

We were stopped just before a bridge crossing the Fore River as I fiddled with the Angel Express’ engine. Almost everyone else had gone to their quarters, leaving only myself, Ash, and Jamie as we took care of our business. I had work to do, while the other two were currently spending their last moments together before parting ways.

The others had already said their goodbyes to the Weapon Master, who didn’t want to make a big event out of her absence. Jamie was still getting used to being with Ash, and she needed the space. Not that she would flee or anything; she would just be embarrassed and we certainly couldn’t have that.

This extended goodbye was allowed because the Monstersmith was giving Jamie instructions to kill as many robotic bastards in Boston as she could. That was her first stop on the Filbin Bowling Tour, as we started calling it, because all of the people there had either fled or been wiped out. The administrators had not been kind to them.

As terrible as it was, it gave us a unique opportunity and we weren’t about to squander it. All Jamie had to do was ride back, since we had already passed it, and get her work done. She had the Kedjen’s Khopesh for its chariot mode so she could make it to places without stations faster. It would be dangerous, but I had no doubt that she was going to be fine.

Casting out my awareness aura, I saw that the two of them were starting to finish up, and I snapped open my inventory. I didn’t really need to use the interface anymore now that I had Entwined With The System, but I was feeling nostalgic. It took me a moment to sort and rummage through the menu before I found what I was looking for, and I pulled it out of the box.

The Atlantean Ship Wheel was wrought from a single piece of green metal native to their lands. Shallow lines glowed with a white-blue light, and I examined its properties as I held it in front of me.

<<<>>>

[[Item]]

Atlantean Ship Wheel

Activate this item in any vehicle to convert it into a seafaring vessel. It will retain its original function after this process is over. If the vehicle in question is one that requires specific constructions to operate, such as rails, it will be able to form new ones to get to its destination.

You are currently in a Norfolk and Western 4-8-4 “Northern” streamlined steam locomotive, would you like to activate the Atlantean Ship Wheel?

Yes

No

<<<>>>

I hit Yes. The Angel Express shuddered as the black train rippled from front to back like water. This only lasted for a few seconds before I received confirmation that it worked, and I swiped it away to bring up a different menu.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking,” I announced into the menu, which assured me I could be heard over the loudspeakers, using a radio voice. “If you’re awake and you just felt that shudder, that means we’re ready to go full nautical. Those of you worried about seasickness, don’t be, the system removed that. Rest assured that the ride will be just as smooth as it is on land thanks to the properties of the wheel.”

I paused, wondering if there was anything else I needed to say. “That’s all from me. We shall be leaving in five. Be safe, Jamie. Ash, I know you’ll be up the rest of the night so I’ll see you after we’re on our way.”

Snapping away the menu, I looked out of the window in time to see the two women part. The Weapon Master locked eyes with me and offered me a rude gesture. I smirked and waved at her before she left the subspace depot. Ash closed the door behind her, lingered, and then stalked towards the train.

She always got this way when Jamie turned into a Half-Dragon. Not quite clingy, but definitely smitten. Considering her abrasive personality, I usually found it fairly adorable.

Taking a seat in the cab, I reached up and spun the crown floating above my head like a halo. It was bright white, almost silvery, with thirteen points, Each one had a different Zodiac’s constellation etched into it. The item turned, but didn’t move out of place. This was what Sol Ligatus had won by beating the final boss of the Emperor’s Ascent before anyone else.

<<<>>>

[[Equipped]]

Celestial Crown of the Rising Star

(Unique Item, Slotless Item; +500 Hit Points, +500 Mental Points, +15 to all stats, Emperor’s New Clothes skill acquired, King’s Rest skill acquired, Supporting Stars skill acquired, Ability Plus passive acquired, Burden of the Crown passive acquired, Icon of the Rising Star passive acquired)

[[Skill]]

Emperor’s New Clothes

Choose a piece of armor that you have equipped and incorporate it into yourself. It becomes a part of you and frees up the same slot to be equipped with a new piece. The equipment this skill is affecting can be changed once per day.

[[Skill]]

King’s Rest

Reset all cooldowns. This skill can be used once per day.

[[Skill]]

Supporting Stars

This skill can only be used twelve times on different individuals, and can be rescinded at will. Doing so does not regain its uses. When you use this skill, they will be given three boons to choose from base on their class, skills, and actions.

The following players are your chosen Supporting Stars and their boons:

Kayla Mills (Double Agent): Increases buff effects.

Jeffry Mills (Queen’s Knight): Increased debuff effects.

Jamie Summers (Weapon Master): Increased weapon damage.

Ashley Reilly (Monstersmith): Decreased crafting time.

Leonard Langston (Mystic Ninja): Increased attack speed.

Bethany Langston (Tea Witch): Increased potion potency.

This skill can be used on six more individuals.

[[Passive]]

Ability Plus

Raise all class ability levels by 1. This passive does not increase the cost to purchase upgrades.

[[Passive]]

Burden of the Crown

This crown can only be unequipped by you or one of your Supporting Stars. Once it is no longer equipped or you lose your position of leadership, the crown crumbles into dust. No one can steal it from you under any circumstance, but it can be looted from your corpse.

[[Passive]]

Icon of the Rising Star

All players who wear a symbol dedicated to you gain +4 to all stats. Members of organizations that answer to you directly boost this effect by an additional +4, and may activate a skill or ability for no cost once per day. Icon of the Rising Star has no maximum range.

<<<>>>

The crown was, honestly, a lot. We were lucky that Ross was willing to give it up without much issue, though Kayla did mention they paid a hefty sum for it. I knew he wouldn’t take it, anyway; he might have been a superhero, but he didn’t really want to lead anyone. There was the main reason why the Interloper was alone, aside from the fact that he was so strong on his own.

While the Celestial Crown of the Rising Star didn’t make its bearer the ruler of New York City like the Leo and Pisces’ factions were told, it certainly had the ability to bring people together under one banner. Emperor’s New Clothes, King’s Rest, and Ability Plus were already gamechangers for whoever could wear the crown, but the buffs it imparted to others were huge.

Supporting Stars, which could have easily been given to the Zodiac Avatars to unite the city, came with a very flexible boon that could be tailored to the individual accepting it. The real prize, however, was the Icon of the Rising Star. It didn’t mention a maximum range limit because, as a one-of-a-kind item, it didn’t have one. The grand prize of the Emperor’s Ascent would be one of the best support items in the system for a good while.

A part of me wondered how the people in the Etson Faithful would feel about the bonus to all stats they suddenly received. The passive specified a symbol dedicated to me, which didn’t have to be the Sol Ligatus logo. It would probably trigger some huge response, honestly. At least they would accept it easily enough; there were probably still random people in Atlanta wearing Warmonger merch. 

Or worse, Warmeowger merch.

As much as I hated that it was out there, I had no doubt Howard, my former manager, was plastering my likeness everywhere with Benedict Merder’s blessing. Jeff already had a Warmeowger shirt and Sara had bootlegged one with whatever power let her change her clothes’ appearance, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were hats, backpacks, pins, or more.

The Chaos Cup always left a mark on Atlanta, and I had a really strong showing this run. I shook my head, stopping myself from reminiscing over the tournament. Those were simpler times, back when things made more sense. What I needed to do now was focus on ending the scenarios before New York City could feel the repercussions of losing such a potent item.

I checked the clock to see that barely any time had passed. Ash was already back on the train, so my five minute warning was probably unneeded. Tapping my fingers against the ship wheel, I signed and pulled out one of the books from the Star Spangled Shadow Invasion.

Jamie had held on to Coe’s skill book until we started passing out the loot to everyone. I had expected it to be some kind of defensive skill or passive, perhaps something that reflected damage. Perfect for Jeff, who was our de facto tank.

What had actually dropped was much more unlikely.

With a sigh, I flipped it open again.

<<<>>>

[[Notice]]

You have acquired a skill book of Halo.

Would you like to learn the passive Halo?

Yes

No

<<<>>>

An Angel passive.

More accurately, a Fallen Angel passive. I had mixed feelings.

Jamie had given it to me right away, much to my surprise. I hadn’t asked her what was in it back in Ireland and that one was on me. It had started the conversation about what happened during the Star Spangled Shadow Invasion. At first the story had been celebratory as everything went to plan, but it all went downhill after I started talking about Coe.

Aaron was setting himself up as an antagonist. His plans had been foiled so far and he had lost the element of surprise, but letting my guard down now would be an incredibly stupid thing to do.

Previous second place winners were receiving their memories, which were tainted against me, though I doubted anyone reached the bastard’s chambers more than Coe did. The experience he regained probably made him scarier than anyone else out there other than myself.

As much as I hoped to avoid them and quietly finish up this run as efficiently as possible, I wasn’t sure how plausible that was. The world was a big place, and the only ones who knew about the Hellbreaker and my plans couldn’t talk about it. In theory, we should be safe.

But, back when I was in the Golden Dream, Aaron had quoted things that had been said in the Hall of the End before. I wasn’t sure if that was because of the trial or if he could actually see into Sara’s domain, and I couldn’t exactly ask thanks to everyone’s restrictions.

If he could see, then I hoped our wedding pissed him all the way off. I would have paid so much to have seen his face while I made out with his sister. Would have bet big points that he’d have hated every second of it. And, as some kind of collector of memories or whatever he was, forgetting the moment would be anathema to his whole shtick.

Either way, the team knew what to expect. I was sure that Jamie could handle anything that came her way with Athena backing her up, and no one knew that Kayla and Jeff were going to be dropped off to get class items in England.

Mercury had been excited to hear that we were going on these next few adventures together. The fact that he missed the Star Spangled Shadow Invasion bummed him out, though he was happy he could finish up the Emperor’s Ascent. I knew how he felt. He just wanted to help both sides.

<<<>>>

[[Patron Message]]

You’re lost in thought again, Ant.

If you want to use the book, then use it. It won’t help your soul heal any, but more skills are always going to be useful. Not only that, but a halo in your normal form will help protect you and allow you to buff your teammates thanks to the extra power given to you back at the Nuclear Army site.

Putting the matter of where it came from aside, it likely can only help.

Either way, it is time to go whether you choose to use it or not, love.

<<<>>>

Sara’s message knocked me out of my thoughts, and I looked at the book one more time. It would enhance my race just like the Golden Scales skill book had done for her. This was, by all rights, a good drop for me.

I just didn’t like where it came from. Not Coe, but Aaron.

Things were already fairly complicated thanks to my being a Half-Angel while being called an Angel of Death by the system. Would accepting it shift things further? Would my halo be silver instead of gold? That would make me part Sara, part Aaron, part Death.

Alternatively, it could do nothing of the sort and assimilate into what I already was.

A moment passed and I tossed the book into my inventory. I had plenty of time to think about it. There was a whole ocean to cross, after all.

“Speaking of,” I muttered to myself as I navigated my menus again. The same box opened up as before, and I spoke into it. “Thank you for your patience, members of Sol Ligatus. We are about to be on our way. I hope you enjoy your trip and, as always, thank you for riding the Angel Express railways and cruise tours. Here we go!”

Programming the destination into the Atlantean Ship Wheel was easy enough. There was a moment where it was about to argue on account of the continental barriers still being up, but it stopped. I had already gotten through it once thanks to my invitation to the Star Spangled Shadow Invasion and, whether by design or bug, it allowed the destination as a valid one.

Thankfully, just being in the Angel Express allowed the others to follow after me since I owned it. There was no worries of the others splattering against the barrier. That had been a legitimate concern of mine at one point, but it had been something that had been thoroughly tested.

The Angel Express began moving. It was slow at first as it picked up speed, but everything worked smoothly and the train had no trouble whatsoever. I extended my awareness aura out as far as I could send it and grinned as a new set of tracks appeared.

These were ethereal and golden, caused by the Angel Express herself, and veered off of the bridge and into the Fore River where it led to the ocean. There was barely a rumble as the train headed that way, dipping into the water before leveling off.

Ahead of the massive vehicle, tracks materialized. Behind the workshop car, which was our caboose, they disappeared. We traveled forward on a magic railroad to get to our destination. Not England to drop the Mills off directly, but France to save some time before we headed south.

Waves crashed into the front of the Angel Express, but they weren’t felt at all. The trip was extraordinarily smooth. Once the train straightened out and nothing jumped out of the water to stop us, I turned, stretched, and yawned. As much as I would have liked to sleep, there was still one matter to look into.

I needed to talk to a woman about a bomb. It was time to start on the Hellbreaker.