Chapter 32 [Corruption]

I blinked and tried to adjust to the sudden change, and when my vision cleared, I found myself standing at the end of a bridge of pulsating purple light.

The Achievement platform. Strange… I recall needing to ascend a flight of stairs to enter here. A quirk of the Third Tier, perhaps? Nathaniel never mentioned this.

Without hesitation, I stepped onto the bridge and hurried across, watching the many circles light up purple beneath my feet with each step. We would step out onto the Origin Floor after leaving this place, and I wanted to reach it before the rest of my Party.

I was wary of Locke appearing without the rest of us, despite the change in appearance the ex-Deacon Nicholas had insisted would hold under any scrutiny. The moment I reached the platform at the end of the bridge, a wall of purple text materialized before me.

***

[Name: Rowan Wilder]

[Age: 18]

[Achievements Cleared…]

[Reach the Second Circle - Completed –Average]

[Reach the Inner Circle - Completed - Average]

[Explore the Ruins - Completed – Below Average]

[Activate the Second Tier - Completed – Above Average]

[Collect the Memory Keys - Completed – Above Average]

[Catch a Glimpse of the World’s History - Completed - Peerless]

[Activate the Third Tier - Completed - Flawless]

[Slay the Fiend - Completed - Peerless]

[Complete the Third Tier - Completed - Flawless]

[Reviewing  Additional Data… ]

[Calculating… ]

[Result: Peerless – Rewards Increased by 100%]

[First Tier Rewards – 10,000 Essence – Random Pure Spell]

[Second Tier Rewards – 100,000 Essence – Random Blessed Enhancement – 10% Limit Boost]

[Error… ]

[Reviewing  Additional Data… ]

[Calculating… ]
[Wielder Limit Beyond Floor Capabilities… ]

[Adjusting Rewards According to Wielder’s Potential Essence Increase… ]

[Second Tier Rewards – 500,000 Essence – Random Blessed Summon – Drop Rate Permanently increased by 1%]

[Third Tier Rewards – 1,000,000 Essence – Random Holy Ability – 20% Limit Boost]

[Error… ]

[Reviewing  Additional Data… ]

[Calculating… ]
[Wielder Limit Beyond Floor Capabilities… ]

[Adjusting Rewards According to Wielder’s Potential Essence Increase… ]

[Third Tier Rewards – 5,000,000 Essence – Random Holy Summon – Drop Rate Permanently increased by 2%]

***

The text vanished as soon as I reached the end, leaving me flabbergasted as three Cards appeared in the darkness and fell toward me. I snatched them out of the air… and was then assaulted by the deafening sound of multiple high-Level Wielders screaming over one another.

Is that… Kas?

I shoved the Cards into one of my hidden jacket pockets, then oriented myself and rushed from the building guarding the stairs—only to slam into a thick, golden barrier just outside the entrance. The barrier came down instantly, allowing me to view the chaos on the other side.

A half-dozen Inquisitors were split and walking to either side of a struggling Kas, who was being held by both of her arms by another two. Every member of the Inquisition was shining with a dim, purple haze and gauges bottomed out into the corruption. My mind was reeling from the Achievement screen, and I struggled to comprehend what was going on.

This didn’t happen last time. What changed?

The gauge above Kas was rapidly dipping toward the corrupted chains.

No. I won’t let that happen.

“Shroud.”

It was night on the Origin Floor. Black mist covered my skin, and I stepped into a nearby shadow, tapped my cane twice to switch into my Legionnaire guise, then pointed my now fully black cane at the group of Inquisitors.

“Overcast.”

A cloud of black rolled out like the smoke from a factory chimney, blanketing the entire area. I danced through the shadows, avoiding the Inquisitors as they cast their own Spells to counter mine, and managed to slip around the confused guards holding Kas’ arms. Her eyes—whites and all—were glowing a deep, dark red and she looked almost… feral.

“Kas, it’s me,” I whispered in her ear.

Kas stopped pulling against the Inquisitors and her shining eyes turned toward me. She sniffed the air, her eyes suddenly returned to their normal state, and the gauge above her stopped moving.

“Rowan?” she hissed. “Get out of here! You can’t fight them.”

“You’re right.” A flash of light somewhere to my left purged a large portion of my Overcast. I pressed my cheek to hers and spoke softly enough that I hoped only she could hear, at the same time, I pulled a jar of ink and scroll from my inner pocket. “Sign this. Hurry!”

“I can’t bring you—”

“I’m a man of my word,” I whispered, then put the base of the pen between her lips, and after a moment’s hesitation, she bit down and scrawled her name on the page I held up for her. “It may take some time, but we’ll find you. I promise.”

I pocketed the Party Contract, then made to move. Before my cheek had even left hers, she nudged my mask to the side and planted her lips on mine. For an instant, I felt I could take on every Inquisitor in the square.

It didn’t last long.

Kas pushed me away as another blast of light erupted from another of the Inquisitors. I knew what had to be done, and it took every ounce of my will to do it…

I turned and ran.