NOVEL NEXT Chapter 45: Orphan Maker.
Chapter 45: Orphan Maker.
“Look lady! I’m sorry! Okay! I shouldn’t have mind-controlled you! My. Bad. I promise it won’t happen aga….”
“HEEEEEEEEEEEELLP!!!!!! ADMIN!!! AAAADMIIIIIIINNNN!!!!!!”
Her claws raked at the wall. Leaving small gashes in the smooth stone and making a sound akin to nails on chalkboard.
A vile, resonant screeching that cut through the quiet din of the chamber.
It would have been horrifying….
If the exit wasn’t five steps to her right.
She, uh. Didn’t seem to notice.
“Is this the System vendor?” Charlie asked from the side.
“Yeah. She’s, uh, the one I accidentally attacked.”
Charlie raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Is that so? Then, why do you suppose she’s going at it like you’re a goon from the docks and she owes you money?”
I hung my head in shame and began to massage my temple.
“It, might have something to do with the whole mind-control thing that I did.”
He nodded.
“Yes. That does sound about right.” He turned back towards Granny Golden and her escalating meltdown.
She had erected a [Force Wall] around herself. Keeping any curious onlookers away, despite most of them trying to help.
Mr. Park and Jacob stood next to me as well. Opposite the spot where Charlie lingered.
“You know, we could use the services of a vendor. We have a surplus of supplies right now, but I’d love to get my hands on more of those storage rings.” Mr. Park commented. “Not to mention what other secrets we might be able to gleam.”
“Forget that.” Jacob scoffed. “What we need is weapons and armor. You lot might be happy with those parasites you cover yourselves with, but I ain’t about to have a leech on my skin.”
‘Kill him.’ Buddy hissed in my mind. ‘He’s trying to take you from me. He wants to break up our friendship. Kill him now. Before he whispers more poison into your ears.’
‘No Buddy. I’m already coming up with ways to avoid killing Randall and Anezka. Even though they totally deserve to get shot. I am not killing a friend.’
‘He’s not your friend! I’m your friend! He wants to replace me! With a cold, dead piece of metal! It won’t love you like I do. No one will ever love you the same way I love you. Kill him!’
Jacob kept talking. Ignorant of the enmity his comments had earned him.
“Besides, I wanna see how our abilities affect good equipment. You saw the same memories I did. Sully’s [Insight] merged an ability called [Awaken Object]. I’m dying to see what it can do when combined with [Imbue Construct] from the Projector board and [Enhance Object] from the Enhancer board. I’d bet my left (Gnome) that we can make something much better than a parasite suit. I’ve been smelting scrap so far. I’d love to see what sort of goodies vendors might have.”
I turned to face him.
“That…is a great idea! Why didn’t you bring it up earlier?”
Mr. Park’s face remained impassive, while Jacob’s turned into a grimace.
“I did. You used your powers on Prudence’s diary. It took two fingers off Kaito when he tried to pick it up and our new Telepaths kept saying that it was evil and that it was thinking of ways to, and I quote: ‘Take our (Gnome)ing legs and arms off so it could move like a real boy and finally profess his undying love to the greatest woman in the world.’ By which it meant Prudence’s aunt. The book didn’t manage to do any of that, but it did learn how to float. It literally zoomed away faster than we could blink. We kept telling you to catch it, but you were too busy singing and talking to a mushroom.”
I massaged my head.
Trying to process this new information while also doing my best to tune out Granny Golden’s desperate squawks. My hangover was still very much around however. I could feel my heartbeat in my head. Veins pulsating around my skull as if trying to kick their way inside.
Frustratingly, I soon started feeling kicks coming from the inside as well. My brain throbbing as if a gaggle of musicians were testing percussion instruments right next to my ears.
“How did, whatever. Why did you want to keep testing the ability if the book turned feral?”
Jacob shrugged.
“I’m hoping the oddities came from your drinking. A sentient weapon as powerful as the diary would be awesome if it was sane. A sentient armor would be even better. We’ve got other people who can use [Psychometry] now. Items like your dagger or Dusty’s spear have their own Psy pools. It means extra avenues of attack and defense, which are only made better by the fact that they can have abilities their owners don’t. Imagine what we could do with a crossbow that shot [Force Bolts] instead of wooden bolts. Now imagine if it could do that in the hands of an Enhancer or a Shifter. With its own Psy as ammo. Given that those pools can be recharged between fights, its an easy way of getting our mittens on twenty or thirty levels worth of extra Psy.”
I nodded in understanding.
“Have we made any progress with [Imbue Construct] and [Enhance Object]?”
“Not as of yet.” He admitted sheepishly. “I have both of them, since Projector was my main Type and Enhancer my second, but… I’ve been having difficulties with the materials on hand. The Psy dissipates after I shove it in. Or breaks the metal when it doesn’t.”
“Which is why my powers and Granny’s stock would come in handy.” I finished for him. “Look, I’m sorry about it, okay? I already said so. Multiple times. Granny’s the one who doesn’t want to listen. What am I supposed to say?”
“Have you tried kowtowing?” Mr. Park offered.
“What’s that?”
“You kneel so low that your forehead touches the ground. It is a sign of deep respect in my culture and it can be used to express one’s deep humility and remorse for one’s actions.”
I looked back at Granny Golden.
Noting the obscene amount of horror in each of her cries.
“HEEEEEEELP!! HEEEEEELP!!!! HEEEEEELPP MEEEEEEEE!!!! HEEEEEELP MEEEEEEEE!!!!!! ADMIN!!!!!! ANYONE!!!!!!!!”
Monique, Borislav, Kaito, Slab, Dusty and Prudence had been trying to calm her down for a good minute or two. To no avail. Kaito, Slab and Prudence’s own [Messages] weren’t getting through and neither were their voices. Whatever gestures they made only served to agitate her further.
Slab made his way over to us once he’d given up. Hanging his head in shame.
“I’m sorry Sully. I don’t think I can help.”
“That’s all right. Its not like I did much to help either.”
He sucked in a breath at that. Looking guiltily in my direction.
“You know, I cannot read your thoughts due to your [Suppression]. But I can read theirs. That, and my hearing’s enhanced. I was listening.” His features twisted for a second, but he got them under control in half a heartbeat.
“I was raised to respect Shepherds and to only offer them reverence. After all, their powers were the most important in our fight against the Blood Queen and the other Devourers. I, normally wouldn’t suggest any kind of debasement but…”
“No. You’re right.” I said, stopping him before he could finish.
“This is my mess. Its only right that I clean it up.”
I walked forward. Moving closer and closer my friends and to Granny Golden.
It was, odd, seeing her like this.
“H, hey. Mrs. Golden? Its me. Solomon. I wanted to apologize for what I did. Again. I’m really, really sorry. I’m a good person now and I can see that it was wrong of me to, lump my problems on you and, almost get you killed by making you lie. Again, I’m sorry.”
She just kept bawling and clawing. Giving no indication that she’d heard me.
She’d seemed so strong when we first met. So potent and imposing.
‘She was also kind.’ I reminded myself. ‘She could have bullied me around. Or lorded her status over me. But she didn’t. She always spoke as if she was genuinely trying to help.’
I felt another pang of shame overtaking me, before curiosity arose as well.
‘I wonder what her status looks like?’
I willed [Insight] into being and focused my gaze on the screens.
Name:
Granny Golden
Psy:
3,642 / 3,700
Type:
Telepath II Level 100 / Projector Level 50 / Enhancer Level 50 / Shifter Level 50
Telepath Abilities:
[Mindscape II] 10 / [Machine Mind II] 10 / [Long Call II] 10 / [Heart Bolt II] 10 / [Tranquil Mind II] 10 / [Incite II] 10 / [Healing Song II] 10 / [Puppet Sentient] 10 / [Floral Interface] 5 / [Fungal Interface] 5 / [Team Tactics] 5 / [Team Spirit] 5 / [Team Resilience] 5 / [Team Momentum] 5 / [Team Doctrine] 5 / [Puppet Animal] 2 / [Puppet Plant] 2 / [Puppet Fungus] 2 / [Precognition] 2 / [Premonition] 1 / [Block Mental Detection] 10 / [Block Mental Attack] 10 / [Interrupt] 10 / [Hum of Mist] 10 / [Stable Reality] 10 / [Alluring Presence] 6 / [Hide] 10 / [Static Illusion] 2 / [Muffle] 2
Projector Abilities:
[Force Bubble] 5 / [Force Wall] 5 / [Force Bolt] 2 / [Mend Space] 2 / [Local Portal] 5 / [Local Jump] 1 / [Mend Time] 1 / [Absorb Heat] 1 / [Absorb Electricity] 1 / [Absorb Kinetic] 1 / [Reservoir] 3 / [Conversion to Psy] 2 / [Resonance] 2 / [Accelerate] 1 / [Reverse Gravity] 1
Enhancer Abilities:
[Enhanced Strength] 1 / [Enhanced Dexterity] 1 / [Enhanced Constitution] 1 / [Enhanced Memory] 1 / [Enhanced Learning] 1 / [Enhanced Processing] 1 /
Shifter Abilities:
[Claws] 1 / [Regeneration] 1 / [Predator’s Instincts] 1 / [Regenerate Other] 1 / [Social Instincts] 1 / [Metamorphosis] 1 / [Heat Tolerance] 1 / [Cold Tolerance] 1 / [Electricity Tolerance] 1
Ability Points:
0
[Mindscape II]
Standard Combination of [Sense Thoughts] / [Mental Map].
Grants the User the power to detect thoughts, and emotions at a range of 500 metres per current ability level.
Grants the User the power to gleam sensory information and create a persistent mental approximation of the current environment at a range of 500 metres per current ability level.
These gains increase by an additional 100% every 5 ability levels.
These effects cannot be overcharged with Psy through this ability.
[Machine Mind II]
Standard Combination of [Electronic Interface] / [Puppet Machine].
Grants the User the power to detect thoughts, and programing priorities of electronic machines within the limits of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives.
Grants the User the power to re-write the programing of machines within the limits of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives. This effect scales with current ability level.
The effectiveness of this ability increases by 150% every five levels.
These effects can be overcharged with Psy through this ability.
[Long Call II]
Standard Combination of [Message] / [Persistent Message].
Grants the User the power to communicate with interactable targets within the range of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives.
User may leave behind a persistent node of information that lasts two hours per ability level or contact a target located further away than the current range of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives.
Additional abilities can be attached to the node and can be set to trigger upon contact with a specified target.
Distance increases by an additional 10% of current range per ability level.
Duration of node increases by 20% per current ability level.
The effectiveness of this ability increases by 100% every five levels.
These effects cannot be overcharged with Psy through this ability.
[Heart Bolt II]
Standard Combination of [Mental Bolt] / [Heart Attack].
User may fire a bolt of Psionic energy to an interactable target within the range of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives.
Affected Targets will experience a surge of disruptive Psy directed into their nervous system, as well as severe cardiac arrest if they have a compatible organ. This effect scales with current ability level.
The effectiveness of this ability increases by 100% every five levels.
This effect can be overcharged with Psy through this ability.
[Tranquil Mind II]
Standard Combination of [Meditation] / [Calm].
Grants the User an innate resistance to natural and unnatural stressors at a rate of + 20% per current ability level.
Allows the User to bestow an instance of resistance to natural and unnatural stressors at a rate of + 10% per current ability level to interactable units within a range of 125 metres. This effect comes at a cost of 20 Psy per affected unit per minute.
Grants the User a passive resistance to mind-altering effects at a rate of + 30% per current ability level.
Grants the User a passive increase to Psy regeneration at a rate of + 20% per current ability level.
The potency of all these effects increases by 100% every five levels.
These effects cannot be overcharged with Psy through this ability.
[Incite II]
Standard Combination of [Enrage] / [Friendship].
User may manipulate an interactable target within half the current range of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives into attacking any target the User desires, regardless of prior loyalties or the target’s self-preservation instincts.
Target must resist at lest half of this effect in order to become aware of the manipulation. This effect costs 50 Psy per minute per affected unit and its effectiveness increases at a rate of + 15% per current ability level.
The effectiveness of this ability increases by 100% every five levels.
This effect can be overcharged with Psy through this ability.
[Healing Song II]
Standard Combination of [Hum of Cleansing] / [Cleansing Gaze].
Grants the User the ability to project an aura that dispels lingering psionic effects and increases the natural regeneration of living interactable targets within a range equivalent to 10% of the current range of [Sense Thoughts] or derivatives.
This aura may be deployed actively at a cost of 50 Psy per minute for an effectiveness of + 25% per current ability level or passively for an effectiveness of + 5% per current ability level.
The potency of all these effects increases by 150% every five levels.
These effects can be overcharged with Psy through this ability.
It all seemed pretty interesting. Right up until I found the last screen.
My eyes went over it once, almost glossing over the information. Then they stopped dead and went back to (Gnome)ing doublecheck the utter (Gnome)ing bull(Gnome) on display.
‘Dispels lingering psionic effects and increases the natural regeneration. Increases…regeneration…. actively or passively…. can be overcharged with Psy….’
I was so stunned that I forgot to breathe. When I finally did, the oxygen burned my lungs and came out in a roar that eclipsed anything Granny Golden had displayed.
“WHAT THE ACTUAL (Gnome)! HOW!? HOW!!!???? YOU’RE TELLING ME!! THAT TELEPATHS COULD HEAL!!! THIS ENTIRE TIME!!!!!???? HOW!!!?? WHO THE (Gnome) KNEW ABOUT THIS AND DIDN’T TELL ANYONE!!!! YOU (Gnome)ING PIECES OF MOTHER(Gnome) (Gnome)!!!! I SWEAR I’ll (Gnome)!!!! YOU ALL IN YOUR (Gnome)!!! AND (Gnome) IN YOUR (Gnome)!!! UNTIL THERE’S NOTHING LEFT BUT (Gnome)!!!!!"
Granny Golden flinched.
Shivered violently.
And turned around to face me.
“YOU (Gnome)ING PIECE OF (Gnome)!!! HOW (Gnome)ING DARE YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME!!!??”
System Notice:
Store representatives are protected within the Tutorial.
System Enforcers will be dispatched due to threatening behaviour during apology proceedings.
System Notice:
System Enforcer: Orphan Maker, has been contracted to punish Student: Solomon Carter.
System Enforcer: Orphan Maker, has been granted access to Solomon Carter’s full Status.
System Enforcer: Orphan Maker, attempts to reject the contract.
System is enforcing the contract.
System Enforcer: Orphan Maker, is begging on his knees.
System is enforcing the contract.
System Enforcer: Orphan Maker, begins to weep profusely.
System is enforcing the contract.
Now summoning: Orphan Maker.
I was so angry that I barely noticed the shimmering in front of Granny Golden. When it receded, I was left with two crow people instead of one.
This new arrival was bigger than Granny. With throwing knives of pink crystal strapped to a highly-decorated Symbiote and a massive two-handed emerald great sword strapped to his back.
Despite his intimidating attire, the man himself crumpled to the floor almost immediately.
Furthermore, he somehow managed to exude more fear than Granny Golden herself.
“P, please!” He squeaked. “Please good master, I didn’t know! The screen! It tricked me! The System rewards were too good! Please Master! Oh, gentle and wise master! Please don’t enslave me! Please! I have family! Me and my wife have hatchlings! And eggs that haven’t hatched yet!”
He actually brought both his gloved talons to his beady black eyes and began to weep profusely.
“I’ll do anything you want master! Anything at all! Just please don’t enslave me master! Please! Kill me cleanly if you want! But please don’t make me into one of them! Please! Please!!”
The indignation I felt then, at that accusation, actually brought me back to my senses.
“I…I don’t. I wouldn’t…”
I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder and turned to see Mr. Park. His face as impassive as always.
“You’ll do, anything?” He asked, in a steady voice that nonetheless cut through the noise like a hot knife through butter.
“Anything!” Orphan Maker confirmed. His beady little eyes glistening with tears and newfound hope.
Despite his alien visage, I got the distinct impression of a castaway glimpsing land after weeks at sea.
“Me too!” Granny Golden interjected. Throwing herself on the floor in a close approximation of a kowtow. “Please spare me and mine! Don’t invade our world and subjugate us!”
“Now, now, there’s no need for that.” Mr. Park assured them. “We are all civilized individuals here, are we not? I’m sure we can put aside our superficial differences for a moment and come to an.”
He paused, letting the words hang in the air.
“Amicable solution.”
The two nodded profusely. Actually, going so far as to crawl over to where Mr. Park stood. They clung to his legs like misbehaving children hoping to avoid punishment. A sight so spectacularly out of place that it left me utterly speechless.
I was about to say something when Slab grabbed my right arm and Charlie grabbed my left.
“Let it go Sully. This is good. We’re getting what we wanted.”
“No sense in stirring the pot right now Sully. This is perfect.”
I gaped at them. Then back at the two aliens.
Mr. Park was playing them like a damn fiddle and neither seemed to care. Even though they were both infinitely stronger than he was.
“I, am I that scary?” I asked. Feeling stupid as soon as the words left my mouth.
“No.” Slab assured me.
“You are, by far, the single most terrifying bloke I have ever known.” Charlie stated.
If looks could kill, Slab’s glare would have sent Charlie and all his ancestors screaming into the shadow realm right then and there.
“But, you’re also not a bully about it.” He added quickly. “Which is good, because we’d all be well and truly (Gnome)d if you were. Point is, don’t worry about it. Scary people can be bad and good. You’re being very good by standing back and letting Mr. Politician do his thing. Granny feathers over there gets her apology, some nice reassurances and a pat on the back. While we get a sweet little edge that we didn’t have in the future you predicted. Everybody wins.”
They were right.
Because of course they were. It was bad enough that I’d lost my cool at a critical juncture. Right now, was the time to be a team player and worry about the needs of my whole group.
I backed off without another word. Pulling Slab over to the side for a quick chat.
‘She can heal.’ I [Messaged] him.
‘Yes? Why are you bringing it up?’
‘Because she doesn’t have to use her Shifter powers! She can heal using Telepath abilities!’
‘So?’
The nonchalant way he thought it took me off guard. Leading me to gape like a heavily medicated imbecile.
‘So!? The (Gnome) do you mean, so? Did you not get my meaning? She can heal using Telepath abilities!?’
‘Yes. Sully. I heard you the first time. I was asking why you were so surprised about it?’
He knew.
He and his sister knew this whole time and neither bothered to tell me.
‘Its not a common thing in my world, since it’s a rare power to have. At least, when compared to Shifters. All of them can heal themselves and most can heal others too. Telepaths don’t normally manifest healing abilities, but its also not unheard of. Is this not the case in your world?’ He inquired.
Becoming worried after sensing something was off.
I was about to answer, when I realized that I had no idea. Information about Telepaths had been tightly controlled for as long as I could remember. I didn’t know if my predicting the future was unique or if the powers that be simply kept that to themselves. This, could be a similar case.
But why hide it? Did they not want people being healed?
Unless…
They didn’t want them healed by Telepaths.
I was starting to think more and more like Randall, recalling the rants about conspiracies. Then I thought back to Ryan’s first impression of my world. Of the way things were handled there.
‘It’s possible he wasn’t mistaken. If people knew about this and kept it hidden, what else were they keeping to themselves?’
I was so distracted with my spiraling thoughts, that the new screen almost made me fall face first into the stone floor.
System Notice:
An agreement has been reached between Students in the Elite difficulty instance, Vendor: Granny Golden and System Enforcer: Orphan Maker.
Vendor: Granny Golden, has accepted the apology of Student: Solomon Carter. Vendor will now be teleported outside the Tutorial instance.
Enforcer: Orphan Maker, has agreed to settle his contract under the following conditions.
Students currently located in the Warehouse safe zone will receive a compensation package including:
Early access to Excursion Events.
Early access to System recognized Teams.
Early access to System Forums.
A dedicated System Vendor for their safe zone.
Raw materials appropriate for the higher end of Tier 1 in bulk and with a value totalling 5, 000, 000 Store Tokens.
A promise of information regarding common ability combinations and training methods. To be delivered after the second cycle begins.
Holy (Gnome).
Mr. Park managed to squeeze the bird man this much? Forget me and my mind-control, he’s the real scary one around here.
I was reading and re-reading the notice, when another one popped up in front of it.
System Excursion:
Student: Solomon Carter, will be summoned to three starter Excursions to familiarize them with the process.
Excursion to Earth: MXXS 2000 is underway.
Objective: Rescue at least 20 individuals from the burning building.
People rescued: 0 / 20
I barely had time to gasp, before a shimmer overtook me.