Chapter 301: Zach

    Purpose

    As the others looked through their rewards, Zach turned his eyes on the flashing notifications in the corner of his eye. He hadnt seen one ever. He had known about them, not because he had carved it in the stone but just he knew. The matters concerning the Framework were always clear in his mind. He wondered why.

    He opened his notifications and took a look at them all. He had gained new titles, several of them, each with great rewards. Some of his old titles had improved too. He took a deeper look at the rewards for the most important ones.

    First Greater Crucible of the Mind

    First to endure a uniquely harrowing mental experience in the Infinite Realm.

    +500 to base intelligence and wisdom, +5% to all stats, Pure Enlightened (Perk Change), 5 000 Immortal Essence

    Pure Enlightened (Title Perk)

    Your Mind is immune to all mind effects unless you allow them to impact you.

    A new perk, an improvement on the one he had before. The perk that was the reason why he could see through Hasturs deception. Or at least that was what his younger self had carved into the walls, Zach of now had no way of remembering. Still, it gave him something, a power that would allow him to resist such attacks in the future. He would never again fall to such powers, never again be imprisoned in the same manner.

    There were other perks too. Skill perks that gave him more power, and one more title perk. A reward for killing the Leader of the 11th Dome.

    11th Dome

    Defeat the Leader of the 11th Dome.

    +500 to base intelligence and wisdom, +10% to all stats, Key to Chamber of Treasures (R''lyeh), 10 000 Immortal Essence

    Key to Chamber of Treasures (Title Perk)

    Your Soul is marked with a key that will open a certain door.

    A part of him was frightened. He found himself lost, in a world that he knew nothing about. Surrounded by strangers that he he feared losing in a way. He did not want to go back to being alone. Yet he didnt know how to be with others. Naha he had made her cry, and he hadnt realized her sadness until later. He he had noticed that he was slower than them all. When he didnt fight, he took his time to think, he was used to thoughts and ideas lasting for days in his mind. Now he had to think quickly, to react to input from others immediately.

    And he just couldnt. He knew much, things that he remembered from the walls. But like with this title, he didnt understand nearly any of it. His younger self had written phrases, some explanations, but not enough. Perhaps he didnt, or couldnt, imagine forgetting. Or perhaps madness took him before he could even begin. Half of the things he had read on the walls were ramblings that made no sense. He knew that Hastur was his enemy, that he trapped him in the world that had been his home. He knew that Hastur was a Dome Leader. But, he didnt know what that was. He had no understanding of what a Dome was, and because of that he understood very little of what had happened since. He didnt know why they were here to fight, not really. Oh, he knew what was written, that they were here to save lives. But understanding? That eluded him.

    He turned his eyes on the others, saw them inspecting their gear. He still had time.

    He looked his screens and tables over, taking in the changes. It was interesting to him, since they had been the same for as long as he could remember.

    Titles

    First Kill

    Kill the first monster in the Framework-run World

    +5000 Essence

    First to Ten

    First person in the world to reach level Ten

    +10% to all stats, 10 000 Essence

    Adventurer

    Hunted more than 100 monsters

    +5 to all stats, 5000 Essence

    Hero of Promise

    Save more than 10 people with a single action

    +5 to all stats, 5000 Essence

    Chief

    Create an outpost

    +3 to all stats, 1000 Essence

    Leader

    Upgraded outpost to a town

    +3 to all stats, 2000 Essence

    One Against Many

    Fight against more than 10 opponents and win

    +5 to all stats, 5000 Essence

    First to Sixty

    First to evolve their Class in the world

    +10% to all stats, 100,000 Essence

    Class Evolution VI

    Evolved your class for the sixth time.

    +150 to all stats, 50 Greater Essence

    True Understanding XI

    Evolve a skill to tier 6

    +20 to all stats, 20,000 Greater Essence (per tier 6 skill)

    Apprentice Bounty Hunter: Wardens

    Complete 10 faction tasks for people no more than two tiers of power below you.

    +5 to all stats,1000 Greater Essence

    Crucible of the Mind

    Go through a harrowing experience to improve your mind by forging it in the harshest conditions possible based on your mind state.

    +500 to intelligence and wisdom, +2% to all stats,

    Enlightened (Mind Perk ), 50 000 Greater Essence

    Beyond Understanding V

    Focus and specialize your understanding of a tier 6 skill.

    +250 to all stats, 100 000 Greater Essence (per focused skill)

    True Link - Nahamassa Plainrunner

    Attain a true link with a type of being

    +100 to all stats, 100 000 Greater Essence

    World Feat: Closer of Rifts

    Closed a rift spanning most of the known world.

    +200 to all stats, +2% to all stats, (Perk Improvement) 1000 Celestial EssenceFolloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)

    Journeyman Bounty Hunter: Wardens

    Complete 25 faction tasks that are no more than two tiers of power below you in difficulty.

    +25 to all stats,5000 Greater Essence

    Elite Bounty Hunter: Wardens

    Complete 100 faction tasks that are no more than two tiers of power below you in difficulty.

    +50 to all stats,10 000 Greater Essence

    Master Bounty Hunter: Warden

    Complete 200 faction tasks that are no more than two tiers of power below you in difficulty.

    +100 to all stats,100 000 Greater Essence

    Combined Understanding II

    Combine two of your tier 7 skills.

    +50 to all stats, 100 000 Greater Essence, -1 skill slot,

    (per tier 8 skill)

    Skill Lord

    Three skills evolved to tier 6

    +For every 3 skills evolved to tier 6 gain: 2% to all stats

    Immortal Skill Master

    Achieve three tier 7 skills

    +50 to all stats, Aging process halted, 100 000 Greater Essence

    Eternal Understanding II

    Improve a tier 8 skill.

    +50 to all stats, 10 000 Celestial Essence (per tier 9 skill)

    Isolationist

    Spend one hundred years without speaking or seeing another living person

    +20 to all stats, 10 000 Greater Essence

    Recluse

    Spend one thousand years without speaking or seeing another living person

    +200 to all stats, 100 000 Greater Essence

    First Greater Crucible of the Mind

    First to endure a uniquely harrowing mental experience in the Infinite Realm.

    +500 to base intelligence and wisdom, +5% to all stats, Pure Enlightened (Perk), 5 000 Immortal Essence

    11th Dome

    Defeat the Leader of the 11th Dome.

    +500 to base intelligence and wisdom, +10% to all stats, Key to Chamber of Treasures (R''lyeh), 10 000 Immortal Essence

    Dome Supremacy

    Lord of the Aspects ( Re )

    Level

    419

    Combat Ability

    Aspect Whirling Wings

    Movement Ability

    Aspect Wings

    Support Ability

    Aspect Binding Chains

    Additional Ability

    Aspect True Sight

    Additional Ability

    Aspect Shutdown

    EVOLUTION ATTUNEMENT BONUS:

    Ethereal

    All Ethereal based powers are 10% more effective. All special attacks deal 0.5% of the total damage dealt as soul damage. Gain +10% to strength and wisdom.

    Phantom Hunter

    Gain +20% to stamina and -20% to ability cooldowns when fighting spirits or shades. Gain +10% to strength and +10% dexterity.

    Planar

    All planar powers gain +20% to their effectiveness. Change your abilities and relevant perks to Planar type abilities and perks. Gain +10% to strength and +10% to dexterity.

    Riftborn

    Passing through a rift gives you a 20% bonus to total stats and -50% to all ability cooldowns for twenty seconds. Gain +10% to strength and +10% to dexterity.

    Aspectborn

    You may choose three aspects that you have used before as part of your arsenal (Soul, Wind, Time). All powers using these aspects are 50% more effective (Future perk choices will largely be influenced by aspects chosen). Perk and ability evolution. Gain +15% to strength and intelligence.

    Cultivation

    Path of the Lightning Blade ( R )

    Stage

    Peak Foundation

    Aspect

    Lighting

    Base Technique

    Calm before the Storm

    Branch Technique

    Charged Focus

    Fruit Technique

    Lightning Strike

    Passive Skills

    Active Skills

    I Focused And Saw All flaws

    I Strike Through Time

    Perfect Darkness Sight

    Perfect Spatial Evade

    Perfect Tireless Body

    Perfect Nullifying Slash

    Perfect Mind Training Analysis

    Perfect Greater Parry

    Perfect Telekinesis: My Will, Made Manifest

    Strength

    7453

    Dexterity

    7770

    Vitality

    5383

    Endurance

    5517

    Intelligence

    9696

    Wisdom

    7696

    There was something in the corner, something that he had always wondered about. It was part of the Framework, so he knew what it should do, yet it had never worked in the prison world. He knew, but he didnt understand. He had only the words carved on stone to go by, they were the only thing that pushed him forward now.

    One of the carvings spoke about a purpose, about protecting, about crafting something called an Ideal. A reflection of his lifes path. It sounded like something that he would need. And it was not a bad place to start. Get a purpose, a meaning to for his life. It felt right.

    He threw one last glance at the people around him, saw that they were busy, and then he mentally pressed the button. A sensation came over him that was almost familiar, but too soon it was gone, and he was someplace else. He sat in a dark realm, at a simple table, with a being sitting across from him. Cloaked and with an endless darkness within its hood. He looked around, and saw perfection in all things. His skill, it was something was strange about it here. As if it both worked and didnt at the same time. As if his will was infringing on something. It was a curious sensation.

    Zacharia, the being sitting across from him, the Dealmaker, greeted him. Its been a very long time.

    Zach tilted his head. You know me? There was a familiarity in the beings tone.

    I know all. All that have ever lived, all that ever will. All that walk this realm and those before it, have met me.

    What are you? Zach asked.

    I am a Watcher of sorts. I keep watch over all of existence, though it is hard for beings like you to grasp the full extent of what I am and what I do.

    Nothing that the being said made sense. For a moment he wondered if he had been fooled again. Had he trapped himself again. Are you real? Is this place?

    Such perfection, it reminded him of the Mind Essence that had crafted a world so real that his mind knew it wasnt. This was this something greater? Had he even left the prison. He started looking around, trying to bring his will to the forefront and

    Calm, the being whispered, and Zach stilled. This place is real, but it doesnt exist in the type of realms you are familiar with, that is what you are sensing. You escaped; this is not another trap.

    Zach glared at the Dealmaker. He found himself trusting its words, which rung alarm bells in his mind.

    The being sighed. I see. It will take time for you to recover, it is only natural. You came here for a reason, speak.

    Zach narrowed his eyes then finally decided that there wasnt anything else that he could do.

    The life I lived before the prison. The things that my younger self had carved into stone. Were they real?

    That was one of his greatest fears. That all that he had read, that what he believed to be true but didnt remember, was a lie. A trick, a deception from his captor. He didnt remember carving into the stone, not all of it at least. How was he to know that it was really him that had etched those words? How was he to know that it wasnt Hastur who had thrown in lies mixed with the truth?

    Yes, it is all real. You had a life before the prison, what youve written is the truth.

    Zach closed his eyes tightly. Such a long time, so much forgotten. Zach was more lost than he ever was. Before waking up in this world, he had a task, a goal to accomplish. Get out of the prison. And now that it had been accomplished, he had no idea what to do. He suspected everything, feared that everything was a deception. It was crippling. He had wanted to speak with Naha and Ryun, to learn what they knew. To perhaps find something to guide him in this new world. Hoping that perhaps they could make it all stop, make him believe that everything that he saw was real, because he doubted himself. In the old world, the prison, he had no choice but to go forward, what was real and what was a lie didnt matter. And he couldnt die. Now he had to live and survive on his own.

    If what he had written on the walls was true, perhaps perhaps it would make things right if he remembered. Perhaps this being could

    I can return your memories to you, for a price, the Dealmaker said as if he had read Zachs mind. But I must warn you, having those memories will change little.

    What do you mean?

    You are the oldest chosen in the Infinite Realm now, Zacharia. The life that you lived before Hasturs prison, was a blink of an eye. Even if you remembered the past, who you are now is weighed in ages, a few moments will not make you someone else. You are who you are.

    Zach closed his eyes. He didnt really want or need to remember. The Dealmaker was right, what were a few moments compared to the ages that he had lived alone. But memory, was not necessarily the same thing as knowledge. He didnt need to remember, but he did want to know. And he didnt need the Dealmaker for that, Naha, and eventually Ryun would fill in the blanks.

    This was a part of it all, a part of life. He was on the road to discovering his purpose, of finding there was no need to rush and borrow from things that he had forgotten long ago. In time it would come, he was patient.

    No, I do not need to remember, Zach said. But, there is one thing that I would like to know.

    The Dealmaker waved with his hand, and Zach wondered if he knew already, but just went through the motions to allow Zach to speak.

    It didnt matter.

    In my in the prison. My younger self carved into stone, things that he believed were important. Hastur was one of those. Another was a name, Raazel Equinar, it seemed important. Who is that?

    The Dealmaker tapped the table, then spoke. That knowledge will cost you ten thousand Immortal Essence.

    It was nothing. The reward for killing Hastur was substantial, he paid it immediately.

    Raazel Equinar, the Runesmith, was born in a version of the Framework that ultimately did not live up to its potential. He was the greatest of his kind, held more power than anyone else on his world, and he punished for a transgression, imprisoned for all time. You ventured inside a prison and found him by chance. You made a deal with him. Your right arm is his gift. You released him from his imprisonment. He doesnt belong in this place, but he, like others of his kind are given a chance at redemption. We shall see where his path leads him.

    If he was imprisoned by you, why allow him to be released in the first place? Zach asked.

    The Dealmaker tilted his head. I, we, dont control choices. All have free will Zacharia, to make choices, to fail or to succeed. All is possible, even for such as the Runesmith. His imprisonment was long, longer than yours, but what choices he makes now will determine his fate.

    Zachs younger self had written that this person was dangerous, and that he was Zachs responsibility. It was something to think about, perhaps a path to finding a purpose.

    You are not strong enough, not yet, the Dealmaker said, and Zach frowned.

    I dont read your mind, the Dealmaker added. It is written on your face. The Runesmith is stronger than you are now. In time perhaps you could grow powerful enough to face him.

    Zach nodded his head. Time, he had no issue with that. There was nothing else that he needed to know from the Dealmaker, and he left him to his whatever it was that he did in that place.

    Thank you for your answers, Zach said.

    Always, the Dealmakers voice came as that world blinked away.

    Back in the real world he looked around, saw that the others were slowly standing up, talking. He could feel it in the air. They were gathering and about to make some decisions. Zach stood up, eager to hear what they had to say. Every word out of their mouths was a new kernel of understanding to him. For now, he had two goals.

    First was to get Naha to tell him all that she knew about him.

    And the second was to start building on his purpose.

    These people were the only thing that he had to point him in the right direction.