B5 Chapter 65 – A New Level of Existence

When he woke, Tyron knew that he was not the same person as he had been before. He lay on the grass, staring up at the clear blue sky, unsure of how long he had been out.

As soon as the ritual had ended, his head exploded as the Unseen filled him with knowledge, pouring it into him like a jug being filled with water. Despite his best effort to hold it all, he still felt as if he had begun to overflow in mere moments, precious information slipping out of his grasp and disappearing into the depths of his mind. Only prodigious effort and long hours of study would unearth it again.

Of course, his body had also changed, but compared to the changes in his head, they seemed insignificant. It felt… roomier, as if his thoughts were allowed to stretch wider than before, his imagination capable of stretching into much larger space.

His unobstructed view of the clear sky was disturbed as a horrifying black skull eased into view, looking down at him.

“Soooo. How does it feel to be one of the supreme existences in the world?” Dove asked him. “And, I’m just curious, were there any options to regrow your body? Even a single limb is enough. A specific limb. Some would say the most important limb. Not everyone, of course, but most people. People like me.”

“Dove…”

“Can I get my dick back if I reach platinum? It’s a simple question.”

Groaning at the weight in his head, Tyron sat up, pushing the skeleton to the side. His vision swam for a moment as he clutched his temple. Filetta was still nearby, the rest of the horde assembled around him in a defensive formation.

“How long was I out?” he asked.

“Just a few hours,” Filetta replied.

“Hey, hey! Answer my question, Tyron! My hopes and dreams are riding on this, you prick!”

“No, Dove,” Tyron groaned, “I do not believe there is a way to regrow your body, or genitals, via the platinum rank status ritual. Alright?”

Having to say it out loud was somehow degrading. As if the experience he had just gone through was diminished in some way.

“Fucking damn it!” Dove exclaimed, kicking hard at the dirt and ‘accidently’ shooting sod at the seated Necromancer.

Tyron blinked before brushing the dirt from his robes.

“Although, I did get to listen to the Unseen describe the secret mysteries of magick and the realms. So that was nice.”

“Aha! I fucking knew it!” Dove declared, spinning on his heel and pointing a bony finger in Tyron’s direction. “There had to be a reason why the Divines wouldn’t allow anyone to reach platinum. I never believed it was just about control. Well, I believed it was mostly about control, but there had to be more! Of course there was more! If we had platinum ranked slayers running around, we’d smash the kin into smithereens. They’ve let the world burn down around them rather than let people know the secret!”

Eagerly, the skeleton plopped himself down on the ground, cross-legged, right in front of the Necromancer.

“So, what is it?” he asked, leaning forward, the purple light in his eyes shining brightly.

Tyron looked at him, puzzled.

“What is what?”

“The fucking secret! You… wait… no. Do not fucking do this to me, you ball-sucking daddy’s boy! No way you aren’t going to tell me!”

Agitated, the skeleton reached out and prodded Tyron in the chest, yet he barely felt a thing.

“Tell you what, Dove?” Tyron said, allowing himself a slight smile. “I’ll happily tell anyone who doesn’t purposefully make themself a boil on the backside of everyone around them exactly what I learned from the Unseen.”

“Will you tell me?” Filetta asked, pointing to herself.

“Of course,” Tyron smiled magnanimously. “Gladly. After all, you’re so helpful, and not annoying, and don’t make me grind my teeth in irritation all the time. How could I possibly refuse you?”

Turning back to the onyx skeleton, Tyron found Dove staring at him malevolently.

“This is low, boy. Even for you,” the skeleton ground out.

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“You fucking… you’re going to tell me eventually, right? Make me suffer, twist in the wind for a while, then tell me? Why not just say it now, save us all some trouble?”

“Because,” Tyron said, his face set in a serious expression, “there has to be a consequence for being an insufferable prick all the time.”

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Dove leaned forward again.

“I’ll be an even more insufferable prick until you tell me. You think this is as bad as Dove can get? You haven’t seen anything. Give it a week and you’ll be begging me to listen. I’ll say things that no amount of magick can ever erase from your mind.”

Tyron raised a hand, then snapped his fingers.

“What was that for? Oh shit.”

Dove tried to run, but he was seized by a gang of skeletons who hoisted him up into the air before running away with him in their clutches.

“Have fun, Dove,” Tyron said, waving from where he sat.

“Fuck youuuuu, Tyroonnnnnnn!” Dove raged as he was carried into the distance.