After confirming that everyone was dead and that no backup came, did they pack everything up and returned to their bastion - Earth. Mars was silent on the whole way, leaving them after the landing and going straight to his bed, trying to get some sleep. Seeing his resolve, no one bothered to speak with him, even the Commander left him alone.
Although it had been hard, Mars fell asleep not long later or did he? Right after closing his eyes, he saw something ginormous before him. A giant gray dragon full of scars and golden liquid that was dripping down from his wounds stared down at him. Suddenly it nodded, let out an agonizing cry and energy began leaking out of its wounds, that was quickly gathering at two places - one pitch black and the other of a pure white colour, each then forming 13 different humanoid forms. He said a few words to them and than vanished completely as the last straws of energy left him. The will of the dragon could still be heard, echoing inside this place and shaping the humanoids as it pleased. One of each faction turned around to look Mars in the eyes and then they fused together into one form, giving of energy that made everyone step back.
It opened its eyes - sharp and old eyes with a gray colour, the tone of the dragon scales he just saw. Aurelius's eyes "You are to bind them again. You are our glue."
Mars woke up letting out a painful moan, that cut through the night. All the sheets were drenched in sweat. Everything else was silent, only his heart pumping blood through his body could be heard.
Steps sounded before Mars's tent. Ari entered Mars's room, he somehow had felt Mars's unrest and anxiety making him wake up.
For convenience sake Paulus moved Aris tent right next to Mars since he seemed like the person he trusted the most. Good for him since Ari didn't like to sleep alone. Even old men can be kids sometimes.
Mars kept quiet at first only hugging Ari for a while. Even if Ari was an alien who took over another human, he felt like an old war buddy to him and the only person that somehow understood him in this whole world.
Ari continued to stay at Mars's side and made sure that he slept till the next day. He didn't say anything, but instead just listened to him, keeping him company. Even seeing Mars's body change again and again in his sleep didn't irritate him. The first time he woke up again, Mars's eyes had been white with black veins, but that just didn't bother Ari as his altruistic personality was stronger than the urge to run away. And just like that, the next morning came.
... CONGRATULATIONS - AFFINITY WITH ARI (ARISTOTELES ) MAXED OUT ... "THROUGH ALL HARDSHIPS TOGETHER" (Title : When together with your Companions you gain their absolute trust and loyalty even boosting your own Resilience by 10%) ACHIEVED ...
"Are you better now?" A tired Ari asked him with an exhausted voice. Mars could see that he was sleep-deprived since he had big dark circles around his eyes. "I am doing alright now." Ari smiled at Mars and fell asleep on the spot. Mars got his blanket and put it onto the sleeping man.
The visions kept going all night. He saw that dragon again and again. A single word appearing every time - glue.
'I might have to talk with those "others"... Paulus should have some connections to them.'
- The screen booted up, opening the communication channel. The darkness of the room was broken by the siloutte of a light warrior. The Wyrm they were talking to currently used a different host than their own humanoid body. It was a creature akin to a griffin. Then it transformed into a blond human male dressed in a white tunic and with large feather wings on his back, helmet and boots. He surely liked feathers.
"Hi there Special Ops Mars, I was waiting for your call." His golden voice was music to the ears of the other people inside the room, soothing them and making them willing to talk, only Mars had been unaffected.
"What do you want then?" "We can talk business, after the others have left us alone." Suddenly everyone almost simutaneously stood up and walked for the door. "You and your ton-" "Stop the faccade already. I know you don't know me. The Mars I know would have never just taken this offense." The strange man waited for an answer but nothing came. Mars just stood there akwardly without planning to reply. "You must have really lost your memory according to his plan... That is no good. Then let me introduce myself." The man bowed before the screen while saying: "I am the leader of the 10th division of the Wyrm army. Namely Merkur. The one who favors trades above all. As you might have guessed I like my life style and I don't want it to change, so let us make a deal. As I am one of the strongest gods, I would be able to easily help you out of your miserable situation. Your power right now is just a mere shadow of your former self, but there is something missing in your Mental Core, right? Something like this?" A grin could be seen on Merkurs face as a white shard with claw marks appeared in his hand and although Mars knew that he didn't tell him all he should know, especially the part with the strongest god, his offer was too tempting and he took the bait. "What are your conditions?" "Easy, I follow the winners and the strong don't always win as you might know, God of war. So I have to test you first. Strength is still an attribute needed for a ruling power and a winner needs at least some strength. I will send you one of my Heralds of the 10th division. If you are able to defeat him, than I will give you this piece, but If not then I will tell "him", that you still have your memories and then... After all I am a good liar so he will believe me." Mars felt great fear in front of this being that somehow knew everything about him and stuff he couldn't even imagine. "How long?" "Hm... he should be there in 10 days, maybe? Maybe 7, I don't know." "You knew I wouldn't say no and already sent him..." Merkur just smiled a knowing gaze at Mars. "I am neutral so just convince him and me, I don't care who you are right now or who you will be, just meet your side of the deal."
Mars's thoughts: "That was my first meeting with someone from "them". I hadn't thought them to be so moody and decisive. I was afraid of saying something wrong but in the end, he was already in control, predicting my answer and sending his subordinate already... 10 days, I have to train even more now!"
The first thing Mars wanted to do, was sending his body into unbelievable places. He went deep under the ocean, onto the highest mountains, on other planets and even almost into the sun, training and raising his Energy Capacity. He leveled himself up until he reached level 25 because after that something was blocking this option and so he invested his exp into Energy training techniques. By consuming one Void Core he increased his Void Affinity affecting his Skills and even updating his Energy Training Technique : Void into a form for all kinds of energy but with a special bonus for Void and Radiation, gaining double the Energy Capacity for half the cost. Because of these experiences did his Resistance and Resilience rise, while also gaining the passive Skills : Heat Resistance (passive: Your innate Resistance to warmth awakened gaining a natural heat shield.), Energy Resistance (passive: Due to the high exposure with a lot of energy forms, has your body become more resistant to them.) and upgrading Energy Absorbtion, now letting him absorb up to 50% of the attack, draining the enemies of their attack power. He also recovers 4% of his maximun Energy Capacity per minute now. Just like that he trained for 6 days straight until they finally received a message from their energy sensors.
'Interface'
Mars (Void Human)
Title: Great new start!
Body : Space Human
Mind : Space Human
Energy : Interstellar Energy (Void)
Level : 25 (0/?)
Experience Points : 200
Stats :
Free Stat points : 43
Resilience 97
Physical 44
Mental 61
Resistance 65
Skills :
Free Skill Points : 7
Mental :
Skill points : 1
Mind Space (realm)
Mind Force + (active)
Mental Barrier + (passive)
Illusory Space (realm)
Physical :
Skill Points : 2
Energy Absorption + (passive)
Void Camouflage (passive)
Natural Fighter (passive)
Sharpened Senses (passive)
Last Stand (passive berserk)
Energy Wave (active)
Heat Resistance (passive)
Energy Resistance (passive)
Energy :
Skill Points : 5
Advanced Energy Veins (passive)
Energy Shield (active)
Void Infusion (passive)
Energy Training Technique: Void + (active)
Partial Regeneration (active)
Energy Capacity 2170/2170 -
Energy Rating : Lower Middle Grade (Granting 10 Stat Points each and 9 free Stat Points and 4 free Skill Points)
Affinity :
Cosmical Energy
Void Energy +
Void
Void Tamer
Description:
A young man that got drawn into a conflict he should not be in. His soul is already tainted. The black veins are a sign of the already miserable state he is in. He should begin praying as they are after him already, but as he is learning more about the truth, he is starting to change his destiny. If for better or worse, that has not been answered yet...
Aurelius hasn't appeared during that phase again, leaving Mars to his own ideas and thoughts.
But the moment the sensors reacted a quest activated, disturbing his mind.
... MAIN QUEST ACTIVATED : 'A test of true strength' - Defeat the approaching enemy originating from an unknown power. ... Rewards : Mental Core Shard ...
'They are already here? Even so I should be ready now.' Opening his eyes, he left his meditation room near the Void chamber, a place were the newly obtained Void bladders and Void generators were kept. He used them to learn more about the Void and the enemy while training his Energy Capacity and control.
- On the radar the enemy ship could be seen to have stopped near the planet Mars, waiting for their prey to appear. Suddenly a space ripple formed near the destined battlefield letting a small Wyrm Fighter get out - The prey finally made their entrance.
It opened its cockpit and a small creature flew out, that immediately turned almost invisible like the pitch black armor that had appeared before it.
"You kept me waiting. Lord Merkur won't be happy to hear that..." The enemy also left his own Wyrm Fighter, that was clearly better than Mars's given the sparse ressources. He looked like a male Valkyrie, wearing the insignias of his liege : a helmet and boots with feathers aswell as big white wings on his back. "So you are one of his Heralds?" "One of his?!" Anger could be heard in the enemies voice. "I am THE Herald of the greatest Wyrm, who is supposed to rule over every Wyrm and Worm there is, the best of the best. So give up dreaming on you winning as in your condition, I am like an indestructible wall." The man went silent and looked at Mars with a sharp eagle eyes. "I never expected the great Mars, bringer of death and destruction, to be my opponent and to be this weak. What will the others say if I defeat you? I will definitely get my hands on Lord's blessing!" Joy could be seen all over his face, his body even twitched from time to time. "What a weirdo..." The Valkyries face turned serious after that. "I won't let you disgrace him like this, even if you were someone great in the past. I can't feel any power coming from you and I know how you fight, so you can't suprise me. My Mind Space is superior!" The space around them turned sluggy and gibberish almost breaking apart. Mars's body slowed down immediately, but his mind was uneffected letting him expand his own Mind Space and stabilizing everything within a 1m radius.
"Pff- what a weak excuse for a Mind Space, if you like it that much, then die within it!" Something started to press on his Mind Space from all sides, making it come closer and closer - The Madman wanted to crush him through his own Mind Space!
'System, put everything into Mental!' Mars's Mental Stat started to rise like there was no tomorrow, easily breaking through the 100 mark only ending after reaching 104. Something changed. Mars's Aura turned more intense than before, letting him look sharper and more like an intelligent beast. He went into a calm state of mind. His thoughts got more controlled and he wasn't afraid of his enemy anymore, pushing back the incoming walls with ease and freeing this room of the violent enemy Mind Space letting his own break through to the next level.
"Ah, finally I already thought you weren't gonna be a challenge. I can go into the next phase then." Energy Waves could be felt coming from his enemy. His technique got more powerful, reversing the process of Mars's small victory and pushing back again.
'Help System!'
... ASSESSING SITUATION ... MENTAL STAT REACHED 100 MARK ... MENTAL SKILL STRENTHENING AVAILABLE ... SPENT ALL SKILL POINTS TO ACTIVATE (8 POINTS)? ...
"YES!"
Mars's thoughts: "I trained like crazy these past few days and I couldn't advance anymore. There was no way to earn exp or train using my technique. No invasions happened and Aurelius didn't guide me aswell... Did I enrage him by contacting one of 'them'? Either way I have to concentrate on the enemy before me. He is definitely a Mental Warrior and has top-notch techniques... but I can adapt to it."