Defiance of the Fall C.1225: Actions and Consequences

Zac had no time to react before a chain shimmering with the System's golden radiance and a dense aura of Order connected Zac and Kator's arms. The illusory chain only appeared for a moment before it disappeared, leaving a mark on his left hand. His danger sense remained quiet throughout, as did his Specialty Core and bloodline.

It was expected, considering Kator hadn't attacked him. Zac swore as he looked at the familiar mark, which made Kator laugh. The laugh was abruptly cut off when Zac's leg crashed into his chest with the force of a speeding train. The Reaver slammed into the wall on the opposite side, leaving a deep indent. Zac grunted and took a step back himself, feeling like he'd been punched in the heart.

"You—!" Kruta said, his body already alight as he stormed through the door.

"It's okay," Zac said, massaging his chest as he sat back down in his chair.

"Just a friendly exchange," Kator added as he stumbled back to the sofa.

'Are you sure?' Emily asked, getting an affirmative nod.

Zac hadn't actually planned on fighting it out with Kator. He needed to confirm his suspicions, and pummeling the infuriating Reaver seemed like the most satisfying method. A second form of confirmation came in the form of a warm stream of energy that nourished Zac's drained soul. Emily and Kruta left again after giving the hulking skeleton a warning look.

"And thus, our fates align."

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"You crazy bastard," Zac said in defeat. "I can't believe you're the one who bought the [Solidarity Link]."

The [Solidarity Link] was a special treasure in the Limited Exchange, costing a whopping 750,000. Zac remembered it clearly because he'd actually considered buying it for himself. He'd been surprised to see it disappear one day, considering its significant downsides. Zac was even more surprised that Kator was the person who bought it.

Kator had reveled in slaughter since the war began. He'd unearthed multiple sealbearers and claimed their bounties, and that was just the beginning of his many accomplishments. He'd climbed to the second spot on the Late D-grade ladder after advancing, despite the competition being incredibly fierce. Late Hegemony held dozens of generations of Zecia's greatest elites, and the strongest outsiders were also in that bracket.

Even then, the purchase must have taken a significant chunk of Kator's accumulations. He didn't even use it the way it was intended, and it looked like the Reaver suffered from a pretty bad backlash. After all, Zac's kick wasn't powerful enough to actually hurt Kator to the point of making his aura fluctuate erratically.

"Why not?" Kator snickered. "I knew I had to get it the second it appeared in the exchange. It felt like destiny, like the System put it there just for me. I've been searching for something similar since I first saw what kind of bastard you were. I'd planned on saving it until the trial, but I feel it'll come more in handy during this mission."

"We have to cross an incredibly unstable environment on the way to the Centurion Base. One spatial anomaly, and we're screwed," Zac said with a glare.

"Not if we stick together." The Reaver only laughed harder when he saw Zac's agitated expression. "Now, don't look like that. I called it a stick, but you're not walking away without benefits. Am I not generously helping you right now?"

[Solidarity Link] was a unique treasure designed for Dao Companions who'd chosen to advance and retreat as one. It formed an incredibly strong connection similar to [Adaptive Symbiosis]. But instead of the Dao of Life, the bond was forged through the Peak of Impetus. The connection was even stabilized with a System-enforced oath based on Order.

Accepting the link had significant upsides. It had two main features. The first was that it provided a boost equivalent to a Top-tier D-grade title while the bonded fought side by side. The second was an incredibly powerful damage transference.

Part of any damage would be split between the linked, just like some of Zac's old skills. It wasn't a simple split, either. The link sought balance, so the more wounded would transfer away more damage while the one in a better condition would retain more of the damage. With someone as durable as Kator on the other end, Zac could divert extreme amounts of punishment if need be. It was like getting a second life.

The link even worked on things like Vigor, Mental Energy, and Cosmic Energy. It was also far easier to absorb than any recovery pills. That was what Zac was feeling right now. Kator had emerged almost unscathed from the previous battle, so the link was already feeding Zac Mental Energy. Zac inspected the stream warily, but it really was pure energy without any hidden dangers. The link had even transformed it, making it ownerless and without any defining features.

Zac had once felt the item might be a good fit for himself, adding a second link. The energy transfer was useless, but the attributes and damage transfer would be very useful. Ultimately, he'd felt the drawbacks were too steep, and there was uncertainty about whether it would work properly when used on one person.

The price of such a powerful bond was enough for anyone to think twice about using it. The most important was that the link had no limits on the damage transfer, even though there were limits on its healing effects. It couldn't regrow a lost limb, for instance. So, if you lost an arm, the damage would be continuously transmitted through the link until your Dao Companion's arm rotted off.

If one was crippled, so was the other. If one fell, so would the other. Just like its name said, it was a link of true solidarity. This part wasn't enough to faze Zac since his situation was mostly the same already. He'd been more worried about the second downside. The bonded couldn't stay separate from their bonded companion for long.

If the bond snapped, the other side would treat it as if your companion had died. It would self-destruct in an attempt to have the companions enter the afterlife together. Zac and Kator might survive because of their extraordinarily durable constitutions, but they'd be lucky if they were back in fighting condition within a year or two.

This was what prevented Zac from buying it. If it didn't work through his quantum connection, Zac would have been forced to always keep his bodies together. That would ruin many of his plans, and the upsides weren't enough to risk it.

To think that he'd encountered the item anyway. Kator's idea was evident. He might as well have attached himself to Zac with an actual chain. It was impossible to kill or discard the Reaver until Zac could deal with the link.

"This is an insurance to keep us both on the straight and narrow," Kator said. "My demands aren't excessive. I took a huge risk helping you out, and I need a return on that investment. You'll take me to the Limitless Empire base without any tricks, and you won't prevent me from getting a piece of the war contribution those things will generate.

Stolen story; please report.

"You'll also assist me in finishing the quest for my last piece, but only if we find an opportunity on the way. We'll part ways after Ultom is dealt with."

"Part ways?" Zac said. "You should have thought of that before you linked yourself with me."

"Let's not pretend this restriction is permanent. The [Solidarity Link] is not designed to be used against one's will. It hasn't fully latched on because we lack love and brotherly bond. It'll erode on its own in a few months."

Kator was right. The oath couldn't properly form without an actual emotional bond between the two users. That was most likely why Zac couldn't feel any attribute boost from the link. The fact that it transferred energy proved it was at least partly functional, though. If anything, that made their situation more precarious. Who knew what was enough to make a precarious link like this collapse?

"Don't forget, I've seen your methods," Kator continued. "The so-called Eoz abilities you showcased are the nemesis of any Dao. You should be able to whittle down the seal with them. Whether you can do it without me noticing or triggering a backlash is another matter, of course."

Zac kept his face impassive, trying hard not to give any hint of the truth.

"Ah, then again. I can't help but feel worried after seeing the winds of fate you've kicked up. Someone once warned me not to go too far, or I might find myself dragged under by the currents. I hope this little trinket will help me stay afloat."

Zac mutely looked at the item placed on the table for a few seconds, his hair standing on end from the intense sense of danger it emitted. Not only that, but a series of alarms from the Yphelion had been triggered. It autonomously tried to teleport the thing out, but the treasure was rooted in place. No, not treasure. Bomb.

"You're a right bastard."

"Many of my cousins said the same thing when I ripped this opportunity from their broken hands," Kator said. "In a way, I did them a favor. Those straight-backed simpletons would have been swallowed and spit out by you a long time ago. And who knows? This might help us stay on the straight and narrow until we all get what we want."

Zac looked at the sinister contraption, trying to understand the incredibly intricate contraption. The only thing he could glean was that it seemed to seal an unstable scar that emitted the Dao of the Earthly Peak. If the bomb went off, a rift leading to the lower planes would most likely tear apart the Yphelion.

There was no way his bloodline could contain or eradicate the energies trapped inside. He would be like an ant before a chariot. Worse, it looked damaged, judging by the two broken runes on its front.

"Ah, those are the seals," Kator explained when he followed Zac's gaze.

"Let me guess, if the third seal breaks—"

"—you'll get to see something extraordinary, yes," Kator said with a sigh. "My subordinates and I needed to be in agreement to trigger this toy. Just one dissident would prevent its activation. Now, I have to shoulder this burden alone."

Zac looked at the doomsday device for a few more seconds before slowly exhaling and getting to his feet. "Welcome to the team."

There was nothing else to say. Zac knew he couldn't get rid of Kator right now. Anything else could wait until he was in better shape. And Zac worried he might do something rash if he stayed with this maniac any longer.

"Glad to be on board," Kator said as Zac walked toward the door. "I'm not unreasonable, so I'll just leave this thing here. Feel free to investigate and disarm as you wish. Just remember, actions have consequences."

"I'll remember it well," Zac said as the door opened. "I look forward to seeing what consequences fate has in store for you."

"As do I, Draugr."

Two minutes later, the core of his group had gathered in another section of the Yphelion. Kator had been led to his chambers, and the lounge had been sealed off with multiple barricades.

"How's the situation?" Zac said with a steely expression.

"They've scanned for sources of disharmony similar to the one the unevolved section has caused," Joanna said, her whole demeanor reeking of bloodlust. "There's none. Galau is still performing a deeper scan, but it seems we're safe for now."

"Safe," Zac muttered with a crooked smile.

"Well, how did your talk with the skeleton go?" Emily asked. "What was that thing we sealed?"

"Not great. I keep getting the short end of the stick when he's involved," Zac grimaced and explained the situation.

"He used the couple booster on you?" Emily gawked. "I would have made a joke if it wasn't so messed up."

"He's as scheming as the heretical fugitives I hunted but with the means of an ancient faction," Ogras exhaled.

Zac had hoped the meeting would go better, but he was relieved he'd been the main target of Kator's plot. Zac had been worried that Kator's stick involved his subordinates or even Earth. If worse came to worst, he could simply put his people on another ship and stay with Kator and the bomb.

"What do you want to do?" Ogras asked.

"For now, keep the peace," Zac said. "Luckily, I have some experience in dealing with shifty frenemies and troublesome brands."

"Hey—"

Zac smiled at Ogras' glare before his brows furrowed again.

"For now..." Joanna said. "We're striking back?"

"Of course," Zac said. "He's a ticking time bomb, literally, and his goals keep shifting. We have to get rid of him. We just need to figure out a way that doesn't get us killed, too. There can't be any mistakes."

"There's no point in dismantling the bomb while the skeleton is running around," Emily said. "He can just bring out another one or take hostages."

"It won't be easy. He won't let down his guard," Ogras added.

"We have time to come up with something better," Zac said. "I just checked the beacon. The signal is confusing, but it should take us at least two months to reach our destination. I'll work on the link from my end. I'm not sure about defeating, but I should be able to hold down Kator by the time we're approaching the target."

"We'll investigate the device from a distance. He seems confident since he's left it in the open. Maybe that confidence will become his downfall," Ogras said with a sinister gleam in his eyes. "We'll get through this one, too."

"I need to rest, so I'll hand things over to you guys. Stick to the original plan," Zac said. "Call me if Vilari wakes up or something big happens."

The meeting adjourned, and Zac almost had to drag himself to his quarters. His vision was swimming, but he forcibly kept himself awake and turned his gaze inward. Some things couldn't wait until he'd rested.

Five smoldering pyres of ancient power lingered in his body, tainting their surroundings with foreign truths. They were the ownerless remnants, mostly drained of their energy after forming the Glimpse of Chaos. Like before, they were drawing energy out of thin air, just like a planet. The process was noticeably slower now that wills filled with boundless desire were not controlling it.

Zac would normally have taken advantage of their drained state to shove them back into their mental prison. That wasn't an option today. The prison was gone, as was its subspace. They'd both collapsed during the last prison escape. Zac wasn't confident in putting them together without damaging them, anyway.

Leaving them as they were wasn't an option, either. They were currently like a recently-formed core or skill. The Atavism had left them malleable, and the window was closing. He needed to at least set the foundation for the future before he collapsed, and Kator had already wasted half an hour of his time.

Zac roused his exhausted Mental Energy, combining Mental Energy and the techniques of [Cosmic Forge] to create the precise spiritual instruments. Tendrils poured out from his Soul Aperture, targeting two splinters and two shards. Complex runes were rapidly added to their surface, rippling with the Void and Zac's Daos.

While his Draugr half had dealt with Kator, his other side had scoured the recently awarded library with the help of his upgraded Daos. He already had a plan for the remnants, but there was a lot of room for improvement. The answers were hidden in A'zu and Be'Zi's exhaustive notes, and the engravings appearing on the remnants were a combination of new and old.

One after another, the remnants were marked, ensuring they would keep providing benefits until he formed his Inner World, at the least. Zac felt his vision close in on him as he drew on more and more Mental Energy. The fifth set was soon completed, and Zac pushed it into his Quantum Space where his Cosmic Core waited.

Zac breathed out in relief and keeled over. He'd made it through in one piece. He looked at the tattoo on his hand before falling into a deep slumber, a final thought flitting through his mind.

'Be careful what you wish for, bastard.'