Cataclysm War | Chapter 99: A Happy Possibility (First Draft) (Patreon)

Friday, August 12, 4 S.E.

Three hours later, Leonidas lounged with one leg over the sofa of his chambers as he perused his System alerts, a celebratory hotdog in his stomach staving off his hunger in a satisfying manner. Opposite him, Synthra and Aylar were seated on the larger couch, exclaiming over the Sorceress’ gains from the battle and animatedly discussing her level-up options while Leonidas handled his own affairs.

He wore casual attire: a black tee, loose-fitting silk pants, and his wedding ring and [Spatial Storage Ring], deferring all else.

Aylar had settled into a delightful diaphanous silk robe, and Synthra was attired in a red one of a similar design, both of them having enjoyed a relaxing bath before returning to his quarters to take their ease.

He’d been a little shell-shocked at the boldness of Synthra’s robe at first—then realized the real shock was how alive it made him feel after a day of blood and war. The occasional glance he stole, admiring his redhead wife-to-be, wasn’t desire, entirely, so much as reassurance: proof that he still had something to look forward to after the tragedy of his reunion with his grandfather.

At that moment, though, he was more focused on settling his alerts as the three of them just enjoyed the lack of existential threats looming above their heads.

He’d already invested his Attributes: bringing his Vitality to 35 and Health to 385 in total, his Agility and Dexterity to a base of 30 apiece, 33 with his [Duelist] bonuses. His Willpower had risen to 74 thanks to his [Defier of Heaven] passive in kind, bringing his Psi to a total of 218 with his [Cataclysm Core] bonuses. He’d earned 3 more [Skill Purchase] Points as well.

With his Experience total at 36,521/ 54,000, all that was left was to review his alerts.

SYSTEM MESSAGE

Congratulations, Leonidas! You have completed a [Quest]!

WEATHER THE STORM

[Quality]: Epic

[Description]: In accordance with your compact with the Storm Phoenix that agreed to become your wings, you have been issued a [Quest] by the residual echo of its will and essence. Completing this [Quest] will unlock further advantages for your [Manastorm Pinions]; failure will result in [Consequences].

[Time Limit]: Two Months

[Completed Objective(s)]: Defeat a foe two Tiers higher

[Completed Optional Objective(s)]: Defeat a foe two Tiers higher without violence

[Reward 1]: You have unlocked [Effect 2] of your [Manastorm Pinions]!

[Reward 2 (Bonus)]: You have earned 15,000 Experience!

Leonidas mentally eyed his [Profile] at the Experience injection, noting that he was now at 51,521 out of the 54,000 required for level 28 and smiled mirthlessly. Close, but no dice. He still needed to attain the Reinforcement stage of his Core before he could Temper, and judging by his gains, he’d need to get on that sooner rather than later—especially with the 15% Malus against his Cultivation speed due to Tempering himself while his [Cataclysm Core] was still recovering.

Curiously, he pulled up information on his [Storm Rider] Title to see the new effect.

STORM RIDER

[Rarity]: Epic

[Description]: You have successfully won the conditional loyalty of a Mature Storm Phoenix, a manabeast several tiers your superior. As a result of this act, you have catalyzed an evolution in the nature of your Graft and awakened a hidden variable! New quests will be awarded at each subsequent tier to affirm the Storm Phoenix’s fealty. Failure will have [Consequences].

[Effect 1]: +25% Lightning Resistance

[Effect 2]: +25% Lightning Damage Dealt

[Effect 3]: [Locked]

[Effect 4]: [Locked]

A boost to Lightning Damage, huh? That might be useful.

At present, it wasn’t, but given his memory of the Cataclysm Lightning he was able to access when choosing his Evolution Path during his first Tribulation, it was quite possible he’d gain the ability in the future. While currently useless to him, he wouldn’t discount the possibility that it would prove quite fortuitous in the future, and dismissed the title a moment later, satisfied with the results. He could already wield Cataclysm Mana; he only needed to learn to tap into its Elemental properties more fully to make maximum use of it in the future.

Satisfied, he moved on to the next alert.

SYSTEM MESSAGE

Congratulations, Leonidas! You have earned a [Divine Path] reward!

DIVINE MAGISTRATE

[Description]: You have successfully defended your [Dominion] from hostile incursion and gained the respect and adulation of an immense amount of your citizenry and soldiers as a result! As a [Divine Magistrate], this feat exemplifies your [Divine Path], and appropriate rewards have been issued as a result! Go forth, O Magistrate, and rule with wisdom!

[Reward 1]: 2,000 [Aetherium]

[Reward 2]: 2,000 [Platinum]

[Reward 3]: 20,000 Experience

Leonidas pursed his lips when the Experience pushed him instantly into level 28, and immediately allocated both points to his Endurance, raising it to 40 and his Stamina to 170 after his Initiate Tribulation bonus. With the injection, he was now at 17,521 Experience out of the required 56,000 for level 29, and eager not increase that amount any time soon. He really needed to get his next Core development done as soon as possible. If it was pressing before, it was damned urgent now.

If the System was generous, it was never kind. Every reward had a price, and he could still smell today’s in his subconscious—the flashes of blood and death were held at bay by his inurement against them, but they still existed.

The [Aetherium] and Platinum injections were, on a more positive note, incredibly useful, opening up multiple options insofar as the [Aetherium Store] and general economy went, but he’d worry about that later. He’d need to speak to Ceruviel and see if there was another Graft or something else she’d recommend, given his total [Aetherium] had reached 5,700, but that could wait.

Leonidas dismissed the alert with a flex of his Intent and tilted his head left, then right, stretching idly as he noted the lack of remaining alerts with relief and turned to Synthra and Aylar. The System was fun for rewards, but sometimes it felt like he was inundated by information, and he couldn’t say he always enjoyed it. Number-Go-Up was always enjoyable, but when it happened so often in your life, sometimes it just felt like a needless information dump.

His eyes raked over the two women still animatedly chatting, and Leonidas smiled wryly.

Damn, I’m a lucky bastard, he mused, watching the pair of them until they finally noticed and turned toward him with arched eyebrows.

“Something the matter, husband?” Aylar asked, her blue eyes twinkling with amusement.

“Just admiring the two of you,” Leonidas said honestly, while folding his arms over his chest. “I just finished my level 28 Attribute allocation and redeemed my rewards. Guess how much [Aetherium] I’ve got?”

Synthra and Aylar exchanged a knowing glance, and it was the redhead who spoke.

“Something insane, I wager, you bighead,” the Sorceress said with a small smile, shifting her body in a way that was terribly distracting. “Go ahead, amaze us.”

Leonidas grinned at them.

“Five thousand, seven hundred,” he said smugly.

The explosion of indignation that followed had him laughing, and the two of them yelled at him in good-natured outrage for several moments before laughing themselves, sending the three of them into a fit of giggles that lasted for almost a minute before they all regained their common sense.

“Ah, it feels good to laugh,” Aylar said at last, wiping mirthful tears from her eyes. “After everything that’s happened, I needed that.”

Leonidas and Synthra nodded in agreement, and the King redirected his gaze toward the redhead thoughtfully, eyeing her in consideration.

“Hey, Synthra. Can I ask you a weird question?”

“Do you ever ask anything else?” she replied mildly.

“Hilarious,” Leonidas grinned and adjusted his position on the sofa. “Seriously, though, tell me this: what sort of wedding do you want?”

Synthra blinked at him and then glanced at Aylar, who raised her eyebrows and sipped her Aetherwine, waving a hand to show she was staying out of it as the Sorceress turned back to Leonidas, folding her arms self-consciously over her chest at the question. “Um, I haven’t really thought about it. Why?”

“Well,” Leonidas said, feeling his heart rate increase as he spoke, “Aylar wants to wait until she’s pregnant before you and I get married, and I understand why—” he nodded to the Queen, who blushed into her Aetherwine “—but it doesn’t change the fact we need to talk about it. I think we’re all past pretending we’re not going to get married, Synthra, no matter how weird it might be for Terrans to deal with. We should discuss how you want it to go down.”

Synthra shifted again at his words, and her cheeks flushed, her long legs curling inward as she adjusted her position and chewed her lip, glancing between him and Aylar and flushing more deeply.

“I, um, wouldn’t mind a wedding like Aylar’s, I suppose,” the Sorceress said hesitantly, as if afraid of admitting it. “Maybe not exactly the same,” she clarified quickly, “but I liked watching her walk down that aisle, though I think I’d want something in the open—under the sky, maybe. I think I’d like that.”

Aylar smiled at her best friend, offering support, and reached out to grip her hand warmly. “I think that would be beautiful, Synthra,” the Queen said with complete agreement, her expression soft. “I think it sounds exactly right for you.”

Synthra relaxed at Aylar’s reaction and turned to Leonidas, who was himself nodding as he considered the idea. An open wedding would be distinct, and it would probably allow for a more raucous attendance from the Guild that Synthra had grown up in for her entire life.

“Maybe we can do it at the Guild,” he said as the thought crossed his mind, smiling wryly. “In the Arena where we first met. That’d be pretty poetic, right?”

Synthra blinked at him and then smiled in sly agreement.

“You mean the one where I defeated you?”

Aylar giggled, and Leonidas snorted, waving a hand dismissively.

“Whatever. You didn’t beat me; I beat myself. Doesn’t count.”

“It does so count!” Synthra shot back, jabbing a finger at him.

“Nah, I totally beat myself, doesn’t count,” Leonidas repeated.

“How dare you!” Synthra shrieked, throwing a pillow at Leonidas, who caught it with Psi and peeked around it with a grin.

Aylar laughed again, and Synthra glared at him, her golden eyes flashing dangerously.

“I warn you, Achilles, King or no; I will thrash you for that!”

Leonidas grinned back at her.

“What level are you now?” he asked slyly.

“Shut up,” Synthra responded, huffing as she folded her arms. “Stupid bighead. Just you wait! I’ll hit Contender before you, anyway. I’m already progressing toward Reinforcement. I’ll be halfway to Elite before you even think about Tribulating!”

Leonidas hummed at that and raised his right hand, tilting it right and left. “Maaaybe,” he said with amusement. “But I think I could still take you.”

Aylar choked on her Aetherwine, and both Leonidas and Synthra looked at her in concern, while the Swordmaiden waved a hand for them to relax. “I–I’m fine,” she assured them, grinning as she coughed. “Just a thought. Don’t mind me.”

“Are you sure?” Synthra asked with genuine concern, her golden eyes running across Aylar with sincere worry. “You need to be careful. Aetherwine may strengthen babies, but if you are already expecting—”

“Wait, what?” Leonidas asked, looking between them.

Aylar coughed again and sighed, glancing at Synthra, who blushed, and then looking back toward Leonidas. The Sorceress grimaced and twiddled her thumbs at the slip-up, while the Swordmaiden took a breath, released it, and then spoke carefully.

“Um,” she said quietly, “well, it’s not certain, my love, but I’m—well, I’m late, Leonidas.”

“For what?” he asked with bewilderment.

Synthra rolled her eyes and sighed, while Aylar smiled at him warmly.

“Not an appointment, Leonidas,” his wife said in amusement, “my moonblood. I was supposed to get it two days ago, and I didn’t want to say anything, but—”

Leonidas surged out of his chair at her words, tripping over his feet and then hurrying closer, his eyes focused on the Haelfar before looking down at her taut, muscular stomach and reaching out to touch it.

“You mean you might already be…?”

“Well, not necessarily,” Aylar said carefully. “With all the stress of the last week, it’s very plausible I’m just delayed, so I don’t want to get your hopes up, but…” she trailed off and smiled, cheeks flushing. “We have not exactly been restrained, husband, and the System does quite prominently enhance fertility, so…”

Aylar trailed off and lowered her hand to settle on his.

“Maybe,” she said finally, squeezing his hand and smiling, while her eyes shimmered with relief at his reaction. “It’s a maybe, but yes, I might be.”

Leonidas stared at her and then looked down at her stomach, while Synthra chuckled.

“I told you to tell him,” the Sorceress said without ire, appraising Aylar with a satisfied look as she gestured to Leonidas. “I can’t believe you were worried he’d panic.”

Aylar blushed again at the light chastisement, and Leonidas bent forward, pressing a kiss to her stomach through the sheer material of her robe.

“It’s fine,” he said quietly, looking up at Aylar, over to Synthra, and then back to her stomach. “We’ll just assume you’re late, for now, so we aren’t disappointed—but if you are, Aylar…” he trailed off, and gave her a smile that radiated up from his soul. “It is the best news I’ve ever gotten. Nothing would make me prouder than to bring a child into this world with you.”

Synthra shifted as he spoke, and Aylar caught her hand before she could stand, drawing a confused look from the Sorceress.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Aylar asked, instead of answering Leonidas.

“I was going to give you two privacy,” the redhead answered, looking faintly uncertain.

“Synthra,” Aylar said with a laugh, “you’re going to marry him. We’ll be bond-wives. Do you think you can escape that easily? Did you already forget? If I have a child, they’ll be your bond-child. You’ll be their mother as much as I will be the mother to yours.”

Synthra hesitated at the words and then smiled, her cheeks reddening again in happiness, before the Swordmaiden flexed her arm and dragged the Sorceress back down to the couch, drawing a grunt from her.

“We’re a family,” Aylar said to them both, reaching out with her left hand to caress Leonidas’ cheek. “The Terrans may not understand it, but that’s their problem. We, the three of us, are a family—and family shares joy together.”

Leonidas smiled at her words and nodded, peering up at his wife, and then abruptly pausing as a horrifying thought raced through his mind.

“Oh God,” he realized belatedly, “you know what this means?”

Aylar raised her eyebrows, and Synthra pursed her lips, blushing still from Aylar’s words.

“Kairi will be the Aunt,” Leonidas said in horror. “Oh sweet Jesus.”

To that, much to his chagrin, Aylar and Synthra could only laugh.