It’s the second time I’ve woken up with my body broken, cooked, and perfumed by the smell of burnt flesh that is only mostly mine. A groan rattles out of me as I shift, muscles screaming protest. Forcing myself upright is harder than it should be—mostly because one of my arms is completely missing and the other looks like someone took a cheese grater to it.

  Blinking with the three eyes I still have, I scan my surroundings.

  The battlefield doesn’t disappoint.

  The entire cocoon cavern is scorched and fractured, resin shattered into jagged plates. Webbing still burns in slow, sticky ribbons, filling the air with the pleasant aroma of flammable death. At the far end of the chamber lies the boss—if you can call a molten puddle of corrupted chitin and liquefied organs a corpse.

  Finding the key in this mess is going to be—

  A faint glimmer catches my eye, reflecting firelight from a shifting patch of melted resin.

  I limp toward it, each step an argument between stubborn determination and the torn remnants of my muscles. My bones, at least, seem intact—small blessings and all that.

  When I reach the source of the glimmer, I stop.

  Not only do I find the key… I also find my missing arm, sprawled on the floor like a discarded chicken wing, the key embedded into the bone.

  It’s the kind of question only I ever have to ask myself.

  Sighing, I kneel and pry the key free along with the gauntlet still clinging to the dead limb. Reattaching the arm is impossible—new muscle and bone have already begun to push their way out of my shoulder stump, knitting into place with that familiar warm itch of regeneration.

  Mental note: I should really bring my crew for these kinds of things.

  The frequency at which I almost die is starting to get… statistically concerning.

  Dragging myself back to the tower entrance takes longer than I’d like, but eventually I arrive. The black metal doors wait, silent and ominous. I fit the key into the lock and turn it. The mechanism clicks with a heavy, ancient certainty, and the doors groan open.

  Inside is quiet. Empty. Waiting.

  I descend the stairs, each step echoing softly in the metal chamber. At the bottom sits the crystalline globe marking the end of the trial. I place a claw against it.

  The crystal fractures instantly, dissolving into glittering dust and revealing the card suspended within. Its illustration shows a colossal tree wrapped in a vast web—a perfect depiction of the annoyance I just overcome.

  I tap the card.

  ______________________________________________________

  “Blue, how’s it going buddy? How’ve you been?” I ask the floating blue eyeball. Like the others, my only reply is a silent blink.

  “The silent treatment, that’s fine. I’m used to it. Though, it would be nice to see a little more emotion in your blink.”

  Blue blinks again, completely unchanged from before.

  I pout. “Yeah, who am I kidding. I’m pretty much talking to myself.” I grumble. “Fine, lets just get on with it. What did I get.”

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  Blue blinks. “Entity Quasi Eludo, you have obtained the World card. Please choose one of the following blessings:”

  . I’m in a race to conquer towers and don’t plan on taking my time. Not that I even know what my lifespan even is anymore. Regardless, it’s clearly an inferior option.

   is literally my Blessingl, but with the world greater and twice as much strength offered. Which, though good, does have its downside when you consider my already incredible strength. More strength would allow me to better overpower anyone who actually is equal to or exceeds my strength- something I expect to be an incredibly rare occurrence. Still, the blessing is useful if nothing else.

  , if it functions as I expect, is immensely useful when you consider I create fiery explosions on my body. This would reduce the damage I take from my spells, which in turn also allows me to make said spells stronger without doing significant damage to my body.

  “Alright blue, I’ve decided to take [World Endurance]

  “Choice: World Endurance, accepted.”

  “Blessing application completed.”“Activating Reset Protocol.”

  ______________________________________________________________

  Waking up, I’m met with my return to the initial tower. As I stand, a grumble alerts me to my body's hunger. At the same time, I find my body mostly restored. My arm is still regrowing, but it’s reached the elbow already.

  Lifting up the gauntlet to my elbow, I somehow connect it in a way so that it is barely connected and hanging. Then, with a thought, I shift my form into a cat. Seeing that the gauntlet disappeared, I walk to the tower's entrance and peek out.

  And immediately flatten my ears.

  A crowd

  Daiyu sits off to the side, perched on a rock, watching the near-riot with apprehension.

  Seeing that they are all distracted, I sneak out of the tower and make my way to Daiyu. As I do so, I listen in to the conversation between the two groups.

  “The Apostle has entered to commune with the great one. Unbelievers need not approach the tower.” The [Paladin] warns the [Inquisitors], hand resting on the mace at his side.

  “I care not for your faulty beliefs.” The [Inquisitor] warns. “I demand answers on how this apostle entered inside. Explain it to me, or I will force such information from your mouth.”

  “Over my dead body.” The [Paladin] warns. Behind the [Paladins], the [Priest] and his flock look ready to fight. Not that they will be much good against [Samurai].

  “What’s happening?” I sneak up on Daiyu, who reflexively unholsters and aims her pistol at my face.

  “Don’t sneak up on me,” she hisses. Then, quieter: “How did you even get inside the tower? The [Priest] called you an Apostle.”

  I wave a paw dismissively. “Long story. Needs a table, a drink, and preferably my ship. What’s happening here? They all look ready to murder each other.”

  Frowning at the shift in conversation, Daiyu points. “The [Inquisitor] saw you enter the tower, demanded an explanation, but the members of the Ecclesiasticus refused to speak. The [Inquisitors] left and returned with [Samurai] just a moment ago.”

  “I see. Well, I’d prefer not to get in a fight. So, here's what we’re going to do. You get up and make your way to Sparkhold and I will catch up.”

  “What are you-” She doesn't get to finish as I hop off the rock and sneak around to the other side of the group. Just as both groups reach for their weapons, I hop out of the bushes.

  “What’s the meaning of this?” I ask, startling the groups.

  “Apostle, you’ve returned!” The [Priest] yells in delight. “Have you communed with the great one?” he immediately asks.

  “I have.” I answer while thinking about blue. “My mission here is finished and I must take my leave. But before I do, why does it seem as though blood may be spilt in the tower's presence?”

  “Apostle,” A [Paladin] bows fervently, “these unbelievers demand information in regards to your right to commune with the great one. We have refused them, but they do not accept such refusal.”

  “Entering the tower is impossible.” The lead [Inquisitor] interrupts. “What magic allows you to do such a thing?” The inquisitor asks, “speak, or you will be made to.”

  “You dare threaten the apostle?” The [Paladins] roar, unsheathing their weapons in outrage. The [Inquisitors] and [Samurai] do the same.

  “Enough!” I yell, shifting my voice as deep and as loud as possible. Both groups pause as all eyes are now trained on me. I look to the [Priest]. “I will not accept violence. Speak clearly and honestly with the [Inquisitors] until they are satisfied.” I then turn to the [Inquisitor]. “If you harm the members of the Ecclesiasticus, know that my wrath knows no bounds. Now, I must take my leave.”

  With a shift of my mana, I jump vertically and transform into a bird.

  “Stop!” I hear the [Inquistor] yell, but I continue to flap my wings and fly towards Fumehold. As I disappear into the treeline, I double back around until I find Daiyu on the road to Sparkhold. I land on her shoulder, startling her. She looks at the bird perched, then frowns.

  “Quasi?” She asks.

  With a thought, I return to my feline form. “In the flesh.”

  “I didn't know you could turn into a bird.” She says.

  “There are many things you don’t know about me.”

  “I see.” She frowns. “What of the [Inquisitors]?”

  “Distracted.” I stretch luxuriously on her shoulder. “Probably won’t be an issue.”