Chapter 4: 4. Gear Up, Team Up

“Jay, wake up! We have to get you set up and ready!” Mike yelled.

Jay opened his tired eyes. A splitting headache hammered inside his skull, and his throat was dry. It was one of the worst hangovers he’d suffered yet.

Then he realized if this was a hangover, then YoAnna hadn’t used magic to cure him from being hammered last night. None of what he’d dreamed was real, and Mike was waking him up to go home.

“Awe, fuck,” Jay said, covering his eyes. “It was all fake. I’m not ever going to fly.”

“I don’t know if you can fly or not, but if you think this is all a dream, let me quickly disprove you of that notion,” Mike said, holding his phone to Jay’s face.

The screen camera was flipped on, showing Jay’s face in real-time. It was his usual features except for his eyes.

The white part of his eyes, the sclera, were completely black. The irises were a neon purple that glowed softly. As Jay stared at his reflection, the others gathered around him. They were all clad in armor, cloaks, LARP gear, and stuff that would’ve been silly if the outfits didn’t look incredibly authentic. And deadly.

“On one hand, the way you screamed and fell knocked out was all sorts of scary, Jay,” Brit admitted. “On the other hand, you got the most gorgeous set of eyes I’ve seen. It does a wonder for your face, boy.”

“Is it wonderful enough for you to sit on?” Rick asked her. 

Tim waited for an answer with dead seriousness.

Brit paused to think.

“We don’t have time for this!” Frank shouted, pushing to the front. He reached down and yanked Jay to his feet. To Jay’s relief, his class hangover faded away now he was upright.

“You can’t keep coddling these kids,” Frank said to YoAnna, who’d been hovering outside the circle. “We’ve got two hours before the dungeons connect per your timeline. We haven’t been staged yet. We barely have time to practice properly. You’re dumping the impossible on a bunch of unprepared civvies.”

“You won’t be unprepared,” YoAnna said. “The Systems will help where you lack, and at Rank 1, these first series of dungeons will be in your favor. The schedule is tight, yes, but please be mindful that everyone here is more than capable. They will grow into their roles as my champions.”

“Your faith is admirable, deity, but I must agree with the American diablo,” Lilith admitted. “We’re getting thrown to the wolves. Are there any contingencies for when we get hurt, maimed, or worse? Killed?”

If there was excitement and enthusiasm, Lilith’s bluntness smashed that. A part of Jay wanted to step in and defend YoAnna.

But a more detached part of him understood the gravity of Frank and Lilith’s concerns. It was up to YoAnna to prove her worth as their Patron. She wanted a bunch of reckless teens in over their heads. Then she’d have to be the shepherd of that mess.

Meanwhile, Jay bounced away from the crowd. After the fifth bounce, Jay landed softly on the floor and looked down at his feet. He felt way lighter now. Like he could long jump a little farther and reach slightly greater heights than before.

“Profile!” Jay called, elated. He became confused soon after.

 

Name: Jay Luckrun, Rank 1 Class: [Lesser Freak, Level 1] Race: Inhuman Allegiance: Multiverse Protectorate Pantheon. Affinity: Gravity Attributes: [80 Applied AP]; 8 Resilience, 10 Poise, 8 Strength, 12 Agility, 10 Perception, 8 Intellect, 12 Conviction, 12 Discovery; [0 Free AP]. Skills: [Moonwalker, Level 1]. Talents: [Identify], [Guiding Grace], [Obscurification], [Monkey Boon]. Titles: [YoAnna’s Champion of Challenge and Change], [Omen Bearer of the Apocalypse], [Precursor of the System]. Loot & Gear: [Casual Clothing, Basic], [Phone, Basic], [Basic Wallet: 18 U.S. Dollars, 1 Debit Card, 1 Identification Card, 1 Expired Condom, 1 Papa Johns Coupon, 4 Business Cards].

 

Jay studied his profile. It was a lot for him to absorb and way more gamified than he’d thought. The Gravity part puzzled him the most.

He couldn’t imagine why he’d get that of all things. Gravity was the main reason he couldn’t fly or leap over tall buildings. Wouldn’t air make more sense?

Mike showed up at his side. His face was twisted with concern and uncertainty. But he focused on Jay. “How are you holding up, man?”

“Gravity,” Jay muttered.

His best friend’s eyes widened. “Dude!”

“What?”

“That’s an overpowered affinity, man. On the anime gods, you’ll be so broken it’s stupid.”

Jay furrowed his brow. “Really?”

“Ugh, you’re not into the maths and sciences. This is like giving a brick cosmic powers.”

“Ouch.”

“Sorry, I’m under a lot of stress here. We have to roll out now.”

Jay’s eyes opened in alarm. “I thought we had two hours?”

“You’ve just missed it. YoAnna got a sudden feeling the dungeons accelerated their intrusions.” Mike shook his head sorrily. “We must trust our Systems to help us cover the gap now. So, let’s get you geared up before our team launches.”

“We really getting split into teams?” Jay wondered as he followed behind Mike. The mood was way tenser now compared to how chippy everyone had been.

“Yeah, we’ve got three dungeons appearing around the city. So, we’ll be split into three teams. The Divine Four have the classical four classes and are the most balanced, so they’re automatically a team with Captain Casey leading them.”

They stopped next to a rack of weapons. When Jay studied a thick, squarish sword, a system message popped into his view.

[Identifying]: Dwarven Goblin Chopper, Basic–This plain bastard sword is made for exterminating wee nasty tykes. Good for chopping little gangly enemies with thin bones and barbaric clothing. Grants +3 Strength.

“The other teams?” Jay asked as he identified a spear. It was another basic dwarven weapon, but this one granted +2 Agility and +1 Strength.

“The Junker Twins, Brit, and Lilith are together. They, uh, make for a strange team dynamic. I think Rick’s going for a barbarian or berserker ax build. Tim’s backing him up with bows and arrows, thankfully. How Brit and Lilith will help is beyond my knowledge right now. I don’t know enough about [Medium] or [Crafter] until they figure things out enough to educate the rest of us.”

Jay identified an elven wand with leafy vines etched along its light-brown length. It granted +3 Intellect.

“So, that leaves me, you, Dennis, and the spook,” Jay concluded.

“[Freak], [Mage], [Fighter], [Fighter],” Mike translated. “Dennis’s wielding a greatsword. Frank went with a poleaxe, a really sensible weapon.” He pulled back his cloak and revealed a wand slid into his waist. “I got this to start with. Makes sense with our Classes. But [Freak] has no prominent attributes, so you can build it however you like.”

Jay’s eyes landed on a pair of dark and curved short swords with teeth running down the spine.

[Identifying]: Goblin Thigh-Slashers, Basic–These twin curved swords were made for the best goblin warriors, which isn’t saying much. They’re decent at impairing your foe with good cuts along the limbs before a vicious finish. Grants +3 Agility.

“Rogue,” Jay said, taking the goblin swords. The handles felt weird and alien in his palms. The edges gleamed like they were well-oiled and sharpened to perfection. “You can basically look at my Gravity [Freak] as that.”

“So you’re going to need gear that promotes Agility mainly, with a mix of Perception, Discovery, and a dash of Resilience and Poise for emergencies.” Mike slid his glasses up. “Let’s get a mix of light leathers and a cloak on you.”

“Gear up, then roll out?” Jay asked.

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“Unfortunately,” Mike mumbled.

Jay clapped his best friend on the shoulder. “It’s gonna be okay, man. You know why?”

“Why?”

“Because I’ll rely on you when I eventually fuck something up, and you’ll save the day.” Jay grinned.

“Thank you, Jay, for making me extra squeamish. Surely, you should be awarded for your pep talks.”

“I know, right?” Jay shook his head. “Maybe the System’s coming to recognize all my awesomeness at long last.”

They kept joking as Jay geared up. He stripped out of his everyday clothes except for his boxers. Everyone else was too dour to comment on him dressing in the open, anyway.

Without difficulty, he pulled on a pair of gray trousers and a matching shirt. Each article granted him +1 Poise. The supple leather boots granted +1 Resilience and +1 Agility. Then came the leather armor and hunter’s cloak, +2 Resilience and +2 Perception. A leather belt granting +1 Strength and a pair of thief gloves with +2 Discovery finished the look.

Jay had no idea what these Attributes did, but he trusted he’d learn later.

“How do I look?” Jay asked, spinning around, his cloak whirling behind him. He stopped on a dime gracefully, his gloved hands resting on the hilts of his sheathed swords. 

Jay’s smile faltered when he saw YoAnna standing next to Mike. She hadn’t been there a few seconds ago. Mike followed Jay’s gaze and jolted aside.

“That’s creepy, YoAnna,” Jay said.

“Sorry,” YoAnna squeaked. “As tense as everything is right now, it’s nice for me to extend more of myself. It’s been quite a bother holding back my divinity.”

She lowered her head. “But it’s unfair of me to think all of you would share my enthusiasm.”

“Lilith got to you?” Mike asked carefully.

“She is a hammer. But an intelligent one. She only strikes the nail when it’s in place. And she doesn’t miss.” YoAnna traced her fingers over her neck. “Then there’s Frank, and he’s not much fun.”

Mike shot Jay a look for him to say something thoughtful. Something perfect.

“Screw it,” Jay said. “We’re dressed like nerds at a convention, and we got, what, fifteen minutes to dive a dungeon?”

“Twelve minutes. But if my Champions leave in the next two minutes, all of you will arrive where I need you.”

“Great, you’re on top of it all. So, y’know what? I’m gonna do what’s best in a situation like this.”

“What’s that?” YoAnna pondered.

“Please enlighten the rest of us,” Mike pleaded. 

“Have a sip of rum and live like it’s my last night alive!” Jay shouted, his voice echoing across the gymnasium.

He bounded forward, gliding a few inches farther than ever before. When he touched down, he was up in the air again. Like an astronaut crossing the moon. But one with a cape that flapped behind him casually, making him look extra majestic.

He landed among the gathered groups and slapped Dennis on the back cheerily. The Superjock shook as if snapped awake. He grinned nervously and followed after frolicking Jay for the exit. Almost instantly, the mood shifted. From dour and afraid to excited and manic.

And Jay got a System reward.

Moonwalker leveled up to 2!

[Moonwalker, Level 2]: You can passively lower gravity’s effect on you, your gear, and what you carry. Pushing the Skill actively will enhance this effect, costing moderate mana. Leveling up increases the depth of control.

***

Mike shook his head while remaining at the back. “He’s unbelievable.”

“He’s awesome,” YoAnna said.

“We shouldn’t let him keep thinking he’s invincible. It’ll get him hurt.”

“But that’s how he shines brightest,” YoAnna countered. “It’s how he moves in a world that makes you still.”

Mike had a lot he wanted to say to YoAnna. Some things were happy. Some things were unhappy. And a few things he wanted to say were bitter. It was complicated, and Mike didn’t think it was his business to speak for Jay. But sometimes, Jay wasn’t always in the right mind to think straight and do what was reasonable.

“You’re our Patron,” Mike muttered, starting for the exit. “All in one night, you convinced a bunch of teens to throw their lives into what sounds like a deadly situation.”

“The situation must be fought, Michael Zhou.” She leveled a heavy gaze on him. One that made men feel small and feeble. “You were called. You answered. I won’t let you doubt yourself now.”

She hooked an arm around his elbow and forced him into a rushed march. Her ridiculously long model-like legs gilded while Mike stumbled.

“You think Jay alone needs support,” YoAnna said. “Funny. There are times when you need just as much support as him. You two complete each other.”

It didn’t help that, like Jay, like everyone else, Mike had a crush on YoAnna. He kept his mouth shut as she hauled him after everyone, leaving the mansion behind as they mounted up in the SUVs. He was the last one and got tossed into the vehicle with Jay, Dennis, and Frank like he weighed nothing.

“Boys,” YoAnna called with the SUV door still open. “Dungeons have Ranks and Difficulty Tiers. You’ll be faced with a Rank 1 Dungeon, and so will the others. But I’m sending you to one that should be medium tier, which will be a greater danger than what the others will face.”

She tilted her head up, making herself seem larger and grander.

“Frank’s extensive training, Dennis’s hard-earned athleticism, Mike’s wide-reaching intelligence, and Jay’s wild factor should be enough for the challenge.”

YoAnna’s eyes flickered with bright gold-white power. A halo of light flashed in and out of view behind her head.

“Take your time. Follow through to the end where the core is yours to take for me. And crush the dungeon in my honor. Now go forth, Champions!”

She slammed the door, shaking the SUV with what was possibly a fraction of her might. Mike turned to look out the back window and saw her stop at the next SUV to talk to Brit’s odd group consisting of Rick, Tim, and the difficult but overtly genius Lilith. Mike’s SUV rolled off in the meanwhile, leaving behind the others.

“Holy shit, I’m getting tingles like the first game of the season,” Dennis said. “I didn’t know she could be hype like that.”

Jay poured himself a careful application of rum in a small cup. He must’ve rummaged the bottle from somewhere in the mansion somehow.

Frank glared at him. “Are you going to be a problem?”

“He won’t,” Mike said with a sigh. “Just a sip, right?”

“Yup,” Jay said, draining the trickle in one gulp. “Ah. That’ll do it.”

“What did you and YoAnna have to talk about?” Frank pressed Mike. “We’re late now.”

There was a lot that Mike hadn’t mentioned that he wished he aired out. He glanced at Jay, whose weird and fascinating eyes glowed an iridescent purple in the dark interior of the SUV.

“Lemme guess. It ain’t our business,” Dennis said.

“Feels like it’s my business,” Frank said. “It’s affecting the operation.”

Dennis shifted, his heavier armor and sword clattering lightly. “Leave it alone.”

The Superjock and the Spook matched glares.

“Fine, I’ll let it go,” Frank muttered. “All for group cohesion. It’s what a leader has to consider.”

“When did YoAnna appoint you as the leader?” Jay asked smarmily.

“I didn’t hear that from her,” Mike said. “Only Captain Casey and Brit got appointed over their groups.”

“It has to be obvious,” Frank said defensively. “She didn’t have to mention it for me to hold leadership.”

“Kek.” Jay chuckled.

“YoAnna’s wild,” Dennis said with growing amazement. “She’s leaving it between us to decide.”

“Kek, kek.”

“If it gets Lord of the Flies between us,” Frank said, “I will win.”

Mike shared a look with Jay.

The [Freak] broke into a peal of loony laughter.

Mike buried his face in his gloved hands. At least the apparel smelled new, felt comfortable, and came with +2 Poise. He would need that around a bunch of reckless teens in over their heads.

From Central Florida.

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