CHAPTER 109: ACHLYS’ ABILITIES

Closing his eyes, Charon turned his focus inward and mentally activated the holo-pad.

[Name: Charon]

[Rank: Novice 7]

[Patron: Death]

[Element: Soul]

[Abilities: Soul Summon*, Soul Sense*]

[Relics: None]

He paused for a moment to acknowledge that he had grown a single rank.

’Is that from training with Wallflower, or going through the visions?’

He frowned.

’Probably both.’

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he selected his Soul Summon ability to see his list of summons.

[Ability Name: Soul Summon]

[Ability Element: Soul]

[Ability Description: Using the most precious item to all living things, reach beyond this world and cross the River Acheron. Upon its cursed banks lie creatures banished from all other realms, waiting for a new purpose. The greater the offering, the further back you may go, unleashing powers long thought destroyed. Heed the warning of Death himself: The chains that bind are not made without purpose.]

[Current Souls]

[Novice: 0]

[Acolyte: 0]

[Apprentice: 0]

[Journeyman: 0]

[Mage: 0]

[High Mage: 0]

[Master Mage: 0]

[Archmage: 0]

[Summons]

[Current Summons: Warden of the Acheron*, Achlys*, Zeta Colossus*, Skeleton Lieutenant, 4 Skeleton Infantry, 5 Skeleton Defenders, 2 Skeleton Archers]

’There she is. For some reason, I expected her not to be there, like I’d need to do something to fully unlock her as a summon.’

Charon didn’t know why, but it was probably due to the fact that she was a demi-god.

’It feels weird to acknowledge that so plainly...’

His eyes widened.

’Wait, doesn’t that mean the Warden is a demi-god as well!? Achlys keeps calling him brother, which would make him just as strong as she is! I’ve been walking around with a demi-god literally wrapped around my body and I never knew!?’

He shuddered subconsciously while chuckling nervously.

’We don’t have any issues, right buddy? I definitely haven’t complained about you, so there’s no reason you’d be upset, right?’

The Warden’s voice returned, sounding slightly amused.

’Fine.’

’Fine? That’s not great! That’s not even good! If you ever have an issue, just tell me, buddy, and I’ll deal with it!’

He didn’t get a response, something he wasn’t sure whether to be happy or worried about.

Steering his focus back on the task at hand, he brought up Achlys’ page, excited to see her stats.

[Name: Achlys]

[Rank: Novice 7]

[Patron: Death]

[Element: Soul, Mist]

[Abilities: Mists of Sorrow*, Intangible Form*, Forlorn Figures*]

[Description*]

’Soul and... mist? I’ve never heard of that element before, but it seems fitting for her. Wouldn’t it be related to the God of Weather, though? I assumed fog and mist were her domain.’

Charon didn’t know much about Weather, his home city having no worshippers as far as he knew, but this felt like something she would get involved in.

’That doesn’t matter right now. The important bit is her abilities, and she has three! That’s one more than the Warden!’

He froze as he realized that it could’ve been taken as an insult.

’I meant nothing by that! Just something I noticed, basic math! That’s all!’

He chose the first ability, Mists of Sorrow, allowing its description to appear.

[Ability Name: Mists of Sorrow]

[Ability Element: Mist]

[Ability Description: Allow the mists of Achlys’ domain to take form, creating a thousand different tools for any job. Create weapons, ladders, or shields, whatever the caster’s heart desires. Beware, all who oppose the Demi-goddess of the Mists, for within her creations you shall find sadness, the same she has been burdened with.]

The first half was simple, allowing Achlys to use mist to manifest whatever she needed at any point. An incredibly versatile and useful ability, Charon was already thinking of how she could use it.

’If we need to escape, she can hide us, while also giving us new pathways! Not to mention the combat uses! If her creations can hold their form, I could outfit my skeletons with entirely new weapons!’

He greedily rubbed his hands together as he thought of all the possibilities.

’This is amazing!’

The second part of the ability, however, was far more cryptic. Charon had no idea what the "sadness" referred to, except for the constant stream of tears running down her face.

’And her dour attitude. Maybe that’s just part of her vibe; she is sad, and can spread the sadness to other people.’

As far as he was concerned, it wasn’t very important when there were two more abilities and a summon description to focus on.

With a wide grin, he selected the second ability, Intangible Form.

[Ability Name: Intangible Form]

[Ability Element: Soul, Mist]

[Ability Description: The Mists of Achlys are as powerful as they are intangible, their being not of any mortal realm. Her body is made of them, unable to be harmed by any mundane items. Should she perish, she will always manifest herself from the mana of the world, returning to her summoner’s side within a month.]

Charon rubbed his chin as he considered this one, the effects reminding him of the Warden’s ability, albeit vaguely.

He brought that one up to compare.

[Ability Name: Warden’s Resolve]

[Ability Element: Soul]

[Ability Description: At the dawn of time, one word was spoken across the cursed shore of the Acheron. That word took form, becoming something sentient. Something burdened with one eternal purpose. For eons, it has stood, waiting, watching, and fighting to deliver on the promise it never knew it made. Then, coming from the same sky it had forever toiled beneath, a new word was spoken, and a new command was given. As it has always been, and forever shall be, the Warden obeys.]

’The wording is entirely different, but they seem to be alike in the way that both are defensive abilities. I know I’ve been cut before, and the Warden stopped it. Achlys must have something just like that for herself, alongside being able to regenerate if she actually dies.’

It brought up the interesting thought of his other summons dying, like the Warden.

As far as he knew, gods couldn’t die, so it stood to reason that demi-gods couldn’t either. Normally, it’d be impossible to consider them being defeated in the first place, but the Warden and Achlys were reduced to his level, making them vulnerable.

’Not to mention other demi-gods, like Alastor. Achlys said he died, so it must be possible.’

It made her anger at being bound to him far more reasonable. She went from being nigh unstoppable to easily defeated by any high-tier mortal.

It was the kind of opening Charon would never wish for himself.

He flashed a glance in her direction, the emotionless wraith sitting off to the side, staring into space. She was clutching the pale crown in her fingers by the band.

’It doesn’t matter right now. I have another ability to look at.’

He did just that.

[Ability Name: Forlorn Figures]

[Ability Element: Soul, Mist]

[Ability Description: When Achlys was worshipped as a god, her followers were denied the embrace of the pantheon. Unsatisfied with this, she took matters into her own hands, inviting them into her care. Now, they follow her like watchful sentinels, aiding her and her master in their time of greatest need. Fear not the mist, for within it awaits uncountable allies.]

Charon instantly recognized them as the figures they saw in the town, the ones who followed them.

’So they are the souls of her past worshippers! I bet I saw some of them in the visions, like the family I followed to the church, or Ceris.’

It was strange to think that he could have seen those same people before ever seeing the pale crown, even if he didn’t know it.

The realization left him unsettled. How many more faces had he walked past, mist-shrouded, without realizing they belonged to the forgotten faithful of a demi-god? How many eyes had been following him since the very beginning?

He felt a prickle at the back of his neck, as though they were here now, hidden in the corners of the room.

For the first time, Charon wondered if gaining Achlys’ power also meant inheriting her ghosts.

’It stands to reason that if she had enemies, they would take this opportunity to strike now while she is weakened, which means I’ll be in the way.’

He didn’t like that thought; he didn’t like it at all.

It was one thing to have his own enemies; he made them just living life, like the Claytons, but to inherit the enemies of a demi-god?

That was far more dangerous.