Episode 56: Influential Kidnappings

Arson walked out of the portal he’d entered with sweat covering his body from head to toe. Cracks formed from tip to base of the scythe he still held, and those who had bet on his survival celebrated, as the majority was silenced to a stunned silence.

“You should be dead,” said Bobby the announcer in a state of shock rather than a cool and practiced stage whisper. The professional had watched alongside many others Arson’s seemingly simple accomplishment.

He had almost died many times, as Arson felt one of his greatest weaknesses was a potential beheading, many of which he barely dodged during his recent, workout…

Didn’t know that my title made it so that the mana lock on the event actually prevented me from using mana entirely. Though his face was stoic, he barely kept the tremble from his fingertips. This was the first time he’d felt so close to his own demise in his life, yet he knew it to be far from the truth.

He was forced to acknowledge that no matter how much power he gained, or weaknesses he overcame, the system could distort the rules around his reality in a fatal war.

“At the drop of a hat, you’ve run into a trap…,” said Anastasia softly on his wrist. The words echoed loudly in his ears even through the cheers and above the roar of his own thoughts.

Think,” said Arson to himself. The word enough to jar him free of the dread of the anxiety he felt at the thought of his own death.

“Analyze,” said Arson. Able to move against the fear that had frozen him in place. He took a step forward. A single deep breath accompanied every further step made; he couldn’t help but notice how long it took before his breathing became passive once more.

“Move…,” stated Arson as he smiled wide, and lifted the OK symbol for the crowd and announcer once more.

In that moment even those that had bet against him, had chosen to cheer for him. For what they had just seen would be worthy of praise on any floor of Coliseum.

“Khalif, are overstays, and large debts your only targets?” asked Arson. He hadn’t chosen to speak over the coms until that moment, but once he did his entire group flooded in.

“No, I’m hunting down the Sharks now,” said Khalif.

“What is a Shark exactly, and what did I miss?” asked Troy. Arson laughed to himself as he exited the event area and strolled away from the masses that celebrated in the arena behind him.

“Sharks are clients who buy low entry tickets, corner a piece of the market down here, and stop the availability of certain normally accessible goods and services by only allowing for their people to take place in specific events,” said Khalif.

“That’s what I thought. Jasmine, Lane, continue to climb the floors, everyone else keep doing what you’re doing down here, going to see if I can get us some free points, but don’t forget the joint event here soon,” said Arson.

“What do you want me and Jazz on while you guys are at the joint event,” asked Lane.

“Spread the word, get more people to watch our events, even if they aren’t normally broadcast,” responded Arson softly while he approached the betting stands.

“Why don’t I like some of these requests you are making, Arson you better not— Explosions came through Troy’s end of the coms and stopped her speech.

“Sparking round started up, don’t think you are getting off without letting me know what you are planning, dude!” Troy’s voice came through the coms, surrounded by the sounds of shattering glass and crumbling walls.

“Oh yeah, Rob, can I get some health potions?”

…

Rob watched Arson walk into the elite shot for the first floor. He began to hear murmurs about an unfamiliar event with skeletons, and figured Arson had done something outside the norm, and left it at that.

“How goes it in here, need some extra help?” Arson approached with a smile and a death grip on a scythe. Rob could feel a strange energy coming from the weapon and had to shake his head to free himself from the overwhelming sensation that started to make his head hurt.

“Yeah, I could use some help, my line keeps getting longer for some reason, not like I haven’t seen others mimicking many aspects of my process already, there’s plenty of good—Rob stopped talking when he saw the alchemists he’d taken on to help him begin to shake their heads.

“What, why do you two keep doing that, every time I say that others have perfectly good potions up for offer, you two shake your heads, I mean I’d sparking drink a lot of what is being offered myself in here,” stated Rob honestly. Arson was interested in knowing what was going on as well. Rob’s line did seem abnormally long, and had no signs of going down.

“You really must be new to this, so I guess I’ll just have to put this into simple terms, your product currently has no byproduct, residue, nothing, it goes down, feeds the body and that’s it, no left over toxins that need to be purged from our bodies after being used, honestly I’m beginning to wonder if most of these orders are from Raid Corp individuals themselves just buying up inventory to use themselves or sell for much higher later,” said Rob’s assistant. Arson’s eyes widened and he looked over at Rob.

“Did you appraise or have any of the completed potions appraised before you started to sell them,” asked Arson as he picked up a bottle off the table. Rob merely shook his head.

“Nope, won the competition, and they had me judge a few rounds before they gave me this booth in the elite shop,” said Rob. Rob watched his boss squint at the potion, open his mouth to speak, and nothing come out.

Instead of a response, Rob felt a frown take over his facial features, when Arson swept his hand through the air above his potions, taking them all in a single motion.

“What the sparks buddy that’s all my inventory, you can’t leave me with at least enough to sell while these two make more?” asked Rob both confused and alarmed by Arson’s actions.

“No…, you’re selling these potions at a one hundredth their value, I should slap you around but would be too worried to hurt BHC’s newest cash cow,” said Arson low enough for Rob to hear. The laughter in Arson’s voice the only thing that told Rob, Arson was only semi-serious.

“You know that we can just change the prices, you didn’t have to stop the flow of sales like that, isn’t that worst for business,: asked Rob. Arson smiled and nodded. Then placed a single type of each potion back on the table.

The aggression had rained in from the line of potential customers instantly, when Arson had simply walked behind the counter, and seemingly stolen Rob’s wares, but when the potion-maker didn’t panic or complain, murmurs began.

“Sorry all, demands from higher up, we got major price increases on all product coming, I know, I know, it is real sparked up, but a ten percent discount on anyone who brings someone else with them to purchase when we open back up shortly,” said Arson with his arms spread wide toward the crowd as he spoke. He interacted with them as Rob thought Lane would, and watched as Arson’s words turned a groups problem, into excitement with a smile.

“Get your people back on however the sparks you made these, we are going to need the rest for the event we are all about to join,” whispered Arson over his shoulder. Rob nodded, and with an air-bubble-filled chuckle from his rebreather, got back to work, while Arson filled him in on what was to come. The longer he spoke, the more Rob was convinced the young angry boy he’d once known, had been replaced with an older, mad version of himself.

“Wait… you want me to what now?” asked Rob when his portion of Arson’s plan for the next event came into the forefront of Arson’s explanation.

“You’re going to make low grade poisons to serve like liquor, that stimulate and refine the body while getting cultivators drunk,” repeated Arson casually.

“You want me to lace refinement potions…” Rob watched Arson take time to rethink his plans. He’d framed his question in hopes to give Arson perspective on how his actions could be seen as potentially bad, but instead the further time to think only seemed to invigorate the strength of the idea within his friend’s mind.

“Yup… Get Xani and Jasmine to design and craft a label for the alcohol, what do you think of Robbery refinements?”

…

Ash and her siblings had a new perspective on their younger brother. The rumors that Cro of the Apartment Village being trained by Arson was a shock. A shock their father loved, but affected each of their siblings differently.

Autumn laughed when Ash realized during one of the many conversations their family had on the subject, that Arson had indeed kept his word. He hadn’t attacked her during the event, within proximity of the predetermined, safe zone, nor had he even been there.

“Why do you look sad, it’s not like he stripped you of your honor,” said Ash. Aura sat in the joint living room of her and her siblings with a frown. She looked around at her brothers and sisters, and sighed.

“Sorry guys, I know that I’m normally all for family vacation, but this year feels off. Mom is doing her emo destroy the world thing, and Dad is up on the sky island for betting which means there is probably something going on worth checking out on the lower levels,” responded Aura vaguely. Her siblings knew her and all shared glances before Ash chose to speak up.

“So… why don’t you just go and check out the lower levels, not like you don’t have the points to spend on your ticket,” said Ash. Auto nodded and picked up his flatscreen off the table to look over some of the upcoming events and popular broadcasts.

“I was thinking of headed down myself to check some of the build comps this season cycle, heard a buzz about some new group of competitors making a stir on the lower floors,” said Auto. Then Aura growled and crossed her arms, which caused Axis to speak up.

“What’s got you all sparked up, sis, you have been like that since we got here, and you are honestly starting to kill my buzz, even Ash isn’t as ruffled up as you and she just got the sparks choked out of her on live broadcast,” said Axis with a hiccup. The girl sipped from a potion bottle with a label that sported five stars on its face in a familiar spiral pattern named Refined Mischief. The girl drank the equivalent to the brand’s version of a wine cooler, and had already told all her friends about the refinement liqueur company. The fewer the stars on the packaging of their label’s face, the higher the quality.

“I already know what is happening on the lower floors, I stopped looking after my new boss, you met him before Auto, you ate dinner with him the night that Ash lost. He and Arson’s other guild members are down in the lower levels giving Raid Corp absolute issues. If I wasn’t here, would have asked to join that excursion group…” said Aura with excitement in her voice before she realized she may have over spoken. Ash hadn’t exactly taken her job with the BHC very well, and Aura knew why.

Aura had once idolized Ash, and now spread that same level of respect evenly amongst more than just her older sister. A sister that didn’t understand the sudden shift from being treated as exalted and revered, to just another loved one.

“What kinds of things are they doing?” said Ash toward Aura, but then Auto spoke up first.

“So his name was Carter Gestalt, huh, I wonder if that means our rival is here,” mumbled Auto.

“No don’t go in there, you two sparking idiots, oh my maiden, you knew it was a trap!” The room looked over at Alexander who hadn’t stopped watching some sort of Kung-fu broadcast that had grown popular where they vacationed.

“What, don’t look at me like that, Axis is friends with the voice actors and hangs out with them all the time, I wouldn’t even have access to the private stream for Pretty Kung-Fu if she hadn’t given it to me.” The others shifted their gazes toward Axis who shrugged.

“Ooh, have you gotten to my premier yet?” asked Axis excited.

“When did you even have time to record an episode with them,” asked Alexander who rushed over to Axis to show her the list of available videos. She marked the one she was scheduled to be revealed, and smiled.

“That’s what we did all yesterday, I have a couple dozen appearances lined up.”

Then Autumn rose to her feet and headed toward the door of their large vacation apartment suites. She had been like a magician since she found a competition that interested her, and no one had bothered her, but Ash began to wonder…

“Hey, Autumn, what have you been doing again. You seem like the only one of us truly competing this season cycle and normally you’re the only odd man out, maybe Aura and I could join you?”

“Plant and vegetable cultivation needs have increased on the lower levels for some reason, so they made an event on the top floor for speed farming, I could actually use help from all of you guys, if any of you are interested.”

Auto put down his flatscreen and headed toward his eldest sister. While Aura and Ash shared a look, before they joined them at the door.

“What about you two?” asked Ash with a questioning look toward Alexander and Axis. Both shook their heads before Axis spoke up.

“Got more shows to shoot for my personal broadcast, the BHC broadcasts, and even a few more episodes for the comedy I’m helping Lane and Jazz with, and I think Alexander is going to help me with the cooking show I’m launching for another of the BHC heads,” said Axis with another sip from her potion bottle.

“Be safe you two,” said Ash. The fear on her face for her siblings as real as the fire in her blood.

“Don’t worry about us Ash, you’re the only one of us on Arson’s list,” said Alexander with an eye-roll and a laugh.

“We will see about that…”

…

“You see him?” asked Arson. He stood on the second story of a multi tiered building made for massive parties. Arms rested on a railing as he looked out over the crowd at their next target, Arson pushed down his frustration and focused.

“So how many of the events is it now that have been mana locked again,” asked Anastasia.

“You already know it has been all of them Anastasia,” responded Arson. His group’s target hadn’t been noticed, but luckily for Arson he had Xani on his team.

“Sorry it’s just more funny the higher the number gets, but I don’t think your friend’s drones are going to continue to go unnoticed if you and the others keep winning,” stated Anastasia. The AI directed a few of the hand shaped drones inspired by Arson’s own constructs, after Xani had prepared the propeller palm design he drew up and given to her the first night they’d arrived.

“Doesn’t matter, until we are stopped, it is a non-issue,” said Arson as he jumped from the second story and made his move.

The young man Arson chased danced with a handful of beautiful women all at the same time. The urban and rhythmic style of the movements were flashy and well coordinated enough to make the young man appear to give each young lady his full attention.

Once close enough to be heard through the music that blared all around them, Arson stopped and drew the cracked Scythe from his watches inventory, and waited. People began to notice his fixated gaze, and stepped away from the area.

Cultivators from all the floors could be found in these party hubs made available to all guests from high to low. This often left the environments just as dangerous as they were fun or enticing.

“Hey isn’t that the one guy who be beating people up without mana,” said one of the nearby cultivators. Arson waved his scythe filled hand in the girl’s direction with an accompanied smile, and more of the crowd started to part around him.

“So you are really going to keep up this miserable quest for this garbage weapon as well? Come on, Arson, you have plans for much stronger weapons than a simple two-handed scythe,” said Anastasia, and Arson crouched with the weapon across his lap.

“You know at one point in time, I would have agreed with you,” said Arson. He ran a finger down the crack that lined the weapon’s body. The lines of Univers that had started to enter its frame still being absorbed from the sky above since Arson had first used the weapon.

“Then you received a quest and now you think trash is treasure, I think the dump is having a bad effect on your ability to determine quality,” said Anastasia.

“No, I learned that Shield-Bow ammo can literally be anything from arrows to boomerangs and more,” responded Arson. The stars in his eyes shown brightly as his core stirred. The pressure of his crown a constant threat as it was held inside his soul realm. His soul’s connection to reality wanted to be freed, but Arson couldn’t let the crown out since the last time had been… explosive.

“Why does it feel like the weapon wants my crown to be out though?”

He couldn’t help but pay attention to the sensations his growth both physically and mentally had brought on.

Since he’d left Endless, he noticed many things about himself that weren’t exactly apparent while he’d been pushed from trial to trial. Such as his restored regeneration levels being increased even further, and his crown’s hunger for absolutely anything.

“What, y’all can’t keep up with all this fresh?” said the young man. Arson was honestly jealous of his dance moves. The guy was talented, which helped Arson gauge how intense the battle to come would be before it’d even started.

“No, Oscar, there is a guy waiting for you or something,” said one of the girls that danced with Arson’s target.

“So your name is Oscar, cool, always good to know someone’s name before a fight, makes things less formal,” said Arson as he came to his feet.

“Fight, you want to fight with me, seriously,” asked Oscar. Arson nodded and saw an intense excitement boil across the young man’s face.

“You are the third one today, Raid Corp must really want a meeting with me if they made an entire event to kidnap me, hope this isn’t as boring as it has been so far…”

Arson shrugged, “Guess we will find out together.”