Divine Awakening - Chapter 57

[Author's Note: This chapter and the next are rough drafts. I haven't even reread them. I made good progress on Divine Apostasy chapters and I'm long long overdue on writing some Ash content. I'm sorry about that. I can't promise anything, but I'll try and get more written in the near future. Enjoy!]

Chapter 57

Ash stood atop the ziggurat, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows across the ancient city of Uruk. Dust hung in the air and the lingering scent of the Hippodiles' blood gave the air a coppery smell. He leaned against a weathered stone block, his muscles aching pleasantly from the hours of combat. Everyone had reached level ten—some, like Ash, had pushed even higher.

Now came an important moment: Class selection. It would make everyone far more effective in this environment.

Nomad had organized the teams into small groups to discuss and strategize their choices, ensuring a balanced party. Near the stairway leading to the altar chamber below, Blueprint had sketched a rough diagram in the dirt, showing potential Class combinations and their synergies.

"This is it," Tripwire said, bouncing on his heels with barely contained excitement. "After this, we're not just guys with guns anymore."

Ash nodded but remained silent. His Root chakra hummed with energy, and his newly Awakened Third Eye pulsed rhythmically between his brows. The decision ahead held more weight than his teammates could understand. While they debated the merits of damage output versus utility, Ash's choice would impact not just his combat effectiveness but the balance of his chakra system. A system he still didn’t understand fully.

Nomad approached, his face flushed from the last wave of zombies they'd dispatched. "How's it going, Shamrock? Made your decision yet?"

"Working on it," Ash replied. "You?"

"Sticking with Warrior. The versatility suits me, and it'll complement my Green Beret training." Nomad gestured to where the others had gathered. "Most of my team is going with what they know. Fletcher's taking Archer, Stitch is going Healer. Predictable but effective."

Ash glanced over at his own team. Wiki had his face buried in his hands, seemingly overwhelmed by choices. Everest was deep in conversation with her father, while Oracle and Syntax argued passionately about something—probably the semantic differences between similar Classes.

"I’m going to check my options again," Ash said.

"Take your time," Nomad replied. "This isn't something to rush. Once everyone’s done, we can discuss the next steps. I get the feeling this whole farming session was just the warm-up."

Ash found a quiet corner of the ziggurat and sat cross-legged, back straight, his hands resting on his knees. Closing his eyes, he opened his Class display.

Options filled Ash’s vision, so numerous it felt overwhelming. Some glowed brightly, indicating strong compatibility with his attributes and experiences. Others appeared dimmed or greyed out, either locked or poorly aligned with his nature.

Three Classes, however, stood above the rest, glowing with particular intensity. Ash focused on each in turn, studying the descriptions carefully.

The first appeared as a silhouette wreathed in swirling elements:

Elemental Monk: Master of harnessing the elements through physical combat and spiritual discipline.
Description: Elemental Monks blend martial prowess with magical mastery, channeling elemental forces through their strikes. Their training emphasizes both physical conditioning and spiritual development, allowing them to manifest the raw power of nature through their bodies.

Requirements: Nimbleness 25, Wisdom 20, Unarmed combat proficiency

Core Abilities

Elemental Fist: Imbue unarmed attacks with elemental damage (fire, ice, lightning, or earth).

Flowing Strikes: Chain up to 5 consecutive attacks that increase damage with each successful hit.

Chakra Points: Gain a resource that can be spent on powerful techniques or stored for passive benefits.

Sample Spells

Rising Dragon (Level 12): Launch upward with a devastating kick, dealing fire damage and knocking enemies into the air.

Thunder Palm (Level 15): Discharge lightning in a cone, stunning multiple enemies.

Stone Skin Meditation (Level 18): Channel earth energy to increase physical resistance for 5 minutes.

Sample Specializations

Storm Caller (Level 20): Master air techniques for superior mobility and evasion.

Molten Mage (Level 20): Specialize in devastating fire techniques and damage over time.

Harmonic Sorcerer (Level 20): Balance all elemental affinities for versatility and combination attacks.

The second Class portrayed a figure that shimmered with a flickering blue light.

Spirit Walker: Travels between the physical and spiritual realms.

Description: Spirit Walkers have one foot in the material world and one in the realm beyond. They manipulate spectral energy to attack enemies, bolster allies, and briefly step outside reality itself. Their connection to the spiritual realm grants them insight into the nature of life and death.

Requirements: Wisdom 20, Willpower 15, At least one Awakened chakra

Core Abilities

Soul Sight: See spirits, hidden passages, and magical auras invisible to others.

Ethereal Step: Briefly phase through reality, avoiding damage and passing through solid objects.

Spirit Bond: Form temporary connections with friendly or defeated spirits for various benefits.

Sample Spells

Spectral Hands (Level 12): Summon additional ghostly limbs that fight alongside you.

Soul Tether (Level 15): Bind an enemy's spirit to their body, preventing escape techniques and resurrection.

Ancestral Guidance (Level 18): Channel an ancestor's knowledge to gain temporary skill proficiency.

Sample Specializations

Soul Reaper (Level 20): Specialize in death magic and soul harvesting.

Spirit Guardian (Level 20): Focus on protection and healing through spiritual intervention.

Realm Walker (Level 20): Master the spaces between realms for unparalleled mobility.

The third Class glowed with a fierce golden light, a figure standing with hands raised toward a brilliant sun:

Chakra Sage: Masters of internal energy who unlock the body's hidden potential.
Description: Chakra Sages turn inward to find power, systematically awakening and harnessing their body's energy centers. Through rigorous meditation and practice, they transform themselves into conduits of pure spiritual energy, capable of extraordinary feats of healing, destruction, and enlightenment.

Requirements: Wisdom 20, Awareness 25, At least two Awakened chakras

Core Abilities

Chakra Sight: Perceive energy flows in living beings and the environment.

Energy Manipulation: Redirect your own energy or disrupt others' energy flow.

Awakened State: Temporarily enhance a chakra, granting powerful abilities.

Sample Spells

Energy Pulse (Level 12): Release a wave of chakra energy that damages enemies and restores allies.

Chakra Blockade (Level 15): Temporarily seal an enemy's ability to use magical abilities.

Meridian Shift (Level 18): Instantly relocate to any position within line of sight.

Sample Specializations

Mercy Mage (Level 20): Master the restorative aspects of chakra energy.

Grave Warden (Level 20): Focus on offensive applications of chakra manipulation.

Mind Sage (Level 20): Develop profound mental abilities and resistance to mental effects.

From the surrounding discussions Ash knew everyone had at least one glowing Class choice and a few had two. No one else had three. He knew that should make him proud, but it didn’t. It didn’t because he’d found an unexpected choice in the long list of Classes.

For the twentieth time Ash navigated to the almost greyed out choice that sat at the bottom of the massive Class list.

Avatar of Transcendence (Amauta Sicu): Death Priests who command the sacred energies of life and death.
Description: Ancient and revered path only accessible to those born with the proper lineage and who've dedicated themselves fully to chakra mastery. The Amauta Sicu were once the judge, jury, and executioners of an ancient civilization, tasked with maintaining balance between the physical and spiritual realms. They possess unparalleled mastery over their chakras, capable of achieving and surpassing the capabilities of any other Class.

Requirements: At least two Activated chakras, At least two Awakened chakras, Advanced knowledge of all eight chakras, Amauta Sicu bloodline, Amauta Sicu unarmed combat expertise. Deep meditation.

Core Abilities

Judge's Perception: See the truth in all beings, detecting lies, illusions, and hidden intentions.

Executioner's Touch: Channel death energy through any strike, bypassing physical armor and spiritual protections.

Sage Step: Move between the material world and spiritual realm, becoming untouchable to those bound to a single plane.

Sample Spells

Soul Verdict (Level 15): Judge a target's actions, rewarding allies with buffs or condemning enemies with debilitating curses based on their deeds.

Chakra Surge (Level 20): Temporarily awaken a dormant chakra in yourself or an ally, granting access to its powers.

Blind Clarity (Level 25): Increase the effectiveness of any action by acting on instinct. The quicker the decision the greater the benefit.

Sample Specializations

Angel of Enlightenment (Level 30): Master all eight chakras simultaneously, unlocking godlike abilities at the cost of tremendous strain.

Voice of Cycles (Level 30): Channel the wisdom and power of your ancestors, gaining their knowledge and abilities temporarily.

Keeper of Scales (Level 30): Become an instrument of cosmic balance, with the strength to render justice to any being that violates natural law.

Special Note: Avatar of Transcendence advances differently than other Classes, with abilities unlocking based on chakra development rather than solely on level. This is balanced by the ability to mimic the spells of other Classes. Requires immense dedication and training to gain what others are given for free. This path demands sacrifice, discipline, and a willingness to walk in the light and darkness with equal reverence.

Ash studied the three highlighted Class descriptions again. Two seemed tailored to aspects of his training and abilities. The Elemental Monk overlapped with his Bamboo Viper training, and the Chakra Sage directly pointed to his chakra work. The Spirit Walker hinted at capabilities he didn’t know he had.

Based on what the System recommended, the Chakra Sage resonated the most. Instead of selecting it, Ash once again returned to the Avatar of Transcendence Class.