(Vol 2) Chapter 61: You Got It, Coach!

Light and Illusion made a ‘trait’ available that didn’t cost anything: Body of Light, which meant they would be a complex hard light construct instead of faux-flesh.

This was physically harder, immune to physiological effects, nearly immune to [Shadow] and [Darkness] tagged effects, and could have functional, premier craftsmanship armor and weapons packaged with them, but they were more fragile to crushing attacks (especially the wide or AoE variety) and especially to sonic attacks, which were significant weaknesses.

It also made available Alternate Forms, which could change physical nature and appearance as well as up to three total Special Ability ‘trade-outs’, between either two or three total forms.

Her idea was to have a large, winged humanoid angel form, a pegasus form, and a mundane human form designed for subtlety. Each would have Light Specialty and Alternate Forms, and then the Angel and Pegasus forms would have Flight. The Pegasus would have the optional ‘Load-Bearing’ variant, able to carry more weight with less penalty in exchange for a top speed decrease.

Her concepts made two unique Special Abilities available. For the Pegasus form was Aura of Protection, which gave +2 Effective Levels to resist magic and +5 to resist [Shadow] and [Darkness] tagged effects to all allies within 10 meters, which seemed really good, so she went for it.

For the Angel Form was a huge No Brainer: Champion, which restricted spell access but turned their levels into [Knight] rather than [Priest], or [Crusader] at level 4+. They didn’t have quite the Skill breadth nor the versatility of multiclassing available to humans, but it was still powerful, particularly defensively.

Combined with Light’s offensive power, it would surge to the top of raw combat ability, though Dart and Athos had more overall versatility and subtlety. Of note, their whole repertoire could be blown to nothing with a dispel, which was not the case with an Angel.

One trade out from Angel to Pegasus meant up to two for the human form. She went with Suppressed Aura for one, as she did for the Resemblants, to reduce detection chances and help them blend in. On that note, for the second she was able to add a similar effect to her Anyone, Everyone enhancement on Detection Ward, called Just Another Face in this case, giving them relative anonymity when moving out in the world.

She rather liked it as filling in another spy gap. Constance and possibly other later dragon understudies were the active, dynamic agents, Resemblants the supernatural ghost eavesdroppers and investigators, and Angels the everyday kind of passive eyes and ears. Less immediately fantastic results perhaps, but much safer to deploy.

She looked for some way around the ‘spirit’ restriction that made wards so annoying, so she found nothing. Likely it was through the Life domain, and quite possibly with more issues in enacting than just an ability slot. Still, she had to wonder what Life and Illusion could pull…

Oh my goddesses, can Red and I do a mutual Servitor Line?! That would be so fucking rad! I bet that shit can be pulled in a Pantheon. Hell yeah. One day. A girl can dream.

Sammy wasn’t entirely sure how to differentiate personality. Angels weren’t exactly full of it to any examples in her head. They seemed like loyal extensions of will. Well, besides the fallen ones. But she had to go with something. It occurred to her it would be good for these Servitors to hit it off with her knights. Soldiers. Basically: jocks. In her head, anyway.

Her dad had been into sports, particularly US football as well as the more ‘international’ version of that word, i.e. soccer. He’d played the latter as a relative star in high school but dropped any pretenses for continuing into college as unrealistic for success.

He had a brief stint as a coach of younger kids but got in trouble for cursing out a referee prominently. It had always been one of her favorite videos, the phone capture of that. It had gone micro-viral with 20k views.

Damn, wish I could see it again. Just recreating from memory probably isn’t good enough. ‘Where’s your glasses?! Huh? Where’s your glasses you blind dumbfuck?!’ Hahaha…

Sammy, for her part, was more fashioned in the size to be a ball than an athlete. She broke her leg while playing soccer once in middle school — she swore off all sports at that point from the trauma. She’d felt kinda bad at times about it since her dad really should’ve had a buff son to cheer on instead of a weak, mousy girl.

It wasn’t anything she’d ever voiced to him, of course. It was just a petty insecurity. She knew he’d wanted more kids, though, as she’d drawn that tidbit out of her mother. She didn’t blame him, as she would’ve preferred siblings too.

Regardless, she knew the ‘types’ reasonably well. Teamwork-centric, committed to success, and willing to do the dirty work. The kind that scored four touchdowns in one game in high school, but had ‘bad knees’ and had to pivot to a backup career. They could be anybody — an insurance salesman, a personal trainer, a banker, a plumber, an accountant. Maybe a fireman.

Within them was still that young gladiator of yesteryear; inside was the heart of a champion. Like her dad.

The first was of course the leader. Not the coach — that was her. No, this was the field leader. Team Captain. In US football, the quarterback. For her purposes in Calrenazzod, they may well be the General. As such, she gave him Tactics.

Ironic, isn’t it, Dad? Your name. In your honor, then.

Servitor created. Michael is born.

A star erupted into existence above, as bright as the sun — then it became a great, glaring beam that touched down at the foot of her throne. The light became the glittering form of a tall, powerful, winged angel kneeling there on one knee. His features were chiseled and handsome, continuing the overall statuesque nature of his appearance. His armor was much like her Avatar’s — shining and resplendent.

His bowed head raised to her. “Your will is my command, Your Majesty.”

Samantha dipped her head graciously. “You may rise, Michael.”

Michael did so, arms behind his back, at attention as though awaiting guidance or orders.

Smirking, Samantha waved her hand. “At ease, Michael. Speak freely.”

He nodded and relaxed, and then light bent around him to change his form. He shortened in height to less of a complete giant, and appeared less statuesque, though a blatantly cut athlete. He wore a white and blue jersey and inside shirt, with athletic shorts and cleats — basically what football players might for a light practice day, or the after-game press conference.

Black bars were drawn under his eyes and he seemed to be chewing gum. “What’s the game plan, Coach — er, can I call you Coach, Your Majesty?”

Sammy snickered, barely holding in a laugh. She nodded. “You may, yes, though not publicly out in the world. As for the play we’re drawing up, uh… we’re going for the long bomb? I’ll summon you in the world to fly us swiftly to Geirkos where we can meet up with the others and get some things done there. We need to be there, essentially. Until then… I guess do some laps?”

“You got it, Coach!” He immediately began jogging off to make his rounds through the throne realm. It was all silly, of course, but that was the whole point: it amused her. It could be a great, big circus in the end, for all she cared. The world beyond those confines was real enough.

She wrapped up everything else requiring her attention before she engaged with that daunting physical reality once more. She wanted to invest in another couple of priests, but it could wait until her Avatar was in Geirkos and things were quiet. Possibly the next day.

She let Innkeeper Alecto know about her plans. He assured her the room would be kept locked up and reserved for whenever she needed it. She was somewhat reluctant to not have an active agent available in the village, but it seemed like most of the issues facing Brackenhome were long-term. Even if news had reached Mr. Smile already about the failure, it didn’t seem likely another crisis would blow up any time soon.

When she stood up from the floor of the inn room in her Avatar form, Azure was already packed and ready, having got the memo about the imminent new transport. She also didn’t technically look like Azure, instead appearing as a dark-haired human woman… but Sammy saw through this illusion at-will, by choice, the Effective Levels no match for her Perfect Vision with enhancement, at a total of 6.

Azure blinked and cocked her head. “What’s the frown for?”

“Oh — sorry. I can see through the illusion. Not that I don’t prefer- er, what I mean is that if I can, others could. Kind of worries me.”

“Your Majesty, that capability is hardly common. Most would just detect an oddity, and the best — just looking, anyway — would only know there is an illusion.”

“Right. But specialists could see through. I see you still have the curse mark covered, so that’s good. Be sure to use the veil and hood in addition, just in case.”

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

Having no desire to be seen leaving, Sammy used 2 PFE to drop a Create Illusion use to screen their exit from the inn, as they proceeded into the cover of the forest. Once there, she summoned Michael to her, and a 2.2-meter-tall, armored brick of an angel appeared in a brilliant flash of light.

“Whoa!” Azure exclaimed, jumping back momentarily, then gasping as she took in the sight. “That’s incredible!”

Michael turned to her in a sway of great white wings, then bowed his head in humility. “You honor me, High Priestess, but it is Samantha who deserves all praise. I am Michael.”

Azure collected herself quickly, then smiled, nodding in agreement as she looked between her goddess and her archangel. “Truer words were never spoken. Nonetheless, it is good to meet you.”

Samantha gestured at the Angel with a hand. “Alright, if you would please, change into Pegasus form.”

Michael nodded and did as commanded — in another flash and twisting of light he was soon spreading his wings instead as a glorious white pegasus with slightly iridescent gold on the feather ends, and a golden saddle. He struck a regal pose.

Sammy joined Azure in gasping this time. He was certainly equivalent to Dart’s horse form in beauty, just a different flavor.

“Pets are allowed!” Michael declared cheerfully in a resonant, supernatural voice.

After taking advantage of such allowances briefly, Sammy and Azure cooperated to get her gear loaded up — which wasn’t too difficult as she’d definitely left some extra baggage in the inn room. Then it was time to mount up. The saddle didn’t have the elaborate harness of Dart, instead using locking stirrups and a lighter kind of leather harness just in case of detachment.

Azure hopped up behind her and began strapping in… suddenly Sammy realized she maybe could’ve designed the damn saddle as two separated seats… but there wasn’t exactly room…

I’m being ridiculous. This is a platonic ride. ‘Ooh, she’s so close, Ooh!’ Idiot. Damn it, I will not be this big of a nerd. I refuse!

And yet with Azure there, there were butterflies in her gut and her posture wanted to lock up stiff.

Michael turned his head over to her, obviously sensing distress. “Is there an issue, Your Majesty?”

“Not at all! I believe we’re ready! Let’s get in the air!” Yes! A little wind blowing through the hair should do the trick.

Azure’s hand on her shoulder. “Your Majesty, don’t you need to cloak us from sight?”

“Right!” Sammy swallowed and hurriedly spent the PFE for a group Invisibility use while making sure they were visible to each other. “There! Let’s go!”

With a gleeful laugh and the beginning of movement, Michael called, “To the air, the Goddess and her lover upon their noble steed!”

“Wha-?!”

Immediately when the lurch into the air began, Azure erupted in a screech of sheer, terrified unpreparedness for the feeling of flight. Uncontrollably, her arms wrapped around Samantha’s waist like a vise as her head buried into the cloak and hair of her goddess.

“Sorry-sorry-sorry-please-forgive-me-ahhhh!” Those were the frantic thoughts sent from Azure to Sammy at that moment in time.

Sammy’s eyes went wide and her breath caught, initially. But then she burst out in an exultant laugh. Their reactions, and the absurdity, and the simple joy and warmth of the moment. Her hand draped over Azure’s at her stomach and she cried out insistently, “Azure! Look! Look out, enjoy this! You’re flying, Blueberry! It’s okay! I have you!”

Azure finally did so, and eventually, she laughed too. But she definitely didn’t let go.

Sammy really didn’t want her to, either.

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Note: Can you say 'mixed signals?'