Leveling up the World

Chapter 996: A Plan in Motion

Jenna was the first to arrive at Jeremy’s mansion. Despite her attempts, everyone could sense how starstruck she was by being in Jeremy’s presence. Apart from being a supermodel, he was well known in the void network, not least because of the show of force he had displayed when the watcher organization had reared their head.

Although he knew that he’d have to repeat everything again, Dallion went through his recent discovery, vaguely mentioning that he had heard it from the Broken Star. At this point, the secret of her escape had probably crossed the entire globe.

There was a lot to take in. Every few minutes Dallion would stop, so Jenna could rationalize things in her head. Then, under the amusing glance of Jeremy, he would continue.

It wasn’t until the next day that Kraisten arrived. Even with the tickets purchased and mailed by Jeremy, the man had refused to use his abilities to get any advantages. The main reason for that was his intention to teach the mages humility. Judging by how quiet Alien appeared, one could come to the conclusion that the Kraisten had succeeded. Based on the emanations of anger, it was clear that the success was only partial.

Much to Dallion’s regret, the deputy marshal had refused to come. The previous Architect had taken the pains to send a patrol car to Jeremy’s estate to check for a domestic disturbance. Since Jeremy had never been married or in any relationship, at least in this world, everyone could tell that the patrol car had been sent as a warning. The deputy marshal didn’t care what Dallion had found and didn’t want to get involved in it.

Once evening came, and everyone was enjoying the food that Jeremy had ordered, Dallion finally revealed the secret to the rest of the group. Reactions were all over the place: from panic and disbelief to mild amusement.

“You want to go to the moon?” Katka asked amid almost hysterical laughter. “That’s a new one, even for you.”

“It actually was attempted by an archmage once,” Jeremy said casually. The instant he did, Katka’s laughter stopped, and Dallion would swear that she managed to sit to attention. “He failed, of course, killed by the Order’s guardians. My echo tried to warn him a few times.”

“We’re not there,” Kraisten said, still deep in thought. “You’ll make us build a spaceship, aren’t you?”

“What other option is there? Catapult him there?”

Dallion understood the dilemma. However, Kraisten wasn’t that far off from the truth. When it came down to it, everything was a matter of force. If they could use enough magic to propel Dallion with enough force in the correct direction, there was every possibility that he reached his destination. Whether he’d do that in one piece was a different topic altogether.

“You help me sneak on a rocket,” he said.

Everyone went silent.

“Hey, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. It’s not like there’s one launch per year. I’m not saying that we hijack it, or that I even sneak aboard one with people in it. I could travel as cargo. I’ll just get rid of the real one.”

The silence continued for ten full seconds more.

“Sometimes, I’m really ashamed we’re related.” Kraisten shook his head, arms crossed. “Have you even thought this through? How are you going to breathe?”

“That’s why Jeremy has ordered a magic power source. I’ll use that to create air. Lux will handle the rest. From what I remember, it takes a few days to reach the moon. I can survive without food or water until then.”

“Living in your piss and shit.”

“As I said,” Jeremy joined in. “The archmage was very convinced he could reach one of the moons. The empire held a lovely ceremony for him. I think he received some honorary title or something. I can’t remember.”

“What if he uses void matter?” Jenna asked. “That would help. If he leaves Earth’s orbit, maybe that could keep him safe?”

Everyone looked at her.

“Doubtful, also impossible since he can’t use it and has no intention of learning how to. Isn’t that right, Dal?” Jeremy mocked.

“Even if all that’s possible, I still don’t see you making it to the rocket,” Katka returned to the conversation. “That’s not like breaking into a loony bin. There are cameras and sensors everywhere. If one of them malfunctions, they don’t just ignore it. They stop the launch until they have cleared things out.”

The argument intensified with half the group pointing out various critical issues and Dallion attempting to provide solutions. After a while, even he had to admit that he was looking at a perfect storm of coincidences. It wouldn’t be right to say that his chances of success were zero, but anything above ten percent was stretching it.

All this made him feel so mad inside. His goal was so closely within reach that he could almost feel it, and yet the final step was more than he could take. When it came to it, if no other solution could be found, he’d still have to take it. A ten percent chance of returning to Eury was better than zero percent, even if he could spend the rest of his life in absolute luxury thanks to his awakened skills.

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“I can get you a rocket,” Alien said all of a sudden.

“You?” Jeremy asked, more astonished than anyone else.

“I…” Alien broke out in sweat, feeling the pressure of the emperor’s gaze upon him. “I’m a C-suite executive in United Launch Alliance. I might have abused my skills a bit the first few years when I was here.”

“And then you wonder why the watchers were after you,” Dallion said beneath his breath.

“I was in it for the glory, alright? I could make enough money a lot faster!” the mage snapped back. “Point is, I still have the title. When I went low, I used a few echoes to have everyone forget me, but I’m still on the books. I have the title. I can get you on a manned mission. It won’t be to the moon, just a test in high orbit, but it’ll be better than you hugging a satellite.”

“Little Alien an executive,” Kraisten said, then sighed. “I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry.”

“Apparently, I have two archmages with aspirations to get to a moon,” Jeremy noted, amused. “In any event, that settles it. What do you need the rest of us for?”

“Interference,” Dallion said. “The watchers won’t be happy with the idea. If they find out, they’ll try to stop me. Then, there’s Astreza.”

All amused expressions quickly became solemn again. Two people in the room remembered what it was like going against a Moon. The rest had a good enough imagination to picture it.

“If he interferes, you’re done,” Kraisten said in a firm tone.

“Depends. If he does through an avatar, you’re right. Yet he’s let me get this far without doing anything, so there’s a chance he can’t interfere directly. He’s still in the Eighth Moon’s orbit. The rules could still apply.”

Hearing the Earth described as being in the moon’s orbit brought a few tense chuckles. The truth was that Dallion seriously considered that possibility. While he would never admit to it, that was part of the reason he had shared his idea with all friendly acquaintances. If the Blue Moon was to act, this gave the perfect excuse—an event that, according to the Broken Star, had caused Astreza to help destroy the greatest city in the awakened world, reducing it to wilderness and ruins. It was by no means a guarantee, but one could take the lack of any unexplained accidents as a good sign.

“You’re asking a lot, kid,” Kraisten said.

“I know.” Dallion nodded. “But so did you. Recklessness was the first achievement I got upon awakening. I’ve always done things that I shouldn’t have, even after returning to this world. All of you suspected that I might suggest something crazy, and you still came.”

“Not all of us,” Alien grumbled.

“You didn’t have to tell me about your rocket.”

“You’d have gone either way!” Yet even as the mage said it, Dallion couldn’t feel any negative emotions emanating from him. There was only determination.

There was a time when Dallion wouldn’t have imagined he’d ever be here. Everyone present, with one exception, would have killed him at some point or other. Katka had tried numerous times, several of which were in the world of furies. Alien and the Emperor had directly clashed with him on several occasions. Even Jenna might have fought against him had they been in the same time period.

Nothing of that remained, as if it had been left behind in the awakened world. Maybe there was a small part of them that wanted him to succeed and act as their proxy, escaping to a world where everything was possible?

“I have a question.” Katka semi raised her hand. “Suppose you make it. What then?”

“What do you mean?” Dallion arched a brow.

“When you get there, you might be a level one again. And even if you’re not, the Moons will have the power to punish you. They’ve obviously done it before.”

“I doubt they’ll spoil their new world so soon after leveling.”

“And if they do?”

“Then…” All hesitation vanished from Dallion’s mind. “Then at least I’d be with the one I love, achieving the thing I wanted. I’ve already lived for a few thousand years, give or take. Not bad for a human, don’t you think?”

The question effectively brought the conversation to an end. Jeremy excused himself, then went to sleep in the master bedroom. One by one, the others did the same. Each of them had a guest bedroom, which was more luxurious than anything they were used to on Earth. Naturally, they also had Jeremy’s permission to use some electricity to adjust the rooms if they wanted to—just as long as it wasn’t permanent.

Soon enough, only Dallion and Kraisten were left.

“It can’t be just love,” the large man said. “Can it?”

“Why not? Jeremy made an empire and set the entire world ablaze because he didn’t agree with Simon’s view of celibacy.”

“That was in the other world. He’s not like that here.”

You’d be surprised, Dallion thought. If anything, Jeremy was behaving like a widower with a shrine of his wife in the form of a room full of Alice in Wonderland books and paintings.

“You act as if you’re still there,” Kraisten added.

“Maybe I am,” Dallion said. “Maybe a part of me still is.”

“No. Not maybe.” The man placed his hand on Dallion’s shoulder. “And it’s more than a part. Looking at you, it’s as if you never left. I felt the same when I was banished to Dherma. I tried to continue living as best I could, hoping that she was still out there somewhere, just out of reach.”

“She’s still there.” Dallion smiled. “Simon made her a guardian against the void.”

“That little—”

“When I became the Architect, I set her free. She’s there right now. She doesn’t remember me, of course, and doesn’t remember you, but she’s there.”

Kraisten remained silent.

“When I get back, do you want me to tell her anything?”

“What’s the point?” Kraisten smiled. “I don’t exist there anymore. Although… If you make it there, and the Moons don’t create a new crater in your honor, think of something. If she knows she has a daughter, she’d know that at some point she had a husband… or something close.”

“I promise. When I get there, I’ll tell her you miss her. And I’ll also tell my mom as well.”

“I appreciate that. What about your family here? Want me to take care of that?”

“No need. I’ve made them forget. It’s better for everyone that way. As you said, I’m still in the awakened world, not in this one.”