Chapter 49

  Who Needs a System?

  “Aaaaaaarrgh!”

  Ken woke up slowly, feeling the cold press of the granite beneath his cheek.

  The cold gray morning light slipped into his den like an unwelcome intruder.

  “Feels like a 3:30 wake up all over again..” he mumbled into the granite.

  He sat up, stiff muscles protesting.

  He slapped at bits of stone stuck to his face, they fell to the ground with a clatter.

  He squinted at the offending pebbles.

  “I’d fist fight a bear for a bed right about now.”

  He smiled to himself.

  “Or a witness to my comedic genius.”

  He looked around at his dark gritty cave.

  The last twenty-four hours passed in a haze, busy integrating the furious power of the Black Orb Beast Thingy.

  Between fighting off continued waves of aggression, he stuffed his face, destroying his meat supply.

  The pain of bone and tissue being remade was a constant.

  He pushed himself up, testing his movements.

  His broken and bleeding body was nothing more than a faint memory.

  “Am I even human anymore?”

  ?

  Ken focused inward.

  Everything, from his toes to his channels, vastly improved.

  His bones felt dense like pressed steel.

  Muscles striated like kevlar, tendons taut twisted springs.

  I’m like a bear.

  He started to smile.

  Coming out of hibernation.

  Stolen story; please report.

  A large stupid smile grew across his face.

  A deep, sonorous voice echoed in his mind—posh, British, and utterly serious.

  “And here, in the rugged wilds of the post-apocalypse, we observe the magnificent Ken in his natural habitat. Having integrated the furious essence of the Black Orb Beast Thingy during a prolonged hibernation, the wild Ken now arises from his stony den.”

  He looked down at his flexed bicep.

  “Note the reinforced musculature, the thickened channels, the sheer predatory vitality radiating from his form.”

  He straightened, fists planted on hips.

  “Truly, an apex specimen. Part man, part bear, all momentum. One can only wonder what unsuspecting prey… or power source… will next catch his keen eye.”

  Ken snorted, grinning wide.

  He looked around, at the small, dim, sad cave.

  His smile slowly deflated, into a thin hard line.

  “No one will hear another joke if you die. Control what you can control.”

  He stepped out onto the ledge, looking at the swaying forest below.

  Fresh air smacking him back to reality.

  Birds flocked, scattering from a distant roar.

  A large hawk swooped, the flock one member lighter.

  Sunlight glinted off a stream far below, large shadows lurking in the shallows.

  “All this could be mine if I play it right.”

  I’m an engine running at full RPM, finally capable of handling my own output.

  A small grin grew as realization hit.

  I just got a new transmission.

  His dark eyes turned outward.

  His kingdom lay before him.

  The wall of brown fur and muscle roared through his mind.

  He blinked.

  “No idea who my subjects are. Could be a damn dragon out there for all I know.”

  Death is around every tree, behind every rock, in every shadow. Perfect.

  “Gotta keep this ball rolling.”

  ?Ken flowed out of the crag, his movements fluid powerful, and easy.

  His body no longer felt the strain from the superhuman speeds.

  “Don’t stop me nooow!” Wind whipping his short hair, smile across his face, “I’m havin’ such a good time, I’m having a bal-”

  He skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust.

  “Oh, yeah, weren't there some missing goblins?”

  Many possibilities ran through his head.

  Mostly involving little green dudes, pushing it to the limit.

  Seeking their revenge.

  He shook his head, breaking the training montage.

  “Damn man, what was in the Bear Orb? And where can I score some more?”

  He let the thought of goblins on monkey bars go.

  “Oh well. They can come get some.”

  ?Ken, once again, flew out of the crag, wind screaming in his ears.

  “If you wanna have a good time just give me a cal-”

  He skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust.

  Again.

  The Black Orb Thingy flashed in his mind.

  The memory of unfathomable weight crushing him, bones being ground and returned to the soil.

  The sensation of the extreme solidity of the Earth, the sheer mass and unending durability.

  The vision of a heavy darkness, closing in, sharp stone slicing at tender meat.

  It clicked.

  That bear got its power from somewhere.

  Like a mountain.

  “Out there is a fortune waiting to be had.”

  He grinned at the empty valley, cracking his knuckles.

  He took one last deep breath, centering himself.

  “Time to go steal some.”