As Jax rode in the passenger seat of the A.T.V., he found himself looking over the new skills he had received from his evolution.
Being of Ruin (D)
Passive
When surrounded by destruction or when you are seen as evil, you become vastly more intimidating and appear stronger.
Ruinous Force (D)
10 Ki
As one who is watched by a ruinous being, you can exert power to call on this ruin around yourself.
You can spend Ki to cause luck to plummet around you, bringing pain to all in your vicinity.
The more Ki you spend, the stronger the effect and the more the damage around you increases.
The two skills alone would have been worrisome enough.
Yet the more worrying part came from the obsession he was plagued with.
Before, it had been akin to a fire he could choose to either starve or feed and hope it burned what he wanted it to.
Yet his evolution seemed to cement a strange level of control over the obsession.
It was by no means perfect.
But even now, Jax could openly move the energy around his body with Aiden sitting beside him, and Aiden did not seem to notice at all.
It was not currently useful for much other than keeping it under control.
But even so, Jax was excited.
If he could already do this much with just an evolution, imagine the possibilities when they evolved again at level forty.
"Not gonna lie," Jax said, "I know female adventurers aren't uncommon, but isn't the gender gap in our party growing more by the day?"
Aiden kept his eyes on the road.
"Well, kind of," Aiden said. "But you say that like you're complaining."
"I'm not. It's just annoying we can't ever win a boys-versus-girls vote on anything."
"Well, unless you can make a potion to make another guy, or turn Sir Oinks-a-Lot into a beastkin, we're kind of out of luck."
"I would know more potions if someone didn't keep interrupting my attempts."
Aiden's voice came through gritted teeth.
Jax stared straight ahead, sweat rolling down his fur as he refused to meet Aiden's eyes.
Partially because he had, in fact, been an ass yesterday.
But also because he saw Liora come zipping down to fly beside the window, where she knocked.
Jax turned to her.
Then to the crank for the window.
He let out a small sigh as he shifted in his seat so he was standing, his back paws on the headrest. Then he grabbed the knob and began moving his head to wind down the window.
"Hey, Aiden," Liora called, "question for you. Do we know what the top speed of the A.T.V. is?"
"No," Aiden said, tensing slightly as if expecting the worst. "Why?"
"Well, I ask because there is an eighty-thousand-gold prize."
There was a sound like someone falling from one of the bunk beds.
Then the trailer window flew open.
"Eighty thousand gold?" everyone yelled in unison.
Liora gave them all a cheeky grin and pointed across several hills.
"There's a whole bunch of vehicles gathering over there," she said. "Apparently, there are a bunch of races happening. The pot for the small-to-medium category is eighty thousand gold."
Everyone turned to Aiden, curious to see what he had to say about their speed.
"I have no idea," Aiden said. "We haven't really ever fully gunned the engine. Not with the trailer before. Your guess is as good as mine."
They changed course, heading toward the large field where several vehicles were gathered.
They ranged from small bikes to towering land trains.
Beyond just the event itself, tuners, teams, and more were all running around. There were even vehicles for companies taking part, reporters waiting to take statements from drivers, and people waving banners for their favored racers.
Aiden brought the A.T.V. to a spot to park.
Everyone stepped out and began watching the other vehicles being brought around.
"Uh, Liora," Jax said, watching a team represented by Hallowcreek Aquatech, "these seem pretty professional for us to try and compete."
"Well, sure," Liora said. "But it's eighty thousand gold. Plus, all we would need is a five-thousand-gold entry fee. And if we win, we get it back because it's a prize-pool kind of thing."
Jax turned to Aiden, curious to see his opinion.
But Aiden instead seemed to be looking at the crowd around the area.
Jax raised his eyes to see what Aiden was looking at.
Several people were staring toward their group and whispering.
"Well, that's not a good sign," Whinry said as she began looking around at the crowd.
They stood there, unsure what to do, before a set of three dwarves approached them.
All were men, with well-trimmed beards and surprisingly clean suits considering the dirt track.
They gave a friendly wave as they walked forward.
Jax stepped forward to meet them, giving a small bow in place of a handshake.
"Hi," Jax said. "We seem to be getting a few stares. Did we end up in the wrong area?"
"Not at all," the front dwarf said. "Actually, people are wondering if you all are competing."
The man in front wore what looked to be a large, stylish purple suit with embroidery and lace that would have normally been stifling, but seemed to be mitigated by enchantments of some kind.
"We were thinking about it," Jax said. "Just a bit intimidating seeing all these name-brand teams, you know?"
"Hehe, I can understand that," the dwarf said. "But considering his performance at the Plate Games, I think you all have more of a shot than you think."
Jax raised an eyebrow and turned back toward Aiden.
Aiden seemed unsure what to do with the compliment as he tried to find a spot where people were not looking at him.
"Is he even allowed to race?" Jax asked. "I thought this was a vehicle event."
"Presentation-wise, yes," the dwarf said. "But in terms of the rules, it specifies engine-powered. So he, by technicality, can enter."
Jax turned back toward Aiden.
Aiden seemed slightly slack-jawed as everyone, even his own party, stared at him now.
Then Jax turned back to the dwarven man with a grin on his face.
"I think we might see about entering him, then. Thanks for the advice, Mister...?"
"Minatomos," the dwarf said. "My brother Maxitomos is the announcer, so I got a free entry pass."
"Got it," Jax said. "In that case, how would we go about signing up?"
Minatomos gave a hearty chuckle as the other two dwarves behind him moved over to Aiden and began checking him over.
"Well, normally, you would need a sponsor or five thousand gold to spare to enter. Plus, there are other fees and more associated with it."
His smile widened.
"But I have a proposition for you."
"And that is?"
"I'll sponsor you all for this race, and as an adventuring party. In turn, I want you all to endorse my clothing line."
Jax felt startled hearing this, though he hid it well.
Sponsors happened.
Though normally only when an adventuring party was already well known.
In exchange for endorsing a product, the adventuring team would be given funds and other support for their adventures and quests.
So to be sponsored already was both a welcome surprise and something that left Jax slightly apprehensive.
"Do you m-mind if we ask why you are willing to sponsor us?" Selene asked, holding out an arm to stop the other two dwarves from inspecting Aiden further.
Minatomos gave a friendly smile.
"Well, there are a few reasons," he said. "For one thing, your showing at the Plate Games marked you all as a very promising up-and-rising team."
He held up a second finger.
"Your efforts during the Zilla disaster saved several dozen people, including members of my staff."
A third finger rose.
"And frankly, as a businessman, you all seem like an investment with a lot of potential."
Jax turned toward Aiden, who seemed deep in thought.
"What do you think?" Jax asked. "Are you up for it?"
"Honestly," Aiden said slowly, "I think I could be. I'm just worried about getting a sponsor so early on."
Jax nodded before turning back to Minatomos.
"We need a day or so to think it over. Does that work for you?"
"Sure," Minatomos said with a nod. "It's a group decision, after all."
Minatomos and his two dwarves turned and began making their way back into the crowd.
But with Jax's hearing, he caught at least part of the commotion around them.
"Wow, so the Blazing Beast is participating after all."
"Dang, I wonder if other runners will join with him in."
"I know he's fast, but he's not faster than a car... right?"