Avalanche

'Processing upgrades… Six for each of your parameters, Cael, as ordered… Done!'

'Twenty more upgrades—that's five into each stat. Done!'

'Keep going, Cael! I can feel it—their power, adding to ours! I feel more alive each minute—if you can imagine being even more living!'

It really was much simpler than Cael thought. Each dead Starspawn added to his power, and to the ability of his System to consume other Starspawns easier.

He just had to keep killing, and they had even fewer chances to stop him. Like an avalanche that started with a single stone, Cael rolled and rolled, inevitably approaching the point where he would become unstoppable.

All he needed was time. All over the world, other people fought to win—but all they really needed was to give Cael time. When he would tell them that, the morale of the troops would really rise.

The thought made Cael's satisfied grin even wider.