Wizard of Worm

An average person from our world, I just wanted to be as overpowered as possible. That was easy, just choose to use the Worm CYOA V1. Thing is, I decided since this wasn't possible to ever become real, I chose Skitter mode and only one power to be the tiniest bit more balanced. Oh, how wrong I was...

Sorry to any of you who notice the changes to this chapter and get confused. While walking, I remembered a sentence in Shattered Limiter about doubling the slots for powers with that effect. I went and changed a few things to fix that mistake. Enjoy, if you wish.

Chapter 1

I awake falling from the sky. Well, no, that isn't exactly correct, it's more like I teleported into the sky without remembering anything in-between the action. Either way, I am now falling from the sky, and onto a city. What was I doing last? Oh yeah, I had done one of those chose your own adventure stories from Worm. I did limit myself quite a bit, but was still overpowered. Raistlin. That was the name I had chosen for my Cape persona, based off of the books with him. It made sense at the time, I was only allowing myself to create powers in the theme of magic, without personal physical powers like strength, speed, or durability. It went as follows –

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Raistlin, Wizard of Worm

Points: 0

Self-Insert

Skitter Mode: Wizard theme only, created powers start half as strong, CYOA power sensory range very limited if it has one

Power Manipulator –2

Perks/Complications

Blank –1

Invictus –1

Shattered Limiter –1

Secret Lair –1

Leviathan +2

Slaughter House 9 +4

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Huh. I'm going to need some way to stop myself from falling to my death, aren't I? Right then, my power reacted to my thoughts and gave me a minor Telekinesis power, level 3. At this level, it was just enough to fake low-speed flight on one target of around the weight of an average man, I.e., me. Right now, this was allowing me to fall slowly enough that I wouldn't fall to my death.

For today, and possibly for the next few days, I decided to focus on creating new powers, and getting them up enough in the ratings to be effective. I used my next two charges to create a mediocre Teleportation power, level 5. I could teleport to anywhere within my line of sight, or anywhere I could visualize. I used it to teleport to my 'Secret Lair', really just a repurposed lighthouse that was now owned by me, under my civilian name of James Greenwood. It was now an effective Wizard's Tower, disguised as the lighthouse everyone else knows it as.

Of the seven charges I had left, three were used on an item creation power. With this, I could create large amounts of real, complex materials, small amounts of simple fictional materials, with one use in a fifty foot radius. Level 7.

My next two powers were very minor, one essentially a drastically weakened Shapeshift, and a personal Pocket Dimension. The Pocket Dimension was boosted twice, leaving the powers at level 2 and 7 respectively. The first, for now, only allows for me to switch between two preset human forms. One the utterly average form I look normally, the second, apparently literally the form of Raistlin. I have no idea if that's just my powers idea of a joke or if it's for some other reason, but that is definitely going to be the form I use for my Wizard form. The second is exactly what it sounds like, a space about the size of an average house that I can put things in and take things out of. That took the rest of my charges, and as it was already night in the first place, I decided to just go to sleep in the bed provided to me in my Tower.

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By the time I woke up the next morning, all my charges had reformed. I put one into my Telekinesis, bringing it up to level 5 and giving it a great increase in everything. It could now target three man-sized targets simultaneously, or one target up to the weight of a large truck. The allowed movement speed was a lot quicker as well, faster than most people could run. Precision wise, well, I was able to make my breakfast with it, so that's good. The next charge was used to upgrade my Shapeshift. At the rating of 4, I could now turn into any human form, keeping my presets.

Another was used to create a Barrier power strong enough to act like a concrete wall, and slowly moving. Level 3, only because it can block a few bullets before breaking. I used my next two charges to create a Healing power, level 5. It allowed for the healing of injuries up to and including lost limbs and minor brain injuries, like a concussion, on up to five targets at once. It did, however, have a wait time after casting of around twelve minutes after using it on one target, increasing linearly from there. It just pushes the concept of 'Health' into the target, so that limit will not change due to the severity of the injury, only the complexity of the issue will determine what can be healed.

Four charges all went into making an Illusion power, Level 8. It can either be used in a cube fifty feet squared, or targeted on up to ten people. The Illusions effected all the senses, and could even fake being physical. It could not, however, cause physical harm to those affected. The last charge went into making a minor Telepathic power, Level 3. A power requires conscious activation, that gave me a basic 'feel' for someone's emotions.

I decided I would wander around today, get familiar with the city. No matter how amazing my powers were, I couldn't do much with them for now. The staff and robes in my tower, because of course I had some, went into my Pocket Dimension. Walking around, I saw plenty of people. A bit less than you would normally find in a city of this size, but it's not that bad. At the very least, no one noticed the new person in the city. While walking around, I looked for a job. Like the thing said, I only have a hundred dollars, and that's not enough. Luckily, the ever-present fast food restaurants were was hiring. All that was required was the fake I.D. that came with my Tower. It wouldn't stand up to official scrutiny, but it was enough. The pay wasn't much, but it was enough for food.

One good thing was I was an adult instead of a teenager as you see in a lot of SI stories. No school for me! Instead, my time was limited by my working hours. Which, weren't all that bad, actually. I worked part-time in the early mornings, Which worked out fine. I was an early riser anyway. So I don't work in the afternoon. Capes, and just a lot of people in general, have a lot of weird times that they work.

Right now, things were rather boring. Nothing would really happen until tomorrow, so I had nothing to do. As far as I know, there weren't any Cape fights until-

Well now. Is this due to Butterflies or just some random skirmish? Skidmark fighting Alabaster. Strange match up, neither can really do much against the other. They're just fighting in the middle of the street. All of Alabaster's bullets are being slowed enough by Skidmark's force fields enough that he can move out of the way, and nothing he does to Alabaster lasts long enough to break the stalemate. I copied and altered Alabaster's Power, then changed to my Cape form and clothes when no one was watching.

"And what seems to be the problem here?" I, now Raistlin, asked the both of them.

I filtered out the profanity and supremacy from both of their respective responses, and was left with the information that Alabaster went off on his own to increase Empire territory. This angered Skidmark, who then insulted the Empire. Being the fanatic he was, Alabaster started shooting. Skidmark, while not smart, was cunning enough to have been putting up enough force fields to stop the bullets, which then led to this.

"And who the Hell are you?" They asked in stereo, both annoyed, if not angry. I smirked into my hood before replying.

"I am a Wizard, Raistlin. Now why don't the both of you go back to where you belong?" So saying, I picked them up with a wave of my staff, and threw them both into their own gang areas. Now, that counted, on technicality, as a fight due to acting hostilely with others. Both of them would be fine, even if they didn't both have ways to stop their momentum, they didn't fall very far. I also learned my Telekinesis had a range of fifty feet before releasing whatever I was holding, for now.

I walked away, leaving the observer's to their thoughts. I wonder what PHO will think of this?

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The next part of the day was spent wandering the more… decrepit parts of the city. Its saddening how much that applies to the area. It's not even a quarter of the city, but still much more than most first world cities from my earth. I managed to find the base of the Undersiders, and only just due to finding Regent five feet from the very edge of the range of telekinesis. I didn't enter, just noted the place in my mind before carrying on. I did test the altered power I obtained from Alabaster. It didn't turn me chalk white, but it did reset every second. I could still age, and I retained my memories of each reset. That was good, I wouldn't want to lose such a useful power.

I decided to test several of the powers I created further. I discovered my Barriers had a range of up to ten feet from me in all directions, and moved along that edge if I tried to push them further. Telekinesis, I still could only target three things at once and the weight limit didn't change. Nothing different with my Shapeshifting, I could Teleport objects without going along with them if I wanted, nothing different about my Healing. My Pocket Dimension was interesting, if I wasn't interacting with it time stopped inside that closet. Food didn't spoil, things didn't fall, timers didn't tick forwards, stuff like that. I didn't find any more Parahumans on my walk, so I headed to the boardwalk, on the way turning back to my civilian form.

The boardwalk was just a tourist area. People could go and visit the PRT building, several shops, a lot of different restaurants, arcades, hotels, etc. I didn't stay long, it was already nearing night when came over, but I did enjoy walking through the PRT without them knowing about me having powers. That took the rest of the day, and I soon found a secluded spot to Teleport back to my tower after getting lunch from a less high-end area. My room was nice, if a bit bare. The rest of my tower was similar, mostly because I had nothing to decorate it with. Very soon after, I was asleep again.

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When I woke up, I quickly got dressed, then Teleported near my work. Finishing my shift, I was off for the rest of the day. I thought about what I wanted to spend my charges on. Three were immediately sent into Telekinesis, bringing it up to level 11. The upgrade this time was enormous, I could lift and move the entirety of the oil rig in the bay, or up to twenty-four tank sized targets. The speed of movement was now just faster than the speed of sound, and my range was a mile in all directions, or up to ten in a single direction if I wanted to focus hard enough in that direction to lose every other. I put a point into Teleportation, allowing for remote Teleportation and Teleporting of groups up to thirty large at its new rating of 7.

My next power is a 'Buff/Debuff' rated at 3. Right now, I can just give a minor increase or decrease in a target's abilities or resistances for five minutes. But the effect doesn't stack. For example, I can use the power on a targets fire resistance, and it will change the effectiveness of fire on that target by 25%. It doesn't sound like much at first, but in a Cape fight it could do a lot to change the tide of battle. It will be helpful tonight, too. Lung does use a lot of fire. My last five charges were saved for if they were necessary later.

For the rest of the day, went to the hospital to offer my services where I could. I wasn't as good as Panacea, but I was welcome to help. They had me test on a few willing volunteers, it wouldn't do for them to just accept help, and with Parahuman powers there was a very real chance of causing cancer due to regeneration mostly done by speeding up cell division a lot of the time. This is partly where the increased hunger comes from, the energy needed for the process coming from the same place as we get it from to function. I know that's not how my way works, but they still needed to test it.

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The first I noticed of Taylor's fight with Lung, was the giant explosion of fire. I Teleported straight there, having been in my Cape form along with the outfit while waiting.

"How do you do, raging Dragon and controlling Bug?" I asked them both. That created a lull in their fight, which I took ruthless advantage of to trap Lung in a Telekinetic bubble. He wouldn't be getting out of that without ramping up quite a bit, and he would be crushed before he could. I took a look at Taylor, who seemed to be a bit burned. That was quickly taken care of with Healing, including the singed hair.

"Go on, miss Bug. Someone is on their way to handle him, and I don't think you want to be here if he escapes." I told her. She did as I recommended, looking scared. She threw a 'thank you' over her shoulder as she left. Now, I knew he wouldn't escape but she didn't, and I don't think she had wanted to make a bad impression on her first night out in cannon. While she was still running, I extracted the venoms present in his bloodstream. Dam. I just realized I could have copied her power. Nothing I can do about it now.

Apparently, several things that went different from the cannon stopped the Undersiders from being the first to arrive, instead Armsmaster arrived soon after Taylor left. Of course, that might be due to the flames Lung was throwing around that I directed upwards to act as flares.

"Well met, Armsmaster. If you would like to take this Dragon of Rage into a cage for him, I would suggest using something you undoubtedly have on you that is strong enough to put him to sleep. Or, if you prefer, I could put him in his cage and then you may put him to sleep." Armsmaster looked at me rather oddly, and after staling for a second while taking in the differences between most people and this preset, still answered me.

"The first option is preferable." I nodded, and arrested the movement of Lung's limbs. Armsmaster walked over and stabbed his Halberd into Lung. He did something which injected whatever tranquilizer that he used for brutes to get the stronger ones ready for transport. Lung visibly tried to fight off chemical, but it was ultimately futile. I copied both of their powers, like usual not taking the shard they both had with them. For obvious reasons, I didn't get Lung's main power, however it did increase the effectiveness of my Shapeshift to a level 6. Tinker powers shouldn't ever really be affected in the same way, due to them mostly working by creating blueprints, and so I just acquired a copy of his power.

To mess with him, I Teleported us all, including his bike, just in front of the PRT building on the boardwalk. After a moment of disorientation, he figures out where he is and calls someone for a vehicle built for Brutes, to bring Lung to wherever they take them. By the time Armsmaster had turned to look at me, I was gone. I had no control over Lung anymore, he was out of my range. I heard the truck noticed the vehicle arrive soon afterwards. I left a note with a somewhat cryptic message as well.

'The Wizard Raistlin captured the Dragon of Rage, assisted by the Controller of Bugs.

With the Dragon taken to his cage by the Master of Arms, he must be harmless. This is far from truth.

Be wary of his subordinates, the Dead Demon of Ash and the Mad Bomber.

As they attempt to release the Dragon from his cage, for their success the Heroes must be distracted.

Those called Villains would seek to stop this, if they knew of the toll of letting it go.

However, the future is ever in flux, and prophecy can never be clear. The Path to Victory was twisted.

If Butterflies can cause tornadoes, what happens with the introduction of an unknown element?'

This message is very much misleading, if read as in any other way than literal. Several sentences exuberate the problem, making it so they seem to have to look for hidden meanings, which there can be, but aren't actually meant to be read in that manner. Some lines would make them doubt their own precogs results, so they won't even be able to tell if they have the correct meaning. I realized the time. I didn't have long before whatever charges I had left over were lost. One was used to stop the need for sleep, another countering the normal side effects that would cause, and yet another for eidetic memory. That left two, all of which were used on the Pyrokinesis I obtained from Lung, adding more elements for me to control. The elements were wind and earth. Water will be copied shortly from Leviathan.

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Okay, this is the next story idea I have started. This one will likely be continued, actually, because of the general reaction to the idea of Parahumans saying their powers have anything to do with magic, I think I can keep most of the reactions in character. Please note, even then, I don't think I will have it totally accurate but I shouldn't have to do much more than look at what is happening based off a timeline that I can find and a general overview of their personalities. The copying of shard powers isn't going to be much of a thing compared to what you might see in other stories with the same powerset. A running index of the powers Raistlin has created with PM will be shown at the end of each chapter, sorted by their level and with a short description of the power itself below the name. Also, if anyone wants to help me with creating PHO chapters, that would be greatly appreciated, I have no experience with such a thing. I've heard it can be difficult at the best of times.

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Raistlin's Created Powers

Telekinesis, Level 11

Move up to 24 targets the size of a tank, or one up to the weight of a large skyscraper, supertanker, or an entire oil rig. Can fake flight just faster than the speed of sound. Precision on the level of separating different liquids in a single mixture.

Elementalism, Level 11

Control of the elements of fire, earth, and wind strong enough to harm an Endbringer.

Illusion, Level 8

Can create Illusions that effect all five senses. Can fake being physical, but cannot harm anyone caught inside. Range is a fifty feet squared cube, or ten individual targets.

Item Creation, Level 7

Can create large amounts of complex, real materials, small amounts of simple, fictional materials, in a fifty foot radius.

Pocket Dimension, Level 7

House sized room he can store things in. Time is stopped when he isn't using the power to take things out of put them in. Himself and others can live in the space without adverse effects.

Teleportation, Level 7

Can teleport line of sight or anywhere he can vaguely visualize. Can teleport remotely and with groups up to thirty large.

Shapeshift, Level 6

Change between any form he wishes between the size of a large dog and a horse. Two presets in the form of an utterly average person you'd see on the street, and a carbon copy of Raistlin.

Healing, Level 5

Applies the concept of 'Health' to a target, max of 5. Can heal up to lost limbs and concussions. Cool-down of twelve minutes, increasing linearly with each additional target.

Barriers, Level 3

Slow moving, can block a few bullets.

Buff/Debuff, Level 3

He can increase or decrease the abilities or resistances of a target for up to five minutes. Does not stack.

Telepathy, Level 3

A power that he can turn on/off. Gives a basic feel for a target's emotions.

Noctis, Level 2

He no longer needs sleep, and suffers no adverse side effects from going without. Has eidetic memory.