Update!
After a harrowing battle at the top of a keep balcony, where we nearly lost two characters, we have achieved victory! And third level.
The battle was sort of intense, with one character getting mauled to 1 HP, soul ripped out of their body (which paralyzed them). This character happened to be the multi-generational great-grand-neice of Kaius Ironstaff. The danger triggered his fight instinct (I'd say fight or flight instinct, but he doesn't have a flight instinct) and suddenly the no-armor venerable old man was a hulking brute grappling the beastie with arms of corded steel, desperate to pry the soul free.
After being squarely mauled by all of the beastie's attacks (reducing him to 10 HP out of 35, in a rage, meaning he'd be at 0 once rage ended), his soul being pulled and twisted but remaining steadfast within his body, Kaius gave a mighty heave and threw the creature from the balcony with all of his strength! It somersaulted and spun in the air, unable to get purchase as gravity inevitably pulled it down. Landing with a sickening crunch, the creature lay dead and Kaius woozy on his feet.
Much rejoicing was had when soul was restored to his descendant, and they chose to rest.
Kineticist level get! Elemental Ascetic. Familiar Get! HP 32/32 (47 in rage). Aether specialization, Kinetic Fist! Pushing Infusion. Target ability next level: Kinetic Awe.
So, much time has passed in the real world and fairly little within the game. Many battles ensued, a keep was liberated from rebels, and a mansion of nine spires, filled with puzzles and nightmare fuel, disease ridden insectile daemons. But it wasn't until they traveled to the Scriptorium, where the ACTUAL nightmares resided, that our story picks back up.
Familiar with all manner of nightmares, mostly due to his aging mind inventing new and more vivid delusions to taunt him in his growing age, Kaius was exceedingly useful to the group. The fearless (literally) Paladin helped... a little. Kaius' vast pools of knowledge (from a decent Intelligent score and ranks in knowledge skills), he was able to fill in the gaps in everyone's specialized areas. His predisposition to avoid conflict was not exceedingly helpful as everything in this place was hell bent on killing them.
One thing that kept bothering Kaiser was the tendency for puzzles and traps that seemed to be everywhere in this timeless place. It annoyed him to no end, and through his frustration, he bent his mind towards ways to disable and bypass the damned things. And to crush the source of the annoying obstacles. It was after a particularly nasty trap and a fighting with a humanoid spider thing *omitted for spoiler* that Kaius reached fourth level.
Upon reaching the next level, Kaius' connection with the Aether grew and he became almost supernaturally perceptive of dangers around him, making him exceedingly more difficult to hit. And his control over the Aether allowed him to created a violent display of energy that quite literally terrified him at first, but which he quickly turned to against his enemies. His Combat ability increased even more, even allowing him a measure of combat viability outside of a rage.
From here on out, it is Barbarian all the way... Unless something else comes up.