I didn't want to end it on a cliffhanger, so this chapter turned out to be twice the length of most other chapters and took me quite a while to write. Probably no chapter tomorrow because I'm going to walk around the Lunar New Year Festival most of the day. Maybe one more chapter till this arc ends, which will hopefully be out Sunday evening (PST).
Last chapter of the arc will be...
Spoiler :
The other Dukes finally arrive and Zedd turns on King Arnold, but the people have already turned against King Arnold cause of his screw ups (mostly thanks to Garnet's meddling). Garnet largely stays out of the fight because of the importance of appearance.
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The first group of skeleton scouts were taken care of as they carelessly marched towards the West Gate. Every so often, a few more would make their way through.
Garnet was among the first to sign up as a volunteer to help the city. She filled out her application. Her job assignment, Food Service Specialist, in other words, a cook. She was also handed some papers with descriptions and pictures of other people. Along with that, an instruction manual. "What is this?" Garnet asked.
"That's your job," said the man at the desk. "As a young woman and one who is literate, it is your job to help feed the soldiers."
Garnet was disappointed. She had hoped to fight on the front lines. But, at least she was doing something. There would at least be an opportunity if something were to happen. As Garnet flipped through the manual, there were instructions on how to fill out requisition forms, where to obtain supplies from, things like that.
Around the city, there were notices being posted. At least one male from each family was being required to sign up for the military. In other words, it was a draft, but King Arnold could not call it that because Antium was not at war or facing an Invasion. So, he used other means to force people to join the army. King Arnold was taking advantage of this to enlist the people to help him defend the city. In the worst case scenario, he would probably send the drafted soldiers to their death to protect his own like he did in the previous Invasions.
Garnet was assigned to the Seventh Battalion. A group of about 500 volunteers. Along with about 10 elderly men, Garnet was to help provide food for all of the soldiers. They were to be housed in what used to be inns. Luckily, Garnet had all the knowledge that Riley had passed on to her. With this, she could probably organize and command a fairly large team. "What were they thinking though?" Garnet thought. It was clear that they took every young man they could to increase the size of the army and those who could not were relegated to some type of service job to support the army in another way.
"So what do we do?" asked the old man.
Name: Randy
Level: 5
Class: Farmer
Sub-class: None
Stats: High Vitality
"At least some of them would probably be able to endure it," Garnet thought as she looked around. Only a total of three people stood out.
Name: Samson
Level: 8
Class: Merchant
Sub-class: None
Stats: High Strength
Name: Larry
Level: 10
Class: Foreman
Sub-class: None
Stats: High Strength
The rest were average. It was up to these three to do most of the work. "Larry, Randy, Samson, come forward," said Garnet.
The three men stood in line in front of her, treating her like a real army officer. "At ease," said Garnet. She watched as they still stood nervously. She would have to show real leadership in order to get them to not worry. "Larry, you will be responsible for getting the materials for each meal. Take everyone except Randy and Samson to do that job. This will be done three times a day."
"Yes sir!" Larry replied.
"Samson, once the others return, it is your job to help them prepare the food as needed, such as peeling, cutting, and other things like that," said Garnet. "Before the others return, have all the tools needed out and ready. Between cooks, make sure to clean your equipment."
"Yes sir!" said Samson.
"And lastly, Randy, your job will be with me to prepare to cook and to do most of the cooking," said Garnet. "But first, we will go get our equipment with Randy today."
"Yes sir!" said Randy.
"Everyone will help to serve the food and everyone will clean together after," said Garnet.
"Any questions?" asked Garnet.
"What time should we assemble?" asked Larry.
"Two hours before sunrise," said Garnet. "If you don't know when that is, it is when you barely see the light over the horizon. If you see the light, you need to assemble here."
As they all departed to do their jobs, Garnet felt strange that she was the youngest one here by far yet the one in charge. She was glad that they listened and were not problematic like some of the others she met. She was with Randy and Samson on their way to get supplies. She took a requisition form and numbered down everything she needed. "Are you from a military family?" asked Randy.
"Sort of," said Garnet. "I have some experience."
"Even though you don't look like it, you give off the aura of a leader," said Samson. "I see why they chose you to be in charge now."
"I think it's because I can read and write," said Garnet.
"There's that," said Samson.
They arrived in front of a large unmarked building. "Halt!" said one of the guards.
Garnet handed over the requisition form. The guards brought out all the equipment. "I'll take the pot," said Garnet. "You two take the rest."
"I'll help you," said Larry.
"I said I got it," said Garnet as she picked up the huge pot meant to provide for 500 and the water as well by herself.
"How?" asked Samson.
"I'm much stronger than I look," said Garnet. "I wanted to fight, but they sent me here."
Larry and Samson carried the cutting equipment and other cooking equipment. When the three of them returned, the other people were already there with the potatoes and vegetables. There was no meat, which was probably a luxury food. However, it was at least something.
Garnet had to instruct them on how to prepare it. How to prepare potatoes, how to wash them, and how to cut them. "This is different from how I learned," said Larry.
Level Up: Cooking (Level 8)
"This is the right way to do it," said Garnet. "This will not only make the taste better, but also more nutritious."
No matter what job Garnet was relegated to, she wanted to do it right. She was tempted to use Nuria to use magicraft and make the special soup, but it would be too obvious here. Nonetheless, they were hard at work.
Level Up: Cooking (Level 9)
It was taking more and more work for Garnet to make progress with the skills, but when working with such high volume, it was still possible. They all stood in line to prepare for the volunteers who would be eating.
"Remember, one serving per person," said Garnet. "That's one bowl with some potatoes and carrots. Is that clear?"
"What if they cause problems?" asked another elderly man.
Name: Carlton
Level: 5
Class: Farmer
Sub-class: None
Stats: High Vitality
"I will take care of them, don't worry," said Garnet.
"You don't seem that strong," said Carlton.
"Trust me, she's strong," said Larry. "She carried the whole pot over here by herself."
"That's funny," said Carlton. He thought it was a joke.
"Don't forget to save a small bowl for yourself," said Garnet.
As the soldiers made their rounds each one of them received a bowl of soup. Some of them looked dissappointedly at what they received while others did not care and seemed to just be here for the food. There were a few that oogled at Garnet, but most of them cared more about the food.
"This is good," whispered one of the soldiers.
Garnet was glad that some people were enjoying the food. Even if she could not fight, she was at least helping in some way. Then, it finally happened.
"This is it?!?" shouted one of the volunteers. "I want more!" he shouted.
"This is all you get as per the rations," said Garnet.
"I'm risking my life here," said the man. "I deserve more than this." He was causing trouble and he was starting to stir up the crowd.
Name: Stephenson
Level: 8
Class: Farmer
Sub-class: None
Stats: High Strength
"Stop causing trouble," said Garnet.
"How about you take care of me tonight?" asked Stephenson as he reached out his arm.
Garnet immediately grabbed his arm and began to twist it. "I'll take care of you right now," said Garnet.
The atmosphere had immediately changed. Garnet forced Stephenson onto the ground with just one arm. Even though Stephenson tried to break free using both his arms, Garnet was able to keep him down. "Do you know what it is like to be treated as weak and useless all your life?" asked Garnet. "Do you know what it feels like to have nothing to offer but your body to others?"
"No," said Stephenson.
"I do," said Garnet. "If anyone has a problem with how I do things, you are free to fight me," said Garnet as she let go of Stephenson's arm. Stephenson immediately backed away.
Garnet turned to face the other members of her team. "How?' asked Carlton.
"I told you she's strong," said Larry.
"She also commands an aura," said Samson. "It is a mix of fear and respect that I would die to have."
"If anyone gives you trouble, tell me," said Garnet.
"Yes sir!" they all replied.
"That goes for all of you out there too," shouted Garnet. "If anyone from another battalion gives you trouble, come find me, as your team mom, I will take good care of you all."
Stat Increase: Charisma +1
The next day morning, Garnet and her team continued on their duties as cooks. There were reports of different types of undead approaching. The last one was an armored undead that still had flesh attached to its body. Fresh undead were much stronger as decomposition had not set in yet.
As Garnet looked at the volunteers before her, they were woefully unprepared. They might have had two more days to prepare, but it was not enough. "Can you guys take care of everything here?" Garnet asked.
"What are you doing?" asked Samson.
"I'm going to give them a chance to survive," said Garnet. "They are unprepared, I will prepare them like how I was prepared."
"Draw your sword!" Garnet shouted as her voice echoed throughout the area.
The crowd immediately turned to face her and turned silent. After all, they had witnessed how strong she was before.
"Someone toss me a sword," said Garnet. One of the volunteers walked forward and handed her a sword. "Thank you," said Garnet.
"Anyone wish to face me?" asked Garnet as she stood in her stance.
"I will," said a man who stepped forward. He was shorter than the rest and much younger. "My name is Barry."
Name: Barry
Level: 10
Class: Warrior
Sub-class: None
Stats: High Strength
"You don't look so bad," said Garnet.
"You seem to be someone my age," said Barry. "I think this is the closest I will ever get to fighting someone of my own age."
"Are you ready?" asked Garnet as she held the sword with both hands.
"Yes," said Barry as he drew his sword and a shield.
"I'm coming for you!" shouted Garnet as she swung her sword overhead. She held back just a little.
CLANG. The sword crashed into Barry's who was forced back.
"She's pushing him back," said Larry.
"Isn't he the strongest among our group?" asked Stephenson.
Garnet turned her sword sideways. "Horizontal Slash!" She smashed her sword into Barry's who was sent flying back.
Barry picked himself up and saw Garnet closing the distance. He swung his sword sideways. It was a Crescent Slash.
Garnet saw the attack coming and did not continue. Instead, she halted her movement for a split second and Barry's sword caught nothing but air. Garnet jumped forward once more and punched Barry straight in the chest, knocking him own again.
"I surrender," said Barry.
"Already?" asked Stephenson.
"I know I cannot win," said Barry. "She is not only stronger and faster than me, it was clear that she recognized my sword attack."
"I will train all of you for the next two days," said Garnet. "The first rule, you must not speak of this to anyone, is that clear?"
New Skill:
Improves loyalty of followers. This skill cannot be fully utilized unless the user is a Hero.
"What?!?" Garnet thought to herself. She was not a Hero. It made no sense since she had the Hero System passive. "What does that even mean?"
Garnet saw as a few people nodded, but they stayed silent. "I'm waiting to hear a response."
"Yes sir!" shouted someone. "Yes sir!" they all collectively shouted.
"Good, we begin immediately after eating," said Garnet.
After they ate, Garnet began their training. "Divide into pairs and face your partner with your sword drawn!" Garnet shouted. "Repeat the following stances!" Garnet had learned this trick from Anna. Two people stood before each other and slowly swung and practiced their stance and their attacks. Horizontal, vertical, diagonal, and even guard movements. In total, there were about twelve moves. "Your job is to learn these moves today, and to master them tomorrow!"
"That's impossible!" shouted Stephenson.
"It's not," said Barry. "It's twelve simple moves that make up a stance isn't it?"
"Yes," said Garnet. "The idea is that you will have the tools to attack and respond to different attacks." Garnet walked through their lines as she watched them train. It was similar to standard weapon drills. "You two are in charge of this," said Garnet as she pointed to Stephenson and Barry.
"Me?" asked Barry. "I'm too young to be an officer."
"But you clearly understand the purpose and know how," said Garnet. "Your job is to advise people like Stephenson who are too loud and do not think their actions through. However, people like Stephenson are needed as well because they can sometimes make the best decisions to help everyone survive during the worst situations."
"Thank you," said Stephenson.
"I have to get back to my duties," said Garnet. "It is up to you guys to decide whether you want to learn this or not."
Over the next two days, Garnet watched as the volunteers began to improve. Their movements became faster as they memorized the moves. On the second day, they were no longer mirroring and began to respond to what the other person was doing. In two short days, they had to learn the basic moves.
Garnet kept a watch on the countdown timer on the corner of her eye. When it hit 09:00:00, she shouted. "Everyone stop!"
"What is it?" asked Stephenson.
"You guys will most likely have to fight tomorrow," said Garnet. "You will need to rest up."
"Thank you," said Barry.
"I'm taking care of you guys here," said Garnet. "Make sure you guys take care of things out there."
"Why don't you join us out there?" asked Stephenson.
"I would like to," said Garnet. "But I am relegated to tasks in here, but if something horrible does happen, maybe I might actually get a chance to fight. Just remember to line the men with shields in front and have the people without shields attack through the shield openings and rotate often to reduce the overall stress on your team."
With that, everyone started heading back to their rooms to rest. Only Barry remained. "Do you ever wish that you were born as a man?" asked Barry.
"Why?" asked Garnet.
"You seem to behave much more like a man than a woman, but society states that you are to do these jobs because of whether you're a man or a woman," said Barry.
"There are advantages of both," said Garnet. "There's nothing wrong with being a woman or a man, but rather what you choose to do yourself. I could jump onto the battlefield myself if I wanted to."
"Why don't you then?" asked Barry.
"Because people who make poor decisions are the ones that have to live with what they do," said Garnet. "For me, if staying back here is the poor decision, than so be it, but to be honest, I think this is better than trying to protect the King from his own foolish mistakes."
"How is King Arnold responsible for this?" asked Barry.
"Don't you remember the King's recruitment and expedition?" asked Garnet.
"You mean when he went to look for that monster, he brought the undead to Antium?" asked Barry.
"That's the only explanation," said Garnet. "That woman used undead after all, so he went looking for undead."
"And now, we are the ones who are paying for his mistake," said Barry.
The next day, Garnet watched as the volunteers were all summoned to the East Gate. The army of the dead was steadily increasing in numbers and frequency of appearance. Soon, the full might of the army would arrive. The timer on the corner of her eye showed that there was just one hour or so left before the undead army would arrive.
In the air, Garnet noticed a foul smell of rotting flesh. Even from this distance, she could smell it. The sun had barely just risen and the orange light was still visible in the distance. Yet, there was an atmosphere of doom. Garnet wanted to take a look at what was going on, so she headed towards Zedd's Workshop.
Inside, Zedd was there. "Aren't you going to help?" asked Garnet.
"I will help if they make it to the front gate," said Zedd.
"Do you understand how much danger the city is in?" asked Garnet.
"Not much at all," said Zedd. "You plan to fight don't you?"
"I will if needed," said Garnet.
"I suggest you wait until your volunteer unit is the only one left," said Zedd.
"How did you know about that?" asked Garnet.
"I know all that goes on in this city," said Zedd. "With their training, they should last a little longer than the others, but you must make sure that you are the one who pushes them back, not King Arnold's forces do you understand?"
Quest Update: Defend Antium's West Gate (00:21:02)
King Arnold has foolishly led an undead army towards Antium. The city must not fall before Duke Wellington and his army arrived. See that the army is held back by the volunteers and not King Arnold's forces.
Reward: Experience, Fame
"Is this another one of your plans?" asked Garnet.
"Yes," said Zedd. "As long as a large enough group speaks up, they can show how poorly the King treats his own people. I even brought you this," said Zedd as he brought a sword and some armor for Garnet along with some underclothes.
"This looks like what the volunteer soldiers are wearing," said Garnet.
"It is, but the sword is made to handle the channeling of spells into it," said Zedd. "If you want to join your men, this is the chance."
"Thank you," said Garnet as she hurried to get changed. When she came out, she tied and hid her hair under her helmet. Her figure was partially hidden by what she wore, but if someone looked closely, they could tell that she was a woman.
Garnet immediately ran out towards the West Gate. "You're late," said one of the guards. It was one of King Arnold's men.
"Sorry, I forgot my sword," Garnet responded.
"Which battalion are you in?" asked the guard.
"Seventh," said Garnet.
"That's the left flank, go," ordered the guard.
Garnet quickly ran outside and headed to the left flank. She recognized some of her men. She was not carrying a shield, so she lined herself with the soldiers.
Quest Update: Defend Antium's West Gate (00:02:31)
It was going to begin any moment now. In the front were Stephenson and Barry who were trying to rally the soldiers together. "Do not forget we have been trained for this!" shouted Stephenson. "Do not let our team mom be disappointed in us!"
"He actually said team mom," Garnet thought as she put her hand to her forehead. During this speech, she quietly made her way to the front of the lines. The volunteers were highly unorganized and did not even have a proper officer. Stephenson and Barry served as commander and vice-commander for a largely non-existent chain of command. It was better than nothing.
Quest Update: Defend Antium's West Gate (00:00:00)
Garnet could hear the sound of marching footsteps. In the distance, she saw as a pale knight in red and black armor rode atop a horse made entirely of bones appear.
Name: Romulus, Knight of Blood
Level: 40
Class: Dread Knight
Sub-Class: Duelist
Stats: High Vitality
Behind him stood countless skeletons clad in armor. A woman in a red dress who rode another horse made of bones appeared. She carried with her a black and red scythe. She was as pale as the knight.
Name: Sylvia, Priestess of Blood
Level: 40
Class: Reaper
Sub-Class: Blood Mage
Stats: High Vitality
They were no longer fighting just any undead, they were fighting an organized undead army. She saw fear in the eyes of the soldiers. It was clear that these were no ordinary undead. The two who led the army released a frightening aura. It was not as strong as Garnet's transformed state, but it still hindered them. Garnet herself was unaffected, most likely because of her own abilities.
Before them was an undead army that would kill them. Behind them was the army of King Arnold, who would most likely cut down anyone who tried to run away.
Garnet stepped up. "What are you guys doing?!?" she shouted.
"That voice!" said Barry. "You came!"
"I came to see how you guys were doing," said Garnet. "But what do I find? A bunch of cowards."
"I'm sorry," said Stephenson.
"When they come, hold your shields up!" shouted Garnet. "Have the person with the shield take the main blows and attack them from the side. Work together, not alone. If someone gets tired, fall back and pass the shield to someone else. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir!" shouted Barry and Stephenson.
In the distance, Garnet could see the knight give orders and the first group of skeletons marched forward.
Name: Skeleton Soldier
Level: 10
Class: Undead
Sub-Class: Warrior
They were relatively weak, but not too weak either. They were more than a match for King Arnold's soldiers. "Ready your shields!" shouted Garnet. The entire front line raised up their shields. Garnet ran her sword across them to make sure they were steady. "Remember, shields low, swords high!"
Garnet watched as the undead crossed the plains. The skeletons were marching straight for them. She looked up at the castle walls. "What are you doing?!?" she shouted at them.
"What's wrong?" asked Barry.
"King Arnold's forces atop the walls should be firing arrows at the undead army," said Garnet. "But he is not. It is clear that we are meant to die and he does not intend to help us."
"What?!?" said Stephenson. "Do we have ourselves another Mad King?"
"We might," said Garnet. She had no idea what a Mad King was, but it made King Arnold sound crazy, so she went with it. "Partial Transformation: Temptress of the Night!"
Garnet felt some sharp pain in her arms and legs, but nothing she could not handle. Without giving away her identity, she could enhance her strength, speed, and endurance beyond normal human limits. At that moment, Garnet felt something watching her. She had drawn the attention of something powerful. When she turned to look at the commander of the enemy forces, the woman in red was staring right at her.
In the distance, thundering footsteps could be heard. The undead army was now running towards them. "You must hold this line!" Garnet roared. "If we fall, so does Antium!"
BANG. The repeated sound of metal crashing against metal could be heard as the undead army came into contact with the front line. To Garnet's sides, she could see some of their formations falling apart already. Even her own was barely holding it together. Even though the undead were not very strong, they still had a lot of weight and appeared in large numbers. "Hold!" shouted Garnet. "When the pressure reduces, push them back and attack!"
After about ten seconds, the sound of foot steps stopped. "Push!" Garnet shouted. The front line pushed forwards with their shields, knocking the undead back. The shields lowered. "Attack!" ordered Garnet.
The line of soldiers just behind began to attack the undead in front. The armor protected the skeletons a little from slashing attacks, but they were easily smashed still. When the head or the arm with the weapon was disconnected from the body, the skeleton became useless. Her group began to spread outward form their position, killing the skeletons they came into contact with. Along with the Eighth and Sixth Battalion, their forces suffered the least amount of injuries. A few of the men in front already had to retreat to the back.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
"Reform!" Garnet ordered. The soldiers immediately returned to their positions.
"Thank you," said a soldier in the Eighth Battalion.
"We have to work together," said Garnet. "Follow my lead and my strategy."
The Sixth Battalion sent a soldier as well. "Please guide us," said the man.
"Barry to the left, Stephenson to the right," said Garnet. "Repeat my orders as I say them to coordinate our attacks."
"Yes sir!" Barry and Stephenson shouted together.
Stat Increase: Charisma +1
The next wave was led by calvary. They were much fewer in number, but there were undead skeletons riding on top of undead horses. It was a frightening sight.
Name: Skeletal Knight
Level: 15
Class: Knight
Sub-Class: Warrior
Stats: High Strength
"Any spears and pikes to the front line!" shouted Garnet. There were only a few, about a dozen in all, but it was better than nothing. "Two men to a shield!" Garnet ordered. The extra weight behind them would make it more difficult for the knights to break through. Garnet took one shield for herself and stood in the front.
The sound of thundering footsteps could be heard. It was much faster and fiercer than before. The Skeletal Knights made their rush. "Push as soon as you feel the weight!" Garnet ordered. "The goal is to knock them all off balance and then kill them!"
Barry and Stephenson repeated the orders to the nearby battalions. "Yes sir!" was the response that she got. Garnet was amazed that they were listening to her. After all, she was a woman who was thought to have no place on the battlefield.
BANG. Garnet felt an incredible amount of force against her shield. It was strong, but lighter than actual horse since the horse was all bones. There was no flesh and as a result, it was possible to actually push them back. "PUSH!" she shouted.
Stat Increase: Strength +1
"Ugwah!" shouted the man next to her who forced the knight's horse off.
Garnet took her sword and smashed the head of the knight that she had knocked over. "Remember, break off the head, make sure of it!" she ordered. "Switch all personnel as soon as possible."
Garnet quickly took a look to the left and to her right. She could see them following her instructions. However, in the distance, she saw the right wing of the army start to collapse. They had already lost many of their men as they failed to defend against the horse. Yet, no one was doing anything, they lacked the leadership and had no chain of command.
The goal of King Arnold's draft was just to have the drafted soldiers and volunteers thin out the enemy numbers so that his own could finish the job. That way he could claim the glory. But, if Garnet was able to hold it, then they would not get that chance.
The enemy was continuing to attack in waves, sending in more ground soldiers. They probably did not have any cavalry left after the last attack. This time, they focused on the right wing of the defense. They had spotted the weak spot and were now going to focus on it. "We're marching forward!" shouted Garnet. "Advance at my pace all soldiers with shields, keep them pointed in the direction of the enemy!"
"Let's go!" shouted Stephenson. Even though he had been reckless at first, under Garnet's orders, he was quickly able to guide the soldiers.
Her group could not move fast. After all, they were not trained soldiers. Reforming after breaking apart would take too long, so it was best to move at once and maintain formation. Most of them were able to follow. With three battalions under her command, she formed a new line in front of the old ones. The formation was no longer as wide and concentrated their defense along the entrance to the West Gate.
"Have the remaining soldiers reinforce our ranks," said Garnet. "They can no longer stand on their own with losses like that."
The real problem was that Garnet was unsure how many enemies remained. Most of them were being called out by the knight in charge and emerged from the line of trees behind them. How many soldiers were remaining was kept hidden. In the worst case scenario, there were ways for them to replenish their numbers. With their small numbers, it would be hard for Garnet and her soldiers to last for more than a day or two.
"The King is a useless fool who left us out here to die!" shouted Garnet. It was the only thing Garnet could think of to further annoy King Arnold. Amplified by her scream, she was certain that even all the soldiers in the back who stood behind the volunteer soldiers could hear it.
In order to win, they would have to take down the two leaders, Romulus and Sylvia. They could not hold out forever against the undead. King Arnold was already expecting them to fail. But, if they could hold out, it would be a different story. It would make King Arnold seem like a coward if a drafted or volunteer soldier was able to win a battle that he had no hand in helping.
"Forward!" Garnet ordered. The soldiers to her sides began to follow as Garnet advanced forward. They were a slow and heavily grouped formation, but it made it difficult to break through them.
Garnet saw as the knight in charge sent forward another group of Skeleton Soldiers. They were largely ineffective, but could delay them. Their reinforced formation with just three larger battalions now marched forward, easily able to break through the undead soldiers being sent their way. The only worry was the knights if they had more. With another wave of his hand, the knight called forth more, but he began to ride towards her with the woman in tow.
"Halt!" shouted Garnet. The enemy commander was coming straight for them with his army behind him.
Garnet's side all stood still ready to fight.
The enemy commander how stood before her. A knight clad in red and black armor. He was much taller than Garnet up close. "I wish to speak with the enemy commander! I am Romulus, Knight of Blood, and I seek vengeance against the royal family that killed me and my wife," he shouted.
Garnet stepped forward. "I am the one leading the defense," said Garnet.
"For a moment, I thought it was that coward, King Arnold or whatever he calls himself," said the Romulus. He took a moment and looked at Garnet. "Now it seems like you are a leader."
"I am no Queen," said Garnet. "I am but a slave," said Garnet as she removed the gauntlet on her right hand. She revealed the symbol, the brand that made her a slave.
"What?!?" shouted Barry. There was instantly chatter among the people behind her.
"Why do you wish to protect that fool?" asked Romulus.
"Because this is my home, and these are innocent people who have been caught in something much larger," said Garnet. "If I can defeat you, not only will I make King Arnold lose face, but save my people as well."
"I see," said Romulus. "What is it that you plan to do?"
"I wish to challenge both of you in a duel," said Garnet. "If I win, you two will serve under me."
"That's a bold claim," said Romulus. The woman stepped forward as well.
"I am Sylvia, Priestess of Blood," said the woman. "You will be fighting us together."
"I have no intention of fighting you alone either," said Garnet. Barry and Stephenson stepped forward. "Not you two," said Garnet.
"Call: Nuria! Call: Mazu!" Garnet summoned forth her elemental spirits of water and fire. She wanted to stall for a minute by continuing to speak while her mana recovered.
"You called?" asked Nuria.
"I finally get some time to let loose," said Mazu.
"You're a mage!" said Stephenson.
"Yep," said Garnet. "But my magic is limited."
"Why did you not offer your services to the King?" asked Barry. "You would be living a great life."
"I refuse to offer my services to that man," said Garnet. "Neither Caligula nor Arnold are proper Kings."
Romulus got off his horse and drew his sword and shield. Sylvia raised her scythe. The two of them were much higher level than Garnet, but she had the help of her spirits and she had numerous special abilities. Their strength should be roughly even.
"Stand back," Garnet ordered her men. All of them immediately backed away.
"You as well," said Romulus. The skeletons all heeded his command and took several steps backwards.
Garnet with Nuria and Mazu by her side now faced off against Romulus and Sylvia. "Let's stop standing and fight!" Nuria shouted as she dashed forward. With her hands, she shot a concentrated amount of flames at Romulus.
Romulus raised his shield and intercepted the flames. "Go!" he ordered.
Sylvia dashed to the side and swung her scythe at Nuria. CLANG. It came into contact with a block of ice that appeared out of nowhere. It turned into water. It was Mazu who intercepted it and froze again, trapping Sylvia's scythe. "That's a clumsy weapon," said Mazu.
"Reform: Weapon!" shouted Sylvia. Several of the nearby skeletons broke apart and reassembled themsleves into another scythe. "Blood Scythe!" The scythe turned red as it was coated in blood.
Garnet ran forward and swung her sword at Sylvia. "Horizontal Slash!" CLANG. It was met with the handle of Sylvia's scythe. It was not going to be easy to break through. Garnet saw that the blood on the scythe disappeared. It seemed like it was something that was only good for one swing.
Nuria's flames continued to push down on Romulus, but his shield seemed highly resistant to it. Although Romulus was slowed down, he was continuing to push forward.
Garnet could see no openings. Romulus and Sylvia were fighting together as a team. Together, it would take at least four people. Romulus was slowly pushing Nuria back with his shield. He seemed to feel nothing from the heat being generated from Nuria's flames. "Switch!" shouted Garnet.
Garnet and Mazu headed straight for Romulus while Nuria flew towards Sylvia. Garnet raised her shield and charged against Romulus. BANG. Romulus met Garnet's shield with her own and slowly pushed Garnet back. "You're stronger than you look," said Romulus.
"I can't lose here!" shouted Garnet. She raised both her hands to hold Romulus back with her own shield, but she was slowly losing ground. Romulus was physically stronger than Garnet.
Romulus swung his sword towards Garnet. SPLASH. A powerful stream of water from Mazu knocked Romulus over. "Thanks," said Garnet.
Meanwhile, Nuria was fighting Sylvia. Sylvia swung her scythe with such a powerful force that it was able to disperse Nuria's flames. However, Nuria was able to continue the pressure and prevented Sylvia from attacking others. Either way, they were going to need to take out one of them first. Romulus seemed like the easier choice as he was more defensive.
Romulus charged towards Garnet with his shield raised. "Crescent Slash!" Garnet slashed in a half circle pushing Romulus to the side.
"What?!?" shouted Romulus who was surprised by this. He should have had the strength to push over Garnet, but this attack had a lot of weight behind it and was enough to knock him to the side.
"Mazu!" shouted Garnet.
"I got it!" said Mazu as she followed up with a powerful stream of water that pushed Romulus to the ground. The impact dug up some of the dirt under him.
"Blood Sacrifice!" shouted Sylvia. Blood flowed out from her body and into Romulus.
Romulus' injuries immediately healed. Sylvia was supporting her by using her own health. She had blood flow from her mouth. It was the sign of an internal injury. This combination was not a defense that was going to be easy to break through. "In exchange for her own health, she can restore mine," said Romulus.
"Blood Absorption!" Sylvia shouted. It was a skill that Garnet was very familiar with. The bodies of her own fallen soldiers were being absorbed into Sylvia to replenish her own strength. In an instant, Sylvia healed herself.
"I should have known after seeing that she was a Blood Mage," said Garnet.
"How did you know?" asked Romulus.
"I also know that you're a Dread Knight," said Garnet.
"Then you should know that my heart is filled with hatred and a desire for vengeance!" shouted Romulus.
"Why?" asked Garnet.
"Do you know who killed me?" asked Romulus.
"No," said Garnet.
"It was King Caligula," said Romulus.
"Why did he do it?" asked Garnet.
"He was afraid that I was going to overthrow the noble system," said Romulus. "Afraid that I would lead the peasants to revolt against the class system."
"Were you?" asked Garnet.
"No," said Romulus. "I just wanted a system where the nobles were not the only ones to made the important decisions. I wanted a system where the peasants had a say."
"Is that why they killed you?" asked Garnet.
"Yes," said Romulus. "That fool of a King and this new self proclaimed King Arnold killed me and my entire family."
"That's why we're going to change it," said Garnet.
"How?" asked Romulus.
"A new generation of nobles have come who wish to reduce the power of the nobles," said Garnet. "They plan to use Anzio's system to do it."
"Anzio's system?" asked Romulus. "What is that?"
"One based on meritocracy where an individual's accomplishments matter more than their name," said Garnet.
"That would be a sight to see," said Romulus. "But power alone is what matters and if you want to see change, you must have the power to show that you can do it!" Romulus was intent on fighting.
Garnet turned to Stephenson and Barry. "Tell everyone, they must not tell anyone, especially King Arnold or his men what you see here today," said Garnet. "Is that clear?"
Barry and Stephenson both nodded. They could only watch as Garnet fought with them. The other troops all stayed silent. After all, Garnet was the only thing that stood between them and certain death.
"I will make you my servant and show you then," said Garnet. "Blood Absorption!" Garnet too absorbed blood from the bodies of the soldiers nearby. It was mostly done to deny access of the bodies to Sylvia.
"How?" asked Romulus.
"You see, I too am a mage," said Garnet. "And I will see to it that they are saved from you."
"Come at me!" shouted Romulus.
Garnet looked at Nuria who was holding her own against Sylvia. They were evenly matched. Nuria fired flames at Sylvia who then deflected them. Right now, Garnet had to defeat Romulus first.
"Blood Bind!" Garnet used the blood that she had just absorbed in order to lock Romulus down. Romulus attempted to struggle, but it was tied all over his body and he could not break it off.
"Help me!" shouted Romulus.
"Blood Sacrifice!" Sylvia tried to give Romulus the strength needed to break the binding that Garnet placed on Romulus, but it was not working. Garnet's Blood Bind was much stronger. Romulus continued to struggle.
"It looks like I can finally let loose," said Garnet.
"So you were holding back this whole time?" asked Romulus.
"I am holding a lot back, but I will let my magic run free this time," said Garnet. "Chain Lightning!" Garnet released a powerful bolt of lightning that went through Romulus. It jumped out from behind him and began to jump between his soldiers.
Level Up: Chain Lightning (Level 3)
Level Up: Chain Lightning (Level 4)
New Skill: Lightning Ray
Fire six bolts of lightning towards a single target at once.
MP Cost: 200
BZZT. Bolts of lightning surged all around Romulus' body. Even if he was undead, he was still using a human body composed of flesh and blood. Lightning would disrupt him as much as anyone else. "You're strong," said Romulus. "But I will not give up!" he shouted as he dashed forward.
Mazu released a powerful burst of water. VWOOSH. The water spread out over Romulus' shield as he pushed towards Mazu.
Garnet charged forward with her sword in hand. "Double Slash!" She led with a slash downward.
CLANG. Romulus parried it and deflected it downwards. The second slash immediately came upward and slashed Romulus' chest. Romulus did not react. There was blood, but he felt no pain.
Level Up: Double Slash (Level 3)
The skeletons began to march forward. They showed some loyalty to Romulus and wanted to protect him. "Stop!" Romulus shouted. The skeletons all immediately stopped in their tacks. "This is a fight between me and her," he said. "No one is to interfere!" Romulus turned to face Garnet once more.
If Romulus had anything, it was honor. Garnet was fighting him with only her summons and no other people. "Me and my wife are fighting you alone," said Romulus. "That was the deal and I stand behind it."
"You are far too honorable for your own good," said Garnet.
"Honor is the only thing I have to live by," said Romulus. "Without honor, there is no honesty nor compassion." Romulus readied his sword and shield again. "These nobles had no honor otherwise they would confront me instead of stabbing me in the back."
The Blood Bind had greatly turned the side of the battle against Romulus. As long as Romulus and Sylvia were separated, they could not use their true power and coordinate their attack and defense.
Garnet raised both her arms. "Lightning Ray!" Six bolts of lightning all rushed towards Romulus at once.
BZZT. The bolts of lightning all flew outward from his body. His body was heavily damaged. Even though Romulus had trouble moving, he did not show any signs of fatigue or pain. That seemed to be an advantage of the undead. "I'm glad I got to meet someone like you," said Romulus. "Can you promise me that fool will be dethroned?" he asked.
"I promise," said Garnet. Romulus knew he was going to lose at this point. Once Garnet revealed that she could use magic, he was already at a severe disadvantage. Without Sylvia to back him up, Romulus was certain of his defeat.
"Return home and protect our land," said Romulus. He was ordering his soldiers away. They all began to walk in the direction they came from.
"They listen to you?" asked Garnet.
"The undead are smarter than you think," said Romulus. "In time, they will grow to be as intelligent and wise as anyone else."
"Romulus!" shouted Sylvia who rushed to his side. "I failed to protect you again."
"No, we're in good hands," said Romulus. "If she is like you, then we will meet again soon."
"Finish it," said Sylvia. "I admit my defeat as well."
"Fire Ball!" Garnet released a single Fire Ball towards them. BOOM. Romulus and Sylvia were both dead once more.
"Is that it?" asked Barry who was standing there astonished.
"One more thing," said Garnet. "Blood Absorption!" Romulus and Sylvia both exploded into blood and flowed into Garnet's body.
New Skill: Call: Romulus, Knight of Blood
Summon forth Romulus, Knight of Blood, who possesses superior defense
MP Cost: 2000
New Skill: Call: Sylvia, Priestess of Blood
Summon forth Sylvia, Priestess of Blood, who possesses superior recovery abilities
MP Cost: 2000
New Skill: Transformation: Blood Reaper
Transform into a form that enhances the effects of blood that is used as offensive, defensive, or supportive magic.
New Skill: Blood Sacrifice (Level 1)
Uses your own blood to heal the injuries of another
HP Cost: Varies depending on the target
New Skill: Blood Scythe (Level 1)
Creates a scythe made of blood that can be swung once. Uses Intelligence stat instead of Strength to deal physical damage.
HP Cost: 100, 50% of damage dealt is absorbed back as HP
New Skill: Blood Bullet (Level 1)
Uses your own blood as a projectile. Uses Intelligence stat instead of Strength to deal physical damage.
HP Cost: 20
New Skill: Dance of Blood (Level 1 Passive)
Must be in Blood Reaper mode to use. Automatically drains blood from nearby open wounds.
New Skill: Summoning Commander (Level 1, Passive)
Increases the abilities of summoned creatures under your control
Effect: All summons have their stats increased by 20%
New Skill: Call: Skeletal Knight (Level 1)
Call forth an undead armored knight that can wield a weapon and rides atop a horse. Only one can be summoned at a time.
MP Cost: 500
Level Up: Aura of Fear (Level 2)
Level Up: Enhanced Mana Regeneration (Level 3)
Quest Complete: Defend Antium's West Gate
Reward: Experience, Fame+100
You have leveled up!
You have leveled up!
What stood out the most was the other Blood Magic that Garnet acquired. But, Garnet also gained two allies that she could call forth in battle. At this rate, Garnet could eventually summon forth an entire army.
"Remember, you must never speak of this to anyone," said Garnet as she looked at her soldiers. "I kept you all alive, and this is what I ask of you in return."
"Yes sir!" the soldiers responded. Garnet had earned their respect. Even those who doubted her now saw what she was capable of. But, no matter how many soldiers there were, news was going to leak out about a mage who led the battle against the undead army.
Spoiler :
Name: Garnet
Level: 18
Class: Dark Mage
Sub-class: Temptress of the Night
Stats:
HP: 1470/1470
MP: 4000/4000
Fame: 130
Strength: 41 (+5)
Dexterity: 38 (+7)
Intelligence: 114 (+22)
Vitality: 47 (+5)
Agility: 48 (+7)
Charisma: 27 (+20)
PROFICIENCY:Weapon:
- One Handed Sword – 7
- Hand to Hand – 3
- Staff - 1
Magic:
- Fire – 6
- Lightning – 10
- Wind – 3
- Summoning – 8
- Blood – 6
- Spatial - 0
SKILLS:Weapon (One Handed Sword):
- Horizontal Slash (Level 3)
- Double Slash (Level 3)
- Crescent Slash (Level 1)
- Triple Slash (Level 1)
- Delta Attack (Level 1)
- Spiral (Level 1)
Weapon (Hand to Hand):
- Palm Strike (Level 1)
- Wind Palm (Level 1)
- Explosive Palm (Level 3)
- Lightning Palm (Level 1)
- Sweeping Kick (Level 1)
- Horizontal Kick (Level 1)
- Uppercut (Level 1)
- Ki Burst (Level 1)
- Demsey Roll (Level 1)
Weapon (Staff):
- Thrust (Level 2)
- Swinging Smash (Level 1)
- Double Strike (Level 1)
- Triple Strike (Level 1)
- Quadruple Strike (Level 1)
- Vertical Smash (Level 1)
Class (Dark Mage):
- Fire Bolt (Level 5)
- Fire Ball (Level 1)
- Lightning Bolt (Level 8)
- Chain Lightning (Level 4)
- Lightning Ray (Level 1)
- Light (Level 1)
- Air Bullet (Level 4)
- Mana Armor (Level 1)
- Call: Skeletal Hounds (Level 4)
- Call: Skeletons (Level 1)
- Call: Skeletal Knight (Level 1)
- Call: Romulus, Knight of Blood (Level 1)
- Call: Sylvia, Priestess of Blood (Level 1)
- Call: Lilith (Level 1)
- Call: Nuria (Level 1)
- Call: Mazu (Level 1)
- Recall
- Dismiss
- Enhanced Mana Regeneration (Level 3)
- Lightning Fire (Passive)
- Blood Absorption (Level 7)
- Blood Bind (Level 1)
- Blood Scythe (Level 1)
- Blood Sacrifice (Level 1)
- Blood Bullet (Level 1)
- Transformation: Blood Reaper (Level 1)
- Dance of Blood (Level 1)
- Teleportation (Level 1)
- Teleportation Summoning Circle (Level 1)
Sub-class (Temptress of the Night):
- Enhanced Body (Level 3)
- Captivation: (Level 3)
- Mind Read: (Level 1)
- Pleasure Inducement (Level 3)
- Sexy Walk (Level 1)
- Stealth (Level 2)
- Shadow Walk (Level 2)
- Sonic Scream (Level 1)
- Illusion (Level 2)
- Alluring Song (Level 1)
- Flight (Level 1)
- Aura of Fear (Level 2)
- Scale Armor (Level 1, Passive)
- Transformation (Level 1)
- Partial Transformation (Level 1)
- Transformation: Temptress of the Night (Level 1)
Tradeskills:
- Hunting (Level 5) - Hunter
- Cooking (Level 9) - Cook
- Inspection (Level 5)
- Sewing (Level 4) – Tailor
- Magicraft (Level 2) - Alchemist
- Inventory Expansion (Level 4)
Passives:
- Hand to Hand (Level 1)
- One Handed Sword (Level 1)
- Staff (Level 1)
- Reflex (Level 5)
- Haste (Level 1)
- Scale Armor (Level 1)
- Aura of Leadership (Level 1) – The
- Summoning Commander (Level 1)
Unique:
- Hero System (Passive)
- Otherworldly Knowledge (Passive)
- Golden Tongue (Passive)
- Mana Compatibility (Passive)
- Quick Learner (Passive)
- Channeling (Passive)
- Charging (Passive)
- Night Vision (Passive)