Welcome to the Necropolis

Alex sank to the ground, the Volcanic Axe slipped from his hands which started shaking uncontrollably. Rolling over on his side Alex started to curl up while breathing hard. The shaking in his hands travelled through the rest of his body.

"Till?"

The professor’s gentle tone barely broke through so she tried again.

"Till? What is it?'

Alex's eyes opened slowly, he hadn't even been aware that he'd closed them. Slowly he rolled onto his back and looked at the ceiling far above him.

"Till?"

"I don't know," he whispered. "No, that's not right, I do. This, everything. Maddy. The System…"

He trailed off and just lay there, his body seemingly spent. “All those people.”

"Why now?"

"Those Adventurers. They were all low level. The System killed them. It was all so unnecessasary." As if sensing the professor’s reply Alex held up a shaking hand. "Not directly. The System didn't actively pursue their deaths. But it put in place the process for their lives to be snuffed out. Then it orchestrated events so I was here. Before they had the ability to level up, to protect themselves. To have a chance."

"I- I- this is an interesting restriction. I agree, their deaths weren't… fair. However, the System can't be blamed for high level Adventurers using loopholes to create situations which put low levels at risk. It's no different to a government making a decision which puts it’s citizens, or those of another nation at risk. Having the ability to do something, and doing that something are two completely different things."

"Fine. Now what?"

"Now? Upgrade the Dungeon. Complete the Dungeon. Get the loot? But fir-"

"Sounds like a plan."

Alex withdrew the Multiverse Dungeon Activation Token from his Inventory then looked around.

"Where do I-"

There was a grinding noise and Alex spun to face it. Emerging from the ground was a small pillar that seemed to contain the essence of Los Vegas before the System. Symbols from slot machines whirled around the pillar while it flashed with bright lights and emitted shrill noises.

"Odd."

"Very."

Do you wish to upgrade Necropolis Dungeon to Multiverse Necropolis Dungeon?

Yes/No

Warning: Completing this Dungeon on Multiverse difficulty will remove the local Experience Limiter

Bonus: The System will provide two - ERROR - one respawn

Continue

Yes/No

"I can't help but feel like I'm being a little short changed. Losing a respawn? That means I can die and come back… right?"

"Yes… I've never heard of the System providing respawns before. Usually that's a high level ability."

"Maybe because it's the Multiverse version of an Experience Limiting Dungeon?"

"Maybe…"

Alex selected Yes and once again the world around him faded away.

Welcome to the Necropolis

Multiverse Dungeon

Taking a couple of steps forward Alex failed to notice that his axe was standing, hilt down, suspended on a rapidly cooling rock protrusion. The professor drifted around it then carried on after Alex who stopped suddenly.

Level 1 of 7

Enemies Remaining: 81

"81 isn't too bad."

"Let's reserve judgement until after they arrive."

Alex nodded and rolled his shoulders around while looking into the darkness.

"Did you notice it was this dark?"

"Your axe was keeping the area lit up. Are we not-"

"My axe?"

Alex spun to see what the professor had noticed, the rocky protrusion, while rapidly cooling, still gave off a lot of light.

"I like that."

"Alex, are we not going to talk about what just happened to you?"

"The crippling fear, coupled with self loathing, loss of body control and general twitching and shaking?"

"Yes…"

"Nope. It's happened before. It used to happen a lot."

"Alex, it isn't something you can, or should, sweep under the carpet."

Alex shrugged, extended a hand which caused his axe to fly to him then looked back into the darkness.

"Why not? It's worked since Maddy died."

“Till, thats not how these things work.”

Alex smiled and looked up.

“I just imagined you stamping your foot.”

“Alex!”

“Fine. I know… I know you’re right. What I’m doing isn’t fixing my problem, but honestly, what can I do now? I know I have issues and I know what caused them but nothing is going to bring Maddy or Ben back. I doubt there is anyone qualified left that I can talk to.”

“You need to do something… here we go again.”

Alex turned to see the exit behind him disappear, then what looked like a portal opened in front of him and began disgorging creatures.

“What the actual fuck?”

“Language, but I agree.”

Necrotic Abomination (Level 90) x80

Birthed into a vat of necrotic acid, raised on a diet of necrotic flesh and offal and trained to crave living flesh and blood, this creature was created to hunt the living, consume half of the living body to leave parts for Undead Creations.

Fire Resistance.

Warning: Necrotic Abominations hunt in packs and can consume their pack mates to recover health.

"I don't like that."

"The Fire Resistance?"

"Well, yeah. That and the fact that they're trained to crave living flesh and blood."

"That is a worrying detail."

Giving himself a shake Alex gripped his axe tightly, swung it into the ground then clenched his left fist.

"Time to get back to work."

----------------------------------------

Alex grimaced as he shook a viscous purple liquid off the blade of his axe.

"They were gross."

Alex shuddered at the memory of one of the Abominations splitting itself down the middle with a violent Eruption of gore. Then as Alex had expected the creature to die it had sucked several of its dying pack mates into the glistening purple void. The creature had sealed itself, then, with a series of bone crunching flexes the Abomination had grown in size, bone spurs had erupted from its flesh and it's purple eyes glowed with a bloody red malevolence. Alex had removed the creature's head, another had pushed out of the neck to take its place. After multiple Abominations died to his axe Alex had started to relax, the large Abomination had then absorbed the last five living creatures before they had taken any damage. The following battle had been brutal. In addition to the bone spurs, the creature had grown bone armour. Alex had returned the large axe in his Inventory then torn the creature apart, bone by bone. It was a muling shadow of itself when Alex finally stamped down on its head, shattering the grotesque skull.

"Did you need to stamp on it? It burst like a soft boiled egg."

Alex took a step back, shook off his foot and looked down. The professor's opinion was valid… if egg yolk was purple. Alex retched a couple of times then looked away.

"80 down."

"Time for the floor boss."

"That sounds ominous."

"This is Level 1, I can't imagine it will be too much of a-"

The portal flexed and roiled, contorting unpleasantly until a large three fingered hand appeared, each finger was larger than he was.

Alex's jaw dropped as he watched a huge creature pull itself out of the portal. Huge didn't really do the creature justice, larger than the newest member of the Faction, the… Necrogrell, Alex grimaced when he read the name, was unnecessarily massive.

Necrogrell (Level 80 Elite)

The horrific fusing of a Necrotic Abomination, a Necrotic Ogre and a Necrotic Troll. Most would consider it to be a larger Abomination, but this biped creature is able to wield weapons and is intelligent enough to enable problem solving and shamanistic body enhancement

Warning: Fire Resistance

Enhanced Strength

Enhanced Constitution

"The entire Multiverse agreed on that name?"

"Yes."

"It's terrible. Honestly, could've they have gone with Necrulk, or…" Alex paused and again looked up at the high ceiling, seemingly deep in thought, "Blightnought."

"Why Blight?"

Alex shrugged as he sized the huge creature up.

"I must've heard it somewhere? Maybe Ben talked about the blight, he was always into that stuff."

"Ben did have one redeeming quality."

Alex burst out laughing, the sound echoing around the large circular chamber. The Necrogrell slowed its advance and tilted its small lumpy head to the side in confusion.

"He always said the same thing about you! Oddly your interests in that area were so similar it was like you planned it that way."

The ground shook as the huge creature got closer.

"The Rumbling…" both Alex and the professor whispered at the same time.

Alex looked down at his axe then back at the Necrogrell.

"I'm tearless, I'm fearless. I'm burning, I'm burning." Alex sang quietly, "You tell me what have I missed? Still wandering in the deep mist. If I lose it all, slip and fall. I will never look away."

Alex swung down, creating a Fire Storm then threw his axe.

"Volcanic Hurl! If I lose it all, lose it all, lose it all If I lose it all outside the wall. Live to die another day.I don't want anything, I'm just here to…Ember Walk!"

“You’re really leaning into final season Eren.”

"I’m basically fighting an Undead Titan, is there a better character to channel?"

"Mikasa from every season, literally any Mikasa. Or Captain Erwin."

Alex slipped into the fire at his feet, appearing in the flickering flames caused by his axe as it tore into the odd pebbled skin of the Necrogrell. Clenching his left fist tore the axe from the creature's thigh, releasing a torrent of purple gore and a stench worse than Corpse Juice.

"Damn it, Erwin is awesome. That speech before he loses an arm… Primal Fury!"

Alex's decision to increase his attacking stats at the cost of his Constitution had worked well in the past, this time proved to be very different.

"Infernal Armour."

The interlocking plates of volcanic rock had just settled into place when a building ran into him. Alex lay on the ground and groaned, a small red man flashed angrily in his HUD.

"Till?"

"Yes, professor?

"That looked like it hurt."

Alex coughed up blood but didn't make an effort to spit, merely twisting his head to the side so the blood could run out of his mouth to the ground.

"Where did he get the building?"

"Building?"

"What he hit me with."

There was a pause.

"Alex, he punched you. Also, what makes you think it's a he?"

Stolen story; please report.

"That was a punch? From the first floor boss? This Dungeon is going to suck!"

Levering himself up Alex looked around, blinked blood out of his eyes and quickly saw that the professor was right, there wasn’t a shattered building around him, there were broken shards of volcanic rock. Deactivating his armour left him gasping and clutching at his chest.

“Fuckkkk. That bloke did a number on me.”

“Till, you have the vocabulary to articulate any situation without resorting to vulgarity.”

Alex looked up at his companion then pointed at the Necrogrell.

“I just got punched by the Undead combination of an Abomination, an ogre and a troll.”

The professor didn’t reply straight away.

“Hmmmm?” Alex prompted.

“I’ll allow it.”

With a pained laugh Alex sagged back onto the ground.

“What’s the big guy doing?”

“Watching you.”

“Any suggestions?”

“You know I can’t give combat advice-”

“But you can give Multiverse advice. Surely other cultures have had to fight pricks like this?”

“Earth 51 Adventurers had to fight them, and a couple of other Earths have come up against them, or slight variations, as well. As you know fire wont be a trump cardbit was against the Undead on the Strip, overwhelming damage seems to be the major winner. That and Void damage, which doesn’t help you.”

“Void does sound cool though.”

“Guess you should’ve pushed for the Void Warrior class.”

"That's a thing?"

"Of course."

"And I got fire? Figures. DAmn it, is Void Fire a thing?"

"No."

"Typical. Anyway, the only way to kill this big bastard is overwhelming damage?"

"Yes," then the professor continued at a far lower volume, "and removing it's Lichus… it's heart."

"That thing has a heart?"

"No, it has a Lichus, which is basically an engine. But for this discussion calling it a heart is a better description."

"Where's the Lichus?"

"In its chest."

"So, if I can get it… what then? Do I smash it?"

"Setting it on fire would do."

"Fire will work on it?"

"Of course. While ogre skin is fire resistant, troll flash isn't. Oh, I see the issue, a Necrogrell is made of a biped Abomination skeleton, a troll body and ogre skin. So it is resistant to fire, can use shamanistic magic, or rituals to increase its strength further and has the strength, Constitution and fire resistance of an ogre."

"So, open a hole in the body, then roast the Lichus?"

"Yes. But the Abomination skeleton is controllable, it will move bones to reduce your access to the Lichus Chamber."

"I'm just going to kill it."

"You’re just going to kill it?"

“Yip.”

“Well, who am I to get in your way? Kill away.”

Alex looked up at the Necrogrell and shuddered, it was absent-mindedly standing in his Smouldering Embers which was doing no damage to it. With a sigh Alex walked forwards until he reached the edge of the fire, the Necrogrell looked down at him then swung a palm at the ground attempted to squash him. Stepping forward Alex used Path of Embers to appear behind the Necrogrell's left heel.

"Primal Fury, Volcanic Fury."

Godlike Strength flowed through Alex's body, a feeling he was getting used to. With a swing that would make any local lumberjack proud the axe tore into the back of the creature's large foot, slicing through the tough ogre skin, the troll muscles and smashed the Abomination's bones, leaving the food on the ground and the bottom of the Necrogrell's leg hanging free above it. The creature fell to the side and Alex lept after it. He threw his axe into the air so he could use both hands and scrambled up the leg that was dripping the purple fluid onto the ground. With a colossal crash the creature hit the ground nearly shaking its passenger free but Alex held on, riding the tremors with what he felt was a high degree of skill.

"You look like baby koala clinging to it’s mother."

"Thanks professor."

"Is that the look you were going for?"

"Is that the… no. Oddly I wasn't trying to imitate a baby koala."

"Oh. Carry on then."

Alex stumbled as the huge creature attempted to stand, then he got his feet under him and ran to just above to Necrogrell's waist and extended his hand.

"Shouldn't you move up to the Lichus Chamber? It's roughly where the heart would be."

"No. You said it can move it’s bones, the Chamber will be surrounded by a rib cage, or whatever the bones in that area are called. Here… none of those bones."

"What… oh, no."

"Yip. We're going swimming."

Alex looked at his axe, marvelling at the volcanic rock that seemed to contain the fury of a magma chamber, then he looked down at the section of back beneath him and smiled.

"Till. I've mentioned this before, you have issues. You're looking at the Necrogrell's back like a child looking into a sweet jar."

Alex laughed then awkwardly fell to his knees as the Necrogrell pushed itself up, then attempted the pull its missing foot under its hulking body to stand.

The Necrogrell fell back to the ground reducing Alex to a baby koala again.

"Shut up, professor."

"I-"

"Nope."

Jumping to his feel while the creature lay beneath him, presumably confused, Alex swing into the back. He could feel objects moving beneath his shoes and retched.

He swung again, repetively swinging his axe over and over to the left of where the sping would be in a human. Eventually the ogre skin parted revealing the unusual flesh beneath.

"Troll flesh is blue? Bright blue at that."

"Mhmmm."

"I didn't expect that."

"The troll used for this Necrogrell could've been a Frost Troll, their flesh is more of a cobalt blue, like this."

"Interesting. Moving on."

"Is moving on what you're calling, 'continuing to hack into this creature's back'?"

Alex made a noise of affirmation as he kept swinging. Before long necrotic troll flesh was falling out of the cavity Alex had cut into the Necrogrell's back.

"That should do it."

Alex tossed the axe back into the air and took a deep breath.

"What now?"

"Now? Malevolence."

"Malevolence? I’m the only one here, you don’t need to pretend to be-"

Alex pulled Raklar's sword from his Inventory, yelped oddly and proceeded to drop the weapon into the large wound.

"Bloody hell! That hurts hurts to hold."

"You really need to tone down the darkness and just give proper answers. Saying ‘Malevolence’ like you're some dark, tortured Batman… actually that works."

"My plan doesn't really have legs now, kinda like this guy, sort of. If I can't hold the sword… oh, hello."

Mama Quecha appeared, shimmering like an ethereal beaing.

"Adventurer. I believe I see your dilemma and have come to offer a solution."

"That's convenient."

"Indeed. I believe authors on your Earth would refer to it as plot armour. However, it allows us the opportunity to discuss something that is very important in the Multiverse, religion."

"I'm not overly religious."

“Till!”

Mama Quecha laughed softly, the sound tinkling against Alex's ears.

"Your devotion isn't required, more your… respect. It will also allow your chosen Pantheon to provide support, or plot armour, when required… if possible."

"So I won't be required to spread the Good Word?"

The laughter tinkled over his ears again.

"The Draconium has its delightful eccentricities, but no, you won't be required to do anything of the sort. We'll offer quests and challenges, which will contribute to your standing with our Pantheon. The only negative is you will adopt any all Incan adversaries."

"Like the Chankan's?"

"Yes, and others, but they are the most relevant to you. While they don't have a large presence on your Earth… yet, they are a very powerful Pantheon in the Multiverse. If I'm honest, they're more powerful than the Coricancha while Viracocha is missing."

"The Coricancha… oh! The Golden Temple, the Incan Pantheon."

Mama Qucha smiled and nodded.

"It makes sense that you would know some Quechua."

"Some. Hearing it spoken in conversation now is different to fractured words at digs and in the classroom years ago. It'll take me a while to get back into the swing of it."

Mama Qucha smiled benevolently.

Mama Qucha has invited you to name The Coricancha your Core Pantheon

Yes/No

Alex looked around and noticed for the first time that the Necrogrell wasn't moving.

"Ah, are you doing that?"

Alex indicated the creature.

Mama Qucha nodded.

"I felt it would be better to give us time to have this conversation."

"Can you do more than that?"

"I can, but I won't. I'm not here physically and doing more than I have would attract the System's attention."

Alex nodded slowly and looked up at the ceiling.

"So, if I accept what changes?"

"For you? You'll have the opportunity to receive Boons and Buffs from the Coricancha, you'll also earn reputation with us. At your level the reputation won't do much, later on… it will give you access to our artisans, libraries and Information Brokers. In saying that, you'll also be attacked by followers of the Onix Trono, the Chankan Pantheon."

"That's not a lot of information."

"There are restrictions, part of it is the System requiring an act of faith when choosing your Core Pantheon."

“Also, how are you here? When you left last time I didn’t expect to see you for ages.”

“That was in my role as Sponsor Representative, this…” she waved a small hand and her body was suddenly covered in beautiful armour complete with both painted and jeweled seascapes, “is in my role of Goddess. I believe you would call it a… fortuitous loophole.”

Alex nodded slowly as he looked down at the sword hilt sticking out of the wound in the Necrogrell’s back.

"I'm all in."

Alex mentally made the choice and felt his body fill with warmth. Looking down he watched as a ornate skin tight white armour flowed over his skin. Once he was completely covered be could see constellations shining in gold and silver all over the armour. Holding up a hand he looked closely as the armour sunk into his skin before his eyes.

"Interesting…"

"Feel different?"

"No. Should I?"

"Not at all. I was hoping your soul would choose me as your patron deity, but I'm not surprised."

"I didn't make a choice."

Mama Qucha laughed again, instantly putting Alex at ease.

"Not consciously. A patron deity is chosen for you when you select your Core Pantheon. The System makes the decision based on what it knows about you and the deity… which is everything."

"Who did the System choose?"

"You don't know?"

Alex thought about it and smiled.

"Viracocha."

"Even missing my husband still has power. If it wasn’t to be me I was hoping your soul would connect to his, the fact that he could respond, wherever he is, is of great comfort. You're pleased?"

"Very. Now, what's next?"

"Good. As I'm sure he will be with you. Now, I will bestow a Buff and Quest upon you, Acolyte Till."

Alex groaned and the professor laughed.

"That's going to stick with me. Bloody dragon."

Incan Might

Resistance to all Chankan effects and debuffs while within Multiverse Dungeons

Increases the efficacy of weapon and item effects

Pantheon Quest Received

Defeat the Multiverse Dungeon Floor Bosses

0/7

Alex bowed to the Goddess.

"Thank you Mama Qucha. I… wow, I don't know what to say."

"Just find my husband, Acolyte. We haven't accepted a new Acolyte to the Golden Temple for a long time. How your fare in the Multiverse will be of interest to a great number of beings."

"One final question."

"Ask it."

"Can I improve my standing from Acolyte?"

"Of course. It is merely the second step on a long journey."

"The second?"

"You first needed to step through the doors of the Temple."

Alex nodded as the Goddess disappeared to the sounds of waves crashing against a beach and the Necrogrell started moving. Reaching down he tentatively gripped the blade of the sword he had dropped.

Malevolence, Cursed Short Sword of Nefaria

A-Grade Short Sword

(Nefarian Set of Cruelty 1/2)

A sword blessed by the Chankan Goddess

Weapon Stats:

Damage: Very High (Slashing)

Attack Speed: Fast

Weight: Light

+20 Agility

+20 Intellect

Each successful strike increases enemies rate of bleeding, reduces their Strength, Constitution and Agility

EFFECT INCREASED BY INCAN MIGHT

"I'll be honest, I never planned on using this weapon. But it will be more effective inside."

Before he could think further Alex crouched, slashed the sword across the wound and watched as the rate of bleeding increased significantly then with another deep breath he pushed inside the wound as the professor made retching noises.

"Not helpful," Alex said through clenched teeth before his head disappeared inside.

"It's helping me. That's… I've seen some things since the System turned the lights on, but this, Till, you're cutting your way into a huge Undead creature. Which, now that I think about it, shouldn't bleed at all. Unless, the sword treats Necrotic Fluid as blood. Interesting."

Alex could barely hear the professor, he was also trying not to vomit inside the Necrogrell. Like an adventurer in the Amazon with a machete, he was cutting his way deeper into the unknown. Every slash caused the great creature to shudder as the weapon's effect, enhanced by his new Buff did more and more damage. Before long the Necrotic Fluid had built up to a level that it was like swimming. Before long he reached his first obstacle, Abomination Bones. Hacking and slashing with more ferocity proved to be a winner as Malevolence's debilitating effect on Constitution won out and the bones shattered. Pulling himself into an open chamber Alex was able to open his eyes, the Fluid hadn't reached the level that would impact his sight inside the open area in what had to be the chest. He instantly wished he hadn't as his eyes slammed shut of their own accord. The Lichus was grotesque, in the short moments his eyes were open he’d seen an organic vessel. It looked like it was made of purple glass, lit from within. That's when sanity ended and insanity just strolled on in. What had appeared to be solid definitely wasn't, hands and faces had pressed against the Lichus from within, like creatures were trapped inside, furiously trying to escape their prison.

"Messed up," he muttered to himself.

With that he started across the Chamber, dodging bone spikes as they thrust from above and below. At the last moment he dove with the sword stretched out in front and pierced the Lichus, running it through till the cross guard pressed against its cold exterior. Several spikes tore into him from below as he landed, causing him to cry out in pain. Bone Scythe swung down from the ceiling of the Chamber, one removed his left forearm, another took his right just below the hip and other slammed into him and snapped off. His forearm hit the ground and rotted before his eyes. Before the pain from the amputations could hit he pulled the sword out of the Lichus and cut into it with a vengeance, slicing large chunks off which fell to the boney ground and lay there, lifeless and unmoving. As he sliced he watched as his forearm was reduced to a fine bone dust. Dropping the sword Alex removed the axe from his Inventory, instantly feeling a calm settle over him. His first swing embedded the axe in what was left of the Lichus and he channelled Volcanic Resonance, revelling in the primal rush as his fire destroyed the necrotic animation device. The axe fell from his hand and clattered to the Chamber floor as he collapsed, the blood coming from his left arm, right leg and massive wounds over the rest of his body was flowing freely and he was feeling light headed and weak. The Necrogrell was disintegrating around him as he fell into darkness. The professor watched in horror as unconsciousness swallowed her Companion leaving him on the ground, covered in Necrotic Fluid and Flesh. She surged into action, the visage of a Tome was gone, again replaced by a tall older woman. The professor pulled an open vial from Alex's Inventory, dropped to her knees and emptied it into his mouth.

"Look how they massacred my boy. That's Vito Corleone, not that you'd even know what movie it's from. That was your only fault, Till. No interest in anything that wasn't Maddy or Archaeology." She seemed to think for a moment. "Not that I can blame you, she was a treasure and, archaeology is, was, my life's work so you had some of your priorities right."

The professor watched as Alex's arm and leg grew back and the large bloody wounds in his body healed slowly. The holes in his jacket mended themselves and before long he looked good as new, except for the blood that stained everything except his jacket.

"Please, look after yourself better. The torture that still lies ahead… maybe I should've just let you go. It would almost be a mercy."

The air behind the professor shimmered and Mama Qucha was visible again.

"You did the right thing, warma. While the tortures ahead could break him, it is not your decision, or even mine to make."

"You know what they'll do."

"I do. Inviting him into Coricancha has made it a certainty."

"He's already broken."

"I know. I can see the fractures in his soul. A soul that was tormented by fire then left to suffer in isolation and memory."

"Fire! I wish he hadn’t chosen it as his element. Anything else… anything.”

“Fire has been his companion since well before the System came to this Earth. It will always be a part of him. We both know his truth, it will be his greatest weapon but it will also be one of his greatest weaknesses.”

“I don't know if I can keep him together. What they'll force him to do… it will destroy him."

"It will."

"Is there nothing you can do?"

"Even if there was, I would not."

The professor lept to her feet and advanced on the ethereal Goddess.

"You wouldn't?"

The Incan Goddess of the Sea shook her head sadly and tears flowed down her face.

"I would not. Some things must happen, even if I wish it wasn't so."

The professor slumped to her knees again and held her face in the hands.

"If they don't kill him-"

"You, Vance and the Coricancha will do everything we can to stop him from hurting himself. While I won't shelter him from the turmoil in his future, we will protect him from himself."

"He'll want to die."

"Hush warma, hush. You have another six floors remaining. You must help him, as much as you can. Then you must have this Profession restriction removed. It is possible. I prefer this form, the Tome doesn't suit you. Now, I must go, I can feel the System’s gaze. Good luck."

With that the Goddess disappeared again, leaving the professor kneeling on the ground.

Pantheon Quest

Defeat the Multiverse Dungeon Floor Bosses

1/7