Kal figured getting any advice from a god, even a dead one, was valuable. He still felt manipulated and his trust wasn’t completely won over yet but he doubted even bad advice would hurt him much when it came to picking a quest reward.
He opened up the log
Trial of the Slayer I Wave: 2 => 3 [Transition in progress] [Paused]
Time: Altered due to system-sanctioned timeout. Wave 3 will be accelerated on the completion of the sanctioned timeout.
The Lords of this layer have become aware of your presence and have allied their forces with the Bestial Lord. Show them that a slayer cares not what enemy they face.
Alterations: Difficulty significantly increased, Time trial: Enemies will be allowed to enter the area of the trial for duration with no limit.
Warning: Several lords of the first layer have detected anomalous mana from this trial and have sent their forces to intervene in the trial. However, the lords due not have a sanctioned conduit under their control and have been forced to power their own, limiting the forces they can field inside the trial to numbers equivalent in strength to the bestial lord’s horde. Difficulty of trial has increased significantly.
Reward: Legendary Skill, Uncommon Chest x 2, Extra Class Upgrade Benefit
Optional Objective: Slay the Elite [Complete]
Slay the anchor of each conduit in the trial zone. Reward given for each anchor slain.
Felflame Scion: 1/1
Gorefiend Butcher: 1/1
Seeker Shadow: 1/1
Kuroxet Bonedrinker: 1/1
Bonus Objective Complete!
You have shown the elites what it means to face a slayer.
Bonus Reward!
Due to your performance during the trial you may choose between any of these rewards. Each reward has been tailored to your current circumstance and path of ascension.
Select One:
Armor Set [Rare]
Title [Rare]
Weapon [Rare]
Quest Reward Upgrade [Trial of the Slayer I] => [Mythic Skill, Rare Chest x 2, Extra Class Upgrade Benefit.
5 Levels
Kal’s eyes almost burst out of his head as he read the rewards.
“That's good huh? Don’t leave me in suspense, what did you get offered? The system tends to increase the value of its rewards when demons are involved, especially when they are meddling as much as they are.”
Kal willed his status to display the quest rewards to Fyborh who started grinning the moment he read the first reward.
“Well, they are certainly impressive rewards for a tier one. But it's pretty clear to me which one the system wants you to pick,” Fyborh chuckled, “It’s even less subtle than normal.”
Kal had been thinking the same thing, “The quest reward upgrade seems almost too good. I’ve noticed things like this before like when I’ve chosen skills or when I selected by class upgrade. Is that normal?”
Fyborh shrugged, “Most of the time no, but occasionally if the system has taken interest things like this can occur.”
“Why is it interested in me?”
“Likely because you're the only mortal who has ever managed to live longer than a few minutes in the abyssal horizon. I was horrified that you had somehow managed to get here to get yourself killed then surprised when you managed to forge a core out of the putrid mana here but now that you’re in my resting place I can see that it wasn’t that simple.”
Kal frowned, “What do you mean?”
“I can see your resources clearly here, it’s one of the few perks of dying… But anyway you know that your wrath is different despite what you used to bind it to yourself. It was that binding that kept you alive in the abyss. That alone will draw attention from many, including the one who has been manipulating you.”
The pressure in Kal’s mind suddenly returned but was dispelled almost as quickly but he couldn’t ignore the flash of imagery that went through his mind, “The Lady of Blood.”
“Yes, but we have gotten off track. More questions later. The question is what reward are you going to choose?”
Kal read over them all again and annoyingly they were all things he needed badly. He had no armor, just a cloak and pants. A title would be great for long-term value but he had no idea what attributes it would boost. A weapon also be amazingly useful but he did have his claw method though he winced at the idea of doing it without Slayer’s Apathy. The quest reward upgrade was honestly quite ridiculous but if he chose that he wouldn’t have anything new against the Bestial Lord. And finally, the five free levels were also great if he took those his Wrath Incarnate would boost his strength well over a thousand.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
He really wanted to take the upgrade but it was stupidly risky at this point. He had nearly died against the last two elites despite using Slayer’s Apathy which had more combat usefulness than he first expected. He had felt invincible against fire before fighting the scion but it was clear a being focused strongly enough on fire skills could harm him.
Then a flash of red light reflecting off a longsword drew his attention, wait what was stopping him from just taking one of those?
“Can you give me one of your weapons?” Kal asked.
Fyborh grinned, “I am sorry Kal, I cannot give you any advantages outside of the sanction timeout.”
Kal raised an eyebrow, “What about the food then? That was clearly for my benefit.”
“Oh, that. That was nothing more than abiding by the laws of hospitality,” The look on Fyborh’s face was enough to know he was hinting at something.
“Is there anything stopping me from just taking one?” Kal asked.
“That would make you a thief. A dangerous thing to attempt isn’t it? To steal from a god…” Fyborh said, his grin never faltering.
“He wants me to rob him…” Kal thought to himself but didn’t let it show. It appeared that the system was paying close attention to what Fyborh was saying. He had been stopped from doing and saying several things by now but there were obviously loopholes, one of which Fyborh had already exploited to give him those insane attribute boosting food items.
Knowing that Kal figured he could ignore the weapon option at least. The armor reward still looked good but it was also possible that this… temple? Bunker? Whatever it was also had armor.
“That's a shame… Then what do you suggest I choose?” Kal replied ignoring Fyborh’s risky statement.
“If I were tier one again, definitely the reward upgrade. For one reason. The reward specifies that each reward has been tailored to your specific path. Choosing the upgrade will likely make that apply to the rewards from the event if they weren’t already and gaining a mythic skill during tier one has… well I can’t say,” he shrugged, “besides you have already gambled by accepting the quest escalation to begin the event. Why stop now?”
Kal couldn’t help but agree with him. There were just too many benefits to waiting for the improved reward. But it all relied on him surviving the coming fights, first the Bestial Lord, and then he needed to track down and kill the lumixet Vorayx.
At least he would get the reward after defeating the Bestial Lord. Hopefully, it will be enough. Kal selected the quest reward upgrade and watched the quest update.
Trial of the Slayer IWave: 2 => 3 [Transition in progress] [Paused]
Time: Altered due to system-sanctioned timeout. Wave 3 will be accelerated on the completion of the sanctioned timeout.
The Lords of this layer have become aware of your presence and have allied their forces with the Bestial Lord. Show them that a slayer cares not what enemy they face.
Alterations: Difficulty significantly increased, Time trial: Enemies will be allowed to enter the area of the trial for duration with no limit.
Warning: Several lords of the first layer have detected anomalous mana from this trial and have sent their forces to intervene in the trial. However, the lords due not have a sanctioned conduit under their control and have been forced to power their own, limiting the forces they can field inside the trial to numbers equivalent in strength to the bestial lord’s horde. Difficulty of trial has increased significantly.
Reward: Mythic Skill, Rare Chest x 2, Extra Class Upgrade Benefit.
“It’s done, lets just hope I kill the Bestial Lord,” Kal said, closing his status and looking around the memorial chamber before focusing back on Fyborh.
“Hah! You haven’t changed at all,” Fyborh laughed, “Now come! I know you have more questions but I hate standing around, I will show you around the place while we talk,” without waiting for a response Fyborh went back out of the door they came through.
As Fyborh walked past Kal couldn’t help but notice he looked pale so when he followed he asked, “Are you ok? I know you're dead but…”
Fyborh turned and smiled, “I’m fine, being dead is quite taxing on your mana stores though. I have lost most of my power and helping fight off the assaults on your mind since you arrived and bringing you here has used up most of what's left,” Fyborh stopped, “I know your memories are patchy and your trust for me right now isn’t stellar. But I have been helping you in the ways that I can. Soon you won’t have that help. Soon I will fade away. While you are in the abyss I will be aware of you but I will not be able to interact with you. I have time yet but it's inevitable. I can only thank luck for getting to see a friend one last time before I truly fade,” Sadness radiated with every word but there was a powerful conviction throughout that put Kal aback.
Fyborh had shown his good intentions already but Kal just didn’t remember enough to be able to truly believe him. For some reason it made him feel guilty but if this Lady of Blood could manipulate him why couldn’t Fyborh? But again Kal’s soul remained almost relaxed. It looked no different when he inspected it but the difference in intent was palpable.
“I’m sorry, it’s just all wrong. First, my birthright or soul, and now I find out that I have locked away memories of slaughter, gods, and fuck knows what else. Who can I trust?”
Fyborh simply nodded, “I understand. Though I can’t speak on your soul, “he said, pointing at the roof, ”Your memories will return and you will understand everything. Some you will wish to forget and others I hope you cherish.”
They kept walking through the halls and it was only this time that Kal noticed that each of the corridors had different colored runes. The path to the memorial chamber was a combination of white, red, and strangely black. The path to the small library he had been taken to at the start was white.
Now he was being taken down new corridors all with red lighting, and each of the rooms they passed was filled with an assortment of different weapons and materials. That was when Kal figured out what Fyborh was doing.
He was showing him what to steal, most of the rooms they passed were wide open with items on obvious display but when Kal used Identify they were all just copies of the weapons he had seen the people of Kartha using in the visions, nothing really that special. But then there were the rooms that were closed and had no runes above them. Fyborh never said anything about those rooms and didn’t acknowledge them at all.
Finally, after going through several hallways and Fyborh claiming he had gotten confused, they reached a large circular chamber, the room wasn’t lit at all at first but a flick of Fyborh’s wrist conjured a small orb of white light. The chamber was decorated in a similar way to the memorial room but instead of weapon racks and a burial stone were several small pillars and at the center of the room was a small mat.
“Now, I can’t guide you on your path directly but I can make things a little easier, “ Fyborh walked towards the mat and gestured for Kal to take a seat, “Now come, Soul Smith. Show me your skill.”