Lonesome Will
To fall into the space between is a death sentence. Your anomalous nature has saved you from destruction but soon you will wish it hadn’t.
Part 1: Heal your shell 4160/4160
The strong wither to dust in the space between. Will you do the same?
Part 2: Survive 21 days.18/21 -Available Resources have been extended to beyond this objective’s time limit.
Even the souls of the dead are made less in the place between. Will your feeble shell withstand the winds of desolation?
Part 3: Withstand the Winds of Desolation 0/1
You have found your path to survival now you must sustain it.
Warning: Do not leave the platform or allow it to be destroyed.
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Escape the place between: 0/1
Time Limit: 60 days
Kal gasped as the platform beneath his left foot and his leg fell through the hole, painfully tearing open his calf as it scraped against the jagged metal of the platform. His rhythm died and nearly a dozen threads lashed across the platform all around him as he tried to recover.
His left ear and left hand vanished with a spray. Kal groaned but held his mind firm against the onslaught. He panicked for an instant as the will tendrils that now protruded from the stump where his hand used to be flailed for an instant before reacting to his commands.
The delay allowed another thread to move past his guard and pierce his left shoulder at the joint. His right arm fell limp to his side and more threads bypassed his guard to annihilate the nearly thirty percent of the platform.
“Fuck!”
Kal ripped his leg out of the hole and threw himself to the largest piece of the platform as more threads hacked through the space he was just standing. Now all that remained was a barrel six by six feet of black metal that soon became crimson as his wounds continued to bleed.
So much for Destruction’s First Step, he couldn’t lift his right arm and now his leg barely worked. Worse yet with his sustenance cycle running he couldn’t simply heal himself and even if he turned it off he didn’t have time to spend days healing his wounds. He didn’t think he would die from the bleeding, his sustenance cycle focused on his vitals too much for there to be a risk of that unless he took a blow to the heart or brain. But the disabled limbs would see to that eventually.
Without being able to move there was no way he could protect the whole platform. He was barely able to protect himself. Kal carefully moved into his meditation position and used the stump of his left arm to position his right arm while only concentrating on deflecting the threads directly around his body and the space directly beneath him.
Focusing on a small area made things more simple but now avoiding threads was impossible. Now each and every thread that came his way needed to be deflected or severed. Kal’s will threads now completely covered every inch of his body but still as The Winds of Desolation came he felt himself barely keeping up with its endless assault.
Pearlescent light flared across the void like strokes of lightning almost faster than Kal could count but there were always more void threads seeking his destruction. Kal’s Eyes of the Slayer showed him the threads of darkness slowly congealing into yet another threat. The tapestries of destruction had avoided him so far but the winds had gotten close enough that at any moment he would have to face one.
Despite his injuries, the mental strain of all his tendrils, and the insanity of the chaos around him he couldn’t help but grin. To progress was what he had always wanted, and it appeared fate would force him into it either way.
The congealing threads of destruction suddenly shimmered and threads slamming in him slowed ever so slightly as his first tapestry surged towards him. It reminded him of his dream in Mira’s Bunker. When walking along a beach watching the water be dragged away as a wave formed and surged over it.
Was he a child’s sand castle to be destroyed by the coming wave or a stone to withstand it?
The tapestry crossed the endless black between them in an instant and Kal readied himself. The emptiness between them warped at its arrival and Kal felt his body twist in its presence. His tendrils obeyed his will.
Kal was no rock. He was a slayer.
His soul flared as the tapestry reached him and Kal’s eyes flashed crimson as his focus twisted his will tendrils all at once. His mind quaked and blood spurt from his nose and eyes but as the tapestry entered the range of his will it met a single blade of will so dense that it too warped the space around it.
Blinding white and red light soared across the void as his blade of will carved a channel through the coming tapestry of destruction. Kal’s vision faltered several times as the seemingly never-ending destruction continued to be severed against his will. Stray strands of destruction licked at his body as they disintegrated covering Kal in dozens of more wounds but he gritted his teeth and held his will firm.
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Then it was over. The tapestry continued its path of destruction behind him and the crimson and white strikes of disintegrating power were gone. Kal gasped as his will collapsed and the blade vanished, his will tendrils returning to their prior positions. It was something he was hoping would work but couldn’t risk trying during the onslaught of threads. After that Kal’s mental strain felt like it had increased tenfold.
More blood spurted from his nose as the void threads returned. It appeared he wasn’t going to get a break anytime soon.
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Dalen listened to the conversation between Leo and Sceleti captain but kept a close eye on the paladin. Even throughout Leo’s description of the loss of Vendu the paladin barely blinked. The paladin couldn’t have cared less about the people who had died there and it pissed Dalen off.
The paladin had half a dozen hangers on behind him who ranged from levels forty to fifty but all had rare-sounding classes Cleric, Knight, and Hunter.
Leo finished his general rundown of the time in Vendu and opened his status to show Captain Elken the quest.
Quest Received: Abyss Infiltration
A demon from the Abyssal Horizon has infiltrated your world and soon more will come. Slay the demon and prevent the destruction of your world.
Slay Sanguine Reaver 0/1
Bonus Objective: Abyssal Anchors
An Abyssal Anchor has been detected in your area if left intact its presence will accelerate the arrival of the hordes.
Destroy Abyssal Anchor 1/3
Reward: Title, Rare Chest
“Earae, it is true…” Elken said. His face fell slightly before he bent down and pulled some grass from the ground,” I’m sorry brothers and sisters,” he let go of the grass and watched it fly with the wind for a time before turning back to the three of them.
“Thank you for bringing me this news. It is grim indeed but perhaps we can stamp it down before it has the opportunity to take root.”
His face was firm but there was a sense of ease about him that made Dalen like him for some reason. Perhaps it was the tone of his voice or the words he used but either way, he seemed so at peace. Maybe it was an elf thing.
“I received the quest the moment you showed it to me. I see that the reward is quite tempting. It speaks well of your character that you would risk giving up the reward for the greater good of the people.”
“Do not believe their obvious lies, elf,” The paladin said, stepping forward to glare at the three of them,” These are the three I have been sent to retrieve by his holiness Prophet Krousan.”
Dalen sighed. Of course, he was here for them. And to think he had a little hope the gods weren’t hunting them down.
“These people are known cultists of The Order of the Crimson Dawn! If anything they are likely the cause of whatever atrocity has struck Vendu. Leo Brightwing could have burned the village down alone!”
The paladin sneered, “I will be taking-”
“Quiet…” Elken said. His voice was barely above a whisper but the tone was so different from his speech before that it made Dalen’s hair stand on end,” You and I have argued long enough. If you had not delayed us, we may have been able to save Vendu. As for your orders. I would more prefer to receive orders from a dog with mange than a dog stupid enough to follow Dhinir.”
The paladin balked at the captain’s words. His face reddened before Dalen’s eyes. His lackeys were practically frothing at the mouth and many hands went to hilts but it appeared they were smart enough not to draw them.
“Heresy! I am a paladin of Dhinir. You dare-”
Suddenly Dalen’s eye was drawn to the captain’s side as a blue-white light came to life. Dalen hadn’t seen it before but at the man’s side was an incredibly slender blade. It had to be less than a thumb in width which slowly narrowed further to about half that at its end. Despite its slight width, Dalen could clearly see a beautiful wave-like pattern that was only more pronounced each time the light flashed.
Wind’s Caress [Legendary] [Bound]
Sung into existence by an ancient bladesinger this blade is a constant companion to its wielder and is bound at birth. The wielder of this blade is pure of heart, and mind, and must at all times seek to protect the innocent from harm. Only the one chosen can wield Wind’s Caress and upon the wielder’s death, a new child will be chosen to once again take up this weapon.
Dalen’s eyes widened, “Holy shit!”
He had never seen anything of legendary rarity before. Its description was truly impressive but Dalen couldn’t help but notice it didn’t mention any attribute increases or anything really. He wasn’t really sure it needed to, the status of being bound to a legendary weapon alone was probably enough.
Everyone was looking at it as well and Dalen wasn’t the only one drooling.
Captain Elken didn’t move at all and hadn’t even turned to face the paladin, “You will leave my camp. I will not be handing anyone over to your kind. Report me to my superiors if you wish. I care little for rank anyway.”
The paladin opened his mouth to speak.
*woosh*
The words never even made it to the man’s throat. Dalen felt the slightest breeze against his face making him blink and when he opened his eyes the captain’s slender blade was in the paladin’s mouth.
It had happened so fast and silently that Dalen gasped in surprise along with Melisia. The flat of the blade was resting on the paladin’s tongue who had frozen stock still his eyes just as wide as everyone else's.
“Do not speak. Leave,” Then the blade was gone. Back in its sheath at the captain’s side.
The paladin and his lackeys got the hint and quickly began to back away without another word. Only when they got to the edge of the camp did the paladin dare to speak again.
“Your kind will be next elf! Dhinir will see you all cleansed!”
They watched the Dhinir followers leave and Captain Elken turned to Kulan and his squad, “Please follow them at your visual range. Ensure they do not try to follow us.”
The Lieutenant nodded and his squad departed. Captain Elken turned back to the three of them with a slight smile,” I am sorry for the display, that man has tried my patience for far too long.”
Dalen put on his best confident fake smile and let the big boys talk. He had learned one thing from all this. Don’t piss off the elf with the beautiful sword.