EPISODE 51: Allura Az’Dawn
— Az’Dawn Empire, Year 7291. Season: Central.
The Legends of Madris Edryani – The Challenger:
Chapter 49: God Slayer
There are clear records that show Goddess Madris as the number one God Slayer of the Elrunian Continent. Az the Lorric, who was supposed to possess peerless wisdom, fell into greed upon the site of Princess Carina. A demi-god of significant strength with a class that did not primarily pertain to fighting? Az – The Wise did not have the foresight to avoid his greed for power and a chance at Godhood. His flaming-
— Excerpt from The Legends of Madris Edryani – The Challenger.
The sun shone on tiny, crystallized rocks, the crunch of light boots, enchanted to protect their wearer from the overwhelming heat, was the leading sound for miles on end. Behind the crunch of those boots was a caravan of significant strength. The caravan moved across the [Revenants Saltflats – ★★★ ], and a patrol of strong [Dustguards] roamed the surrounding area protecting the caravan. Their weapons were light, some were equipped with a scimitar and jambiya, while a circular shield guarded the flanks of their Ironhide mounts, strong sand-colored lizards with a penchant for finding water. They were named after the tough natural hide that developed from years of roaming under the sun. Naturally, this hide was as tough as iron and could be magically reinforced to become stronger.
The environment of Az’Dawn, the self-proclaimed Empire of the Low Kingdoms, was harsh. Everything here fought against two things. The first was naturally… the sun. Most of the large country was a desert, filled with harsh environments and harsher creatures. Everything else as the second was a given . If water could not be found, then the blood of your fellow denizen of the country would do.
The desert was unforgiving, but Allura Grasci Az’Dawn’s father was even more unforgiving. Madness drove him, and now her, at her task. It was as if [Inferno Hounds – ★★★ ] were yipping at her ankles, the young woman moved with a fervent passion. Her mission could not end in failure… least her father have her head for it. His crazed state drove him further and further to recklessness as his sanity slipped. Now that he’d become aware of her actions, her task to retrieve the Edryani Honey had grown significantly. The few spies, before they died, in the Edrya Capital confirmed the validity of the claims of the precious honey. Her task in wanting to gift her dying demi-god of a father had grown significant… to the point that it now threatened her very life.
If only mother was still…
Allura let go of that train of thought and firmed her resolve. Her mother had been the first one to confront him as his sanity slipped. Embers were used as building blocks to alter the flow of her emotions. Wrath was all that she had left.
“Status.”
Allura Grasci Az’Dawn – Level 48
HP: 789/789 (+450)
SP: 630/630 (+450)
EP: 996/996 (+450)
Base Atk: 150 +75
Base Def: 81 +60
HP2 Regen: 35/Hour +27
SP2 Regen: 28/Hour +27
EP2 Regen: 44/Hour +27
Bloodline:
[+]
Race:
Yoriman
Main Class:
[ Princess of Ambition's Wrath ] – 35
Perks:
Empty.
Power: 300 (+150)
2nd Class:
[ Emberheart Seeker ] – 13
Core Skills: [+]
Vitality: 263 (+150)
3rd Class: [LOCKED]
Racial Skills: [+]
Endurance: 210 (+150)
Faith: Heavenly Father
Status Effects:
Energy: 332 (+150)
Affiliation:
Imperial Family of Az’Dawn
Equipped:
Ambition’s Wrath
Princess Tailored Garments
Self: 189 (+150)
2nd Affiliation:
Skills: [+]
Intent: 241 (+150)
Achievements: [+]
Active Quest: -
Magic Affinity:
Attribute Points: 0
Allura knew her level should have been much higher, but the constant stifling from her siblings had limited her growth thus far. The Yorimen were like that. A warrior-like race of less than stellar reputation. At least we weren’t the Magi .
The Yoriman held a short history of less than three thousand years. Compared to the likes of the True Elves and the Magi, who existed since the dawn of the continent, the Yoriman were young. Offshoots of the baseline human race, Yorimen were naturally born with Energy raging through their bodies. Different from Mana and Chi, Energy was what all purebred warriors usually came to use.
Their bloodlines did not help their cause, but further stifled them. A product of her many great-grandmother. That demi-goddess bitch , and the progenitor of their race. Allura knew she was still alive somewhere. She refused to offer her worship to the witch, choosing to give her faith to her father even in the absence of his love.
The internal flow of her Energy stirred, and the touch of fire licked at her palms. The long shifting garment, [ Ambition’s Wrath ], kept the heat of the scalding sun at bay. Wrapping around her neck and giving her fairer skin, protection from the merciless beating of the sun. Travel between Az’Dawn and Edryan was always done through the Revenants Saltflats. An area littered with undead and the revenants who sought to consume the living. Day, when the heat of the sun was overhead, was the safest time to travel. It was the cool dark nights when the struggle against death began.
Allura held a lot more confidence in her success this time. Her political skill and overall status had grown since she was twelve and met the only prince of Edryan. Her missions this time were simple, retrieve a minimum of 100 bottles of Edryani Honey. If peaceful means and trade could be used, then so be it. If not…? The guards from her father’s [Imperial Legion] would see they retrieved what they needed, and the powerful long-ranged teleportation artifact would make sure it was sent properly. Even if that meant the death of the entire convoy.
Her father was prepared to pay the price, although news of his conditions was kept under tight wraps. The need and search for items that would contribute levels to high leveled individuals had all but shouted the demi-god's need to those in the know. {Mage’s Distortion} was not an unknown disease after all.
Status Effect: Ailment – Disease
Name:
{ Mage’s Distortion }
Description:
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Mage's Distortion is a perilous affliction that plagues those attuned to the arcane arts. It is a dire condition wherein the soul’s natural limit is broken, causing a turbulent disruption within the afflicted individual. As the disease takes hold, the magical energy becomes distorted and unstable, rendering the afflicted unable to effectively harness or control their powers as their mana continuously increases pass their natural limit.
Function:
Passively gain mana passed the natural MP amount.
There was much, much more to the description than that. The well-known scholars around the continent all studied the fatal de-buff.
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From the textbook: Ten Deadly De-buffs and the Fight Against Oblivion.
In this dire state, the notion of death pales in comparison to the relentless torment inflicted by Mage's Distortion. The disease ravages the mind, body, and spirit, leaving the afflicted in a perpetual state of anguish and uncertainty. While it's only known cure was to level. Allocating all attributes gained during this process to the Mind attribute.
It was only through such a path of progression that the afflicted could restore the balance in their soul, defeat Oblivion , reclaim their sanity, and receive respite from the relentless gripe of {Mage’s Distortion}.
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Regardless, of it all, this would confirm her second mission as well. Regarding the state of Edryan and the proclamation from their Goddess. If the Edryan state was truly waking up… then the world needed to be ready. The [Elder’s Eye] already promised them various concessions if they could see Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani dead. It was clear he was the Goddess's chess piece for this age.
Wrath threatened to consume Allura. “I am no tool,” she spoke, drawing the attention of her loyal retainer.
“Calm Allura, perhaps you should spend time away from [Ambition’s Wrath],” her retainer began. The woman held aubrey colored hair that complemented the color of Allura’s eyes. The same eyes her late mother held. Eyes, that her father once fell in love with, now he could barely stand the presence of her.
“Or perhaps you sho-,” the woman began, only to be cut off by Allura.
“Or perhaps I should practice my meditation. Yes, Aunt Chine, I know,” Allura responded in a curt tone. Before she promptly followed the advice and began to meditate. She fell internally into her soulscape, and memories of her youth chased her all the way down. Some smokey black desert hounds, cackling themselves mad with laughter. Others were a much gentler blur of happiness that was quickly consumed by the black smoke cloud as she further made her way into her soul.
Just several more weeks and the Imperial Az’Dawn Delegation would arrive at Laguu, the largest city between the easiest passage between Az’Dawn and Edryan. First, they would pass through the counter city, Ruifall, that stood watch over Zolo’s Pass.
Allura did not catch the look of pity Aunt Chine gave her, but she felt the gentle touch and soft combing of her unruly curly hair. The Yoriman fell deeper into her soulscape until gentle snores erupted from her soft, plush pink lips.
Chine Redsan smiled down on the last living member of her family. Years of hardship and weariness at the hopelessness of their situation had long since faded. Only a calm peace remained on the older woman.
A peace before the storm.
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Allura awoke to the sound of men dying. A familiar sound that she long grew accustomed to. She pulled upon [Ambition’s Wrath], the only solid memory of her mother remaining. A gift from her when Allura was a child. “Too bad it also came from Father.”
He had already been afflicted since then but kept the secret from all…, even his loved ones. That had cost Allura everything. Quickly changing the young child into the fierce woman she was today.
The long shawl seemed to twist and two flame-lit daggers, with a length just under that of a sword, morphed into appearance. Allura searched for her Aunt but knew the woman would already be out routing the [Revenants].
The humanoid creatures attacked with abandon, there was much hate-filled within their gaze, and plenty of it was directed at the Yorimen. The only ones [Revenants] hated more than Yorimen were the Magi, who slaughtered their race.
“Lorric scum, it is you who wrought Az’Dawn to ruins.”
Allura's attacks flowed like an exotic dance as she twisted and spun her way deep into the creatures. They were humanoid with gnarl bodies and sharp elongated fingers turned claws. White skin bleached ivory, like the tusk of the great elephants that roamed the country and were used for mounts of war. The weaker ones hissed and scampered away at the sight of her fire. Her Energy empowered the flames until two long whips of flame were lashing out amongst the creatures. The first whip hit the weakest and burnt them to ash immediately, whereas the heartier creatures resisted… until the second whip struck.
Az’Dawn held a hyphen in their name for one reason. Az for Az, clan leader of the Lorric Humans who ruled the nation in conjunction with Dawn. Her greatest grandmother and originator of their race. The witch disappeared after the death of Az, who ascended to godhood after he slew Princess Carina. Promptly dying as Madris – The Challenger sieged his divine domain and threw his head like a meteor to their country.
Yes, the sole head of a God impacting their land turned it into the arid desert it is now. A location of roughly 4 million square miles. The death of the sole God watching over the Lorric Humans allowed select… entities to emerge. While the invading armies of Edryan did the rest in culling the entire population of 100 million. Although they didn’t have to do much as the explosion of divinity devastated much of the land, yet it made Az’Dawn rich in crystalline resources. The Yorimen turn a blind eye to the slaughter of the Lorric humans. Their bellies grew thin but their pockets fat as they sold the unique crystals developed from a God’s death.
The skull of Az was never found.
Allura continued the good fight. Joining together with her aunt, who commanded the air like an extension of her body. Energy, unlike Mana, could not produce something from virtually nothing. It required a focus or medium to enact. For Allura it was her Wrath, for her Aunt Chine, it was her Peace. For [Imperial Legionnaire – Ramus], it was any weapon he equipped. The Legionnaire was like a force of nature, as the earth shifted in large chunks and flew through the ranks of [Revenants].
“The moon is covered, and they are at their strongest. Princess Allura, allow me to protect your back,” the commander of the Legionnaires called out. Not bothering to listen for a response as he swept away all opposition.
Allura tsked, but the notification of a level-up immediately set her in a better mood. Without hesitation, she assigned the level to her second class. It would only take one more level for her to unlock the next five skill slots.
These creatures ranged between one and two stars, and the calm glow of skills illuminated the night as they fought. The caravan was in a large circle and the warriors fought outside that circle. Switching places with a fresh warrior once they exhausted their Life Points. This was the way. Large amounts of life force drove the creatures to near insanity, as the undead hungered for what they lacked.
Allura slew them regardless. Her Energy burned second by second the longer she kept the skill active. A second level was gained in the process. The flame whips required a source of power, and her Energy served as that medium. A startling bark emerged from deep in the night where Allura knew the three-star Beast King in charge of this pack lay waiting. Looking for an opening to seek the previous lives within. Allura smirked, unfortunately for the creature, the only ‘cargo’ that lay within the diplomatic convoy was cold… hard… steel .
Allura cut the connection to her whips after an exhausting thirty minutes of constant battle. Her Energy Points were just under half full and her SP was no better. The small staff that came for retainer were already hard at work cooking a meal for the caravan. The smell of roasted chicken with Edryan herbs and the wild hot spices of Az’Dawn drifted through the air.
Aunt Chine pulled up next to Allura. Checking over her charge to make sure she was ok. The last time Allura lost herself to Wrath was an event that did not need to be repeated. The emotion held a way of worming itself deeper and preventing its target from ever climbing out of its treacherous clawed grasp.
This was a journey that would take several weeks to complete. Once they reached Laguu, the Edryan capital was another two weeks away. Allura returned to her spatially expanded home for the next month or so. The interior was a dried blood brownish red. The lush carpet Allura stepped on after removing her shoes was black like the night sky, with spots of white that conjured the illusion of walking amongst the stars.
Godhood was a thought Allura never dared dreamt of. Even now, as she meditated to expedite her recovery. The young woman of twenty-two flew through the hounds and entered the deepest layer of her soul. It was here the attributes of the Prime Plane enacted their magic.
It could hardly be called magic, Allura knew it was much greater than that. The ability to not only carefully craft your body's strengths to a precise degree, but the very state of your soul itself.
In meditation, several hours passed. Sleep, although necessary, was not something often needed the higher one level would be. Once you crossed the threshold of 100 attribute points in each category, sleep was something you could do every two days or so. Of course, because of their high-intensity fights, sleep was something that a warrior should do nightly. Not only could a single night’s rest restore you to your peak state, but it would also reset the timer on budding de-buffs such as {Exhaustion} and more.
Allura opened her eyes to a warm plate of chicken with tougher flatbread next to it. The food was on an Edryan runic hotplate, that kept the food at a steady temperature. The flatbread was meant to soften in the juices of the meal. Food was a necessity. Especially food of sufficient tiers. The lower the rarity, the more a warrior would have to eat in order to actually be satisfied. That was slowly because the food came from either non stared animals or starred animals that were still too low for a high leveler.
For Allura, the one-star [Chicken – ★ ] was enough to keep her going for the entire day. She ate the whole chicken with relish, stripping all the meat and crunching on the ends of the bones. Sucking the juices out with great relish. Those of the Az’Dawn Empire allowed nothing to go to waste. Especially not food.
A knock came on the door just as Allura was finishing, her Aunt Chine entered. Peaking her head through the door and flashing the full, Allura a brilliant smile.
“Good, you’re awake. Come, let us move to the top of your wagon.”
“Sigh, let me freshen up Aunt Chine.”
Allura knew what this was about, and right now, she didn’t care for it. The young woman couldn’t resist a cool bath, and she knew the servants would have already prepared it for her. It was custom after her fights to give herself a cool bath, something Allura deeply enjoyed as the memories of bathing with her mother flashed by.
Thirty minutes later, the wet hair Allura emerged from her mobile home before swiftly jumping up to the roof of the wagon. Two mats lay side by side and on one of them sat her aunt. Chine patted the mat next to her and smiled at her Wrathful charge. Allura rolled her eyes, but a hint of a smile emerged at the corner of her lips. Her shoulders dropped as she relaxed. Together, they both began a martial kata that stretched the body in multiple ways. This was the (Grasci Combat Art) developed by her aunt and several of Allura’s loyal retainers. Most of those who were left in the capital, least they die on this journey with her. Only a few of her servants and her aunt came along on this perilous journey.
The martial kata made her body stretch in near unnatural ways. Allowing her to attack with [Ambition’s Wrath] in an unsuspecting manner. The two women conversed as they stretched.
“Tell me, who is Lawruthian Edryani,” Aunt Chine asked. Twisting her body so that her left hand touched the floor, while her body was lifted in the air. Both legs lay flat in the splits.
Allura followed her aunt and spoke of what she knew of the Holy Prince of Edryan. “He is a childish bastard,” Allura responded almost instantly.
“Allura!” Aunt Chine chided as she slowly lifted her body in the same position until balanced upon a single finger. Energy of the wind swirled around her.
“What?” Allura began, smirking. “He is!”
“Just because he out-politicked you when you were both children doesn’t mean you must hold on to that grudge. Let it go, my child, focus on the objective.”
Allura brought herself to a calmer state and analyzed all she knew of the only prince of a nation. How lucky the rat bastard is, no siblings to compete with for the throne.
“He is regarded with almost a near fanatic light in the eyes of his people. This stems from the fact that he is a gift from their Goddess. He has been known to introduce several new magitech inventions to his people. Including a golem that runs off a source of power called ‘batteries.’ Right now, he has just turned 16 and should be in the process of leveling to undergo his first advancement.”
“Good, from that understanding, what would you say his biggest strengths are?”
Allura thought about it, feeling the influence of her passive skill guiding her thoughts on political matters. A skill that was just one of the perks of a class with a noble title within it. Her mind made quick deductions from the statement above, and Allura came to a few startling conclusions.
“His reputation.”
“Yes, Allura good,” Aunt Chine said with pride. Before once again switching the position, this time to something more complex.
“Explain your reasoning,” Aunt Chine said. Settling into the position and waiting for Allura to join her.
“The prince's reputation is his strongest weapon. From birth, he has been known as the Holy Prince and chosen by his goddess. That creates an expectation of him amongst his people and gives them a heightened sense of reverence towards him. The magi are known to be worshipful, beyond that of just revering their goddess.”
“Knowing all of this on the political field… how do you counter him,” Aunt Chine asked. Once again, moving to a complicated position.
These positions not only took intense concentration to keep up, but also a core strength that made Power interact with the body in a more flexible manner. Chine knew it would also keep Allura's mind from falling into Wrath.
“Hmmm,” Allura began. Not just relying on the skill to formulate her answer. “We cannot ruin his public image… that would backfire upon us immediately. Playing into it is also bad… Az’Dawn cannot show a belly-up stance.”
Allura grew quiet for several moments as she tried to process exactly how she would negotiate with the Prince of Edryan. The entire time, both women kept up their strenuous position as their SP began to tick downwards. Eventually, Allura fell, her concentration broken as her skill failed to give her a satisfying answer and her own mind could not come up with something.
“How do you defeat someone who has their world in the palm of their hands?”
What would it be like if I held such power?
Allura came to one simple conclusion. “I’d be unstoppable.”
“There is your answer.”
Allura looked at her aunt with confusion. “If he holds all the cards and is unstoppable… how do you win?”
If there was one thing her mother drilled into Allura since young and her Aunt constantly reinforced, it was the concept of not giving up. Of looking for a way out until the very end.
“When you are on an open plane with cracked dirt underneath you, who is stronger, an [Energy Sculptor] or you?”
“In the terrain of their element? Matching me in level and attributes? The mage would have me all day,” Allura said. She knew her strengths and weaknesses. Even if she didn’t always like to admit it.
“Lawruthian Edryani is a Mage in his natural element, you do not try to fight against such a thing, instead you try to harness its strengths to boost your own.
Do you understand?”
Her aunt asked as she returned to a lotus position. The day was young, and the sun was only just rising. In several more hours, it would be back to its usual scorching. It was why the women always held their martial katas in the early mornings.
“I understand,” Allura spoke aloud. That didn’t mean in her heart she accepted .