Chapter 30

The first true warning sign that something was amiss happened at 25 stacks. Oak’s skin became covered in red runes, similar to the markings that were a cosmetic feature on devilkin. At 35 stacks, the runes began to pulsate, and a crimson glow began to emanate from them. At 40 stacks, the pulsing increased, and the sound of drums began to reverberate, as if echoing around everyone on the floor. At 45, sigils spread out beneath his feet, sinister tendrils of power that encompassed a ten-foot diameter around the tank.

“Fifty.” James said breathlessly as he watched the final stack hit. At the appearance of the sigil beneath him, everyone had pretty much determined whatever was coming, was going to be centered on the tank. Logically, that meant everyone had now distanced themselves as far back from him as possible. The nearest individual to him was Ifrit, the mighty Djinn serving to act as a tank for whatever may come.

Oak, on the other hand, had activated all his remaining cooldowns, blown all his taunts, and was attempting to drag as many sacrificial lambs and other mobs with him as possible. In the short time since the stacks had begun appearing on him, they’d killed easily thirty of the creatures, maybe more. An impressive effort, truly, though one that James knew was futile.

A wave of absolute darkness rushed across the floor, blocking out all forms of light. James let out a startled cry, echoed by the others, as his vision was completely removed. Loud crashing sounds and roars echoed across the whole floor, demonic, guttural cries and screams. The farm animals released a cacophony of their own calls, adding to the demonic, otherworldly sounds that had suddenly appeared.

The darkness was absolute. James couldn’t even see his own healthbar, nor could he move. If he had to guess, it was a stasis type of effect. Games had them, though they were often frowned upon within immersion. Losing control of everything, even if for a split second, could be triggering when you were full immersed. There were too many science fiction stories in existence over people being trapped permanently within immersion, for anyone to feel comfortable with such effects. Of course, some developers simply used that phobia to invoke an extra air of stress amongst players within their games.

If only they knew what was coming. James thought bitterly to himself as his mind raced. He didn’t know how long his senses, save for his hearing, were robbed from him. A second? A minute? After an uncomfortable eternity, his vision cleared. Part of him wished it hadn’t.

Oak was gone. That much was a given. Even though James couldn’t see a death orb for the tank, it was pretty clear from the molten lava that bubbled in the massive crater where he’d been, that he hadn’t survived.

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As if that wasn’t a dead giveaway of his fate, the object standing in the middle of that lava… well, floating above the lava, was.

It was roughly three feet in height, a bipedal lamb, with deep voids for eyes. Around its form crimson energy crackled, intermixed with a rippling haze effect, and bursts of darkness. In each hand it held a dagger, the weapons crooked and vicious looking. Around its head, a red piece of cloth, with an eye on the center, which pulsated its own sinister light.

James pulled his gaze away from it for a moment to glance at their surroundings, and noticed just as the skill had detailed, all of the sacrificial lambs on the floor were dead. If he had to guess, the swirling mass of crimson that circled the creature, was the blood of those very creatures. Part of him couldn’t help but wonder if it would carry the same debuffs as the normal sacrificial lambs had. His new versions on this upgraded floor didn’t have the Blood for the Blood God Damage over Time effect, as he’d not chosen that path for the creatures, but did it really matter? Was this the Blood God? Could it apply all of the nasty debuffs and other effects that James had drooled over when upgrading his mobs, hating his limited amount of skill points?

James shook his head, ridding himself of his curiosity, pulling himself back to the moment. Everyone else was just as stunned as he was, and he could tell they were all taking in the moment. He focused his gaze back on the creature floating above the lava. The red light pulsated again, and the flames beneath it began to part as it lowered itself into the crater. Faster and faster the power pulsed as the molten rock touched it, joining the swirling power around the creature, the light around it glowing bright and brighter.

Then, as is its cloven feet touched the ground, the lave now fully circling around it, intermingled with the blood, the crackling power, and the darkness, a name appeared above the creature, along with a level.

The Demonic Lamb

Level: 85

At the same time, James received a notification. He flinched at the sudden notification, and noticed the others do the same. It was clear they’d all received the same, but now wasn’t the time. He dismissed it before he could read its title and looked to his side. Med Ic’s hands glowed, and James could tell the healer was already in the process of reviving Oak. The plus side of pretty much any insta kill effect was that it didn’t prevent a player from being resurrected. And James also knew, from watching it happen in person, their were even ways to completely cheat death, with items or skills, that would result in special achievements, if done properly.

Med Ic’s class didn’t have a skill like that, though James figured, thanks to what James had told him, the healer had already planned to revive Oak once the stacks hit fifty. To the veteran healer, it was a no brainer, really.

The healer wasn’t the only one already acting. Z’s voice barked orders, and James stopped admiring the guild, as he prepared for what he was certain would be a glorious battle. His blood boiled with excitement, as he, and everyone else, began to act in tandem with Z’s, seemingly unnecessary, commands.

“Burn it,” Z yelled, his bow already unleashing arrows. His pets were rushing towards the creature, Hornz at the lead. “Burn it for the glory and items that I’m sure it will give us.” He was laughing as his guild jumped into action.