### Arthur ###
[Valkyrie’s lance]
[A one-time use skill. Launches a spear imbued with Valkyrie’s ultimate strength. Deals 15 x (Strength + Dexterity) damage, unreduced by all resistances and armor.]
[No cooldown. No mana cost.]
[Upon usage, this skill will disappear from your status window.]
Do you wish to use this?
Valkyrie’s voice sang as Arthur tore through the line of goblins ahead of him.
I don’t know. He—it, needs help. I can feel it.
What about after?
After comes later.
The goddess did not respond. Frankly, Arthur would’ve loved to reserve this skill for later—ideally to obtain something otherwise impossible.
He glimpsed the back of their chieftain through the gaps between the horde’s shambling bodies. If that thing stood in front of him right now, he’d use this skill in a heartbeat. Heck, he didn’t even need to see it; the turbulent shaking of the ground and the rasp of metal against stone told him enough.
The fact that the entity managed to live this long against it…
Do what you will.
So even the goddess couldn’t act snarky this time.
“DAMON!” Arthur screamed at the top of his lungs. “Buy me time!”
“BUSY!” He yelled back.
Damon and the others stood alongside the draugrs, braving both generals as Arthur pushed toward the entrance to the Entity’s home.
I can help them, too. Or…
No. The chieftain was the heart of their invasion. If that thing died, then the others would crumble.
A rain of icicles barraged the group of goblins ahead of him.
Desmond.
“Go!” He croaked, standing behind Judas and Adrian. Justine could be seen busy with her bow far behind their formation, occasionally contending with the revealed nightblades. “We’re good here. Do what you must! Don’t look back.”
One decisive blow.
Just one good usage of his skill would end this invasion for good.
Arthur sprinted past the path Desmond opened.
### Entity ###
Grog’mar’s shield crumpled all forms of barriers he’d put up on the domain lord.
An almighty roar bellowed as the chieftain stood inches away from a coup de grace. He plunged his blade downward, only for a massive tower shield to stand in his way.
Frail placed the Elite guard close to his domain lord for a reason. Not a single construct could react against the chieftain’s instant blitz, and he had little avenues to barricade such an attack—the chieftain would’ve simply swerved around all manners of defenses he’d put up.
So he must allow the first attack to go through, then react to the follow-up.
Clang. Sparks flew and rained, overpowered by the chieftain’s roar and the dins from the chaos outside.
The grave guard’s shield caved from the chieftain’s relentless attacks.
A blue flame burst to life behind its back. The domain lord’s skill had come off cooldown.
Frail ordered all his constructs to circle and limit Grog’mar’s options. He could’ve devastated all of them with a mere flick of his wrists, but…
The lancer hung wherever his eyes looked… never stepping an inch into Grog’mar’s attacking distance. Any careless mistake, and he’d lose one of his precious pawns instantly.
Find the right opportunity, and… deter the chieftain from attacking in your direction.
A flash of violet light burned from above. The watcher’s almighty beam threatened to pierce a hole through the chieftain’s chest.
His foe lifted his gaze.
Where would he go? Think…
Up. He wants to go up.
Frail commanded his domain lord to aim its next magic blade upward. Between where Grog’mar stood and the watcher…
[Magic blade]
The chieftain’s figure blurred. He didn’t aim for his domain lord this time… no, it was…
The watcher.
Grog’mar’s figure went straight into the trajectory of his domain lord’s magic blade. Burning blue flames washed over the bright orange cinders erupting from within the chieftain’s torso.
The force of his domain lord skewed the chieftain’s path. He crashed into the ceiling, then tumbled on the floor, rolling away.
[Eldritch blast]
A ball of eldritch flames crashed into Grog’mar’s shield, followed up by the watcher’s blasts.
[Eldritch charge]
The domain lord’s swift strike followed. Grog’mar parried its stroke. Blue embers flared, contrasting the chieftain’s red flames. A legion of acidic arrows hissed around his domain lord.
I have more.
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[Grave thrust]
His elite lancer followed up with its thrust. This one landed on the chieftain’s right collar.
[Rapid thrust]
A series of fast jabs peppered their foe. The lancer retreated once the arrows landed, each corroding Grog’mar’s armor, rending its primary defenses into sludge.
Then… his domain lord slashed. It wasn’t anything fancy. Just… a regular slash.
But the roar it elicited… It was beyond glorious.
Frail’s first true hit. The domain lord’s blade carved an azure bloody streak on the chieftain’s body, beginning from his right shoulder to his left hip. The blade didn’t sink deep enough to rend his bones.
Not dead yet.
Grog’mar raised his shield once more. Frail had seen this move enough times to know what would happen next.
The watcher honed its lesser rays into a single spot—the chieftain’s arm. Violet beams blasted Grog’mar’s raised hand. He groaned and recoiled back.
Don’t give him time.
Frail’s guards circled the chieftain. His elite lancer and domain lord pursued.
Despite the pain flaring in his body, the chieftain did not relent. His bruised arm kept his guard up, and his other hand swung wildly against Frail’s constructs.
[Gravely evasion]
A puff of smoke shimmered near Grog’mar’s location. It didn’t seem to affect him this time, as his strokes did not miss his targets. More guard constructs fell as the chieftain bolted toward the exit.
No. He can’t reach Hak’thar. Frail didn’t know what would happen if he did—Grog’mar wasn’t dead yet—but that general definitely possessed healing or buffing spells.
[Lance rush]
His grave lancer stood in the way, hoisting its spear up. The chieftain’s half-molten shield barricaded the incoming thrust.
Frail’s remaining constructs lacked the speed to catch up. The arrows landed a few feet away from Grog’mar’s feet.
Frustration. Frail never felt it this much before. He had enough strength to power through the chieftain… but he couldn’t prevent his escape.
Everything went right for him. The general’s absence. The humans’ aid. His powerful constructs…
And he still couldn’t close the deal.
If he only had a bit more speed…
“HAK’THAR!” The chieftain’s voice boomed.
“He’s not here.”
Arthur answered the chieftain’s call. On his right arm… a gargantuan spear of light.
Beyond the shimmer of his domain, the humans’ and the draugrs’ efforts barred the generals from skirting past their formation. Did the generals even hear him?
“ENTITY!” Arthur screamed. “HOLD HIM DOWN!”
His desperation reached Frail’s ears. Arthur’s golden spear must not miss.
[Lance rush]
His elite lancer blitzed.
Aim elsewhere. Frail looked at the chieftain’s figure…. Where he glared at, where his feet were pointed… where his shield was…
Feint.
His lancer feinted a thrust to the chieftain’s flank. He responded in time by twisting his hips and blocking that attack.
But it never came.
Instead… It slid below his raised shield and sank into his knees. Without the armor-dissolving arrows, this thrust would’ve bounced off Grog’mar’s leg.
The resulting stab destabilized the chieftain. He rocked side-to-side before careening off the ground and landed face down.
A blast from his watcher disintegrated the chieftain’s cuirass.
I can see it.
[Eldritch charge]
His domain lord zoomed above the prone chieftain.
This is it.
It sank its hefty blade into his back. Blazes of red clashed against his blue embers. He could feel bones cracking under its weight. The chieftain raised his hand, reaching out toward the entrance…
Another thrust gutted the chieftain’s midsection, courtesy of his elite lancer.
“CHIEFTAIN!” Hak’thar broke past the draugrs’ defenses, half-battered and bloody. It watched Arthur’s spear of light fading before it planted its staff;
[Drain essence]
Frail’s tendrils absorbed the chieftain’s body before whatever spell it wished to cast affected the chieftain…
[You drained the essence of a domain lord.]
[$#^@%#&]
His vision went blank.
###
An arid landscape filled with corpses wreathed his surroundings. Men from two differing factions, bearing different flags, dead under each other’s arms.
An ocean of dead bodies piled atop each other, eyes blank and vapid. Their fingers turned white, washed with the stain of the sand, frozen from rigor mortis.
This is… a true battlefield.
One lone man stood before them all. He donned a simple set of bronze armor, matching his tall stature and physique. Frail spotted the creases of his muscles popping through the gaps in his armor, the sun glancing off the edges of his silhouette.
“I…”
Frail recognized his voice. Traces of the man’s memories entered his subconscious.
He’s… No. This was… Grog’mar’s past. Or… who he was.
“I’ve forgotten.” He husked those words out.
The chieftain turned around. A pair of unflinching azure eyes stared deep into Frail’s soul. Intense. Strong…
“I lost.” He smirked. “I can’t say I’m happy with how it ended… but you gave me a good fight in the end.” He turned aside, “…as unpleasant as it was.”
I have to win. Frail’s gaze didn’t falter. He did the right thing.
“Don’t give me that look.” Grog’mar’s lips creased upward into a smile. “I don’t blame you.” He faced the sea of dead bodies, “There is no honor in death. You do all you can to live. I’ve learned that a long time ago.”
What am I doing here?
The now-human chieftain cast a somber glance at the setting sun. “Echid. My name. And this is my home. Or what was left of it.” Echid sighed. “I failed my kingdom.” He sighed and sat on the coarse floor. “It’s been so long I’ve forgotten.” He lowered his gaze, “-so long I’ve forgotten how my arms used to look like. How it feels to…” Echid took a deep breath, “-to breathe. To blink. To feel the edges of my fingertips…” He laughed again, “Goblins don’t have fingerprints, do you know that? Their palms are smooth.”
Frail looked down.
This is… me. My old body.
“It’s visceral.” Echid breathed into his hands. “The wind… the smell, the sights… it’s as if I’m really here.”
Frail attempted to walk. Damnit…
His old body reminded him of his debilitations.
“A cripple, too?” Echid raised his eye. “-how ironic. If you were a drifter, you would’ve walked alongside the rest. Instead…”
I don’t need you to remind me of that. Frail frowned.
“I see you haven’t reached the true feelings stage,” He smirked. “Took years before I experienced emotions like a human again.” He craned his head toward the sea of dead men. “I’ve killed so many. Before I was entity… and after. Didn’t feel much of a difference.”
“D-drifters…” Frail dared to speak. His voice squeaked.
“It’s a terrifying thing—to live in a vegetative state-” He cracked his knuckles. “I’ve never been conscious while operating as one of the system’s invaders. That only happens in nightmare invasions.” Echid lowered his head. “The one that you won.”
“Why?” Frail asked. “If you come with me with all that you had…”
“…I would’ve won.” He answered. “…and the cycle will repeat. I’ll be back watching my body move outside of my own will—a passenger in my own body. It was fun for a while… then you realize how pointless your existence was.” He looked up. “At some point, you’ll wish for things to just…”
He paused.
“..End.”
“Then you could’ve just given up.” Frail coughed. “Give me the win.”
“That’s not how it works.” He looked up, Frail noted the pensive stare from the gentle crows under his eyes. “The one who struck the deal with me… he wanted to know if you’re worth his efforts… You proved him right, in a way.” He rubbed his hands together. “It’s… freeing; the feeling of my blade, the weight of my shield… to feel the recoil from my blade.” He paused, then exhaled. “Good times.”
“What you said… about my fate.” Frail crawled closer. “Will I-“
Echid shook his head. “-as far as I know… all entities will become an invading force. It’s not just for the tutorial, mind you. Why? You scared?”
Frail nodded.
“Get used to it.” He chuckled. “Entities… are always alone.”
“Your generals? Hak’thar? Akz? The giant?”
Echid grinned and glanced at the dead soldiers. “Loyal, but… artificial.”
They had personality, though.
“Alright. Enough talk-“ Echid stood and extended his arm. “Here. The reward that thing promised. Maybe you’ll find a way to break the chains the system put around you. I pray you do. You’ll meet him once the tutorial ends.”
My fate…
Frail’s right arm trembled as he hoisted it up.
I must escape it.
The arid desert dispersed into nothingness the moment their hands made contact.
[You acquired 100,000 essences]
[You found a Domain lord Schema!]
[The Dreadmaster| Tier - 3]
[A soul infused with the strength of a battle-hardened general. Its origins remained in mystery, but its blood-smeared history was well-known throughout history.]
[You cannot view its status at this time.]
[To obtain the schema, you must disintegrate the carcass.]
[Will you obtain the schema?]
###