Jazmel stepped free of the fountain and right onto a high platform, he hadn't even had a chance to survey his surroundings. When the system in a loudspeaker voice interjected.
DING!
THE FINAL CONTESTANTS HAVE APPEARED!
…
STANDBY!
…
…
EACH PLATFORM HOLDS FIVE CONTESTANTS!
…
YOU MUST WORK TOGETHER TO ADVANCE!
The system rang around the expanse and when Jazmel stopped trying to find Baek and Leno. He noticed the other people on the platform with him. Jazmel was easily six foot one maybe two, he was rarely dwarfed by those he saw when travelling in the labyrinth. Even inside his faction he wasn’t the smallest, only Gelth and Bannerman were bigger and taller. But here on the platform stood a thing, a man like being so big he made Jazmel feel dwarfed. His skin was purple, opal and his eyes were red like blood. He had two great curling horns protruding from his forehead and his teeth were sharper than Jazmel’s and extended out beyond his lips.
“Brat, I hope you are strong!” the thing said and Jazmel simply gripped his sheathed sword and watched.
the thing was to the right of him, but to the left of him. Was the prettiest woman he had ever seen, she was beautiful. Though it had already occurred to him that his heart was fixed on Sadé, he hadn't really noticed other women in the labyrinth. Sure Tera Nema, Circe, Timone, Wendy, Katie, and Elai were all pretty. In their own ways, he liked individual things about them all. But something about this one woman almost made him forget to breath.
She wore a shawl about her shoulders, she wore a simple dress, he couldn’t see any wards or enchantments about her, and she wore bangles on each arm. There were countless and it was those that were filled to brim with Mana, he focused on them and could see that they were enchanted and warded. He couldn’t tell with what, but the sigaldry and inscriptions alone made them tier III. He took a moment to look at her face, she was pretty a cute nose; full lips and eyes as round as deer. She was a beauty; freckles lined her nose and under eyes like a brown starred constellation. She bowed her head to him, and he looked away, suddenly worried that he had been staring. He had been.
Across from him was a merman, he could tell from the bluish grey skin and the Mana enchantment tattoos that were carved into the skin, he realised now. That this was to allow him to breath above ground. He was wearing two short swords at his waist, he wore baggy trousers, they were so baggy Jazmel couldn’t even see where the leg began and where the cloth started. The Mana from the tattoos pulsed each time he inhaled. It was fascinating to Jazmel, its calm eyes were the colour of coral and when he noticed Marco studying him, he offered a hand on his chest in respect. Jazmel did the same, copying the custom.
The next one on the platform was a human, a young man. Maybe a few years older than Jazmel and he was strong. He was muscular, he wore a long coat and a shirt beneath it. but the open buttons showed the chords of muscle in his neck. He was holding a halberd, it was a glorious weapon and the Mana wrapped in it, told Jazmel it was just as its owner. Strong, Jazmel and the man locked eyes and he cocked his head to the side as he sized Jazmel up. The halberd was resting across his shoulder, and he was holding it in place with both arms draped over it.
“What tier are you?” he called over to Jazmel.
“tier I you?” Jazmel asked. “tier II but you don’t seem far off.” He offered and Jazmel shrugged, not wanting to give anything away. “I get by.” That drew a laugh, from everyone.
“Everyone on this platform is a ranker, so do not be surprised to see a tier IV creature or beast.” The human called out and the others all prepared themselves.
DING!
PREPARE YOURSELVES!
1
2
3
…
With a pop which sounded extremely loud, a winged Wyvern landed on the platform in between them all. It was covered in scales, the pressure from it landing alone told Jazmel it was strong, and he felt it just by being near it.
DING!
DEFEAT THE TIER IV WYVERN!
Jazmel grit his teeth, pushing through the pressure of this winged monster and preparing for the fight.
DING!
TYRANT RESISTS THE PRESSURE OF A DRAGON!
+2 END
Jazmel moved forward and rushed for the underbelly of the Wyvern. The others were all rushing in also. He couldn’t see the horned man nor the one with the halberd, but he was strong and Jazmel didn’t have to worry about any of them. Not even sure he had to worry about the others, but he was going to ensure he did his best.
Hailing fury!
He heard and from under the Wyvern, he rushed from beneath it to ensure he wasn’t crushed as the body was forced to descend and not try and gain altitude.
Jazmel was close enough that he was beside the woman who was literally floating around the ground, her shawl had become wings, big butterfly wings and she was using them to glide around. She hoisted her hand and raised it above her lips, two fingers and she whispered a word and blue from her fingers.
Yin feather flame
She blew feathers which were made out of flame, and they pelted the dragon all about. Then he saw the horned man leap into the air and smash his fall momentum into the drake. It was robust itself, and yet; Jazmel watched as scales cracked and crumbled in contrast to the charge from the horned man.
Rapid Tumult!
The aura that wreathed the horned humanoid seemed to propel his assault and magnify the damage it caused. The drake whined, a sound in truth, that Jazmel had never heard before and Jazmel found himself shocked. But he wasn’t going to fall behind, no there was no way he wouldn’t carry his weight, especially when he was showing proof of his ability for the faction.
Great rumbling dragon!
the spectral form of a roaring maw appeared and Jazmel slunk it from his sword and arms and crashed it into the face, the opened and bloody maw of the drake that was in front of them all. The reaction was uncanny, the dragon formed from his Mana raged through the mental and the spirit of the drake. Jazmel watched as it shuddered from the attack. In his mind he knew a dragon was more powerful than a drake, and he had assumed his skill would affect it in one way or another. But watching it, he could see that the damage was far greater than he had prepared.
The drake wavered on its feet, clearly affected by all the attacks that it had suffered. It was clearly nearly at its end, but drake’s were hardy. Most draconic creatures were hardy creatures, and this one was no different.
Its blood pooled all around and Jazmel watched it, feeling a little sorry for it, but that feeling immediately changed. The drake steadied itself and before any of the Rankers could approach to land the final attack. the drake roared; it was a wail it was cry of such emotion that Jazmel felt tears well in his eyes.
TIER IV DRAKE HAS USED DRACONIC DIRGE!
ALL CREATURES AND SEEKERS ARE ENTHRALLED FOR 4 SECONDS!
…
STATUS CONDITION!
DING!
…
ENTHRALLED FOR 4 SECONDS!
DOMINEERING TYRANT TRIED TO OVERCOME BUT FAILED!
ENTHRALLMENT HAS BEEN PROLONGED FOR 3 FURTHER SECONDS!
Jazmel grit his teeth, he had never seen such system notices and now he was suffering for it. His entire body was frozen in place, he felt like he had been dropped in a pool of pins and needles and each needlepoint was poking into him, not enough to pierce the skin. But enough that his body could feel each and every individual pinprick.
The fairy, the girl who looked like a lotus flower. Broke free first, Jazmel almost missed it, but his eyes caught the flash of Mana and one of the bangles on her right arm fizzled out of existence as she used the Mana within to burst free.
The drake had been mewling to itself and trying to reach wounds up its back. But when it noticed her moving, it roared and lumbered towards her. Clearly remembering it was in a fight and it had been losing grievously.
As it ambled over to her side, its tail swung and hit the being with the horns. Jazmel winced through gritted teeth as he watched the man collapse from the strike and his body badly bruised from that simple swing. But he was still enthralled, they all were bar the woman.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
She was preparing a big attack, Jazmel watched with his eyes and her Mana was building, she had removed three bangles from her arm, and with hushed words she seemed to be preparing a spell or skill.
She hurled the bangles into the air, and they fizzled out of existence. Breaking down into sand and these multiplied until a great tornado of pink sand was cascading across the ground towards the drake. As it advanced, it multiplied and Jazmel realised that the sand granules had become petals. Cherry blossom petals.
Cherry petals!
She hummed and Jazmel heard the power, the Mana in those words. The petal tornado soared across the ground and buffeted the drake. Wrapping its entire body and covering every inch with pink petals. She clasped her hands and seemed to be holding the drake in place.
“hurry up!” she screamed, screeching through clenched teeth as she exerted her own will over the tier IV creature.
Hallowed tempest!
The man with the halberd leapt through the air, sailing on the wind that had formed Mana wings for him. he crashed into the top of the drake and swung his halberd down on its head, trying to cut through its scales and neck. Blood spurted from the wound, but the attacked wasn’t deep enough to completely cut through the drake’s neck.
Triton’s fury!
Another attack from the mermen hit the drake, coiling chains of water latched onto the drake and held it in place as it fought against the petals and seemed to be winning. Jazmel broke free and his body sagged from the effort, cold sweat wet his shirt and he could feel exhaustion clutching onto his eyelids, but he wasn’t going to fall asleep here.
Fall of the black raven!
He bounded twice using the leaps to cross the distance and jump through the air to land beside the head of the drake. From the right, the man with the halberd had carved into the neck of the drake. The merman and the fairy were holding it into place. So it was up to Jazmel to complete the attack.
His sword cracked the scales, bursting some and they flew off the neck. Before it could react, before the drake could wrench itself free from the hold. Jazmel was ready.
Sunder
He cut through the neck, a simple slash and his sword claimed the head of the drake. He shuddered as exhaustion took hold, but also as the system notifications rapidly took over his peripheral vision and bombarded him and he felt his body twitch with changes, and he imagined he had gained stats and maybe some levels. But he wasn’t ready to look at those just yet, he moved over to the horned man and offered him a health potion.
The others had come over now and were watching him.
“Why are you giving him a health potion?” the man with the halberd asked, he had returned to his comfortable stance of using the halberd to rest across his shoulders and his arms slouched across it.
“Because we might be acting as a team again and it would be better if everyone was ready for it.” Jazmel said and without a thought, he poured his health potion down the gullet of the man who was watching him but accepted the help gratefully.
After a few moments, the man was able to move himself and he rose himself shakily into a kneeled crouch. He drank another potion, one of his own and he groaned as quietly as he could from the pain.
“I am still not ready to deal with tier IV creatures by myself.” The man grumbled and his horns protruded from his skull and looked like purple alabaster.
“You saved me some, you are a worthy warrior. I am called Tzniel, and I come from the tribe of Echo Wallows.” He said, Jazmel simply inclined his head and smiled a little. He didn’t know enough about the other cultures within the labyrinth. There were so many different denizens, he was unsure what customs he had just been presented with. But the offering of his name had told Jazmel that he was being admired.
“Tzniel I am Jazmel, of the black wing faction. I greet you well.” He placed his right hand over his left breast and lowered his head. Tzniel did the same from his crouch and then grinned.
DING!
TIER IV DRAKE SLAIN!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
…
REWARDS WILL BE OFFERED AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE TRIAL!
…
Jazmel had been waiting for the notification, and as he waited for them to disappear. He watched as the drake’s body disappeared, literally breaking down and disintegrating in front of them all. As the others watched it worriedly, they wondered what was next and as Marco looked around, surveying the ground. He noticed a budding glimmer above them. He looked up and watched as a glimmering source of light became a brilliant ball of light, it then burst like a firework and then crashed into the ground and showering the platform with light.
Jazmel hadn't needed to shield his light, the Mana particles seemed to no longer affect his eyes and he watched with surprise as a form nestled in the ebbing shower of lights. The form was a muscular woman who wore a gilded mask of what looked like copper and gold. The mask hid everything, but her eyes and they were bright yellow, her hair was long and dark brown; flowing down her back like a river that of the Mana she had appeared from. She was around Jazmel’s height and almost as muscular.
She wore a breastplate, which covered her entire chest and throat. But her arms were completely bare, she wore a long skirt which covered all of her legs and even her feet. Jazmel couldn’t even see if she wore boots, sandals or if she were barefooted.
She carried a heavy great sword; it was barely a sword in truth. It looked more like a curved meat cleaver for a giant. But she wielded it in one hand and clutched its handle in a firm grasp.
She stood in the centre of the platform and simply looked around her. Looking at everyone who was staring at her. The mermen seemed the most prepared, he drew his sword and rushed towards her. Rushing forward in a flurry of steps. Before he could even utter a skill, the masked woman stepped forward to mete him and swung her sword upwards.
Cleaved carnage
She uttered her skill and with dread, Jazmel watched as she cut through the merman and his body in pieces fell on either side of her. She raised her blade and then swung it down, flicking the gore from it. the others immediately grew serious, and weapons and potions were prepared for a fight that was much more serious.
Jazmel placed his sword back in the ring and drew Yoru no Tsubasa and the grave iron began to waft its numbing cold as it was unsheathed. Jazmel bounded forward, he and the man with the halberd rushed in at the same time, she raised her cleaving blade to block Jazmel and he grit his teeth from the shock of their blades meeting.
Spear of retribution!
The halberd slammed wind and air aura in a piercing cone and crashed into the back of the masked woman. She didn’t make a single sound, but her aura changed immediately. After being struck, she suddenly unleashed such a force of bloodlust that Jazmel felt himself recoil subconsciously and out of reach. Suddenly struggling with fear.
STATUS CONDITION
FEAR (MINOR!)
MANA OUTPUT IS HINDERED FOR A TIME!
…
Jazmel cursed, he felt his body suddenly shift and there was something hindering his output. It was his own fault, but he kept that to himself. He wouldn’t use skills, but he was still able to use his sword. he struck out and entered a deadly dance with the assailant. She rushed him, swinging her blade about her as if it was a feather. But Jazmel could see the movement and so he deftly dodged her as she dodged him.
Hailing fury!
The man with the halberd rushed in again, for some reason the woman blocked this again this time and whirled on him, with her bloodlust leaking from her very form.
Jazmel grit his teeth, there was nothing he could do. He could still feel his Mana puckering and sputtering within him. But he didn’t stop, he simply moved in and used his technique instead. Simply using the danger of his blade and she noticed him turning to face him. Just as he glimpsed Tzniel rushing forward.
Rapid Tumult!
He crashed into the masked woman and almost knocked her off her feet. She firmed the first knock and then raised her blade to smite Tzniel but the man with the halberd was there, using the end of his halberd he struck at her wrist, and it diverted her strike into the ground just a few feet in front of where Tzniel stood.
Yin Feather flame!
Flaming feathers pelted down and blasted the ground where the woman was. She simply crouched and covered herself, she took the skill head on and though she looked a little smudged and singed, she was otherwise fine.
Call of the Gods!
She bellowed, a skill that charged the area with her bloodlust and Mana. The skill was a shout that pressurised the area and all those beneath it. Jazmel shivered under the onslaught and felt the shudder, looking around. He noticed the others seemed to be stricken, almost on the ground from the skill, except the man with the halberd, he was clearly affected. But only with a grimace.
DING!
YOU HAVE OVERCOME A PARALYSING SHOUT!
…
THE DOMINEERING TYRANT NO LONGER FEELS FEAR!
YOUR MANA IS NO LONGER HINDERED!
…
As the system threw notices up, he felt his body swim with Mana and his eyes grew keen with the Mana enhanced sight also.
Fall of the black raven!
He crashed into her; she raised her cleave but it was a little slower than she had meant to, and he caught her mask, glancing off and a small crack appeared beneath her right eye. She glowered at him and Jazmel didn’t falter but rushed deeper in.
Great rumbling dragon!
She bolstered her defence with Mana, but the spectral maw of the dragon burst forth and wrought through. She back pedalled and then she cried out in pain. The halberd had caught her in the back and pierced through her chest. She had been caught off guard. Tzniel leapt forward and wrenched her head, breaking her neck in one savage jolt.
DING!
YOU HAVE DEFEATED
TIER III RAEGAN OF THE RED MASK!
…
YOU CAN ADVANCE!
He watched as her body fell to the ground and after a few moments. She disappeared too, the others were already healing and preparing for whatever was to come next. But Jazmel had gone over to look at the body of the merman, he was still laying in half. His body in two halves and blue blood pooled from either piece.
“It was his fate to fall here.” the beautiful woman said, she had come over to stand beside Jazmel and watch him ponder over the death of someone he hadn't even known the name of.
“I am Yin Leung, but in my guild they call me the Jade bangle fairy.” She introduced herself, Jazmel inclined his head and reintroduced himself, she smiled at him and told him she had heard him when he had introduced himself to Tzniel.
He was about to ask her about her guild when the system launched into a tirade of notifications.
DING!
YOU HAVE PROVEN YOUR SKILL AND STRENGTH!
YOU MAY ADVANCE AND ENTER THE DOMAIN!
…
As the final notice appeared, a gate appeared from the centre of the platform and Jazmel simply watched it.
“Well there is no point of us standing around. I will enter.” The man with the halberd uttered and made to leave but Jazmel called after him.
“Wait, I don’t know anything about you.” Jazmel offered and the unknown man simply inclined his head.
“You have undergone a tempering already haven’t you?” he asked, his eyes on Jazmel curiously. “I have, but why do you ask?” Jazmel asked and the man inclined his head also.
“I have tempered, I have the Titan tempered body.” He explained and then without a moment’s pause he stepped through the gate.
“Jazmel I owe you a favour, in life or death. If you ever have need of me, send word and I will come at your request.” Tzniel lowered his curling horns and turned on his heel to move through the gate.
“What are you?” Jazmel asked.
“We are Tiefling.” He uttered and then stepped through himself. The jade bangle fairy followed after him and then Jazmel was the last person on the platform. He stepped through and immediately felt the change in environment. He was bombarded with thick air; the oxygen was thick, and he felt it sitting atop his shoulders. It was a strange and intoxicating feeling.
He took this moment to check his stats, after the fight with the drake and then the woman with the red mask.
DING!
+3 STR
+3 END
+3 VIT
+2 PER
+2 DEX
EXP ACCRUED!
…
YOU DEFEATED YOUR FIRST TIER IV MONSTER
YOUR EXP ACCRUED HAS GREATLY INCREASED!
…
LEVEL UP!
…
YOU GAINED A TIER IV DRAKE HEART SCALE!
YOU DEFEARED RAEGAN OF THE RED MASK!!
+2 PER
+2 INT
+2 AGL
+1 INT
His stats were improving impressively, and he was feeling his body adjusting very well. It dawned on him that he was probably growing to be one of the stronger members of the faction. He and Katie had never sparred, but something made him suddenly want to.
They would when he returned.
YOU GAINED TIER III THE RED MASK!
He didn’t know what he was going to do with the mask or the heart scale, both items were unknown to him. But he simply put them in his spatial ring and decided to focus on what was in front of him.