Chapter 206

Matt shifted his gaze from the portal, to Hakim, to Riven, and then the three demons partially covered in pastry. His grip tightened around the axe he still held against Julie’s throat amidst the dead silence of the room and he immediately pulled out his revolver to lower it at Julie’s skull with a click. “Hakim!!! Hakim you backstabbing little bitch! I told you that I’d blow your girlfriend’s head off if you betrayed me!”

Hakim didn’t reply, too distracted with the potential death of his lover staring him in the face.

“I believe…” Athela said with a snarl, red eyes flashing and six long arachnid blades slamming into the ground around her in a rage. “That you’re holding an axe to my friend’s neck. I wonder just how good your insides will taste when I’m done with you.”

She looked like she was about to lunge, but Matt pressed hard against Julie’s skin - drawing blood and getting a scream from the young woman as well as from Hakim, Tim, and Julie’s mother Tanya.

“I know who the fuck you are! I’ve seen the forum videos!” Matt growled, half in rage and half in absolute fear. “I don’t know how the hell you monsters got here or why you give a shit about these people, but I know damn well you don’t have a healer. Why get one when you can regenerate almost any wound, you sick fucking abomination!”

Matt shakily spat in Riven’s direction, leaving a glob of the stuff at Riven’s feet, while pulling Julie back a step as Athela hissed. He nodded to the three demons next. “And your demon friends can’t even be permanently killed! So why have a healer right? So god damned cheap, unfair and overpowered! I’ll tell you right now this girl is going to have her throat slit and her god damn HEAD is gonna be blown off if you come any closer!”

Riven internally grumbled in irritation, but he actually was worried about Julie’s current predicament. He didn’t know how or why their group had come into this situation, but this asshole was partially right. He didn’t have any healers because he’d never really needed one. He could only provide stitching with Athela’s webbing like she’d done in the past though, and he had a Voodoo Doll spell that he’d rarely utilized - but it could also keep blood streams of his target flowing even outside a body to maintain oxygen to the brain. The problem was that if sufficient damage was done, Riven would have to continue channeling the spell until an actual healer got to them or he could use a healing potion. Voodoo Doll only maintained the blood flow but it didn’t actually heal a person, and he couldn’t use other spells while using it due to the channeling effect. But if a bullet went through Julie’s head? He doubted he’d be able to save her even with Voodoo Doll, even with all the system modifications one could have on their bodies. A slit throat was bad enough but probably manageable, though he’d not want to take that risk - but a bullet in the brain was probably a deadset deal given his team composition.

[Julie, Level 22 Healer Priestess Initiate]

Yeah there was no way she’d survive a bullet to the head.

“I suppose we’re at an impasse then.” Riven said with a tilt to his head, outwardly unconcerned.

The rest of the room, both Matt’s startled ruffians and Hakim’s small group, remained wide eyed and very still - looking from Matt to Riven and then the three demons.

Matt seemed to regain some of his composure at Riven’s response, and realizing he wasn’t about to immediately die and had been right on the money - he smiled wickedly. He nodded to one of the men who’d been playing poker earlier. “George, get Julie’s team rounded up and make sure you have guns pointed at their-”

Riven’s hand abruptly lifted, flared with blood magic and then discharged, tearing a hole in George’s chest the size of a bowling ball and shattering the wall in a spray of debris to the screams of nearby people. He held up a finger and waggled it back and forth. “Tisk, tisk - None of that. The only thing keeping you alive is Julie, but the rest of your people?”

Riven gave an ominous laugh, betting this act on the self preservation instincts of this man in front of him. He wasn’t about to let the others become hostages too. “Yattazi, Azmoth, Athela - kill the others.”

Matt’s eyes went wide and he cursed under his breath as people started screaming and trying to run - dragging Julie back another step. Men and women wearing The Red Hand’s logo slipped on red ice and piled over one another while lunging for doorways, windows, and even the hole in the wall leading out into a dark forest that Riven had created mere moments ago.

But the demons were upon them.

Or at least two of them were.

Azmoth echoed with a resounding demonic roar and burst into flames, tearing across the hall and smashing two of the men nearby into paste. He discarded his boar meat and started using his claws, having given Riven his maul earlier that day for safekeeping, and began ripping off limbs and breathing fire - or clamping down on fleeing enemies with the two eel-like maws coming out of his back. He turned his attention to the people inside, and seeing more people coming up from a basement entrance - he breathed flames into the depths that resulted in horrified wails and then continued on.

Yattazi immediately began growing in size from the current 3 foot snake she was now, expanding her body at an extreme pace while her muscles, tail, and bones all bulged simultaneously. It was like watching a fire hydrant burst out of a water balloon, and soon her huge tail crashed out the back of the cabin stronghold and took out another wall - causing the building to shudder and partially collapse on more of the enemy group when her head tore through the ceiling. Magma eyes flared, spines on her neck stood up, and as her gaze settle on each of the running morsels - marks began appearing on their bodies so that she may better track them as they scattered. With a hissing lunge, her body turned into a chaotic stream of black and gray chaos energy as she snapped down on one of the fleeing rogues - the woman’s scream only coming off as a squeak before her neck was crushed and her body swallowed. The demonic basilisk, half the length of a football field, began to hunt them down like a cat hunting mice.

Athela remained in her position though, unwilling to leave and more concerned about Julie than she was with killing the idiots who were running away in droves. There were a lot more of them than Riven had originally thought, but what had once been dozens turned into well over a hundred people. Maybe even two hundred, though in the end they were all insignificant.

They were weak.

Athela’s lithe figure slowly circled Matt and his prisoner amidst the dying screams of his people, and she took out her black, ruby-studded tiara to put it on her head while continuing to walk in absolute silence.

Riven glared at the man while Matt violently yanked Julie towards a wall - putting his back to the wood so Athela couldn’t continue to circle him. However, Athela maintained eye contact with Matt, stepping over two freshly charred bodies and then exiting out a cabin door.

“I suppose now the question becomes, how do we proceed from here.” Riven mused, walking forward and sitting at a table that was somehow still intact, and laying Jackal on the wood. The maw along his chest hissed, and black tendrils began pulling in a nearby corpse - devouring it slowly while Matt looked on in horror.

The Red Hand leader only pressed that blade even more tightly against Julie’s neck - shivering from the cold while crimson frost collected on his clothes. “You’re going to let me go. You’re going to give me money to start over, and I’m taking Julie with me so I have an insurance policy on my life.”

Riven sighed, tapping his armored finger against the table as a charred leg was flung to splatter against the remaining nearby wall. Another part of the roof collapsed as flames licked at the wood, but he smacked the debris away with his aura and set Hakim, Tim and Tanya in a protective dome of crimson ice. “Not going to happen.”

“You don’t have a choice unless you want her brains splattered on the ground!” Matt hissed with venom in his words.

Julie whimpered, and tears continued to trickle down her cheeks.

“She’s as good as dead anyways if she leaves with you.” Riven said absentmindedly. “There’s zero chance she’s going. However, I am willing to make you a deal. I’m willing to pay for her release.”

“Not good enough! You’ll just kill me when I leave and take the goods back!” Matt protested, ignoring the begging pleas for help and the horrified wails - both outside in the forest and inside the cabin - while people were eaten alive or torn apart. “I’ll need more than that or I swear to god I’ll pull this trigger!”

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Riven gave Athela a very small mental nudge, tugging at the bond between them to let her know he was ready. He then chuckled malevolently. “I see. And how are you going to pull that trigger when the gun simply won’t fire?”

Matt’s brows furrowed in confusion at Riven’s words, and he blinked rapidly before glancing down at the weapon in his hand. His eyes went wide in horror when he realized the revolver was covered in red frost, and when he saw Riven’s hand move his direction - Matt roared in snarling defiance. He pulled the trigger, or attempted to, but the frozen gun wouldn’t budge - and he immediately began drawing the axe blade across Julie’s neck when two things happened simultaneously.

The first was the lightning fast hand gesture Riven made, flaring his finger and then quickly grasping at Matt’s chest - and immediately Matt went rigid as his heart stopped.

[Voodoo Doll (Blood)(Tier 2): Scan your target to map out their vessels and infuse your mana into their bloodstream. You then gain the ability to replicate their bloodstream regardless of whether or not they have extensive wounds - enabling you to keep them alive as long as their brain remains intact. You may also use this ability on hostiles to form painful blood clots. Heart attacks caused by this ability do critical strike damage. Dependent on both Intelligence(90%) and Willpower (10%) stats. Medium cooldown. This is a channeling ability and will not work if interrupted by using other spells.]

The second thing that happened at the exact same time Riven made that hand gesture - was the wall at Matt’s back exploding in six small but different spots. Long black blades, Athela’s arachnid limbs, tore through the cabin to take advantage of Riven’s stun and tore into Matt’s head, heart, and neck.

The move was so fast that the man who was undergoing a heart attack at that very moment didn’t have time to react while the blades found their marks, and with a lurch the blades retracted - tearing pieces of his upper body and his head off his body in a spray of wooden chips and bloody flesh.

Julie dropped to the ground as Matt’s body was torn apart, beginning to sob, and the crimson ice dome covering the rest of them was removed as Hakim frantically rushed over with the rest of the emotional family to hug Julie in a tight group embrace.

Riven smiled at the scene, though he did feel bad about not being there fast enough to help that Caleb guy. He glanced over at Caleb’s corpse with a bitter look, and shook his head. There was only so much he could do. “Jackal?”

The weapon transformed into its canine image, staring back at him from a shadowy figure on the table and red eyes staring expectantly.

* Portal Master: This weapon can sync to any stabilized portal you have permission to use by the maker and master. Current locations available for access: Dungeon Negrada, Riven’s Eye Wormhole. Takes 1 week of channeling in the same place to use this ability.

Riven gestured over to the portal Hakim’s treasure had created, then removed his helmet and scratched his chin. “Is it possible for you to stabilize that portal with your Portal Master technique? I was hoping to return here after dealing with the dwarves.”

***

[Guild Functions for Panu are nearing completion. Pre-Form a guild of up to 20 people in order to participate, system lock on Guild Roster has been destroyed. Sole features of Guild Functions are now as follows in preparation for the worldwide Guild Introduction Event: Guild Name, Guild Roster, Link to Guild Hall. Factions options of the Guild & Factions tab will still remain locked until a later date.]

Allie swiped the notification away, uninterested in such things given her current situation, and she gently swirled the blood in her crystal goblet before sipping on it and staring out across the Lucio estate.

Lahn’s family home had actually been left intact for the most part. This was unlike most of the uppermost level of Mandon, Capital of Dawn, which had been decimated after the Rippenvire attack. Scouts both as spies on the ground and planes in the air were searching rigorously for the remnants of the Rippenvire vampires who’d gone into hiding, and diplomatic envoys to neighboring upstart nations - often spearheaded by none other than herself - made it very clear that any information regarding the invaders needed to be sent to the Thane Necropolis immediately. The prisoners, vampires captured from the battle, were still being interrogated and most of them wouldn’t talk other than to curse their captors.

“How are you liking the tea?” Lady Shovi Lucio asked Mara hesitantly, being outwardly nervous in the presence of so many of Allie’s friends.

Mara’s pretty ghoul features smiled warmly with pale, stitched together skin - pale eyes burrowing into Lahn’s mother with a warmth unusual upon her features. “It is very good, Lady Lucio. Thank you so much for your hospitality.”

Lady Shovi Lucio, Allie, Mara, and Linela Lucio - Lahn’s sister, were having girl time today at the suggestion of Lahn. All of them sat on the uppermost balcony of Lahn’s family mansion while eating pastries and sipping on drinks. Though Allie held only ill will towards Linela and would have usually ripped her apart and fed on her like she’d done with that Gleetus prick, Allie had given in to Lahn’s suggestion when he’d given her that ridiculously adorable puppy-dog look. The bastard didn’t even do it intentionally, he just looked sad when Allie had initially said no, but she’d quickly given in and agreed after that gods damned look he wore. It’d almost like she’d slapped him across the face when she’d said no, but when she changed the tune and agreed - it’d made it all worthwhile to see his face light up the way it had.

She chuckled to herself, sipping on the blood in her goblet again and enjoying the awkward silence that was almost entirely centered on the fact that Linela was there. Mara had been giving the young woman death glares, and even her mother - Lady Shovi Lucio - had been hesitant to talk to her daughter after learning of the plots against her youngest son.

It was Mara who eventually broke that silence. “My queen… We had a message from the Blood Moon requiem come in, something about an envoy from a high ranking family wanting to meet you for an important matter. They didn’t give details.”

Allie only shrugged, still somewhat unwilling to make this meeting any less awkward. She still hadn’t looked at Lahn’s sister even once, and she could tell that Linela was incredibly uncomfortable by the way she fidgeted in her chair and constantly shifted her blonde hair from one side to the other.

Even from here on the uppermost balcony of the mansion, Allie could see efforts to rebuild what had been lost. Roads had been smashed apart and the nearby town below the hill that the Lucio estate sat on was in utter ruin. Civilians and military personnel alike worked tirelessly to put their shattered lives back together, and with the entire military having been withdrawn from the front lines against Tereen now that the war with the elves was over - there was a significant force here to help with that rebuilding.

She pulled down her hood over her features when brighter rays of sunlight hit her pale face, and her red eyes squinted in discomfort. “Is my aura putting you off, Lady Lucio? I know my negative charisma is certainly a thing. I can place the amulet back on if you’d like.”

“No! No, of course not my queen! You are quite alright!”

Allie smirked. Good… she knew her aura was certainly bothering that blonde bitch to her right, so she’d intentionally kept that amulet off. Now with Lady Shovi Lucio’s permission, she’d continue to keep it off.

There was another long pause, and Lady Shovi Lucio put down her cup of tea to smooth out her green silk dress. “Ahem. Do you still plan on attending the ball with my son?”

Allie’s eyebrows immediately raised, and she finally turned to look at Lahn’s mother with scrutinizing interest. “The Royal Ball is still happening?”

Shovi gave a small chuckle, and nodded. “Yes, my queen. Though it feels odd calling it the ‘Royal’ ball now that our king has submitted to your will. Perhaps you should start calling yourself an empress, rather than just a queen? Since you have two vassal states underneath you - Dawn, and Tereen.”

“I like the sound of that.” Mara smiled with a nod of approval. “I certainly do.”

But Allie was still confused. “When is it happening? I had no idea. I guess I just assumed that it’d be called off.”

Shovi shook her head, diamond earrings swooshing back and forth. “King Arthur Brix has decided to not only keep the ball, but increase the festivities surrounding it to include many of the upper class merchants that’ll likely be given titles of nobility now that power gaps in the aristocracy have opened up. Political stuff. With so many dead after the battle for Mandon, he believes it will rejuvenate the people he most needs to keep connections with. What better way to do that than an extravagant party, to have some fun and keep the feel of normalcy in an otherwise abnormal world?”

Shovi gave Allie a warm smile. “And my son is very excited about the prospect of still going with you, if you’d still have him.”

“Of COURSE I’d still want to go with him!” Allie exclaimed, beaming and nearly standing out of her seat before containing her excitement. “I’ve been looking forward to that ball for quite a while! Where is it going to be held?”

“The palace was destroyed, so the academy is our next best option. Last I talked to my husband, he said it will likely be held there. Probably within the next few weeks.”

“The academy is intact too?”

“Some of it. Not all, but much of the grounds are still intact with only a few buildings having been demolished in the fighting. Repairs are underway now and it should be complete by the time the ball rolls around. Are you going to come as Allie, Princess of the Blood Moon Requiem and Queen of the Thane Necropolis? Or are you going to come as Allie of a minor noble house nobody has heard of from out in the country? Not many people know of who you are outside my own family and the king. Even Gleetus… his family has no idea what happened - and by threat of treason King Brix has told us not to reveal your secret.”

Allie considered those words, suddenly deep in thought. She’d worn her skull mask during the battle too and there was no footage that she was aware of on the forums that actually showed her face.

Interesting.

She’d certainly enjoyed the school scene and very much wanted to return to a more relaxing life from time to time, even if need demanded otherwise on occasion. Smiling she shrugged and began stirring the liquid in her glass with a pale, slender finger. “I actually may stay my hand and return as a country bumpkin. Today’s meeting has been very enlightening, Lady Shovi Lucio. I’m quite glad I came to spend time with you.”

Shovi absolutely beamed at the compliment, seeing the olive branch for what it was, and her smile almost touched her ears. “I’m incredibly happy to hear it! I’ve actually been wanting to get your opinion on a couple of dresses for the ball as well? Perhaps we could even go shopping together! Is Mara coming too!? Ah, I’m rather excited!!!”