At first, from the coffin, you could see only skull with diadem stylized to look like a crown. Then shoulder appeared, followed my rib cage and then lower part of the body. But lich didn’t simply walk out of the coffin, instead it was hovering slightly above the ground. He had richly decorated coat covering most of his body from sides and back, but everyone who would see him just as us, couldn’t not notice all the bones. In the place were living would have heart, a small dark orb was floating. For a moment I thought that it was his essence – the crystallized power that linked his soul with body, but after quick inspection with disappointment I discovered that the purpose of the crystal is completely different.
It was a monster core, but it wasn’t his. I heard that those orbs has many different uses, this one, for example, was portable battery. Yes, he used it as mana storage. Fighting undead mage with boosted magical capabilities inside catacomb? THAT’S WHY I WANTED TO PREPARE MYSELF GISELE! Forget about Jericho! I myself will made a hell on earth just for you, if we would ever get out of this alive!
* “My work… Monthsss of resssearchesss, hoursss of experimentsss… All wasssted!... But it’sss nothing… I can repeat the processs… fassster… avoiding unnecesssary processesss… With better body… Body with chaosss affinity… yesss.”
It’s not like we just stood there doing nothing as he kept talking to himself. We tried. Indeed [Tried]. As the soul of necromancer was adapting itself in new vessel, runes around coffins activated creating semi-transparent shield around raising undead. He really prepared himself, did he?
* “Very well… rejoice, you fool, your body ssshall now eternity, I will do my bessst to change you into a vampire… a lower one, in the end we don’t want you to remember a thing, do we?” Creature hissed as shield start falling.
He stretched his arm to the side and from other room a staff flew to his hand.
* “Hear me out! You, who submitted to the death! I am the one who rule over it! Rise on my command! Serve me and my purpose, so you can taste the life again!” He hit the ground with his staff.
And ground trembled as remains of bones on which Ra’s Al ghoul feasted started merging together. He was quite a picky eater, never consumed the body whole. So despite the fact, that none of skeletons were complete, the parts of these were more than enough to form a monstrosity.
Bone Titan - UndeadLevel31Hp[720/720]Sp[Na]SkillsDark Magic immunity [Passive]
Death Magic immunity [Passive]
Fire Magic resistance [Passive]
Chaos Magic resistance [Passive]
Stabbing damage resistance [Passive]
Earth magic protection [Passive]
Hand-to-Hand Combat - Regular [Passive] [Level 18]
Smash [Active] [Level 18]
Higher tier of Low Ranked Undeads.
This abomination is made of bones of dozen skeletons, despite not being intelligent [Self-aware] it can learn from its opponent patterns and react.
Godric Kiprim- UndeadTitles11th Strongest Human
Death Curious
Member of the Night
Level41Hp[480/480]Mp[732/850]Sp[Na]SkillsDark Magic immunity [Passive]
Death Magic immunity [Passive]
Fire Magic resistance [Passive]
Chaos Magic resistance [Passive]
Stabbing damage resistance [Passive]
Necromancy [Active] [Level 37]
Chaos Magic [Active/Passive] [Level 29]
??? ??? ???
Two such titans were formed between us and necromancer, but what frightened me more was that necromancer we just backstabbed used to be in top most powerful humans currently living. We managed to get him before because he thought we were here to aid him… Now, as he is in undead form… is he weaker or stronger? Most undeads tend to be bit weaker, but one – he is a mage, two – his current form in [connected] to the art he studied… FUCK! GISELE! I PRAY TO THE GODS! I WILL PERSONALLY WHIP YOU!
Well, if he is bringing friends to party then I shall do so too.
* “Spirits within the night, answer the call of mine,
Be bind to my will, as our pact was signed,
Rise from the shadow, and unleash the hell,
For those who oppose me, with blood shall pay!”
I finished chant in very last moment. One of undeads already started attacking Gisele pushing her away from me. Once again, she was in situation when her blade was partly useless. She had to use her brute force to deal any damage with her fragile blade. Second one wasn’t waiting for me to finish my summoning, it moved its huge body charging at me like a juggernaut, it huge clawed hand was heading my direction, and was stopped only few inches from my face by vines of Greg.
* “Awaaay from massster!” Treant’s roar shook the undergrounds as it pulled colossal creature across the room and mashed it into a wall.
Few bones were scattered here and there, but after short moment they once again started merging with titan.
And then bolt of pure dark energy hit me. I got distracted! I focused myself so much on that I forgot about lich.
Spell he casted was powerful, my whole arm was send flying after it was tore from my shoulder. He didn’t kill me only because the spell didn’t hit me directly. Yet the undead mage stopped another spell as it watched my arm regrow. On the other hand, I was observing my mana bar depleting in fearsome pace. Two more hits and I will be out of mana.
* “Interessssting. Ssso you do have a trick or two in your sssleve… What a wonderful undead we will make out of you…”
Once again he joined his hand in front of himself making complex signs with his fingers and palms. Magic of signs? Fuck! These work same as chant, but these are faster and harder to read!
Damn it! DAMN IT! I have to fight in close combat! One, because I have to save mana for regeneration, two, because I doubt he had any training in short range combat. As necromancer he probably used to fight by raising army of puppets that kept attackers away, and then he would smite enemies from afar… or at least I would do so!
Thanks gods, there are barely any corpse here as that failure of the vampire ate most of them, every single bone was used to form those two titans… I had to shorten the distance!
… Let’s play. Body shift…
Lich stopped forming a spell with his fingers, now he was focusing powers between his palms were quickly rotating orb of dark energy was formed.
Reduce body mass, shift bones of shoulders and arms, form claws, pack as much muscles as it is only possible into rear legs, all-four footing, grow long tail, cast [HASTE]… the shifting took less than three seconds, now I waited for him to cast a spell… NOW
As soon as the orb was sent flying in my direction I completely lower my posture and ducking under the spell I charged in his direction. I kicked the ground with my huge from muscles leg using also tail as spring, it was almost impossible to maneuver – only forward. But it was completely fine for me, forward – this is where my target lies. My arms morphed into paws of beast had but two purposes – to prevent my body from collapsing and to crush the bones and snatch the crystal orb as I would got closer.
But it didn’t really work as I planned. Heh, of course that simply charging frontally at someone that used to be one of most powerful creatures of his specimen couldn’t be that effective. He simply waved one of his palm as if raising something and wall of shadows appeared in front of him. I hit it directly… and got stuck in it. After closer inspection I saw that mass of shadows had faces and arms. Ghosts?!
* “It hurts… it HURTS! PLEASE LET US GO!”
One of shadows yelled, rest were screaming similar things, but in the end they are formed one cacophony
* “And here I thought that there iss sssomething ssspecial about you… what a disssapoinment. Raisssing a body is lowessst kind of necromancy… risssing sssouls, medium tier…”
The creatures forming a wall while yelling and moaning in pain were pulling me deeper into the mass of shadow. DAMN! Think! ThinkthinkthinkthinkTHINK! Ghosts… how do I deal with ghosts!? There don’t like light and ethereal attacks, the problem is that I have no light magic and only spell that can damage spirits I know is miasma, the problem is that I doubt that miasma would damage THESE spirits… Wait… actually, I don’t have to damage them, do I?
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I focused and started releasing miasma. More… more… MORE! Violet smoke was greedily devoured by spirits… and then they perished.
* “Ho… Usssing miasssma asss nutriment for ghostsss, so they could break free from sssspell? Intresss…”
I punched still talking creature in the skull. A crack appeared on his forehead. It forced necromancer to stop levitating, the punch also made him two steeps back. I flowed him right away. I couldn’t let him get any space now! I can’t let him cast any spell!
He swiped his arm, I saw that his fingers are coated in magic. I ducked under the attack and slashed his ribs, raising I hit his chin and one again punched his sternum. Then, as I falling on my back I rested my whole body mass on my tail so I could kick him with my strongest limbs. By additionally empowering blow with mana I send undead flying on the wall. Impact that skeleton made cracks on few bricks. Once again I bolted forward.
Every living being would flinch after such blow… But undeads…. Well, they don’t necessary feel pain, this lich wasted no time inspecting its body condition. He snapped his fingers and I heard one of titans behind be crumble. And then wheezing sound…
My instinct told me to jump to the side, and as I already owe my life to already mentioned instinct… I followed. And this is what saved my life. Necromancer, by destroying one of his creation, got himself a nice source of bones, which he used as spears that impaled a place in which I stood a moment ago. Rest of bones flew to the lich and started circling him around as makeshift shield. Shield he could use to cast projectiles anymoment.
Scary! Necromancers are scary!
* “Greg! Help Gisele!”
He wasn’t happy hearing that, he preferred aiding me, still he wouldn’t disobey my direct command. We had to deal with his puppets first, then we would outnumbered him three to one. I can keep avoiding its attacks, but damaging him is completely different matter, especially as he just rearmed himself. So I will keep him busy…
I have been running from cover to cover avoiding short, sharp bone shard shoot at me. From pillar ran toward knocked table, from table behind coffin. All this time I was looking for opening, unfortunately, all shards that missed me would slowly rise from the ground and once again get back to the lich, reconstructing its floating armory.
Fire magic? He is mostly bones, nothing really to burn… Also, if I would stay for too long in same place, bones would eventually find their way. I looked toward Gisele. Greg successfully bound huge skeleton allowing Gisele to release her frustration. Just a little bit…
You took [23 dmg]You took [31 dmg]You took [11 dmg]You took [44 dmg]You took [35 dmg]
Ho? Oh, I see… so he can manipulate with trajectory of bones too? Damn, he kept shooting in straight line to lower my awareness… he knew that I would check on Gisele. He is good. My mana.. how much is left?
You are under [Internal bleeding] status effect
Oh, I see. I don’t have any mana left at all, health? Around half... I should have grabbed potion. Damn. This is what happens when you are rushing things. It hurts… It HURTS! Bastard pierced my leg, shoulder and stomach, I wonder if this shard damaged my liver…. No, blood is bright red, liver is fine...
I collapsed on my knee. Greg roared, apparently they finished struggling with seconds undead. I felt as ground was trembling when huge body of Greg was running my way. He covered me with his branches.
Gisele. What are you doing? Gisele, I hope you are not charging at him? Oh, you do charge. Great. For a moment I thought that you could be my salvation, you know? That Greg would keep him busy and you would drag me away from this shithole… But nooooo, you will hit the wall with your head till one of them would break? Come on! He has perfect defense! Combined attack from two sides was our only… he is being pushed back? How?
I allowed myself to inspect her status.
Gisele RedwingLevel33Hp[311/570]Sp[280/690]Rp[81/100]
Rp? The fuck is that?
[Rage points] - Berserker class traitRage points are being generated while taking or dealing damages and while being targeted by special kind of actions.Owners of [Berserk] class as 200% more potent on [Taunt] skillsBonuses of Rage point[10] - enthusiasm
[25] - anger
[50] - rage
[75] - fanaticism
[100] - promise of death
[Enthusiasm]Your damage is increased by X%, where X is equal to % of missing Hp. Additionally, every bonus [Rp] will increase it by 0.1%
[Anger]Damage you take is reduced by 1/2 X%, where X is equal to % of missing Hp
[Rage]Double the speed of generating [Rp]
Unlocks special class skills
Gain attributes bonuses:
[STR], [DEX], [RFX], [END] increased by 25%;
[INT], [WIS] reduced by 50%
[Fanaticism]Your attack speed is increased by X%, where X is equal to % of missing Hp. Additionally, every bonus [Rp] will increase it by 0.1%
[Promise od death]After receiving fatal damage your Hp would freeze on [1].
Then, for every passing second [1 Rp] will be deducted.
While staying in [Promise of death] status effect, all other bonuses are increased by 10%.
While staying in [Promise of death] status effect, other bonuses can't be lost, even as [Rp] drops below requirements.
… Ok, Gisele, why are you using cheats!? You want to tell me, that if you would anger her really badly, she would turn immortal for 100 seconds, and for those 100 seconds her damage and attack speed would double? I know that berserk class means that warrior becomes even more dangerous the angrier and deadier [<-used on purpose] he gets, but COME ON! Well, this time I don’t mind… Go get him girl!
The movement of dragoness blade turn into blur. She was charging onward slashing and piercing. Lich was using bones in truly astonishing way, showing his mastery in art of necromancy, from time to time he managed to wound red head warrior, but with every scratch that appeared on her skin, with every bruise that painter her body with blue, she got bit faster, stronger and even more furious.
Greg also wasn’t just standing there being my living shield. He had dozen of vines that kept smacking lich on his backs, disturbing his chants.
One after another, bones spears were flying toward dragoness, yet she managed to deflect every single shot. And she kept marching forward.
Greg, seeing that Gisele in doing better than just fine focused completely on me. His vines embraced me gently and start slowly sending me his own mana. This was weakening him, if he would send too much, he would perish from this realm. Well, if I would die he would perish from this realm for good, so he actually set his priorities right.
I remember the way she fought. It was so elegant, without unnecessary moves. It looked more as if she was dancing than fighting. But now, it was completely different, it wasn’t [Sword Art] at all, she was just pulverizing lich into dirt. She would made a better use from carpenter’s hammer than from blade right now, yet her savage strikes brought effects. The defense of lich was finally broken. Dragoness raised blade over her head and dropped it over lich necromancer shoulder, separating his arm from rest of the body.
* “SSSTOP IT! FOOL! I CAN’T DIE! I AM ETERN…”
Yet Gisele wasn’t much into talking right now. She slashed in bad angle, what resulted with sword bouncing off bone and flying in the opposite corner of the room. Ha, as if this petty trifle would stop hot blooded, air headed girl from punish target of her wrath. She start kicking lying bones, slowly scattering them.
She continued doing so for minute, then two, five and ten more… and then I simply stopped counting. She stopped only after most of necromancer turned into dust, and there was barely anything to keep kicking.
She was still panting and growling angrily.
* “You ok?” I asked chuckling
* “… Are you really in position to ask this question?” She smiled. Weakly. But there was a smile.
Your party member [Gisele Redwing] has slain [Godric Kiprim]You have obtained [3420 exp]
So he died for good?
* “How did you know his name?” Gisele asked after lying next to me
* “What?”
* “We took him by surprise because you addressed him with his name. How did you know him?”
* “I didn’t… look around, see all those documents? I saw letter with name on it. I simply tried my luck. Thanks goddesses, it was letter addressed to him.”
Of course that I lied. I prefer keeping my secrets for myself.
* “So.. it’s done?” Gisele said not asking nor pointing out.
* “Apparently…” I lied my head on her shoulder “Let’s rest for a moment, and then we will have to search the rooms…”
* “Why? Our job is finished.”
* “Yes, but we have to deal with his notes, we don’t want somebody to lay his or hers hands on manual of creating new kind of undeads do we? We better find notes and burn them, or disappearing soon may start again.”
* “So… we will burn them?”
* “Yes.” … sorry Gisele, but I am actually not going to burn them. Or at least not all of them.
* “Okay… in a moment…” she said embracing me back
Damn. We deserve that rest.
Same time. Somewhere
A woman in widow’s dress was sitting over crystal orb, lost in meditation.
* “Oh! Godi diedededed!” she exclaimed cheerfully
* “So what? His experiments could finally end and he decided to change form…” somebody sitting by long table said. His face was hidden in darkness, same as almost everybody else sitting by same table.
* “No! Nononononono! He diedededed for gooood!” by looking at her cloths, you could say that she is mourning, in same time her tone would prove something completely different.
* “So, kid killed him?”
* “A-parentlly!” she almost sang “So, ya say we can use him? Dari?”
* “Use?!” Darlaon was enraged “I would never use a friend! But I could ask him for a favor!”
* “… and he would agree?”
* “If I would ask nicely? Then maybe, perhaps, probably…not… Not if I would mention that bigger organization stands behind this… You know, he is bit shy when it comes to biiig organizations. He don’t like being used. But maaaybe if I would forgot mentioning YOU… he could help his friends in need…”
* “You say he hates being manipulated?” woman sitting on slightly better chair than rest asked
* “Aye aye!”
* “Wouldn’t that be manipulation?”
* “… crap. It would…”
* “So, you are still going to as…”
* “NO! Zari is friend!”
* “… you have weird habit of bringing your friends to almost certain death…”
* “I DON’T!”
* “… so who set the quest for clearing dungeon with undead dragon trapped inside? And who put THAT dragon inside in the first place?!”
* “Um… me?”
* “And who send Godrick to same city as kid? Who helped grand houses contact Holy Kingdom? And…”
* “Okay! Okay! I get it! But I do it for his own good! It’s because I LOOOVE him so very much! I just want him to bloom!”
* “… and purpose?”
* “Hm? Purpose?”
* “Why are you involving him into our actions?”
* “… this is a great question! Fundamental question! Without answering this question we truly can’t push our actions any further… You see, the answer on this most basic from basic question which is so very important is… I have no idea?” Daralon finished with silly tone
* “Fine. If you don’t want to tell us, just don’t. But if you would do something stupid…”
* “Lemme stop you right here! I do stupid things most of the time!”
* “... meeting is over. Dismiss.”
People sitting in the shadows started vanishing one after another. So did Daralon.
He opened his eyes ending his meditation and shattering his astral projection. He stretched his body with delighted gasps.
* “Sup Morgan, something happened when I was out?” he asked his faithful companion – the skull “He? Usual? Hm? How was the meeting? Same. Kid did well again. Preparations are slowly heading to the last phase… Hm? I am not lying to him! I am just… waiting… for right moment… HEY! SHUT IT! He is just like me! Up until now I was living with only one goal! I am.. I am lonely, ok?”
He was slowly walking from one corner of the room to another
* “I know that I have you! But maybe I would enjoy companion of someone I didn’t kill and bounded into an object! I mean! Come on! You don’t have a choice! You have to be my friend! Or else… you know, I hurt you. “
He got up and headed toward the door
* “I am leaving now, behave yourself, don’t go anywhere…” here dark mage broke in mad laugh “Sorry, couldn’t help myself.”
He shut the door behind himself