­­Night enshrouded the world but for the sparse light that shone down from the stars above and the headlights from the two cars that idled atop the bridge.

Bryn had just managed to catch up with the rest of the group after they had escaped from the garage and the onslaught of the Dwellers, but the relief that he felt when he saw their faces was gone within a scant few words.

Cordesh was gone.

The person who he was supposed to protect, had been lost.

He had failed his mission.

“I’m going to fucking kill you” Bryn said and closed the distance between him and Andrax before clocking him straight in the face and sending him barreling across the hood of the span car.

“I gave you one job…ONE JOB!” Bryn roared before kicking the side of the car in-between them with enough forced that its wheels screeched as it slid across the bridge until it was out of his way, “AND YOU COULDN’T EVEN DO THAT!” Bryn continued before picking up the dazed Nakesha off the floor and throwing him into the concrete walls of the bridge where the guy spat up blood upon impact.

Andrax lay there, his body battered and broken, but his will and drive to live untouched. In a rare display of willpower, he forced his body to rise until he was on his feet, he was unsteady and looked as if a strong breeze would be able to knock him over, but he gave Bryn pause.

“Yeah…. I left her” Andrax spoke in a way that matched the state of his body, “heh…. cough…but…I wasn’t the only one that left” Andrax continued whilst looking past the still Bryn to the group that watched on from behind.

“You left us no choice!” Derraf called out in response, “When you ran you put a hole through the garage door which those things streamed through, if we stayed a moment longer then we’d have died as well” Derraf continued with little of the anger that was in his voice before, instead, there was only guilt.

“Don’t play… me the fool!... those things… were always going to get in as soon as that monster… came through the wall, I made the same decision as you did… only quicker” Andrax rebutted before laying down with his back against the wall of the bridge, whatever energy he had left in his body used in that last display.

The bridge was silent for a moment whilst Racie and the rest of her group contemplated Andrax’s words, they wanted to say that he was wrong, that he was just trying to push the blame on to them, but they couldn’t, everything that he had said was true.

They had chosen to leave her as well.

Just as this thought was about to overcome them, they heard Bryn’s words.

“What monster?”

It was Andrax that answered him.

“It’s scales were made from the darkest depths of the ocean whilst its eyes shone bright orange like the sun, there were patterns atop its body that somehow drew you into them whilst its was thrice the size of anything we have seen this night and it looked upon us not like those thing that you call ‘Dwellers’, it looked at us like we were nothing to it, a means to an end…it was a true monster” Andrax said before resting his head and looking straight up into the sky, he wanted to close his eyes, but he was too scared to, as when he did, he saw that thing coming for him just like it how it had with Cordesh.

“Argh! God damn it! Keys!” Bryn cursed as he held out his hand towards Andrax who looked at Bryn’s outstretched hand in confusion.

“What?” was all Andrax was barely able to squeak out.

“Give me the keys for the car, I’ve got to go and get her” Bryn said with a bit of irritation in his voice, having his actions questioned by the person that made it so that he had to go back into that hell hole was not something he enjoyed.

“Who?”

“Cordesh obviously”

“But she’s dead, don’t you get that!” Racie called out from behind him with a bit of anger in her voice, her friend was dead and no matter what Bryn did, it wouldn’t change it.

Bryn looked to the group and realized that they were all looking at him as if he had gone mad, according to them, the person that he wanted to save had already died, there was no way that she could have survived both that monster and the swarm of Dwellers, but Bryn knew something that they didn’t.

Bryn knew that he was yet to fail his mission.

The VIP was still alive!

“No, she isn’t, she’s still alive…. I guarantee it” Bryn said and the look of shock and hope upon each of the faces was instant.

“Now…Give me the keys” Bryn said for a final time and it was this time Andrax responded.

“The keys are in the cars…they’re both still running” Andrax answered and as Bryn turned to confirm that both cars were both obviously turned on, he wished he hadn’t.

“Ah…I guess they are” Bryn said before reaching down and picking Andrax up and proceeded to put him on his shoulder before walking towards the four-man corvette.

“What…what are you doing?” Andrax said as he tried to struggle from atop Bryn’s shoulder but Bryn never responded to him, instead he turned towards Derraf who was closest to the car.

“pop the trunk” Bryn said and Derraf rushed to comply.

The trunk lid popped open and before Andrax could complain Bryn dropped him into it before slamming it closed, Andrax banged his fists against the inside of the trunk but he was too weak to actually force his way out.

“Alright, here’s the plan” Bryn said and he called the group to surround him.

“You lot will take this car and head towards the next island and call for reinforcements, whilst I take that car and go rescue Cordesh from whatever fate that monster had in store for her” Bryn explained and whilst the group wanted to agree to his words, they all had the same thought which only Mila could put into words.

“Can you do it?” She asked to which Bryn closed his eyes as he thought.

“Honestly… I don’t know” Bryn said and the heads drooped and the hope to see their friend lessened but Bryn wasn’t done.

“However, I do know that if I don’t even try, then she is all but guaranteed to die” Bryn said before placing his hand on her shoulder as he walked past her towards the faux Pontiac.

“Good luck” Racie said as she came to the driver side window after Bryn had gotten in before stepping back.

“Thanks, I’ll need it” Bryn responded before putting the pedal to the metal and roaring off into the distance in his modified trans-am.

The group stared and watched him leave for a few seconds before Derraf got them moving, “c’mon, we’ve got to get the guard as soon as we can, every second we waste is a second that may make the difference between us seeing our friends again or not”.

The group loaded up into the car and with a final look to the island they had escaped from, they swore they would bring help as quickly as they could, and nothing and no one was going to get in their way from doing this.

Bryn followed the road back into town, he made great time as no matter how fast he ran, he couldn’t compare to a modified car that had been built to move at high speed.

The town was quiet and the swarm of Dwellers that had been playing hide and seek with him earlier was now gone without a trace, but this was a good thing for Bryn, if he wanted to find Cordesh then he would had start at the place where she disappeared.

Bryn took the car and parked it up outside the garage before deciding to take it into his grimoire as it may come in use later, the space in his ring was limited in its creation but the [Grimoire] was linked to Bryn, so the space within it was incomparable to the ring and would only get bigger as Bryn grew in strength.

Making his way inside the garage Bryn could see the hole to which Andrax had said the true monster had burst through, he even found the mechanical appendages that Cordesh had been using to fix up the cars on the floor.

They was irreparably broken, smashed into several pieces.

Sticking his head through the giant hole in the wall, Bryn could see all the way through the building and into an alley outside, he hated to admit it but Andrax was right, even without him creating another breach for the Dwellers to come through, they would have been in the building within seconds anyway.

“Hopper, you’re up again” Bryn said as he summoned hopper to his side who immediately started to growl after sniffing the air.

Bryn figured the Dwellers scent must have been prominent in the garage after the attack.

“Hopper, can you smell Cordesh on this?” Bryn asked hopefully as he directed his partner to the broken equipment Cordesh wore when she was taken.

Hopper moved to the equipment before taking in her scent, once he had it, he looked towards the hole, it was the direction in which she was taken.

Bryn noticed this and moved towards the hole before turning back to Hopper, “Track her down hopper, tracker her down” Bryn said and Hopper took off at a sprint.

The two ran out of the garage and continued running through the town, sometimes Hopper would stop when the scent grew weak or when their path bent in another directions, but he never lost the trail and they quickly reached both the center and edge of town.

Hopper moved to follow the trail but Bryn was forced to stop atop the beach, Cordesh scent went into the water and whilst Hopper could easily follow, Bryn could not.

It was the dead of night and Bryn had little to no chance in fending off a single dweller if it decided to attack him whilst he was in the ocean, knowing his luck they could breathe in water whilst he most certainly could not, never mind the fact that the last time he had fought in water had not been a pleasant experience and it was something he was not eager to repeat.

Cordesh’s scent went out into open water so if he was going to go through with his plan to rescue her then he needed to follow it, but as Bryn looked across the ocean, he noticed several small flickers of light, it was only then that he noticed that the scent did not lead into open water, but to a land mass just off the coast.

There was a small island nestled within the cove of Tibali, if the rest of the group was still with him then they could have told him that it was uninhabited and for the most part left alone, only occasionally used by the rich when they were throwing one of their infamous parties filled with sadism and debauchery, but on a night like they had that night, there was no reason for anybody to carry on partying there.

The fact that there were people over there was most certainly suspicious.

After a quick look around Bryn managed to find what looked like a canoe resting upon a metal rack, it was similar to the ones that those that did it as a hobby back on earth had.

With a means to carry on his search, Bryn followed hopper across the sea as it continued to track Cordesh’s scent deep into the black of night.

Bryn rowed quickly but quietly across the water as he followed behind Hopper but it didn’t take a genius to realize that Hopper was heading them in the same direction as where he had seen the flicker of torch light.

As they got closer Bryn called for Hopper to break off his pursuit and head towards an area of the beach that still remained covered by the curtain of night, he would prefer it if whoever was camped out on the beach did not know that he was coming to crash the party.

Bryn landed on the beach and quickly hid his canoe within the undergrowth that was nearby before heading towards the light. Upon reaching it, he was shocked by what he saw.

Dozens of cages held hundreds of Nakesha that were bloody and beaten, Bryn could hear the soft moaning and cries of both the old and young as they nursed their broken bodies whilst Dwellers climbed and crawled all throughout the encampment, however, Bryn found something that he had not expected, he found a minority of the Nakesha walking ‘to and fro’ unmolested by the malicious monsters. Unlike the people within the cages, this group of Nakesha wore strange garments that separated them from rest, they were almost ceremonial in nature, almost religious if not cultist.

Bryn wondered how they had all gotten to the island when he saw dozens of boats moored on the beach, but it was as he was looking towards these boats did he saw the thing that Andrax had described, the true monster that plagued this village rise out on the water.

It rose from the beneath the waves of the sea like it was coming from its own domain, with each step and sway of its body could Bryn feel the power oozing off of it. Whatever this new monster was, it was powerful. It was ‘Heads and Tails’ beyond the Dwellers and as Bryn watched it grow closer, he understood why.

The Dwellers bowed their heads as it passed by like a knight would kneel before his King, they served it.

Bryn remembered the description he had read when he identified the dead Dweller on the road in town and his face paled in fright at the thought that the being in front of him may be the old god, Dagon, but as the monster drew closer it began to shrink in size, its scales withdrew whilst its color changed until in its place stood a common Nakesha.

Only when the monster had finished turning back into the a Nakesha did a few of the other Nakesha that wore the ceremonial robes came towards him, awaiting for their leader’s orders.

“By the time I had caught up those children had already made it to the bridge, no doubt they will inform the guard, they will be here by morning” the newly transformed Nakesha said as he walked past the others that followed behind him as if they already knew their place.

“Then what do we do now?” One of them asked with only a modicum of concern in his voice for the threat that the guard offered them.

“It matters not, we have more than enough to open the gate so our god can return to his rightful home, we begin the ritual now” He said as he spat upon one of the Nakesha that looked up at him with fear in their eyes from within their cage.

“Load these arrogant fools up and ship them off to the gate when they are ready, let them see what their years of hoarding the worlds riches has bought them, let them witness as our god descends and the balance of power of shifts with their own eyes, let them watch as there blood opens the gate that will see the world reborn” The leader said before heading towards a path that led further into the island.

“THE END OF SKADI HAS COME, OUR GOD DESCENDS NOW!” He shouted and all the cultist in the camp cheered whilst the Dwellers roared in delight.

Suddenly the camp rushed into motion as several of the cultist followed their leader down the dark forest path whilst others began to load up the first of many cages to be moved deeper into the island.

Several minutes past but eventually the numbers in the camp grew limited and those that remained were forced to wait for the others to come back or risk leaving they quarry unguarded as they transported the rest.

Bryn had not been idle within this time, he had been scouting the camp, the enemy’s numbers and he had even found someone that may be able to tell he what the hell was going on.

He was a Nakesha, but unlike the rest of the people in the cages who wore what may have once been expensive clothing, he wore a common but bloody uniform, and seeing this Bryn was willing to bet that he belonged to the Guard that both Cordesh and the monster had both mentioned.

Sneaking his was into camp through the forest that surrounded it, Bryn managed to go unnoticed until he arrived behind the guard’s cage, it was there that he spoke quietly to the man.

“Keep calm and stay quiet” Bryn said whilst the guard initially jumped in fright, he was quick to hide his reaction and calm himself.

“Who are you, no, what are you?” he asked as Bryn was obviously not Nakesha.

“My name is Bryn and I am a summoned Hero from Earth” Bryn said and the relief and joy the guard felt upon hearing his words was visible upon his face.

“Thank Skadi, I feared that no help was coming for us but as if the prove me otherwise, none other than a being acting upon the goddess’s will herself appears before me” the guard responded joyfully, he tried to hide it from the watchful eyes but the hope that had been reignited within him was hard to put out.

“Shhh, calm yourself, I’ll do what I can to help you all but I need information, first, have you seen a girl, she was probably the last person these monsters brought in as she was only captured within the last hour?” Bryn asked and the guard was quick to respond.

“The Big one brought a girl in not too long ago but she’s not here anymore, he sent her further into the island with a group that was already being moved before heading out to hunt again” He replied quickly and whilst his words weren’t what he wanted to hear, Bryn was at least happy that he had found out where she was.

“Good, Now tell me, are you a member of the ‘Guard’? what is going on here? Who are those people and how is that man able to turn himself into that monster?” Bryn rapidly asked and the guard was only too willing to answer.

“Sorry, the name is Rolste Sturwike and I am a part of the local guards, as for what happened here, well, we got fucked, completely and utterly…Fucked!” Rolste said as he thought back to what happened to him and the rest of the people that were locked up.

“Those guys in the fancy robes, before today were just normal people, I worked with at least four of them as a part of the guards, as for the rest of them, I recognize a few in passing, a mechanic, a shop assistant, a lifeguard, they were just normal everyday people, at least until today, then everything changed, they just suddenly snapped and attacked everyone around them, they wielded powers that I have never seen before and with the help of those smaller monsters we were caught completely off-guard, it was only too late that we realized that they were a part of the ‘Sea Gods army’”

“The ‘Sea Gods army’? Who are they?” Bryn asked.

“They’re fanatics, Terrorist that believe the rich have too much power and have been hording all of this world’s resources for themselves, they believe that those who rule have been in power for too long and the status quo needs to be broken, they believe this applies to both people and our gods”

“In our history it is written that this world was once ruled by another god, the god of the sea and all that dwells within it, Dagon, being a god of the sea, he saw those that walked upon the land as ‘loathsome’, upon his will the sea rose and the land sank at his command, dooming all that lived atop it to become food for those that served at his behest, including our ancestors”

“Noticing our plight, the goddess of winter Skadi froze the seas and created massive lands of ice for us to live on whilst preventing Dagon from swallowing up the little land that remained”

“Dagon took her actions as an afront to his power and attacked her as she protected our people, the two gods fought and the world shook as they battled for seven days and seven nights, until finally, with her bow, Skadi Struck down Dagon and banished him from this world, but it had been passed down by our ancestors that Dagon awaits in his realm for the opportunity to return and reclaim what was his, an opportunity that the ‘Seas Gods Army’ is trying to grant”

“I thought that it was all just religious superstition but after what happened today…the powers they wielded, maybe it was true, maybe Dagon really is just biding his time and waiting for the opportunity to return, maybe this really is the end” Rolste said as he spiraled but Bryn was quick to pull him from his stupor.

“Hey, they haven’t succeeded yet and I’ve already gotten word to the Guard, they’ll be here by morning so all we need to do is buy the time they need to arrive for them… and you can help me with that” Bryn said as he locked his eyes onto Rolste.

“Me? How can I help?” Rolste said at first in confusion before firming his will to do whatever Bryn needed him to do, these were his people, his charges, and it was his duty to protect them and he would die before abandoning his Duty.

“I need you to get these people out of here” Bryn said and whilst Rolste agreed with what they had to do; they weren’t in the best position to do it.

“What about those monsters?” Rolste asked, referring both to the dwellers and the members of the sea god’s army as after witnessing the powers they now possessed, he no longer considered them a part of the same race.

“Leave them to me” Bryn said before merging back into the shadows as he went to ambush the enemies that remained.

Bryn circled the camp, making sure to keep out of sight and unnoticed until he came behind the two members of the sea god’s army that remained behind to direct the dwellers and prepare the next batch of Nakesha sacrifices to be sent inland.

It was as they were directing two dwellers that were pulling a cage whilst being attached to a harness that Bryn made his move.

*Whistle*

Bryn Whistled from behind the two Nakesha and drew their attention before ending their lives with two quick pops of his enchanted magnum before aiming at one of the charging Dwellers that were patrolling the camp, ignoring the two dwellers that were charging from the cage next to him.

*Bang*

Bryn missed his first shot, *Bang*, But his second shot rang true and blew a hole cleanly into the Dwellers brain, Bryn turned just in time to see as the two closest dwellers were just about to tear into his flesh with their outstretched claws.

“Fools” Was all Bryn said as the Line attached to their harness snapped tight and slapped them back to cage with a vengeance.

Quick to take advantage of a dazed opponent, Bryn put a further two holes into the Dwellers heads before scouting out the camp to ensure he had gotten them all.

When he had circled the camp earlier, he had been sure to scout it out and count the number of enemies he would have to face, the number was the same as those that he had killed but he just wanted to make sure that he didn’t make a mistake, the ones that had gone inland could have already came back during his talking with the Guard and he wanted to make sure that nothing was going to jump out of the dark and bite him in the arse.

Confirming that every enemy had been dealt with Bryn went about breaking the locks off the cages through the use of [Reapers Touch] before joining back up with the Limping Rolste, his leg was hastily bandage but there was no doubt in his mind that if it come to a fight, then the injured guard would be useless and at this moment of time, the longer they all stayed free, the safer he was, because no matter how big that monster was from earlier, it wasn’t a god, it wasn’t Dagon.

As long as he wasn’t allowed to descend then there was a chance that they could make it through this.

“Here, take this” Bryn said as he handed Rolste his enchanted magnum much to the man’s surprise.

“Don’t you need it?” Rolste asked, although he felt a lot safer with it in his hand, he knew that with what Bryn was walking into he would need every advantage he had to get through it.

“What I need is for all of you to get the hell out of here, as for the monsters that left with the big guy, I’ve got a plan for them and as for the big guy, well let’s say I think this thing is going to be of more use to you that it will be to me, I’m just going to get the girl and get out, simple as” Bryn said with a bit of a self-depreciating laugh.

“Thank you” Rolste said as he admired the magnum but it was in way that Bryn was slightly worried over.

“Hey, this is a loner, I want my gun back when this is all over” Bryn said half seriously to which Rolste joked by holding it closely within his embrace.

“Can I keep it if you die then?” he asked with a smile on his face to which Bryn held up his fist.

With the mood lightened Rolste gave a thankful nod before speaking, “Thank you…for everything”.

“Don’t worry about it and get out of here, just remember to leave a few boats for me and anyone else I’m able to get out of there” Bryn said before turning around and taking off down the path he had watched the leader go down earlier.

Rolste and the freed Nakesha stayed on the beach for only a second before casting off, they didn’t want to stay on the island a second longer than they had to and they knew that although they had escaped, they weren’t out of danger just yet.

From what they had overheard, they knew that for the ritual to be a success and their god to descend, then all of them had to be sacrificed.

As soon as they realized they were gone, they would be coming after them.

The path twisted and turned like the serpentine body of a snake through the forest, the only light to see by was that of the stars above and the warm flicker offered by the torches placed sporadically throughout the path.

Bryn followed the path but he did not use it, he didn’t know if there was anything else watching the path like he was from within the trees.

It may have made the journey quicker if he had used the path, but Bryn had no doubt that if he was seen by a dweller or a member of the army, then he had no doubt that the ensuing fight would have every monster on the island hunting him down.

Bryn slowed his pace as he passed through the trees when he began to hear the ocean again, only unlike before it was not the calm tide gently washing up against the shore, but the violent thunder like rumbling of towering waves crashing upon the rocks below.

Bryn looked out from his spot in the undergrowth and saw where the path had led him, and he was not amused.

It only took a second for Bryn to find Cordesh as she was with the rest of the captured Nakesha, unfortunately they were in the worst location possible.

The path had led to a clearing a top a cliff where the sea roiled a hundred foot below, Dwellers encircled the entire clearing whilst the cultist of the sea god’s army stood a head of them and next to where Cordesh and the rest of the Nakesha were, and Bryn didn’t have to wait there long to find out the reason for their positioning.

Two of the cultists grabbed one of the bound Nakesha and dragged him with his feet trailing behind them to where their Boss awaited.

For a monster that was as imposing and powerful as the big guy, there was a solemness to him as he lifted the bound Nakesha and held him Infront of both him and the glowing tear in space which edges pulsed with a bloody light just beyond the reach of the cliffs edge.

The Boss easily held the bound Nakesha aloft with a single hand whilst he began to ritualistically chant to the tear with words Bryn did not understand.

The Boss rose his free hand into the air before some type of crab-leg like spike shot out of his forearm.

With a quick slice the bound Nakesha’s throat was torn asunder, his lifeblood spurted out but against every rule of nature, the flowing blood did not fall to the earth below but like a river flowed into and became a part of the tear’s bloody light.

When the river of blood finally stopped and the Nakesha was bled dry, the Boss monster tossed him to the side like a used towel.

The drained Nakesha’s body fell onto the rocks below, joining the rest of the already discarded Nakesha whose fate now was either to be swallowed by the sea, or become the host to a deep-sea spirit and become that which had doomed them in the first place, a Dweller.

“What did I just watch?” Bryn asked himself silently as he continued to watch as the cultist brought another Nakesha forward to be sacrificed.

‘[Identify]’

Emissary of Dagon (Gurak Jahir)

Race: Nakesha

Age: 29

Spatial Tear

A breach in the fabric of reality, created by a being of immense power.

Currently, due to the size of the breach only low tier beings can pass through.

To allow passage for higher tier beings this breach must be enlarged and stabilised from both sides.

Warning: Breach is under the effects of a Blood ritual, every time a sacrifice is made, the ritual will become stronger, with each sacrifice the breach is further opened and stabilised.

The only thought Bryn had upon reading this was that, ‘this isn’t good’.

The Breach was already open, Gurak and the Sea Gods army were just expanding it so their god could fit through it.

As for how many people they needed to sacrifice to achieve this, he didn’t know, but from the pile of bodies that still lay below the cliff and the number of Dwellers he had come across, he had no doubt that they were near.

Bryn needed to get Cordesh and get out of there, NOW!

Bryn turned to hopper who was laying on his belly by his side and gently stroked the back of his neck.

“Okay boy, it’s time to put our little plan into motion” Bryn said as he looked out across clearing, “I want you to get their attention and then run, head to the ocean and buy me the time to get Cordesh out of there, okay” Bryn asked and Hopped licked his hand.

“Good boy, but remember, I want you to keep their attention but if you’re in danger, leave, I’ll manage with whatever time you can buy me, understood” Bryn said affirmatively and thanks to [Zealot’s heart], no matter what Hoppers will or intention was, he had no choice but to follow Bryn’s orders.

Hopper moved into the forest and Bryn quickly lost him in the underbrush, He only spotted him when he was on the other side of the clearing when he was about to act.

Suddenly a beam of light shot out of the forest and hit three of the Dwellers as it struck across horizon, Hopper quickly jumped out after firing off the [Ice Beam] and growled threateningly at those that stood on the clearing, The Dwellers were immediately enraged by Hopper but the cultist were merely annoyed that a wild beasts dared to interrupt their divine ritual, never in a million years did they suspect that it was a Hero’s companion that was drawing their attention as they did not know of Bryn’s existence, and the Guard did not tame beasts to be a part of their military tactics.

Gurak disposed of the current sacrifice and turned his head slightly, as if anymore would be giving the stray beast too much of his attention, “Deal with the pest” was all he said and the Dwellers cried out as they began to pursue this upstart on mass.

Hopper yelped in fright at the sight of the charging mass of monsters before turning and running with all its might, of course this was just an act, the mind of a mana beasts that had been trained by a tamer was truly amazing.

Bryn didn’t act immediately, instead, he waited, he needed for Hopper to draw the horde of monsters far enough away that any action that he got into was not heard by them, that they weren’t immediately drawn back by his ‘delicate’ rescue.

After a couple of minutes had past, the time to act was ripe.

[Ethereal chain]

Bryn cast his skill and rushed out of the underbrush with his chains in hand.

Hid footsteps were silent and his movement was swift.

Just as the first of the cultist turned their heads towards him, he was already on them.

With a slash Bryn took the cultists head and within two steps he was on the other.

“INTRU….” The seconds Cultist tried to call out but he was cut off before he could finish, but it was enough, all the cultist and even Gurak, emissary of Dagon, turned towards him.

“KILL HIM!” Gurak roared to the rest of the sea god’s army and they charged Bryn without an ounce of fear or doubt.

Bryn may have just killed two of their companions, but they were a group that had the intention to change the world, they knew from the beginning that to achieves their goals, they were going to have to shed their own blood.

They were ready, waiting and willing to die to achieve their goal!

Bryn slashed out with his chains but this time they were ready and waiting for him, [Aqua shields] rose up in front of the closest targets whilst the second layer of members to arrive hid behind their compatriots and unloaded their barrage.

[Water bullets] fired from their palms and whilst they were fast and heavy, Bryn had little fear of them as he dodges one after the other, that fear quickly returned with vengeance when he noticed the ground corrode where the water bullets hit.

“Damn!” Bryn said as he closed the distance between him and the group, the hope that they would lay off the [Water Bullets] if he forced them into a crossfire with their own allies. Bryn was quick to find out that he had underestimated their determination, even if their shots were guaranteed to hit one of their allies, they did not hesitate for even a second.

Whilst Bryn had his high tier body to rely on, they did not and soon the cries of people whose skin was melting echoed around the clearing.

Even when their internal organs flowed out onto the floor, some of the unlucky ones still lived, only the lucky ones who were hit in the head or heart were given the mercy of dying almost instantly, even then, they still had to suffer for a number of seconds.

The fight had only been going on for just over a minute and whilst the number of cultists was dropping quickly thanks to both their own action and Bryn’s, he knew that it would not last and that as soon as Gurak got involved in the fight, then everything was practically over.

There were only a few of the cultist left and they were all focused on him now, it was the time to act!

Bryn slashed his ethereal chain against one of the cultists [Aqua shields] and unlike before, both the cultist and Bryn were surprised to see the chain shatter and his skill disperse.

The cultist saw this as an opportunity, that Bryn was both tiring and weakening.

They thought that this was their time to act, to end this fight!

They charged at Bryn and used all their skills in their repertoire to take him down but it was not enough, Bryn’s [Skill] may have been disrupted but he was not defenseless!

By this point in his academy life, he had become a walking armory!

Bryn drew one of his long knives and slashed the chest of the cultist when he got close before throwing it at another that was charging from behind. Unluckily the knife throw was wide and the cultist was able to continue his charge.

The cultist slashed at Bryn with a sword formed of water but whilst the [Skill] required a high degree of magical skill to create it, he did not have the martial skill to wield it.

Bryn moved past the cultist like he had all of his life and in a single motion retracted his [ethereal chain] and separated the cultists head from his neck whilst conjuring another to shoot into the chest of another that had continued their charge as Bryn continued to turn around the first.

Both bodies fell before they even realized what had happened.

Bryn gave a quick count.

Five left.

Strike that, seven, the two cultist that had been passing the bound Nakesha to Gurak had come over to join the fight when they noticed it was going bad.

From the way the water swirled around their hands it appeared that they were weren’t the standard grunts of the group, but the elite.

They weren’t moving the bound Nakesha because they were at the bottom of the totem pole, but because they were at the top, it was their honor to help the emissary during the ritual and be a part of their gods descent.

The fight slowed down as the seven moved into position, they were trying to surround Bryn but he wasn’t making it easy on them, Bryn kept on moving away from them, he was drawing them away from the bound Nakesha to ensure that none of the cultists reckless attack took them out accidentally like it had their own.

After having moved as far as he could, Bryn waited for the attack to begin.

He didn’t have to wait long.

The two elites made their move as soon as they were ready, and it was a move that made Bryn happy that he had pulled them as far away from the bound Nakesha as he could.

[Aqua Wave]

[Corrosive Rain]

One of the elites gather a ball of water into their hands before firing into the air whilst the other did the same, only to the floor.

The Ball of water that shot into the air suddenly exploded after it reached a certain height, only the ball never dispersed and instead sent a continuous wave of water falling to the ground below!

On the other side, the Water that had been shot out across the floor moved on its own and began to pursue Bryn like a dog with a bone, it slid across the floor whilst trying to envelope Bryn within its corrosive grasp.

AOE Skill

Homing Skill

These skills were far beyond what the other members of the Sea Gods Army had access to and to be honest, Bryn didn’t know how long he could last against them.

With no choice Bryn put his hood up whilst calling out the Reapers mask.

The rain was useless against his mask but the cloth armor school uniform he wore was another story, it was only a matter of time until the corrosive water got through it, he was now on a time limit, it was time to get serious.

Bryn’s main target was the rain maker, the only problem was that to get to them he needed to avoid the homing wave that continuously pursued him and the five cultist grunts that couldn’t enter the AOE of the rain so were taking pot shots with [Water Bullet] from the outside, and finally the last elite who by the looks of it was cooking up another wave.

It wasn’t going to be easy, but that didn’t mean he was going to give up, he just needed to pick which target to go after first, as once one domino fell, so would the rest of the dominoes fall.

As for which target he had in mind, surprisingly, Bryn chose the easiest one to kill, which so happened to be…the elite!

Bryn had chosen to go after the cultist that had the power to create the several foot high waves made of corrosive water that had the ability to hunt him down and erase him in to nothingness, and best of all, it was going to be easy.

Bryn moved from where he stood and put five cultists directly behind whilst charging the wave head on, it was high but not so high that he could not jump over it in a single bound.

He had reached the second floor gutter whilst jumping when he was still in high school, it was a skill that had only grown since he joined the academy and gained access to mana.

Bryn cleared the wave and landed safely on the other side but the wave was not happy about this and as if it was overcome in rage, the water roiled and crashed in on itself as it turned on it tracks to chase him down, it only took an instant before it was back on his tail, but Bryn hadn’t jumped over the wave in the hopes that it wouldn’t be able to follow him, he had been counting on that fact.

*sploosh*

*sploosh*

Sploosh*

Even from where he stood, Bryn could hear the Cultist [Water Bullets] colliding into the back of the [Aqua wave] and being harmlessly enveloped.

Bryn had jumped over the [Aqua Wave] to turn what was once his enemy’s offence, into his defense.

With the path clear, Bryn charged the elite must to their distress.

Quickly, they wove their spell and urged they’re magic to ignite until finally they actions had borne fruit, another [Aqua Wave] shot out from the palm of his hands and tripled in size within moments to block Bryn way.

The elite thought for a second that they had done it, they had trapped Bryn, that it was only a matter of time before he was caught in-betweens the two waves and corroded into nothingness.

Oh, how wrong they were.

“[Ice Beam]”

Two beams of light shot out of both of Bryn’s palms and collided heavily atop the waves, the effect was immediate and within moments complete.

The waves were frozen solid!

The elite stood there, gob smacked, he couldn’t believe what he had just saw, but as noticed the blurred shadow on the other side of the ice draw back his arm, he knew that what had happened was reality.

Bryn punched the frozen wave and shards of ice shot out the other side and severely injured the elite as it collapsed.

Bryn took his time as the five cultist grunts couldn’t enter the AOE of the rain so they had to circle the perimeter to get an angle to attack, and whilst the rain did wear away his armor, he still had time before it was gone.

Walking over to the elite Bryn didn’t know what he was expecting to see, but he didn’t expect the elite to hold up his hand and beg for his life.

“No…please…stop…please”

Bryn couldn’t believe it, a man that had heartlessly led so many to their deaths in the past few hours was actually begging for his life at the end.

“…Do you understand how pathetic those words are coming from someone that has caused the deaths of so many”

Bryn stomped on his head; it was the only response he dignified to give the man before turning to the last elite.

She started at him with a look of concern in her eyes, but before that, there was an undying will, she was not afraid to die for she knew that he would die this day.

For no one in this world could match his emissary’s might.

“Come pawn, and face the might of the Sea Gods army” She called out to Bryn who was only two happy to comply, but not yet.

“I’ll come when I’m ready” Bryn replied before picking up several shards of the frozen wave under the confused gaze of the elite.

She couldn’t understand what he was doing but as soon as the five cultists outside the AOE of her [Corrosive Rain] came into view, she knew what he intended to do.

Bryn charged the five cultist and they acted in response, they fired their [Water bullets] at him and for the ones that he could not dodge, he used the Ice shards to blow them up before they could hit him.

Their fate was sealed the moment that he had covered the ground between them, they were akin to the pottery after a bull had entered a china shop.

Bryn drew close and they immediately erected their [Aqua Shields] but they were static and immobile, they could not keep up with his agility and if anything, only got in their own way.

As soon as Bryn had passed the first shield, he ducked low and sliced deep before moving onto the next cultist with the [mana bolt] he already had prepared, the solid shot the cultist received to his chest was enough to knock him off his feet whilst Bryn tracked down the other three had gotten too.

They had been quick on their feet and tried to put distance between them again, two had drawn themselves further away from the elites AOE whilst the other had willingly entered within its area of effect.

He may have hoped that the elite could have been his saving grace, but instead her skill was his damnation.

His face melted within seconds before his limp body dropped over dead.

Bryn gave the dead cultist a quick inspection before focusing on the two that continued to flee.

First, he would get them and then he would go back for the elite who was trying to move her AOE to incorporate the new battle ground, the rainfall was slow moving but it was moving.

It was only a matter of time until he was back within its area of effect, if he was going to get rid of the pests, then he needed to act now.

*BANG*

Unfortunately, he wasn’t the only one that had thought like this.

“You stopped delivering the sacrifices” Gurak said as he looked towards the elite with his arm outstretch, a trail of destruction spread out before it where Bryn had torn up the grounds after being heavily smashed into the floor and back within the Elites AOE.

The elite looked like a deer in headlights as Gurak spoke to her, “I profusely apologies your eminence, I will begin delivering the sacrifices to you again immediately” She said whilst dropping down to her knee and holding her closed fists out in front of her.

Gurak heard this and let out a soft growl.

“…and which sacrifices would that be?” He asked and the elite immediately turned to where the bound Nakesha had been only to see they were all gone, all that was left in their place was the cut binding they had used to secure them.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

‘When had they escaped!” she couldn’t but help scream in her mind as she thought over what had happened since Bryn showed up in the clearing and even then, she didn’t notice anything askew, he had made no attempt to free them since he began the fight, and the truth of the matter was that he hadn’t moved to save them, but he had given them the tools to save themselves.

It was when his chain had broken and he had lost the ‘advantage’ in the eyes of the cultist that he had moved, the truth of the matter was that he had never lost the advantage, he had given it up.

It was a misdirection.

He needed them to focus on him so that the bound Nakesha could use the Knife he had ‘mis-thrown’ to free themselves from their bindings.

He knew he could trust Cordesh to at least get herself out of there if not the rest of them as soon as the knife landed next to her.

“Took you long enough to notice” Bryn said weakly as he picked himself up off the floor, his last [Emergency stim] blown to his side.

Bryn could still feel it at work, putting his bones back in place and stitching his body back together.

If he learnt anything from taking the monsters hit, it would be this.

Don’t get hit a second time! Because if he did, then he would not be getting back up, he had lost his extra life as soon as he had used the last [Emergency stim].

Gurak turned and faced the cultist that he had just saved and they wilted upon his glare “Find them!” he commanded and they rushed off into the forest to retrieve their fleeing kinsmen.

Now, the only people on the clearing were Gurak, the rain maker elite and Bryn.

Gurak walked into the pouring rain and his body morphed back into that of a Nakesha.

Up close, Bryn could see that whilst he shared the traits of his kinsmen, he had no defining features like Andrax or Derraf, he was not overtly big or handsome, he was just…average.

“You are not one of my people, so, you must be here under the power of Skadi, a Summoned ‘Hero’” Gurak spoke almost as much to himself as he did to Bryn.

“So, I ask you this, why do you fight against me? Is our cause not just?”

“Those people, no, those monsters that you freed do not deserve your aide, for years they had plundered this world of its resources, lived the life of luxury and decadence whilst standing upon the backs of my people!”

“They profit whilst my people starve! They play in the heat of the sun whilst my people succumb to the cold of the frost mines! They fuck and frolic under the smile of Skadi whilst the rest of us toil day in and day out until our feet bleed and our children cry out to see our faces!” Gurak asked with a deep pain within his voice.

“I ask you, ‘HERO’ WHO HAS BEEN SUMMONED FROM THE OTHERSIDE OF THE UNIVERSE, WHY HAVE YOU COME TO SAVE THEM AND WHEN YOU DID NOT COME TO SAVE US!” Gurak roared at Bryn, his body half turned with his rage.

Bryn listened and waited, he looked to the sky and the rain that still fell before readjusting the hood that was starting to give in to the rain’s corrosive prowess.

“Honestly…” Bryn answered and both the Elite and Gurak hung on his every word, eager to hear his answer. “…It was just luck”.

“Luck?” Gurak mirrored, almost disbelievingly.

“Yeah…Luck, See, I was given the choice of three missions to choose from, each of them just as dire as the other, there was only a single difference between them, and do you know what that was?” Bryn asked and Gurak gave a predatory smile.

“Tell me!” Gurak said with a barely contained rage building from within.

Bryn smiled, “It was the time limit, as you may know the gods are not all powerful, they may exist outside of time and space, but they are still subject to its laws, and the laws demanded that aide could only be given to these people, on this world, for a further one hour and twenty-seven minutes” Bryn said and waited as he let is words sink in.

“No matter how you look at it, whether it was their good luck or, hah, your bad luck, the coincidence that led to me being here is funny as fuck” Bryn let out a despairing chuckle whilst Gurak glared as his eyes changed to their glowing counterpart.

“But I’ll tell you this, now that I’m here and have seen and understood what is going on, I’ll say this” Bryn suddenly stopped laughing and spoke in a serious tone. “There are rich people everywhere and whilst the majority of them are twats that abuse their power, that is no damn reason to summon a world ending god and kill everyone you imbecilic stooge! I’m not going to tell you I know what you should have done if this world is as bad as what you say it is, but I know that no real change can be done unless the people want it, and by the number of Dwellers that you have turned, it is apparent that they don’t want what you want!” Bryn finished and Gurak had heard enough, he had his answer, now it was time for Bryn to die.

“KILL HIM!” Gurak roared as he morphed into the form of the emissary, Gurak rushed at Bryn with heavy steps, each one sending a ring of water spraying into the air as he passed.

The Elite was not idle either, she may have been satisfied with depending on her [Corrosive rain] when it was just her and her partner fighting Bryn, but now that the emissary had joined the battle, she knew that she couldn’t hold anything back now and summoned into existence two [water whips] that enveloped her arms and waited for an opportunity to use them.

Gurak rushed Bryn’s position but Bryn was not one to be idle but his options were limited, the sheer power within Gurak’s grasp wasn’t something that he could face head on as the monster had previously proven, with no choice Bryn tried back-peddled to try and keep some distance between the two of them but Gurak was too quick.

Within moments he was within striking distance!

Gurak tightened his fists and struck down at Bryn from above like a hammer from the gods.

Bryn was barely able to move out of the way as he jumped backwards at the last moment, but even then, he hadn’t been able to escape without harm, the sheer strength that Gurak attacked him with had sent the earth exploding upon impact.

Chunks of earth and stone were shot out as the ground rippled and imploded upon impact, Bryn was peppered by little bolts of stone and knocked away by a shockwave that erupted from his blow.

Bryn covered his eyes from the blast as he sailed across the ground, his skin nigh on burnt from the force of the air as it hit him.

The fear that he felt over Gurak’s strength had been proved rational, the strength and power that that Gurak wielded within his palms was truly monstrous, but Bryn had forgotten, Gurak was not the only one he was facing.

The elites [Water Whip] wrapped around his chest and flung him into the ground when he passed by the elite after being knocked back, the entire attack was as if Gurak had simply tossed Bryn up for the elite to act like an alley-oop in basketball.

Bryn spat out a breath as he was hit into the ground but the elite’s strength was nowhere near the same strength as Gurak’s and he was quickly on his feet and moving away from the two as fast as he could.

With a quick look down he could see the damage; her attack didn’t have much strength behind it compared to Gurak but the corrosiveness of her water had shredded his clothing.

A good pull would be all that it took to rip his jacket to pieces.

He couldn’t face both of them at once, hell, he couldn’t face Gurak by himself but the elite was only making it worse, his cloth armor wasn’t going to last much longer and as soon as it went, the elites [Corrosive rain] was going to turn him into a cheese grater.

He needed to get rid of her now.

Gurak looked up from his impact crater and sneered at the flustered Bryn, he rose step by step from the crater, cracking his knuckles before giving a devilish smile.

“I’ll grind your bones dust to dust and offer your blood to Dagon to drink whilst he feasts on your flesh” Gurak threatened before beginning his attack anew.

Gurak thundered across the ground and punched out with a strike so hard and fast that the air sung as it tore, Bryn slipped to the side of it and staggered by the wind that rushed to follow before doing the same again as he struck out with his other colossal fist.

Again, and again Gurak struck at Bryn but none of his attacks could find purchase on Bryn’s body despite the power and speed behind it! With each strike Gurak raged in anger, ‘HOW DARE THIS ANT GO AGAINST HIM AND HIS GOD!’ he shouted to himself but no matter what he did he could not connect.

“RAAAAAGH” Gurak Roared as he smashed his fist into the ground as he again failed to connect his attack to Bryn, he bared his teeth and let out an animalist growl as he glared at the retreating Bryn.

A glare that only got stronger when he noticed the smile that was starting to form on Bryn’s face.

The fight had only been going on for less than a minute and Bryn had realized something, something that may mean he actually stood a chance.

“You don’t actually know how to fight…do you?” Bryn asked with a knowing smile creeping on to his face, and by Gurak’s reaction, he had guessed right.

For all Gurak’s power and strength, his attacks were wild and without form, they were the attacks of a person that thought they knew how to fight but had never actually trained.

It was then that he realized, “Everything that you have, all of your strength and power…it was given to you, wasn’t it” Bryn said and Gurak roared as he ran in to attack again but this time, Bryn was ready for him.

Gurak’s fist struck out but Bryn was ready to dodge and weave, to slip inside his guard and move beyond Gurak’s range or avoid the big brutes wild flailing as he tried to kick or slash with his monstrous forms’ long claws, but Bryn was too quick to be hit, he was too well trained.

Bryn had been training for years to be a Hero.

Long before he attended the academy or had even spoken to [Aegis] and gained the ability to wield mana, he had been sweating blood and tears as he practiced day in and day out with a sadistic aunt that had no qualms about using a rod to teach him right from wrong.

Although he had not known what his life was going to entail, she did, she knew that the world would eventually come for him and pushed him even harder to prepare him for it, Bryn was always going to be at disadvantage, to be targeted by those that had spent years at being a Hero and wielded powers far beyond his ken.

She could not train him to use powers that he did not yet have, so she taught style and techniques, she beat into his body how to fight against those that were stronger than him or how to act when he was outnumbered.

So, what if this brute was stronger than him, so what if with his every punch the air exploded or how with every step, he sped across the ground like bullet train.

Gurak didn’t control his powers, they controlled him, and whilst this didn’t mean Bryn was out of danger, it meant that he didn’t have to stay as passive as he had been, he could fight back!

Bryn dodged passed Gurak as he struck at where he was before and not where he was now, his speed and power let him close the distance rapidly but he didn’t have the control to make sudden turns or movements, and Bryn was quick to capitulate on this advantage as he drew his long knife and drove it into Gurak’s side.

Alas, his scales were too thick and tough to be pieced by the low tier knife, all it managed to do was scrape and spark as if it was being used to carve metal uselessly.

“Tch” Bryn complained before moving away from Gurak as he stuck wildly at him with a backswing that was all but the useless flailing’s of child in an adult’s body.

*Swish*

It did however put him within range of the elite to strike out with her [Water whip], an act that led to him losing his entire left sleeve of his jacket, the elite needed to go before his cloth armor was entirely gone.

“Stay” Bryn said to the angered brute and aimed his palms at where he stood before firing two cold blue beams of light.

“[Ice Beam]”

The ice beams shot out and struck both the ground and Gurak, rooting him in place and restricting his ability to move.

He had no doubt that with the monstrous power given to him by Dagon that Gurak could escape his ice, but he didn’t want to seal the monster there permanently, he just wanted enough to buy enough time to deal with the elite, and by the frightened look in the elite’s eyes, she knew that is what he was going for as well.

Bryn broke away from the rooted Gurak and headed straight for the panicked elite, she knew he was coming for her and knew that if she didn’t act then she was as good as dead.

With no choice she quickly cut off the power she was using to cast [Corrosive Rain] and immediately used it to turn the [Water whips] that enveloped her arms into another spell as she embraced herself in a what could almost be called a hug.

The water on her arms flowed around her body and rapidly enveloped her until it grew so big and thick that she floated off the ground and was almost treading water within the sphere that protected her.

Bryn slowed to jog before stopped at the edge of the water, he had no doubt that the water still retained the same properties it had when she used to it empower her whips, as for why she was unaffected by its corrosiveness, he didn’t care.

Bryn reached in with his gauntleted arm and grasped a hold of her neck under her uncomprehending gaze and started to squeeze.

The deed was done when the sphere of water collapsed and her limp body dangled within his grasp.

*STOMP*

Bryn Heard Gurak before he could blindside him again like last time and dropped through the elite’s body into the way before moving to the side as Gurak failed to dodge the body time and turned it into pink mist.

“You run and you run, too afraid to face me in a battle, you use ice to stop me but I serve the god of the sea” Gurak said as he posed before Bryn and Absorbed the ice that still remained into his body, “but you have only delayed the inevitable by your actions, I have hundreds more sacrifices ready to be bled for the ritual to proceed, my god will descend this day no matter what you do” Gurak said in an almost guttural voice as he tried to knock Bryn off guard and goad him into facing him directly, but how was he to know that when Bryn heard his response, that was not what Bryn first thought.

Almost mockingly, Bryn looked down on Gurak in contempt as he asked him a simple question, “I’m sorry, are you so stupid that you actually think I came here without already freeing the people you had caged on the beech?” He asked and watched as the light in Gurak’s eyes grew both brighter, and darker in shade.

“I’LL KILL YOU!” Gurak bellowed madly as he once again charged across the cliff top, only this time there was no mock attempt at trying to fight with form, but a pure animalistic rage that come from the blood that had turned him from a Nakesha into what he was now.

Two crab like appendages grew out of his forearms and clawed at the ground with enough force to send a cloud of rock and stone flying towards Bryn who had no choice but to cover his eyes with his arms.

Gurak jumped into the aim and came at him like a meteor but unlike before he didn’t stop with a single strike but clawed out with his arm before grasping at the weaving Bryn with another.

Bryn didn’t know why but he could instantly tell that Gurak was faster than he was at the beginning of the fight, but it was beyond that, he wasn’t just faster, he was more agile, his body flowed more freely whilst his control and ability to fight was improving by the second.

It was as if the angrier he got, the better he fought, but as Bryn grew close to him after a failed attack on his part, he was barely able to dodge as Gurak struck out and tried to bite into his face that he realized that Gurak wasn’t just becoming a better fighter for no reason, there was a cost.

He was losing the ability to have rational thought, he was becoming an animal, no, he was becoming a truly mindless monster.

*BANG*

Finally, it happened, it was bound to at the rate at which Gurak grew in control, Bryn had failed to fully dodge one of his strikes and was clipped by the edge of his claw, but that was all that it took.

Bryn was flung across the cliff top and the rest of his cloth armor was torn from his body but he had no chance to recover, Gurak gave no quarter and chased him down like a starved dog.

Bryn rolled out of the way with nothing but his under-armor to protect him now, but even with that his body was hurt and not afraid to let him know about it.

He couldn’t just be passive, he needed to attack, he needed to end this fight before Gurak learnt how to truly use the power that he had been granted.

“[Reinforcement]”

“[Aura]”

“[Power Fist]”

Bryn used his two go to skills to bring him up to his strongest and rushed in and bypassed Gurak’s attacks until he was within range and struck at his solar plexus.

Bryn planned to wear him down and strike ten times for every one he received, but his plan lay dead in its tracks upon the first hit.

There was no give.

There was not even a reaction.

Bryn’s full power hit meant nothing to Gurak in his current state.

Bryn looked up whilst Gurak looked down, he almost expected him to make some witty comment but the man was no longer there, only a monster.

“RAAAAAAAWWWWRRRRRRR” the Emissary roared in Bryn’s face and grabbed him as he tried to flee.

The emissary squeezed down upon Bryn’s arm and he cried out in pain as his bones were cracked and broken, but the emissary of Dagon was not done.

Like some skit out of a child’s TV show the emissary proceeded to slam Bryn’s body into the ground again and again until finally throwing him towards the edge of the cliff where he barely managed to avoid falling into the sea below.

Bryn huffed and he puffed as he lay on the floor, his eyes were barely open and his mind hardly able to function.

The temptation to give up and fall asleep was great, but he knew that if he gave up now that not only was he dead, but he was dooming this entire world to the machination of a mad god!

Millions, no, Billions could potentially die if Dagon was allowed to descend.

Bryn refused to let that happen.

So, he got up, and the emissary charged.

The world seemed to slow and his breath seemed to elongate as he watched the emissary charge him down, he watched as it drew its thick and powerful arm back to not only hit him, but hit through him!

Bryn could tell, the emissary intended to end the fight there and then.

Bryn watched and waited until the emissary was just a step away and jumped back, falling off the side of the cliff.

The Emissary’s stumbled as his strike missed Bryn whilst his body plummeted through the air but it was only for a second.

[Air Step]

Bryn used the ability of his boots and jumped on the air itself!

He propelled himself over the Emissary and under his uncomprehending eyes, stepped and pushed off the back of his head and sent him stumbling over the edge of the cliff.

The emissary roared in grievance as it fell but there was nothing that it could do, it’s destiny now was to crash and break upon the rocks below.

Dagon had given it the power to rule of those beneath it, but he hadn’t given it the power to fly!

Bryn stumbled and rolled across the floor as he fell before coming to a stop.

His chest rose and fell rapidly.

His entire body ached and cried out in pain.

But the smile that plastered upon his face was unmissable.

He had won.

Appropriately, it was at that moment that the cultist who he had blasted with a [Mana Bolt] earlier in the fight awoke and appeared before him with a [water Bolt] ready and in hand.

Bryn’s body was beaten and bruised, his muscles ached whilst nigh on every bone was cracked or broke.

The only meager response he could manage was curse his luck.

“oh, For fucks sake”

The cultist raised his hand to fire off the [Water Bolt] when his eyes suddenly went wide and fear took purchase upon his face.

The [Water Bolt] in his palm dispersed when he instinctively tried to claw at his back, it was only as he moved that Bryn could see Cordesh with the knife he had given her to escape plunged into the cultists back!

“Argh!” The cultist tried to struggle for a moment but Cordesh pulled the knife out and it was suddenly as if his strings were cut, he fell to floor and never rose again.

“Bryn, Bryn, Are you okay? Bryn!” Cordesh called out repeatedly as she rushed to Bryn’s side but from the look of relief on his face, he could see that he was alright.

“God, I thought you were dead” Cordesh said as she let out a relieved breath, seeing the bad way that Bryn was in she thought that he almost certainly died but was happy to find out that he hadn’t.

“Hah, and I thought that you had left with the rest of them” Bryn said as Cordesh helped him back to his feet, he managed it but she had to support him with her shoulder.

“How could I dare to leave you behind when you came back for me” she asked in a way that belied that she was almost offended that he believed she would do that.

“I suppose you wouldn’t” Bryn replied with a helpless smile before looking towards the rift.

“What do we do now?” Cordesh asked as she saw that Bryn was looking at the rift and not the way out of there.

Bryn was silent for a second.

“The Sea Gods army failed in their ritual but the gate is already open” Bryn said and a look of fright appeared on Cordesh’s face.

“The Gate isn’t strong enough for Dagon to descend but those that serve him can, they will overwhelm this world if we leave it open”

“Can you close it?” Cordesh asked hopefully but she felt as if it was asking too much of Bryn to be able to do this as well.

“I don’t know, I don’t know anything about rifts or gates, or any type of magic that involves this type of thing…” Bryn said and Cordesh hope waned but Bryn was not done, “…but I know that the ritual the Sea Gods Army was trying to perform was to empower it”.

“Taking away someone’s power is something that I can do” Bryn said and broke away from Cordesh and stood before the rift.

Bryn gathered up what little strength he had left and called forth his chains, they rift floated beyond the cliff and he needed them to be able to physically touch it.

[Ethereal Chain]

Bryn summoned his chain and with his only working arm, fired it towards the rift and had it circle around its width twice before drawing it tight.

With a final, deep breath, he called forth the skill that would decide this worlds fate.

“[Reapers Touch]”

The power that Bryn felt flow into him was immediate and overpowering, it was beyond anything and everything he had ever felt before.

Whenever he had used this skill in the past he had felt little to nothing with its use, even when he drained people of their lives he felt barely a trickly of power come back into him, but this, the rift.

It was overflowing in power.

Bryn felt it flow through his body and into his soul realm, he could feel it as it merged and become his own.

Soon after, it began to flow through him!

His bones snapped back into place whilst the cracks healed, his torn muscles were stitched together whilst his open wounds closed in an instant.

His body was healing, no, it was being empowered, it was becoming stronger, he was becoming more than he ever was.

He was….

He was….

It was too much!

The power was overwhelming him.

What was once healing him was now hurting him!

Bryn could feel it throughout his entire body, he was saturated in power and he felt like he was going to blow up at any moment.

His [Ethereal Chain] was glowing with such strength that it hurt his eyes to look at it, and yet the rift looked no different.

He hadn’t made a dent in closing it.

He knew that he needed to stop but it was too late, his chain couldn’t handle the power flowing through it.

Before he could dispel it, IT BLEW!

Bryn was sent flying across the cliff as his chains burst into flecks of light, Cordesh quickly rushed over to see if he was alright but was amazed to find him looking in better shape than he was before.

“What happened?” She asked and by the pained look in Bryn’s face she knew that it wasn’t good.

“I can’t handle the power that thing is giving off, It’s like a power plant…. it’s impossible” Bryn said hopelessly and for whatever reason, when Cordesh saw the look of defeat in his eyes, she got angry.

*Slap*

Bryn help his cheek as it flashed in a subtle pain, he looked to Cordesh in confusion before noticing the reassuring smile, she wore as she moved a few steps away.

“On this night alone, you have not only saved me, my friends and my ex, but hundreds of others, you kill monsters and save the innocent, everything you do is impossible, you are a Hero, you are my Hero” Cordesh said with heartfelt belief in every word she spoke.

*Spurt*

It took Bryn a moment to register what had just happened, the flecks of blood as they landed on his face, the look of confusion on Cordesh’s face, the crab like appendage piercing through her body.

“You think a little fall like that can kill me!” Gurak spoke as his face appeared next to Cordesh’s as she looked down at the appendage piercing through her in shock.

Gurak saw that Bryn too was engrossed in what had happened as his eyes never left Cordesh, so he smiled and turned towards the girl he had stuck, he sniffed her neck before flinging her body carelessly to the side like he had with the used sacrifices earlier.

Cordesh’s body fell powerless atop the cliff before coming to a stop, motionless, limp, dead.

Village of the Damned

Rank: Common

Type: Escort

Local Language: Galactic Standard (English)

A call for help has been made by those in need, a young woman and her friends are trapped by those that have succumbed to the lies of that which dwells beyond the breach.

Pass

Escort the VIP (Cordesh Navi) to safety

Bonus

An additional reward will be given for each additional innocent saved

Fail

VIP (Cordesh Navi) fails to reach safety and Dies

Reward

500 HP

Village of the Damned (Update)

The VIP (Cordesh Navi) has died!

Mission Failed

The popups appeared within his view but Bryn didn’t see them, he could only see Cordesh.

He could only see what Gurak had done to her.

He could only see her death.

What Bryn felt in this moment was something that he had felt before, he had felt it the first time he had used mana.

Only this time was different.

Neither the mask nor the mana he wielded was to blame.

His emotions and desires were his own.

Bryn finally looked away from Cordesh’s body to see Gurak, during the time in which Bryn was distracted he had crossed the distance between them and was bringing his fist down upon Bryn with the intention of having him become a permanent fixture adorning the cliff top.

Bryn raised his hand and caught Gurak’s fist.

His elbow gave a little, but it held.

Under Gurak’s confused glare, Bryn pushed Gurak’s fist back as he rose from the floor and silently drew his own back before laying into Gurak’s oversized jaw.

For the first time, Gurak stumbled back.

“I’LLL KILL….” Gurak tried to curse out and rage but Bryn didn’t care, he was done talking, he was done with this world, he was done with Dagon, he was done with Gurak. He just wanted to kill the bastard now so without giving him anytime to respond, he attacked.

The roles had been reversed, Gurak had regained some of his sanity after having been knocked off the cliff whilst Bryn had now lost his, however it wasn’t as if Bryn was some mindless monster like Gurak had been.

His mind was still there, fully intact and in control, only something else was there with it, empowering It, strengthening it, giving it a single-minded, focused determination.

The determination to rip Gurak apart piece by piece, to eat his flesh and defecate upon his soul.

Bryn dove at the stunned Gurak and attacked him before he could call out what he was going to say, he struck out with his fist and laid into his body with shot after shot, knocking him into the air and stumbling back with each blow, but the strength and resilience that Gurak wielded was not to be underestimated and soon enough he fired off a cannon like blow of his own.

Only unlike before, Bryn was not in the mind to dodge and took the shot head on as if it was some type of penance for failing not only his mission, but Cordesh.

Gurak fist was so large that his strike practically enveloped Bryn’s entire head, the air boomed upon impact but unlike what he expected Bryn was not shot out across the Cliff top like he had been in the past, his feet skidded a few feet as Gurak’s fist physical ploughed him into the ground as it was still connected to Bryn’s face, but as he lifted it to look at wrath he had wrought.

All he saw was Bryn turning his head back to face him and look at him as if he was sucking on something sour whilst his eyelid bled.

The sour look left as Bryn spat a glob of blood onto the floor, a close inspection would reveal a tooth had gone with it.

“…Is that it?” Bryn asked and the fight was on.

Gurak tried to lay another haymaker down on Bryn but he was too quick and agile for the larger of the two.

For every shot that Gurak took, Bryn would strike three of his own.

Gurak was still the more powerful but compared to before, the difference was something that Bryn could overcome with his newfound strength.

His skills would only make this more so.

[Reinforcement]

[Aura]

[Power Shot]

[Ethereal Chain]

Bryn would strike out at Gurak with whatever best suited the moment, sometimes he would condense his power into his right fist and strike out with a [Power Shot] or quickly summon his [Ethereal chains] to rip and tear at Gurak’s scales as he drew close to the monster’s body.

But whilst the attacks and damage that Bryn was inflicting were both stacking and growing, what had happened to Gurak before when he felt himself losing control was happening again.

His movement was getting more animalistic and whilst his mind was becoming more bestial, the crab like appendages that had appeared from his forearms had doubled with two more coming from his back.

The emissary was in full control now and he knew how to use his bodies abilities to the fullest and as if they were spears, he struck out at Bryn with the intention to pierce his skull with every blow.

It was only thanks to Bryn’s singular focus that he was still in the fight but it was about to get worse, two bulges burst through the emissaries lower back and soon enough he had another two appendages to strike at Bryn with, and now the advantage had truly been lost and the wounds on Bryn’s body were quickly gathering.

Within seconds Bryn’s body was practically dyed red with open wounds bleeding profusely throughout his body.

Gurak was too strong.

Even time he hit a bottleneck, he blew past it and achieved a new height of power.

Bryn knew that he was fighting a losing fight.

He needed to stop Gurak or the emissary, whoever was in control at the moment from getting any stronger.

Bryn knew what he needed to do only the means escaped him.

His [Ice Beams] would have been perfect for the job, but the way that Gurak had easily broke free from them earlier in the fight showed how effective they were.

They were made from water and that was his domain, all he needed to do to be free of them was absorb the water into his body.

They simple weren’t powerful enough to have any real effect on the monster!

Wait, Power is the problem?

Bryn’s eyes opened wide as a plan erupted in his mind, he quickly put some distance between him and Gurak before circling the menace to put himself in between Gurak and rift.

He may not be powerful enough to freeze Gurak, but what if he was supercharged by the rift?

“Run little Hero Run, no Matter where you go, you cannot escape what is to come” a voice of such depth that no mortal being could have spoken it came from the body of the emissary and Bryn knew that he was out of time

“[Ice Beam]”

Bryn shot out the Beam of ice and it hit the emissary without him even trying to dodge it, the emissary simple held out his hand and watched as the ice that tried to form upon his scale be absorbed without any true effort upon their part.

“Ice? You think that Ice of such a low tier can affect me, you disappoint me” It said but Bryn had known that this was not enough from the very beginning and turned to face the rift before summoning his chains.

Three chains appeared from around Bryn’s body and he took a hold of them all from within a single palm.

He whipped them out and as they were a part of his will, they struck true and wrapped the rift several times before drawing themselves tight.

Bryn gave the confused monster that stood before him a single glance before calling out his skill.

“[Reapers Touch]”

The skill flared to light and power ran through his chains like they were live power lines.

The power was immense, thrice what he had felt before, it threatened to overcome his grasp, to break his body and chain like it had before but Bryn had no intention of letting it.

He didn’t need the power to come into his body this time, he had already created an outlet for it to discharge through.

He pumped every ounce of power he could syphon out of the rift into his [Ice beam] and the effect was immediate.

The Beam swelled in size whilst its speed soared, what was once a stream was now a river, what was once a bulb was now akin to a lighthouse!

The emissary almost fell as the weight of the beam magnified with its intensity and it had to use all his might and will to suppress and absorb the beams might but it wasn’t enough.

Ice kept being built upon his scales and no matter what he did, he could not stop it.

It enveloped his arm, then his chest, his legs and until finally, with an unwilling yell, it overcome his head, but Bryn wasn’t done, his mind was frayed from controlling the power and all he could think of now was to keep going, to keep on pouring more power into his skill until the world was encased in Ice!

A foolish and impossible dream.

Bryn’s body gave in as his mind failed to control the power, his chains broke and he was flung from within the rifts reach.

Slowly, Bryn recovered from the shock, both the power and Cordesh, but when he did, his thoughts did not go to the monster incased in ice, but were instead plagued by his failure.

Bryn moved his weak body and sat down next to Cordesh’s limp one and pulled her within his grasp.

Bryn moved the ruffled hair from her face, hoping beyond all hope that the system had been wrong, that she was still alive, but as Bryn looked into her dull, empty eyes, he knew she was gone.

He had failed in the worst way possible.

He had let the one he was supposed to save die.

With his head hung in shame, he just sat there with her body in his embrace.

He should have checked on the emissary.

He could have tried to close the rift again.

He could have reasoned that he had saved far more that what one life was worth, but instead he thought about home.

About earth.

There was a cost to failing a mission, especially a Heroes first mission.

The power that a Hero was granted was not freely given, there was a duty attached to them, and if a Hero demonstrated an inability rise to these duties, then [Aegis] and the [Guardian System] would no longer offer support to a Hero until they had proven themselves worthy again.

In other words, until Bryn had covered the cost that the god of this world had paid to summon him, he would not be allowed to return home, but the thought that was getting at him was this.

Did he even want to go home?

They didn’t want him, in fact, they would be happy to see him gone, the only thing that would please them more was if he had died or they got the chance to kill him themselves.

Maybe it was good that he couldn’t return, maybe his life would be better on this world.

.

.

.

Bryn looked at Cordesh’s still figure and couldn’t help but imagine himself in her place, thinking about what would have happened if he was the one to die.

He almost chuckled at the thought.

There would probably be a party, a world-wide one at that, he could picture a few countries even going so far as making it a national holiday.

Nobody would miss him.

Well, maybe a few would.

His aunt definitely would, well, maybe, she was a tough woman after all.

John would, they had been closer than brothers growing up.

Jennifer, maybe once.

Armarni, now he would definitely tell me not to worry about it, to enjoy my holiday off world and just do what I can to get back to get back into the good books.

Alexa would get over it, hell, she would probably say I deserved it for failing to complete my mission, but she would be waiting with a hug for me when I made it back.

“…I want to go home” Bryn said silently to himself but his words resounded within his very being and resonated with something deep inside of him.

It resonated with the mask he wore upon his face and its true body within his soul realm.

As for what this resonation created, a simple pop-up that flashed in the corner of Bryn’s vision.

Skills available to purchase

Bryn wondered why, why now?

Why did this system popup appear now?

All the skill that he had; had been bought from the system shop aboard the Steller-Rose.

Why did he suddenly have new skills available to purchase now when he was in the middle of a mission on some random planet?

The only skill that he had gotten outside of the system was [Reapers Touch].

???????????

Bryn realized what the pop-up meant, what it was telling him was available!

[Reapers touch] (Active) (Tier Two)

Absorb life force (Mana) from any target upon physical contact.

Purchased

Bryn quickly calmed his emotions and jumped into his soul realm and appeared before the reapers masks and laughed as he looked through the number of souls he had reaped and the skills available to purchase from the inheritance he had obtained.

[Reaping Arms] (Item) (Tier Two)

A weapon that possesses an enhanced Cutting ability.

Form: Scythe

Required material:

1 x Femur

1 x Fire source (Tier 1)

1 x Bar of Nether-Steel (Tier 1)

1ltr of Host's Blood

Essence of Host's Soul

Cost:39/5 Souls

Do you wish to purchase?

Yes / No

[Reapers Cloak] (Item) (Tier Two):

A cloak that possesses enhanced stealth and manoeuvrability.

Form: Cloak

Required material:

1 x Shadow Fox Hide (Tier 1)

1 x Defiant Toad Skin (Tier 1)

10m x combining thread (Tier 1)

1ltr of Host's Blood

Essence of Host's Soul

Cost: 39/5 souls

Do you wish to purchase?

Yes / No

[Deaths contract] (Active) (Tier Seven)

Extend the life of a target by using the Host own Mana to power

the Spirit boundary of Host's creation, the targets body is brought back

to true life for as long as the boundary is powered.

Permanent % loss of mana regeneration for as long as contract exists.

Cost: 39/5 Souls

Do you wish to purchase?

Yes / No

[Deaths contract] (Active) (Tier 7)

Skill Purchased

As soon as Bryn had looked through the [Skills] available to be purchased, he knew which one the system was hinting for him to obtain and wasted no time in buying it.

Immediately Bryn was hit with a torrent on information being downloaded straight into his brain, the sheer detail and amount of information that was being forced into his mind was overwhelming!

What he was experiencing this time was nothing compared to when he bought [Skills] from the system, this was on an entirely different level.

Bryn writhed and convulsed on the cliff top as his held his head and tried to hold on for what felt like dear life, but finally, after a few minutes had past, a calm spread across the cliff top.

It was done.

Bryn crawled over to Cordesh and held her within his embrace again.

The [Skill] had told him what he needed to do, what he needed from her for it to work.

The [Skill] usually only worked on those that he had killed himself, if he wanted to use it on anyone else, especially the recently dead, then he needed to take something from them.

Bryn stabbed Cordesh’s corpse with his last knife and took her soul into his Gauntlet by doing so.

From within the [Reapers Gauntlet], the little black space that held all of the souls that he had reaped, he could do what needed to be done.

Nakesha Soul (Cordesh Navi)

Tier One

Soul Rank: red

Potential: Uncommon

Deaths Contact: Compatible

Warning: A permanent loss of mana will be paid until the contract is dissolved.

Current Cost: 30% Mana flow

Do you wish to form a contract?

Yes / No

Bryn pressed yes without any hesitation and his soul realm burned as his mana flooded out of him and through the knife and into Cordesh.

Her chest rose upon contact with the mana as if she was taking her first breath but the skill was not done yet, it hadn’t even started.

From the knife a ripple of power surged throughout her body, turning it into a glowing ember before reverting back to normal, only a tattoo was there now, a tattoo of Bryn’s emblem.

No, her body was beyond normal, it was perfect, her skin flawless.

There was no trace of any injury having ever occurred to her, and that didn’t just mean the stab mark where Gurak had impaled her was gone, she had no scars, no defects of any kind, no childhood injuries or marks from wayward accidents.

She had been rebirthed anew.

“ugh” Cordesh moaned and Bryn pulled the knife out of her chest and that too quickly disappeared with a flash of power.

“What happened?” She asked in confusion as she sat up from Bryn’s lap, her hand unconsciously going to where Gurak had impaled her and she suddenly remembered, she remembered the feeling of being impaled by that monster, she remembered dying.

Cordesh started to panic but Bryn was quick to reach out and stop her before she spiraled out of control.

“You’re alive Cordesh, that’s all that matters for now” Bryn said and made sure she was looking into his eyes as he said it, luckily, that was enough to settle her for the moment.

The two rose from the floor but Bryn stumbled back to a knee when he tried, “What’s wrong?” Cordesh asked as she looked at Bryn’s suddenly exhausted face.

“I…I don’t know, I just suddenly feel so empty” Bryn said as he searched inside of himself to feel what was wrong and quickly found the reason.

He was feeling the cost of bringing Cordesh back to life, to sustain the contract he had to use thirty percent of the total mana his soul generated to empower it, the problem was that the mana seal restricted him to only being able to use thirty one percent of his mana.

He currently only had access to one percent of his power!

“I’m fine” Bryn said as he took Cordesh’s hand and picked himself up, “I’m just getting used to the cost I paid to save you” Bryn explained and a look of guilt crossed Cordesh’s face but Bryn was having none of it.

“Don’t Blame yourself, I saved you as much for my benefit as It was your” He said and used her shoulder to take most of his weight as he directed them towards the still open rift.

The two stood in front of it and just watched it for a moment.

“What do we do now?” Cordesh asked and Bryn separated from her.

“We close it!” Bryn said with finality and moved as close to the gate as he could.

Bryn stood before the rift on his own, he could barely stand, but he had a plan, the fight against the emissary had been inspirational to say the least, he had used the power of the rift to supercharge his [Skills] to win the fight, so why couldn’t he use the power of the rift to close the rift.

To use its own power against it!

Bryn tried to summon an [Ethereal Chain] but the skill failed, it flashed for a second before winking out of existence, he was too weak.

“damn it, c’mon” Bryn cursed and tried again, and again, until finally a weak, barely visible chain was summoned into his palm.

Bryn didn’t know how long the chain he had barely managed to summon was last so he didn’t waste any time and swung the chain with what little energy he had and wrapped it around the rift before it could fade.

“[Reapers Touch]”

Bryn immediately used the [Skill] and just like a switch had been flipped the feeling of powerlessness that he felt was gone, Bryn had tapped into the rift’s power again and it was his to use as he pleased.

“[Ethereal Chain]”

“[Ethereal Chain]”

“[Ethereal Chain]”

Bryn summoned one chain after another and sent them wrapping around the rift to draw more of its power into him, but just as it was about to overload him like it had done previously, he pumped it back through and into the rift.

Half of the chains he summoned sucked the power out of the rift whilst the other pumped it back in, only, he had added his own little flare to it.

“[Mana Root Seal]”

The Rift blared with power and bolts of lightning fired off randomly atop the cliff top and into the sea below, its form began to change and the tear began to ripple as the power that formed it went haywire under Bryn’s influence.

The rift waged war against Bryn in an attempt to resist the effects of the [Mana root Seal] but it was of no use, Bryn strained his muscles as he pulled the chains tight and with each link he took away, the smaller the rift become.

With wide eyes, Cordesh watched from the side as the rift was joined at the center and soon after, closed for good.

Bryn dropped to his knee as his chains winked out of existence, Cordesh came to his side, worried as to whether Bryn had been hurt in the act, but Bryn just waved her off.

“I’m fine Cordesh, great actually, thanks to the rift my body is topped up on the mana I lost earlier” Bryn said and stood back up under his own power, and hearing his response, Cordesh could only let her worry go for now, but they had done it, they had not only survived the night, they had closed the rift and saved everyone!

It was over.

It was finally over!

Even the night was coming to an end and the sun was rising upon the horizon as if to signify an end to all of this.

Alas the world was not that kind, just as the sun was about to come out from being the rainclouds, it was only to be blocked by an eclipse.

*Crack*

The sound of cracking ice resounded across the clifftop and both Bryn and Cordesh could only slowly turn their heads to face the mountain of ice as it split and broke apart.

Stood within its centre was Gurak.

‘Why won’t this guy just die!’ Bryn raged to himself internally but kept quiet in the naïve hope that he wouldn’t notice them, His mana was essentially sealed to one percent and what he stole from the rift would fade in time.

If he was to face off against Gurak now, then he had no chance of winning, he was dead without a doubt.

Gurak turned his head and saw them together, Bryn shielding Cordesh behind his back as if he could do anything to stop him at this moment.

But strangely, Gurak didn’t move, he didn’t attack, he just stood there.

Second’s past and just as Bryn wondered what was going on, he spoke.

“So…The plan failed, the gate is closed” Gurak spoke in the deep, ancient voice that Bryn had earlier during the fight, but it was different from then, it wasn’t so bestial, it wasn’t like anything he had heard from Gurak so far.

“Gurak?” Bryn asked and the monsters eyes flashed.

“Hmm, no, His soul has already gone to join our lord, too weak to resist the raw power you poured into our body, only I remain as I was born from the power that fuels the gate, it affects me not” The emissary said and Bryn couldn’t help but feel fear at every word he spoke.

“…But this Body, it will not last much longer now” It said and Bryn felt like he should be relieved, but for some reason there was an instinct deep inside telling him not to let down his guard, that he was in more danger now than ever before.

“Today…was fun” It said and the first signs that Bryn’s instincts had been right appeared as a glowing crack appeared on its body.

“It’s going to blow” Bryn whispered his guess and looked at Cordesh in fright before taking her within his arms and bolting down the forest path that led to the beach below, the emissary’s words echoing through the forest in the background.

“THIS WORLD MAY LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY, BUT THERE ARE MANY MORE WORLDS OUT THERE RIPE FOR THE TAKING!”

Bryn ran down the forest path, doing everything and anything he could to go quicker including boosting his power with what little mana he had.

“AND YOUR ACTIONS THIS DAY WILL BE REMEBERED”

Bryn reached the beach and saw from a distance that there were no boats left for them to take, they had no way to get off the island!

“THE NEXT TIME WE MEET, I, THE GREAT LEVIATHAN, SHALL FEAST UPON YOUR FLESH”

*Woof*

Bryn heard Hoppers Bark as he rounded a rocky outcrop with the Dwellers still on his tail and he could have kissed the pooch on the lips.

“Come Hopper!”

“SO RUN LITTLE HERO, RUN AND HOPE THAT YOU NEVER MEET ME OR MY LORD AGAIN”

Bryn Shot an [Ice Beam] at a crashing wave upon the beech and it exploded into massive spikes that shot into the air.

“FOR THE DAY YOU DO….IS THE DAY YOU DIE”

Bryn jumped into the air as he threw Cordesh from his arms whilst he broke a flat shard of ice with his feet.

“[Ethereal chain]”

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”

Bryn swung the chain and leashed Hopper’s neck before landing on the board of ice with Cordesh in his arms.

“RUN HOPPPER, RUUUUUN” Bryn called and the chain went tight as he was pulled along behind the Island Hopper and across the surf.

*BOOM*

The Emissary blew and the explosion was so large and powerful that a wall of fire quickly enveloped the clifftop before swallowing the entire island whole!

The shockwave shot across the ocean and smashed into the back of the Dwellers that swam atop the surface before being erased by the wall of fire that quickly followed behind.

Bryn turned and saw the devastation that the shockwave caused to the dwellers and knew that neither he nor Cordesh could survive it.

[Barrier Charm]

Bryn used his last [Barrier Charm] and a protective field instantly surrounded the three of them, now he could only hope that it was strong enough to survive the blast.

The shockwave washed over them and the barrier instantly cracked as it strained against the power of the shockwave but no matter how powerful it was, it wasn’t enough to breach it.

They had survived the shockwave and the explosion was starting to peter out, only what could be called a tidal wave had been summoned by the power of the shockwave.

Bryn had no doubt that it was big enough to practically destroy the town of Tibali, but who cares, they’re rich, they’ll rebuild even bigger and better than before.

With Hopper towing them along, Bryn surfed the wave with Cordesh in his arms and rode atop the water as it battered the town before slowly coming to a stop when it ran out of power.

Hopper was exhausted and whilst Cordesh looked back at the devastation caused by the wave, Bryn petted and pat his little companion all over, and made sure he knew what good boy he was.

The two left soon after and headed in the direction of the Bridge, at first, they used the car Bryn had swiped from Andrax but were forced to abandon it when they came upon the survivors of the ritual.

At a slow pace the traveled by their side, ensuring that nothing further happened to them until they could see the flashing blue lights in the distance, and the military checkpoint the Guard had set up to defend against whatever tried to leave the island.

The guard and the medics that had come with them were quick to take action once they noticed the incoming group, it was only when they realized that they weren’t monsters, that they dashed out from behind their walls and took the fleeing people within their arms.

Tears were shed and people mourned for the loss of those that weren’t so lucky as them.

Rolste appeared and gave Bryn his magnum back with a word of heartfelt thanks before moving on to help those that he could.

In the distance, Bryn and Cordesh could see the group that had parted with them rushing to be by their side, tears in their eyes and smiles on their faces, but they had something to talk about first.

“I need to know Bryn, what did you do to me? I feel…Different” Cordesh said and the smile fell from Bryn’s face.

“You died and I Brought you back to life, but there was a cost, a Cost I’m willing to pay but a cost that I may not always be willing, or able to pay” Bryn said and Cordesh grew still as something inside of her told her what he was saying was true.

“But If you want my advice, not many people get a second chance, live your life to the best of your abilities and leave no regrets, because one day it may be your last” Bryn finished and a pop up appeared in his vision whilst a beam of light Descended from the heavens a few meters away.

“Its time for me to go, but don’t worry, we’re connected now…. I’ll be in touch” Bryn said and walked into the beam of light, he waved to the rest of the group as they ran to wish him goodbye but his attention was attached to the series of messages the system was sending him.

ERROR

Clear conditions for mission have been achieved

Recalculating…

MISSON COMPLETE!

Village of the Damned

Rank: Common

Type: Escort

Local Language: Galactic Standard (English)

A call for help has been made by those in need, a young woman and her friends are trapped by those that have succumbed to the lies of that which dwells beyond the breach.

Pass

Escort the VIP (Cordesh Navi) to safety

Bonus

An additional reward will be given for each additional innocent saved

Fail

VIP (Cordesh Navi) fails to reach safety and Dies

Reward

500 HP

Complete

6 / 6 Innocents Saved

600 HP Rewarded

Recalculating…

Actions have gone beyond Mission Parameters

Recalculating…

Mission Found

Close the Breach!

Rank: Uncommon

Type: Quest

Local Language: Galactic Standard (English)

A call for help has been made by those in need, the Goddess Skadi has sensed a breach upon a world she governs, locate the breach and close it by any means necessary.

Pass

Breach is closed

Bonus

An additional reward will be given for each additional innocent saved

Fail

Breach is fully opened and the world is invaded by the beings that live on the other side of the breach

Reward

2000 HP

Tier 3 [Token]

Complete

Due to the action of the Hero, the majority population of Tibali has been saved!

Skill Granted – Tier 4[Ice Resistance]

Tier 3 [Emblem]

“No wonder the mission was so hard” Bryn said to himself as he read the message that told him that he had gone so far beyond what he was supposed to do that he had actually completed another mission of a higher grade that had been issued, but the system wasn’t done yet.

It had more in store for him.

Congratulations!

50 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

100 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

500 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

1000 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

Viewers can now follow the Hero and will be notified when you are live!

Congratulations!

10 people have followed this channel

Congratulations!

50 people have followed this channel

Congratulations!

5000 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

100 people have followed this channel

Congratulations!

500 people have followed this channel

Congratulations!

10,000 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

500 people have followed this channel

Congratulations!

1000 people have followed this channel

Congratulations!

Due to the number of Followers achiever, The Subscription service is now open!

You can now talk to your Chat!

[Chat] Has been unlocked and is now available!

You have a message!

Congratulations!

50,000 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

250,000 people are viewing this channel

You have a message!

Congratulations!

50 people have subscribed to this channel

You have a message!

Congratulations!

100 people have subscribed to this channel

You have a message!

You have a message!

Congratulations!

500,000 people are viewing this channel

Congratulations!

10,000 people have followed this channel

Congratulations!

500 people have subscribed to this channel

You have a message!

You have a message!

You have a message!

Congratulations!

1000 people have subscribed to this channel

You have a message!

You have a message!

You have a message!

You have a message!

The messages kept coming and coming to the point it had no end.

Did people really want to watch him?

Was he that popular?

Maybe the entire world wasn’t against him, maybe he actually had some fans out there.

Bryn brought up his chat and realized he had forgotten one thing.

Congratulations!

Through your chat log, Public recognition has led to a [Title] being created.

You have been granted the Title!

‘The Unwanted Hero’

The world was full of trolls and you didn’t have to be a celebrity to be famous.

Infamy worked just as well.