I traded the armor and gear my ghouls wouldn't use, and kept the wicked sword that screamed "I am evil". I sold some of their equipment.
> [Barbed Sword of Torment]
>
> Price: 8 gold coins.
>
> Damage: 2d10+12
>
> Durability: 73 / 220
>
> Hardness: 23
>
> Special: +50% damage & pain against flesh opponents.
>
> Special: +5% Critical Rate
>
> A wicked blade enchanted to maximize pain. Its barbs are rather fragile.
Its hardness was trash and the durability was halfway there. I felt something deep inside me telling me this sword was rubbish and I shouldn't waste a second more carrying it. Yet I kept it. A trophy of my first real fight. Murdering that half-elf girl in cold blood during a Revenant episode wasn't something I could be proud of.
I now had more money than I started with but the swords that were better than this one were too expensive. Fifty-something gold coins for a blade with the same damage as mine but better hardness and higher durability. Too expensive for my budget. The trade-in was a gambeson that was semi-new (brand new equipment in the Necropolis was four to ten times more expensive than in a living kingdom) and a set of brigandine that would need some adjustments to fit my slender torso.
I went outside wearing the gambeson between my dress and the herigaut cloak. It was a fashion faux pas but survivability came first. With the task accomplished, I stored the leftover equipment in my storage ring and dismissed the spell on the shadow zombie.
"Here's something for your troubles," I handed him a handful of silver coins.
"The lady is generous," he bowed deeply. "Would the lady wish to hire me for life? It would be an honor to serve a lady so noble."
I was expecting that. It was impudent of him to offer his services like that but I sensed some honesty in him. I glanced at the skeletal mage and got a slight nod in return.
"I will then hire you as a trial," I said. "Serve me well, and your employment shall be permanent."
He nodded profusely, happy to have a job.
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We were about to leave the Sixth Pillar area when our path was blocked again. This time, two troll zombies wearing plate armor and two tall and slender gnoll ghouls. Elites all of them, in the third rank. Then a team of humanoid skeletons and zombies closed in from behind.
"You, girl," The leader gnoll ghoul pointed his long arm at me. "You killed seven citizens. Must be punished."
He had a way with words, to say the least. I couldn't show submission to these guys. "It was in self-defense. Many witnesses saw it. I'm sorry, but you have no authority to restrain me here. I'm Kel'Caldor's apprentice, and I'm leaving."
The skeleton mage placed his hand on my shoulder. "The Lady speaks the truth," he declared. "Unless you desire trouble with our master, get out of the way."
They did move to the sides of the street. However, it wasn't to let us pass. A man two-meter tall with marble white skin, well-groomed hair wearing a mail hauberk and plate greaves approached. I felt pressure on my shoulder from the skeleton mage's hand and I knew I should bow.
"We greet Lord Mordo," The mage said.
> Level 96 male Vrykolakas [Gladiator Lord]
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why did I have to peek at his Status? I was about to bolt but my legs wouldn't move.
"My Lady, welcome to the Sixth Pillar. I am offended you came to my part of town without paying me a visit."
"We came for a quick shopping trip, my Lord. We didn't wish to impose," I replied.
"Seven on one, you killed all of them without taking a single hit. That bite didn't count, you let the ghoul bite you on purpose," He mused. "I don't think you are high-leveled or the bite would do nothing to you. I want to test your might in the arena. Now."
Somehow I heard inside my mind an old man with a grave voice say, "Test your Might". No idea where that came from. Also, no idea about the protocol here.
"The old sack of bones can find another apprentice if you break. But I heard you are a revenant, you should piece yourself together even if you are quartered," Mordo continued. "You, skeleton. Go back to your master and tell him I borrowed his new toy to play with for a while. I'll send her back once I'm done."
"As you wish, Lord Mordo." The traitor mage removed his hand from my shoulder and floated away, leaving me alone with these bullies.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
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Acting on her own, Pandora vaporized the rest of the [Silk Sage]'s body. Nenandil was staring at the door, waiting for someone to barge in and drag her to prison. As time passed and nobody came, she calmed down. Pandora floated down to stay next to her and she instinctively leaned on the golden orb.
"Thanks for the save, Pan," She said affectionately. The [Wisp of Creation] hummed in approval and agreement.
She walked to the fallen staff and checked it. The "H&H" symbol on the body still held the magical signature. It was authentic. The cantankerous [Archmage] golem wouldn't part with this tool unless he was dead. Or destroyed, since he wasn't alive, to begin with. She wondered what happened to his soul. As a contracted spirit, he should've gone back to her but she was unavailable.
The fairy sighed. He was probably lost, already on his way to the wheel of reincarnation. She put the staff in her shoddy storage ring, reaching full capacity.
Pandora nudged her and she flew along with the [Wisp]. Rosalinda's soul was gaining more control of the Wisp she was bonded with, and it had to do with the number of aspects she'd unlocked. Yet they were incomplete, two wings of a bird whose main body was missing. Nenandil didn't mind the company, not at all.
The Wisp became black as its {Aspect of the Void} carved a hole on the door. The fairy flew past it and found a pair of astonished guards. It quickly shifted to its {Gifted Divinity} and showered a good chunk of the city in its calming effects. The remnants of Windemere knew their Goddess was among them, and they rejoiced.
As the fairy went out of the building, she saw many faces, most of them with too much fur, staring at her. A person wearing fancy robes came to the fore and knelt next to her. Everyone around the fairy, even the guards, knelt as well and kept their heads down. As she dropped her head too, two white ears twice as long as the fairy was tall popped out of her hood.
> > [Pope] level 76 female rabbit-kin [Matriarch's Chosen]
"We believed you would return to us one day, Lady Nenandil, the Matriarch's right hand. We see you bear the golden orb, the [Wisp of Creation], the symbol of authority of the Matriarch. This is a day to rejoice. For seven hundred years we remained trapped here in the underground. Sheltered in the stone womb our Matriarch carved for us. We survived thanks to her bountiful wisdom in setting the Dungeons for us to train and harvest food. Now we see before us the chance to see the light of the day again. We are honored by your presence and our hearts soar with joy, my Lady."
The [Pope] was weeping as were most of the people.
"Arise, chosen. The Matriarch is happy you kept her people alive and her faith burning in your hearts."
"It was Her warmth that kept us from the cold of despair, my Lady," the woman said as she climbed back on her feet.
The fairy flew up. She thought the people deserved some kind words. "Windemere died once, to the evil Black Dragon King. Its people rose as undead, thought lost by all. The Matriarch, at the time living as Rosewise Honorcoin, an Eleon [Sorceress] that disguised herself as King Locksley, sacrificed her magic to bring the people back with her living thread. The silk-folk was born that day and Windemere was brought back to life.
"Her second advent was as a lamia, [Princess] Lakerta the [Guardian]. She came for [Queen] Lorna, her eternal love, and brought the lamia back with her. She broke the chains of slavery and rescued the people from servitude. She believed every person should be free to follow their hearts. She wished that every person who followed her did it of their own volition. She fought Bundeus and killed the traitor God.
"She was once more born in Windemere at a moment when external forces conspired to kill the nation. She was Haru, a half-dwarf, half-kitsune. She fought a secret war to save Windemere's heart and rekindle the flames in the hearths of Windemere. It was once she achieved that she ascended to Godhood. She could be [Queen], she could rule over her people and they would be happy, but she loved freedom more than anyone. She wished to put the country she built in the hands of the common folk, and let them guide their own destiny.
"She fought many wars and conquered land so you may settle and cultivate it. Windemere doubled in size during her lifetime. Then she gave the people the power to choose their leaders, and Windemere changed from a monarchy to a republic. For a thousand years, it prospered.
"Windemere is not the land. Windemere is in the heart of the people, of each one of you. Windemere is the belief that everyone can be happy and work together to achieve a common goal. Even the church of the Matriarch is but one organization that shares this common belief. You there," she pointed at a wolf-kin man with silver fur.
"Me, your Ladyship?" He was confused.
The fairy crossed her arms and challenged, "Yes, you. Do you believe Windemere dead?"
The wolf-kin growled menacingly. Then he howled, indignation, "Never!"
"Windemere lives!" The crowd cheered. "Praise the Matriarch!"
Pandora glowed gold, illuminating the gigantic rusty fig covering the cave roof and everything as the light reflected on the magical leaves. The people stopped cheering to stare at the light show in awe. It was as if the leaves of the tree had turned to gold. They did, although just the color and not the metal. Blessed by the Wisp's divine power, the tree gained several powers, one of them to bolster the magic in the cave, purify the air and water, and increase the stone walls' resilience.
As silence reigned, the fairy lowered her head. "I don't know what happened after that because I was with her fighting the dragon Goddess in Pekothas. Would you share with me the history of what happened during the Cataclysm?"
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shift+8
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For a while, I thought they would abuse my body but they just wanted me to fight. Which was abuse but of the violent kind. Not that I had much choice on the matter as they led me to the colosseum. Now I was sitting on a stone bench waiting for my turn in the arena. They didn't take my equipment away but also didn't give me anything better.
Hours passed while I waited. I picked my Perks in the interim. They would be of no use if I died. What I needed now was survivability.
* Unholy Strength I (very rare): +1 Strength and Endurance. You lose 1,000 MP, but gain 3 base melee damage and 15 base HP.
* [...]
* Unholy Strength V (ultra-rare): +5 Strength and Endurance. You lose 5,000 MP, but gain 15 base melee damage and 75 base HP.
Casting spells was nice but the trade-off was beneficial. I lost 5,000 MP but gained 11,000 HP. And while the MP loss would be absorbed by future gains, the HP gained would grow as I leveled up. Not to mention the added damage.
Well, maybe Kel'Caldor would come and save me. Funny to think that the enemies of yesterday were allies today. If I could count on him as an ally. But as the portcullis at the end of the tunnel leading to the arena floor opened and a zombie came to escort me out, I knew I would have no such luck. I would fight whatever they threw at me, and either win or lose. And I couldn't even get angry at the ones who threw me here or I would go crazy with the vengeance jitters. I couldn't see that being better than dying today.
So I walked slowly. As I entered the arena, the grandstands were full of the dead. Ghosts and wraiths floated above the underground colosseum, and the Pillar Lords sat on their lofty balconies. Each balcony was numbered starting at one and ending with thirteen. Most of them were empty but from two to eight, all of the Pillar Lords came to watch me fight. Including Kel'Caldor and Vlad. The Lich gave me a thumbs-up as our eyes met.
In the back of my head, I heard someone sing, "Showin' how funky and strong is your fight, It doesn't matter who's wrong or right..."
I just had to beat it.