(Day 167) Aprilis 12th, 12th year of the Dragon, Age of Enlightenment

It was just after midnight when Adam finished memorizing his spells. He put all the books in his Ring of Holding then stood, stretched, and decided a bath was in order. As he made his way to the front of the tower, then up the stairs, he had the nanites look inside Adaline’s room to check on her. She had rolled over and looked to be sleeping peacefully. That was a good sign. He continued up to the third floor and then set up a bath.

“Adam, if we’re done I’m going to go offline for a while, I need to rest,” Abi said.

“Sure, thing Abi, I’m just going to relax in this bath for a bit, then I might even try to take a nap.”

“Sounds good, night.”

Adam sat in the bath for about an hour, using the nanites to warm the water whenever it became cold. Around 1 a.m. he rose out of the tub, had his nanites dry him, and made some pajamas, just in case he had to run out of the room. Then he went to lie down for a bit. His mind had to relax after everything he’d done recently. Even though his mind was still racing, as soon as his head hit the pillow he fell asleep.

At 3 a.m. his nanites woke him up as an audible click came from the terrace window. The door opened and something the nanites couldn’t see made its way into the room as a robbed figure carrying a staff floated down and gently came to land just inside the door and whispered “Hold.” Adam used his nanites while he lay motionless to view the room through the various spectrums. They detected nothing until he strobed the room with low-energy X-rays from one side to the other. Then he saw the bones and outline of a female, poised right next to him with a dagger, inches from his throat. As he checked the spectrums the Mage cast a spell at him with the Staff.

Arch-Mage Belarious has cast “You Will Not Move” on you. Resisted.

Adam noticed the look of confusion on Belarious’s face as he tried a different spell

Arch-Mage Belarious has cast “Listen to Me” on you. You are Immune

Adam knew it was just a matter of time before the Mage ordered his death and prepared himself to burst into action.

“Immobilize him,” Belarious said.

The x-ray strobe showed the invisible female pulling out a syringe-type device and poking it as quickly as she could into his left arm. Immediately she pushed the plunger down as she became visible.

Adam didn’t move and had his nanites contain the fluid so he could use it later as he continued to breathe as if he were in a deep sleep. He heard her softly count to ten then she stood, all pretense at being stealthy gone. “He should be good and paralyzed now, boss.” She said as she moved Adam around so that he was sitting with his back against the headboard. Then she slapped Adam across the face until he opened his eyes. Adam played to his audience looking around with his eyes quickly, acting surprised as if he was trying to figure out why he couldn’t move. He did have a 100 in the skill of Acting, even if it was from the other Universe. They bought his performance hook, line, and sinker. While they thought they had a subdued scared man that they had complete control of in front of them, Adam was given the time he needed to Analyze both of them.

Analyze: Success: Belarious level 5,000 Mage Hit Points 11,000

Analyze: Success: Seraphin, Level 4,557 Assassin Hit Points 8,757

Adam thought for a moment. No way a Holy Knight hired an Assassin. Also, the Assassin was taking orders from the Mage who looked familiar. Adam searched through his memory and found him immediately, and recently. He’d seen him walking toward the Dungeon right before Adam left the dungeon and headed back to the academy. The Dungeon Master? Could be. Didn’t matter, he was going to have to take care of these two in a minute. First things first. Adam had his Nanites create a six-inch solid sheet of transparent aluminum behind the mage to seal the outer door. These two were definitely dying today.

Simultaneously, Adam, had the nanites convert the door to the stairway into solid titanium and attach to the door frame and wall at the molecular level. He also had the nanites convert the door frame to solid titanium, and then he had the next three feet on the other side of the door converted into a solid wedge of Titanium so that the door could not be blown into the hallway. Anyone trying to blow the door open or using a spell to try to open it would fail. Neither area was a door anymore. A spell that allowed someone to bypass walls might work but he hadn’t seen anything like that in the spellbooks he had.

“Good,” Belarious said “So you are the low-level buffoon that somehow destroyed everything in the dungeon and made off with my Divine Soulstone? Was it worth it?” he asked as he started to pull blood-covered items from a storage device he had. Those items looked like what Daranus, Chesarie, Thrum, Xander, and Desari had taken from the Dungeon. In addition to the items, it looked like the clothing of children and some adult female dresses.

“They screamed so much as I bled them dry. So much….” she said in a sickly-sweet voice just as Adam moved.

Seething with rage he hadn’t known was possible. Adam had moved. He’d performed a called shot to the head of Seraphin to knock her out for exactly 4,000 points damage. He then performed a call shot to the head of Belarious, who had an earth-based protection spell in place. The protective shell had absolutely no effect on Adam as the earth could not hold him. Adam landed his called shot and did exactly 4,000 points of damage to the mage’s head which also knocked Belarious unconscious. Outside the terrace there was a screech, then a roar as something large and dark used a claw to reach through the Transparent Aluminum and rip it away.

Adam cast a mage bolt at the claw. The claw jerked back and the dragon fell into the darkness below. Moving to the terrace Adam watched as the dragon impacted into the hills.

The visual of that attack had been insane. Mage Bolt created one bolt for every 100 skill levels that embodied the color of the primal spere it represented. For Adam that was 5 bolts for each sphere that left his hand for a total of forty bolts, five from each sphere. each bolt plowed into the dragon. It looked like a stream of rainbow energy had left his hand and entered the dragon. Checking his log, the total Damage had been 335,997 points of damage. The first mage bolt had done 9,600 points of damage. Checking the math, he realized that 5 bolts had been completely resisted. Too bad, he hadn’t been able to Analyze the dragon before it fell away.

Adam turned back to his ‘guests’ and had the nanites separate the poison that was used on him into two portions. He placed his hand fully against each neck in succession and injected the poison into Belarious and Seraphin. Adam then closed the terrace door and had his nanites fix the damage the dragon had done and undo the changes he’d made. While he was waiting, he placed the two intruders on the floor close together and cast Powerless on them. He picked them back up and a minute later stepped through his bedroom door and headed down the stairs carrying Belarious and Seraphin under each arm. Although to say he carried them would be slightly incorrect. He dragged them behind him which was slightly satisfying as they thumped against each step on the way downstairs.

Adam came down to the 2nd-floor landing and lightly tapped on the door with his right foot.

Immediately it opened with Adaline looking out. “Yes”

“I Figured you heard the commotion upstairs and me dragging down the stairs. Anyway, we’ll talk later. I just have a few things that you need to know now. First, that asshat Holy Knight is alive, properly chastised, and gone down the mountain. I’m hoping your hoard is to the north so there’s no chance you will run into him. Second, I need two mythical gemstones valued at 1,000 GP or more to make Soulstones. I need those as soon as possible.”

“I can do that. We are trading I take it?” she asked.

“Yes, before you go come with me please,” he said.

Adam dragged Belarious and Seraphin down to the ground level, walked back behind the main stairs, and took the winding stairs down to the training room on basement level 3. Adaline followed him all the way down. He made sure Adaline had access to this area as well as the others attached to this staircase then said. “I made some changes to my home. I’ll be in this room when you get back. I have some preparations to make before I have a chat with these two when they wake up. Please hurry. I will let you know what happened with the Holy Knight and exactly why these two are going to be judged and punished.

Adaline turned and jogged upstairs out of sight.

Adam then set Belarious and Seraphin down. Next Adam removed every single item he found on Belarious leaving him nude. He checked him, still unconscious. He did the same to Seraphin and noted that if she wasn’t such an evil See You Next Tuesday, she could have been beautiful. The thought of violating her in the most heinous fashions he could devise before killing her crossed his mind. Yeah, that wasn’t him. If he had to kill a fool, he’d kill them regardless of their sex. But rape and torture. Well, he wasn’t beyond torturing to a point, as these two were about to find out, but there needed to be a purpose to it. Rape though, that was why he’d kill a fool. If he committed that sin, then someone else would be justified in seeking vengeance against him. He liked having the moral high ground in any argument that way he felt justified in his actions. Besides, the bad Karma that would come from such an act, he didn’t need that either. Ignoring her nakedness, because shortly that body would not exist anyway, he went to work.

Adam had his nanites create two white togas over each of them, might as well let them keep some of their dignity. Then he had the nanites create two vertical Iron crosses with straps to hold the victim in place. He then placed them, so they were 10 feet apart facing each other. He picked each of them up, placed them against the Iron Cross, and strapped them in. Their arms were held horizontally and their legs slightly spread apart. There was a strap to hold their neck and forehead which he also secured them with. This would leave both Belarious and Seraphine standing vertically looking at each other. when they woke up. The togas also had a hole directly over their heart.

Before he started he had the Nanites create a razor-sharp scalpel and tongue clamp.

He then ordered his nanites to break down any blood, feces, and urine that they could as soon as they could. They couldn’t do anything to the bodies while they were alive but once any of the substances left a body they should be able to clean up any messes that were made. He wanted this to be a clinical ass whopping, not a messy one.

He used the tongue clamp to grab Belarious's tongue then the scalpel to cut his tongue out at the root. He made sure the Nanites were breaking down his blood until he stopped bleeding as he used the tongue clamp and scalpel on Seraphin. At their levels, healing rates stopped the bleeding in short order.

Adam cut off the mage’s eyelids, then the rogues. Their eyes were still dilated so they were still out. That probably wouldn’t last too much longer. Next Adam broke every single bone in each of Belarious hands, arms, and legs. He did the same to the Rogue. Using only as much pressure as was necessary and minimized damage as much as he could. When he was done their arms and legs were held against the cross-holding them in place and they had already started to bruise as their high healing rates tried to repair the damage. The final thing Adam did was have the nanites create ball gags and place one in each of their mouths so they couldn’t moan loudly. Next Adam pulled out his spellbook and memorized Powerless again while he waited for them to wake up.

Belarious was the first to wake up. his eyes darted to and fro. Seraphin woke moments later doing the same. Seraphin started to move and Belarious looked at her. Their heads were strapped upright so they could see each other. When Belarious saw Seraphine, the state of her eyelids, her ball gage, and the state of her arms, hands, legs, and feet and how they were quickly turning purple a look of shock entered his eyes. Seraphine also looked at Belarious and realized that they were well and truly fucked, if Belarious was also bound and every single appendage he had was broken. Mages usually needed their hands or voice to cast spells and she could absolutely tell her tongue was gone.

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While they both watched each other and came to the slow realization of their predicament, Adam was wondering if he could cast a spell by specific eye movement. He also wondered if he could set up a Contingency spell for that. Most wouldn’t think to do that. Most wouldn’t think to block your eye movement. He hadn’t until just now. A subject worth exploring. Closing and opening eyelids in a certain combination, that’s why he’d cut them off of both of them. The Rogue could have casting abilities after all.

Of course, he might be going a little too overboard. He had cast powerless after all. With his spell level and skill level plus his attribute modifier, any spell that had been on either of them would have had to beat an 11,409% chance to be dispelled. Any active effects should have been dispelled and magic items disrupted for at least a little while. If there was a spell tied to a ring, well they weren’t wearing rings anymore because the dispel had allowed him to remove even unremovable rings. If they were soul-bound they’d move to them if they could when they came back. But right now, all their items were over on the floor. Also, he’d injected them with the poison they’d tried to use on him. He had no idea how long it was supposed to last but he was sure it would be a little while at least.

Seeing that they were both awake and knowing he couldn’t finish this until Adaline returned Adam started to talk: “You two are the 2nd pair of idiots to attack me in my home. By the way, if you are waiting for your dragon to break in here and save you. Um, yeah, not happening. It is at the bottom of the sheer cliff under the terrace splattered against the hills. Looks like it made quite the mess from the terrace.”

“Seraphine's eyes went into a red-hot rage as tears started to stream down her cheeks.”

“Oh, that hit a nerve, did it? Maybe if you weren’t such a cold-hearted evil bitch I wouldn’t have had to put it, or you, down like the mangy dogs you are.”

Adam wouldn’t know it but at that moment his charisma modified his aura and a wave of intimidation billowed out from him. Ancient Dragons didn’t exude an aura as powerful as the one he released. Both Belarus and Seraphine became terrified, pissed, and shit themselves and would have fled if they could. If not for the Nanites it would have gotten quite messy.

Adam took a breath to calm himself then continued in a normal tone “As I don’t know what that poison you injected me with would have done I don’t know how long you’ll be immobilized.” As he’d been talking he’d had the nanites create two mirrors. One mirror, off to the side of Seraphin, angled so Belarious could see himself. The other was off to the side of Belarious, angled so Seraphin could see herself.

Adam moved to a central position where both of them could see him as he continued “Currently, I have a friend retrieving the gems I need to make Legendary Soulstone so I can capture each of your souls. Know that I asked the question of an academic, just yesterday in fact, if there is a way to destroy souls. I was told no. I find that hard to believe though. Why? Because if there were no souls before the Universes began then there has to be a way for souls to end or cease to exist.” Adam paused for dramatic effect. Before he continued.

“Why am I bringing this up? Because very shortly I’m going to capture both of your souls. I am not going to let them escape to your gods and I’m sure as shit, not going to allow your souls to be used to enchant items or feed monsters so you get the default option. No going through “The Eye” for either of you.”

Adam paused for a moment as he looked them both over to make sure neither of them was healing too fast. Using one of his daggers he sliced each of their cheeks so he could try to figure out their healing rate. While he did that and watched he continued. “The possibility does exist that the academic was correct, and souls cannot be destroyed. If that is true then know that I will use your souls to craft the most powerful magical items for good I can as what’s left of your will and memories flees to The Eye. I’m thinking about trying to turn you into a sword for a Holy Knight to smite Evil. Why? So, your pathetic existence can have some good purpose. In the end, I want everything that you are, all the energy that makes you up except for that last little bit to be repurposed to work for the champions of Good.”

“Oh, I can see you want to know how either of you had the crap beat out of you by a level 114 Monk or how you were captured?”

Adam had the nanites create a giant computer monitor so that they could both see it. Then he had his nanites create the information that was on his personal Information screen as he said menacingly. “I am not from this Universe. My first class is not compatible with the class system here so while it was true that I was a level 114 Monk yesterday. It is also true that I was a level 5,000 Ascendant Human. I’m also more than a level 114 Monk now as well as a few other classes. You don’t need to know exactly what though. All you need to know is that I have declined to become a Divine so am not bound by those laws at this time.”

Belarious moaned and Seraphin still had tears rolling down her eyes.

“So why are you here like this? You two broke into my home and started to brag about killing five people and their families, which you knew had nothing to do with what happened at the Dungeon. Yeah. As my goddess would say, you both need to be taught a lesson in Humility. In doing so I get to take out my anger and frustrations on you two morons because I do have a goddess that will look upon punishing evil scum like you two as warranted and justified. Count yourselves a little lucky though. I won’t be going after either of your families. My Goddess would probably look unfavorably on such acts and as the Holy Knight that broke my hospitality earlier learned. What a God or Goddess has granted can be taken away. Judging your dumbasses is justified. Going after the innocents that are among your family, well that would be just evil.” He said as he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

Adaline stepped into the room. Then paused as she took in the scene. “May I take a closer look, Adam?”

Adam motioned for her to do so with a be my guest gesture

Adaline stepped into the room and walked around the two figures who both pleaded to her with their eyes.

Adaline walked over and handed him two gems as she said. “These should work for your purposes. We’ll discuss our trade when you’re done.”

Adam nodded then said. “They brought a dragon with them. It’s on the foothills below the terrace.

“You bring me the nicest presents. I’m going to go check on it”

“Keep whatever you find. Just remember to be careful. That Holy Knight and his friends should be down in the foothills by now, though they’re probably camped for the night a little farther east.”

“Will do, I’ll be back in about an hour, meet for breakfast?”

“Sounds good, I won’t be much longer.”

Adaline left the room and started up the stairs. Adam waited until she was gone then looked at Belarious and Seraphin. “What? You thought that dark elf would help you. First, we have a vow of non-aggression for at least the next 10 months. Second, she’s an Ancient Black Dragon.” The look of shock that flashed through their expression brightened Adam’s mood.

Adam walked over to the storage room and put the two gemstones on the ground. While he kept an eye on his two prisoners, he cast Create Legendary Soulstone batch, making sure to stand where they both could see him from their positions. When he was done he checked, yep he had two empty Legendary soulstones. Then he cast Area of Soul Trap 100’ x 100’ centered on the room right between them

Adam walked back over between them, “I’d ask if you have any last words but honestly I don’t give a shit. Also, I cut out both of your tongues. Now there’s something I saw in a movie back where I’m from that I’ve always wanted to try so I’ll leave you both with this tidbit of wisdom to think about while floating in your prison if you can think as a trapped soul. Maybe being evil wasn’t such a good life choice. Next time, If you somehow make it to The Eye and you get a new life after death, you might want to do better at being good. Well, that’s the end of our TED talk. Thank you and good night.”

A look of confusion entered both of their faces as they tried to make sense of what he’s said just as Adam’s right hand punched into Seraphin’s chest through the hole in her toga, just right of center in a called shot to pluck her heart out while it was still beating, just to see if he could. He did. Adam brought her still-beating heart up before her eyes and stared across her heart into her eyes as it stopped beating and the spark of life faded from her gaze. Then backhanded her so hard that her head ripped free from her neck and flew into the wall where it exploded. A soul exploded from her chest and was immediately captured by one of the Legendary Soulstones.

He turned to Belarious. “You were level 5,000. You were a hair's breadth from becoming a divine and you had to go and order the death of the first people I worked with on this world. I truly hope I find a way to destroy your soul.” Adam said as he thought of all the different ways he could possibly kill this Mage then settled on the tried and now true, heart snatch. He plucked the heart out of Belarious's chest successfully and brought it up so the mage could watch the heart stop beating as the spark faded from his eyes as well. This time he just punched through his face as hard as he could. The force of the blow caused Belarious’s head to explode and also reduced the iron cross to powder. A soul exploded out of Belarious's chest thrumming with light. It was still captured by the Legendary Soulstone. As Adam picked up the Soulstones a prompt appeared in his vision.

The Dungeon Master of the Dungeon of Divine Elements has died. As you are the one who has slain the Dungeon Master would you like to claim the Dungeon of Divine Elements, Yes or No?

Adam chose “Yes.”

Congratulations Dungeon Master. Woe and bad tiding. The Harbinger of your Dungeon was killed one day ago and will not return for 29 days 12 hours. Woe and bad tidings again. The item of power has been removed. You must replace the item of power within 12 hours, or the Dungeon of Divine Elements will close forever.

Adam tried to access the Dungeon interface that popped up and received another prompt.

You cannot access the function of your dungeon from this location. You must be inside your dungeon.

Nothing for it, he needed to make a trip. Looking at his personal interface, he did a little math and nodded to himself. He could get there quickly enough after breakfast and his talk with Adaline. Adam picked up all the items he stripped off Belarious and Seraphin as he ordered the nanites to break down their bodies, the mess, and the iron crosses. As Seraphine's body started to disintegrate a ring fell off her. It had been under something that held it against her skin near her waist. He walked over thought about it for a second then picked it up.

Adam gathered and analyzed everything he’d removed from both of them while his nanites destroyed the corpses and repaired the damage that had been done when Serphane’s head had hit the wall. Then he started Identifying everything he’d found

You have found Assassins Dagger +10

You have found Assassins Boots; wearer gains +100 to Stealth and can walk across any surface without setting off normal or magical traps.

You have found a belt of Holding: 40x40 grid, reduces the weight of items held by 80%

- The Belt holds 20 platinum, 20 gold, 20 silver, 20 copper. 10 Darts coated with Poison that does 10d10 x 100 damage. (2) +5 Daggers. (2) +5 shortsword. Loaded Hand crossbow, Loaded light crossbow, +5 short bow, 10 hand crossbow bolts. 20 crossbow bolts 20 arrows. Rations for 3 weeks. Waterskins for 5 days. 2 bottles of wine. Bedroll, canvas, 100’ silk rope.

You have found Ring of Teleport, Fixed, Location, unknown.

You have found Ring of Teleport, Fixed, Location unknown (Nasty)

You have found Ring of Blinking. Allows the wearer to teleport to a location they can see within 100’ 5 times per day.

You have found a Cloak of Invisibility

You have found a Ring of Holding. 1000x1000 grid, reduces carried weight by 99%

- The Ring holds 2,000 platinum, 12,000 gold, 40,000 silver, and 65,000 copper. Wand of Fireballs Level 201. Wand of Lightning Bolt, Ring of Flying. Ring of Water Breathing, Level 30 Spell Books, Rations for 3 weeks. Waterskins for 5 days. 2 bottles of wine. Bedroll, canvas, 100’ silk rope.

Ring of Resistance 20%

You have found the Artifact: Staff of the Arch-Mage Level 5001 (Set Piece 1 of 3).

- The Staff of the Arch-Mage allows the holder to cast any spell as if it were Spell Level 500.

- Acts as a Mana Battery and can hold up to 10,000 Mana

- Can Cast Wish 1 time per year.

You have found the Artifact: Robe of the Arch-Mage Level 5001(Set Piece 2 of 3)

- 50% Resistance to All Magic

- Wearer Mana Regeneration doubled

- Wearer is immune to cold temperatures. Does not affect magical damage

- Wearer immune to hot temperatures. Does not affect magical damage.

- Acts as a Mana Battery and can hold up to 10,000 Mana

You have found the Artifact: Slippers of the Arch-Mage Level 5001 (Set Piece 3 of 3)

- Allows the wearer to stand or walk on any surface as if sold ground, including air

- Fly at will up to 20 mph

- Acts as a Mana Battery and can hold up to 10,000 Mana

You have found a Ring of Teleport (Unidentified location)

- Contingency Trigger (Dispelled)

Adam went through the rings and belt of holding and pulled out and put on the Cloak of Invisibility, Bracers of Air Defense +100, Assassins Boots +100, Ring of Blinking, Ring of Resistance all Magic 20%, and Ring of Spell Casting 300 slot. All three could come in handy after breakfast.

He walked upstairs to his bedroom and picked up everything Belarious had dropped. There was no longer any blood on anything. Then Adam made his way downstairs into the small dining room. Adaline was seated, drinking some tea, and eating her breakfast as he pulled up a chair and sat down.