G sat in the chamber where the goblins and spiders had fought a month ago. The blood had turned brown, and the once-pungent smell had been replaced by the familiar scent of fungi and caves. Leaning against a stalagmite that had grown halfway along the wall, G was dressed in only his old leather pants. No shirt, boots, or robes. Everything he owned was in his spatial storage except for the beat-up leather biker pants.
In that quiet space, G attempted to play his new crystalline flute, the Void Crystal Rod of Annihilation. He had never been skilled with instruments, but he felt it was an opportune time to learn since there was little else to do. The magical rod was hollow, with fluted holes along its side. Despite using his magic sight and wild magic abilities, G hadn't been able to decipher the activation word. It had been scratched off, leaving the rod as nothing more than a hollow tube with holes. He had a few basic spells active, like See Invisible and Elemental Absorption. If he died, Ryan wasn't getting anything from his corpse.
G blew anxiously into the magical flute, his heart pounding as he awaited Ryan and the approaching troops Breamus had warned him about. Every passing moment felt like a countdown to doom. He couldn't shake the unease from his mind. Breamus's cryptic words echoed in his thoughts, pieces of a puzzle that had fallen into place. The Planarverse wasn't just a battleground; it was a prison. The revelation had struck him like a bolt of lightning during a quiet talk with Tocai as he lay in his makeshift bed nights before. Each piece of the puzzle only deepened his dread. Breamus had confirmed his fear that G wouldn't be able to return home. Initially, he had felt extreme loss at that thought, but now, sitting in this cavern where so much had happened, he was resolute.
Playing the makeshift flute surprisingly kept G distracted enough to manage the stress of his impending doom. Each breath into the instrument reminded him of the approaching confrontation, discordant and jarring.
Despite the risk of his plan, G felt a glimmer of hope. If Ryan confronted him here, it would give the others time to escape with the ship. And if G wasn't on board when they left, Ryan couldn't track them through the vast Planarverse if the plan failed. Though he and Tocai maintained a link, G had shut his familiar out to avoid hearing his disapproval. Tocai had thrown numbers and statistics at him, demanding he abandon the plan. But here he was, with few options left.
Out of the shadows, dark figures began to materialize around G. Two sinister dark sisters emerged, accompanied by a dozen dark elf crossbowmen and hobgoblin fighters. Their eyes glinted with malice, and the air around them thickened with an unnerving energy. G managed to get to his feet before he was paralyzed by Ryan's spell.
Hold steady, G thought, silently urging himself. This is our moment.
***
Bitsy padded silently through the mushroom underbrush of the Dark Pathways, her keen eyes scanning for any sign of the rot eaters. The subterranean tunnels were shrouded in perpetual dark where lichen didn't grow. Crewton lumbered beside her, barely managing to stay quiet. She wrinkled her nose, recalling his slobbery greetings every time he wanted to play.
Crewton, don't mess this up, she thought. The Cowled One praised your skill with the rot eaters. Let's see if he's right.
Bitsy pondered her life and felt a surge of pride at her name, Bits O' Bacon, convinced it carried a fierce legacy bestowed by G. He must think very highly of me to bestow such a powerful name.
Her new Cowled One had given clear instructions: aggravate the hive and lead them back. Simple enough, but with Crewton's clumsiness, anything could happen. Rot eaters don't tolerate intrusions. Even a cub knew that. Still, she followed her instructions.
G has been so kind, giving her a purpose again, she mused. He is different from the others, and his aura... it is comforting, like the Great Ones, but maybe even better. But he is not fully prepared. He bumbles around like a newborn sometimes. But this was not unexpected. Cowled ones always had their particular quirks.
Her mind drifted to her parents. She remembered them standing tall and proud in their shining mailed coif armor, their giant bearlike forms fully protected by the plate armor. Each piece was meticulously crafted, gleaming in the light, and fitting perfectly to their forms. The image of them heading out to do battle, impenetrable and fearless, filled her with a longing for the same protection and honor.
One day, she thought, determination surging through her as she looked down at the crude plates and leather straps her Cowled One had made her. One day, she shall have armor like her parents.
Refocusing on the task at hand, Bitsy realized the nest of the rot eaters was close. The air reeked of decay, and the skittering of the creatures echoed through the cavern. She nudged Crewton with her paw.
The time is upon us, Crewton, she thought.
Crewton caught the cue and moved forward. His heavy paws stirred the ground as he barked loudly, the sound hurting Bitsy's ears and sending vibrations through her fur. It didn't take long for the rot eaters to notice. Their antennae twitched, and their mandibles clicked in agitation. Crewton barked and growled, his slobber flying in every direction. One of the rot eaters came near, unsure of what to make of G's pet. Bitsy pounced on it, the sickening crunch of the one-meter-long hatchling exploding under her weight.
The rot eaters swarmed, their giant, cockroach-like bodies shimmering in her vision. Loud chittering filled the air as Crewton continued barking and backed away from the hole leading to the nest. Larger rot eaters began emerging from the crevices around the cavern. Bitsy watched with satisfaction as Crewton continued to rile them up. He was good at this, she had to admit.
With a swift motion, Bitsy turned and began the dash back to the cave where she had last seen G. It was a good distance away, and it took many heartbeats to reach him. Crewton followed, although he had fallen a bit behind, the hive of rot eaters angrily chasing those who had dared to intrude on their hive and kill one of the hatchlings. The Dark Pathways echoed with the sounds of their pursuit. Bitsy could feel the rush of the fight. Her senses heightened as they navigated the treacherous tunnels in a rush.
Ahead, she saw the entrance to the cavern. More lichen grew here, and it was easier to see. She could smell the vermin, which G called dark elves, the demon worshiper, and vermin goblins. In a flash, she became invisible, using the ability she always used to stalk and hunt in these dark passages. Barreling into the cave, she threw several hobgoblins and goblins in the rear out of the way, her invisible form wreaking havoc among them. The smell of vermin filth and sweat filled her nostrils as she moved through the chaos.
Her invisibility blinked and dissipated after she had run through most of the crowd of vermin standing behind the demon worshiper, revealing her form. She could smell the dark elf ahead, sensing her hiding as they always did before striking. Without hesitation, she charged the stealthed dark elf, smashing into her. She grabbed the dark elf in her teeth like any other prey and shook her violently, slamming her back and forth into her crudely armored body repeatedly. The dark elf planted a dagger in her flank, but it did not deter her, the sting of pain lost in the rage of her fight. She kept moving through the cavern, tossing the now unmoving dark elf to one side.
She made for their den on the astral ship down the next tunnel. Glancing back at G, her Cowled One, she saw him standing half-dressed with his crystal noise stick. He was frozen again, just like before in the palace. She almost turned then to grab him and run, but she continued toward the large metal entrance to their den. His calm demeanor had reassured her. This was their plan, and together, they would succeed.
I will make thee proud, she vowed silently. She would find her place again, here, with him.
Her heart pounded with the energy of battle as she continued through the cavern. Shouting and screams fell behind her, and she heard Crewton bark angrily.
***
G watched, frozen in place, the crystalline flute pressed against his lips as if he were a statue of a musician forever stuck playing his final note. Ryan stood in front of him, gloating, his eyes gleaming with malice. Suddenly, Bitsy barreled through the group of Ryan's henchmen, tossing them aside like ragdolls. Crewton bounded in over the prone soldiers, who were trying to regain their footing, heading straight for Ryan's back.
G's heart raced as he saw the chaos unfold. He watched, his eyes the only thing he could move at that moment. Bitsy and Crewton executed their parts flawlessly, creating the distraction they needed. At least until Crewton turned and charged at Ryan—that was not part of the plan; he was supposed to follow Bitsy. Ryan's gloating turned into a smirk when he heard Crewton's bark, raising the evil dagger in his hand, ready to strike the dog.
G saw Crewton bound in, and he willed his companion to unsummon just as the dog leapt. Ryan swung at the same moment, but Crewton disappeared from view in an aura of shimmering blue. The last image was of a huge Boston Terrier with his tongue hanging out to one side, wearing large glassy goggles. Ryan's hand, holding the dagger, flew through the fading image as it disappeared along with the light. Crewton went back to wherever unsummoned companions go.
G still had hope in his plan. If Ryan confronted him here, it would give the others time to escape with the ship. And if G wasn't on board when they left, Ryan wouldn't be able to track the vessel through the vast Planarverse if the plan failed.
Ryan turned back to G, eyeing the crystalline wand G was holding like a flute. "What a pathetic attempt to hide that wand. "G's heart froze for a moment when he heard those first words, "My queen was the one who gave that wand to Gerkag. Do you think she would ever give him a weapon that could harm us?" he sneered.
G moved his eyes and blinked a few times as Ryan did something that allowed G to talk and respond. Clearly, Ryan wanted to savor his moment and hear G beg for his life or perhaps the lives of his friends. G took a breath, still unable to move anything other than his face and lungs.
G grimaced for a second as he took a second breath. "Whoa, that's quite the spell. Paralyze, and it has control ability." He didn't wait for Ryan to respond. "Ryan, what exactly is your plan? To kill everyone on Earth for the potential to save the animals? You made a deal with a devil; you can't believe that this is going to turn out the way you thought."
G had imagined what he would say to Ryan if he ever had the chance. This wasn't exactly it, but he didn't believe Ryan would wait long this time to end him, so out came the first thing that entered his mind at that exact second.
Ryan paused, holding the dagger, ready to strike. "You must be so disappointed, G. Did you really think you could outsmart me by becoming an elf, playing these games, stealing the ship?" He looked at the wicked dagger he held for a moment. "I don't need an altar to complete the ritual, you know. The altar would have just granted me more power. But with Aevum Malum's dark spirit power added to my gifts from Tychon, I do not need the powers killing you on the altar would have brought me. The powers I'm learning to control now will make me a god!" Ryan said triumphantly, turning the wicked dagger Tychon's Lifesbane in his hand. G could feel the evil pouring off the demonic sacrificial blade as the image of the demon that controlled Ryan flickered out of view for a moment and then back.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
"You see, G, I am not just some pawn in a game between gods. I will become something greater, something more powerful than you can imagine. Tychon chose me because I have the vision and the will to reshape worlds. Aevum Malum's dark spirit will amplify my abilities beyond anything you can comprehend. I won't need an altar to channel this power soon. With each passing day, I will grow stronger, and more attuned to the dark energies that now course through my veins."
"Do you know what it's like to feel true power, G? To know that you can bend reality to your will? Your little adventure and desperate attempts to thwart my plans have all been for nothing. I will ascend, and nothing you do can stop that.
"I just need to kill you with this and fulfill my contract with Tychon," he said, lifting the dagger. He paused, pondering something. "I have to hand it to you; you have caused a great deal of harm to my relationship with my benefactor and my future wife. She has demanded I kill you slowly to make up for the dishonor you have visited upon her by stealing her ship. She is the first woman I've found in all the universe that has brought me happiness, just to have you and your friends wreck it for me!
"You will die here, G. I will end you, and then I'll marry Casindra and rule by her side. We will conquer realms together, and I will be a god among men. Your sacrifice will be the foundation of my ascension. Feel honored, G, for you are the catalyst that will propel me to greatness."
The intensity in Ryan's voice echoed through the cavern, each word dripping with malice and certainty. G could feel the weight of his enemy's conviction, the chilling reality of Ryan's power.
The cavern seemed to close in around G, the darkness swallowing any remaining hope. He felt the weight of the situation pressing down on him, and his heart ached at the thought of his friends trying to get the ship to launch. The laughter of the dark elves and the cruel smile on Ryan's face created a terrifying atmosphere that threatened to smother G's spirit. For the first time, he wished he had left the Ring of Optimism on because he could have used a boost right about now.
"You truly believe a demon that has taken control of your very being will follow through on its promise? Did your demon patron tell you the Planarverse was a prison? You and I are never going back to Earth. If you pull the Earth here, can you imagine what all of these creatures will do to our home?" asked G.
There was a flicker in the aura of the demon around Ryan, and a strange look crossed his face for the briefest of moments. For that split second, G thought the man might see reason before the demon's aura reappeared around him, flushing all his hope down the drain.
Ryan raised the dagger. G's mind raced, searching for any possible way to escape his seemingly inevitable fate. Then it happened: the horde of giant bugs poured into the cavern. G didn't honestly believe this would stop Ryan; he was hoping it would at least delay him. But that was not the case. The dark elves and hobgoblins turned almost as one towards the tunnel as the giant insects surged forward, but all that did was make Ryan's troops back up a few steps as they cleaved the insects as they came near his troops, forming a half-circle around Ryan and G.
Hold steady, G thought, silently urging himself. This is our moment.
G's plan to delay Ryan was unraveling. The bugs pouring into the cave were creating some chaos. But when Ryan killed G, he would quickly turn his magic on the bugs, his lightning spells wiping them out effortlessly. G had moved past panic, accepting his fate with a resolute calm.
So, G triggered the rest of his plan. He had known the crystalline wand wouldn't kill Ryan, given how much health Ryan had, and after seeing Bitsy's pounce do almost nothing to him. No, the crystalline flute was to hide the real threat, a magical item hidden inside another magical item, so Ryan wouldn't sense it until it was too late. Inside the crystalline flute, G had hidden the damaged wand of fireballs, secured with spider silk glue.
G also possessed the ability to use magical items without speaking the command words and could sense magical items up to 10 feet away, with an additional 10 feet for every level of his artifact hunter subclass. This ability allowed him to trigger the wand of fireballs, and he had discovered that his amulet, which activated his dark elf disguise, could be used repeatedly without a cooldown. This was the first ability he received with his artifact hunter subclass.
The information for the wand of fireballs popped back up for a half second as he absorbed the information again.
Wand of Fireball:
Durability: 1 of 30
Charges: 11 of 20
Description: This wand, once a polished and elegant magical instrument, now bears the marks of heavy use and magical mishap. Its surface is scorched and cracked, with faint runes that flicker weakly, hinting at the powerful magic it once contained. The handle is wrapped in a filthy, tattered strip of leather that reeks of goblin musk and mildew. The tip of the wand is blackened, with a faint, almost imperceptible red glow emanating from within the cracks. Despite its damaged state, it still holds a residual potency, capable of unleashing fiery destruction.
G had needed Ryan's troops to move closer, and the bugs had done that for him. With a steady breath and resigned to his fate, he focused on the word to activate the wand; this was going to hurt. The cavern seemed to hold its breath in anticipation. G smiled, a sense of grim satisfaction washing over him. Ryan paused, noticing the change on G's face and the magical power coming crystalline wand. Realizing the knife would not stop the wand once activated, Ryan quickly began casting a spell.
G activated the wand but didn't just activate the wand once; he triggered all eleven charges simultaneously. Time seemed to slow as eleven small spheres of fire shot out of the flute, merging into a blazing ball like a miniature sun, hurtling towards the wall one meter away. The explosion was immense, the heat instantly melting the stone as a wave of searing energy washed over G. The floor and walls glowed red-hot, and the dark elves and bugs nearby were incinerated in the blink of an eye.
G had asked Breamus for a rocket launcher. He had thought Breamus had dismissed the request, but Breamus had delivered it in spades.
G's elemental shield vanished under the onslaught, delaying the inevitable for only an instant. The heat ate through his additional resistance to elements from his Elemental Guardian of Magic title, which had also augmented the wand's effects, increasing the damage.
The pain was excruciating. But now, as the searing energy consumed him, his gaze still locked onto Ryan, and he saw the chief engineer of a VR game turned demon worshiper desperately trying to block the blast with a hastily conjured magical barrier. However, the barrier was not enough, as half of Ryan's hand and skin across his body were already torn away by the explosion's force.
In the next instant, darkness enveloped G, leaving him with the haunting image of Ryan's futile attempt to withstand the devastating blast he had unleashed.
This is our moment, he repeated to himself, the words echoing in his mind as everything around him dissolved into chaos and fire.
As the darkness swallowed him, a sudden wave of emotions washed over his thoughts: relief, exhaustion, and, most of all, the weight of what he had just done. As his life slipped away, a series of images flickered before his eyes.
He saw Esprit and Crewton, the girl laughing and playing in a magical garden surrounded by fairies and other fantastical creatures. They were engaged in a lively game of hide-and-seek, her face filled with joy and innocence. The scene was vibrant and alive, starkly contrasting with the devastation G had just unleashed somewhere far away in the dark pathways.
As G drifted, the vision morphed, and a haunting image emerged. Ryan, or a much smaller version of himself, twisted with pain and terror, was being pulled from the red muck of the Abyss by a giant demonic hand. His screams pierced the air, echoing into the void, as his fate was sealed in eternal torment.
The dream-like state shifted once more, and G found himself watching Breamus walk down a long, glowing hallway. The rhythmic tapping of his cane on the floor filled the space, each echo carrying a subtle hint of mischief and power.
With these visions etched in his mind, G felt the dream-like consciousness fading. He took solace in knowing that he had protected his friends and perhaps bought them time to flee. With that thought, G's life slipped away, and he surrendered to the darkness.
***
Notice:
You have died!
There was darkness, and he was swimming in darkness. It was a cool and empty space. He could think, but the images that flittered by didn't stay long enough for him to recognize his thoughts. Then, a light reached out and engulfed him.
G awoke a day later on the Astral Ship. He was down below deck in the hidden compartment on the cot he had set up for himself, where he had last activated his binding stone just a couple of days prior when the ship arrived at the arboretum chamber. He felt like a bus had just rolled over him, and then it backed up a few times to finish the job. G looked at his health and stats. Every one of his stats was flashing red. He coughed and rolled over, expecting to be sick, and dry heaved for several minutes.
When it stopped, prompts appeared in his vision.
Woe and Misfortune adventurer!
You have died.
Followed by.
Rejoice, adventurer, for you have been reborn!
You have been given a second chance through celestial magic of the highest order. Do not squander it. Live, learn, reflect!
Notice:
To die is to fail, and to fail is to lose. You have lost one level and all spells and abilities gained from that level.
Yeah, there it was, a whole level. G sighed and retched again, his head spinning. The next prompt appeared.
Congratulations!
You have made it to level 6 twice.
Perhaps you should avoid death next time instead of embracing it with open arms!
Reward: Your level is your reward. Why would you be rewarded for behavior that is antithetical to accomplishment?
This is your last chance, good luck adventurer!
That last part was new. G pulled the Soulbind crystal out of his inventory and inspected it.
Soulbinding Crystal - Charges 1 of 3.
Once thought to only work on celestial beings, this crystal has been altered to work with player G. Hold it over the spot that you want to bind your respawn to, and will it to bind. Upon death, the player's soul will return to this point unaided. The body will be reconstituted over a twenty-four-hour period. Any items that are soulbound will follow your soul and be available after respawn. The player will have reduced stats for a period of time multiplied against the total number of deaths. More charges can be awarded for finishing quests or found in the Foci Plane of Law.
Warning: respawn is not protected in any way. Binding yourself in a dangerous location is not advised.
One of three, G realized, as he felt the weight of his last life heavy on his thoughts as the prompt loomed over him as a merciless reminder of his mortality. He closed his eyes, trying to will away the nausea and agony that came with the death debuff. He glanced at the infuriating icon at the top of his screen near his slowly replenishing mana. The debuff would last twice as long as the previous one, and he yearned to sleep through it all, but his body wasn't tired, and his mind refused to rest.
His thoughts were consumed by the haunting visions he'd seen upon his last death. Ryan, trapped in some dark abyss, appeared to be dragged away by his patron from a pool of crimson slime. G thought he had seen horns on Ryan's head. He quickly checked his quest list. The lone quest to stop Ryan's ritual was gone. Several prompts blinked at the edge of his vision, a constant distraction that interfered with his peripheral vision, which he'd found crucial during combat.
Seeking comfort from his misery, G willed his robe from his spatial storage onto his body, suddenly aware of its heaviness. He glanced at the debuff, which was sapping his strength, and then channeled mana into the robes to transform them into a comfortable sleeping bag with a firm pillow. As he lay there, staring at the ceiling, he opened the first prompt, hoping to take his mind off the overwhelming emotions that threatened to engulf him.
He looked at his level again: level 6. He had not achieved enough experience when they fled from Mirbor to reach level 8, and he had lost all of that experience, dropping back to the beginning of level 6. That was a harsh loss.
The whole plan had been a desperate move that had left him on his last life, lying here in his own personal hell as the debuff timer ticked slowly. Yes, he had won, but he felt like he had lost.
He still had his spatial storage ring and all of his items in it, but he felt like he could have done more. For a moment during the fight with Ryan, before he had activated the wand and all its charges, he almost thought Ryan could have been reached.
G was nearly certain he would ponder that question for years, perhaps for the rest of his life. Could he have convinced Ryan to change his ways? Could he have countered Tychon's influence?
He took a deep breath and opened his next prompt.