Darian and the Nightmare continued to circle, each looking for an opening to attack. Darian’s blade was still wreathed in magic, and the edges shone bright red from [Blood Strike]. A direct hit would be enough to end the Nightmare for good, but Darian needed to be cautious. His shoulder was torn open, and blood ran down his arm to drip upon the ground. One wrong move, one mistake, and his life could be over.
He placed his hovering blood shield between him and the beast. With one of its hands severed and replaced by a spear of bone, he didn’t figure it could attack as quickly as last time. Still, its speed had been blinding. But with the shield between them he at least had something he could block with using his thoughts alone.
The nails along the monster’s back began to glow bright orange, letting Darian know an attack was imminent. He stopped circling and fell into a low stance. Since the creature crawled upon the ground, getting a good angle to block or attack was difficult. But if he lowered himself enough, he would have an easier time dealing with it. Though there was a problem.
The skills he used to enhance his next attack would trigger when he swung his sword at something. Meaning, if he blocked the creature’s claws with his blade, the enhanced attack could apply then, not when Darian needed it. He could reactive the offensive skills, but that could take time he didn’t have. With his blood slowly leaking, he was losing strength by the second. He needed a decisive blow, or he risked being overwhelmed.
Pain needled into Darian’s brain, and despite himself, he winced under the pressure, his stance faltering. The Nightmare seized this opportunity, its powerful back legs catapulting it though the air like a fanged missile. But it was slower than last time, and through the haze in his mind, Darian’s thoughts tugged at his blood shield. He brought it up with haste, the shield colliding with the monster’s claws. But the shield did not hold. It shattered under the blow, splinters of crystalline blood raining down like pointed drops of rain.
Darian twisted, the beast’s claw just missing him. If his shield had not knocked it off track, Darian’s body would have been carved clean through. He stumbled, his limbs racked by waves of stabbing agony. Biting down, he cried out as he drove his sword through the air, snow melting around the blade.
It collided with the Nightmares shoulder, splitting its pale flesh like a cleaver. Pained screaming escaped its toothy maw, the nails in its spine burning brighter. Fresh pain assaulted Darian, but he kept pushing, steaming blood bubbling around his sword. The nightmare attempted to pull away, but with a final twist of his hips, Darian cut the beast from its shoulder down to its ribs.
The monster fell backwards, its shoulder and arm flopping down to the snow, painting it red. Darian stepped over the hunk of meat and his fangs emerged, teased out by the scent of fresh blood. The nightmare scooted away, its horrid face still parted by a smile. It raised its clawed hand, its eyes almost pleading, begging for Darian to stop.
He did not.
Its head rolled across the ground, blood spurting from the stump left behind. Darian crouched and sank his fangs into the creature’s flesh, warmth spreading down his throat. As he drank, the wound in his shoulder healed.
Enemies Defeated
[Skeleton Lv. 2-4] x58
[Nightmare Lv. 18]
XP Gained: 423
Class Level 11 Reached – Congratulations!
Progress to Class Level 12 (192/850)
Blood Consumed: Minor Abomination
Race XP Gained: 10
Progress to Race Level 4: 41/150
Temporary Skill Gained: [Rebound Pain]
Darian stood and wiped the blood from his chin. Then he touched a pool of the creature’s blood, his mind mentally connecting with the Blood Vial in his inventory. Using this connection, he stored some for later use.
With the nightmare defeated, the courtyard had fallen into an all-consuming silence. Snow still fell, but now it rested atop ashes, bones, and blades. Darian stood and listened for a moment, his ears picking up no further signs of the undead. With the area clear, he walked over to a nearby wall and leaned against the cold stone for support. The blood had healed his shoulder some, but it still throbbed. The rest of him was covered in small bruises and scratches, but he got out of the battle much better off than he’d expected.
The sun would be up before too long, but Darian already knew where he was going to put his next class level. He opened the menu and selected [Blood Squire]. With two more levels, he would unlock the advanced class [Blood Knight]. He would consider using his Divine Essence to reset his class points after that. By doing so, he could put some of his class levels right into the new class without waiting to level up further. And with how dangerous things were getting, he figured something like an advanced class could be useful.
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Blood Squire Lv. 3
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* Dexterity: +5
* Perception: +5
* Arcane: +5
* Skill – [Minor Rally]
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Minor Rally
Uses 5 (Daily)
Range: 30 Feet
* This skill sends out a wave of invigorating energy from the user. Allies within the skill radius receive: [Minor Fatigue Resistance], [Minor Fear Resistance], [Minor Pain Resistance], and [Bulwark]. They also receive +5 to their Constitution and Fortitude attributes, strengthening them against physical and mental attacks. This skill does not stack.
* Skill will evolve into [Major Rally] when the skill user reaches Blood Squire level (5).
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All the more reason to reach level five in the class. Darian looked at the crimson snow near the barracks. His summons had died easily to the Nightmare, but perhaps with his new skill, they could have lasted at least a little longer. Still, this new skill will be great in the next large battle I find myself in. He thought about how [Minor Rally] could stack with Zan’s buffing howl, then his shoulders sagged when he remembered the wolf and Fria were now far away from him.
With his class level now allotted, Darian returned to the prison. Despite the pain he was in, he made sure to stand tall and proud as he strode to the prisoner’s cell.
“You’re,” the man looked Darian up and down, shock painting his face. “Alive? How?”
“I told you I would be back,” Darian said, stepping closer to the bars. “Now answer my previous question. Who are you, and why were you imprisoned here?”
The prisoner sighed. “Not this again.” He tapped his bound wrists to the wall. “Like I already said, you get me out of these chains, and I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”
The man was clearly a necromancer. Even if he hadn’t made his previous comment about summoning a “Bone golem”, the stench of death around him was unmistakable. And while Darian didn’t really care if someone was a necromancer, the stranger could be a member of the lich cult. If that was the case, he could be a potential enemy.
“I don’t trust you,” Darian said, stepping away. “So you’re going to sit in there for a little while longer.”
The stranger smirked. “Maybe I was wrong about you.” He looked into Darian’s eyes. “Behind that boyish naivety is a killer, I can see that now. But you’ll come around eventually.”
Darian smiled. “I doubt that.” He walked back to the courtyard, one person on his mind.
Jorg
He wasn’t sure how Jorg’s skill [Memory Delve] worked, but he figured it might be useful in this situation. Even if it only offered them a little insight into the stranger, anything was better than nothing. Either way, I won’t be releasing him until he proves not to be a threat to us. Creating vampires had been a hasty and potentially catastrophic decision. But with the threat of the plague, Darian had felt pressured to use his power to save the infected. But he had time now, and he would not be releasing a potential threat back into the world blindly.
Two shapes fluttered near the gate, their tiny black eyes wide in shock.
“He really killed it,” Lallet said, staring at the torn and bloody body of the nightmare.
“He was tougher than he looks,” Tellal added. “We’re lucky he didn’t decide to do that to us.”
“I thought you two had left?” Darian asked, pausing as he reached the fey sisters.
They both jumped, their wings buzzing.
“You shouldn’t scare us like that!” Tellal crossed her small arms over her chest. “And we had to stay and watch.”
“We thought you would die for sure,” Lallet said. “We watched you from the walls. You’re far more powerful than you look.”
“Yeah. You’re even stronger than that witch of a winter fey, Rena.”
Darian cocked his head to the side. “Winter fey?” He pointed at the gate. “She wouldn’t happen to be down the road, would she?”
The sisters exchanged glances. “She is.”
“Oh,” Darian said with a shrug. “I’m pretty sure I killed her.”
Their faces grew slack. Then Tellal fluttered closer, her eyes narrowed. “You really are strong then. That woman nearly killed us when we arrived.”
Lallet shivered. “She said she’d freeze our wings off if we bothered her again.”
Darian moved beneath them to the gate, his hands gripping the wooden beam that kept it shut. “Well,” he said, pulling the beam free. “She’s gone. You two shouldn’t have to worry about her anymore.”
The air around Darian’s head began to glow bright purple as the fairies descended, one on each side of him. They smiled, then planted a kiss on his cheek simultaneously.
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You have gained the Triumph – [Fey Blessed]
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Darian, a little embarrassed, finished removing the beam from the door. “What was that for?” he asked.
“A little bit of fey magic, for your help,” Tellal said.
“Didn’t realize I was helping,” Darian said, placing his palms on the door.
“It’s been hard going since our exile.” Lallet hovered by Darian’s right ear. “But you reminded us that sometimes, justice is served.”
“Justice?” Darian pushed, the massive door groaning as it opened. “It was simply self-defense. She attacked first.”
“She was a bit crazed,” Tellal said. “But you still removed a thorn from our rose, and we are thankful for it.”
The gate opened, cold wind pushing through the gap. And through the snow, Darian made out the shapes of Jorg and the others still perched atop the distant hill.
“Are you still planning on going after this Oliver fellow?” Tellal asked.
“I am.” Darian squinted, the air harsh and fridge, even for him. “He and I have unfinished business.”
“Well, with how you fight, I certainly wouldn’t want to be your enemy.”
Darian strode for the others, his temper rising as he thought of Oliver and his cowardly escape. But he would find him and kill him. He just had to deal with the prisoner first. Then he could finally have his vengeance.
Enjoy your next few days, Oliver. They will be your last.