Darian’s wolves lunged forward, snarling, their rabid attention squarely on the arch lich. But within moments their advance was halted by the lich’s bone golems. Their bulk formed a wall of claw and fang, one that his wolves couldn’t hope to penetrate. They scratched at the hulking monsters, doing little else but distracting them.
“Alistair,” Darian called. “Get over here, now!”
The necromancer was still on his knees, Calhaven rooted beside him. He wasn’t sure why the lich hadn’t struck him down, but he could end the man’s life at any moment.
“Wasted effort,” the lich said. “This man has the soul of a worm. Always has.” He glared down at Alistair. “Always will.”
Darian used all his remaining wolf summons, then retreated to Yaz’s side. The orc was on his back, his chest smoldering, his body still.
“Yaz,” Darian said, shaking the big man’s shoulder.
The orc’s eyes snapped open. “Mages,” he growled, lumbering to his feet.
“Are you alright?” Darian asked, staring at the man’s wound.
He followed Darian’s gaze, then grunted. “I’ve taken worse blows.” His eyes fixed on the carnage. “Those wolves aren’t going to last much longer.”
What Yaz said was true. Already most of them were reduced to piles of gore. The bone golems’ claws and high defense kept them at bay, while the two flesh golems circled around, attacking where they could.
“And that bastard is just standing there,” Yaz growled.
Calhaven still hadn’t moved. He just waited, his form exuding an arrogant confidence that sent a hot pulse through Darian’s heart.
“Your sword is over there, against the wall,” Darian said, pointing at the orc’s weapon. “I will make an opening for you. Make sure you’re there when I do.”
The big man grinned. “Got the fire of battle raging in that tiny heart of yours? Good.” He rolled his shoulders, then set off for his weapon. “Then I will follow your lead.”
Darian stepped forward, his eyes locked with the lich’s hollow sockets. Each member of his party had been given a gift before they set off, and Darian had been waiting for the opportunity to use his.
Looking inward, he felt the sliver of God’s blood still rushing through his veins. The power swelled in him, then burst out in a flash of bitter frost as he activated [The Law of Winter].
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The Law of Winter
* Radius: 400 feet
* Duration: 1 hour
This skill summons an ice storm on your current location. All enemies in range will be assailed by a horde of frost elementals, ice wolves, and storm crows. If one of the summoned creatures dies, it will be replaced by another after a short delay. Additionally, all frost damage is tripled within the storm, and all ice-based magic is more powerful. All fire skills within the storm are significantly weakened, and healing skills are less effective.
This skill cannot be used at the same time as [The Law of Summer] or the [Law of Spring].
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The wide chamber was taken by a sudden gust of wind, snow and ice exploding across the expanse. Mist formed as ice crystals sprouted from the floor, and from the haze came hunched shapes. They lumbered forward, the sound of beating wings and claws scraping across stone accompanying them.
Designating Calhaven as his enemy, Darian launched himself at the lich’s bone golems, a wave of ice wolves rushing in right behind him.
He expected Calhaven to react, but he simply remained standing in the same place. If I can’t make you move. He glanced to the left, noting that Yaz had retrieved his sword. Then I’ll make sure he can.
A force pierced Darian’s mind, his legs slowing until he was forced to stop.
“You will submit, puppet.” The lich thrust his staff in the air, the Soul of Damnation burning with arcane energy.
It was as if his body had been seized by a giant, unseen hand. The muscles in his legs strained, each forward step a struggle. If he was attacked in this state, there would be nothing he could do. But I have to keep pressing forward. His ice wolves collided with the golems, forming up with what was left of his dire wolves. Together they managed to force the monsters back, their bulk forming a protective barrier around Calhaven.
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The ice elementals arrived next. They hovered above the ground, looking like chunks of ice that sprouted arms. And from their needle-sharp appendages came a constant barrage of ice shards. The undead were naturally resistant to frost, but that buff was being overpowered by the power [The Law of Winter] gave such cold natured attacks. The ice elementals were whittling down the golems, each wave of shards cracking their bodies, little by little.
A bolt of lightning came zipping over Darian’s head. It exploded against a flesh golem’s rotten face, sending its acid blood splashing against Calhaven’s other defenders. The lich himself seemed unbothered; the acid blocked by the shimmering bubble of a magical shield.
Raven black wings of a storm crow flapped overhead, the bird’s feathers accented by a touch of arcane frost. It came to hover above the lich, bolts of bright blue electricity zapping down from its glowing beak. Each bolt flashed brilliantly, sending a glow through the thickening mist.
If Alistair could just distract him for a moment. The lich was paying no attention to the necromancer, his full attention on Darian. Just one second and I could close the distance. He glared at the purple gem, doing little more than putting one foot in front of the other as he advanced.
Turning inward once more, his thoughts coalesced with the temporary unique skill he absorbed from Oliver.
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Limit Break
* Range: Self
* Duration: 2 minutes
This skill breaks the limit on the user’s current power and potential. All attributes are significantly increased, and the user gains empowered physical and mental defense.
Due to the strain this skill places on the body, any skills used while [Limit Break] is activate will damage you. Additionally, after the skill’s duration ends, you will suffer a lingering debuff that lowers all attributes by 25% for one hour.
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A whole hour? Darian nearly stumbled forward, a new wave of whispering invading his mind. But I might have to use it. His lowest attribute by far was fortitude, which was the attribute needed to defend against mental attacks. If he didn’t find a way to resist Calhaven’s influence, he would be killed before he had a chance to fight back. Two minutes isn’t a long time though. Can I really beat him before the skill ends?
A bolt of black energy shot from Calhaven’s staff, the hovering storm crow obliterated in an instant. And despite their never-ending attack, his ice wolves were being held at bay. Without him intervening, the lich could potentially stall until [The Law of Winter] ended.
He had to do something, and he had to do it quickly. Yaz was charging right for Calhaven, despite the fact Darian hadn’t created an opening for him. He trusts me. Darian squared his feet and drew power from Oliver’s blood. I will not betray that trust.
Just as it did when Oliver activated the skill, Darian’s body burst with light. Power he’d never felt before shot through his body like a bolt of lightning, and the lich’s influence over his mind faded almost entirely.
“Curious,” the lich rasped, shadows forming around him as he summoned a squad of death knights. “But it will do you no good. You will still become my sla—"
The world blurred as he closed the gap between them in an instant.
A shape moved to block him, the outline of a golem appearing as Darian’s perception caught up with his new speed.
His sword cracked into the bone golem’s ribs, shattering it, splinters flying back and crashing against the lich’s bony cheek. His next slash took the arm off a flesh golem, the beast’s writhing, stitched flesh oozing acid as a groan escaped it. Then he jumped back, fire emerging from Calhaven’s staff in the shape of a massive serpent. It coiled and struck, hissing as flames melted away the nearby ice. But a barrage of ice shards from his ice elementals destroyed it, and Calhaven cursed.
Then Yaz’s sword came down and slammed into the lich’s head. The sound of bone cracking swallowed the room, and Calhaven stumbled, his death knights falling on Yaz all at once.
In a swirl of solid darkness, a horde of skeletons, zombies, and undead wolves erupted around Calhaven. The lich retreated backwards, more and more death knights, bone knights, and flesh golems springing into existence between him and his enemies. Then his staff gleamed, and an eruption of necromantic power engulfed his new creations, their bodies empowered by the magic.
He's finally taking this seriously. Darian deflected the claws of a bone golem, the motion almost effortless. And before it could attack again, he hacked it into broken pieces with a series of blinding slashes. With it gone, Darian mentally directed all his summoned creatures to tie up Calhaven’s little army.
“That glow,” Alistair mumbled, staring up at Darian. “That’s Limit Break, isn’t it?”
“It is.” Darian grabbed the necromancer by the arm, careful not to accidentally crush his bones. “Now get up and help me.” He hauled the man upright, but fear still gripped him.
“I can’t. Not against the master.”
I don’t have time for this. “You knew this was a possibility when we came here.” He lowered his body, ready to spring. “He called you a coward. Do you really want to prove him right?”
Before Alistair could answer, Darian launched himself forward. Mist and bodies blurred past him, his blade finding the chest plate of a death knight. Normally the armor would block the attack, but with his new strength, the blow not only caved the armor in, but sent the monster tumbling to the floor.
Even with it out of the way, there was still a small army between him and the lich. Yaz was doing his best to cut through, and Darian’s summons were continuing to form as the blizzard grew more intense. But before long the wide chamber would be packed wall to wall, with little room for maneuvering.
I’ll just have to make sure I end this before that can happen.
With his eyes fixed on the lich, Darian blitzed past his defenders, his sword ready to take the bastard’s head clean off.