Darian pushed the undead Cleric’s body out of the way as he rushed to Fria. Her bow fell from her grip, her face ashen. Darian managed to catch her before she collapsed, but the smell of her blood twisted his thoughts, scattering them like leaves in a storm.
“Zan,” she rasped, her eyes looking over Darian’s shoulder and down at the crumpled body of the wolf.
Darian lowered her to the ground. The skin on her upper right arm was ripped, bone poking through the pinkish flesh. And her foot was bent to the side, her boot torn and bloody.
“Zan,” she said again, her eyes glistening.
Darian turned, the sound of battle still fresh on the wind. Without him, he couldn’t be sure Gorm and the chief would be able to hold out. And if the chief died, the other goblins could abandon the plan. But I can’t leave Fria. Darian reached a tentative hand out, his palm resting on Zan’s bloody fur.
To his surprise, the wolf was still breathing.
Darian immediately opened his inventory and pulled a health potion out. This would leave him with only one, but if it could save Zan’s life, he didn’t care. He popped off the cork and opened the wolf’s mouth, the crimson fluid sliding down Zan’s throat.
The wolf’s eyes flickered open, but then they closed, his breath slowing.
“Zan!” Darian shook the wolf, his body limp.
He looked at Fria, but she was slipping in and out of consciousness. Removing his remaining health potion, he poured the contents into Fria’s mouth.
“Hey!” he said, gripping her shoulders. “Stay with me!”
Panic seized him. Despite his skill in taking lives, he had little idea of how to save one.
“Fria!” He leaned forward. Her heart is still beating.
The familiar sound of rattling bone consumed the clearing. Darian spun, snatching his sword up as he rose. A group of skeleton warriors had wandered in from the direction of the town. They formed a half circle as they saw him, their group numbering eight.
Darian’s eyes shifted across them. He was still wounded from his earlier fight, his shoulder bunched and his sword arm weak. His adrenaline kept him upright, but for how long? But Fria and Zan were behind him, and that meant he had to fight. He reactivated [Bulwark] and inched forward.
An arrow sped from between the trees, the tip striking one of the skeletons before exploding. Then a short man barreled out from the darkness, his mace shining in his gauntleted hand. Darian blinked at him, then joined the battle.
He rushed in, his sword coming down on a skeleton’s shield as Jorg’s mace shattered a skull. More arrows sped from behind, the skeletons forced on the defensive as Darian battered them the best he could.
“Back!” Jorg ordered.
Darian wanted to defy the Justicar on principle, but he could feel the tingle in the air. He jumped back, and the area around the skeletons swirled and shimmered. Bright light exploded in their midst like a bomb, holy energy reducing several of the skeletons to ash. The few that remained were killed soon after. Jorg’s mace and Darian’s sword making quick work of them.
As the last of the creatures crumbled, Darian turned, ready to fight if he had to. But Carver came running from the trees. He slid to a halt beside Fria and Zan, his voice cracking as he called for the Paladin’s aid.
“What happened?” Jorg asked, tossing his mace and shield to the ground beside the wounded duo.
“They were attacked by a powerful undead,” Darian replied, nudging the armored corpse of the Cleric with his foot.
Jorge placed a hand between Zan’s shoulders. “He lives, but with these wounds…my healing will not be enough.”
“Try.” Darian stood back and watched as golden light enveloped the wolf, the fresh wounds across his head and ribs healing. But the wolf still didn’t stir.
Jorg rose and then knelt by Fria, but the girl awoke and pushed him back.
“No,” she said. “Heal Zan.”
Jorg looked down at Fria’s twisted foot. “You need it, miss Rostcliff. And the wolf is probably a lost cause.” He placed a bloody palm on her arm, Darian noting the paladin’s armor was dented along the shoulder, its surface marked by recent battle.
Again, she pushed him back. “I don’t want your healing.”
Jorg frowned, glancing at Zan. “Fine, but I can only cast the spell once more this day. Are you sure?”
Fria nodded.
Jorg healed Zan a second time, the wolf’s eyes opening slowly.
Darian watched Jorg as he rose. If he sank his fangs into him, he’d probably gain the greater healing spell he did last time he tasted the paladin’s blood. With it, he could heal Fria.
He stepped forward.
“Darian,” Fria whispered, tearing him away from his darkening thoughts. “I’ll be fine. Go.” She nodded toward the town.
“I’ll stay with her,” Carver said.
Can I really leave her? Especially with someone who already turned against me once? “I don’t know…”
“Gorm and the others need you,” she said. “This is bigger than just me.”
Darian bit his bottom lip, then glared at Carver. “Keep her safe,” he commanded.
The young huntsman nodded.
Darian strode toward the town, Jorg snatching up his gear and following close behind.
“What’s the situation?” Jorg asked.
“We allied with goblins to attack the town and destroy the Nether Gate,” Darian said, ducking under a low branch. “Since you’re here, I guess you succeeded in destroying the other gate?”
“We did,” Jorg answered. “But goblins? You allied with those filthy creatures?”
Darian recalled what Fira had said about her mother. That she lost her leg when Justicars arrived to exterminate a goblin village she was staying in. He turned on his heels.
“Yes, goblins.” Darian was worn down, his body sore and bleeding, his mind still pierced by worry and panic. He could not afford Jorg adding to his troubles. “They are our allies. If that troubles you, then leave.” Darian stepped closer, staring down at the Paladin. “And if you harm them or anyone else in my group, you will not leave this forest alive.”
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Jorg just looked up at him, a flat frowning forming on his face. “You’ll get no trouble from me.”
“Good.” Darian turned, his brow drawn downward as he broke into a sprint.
***
Everything was blood and chaos.
The corpses of goblins littered the streets, small battles breaking out across the town as the battlelines had completely dissolved. Darian searched the carnage for Gorm, but he couldn’t find him.
“By Argus,” Jorg said, covering his mouth with the back of his hand.
Something inside one of the stone buildings was burning, dark smoke billowing out from its windows to fill the air. Darian pressed through it, his blade falling on a skeleton as it cornered a goblin.
“Where is the chief?” Darian asked.
The small creature pointed down a side street, the flesh on his arm flayed.
“Gather any survivors you find and head for the center of town,” he commanded the small creature.
Jorg followed as Darian ran, their boots echoing against the cobbles. The street eventually rounded, bringing the pair to a large courtyard where they found undead gathering around the town’s central building.
“The gate is inside there,” Darian said, pointing.
Jorg needed no other instruction. He ran into the melee, striking down the undead with his mace. And as he reached the front lines, the sky above the horde opened, holy flame falling to engulf the monsters.
“Darian!” Gorm said, coming from a nearby alley.
His left arm hung limp at his side, a nasty gash running down from his shoulder to his elbow. Behind him came the chief, his body dirty but without wounds.
“Where did you go?” the half-orc asked.
Darian rushed toward the battle, speaking as he ran. “I had to save Fria.”
Gorm joined him and brought his axe down from overhead to split a skeleton’s skull. “She knew the risks," he said, a measure of bitterness in his voice. “We nearly lost the battle at the south gate without you.”
Guilt tugged at Darian’s heart. But what was he supposed to have done? Left her to die?
A great rumbling came from behind the oak double doors. Darian, Gorm and the goblins each backed away, the undead forming up around the building’s entrance. Jorg remained at the front, his golden mace bashing apart the defenders. But then the doors burst open, a monstrosity of flesh and metal lumbering forth.
“A flesh golem!” Gorm cried, his eyes going wide. “Fire!” he called. “We need fire!”
Gustan had given Darian a few vials of his alchemist’s fire before the battle. He’d have to thank him for them once it was over.
Darian reached into his inventory, not caring who saw. He pulled one vial out after another, handing them off to the chief and his goblins. The Flesh Golem was towering as its full bulk emerged from the building. But the goblins tossed their vials, and within moments the shrieking mass of flesh was burning.
Darian reared back, a flaming spear from his palm flying out to smash into the creature’s midsection. It howled, one arm punching out, acid splashing down on the skeletons and goblins alike.
The green creatures screamed, clawing at their melting flesh. The sound dug at Darian’s ears, and he rushed forward, his sword bursting with acid of its own from [Arcane Blade]. He slashed across the monster’s lower half, rotten blood spilling out. But the attack was shallow, Darian’s arm too weak to deliver a decisive blow.
He made out the shapes of the arms and legs, heads and torsos that made up the creature’s body. Disgusted, he hit it with [Shocking Grasp] before he jumped back, a massive club of an arm nearly smashing him to pieces.
Jorg came from Darian’s right, his mace flashing as it crunched into the monster. Still burning, it continued to howl as its other arm came down and collided with Jorg’s shield. The Justicar was forced down from the blow, falling to one knee as the crushing weight threatened to flatten him.
Surprisingly, Gorm came to the man’s aid. He hacked at the monster’s arm, his blows still thunderous despite being delivered by a single arm.
Seeing that the beast was occupied, Darian turned to his left and hacked down an armored skeleton. The goblin chief’s hammer split another’s chest apart, and then they advanced, the ground clattering with bone as the defenders fell one after another. Once they reached the building’s entrance, they turned, the air split by tiny shafts as goblin archers took aim at the remaining monster.
Fire flashed all across the beast’s hideous form, its arms battering Jorg as he absorbed the blows, Gorm landing hits where he could. Then Darian and the chief joined them, a combination of hammer and sword that saw the creature fall to the ground.
Prone, the flames sputtered out, leaving a charred body that filled the air with a putrid odor. But the beast still lived, and it groaned as it rose. Though it didn’t get far before a horde of angry goblins swarmed over it, biting and stabbing.
“Go!” Gorm called, his axe driving into meat. “Burn the gate!”
Darian looked through the open doorway. Stairs led down into the darkness, candles flickering in small alcoves within the wall. He didn’t want to leave them, but the gate needed to be destroyed.
He rushed down the steps, his hand reaching inside his inventory to pull out his last remaining vial of alchemist’s fire. The gate itself sat within a large circular chamber at the end of the stairs. Bones were piled around it, swirling shadows whipping the air. This close, Darian’s skin felt like it was threatening to peel off.
With a grunt, he tossed the vial through the air. It collided with the pile of bones, fire spreading as something beyond the writhing shadows shrieked. Then the darkness exploded, throwing Darian back. When he rose, there was nothing but a burning pile of bones to mark where the gate once stood.
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Quest Completed: Enemy of the Grave God
Objective: Destroy all three Nether Gates
* Reward: +100 class XP
* Reward: +25 Race XP
* Reward: Unique class unlocked [Blood Squire]
[Class Lv. 8 Reached]
[Race Lv. 3 Reached]
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Race Evolution: Lesser Vampire - Vampire
* Strength: +13
* Dexterity: +15
* Constitution: +15
* Perception: +18
* Arcane: +10
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Unique skills unlocked
[Summon Giant Bat]
[Summon Wolf Pack]
[Talon of the Night]
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Skill Evolutions
[Bloodthirst] has evolved into [Bloodfrenzy]
[Life Leech] has evolved into [Life Drain]
[Swarm] has evolved into [Biting Swarm]
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Traits gained & Altered
* Positive Energy Damage: Positive energy will now damage you
* Negative Energy Regeneration: Negative energy now activates (Major) passive regeneration for (5) seconds
* Frost Resistance: +25%
* Normal Weapon Resistance: +25%
* Weakness to Fire: +10%
* Weakness to Silver Weapons: +10%
* Sun damage: +10%
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[Total Lv. 10 Reached]
Congratulations!
* Divine Rank (I) unlocked.
* Divine Skill gained: [Blood Lord]
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Darian watched as the notifications appeared, his body shifting, growing stronger—his fangs becoming thicker.
Then he turned, pained shouting from above drawing his attention.