Darian entered the room, Jorg and Gorm right behind him, Carver a little further back.
“By Argus,” Jorg mumbled, then raised his mace, golden light enveloping the party.
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Buff Applied: Lesser Protection from Evil
* Evil creatures (such as undead, demons, and dark elementals) will do reduced damage to you. Additionally, skills from evil opponents will have a higher chance of not affecting you.
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The large circular chamber was filled wall to wall with an army of skeletons and zombies, two Death Knights flanking the necromancer. The skeletons appeared to all be the lower-level type, but the sheer amount of them was almost enough to give Darian pause.
Almost.
He marched forward, the undead parting down the middle to reveal his true target.
“You have come,” the woman said.
Her hair was long and black, her clothes dark beneath the plates of bone armor that covered them. In her hands was a massive scythe, the blade flowing with solid shadow. One of her hands was pale and marked by rot, but the other was fleshless, white bone tight against her weapon.
“I have.”
She smiled, her face twitching. “And you are Darian, I presume?”
“Enough talk,” Jorg said, raising his mace. “Let’s crush this abomination and be done with this.”
But Darian halted the paladin, noting that despite his fervor, his body shook with fear.
“How do you know my name?”
She flicked her wrist, and a screen appeared, one that Gorm and the others couldn’t see, but Darian observed it clearly. Turning her hand, the screen rotated to face Darian.
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Quest: Preemptive Deicide
Objective: Kill Darian Carmine
Bonus Objective: Kill Fria Von Rostcliff
* Reward: Triumph unlocked – [Slayer of Aspirants]
* Bonus Reward: +1 [Divine Essence]
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“You really are like me,” Darian said.
She drew her hand back, the screen vanishing. “And you are an Aspirant come to claim my life. Know that you aren’t the first.”
The others were growing more tense by the second, but Darian motioned for them to calm. This was his chance for answers. Battle could come after.
“What is an Aspirant?” He’d heard and seen mention of it, and Oliver had directly called him one.
She laughed, the sound haunted and dry. When it finally ceased, her face grew stern. “You truly don’t know?”
“What are we waiting for?” Gorm whispered, sweat beading on his brow.
“I don’t,” Darian stepped forward. Talking was distracting her, giving him the opportunity to get closer.
“We are gods in the making,” she looked over to Jorg. “All the gods in the world of Aelon were once Aspirants. Each one pulled from earth, as far as I can tell.” Her face tightened around a sneer. “Ten are summoned, but only one can ascend. The others must die. They are sacrifices, In a sense” Her eyes narrowed as they rested on Darian. “The system wants us to kill each other, and it will do what is necessary to force our paths to cross. Even if I ran, another Aspirant would surely find me. Know that even if you kill me, you will not be safe until the others are dead.”
Darian was about to move closer when Jorg rushed past him, his eyes frantic and wide.
“I will hear this wench no longer!” he cried, the zombies and skeletons closing in around him as Victoria backed away.
Damnit! Darian lowered into a lunge, his powerful legs propelling him through the air a moment later. Victoria was caught off guard, her scythe coming around too slowly to block Darian’s attack.
With acid added to his sword from [Arcane Blade], Darian activated his new skill [Blood Strike], sacrificing 10% of his health as he did so. Holes along his arms opened, his blood swirling from them to coat the blade in red energy.
His sword sunk into Victoria’s shoulder, tearing right through her armor of bone. She shrieked, shadows exploding from her body to knock Darian away. Then her scythe came around, the dark metal sparking as it collided with Darian’s blade.
Since she was a summoner, he expected her to be weaker, but her physical strength wasn’t much less than his. They grunted as they pushed against each other, but her undead were closing in. Darian let go of his sword with his left hand and gripped her wrist, [Corrosive Touch] melting away her flesh. Then he pulled away, spinning, his sword dashing apart the skeletons that stood too close.
Victoria brought her scythe down in a savage chop, but the strike was predictable. Darian sidestepped it, then feinted. She rotated, bringing her scythe around to block an attack that never came. Instead, Darian thrust, his sword slicing across her stomach. She came back with another powerful slash, but Darian ducked it, throwing in more feints as he scored a cut along her arm and thigh.
But then she ducked, her palm pressing into the ground. Darian dove at her, but a powerful explosion sent him rolling back.
“Oliver!” she called. “Assist me!”
As Darian rose, he spotted Oliver at the other end of the room. He was pulling on a thick metal bar that locked the far door. As the metal screeched, Victoria spun.
“You useless coward!” She raised her scythe, a dark pool of energy swirling around it, four Death Knights materializing from shadows that stretched along the ground. The knights broke into a full sprint toward Oliver, the man frantically trying to get the door open.
Darian didn’t know what was going on, but he didn’t care. He ducked under the axe swing of a Death Knight and activated [Dash Strike], his sword infused with his new evolved skill [Life Drain]. He thrust it into Victoria’s body, the tip bursting through her ribs.
But the sensation was odd, like he was cutting through an empty body. And though blood poured from the wound, it smelt of decay.
He twisted the blade as a bolt of purple energy shot from her scythe, the spell missing Oliver to collide with a beam along the far wall. The wood groaned, then collapsed, bits of the ceiling falling free.
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Darian pulled out his sword and slashed, but a solid tendril of shadow appeared from beneath Victoria, blocking his strike. She stumbled back, blood oozing from her wound. But she pressed a palm to it, dark energy flashing out, the puncture slowly closing as her Death Knights advanced.
Then the zombies fell on him, dozens strong. He backed away, hacking heads free with each powerful strike. But more and more flooded in, pushing him back as Victoria healed. He heard an explosion behind him, turned to see shamblers reduced to ash by one of Jorg’s holy spells. Gorm was close by, Carver loosing arrow after arrow to assist the half-orc.
Darian backed toward them, the undead flashing with energy as Victoria activated multiple buffing skills. They attacked faster, iron blades and snapping teeth forcing Darian on the defensive. He blocked and slashed, parried and thrust, his body a whirlwind of destruction.
But then a blade caught him on the arm, a strip of flesh going with it. Darian snarled, his back nearly pressed to the wall. He ducked a crystal of solid darkness from a Death Knight, the beast shoving the other undead aside as it charged.
The axe came down with crushing force and impossible speed. Even with the extra stats Darian’s new race level provided, he still just barely managed to block the attack. And as axe and sword sparked together, the skeletons rushed in. But an explosive arrow knocked the horde back, giving Darian enough space to shove the axe aside.
As the Death Knight stumbled off balance, Darian drove his sword up, [Determined Strike] added to the thrust. It attempted to swivel, but Darian’s sword slipped in right under its helmet. He could feel its skull burst as the tip of his sword pierced the bone. Reaching out, he hit the monster with [Shocking Grasp] and he twisted his blade free. The monster fell forward, landing with a crash.
“Gather on me!” Darian cried, his sword cutting a charging skeleton in half.
Jorg raised his shield and battered the undead, giving Gorm and Carver enough room to join Darian.
“The damned wench is summoning more of them,” Jorg said, holding back the tide.
Gorm’s axe fell, splitting a skull. “Darian,” he said. “I’m going to use my orcish rage. When I do, I want you to fall in behind me.” He glanced back. “And no matter what happens, keep moving forward.”
“I’ll cover our advance with my summons,” Darian said. “Jorg, I want you to use whatever holy magic you have left to clear a path. You’re the only one with the skills to do it.”
“I have two explosive shots left,” Carver added. “I’ll use them when you get close.”
Darian nodded. They had to take her out swiftly, or else the horde would wear them down. “Let’s do this.”
Gorm howled like a beast, a wave of red energy coating his body. Darian summoned his giant bat next, commanding it to head straight at Victoria. With luck, it would keep her from hurling spells at them. As it took to the air, Darian activated his three reaming uses of [Summon Wolf Pack], creating nine wolves in total. They ran in a triangle formation with Gorm in the middle, his axe carving a ruined path toward the necromancer.
With the wolves providing cover, Darian ran behind Gorm, Sparkblade cutting down any undead foolish enough to stand in their way. And ahead, three orbs of light appeared on the ground, directing them at Victoria. Then, as Jorge pressed in alongside them, the orbs exploded in holy light, turning some of the undead to ash and sending the others scattering. But the path to her was now clear, at least for the moment.
Gorm bellowed, his axe raised high as their target grew closer. But then, from beneath her, a dozen tendrils of writhing shadow appeared. They stabbed out at blinding speed, piercing two of Darian’s wolves, his bat, and then Gorm.
The half-orc stumbled, blood splattering Darian’s face. He glanced as he kept running, saw Gorm fall to the side, one of the tendrils piercing his face. Then an explosive arrow knocked the approaching Death Knight back, Jorg rushing in to hold back the rest.
Darian activated [Blood Strike] again using the maximum 15% of his HP he could use for the skill. Then he leapt as tendrils shot out, threatening to impale him. One caught him along the calf, tearing a chunk out as Darian hit the ground. He rolled back to his feet as the stone beneath him cracked under Victoria’s attacks.
More tendrils whipped out, one slicing down Darian’s chest while another ripped across his thigh. He grunted, blood running down his body. But he couldn’t slow. If he didn’t take her down now, they were finished.
The entire room shook as another wooden beam burst. Before long, the entire chamber could come down on their heads.
Knowing it was all or nothing, Darian put all his strength into his good leg and lunged forward, Victoria backing away, one hand still held to the wound Darian had already given her.
There was a black flash as her scythe came around. Darian lowered, the curved blade passing right over his head, his flesh tingling from the energy within it. Then he slashed, his sword digging into Victoria’s ribs. He gritted his teeth, pushing with all his strength, his shoulder screaming.
The shadow tendrils whipped around, knocking him away. And despite how hard he tried, his right leg was ruined. He stumbled, hardly able to keep himself upright. The shamblers and zombies formed up, Carver crying out somewhere behind as they fell upon him.
But then came a bestial roar, and Gorm’s axe cut the monsters down. His face was bloody, a torn hole where his left eye should have been. But he pressed forward, Jorg right behind him, his holy mace flashing with each crushed skull.
Darian limped at Victoria, the necromancer oozing rotten blood. She dropped her scythe, fire pooling in both her palms. At this range, Darian wouldn’t be able to dodge her spells. He lowered, ready to make one last attack.
The air behind Victoria shimmered and shifted, a great toothy maw appearing. Victoria turned, her eyes widening in shock. She twisted around and lunged forward, but it was too late. The teeth clamped around her upper shoulder, her entire left arm swallowed in the warg’s massive mouth.
Gershank grunted, tearing a massive chunk of Victoria’s body with him as he pulled away. Then a glowing red collar appeared around his neck, tightening as the warg fell to the ground thrashing, bloody foam on his lips.
Victoria stumbled toward Darian, maggots writhing inside her torn body. Her desperate eyes met his, and her lips moved as if she was trying to say something, perhaps some last plea for mercy. But Darian stepped forward and slashed, his sword slicing through her neck.
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Congratulations!
* You have defeated a fellow Aspirant. Aspirant level caps have been increased by (10).
* There are now (7) other Aspirants remaining.
* Triumph Gained: Summoner’s Gift (Rank I)
* Triumph Gained: Perseverance (Rank I)
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Quest Completed: Preemptive Deicide
Objective: Kill Victoria Williams
* Reward: Triumph unlocked: Grave Bane
* Reward: +1 [Divine Essence]
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More than half the undead in the room vanished as Victoria’s head rolled across the rumbling ground. Those that remained were quickly dispatched by Jorg and Gorm. And as they battered down the necromancer’s remaining forces, the collar around Gershank’s neck fell away, then crumbled to dust.
“Many thanks,” the warg said as he rose. “Had to wait until she was properly distracted. Though it looks like you got the final blow.” He looked down at the Necromancer’s corpse and spat, the ceiling cracking above. “Well, you’d best be off.” He turned toward the open back door. “Be seeing you.” Then he ran, his bulk disappeared beyond the doorway.
Darian limped forward and scooped up the necromancer’s scythe. A notification appeared, but he ignored it, pushing the scythe into his inventory. Then he turned as boots thudded up behind him.
“We need to go.” Gorm tossed his axe to the ground and hooked an arm under Darian’s shoulder, helping him stand.
“Damnit!” Jorg yelled from behind.
Gorm and Darian turned to find the paladin hoisting Carver onto his back. The young huntsman’s face was milk pale, and blood leaked from his open mouth.
A chunk of the ceiling collapsed near the door they entered from.
“Follow the warg,” Darian said, pointing with his bloody sword. “There should be a way out through there.”
Gorm nodded, took a single step, and then the ground exploded with darkness.
“What in the hells?” Gorm moved faster, bony and rotting hands appearing from the floor.
As Darian watched, he realized Victoria’s body was at the center of the darkness.
Jorg threw his mace down and ran, Carver limp on his back. But the two were on the other side of the room.
“We have to help them,” Darian said as he and Gorm reached the back door.
A large part of Darian wanted to leave them behind. Jorg was no friend, and Carver had sided with the Justicar when the man tried to kill him. But they'd stood side by side in this battle, and so he wouldn't leave them to die.
And so he turned, sword raised as the undead rose to fill the room.