Chapter Twenty-Four
[You have selected Infernal Paladin as your new class. Your skills have changed. [Sanctuary-Uncommon] has changed to [Infernal Sanctuary-Rare]: Create a Sanctuary zone where no hostile actions are allowed by anyone other than you. Anyone who takes a hostile action is wrapped with chains of spectral fire, rendered immobile, and inflicted with constant pain. Note that some may be able to resist this skill. [Mana Infusion-Rare] has become [Infernal Infusion-Epic]: Infuse all kinds of items with infernal mana that grants them supernatural power based on what the item is. These items can be machinery, weapons, or more mundane items. [Smite-Rare] has changed to [Infernal Smite-Epic]: Your smite has now taken on an infernal aspect and does increased damage. Your smite now affects a whole area.]
Ambrose blinked at his skill changes. When the book said he gained an infernal trait, it meant it. He could select two more skills, and he brought them up now.
[Recall-Rare]: This skill allows you to recall a thrown object infused with your mana. The object will return to you no matter what is in the way.]
Ambrose arched an eyebrow. That was incredibly useful. He remembered a game his wife had liked to play, god wars or something like that. A character threw an axe that he could recall at will. Ambrose had always thought the game looked cool; now, he could do it for real. He was likely to pick this skill, but there were others he wanted to look at.
[Paladins Gaze-Epic]: Looking into your foe's eyes, you can cause them to feel the suffering of all the pain they have inflicted upon others. Some may resist this ability.]
Ambrose could have sworn he had heard of an ability like this one before in the culture before the System. He shrugged. It was a good ability, and he was considering it. It’s too bad I only get to pick two.
[Sense the Unclean-Rare]: Allows you to sense the crimes of others.]
Okay? That’s it? The skill wasn’t doing much to make him want to pick it. He thought it through and gave a grudging acknowledgment of the skill. It was broad, and he was sure that was for a reason. If he activated this skill, it could reveal those hidden from his sight or anyone nearby he might be trying to find. There were also duties the Knight had to consider.
He meant to discuss those with Vivienne soon. A lot of information had been imparted to his mind, and he wanted to understand it all better. This skill would help with some of those duties. The only issue was that he didn’t really want to pick it up. He wanted recall and paladin’s gaze more. There was still one more skill to look at.
[Infernal Slash-Rare]: Launch an infernal-powered slash of mana at a foe that grows in power the more mana you use.]
Ambrose rubbed at the bridge of his nose. He didn’t really want this skill, either. It wasn’t that it didn’t sound good, it was more that if he picked recall, this skill would be pointless. Ambrose felt his mind firm, and he made his choices.
[You have selected [Paladins Gaze-Epic], and [Recall-Rare].
Ambrose felt the skills settle into his spirit. The next thing he needed to do was spend his attribute points. Before progressing to D-Grade, he had leveled up twenty levels, meaning he had a solid forty points to spend. There were also the fifty points he had gained from his reforged trait. He assigned twenty points to his constitution and put five points in the rest of the attributes. He closed his eyes as the familiar power flowed through his body like a rushing river.
After that, he pulled up his profile. He hadn’t looked at it in a while, and his appearance had changed significantly.
[Name: Ambrose Severen
Level: 75
Race: Human [D-Grade]
Traits:Ruthless-[Uncommon], Giant Slayer-[Rare], Reforged-[Legendary], Infernal-[Mythic]
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Class: Paladin [E-Grade]
Profession: Knight of Avalon
Mana: 2500/2500
Health: 960/960
Skills:[Infernal Infusion-Epic], [Insight-Uncommon], [Infernal Smite-Epic], [Infernal Sanctuary-Epic], [Aura of Righteousness-Epic], [Recall-Rare], [Shield of Conviction-Uncommon]
Constitution: 141
Strength: 117
Intellect: 122
Wisdom: 125
Willpower: 150
SC: 0]
Ambrose felt the newfound power within him as he looked over his profile. His advancement was shaping up nicely. He looked over at Vivienne, who stared at him calmly,
“Your power grows, Knight. Shall we discuss how you must proceed if you wish to destroy Mordred?”
Avalon did not have a living space, not yet anyway. However, Vivienne could form chairs out of the roots of the Avalon tree. Ambrose settled into one after he requested something other than dirt to sit on, and she formed one for him. Vivienne did not tire, nor did she feel physical sensations in the same way that Ambrose did.
Not only was she a much higher grade than he was, but she was also a spirit and not human. Ambrose had a few questions before they discussed Mordred.
“I want to confirm some things. This Knight job…I know it binds me to the island; I know I am supposed to guard it, but what is it exactly, and is Avalon what I think it is?”
Vivienne twitched her lips into a wry smile,
“That depends on whether or not you think Avalon is a prison or not.”
Ambrose nodded,
“That is exactly what I think. What does it mean that I have to bring the island more souls?”
Vivienne’s violet eyes met his.
“It means that you must retrieve those of evil persuasion and bring them here.”
Ambrose shifted in his seat, thinking.
“Right. But why?”
Vivienne pursed her lips before pointing at the tree.
“The Tree of Avalon, that’s why.”
Ambrose sighed,
“That isn’t an explanation.”
Vivienne made a frustrated sound,
“Human understanding is so frustrating betimes. The tree…consumes evil. It eats it and purges it from reality. As the Knight, you are bound to the tree. It is your responsibility to sustain it.”
Ambrose furrowed his brows,
“Evil is so subjective. I’ve done evil. Why didn’t it eat me?”
Vivienne stared at him,
“But it did, Ambrose. Why do you think you felt so much pain?”
Ambrose blinked,
“That doesn’t make any sense. What, are you saying I’m no longer capable of evil? That the evil in me is suddenly ‘poof!’ gone?”
Vivienne laughed,
“No, Knight. The guilt is still there; the things you did cannot be erased. Evil, good; you are right that different beings have different ideas of good and evil. Some have no concept of it at all. The tree's creator had an idea of what good and evil were, and the tree operates based on that. It consumes the energies of the actions it determines as evil and uses it to nourish it and keep those imprisoned beneath it contained.”
Ambrose flicked his gaze to the tree,
“Who made it then?”
Vivienne smiled again,
“Merlin did, of course. He laid enchantments upon it, such powerful enchantments that not even I have a concept of. The energies power those as well.”
Ambrose leaned back,
“So, I bring it groceries, basically.”
Vivienne cocked her head,
“Groceries? I do not understand. Is that a weapon? You are to bring the tree those of evil persuasion, not weapons, Knight.”
Ambrose flicked a hand,
“Never mind. Onto Mordred, then. Are you able to bring his statue up? How do I make him flesh again?”
Vivienne eyed him for a second longer before speaking,
“I can make Mordred flesh again, yes. But you must destroy his avatars if you wish to defeat him fully.”
“Avatars?”
“Yes. When Mordred took control of his curse, he began shaping four beasts with it, putting bits of his spirit and mana within them. He turned them into his avatars. He cannot be fully destroyed until these avatars are gone. They are at the four corners of Avalon. Each has formed dens, miniature dungeons not unlike the caverns you find yourself in now. The key of Avalon will allow you to teleport around the island at will, so getting to the dungeons will not be terribly difficult. Destroying the beasts may be.”
Ambrose closed his eye, sighing.
“I better get to it, then. Can you tell me anything about these beasts?”
“They are powerful.”
Ambrose glared at her; his one eye narrowing.
“Really helpful. Okay, I’m going. How do I use the key?”
“Merely hold it and think where you wish to go. The island will do the rest.”
Ambrose nodded and took the key from his bag.
Time to bring Mordred down.