“Hidden within the dark, I call upon you to bind my target. Grasp them with the tendrils you possess. Remind them why they should fear their own Shadow. Grasp of the Shadows!” Liam chanted as Mica finished chanting her Gravitational Force Increase spell applying heavy gravity on the snake while Rez chanted his Icicle Encase freezing the underbelly to the floor.
Shadowy Tendrils shot out from underneath the Black Widow Matriarch after she flipped herself right side up. Each tendril snaked around her legs while a couple wrapped around her mid-section.
Both creatures let out a cry of frustration after getting trapped in the spot they were now restricted to.
After both creatures were secured, Liam shouted as loud as he could, “Bernard, Roman! Run wild!”
Roman and Bernard each smiled before letting out a deep growl, “Earthen Bovine Rush!”
In unison, Roman and Bernard started running clockwise from where they stood. Both started for the closest corner, rounding the pillar then making their way for the other side of the room.
“Everyone! Make sure not to get in their way!” Liam warned.
As Bernard and Roman ran, rocks and stones started to cover their bodies. It started with their feet before slowly covering their legs, their lower torso, and chest. By the time they made it half way from where they started, their entire body was covered in rocks and loose stones. The earthen rubble then started to mold over their bodies transforming their looks to resemble a rock shaped minotaur.
Their form grew as they continued to run around the room. Each step they took sent a shake throughout the room, causing everyone to try and keep their balance. After making the first round, their height and mass had tripled.
Liam stared at their forms and then back at the two creatures struggling to break free from their restraints. He then looked at the barrier and thought, Not yet.
He then shouted, “Another round!”
Bernard and Roman acknowledged his shout by running around the room once more.
As they ran, Liam glanced up to the orbs and noticed the amount had lessened a lot. Not only that, the orbs were now moving faster towards the crystals that were glowing brightly. Vein-like lines had ran down the four pillars towards the summoning circle in the middle of the platform.
Shit, we’re running out of time. Liam thought as he looked back at Bernard and Roman.
The two rock covered males were coming close to making it back to where they had started. Their height and mass had tripled in size yet again. However, Liam felt that it still wasn’t enough.
“Once more!” Liam shouted, trying to keep himself from falling over. He then yelled out, “Everyone else gather around Artem!”
Liam and the others slowly made their way towards Artem who accommodated the others from Aranis’ and Jude’s group by making it to the middle of the room a few feet away from the shielded area, but still out of Bernard’s and Roman’s way.
After Liam made it to the group, he looked back at the two running around and saw they were almost at the ideal size.
One more time should do it. Liam thought before announcing, “If you can do one more round then please do so!”
Bernard and Roman let out a loud deep roar in response to him as they continued pass their starting point. Their forms started to hunch as the horns formed on their heads almost scrapped the ceiling.
Liam turned to Avery and Marco. “Once when they ram into the two creatures and their forms shatter, run as fast as you can and pull them over here.”
“You got it,” Avery stated as she readied herself.
Marco nodded as he got to the side Bernard was going to finish at.
Liam looked back up and saw the last of the orbs started making their way to the crystals.
Shit! Liam thought before snapping his sight on the two. He noticed they were coming in fast to the areas they started at. Right as they were about to get there, Liam shouted as loud as he could, “Now!”
Bernard and Roman, shifted their trajectory right for the Spider Tailed Horned Viper and the Black Widow Matriarch. Liam looked at the last four sickly green and black orbs that were racing for the crystals. His attention suddenly looked away from them as snapping and crunching sounds echoed in the room mixed with the rumbling of Bernard’s and Roman’s footsteps.
As the two earthen Bovines ran straight for them, the two creatures broke free from their restrains and tried to get out of the way. However, it was too late. Bernard lowered his head angling his rocked covered head straight at the Spider Tailed Horned Viper while Roman did the same for the Black Widow Matriarch.
Right before both men crashed into the two creatures they jerked their heads up, bringing the two massive creatures bodies straight up and right into the barrier. Their rock formed bodies exploded upon contact.
Bernard and Roman were shot backwards as the Spider Tailed Horned Viper and Black Widow Matriarch flew harder into the barrier.
Like a starting gun going off at a track meet, Avery and Marco sprinted for the two falling bodies that were thrown away from the collision.
Liam turned to look at Artem and order, “Do it now!”
Artem started channeling mana as fast as he could right after hearing Liam.
A loud shatter filled the room as the barrier broke. Liam turned back to see the last four orbs getting closer to the crystals.
Shit. Shit. Please make it in time. Liam swore and panicked internally.
He kept his eyes on them as they kept getting closer and closer. Each inch they got; Liam grew more anxious. His anxiety grew even more as faint whispers tickled the edge of his ears and mind.
Liam’s eyes grew as they were about to enter the crystals. However, right before they could, the Lich looked up and let out an angered roar of shock and rage as he saw the two massive undead bodies come falling down. The pillars and crystals shattered under their gravity increased weight and fell right on top of him.
Liam let out a shout of triumph as the last four orbs floated up to the ceiling and then winked out of existence.
Right after Liam yelled out his victorious battle cry, Artem released his built up mana and said in a commanding tone of voice, “Healer’s Territory – Absolute Restore!”
Before anything happened, Marco and Avery had just returned pulling the two panting and exhausted men into the circle.
Aqua colored mana engulfed everyone as it pulsed out from Artem. The ones with poison running through their bodies felt the painful sensations start to disappear.
Everyone watched as purple and greenish-purple colors start to escape the skin of the ones inflicted as small bubbles suddenly formed and floated off their bodies.
Not only that, but everyone felt their health, mana, and stamina start to return as the exhaustion they were feeling disappear.
“This…,” Lapis started with amazement in her wide eyes.
“How is this possible?” Inyis questioned as she looked around her, shocked and amazed as well.
“Healer’s Territory – Absolute Restore,” Lacy started. “This is an ability all healers would kill to have.”
“This is a healer’s ability?” Inyis questioned as she turned to look at her.
Lacy shook her head. “It is but at the same time it isn’t. Healers can’t get this as an actual ability. This ability falls under the Zodiac powers.”
“Zodiac? Which one?” Inyis and Lapis asked.
“Pisces,” the female elf wearing the white robe with green lining that came up to her knees stated.
Everyone turned to look at her.
“Pisces?” Inyis questioned. “How do you know that…”
“Anna,” the elf said. “I know that because I am one and have the ability as well. It’s an ability that completely heals any wounds, poisons, afflictions, and the like. It also restores all health, mana, and stamina as well as gets rid of any curses that have been branded on you.”
Inyis and Lapis turned to look at Artem.
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Inyis then looked at Liam and thought, You really did make sure they wouldn’t die and replenished everyone’s reserves as well. You successfully broke the barrier and destroyed the four crystals before he could finish whatever it was he was doing. Just how were you able to make such a plan so quickly?
Lapis looked around as the aqua colored aura pulsed over everyone. She could see how everyone was getting back on their feet like they didn’t just struggle a few seconds ago. Her teammates hadn’t just recovered from the poison, but all of their health, mana, and stamina was being refilled. She just couldn’t understand it.
Her sight landed on Artem and Liam. They really did what they said they would do. I had almost ruined it. What would have happened if I didn’t listen and refused like I was about to. Would my teammates die from the poison that was in their system? Would they have survived long enough for us to find a way to get it out of them?
Lapis shook her head. There were too many unknown factors to give her a proper answer to those questions. She knew her hardheadedness could have cost not only her teammates, but also the lives of other members. She knew what she had to do. She didn’t like it, but she knew she had to do it.
As she approached Liam who was staring at the middle platform next to Artem, she watched the aqua aura stop pulsing.
Artem pulled out a health, mana, and stamina potion and started drinking each one.
“Um…,” Lapis started.
Artem turned his gaze to look at her, but Liam still kept his sight on something.
“What is it?” Artem asked.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry for my attitude back there and thank you,” Lapis said uncomfortably.
Before Artem could respond, Liam stated, “Don’t thank me yet. Things might get a bit more complicated now.”
“What do you mea…,” Lapis started to ask until a powerful feeling washed over her and everyone in the room.
A loud angered roar echoed as the bodies of the Spider Tailed Horned Viper and the Black Widow Matriarch were violently thrown off of the Lich to his right side.
“No!” he roared as he stood back up. “How could this have happened! I was so close. So close!”
Aranis, Inyis, and Jude walked up and stood next to Liam. Each member of their groups focused their attention on the creature.
The Lich’s creepy eyes snapped over to the two creatures he had thrown off of him. “You two!” he started with a thick layer of anger boiling in his voice. “You had one job! One fucking job and you couldn’t even do that!”
Liam stared at the two massive creatures and was shocked as he recognized something in their body language.
Fear. These two powerful creatures were afraid of this Lich.
If the creatures we were struggling with are afraid of something much smaller than them then we might be in even more trouble than I had imagined. Liam thought. His eyes then widened as he watched a sickly green and black color start to form around his hands.
“The mana wasted on you shall be corrected,” the Lich stated as his voice grew colder.
The sickly green and black color that were covering the Lich’s hand started to outline the Spider Tailed Horned Viper’s and Black Widow Matriarch’s bodies. Their forms started to squirm and writhe in what looked like pain to Liam.
Everyone watched with wide eyed horror as the two massive creatures that were giving them so much trouble struggled with some unseen pain happening to them. Within a few seconds these two massive creatures suddenly dropped, all life or whatever was holding them up winking out.
Two notifications suddenly appeared in front of Liam.
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“Spider Tailed Horned Viper has been slain.”
“Black Widow Matriarch has been slain.”
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Liam gulped as he tried to think of all the possibilities that could happen. However, due to the wide amount of things he had no clue about this Lich, he was struggling to come up with any plan.
The Lich let out a long sigh before slowly turning to face them. With a calm and collective tone, he said as he looked at the four leaders, “I must admit… I did not think you would have been able to stop me from summoning my master. Using those two worthless creatures to break the barrier was an ingenious plan. Which of you thought of it?”
He stared at Aranis and Jude. “You two are capable fighters, but I do not see you thinking of a plan like this.”
He then turned his attention to Inyis. “You look capable, but there’s something in your posture and eyes that says your too inexperienced.”
“That leaves you.” The Lich stated as his cold gaze then fell upon Liam. He was silent as he eyed the male. After a moment had passed he said, “You don’t look like you’re as strong as the two warriors and your eyes look cunning. You have the look of someone who is always thinking. Even now you’re trying to come up with a strategy against me.”
Liam froze at his words. He then took a breath in and let it out before replying, “I don’t know if you’re complimenting me or insulting me.”
Jude and Aranis shifted their gaze at Liam as Inyis gawked at him.
“A compliment for sure,” the Lich assured. “Even if you’re not as strong as the warriors here, you have the capability to adapt and evolve your strategies in the middle of a fight. You make up for your lack of strength by using your brain to create strategies many wouldn’t come up with.”
“On a battlefield it isn’t the strongest soldiers that armies should fear. It is the mind that strategically places the pieces in the right places and uses their abilities in ways the enemies wouldn’t think of. You are the greatest threat here. I believe once when you have fallen it wouldn’t be long for the others to die afterwards.”
Jude scowled at the Lich.
The Lich gave him an evil smile as he stated, “However, I must add that I feel something in the three of you as well as him. Something faint and familiar. I say he is the greatest threat here, but I do believe the three of you have something that can rival that.”
Aranis, Inyis, and Jude tensed a bit. Liam raised a brow as he looked at them.
What does he mean by that? Liam questioned internally before looking back at the Lich.
“However, I still believe you are no match for me. So, I won’t bother lifting a finger to kill you. Instead, I’ll do this.” The lich said as his hands started glowing again.
He then whipped his hands back then forwards shooting out a line of his mana like a rope towards Aranis and Inyis.
Instinctually, Jude pushed Aranis out of the way while Liam shoved Inyis. Both fell on their sides before looking at the other two. The two rope-like mana substances wrapped around Jude’s and Liam’s arms and chest.
Before they could do anything, the Lich yanked them as hard as he could and flung them behind him. He released his hold on the two males and allowed them to crash into the corners of the walls before whipping the mana rope back at Aranis and Inyis.
Inyis’ and Aranis’ group tried running as fast as they could towards them, but failed as the Lich did the same thing to them as he did to Jude and Liam. Aranis and Inyis flew towards the wall directly behind him and crash hard as well as they landed.
“Now that they have been separated, it wont be long before you lot perish,” the Lich announced as he snapped his fingers.
The doors on the left and right side of him slid open. Clattering sounds and metal scrapping against the floor echoed out. Slowly pouring out from the darkened hall were Skeletal creatures of different size, Zombies, and bandaged wrapped mummies.
“Shit! We need to get to them!” Mercer yelled out as the remaining members from all four groups started to rush towards their leaders that were slowly regaining their wits and trying to get to their feet.
However, before they could take a few steps, the Lich shouted out, “Glacial Wall!”
An icy blue line formed from the edge of the door on the right wall towards the left wall. A second after they connected, a thick layer of translucent ice shot up to the ceiling, cutting off their path.
“Now, now,” the Lich started. “Just sit there patiently and watch as your leaders die. Your turn will come soon.”
Marco, Danny, and Artem rammed their shoulders into the ice trying to break through while Blair and Bernard swung their weapons as hard as they could. Small bits of ice broke free from the wall, but it wasn’t enough to dent it.
Panic filled each of the members as they desperately tried to break the ice covered wall.
Liam placed a hand to his head as he slowly rolled over to his stomach. He let out a groan as he pushed himself to his knees.
His danger sense suddenly flared up covering his head. Instinctually, he rolled to his right and dodged a sword swinging down on him.
He brought his head up to see an Elite Skeleton Soldier turn its head to look at him. Right behind him were a couple of Mummy Guards with glowing muddy brown hands and Skeleton Warriors making their way to him.
Liam got to his feet and glanced around.
The area he, Aranis, Jude, and Inyis were thrown towards was slowly filling up with a horde of Undead creatures. He saw Inyis close by, slowly getting to her feet. He rushed over to her and helped her up as quickly as he could.
“Why are you rushin…,” Inyis started to protest until her eyes fell upon the creatures. “What the hell?!”
“What the hell is right,” Jude agreed as he and Aranis appeared by their side. “What are we going to do?”
“I…,” Liam started as his mind started racing.
The light whispers that tickled his ears and mind didn’t help as they whispered negative words like, You’re going to die. This is the end for you. You failed again. They are going to die thanks to you.
His thoughts grew panicked and were disarrayed as he looked around. His breathing grew ragged and sporadic as doubt and confusion slowly started to creep in and take over.
As this was happening, the undead creatures crept in closer and closer with each step they took.
“Liam, what are we going to do?” Aranis repeated Jude’s question.
“I…,” Liam repeated as he turned his head left to right, feeling the negative feelings grow even more with each whisper growing stronger in his mind.
“Liam!” Jude roared.
Liam turned to look at Jude. As he did this, a familiar yet unfamiliar voice penetrated through the whispers and the anxiety growing.
Pathetic. If you can’t keep a calm mind through the turbulent storm raging inside then you really aren’t suited to survive in this world.
That one voice, strange as it was, brought Liam to a single thought. I need to calm the storm.
Liam took in a shaky breath and muttered the words, in his mind, he would always say when trying to calm himself. Calm the Storm.
He slowly released his breath. As he released it his mind started to calm. This time it was much quicker than it normally took. After his mind became as calm as an unrippled pond, a few chime sounds echoed in his mind.
Liam was going to ignore them until a few interesting notifications appeared.
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“Secondary Class 3rr0r Corrupted (Sealed) ability ????????? has reached level 10! Progression to level 11: 0%!”
“Secondary Class 3rr0r Corrupted (Sealed) ability ????????? finished processing one of two anomalies. Hidden and corrupted information has been fixed and revealed!”
“Secondary Class Shadow of the Devourer (Sealed) ability Devour has finished processing the Spirit of the Prideful Wraith!”
“You have received ability Hubris Aura. Hubris Aura – Ability Type – Buff. Any enemy caught within the Hubris Aura will receive additional damage when attacked. When attacked while in the Hubris Aura, all enemies will start to doubt themselves as well as grow timid. Spell type – Aura AOE. Aura Range – 20 foot radius. Spell cost – Mana channeling (Non-chant).”
“Warning! Due to insufficient knowledge on and not having Field of Sins, ability is dampened from 20 foot radius to 5 foot radius!”
“Due to devouring a spirit you have received a portion of Seed of ????? (Information sealed). Due to nature of Seed of ?????, you must devour more spirits to reveal and plant the Seed of ??????. Progress to fully planting the Seed of ?????? – 10%!”
“Alert! Requirements for the Hidden Class for main class – Crafter has been met. Would you like to evolve Main Class – Crafter to Main Class – Spirit Weaver? Yes No?”
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“What the hell?” Liam muttered wide eyed.