Light monsters, angels of the wilds. Fallen angels, when found controlled by a dungeon. When a monster tamer connects with a light monster they are considered holy. Most are given an invitation to join a holy order of knights. They swear off the opposite sex and devote their lives to evolving their monsters and battling the dark. If Markus chose to connect with any light monster, he could get his academy tuition paid in full. But with tentacles flowing out from his skin and several familiars littering the ground. He doubted a light type monster would connect with him.

A lantern appeared in the center of the room. A puppet danced around it and fed it scraps of paper. The small creature ventured out into the dark and retrieved scraps of linen discarded from the coffins. Markus knew what this creature was.

The lantern and cloth doll were a dead giveaway. This was a Lantern Marionette, one of the weakest light monsters found in the wild. Some considered them one of the bravest. In the stories when heroes were lost they came to them and offered their light. Resting under the light of their lanterns could heal a hero or knight’s mind and clear away doubts. The Marionette fed the flame, but it wasn’t real. The monster was the lantern itself.

Markus stood back and studied the lantern. It let off a soft glow covering the floor with yellow light. He could destroy it with a flex of his thoughts, but that wasn’t the point. He needed to destroy it with darkness. His familiars cornered the marionette and tore the rag golem apart. It would take years for the lantern to make a new golem.

He could have let the light go out and smash the empty lantern but that wasn’t his goal. Strong darkness took out his light skills, so maybe he could do the same. Tentacles rose from the ground and encircled the monster. It began to dim even as Markus lost a good bit of his darkness. When the light did go out he plunged tentacles through the lantern ending the monster.

Two Lantern marionettes appeared along with a relic collector. Small glowing amulets covered a white robe. The robe moved about then locked on him. It thrust one of its relics at him shining a light ripping away at most of Markus’ darkness and familiars.

Two quick slams of psychic smashed the lanterns letting their collected light wink out. The marionettes fell. Markus used cut away at the cords holding the relics on the monster. He pulled the last one from the creature’s grasp and ripped it apart with tentacles.

Two relic collectors and a Star fairy appeared. Markus noticed the pattern quickly. There was a bit of an issue. The Star fairy was from a high evolution line of day fairy. They could exist at night just as easily as during the day. The fairy had long golden wings and an alien almost human figure. Her ears were pointed, and her face was angled differently but she was almost human. Her size was comparable to the relic collector. So, she stood nearly four feet tall.

He didn’t have any lore on them. This was the sort of reason why lore wardens were brought into dungeons. The fairy wasted no time launching balls of light giggling the whole time. The two relic collectors blasted him with powerful light beams.

They gave him the equivalent to a light sunburn. The light balls slammed into him and dissipated. If it was during the day, he would probably be a burnt crisp. Standing his ground, he began absorbing darkness. The best way to take on these creatures was to overwhelm their light.

Once he was full once again, he unleashed a powerful tentacle. It whipped through the fairy and bisected the cloaks. From the fairy’s body he found a small golden fig. Popping it in his mouth, his endurance doubled. It was just like the apples.

Two fairies and a walking golem of heavy armor appeared. That was when Trixie entered the room. The small mind flayer shrieked and burbled when she saw the Holy Armor lock on to her. Markus stepped between the suit of armor and the mind flayer. “Trixie why are you in here, you’re supposed to be safe.” Markus said. She let out a series of burbles.

The connections constantly moving about met up with her and popped together with her psychic and darkness elements. It felt like some monster was about to swallow his mind. He grabbed his head and let out a yell. He wouldn’t be devoured he was Markus of Might. His willpower slammed down like an anchor. A blackhole was about to swallow him whole but he wouldn’t let it. The blackhole threatened to swallow his psychic energy. He struggled against it losing monstrous amounts of psychic power, then finally his willpower kicked in.

Everything stopped and fell into clarity. This was the mind of a mind flayer. No wonder they were never partnered, they must rip the mind of everyone who tries apart. He felt like shaking his head at the silly creature. Markus pulled his energy back inside himself. The blackhole still leeched some away but it was negligent.

“Save me, I don’t want to fight anymore.” He could finally understand her burbles at least. His hand reached out stopping the axe of the holy armor. The two fairies were dead their heads broken open and their brains sucked out.

“How long was I out?” Markus asked as he picked up the armor and slammed it down.

“Food, you speak now?” Trixie asked. Markus stomped the suit of armor until it was a pile of unmoving scrap metal.

“Who are you calling food?” Markus asked.

“You, food, are slow.” Trixie said. Markus sighed as more holy armor appeared followed by a star dancer. An androgynous creature that moved with the utmost dexterity and agility. They are often used by nobles for holy rituals. Markus snapped its neck and tossed familiars on its body to infest the corpse. “More light, I hate the light, food save me.” Trixie said.

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Markus took the axe from the previous suit of armor. It felt like a willow wand in his hands. When you compared their proportional weight, Markus’ was much greater. His swings had more control than they should, and an axe skill popped up and began having breakthroughs every dead holy armor gained him 25 levels. When they fell tentacles rose up and speared through them. He was learning that the only way to put the light down was with copious amounts of darkness.

He heard a strange slurping sound and turned his head to see Trixie biting through the star dancer’s head to suck out the brain. “Trixie why are you eating that you already had two?” Markus asked.

“Need more food, who Trixie?” He realized belatedly that they were communicating through a mental link. She was still sucking out the star dancer’s brains.

“I named you Trixie. You’re my pet after all.” Markus said. Two-star dancers appeared and a light bearer. Markus snapped the star dancers’ necks and they fell on the ground. The light bearer moved out of his psychic range and formed a spear of light. Markus yanked Trixie out of range just as the spear stabbed into the ground where she stood.

“Fellow warrior of light I can sense the powers of light within thee. Pray tell why assist the abomination. Does she have some control over you? I will free you brother.” Light bearers, loyal warriors of light monsters that bear the power to mold and shape light into weapons. Often high in vitality, endurance, and strength. They are fast and hard to put down.

Planted tentacles of darkness shot out, only to melt before the monster’s light weapons. “I will save you. I can see the psychic power she is using through you.” Markus was getting tired of having to fight with such a short range. After three meters, he had no way to effect things with his psychic powers due to life support.

He moved Trixie behind a column. “How am I your pet when you’re food?” Markus patted her on the head feeling the slimy squirm of her head tentacles. She winced a bit as he patted her gently.

“I will protect you Trixie don’t worry. Just stay behind here and you will be safe. She looked up at him with a cute expression on her face. Her big yellow eyes and tight exotic features made him want to pick her up and hold her.

“You’re a weird one. If I’m Trixie now, who are you?” She asked.

“I’m Markus.” She nodded her head and her nose scrunched up.

“A Markus then, you are a Markus. A Markus isn’t food it’s a protector.” He nodded. She turned her head then nodded. “Protect me my Markus.” Trixie said.

“I will Trixie.” She nodded understanding and not getting a thing. He could see the confusion on her face as they entered unfamiliar territory.

Markus stepped away from the column. He let his weight fall upon the ground feeling just how heavy he really was. His feet pounded on the ground as he built up speed. The light bearer threw a spear of light, and Markus deflected it with his axe. The Light bearer make a shield and blocked the first blow from the axe. Markus reached a hand out grabbing the light bearer’s face and threw him up using his superior weight as leverage.

For that second there was a gap in the light and Markus speared him through with a tentacle. The skill went up with a constant flash of level up screens.

Tentacle: initiate 50

Willpower +50%

Piercing +0.5%

His tentacle had a color change. It was a deep purple now and it was thicker than it was before. Miasma radiated from it absorbing some of the light. He picked up a silver apple and bit into it. His endurance rose by x3. And he found another axe. Duel wielding axes sounded like the perfect plan.

Two light bearers appeared and an Angelus Fragmentus. The light bearer attacked, and the angelus stood there its white feathers flapping about. Golden light chains covered the creatures as it hovered over the ground unwilling to step on the ground. Bells made of light hung from the creature’s chains sending light energy before the thundering sounds. Waves of light radiated from the creature the bells rang out as it glided towards his battle with he light bearers.

Markus focused on twisting and chopping. The light bearers were better with weapons than him and if he tried to focus on telekinesis they became relentless. His strategy was to get into a grapple with one of them. Using his superior weight, he should be able to snap them like tooth picks.

Their weapons clanged against his cutting deep rivets out of the axe blades. The axes were beginning to resemble clubs more than axes at this point. The angelus rang its bells unleashing songs to the light. Any dark being who heard them would surely suffer. For Markus it was merely annoying.

He let go of his weapons and dove forward. Swords stabbed into his body piercing him too shallowly to kill. With his hands on them they were his and they knew it. He took to them like rocks between his hands.

Smash, their bodies collided, and shoulders were dislocated. He gripped them hard, crunch, bones and tendons popped or snapped. He lifted them up and began to apply psychic pressure. Scrunch, he bellowed unleashing a wave of psychic force. Their bodies were ripped apart. Gaping wounds covered their bodies from the piercing, slashes, and crushing waves of psychic power. They were still tougher than any monster he had faced before. Tentacles shot out of his hands and finished them. Markus tossed their bodies and ran at the angelus.

The creature rang its bell sending waves of light energies at him knocking him a few feet back. He kept his body on the ground with telekinesis and stepped forward. The bells continued to ring as he stepped closer. His hand out stretched to grab the monster. The ringing of bells grew in frequency. His hand wrapped around the angelus’s ankle. Putting his body to work. He slammed the angelus on the ground and sliced it open with a tentacle.

From the dissolving body, he picked up a feather covered in amber. It gave a onetime endurance boost of x10. He crushed it and absorbed the effects. Markus didn’t feel as tired as he had before. He walked around the pillar to see Trixie. Black blood seeped from her nose and her hands covered her ears. She looked up at him and grinned. Her teeth were serrated for sawing through skulls, it showed.

“My Markus, they dead.” He nodded.

“More are on their way. Once I kill them and the next two batches we should be good to leave.” He stretched out. Despite the endurance increase the long night and constant fighting was getting to him. He needed a break.

“Can you do it?” She asked.

“The light is strong, I’m stronger.” Makus said with confidence he didn’t really feel. She nodded her head and he slumped down resting for a few minutes.

“Why not make traps?” Trixie asked. He raised an eyebrow.

“Elaborate on your thoughts.” Markus said. He said and let her speak.

“Darkness not instant. It creeps patient forever, if needed. Entrench the area make it yours. Their light will weaken.” Trixie said.

“You’ve grown more talkative. What happened to calling me food?” Markus asked.

“You’re a Markus, not food, protector. I spare more brain power for you.” She nodded her head like it was the most obvious thing in the world. He shrugged and decided to give it a try. After rubbing her head for good luck, he began summoning familiars and covered the room with eyes. What was the worst that could happen?