I woke with a start as Cass gently shook me. The sun's position indicated I had slept for roughly two hours. My stamina and mana were recharged, so I stood and stretched, then rubbed my eyes as I focused on Cass.

"You okay?" she prodded.

"A little better, how about you?" I questioned.

She sighed, "I saw some shit. But it wasn't real, right? No harm. No foul. We're discussing our next move if you want to join us."

I prodded Teos awake, who slowly got up and yawned, revealing his massive incisors. I was painfully aware that Cass had deflected my question, but I wouldn't push her. I certainly didn't want to relive the visions I had seen. Teos and I slowly made our way over to the others, who were seated near the Aspect and the shimmering magic platform that would carry us to the subsequent encounter. I sat down cross-legged next to Jen.

"How's everyone holding up?" I asked.

"We'll be okay," Leo answered abruptly.

I nodded. Nobody wanted to talk about it, especially right before we marched into another battle. I cracked my neck and looked at my team. Their faces were sullen, and the mood was grim. I stood and looked at each of them.

"Listen up, team. I know we all just went through hell, but we survived. And we will keep surviving. I will not let any of you come to harm. I am your guardian. Our enemies will break against my shield. At first, I had no idea what brought me to Astika. I assumed it was just bad fucking luck for a long while. But I had a revelation earlier. I was summoned here to keep each and every one of you safe. I will shield you all, no matter the trials we face or what enemies hunt us. We will crush anything that stands in our way—as a team. You have all earned my respect and my undying loyalty," I declared proudly.

No one responded for a few long moments. I clearly wasn't a great motivational speaker. I simply stated how I truly felt. Cass stood, then Leo, and finally Jen. Cass thumped her fist to her chest, and Leo did the same. Jen bowed low, holding her amulet. Teos let out a fierce roar. These were my people. I would not fail them. Never again. They all stood, facing me.

"You freed us from the arena. You gave me a life I could have only ever dreamt of. I will follow you to hell and back," Cass declared with a determined grin.

"The gods blessed us when you were pulled through that portal in Larell. I will stay by your side until the end," Leo stated.

"I see now why Freya has chosen you. You are a true Champion of the Goddess. I will fight beside you, always," Jen proclaimed with a soft smile.

"Let's go demolish the rest of this dungeon," I boomed.

We stepped onto the magical device, which whisked us away toward the next pyramid platform. We stayed crouching but saw no enemies as we approached the third Aspect. He was also kneeling in the center of the garden, but I could not see details from this high up. The team's show of unity thoroughly inspired me. We landed on the edge of the garden, behind a thick cluster of trees and jungle vegetation.

"Jen, another scouting mission, please," I told the ranger.

She nodded and stalked off toward the Aspect's position. We waited in silence for her return, which took only a few minutes.

"No visible enemies on this platform. This Aspect is alone, being drained by the crystals. However, let me sweep the perimeter before we advance, just in case," she declared.

Jen moved off to our left, staying in the cover of the lush vegetation. We were now on the northern garden, and the bridge would be directly south of our position. Jen returned roughly ten minutes later and signaled us to proceed. Remaining cautious, we crept slowly toward the center of the garden. The outer rim was once again reminiscent of a jungle but gave way to elegant stone tiles as we left the edge. Beautiful plants in expertly-crafted garden beds adorned this platform—flowers I had never seen before bloomed by the hundreds in every color imaginable. The flower beds created a sort of maze leading to the center. It wasn't difficult to traverse, but it meant we couldn't just walk straight to the Aspect. Eventually, the lush gardens gave way to a clearing, and I spotted the Aspect. He was kneeling inside a circular pond with three crystals floating next to him.

[Jodar, Aspect of Vitality - Level 20]

Health: 1%

Mana: 1/1000

Stamina: 1%

The bridge was once again obscured at the halfway point. We examined the central area thoroughly for traps before deciding how to proceed. I approached Jodar and took a tentative step into the pond. A notification startled me when I touched the water.

[Water of Vitality - Immune to vampirism. Duration: 1 hour.]

"Okay, looks like we'll be fighting vampires. So, everyone, take a quick dip in the water," I instructed.

Once everyone had the buff, I took my place at the bridge with Cass and Teos. Cass had switched to her two-handed sword that I kept in my Cache but left her axes on her belt. Jen and Leo remained between us and the Aspect. I turned and signaled Jen. She quickly destroyed the three crystals near the Aspect, and Leo healed it up to 46% health. Once again, the Aspect suffered from Healing Sickness, and we'd have to wait ninety seconds between heals. I roared a War Cry as the others applied buffs. The bridge was nearly identical to the first two. Not especially wide, but also not narrow enough that three of us could hold it against an overwhelming force. Creatures began approaching through the fog, slowly at first.

[Lesser Vampire - Level 15 Undead]

Health: 100%

Mana: 175/175

Lesser vampires are the unintelligent creations of greater vampires. Used often as fodder in conflicts, they are fast and strong but not very resilient. Lightning and holy magic are incredibly potent against lesser vampires.

I echoed the description to the team and raised my shield. More and more figures began traversing the bridge. Roughly twenty vampires were now sprinting toward us, screeching and growling as they did. They were unlike vampires portrayed on Earth. These were grey-skinned creatures with long pointy ears and a mouth full of sharp teeth, with two prominent fangs. Their eyes were pure black, and rather than a typical nose, they had a flat area with two slits above their mouths. All were devoid of hair and had gangly arms ending in five sharp claws. Some were the average human's size, while others were short and stocky or tall and lean. Presumably, their appearance depended on what race they had been before being turned. They rushed toward us on all fours like animals.

Chain Lightning ripped into the closest group of seven, killing five immediately. Jen's arrows quickly slew the remaining two. Another group of ten closed in on me, and I smashed a foot into the ground, slowing them with War Stomp. My warhammer was raised and ready as they entered melee range, and I activated Frenzied Strikes as I smashed it down onto a vampire's head. My shield deflected many claw swipes, generating stacks of Titan's Favor and bolstering my strength. The extra dexterity bonus from War Cry made me noticeably quicker. Cass and Teos certainly benefitted from the extra buff, too. Cass's large sword was a blur as she cleaved the vampires effortlessly. Teos was even faster than before, using his razor-sharp claws and vicious fangs with gruesome efficiency.

The slowed vampires were not much of a threat to me, especially considering enemies under the effect of War Stomp dealt 50% less damage to me. Cass, Teos, and I quickly carved through the group as more charged across the bridge. Leo's Chain Lightning killed five vampires with every cast, while Jen's golden arrow that pierced enemies obliterated any enemies it touched while flying across the bridge. Another group closed in on us, and I roared a Provoke. I swapped to my spear and lashed out repeatedly, quickly maxing out Frenzied Strikes. My attacks were a blur as the spear impaled undead after undead. A few managed to land attacks with their claws and draw blood, but nothing severe enough that Jen or Leo couldn't quickly heal it.

The vampires had mostly charged in groups of twenty or less, but now a massive congregation charged through the fog. I estimated fifty of the beasts or more. They screeched in unison as they closed the distance, and I hurled my spear repeatedly. Each time I recalled the weapon, it cost me 3% health, but Jen's healing kept restoring me. Leo unleashed a tornado right in front of the advancing group, damaging and slowing nearly all of them. Jen, Leo, and I killed a dozen or so before they were too close for me to continue throwing my spear. I recalled it and raised my shield, blocking the first few who led the pack. Titan's Favor was now at six stacks and quickly rising under the relentless attacks of the vampires. I needed more time before War Stomp was available again, so I began ripping through them with Devastate. Lightning, boulders, and wind slashes decimated the creatures as arrows rained down on them.

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They were too numerous for the three of us to hold back, and quite a few slipped past our blockade. I hoped Leo and Jen could eliminate them before they reached them or decided to attack us from the back, but I could not turn to observe.

"Overwhelmed!" Jen shouted from behind.

Without hesitation, I cast Aspect of the Protector on her, buying her six seconds of immunity. Unfortunately, the damage would be transferred to me. I felt various claws and bites forming around my torso and arms from invisible attacks. Jen was adept at using her dagger as well as her bow, so I hoped a few vampires wouldn't cause her much trouble. My health now dipped below 60%, and I could finally War Stomp again. I slowed the surrounding horde and swapped to my hammer. My health stabilized as the vampires' damage to me was cut in half and Jen killed the enemies attacking her. With max Titan's Favor stacks and the strength bonus from Blademaster, I felt like a wrecking ball. The force of my attacks sent vampires flying through the air, knocking over or staggering those in their path. Cass and Teos were cutting down those on my flanks, saving me from focusing on too many enemies at once.

I risked a glance behind me to Jen and saw she and Leo had fully cleared the enemies behind us. So I turned back and continued smashing my way through the horde in front of us. Again, I felt the soothing warmth of Leo's healing spell, and my health shot back up to 78%. The lifesteal from my gauntlets also helped sustain me, especially against numerous weaker enemies. A notification flashed before my eyes, but it would have to wait.

[You have reached Level 20. Class upgrade available.]

"Healing the Aspect for the second time!" Leo yelled over the chorus of battle.

Only a handful of vampires remained, and I knew it was the right call. The team quickly cut them down, giving us a brief but welcome reprieve before the next wave. A few moments passed before four new shapes emerged through the fog. There were two women and two men. They looked mostly human or elven, apart from their short pointed ears, pale skin, and prominent fangs. Unlike the lessers, these vampires had full heads of hair and walked like humans. They wore lavish clothes and calmly approached us. The two females carried long, thin daggers while the men wielded elegant rapiers.

[Greater Vampire Shadowblade - Level 16 Undead Elite]

[Greater Vampire Bloodreaver - Level 16 Undead Elite]

Health: 100%

Mana: 300/300

Greater vampires are dangerous and cunning creatures. They retain all of the intelligence they had in life and are granted immense strength and speed. Many are capable of wielding shadow and blood magic. Their bite is capable of turning their victims into lesser vampires. Greater vampires are susceptible to solar and holy magic.

The dagger wielders were Shadowblades, making me assume they were assassins or rogues. I was unsure what Bloodreavers could do. The new vampires took their time approaching us, so I relayed their description to the team. Jen told me her piercing arrow was solar magic, as well as her Solar Flare spell, but that one moved too slowly to be used efficiently. We decided earlier that if faced with multiple elites, we would try to control the bulk of them while focusing on one at a time. I thumped my spear against my shield repeatedly while waiting for enemies. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I prepared for the coming fight.

The closer Shadowblade vanished from sight, causing panic to flare up inside me. Leo announced she was behind us, and I wheeled around to see the undead woman stalking toward the incapacitated Aspect. I tried to use Intercede on the Aspect, but it failed. He was not considered an ally. She plunged her long dagger into Jodar's side, causing his health to drop to 8%. Jen pinned her to the floor with her silver arrow, and I immediately Shield Charged the vampire. She turned to face me as I crashed into her, sending her crashing to the ground from the force of my attack. My warhammer replaced my spear as I slammed it down toward her face. She blinked away again, appearing back on the bridge.

"Fall back! We need to defend the Aspect!" I yelled to the others.

Cass and Teos quickly backpedaled toward me, never taking their eyes off the encroaching enemies. Jen and Leo slowly backed up to gain a better position. My familiar and Cass quickly joined me at the Aspect while Jen and Leo flanked wide on either side of us. The Aspect still had Healing Sickness for another 36 seconds, so we'd have to defend him. The real problem was that if they consistently damaged the Aspect, we'd have to wait even longer to heal him. That last attack already added another 90 seconds to our fight. This was the first time any of the undead had attacked an Aspect, and it caught us off guard.

Three vampires were now in range, and Leo launched Chain Lightning their way. One took the bolt in his chest, but the others nimbly dodged the arcing lightning. They were grinning as they approached us, bloodlust apparent in their red eyes.

"If you let us take the Aspect, we'll let you live," one of the males purred. His voice was deep and dignified.

"If you leave now, we won't crush you into dust," I growled.

The undead laughed at my threat and continued their cautious approach. The other Shadowblade vanished, appearing right behind Leo. I used Aspect of the Protector just as her dagger ripped into his back. I felt the savage wound appear on me and felt warm blood trickling down my back. It dropped my health by 34%, which was incredible considering my Vigor. I presumed it was some form of ambush attack that dealt bonus damage. That blow may very well have killed our healer. Leo turned and cast Repel, sending the vampire flying backward through the air. Jen immediately leveled her bow at the creature and unleashed her golden arrow attack. It ripped through the vampire, causing her to scream in agony. Her health dropped to 8%, and Leo finished her with a Wind Slash. Our healer turned and quickly sent another heal to the Aspect, bringing him up to 53% health. At least that relieved the pressure of them killing him instantly—for now.

The Bloodreavers were close now, holding their rapiers in front of them in a combat stance. I tightened my grip on my shield and prepared. The first darted in so fast I could barely track him, lunging forward with his sword right at my neck. I turned slightly and let it bounce off my shield, but his rapid second stab slipped between a gap in my breastplate. The blade cut deep, bouncing off my rib and shaving away 18% of my health. The second vampire rushed in instantly, lunging with his weapon at my thigh. I dropped my shoulder and let it hit my shield, then hopped backward to avoid his second stab. I used War Stomp, slowing the two lightning-fast swordsmen, and charged them.

Teos also used the opportunity to dart in, clamping his powerful jaws around one of the Bloodreaver's thighs. His two massive saber fangs nearly severed the creature's leg, causing it to struggle to remain standing. Cass stayed near the Aspect, ready in case the surviving Shadowblade tried teleporting again.

I circled the slowed Bloodreaver, waiting patiently for its lunge. I feinted an overhead smash with my hammer, and the vampire took the bait. He stabbed forward, still fast despite being slowed, and I quickly slapped his rapier aside with my shield. I followed up with a Shield Slam. My shield crashed into the vampire with a satisfying crunch and sent it skidding backward across the stone floor. His left arm was mangled and bent unnaturally. The creature grinned as its arm twisted and snapped back into the correct position. He raised his saber at me, then cast a spell. A spear of blood flew toward me, and I quickly used Reflection. The blood spear bounced off me and went hurtling back toward the caster. My triumphant look vanished as the spear entered his body and did nothing.

I glanced at my familiar, who was still mauling the other Bloodreaver. The vampire was landing slashes against the lion frequently, however. I circled around to a better position to aid Teos. I swapped to my spear and threw it at the vampire battling the lion. My aim was true, and the spear impaled the undead through his chest. It screeched in pain, throwing its head back. That was a mistake. Teos pounced, burying his fangs into the vampire's throat and ripping it out, nearly decapitating the creature. I recalled my weapon into my hand, returned to the Aspect, and told Teos to do the same. I feared the vampires might become desperate and go all in on trying to kill Jodar.

Twenty seconds remained before Leo could heal the Aspect again, but we'd still have to do it one more time. Cass declared she would go aid Leo and Jen against the Shadowblade, and I grunted in affirmation. The surviving Bloodreaver kept his distance, presumably weighing his options. He occasionally launched blood spears or other spells at me, but my shield deflected most. He slowly whittled my health down, but Jen or Leo would quickly heal any injuries when they could. The vampire's health was back at 100%, leading me to believe they could heal themselves over time. This was a battle of attrition. Teos remained next to me, his muscles tensed and ready to explode into action at any moment.

"Two new vampires are crossing the bridge!" Cass bellowed.

Leo announced he was healing the Aspect again and brought it up to 98%. We were so damn close. Another minute and a half and we could finish this. We could handle two more of these assholes. The Bloodreaver had an amused expression as he glared at me. I quietly asked Teos to guard the Aspect. I raised my shield, and Shield Charged the smug-faced bastard. He raised his sword to block, but my strength-boosting skills, coupled with Shield Mastery, overwhelmed the swordsman's defenses. My shield slammed into his chest like a freight train. I heard his ribs crack from the assault, and he fell backward. The vampire howled in pain as it scrambled off the ground. I pressed the advantage, lunging forward with my hammer before he could steady himself. The hammer crashed into his already damaged torso, eliciting another howl of pain.

"Not so smug, now," I growled.

He swung his rapier in a horizontal arc, but my shield quickly slapped it away, refreshing the stacks of Titan's Favor. The vampire countered with a flurry of stabs, I parried the first and blocked the second, but four more made it past my defense. Two glanced off my heavy armor, but two penetrated weak points or gaps. The Bloodreaver was in my world now, and if he wanted to trade blows, I had no doubt my Vigor would far outlast his. I swung my hammer at his side, forcing him to sidestep right into a shield bash. The creature was now bleeding from its mouth, most likely from internal damage caused by all the blunt force trauma. I focused on its health quickly, seeing it was at 34%, but it was slowly ticking upward. Maybe he had a passive ability that recovered health in battle. I dodged another thrust and parried a second, following up with another War Stomp. The slowed Bloodreaver lunged forward again, creating another stab wound in my torso. My spear replaced my hammer as I thrust my arm forward while simultaneously casting Devastate. My blade sank deep into the creature's face, and the vampire collapsed to the ground.

[Augment Rune: Onslaught has reached Level 9 - Master Rank - An ability has been upgraded.]

I turned and sprinted back toward the Aspect. Another Shadowblade had joined the fight, and another vampire type I didn't recognize.

[Greater Vampire Nightpriest - Level 17 Undead Elite]

It certainly looked like a mage, wearing jet-black robes and carrying a scepter with a crimson orb adorning the top. Just as I returned to Teos, a Shadowblade appeared directly behind the Aspect. I quickly charged and thrust my spear at her, forcing her backward. She circled me warily, her face twisted into an angry scowl. Then, she materialized a sphere of shadow around us, completely blinding me. I immediately activated Mana Sense and spotted the mana circling her as she dashed toward me. I couldn't see her, just the mana that innately circled her body. Luckily, her weapon was enchanted, causing it to glow faintly with mana. I blocked her stab, then retaliated with my own. My spear sank deep into her flesh, and I ripped it sideways. The dark sphere dissipated, and I spotted the vampire crawling away. My attack had nearly cut her in half at the waist. I ran forward, spear raised for the killing blow, when she blinked away again.

I turned toward the others battling the second Shadowblade and the vampire mage. The wounded Shadowblade was still on the ground, but the Nightpriest cast a spell. Blood funneled from his scepter into the woman, quickly closing her wounds. I checked the Aspect. Only a few seconds remained before Leo could heal him for the final time, but he was busy healing our teammates and fending off the three vampires. I was about to run to their aid when another Shadowblade appeared next to me. I went to intercept her, but she flung her hand toward me, temporarily disorienting me with a spell. I immediately pushed it away with Force of Will, but her dagger was already buried in the Aspect when I opened my eyes. His health once again dropped to 52%.

"Fuck!" I roared as I charged the assassin. She turned to face me just in time to get smashed to the ground by my shield. I shouted to Jen, and she launched a silver arrow that pinned the woman to the ground. My spear vanished as my hammer materialized in my left hand. She wildly swung her dagger at me, but it bounced off my plate legguards. I used Devastate and delivered a savage overhead blow with the hammer, crushing her face. A blast of ice erupted from my weapon, but the Shadowblade was already dead.

[You have reached Level 21.]