Alicent stood idly with Repula and Alice as he watched as Camilla and the rest took the elevator back up to their respective floors, each carrying out the instructions Alicent had laid down with Camilla's advanced guidance.
With Abyss magic, Alice had become somewhat of the guild treasure house, storing artifacts and other valuables that Alicent and other guild members had voted were safer with her. The only downside to the scheme was asking her for said artifacts when they were needed.
The problem isn't particularly if she has them either. Alicent sighed internally.
“...Its gone.”
“No, it's definitely there Alice, please, for my sake, just keep looking,” He spoke the repetitive spiel he had uttered thousands of times before. It had been nearly thirty minutes and she was still looking for the particular artifact he needed.
Out of the twenty four forms of magic in their old world, abyss magic was one of the rarest forms, the amount of humans that could utilize it could be counted on a single hand, and if they were unimpeded in their growth, each would reach the level of heroes. Sadly, although Alicent cared deeply for his sister, he found her unique racial evolution quite wasted on her at times.
“Bro… it's definitely not—oh I found it.”
From the small black gate her wrist had been submerged in, Alice pulled out two small purple rings.
[Ring of concealment]
Concealers, they were capable of hiding an individual's race within the status from onlookers. Although he wasn't too sure how scout skills worked in this world, if they even existed at all. If they were the same as in his previous world, then it was a mandatory requirement. The last thing they needed was their status being pried into when they entered their first settlement.
“You're half-dead?” Alicent asked
Responding to his query, two puddles of black smog or perhaps shadows appeared on the ground. Crawling from them were the tattered, green limbs of rotting flesh. Humans, or what was once human made distasteful groans as they exited from their cages, rising from Alices gate into the world.
Alice, now holding an ice cream lolipop in her hand began to listen intently as she unabashedly stuffed her face to the half-deads strange enumeration of groans and shrieks. She was the only one that could understand the less intelligible undead in her household. Soon a rather sour look appeared on Alice's face, one she only gave when she knew she would have to do something she didnt like.
“Its safe brother, just sand as far as the eye can see.”
“Here” nodding softly to his sisters remark, Alicent gave one concealment ring to the still-faced monk, Alicent then made his way toward the exit hall with Repula in tow.
“Stay safe, brother.” The passing words of his younger sister lingered in his ears as he exited the building.
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“It apears there's not much to scout out, Guild master.”
As Repula spoke, their feet sunk readily into the obsidian black desert sand below them, an ocean of it that stretched as far as the eye could see. Their guild building sticking out like a sore thumb in the dessert landscape.
Green?
The skies were a cast of light green similar to the ocean of the fairy king from Alicents memories, it almost felt like the world had been flipped upside down, the night skies submerged at their feet.
Hot. Even though Alicent had long since defeated certain weaknesses of his race such as heat, he still found extremely high levels of it disconcerting. It was hot enough that he garnered the average human might have had their skin burnt pink on the spot, looking around there was no vegetation or signs of water anywhere in sight.
Alice will surely hate it here. Alice tended to hate anything even remotely uncomfortable or displeasing, a trait he wasn't too sure where exactly she had picked up since their childhood was anything but displeasing.
“I told you to call me Alicent when we are alone.” Truthfully, Alicent didn't really care what he was called, but still, it was necessary to maintain appearances, even fake ones. To Alicent, it only made sense that an old student should try to be a little uncomfortable at being respected by a prior teacher, even if he truthfully didn't particularly care.
“As you wish, Alicent. But surely, Targelia won't be too happy if it finds out.” Alicent ignored his comment, his long history of trying to find the correct ‘face’ for zealousness–had taught him ignorance.
“We need more information, scouting out the closest settlement would be Ideal–but with no map, directions, or even basic structures to act as a guidepost, it would be futile without the rather obvious use of our abilities,” Alicent said, his hands now folded in on each other, a stance he took when he was in deep thought. As his old teacher, Repula knew not to disturb him in these moments.
Perhaps I should have taken the [Seekers hat]?
As monsters it was hardly in the plan to encounter humans but Alicent was beginning to think the last organism they would find in such a wasteland was humans. Also, getting Alice to pull out something they had never used before was not a good idea in their current position.
Neither Alicent Nor Repula was ‘human’ therefore their living conditions were far less Tuned than the average humans, so things like the air composition or gravity levels might have been at levels where normal humans couldn't survive.
But still, the artifact should only sync with habitable planets. Unless the planet selection is based on the wielder? A disaster that would be.
Moving forward would also be an unnecessary risk, We've already confirmed, at the very least, the safety of the surrounding area, at least for now.
Alicent decided that it was best to head back, after all, further scouting could be accomplished by his sister's familiars with the hat, at the very least they were replaceable. Either way, their little trip was a success, he had gotten a good general view of their current landscape.
Unfolding his arms, Alicent looked back towards Repula, his expression hidden behind his Iron mask. “Let's head back. I wouldn't be surprised if some variation of sandworms were to exist here as well.”
“Might I add to your thoughts, Alicent?”
“Oh?” Even as his teacher for over fifty years, Repula rarely gave more advice than what he deemed ‘necessary’. It meant that when he did speak, you would have to listen, guild master or not.
“My senses pick up signs of life to the east of here. About ten kilometers.”
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Alicent glanced eastwards, the soft desert wind blowing towards his face, some black sand getting in his hair above his mask. He wondered what had made Repula give such information up, there was usually always a reason. Even the winds are hot. But still, with only ten kilometers, running, we can probably get there in about five minutes with no abilities.
This was about as fast as most cars, powered humans and monsters from his old world could easily achieve such feets after all.
Alicent wondered if they should risk the trek now, if Camille was here, she would certainly disagree. After all, it was unknown what kind of life they would find there, it was certainly better to send the familiars to scout the area first.
–But he planned to go regardless, simply because he knew there was a reason Repula had given him that information. He wasn't one to let out more than was absolutely necessary. In fact, based on his understanding of the ancient dragon, he wouldn't be surprised if he took the chance to leave by himself if he went back anyways.
“Let's go.”
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Multiple ear blood-curdling screams rang out within the narrow alleys between the cramped sandstone-built structures as crowds of people pushed and pulled their way outside towards the exit of the small settlement.
Teqila watched as his older brother joined the flocking sea of people, fear in his eyes as he abandoned him in the black desert sand, not even looking back once. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for Teqila. His brother who had thrown him off his back, trying to slow down the hoard of ‘creatures’ behind them. The villagers who had partly raised him, who ignored his pleas and ran ahead. Fresh deep red blood ran down the sandstone wall he lay slumped against, staining his hands on the black desert sand. Everything felt muddled and hazy like a dream.
Why couldn't he wake up then?
Ah, the sky is a speck greener than usual. He thought to himself, as the hoards of steely black Sagel worms approached him, cornered him, devouring the corpses of his friends and family who he had grown up with. It was a small village, everyone knew each other and depended upon each other for survival under the desert's harsh conditions. The Irony was that the only reason he still lived was because of their sacrifice, temporary food for the serpentine creatures before his time came.
He internally laughed as he tried to sit up against the wall, well at least he would fulfill the same role towards his brother as his friends had done for him. Even if it was only temporary. Even if he knew the favour would never be returned.
Sagel worms were known to never let settlements escape when they were discovered. They would completely surround the settlement and smoke out the inhabitants, killing those who fled outside like cattle on a chopping block. It was the reason they were known as one of the ‘five dangers’ of the black dessert. They knew this and still struggled, Teqila knew this and had once struggled with all his might too.
The black sand was the reason they chose these lands. It was their everything, the foundation for their small settlement, and their end. They would grow with the sand and return to it in death. Yet they all ran from it, abandoning everything they had been raised protecting. Yes, this was punishment, punishment for abondoning thier god. Hypocrites.
The ground shook, and three black worms erected themselves from the ground. They looked like pillars of death as their thick forms towered nearly fifty meters into the green skies, eclipsing the small sand structures that surrounded them. Teqila knew he would die now. He accepted his death. He accepted his brother's betrayal. He accepted the looks of pity the villagers gave him as they ran past him, quickly eclipsed by fear. He closed his eyes and accepted death.
One second
Two seconds
…
One minute passed, and the screams around him never faded, instead, they intensified into a musical ballad reaching its eminent conclusion, so why could he still hear them? Teqila opened his eyes, The three worms that had towered over him were now nowhere to be seen, the streets now devoid of any life as the intense heat evaporated the water from blood painted walls, leaving behind only a dried red paint.
It couldn't be?! The God of the black sand had heard his final thoughts in his life–and saved him? Or perhaps, all the others in the village simply were not worthy of their help and had been abandoned? Teqila stood up and shakily made his way towards the village's exit, perhaps if he begged the gods, he could still save the others. Where others abandoned him in his need, he would save those same people instead.
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Uninteresting. Alicent glanced at Repula standing like an idle Buddha statue next to him. He should have guessed the only one amongst them with any sympathy towards humans would lead him here. He had been fooled. At the end of the day choosing to come here had been his idea, Repula had simply said he had ‘picked up signs of life here’.
Still, at least it wasn't a complete waste. The fact that any type of life existed within the scorching climate could only mean good things for them, even if it were human life. Even if it looked like said life was currently on the verge of extinction. Just from watching the remnants below, Alicent gained a good understanding of the level of civilization that functioned here.
The people wore black robe-like clothing that covered their entire bodies and face, he suspected its primary usage was protection from the sun. The buildings themselves were nothing to write home about, made just for living was the best way to put it. No clever artwork or artisan touches, just cramped small rounded huts made from what appeared to be black sandstone to house the few people who lived there.
They stood on a hill of black sand overlooking the settlement, and from their vantage point, it was surrounded by towering worm-like creatures at every angle. The worm's bodies were as thick as multiple tree logs and if their cavern like, hollow-toothed mandibles didn't rip the settlers to shreds as they were swallowed whole then their bodies would slam into them, leaving chunks of flesh in the wake.
Alicent didn't feel a thing at the tragic sight. He himself had done far worse to people, the first of which was his father. Many in their old world would look at the worms no differently than him or Repula beside him. In fact, most vampires that were not half-breeds like himself or his sister were no different than the worms in how they saw and treated humans. Nothing but sacks of blood and flesh.
The screams were not as loud anymore. Many had died since they got here, a choice Allicent had decided to make. He knew humans well, and the less there was to question who saved them–the better. He would have to move soon however, since he could tell Repela was probably not too happy with his decision to stand and watch, it was probably the only thing Alicent knew for sure he could read about the man. His irregular attachment to humans.
“Let's Go. No need to show off your abilities unless I am in dire need Repula.” He wondered how the worm like creatures fared against his current level of strength as well as if he would finally gain in levels and status after defeating them. In the worst case, Repula should be able to deal with them, but based on their movements and how they handled the villagers, he estimated them as Individual A-Level threats at best. Bigger and slightly stronger than the sandworms of their world. Sadly, the individual in the guild with scout skills was Camille who was not here, he would have liked to get an accurate reading of their status–if they had one.
Although Alicent had analysis, it couldnd be used on other creatures, only artifacts not under anyone possession. A set of different skills, as well as an artifact was needed to read an enemies status and even then it could be countered by other skills and artifacts so it was really only ever used on unintelligible monsters or un-leveled organisms.
“Very well.” Repula replied tactfully.
[Bloody Dilemma - Mist of blood]
Alicents skin, bones and organs disintegrated into a vapid mist of blood that rapidly expanded outwards, and Alicent could now sense everything within himself. The sand below their feet, the air around them, and any structures or living creatures that took breath within his new forms range. It was a simple sub skill of his blood-oriented skill bloody dilemma that allowed him to pass through or even enter through any crevice or crack as a mist of blood. At the current skills level, he could expand to cover nearly a kilometer in range.
Blood-magic was a subsection of water-magic, one of the six greater elements of magic which belonged to the the primal Nature-element, and was wielded to its full potential only by vampires like himself whose race itself was based on blood magic. Giving him control of not just his own blood, but his opponents too, though the latter came with stricter conditions.
Shifting his now mist-shaped body he began moving in the direction of the settlement, his speed now vastly increased. Alicent could imagine what it looked like to the villagers, a cloud of blood that stretched as far as the eye could see rapidly approaching the village at the time of their demise. His vantage point greatly increased within this form, allowing him to see everyone and everything not only within the mist but around it. It was like having cameras pointing outside everywhere in a 1km area.
“AGhhhhhhhhhh!!”
“Tugyuilop Yolokishi Sapasa Gudu Cana Tumulu!”
“Tumulu!!!”
Alicent couldnt understand the panicked words of the villagers as his body began to encroach on them. As he neared the gates he saw men and woman of a light olive complexion behind their black head garbs. Now trapped between an encampment of worms and a strange red mist, many fell to their knees as Alicent approached them.
The unintelligible worms didn't even notice when Alicent passed through them, invading the settlement and spreading his form to encapsulate everything. He surrounded the creeps of the houses, the tight alleyways in between, the corpses that lined the desert grounds, the few humans that survived inside and outside the settlement, and the open-toothed serpentine gapes that made up the inside of the worms.
People screamed and ran amok, blinded as they inhaled the red mist. The worms didn't seem particularly affected as they continued their onslaught on the settlers, using their keen senses through the ground to sense movement. They might not have even been aware that Alicent had already invaded their bodies from the inside out.
[Bloody Dilemma - blood control]
If the mist of blood subskill gave him the ability to turn the physical parts of his body to blood and back, then Blood control allowed him to control his blood to his will. Heating or cooling it, and even changing its state as a sub-factor of such, allowing him to shape it. At its current high levels, he could inject monstrous amounts of mana allowing it to reach heats that would evaporate the water present in human blood, indirectly killing them. Vampire blood was far more resilient than human blood, meaning it wouldn't deteriorate at the same rate.
One might think that the blood control skill was far more general and therefore useful than the bloody mist skill. This was true to an extent, gaining general skills was far more difficult than specific skills, they were also much more difficult to level and comprehend. Only long lived or highly talented individuals had them.
Alicent turned his body temperature cold, reaching extremely cold subzero temperatures in the areas of his body inside the worm creatures.
They are weak to the cold as expected. He felt their insides easily turn to lumps of ice before he even reached temperatures at sub-100 degrees. Their dying wails filled the air as they trashed about in the sand, onlookers confused as to what was happening. By the time his temperature reached sub-200, their black scales from the outside had already turned translucent white, White statues were now erected at every corner of the settlement.
[You have killed a black Dessert Worm]
[You have killed a black Dessert Worm]
[You have killed a black Dessert Worm] x10
…
…
[You have killed a black Dessert Worm Queen]
[Alicent Ruby - Level Up +1]
[Alicent Ruby - Bloody Dilemna Skill Proficiency Increased +1]
Many people still ran around wildly within his mist, unaware the threat was resolved. Others, closer to the frozen forms, grew panicked that they would be next, now trying to run away from the smoky red hue.
“A-Ahhhhhhh Tumuluuuu!! Sadgrt! Sadgrt reshala uthu!”
One boy, in particular, caught Alicents attention. Standing at the entrance of the village he knelt at its gate and began praying to the mist. Praying to Alicent.