My eyes snapped open, and I sucked in a breath, the sight of Excalibur coming down on my neck fresh in my mind. I jerked up from where I had been lying on the stone in the center of the tower. My body seemed fuzzy as if I wasn’t fully real. It slowly faded and felt normal once again and slowly stood the racing of my hearts slowly fading.
I felt arms wrap around me and nearly flipped out before I realized it was Guinevere. I stopped myself from attacking on instinct realizing I may not have calmed down as much as I thought.
“Are you alright?” Guinevere asked.
“I’m… I’ll be fine,” I said hesitantly. “How long was I… gone.”
“About five hours,” Guinevere said. “After you and Arthur died the rest of them retreated aways.”
“Arthur died?” I asked.
“Yes,” Guinevere said, her voice hardening. “I made sure of it.”
“He seemed to get stronger the longer we fought,” I said. “Do you know what the reason for that?”
Guinevere sighed. “I forget you’re not a native. He’s the Duelist, Viviane is the goddess of Duelist’s and Honor; her divine ability she grants to her champions is called Hero’s blade. The longer he’s in a fight against a single opponent the stronger he grows, sort of the opposite of you actually.”
“Good to know,” I said rubbing my neck. “Does it have any limitations or other effects I should know about?”
“It instantly raises one of his attributes to equal his opponents highest attribute,” she said.
“Ah,” I said coming to a realization. “That’s why he looked so pained at the start of the fight, his Spirit attribute went much higher than he was expecting; I’m actually impressed he handled it that well.”
“Why?” Guinevere asked her brows furrowing. “How high is your Spirit attribute?”
“One-hundred-and-forty-one,” I said.
“What!” Guinevere shouted at me. “You idiot! Why would you raise your Spirit to Exarch levels while still only a Veteran.”
That’s what I said, Karnen muttered in my head.
“It was an accident,” I said defensively.
“How do you accidentally raise one of your attributes?” she asked exasperated.
“I was nearly dead after one of my abilities and got an option to combine two abilities, one of them and didn’t realize I’d be getting twenty points of Spirit if I did it.”
“Sometimes you’re like a newborn,” Guinevere sighed. “How did you even survive that?”
“The spirits inhabiting me helped,” I said tapping my chest.
Guinevere looked slightly uncomfortable as I brought up my passengers. She knew about them, but we hadn’t really ever discussed them much. We were silent for a moment before Exar’kun lumbered forward.
“What is the plan now?” he asked. “I grow tired of waiting here.”
“I destroyed most of the strategic points but there are still a few out there,” I said.
They are likely heavily defended by now, Ares said.
“The risk of going after those is to high now,” Guinevere said unable to hear Ares. “You only have two lives remaining.”
“That leaves killing other players and capturing flags,” I said. “Speaking of which, where is our flag?”
“It’s over here,” Exar’kun said flicking an object onto the ground in front of us with his tail. “The system materialized it about fifteen minutes after you left.”
“So, what’s our plan now….” Guinevere was asking when a loud horn blew, and a notification appeared in our vision.
This is the end of the first day of the event, rewards will be distributed, and points gathered so far will be tallied and shown.
Points For:
Western Side: 3rd Place
Eastern Side: 1st Place
The Warlord: 2nd Place
Contestants Killed:
55
68
84
Standard Captures:
0
0
0
Standard Rescued:
0
0
0
Standards Held:
0
0
0
Strategic Points Captured:
15
90
15
Strategic Points Defended:
10
50
20
Distributing first round of rewards based on current points gathered.
3
Celestial Oranges (gains +10 permanent attribute points for each one consumed)
2
Ambrosia (boosts regen speed by +10 per second for one resource type.
1
World Heart (epic rarity gemstone, crafting material)
“Arthur must not be happy about being in last place,” I mused.
---
Arthur clenched his fist, only the fact that his gauntlets were artifacts kept the metal from bending in on itself.
“How did he beat us?” Kay asked.
“He out played us,” Ammerila said. “We were busy running around looking for capture points while he destroyed them than he lured us all to the center of the battlefield where his higher-ranking vassal could kill as many of us as possible to gather kill points.”
“I have to agree,” Arthur said. “As much as I’d like to go after them if we want to win, we need to focus on gathering more points, we only kill the Warlord when we see him. He wants us to waste time hunting him down. We let him sit in his tower but if he steps out, he’s a dead man.”
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
---
“So how are we doing the loot distribution?” I asked. “There are three of us and three oranges, so each one of gets one?”
“Seems fair,” Exar’kun said his tongue darting out and snapping up one of the glowing golden oranges that had appeared.
“That leaves, two doses of this ambrosia stuff and this gemstone,” I said. “I can use the gemstone so I say you two take the ambrosia.”
“As much as I would like to,” Guinevere said. “We aren’t going to be the target here, you need all the strength you can get, I say you take both doses of ambrosia.”
“I agree,” Exar’kun said surprising me.
“Why is that?” I asked.
“System,” Exar’kun said. “What happens to me and Guinevere if Mordred loses his two remaining lives.
As you are not champions and will lose your sponsor you will be immediately ejected from the Event and lose all rewards not consumed.
“Well… I guess I better make sure I don’t die,” I said taking both the vials of ambrosia and the gemstone.
The vials held a glowing liquids that was a marbled silver and gold, the vial was made of crystal with a crystal stopper. The gemstone was the size of chicken egg, perfectly round and glowed red and orange like the molten core of a planet. It looked like it should be hot but was cool in my hand.
World Heart; Type: Magical Stone, Rarity: Epic, Hardness: 14; A gemstone taken from the heart of a destroyed planet. It hold the ability to contain the energy of an entire planet and will enhance enchantments that utilize heat and fire effects.
Quantity:
1
Weight:
.6 lbs.
“What’s the plan now?” Exar’kun asked.
“I guess we kill players, try to destroy the last remaining capture points and maybe grab their teams’ standards,” I said with an indifferent shrug.
“Um, Mordred,” Guinevere said looking at the ground. “Where did our standard go?”
Looking down sure enough the standard Exar’kun had tossed their moments ago was gone.
“Well shit,” I said. “New plan, chase down who ever just stole our standard.”
Using Storm Fall I shot out one of the tower windows. I scanned the few bridges leaving the tower. It was possible the thief could fly but… there he was. I spotted a figure only visible when a ray of sunlight passed through a blur of shadow and smoke. I shot towards the figure hitting the ground and sending out a shockwave.
The man nimbly rolled and managed to doge getting hit by the shockwave and knocked off his feet. He tried to run but wasn’t fast enough. As I sped towards him. He rolled again right between my legs jumping to his feet. I took a moment to analyze him.
Quinn, the Fleet Footed, Champion of Orkturn; Gifte- humanoid/human*, Veteran, Rank: 398
“So which god is Orkturn?” I asked as I circled around him.
“Orkturn is the god of thieves and smugglers,” Quinn said flashing me a bright white grin under the shadow of the cowl he wore. “One of the best professions there is.”
“I wouldn’t call stealing a profession,” I said.
“It is if you’re good at it,” he said, he had an accent that reminded me of an old-time radio personality.
“Well, it doesn’t look like you are one of those,” I said. “And the penalty for stealing in this world I believe is death.”
“And how are you going to do that without your sword?” Quinn asked, twirling the hilt of Clarent between his fingers.
Holding out my hand I gripped Clarent with my Telekinesis and he slapped into the palm of my hand.
“Well, I suppose you could do that,” Quinn said. “Quick question, have you noticed how there are no more bodies around here anymore?”
His erratic way of speaking actually threw me for a second and I did suddenly recall seeing no bodies from yesterday’s battle anywhere around us.
“Grave Chains,” a voice intoned behind me.
Spectral chains shot from the dirt wrapping around my feet. I twisted my head to see another man in dark black robes and wearing a feathered headdress of black feathers and carrying a staff topped with an antlered skull.
Jas’trel, the Spirit Catcher, Champion of Mournresh, Gifted- humanoid/bone-fey, Veteran, Rank 445
Of the two this one was the more powerful, at least rank wise.
“And you are?” I asked flexing my feet to test the strength of my binds.
“I’m just here to slow you down,” Jas’trel said. “You can’t chase down Quinn if you’re dealing with me.”
“That’s what I’m for,” Guinevere said landing beside me.
Quinn looked her over. “No offense missy, but I’m pretty sure I can outrun you.”
“But can you outrun him?” I asked.
“Who…” Quinn asked then looked up as Exar’kun blocked out the meager light from the moon. “Oh shit, gotta run Jas’trel.”
The Thief darted off his body a blur as he took off into the hills.
“Go after him both of you,” I said to Guinevere and Exar’kun. “I’ve got this.”
Both of them ran off without objecting. The chains around my legs disappeared as either the caster released them, or their duration ended.
“So which god is Mournresh?” I asked.
“God of Rot and Necromancy,” Jas’trel said waving his hand and over hundred corpses lumbered into view or burst from the dirt. “This isn’t personal.”
“It never is at first,” I agreed than launched myself at him. Clarent swung down but he bent around the strike and retaliated with a blast of black shadow. The magic burned against my skin, but I ignored the vague sensation of pain as I turned to follow up on the attack.
Jas’trel glided away as if he were on a hoverboard. “I’m surprised you sent away your vassals, the flag is important, but you seem to have overlooked something.”
“And what is that?” I asked shooting towards him and slashing down. He ducked and blocked with his staff, the wood didn’t conduct the electricity and the staff showed no signs of damage, it was likely an artifact.
“I have an army,” Jas’trel said. “You don’t.”
“I fail to see how that’s relevant,” I said.
I teleported next to him Clarent swinging around screaming as it cut through the air. The body disintegrated to ashes as the skeleton the Necromancer had swapped placed with turned to ash. I spun and located him again launching myself forward with Storm Fall again but as Clarent touched his skin he instantly swapped places with one of his minions again.
“That trick will only save you for so long,” I said. “Eventually you’re going to run out of minions to sacrifice.”
“Fortunately, you’ll be dead long before that,” Jas’trel said as another searing bolt of black energy hit me from multiple directions. “Oberon’s Bane.”
You have been inflicted with the Curse Oberon’s Bane increasing the damage you take from necrotic effects by x5, for the next hour, reduced by Troll Hide to 56 seconds.
Blasting forward with Storm Fall I slammed into the ranks of undead from where the curse had originated. My attacks scythed through seven ghoul like creatures, but the Necromancer disappeared again.
“Let me show you why having an army is important,” Jas’trel said.
He let loose a long howl and all his minions began to glow with a red aura as they fixated on me, their slow lumbering turning into a sprint as they charged me. I braced for the attack but wasn’t prepared for just how ferocious they would be. I had fought ghouls before, but this was on a different level than that. One of the ghouls manifested a sword out of the air showing they had some access to the abilities they had as living people.
Their claws, summoned weapons and spell-like abilities all had been transformed by their undeath changing to rot afflicting attacks. My skin and flesh rotted away and sluffed off wherever they made contact, but I was regenerating it almost as quickly and Black Rage was quickly rising in strength.
“Grave chains,” Jas’trel said again.
Chains bound my legs to the ground as the undead piled on top of me, teeth, claws, and blades seeking my exposed skin and sinking in. The weight pushed down on me trying to force me to my knees, more and more spells hit me as the Necromancer took this opportunity to unleash as many abilities on me as he could.
“Titanian’s Shadow,” he chanted.
You have been drained of 25% of your mana and stamina.
I let loose a roar blasting off the corpses with Voice of the Chasm. My hand pointed out and scarlet lighting raced out jumping from creature to creature. Undead didn’t have a nervous system so it wasn’t effective on them as living creatures, but several already heavily damaged specimens collapsed when hit. They weren’t the real target anyway. He might be able to outrun my blade but let’s see if the Necromancer could outrun lighting.
“No Release in Death,” Jas’trel said from somewhere off to my right.
I turned to go after him but stopped as I witnessed pale translucent figures pull themselves out the ghouls and skeletons I had destroyed. The ghosts howled and rushed towards me, my lightning passing through them harmlessly.
“Phantom Form,” I said.
The spectral form of Clarent blocked the blade of a ghost and turned and decapitated their incorporeal body, the apparition turning into mist. The ghosts tried to overwhelm me with their numbers, but I cut them as if they were nothing more than morning mist.
“Torturous Gaze,” Jas’trel said.
Agony I hadn’t experienced in ages hit me. The sudden influx of pain was paralyzing as neither Berserker nor Wrathful Meditation could do anything to stop it.
What’s happening? I asked Voidra.
It’s a soul attack, Voidra said. Physical pain resistance can’t do anything to stop this.
Endure it and press on, Ares told me cautiously. You have endured such pain before, this time is no different.
Dropping out of Phantom Form I fixed a hate filled gaze on Jas’trel.
“the Darkness of Mab,” he said.
You have entered a nullification area; only passive abilities will work in the area of this influence.
We were enveloped in a black mist as thick as cotton. I couldn’t see a thing but the vibrations of Jas’trel’s retreating feet told me exactly where he was. I shot forward my hands wrapping around his neck. He was surprisingly strong and knocked my hands off his throat as we both fell to the ground. A dagger went for my neck, but I could see my opponent in my mind’s eye as clearly as if we were in a sunny field.
tussling on the ground I grabbed hold of his head. Pulling him forward first I than slammed him down against the ground where a sharp stone protruded from the ground. The first strike didn’t kill him, but hot blood began coating his hair. I slammed him down again, thrice, four times before his skull gave way.
29 rank points gained.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 20,480 monsters or humanoids. Current Progress 4,450 out of 20,480. When you complete this quest, you will gain 4096 Rank Points, and the next quest will require double the amount to be completed but will award double the rank points.
Wild Hunt (Rank 1): You summon a twisted horn into your hands, blowing on it lets out a piercing call that summons 2 hounds that will act as extensions of you, their rank will be equal to your rank. They will last for 10 minutes and have a cooldown of 1 hour before they can be summoned again.
Cost:
20 mana
Cast Time:
50 seconds
Upgrade this ability to increase the number of hounds, how powerful they are and the duration for which they will remain. Each rank up increases your Spirit by 1.
You get to many Spirit abilities, Karnen said. Don’t rank this one up.
“I might not have a choice,” I said shrugging. “Don’t tell Guinevere.”
I would if I could, Karnen grumbled.
Do you think she and dragon caught the Thief? Ares asked me.
“Lets just say I pity that little thief,” I said.