I watched from the top of the tower as the champions approached. Exar’kun flapped his wings as he dived off the side of the tower the blast of wind sending my cape flying back as I steadied myself. The burst of wind subsided, and I watched as a line of green fire spread across the plains behind the line of heroes cutting off their path of escape. They were committed now whether they wanted to be or not.
They charged towards the tower. I raised my hand and hundreds of stones I compressed into baseball sized cannon shot rose into the air. With a flick of my fingers the area was bombarded by harder than diamond fist sized grapeshot.
372 rank points gained from assorted kills
Even with reduced amount of points given for kills in the Event the sheer number of gifted targets made up for it. Those numbers were going to go down soon, we only had three lives available here and most of these people had already died at least once.
My eyes narrowed as I spotted a group pushing through the flames. A shield extended out in a thirty feet around them pushing back the flames as they charged past the fire coordain Exar’kun had created. Closing my eyes I focused on using the telepathic effects of my helmet. I hadn’t really ever seen the need for it before but I really needed to start using the effects of all my artifacts.
Exar’kun, this is Mordred, I said. A group of eight champions has pushed past you and are on the bridge for the tower. Guinevere and I will be defending the standards and can’t support you out here.
Go, Exar’kun said. These weak soft skins aren’t a threat to me.
Even a mammoth can get taken down by a pack of wolves, I warned him.
What’s a mammoth? Exar’kun asked.
I sighed. Never mind, just try not to die.
I stepped forward, falling off the edge of the tower. Activating Storm Fall I stopped midair and flew through a balcony doors and dropped down the remaining way to the throne room below. Guinevere was guarding the standards, but I’d seen who was in that group and knew she couldn’t protect it alone.
“Arthur’s coming,” I said. “And he’s brought some friends of his.”
“How many?” Guinevere asked.
“Eight total,” I said. “Ready to do what we talked about?”
Guinevere smiled viciously. “I can’t wait to see the look on his face.”
A flaming halo appeared over her head as she summoned her specters. I raised my hand and a black twisted thorn covered horn appearing in it. Raising it to my lips I blew it the otherworldly sound reverberating through the tower amplifying it tenfold. Black mist rose around me then swept away as the thirteen hounds appeared.
I can take control of them for you, Ares said.
How? I asked.
Remnants of my old abilities still remain, Ares said. I chose options for Dominion that allowed me to see through my vassal’s eyes. I can’t use the other effects I chose but since I’m residing in your spirit, I do have access to your armors effects and can command them telepathically.
Do it, I said giving my permission. This would free me up to focus more on my own fight and Ares actually had military training. Voidra keep an eye out for Ammerila if you sense her heading my way let me know, I don’t want to be sneak attacked again like last time. Karnen keep monitoring Foresight and highlight the greatest threats to me.
My spiritual advisors given their tasks I suspended myself midair with Telekinesis and closed my eyes. This wasn’t necessary but every good boss battle needed a good opening cinematic. The doors to the Tower ground on their stone hinges as the assault force shoved them open.
Arthur strode forward raising his hand to point at me. Before he could say a word a specter rose out of the ground before him, it had spectral armor nearly identical to him and carried a greatsword with a vibrant purple fire burning along its edge.
“Face me,” The specter growled out its voice rough and twisted.
Arthur stepped back as his own divine ability was used against him by his specter. He’d be able to take it out in time, but it would give me and Guinevere time to work without me being singled out for a duel. Two knights in heavy armor strode forward to meet me while Guinevere disappeared in a flash of fire to appear behind the party.
The two knights circled around me moving to flank. I didn’t move, letting them take their positions as I lowered myself from my cross-legged position, my feet touching the ground again as I held Clarent in one hand. My eyes flicked over each of them as I did a quick analysis of their description.
Sir Lancelot, Champion of Orella, Gifted- humanoid/human, Veteran: 524
Sir Kay, Champion of Handar, Gifted- humanoid/human, Veteran: 499
“So, the knights of Camelot go to fight Mordred at the bidding of Arthur,” I said. “Its like a story come alive.”
Lancelot dived forward his longsword slicing down towards my neck his shield in the other hand raised in front of him. I blocked the strike and kicked out knocking him back a step.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Lancelot said pressing forward again as Kay stabbed with his spear behind me.
Twisting to the side, I let the spear pass. Clarent slashed down lighting coursing down the haft of the spear. The weapon was undamaged, proving my suspicion that it was an artifact. Teleporting behind Lancelot I slashed out again, but a shield of golden light appeared behind him blocking the back stab.
“Are the stories about Lancelot the same here as in my world?” I asked. “The greatest knight of the roundtable who betrayed his king by sleeping with his wife?”
Lancelot slammed forward with his shield, he moved with the speed of a lightning bolt I saw the attack coming but wasn’t fast enough to dodge it. The shield charge hit me and sent me flying but I spun midair, my feet touching the ground and skidding before I slid to a stop.
“I don’t know what stories you’re talking about,” Lancelot said advancing on me again.
“I thought you wouldn’t,” I said dodging a deflecting seven spears that flew towards me exploding into metal shrapnel when they hit the ground. “Your ancestor seems to have whitewashed the legend of his namesake.”
Activating Storm-Fall I shot back at Lancelot tackling across the width of the Tower and slamming him into the wall on the opposite side. A scream tore from my throat as I activated Helheim’s scream. Lancelot flinched as the ability hit him point blank. Clarent swung in my right hand as I used Hell’s Talons on my left hand. The claws passed through the metal of his breastplate using the effect of the ability to bypass one inch of material. Lancelot screamed in pain as purple cursed flames bust to life beneath his breastplate. Black mist spread out from my skin as I inflicted dozen wounds across his torso and Black Rage began stacking up.
Mordred behind you! Voidra warned me.
I spun expecting to block the daggers of Ammerila, but she was locked in combat with Guinevere and my hounds. A stunning woman with tawny brown skin slid past Clarent moving like water. I slashed at her with my claws, but she grabbed my hand twisting like a judo throw. She didn’t try to hurl me against the wall instead she slid up to me pressing herself tight against me the feeling of her skin electric against me. Her lips pressed to mine, and I staggered back.
Toughness check failed, you have been inflicted with *Enthralling Gaze.
Enthralling Gaze: You are unable to attack the source of this debuff and are drawn to her, to serve her is the greatest pleasure you can imagine. Effect ends if you take damage from any of your seducer’s allies.
I tried to shake off the effect, but the woman shoved me back against the wall with surprising strength for a woman of her size. Lancelot stepped forward but she pushed him back.
“Don’t attack him, you’ll break the enthrall,” she said.
Stepping forward she slid her hands up my neck removing my helmet and tossing it to the side. My skin still emitted black mist hiding my features, but her lips traveled up my neck and chin to my mouth. Her lips were hot as they met mine, her tongue sliding into my mouth. Burning passed through my body but instead of feeling the agony I should have I was filled with a feeling of bliss.
You are being inflicted with Succubus’ Kiss; you are taking Severe fire damage per second.
My resistance to fire damage reduced the damage by three stages but I wasn’t immune to it. Unable to move her body rubbed against me provocatively as her kiss deepened.
----------------------------------------
Guinevere caught sight of the succubus as she attacked Mordred. When she saw her kiss him and push him against the wall she felt something snap inside her. An arrow hit her in the shoulder through a gap in the plates. She didn’t feel the pain as her vision went red. She shoved past the assassin a blast of fire tossing her and Torvin back as she teleported away.
Lancelot slashed at her as she appeared. She blocked the strike and hit him with her palm tossing him across the room with strength she shouldn’t have had. Her hand clamped down on the back of the woman’s neck as she yanked her off of Mordred.
The woman twisted in her grip grabbing her by the neck and pulling her close her lips touching hers.
Toughness check failed, you have been inflicted with *Enthralling Gaze. Enthralling Gaze cannot be inflicted on you do to immunity.
Her sword slammed up into Lillyn’s stomach. The succubus released her stumbling back as Guinevere shoved her to the ground. Kay’s spear slammed forward but skidded off the breastplate Mordred had made for her.
Guinevere leaned in, her lips brushing against Lillyn’s ear ash she shoved her blade deeper into her stomach.
“Keep your hands off my man,” she threatened twisting the blade eliciting a whimper of pain form Lillyn.
Guinevere yanked her sword free, spilling out her entrails across the ground.
48 rank points gained.
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Aphrodite’s Beauty (Rank 1): Your beauty surpasses mortal understanding; none can look upon you without falling for your beauty. You regenerate & heal from all wounds, restoring a Minor amount of damage per minute, returning to physical perfection. You body can never scar, you are immune to effects of aging, your physical perfection gives you advantage on resisting debuffs and reduces their duration by ¼.
Cost:
1 mana & 1 stamina per second
Cast Time:
Passive Ability
Upgrade this ability to increase regeneration speed and the reduction of debuff duration. Each rank up increases your Speed, Might, Toughness & Endurance by two.
Guinevere blinked away the notification. Lancelot froze as he was about to slash at her, Kay brought back his spear and froze as well. Guinevere did not freeze the red rage hadn’t faded. Her sword left burning spots that glowed white hot on their armor. Kay fell back screaming as she slashed him across the thigh activating Agonizing strike.
The howl of the hounds was a backdrop to the thudding of blood in her ears. Anger she had suppressed for years spilled forth in single minded desire to destroy.
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I was still dazed from the kiss, but the burning had stopped. My thoughts slowly cleared my body acting on autopilot now.
Assassin, Voidra warned me.
Clarent blocked the two daggers going for my hearts. My left hand reached out and my helmet slapped back into my hand. I used it to block one dagger coming for my left side as Clarent blocked the other one heading for my right. Swinging the helmet up the spikes atop it ripped a gash up Ammerila neck and cheek as it knocked the mask off her face.
“You think you’d learn your lesson from the last time you fought me,” I growled sliding my helmet back on.
Ammerila met the burning red of my eyes and shivered jumping back and turning invisible. I felt her steps through the soles of my feet as she ran away. Lancelot and Kay were attacking Guinevere as she fought in a blind frenzy. I recognized that rage, it was powerful, but it wasn’t how Guinevere fought and it showed. She was dealing damage but was taking one wound for every two she dealt her perfect defense abandoned in an all-out assault.
An arrow blasted through my side, but I ignored Mira’s attack. I could see Arthur still battling with his specter, but that distraction would be done soon. With a roar I launched myself at Kay an answering howl came as my hounds abandoned their other targets and charged the two knights. One of the hounds went down as soon as it put its back to Mira and Torvin, but the others flew through the air.
The alpha of the pack hit Kay from behind. It had the same stacks of Black Rage as I did, and its central head latched onto his thigh shacking him like a ragdoll as the other two heads snapped at his extremities. I teleported beside them and slashed down with Clarent. My attack severed Kay’s left arm his spear flying away. Two more hounds joined the alpha grabbing onto his remaining arm and leg as they began to rip his limbs off.
22 rank points gained, split between surviving contributors.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 20,480 monsters or humanoids. Current Progress 4,659 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.
Lancelot hit Guinevere with his shield bash. She rolled on the ground dazed but still mad with rage, Lancelot sped forward his sword raised to come down on the back of her neck. Clarent blocked the strike as I stood over her.
“Calm yourself princess,” I said. “Go deal with the others, I’ve got this.”
Lancelot blocked Clarent as I slashed at him again, but he stumbled back a step. Black Rage had a considerable number of stacks now and my Might was quickly reaching the level an Exarch would have. I drove him backwards. I felt my own anger rising but I was its master; the blade of Clarent extended into its greatsword from as I hammered down on Lancelot.
Damage shields appeared blocking my strikes but shattering as soon as they did. I kept moving stepping forward forcing him back as I slashed at him from all directions. He blocked with his shield trying to counterattack with his sword, but I twisted to the side or used my armor to block the attacks.
Assassin again, Voidra warned me.
“Some people just don’t learn,” I snarled twisting to the side letting the lunge intended for me go for Ammerila.
Lancelot pulled back as he realized he was about to impale his ally, but the movement cost him. Clarent swung down hitting his leg at the thigh. My sword passed through the chainmail and leather there carving off his leg. Lancelot screamed; an arrow exploded against my back a second later, but he was out of the fight. They hadn’t brought any healers with them and his capacity to be a threat was gone.
My hounds pilled on his body their jaws ripping at his armor tearing it off as they dug through his metal shell for the flesh beneath.
31 rank points gained, split between surviving contributors.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 20,480 monsters or humanoids. Current Progress 4,660 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.
I blocked the strike of Ammerila’s daggers and pushed sending her stumbling backwards.
“So, you found your spine after all,” I said stepping forward Clarent shifting to its single bladed form again.
“I’m not afraid of you,” Ammerila said.
“I can hear the beating of your heart,” I said slashing at her and then spinning and blocking with my vambrace as she appeared behind me. “It tells a different story.”
Red lighting blasted her point blank spreading out from that point. She screamed and fell to the ground as she failed her Toughness check to resist the stun. I raised Clarent to finish her off it slashed down and was blocked the armored form of man.
A greatsword slashed down on me and I sidestepped letting Excalibur slice down between me and Ammerila.
“Face me, Mordred,” Arthur said.
You have been given a Challenge, refusing the challenge will increase the damage dealt to you by the challenger by x10 for the next hour, reduce your Toughness Attribute by 25% and give you vulnerability to Holy damage. If you accept the challenge, you can only attack the target. Any attack that you make that strikes another target will break the challenge resulting in the above penalties occurring. If any allied creature that jumps into assist you will break the challenge resulting in you being penalized, any rival creature that assist the challenger will break the Challenge with no ill effect towards you; third party interference will have no effect.
Accept Challenge?
Yes/No
I mentally accepted the challenge sidestepping the swing of Excalibur as Arthur advanced on me. His face was twisted in pain, but he was getting better at resisting the agony of suddenly increasing his Spirit to my level.
“I’d have thought you’d be happy for me to remove a Chaos spawn from the Event,” I said blocking a strike and shoving him backwards.
“You won’t touch her again,” Arthur promised me his voice filled with passion that surprised me.
I took another step back and sniffed, my senses were vastly expanded by Bestial Senses, and I could smell the faint scent of Ammerila and Arthur on eachother.
“Oh, come on, did you fall for her?” I asked exasperated. “Is there anyone you won’t fuck? I’m beginning to think I’d have beaten you already if I just had a pair of tits.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Arthur said, his cheeks flushing.
“Please,” I scoffed. “Anyone with a Perception over twenty could smell the scent of sex on the two of you.” This wasn’t true, I could only smell it because of Bestial Sense but that wasn’t something he needed to know. “I’d say you got lucky last night if she weren’t going to stab you in the back.”
“Shut up,” Arthur said slashing at me trying to push me back.
“What?” I asked with a laugh redirection his force and momentum to the side. “Did you think she loved you? That you swept her off her feet with your noble nature after rescuing her from the dark lord? My poor, sweet prince, at best you were a passing fling, at worst you’re just a pawn. Did you think you could fix her, change her?”
“Most people try to change for the better,” Arthur said. “You should consider it.”
“Most people never change at all,” I said. “And I have changed a great deal since coming to this world, its why I know she won’t. Change only occurs when we have no choice but to change; she wants to be a goddess not some housewife, you aren’t worth the change.”
Arthur didn’t respond, just went on the attack.
----------------------------------------
Vone dodged the snapping jaws of the hounds as she sped towards the crimson haired warrior. Her glaive swung out taking off one of its legs. She spun the glaive in her hands taking off one of its heads next. The hound howled in pain, and she finished it off with a blow to the base of its spine. She slid under she slash of ruby bladed sword. The crimson haired woman looked at her with angry red eyes blocking an arrow from Mira as if it were just some annoying fly.
Blocking the next strike of her sword Vone reached forward placing a hand on Inara’s chest.
“Liberation,” she said.
Subject is not under the effects of any mind control, domination, or enslavement spell.
“Void Beam,” Inara said.
Black energy blasted from her hands and flung Vone back as the damage type she had never experienced before hit her.
“Why didn’t that work?” Vone asked, blocking another sword strike with her glaive.
“It worked just fine,” Inara said. “Didn’t you read your notification.”
“But it didn’t do anything,” Vone said.
“Exactly,” Inara said sliding past her guard slamming a shoulder into her chest and knocking her down.
Vone rolled to the side avoiding the slash of the ruby sword. “But that means you serve the Warlord willingly? How could you fight alongside someone like him?”
“You know nothing of Mordred,” Inara said driving her sword down towards Vone’s chest with both hands.
Blocking the strike with both hands on her glaive. An arrow hit the ground next to Inara’s feet vines spreading from the point of impact. The vines twisted along Inara’s legs rooting her in place. The thunder of hooves against stone rang out as Torvin charged on a steed of golden light a lance aimed directly for Inara’s heart. A ragged figure of black smoke appeared in front of her, crossing his arms he blocked the lance with his arms but was still flung backwards hitting Inara the two rolling across the ground in a tangle of limbs.
----------------------------------------
Duel ended due to outside interference on behalf of the challenger, no penalties incurred.
Jumping to my feet I blocked the swing of a silver glaive as it swung for my neck. The silver edge of the glaive met Clarent red lighting coursing down the haft. The woman took a step back unlocking our two weapons.
“Is that a lightsaber?” she asked.
“How do you know what a lightsaber is?” I asked. “Wait, are you from earth?”
“You’re from earth too? But you’re the Warlord!” Vone said.
Blocking another barrage of arrows. I checked behind me to see Arthur staggering from the sudden loss of the strength he’d been building in the duel. I’d taken a lot of damage fighting him, but I knew what backlash from sudden drop in attributes looked like and he was experiencing it hard.
“Are those two things somehow exclusive?” I asked Vone as I stepped forward and slashed down at her than twisted as she fell for the feint, and I struck her left thigh.
She barely got the end of her glaive around to keep her leg from being taken off. “You chose the evil side.”
I scoffed at that. “You’ve been in this world at least a year, you still have that simplistic mindset. Power is power, there is nothing inherently evil about it.”
“There is depending around where it comes from and what I does. I know what the ability of the Warlord does; you’re my nemesis,” Vone said. “Everything you stand for is against what I stand for.”
“I’m full up on nemesis right now,” I said side stepping a thrust and ducking under her slash. “Check back with me later to see if any openings come up.”
Torvin rushed forward on his mount again, crimson lighting from my hand blasted the summoned mount to dust and sent him flying. Mira spasmed stunned by the lightning, Vone grimaced but resisted being stunned as she lunged forward.
“You go around enslaving people, you take away their free will so you can do whatever you want with them,” she said her attacks coming faster and faster.
“You’ve been listening to Arthur too much,” I said blocking the swing of her glaive. “I’d be careful of him he’s probably just trying to get into your pants.”
Guinevere teleported behind Vone her sword going for her spine. Arthur interrupted her attack by slamming into her with his shoulder. Guinevere threw him off her, but Vone had retreated. Arthur looked around at his remaining party members. Mira looked drained, she’d been using abilities almost nonstop and must have bottomed out of both of her resources.
Arthur sped forward Excalibur swinging out. The blade cut through the base of the three standards at the center of the room. I was beside him again as he tried to swoop all three up. Arthur blocked Clarent but doing so dropped his loose grip on the other two standards. He retreated with the single standard he’d managed to rescue, fleeing for the Tower’s exit. I followed him but Torvin blocked my path standing in the doorway, his lance in hand.
“Get out of here,” Torvin said I’ll hold them off.
Mira, Vone and Ammerila followed Arthur. They looked over their shoulders as I raised my hand crimson lightning racing after them. Torvin slammed his lance into the ground, it acted like a lighting rod drawing all the lightning into it. Guinevere appeared behind him, her sword swinging out and cutting off his head.
26 rank points gained, split between surviving contributors.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 20,480 monsters or humanoids. Current Progress 4,661 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.
Arthur had reached the other side of the bridge already. We stared at each other for a moment before he turned his back to me. Our business together was far from finished.