Chapter 116: Stairway to Heaven_The Warlord

I tossed the bodies of the three fallen champions out of the tower into the chasm. When we died here our equipment disappeared off the bodies, but the features still remained. It would be pretty earie looking at your own corpse. Exar’kun respawned about an hour later. It had taken every last champion on the field to take him down.

“How did that party take you down the first time we met?” I asked him as he shook his body as if coming out of a deep sleep.

“They had prepared to fight me,” Exar’kun said. “They had potions and enchantments designed specifically to combat my abilities. These are just a large group of people with a bunch of abilities, they could easily handle most creatures; just not me.”

“I’m glad you’re so humble,” I said drily. “Just remember that they did kill you.”

“Oh, I will,” Exar’kun growled. I suspected he hadn’t taken the right meaning from my words.

The horn blew out across the plains as the day was called to an end by the System.

This is the end of the second day of the event, rewards will be distributed, and points gathered so far will be tallied and shown.

Points For:

Western Side: 2nd Place

Eastern Side: 3rd Place

The Warlord: 1st Place

Contestants Killed:

126

Standard Captured:

Standard Rescued:

Standards Held:

Strategic Points Captured:

Strategic Points Defended:

Arthur’s faction had finally gotten into second place, even so, my team was leagues ahead of everyone. With the only capture point on the field and still holding a flag and defending our capture point we had gotten more than enough to earn first place; that didn’t even consider the sheer number of kill points we’d gotten thanks to Exar’kun. Pushing aside the rankings I looked for the rewards.

Distributing first round of rewards based on current points gathered.

3 (+3 for win streak) = 6

Ambrosia (boosts regen speed by +10 per second for one resource type.

Manna Wafers (boost your maximum for one resource by 50)

Ability Tokens (Boost the max rank for a standard ability by 10 ranks)

Guinevere came down from the top of the tower, she hadn’t spoken to me since the fight, and I got the sense she was avoiding me. While I wasn’t good at this sort of stuff, I knew I needed to talk to her about the fight.

“We’ll split the rewards the same way again,” I said taking two vials of ambrosia and one manna wafer and ability token.

Guinevere took her rewards and turned to leave but I caught her hand pulling her back.

“What’s going on?” I asked her concerned. “Is this about that kiss?”

“No, well yes,” Guinevere said. “I don’t blame you for it but when I saw her touch you like that…I lost it. Its like you told me once, I’ve suppressed my anger for so long I’ve never learned how to handle it.”

“There’s nothing wrong with anger in itself,” I said.

“I didn’t have any control,” Guinevere said. “How do you rein in that anger?”

“I don’t really,” I said shrugging. “I let it flow like water, I just guide its path to useful targets.”

“I… I just need to think,” Guinevere said letting go of my hand.

I wanted to go after but stopped myself. She needed space, I knew from myself that some issues you needed help with and sometimes you just needed time to come to the answer yourself. I looked down at the vials of ambrosia and ability token. I had some of my own introspection to do. Sitting down on my throne I closed my eyes.

The System was an interesting thing, it responded to verbal commands mostly but could provide mental screens as well with a bit of probing I could bring up the screens in my mind. Going through my abilities I began searching for the one I wanted to be something that could define me.

Black Rage was probably my most powerful combat ability, the ability to just scale up Might with every wound I inflicted could not be underestimated but I didn’t want rage to define me more than it already did. Hell-Dragon’s Armory was a powerful ability that was the fusion of two abilities, but I had no interest in being some crafting god. Foresight had saved my life countless times and upgrading it could remove the blind spots created by counter abilities, but it wasn’t something that fascinated me.

My thoughts turned on a whim and I selected the only ability I had gained through my own effort and creation not just by slaying some creature or selecting it when I came to this world.

Ability Gained, Spirit Collective, (Rank: Error): You have created a symbiotic instead of parasitic relationship with the spirits inhabiting you. Through manipulation of your mana and stamina, they have created a third type of energy and can use it to manifest through your body and interact with the world.

Cost: 1 Ethereal point per second of use.

This ability should not exist and cannot be upgraded. As punishment for bypassing the system to gain abilities, all current unspent Rank points will be spent to purchase this ability.

“Can I apply an Ability Token to this ability?” I asked the System. After twenty seconds I got an answer as if the System were reluctant to tell me.

While technically possible it is not advisable, the Void is outside my influence, and you will be given no options every five ranks and will be given a random mutation that the ability develops itself with no guidance from me or you. The ability will also only gain five possible ranks per ability token vastly slowing down how fast you can increase it. Since you will need to increase it from rank 0 all the way to rank 50 you will fall behind your peers and their own chosen abilities. Also do to the incompatibility of the void it will take 10x the rank points for each rank up of this ability.

“You’ve got a lot to say all of the sudden,” I said.

Sitting back I gave the system’s message some consideration. Based on that cost it would take twelve-thousand-seven-hundred-and-fifty rank points to rank the ability up from zero to fifty. I only had two Ability Tokens so that would only get me to rank ten, I would need eight more ability tokens to get it to so I could upgrade it to fifty. Right now I only had two-thousand-three-hundred-and-seventy-six rank points free to spend. A regular ability cost two-hundred-and-ten rank points to max out at twenty. Selecting this ability would cost me five-hundred-and-fifty-five points just to get it to rank ten.

The cost aside I had to consider the other issue. No choice, I would be really on luck or fate to get abilities that synergized well with me. With all the issues this was not the greatest choice and system was right to advise me against it. However, typically you get what you paid for. Ultimately I went with the phrase that had let to a lot of bad and good things happening to me.

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“Fuck it,” I said. “Assign my Ability Tokens to Spirit Collective.”

Ability will change slightly to become compatible with the System.

Void Asura, (Rank: 1): You have created a symbiotic instead of parasitic relationship with the spirits inhabiting you, with the use of an ability token you have changed this ability to make it somewhat compatible with the System. Through manipulation of your mana and stamina, they have created a third type of energy and can use it to manifest through your body and interact with the world.

Cost:

1 Ethereal per second

Cast Time:

Instantaneous

This ability should not exist, it will take 10x the normal amount of rank points for each rank up of this ability. Ranking up this ability does not advance any of your attributes. Current Max Rank is 10.

I had no idea what an asura was but the die was cast now; there was no point looking back, it was time to press forward.

“Rank Void Asura up to rank ten,” I told the System.

There were no notifications to blink away this time. A burning sensation passed through my Spirit. I felt pain like when Ammerila had sneak attacked me. My hands gripped the arm rest of the throne as my back slammed violently against the stone backrest. The pain went on for what felt like forever but what could only have been about three or five minutes when I got the first notification.

Void Asura, (Rank: 5): You have created a symbiotic instead of parasitic relationship with the spirits inhabiting you, with the use of an ability token you have changed this ability to make it somewhat compatible with the System. Through manipulation of your mana and stamina, they have created a third type of energy and can use it to manifest through your body and interact with the world.

Void Armor: You gain a passive resistance to Soul & Void damage reducing the damage taken by 1 stage. The spectral arms created by the spirits residing in your soul when manifested appear with armor, the armor has hardness 5 with an additional 1 hardness per twenty points of Spirit you have. Current hardness 13.

Cost:

3 Ethereal per second

Cast Time:

Instantaneous

My jaw was locked as my teeth grit together. Time seemed to pass even slower but eventually I got to the next notification.

Void Asura, (Rank: 10): You have created a symbiotic instead of parasitic relationship with the spirits inhabiting you, with the use of an ability token you have changed this ability to make it somewhat compatible with the System. Through manipulation of your mana and stamina, they have created a third type of energy and can use it to manifest through your body and interact with the world.

Void Armor: You gain a passive resistance to Soul & Void damage reducing the damage taken by 2 stage. The spectral arms created by the spirits residing in your soul when manifested appear armored, the armor has hardness 10 with an additional 1 hardness per twenty points of Spirit you have. Current hardness 18.

Void Edge: Your attacks while this ability is active deal Minor Void damage and bypass 1 level of hardness.

Cost:

5 Ethereal per second

Cast Time:

Instantaneous

The ability had become more powerful, but its cost had also gone up by a lot. Right now, I could use ability for forty seconds before I’d run out of Ethereal. Luckily, the System had provided a way to help solve this. Drinking the ambrosia, I assigned them to increase my Ethereal regeneration, this still was only plus three Ethereal per second, but it was a start.

Chewing the Manna Wafers, they melted on my tongue tasting like honey and caramel, I assigned them to my Ethereal as well to increase the time I’d have with this ability active.

You will only get an additional +25 to this type of resources instead of the usual +50. Do you still wish to continue.

I gave the go ahead and pulled up my status.

Mordred, Champion of Kelesa; Gifted- humanoid/human, Veteran, Rank: 445

Available Rank Points: 2,376

Might:

73 (+43) = 117

Mind:

Speed:

62 (+40) = 92

Perception:

Toughness:

Spirit:

161

Endurance:

Power:

Maximum Stamina:

352

Maximum Mana:

4,948

Stamina Regen:

87.4 per second

Mana Regen:

111.6 per second

Ethereal Regen:

3.00083333333 per second

Maximum Ethereal:

250

Abilities

Dominion (Rank 50), Telekinesis (Rank 20), Heightened Speed (Rank 20), Foresight (Rank 20), Hell Dragon’s Armory (Rank 20), Bestial Senses: (Rank 20), Phantom Form (Rank 20), Storm Soul (Rank 20), Magma Heart(s) (Rank 20), Troll Hide (Rank 20), Black-rage (Rank 20), Hell’s Talons (Rank 20), Helheim’s Scream (Rank 20), Chain Lightning (Rank 20), Voice of the Chasm (Rank 20), Setules Palms (Rank 20), Tremor Soles (Rank 20), Dark Guardian (Rank 15), Brutal Spite (Rank 10), Blood Renewal (Rank 20), Wild Hunt (Rank 20) Void Assura (Rank 10)

Blessings:

Blessing of War (Veteran), Blessing of Tadris

Titles

Mark of Cain, Bloody Pugilist, Exorcist, Survivor III, Feral Barbarian, Field Alchemist III, Berserker, Beast Slayer III, War Chief, Venom Resistant III, Keytaro’s Guardian III, Wrathful Meditation, Fireproof III, Superhuman, Bearer of Death, Lightning Resistance, the Fate Breaker, Apprentice Bludgeoner, Master Deflector, Apprentice Spearman, Divine Smith, Master Enchanter, Knight of Camelot, Challenger, Artifact Breaker, Abomination Slayer, Spell Carver, Master Swordsman, the Possessed

I had stepped onto the path of the void, only time would tell if I had made the right decision.

---

Guinevere sat at the top of the tower her mind dazed from the anesthetic drug she had taken. She had finished upgrading her latest ability, she wasn’t sure about it. The ability was powerful but part of it seemed as much a curse as a blessing.

Aphrodite’s Beauty (Rank 20, Max Rank): 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. Your 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.

As an active effect you can cause enemies who look upon you to be inflicted with *Fatal Attraction for 1 minute on a failed Spirit check.

You may grant one member of the opposite sex the boon *Lady’s Favor lasting for 1 hour. This manifest as a handkerchief wrapped around their arm.

Your kiss heals Major damage and cleanses all types of poisons, diseases, curses and debuffs from the target.

The embodiment of physical perfection you are exempt from death by aging, sickness, or disease.

*Fatal Attraction: Damage dealt to the source of this debuff is halved.

*Lady’s Favor: The target gains a bonus to their attributes equal to 10% of your highest Attribute.

Max Rank Bonus: To be loved by you is to know love itself, you may choose one creature to receive your blessing granting them a damage shield, reducing all damage taken by one stage. This blessing cannot be removed or given to another creature until this creature dies.

Cost:

4 mana & 4 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.

All her life she had been noticed by men, her own power and that of her father’s had kept them from ever acting on it but she had felt their gazes following her. Of course, some of the attention was flattering but it was also draining. The fact this ability raised four attributes by two each at a time would have made it a superb ability all in its own, but its effects were also incredibly powerful. It was very different than most of her other abilities, Guinevere didn’t have any support abilities, among the nobility focusing on support was reserved for their vassals typically allowing them to focus on direct combat abilities.

Only people like Helen who came from a line of priestess were focused on support. Despite the ability’s power she knew her father would consider it a weak ability. Her fists clenched at that thought tightening around the Ability Token in her hand. Her father would tell her to raise one of her combat abilities like Battle Insight, Oracle’s Ghost or Grace-of-the-Fey, that was if he even let her keep the Ability Tokens. He’d tell her such things weren’t for the likes of her.

“Use my Ability Tokens on Aphrodite’s Beauty,” Guinevere said. “There are enough gods dedicated to war and swords.”

“So you plan on becoming a god?” Exar’kun asked.

Guinevere jumped up before her heart stilled.

“How are you that stealthy?” she asked.

“I weight over a ton,” Exar’kun said opening one eye to look at her from where he was curled up at the center of the tower. “I am in no sense of the word stealthy, your drugs just addle your senses. But back to my question you’ve finally decided?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Guinevere said.

“I’ve been watching you,” Exar’kun said. “You’ve latched onto Mordred because you love him, I can smell that on the both of you. But also because you thought he was better than you, a part of you still thought of the champions as better than yourself. It wasn’t until you got the option to ascend like them that you even thought of the ultimate goal.”

“The ultimate goal?” Guinevere asked.

“Godhood,” Exar’kun said. “The best creatures like you and I could ever hope for would be to reach Demigod rank. Everyone says that you have to just raise all your attributes to five-hundred but that’s not possible for anyone but champions.”

“I suppose… I did think they were better than me,” Guinevere admitted.

“Now that you have realized that I wonder if you have considered the next question,” Exar’kun asked.

“What is that?” Guinevere asked.

“Which of you will become a god?” he asked. “You or Mordred, the System only allows one to ascend every five-hundred years. You have the chance to reach godhood, but you also have the choice.”

Guinevere was silent as the full weight of Exar’kun’s words hit her. If Mordred one he would ascend to godhood and be limited from acting in the mortal world and by extension being with her, and if she ascended the same would also apply. Only one could ever win the game of the gods.

Chapter 116: Stairway to Heaven

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