I sealed the standards under several feet of stone this time. You would have to be able to carve through ten feet of hardness sixteen stone to get to them this time. I went up to our living area took off my armor and started a fire, Guinevere came down a bit later and I sealed the door behind us. She was silent and I wasn’t sure if she had resolved whatever issue had been bothering her.
“You all right?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” Guinevere said.
While I wasn’t an expert on women, I knew “I’m fine” usually meant they were anything but. I also knew you couldn’t just come out and ask what’s wrong either. Turning to look at her, I studied her as she took off her armor. My jaw dropped as she removed her helmet, her hair returning to its silver white. Guinevere took the cleansing cloth I had left on a stone table for her next to the armor stand. She rubbed her face with it her body instantly cleanses of every spec of dirt. Turning around she caught me staring at her.
“What?” she asked self-consciously.
“You’re beautiful,” I said. “I mean you were beautiful before but…wow.” The last word came out with breathless awe as I beheld her.
She had been a striking woman before but now. Her appearance hadn’t changed either, it had just enhanced. Every curve of her body was somehow accentuated, her skin had luminous glow to it and her eyes were like a sea of sapphire stars. She glided across the room sitting beside me leaning into me her hair like a curtain of silk spreading across my chest.
“Have you thought about what happens if you win?” Guinevere asked.
“We’re not talking about this Event, are we?” I asked, my hand running down her spine as I still marveled at her beauty. “You mean the game of the gods? I’ve thought about what kind of god I’d want to be, but no, I haven’t really thought about what I’d do after.”
“Gods are restricted from interacting with none-gods,” Guinevere said. “Exar’kun reminded me of that today, I was so excited at the thought of raising one my abilities and reaching that height I didn’t think what would it mean once I reached it.”
“Nothing will stop me from being with you,” I said. “Not the System, not the gods, not Arthur.”
“I know you believe that but there are things we just can’t go against,” Guinevere said. “Even Arthur, he’s a better fighter than you Mordred. You’re good, as good as me, but he’s better. I’ve been called a sword prodigy all my life but if I’m a prodigy than he’s the master. That’s not even considering his divine ability, one on one he will always win.”
“Do you trust me?” I asked.
“I want to,” Guinevere said. “But this isn’t an issue of whether I believe your word, I’m afraid if you come after me, you’ll die. I… I can’t bear being the reason your killed.”
“I’d rather die for you than go on forever without ever having tried,” I said.
My hands clasped around Guinevere’s as I pushed her off my chest and knelt down in front of her forcing her to meet my eyes.
“No cost is too great to be with you,” I said.
Guinevere’s eyes darkened as she pushed me back onto the bed of furs. Her clothes slid off piling up on the floor. Her skin as soft as satin touched mine sending a racing feeling of electricity through me, my hearts beating faster. Her legs straddled me as her lips met mine, her hair forming a curtain around our faces.
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Arthur stood with the remaining champions, of the nearly four-hundred total that had entered the Event only eighty-nine remained. They had killed the dragon but at great cost. People were blaming each other and there was enough guilt to go around. Arthur felt his own hands clench in anger as he remembered how he’d failed to kill the Warlord.
“I have a plan,” Arthur said.
“Is it better than your last one?” someone called out. There was some laughter, grumbling and jeers and other people shouting at the dissenter.
“He did get back our standard,” Kay said.
“Yeah, but not ours,” someone from the opposing faction yelled. “And three of you died and you couldn’t even kill him.”
“Last time the Warlord was able to break free from my duel,” Arthur said. “This time that won’t happen, we aren’t going to fight him in his tower. I will face the Warlord alone, the rest of you will kill the dragon and the dark Valkyrie.”
“How are you going to beat him this time?” Lancelot asked. “I’m not saying you can’t, but he’s slipped out of your duel twice now.”
“I need the help of one of you,” Arthur said. “Which one of you cast the Mirror Dome on the Dark Valkyrie.”
A slim man in light cloth and leather robes raised his hand. “I did but I’m down to my last life if he kills me…”
“If he attacks you the duel ends and he will become vulnerable to all our attacks,” Arthur said. “He won’t risk it, he’s arrogant enough to think he can take me in a duel.”
There was silence for a moment.
“What about the dragon?” a woman asked.
“I have three extra amulets designed for resisting his breath,” Mira said. “And a few potions, we need to ground him to have a chance of beating him. Who here has abilities that could pull him down?”
The champions began to plan and strategize. This day would not end in overwhelming victory for the Warlord.
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I stood atop the tower again looking down on the Battlegrounds. The champions could be seen in the distance approaching. Unlike yesterday though they stopped, I could still reach them with my cannon shot but I would have to arc it to land that far and they would have plenty of time to counter or take cover. A blur crossed the horizon, my vision focused as Arthur shot through the air. Clarent snapped into my hand blocking Excalibur as it came for my head.
Arthur rolled across the top of the tower.
“Face me,” he snapped issuing the challenge.
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
“Yes,” I responded.
Clarent snapped up again blocking Arthur’s slash as he lunged forward. His hand wrapped around the gorget of my pauldrons, and he launched us both off the side of the tower. Clarent was much shorter that Excalibur allowing me to wield it one handed as we spun through the air. I slashed out at Arthur as he shrunk his head down to protect his neck. We hit the ground sending up dirt and clots of grass.
I expended the necessary mana to negate the fall damage and Arthur looked undamaged by it as well. About twenty yards away was a man in cloth and leather robes, he slammed a staff into the ground a crystal dome appeared around us its sides reflective, blocking sight to the outside world.
“Looks like I’ve got you alone now,” Arthur said.
“You could at least buy me dinner first,” I said teleporting behind him.
He spun blocking my strike to the back of his knees. We traded attempts to penetrate the other’s defenses. Arthur did much better than me Excalibur acting as an extension of his body. Guinevere said he was better than me when it came to fighting, I’d yet to beat him yet but there was always a first.
You sure you don’t want our help with this? Karnen asked.
Yes, I said. I need to find out what the both of us are capable of before I pull out that trump card.
Ducking under Excalibur I drove Clarent forward lighting traveling along Arthur’s armor but having little noticeable effect on him.
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As soon as the Mirror Dome popped up the rest of the champions moved forwards. Lancelot, Kay and Torvin led the charge while Mira directed the ranged support.
The black form of the Hell Dragon was soon silhouetted against the sky the smaller form of humanoid beside him, like a sparrow flying alongside a hawk. A torrent of fire fell from the sky and the charging heroes jerked to a stop. A dome of earth rose up over them as they hunkered down under it. The fire stopped and they moved forwards again, the two opposing forces growing closer and closer.
The dragon passed overhead while the woman dropped down in front of the warriors. Her wings didn’t disappear as she hung suspended above them her blade a crimson dervish. Black energy shot from her hand as she spun in a circle one man didn’t move fast enough and the beam passed over him leaving a pile of ash where he had stood.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Turning from the fight Mira focused on the dragon as it turned around for another pass over them. Pulling back her bow she released an arrow her attack followed by dozens of others as more and more projectiles and abilities were blasted into the sky. The dragon rolled in the air dodging some, but he was so big he couldn’t dodge them all.
Vines and thorns grew across his scales entangling his wings. Ices formed along his underside dragging him down. A vortex of purple energy increased his weight pulling him down further. A few effects Exar’kun could had dealt with but not the score he was hit with. He slammed down into the ground the earth shaking under the force of his impact.
The warriors engaged with the Dark Valkyrie turned to rush the dragon. They needed to kill it before he broke free and took to the air again two were cut down from behind as they turned their eyes on the Warlord’s handmaiden, but they kept to the plan.
Torvin charged the dragon his lance glowing with power as he built up the charge on it with every step of his mount. The dragon reared its head even as vines, ropes and chains pulled down its neck. A torrent of emerald flames spewed from his mouth, but Lancelot rushed to the front, his shield creating a dome that split the fire. Protected by Lancelot’s shield those behind him continued to rush forwards.
Torvin struck Exar’kun in the neck blasting a wide hole through his scales. Snapping the vines holding his neck Exar jerked his head and snapped down on Torvin bisecting him at the torso. Blood spurted from his neck as the martial champions began to scale his back attacking him with their Artifact weapons. It was like a pack of wolves taking down a grizzly bear as they held him down and began hacking into him, however this bear had a wolf of its own.
The Dark Valkyrie flew from opponent to opponent, wounding, killing, and driving them back. She was making progress witling down their numbers just not fast enough.
“Seeking Spines,” the dragon growled.
The spines along his back detached and shot out homing in on the champions crawling over him. Some managed to defend themselves and dodge or block the spines, many did not. The battle continued, the dragon slowly dying but exacting a price for every wound inflicted on it. The Dark Valkyrie harried his attackers, they did their best to only defend themselves and focus on killing the dragon first but it was difficult to ignore her ferocity.
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I went skidding across the ground as Arthur slammed into me. Rolling to my feet I blocked with Clarent and stepped into his guard headbutting him. Arthur didn’t shift an inch as I collided with him, his Might and Toughness were growing to the point it was getting hard to damage him.
Cutting to the right I slashed then teleported behind and stabbed. Arthur didn’t move his feet an inch as he blocked, parried, and reposted every single attack I tried. Finally turning Excalibur swung at me so fast I barely moved before it cut me in half. Shooting into the air I opened my storage pouch. A rain of stone spearheads fell onto the ground rising like a flock of birds and shooting towards Arthur.
Arthur deflected one or two, but they moved faster than bullets and there were just more than was possible for one person to block. They slammed into him sparking off his armor as I tried to pry into the cracks. Those with lightning enchantments did minor damage but Arthur shot into the air after me. I blocked and we went flying and slashing at each other. I grabbed him by the shoulder to anchor myself as I swung Clarent around his neck.
He kicked out, hitting me in the chest cracking several ribs and knocking us apart. We went flying hitting the dirt than rushed towards each other again. My body was stained red with blood from the wounds Arthur had inflicted on me, but his armor was only dirty, I had yet to inflict a single cut on him.
“Running out of tricks now,” Arthur said.
“Not at all,” I said. “I just do better against vast numbers, the opposite of you in fact.”
“So, you have the capacity for slaughter,” Arthur scoffed. “I’m not surprised.”
“I also have the capacity to protect my people from ravaging armies, I’ve seen the lands you’ve conquered prince. I have yet to start a war, if people were to look at our deeds alone most people would assume you’re the Warlord. You talk like some righteous paladin but your no better than the rest of us, you might even be worse because of your hypocrisy.”
“You don’t know what it means to be righteous,” Arthur said lunging forward.
I twisted to the side avoiding the tip of Excalibur and clashed across his arm crimson lightning traveling along his armor. “And you only know what it means to be self-righteous,” I shot back. “But don’t worry you’ll find out the difference when I rapture your ass.”
I lunged forward dropping Clarent. “Hell’s Talons.”
My nails extended to claws as I slashed at him, my sword and spearheads couldn’t bypass his armor, but my talons allowed me to phase through one inch of material. My claws raked his arm and I smiled. Than Arthur spun knocked me aside Excalibur slicing out and hitting me at the shoulder. I managed to move enough so he couldn’t’ carve through to my heart but my left arm dropped to the ground.
“I think not,” Arthur said kicking me in the chest and driving me to the ground. Excalibur plunged down going straight through my sternum. Cutting to the side half my torso fell away as my blood poured out onto the ground and my vision began to darken.
“Let’s face it Mordred,” Arthur said as he looked down on me with a mixture of disdain, hatred, and self-satisfaction. “I’m just better than you.”
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Guinevere blocked the stab of a spear pushing it aside she used Blizzard Breath unleashing a torrent of fire. Spinning she ducked under the swing of an axe and ripped open the belly of the woman who had just attacked her. Golden healing light began to infuse her woman, but Guinevere didn’t let it finish removing her head. Exar’kun let out one last defiant roar and torrent of fire before his body went limp. He’d taken out over half his attackers with her help, but he was in respawn now and wouldn’t be able to help for a few hours.
Guinevere caught sight of a tawny skinned woman and felt her vision go red. Teleporting she appeared next to the Seductress she didn’t even see or feel the attacks that hit her as a knife slid past her armor into her stomach spreading poison through her body. A burning agony spread through it but the rage that suffused her blocked it out.
Her sword slit open Lillyn’s belly, that wasn’t enough on its own to kill a gifted of her rank, however. Guinevere dropped the sword, her hands reaching into opening she had cut and grabbing a strand of intestine. She ripped it out eliciting a scream of pain, wrapping it around Lillyn’s neck she dragged her behind her as she picked up her sword again.
The Assassin appeared behind her stabbing towards her back again. Guinevere blocked and pointed her sword at her.
“Void Beam,” she snarled the black energy engulfed the assassin but didn’t kill her merely leaving her at death’s door.
Another warrior swung at her with a halberd, she blocked his attack and slashed him across the leg activating Agonizing Wounds making him fall back in pain. Driving her sword through his chest she continued forward as she dragged the succubus behind her as she gasped and clawed at her throat.
21 rank points gained
The ghastly sight made even these warriors turn away. An arrow exploded against Guinevere’s armor staggering her, she gave one last yank on the stand of intestine and the succubus went limp.
27 rank points gained.
An arrow hit her back and exploded, staggering her and sending her stumbling. Only four opponents remained now, Guinevere was beaten and battered her body slowly succumbing to the Soul Poison that coursed through her body. Lancelot and Kay stood providing defense for Mirra as Ammerila acted as their skirmisher.
“I might not be able to kill the Warlord to avenge Jamis,” Mira said. “But I’ll settle with you for now.”
“It was your choice to attack the Warlord,” Guinevere spat. “He gave you the chance to leave before you started the fight, and spared the rest of you when it was done.”
Mirra released the arrow, but Guinevere teleported behind her driving her sword forward. Mira rolled under the attack, but Guinevere just moved forward hacking and slashing relentlessly. Kay stepped in but Guinevere ducked under his spear strike and drove her sword into his gut.
The pain of Agonizing Strike sent him to his knees, and she raised her hand again.
“Void Beam,” she snarled sweeping it across the battlefield hitting all four of them.
Ammerila already hit by this went down immediately her body crumbling to ash. Mira only took a glancing hit from it rolling to the side, she drew back her bow but the specter of a champion stabbed her through the back. Kay gasped as the energy ravaged his body, Guinevere stepped forward and decapitated him, his head rolling across the ground.
72 rank points gained from assorted kills.
Only Lancelot had been able to defend himself thanks to his shield.
He rushed forward hitting her with a shield back sending her rolling across the blood stained, scorched battlefield. He charged forward but she pushed up jumping back to her feet. His sword grazed her neck, and she could feel her vision growing feint. Stepping forward she tackled Lancelot to the ground he got his shield in-between them blocking her sword from coming down on him. Dropping the sword, she pulled a dagger from her belt and stabbed down around his shield. Over and over, she stabbed until Lancelot went limp.
23 rank points gained.
Blood and Souls (Repeatable): Kill 20,480 monsters or humanoids. Current Progress 4,662 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.
Guinevere rolled back heaving for breath she reached a trembling hand to her belt for a healing potion. Her arm stilled and collapsed as the poison, blood loss and exhaustion finally took its hold and she died.
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Get up, Voidra said. You aren’t going to let us help, so the least you can do is put on a good show.
Arthur turned around and began to walk away, his feet sounding like thunder in my ears. My eyes snapped open. With my one remaining arm I pushed myself back to my feet and removed a healing potion from my storage pouch popping the cork and swigging it back. Arthur heard me, stopped, and turned around.
“How?” Arthur asked, looking at me with a mixture of awe and horror.
“You can’t beat me Arthur,” I said blood pooling around me as my body bled out from the gaping hole where half my torso missing, and the stump of my arm. “No matter what you do, I’ll always get back up, even death doesn’t have a claim on me.”
“We’ll see about that,” Arthur said lunging forward.
Foresight let me predict his attack and I teleported away. It was time for a new strategy; I appeared next to the man who was responsible for the Mirror Dome we were in. he flinched but I made no move to attack him. Arthur skidded to a halt next to us, the man tried to run away from us but I easily kept pace with him. I constantly moved to keep the man in-between me and Arthur preventing him from fully using his greatsword.
Arthur was fast but the effect of my boots couldn’t be copied by his ability, so I was still faster. He was growing frustrated as each attack failed to hit, and he had to pull his attacks or risk killing his allies. Finally, he stopped chasing me. Seeming to have made up his mind about something. A shockwave blasted out from him surprising me and the mage as it sent us both flying. Arthur approached me his steps unhurried and confident.
“I got an ability for killing you,” Arthur said. “It’s surprisingly powerful, it’s called Gravitational forces.”
“That’s fitting,” I said pushing myself up from the ground blood spitting out of the black mist surround me to splatter on the ground.
“Why do you say that?” Arthur asked.
“Well, you know what makes gravity right?” I asked. “It’s caused by the incredible size and weight of planets… What I’m trying to say is… you’re a massive piece of shit.”
“Your all biting words,” Arthur said. “But let’s see how you handle your own medicine, Gravitational Forces.”
I tried to move away but my body was suddenly lethargic, slow, and unresponsive. I sagged to the ground as I strained against the weight pressing down on me. The weight increased more and more until I felt my bones began to crack. If I was suffering the mage was dying, sure enough the mirror dome broke above us as his body gave way to the massive pressure. In the distance I could see the body of Exar’kun there was no other movement, whatever had happened it didn’t look like anyone had survived.
Arthur stepped forward slamming his foot onto my chest and pinning me to the ground. I tried to raise my hand to attack but didn’t’ even have the strength to do that.
“And now you lose,” Arthur said.
“Do I really?” I asked blood foaming at my mouth as I spat it out. “Look around, you’re the only one that’s left; is this your great victory?”
“There is no cost to great to kill you,” Arthur snarled and brought Excalibur down on my neck.