Mira flew up to the top of the wall around a tall stone tower. The area was completely deserted, and she looked around nervously searching for the ambush or trap. After a few minutes she flew back to the other champions.
“There’s no one there,” she said.
“Why would they leave a fortified position?” Felrick asked. “I’m beginning to have serious doubts that this is the Warlord I can’t make any sense of his strategy. Just wander through the forest aimlessly?”
“The Warlord is wily, also their purpose is to conquer land and people, staying in one spot is never how they operate,” Guinevere explained.
“But where is he going?” Jamis asked. “The nearest place of civilization is in Lunara; is he waging war on the Myrmidons?”
“Possible, or he is gathering his army for to attack in full strength,” Helen said. “He likely doesn’t even know that we are aware of his existence yet and thinks to take us by surprise.”
“He’ll be in for a bit of a shock then,” Torvin said looking back on their army.
“Do not be overconfident,” Guinevere reprimanded him. “This is the Warlord, even non-gifted under his control will be deadly to us with strength and speed akin to the monsters in a dungeon. From the tracks we’ve seen he only has a few hundred creatures under his command but even with those numbers taking him down will not be easy.”
“We should rest here,” Chritor said setting a heavy anvil down on the ground. “I’d like to examine this place and see what was left behind. It might tell us something about who we’re dealing with.”
“We could use a break,” Helen agreed. “I’ll tell the army to make camp, we can use these walls for defenses for tonight.”
“Something interesting here,” Guinevere said dismounting and looking at the ground and wrinkling her nose. “The air is foul, there are bones and carcasses everywhere outside the wall.”
“They were attacked and defended themselves,” Felecia said with a shrug.
“No,” Jamis said joining Guinevere and crouching down sniffing the air deeply. “The bodies are to rotten, and these bones are odd, like they were dead before they came here.”
“Undead? Are we dealing with a necromancer here?” Felecia asked.
“Possible,” Helen said. “Who knows what kind of abilities the Warlord has.”
“I suspect we’ll find out soon,” Guinevere said. “I’d place this battle based on the tracks we can still see at no more than three or five days old.”
---
I rolled out of the way of a bolt of lightning as it impacted the ground where I had been standing. Talons raked overhead and I phased through them the electricity still scorching my soul. The ground shuddered and I became corporeal again. A beak stabbed down where I had been, and lighting radiated out from its impact. My body locked up for a second as the lighting hit me. In a second the beak struck again ripping through skin and cracking and crushing ribs.
I lashed out in a counterattack but the lightning pheonix flung me into the air and with a beat of its wings sent me airborne. A bolt of lightning hit me and sent me spinning and immobilizing me for a moment. I tried going incorporeal to see if that would stop my mad flight but apparently even ghosts are subject to certain laws of physics. I became physical again just in time tow watch as I sailed over the edge of cliff. I fell through the cloud layer down and down until I struck the treetops.
I sat up the falling sensation jolting me out of my sleep again.
Your fear is tasty, but I like your anger better, the voidling said. How about you fight Jeriah, you could get some rank points and I could breakfast.
I pushed back the voice of the serial killer in my head and calmed my breathing.
I helped my vassals wrap up our camp. Kathleen and Katlyn rode the rain-does and they tried to buck them a few times and I finally had to put an end to it.
“Dominion,” I said bringing the does under control.
Whip and Chains (Repeatable): Conquer 1,280 monsters or humanoids by bringing them under your Dominion. Current Progress 94 out of 1,280. When you complete this quest, you will gain 256 Rank Points and the next quest will require double the amount to be completed but will award double the rank points.
We did move faster now the doe could easily navigate the forest paths and Katlyn and Kathleen didn’t slow us now as they sat side saddle on the does back a makeshift padded saddle added to provide cushioning.
I kept compressing any uncommon stones I came across on the journey and practicing my new spells. It was barely perceptible, but I think the spell was taking one or two less points of mana to cast. Jeriah kept up not with grace but with the strength of a bulldozer the forest bending to form a path for him.
“Your abilities seem very magical in nature,” Torvin said. “I had figured you to have a more melee build based on your gear.”
“It’s just the way the abilities I’ve gained have shaped out,” I said with a shrug. “How would you even make a build I thought abilities were gained randomly.”
“Yes and no,” Jeriah said. “If you have control over a dungeon for instance and farm it continuously you will get similar abilities that go along a certain path, or if you only fight creatures in one environment. The Ancient Forest is a bit different; it has massive diversity in what monsters the system will spawn in it but other places usually only get a few varieties.”
“Kathleen you’re a healer, right?” I asked. “Your saying there is a dungeon that you farm to gain healing abilities.”
Kathleen clenched her jaw but began speaking as the brand around her neck activated. “The royal family is in control of half a dozen dungeons, three of which are well documented for awarding abilities that focus on healing.”
“Interesting,” I said. “So how is it your brothers and you all seem to be melee focused as well, you didn’t know about the dungeon nearby your base until I told you about it.”
“Mostly our family’s abilities,” Jeriah said. “I realize you are new to this world as a champion, has anyone explained how abilities are passed on to you?”
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“They might of,” I said noncommittally. “Tell me again see if I missed anything.”
“Children can be born with as little as one and a maximum of eight abilities,” Jeriah said. “Its is all dependent on the parents. You pass on one ability for each of the eight attributes, if you don’t have an ability for every attribute the child will only gain the abilities for those attributes that you possess.”
“Are they different abilities than their parents?” I asked.
“Not necessarily,” Jeriah said. “Usually they are the same but sometimes if only one parent has the gift the ability will be weaker, many bastard children of nobles can be determined by the strength of their abilities. If both parents are gifted then the abilities they get will be randomly decided by the system base off what abilities both parents. However, in some cases if the parents have two abilities for the same attribute that are similar the system will instead combine them into a more powerful variant.”
“This is what my and the other clans strive for,” Syvia said adding to the explanation. “It is why despite our lower numbers the armies of civilization leave us alone in the wildernesses.”
“The system will always pass down the most powerful abilities which will lead to a family gaining abilities like my families where one ability effects multiple attributes or raises an attribute by two instead of just one for every rank,” Jeriah explained.
“I’ve got one like that last one,” I said.
“They are highly coveted,” Jeriah said. “My families ability was cultivated for many generations and is one of the rarest types a quartette ability, it raises each of the physical attributes by one each rank.”
“That is truly wonderous,” Kathleen said in awe. “Even the royal family of Camelot only has a trifecta ability.”
“So, your saying those born with the gift have a natural advantage over those brought from outside this world who were just given four abilities like me?” I asked. “Why not only pick champions from the natives?”
“We might have a head-start but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything, abilities change and mutate over the generations, while a parent does pass down a copy of one ability each one is slightly different. After a few dozen generations the ability is much weaker typically. Most abilities gained from fighting aren’t that good which is why champions directly brought in from the outside are valued, you start out with less but in return the system allows the gods to grant you powerful abilities that couldn’t be gained normally.”
“So, natives aren’t given new abilities when they become champions?” I asked.
“No,” Jeriah said shaking his head to emphasize that point. “The are given an artifact of their design but that is true for all of them. It’s a tradeoff for the gods, choose someone with more abilities at the start or gamble on picking an outsider to gain a few powerful abilities to work off of.”
“I think you don’t understand how abilities are gained as well as you think you do,” I said.
“Really?” Jeriah asked, his voice was polite but I could detect the skepticism and slight derision behind it. “Forgive me but you are very new to this world.”
“And in only a brief time I’ve gained some very powerful abilities,” I said. “Why do you say most abilities gained in combat are weak?”
“Because the system rewards risk when deciding how powerful an ability is,” Jeriah said. “The more powerful you are in comparison to the creature you are fighting. Therefore, most abilities end up being on the middle to mostly useless end of the power spectrum.”
“There is your problem,” I said. “Its not a matter of the manner of acquiring abilities being flawed it’s the process your using to acquire them. You need to take more risks, only fight stronger foes and put your life on the line more.”
“Doing that will eventually get you killed,” Jeriah said. “I’ve heard your theory before, they call it Power Ranking, fight either as an individual or with a very small party two to three members at most and only go up against creatures or dungeons massively above your rank or even a grade above. It works for awhile but eventually the person or party picks a fight and it goes bad for them and when your fighting above your rank, going bad means you die.”
“If we don’t attempt greatness we are doomed to mediocrity,” I said. “I refuse to be mediocre, even if it kills me I aim to be exceptional.”
The conversation stopped after that everyone having something to think about for now. We stopped and made camp again saying little as we lay down to rest. I felt as if I could have walked for the rest of night and next day but everyone else besides Jeriah looked wiped out. I lay down let sleep wash over me.
I jolted awake again as the sensation of falling startled me out my vision/dream. The dream had been barely different than last time. I had to guess was that my gaining Lightning Resistance had altered my future the first time but nothing about me had changed since that would alter the future in any meaningful way.
We started moving again, this would be our last day of travel. I spent it the same as before compressing uncommon stone and working on practicing my spells.
“So you’re saying you don’t have any weak or useless abilities?” Jeriah asked breaking the silence as we hiked each of our strides propelling us several yards.
“Well, I’ve got a few that aren’t to special,” I admitted.
“Like what?” Jeriah asked curiously.
“Maga Heart(s) it restores ten mana and stamina for every kill I make, I had to get all of its extra effects to make it viable, now I just have to inflict a wound and it counts for three kills. Also I can expend a sixth of my maximum stamina to deal double damage for twenty seconds.”
“And you consider that weak?” Jeriah asked disbelievingly.
Hmm I can taste a little jealousy from him, the voidling said.
“Well, it wasn’t when I got it,” I said defensively ignoring the voidling’s voice. “There’s also my ability Storm Soul, I’ve already upgraded it to max rank but still haven’t been able to use it.”
“What does it do?” Jeriah asked.
“I can do more damage with lightning abilities and if I get hit by lightning it permanently raises my maximum mana,” I answered.
“A permanent increase?” Kathleen asked butting into the discussion. “That’s bullshit!”
Oh her jealousy is strong, actually all of them have it, the voidling said delightedly.
“Did you miss the part where I have to get hit by lightning?” I asked.
“Do you have any idea how rare that kind of ability is?” Kathleen asked flabbergasted. “Kings would pay you to marry their daughters to get that kind of ability in their bloodline.”
You should take those kings up on that offer, it might help you get all that tension out, the voidling said.
“It’s not very reliable,” I said. “The best I can do is climb to the top of building during a thunderstorm in my full plate armor to try and attract it towards me.”
“If you need to face the Lightning Pheonix, you’re going to be hit with lots of lightning,” Jeriah said.
“It says it has to be natural lightning so I can’t use abilities to game the system,” I informed him.
“Doesn’t matter,” Jeriah said shaking his head. “The mountain of the Lightning Pheonix is constantly covered in a massive storm, the storm existed before the pheonix; Sky-scarred Peak.” He pointed to the northeast, and I looked to the mountains, the sun was starting to set silouting the mountains against the darkening sky. I could see the distant flashing of lightning across the top of one mountain.”
“Are you sure its natural lightning?” I asked.
“No, but only one way to find out,” Jeriah said with a shrug.
We crested a hill and Syvia pointed down over a clear stretch of meadow to some thin trails of rising smoke. “There, that is my clan’s village.”
“Lets go introduce ourselves then,” I said and moved forwards.
---
Arthur blocked the Troll King’s strike with his Excalibur and riposted his owl blade cutting deep into the Troll King’s thigh. Stumbling back the Troll King grunted then roared raising a two-handed mace high overhead.
“Heroic Blade, Bypassing Strike, Rending Blade!” Arthur shouted activating a series of abilities his stamina dropping to one third as he prepared a single devastating attack.
The Troll King’s mace came down, Arthur moved to the side but the mace still clipped his shoulder but his abilities and titles let him take it without going down. Arthur stepped forward plunging Excalibur through the Troll King’s chest twisting and ripping it out leaving a perfectly circular hole big enough for his arm to fit through. You could see through the Troll King’s torso and with a groan the dungeon boss collapsed to the ground.
You have gained 85 rank points.
Lancelot and Kay stepped forward giving Arthur a round of applause.
“Thanks for letting me do that,” Arthur said wiping sweat from his brow as he took of his helmet and gulped down a waterskin.
“Well I bet Lancelot fifty gold we’d have to step in and save your ass,” Kay admitted with a grin. “Still good show.”
“We’ve been running this dungeon for three years now,” Arthur said. “I wanted to give a shot soloing the boss before we leave. I don’t know if we’ll ever be back here, by the time we get back we’ll probably be too high a rank for this place.”
“I’m going to miss this place,” Lancelot agreed.
“Lets see what we got for loot,” Kay said stepping forward and opening the golden chest behind the Troll King’s throne.