Chapter 205 – Floor 31: Part 1
Floor 31 – The Titan’s Wrath.
The Kingdom of Verona, a land enmeshed in decades of conflict with their neighbours. Finally, it seems that peace is on the horizon, but not all wish to forget the grievances of the past. The wizard ‘Eldrin Starweaver’ has recently completed a ritual atop his Mage Tower to summon a Titan.
Jagath Earthshaker, the Nascent Devastation has rested at the bottom of the ocean for millennia. Now that it has been summoned, nothing will stop it from reaching Eldrin and eliminating the wizard for the audacity of attempting to control it.
This was Eldrin’s plan to lure the Titan to his Tower, for he is aware that Jagath will destroy everything in its path, including the hated enemy, Verona. Eldrin’s death will be a sacrifice to those who have fallen in this war, and it will finally have a satisfying conclusion.
You have been summoned to Verona, along with a contingent of others from the Tower, to slow down the Titan down while another group travels to Eldrin’s Mage Tower. With his death, the Titan will return to the ocean to slumber.
Reward: Advanced Word of Power: Sanctuary (Shield/Shift)
Upon uttering the Word of Power ‘Sanctuary,’ a shimmering, protective barrier will envelop the user or target, creating a sanctuary of Celestial Energy. The target will be granted a temporary reprieve from harm.
There is a limit to its defence and it may be overcome by attacks of far greater power than the Users. The barrier of Celestial Energy is temporary, so use it in a timely manner.
The city was perched on the edge of a vast and shimmering ocean. Verona, a kingdom where the land meets the sea in a beautiful embrace. The city’s architecture rose up in layers along the steep cliffs, with its most bustling streets situated around the expansive harbour.
Here, towering warships were docked alongside merchant vessels. There were more soldiers and warships than would normally be here as the war had slowed significantly in the past few months. Peace talks were being held and a ceasefire had been called until the treaty could be finalized.
The harbour was a hive of activity, with bustling markets and warehouses brimming with goods that had been hoarded carefully to support the war effort, but had now been released for sale. Merchants were snapping up anything available to ship to distant locations.
There was profit to be made in Verona, and nothing could stifle it. The air was alive with the mingling scents of saltwater and spices, while the crise of seagulls overhead added to the noise and buzz of the harbour.
Above the harbour, on the high cliffs that overlooked the port, were the Cliffside Mansions. These grand estates provided a beautiful view of the vast ocean. Even the closest islands that neighboured Verona could be seen from their heights.
Their ornate balconies and lush gardens were the pride of the City’s wealthiest families and influential merchants. It was the goal of many of the merchants below to earn enough to purchase one of the mansions and join their betters.
Scattered around the city’s edges were the ‘Seaside Towers,’ sentinels that guarded the city from attack from the sea. Soon to be a relic from the decades of war, these guardians possessed weapons capable of destroying enemy ships long before it reached the shore.
Tall and cylindrical, these structures were soon to be converted into watchtowers and lighthouses, their weapons of war swapped out for beacons to guide ships safely to the harbour and spot any illegal activity in Verona’s waters.
If the harbour was Verona’s ‘heart,’ than the Market Square was where the lifeblood of trade passed through. It was a vibrant hub of activity where traders, merchants and locals would gather to trade all kinds of items from the region.
Colourful tents and stalls lined the streets, offering everything from fish and grain to magical artifacts. For a long time, the Market had been repressed as the shadow of war kept trade stifled. But now that peace was here, the stalls exploded with activity. The sounds of laughter and activity were loud enough to drown out the noise of the sea.
But every city had its poorer sections and Verona was no exception. The Old Town stood in stark contrast to the wealthy mansion far above them. Its streets were narrow and winding, its buildings old and in need of repair.
The Old Town had its fair share of visitors, sailors and merchants would travel there in search of ‘other goods’ not found in the market. Brothels, pubs, bars and other ‘seedy’ establishments brought some wealth into the Old Town.
The midday sun hung in the sky above Verona, and the heat was cut by a breeze off the ocean. The city was thriving in the newly found, hard-fought peace.
Verona had been at war with its neighbours for decades, costing lives and resources, and the city seemed to be celebrating their peace by throwing themselves into the mundane activities that had been denied to them for so long.
It was through this bustling, energetic city that the first tremors shook the earth. It started small, the ground vibrated slightly, like a hum that could be felt through the citizen’s feet. A few small, unstable items fell over, and the Market was temporarily disrupted as the shopkeepers cursed and righted their goods.
The tremors increased until people were screaming and many fell to the ground, the shaking intense enough that they could keep on their feet. Several buildings in the Old Town, their maintenance neglected for so long, were unable to keep upright and collapsed, sending up a screen of dust and debris.
All across Verona, the screaming increased as people fled for areas of safety and security. In the mansions above, the shaking became even worse and the extremely wealthy of Verona’s citizens, so often removed from the horrors of war or panic that would grip others, experienced true fear for the first time.
One of the mansion, prominently placed in the very heart of the Cliffside Mansions, shook free of its foundations and slid forward across the ground. The cliff face that supported it cracked, and thousands watched as an entire mansion fell into the ocean far below.
But the horror was just beginning. As the shaking increased, those in Verona who were watching the ocean could see it bubble and swirl. Massive, rolling waves slammed into the shore, whipped into a violent frenzy by something beneath the surface.
From below the waves of the ocean, a colossal figure emerged. Its immense form broke through the water with a thunderous roar that echoed off the cliff of Verona. As it rose, the ocean seemed to part around its body reluctantly until the Titan’s towering, rugged silhouette blocked the view of the horizon.
The Titan’s body was a mosaic of jagged stone and weathered earth, its surface was etched with intricate patterns that told the ancient story of its creation. A being of magic, birthed from deep beneath the earth in a time long passed, the Titan had finally been disturbed from its slumber.
Possessing four arms, its limbs were a monumental blend of rock and soil. Magma flowed through its veins like blood, a burning glow that was revealed in places and converged in the Titan’s eyes, scorching eyes that looked out from the sea with malevolence.
The Titan’s head, now completely surfaced from the sea, was a towering mass of rock that resembled a mountain peak. Lines of magma ran down from its eyes, gradually cooling as it flowed.
Its presence was both awe-inspiring and foreboding, a living monument to the raw, untamed power of the earth. Its movements were the cause of the quakes; each footstep would send tremors through the ocean floor and rock Verona.
It was in this chaotic scene that Mathew arrived near the harbour. Appearing in a flash of white light, he had barely read the message on his silver wristband before he had been thrown from his feet by an earthquake.
He wasn’t alone, hundreds of others had appeared with him. His fellow players sprang immediately into action, their behaviour shaped after thirty Floors of untold horror and violence. Acting separately or in groups, the spread out along the harbour and shore in preparation for the repelling the Titan.
But even the most experienced people needed a leader, and as Mathew picked himself up off the ground and cursed his poor ‘Body’ attribute for his lack of balance, he heard someone shouting orders.
A man stood on top of a pile of crates, directing the defences by pointing at areas or places with his sword, a weapon of bright steel that glowed with an intense, magical light. He wore white armour, along with a cape that matched its colour.
In his prime, the man had long hair tied back so that it was out of his eyes, tanned skin and handsome features. There was something familiar about the man that Mathew couldn’t place.
With Mathew’s arrival, the ‘Buzz’ burst out a warning. The combination of hundreds of high-level people from the Tower and the approaching Titan was too much for the ‘Buzz’, and Mathew winced in pain as it tensed his neck and shoulders.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Trying his best to ignore it and wishing it had an ‘off’ switch, Mathew focused on what the man was saying.
“-Buy time for the strike team! Tangle its legs, push it back! Forgers, I want you set up on the cliffs above!” The man said, directing a small group of Artificers, Forgers, and other craft-oriented Discipline to the cliffs where they would be more effective against the Titan.
Given enough time and resources, Mathew had seen what a good Forger could build, and he agreed with what the man was doing. Mathew was about to approach and inquire as to what he should do, when the man saw him.
The armoured warrior paused, his eyes went wide and he sucked in his breath with a hiss.
“You!” The man shouted, and his face was overcome with rage. Mathew thought he would leap at him, but the man visibly controlled his emotions after a moment.
“Do I know you?” Mathew asked. He had met a lot of people during his time in the Tower, but his memory was no longer what it was, and he had spent a long time on the Punishment Floor. He couldn’t be expected to remember everyone he came into contact with.
“I am Algrond. I had thought I had made more of an impression upon you, Demon Lord Mathew.” Algrond growled, his face darkening as he realized Mathew had no idea who he was.
“Demon Lord…wait. You’re that person who kept attacking me when I was trying to rule that town! What was it called again? Raise? Rest?” Mathew replied, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to recall. That was quite a few Floors ago, and a lot has happened since then.
He had been directed by the Tower to rule a town and pretend to be an evil ‘Demon Lord’ so that new heroes could rise up amongst the population to fight them. The fact that he had to fight a bunch of his fellow Demon Lords overshadowed everything else on that Floor, and he couldn’t help forgetting some of the minor details.
“Reesh! I am Algrond, of the Lineage! I’ve ventured through the Tower in anticipation of this day, Demon Lord!” Algrond shouted, but he was interrupted from saying anything further as the Titan took a step forward. The earthquake from the single step was worse than any before it, and more buildings collapsed in the city.
“That’s great, we can catch up later! Where do you want me?” Mathew replied. He was forced to practically shout to be heard over the commotion. Algrond paused for a moment, noticeably collected himself, and responded.
“You can join the others with me. I recalled you are a close-ranged warrior; we will wait until the Titan is entangled on the shore and assault him directly.” He commanded, only to see Mathew shaking his head.
“That won’t work for me! I lost all my levels and Blessings! I’m better on the shore, attacking from range. I can help entrapping the Titan as well!” Mathew countered. He was already walking toward the beach, dragging his right leg, when Algrond yelled a response.
But Mathew couldn’t hear him as the Titan roared in anger. The first barrage of projectiles had struck its stone skin. Large bolts fired from the ballistas located in the Seaside Towers’ buried themselves deeply into its body before detonating with magical force.
Catapults launched pots of acid crafted by the Forgers and Artificers. These pots shattered on contact and spread bubbling liquids along its torso, etching deeply into the stone and soil. Others caught on fire or created explosions. Several simply disappeared with a faith ‘pop’ sending large chunks of the Titan into oblivion.
But the efforts of the defenders were akin to gnats biting a giant. It enraged the Titan but did little to slow it down. It was like a force of nature; its approach was inevitable, and each step that brought it nearer caused damage to the city and its citizens.
Mathew arrived on the beach just as many of his fellow participants in the Tower were preparing their long range Blessings to strike the Titan. The first barrage of Blessings slammed into the Titan with a deafening boom and a flash of light so bright that Mathew was forced to cover his eyes with his hand.
There were balls of fire, shards of ice, streaks of light that melted stone. Acid splashed, chunks of earth crashed down on its body, and the air vibrated as sound waves attempted to shake its torso apart. Blessings of a hundred different varieties beat into the Titan, and against so many people using all of their abilities, even its giant figure was pushed back slightly.
The Titan rocked backwards on his feet as multiple detonations and a hundred varieties of Blessings attacked it. It roared in rage and protected itself with its limbs.
Mathew raised his hand and pointed at the Titan.
“Combust.” The Word of Power ripped out of his throat, and he saw the air still near the Titan’s head. A pinprick of light formed before it expanded into an explosion as large as many of the others hitting it. Combust tore through the protective stone of the Titan’s body, and debris rained down onto the ocean below.
“Keep it up! We can knock this thing down!” Someone yelled, and even Mathew felt inspired by their success. He was preparing to speak another Word when the Titan responded. The creature raised its four arms above its head and clenched them into fists.
“Shit, not good!” Mathew cursed, knowing that something terrible was about to happen. In response, he raised both of his own arms and held his palms out.
“Shield!” A glowing bubble of protection surrounded him, a thin membrane of defence against what was coming.
The Titan roared and slammed its fists into the ocean beneath it. The sea surged, and the ground shook. Cracks formed in the earth, and great rents stretched out from the point of impact in the harbour and through the city.
The sea rushed into the cracks wherever they formed, and dozens of buildings fell into the abyss far below them as the chasms expanded throughout the lower city. On the cliffs above, more houses slid off the high ground and plummeted into the ocean, carrying thousands to their deaths.
The initial impact knocked Mathew off his feet, his bad leg unable to keep him upright against the shaking earth. When he managed to regain his footing, the ocean rushed to meet him. The Titan’s strike had caused the water to recede into the harbour, revealing the ground beneath the waves to those defending the city.
Like a tsunami, the receding waters only left for a moment before they came sweeping back. A hundred feet into the air, the wave rose, and Mathew watched in a mixture of awe and dread as the wave curled at the top.
“Shield isn’t going to stop that!” Mathew hissed, already looking for a way out. Others were running away, their high body attributes or Blessings allowing them to leap far into the air or fly toward safety. Several disappeared from where they stood, teleporting to higher ground.
But there were a few who couldn’t flee; their talents lay elsewhere. They formed barricades of magic or used heavy shields or their physical strength to resist the wave.
Mathew found what he was looking for just as the wave was about to reach him. A flag flew on a tall building near the market far behind him. He ‘Shifted’ with it when the wave crashed onto the shore, leaving the flag to be crushed beneath the force of the ocean.
He reappeared on top of the building and let out a breath of relief. Mathew watched the wave sweep away the beach and the harbour, the waters crushing everything beneath it. It nearly reached the market before it slowed, and the waters slowly receded once more.
He could see that the receding wave was filled with debris and bodies. Hundreds, if not thousands, had perished in the attack, and there had been nothing anyone could do to prevent it. The Titan was a being on par with a Demi-god, and Mathw doubted there was a person in the Tower who could destroy it.
But thankfully, they only needed to buy time.
“There won’t be anything left to the city by the time they take out that wizard.” Mathew muttered as he assessed the devastation. The Titan was still a few miles away; it was still in the process of standing after its strike.
The Titan resumed its slow march toward Verona, and the defenders struck back with everything they had in an attempt to slow it. The Seaside Towers that had guarded the harbour for decades crumbled until there were none left.
The Old Town was nearly gone, and the Cliffside Mansions were obliterated.
When the Titan was only a hundred feet or so from the shore, the defenders switched tactics. Enchanted ropes were taken from inventories and hurled at the Titan’s legs to entangle them.
Blessings grew vines of stone, mana or even water to wrap around it. Even barriers of light, made as hard as steel, flew through the air to block the Titan’s progress. The creature barely slowed despite their best efforts.
More people began to use their Blessings to slow the Titan, many in creative ways. There were Blessings of cold and ice that froze the sea, Blessings of earth, soil and mud that tried to dislodge its footing and make the ocean floor to weak to support its weight.
Seeing all of their attempts, Mathew drew in a deep breath and focused on his next Word of Power. Raising his hand, he made a grasping motion toward the sun in the sky. He wasn’t entirely sure the action was necessary, but it felt right.
“Eclipse.” A shudder ran through his body as the advanced Word of Power ripped its way out of his throat. Spitting blood, Mathew collapsed onto one knee. But, despite his weakness, the Word of Power took effect.
The sun above him began to dim. Something was slowly eating away at the light; a celestial object began to slide across the sun, blocking it from view. The blue sky turned to night, and there were stars in the sky. The water of the ocean turned black, and only the numerous lights created by magical Blessings provided light.
An impenetrable darkness began to creep across the ground, so black that it drank the remaining light. Like a void, it floated across the water and settled upon the Titan. Soon, the monster’s head was completely obscured from view.
Blind, the Titan stumbled and lashed out with its four arms in every direction. With a loud boom, it slammed its open hand against its face in an attempt to dislodge the darkness. In a fury, the Titan attacked everything around it while it continued to roar.
“It’s vulnerable! Hit it with everything you have!” Someone shouted, and more joined in. Mathew managed to look up to see the others attacking the blind Titan. With his ruined throat, Mathew was unable to call out or help them in any way.
He saw Algrond, the sword in his hands shining with white light. He raised it above his head with two hands and sliced it downwards. A crescent moon of mana shot out from the edge of the blade and sped across the water until it cut into the Titan’s leg and travelled up its torso, savaging its stone flesh.
But it was all for nothing. Soon, the Eclipse faded, and the sun returned. The Celestial Word of Power burned away under the intense sunlight, and the Titan could see once more. Its malevolent, burning eyes focused on Mathew immediately.
It seemed to know that he had been the source of its infirmity, and it was determined that it wouldn’t happen again. The Titan needn’t have worried; Mathew’s voice was temporarily gone, and the Word of Power had been too much for him to summon without backlash.
The Titan surged forward, its pace quicker than before. Unimpeded by anything the defenders threw at it, the creature finally came onto land. Its body was so tall the sun was blocked; the shadow it cast covered all of Verona.
With its red eyes on Mathew’s kneeling form, it raised its fist with the intent to smash down on him and the building below.
Stumbling to his feet, Mathew tried to walk to the edge of the building and cast himself off. Maybe, if he were fast enough, he could hit the ground and scramble away. But it seemed his luck had run out. His leg, already barely able to support his weight, crumpled and refused to carry him.
Mathew could only look up at the descending fist in despair.
‘Ding.’
You have successfully delayed the Titan long enough for a party to eliminate the Wizard ‘Eldrin.’ The Titan, lacking a target of its ire, will return to its domain in the ocean depths.
Congratulations!
The burning words appeared between Mathew and the enormous, falling fist. For a moment, it seemed like the Titan would keep going, but the monster suddenly paused its actions. Slowly standing, it seemed to look into the distance beyond Verona as if looking for something. Unable to find it, the Titan slowly turned around and walked back into the sea.
In minutes, it was gone from sight, and only the faint tremor in the ground told of its presence beneath the waves.
Mathew let out a breath, and his body sagged in relief.