Chapter Nine: Versyok
I still felt a little unsettled by the fact that I now had a hankering for human flesh, but as I wasn’t technically fully human anymore I was able to rationalize away most of the guilt. The fact that the system rewarded me helped things along. I was just glad that I didn’t have to eat the whole corpse. Just a bite of flesh was enough to answer my cravings. Though I quickly learned that the bite of flesh was entirely dependent on my intended needs.
I could take a bite out of any limb, and as long as I took in their blood I could gain some memories. If I ate the heart I would gain skills and abilities. Eating the brain gave me experience points. I went for the brains with most of the dead working towards leveling up. Though with the two priests who had been pelting me with magic, I ate one of their hearts, and the other I took a nice bite out of their arm. My meal finished, I wiped the blood from my face, and with no immediate signs of combat, I pulled up my notifications before I was too busy again to do so.
You have received enough experience to reach level 3.
You have received enough experience to reach level 4.
You have received enough experience to reach level 5.
Your second-tier class skills have been unlocked.
Your passive effect [Crippled] has been removed.
Your class bonus for Dark Monarch has been unlocked.
You have gained the spell Holy Bolt.
Error. Incompatible with energy type.
Notice. Holy Bolt has changed to Void Bolt. Spell rank decreased due to change.
You have gained the spell Void Bolt.
Spell: Void Bolt
Spell Rank: F (Upgradable)
Spell Description: For every 1% of Mana infused with the spell deal 2% damage to a target, up to 5% mana infusion. The spell has mild tracking capabilities. The more mana infused the more accurate the tracking capabilities.
I looked over my notifications in satisfaction. I hadn’t particularly felt crippled before and had honestly forgotten I had gained that debuff, but once it was gone the change was noticeable. It was like if you lived your life eating fast food you wouldn’t realize how bad your body felt. But once you started eating clean you could notice the difference. I felt more alive than before. This wasn’t just like increasing my attributes, my body felt more effective. That would be needed after the information I gained from the one Watchmen who had shot up the red flare.
I purposefully had taken his memories to figure out what the flare had meant, because by the time I had made my way to him most of the shouts in the city had stopped which gave me an ominous feeling. There was a lot to unpack, especially without context to help me pick apart the jumble of the man’s life. I had gotten what I needed though. Red meant full-scale withdrawal. Every single member of their order would retreat to their sanctum and await me there.
Knowing that I could take my time to invest my attributes and skill points and see what else had changed. I started by looking at my newly unlocked class bonus. Pulling up the information on Dark Monarch I saw that I had gained one point in all attributes per level, a 10% bonus to magical resistance, and a 10% reduction in mana cost for spells and skills. That was a decent boost, even though the attribute bonus would only help me as I moved forward.
Thinking about the attributes though I thought back to the priests who had been casting magic at me. Not only were they dealing significant damage against me, but my title bonus that was supposed to return damage didn’t seem to have an effect. I thought about the priestess with the daggers who probably would have been fast enough to do some real damage herself if I hadn’t managed to throw them off their game.
I know the system was tailoring me to be overpowered, but there were clear signs that not everything was as cut and dried as stats. Thinking back to the group I defeated at the beach was an example. They were mostly inexperienced. Barely trained to handle the howling damned who were mindless and predictable in their rage and agony, let alone a man who could adapt and had been trained to fight. So it’s not about just having attributes, but knowing how to use them effectively. No, there is more to it. There has to be.
An idea popped into my head and I pulled out my tome. I was hoping that I had enough of my prey’s memories in my head for my grimoire to piece together the information I was seeking. With a thought the book opened and revealed a page that fortunately gave me the information I was seeking.
Race: Human
Description: Humans are the most versatile, and potent race. They receive a 50% bonus to all experience earned. They gain one point to each attribute per level, as well as gaining 6 free attribute points and 5 free skill points per level. This does not include the bonuses they gain from their classes. This is offset by their shorter longevity, more vulnerable bodies, and lack of other racial traits.
Class: Cleric
Description: Manipulates holy energy into magical attacks or defenses. Infuses holy energy into weapons. Negates or resists dark magic and effects to varying degrees. All effects are increased when on consecrated ground.
I nodded as I read the information. So that’s it. Humans can be exceedingly more potent in one area than I am, especially as they level up. While my classes more or less pushed me to invest in my stats almost equally, my opponents could min-max in a way I couldn’t quite keep up with. Especially if they have access to class fusions as well, I noted, thinking of the priestess who was a Holy Militant.
“Just great. Welcome to your new world. You are overpowered! Not!” I muttered as I realized that I had just gotten lucky so far. Everyone I faced up to this point had to mostly be the dregs of the church. Not just that. This was meant to be a starting zone, remember? You opted out of the guided tutorial, but I am sure there was a completely different chain of events that you completely skipped over. I reminded myself. Sighing I began investing my free points into my attributes. I managed to raise each attribute to 30 except for charisma which now sat at 25. I wanted to feel strong and mighty, but realizing that there could easily be someone out there who was my level that was stronger than me was disappointing.
I looked at my skills next and with 39 points to spend, I could get a decent amount. I thought briefly about just fully investing in one of the skills I already had but passed on that idea as I saw what my options were. With my final skill tree unlocked and having second-tier skills accessible there were some options too juicy to pass up.
Skill: Cataclysmic Awakening (Dark Monarch)
Skill Rank: E
Investment: 10 / 45
Skill Description: Entities you control will gain sentience if they lacked it before. Entities you control will now receive 10% of your attribute values.
Rank Up Effect: Entities you control will now receive 15% of your attribute values
Skill: The Castle of Fealty
Skill Rank: E
Investment: 10 / 45
Skill Description: You can now alternate places with a willing entity that you control within 2 miles per level. Both you and the target must have at least 60% remaining health.
Rank Up Effect. Increases the distance by 1 mile per level, and decreases the remaining health required to 50%
Skill: Mark of Corruption (Revenant)
Skill Rank: E
Investment: 10 / 45
Skill Description: When marking an enemy for death you can now infuse more mana to potentially blight the target without the need to attack them directly. This effect can be resisted. Increased efficiency is 50%
Rank Up Effect: Increases Efficiency to 75%
Skill: Recollection of the Chosen (Regulator)
Skill Rank: F
Investment: 5 / 45
Skill Description: You can now form bonds with your deathsworn army. Bonded summons can no longer be altered by will, but will now cost 50% less mana to summon if they fall in battle or are dismissed. The number of bonds you can maintain is equal to the number you can summon.
Rank Up Effect: Increases the number of bonds you can maintain to twice your maximum and increases mana cost reduction to summon bonded deathsworn from 50% to 60%
Skill: Adaptive Army (Regulator)
Skill Rank: F
Investment: 4 / 45
Skill Description: Your Deathsworn Army now gains 50% Experience from targets they defeat, and 10% experience from targets you defeat. This total is not deducted from the total experience earned. Your army can now level up with you and gain more skills.
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Rank Up Effect: Increases comparative experience gains to 60% and 20%
I nodded in satisfaction as I overlooked everything. I might not be using my army inside the city, but I still liked the idea of having a good backup when I inevitably headed out on my own. Once I left the tutorial zone things might get tricky when trying to find a party, but I knew I wanted to go on some epic group adventures with a whole team. I just might have to get creative with how I portrayed myself.
I eyeballed one skill that I would have to invest in on my next level up for sure. It was a Dark Monarch skill that allowed me to disguise my identity when others analyzed me. I only passed on it because it wouldn’t do me any immediate good. I looked up at the reddening sky and figured I had an hour at most of the daylight left. I needed to end this before the Thelnistari came for their final justice. Rising to my feet I made my way to the Sanctum. I moved quickly, but I didn’t rush. By my estimates there had to be at least fifteen people waiting for me inside. I didn’t want to waste all of my energy fighting them. I felt foolish enough wasting as much time as I did. Vastein could probably awaken any time now and then nothing I had done would matter.
As I approached the building I was impressed to see that out of every building in the city, only this one was unmarred by time. It looked more like a mausoleum and in truth that wasn’t too far from its purpose. I knew from the memories I had picked up that all of their services were held in a large chamber underneath the ground. Beyond the chamber were the crypts. All of their fallen ones were stored there. But there was plenty of space for libraries, and other halls. Each hallway leading to another building on the surface.
It was as if these priests had built a spiderweb beneath the city. But with the fall of the kingdom, all of those buildings became untenable and had been closed off. Leaving only this pristine and beautifully carved stone structure. The only part that detracted from the imagery was the eye that they carved over the entrance. It was as foreboding as the vibration of magical energy that came radiating out from within. As much as I wanted to turn and flee I fortified my mind and strolled boldly forward.
“Hey, guys! This is a courtesy call. I am not sure if you are aware of this, but playing around in the basement all day can be bad for your health!” I shouted as I descended into the building.
“Don’t act like you care, monster! Enter so I might see the face of the one who has forced me to take such drastic measures.” A menacing voice replied calmly. The voice was a deep baritone and filled with gravel. An image entered my mind. A large man, dressed in gowns of crimson red, nearly seven foot tall, and powerfully built. Unlike the rest of the sect, he was completely clean-shaven with a tattoo of an eye carved onto his forehead. Father Versyok.
“Oh don’t you worry, I am coming in. I hope you brought the diapers because I am going to tear you a new asshole!” I answered back, cringing. God, I really need to work on my one-liners. I descended the final step and entered the chamber and gasped in disgust at the sight that lay before me. I had been expecting a true life-or-death battle, one man against many. I knew the odds wouldn’t be in my favor, but I would at least try. But that’s not what greeted me.
All across the chamber in two concentric circles were bodies. Children and babies with their throats slit lay immediately around a sarcophagus that was pulsing with energy. Then beyond them in a larger circle were the adults who had all used blades to cut open their own stomachs spilling their insides onto the floor.
“Do you see what you have done, abomination?” Versyok asked me, his voice filled with some trace of emotion. At first, I thought his voice carried anger or pain, but as I looked into his eyes I saw his voice had been laden with a more vile feeling. Joy. I felt a shudder run through my entire body at that. This man I wanted to kill. Analyzing him though forced me to wait. I needed to play this smart. Really smart.
Versyok: Level 15
Race: Human
Class: Radiant Warrior
Affinity: Hostile
“Oh no, you aren’t blaming this on me. This isn’t anything I’ve done.” I replied weakly. I had a difficult time tearing my eyes away from the nude infants that had been slaughtered like pigs. “You call me a monster? An abomination? Do you even care about your own people? You didn’t even mention the people who didn’t make it to this godless pit. The people in the city, or those on the beach.”
“Please. We are all tools for a great purpose. Cleansing filth like you from this world. As for my flock, I just assumed that you had slaughtered them. Those that were slain within the city walls were an unfortunate necessity. I had to buy time. I hadn’t expected you to be so proficient. As for the children that got sent to you on the beach. Well, that was no great loss. You see we only have so many resources here. To maintain a delicate we have ways of culling the herd. We wait until they are of age and only then do we start sending them out on patrols. They have very little combat experience to start with. It’s called a coming-of-age rite, but we fully intend for a few to die. As for the group that assailed you yesterday. They were the most incompetent of all my followers, no more than fodder sent to die. They were an offering to you as part of the prophecy.”
“You are tools alright. But, how… How can you talk like that about your own people? and this? What is this? What prophecy are you talking about?” I asked, my voice almost whispering as I looked at the corpses on the floor. Emotions stormed within me as I looked at the brutalized infants. But the comment about prophecy caught my attention. I didn’t know how I felt about everything being preordained.
“‘A second sun will rise on the shores. Eight of the least will be chosen as sacrifices to begin the reckoning. Once day has given way to night the sky will erupt in wails, as the final death throes start. At that time proceed with the ritual to awaken me. For the following night the remnants will swarm led by one who is the foulest of all ilk, and only with my power will they be conquered.’ Such were the words of the High Priest before he entered his slumber. He proclaimed that The Watcher had sent him a vision of destiny. As for what you see before you. A necessary sacrifice. You see, the prophecy indicated that you would come at night. You didn’t stick to our arranged schedule though. You arrived early. This has forced me to speed up the awakening. It was quite inconvenient.”
“So sorry to be an inconvenience. I still don’t understand. How is THIS a necessary sacrifice? How can you be so callous?” I knew I was wasting time but there was no way I could face him in a direct fight at my level. I wasn’t sure how this quest was supposed to go, but just like my first fight when I arrived I knew there had to be something somewhere that would help me out. I just needed to figure out what it was.
“Who are you to lecture me on callous behavior? Filth! As you walk into this sanctified ground covered in the blood of my followers!” Again I saw the gleam in his eye as he spoke. He didn’t care that his people had died. He was amused.
“I can afford to be. They were my enemies. but they were YOUR ALLIES!” I snapped, my voice rising in a roar at the end as my rage bubbled inside of me. There was a thrumming in my head that told me if I didn’t figure out the mechanics of this fight soon I would lose my temper and attack. If that happened no doubt I would be killed. I managed to regain composure, but just barely.
“Calling them my allies might be putting it strongly. They were my followers, nothing more. How long do you think I have lived? I appear to be what? Thirty, maybe forty years of age? I have lived since the Great Undoing has begun. I was there when High Priest Vastein went into his slumber, and it is I that will awaken him! Everyone else? Mere pawns for the whims of our god as we cleanse the world of impurities.”
As he spoke I could feel the energies in the room intensifying. I was running out of time fast and I knew it. Even if it cost me my life I would have to act soon or risk everything. I had heard his spiel before on Earth. Religious zealots and extreme nationalists all spoke the same bull shit. If you aren’t us then you are nothing. Racism, and bigotry, it was everywhere and it was disgusting. I felt my lip curling in contempt, then some of his words lingered in my mind. He was there at the beginning. Which meant he knew about the spell. I just hoped I could provoke enough information out of him.
“Prophecies? Impurities?” I asked, forcing myself to chuckle in derision. “More like bullshit. No one person in the world has magic that is capable of cleansing an entire people. It’s probably more likely that the Threlnistari were doing some mischief and collectively got screwed when it got out of hand. You just happened to capitalize on that to gain popularity for your false God. I bet you even learned to like being in charge. If I had to guess, you aren’t trying to wake up your old boss, but drain him dry.” I saw his eyes flare in contempt. Good, get mad. Angry people make mistakes. The irony of the thought was not lost on me.
“You doubt the High Priest's abilities? It was his spell that caused the great Undoing. It took a lot of work though. Years of slowly capturing the vermin that infested our lands. Draining them of blood, and building power. It wasn’t until we were able to kill the princess though that our plan to eradicate the pests once and for all was within reach. With her potent bloodline, we knew the spell would have maximum effect. The hardest part after that was making sure we could trap them within the kingdom so they couldn’t escape. Fortunately, the royal blood of House Shangrior was enough to erect the mists that prevent anyone from entering or exiting these lands. Every single thing went according to High Priest Vastein’s plan. Even you, worm.”
His face turned into a smug, and contemptuous sneer, as if he had just proven just how out of my league I was. Which had already been painfully obvious but I couldn’t even hide the wicked smile that curved my lips as he tried to impress me. God, I love the ego of powerful men who think they have won. So the answer is blood. I saw it then, the grooves in the floor that were filling with blood that channeled around the sarcophagus. If I hadn’t been so distracted by my disgust I probably would have pieced it together sooner. I was rewarded for my discovery with a notification screen.
New Quest Activated
Side Quest: Topple the Watchmen. Main Objective: Defeat Versyok within the time limit. Bonus Objective: Interfere with the Awakening Ritual. Bonus Objective: Complete the Quest without going below 50% health.
Quest Reward: Reward based on completion score.
Time Limit: 15:00
As soon as I read the text, the counter began ticking down. I eyeballed the big man and frowned. Nothing had changed, I was still clearly at a huge disadvantage. It’s more likely it’s my blood that will spill than his… my… blood… I could feel the lightbulb turn on in my head. They needed pure blood for all of their rituals. I had been wasting time talking trying to figure out how to circumnavigate the large man, but he had been just as content to talk to me. In fact, he hadn’t even taken a step toward me in aggression, even when I had antagonized him. He didn’t want to contaminate the ritual. My grin widened and I began to openly laugh.
“Not many would find humor in their imminent death. For that, and that alone, I will commend you.”
“Oh, no need to commend me. I was just laughing because I can easily imagine your face as you fail. It’s not my death that’s imminent, but yours. I am about to kill you.” I replied. My voice filled with confidence and assuredness that caused a shadow of doubt to fill the large man’s face.
“There is nothing you can do to stop what’s happening. Can’t you feel the tremors in the air? The ritual is almost complete, and then your vulgar existence will end.”
“Nothing I can do? I doubt that. Tell me Versyok, are you a gambling man?” As I spoke I reached into my inventory and pulled out the satchel.
Item: Satchel (evolved from Dice Bag)
Item Name: Satchel of Guided Destiny
Item Rank: SSS
Item Description: This bag contains three sets of game dice. Each numerically different die has a different effect when used. The effects of dice are also based on the intentions of the user. When expended the dice will disappear and then reappear within the bag after a certain amount of time has passed, based on the outcome of the roll. Regardless of the outcome, all dice will return to within the bag no later than 6 hours later.
I still wasn’t entirely sure what was about to happen, but at this point, I could only hope that my increased luck would help me out. I didn’t even bother looking as I dumped the entire satchel on the ground. All across the floor dice rolled everywhere. I had no idea what effects they mentioned were but as they spilled out across the floor Versyok looked down and watched them expectantly for a moment before once again regarding me and laughed.
“That was your plan? Roll strange pebbles on the ground?”
“No, that wasn’t my plan. This is.” I answered as I showed him the knife I had transformed Abyssal Ruination into when he wasn’t looking. Then I cut a deep gash into my arm. Blood instantly began rushing out, spilling onto the ground. Versyok’s eyes went wide, all signs of confidence fading, as I waved my hand through the air splashing my blood across the room.
“What are you doing? No!” He shouted and dove at me, but it was too late. The dice on the ground began to glow, and the air began to spark dangerously before a torrent was released and everything went white.