I've spent the last 16 days clearing out various caves around that crater. Each cave contained three savages and all of them were at Lv 9. It was time well spent as my [Merciful Killer] title provided more boosts to my strength at 10 kills, 25 kills and 50 kills so it provides me with a total of +8 strength. I have also levelled up twice, bringing me to Lv 7. Also, my Intermediate Spearmanship has levelled up twice and my pain resistance thrice. But the main cause of my excitement is the head sized orb in front of me. It was created through fusing 50 smaller orbs from each of the Savage's I killed. I did kill another Savage after collecting the 50 orbs but nothing at all dropped, it just gave me exp.
The orb glows with a deep red which mesmerises me threatens to draw me in. Even as I open up the orb's information I can't bring myself to read it as my eyes ignore the text and are drawn to the pulsating orb. I muster up my willpower and tear my gaze away, looking in the complete opposite direction. I resist the urge to look back to the orb and read its information.
True Essence of Madness (True Unique)
An orb which, when absorbed, is able to turn the user into a variant of their race
So nothing about that attraction towards it that I can't seem to shake? That seems fairly important information, the fact that its immensely hard to not be entranced by it. Anyways, I need to decide what to do with it before I loose my control of my body.
I want to absorb it and become this 'varient' thing but the orb does have 'Madness' in its name my prospect don't seem so good if I do. Hmm, what to do? What to do? I feel a presence caress my mind, causing me to jolt backwards. What's that? It's their again, gently probing my defences. I look around to try and see what's causing it and immediately regret doing so when my eyes fall on the orb again, causing me to be fixated on it once again.
'Do you want power?'
A voice speaks gently into my mind. Of course, I answer, but why should I trust you?
Despite my question, my body is already moving on its own, reaching out to lay my hands on the orb. I try and wrest back control but in doing so my mind comes into contact with the thing speaking to me. My mind immediately recoils backwards, trying to filter and block out everything it just came in contact with. Whether its an automatic or some sort of safety mechanism, I'm glad I wasn't in contact with the other mind for only a moment because what I experienced when I mentally touched it can be summed up in three words.
Pure. Unadulterated. Madness.
It makes me shudder at just the thought of it. I thought I knew madness when I saw those mindless Savage's, but if their level of crazy is a rippling puddle then what I just experienced is a chaotic ocean.
Manic laughter begins to echo around my head as I lay my hands on the essence in front of me. I try to mount a last, desperate struggle against the thing controlling my body but it draws close and I retreat. I don't want to experience that ever again.
'Too bad.'
The voice once again sounds out and through eyes that aren't mine I see the orb turn into a mist and soak into my body.
'Sleep now child, leave everything to me.'
This time the voice sounds calming and sooths my panic. I want whatever's happening to stop, I fight to stay awake but a part of me wants to just... lie down and rest and hope everything will be okay when I wake up. Eventually, the defeatist side of me wins and I give up the last strands of conscious and drift off into a dreamless oblivion.
...
Somewhere, in a large hall, a man chained to a throne is laughing crazily. His eyes shine with a madness as deep as the abyss that can cause an observer to loose their mind. His powerful body contrasts with his currently feeble aura as the chains around him constrict to try and stop the convulsions of his laughter.
Suddenly, the large double doors at the opposite end of the room burst open. A sound akin to an earthquake hitting shakes the room as a beautiful golden-haired woman storms in.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE BOY!?"
She screams at the man on the throne, fearsome energy contained within her words but they don't even faze the man. He halts his manic laughter and slowly raises his head to look at the woman, the deep abyss of madness now only a glint in his right eye.
"Ah, Freya, my old friend! How have you been? It's been so long since we last saw each other. How long ago was it, a decade?"
The woman, Freya, bristles at this but manages to calm herself down.
"You know full well it was a century ago, at least outside the hall it was, and we've never been friends. I don't even want to know what twisted meaning that word holds for you."
"Pleasant as always I see, and I don't think I'll answer your question. If you truly wish to know then go ask Chronos."
"Chronos died an eon ago whilst sealing you, the only Chronos still around today are the past versions of him that are still young and weak."
"My dear Freya, I don't know who told you that but I'm afraid you've been lied to."
"In what way?"
"Chronos didn't die, he ascended."
"WHAT!?"
Freya's expression becomes one of shock before morphing into one of suspicion.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"Simple, you're the only company I've had in a long time, and I mean a looooong time. Also, I quite enjoy that aura of death and war you exude when around me."
"That seriously can't be it."
"It's not, I'm going to die soon."
The man on the throne said that last bit so casually that you would think he was talking about what the weather might be that day. Freya just stands there, speechless for a minute.
"How do you know?"
"You and your simple questions, of course I know because I am going to kill myself."
Freya is once again struck speechless at the casual response.
'Kill himself!?'
She thought to herself.
'Has his insanity finally tipped him over the edge?'
"Nothing of the sought my dear Freya."
"You- just how did you? My thoughts?"
The man ignored the stuttering woman and continued.
"Do you remember how we first met?"
At this, Freya becomes angry again.
"Of course I do! You weakened and turned my precious Valkeries into mindless killers. They were no longer fit to dwell on the higher or even middle planes! The world made them mortals again! All my precious Valkeries!"
She becomes more hysterical the more she talks, screaming at the motionless man.
"Wrong."
The single word cuts through all the woman's pain and rage. She looks at the enthroned man in askance and he answers but lifting up an arm and pointing behind Freya, all the while straining against the chains that sought to bind him motionlessly.
She turns around to the open doors to see a silhouette walking through them.
"Someone call for a Godslayer?"
...
I wake up with a start and shoot up from my position, clutching my spear for some semblance of safety. A part of me laughs at my actions when I look around and see nothing but wasteland in every direction. After making sure I'm safe, I turn my attention to the blinking notifications in front of me.
You have absorbed the True Essence of Madness, changing Race from Human to Mad Human
Your Race has become Mad Human:
+2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence
+1 Strength per level, +1 Constitution per level, -1 Intelligence per level
+5 HP per Constitution
You have learned the skill Madness Lv 1/-
You have earned the title [Champion of Madness]
[Champion of Madness] is a title given to one chosen by the God of Madness to be his Champion in the Mortal Realm
Will grant stats upon killing the Champions of other Gods
Excited for the new changes in my stats, I open my status. Wait, aren't I forgetting something? I feel like something is wrong, like I didn't want this to happen or something but there's no way that's the case. Being stronger allows me to help others more. Why does that thought also feel wrong? There's nothing wrong with helping people, right?
Madness has become Lv 2/-
See? Even my Justice skill has levelled up. It leveling up must show that I'm going to do such a good job living up to my role as the [Champion of Justice]. I can't wait to use my newfound strength to punish evil doers and help those in need!
Status
Name: Aeron
Race: Mad Human
Level: 7
Titles:
[Dungeon Defender]
[Merciful Killer]
[Champion of Madness]
HP: 465/465
Strength: 34 (+3)
Constitution: 28 (+3)
Agility: 17 (+6)
Intelligence: 8
Skills:
Madness Lv 2/-
Intermediate Spearmanship Lv 6/10
-Piercing Intent Lv 3/10
Basic Fist Fighting Lv 9/10
Pain Resistance Lv 13/20
Fire Resistance Lv 3/20
HP Recovery Lv 3/10
Well, time to find some people to help.