Simone has missed Kyran.
Kyran dropped back to his feet and warily studied the Reaper, ready to dodge a second sweep of the magical blade. But whatever spell the necromancer had used to call forth the ray of ice seemed to have lapsed already.
Using the momentary lull, Kyran hurriedly finished his instructions to Adra. “Keep Luteria occupied. I will kill this one.”
“On it, Kyran.”
The Reaper cursed as his attack missed. His eyes grew unfocused as he prepared another spell. Kyran didn’t give him the chance. Hurtling forward once more, he attacked simultaneously in both the ‘real’ and mindscape.
Kyran’s 2 strikes have hit Simone for 0 damage (65 blocked by death shield). Remaining shield: 65 / 335 HP.
Kyran’s mind shock has hit Simone for 55 damage. Remaining: 165 / 280 HP.
Simone realised he was outmatched. He had failed to land a single blow on Kyran, yet had himself been struck half a dozen times already. Sweat beaded his upper lip and his hands began to shake. But even though he appeared on the verge of panic, the necromancer stood his ground.
“Kyran,” Adra called in warning across the battlegroup, “one of the necromancers—the foul- mouthed one—is up to something. Looks like he is casting a big spell.”
“A bit busy here, Adra,” Kyran muttered. He kept his eyes fixed on his foe, warily circling the mage as he waited for another opening to attack.
While his opponent’s spells had shown little imagination thus far, in worg-form, Kyran was unshielded, and he couldn’t risk being hit.
“Interrupt Sivero if you can,” he added. He knew it was asking much of Adra, but Kyran couldn’t afford further distractions.
He followed the wavering point of his opponent’s staff. The instant after Simone launched his attack would be the moment to strike. Clenching his staff in a white-knuckled grip, the Reaper lowered his weapon and launched a fresh assault at Kyran.
Simone’s ice bolt has missed Kyran.
The frost shard was easier to evade than the blade of ice. Bounding to the left, Kyran let the magical projectile sail harmlessly by. Then he pounced. Time to end this.
Kyran’s 2 strikes have hit Simone for 7 damage (65 blocked by death shield). Shield destroyed. Remaining: 158 / 280 HP.
Kyran’s mind shock has hit Simone for 59 damage. Remaining: 99 / 280 HP.
Exposed and defenceless, the necromancer dropped his staff and fell back on his haunches in fear. “H-h-how?” Simone stuttered. “What are you?”
Kyran padded forward, closing in for the kill.
Sivero has cast death’s cleansing touch (rank II) (debuff: dispelled, silenced, radius: 15m).
A rippling sensation, like the cold, clammy touch of death passed over Kyran, and when it was gone so too was his magic.
Kyran has been silenced (duration: 10 seconds).
Silenced: Cannot use rank I and II magic and psionic abilities.
Before he could make sense of what was happening, Kyran was wrenched into the mindscape, and less than a second later was dumped out again.
Kyran has been dispelled.
Dispelled: Rank I and II active magic and psionic active removed.
Mind-over-matter deactivated, boost speed deactivated, force shifted back to elf-form.
Kyran swayed, dazed by the forced transition into elf-form. He had been stripped of his magic and left defenceless.
He turned a shocked gazed to his opponent. The downed necromancer was rising to his feet, an ugly sneer plastered on his face.
✽✽✽
As a formless cloud, indistinguishable from the swirling snow around her, Cilantria watched the half-elf and jade bear.
This was her chance.
She had spent long hours observing the Bearer and his party, but was no closer to deciding what to make of either him or them. She’d gone so far as to let him enter the death ward, even though doing that risked him slipping out of her grasp. Yet she had not been able to bring herself to attack him.
Not yet, anyway.
Her memories of her former life had served to stay her hand. But no such nostalgia protected the two she watched now. With the Bearer safely away, she could attack his abandoned companions with impunity.
Overconfidence had stolen her chance against the necromancers, and she was determined not to make the same mistake again. While the Bearer did not seem to pose any great risk, it would be foolish to underestimate him.
The prudent course was to destroy the two defenceless mortals right away. It would weaken the Bearer when she confronted him.
As inevitably, she knew she must.
Chapter 7
01 Novo 2603 AB
Spectres are not simply greater wraiths. They are beings of almost unalloyed spirit, even more so than wraiths. This greatly limits their ability to affect the inanimate world. Though when it comes to interacting with creatures of flesh and blood, a spectre’s abilities are unrivalled by its lesser cousins. —Talys Madisine, necromancer.
Kyran stumbled back, even as his mind screamed at him to drop onto all fours and rip out the throat of the foe but two steps from him. His mind felt disjointed. Confused by the abrupt transition, Kyran was momentarily uncertain if he was worg or elf. No, I’m not a worg, he protested.
He fumbled for the sword at his hip, but his fingers were still clumsy and failed to find the hilt. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Simone raise his staff.
Kyran spun around, or tried to. The motion was cut short as his feet collapsed beneath him. Staggering back up, he fled. He didn’t know where the others were, or even if they were alright, but he couldn’t afford to think about them right now. He had to get to safety before—
Simone’s ice bolt has hit Kyran for 33 damage. Remaining: 287 / 320 HP.
A jagged shard of ice shattered upon impact with Kyran’s back and drove him to his knees. Panting heavily, he fell to his hands as numbing tendrils of cold ate hungrily at him. Kyran clenched his jaw against the involuntary chattering of his teeth, and reached for his essence.
It refused his call. He was still silenced.
Damnit, he thought. Digging deep, he lurched to his feet again, all the while expecting more daggers of ice in his back.
Adra has killed Simone with a vital strike.
He almost flinched as the Game alert dropped into his mind. He had been expecting an altogether different message.
“Thanks, Adra,” he murmured, shoulders dropping in relief.
“Thank me later,” replied Adra. “Get yourself up here quickly! Mirien is keeping the others distracted, but the necromancer’s spell stripped her of her magic, too. She has lost her magic shield and buffs.”
“Coming,” he replied. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to greater effort.
Whatever Mirien was doing, she managed to keep the remaining three necromancers distracted long enough for Kyran to reach the sides of the sunken pool.
As Kyran began scrambling up the pool’s sides, the Game alert he had been waiting for finally arrived.
Kyran is no longer silenced.
“Mirien, teleport out now!” he shouted. Gathering in his will, he did the same.
Kyran has teleported 3m.
Mirien has shadow stepped.
After landing on the upper rim of the emptied bath, he ducked down behind the heap of stones shielding Adra from the necromancers below. When no attacks immediately followed, he peered cautiously over.
The three remaining necromancers were still in the centre of the bathhouse. Luteria’s eyes were closed while she searched for the wardstone. Sivero and Fuvio were unleashing a barrage of ice and darkness at the chamber’s far end—likely where Mirien had taken cover.
His gaze slid to the serpents. The necromancers in their grasp were nearly comatose. Drawing on his essence, Kyran began weaving a magic shield, while his thoughts churned. They needed another plan, and fast.
Before Luteria found the wardstone.
Mirien’s magic ring of shielding had
only a single charge, depleted now by Sivero’s spell, which meant Kyran would have to bear the brunt of the three necromancer’s attacks.
Kyran has cast magic shield (shield strength: 765 HP).
What to cast next? he wondered. Whatever it was, he had to disrupt the necromancers, and keep them off balance. But with all three shielded, doing that would be no mean feat. Shock field? Or—
“Found it!” crowed Luteria, her voice cutting across Kyran’s frantic thoughts.
Kyran’s head whipped around. Nothing wanted to go right this battle, it seemed. He was out of time and had to act now. “Adra, kill the Reapers in the serpents’ grasp,” he ordered. “I’m going to send the snakes against the other three.” Reaching into the mindscape, he redirected the beasts.
He knew it was a mostly futile gesture. With Luteria, Fuvio, and Sivero already shielded, the serpents would likely be ineffective. But they could still distract the Reapers.
“Where?” demanded Sivero in the sudden silence. He and Fuvio had ceased their bombardment at Luteria’s call.
“There,” said Luteria, pointing unerringly to where the wardstone lay.
The five serpents unwrapped themselves from their victims and began slithering towards their new targets. But the necromancers paid them scarce attention, and their gazes were instead focused on each other.
“What are you going to do, Sivero?” asked Fuvio in a furious, low-voiced whisper. “You can’t destroy the ward! You know that, right? It will let her back in.”
Sivero ignored him. The necromancer leader’s eyes flickered momentarily over the approaching serpents before dismissing them entirely. Turning to follow the direction of Luteria’s arm, he closed his eyes and prepared to cast.
Kyran ground his teeth in frustration. It didn’t seem like Sivero was going to oblige him by fighting the serpents. He is going after the wardstone.
Kyran had to stop him. “I’m going after Sivero,” he whispered to Adra. Drawing in his will, he wove psi swiftly.
Adra has killed a necromancer.
Kyran has teleported 3m.
Sivero has cast on death’s wings (teleported: 6m).
Mirien has cast mirrored selves.
Fuvio has cast energy drain on a forest serpent (debuff: essence-drained, duration: 30 seconds).
Essence-drained: Transfers 10 HP per second from the target to the caster’s shield.
Kyran alighted amongst the ruins hiding the wardstone, barely a step ahead of Sivero. Drawing his sword, he wreathed it in lightning and barred the necromancer’s way to the object.
Luteria has cast energy drain on a forest serpent (debuff: essence-drained, duration: 20 seconds).
Kyran has cast shocking hands. An elven mageblade has been imbued with jolt (+51 air damage).
“You again,” snarled Sivero on catching sight of Kyran’s elven-form. “You were the worg, weren’t you?”
Kyran remained tight-lipped. Turning his focus inwards, he started to weave what protective wards he could before the inevitable attack.
Sivero didn’t give him a chance. Seeming to sense what Kyran was up to, the necromancer lowered his staff and charged. Kyran was caught flatfooted by the unexpected tactic and Sivero’s staff crashed unopposed into his shield.
Sivero has imbued a mage’s staff with death touch.
Sivero has hit Kyran for 0 damage (81 blocked by magic shield). Remaining shield: 684 / 765 HP.
Kyran is afflicted by death’s touch (damage: 10 HP per second, duration: 20 seconds). Remaining shield: 674 / 765 HP.
Kyran staggered backwards with the blow. He recovered quickly, though, and a moment later bounced forward, attacking with both sword and psi.
Adra has killed a necromancer.
Mirien has shadow stepped.
Kyran has hit Sivero for 0 damage (70 blocked by death shield). Remaining shield: 540 / 610 HP.
Kyran’s mind shock has hit Sivero for 25 damage (25 resisted). Remaining: 355 / 380 HP.
Sivero’s eyes narrowed at the bite of psi against his mind. “What are you?” he murmured. “Druid or shapeshifter?” Not waiting for Kyran’s response, he whirled his staff around in a sweeping arc.
Kyran rolled under the blow, and when he came up within the weapon’s reach hammered against Sivero’s shield again.
Adra has killed a necromancer.
Kyran has hit Sivero for 0 damage (66 blocked by death shield). Remaining shield: 474 / 610 HP.
Kyran’s mind shock has hit Sivero for 20 damage (20 resisted). Remaining: 335 / 380 HP.
Sivero barely winced. His eyes were closed and grey weaves of death magic were taking shape in the air around him. The necromancer was casting again.
Not good, thought Kyran. He had not been mistaken; the necromancer was resisting half the psi damage of his mind shocks. Summoning his magic, he struck again in an attempt to disrupt Sivero’s spellcasting.
Adra has killed a necromancer.
Kyran has hit Sivero for 0 damage (64 blocked by death shield). Remaining shield: 410 / 610 HP.
Kyran’s mind shock has hit Sivero for 21 damage. Remaining: 314 / 380 HP.
Behind Kyran, in the emptied pool, the fray between the other two necromancers and the party was still going strong.
“Get her, Luteria!” growled Fuvio.
“I’m trying!” Luteria screamed in response. “The bloody elf just won’t damn stand still!”
Adra has killed a necromancer.
Mirien’s flurry of blows has hit Fuvio for 0 damage (135 blocked by death shield). Remaining shield: 265 / 400 HP.
Luteria has missed Mirien.
Fuvio has missed Mirien.
2 forest serpents have died.
Kyran almost smiled in the midst of his casting. Mirien had re-entered the fray and was wreaking her own brand of chaos.
Fuvio has cast energy drain on a forest serpent.
Luteria has cast energy drain on a forest serpent.
Adra has hit Luteria for 0 damage (30 blocked by death shield). Remaining shield: 340 / 370 HP.
It seemed the serpents would not survive the battle. But, if Adra and Mirien managed to keep up their attacks, the pair would soon triumph over the two Reapers.
Kyran’s own bout against Sivero was not proceeding nearly as well. Despite his efforts, he had failed to break the necromancer leader’s concentration.
Kyran has hit Sivero for 0 damage (70 blocked by death shield). Remaining shield: 340 / 610 HP.
Kyran’s mind shock has hit Sivero for 22 damage. Remaining: 292 / 380 HP.
Death’s touch (duration: 10 seconds) has hit Kyran for 0 damage (100 blocked by shield). Remaining shield: 574 / 765 HP.
Sivero’s spell was nearly complete. Bracing himself, Kyran kept hacking at his foe. He would let his own magic shield absorb the fury of Sivero’s spell.
Sivero has cast horrid breath (cone length: 5.3m, chance to resist: 38%, debuff: decaying).
A miasma of death exploded outwards from the necromancer and completely encased Kyran. He held his breath, fearful the lethal cloud would penetrate his defences, but a second later he exhaled in relief as his magic shield repulsed the mist’s cloying touch.
Kyran is afflicted by decaying (damage: 30 HP per second, duration: 10 seconds). Remaining shield: 544 / 765 HP.
Kyran’s relief was short-lived, though, as the spell expanded beyond him and struck its true target.
A wardstone is afflicted by decaying. A wardstone has been destroyed.
Sivero smiled gleefully. “Game over, elf. Now your fate is sealed. Flee—if you can.”
Kyran’s heart sank. The ghouls were on their way.
What now?
✽✽✽
Cilantria was conflicted.
Something—some shred of her mortal-self perhaps?—rebelled against the notion of attacking the two innocents.
One of them was a great bear too. It doesn’t matter, she told herself. They are trespassers and must die. Yet even to her, her rage rang hollow.
And without her fury, Cilantria was powerless.
No! she screamed. She had not remained shackled for centuries to the mortal plane only for her wrath to abandon her when she needed it most. Not when Tia was depending on her. Not when she still had to make amends for her own foolish failures.
Cilantria dug deep into her memories, as she had not needed to do in years. Calling up the age-old horrors of her own death and the city’s, she re-ignited her rage. Black despair and vengeful wrath were borne anew in her heart as the still-vivid images of those dark days replayed in her mind.
Death. Destruction. Slaughter.
Thousands slain, hundreds tortured, and what had been done to the women… Her spirit recoiled. Some nightmares were too dark for even her to revisit.
But it was enough. The memory had served its purpose, and fury cloaked her once more in its burning grasp. Rage consumed her. Anger at the gods. The world. Everyone.
The tattered shreds of her spirit took shape once more. Cilantria looked down at her hands, formed of billowing black clouds and struck through by crimson bolts. She smiled. I am whole once more. Turning her eyes, which were moulded from the churning maelstrom of a hundred storms, she floated hungrily forward. It was time to kill.
Then the death ward fell.
Hapless prey forgotten, Cilantria froze. What? she breathed, the storm at the centre of her being momentarily quelled by uncertainty. Expanding her sight to the Reaper’s camp, Cilantria saw that it was true. Her senses had not deceived her.
The death ward is destroyed.
It had to be the Bearer’s doing. The necromancers would not be so foolish to expose themselves to her again. Why and how the Bearer had brought down the death mages’ defences, she didn’t know.
Nor did she care.
Finally, all the prey she craved were at her mercy. Or nearly all. One more was still beyond reach. But somehow Cilantria would find a way to get to her, too. Her time will come, she promised herself.
Sovereign (The Gods' Game, Volume IV) Page 11