Realm Walker Omnibus

by Erik Weir

  The Blade let a grin slip before he chuckled. “Sorry if I’m being sappy.”

  Lily snuggled closer, “I like it.”

  “Good, because we may need to continue this talk at my place,” Victor said with a playful edge.

  The purple skinned demoness pulled back to see desire in Victor’s eyes. “Are you sure you’re not part demon?”

  “Can demons be happy?”

  Lily nodded.

  “No greater turn on then being happy,” Victor grinned.

  The man, succubus and four slyths let out small chuckles and laughs when a shadow fell over the couple. Victor and Lily looked up to see Cassandra’s smiling face.

  “I need to speak with you both,” the Keeper said as she stood.

  The Blade and Shield stood and stepped out of the pool. Lily grabbed her clothes, as did Victor. The Blade noticed Cassandra eyeing his naked wet body. Not bothering to cover up, Victor simply grinned to the older woman. Cassandra let her gaze linger for a moment before turning around and beginning to walk. The wet pair followed and soon was at her sides.

  “Dawn and I finished brewing the potions. Dawn is with her sister now, giving her the first dose. From the book, it indicates she will need a potion a week for several weeks before she should start showing some progress. The last dose will be the most crucial as…,” Cassandra stopped talking as hand touched her temple and she lost her balance.

  Victor and Lily reached out and steadied the Keeper as she slowly shook her head. Cassandra leaned on them for a few seconds before standing on her own power.

  “Are you okay,” Victor asked with concern.

  Cassandra waved him off. “I’m not sure. This headache has been coming on over the last twenty-four hours.”

  “Have you been resting? You might be pushing yourself too hard lately,” Lily added.

  Cassandra gave a slight head shake, “It feels different than exhaustion.”

  “Maybe we all should take it easy. I’m sure Vala won’t mind if we take a few days to ensure Night is getting better,” Victor said.

  Cassandra looked to Victor and grinned. “No rest for the wicked. Dawn will watch her sister, but I will need the two of you to take turns helping her. Night has been injuring herself and we need to be there if she becomes violent again.”

  The three stopped in front of Dawn and Night’s home. The lights were on, but no one came to greet them. Cassandra turned to the Blade and Shield, giving them a heartfelt nod. The pair watched as the older woman turned and walked off toward her home, leaving them to their duties.

  Victor began to dress and Lily followed. Several moments later, the pair was fully clothed, their clothes only a little damp from wet skin. The two looked to Dawn’s home before they looked to each other.

  Victor’s eyes widened, “Shit! I gained more divine orbs, but I didn’t spend them on Xull!”

  Lily gave him a smirk, “It’s okay. We were pretty busy while we were there. You did manage to gain one?”

  The Blade nodded. “I have increased senses and a digital read out in my vision. I can see my stat sheet and all the numbers.”

  Lily nodded. “It’s different for all of us, but our powers work on the same principles. I believe you can still increase your spheres and be able to gain powers once you enter a realm.”

  Victor looked to the side of his vision, seeing the digital display of his stat sheet. He doubted it would be a waste if he spent the points to increase his spheres of influence. Gaining the powers would have to come later but for now, increasing his overall self would have to do. Spending six divine orbs, energy and power poured into his body. Victor let out a small grunt as a glow filled his eyes. Lily stood by him, watching with a knowing smirk as the Blade’s energy spiked, a tingling running along her smooth skin.

  Victor immediately looked to his stats and mentally began spending each of the points he unlocked. Spreading them out to each of his stats, he tried to balance it so he could be effective in and out of battle. Strength was a priority but the other stats also played a large role. Knowing that points were needed to fuel his weapons and give him an edge, he divided the points between his six stats.

  Victor Hobbs

  Acolytes Unlocked- 17/77

  Divine Orbs- 1

  Powers to Unlock-3

  Spheres of Influence

  Str (Gaia)- 5

  Con (Nano)- 4

  Int (Abyss)- 3

  Will (Holy)- 3

  Wis (Mind)- 4

  Cha (Shadow)- 3

  Swords

  Iron Sword

  Elemental Sword

  Gun Blade

  Sphere Abilities/Powers

  Mind

  Speak/Read/Write Languages

  Gaia

  Increased Strength/Speed

  Animal Tongues

  Nano

  Heightened Senses Upgrade

  Shadow

  Holy

  Abyss

  Impulse Control Touch

  Victor noticed two things as power surged into his body again. A new line appeared, indicating he now had 3 powers he could unlock, assuming he entered a realm to open them. The second thing he noticed was the energy arcing along his fingers. Looking to his hand, power ran along his limbs like slow lightning. The energy sank into his cells and he felt a change shift from deep within.

  Lily eyed the Blade as he stood, energy arcing along him. “Did you place five or more orbs in a sphere?”

  Victor nodded silently as he was unsure what was happening to his body.

  Lily stepped close, fingers running down the Blade’s arm. “In the beginning, spheres can provide some influence to change or coax actions. This is called a ‘lesser effect.’ When you have five or more in a sphere, you can create or use a ‘greater effect.’ Judging from what I see, you have achieved 5 orbs in your strength.”

  “What’s the difference?”

  Lily looked up to Victor, hand still on his arm. “Greater effects are different for each Blade or Shield. If you use five orbs of a sphere of influence, you can do things like that of higher beings. Where once you could lift a boulder, with a greater effect, you can crush it to powder or throw it over mountains. You would be almost as powerful as a higher being, and even able to hurt a God or Goddess, or so Cassandra has told me from legends.”

  Victor curled his hand into a fist as an image of his cousin Luis flashed across his mind. “I’m not the only one who can achieve such feats. I assume, any who are chosen by a God or Goddess, will be able to wield such power.”

  Lily gave a sad nod. “Yes. Even your relative will achieve some kind of power, as long as he follows Baaldir. All who are chosen will have degrees of influence across the realms. When we have time, I will teach you about how those spheres of influence affect each other.”

  The succubus turned to the Dawn’s home. “But your friend will need us.”

  Victor raised an eyebrow, the energy arcing along his limbs fading away, “My friend? I thought we were in this together?”

  Lily looked down, “We are…but even if we follow the same Goddess…some things need more time before we truly understand each other.”

  Victor put his arm around Lily’s shoulder, holding her close. “Let’s help OUR friend,” the Blade smiled.

  Lily gave a wry smirk before letting a sigh fall from her lips. The pair were about to walk to the front door when they both stopped. Eyes bulged in their heads as pain flowered in their minds. The Blade and Shield looked to each other, confusion filling their expressions before they turned their attention away from the mountain. The pain grew, rising and falling as they stepped to the edge of the stone street and look over the side of the stone barriers along the mountain street. The pain had grown to a dull roar as the man and succubus peered down to the mists encircling the holy mountain.

  A dark figure stepped from the white mists.

  Victor and Lily stared down, the pain in their heads slowly fading like a spike being pulled from their brains. They watched
as a tall, muscular thin man took several steps onto the grass. An antler covered head tilted upwards and even at the distance, Victor and Lily could see the wide smile forming.

  From down the street, Cassandra rushed at a hurried pace, her eyes wide in disbelief. She looked over the edge to see the same tall figure before moving to Victor and Lily’s side. The three stood, watching the tall God taking a few more steps while his gaze was firmly on the three.

  “Greetings children of Vala. I, Baaldir of Tempest, have come to bring the hunt and slaughter to Vala’s realm. You have broken the accord between the pantheon and must now pay for your sins,” the God ended it with a chuckle, his voice lingering in their minds.

  “How,” Victor whispered.

  Cassandra spoke while her gaze remained on the god down below. “This happened once before, during the Rage War. Jealous of Vala’s love and influence, a cabal of Gods and Goddesses came together to see Vala’s religion come to an end. They began their assault across the realms and when Vala’s power dwindled because her followers were slaughtered, three came here to end her once and for all.

  “They raped and killed every acolyte, priest, and priestess before setting everything to flame. When it was done, there was nothing left but to kill Vala herself.”

  Baaldir gave a small nod. “Keeper, you know your history well. I was one of the three Gods who would see her dead. Now that history has come full circle again, I will be the one God who sees Vala truly dead. You will not grow her legion of lovers. You will not spread her word. You will not survive what is to come.”

  “If you surrender, I promise a swift death. If you fight…,” Baaldir let the words linger in the air.

  The God stood tall as shadows appeared along the white mists. Brutish bodies pushed through the thick fog, ears back and eyes glowing red. Large muscles flexed under thick coats of fur as wolfish snouts opened to emit howls. Snarls and growls flowed from the mists, up the side of the mountain and touched sensitive ears. Dark shadows formed into large War Wolves as they emerged, falling into ranks behind their God.

  Baaldir centered his gaze on Victor, his small smile fading away to an unnatural rage. “You started the game well…but now, you shall pay for your crimes.”

  Victor gritted his teeth. “This is not how it ends,” the Blade said in a low tone, watching the number of War Wolves increase with each passing second.

  Lily’s brow hardened as Cassandra looked away from the God below and centered her kind gaze on Victor. The Keeper’s hand drifted to his and patted the back of it as he gripped the top of the stone barrier. Victor turned his attention to Cassandra, a sliver of fear sending a chill along his spine.

  Cassandra smiled as she gave his hand a squeeze. “He will need a little time to gather his forces to full strength, more than enough time for us.”

  Victor looked to the Keeper, shock bleeding away and a small smirk appearing, “Enough time for us to set up our defenses and counter attack.”

  Cassandra gave a slight nod, her eyes bright. “Vala chose well,” the Keeper grinned as the light in her eyes turned into a fiery blaze.

  Twenty Three

  Mists billowed as hulking wolf men appeared, marching across the grass to stand with their brothers and sisters. The numbers swelled as Baaldir looked up with an amused smile. The God surveyed the mountain as more of his chosen formed up ranks, eyes glowing and limbs flexing, ready to tear flesh and bone to pieces. A thrill rippled through the War Wolves, the excitement of hunting, war, and blood surging along their bodies. The sensations made the air heavy, killer instincts growing with each passing moment.

  Flint Bonekeeper moved to his God’s side. The salt and pepper colored War Wolf looked to his divine master, ready to lay down his life with just a whisper. Baaldir turned his attention to the War Wolf, a straining touching the edge of his black eyes.

  Flint’s ear went up, “My divine master, are you well?”

  Baaldir kept his grin as he spoke, the straining causing his eyes to tremble. “Vala has gained enough power to push back. Even now, it is taking all I have to allow my armies to enter her realm.

  “Flint, I require you to lead the attack. Kill Vala’s followers and burn the temple. I want Victor’s head brought to me when it is done.”

  Flint bowed. “Our forces number a thousand of your finest warriors. It will be enough to overwhelm them.”

  Baaldir’s eyes took a mad edge. “Not with the Keeper and Vala’s Champion. We require more to gain an edge.”

  The God lifted a hand and curled sharp fingers into his palm. Divine blood flowed from the self-inflicted wound, steaming as it hit the grassy floor. The very ground shook as a large shadow loomed into the mists, stalking forward with heavy steps. Flint turned around, his wolfish snout forming a confident leer. A large creature on two thick legs stepped from the mists, its maw open and saliva dripping down from six-inch teeth. Beady eyes looked around as its perverted form stepped to Baaldir. The massive creature bowed its giant head, scale and armor plates covering its twisted form.

  Flint looked up in knowing astonishment as the deformed Tyrannosaurus Rex lifted its wide head and gave a roar. Odd spikes and bone-like armor melded with its skin, its tail a blunt club. It was larger than a normal T-Rex, standing at about fifty feet tall. The tiny eyes were like distilled puddles of rage and its saliva burned the grass where it dripped. The creature roared again as another twisted T-Rex stepped from the mists to stand on the other side of the God of the hunt.

  Baaldir looked to Flint, “Do not waste my pets. Bring me the heads of my enemies and your ascension is guaranteed.”

  Flint bowed again, “As you wish my divine master.”

  Victor looked down, the touch of fear running down his spine again. Two T-Rexes joined the army of War Wolves. It was enough to question if they were truly going to survive this altercation. Fighting small groups of enemies was fine. Fighting a larger group in a city setting was fine too. But fighting on a mountain with only a handful of friends seemed just a bit too much to stay optimistic.

  The slyths came running along the path while Dawn stepped from her home toward the group gathered at the town edge. Victor and Lily looked down while Cassandra looked up to the broken temple at the top of the mountain.

  Hisk was first to the group, “We need weapons.”

  Victor and Lily pulled from the wall edge to see the four slyths and Dawn approach. The Blade noticed that the slyths were not deterred by seeing a vast army at the base of the mountain and for that, he was thankful. Dawn looked to the Blade with wide, fearful eyes before Victor shot her a confident smile. The elf seemed to notice her panic and quickly subdued it, her eyes taking on a shared strength.

  Cassandra addressed all gathered. “The mountain was taken once before and Vala was slain. We will not let that happen again.”

  The older women looked to the slyths, “I have weapons stored in my home. How many are good with a bow and arrow?”

  Hisk and her fellow slyths all raised their scaled hands.

  Cassandra nodded before turning to Victor, Lily, and Dawn. “I will do everything I can to tip the battle to our favor, but you three must hold the mountain stairs. The sides of the mountain are treacherous but they will come up the stairs in force. You must not let them reach the town.”

  Dawn shook her head, “Even with us holding the stairs, they will still overwhelm us. How can we hold off an army that size?”

  Cassandra looked to Victor. “I’m sure you all will do your best,” the older woman winked.

  Victor nodded. “We do have the high ground.”

  You didn’t just use a Star Wars reference as your battle plan!

  Victor looked to Lily and Dawn, “I’ll tank down the middle while you two stay way behind me, picking off any stragglers who get by. No matter what happens, pull back and defend the town if I fall in battle.”

  Lily’s brow wrinkled, “You won’t fall. I won’t allow it.”

  Cassandra turned to the four slyths. “Com
e with me and arm yourselves.”

  The Keeper turned and began walking to her home. The four slyths followed. Victor couldn’t turn away from the older woman as she walked. She seemed taller by sheer confidence and he watched them enter the home until all were out of sight.

  Cassandra moved through the lodge-like home to a locked door. Fishing out a key from her green robe, she inserted into a lock and turned. The four slyths waited eagerly as the door opened and a lantern glowed to life. Cassandra stepped into the large vault cut into the side of the mountain. Rows and rows of medieval weapons stood, oiled and not a speck of dust on them. The Keeper moved to the wall covered with bows, at the bottom of the rack was rows of quivers filled with arrows.

  “Take as many arrows as you can carry,” Cassandra smiled as the slyths rushed in and began picking quivers up and slinging them over their shoulders.

  Outside, Victor, Lily, and Dawn moved to the stairs between the springs and the mountain side town. All eyes looked down as the army of War Wolves seemed to fill most of the ground at the bottom of the mountain.

  Dawn shook her head, “It was a mistake to come here. If I knew this would happen, I wouldn’t have brought my sister here.”

  Victor and Lily turned to the elf as she took a step back. The Blade stepped closer, hands on her shoulders and peace in his eyes.

  “Dawn, we can’t dwell on what could’ve happened. Those monsters down there will charge up this mountain and try to kill everyone, including your sister. I know it sounds cruel, but this is where we are here and now. If you’re afraid to fight, stay here. Lily and I will hold them off, but if they get past us, you must defend the town and your sister at all costs.”

  The elf looked to Victor, warmth crawling up her neck and cheeks. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be like this. But there are so many. How can we stop them?”