Isekai Magus 3: A LitRPG Progression Saga (The Fantasy World of Nordan)

by Han Yang

  We actually had no clue that the arcane magic would work on him - his actions proving the theory had merit.

  “Where are the skeletons?” King Korbi asked. “What other tricks does the demon have planned?”

  My orc mages bided their time, waiting for an opening. While I couldn’t answer him, my skeleton hid - and for good reason. The fight might not work, and I didn’t want to sacrifice them all.

  King Korbi dashed into the water, dodging three spells with a tuck and roll. The titan stood, swirling a vortex of water that pulled the very sea towards his palm. Three boats filled with mages spun around his feet.

  The intense swirling magic sucked the ships inside the vortex where the pressure condensed.

  Crack!

  The twirling spell shattered the ships one by one. King Korbi’s face tensed, the strain of the magic becoming too much, and he released the spell.

  An arcane bolt slammed into his shoulder as he retreated, ripping a section of flesh open. The superficial wound dispelled the notion his skin was impenetrable.

  I might just survive this after all.

  I jogged up to the estate, calmed my nerves, and shoved the front door open with a hard push of my spear. Demons cautiously crept out of the estate, their timid demeanor contradicting their hardened appearance.

  Each of them wore collars that connected to a single chain.

  They knew what the ogre skeleton was and feared it. We never figured out the why, but walking skeletons caused fierce demons hellbent on eating flesh to suddenly become shy.

  I crashed the spear against my shield, leading them towards King Korbi.

  They hesitantly followed with the clanking chain dragging loudly against the cobbled road.

  I continued to slam my spear against my shield for attention. The demons tended to wander if they weren’t focused.

  King Korbi hid behind warehouses, building a pile of rubble to use as projectiles. He scooped a handful up, launched himself above the roofs, and hurled four sections of walls before my mages could even cast a counter spell.

  Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Four separate waves of air washed over the skeletal frame, pushing me back. Geysers of water shot high when each of the stone segments smacked into the water.

  Only one blasted through a ship, tearing it in two. A quick notice of an orb told me someone had died. A flash of a second later, I felt the champion connection magic, and the orb vanished.

  “I can do this all day long,” King Korbi taunted. “My assassins already killed the baby elva and the other demon spawns. This was over before it ever began. I’m a fair deity. All I need now is your master, and I can go home. You don’t even have white hair which means you’re not thralls. Give up your boss, and I’ll let you leave.”

  Thankfully, no one spoke to him. Around the city, mages waited for the big reveal, hoping that we could still win.

  The sound of a modified anchor-chain dragging across the road should have caught his attention.

  I led the demons between two towering warehouses, using the alleyway for cover. Other skeletons unstuck the chain whenever it snagged on anything.

  “I hear you coming. You send slaves to what? Tickle me?” King Korbi jested. “I heard you didn’t shackle your people. Apparently my spies got something wrong.”

  His arrogance started to wane on me. Clearly, he came here feeling superior and invincible. The reality was that I had a decent plan. We just needed to get closer.

  I heard King Korbi adjusting as we neared.

  A foot rose up, blotting out the moonlight with little warning. The heel crashed down, smashing into the alley and landing right on top of me and the demons.

  The alpha ogre died, shattered into a million pieces. My rage boiled over, and I almost left immediately to replace the body.

  Instead, I watched the impact site. A crater formed, and the damndest thing happened. I saw a demon leg twitch from under the heel. Somehow, the demon’s carapace not only held, but it was also unfazed.

  “Ouch. What was that? Did you -” King Korbi stopped mid-sentence to shriek in pain.

  Either his tolerance was set to low or whatever the demons did hurt immensely.

  Blood pooled under the heel, and King Korbi shot to his feet. The second his right leg bore weight, he cried out in sheer agony, and I saw what had happened.

  A demon sliced open the back of his leg and crawled inside his body. The creature had dug itself deeper and deeper into the calf muscle.

  “I’ll skin you all alive and feed you… Argggg! I… Such pain! What vile magic is this!?” King Korbi shouted in shock.

  His wincing eyes shot open when arcane bolts flared in the night. The pain in his leg caused him to lapse in watching his surroundings and gave my arcane mages the opening they needed.

  Golden balls of energy smacked into his face, searing flesh and leaving gaping holes.

  I left, seeing him on the ropes. I needed to connect that damn chain around his ankle.

  While I zoomed for a body, additional arcane mages exited their hiding spots from around the city. The five-hundred-foot titan squirmed, crushing sections of my city to flee.

  I connected with a replacement ogre, racing for the spot where the chain rested in the crater. My legs sped me across the cobbled stones, but I lacked the speed to reach the chain’s end in time.

  The white-haired elva had enough. He rose from his spot, trying to shoo off the demons who crawled ever higher into his body.

  I shivered at the sight of the creatures burrowing towards his upper torso. The bumping bulges under his skin inched higher, and I couldn’t help but become fixated at the sight.

  “Get them out! Get them out! I surrender,” he cried out.

  King Korbi staggered, unable to hop efficiently. A barrage of golden bolts slammed into his back, ruining his robes. Blood ran freely down gaping holes from the arcane spells.

  He reached the wall, hopped once, then fell over.

  My week of planning had centered around connecting a chain to the titan and then dragging him into a place he would shrink. Twenty-thousand minions waited in the Creator’s Cave, ready to tug on the metal I failed to connect.

  “Argh! Help me! Heal me! Heal… Heal… Hea -” King Korbi stopped screaming.

  I left my minion’s body, floating as high as my mind’s eye would allow me.

  Outside the city, King Korbi lay sprawled out before a cyclops. The titan’s orb appeared, and it shined so bright it blinded everyone. The intense glimmer dimmed, and the skin on the titan’s back bulged.

  A demon burst out of the skin to the Podoni army’s shock. Three more bumps gave birth to ejecting demons. Arcane bolts for the troops on the wall soared down in condensed swirls.

  The demons never glanced up, choosing to focus on the cyclops ahead of them.

  An ogre caught on and shouted, “Arcane mages, fire!”

  The golden spells melted through the black armor of the demons. One by one, they succumbed to the spells until the demons who had downed a titan rested forever.

  “Revive the King!”

  “Revive the King!”

  The shouts continued while healers rushed towards the vibrant orb, and I zoomed back to my body. I had already condensed a spell, pouring my domination magic into the mix. The second I connected to my body, I unleashed my connection spell.

  I had connected to many mighty souls since starting my journey. Only one talked to me - Sprinkles. That changed in a flash when I found myself seated around a campfire.

  My mind reeled. I tried to connect the dots as to what had transpired, failing with each logical conclusion not making sense.

  “What do you want, demon?” a voice asked from across the fire.

  I couldn’t see anyone, though. I glanced down, and I suddenly became translucent as well.

  “To live,” I answered. “The Six created the necromancers, and the Creator clearly saw them do so.”

  “Morality debate from a spawn of the infinite he
lls? How charming,” King Korbi sassed.

  “I’m here to turn you into a titan skeleton,” I said.

  “Ha! So foolish. I mean, of course, of course,” King Korbi said with a snicker. “Tell me, Demon. How did you know to use arcane magic?”

  “Tell me who the spies were?” I asked.

  “Dwarves. I know some might think elva and dwarves are mortal foes, and we normally are, but dwarves love gems and gold. Give them both, and they’ll stab a dagger in your back. I won’t name names, though,” King Korbi said.

  I sighed, knowing a witch hunt would do more harm than good. “I went to Earth in a haze like this - but different. I saw the demons invading that planet. The magic that slew them was arcane magic.

  “When I came to this city, I found demons killing vamperia. Again, arcane magic killed them. We rationalized you were something divine, therefore vulnerable to divine magic. It was a guess but worth exploring.”

  “How did you know the demons would be able to kill me?” he asked.

  I huffed, deciding to ask something more important. “How do I get the elva to leave me alone besides extermination?”

  “The council ruled against this invasion. We are not the enforcers of all things divine. We don’t even care when good races who cherish knowledge end up being eaten by savages. Jax was different, though. A new King will be born, and I can thankfully say I fulfilled my duty by killing him,” King Korbi said proudly.

  I cringed, feeling empty and hollow inside. I failed Jax, the innocent baby who cooed at my sight and farted when I held him. Nothing would replace him in my heart, and hearing that he had died before he could truly live was devastating.

  I wanted to scream or throw a tantrum about how it was unfair. Instead, I answered his question.

  “I knew the demons might be able to withstand whatever magic you mastered. I figured you would crush them like an ant, but I was wrong. I was going to tether you to a portal room, drag you in, and throw you onto Leo,” I said.

  “Oh,” he answered.

  “Just ‘oh’?” I replied.

  “We elva are flawed. There, I said it. During the age before the cataclysm, we sought unique magic from the creator. Some of those went to dark and vile places. Our meddling caused the cave that gave you all your insight. It even provided the demons who killed me. You, Demon, are a fool and a pawn, nothing more,” King Korbi said. “At least we die together.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  I expected a taunt or a sassy reply. When I asked a third time and nothing came back, I changed tactics.

  “What drove your race to such extremes?” I asked.

  Nothing.

  “Are you there?”

  Silence.

  A dizziness washed over me until I returned to my body.

  You have connected to King Korbi. Do you wish to revive this being? (YES) - (NO) - Yes selected.

  You have connected to King Korbi. Consume or Drop

  I hesitated then realized I didn’t want to risk it. If I kept trying to break him to claim the titan, the enemy might revive him, and I’d never get a chance to kill him again. I selected consume.

  You have selected to consume King Korbi for 500,000 Zorta. Confirm (YES) - (NO) - Yes selected.

  A rumbling shook the planet until the quaking increased to such a ferocity that my teeth clattered. I held on for dear life, not sure what the hell -

  KA-BOOM

  My ears rang, the roof collapsed, and something smacked my head really hard. I tried to heal myself through the pain but lost consciousness.

  CHAPTER 27

  Moonguard City

  I stirred, feeling like I’d been run over by a dozen dump trucks. My mouth was parched to the point my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.

  “What happened?” I croaked out.

  My memories flooded back to me, and I realized that King Korbi had exploded when I consumed his Zorta.

  I hesitantly plied my eyes open, seeing the faded light of an illumination orb.

  A quiet groan escaped my lips. Rubble trapped me from the belly button down. I propped myself up on my elbows, staring in horror.

  My lower body remained attached, but this wasn’t one of those deals where you lift the stone and walk away. Over the next few minutes, I fought to free my lower body, failing miserably.

  Giving up, I noticed a blood-stained slab of stone with caked blood. My finger ran over the surface, finding it dried and old.

  I touched my head, noting I had healed myself at least.

  When I attempted to heal my legs, nothing happened. Regrowing limbs was within my magical capabilities, and therefore my mind drank in darker thoughts.

  I couldn’t find my sword. Only a dagger rested on the inside of my armor. The thoughts increased in their horror.

  What was I willing to do to survive?

  It didn’t matter if I cut myself free, though. The room was completely encased in rubble. I’d need to be dug out or have an edrino free me. Judging by the old blood and the fact no one had already freed me, the situation was dire.

  I pulled up my tracking sheet.

  Name: Damien Moonguard

  Race: Human

  Affiliation: Nordan

  Zorta: 755,173.289

  Shared Zorta: 1,444.001

  Nordan Score: 17,372,217

  Ostriva Score: 21,553,774

  Location: Moonguard City

  Magic Type: Healer

  Healer Level: 17

  Magic Type 2: Necromancer

  Necromancy Level: 16

  Necromancer Minions: 30,000/60,000

  Necromancer General Level: 8

  Necromancer General Mana: 330/330

  Shared Mana: 1500

  Necromancer General Permissions: All

  Fighting Level: Honed

  Mana: 1400/1400

  Mana Recharge: 15

  Strength: 15

  Stamina: 15

  Dexterity: 15

  Constitution: 18

  Willpower: 18

  Cultivation: 55

  Intelligence: 43

  Wisdom: 45

  Charisma: 33

  Tracking: 13

  Endurance: 15

  Perception: 21

  Burst: 15

  Reflex: 15

  Healing: 15

  Melee Combat: 15

  Aim: 6

  Hunger: 8

  Thirst: 10

  Aging: 59 years until death.

  “Not good,” I grumbled at the fact my thirst was ten.

  I had sent exactly thirty-thousand minions to help Tarla. Cecil managed them on their march toward the swamps. That meant Nick had probably told them the city fell and fall it had. Every one of my minions nearby were dead. Every last one.

  I groaned at the revelation.

  Without many options, I closed my eyes, chanting, “Death is power, and I demand obedience. Death is power, and I demand obedience. Death is power, and I demand obedience.”

  I wanted to cry when nothing happened. I couldn’t project because there were no minions in range to connect to.

  I unleashed a connection spell, hoping to find something dead to reanimate.

  You have connected to 43 fish. Would you -

  I closed the option. A fish wasn’t going to dig me out.

  “Help!” I hoarsely shouted.

  I cried out for help for an hour to no avail. Eventually, I claimed a fish. When I projected from my body, I finally saw why my minions had all died.

  A crater swallowed half of Moonguard City. The good news was that the section of the keep I was trapped under had survived the blast. The bad news was that I was buried under a few hundred feet of rubble.

  I flew over the harbor, seeing a few survivors mulling about by the ruined docks. While I wanted to talk to them, I couldn’t. Upon closer inspection, I noticed they weren’t my troops. Maybe refugees or…

  The ships in the harbor lay a scattered mess. Each of our ships had sunk. A schooner rested with the fl
ag from one of the Garo nations. The trolls were looting the rubble. They were probably battle pickers who had noticed the fighting was over.

  The tug out to sea had me leaving them to their dastardly task. I stared in shock at the power of the explosion. Most of the spires had broken from the concussive force, and when I dove down to claim the biggest fish I could, I found a lot of the elva fleet resting at the bottom of the ocean.

  The reality became crystal clear. King Korbi had exploded, and everyone had died but me. The enemy was sailing for home. Hiding under the city must have saved me. Even my minions in the water had been blown to bits from the sheer force.

  I became a skeletal fish and hated it. The struggle to control the boney frame frustrated me. Bones swim about as good as bones fly, which is utter crap.

  Billowing silt caught my attention. Nearby, a large crab tried to dig at something in the seafloor. When I tried to flop towards it, a pincher snapped me in half.

  Without many options, I headed towards the next fish, not willing to -

  “Hello,” a terrifyingly creepy voice said.

  I grew confused. The voice echoed, as if being able to pass through the rocks.

  “Are you there, Father?”

  My blood ran ice cold. I zoomed back towards the ruined keep and slammed into my real body. I pulled a dagger out, seeing a green glow coming from the rubble above me.

  This was a pivotal moment in my life. Did I hide and hope to find a solution on my own? Or did I let whatever this was know I was here?

  “Father, I heard your cries,” the voice said.

  I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh.

  Who was I kidding? I was paralyzed, trapped, and no help would be coming.

  “I’m here,” I croaked.

  The stones parted, magically shifting to allow an opening with a slowly expanding staircase. Step by step, the intrusion to my small cave extended.

  A foot-tall baby demon casually walked down a set of instantly created stairs. Green eyes shone in the dark. The demon had scales instead of chitin armor which differentiated this creation, making it almost seem alien.

  The small figure closed the way in before carving runes into the walls of the cavern. Each of the runes crackled with power and cast a vibrant green hue into my prison. I suddenly remembered I was in a torture chamber.