by Ryan DeBruyn
They were still in the preparation room, and it would appear that his waking up triggered something. All people stopped and looked at the space in front of them. Then fixed their eyes on him. He saw the blue notification screen pop up and would have read it, but the letters were just white blobs to his sensitive eyes.
Azrael attempted a question, "How—out," but failed to moisten his mouth enough to do more.
Bat answered in a whisper anyway, "It has only been a few hours. They refused to crown you the victor until you survived. The fire giant would have died but the healers closed his wounds. So, it would have died first. The healers did everything they could for you but said you were suffering a burn debuff they couldn’t cleanse. You had to ride it out. One of them came by occasionally to heal your skin, though. They just weren’t sure if the internal damage to your lungs and organs would come around.”
“Seemed like a piss poor healer to me," Jophi muttered.
Azrael started to sit up, felt lightheaded, and laid back down, head resting on a mound of sand. Well then, that was good news. He had lived through the round of sixty-four. Jophi continued, "Wow, the Etherience gain is huge! I just gained two levels from it. What multiplier is the quest talking about?"
Verimy responded, "I think it awarded us six points. Each win is a single point, but if a combatant wins two battles in a row the second battle is worth an additional point. If that same combatant wins all three battles, then the last win is worth three points. Essentially, little Azrael and his stubbornness got all of us the maximum. Look at the available equipment, too. You must be able to save points to purchase more expensive things."
Azrael didn’t bother to try to comprehend what they were saying. His brain was starting to fog again. He motioned for Bat to give him more water and—broth? Bat did so, and Azrael felt himself slowly fade.
Maybe Bat is worth more than even a rook?
This time he fell into actual sleep, unlike the unconsciousness of the previous fits.
***
He woke up again to the clatter of trays and sat up in his bed, startling Louis. Louis was placing the dishes between both gates to their cell. Azrael had shot up rather abruptly to a sitting position, so held a hand up, and groaned, "Sorry, sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you, Louis."
The others traded the old trays, with the plates and plastic intact, for the new trays. Louis still commented, "You know rat bones can puncture your stomach lining? Be careful. I don’t want to get charged with poisoning you lot."
Azrael didn’t bother answering and instead got to shaky feet and limped over to the table. He checked his Ether and health to find them both at fifty percent. That wasn’t right; he should easily have been full in both by now. His eyes traced up and he checked his debuff bar.
Recovering
● You are recovering from a near-death experience. Due to the Ether damage to your heart and lungs, your maximum Stamina and Intelligence are limited to 50% until they fully heal.
Time remaining: 6 hours, 14 minutes.
Sovereign Hells!
Azrael had been told that this was a danger in exhausting his Ether pool while already physically injured. It would seem his teacher hadn’t been making up the danger. Combine his Ether exhaustion with the super-heated air he breathed and the burns he had suffered, and he was lucky to be alive.
He ate his meal in silence, not wanting to tax his throat and lungs too heavily.
“How come we are eating dinner up here instead of the mess hall?” Azrael croaked after he finished.
“We missed dinner when you were dying in the antechamber. We likely got special treatment for it today,” Verimy answered, then scratched his chin. “I have to wonder if all combatants on the second level get breakfast and lunch delivered to their cells?”
Azrael shrugged, not seeing a need to respond. They had their meals delivered, which probably meant the others did as well. Then read the quest the others had spoken of.
Congratulations! You have completed a quest.
Arena Chain Quest
Single Elimination Tournament
Win the Round of 64
● You have won the round of 64 with a solo combatant. This earns your team 6 points and four times the Etherience.
Congratulations!
Rewards:
2,000,000 Etherience
Six points to spend in the Tournament Shop – Click for Access
342,312 Etherience remaining until level 18.
He was slightly disappointed that he hadn’t gained two levels like Jophi had, but she was currently in the low levels of the Journeyman rank.
He clicked the shop and looked through the list. His mouth fell open. There were a few Skill Scrolls near the top. They were, of course, the most expensive to purchase, ranging from fifteen points all the way up to twenty.
Some of the skills were truly valuable too. The one for fifty points was a scroll to learn Heal. He doubted he would get enough tournament points to make it to a scroll, though. He had almost died in the round of sixty-four after all.
Next came equipment that ranged in price from one point to six points. Azrael scanned the gear, trying to determine its actual value in Crystals.
He found an Ether-Tech Helm for six points. He tilted his head and clicked on the item to enlarge it.
Halo Helm of the Martian Commando
● Mass-produced Ether-Tech Helmets are made for the most common infantry unit in the Martian military. This Commando helm has three-hundred and sixty degrees of vision, filtering, environmental monitoring, and up to eight hours of the air source of choice for the wearer.
Ether Pool: Medium
Current Ether Pool: 50/50
Enchantments: Resistance III (9% all Elements), Intelligence V (+5)
He didn’t even hesitate and purchased the piece of gear on the spot. An Ether-Tech Helm with filtering capabilities was ideal. It would mitigate certain skills and likely even be able to highlight enemies in different spectrums. Like ultraviolet or infrared.
If the shop had a full set, he might just buy it. Ether-Tech was a relatively new form of equipment. It was a great combination of technological marvels and enchantments. He didn’t buy into the hype that it was the best equipment possible, but it was fantastic at increasing stats in a way that opponents couldn’t Analyze.
Nothing happened when he pressed the purchase button. He searched the cell. Everyone looked back at him, but he ignored them as he kept looking.
"What are you looking for?” Verimy asked.
“I just purchased the Ether-Tech Helm. I expected it to materialize nearby.”
“Did you read the message on the front page of the tournament shop?” Jophi asked with a raised eyebrow. At his blank stare she continued, “All gear purchased appears in the team antechamber and can’t be used in other fights. We actually were waiting to talk to you about that. Do you plan to do all the fighting on your own still – even after nearly dying?"
Verimy answered for Azrael, saving him the lie, "Azrael was always stubborn, so I am sure he does. I’ve suggested we all purchase gear that you can use."
“What would be in it for all of you?” Azrael asked, his breathing slowing, and his eyes narrowing.
Verimy held up a hand. “I don’t plan on giving you more than these first points. Just to give you a leg up in the next round. It is entirely self-serving, Azrael. If you keep winning all the fights alone, we get more points and Etherience. I doubt any other team is willing to hand over gear to a single individual. That makes their Etherience gains and probability of getting six points very low."
“I will let you purchase anything you want with my points,” Bat added.
Azrael, for some reason, found Verimy’s response more comforting than Bat’s offer. His willingness gave Azrael pause. Was Bat just trying to buy his freedom? No one did anything without motivation. Another hard-earned lesson from the Halls. Yet, wasn’t the batman the one that helped tend to Azrael, or was that all a dream?
/> “I think it better if we each purchase something, and Azrael lets us fight,” Jophi said, crossing her arms over her chest. “It’s not like we can take any of this gear with us when we escape, though. So, I am willing to purchase you a piece with my points if you guarantee you won’t overdo it again!”
That was a strange request—that he wasn’t going to agree to. He nodded, hoping she would take his action as agreement. She did.
Verimy smirked and gave him a look that told Azrael his trainer had noticed his omission. Their eyes met and Verimy nodded again, very much like he had in the arena. A nod of respect and acknowledgement.
Azrael kept his expression flat but nodded back. He was the leader here—they would all realize it sooner or later.
He now had the helm, chest, legs, and boots waiting in the antechamber. Those four pieces completed the set from head to toe. That made it so the mechanical parts could work together to increase his speed and power. Without the boots, he had been told he would have to lug around the legs and chest with no structural support.
The helm by itself wouldn’t have caused that problem. It would likely be slightly heavier than a hoverbike helm.
He read over the pieces, memorizing each of them.
Halo Chest of the Martian Commando
● Mass-produced Ether-Tech Chest pieces are made for the most common infantry unit in the Martian military. This Commando Chest has filtering, environmental monitoring, as well as muscle and structural support.
Ether Pool: Medium
Current Ether Pool: 50/50
Enchantments: Resistance III (9% all Elements), Strength V (+5)
--
Halo Leggings of the Martian Commando
● Mass-produced Ether-Tech Leggings are made for the most common infantry unit in the Martian military. These Commando Leggings have filtering, environmental monitoring, as well as muscle and structural support.
Ether Pool: Medium
Current Ether Pool: 50/50
Enchantments: Resistance III (9% all Elements), Agility V (+5)
--
Halo Boots of the Martian Commando
● Mass-produced Ether-Tech Boots are made for the most common infantry unit in the Martian military. These Commando Boots have filtering, environmental monitoring, as well as muscle and structural support.
Ether Pool: Medium
Current Ether Pool: 50/50
Enchantments: Resistance III (9% all Elements), Stamina V (+5)
Azrael rapped his knuckles on the harvest table. “Tomorrow, each of us will be placed on chores. We need to each record our tasks and our best guess for escape plans. When we return here, we will go over them one by one. Let’s start compiling our options.”
Jophi squinted her eyes at him, but didn’t contradict his plan.
Azrael hid a smile.
They would all realize who the leader was in time.
He went to sleep after that thought. He still needed to recover from being torched alive. Unfortunately, Bat beat him to it.
How could a whip skinny creature snore so loudly?
Chapter Twenty-Six
Upon waking, Azrael moved to the washroom and took a shower. He really should have showered the previous night, but just hadn’t been able to work up the energy. This morning, with the Recovery debuff gone, he felt good. He was up before anyone else, so had the shower to himself.
He turned on the shower and threw his burned and bloody clothing into the corner. Azrael then ran under the ice-cold water, getting himself wet. Standing outside the water, he lathered up and ran back into the shower. He wondered if the higher levels got showers with hot water. He missed relaxing in a scalding shower. He left the shower running. “Apep, thank you for not eating the food trays anymore.”
“Why do you shake and shiver like that? Are you scared of me?” Apep asked.
Azrael chuckled then cut off. He gave the question some serious thought. Actually, he was scared of Apep, though not as much as before with the contract in place. “I’m not shaking because of my fear of you. I am currently shaking because of the glacier water from the shower.”
“Glacier water? This water comes from a stream running through the dungeon. I can assure you it wasn’t from a glacier.”
“Sorry, turn of phrase. I meant that it is very cold water and is causing shock to my body’s core temperature. My body reacts by shivering.”
Steam began to rise from the floor in the shower. The temperature in the room spiked up a few degrees. Sweat broke out on Azrael’s skin. “Apep, if you are controlling the water temperature, can I make a few suggestions?”
Azrael explained to Apep how showers normally worked, and the dungeon created a knob to change temperatures. The problem was that the others would question the sudden appearance of a temperature knob in the shower, as he had heard them all complain about the temperature. Together Azrael and Apep placed a small rock protruding from the corner of the shower. Once the temperature was perfect, Azrael lounged under the stream of hot water and let some of his problems melt away.
The door shook. “Is that steam? Azrael, are you in there?” Jophi’s voice pierced his period of pure bliss.
Azrael whispered, “Apep, I am going to let the others take hot showers in here too. Remember, don’t talk to them.”
Apep had helpfully formed a set of black clothing for him and a towel to dry off. He used the towel and placed it back in the absorption corner. After a quick thought, he placed the dancing cloak and Kyron’s lance in the corner as well. Dungeons could remake items they had absorbed or make others with enchantments they learned. Azrael needed to keep the dungeon core growing and have a plan B, if escape through the slave labor failed.
If the others ask about the items, I will have to tell them they are in my ring.
After the items vanished, he exited the washroom. He shared his discovery of the temperature stone, claiming he tripped over it. Jophi practically threw him from her path to get into the bathroom.
Louis hadn’t come by with breakfast yet. So, it was still early morning.
He checked his Status page.
Azrael Sovereign Level 17
Class: Sovereign (Revenant)
Class Skills: Soul Strike (V), Soul Cloak (V), Soul Storage (V), Bloodletter (II)
Health Points = 270/270 Points
Ether Pool = 160/190 Points
You have 0 stat points and 0 skill points to distribute.
Stamina – 27
Strength – 20
Agility – 32
Dexterity – 33
Intelligence – 19 (+3)
Wisdom – 18 (+2)
Charisma – 16
Luck – 12
Skills:
Analyze – Moderate 42
Butcher – Weak 21
Combatant – Moderate 49
Endurance – Moderate 33
Martial Arts – Strong 38
Obfuscate – Strong 6
Sneak – Weak 21
Swordsmanship – Greater 31
Tracking – Weak 12
He had placed four of his points during the fight with Angr the fire giant. Three into Intelligence, and one into Wisdom. He placed his newest free stat point from level seventeen into Wisdom and his free skill point to Bloodletter. The skill had probably saved his life in the previous fight.
It would be easy to say he needed more health after nearly dying in the last fight. But that was flawed logic. With higher Ether, and Ether regeneration, he would have finished off his foe sooner, with more powerful skills. This would have saved him from a great deal of damage.
Defense is for the weak, one of his teachers used to say. The woman was a barbarian who could run through walls. And had probably hit a few too hard, as well.
Louis came bobbing down the hall with breakfast. Azrael preemptively placed the trays from last night’s meal in the entrance cell. Louis exchanged them and then cleared his throat, which resembled a rat squeaking. “I have been informed that I am n
ever to serve you dinner again. Even if your injuries are severe. Torin has forbidden it.”
Torin has more power than I expected. This toad grows frustrating.
Azrael took in a deep breath and let it out, as heat suffused his face. “Thank you for letting us know, Louis.”
“There is a sheet on one of the trays that tells you who your next opponent in the arena will be, as well as some other information. Good luck,” Louis said before walking away again.
Louis seemed much more comfortable than he had been yesterday. Maybe they could mine him for a bit of information in the future. The fact that the chef could open their cell sparked several ideas for Azrael.
Azrael approached the table. Verimy and Jophi had carried the new trays over. They were huddled close together, reading a slip of paper. He joined them and had to read over their shoulders.
Bat’s singing in the shower carried through the door to the group. “All sail, there’s a new Bat in town. Pups and Elders gather round…”
This afternoon, after Combatant chores, Azrael Sovereign will begin the challenges. His first fight will take place immediately against the dreaded Frost Rabbits. In the future, no chores will take place on combat days.
In three days, Azrael will fight against the Doom Wolf Pack. This fight will take place at nine in the morning.
No gear purchased from Tournament points will be allowed in the challenges.
In the afternoon on the same day, Team Sovereign Son will fight against Team Blue Blood.
All the best,
Arena Coordinator
Reading the paper generated a quest.
Dungeon Quest
Apprentice Combatant
First Level Survival Challenge
Frost Rabbits
● The dungeon will pit your skills against its first level mobs, the Frost Rabbits. Defeating the first challenge will unlock the second challenge. Completing these challenges will increase your rank in the arena and offer rewards along the way. Every fifth challenge will be a mini-boss, until the 20th round, at which point you will compete against the Arena Champion spawn.