by Aleron Kong
As Nien continued to speak, he walked towards the front of the raised dais, “I was planning on wiping out that kindir village later tonight and adding their strength to my own, but you look like you would be a better addition.” He stared at Richter with intense focus before adding, “I can always use an Enchanter.”
Richter’s lips pulled back in another snarl. This guy knew his Profession! That meant the ghast had his own version of Richter’s Analyze skill. As if the high stats and level weren’t enough, the ghast could read at least part of his status page. Did he know all his spells and abilities too?
“Why are you here?” Richter asked, trying not to let his unease show. He was also trying to ignore the nearly twenty high level bodaks aiming arrows, raising wands or hefting weapons in their direction while staring right at them with their eerily empty eye sockets.
“I was sent,” Nien replied simply. “My master detected a disturbance in this area.” He seemed amused, like a cat talking to a mouse before dinner.
“But why did you invade this dungeon? Why did you bring this army of undead to my lands?” Richter asked. The monster regarded him with much more interest all of a sudden. Nien studied the chaos seed’s face in detail, until the ghast smiled in sick satisfaction. Richter didn’t understand exactly what had just happened, but still cursed when he realized he was giving away more information than he was gaining.
“This?” the creature asked with his incredulous and disgusting laugh. “An army? You poor fool. These creatures are merely the interred dead I found in this place. There was so much stored up Death energy that the spirits were almost begging for a real master. They are most likely the ancestors of the same kindir that I will be eating tonight.” He favored Richter with a broad smile. His yellow and brown teeth were grotesque when set against his rotting face.
“You desecrated their burial ground?” Kentyiro shouted in outrage.
Richter looked at the meidon sprite sharply. The archer’s expression was defiant, but after a moment, he nodded to Richter in apology for interjecting. His eyes remained fierce. As a race, sprites found what they considered to be perversions of nature and life to be sacrilege.
“I did, little sprite,” the ghast responded with a leer. “and I will do worse to your people, very soon. Not only will the decaying flesh of your corpses serve me, but I will bind your spirits to increase my power. You will see, personally, when I rip your souls from your bodies, unless,” he looked lasciviously at Richter, “your leader agrees to my terms.”
“You cannot trust this thing!” Caulder spat.
“That is true,” he agreed with another horrid laugh, “but your options are more limited than you know.” With a wave of his hand the stone door slammed shut. That resounding thud started a drumbeat of panic in the hearts of every member of the warband. “Now,” Nien enunciated slowly while stepping down to the second tier of the dais, “shall we begin?”
CHAPTER 69 – Day 144 – Kuborn 34, 0 AoC
Caulder immediately ran over to the door and attempted to pry it open, but the lack of concern on the Death Knight’s face bode ill for the sergeant’s chances. Nien stared at Richter, completely ignoring Caulder’s efforts. A moment later, he continued, “As I was saying, your pathetic group of fighters can battle me and my ‘army’,” Nien’s voice turned mocking with the last word, “of bodak slaves, but you will die.
“I do not care about this, of course. In time, my master will convert every living thing in this forest into a desiccated husk. Not even insects will survive the apocalypse!” Nien’s voice became exultant as he spoke, reveling in the utopia he was envisioning. “Only glorious death and beautiful corruption will remain above and everything you hold dear will wither!”
The Death Knight had started to look off to the side, picturing this horrific future, but then his gaze snapped back to Richter’s face with a sneer, “All of this will happen no matter what occurs in this throne room today, but!” The ghast stopped talking and raised one gauntleted finger.
His final word hung in the air between the two forces, worming into the hearts of the warband. They all knew that their fates might rest on the disgusting creature’s next words. Nien smiled, almost physically feeding on their fear. “But,” he continued, “if you agree to fight me in single combat for your Place of Power, one Master to another, then no matter who wins, I will allow your party to leave this dungeon unmolested.”
The mocking tone left his voice when he spoke his next words. Richter heard and felt the Power being breathed into existence as the ghast invoked ritual words that were written into the skein of the Universe, “I, Nien of the Shadow Trench, challenge you, Richter, to a Duel to the Final Death! Let none stand between us or by us. By the Accords Eternal, let it be heard!”
A sound like a barbarian’s battle cry filled Richter’s ears at the same time that a prompt appeared.
RAAAAR!
Richter of the Mist Village, you have been identified by another Master of a Place of Power. You have been challenged to a Duel. Since the creation of the The Land, creatures of Power have been able to challenge one another to take a portion or all of the other Master’s Powers. You may refuse a Duel with no ill effect, but if you agree to the terms, they will be enforced by The Land itself!
Nien of the Forsaken Trench, a level two Place of Power containing ley Lines of Water and Death, has challenged Richter of the Mist Village, a level one Place of Power containing Ley Lines of Air, Life, Dark and Water, to a Duel.
Stakes
Ownership of the loser’s Heart Crystal shall transfer to the victor
Code
Single Combat
Second
None
End
Final Death
Qualifiers
The members of the party of Richter of the Mist Village will be allowed to leave the dungeon unmolested regardless of the results of the Duel
Upon seeing the prompt, knowledge flooded Richter’s mind. He instinctually knew much more about the simple grid than he should. The prompt was a magic as old as The Land itself, and every denizen of the magical world was linked to this ancient set of Rules.
The “Stakes” were easily explained. They were the spoils that went to the victor. The “Code” determined the overall rules of the duel. Single Combat, for instance, meant that the fight was between him and the Death Knight but familiars and summoned creatures could still come into play, as opposed to a One-on-One where such helpers were forbidden. In either case, minions or allies were not permitted. It basically meant Nien was saying Richter could use his summoned creatures, but the ghast’s bodaks couldn’t fight on his side. It was a slight that the Death Knight was aiming at the chaos seed, saying that even with help Nien didn’t consider him a threat.
That barb did chap Richter’s ass a bit. He wouldn’t complain or argue though. The chaos seed wasn’t interested in a fair fight, he never had been. He wanted to win. While Nien stared, waiting for Richter’s response, the chaos seed continued to examine the prompt.
A “Second” was someone who could fight on your behalf, if needed. Nien had effectively ruled that out when he said, “Let none stand between us or by us.” The “End” was easily explained; it was what determined the termination condition of the Duel. The “End” could include First Blood, Yield, Death or any number of options. In this case, it was the Final Death. Death would not have been an exacting enough definition when fighting an undead. Finally, the “Qualifiers” covered any special provisos that were added to the fight.
Richter was not really comfortable with the “Qualifiers” but thankfully there was another prompt waiting.
You may accept the Duel as stated, refuse it completely, or change the conditions and challenge Nien of the Forsaken Trench to a Duel in turn. Be warned! Once the Mandates of a Duel have been set, no Power in the Land can alter them.
Once Nien had made the pronouncement about the Duel, the air in the throne room had grown heavy with portent. Everyone pre
sent waited for his response. Richter’s mind was still occupied with one question though. How had Nien known he was the Master of a Place of Power? Saying that these were “his lands” shouldn’t necessarily have been enough by itself. Richter searched the ghast’s expectant face. The undead’s rotting features made it hard to read a nuanced expression, but the naked greed there was easy to decipher. The chaos seed was about to ask a question, but then he saw it: the glimmer in the monster’s eye. The glimmer that Hisako had warned him about so long ago, that always let two Masters identify each other.
The Death Knight smiled hideously at Richter. He could read the growing realization even on the chaos seed’s new draconian face. The silence dragged on, though Richter thought his thudding heart should have been loud enough for all to hear. What could he do? He did not want to risk his Place of Power, but…he looked at Caulder and the rest of his warband…he couldn’t let his people wage a battle they couldn’t win. This was not a game. These were real people that would not come back with the push of a Reset button.
One of Richter’s summoned skeletons collapsed, the magic keeping the Death spirit on this plane having elapsed. It was a strong reminder that time was passing while he dithered. His own Messeji bond with Alma had only five and a half minutes left. He had to make a decision, and it had to be made now. The undead all stood by, silent as the grave, while they awaited Richter’s answer.
Could they run? Richter looked over and saw Caulder still pulling at the stone door. It hadn’t budged an inch. Seeing as how Nien had closed it without moving, it was obviously magically sealed. No, he realized, they couldn’t escape.
Could they fight? Yes, but the cost in lives would be horrible, even if they could win. His enchanted creatures had all been evolved, but their levels were lower than any of the enemy bodaks in the room. Richter let his gaze run over his party. Every one of them met his gaze and nodded, ready to do whatever was required. Despite the fact that each made it clear they were with him, he could see the fear on their faces. Would they be standing firm if his War Leader skill and the Morale of the village weren’t buffering their Fighting Spirit? Even if they were, could he spend their lives if there was another option?
Caulder gave up his efforts on the door. Keeping his eyes on the enemy undead, he walked over to Richter and put his hand on the chaos seed’s shoulder. With calm assurance, he told his lord, “We are with you, my lord. We will stand by you until the fires of the demon realms freeze.”
The man’s calm strength was as reassuring to Richter as the firmness of the earth beneath his feet. It brought a bit of peace to the thudding of Richter’s heart. “You will stand with me until then?” he asked with his slightly hissing voice. His lips pulled back in a pitiful attempt at a smile, made even worse by his changed reptilian face.
Caulder did not hesitate to put a broad smile on his own face. The sergeant’s choice to embrace humor, even when death literally looked at them with hunger, was a greater exaltation of life than a thousand men screaming in defiance. “You misunderstand, my lord. We will fight with you until the fires freeze over, and then we shall fight on the ice.” He turned towards Nien and the undead, then hefted his shield and raised his weapon, “Right, men?” His voice was the loud shout of an army sergeant.
“Raaa!” was the combined answer from the other six members of the war band. The three melee fighters set their shields together, facing the enemy, and the two archers pulled their arrows back. The biomancer held aloft his new Wand of Healing in one hand and raised the other to cast whatever spell would be required.
“We are with you, my lord,” Caulder proclaimed, his tone now fierce. His eyes were locked upon the ghast. “I am tired of waiting. Let us kill this foul thing quickly. There is cold ale and a hot woman waiting for me in the village!”
“Much better than the other way around!” one of the guards called out. There were grim chuckles all around and the men prepared for the fight of their lives.
Richter smiled at the fierceness of his warband. Confronted with their bravery, he knew what he had to do. They had made the choice easy for him. Not for the first time, his intent was recognized by The Land itself, and the words flowed easily, as if a Power greater than himself was guiding him.
“I have three changes to the Qualifiers. One, you will let my people leave now, and promise that neither you, nor any agent you are associated with, will take aggressive action against any of my people or the kindir of the nearby settlement for at least one week. Two, you will release the kindir you captured. They will leave with my people. And three, you will give me a vital piece of information about your master, something that will help me and my people, before we fight. If you kill me, it shouldn’t matter what you say. When I kill you, well… you’re fucked anyway. If you agree to these terms, then I, Richter of the Mist Village, challenge you, Nien of the Shadow Trench, to a Duel to the Final Death! Let none stand between us or by us. By the Accords Eternal, let it be heard!”
“My lord, no!” Kentyiro shouted.
“Quiet!” Richter snapped. His stare continued to bore into the ghast.
For the first time, the undead had lost its smug expression. With Nien’s saggy and decaying features, it was impossible to be sure of his emotions, but the hesitation spoke volumes. No matter how powerful the Death Knight was, he still feared his master. Something inside of Richter knew that the undead needed one more push.
The chaos seed turned away from the undead, and with as much scorn as he could muster, he spoke to Caulder, “You were right, sergeant. This coward is just an errand boy and is beneath my notice. You may kill him while I destroy the bodaks. Archers! Prepare to-”
“I accept,” the ghast spat in his gargling voice, “Your men have one minute to leave the room. If they remain in the room beyond that time, their souls will feed my power!” He waved his hand and the stone door opened. Another wave made one of the bodaks open the cage that held the last two living captives. The kindir cried out in fear when the undead monster grabbed them, but it just pulled their small bodies over to the warband and cast them on the floor. With expressions of horror and disbelief, they ran out the door, not waiting on Richter’s party to escort them out.
Richter turned to his sergeant. In hissing tones, he ordered, “Leave. Every second you delay, you are eating into my buffs. Take the rest of our men and escort the wounded back to the kindir settlement. Wait for me for one hour, and if I am not back by then, get our people back to the village safely. Extend an offer of protection to the kindir as well, but if they refuse or even delay, leave. Your priority is to get our people home!”
Caulder’s jaw quivered with repressed emotion, but the sergeant was a consummate soldier, “You heard him, men. Move out! On the double! And leave most of your mist lights.” Richter nodded his thanks to the sergeant for remembering that he would need light in the battle to come.
Kentyiro opened his mouth, but Richter cut him off, “On the double, he said! You will follow all of Caulder’s instructions until you hear otherwise from me. Now move!” The sprite bared teeth, but did as commanded, forcefully slamming his arrow back into his quiver.
*You too, my love. You need to leave.* Richter and Alma hadn’t spoken since the Messeji began, but it wasn’t because they couldn’t. The two of them had simply been so in sync that words had not been necessary, but now he knew they would disagree. As powerful as the bond made him, he couldn’t risk what would happen to her if he died while they were bonded.
He remembered the warning he’d received after bonding to Alma, “Death of one is death of all.” The words were etched into his mind. The only reason he had agreed to this Duel was that it required a “final death.” Richter felt relatively sure that term had been used by the undead creature because it was, by definition, already dead. He was also fairly sure that it didn’t know he could be reborn. That gave him a secret edge.
On the other hand, he had no idea how many lives he had left. He just knew they were finite. If he wa
s only entitled to three… well, that would just suck a fat one. He would not only be gone, but would also be risking the lives of everyone in the village. That was why he had insisted no harm would come to his people for at least a week. If the worst were to happen, he was sure Hisako would see them to safety. That brought some peace to his troubled soul.
Despite the dangers, he just couldn’t let Caulder and the rest of his men die in this shitty hole in the ground. Not if there was a chance he could end it himself. He had taken a great risk agreeing to the Duel, but sometimes, you just had to roll the hard six. Any Georgia boy worth the name was willing to take a risk and fight the good fight. One thing he didn’t want to risk, however, was Alma’s life.
She, of course, had other plans. Rather than speak, she sent him a memory of when she had been just a simple creature, newly summoned, and their eyes had locked for the first time. They both relived how that moment had changed them for all eternity. Their soul bond would not just last one life; it would endure until the youngest sun burned out. It took only a moment, but their communion felt like it lasted an hour. After he was reminded of how deep their bond was, her answer was a simple, *I am with you, my love.* A hint of moisture came to Richter’s eyes, and he sent her a heartfelt feeling of appreciation.
The warband filed out the door with Caulder bringing up the rear. Before the man left, he looked Richter in the eye and said, “Make it hurt.”
With absolute intensity, Richter returned the look, “That’s what I do.” Caulder slipped through the door and it slammed shut behind him. The force was hard enough to cause a fine sprinkling of dust to fall from the stone doorway. Before it had even settled to the floor, the Death Knight fulfilled his side of the bargain. Even with the undead’s decaying features, it was easy to read his anger as he was forced to fulfill the terms of the Duel.