Jason sent a mental order to the bulls in the courtyard. They were to cluster together and form a defensive circle. He then ordered his dark mages to curse the remaining cultists, identifying individual targets. He ordered his fire mages to create walls of fire behind the cultists, cutting off their retreat when the minotaurs turned away from them. Finally, he commanded the ice mages to create patches of ice in front of the horde of were-beasts to delay them for a moment. He just needed to buy his minotaurs a few seconds.
With his plan established, Jason surveyed the scene one last time. The were-beasts had inched forward a few feet already. With the time slowing effect of his spell, Jason also couldn’t detect any change in his minions’ movements. He would have to hope that they received his commands while under the effects of the time compression.
Jason released the spell.
He promptly fell to one knee as a sharp headache drilled through his skull. He powered through the pain, grabbing a mana potion and chugging it quickly. Then his hands began to move as he watched his bulls shoulder their way through the cultists, forming a rough circle and placing their backs to one another.
The cultists used the opportunity to try to put some distance between themselves and the bulls, however, they found their movements slowed, and a wall of fire cut off their escape. In the meantime, the were-beasts hit the ice that appeared on the ground, losing their footing and sliding toward the circle of minotaurs. Jason’s eyes finally rested upon his minions. They were tall monoliths standing amidst a sea of flailing enemies. Their sacrifice wouldn’t be in vain.
Jason’s hands moved as ancient words slipped from his lips. He had never tried casting Corpse Explosion on more than two or three targets at once. This time he needed to detonate the whole group. It was the only way.
Shadows wound around Jason’s hands in a tumbling mass of energy. It wasn’t enough. His mana plummeted as a torrent of shadows slithered up his arms. The swirling black maelstrom soon blocked out the world around him, obscuring his vision of the battlefield. He had to hope that his minotaurs would last. From a distance, the roof of the building he stood upon was now a coiling mass of black energy.
Then he ran out of mana.
He closed his eyes and released, whispering a silent prayer to the Dark One.
A rolling wave of shadows swept forward toward the courtyard, blocking out the light from the crystalline ceiling. The wave struck his minotaurs as they stood surrounded by the sea of were-beasts and cultists. A massive explosion rocked the ancient city. The resulting shockwave was strong enough that it knocked Jason over where he was crouched. His head was pounding, and his muscles ached as a ringing sound echoed in his ears. Yet he couldn’t afford to wait. Jason frantically clawed at his bag, grabbing another mana potion. He yanked the cork and chugged the contents as he tried to push himself back to his feet with his free hand.
He hesitated as he saw what remained of the courtyard. A thick cloud of blood and dust now hung over the area. As the cloud began to dissipate, Jason saw that the square was now little more than a large crater. The explosions had completely disintegrated the were-beasts and cultists that had once stood in the yard.
“Wow,” Jason murmured, impressed by the effects.
Yet he didn’t have time to appreciate the destruction as bolts of multi-colored energy flew past him. He looked to the northwest and saw a group of golden-robed figures running towards him down the street.
Shit, those must be the Masters.
Jason dove to his stomach in order to dodge the hail of magic projectiles that flew through the air, the desperate movement knocking the wind from his lungs. He could feel pain flare through his arm where a bolt grazed him, and he glanced anxiously at his health bar as he gasped for breath. Magic bolts whizzed overhead. Jason noted that each bolt was comprised of a swirling mixture of blue, red, yellow, and green energy.
He heard another roar, and the hail of missiles slowed. Jason took a chance and rose to a crouch. He saw that Riley and Frank had finally entered the fight, attacking the Masters from the rear as they made their way down the street. Riley’s archers had unleashed a wave of missiles upon the robed figures, and Jason could see that several had toppled to the ground where they now lay unmoving.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, he ordered his remaining mages forward to assist Riley and Frank. He spared a glance at the northeastern part of the city where he could make out the faint forms of the slaves fighting among the remaining cultists. The slaves wouldn’t last long. Jason needed to finish the battle with the Masters quickly if they were going to have any chance of defeating the remainder of the regular troops.
He looked down at the wagon beside him and then back at the Masters in the street. His head still ached from his last use of Custom Skeleton, but he didn’t have a choice. He needed reinforcements and didn’t have time to cast Specialized Zombie on each corpse. He ordered Greg to drive the wagon forward into the battle that was brewing in the street. Meanwhile, Jason’s fingers darted through the familiar gestures of Custom Skeleton, completing the spell as the wagon lumbered into position.
It was nearly fifty yards from the enemy spell casters in their golden robes. He counted at least twenty of the mages, their backs to Jason as they hurled bolts of energy at a building further down the street. Multi-colored missiles hung in the air and glittered like elemental fireflies under the time slowing effect of Jason’s spell.
Yet he didn’t have time to appreciate the spectacular battle in the street or to get creative in summoning new minions. Instead, Jason opted to summon as many regular minotaur skeletons as he could while continuously chugging mana potions. The pile of bones heaved and exploded apart, the air soon filled with swirling bones. Then the bones began to knit themselves together as dark energy lashed through the air. A small army of skeleton bulls materialized in the street facing the casters.
His spell complete, Jason closed the skeleton creation menu. The world sped back up to what felt like blinding speed. Jason fell to his knees, his hands clutching his head in pain.
-200 Spellshock damage (Stunned)
This was the first time he had cast the spell in rapid succession, and the pain was so intense that he felt physically sick. Darkness crept at the edges of his vision. He wondered for a brief moment if he was going to pass out.
Gritting his teeth, Jason forced himself to watch the battle in the street. The skeleton-minotaurs thundered down the road toward the Masters, and they turned to meet this new threat. Frank capitalized on the distraction, darting from an alley behind the Masters. He was followed closely by a pair of minotaurs. Frank held a battle axe in each hand and released a bellow of rage as he charged the mages’ unprotected rear, the sound of his voice swallowed by the cacophony of the battle. The small melee group struck the golden figures just behind a wave of dark missiles that were shot from the windows of a two-story building nearby.
Jason saw two Masters go down. However, a mage in the middle of the group laughed at the approaching enemies. He yelled over the battlefield in a voice that must have been magically enhanced, “You dare attack the Masters? Let us show you real power!”
The man released a blood-curdling cackle. The sound shifted, becoming deeper and changing to something warped and inhuman. The man’s body contorted and his robe burst apart. His body morphed into a hulking humanoid beast. His hands lengthened into claws as large bony plates appeared on his skin. He looked like a cross between a bear and a dinosaur. The other Masters also began to shift and change, some growing animal claws and insect-like tails while others dropped to all fours and grew fanged teeth.
They’re shapeshifters! Jason thought bleakly, still cradling his head. He couldn’t provide much help at this point. It was up to Frank and Riley.
Frank wove among the Masters, his blades flashing in the multicolored light. The battle was pure chaos as the Masters transformed rapidly to suit their opponents. Frank swung at one feline creature, yet its arm morphed at the last minute
, forming a shield of bone that blocked the attack with a screech of metal. Then the creature grew a scorpion tail that darted toward Frank, spearing his biceps. The warrior roared in pain and backpedaled quickly as his other axe sliced through the tail. A fountain of caustic green acid erupted from the wound, splattering the ground and causing wisps of smoke to drift into the air.
Jason saw several of his minions fall. Glancing at his party menu, he noticed that Frank was losing health rapidly. Riley must have realized the same thing because a glowing red arrow streaked from a nearby building and struck an unsuspecting shapeshifter behind Frank. The shapeshifter howled in pain and tried to reach behind him to grab the arrow. Thinking quickly, Jason ordered one of the nearby minotaurs to drop his axe and grab the Master. The beast lumbered over and grabbed each of the shapeshifter’s arms, lifting him from the ground.
A blood mist began to twist and curl around the disabled Master, filling the street and applying its healing effect to Frank. Yet that wasn’t all. Jason saw that the healing spell was affecting his skeleton and zombie minions as well. The dark energy in the blood knitted together their bones and decayed skin.
Despite the headache that still rebounded within his skull, a thought occurred to Jason. He sent a quick mental communication to one of the zombie archers he had left with Riley. The minotaur rotated the weakened Master to face the building where Riley was hiding. A moment later, two more glowing red arrows streaked from the building, striking the vulnerable shapeshifter in the chest.
Jason then ordered his light mage into action. He hadn’t been able to use the minion much since he had summoned him back in the Twilight Throne. In the last few fights, Jason had just assigned him to heal Frank. Still, he had been reluctant to replace him. Although his command might have been slightly counter-intuitive to a living player or NPC, the light mage didn’t hesitate to follow Jason’s orders, switching his attention from Frank to the disabled Master. Flashes of light enveloped the Master, the light mage managing to keep him alive despite the damage over time effect applied by the arrows.
With three arrows embedded in the now frantic Master, the blood mist thickened and expanded to fill the whole street. Its healing effect was amplified by the multiple arrows that were now buried in the shapeshifter.
The effect stacks! Jason thought with a gleeful grin.
He ordered the minotaur carrying the Master to back toward his skeletal brothers. The shapeshifter struggled fiercely, changing forms rapidly in an attempt to injure the undead creature and free himself. Yet the minotaur’s strength proved too much and the healing effect of the mist prevented the Master from landing a mortal blow.
Jason’s other minions moved to surround the minotaur carrying the shapeshifter, treating the skeleton as their standard bearer and staying well within the radius of the blood mist. Riley must have caught on to Jason’s strategy because she added a few more arrows to the Master until he began to look like a human pincushion. The additional arrows didn’t amplify the healing effects further. Jason figured that there must be a limit to the stacking effect.
Frank began to rampage among the Masters, charging into the thick of the enemy forces. His axes whirled in a rapid flurry of blows as he hacked off newly-formed limbs. Surrounded by opponents, the Masters’ blows rained down on Frank, tearing and ripping at his skin. Even with the amplified healing of the Blood Mist, Frank’s health began to plummet once more. With a mighty roar, he activated the effect of his axes. His body gave off a glowing red aura that spread to Jason’s zombies and the archers hidden in the nearby building.
Frank extended his arms and spun in a vicious circle, creating a whirlwind of steel, blood, and death. His screams echoed over the field. Filled with bloodlust and rage, his axes cut deeply into his enemies, and blood drenched his clothing. Where the sometimes-caustic blood of his enemies touched his skin, it bubbled and tore open. Yet Frank didn’t stop even as his health hit zero and then went negative.
Suddenly, Jason’s minotaurs broke through to him. Frank maintained his aura as the minotaur carrying the prone Master came to stand beside him. Unable to move while channeling the damage aura, Frank raised his axes into the air and roared in triumph as the Masters were slowly pushed back. The remaining survivors broke and ran, their backs immediately peppered with arrows from the archers in the nearby buildings.
Finally, Jason stood watching Frank’s bloodied and haggard form in the glowing light cast by the crystalline ceiling that hovered over the city. Riley exited the building to join him on the street, what was left of her archers in tow. The group’s movements caused the blood mist to ripple and swirl around them. Meanwhile, Jason lifted himself to his feet, his dark robed figure observing the battlefield from the rooftop.
Frank caught sight of Jason, and he roared again in triumph, saluting with one of his axes. Riley smiled and raised her bow as Jason’s minions responded to the call. Their cries of victory echoed through the cavern and rebounded off the stone buildings.
“We definitely make a good team,” Jason said to himself with a proud smile.
Chapter 21 - Discovered
Alex stood in the center of the marketplace in Grey Keep, watching the flood of NPCs and players walk past him. A fountain stood nearby, jets of water shooting high into the air before they transformed into perfect spheres. The globes spiraled back down around the columns of water before landing at the base of the fountain. Alex observed the flowing water and pondered absently what kind of spell would have been required to create the effect.
He knew he was trying to distract himself. Without the hollowness in the back of his mind, his heart raced as he contemplated what was about to happen. His role was clear. He was to remain in this spot until he was contacted by Caerus’ men. This location had been carefully chosen to maximize the number of witnesses to his impending arrest.
An inconspicuous man approached Alex, his body and face covered by a thin cloak. As he neared, the man said curtly, “It’s time.” He then walked off, blending back into the crowd almost seamlessly.
Alex closed his eyes for a moment. Unfamiliar emotions roiled and swirled in his mind. Was this what fear felt like? Or was it guilt? He couldn’t quite place a name to the emotion. Yet he knew he was about to mislead these people and possibly start a war just so that he could look good in the real world. When he considered it that way, it seemed so stupid and petty. Why was he even doing this?
“What else would I do?” he wondered absently. He could also imagine the voices of his mother and father, two relentless people who would stop at nothing to claim power for themselves. He knew what they would do; what a “real” Lane would do.
Still feeling conflicted, Alex stepped up onto the stone lip that ringed the fountain. He turned to the crowd in the marketplace. “Good people of Grey Keep!” Alex shouted above the din of the market.
Many eyes turned to watch the man dressed in a plain brown robe, his hair disheveled and a fine stubble covering his chin. “That’s the prophet,” one woman nearby murmured to her friend.
“I need your attention,” Alex continued. “The Lady spoke to me last night. She has granted me a prophecy of coming times.” Alex held aloft the golden book the Lady had given him.
With a flick of his wrist, Alex opened the book. Multi-colored lights shot from the pages and danced in the air above the market. He could hear a sharp intake of breath as many in the crowd gasped at the sight. He now had their full attention.
“The Lady has told me that the darkness at the heart of the Twilight Throne is coming for this city. She has heard Jason’s declaration of war.” He paused, looking down at the book in his hands. “Yet while this danger lurks at our borders, the greater threat resides at home. The Lady tells me that this city’s regent will be its downfall.”
Alex looked across the crowd, meeting eyes with many of the NPCs. A hushed silence had descended upon the group. “Grey Keep will fall to the Twilight Throne so long as Strouse rules…” Alex said in a soft voice that c
arried through the still market. The crowd began murmuring among themselves, looking at one another with fearful expressions. Then several cries went up.
“Strouse must be removed!”
“He will doom us all!”
Alex knew that these voices were carefully planted spies. Their prodding worked. Soon the entire throng in front of Alex was a roiling mass of confusion as people began shouting for the removal of the city’s regent.
Then Alex caught the glint of sunlight reflecting off steel. A troop of soldiers had arrived, wearing the livery of the city’s regent. They forcefully made their way through the crowd of NPCs, shoving people back to clear a path. The shouts of the NPCs faltered and grew quiet as a man at the head of the column approached Alex. He wore plate armor that gleamed in the sun and a thick scar ran across his cheek.
He looked at the crowd around him. “My name is Sergeant Jeffries. I will be placing the traveler known as Alexion under arrest for treason against Grey Keep and inciting insurrection. Anyone who tries to defend the traveler will be arrested,” he shouted at the crowd.
“Do I make myself clear?” Jeffries asked in a grim tone. His question was met with angry murmuring, but no one rose to defend Alex. “Good,” he continued.
Jeffries approached Alex, his mouth twisting into a grimace. He spoke in a low voice, “Will you come with us peacefully, or will we have to take you by force?”
Alex closed his eyes for a moment, steeling himself for the events that would come next. Even though he knew this was a game, it didn’t change the nature of what he was about to do. Then he opened his eyes and forced a smile on his face.
Awaken Online: Precipice Page 30