“Indeed,” Corvin replied, his tone not accusing despite these changes being Jason’s fault. “However, we have fared better than most. If anything, I would say that the changes improved things for us.” This earned him a surprised glance from Frank, and the old man chuckled. “We were already hunters, but now we have more interesting prey. Our men were able to hunt and capture some of the local undead – which allowed us to trade with neighboring towns for food and supplies. The novelty of these creatures brings large prices abroad.”
Frank was a little shocked. The villagers had adapted to the changes better than he expected. Yet, he still saw the way the townsfolk now whispered worriedly among themselves and eyed their group hopefully. “I suspect you are about to tell me that something terrible happened,” Frank said.
“Not all at once,” Corvin replied, shaking his head as his gaze dropped to the ground. “The native undead have grown stronger over time, but our own hunters were able to keep pace.”
His frown deepened, his eyes clouding over as he recalled some event that Frank couldn’t see. “Until a few weeks ago, that is. The native creatures have begun to grow more powerful at an alarming rate. New types of skeletons have also begun to spring up – in much larger numbers than what we had encountered before. We… we lost many hunters, and many more have been injured.”
Corvin’s eyes skimmed across the nearby townsfolk. “In the last few days, things have worsened even further. Some of the creatures have felt confident enough to attack the town directly. Now we are barely holding on. I am not certain what is happening, but it is clear that we won’t survive here much longer.”
Frank and Vera shared a look. Clearly, the issue they had encountered with the nest was not a one-off problem. Something – or someone – must be stirring up and empowering the regular creatures around the Twilight Throne. However, their identity and purpose continued to remain elusive.
“Well, we should be able to help fortify the town,” Frank began, turning back to Corvin. “In fact, part of the reason…”
He was cut off by a scream from atop the nearby palisade. Every eye turned to the source of the noise, people gasping and crying out in horror as they took in the scene. A skeletal creature clung to one of the hunters, its face buried in his neck and dark blood soaking his clothes and the boards of the rampart as he sunk to his knees. The monster pulled away, letting the lifeless body fall to the ground as it surveyed the crowd.
The creature was the size of a large dog, but with six legs, each one terminating in a set of prehensile hands replete with razor-sharp claws. As it saw the crowd watching, it rose up on two legs, flexing its other extremities as it roared up into the sky, the flickering torches revealing the blood trickling down its jaws and staining its ivory ribcage crimson. In between its limbs were what appeared to be flaps of dark energy that swayed gently as the creature moved.
How did it get on the wall? Frank wondered. What about our scouts?
Before he could react, an arrow shot through the air, burrowing itself in the creature’s face and tearing away a portion of its skull. Another missile ripped its head clean from its shoulders and the creature dropped to the ramparts, its body breaking apart as the dark mana binding it together fled. Frank turned to see that Vera held a bow, the string still vibrating. Yet the general hadn’t moved fast enough, the creature’s roar was echoed from the forest, the dead trees outside Fastu coming alive with the cries of the undead.
More were coming.
“To me!” Vera shouted at the Kin, trying to form a defensive line. “Try to move the villagers into the center of the formation!”
She was too late.
A swarm of the creature seemed to float in from the tree line outside of town. As Frank stared in shock, he saw that they had each spread their limbs wide, using the flaps of dark mana to glide through the air. The one Vera had slain must have managed to get onto the ramparts while the guards were distracted by the discussion at the gate.
Frank quickly inspected these new creatures.
Gliding Leech – Levels 160-170
Health – Unknown
Mana – Unknown
Equipment – Unknown
Resistances – Unknown
Holy shit, he thought to himself. These leeches were even stronger than the Wraithlings.
The wave of monsters hit the edge of the wall and began slaughtering the hunters that were too slow to abandon their posts. The leeches tore into their flesh with clawed hands, and screams of pain filled the air as blood bubbled from the open wounds. The shouts were soon cut off as the monsters clamped their jaws on exposed throats, appearing to drink the blood of their victims. As Frank watched, one of the feeding monsters began to glow with a soft red light – similar to his Rage of the Herd ability.
Do they get stronger as they drink blood?
His eyes skimmed the chaotic running forms around him, many of the villagers trying to flee back into the interior of the town. Nearby, Vera was forming a circle in the open space near the gate, the wolves fighting on the front lines as their archers and mages assumed defensive positions inside the formation.
The monsters pursued the fleeing townsfolk hungrily, skittering along the ground on their six legs with frightening speed – their skeletal ribcages hugging the ground and making them difficult to see. They leaped on unarmed men and women, ripping open their throats even as they tried to run away. Screams from further inside the village indicated that some of the leeches were already picking off the rest of the civilians.
There was nothing he could do to help those people.
Frank could feel rage simmering in his veins as he witnessed the sight before him. Without thinking, he abruptly transformed his legs, his knees inverting with a sickening pop and thick fur sprouting from his skin. Flames curled up his axes, illuminating the area around him and painting him as a target for the leeches. Dozens of dark orbs turned in his direction – whether drawn by the light or the heat, he wasn’t certain.
Either way, it served his purpose nicely.
Nearly a dozen leeches swarmed in his direction, skittering along the ground, and leaping from the ramparts. Frank didn’t wait for them to arrive. He launched himself forward at a reckless pace, intercepting one leech in mid-air with his axe. With his momentum and magically reinforced weapon, his blade chopped the creature cleanly in half. Fresh blood exploded from the leech’s stomach, the spray splashing against Frank. The sticky substance only served to enrage Frank further.
This was the blood of innocents.
He lost himself to the blood rage, his vision turning red as he began to act instinctively. He abandoned all sense of self-preservation – simply wading into the crowd of leeches and chopping madly with his axes. Around him was only bone and blood – claws and limbs. He roared his fury as he struck repeatedly in a whirlwind of blows, cleaving the undead apart.
More than one creature scored a hit against him, tearing into the skin of his arms and back with their claws. A leech managed to grab his leg, sinking its jaws into the flesh of his thigh. With a roar of pain, Frank abandoned his axes, his arms warping and thick bands of muscle pulsing under his skin as his hands transformed into thickly-furred claws. He snatched at the creature, smashing its skull between his massive paws until only ivory dust remained.
Then he set to work with his bare hands, smashing, clawing, and grabbing at the leeches which seemed to swell and crest against him in a never-ending wave. His claws shredded and cracked bone and his enhanced blows were enough to pulverize limbs. He grabbed a nearby leech, using it to bat aside another three of the creatures before slamming it into the ground and smashing in its skull with his foot.
Frank wasn’t sure how much time passed – there was only blood and bone and pain. And then he suddenly found himself standing still, his chest heaving and his pulse pounding in his ears. His skin was covered in blood, and large cuts dotted his body. The adrenaline pumping through his veins numbed him to the pain, the dull, throbbing ach
e only serving to fuel his rage.
He looked around himself menacingly, eyeing the remaining leeches who now gave him a wide berth – skittering around him sideways but not willing to engage again. Frank leaned forward, flexing his arms, and screaming his rage at the creatures, taunting them to fight.
They never got a chance.
A stream of dark magic and arrows filled the air around Frank, each bolt slamming home and destroying a leech. The creatures fell around him, their bones rattling to the ground and the dark mana fading from their bodies. Quiet reigned once more, with only the occasional groan of the injured audible breaking the silence. In some ways, that calm was more oppressive than the sounds of battle.
Frank whirled and found the Kin standing behind him, their bows and staves pointed in his direction. For a moment, he saw them as just more undead, to be destroyed and crushed between his palms and he took a ponderous step forward. Then he realized he was looking at his teammates – his Kin. It was difficult, but he willed himself to calm down – trying to let go of the anger that had overtaken him. Gradually, his vision began to clear, and his arms and legs regained their natural appearance.
And he finally saw what remained of Fastu.
All around him were the bodies of the fallen, mixed with the broken ivory bones of the leeches. The vacant gazes of more than one villager seemed to fix on him, their blood staining the ground an unholy crimson and mixing with the dusty gray dirt to form a bloody slurry. His gaze focused on one form. Corvin lay among the dead, his throat torn out and his expression full of terror – a testament to his last moments.
Through his shock and his clouded thoughts, Frank suddenly realized he didn’t see any survivors – only the bodies of the fallen. He could hear footsteps behind him and he turned, meeting Vera’s bleached-white gaze. Traces of blood stained her armor, and her sleeve was ripped, evidence that she had participated in the battle as well. Her expression was hard as she met Frank’s eyes.
“How many?” he grunted.
“Among the Kin, we count nine dead,” she answered bluntly. “We can assume they killed our scouts since no warning was raised. However, our troops responded quickly to the ambush and your… distraction made our work easier.”
She hesitated before continuing, as though unsure how to frame her next report. “The villagers are another matter. We weren’t able to protect them, and it appears that another group of leeches entered over the southern wall – cutting off any who tried to flee. We haven’t searched the town, but it is likely that nearly everyone is dead and only a handful are still alive.”
Frank closed his eyes, a heavy weight settling in his stomach. Amid his anger, he felt a strange emotion bubbling to the surface. Relief. At least I won’t have to kill them myself. The stray thought came to him unbidden, and the feeling in his stomach clenched in response – Frank finally recognizing it as guilt. Guilt that he hadn’t been able to save these people, and that their deaths still furthered his purpose.
Why did this game have to feel so damn real?
“Okay,” Frank said finally, opening his eyes and meeting Vera’s gaze. “Have the Kin gather the dead and the remains of these creatures near the gate.”
With that final order, Frank strode off, heading into the interior of the town. He would assess the damage himself. As the undead soldiers saw him approaching, they backed off quickly and gave him a wide berth – no one challenging the blood-covered barbarian. They had seen him lose control, and their expressions reflected a mixture of astonishment and fear.
“And what will you be doing?” Vera called after him.
“It’s time I spoke with Jason,” he answered calmly, not bothering to turn around.
Chapter 19 - Victorious
It took Jason a few seconds to come to terms with the fact that he was still alive, kneeling between two ivory mounds of bone. The onrushing hordes of Night Children had broken apart, their limbs littering the floor around him. Near the entrance to the alcove, the bones stacked up nearly three feet, evidence of just how many of the small creatures had smashed against Jason and Riley during the event.
With a grunt, Jason hauled himself to his feet, weaving unsteadily for a moment. His stamina and mana still hadn’t recovered from the battle, and he was on his last legs – both mentally and physically. Now that he wasn’t being attacked, he could feel a dull pain radiating from his shoulder, the arrow still embedded in his skin. Taking a deep breath, he ripped it out, taking a chunk of skin with it and black blood spraying his armor. The world listed sideways.
Once everything stopped spinning, and he regained his balance, Jason gingerly picked his way through the bones, his boots crunching as he walked. The Venom Spitters had dropped from their perch along the crystalline columns, the occasional fanged maw still staring at him from the floor. He had no idea how many of the creatures they had fought, but the debris made it seem like they had faced an army.
I can’t believe we survived, Jason thought. Or at least one of us did…
As he arrived back at the center of the challenge room, a flash of multi-colored light ripped open the air beside him, signaling Riley’s return. Jason jumped back instinctively – still a bit on edge after the protracted battle. Riley appeared abruptly, her eyes skimming across the room as she tried to get her bearings, eventually settling on Jason, and taking in his haggard appearance. His armor was torn and broken, and only fragments of bone lingered on his skin, the last traces of his Bone Armor. Black blood was still dripping from his shoulder.
“So, we lost?” she asked, her expression grim.
“Technically, you beat the room,” Rex answered her question, his wispy form materializing beside the pillar in the center of the room. He waved a hand, and the strange voice sounded through the room again.
Challenge 1: A Trial of Bone completed.
Total Time: 10 minutes.
Riley Kills: 158
Jason Kills: 93
Both Jason and Riley’s eyes widened in surprise at this announcement. “That was only ten minutes?” Jason murmured. He was also surprised at the raw number of kills. It felt like he had barely grazed most of the creatures as he tried to keep them at bay.
Rex grunted, eyeing the two of them critically and inventorying Jason’s injuries. “Yep, that was only ten minutes. Felt like an eternity, didn’t it? When your stamina and health run out and you’re running on fumes, the mind can play tricks on you. Every movement, every swing feels like you are moving through molasses.”
“But we won!” Riley said, a small smile creeping across her face.
“Yes, yes you did,” Rex agreed, his jaw clacking slightly as he nodded. “Barely. By the skin of your teeth and only after one of you died, though.” He glanced at Riley. “You missed the final moments of the challenge, but our boy here was one blow away from death.”
He glanced back and forth between them, his expression severe. “By all rights, you should have failed here. You both barely made it to the ten-minute mark and you eeked out a victory only by manipulating the terrain of the room,” he added, looking pointedly at Jason.
“Normal tactics like positioning shouldn’t be against the rules,” Jason retorted defensively.
“And they’re not,” Rex agreed with a curt nod. “But it does defeat the point of this exercise – as I already explained. The voices have told me how other Keepers have fared in this challenge. They were able to beat the room by standing in the center, being attacked from all sides. Some were capable of holding this room by themselves after they were fully trained…” The skeletal man trailed off, watching Jason’s reaction.
Jason simply stared at his former general in shock as he tried to digest this information. He had no idea how that was possible. Examining his own performance in his mind’s eye, he wasn’t even certain how he could have improved on the last challenge. Had the Keepers been that much higher in levels? Or were they simply better than him?
“As I told you at the beginning,” Rex continued as he
saw that his point had sunk home, “clever tricks will not be enough in the outside world. The point of these challenges is to train you in these combat skills and allow you to master them. You only harm yourself by trying to circumvent this training.”
Jason was now staring despondently at the floor, his expression grim. They had won, but only barely – and only by manipulating the challenge. What would the next room entail? Would they be able to get away with the same sort of strategies forever? Rex’s words carried a somber truth.
In contrast, Riley didn’t seem bothered by Rex’s reaction at all. Not that Jason could blame her. Even with his strategy, she had still taken out almost double the number of enemies. He suspected that she could have possibly handled the challenge solo by kiting the skeletons around the room.
The former general’s expression softened. “With that out of the way, you two did technically pass the challenge – and much faster than the other participants. Oh, and you were also down a soul guard. So, the voices have decided that this was sufficient.” He chuckled lightly. “I just don’t want your success going to your heads!
Jason glanced up at him, a tentative smile tugging at his lips. “So, what happens now?”
Rex’s grin widened, giving him an almost evil appearance. “First let’s address your training. You can return to this first room as often as you like now that you have conquered the challenge. In fact, we’ll be adding this first challenge to your regular training regimen from now on, and I expect both of you to attempt it at least once per day. There won’t be a victory condition – you fight until you die.”
Jason’s smile instantly vanished. They had barely beaten this challenge once, and Rex expected them to repeat it daily from now on? If he had any doubts before, he was now firmly sure that his former general was a sadist.
Awaken Online: Dominion Page 20