I looked at him in amazement for a moment, the shock of his request nearly breaking my concentration from charging the staff. “You … you want me to come and help you manage the guild?” The very notion was ridiculous, and a chuckle escaped my lips.
Vatras frowned. “You will either do it or suffer the consequences. You can’t log out, can you?”
My alarmed expression was obviously all the answer he required. “That’s what I suspected. Playing as a monster has no doubt carried serious repercussions. Sloppy, Oren, very sloppy. However, I can make sure your imprisonment will be as comfortable as possible. You’ll have food, drink, and safety. Quite generous, don’t you think?”
I started channeling the second spell into the staff. “And if I refuse?”
He grinned and took out a thin leather strap which was oozing magic. “This is a magical dampener and suggestion enhancer collar, more commonly known as a Slaver’s Collar. Normally they’re useless against players, but somehow, in your case, I think it’ll function properly. Refuse me, and I’ll put it around your neck, and if you somehow manage to resist, we’ll just have to find other ways to persuade you.” He gave me a wide-toothed grin. “It might get uncomfortable, but since you can’t escape, we can take our time and be very persuasive.” He touched the knife at his belt for emphasis. “You really don’t have much choice, Oren. I have you now, and you’ll do as I say.”
I concentrated on channeling the third direball into the staff and ignored his question.
Vatras pounded on the cage, trying to draw my attention, but I continued to ignore him, working on my spells. I did take a small amount of pleasure from his vexed expression.
“Do you hear me, Oren?”
He was leaning on the energy walls of my cage, his face pressed against it and slowly turning red.
“Have you gone deaf? What is your answer?”
Finally, I finished charging the three spells, looked up at him with contempt, and spat, “My answer is this: I’m a fucking Dread Totem, bitch, and you stupid travelers won’t stop me!”
Then I stabbed him with my staff.
Several things happened in rapid succession.
The Epic staff passed through the energy barrier effortlessly, its sharpened point striking Vatras full in the chest, piercing his armor.
The three direballs contained within rushed out and exploded inside Vatras’s body.
His eyes opened wide in utter astonishment.
I held his gaze and smirked. Then my nemesis’s body exploded to smithereens and the invasion was over.
The acidic rain and my energy cage both dissipated following Vatras’s death.
I chuckled and turned my attention to the system messages that awaited me.
Castigation [Direball X 3] hits Vatras for 1,728 damage [(base 288 X 3) X epicenter 2 ]
My hunch was right. Having exploded inside his body, the effect of the direballs had doubled, inflicting just enough damage to deliver a killing strike. Luckily for Rhyno and me, Vatras’s tough body contained the area damage.
That was truly the power of a boss chief, one who lurked at the end of a dungeon and could destroy an entire adventuring party on his own. And I couldn’t have gotten it without Malkyr and Rhyno.
I looked at the still mutilated body of the Ogre and sighed. “Alright you lazy bastard, back on your feet!” His wounds oozed with liquid darkness which was gradually knitting his flesh together. He was critically injured but no longer at risk of death.
The Ogre blinked, opened his eyes, and slowly got back to his feet. Pieces of the now exhausted Ring of Bound Soul fell from his finger.
“Go find Bek,” I instructed him. “He’ll heal you back to full in no time.”
The Ogre nodded then gingerly made his way out of the pit.
Free and grinning, I continued reading through the rest of the messages.
Victory!
You have successfully defended Goblin’s Gorge. Your entire settlement has gained the ‘Last Stand’ buff.
Effect: +50 morale, restoration costs are halved
Population growth: +100%
Duration: 7 days
Level up!
Level up!
Level up!
Level up!
Level up!
You have reached Character Level 45. You have 5 ability point to allocate.
Immortal Killed!
Boss Tier 3 Progression: 32/50 immortals killed.
I was getting closer to my goal now.
At the last possible second, just before Vatras had burst into atoms, I’d formed a new war party and added as many of the workers as I could. As a result, I gained only five levels, but a quick mental probe showed me the gains to my clan were astronomical. Over 40 workers had gained ten levels each, catapulting the clan’s development ahead.
I looked down at the level 3,100 void crystal that had formed from Vatras’s essence.
In terms of energy, Vatras had just reimbursed me for a third of the casualties. Add to that the 70-something crystals the other players had dropped, and I had enough to resurrect my army twice. Yep, things were looking up.
Something else on the ground caught my attention. A goblin-sized pair of greaves.
Dread Totem Greaves [Set 2/4] [monster only]
Description: This well-crafted item is a piece of The Ritualistic set. Complete the set for the full bonus.
Rank: Magical
Type: Armor [feet]
Armor: 25
Effect I: +10% faster movement
Effect II: Trackless: doesn’t leave footprints.
Set bonus 2/4: +5 to boss skills (Mana Shield, Blood Wrath)
What’s got your panties ruffled?
Come on, Vic, it was in the middle of combat, things get chaotic in a fight, you know that. I did try.
That was a daunting notion.
Vic’s displeasure aside, I felt pretty good. I’d gotten the second set piece only a handful of days after getting the first. I was eager to find what the full set bonus would entail. A four-piece suit should bring in pretty neat rewards.
I climbed out of the pit and took in the devastation around me.
There were large holes in the barracks’ roof, and the thick wooden beams and stone walls looked porous from the gouges the acid had bored through.
I sighed. Time for damage control.
38 – Damage Control
Emerging from the pit, I was able to teleport again. I appeared out of the shadows at Totem’s Watch and took in the sight of the devastation.
The buildings closest to the barracks had taken the most damage from the rain. The workshops and the mess hall looked completely destroyed. Beyond them, the construction yard, the cabins, and the smithy had also taken a serious beating, though they still maintained their overall shape. Only the sawmill, my house, and the rabbit warren seemed to have escaped unscathed as they were the farthest away.
I gritted my teeth as I realized how much damage was done. It would take us weeks to fix. At least the victory buff will help with that, I mulled.
My clanmates started to emerge from the cave below me.
Many of the workers looked physically tougher than before. Two figures separated from the main group and moved forward. Tika gave me a meaningful look as she passed us by.
“Dread Totem.” Zuban bowed his head.
“My lord,” Kaedric said.
Zuban instantly drew my attention. I read the information streams he gave off and felt my jaw slowly dropping. My foreman had re
ached level 27! I had kept him in the war party throughout, and he received a share of the XP from every fight. Kaedric, likewise, had leveled up significantly and was now level 21.
I pointed my chin toward the ruined buildings. “It looks like we have our work cut out for us.”
“Yes, Dread Totem,” Zuban answered carefully. “I gauge the damage at 5,000 BP. Should take us about a week to sort out.”
That improved my mood significantly. The victory bonuses were proving useful already. Then I remembered something.
“Wait, what about my new house?”
Zuban shrugged. “It is nearly finished; it requires only a few more hours of work. We’ll start restorations right after.”
“Good, go ahead. Kaedric?”
My seneschal looked up at me, his mandibles tight across his face. “I am prepared to receive my punishment, my lord.”
I frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“I allowed myself to be used, and as a result endangered the wellbeing of yourself and the clan. Through my inattentiveness, Raystia managed to maneuver me to accomplish her goals. I am ready for your chastisement, however … fatal it might be.”
I scratched my chin. Kaedric had a point. If he hadn’t removed the scouts from following Raystia, she wouldn’t have been able to move so freely and sabotage the clan. On the other hand, it wasn’t really his fault. Raystia had wisely seized upon his special dietary requirement to gain a high reputation rank with him. After that, he was compelled by the system to view her suggestions favorably. If anything, it was my fault for not making sure all his needs were fully met. Kaedric, despite his high intelligence, was a slave to the system. He was the victim here. A lot like me.
Vic huffed in my mind.
He sounded less angry than before.
I cleared my throat. “No punishment is required, Kaedric. You were played by a very intelligent young woman. Besides, I need you now more than ever. We have much to do ahead of us.”
For the first time since I met him, Kaedric smiled. Actually smiled. “Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord.”
“Have the workers resume their jobs and find a temporary solution for those whose workplaces are out of commission.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“Also, please send a few workers to collect all the void crystals the travelers left behind. Have them bring in all the dropped loot as well.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The two left and I turned to face the Dark Temple behind me.
There were piles of ash where my goblins had fallen and scorch marks where fireballs had struck the temple, reminding me of my earlier vow.
I entered the deserted structure and approached the shrine. Then with 11,637 EP at my disposal, I started to resurrect my troops.
It was almost unfortunate that most of them had gained a few levels from the fight before dying, as their resurrections were now more expensive.
I resurrected Bob first, paying the 210 EP to bring him back. A tide of shadow rose from the ground, and when it drained away, my lieutenant appeared in its place.
Vow Updated: Resurrect the fallen soldiers
Progress: 1/60
Bob gave me a grave look. I acknowledged it with a nod and continued resurrecting the troops. I brought them back one by one, giving each a nod of appreciation.
I went out of the temple to find the newly-revived troops arrayed in orderly rows. They saw me coming and as one, banged their fists over their chests, lowering their heads.
I took a long look at the disciplined soldiers, then nodded at Bob.
“DISMISSED!” he boomed.
Vow Completed: Resurrect the fallen soldiers
Reward: +300 FP
My troops’ levels amounted to 1,064 altogether, meaning I had to spend exactly 10,640 energy to bring them back, leaving me with a pitiful 997.
That was a lot of energy to expend in one go, but a glance at the Settlement Interface uplifted my spirit. With the recent rapid level-ups my clan had earned, we were generating 2,147 EP per day. At this rate, I’d have enough EP to purchase the next boss tier within ten days.
That was a sobering thought. Our clan’s deity was an unexpected force of destruction. I didn’t think he’d actually attack us, but having him unleashed would no doubt lead to conflict.
How long until he’s free?
A month … I reflected. I had a month tops to figure out how to cope with that eventuality. I didn’t forget that upon his release, Nihilator would allow me to summon him for one hour. It was a powerful weapon, no doubt, but also a double-edged sword. It wasn’t hard to bring up a mental image of the gargantuan boss munching on my workers in his hound form. It was something I had to prepare for. I was about 2,000 FP from reaching Faith Rank 5. Maybe with enough FP, I’d be able to broker some sort of protection deal with him. It was too soon to tell. At this point, all I could do was keep going forward.
I just had to figure out what that actually meant.
The resurrection cost could have been higher, but having several bosses meant I didn’t have to resurrect them directly. They would each respawn in time.
I closed my eyes and accessed the tendrils of information surrounding the cemetery’s single tombstone. As tier 1 bosses, Kuzai, Yulli, and Kilpi would resurrect within a day or two depending on their levels. I wasn’t expecting to be attacked, but I’d feel more secure knowing they were at my side.
I prodded the layers of data more deeply and discovered a solution. It was possible to shorten that period by using energy, though the cost was prohibitive at 50 EP per hour. Meaning it would take about 3,000 points to resurrect the three, and I was tapped out. I decided to wait. Besides, a little time off for Kuzai would do wonders for my state of mind.
On the upside, I had dealt Vatras – and by extension, the Manapulators – a serious blow. They would have no way of hiding the fact that they’d had their asses handed to them by mere goblins. The guild’s reputation would take a huge hit, and that would severely influence their resources and revenues. I knew firsthand how delicate a guild’s economy was. This single act of defiance might very well be the beginning of the Manapulators’ eventual ruin.
But I didn’t plan to rely on that.
I knew Vatras. He was not the sort of person to give in when things got rough. He was no doubt already planning an additional strike. The only question was when and with what forces.
It was a daunting notion, but not one I planned to wallow over for long.
It was time to take the fight to them. It would take a little doing, but I already had the inklings of a plan.
The recent fighting had greatly accelerated my own growth. I dumped the five new attribute points into Mental, then opened the abbreviated character sheet, checking the gains summary.
Title: Dread Totem
Level: 45 (+7)
Attributes:
Mental 49 (+7)
Pools & Resistances:
Hit Points: 1,062 (+154)
Mana: 2,185 (+324)
Armor: 60 (+25)
Skills:
Lucky Bastard 44 Ⓑ (+2)
Analyze 110 (+2)
War Party Leader 33 (+3)
Runecraft 42 (+3)
Dark Mana 52 (+5) Ⓑ
Drilling Arrow 30 (+3) Ⓑ
Mana Shield 37 (+4)
Blood Wrath 38 (+2)
Shadow Web 23 (+2)
Shadow Hound 25 (+2)
Shadow Teleport 15 (+2)
Direball 12 (+6)
Reaching the Expert rank of Dark Mana in the middle of the battle had turned the tide in our favor and saved my ass.
Curious
to see what the Expert rank entitled, I accessed the skill’s description.
Dark Mana Ⓑ
Shadow and Mana-governing discipline.
All life is suffused with mana and all light casts a shadow. Through the power of your awareness and sheer will you learned how to harness the power of mana and shadow.
You can wield mana and darkness in a similar fashion and shape them to your will. You may access the mana reserves of other living or shadow-based creatures, giving you several ways to affect them (Freeze, Sense Emotions, Dominate). You also learned how to pour your awareness into your own shadow, manifesting it as a semi-physical clone.
Level 52: Expert: Biological Path Strength: Advanced, may invent higher tiered spells.
Effects: Mana Pool +62%, Regen +102%, Spell Effect +62%, Shadow Control 52 square meters, Biological Path Strength: Advanced
Prime Badge: As the first player to unlock this skill you gain 50% increased rate. (Note: this skill cannot be taught to others.)
Compared to reaching the Apprentice rank, Expert was a bit of a letdown. The main thing it gave was the ability to invent more powerful spells, which I had already taken advantage of with Direball. The biological path had also become stronger, upgrading from ‘Basic’ to ‘Advanced,’ though I’d have to experiment to determine what it actually meant.
The Direball spell had also increased drastically, gaining six skill levels and reaching the Apprentice rank.
Direball (M)
You may condense mana into a volatile ball of energy to launch at your enemies. The Direball explodes on impact, inflicting damage over an area (AoE). The farther away the targets are from the epicenter of the explosion, the less damage taken.
Mana discipline: Cost 120 MP. Speed 10.
Level 12: Apprentice: You may further condense the Direball and launch it against a single target. If the attack hits, the target will sustain double damage (i.e. ‘epicenter’).
Effect: Damage 194. AoE Radius 2.2 meters.
This was my most impressive spell by far. The new ability to condense the direball was insanely powerful. Empowered, then cast from my staff, it would deal about 800 damage to a single target. Provided I hit them, of course.
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