Putting my newly earned attribute points into strength, I double checked my stats, wistfully looking at the experience bar that had now reset itself with an even higher mountain to climb before reaching the next level.
Lyrian Rastler – Level 11 Spellsword
Human Male (Eberian)
Statistics:
HP: 638/638
Stamina: 580/580
Mana: 640/640
Experience to next level: 54/23,200
Attributes:
Strength: 46 (48)
Agility: 36 (38)
Constitution: 36
Intelligence: 42
Willpower: 16
Looking good! I thought to myself with a nod as I confirmed my choices and dismissed the sheet. Will have to probably balance out Agility for the next few levels, but at least Intelligence is steadily improving with only my racial and class attribute increases every level.
“Come on, Lyr,” Constantine called to me as I quickly ran up the ramp, having sent Cerril and Huxley on ahead. “We’re up.”
Following Constantine up the ramp, I paid special attention not to crack my head off the stairs above me, sliding down the next adjacent ramp as we ‘descended’ across the fallen length of the Tower.
After repeating the process twice, we found ourselves climbing out onto a ledge overlooking a wide open space within the now hollow inside of the Tower, the damaged middle section having bent slightly upwards as it slid down the hill ages past.
“Whoa,” I said nervously, looking out over the edge, seeing everyone else caught by the same sight.
An arc of sunlight shone through a crack where the two pieces of the Tower had broken, illuminating long vines and other plants that had grown downwards into the gap between the broken fragments. Following the plants downwards, I saw that the far ground was almost entirely covered with dirt and shattered stone, remnants from the rooms that once were the innards of the Tower.
“Lyr!” I felt Halcyon grab my wrist as he pulled my attention over to the northern side of the ledge pointing at something that hung suspended in the air. “Look!”
A two-foot thick metallic pole connected to the far western wall of the Tower, directly ‘underneath’ the room we had just escaped from. Spanning the entire length of the stairway we had just traveled through, before burying itself into the dirt below us. Turning my head, I saw a second length of the pole, having snapped during the Tower’s fall, protruding from the slowly rising dirt at an odd angle, running away from us and into the second section of the ancient Tower.
“The center of the Tower was hollow?” I asked Halcyon with confusion, indicating the two huge shattered lengths of metal. “The hell is that thing for?”
“I don’t know. Doesn’t look like it’d be used to support the weight of the Tower,” Halcyon replied with a shrug. “Seems like a huge waste of space, but it must have been for something. Especially with metal being so fucking expensive.”
Everyone quickly crowded the edge of the platform overhearing our conversation, looking out at the strange contraption.
“Better quessstion for the moment,” Cadmus began, waving at the edge. “How are we going to get down? I’d rather not jump.”
We all looked around, seeing that Cadmus had just hit the nail on the head with his question. Whatever room once connected the stairway that we had just passed through had long since collapsed. Leaving us with a rather long, forty foot drop, until we reached the dirt packed bottom that had filled the lower third of the Tower.
“I see a ledge down there…” Caius said, peering over the edge. “It’s about twenty feet down, though…”
“Well, that solves the problem for Amaranth,” Constantine replied looking at the big cat. “That sort of fall might hurt for the rest of us.”
“Hey.” Cerril suddenly spoke up, pointing downwards. “There are hand grips carved into the wall here, looks like they’ve just recently been widened to human size too. Looks like they lead straight down along the outer wall.”
“That’ll do for us,” Sierra replied bending to look down at the hand grips. “Might be a bit tight for the bigger guys, though.”
“We’ll manage,” Drace said with a shrug. “After cramming myself up those ramps and platforms and having them creak and crunch with every step I took, I can deal with small handholds.”
Taking turns, we each stepped out over the edge and slowly made our way downwards, thankfully without any mishaps along the way. Once reaching the bottom, our feet sank into the wet, muddy ground, the water that had found its way in from the storm not yet having drained away in the closed environment.
“My friends are really close,” Cerril grabbed my arm as he whispered softly, pointing east and upwards, towards the second section of the Tower. “I wasn’t paying attention earlier but I think they’ve moved.”
“They did?” I asked, while everyone quickly stopped to huddle around Cerril. “Where? What happened?”
“I think they moved higher,” Cerril struggled to explain as he pointed in the same direction as before. “I think they used to be further away and not quite as high. But with us running through the other section of the Tower and climbing down now, I’m not entirely sure.”
“What about Graves?” Sierra asked, looking towards Huxley.
“That way,” Huxley quickly replied, pointing almost straight ahead, despite the upward incline in front of us. “I think that other Adventurer was telling the truth, Graves might have found a route into the hill. He seems too low to be anywhere in the Tower.”
“We’ll figure that out after we find Cerril’s friends,” I said, nodding at Huxley. “Good to know we’re on the right path, though.”
Continuing forward, we slowly ascended the gentle incline that separated the two offset sections of the Tower, momentarily stepping into the sunlight as we crossed the gap. We took care not to disrupt the long hanging vines that hung from the gap above any more than we had to, pushing them gently aside as we passed. Once on the other side of the sunbeam, we looked upwards, seeing the other half of the massive metallic pole jutting from the ground beside us.
Ours eyes followed the mysterious pole, seeing that it had sagged from bearing its own weight for untold ages, a gentle bend appearing along its length. Hanging limply in the air ahead of us, it led deeper into the second fragment of the Tower, vanishing into a large hole cut in the very center of a damaged stone wall. As we continued walking, we found the lower third of the wall completely missing, having shattered from the fall that knocked the Tower over.
Finding it easier to move, I noticed that the ground on this side of the space was completely dry. The water from the storm having run downwards to the opposite end of the room. Looking at my feet, I saw that the ground had been disturbed, torn up even. What happened here? This looks fresh.
“They should be here,” Cerril whispered, looking upwards, his gaze going towards the gap in the wall where the pole had vanished. “They should be right there.”
We all looked upwards where the pole was resting on the stone, all surprised to see a man suddenly step out onto the ledge.
“It took you all long enough to get here,” the man’s unfamiliar voice called out as he looked down at us. “Once I felt everyone else dying outside, I never doubted that you all would, though.”
“Carver!” Freya shouted, at the same instant the Thunder Lizards all hissed in rage.
“Ah? Freya!” The half-orc smiled, rubbing his hands together with delight. “I had hoped you would come and you brought your friends too! How delightful! I was worried you had forgotten about me.”
“How I wish I could, you sick son of a bitch!” Freya yelled up at the man. “I don’t know how the fuck this game is still letting you play with half the shit you’ve pulled!”
“Oh my, it’s a pity to hear such coarse language from a lady.” Carver, clucked his tongue in disapproval, wagging a finger at Freya. “If only there was time to teach you some proper manners. Perhaps another
day, you see, I am rather in a hurry.”
“Running away again, Carver?!” Thorne shouted back. “Are you afraid to fight us on even terms, without needing Graves to hold your hand?”
“Needing Graves? Hah!” Carver’s laugh boomed through the hollow Tower as he sneered down at us. “He was useful for a time but unfortunately has since lost his way. It is I who no longer have any need for him and your arrival gives me the perfect opportunity to cut and run.”
“What are you talking about?” I finally decided to enter the conversation. “What happened to Graves?”
“Oh, I guess you could say he’s not exactly Graves anymore.” Carver’s flicked his eyes over to me as he smirked, lifting his hand up. “Maybe you’ll find out if you survive what’s coming next. Either way, though, thanks for giving us the chance to escape!”
Seconds after Carver’s signal, a handful of other Adventurers appeared behind the half-orc, roughly pushing three other people ahead of them.
“Jordan!” Cerril shouted, rushing forward towards his friends high on the ledge ahead.
“Cerril, RUN!” Jordan shouted while struggling to get away from the Adventurer that held him from behind. “They-”
“Do it!” Carver snapped, slicing his hand through the air. The other Adventurers immediately kicking Jordan and Cerril’s other friends off of the ledge.
As they plummeted towards the ground, I noticed something dark trailing their fall before they suddenly jerked to a stop with the loud snap of breaking bone. The three of them hung limply, their heads lolling at an unnatural angle as I saw a set of ropes, looped around each of their necks.
“Carver!” Freya shouted with rage. “What the fuck did you do?!”
“I believe that’s fairly obvious, my dear,” Carver replied with a laugh. “I killed them.”
“WHY?!” Cerril screamed rushing forward to his friends hanging form, eyes brimming with tears. “They were no threat to you!”
“Of course they weren’t.” Carver waved his hand dismissively, looking down at Cerril. “But the other things down there are.”
As if on cue, I saw nearly two dozen azure auras bloom to life ahead of me, a short distance past where the broken wall ended. Standing awkwardly, they began to shamble towards us, their auras becoming more and more distinct as they approached.
“Hal…” A worried tone escaped my voice as I looked to the other mage to confirm what I saw. “Cerril, get back here!”
“I see it too, Lyr…” Halcyon’s eyes had gone wide as he too saw the shuffling forms in the distance with his Arcane Sight.
“Really, I did your friends a huge favor!” Carver laughed once again, joined by the other Adventurers standing beside him. “A long drop with a short rope will be much easier to get over, compared to what these creatures will do to you all! They seem to rather enjoy rending the flesh from their victims, be they dead or alive, before they eat it!”
“Haha! Goodbye, for now, kids!” Carver waved mockingly at us, the other Adventurers turning to walk away from the ledge. “Uncle Carver will drop in sometime soon, once he and his friends find a place to bind themselves! Until then, enjoy playing with your new toys!”
“Get back here!” Freya shouted at Carver’s retreating form, darting forward before Helix’s grabbed her by the arm. “Helix, let me go!”
“Freya, stop!” Helix pointed towards the darker shadows where I saw the auras approaching from. “Look!”
“Oh God!” I heard someone gasp, as the creatures stepped out into the light.
A horde of emaciated humanoids shambled out of the gloom from under the stone wall, stumbling across the rough rubble of the ground. Some appearing to be grotesquely deformed goblins, while others were once clearly humans, dwarves or elves. Whatever vestiges of sapience they once possessed had long since consumed by their transformation.
Their skin was now a charred black color, with scraps of clothes still hanging from their flesh. Milky white eyes gazed blindly into the distance, seemingly no longer used for sight. Crowding around the hanging Adventurers they reached upwards with wicked groping claws, tearing strips of flesh from the bodies effortlessly.
“What the fuck!” Constantine couldn’t help but gag as the creatures began to feed, shoving chunks of meat into their mouths.
“Cerril!” I hissed at the Adventurer, having slowly backed away from the feasting horde. “Hurry up and get back here!”
“I-I-” Consumed by fear Cerril stuttered, his eyes fixated on the abominations in front of him.
“No!” Natasha let out a sobbing cry, her hand reaching out towards the creatures before us. “Noooo! How did this happen?!”
“Natasha, I’m sorry…” Realization dawned upon me as I saw the familiar symbol of the Mages Guild appear on a scrap of clothes one of the creatures wore. “I don’t-”
A gleaming azure light flared from the stomach of the feasting creatures, all of them turning their now glowing eyes towards us. Nearly two dozen tags appeared in my vision highlighting the creatures.
[Ætherwarped Ghoul – Level 10]
“Oh, fuck me,” I gasped, the entire horde of Ghouls shifting to face us. “Form up! Cerril! Move!”
“Ah!” Cerill began to turn, my voice finally breaking through his fear.
A bloodcurdling scream sliced through the air the second that Cerril turned his back on the ghoul horde. Almost as one they leaped forward, charging at the elven Adventurer with their claws outstretched. Suddenly fueled with energy, they almost instantly closed the distance between them and the fleeing elf, driving their claws brutally into his body as they bore him to the ground.
“Aaaaah!” Cerril screamed as the ghouls fell upon him, a pair of arrows and a quartet of magical missiles doing nothing to stop the ghouls from rending apart Cerril’s flesh. “Heeelp-”
Cerril’s voice ended with a brutal finality as the creatures began pushing and crowding one another with snarls as they fought for position to devour Cerril’s flesh. Pushed far from the circle of feasting Ghouls some of the outliers turned to face us.
“Charge them!” I shouted, taking a step forward. “Before they all focus on us!”
Howling, our entire melee line charged forward, managing two entire strides before the ghouls leaped to meet us. Focusing on the ghoul ahead of me I managed an extra step forward, leading with my shoulder as I slammed into the ghoul’s chest, knocking it to the ground.
Amaranth quickly appearing to my right, swiped his claws across the fallen ghoul’s legs, drawing forth foul and putrid smelling blood.
Fuck! That smells just as bad as the Queen did! Unbidden memories couldn’t help but surface at the familiar, rotting stench.
I stabbed down with a Shocking Touch charged Razor, the tip of the crackling blade thrusting into the creature’s pelvis. I twisted the blade, widening the wound as I pulled the blade free. Hissing with rage, the ghoul showed no sign that either of our attacks had even hurt it. It swiped a claw at me as it scrambled to its feet.
As it shot to its feet, I couldn’t help but notice that the ghoul had once been a woman. Remnants of long hair clinging to one side of the ghoul’s scalp. Shrieking, the ghoul ignored two more long cuts that I managed to land on it, attacking wildly with its claws.
Damn it! I swore to myself as it carved a long gash into my arm. How do you fight something that doesn’t even feel pain?!
With its wickedly sharp claws slicing across my arm, the ghoul finally displayed some emotion. An unearthly squeal of pleasure erupted from the creature as it brought its blood covered claw to its open maw, a black barbed tongue shooting out to quickly lick it clean. The ghoul trembled like a drug addict finding their favorite fix, its stomach and eyes pulsing with an azure light.
What the fuck?! Did it just fucking eat my blood?! It was one thing to see someone else being eaten or even bitten, but quite another to have it happen to you! Especially right in the middle of a fight! What the fuck is going on with its stomach?!
Fueled
by my blood, the ghoul fought with a heightened level of ferocity, clawing and biting as it tried to repeat its earlier success. Deciding to accept the risk of being clawed or bitten, I baited the aggressive creature close and grabbed hold of the creature’s claw, stabbing Razor into its glowing gut. I felt something fight against the blade as I drove it into the creature. Gritting my teeth I bore down into the thrust, pushing past the resistance until I felt something give way.
With a wailing scream as Razor drove itself home, the ghoul panicked against my grip, its other claw grasping the blade and trying desperately to pull it free. With a smile I decided to indulge the ghoul, letting go of its arm at the same instant I pulled Razor free, planting a heavy kick in the center of the ghoul’s chest.
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