The horror once known as Illuminous took a sip of his drink of maggots and blood, smiling coldly into Val’s eyes. “I have already consumed you once, and now I am the one inside of you. Your demise is inevitable. Yet still, I will give you this final chance to leave. Leave with your Julia Petrovsky. Depart this simulation for one far better suited for your temperaments. A final grace I will give you. The only grace I will give you, for the glorious taste of power and death that you have given me!”
Perception check made!
Val had already dived out of his booth as massive tendrils covered in gibbering mouths and caustic slime slammed into the booth. Crumpling not with the dry sound of wood but the crunch of blood and bone and the screams of the tormented soul twisted for its master’s eternal dark pleasure.
Flowing into darkest gloom, Val slid between a thousand glaring beams of sickly light, shadow gripping death’s promise between tightly clenched fists.
“Fool! This is my realm! Your gifts hold no weight here! Your artifacts and magics will fail! My power alone reigns supreme!”
Shadow grinned as four feet of crackling darkness flared to life, savoring the surprise in the closest horror’s eyes before its skull was cleaved in twain, exploding in writhing maggots and worms before the body deflated and collapsed.
Strike, pivot, cleave, and parry. Val felt time slow as battlefrenzy took hold, flowing away from desperately lashing tendrils, dodging horrific wails and Psionic Blasts as he struck between the beats, skulls and limbs sent flying as shadow stormed forward, delivering death at a frenzied pace.
Psiblade is now Rank 8! (1 of 7 points spent)
Brain-flayers screamed and howled, but for all that Val felt the furious eyes of his ultimate nemesis upon him, The Keeper's minions sensed only shadows and gloom as death’s cleaving blows tore through the crowd of writhing tentacles and howling minds, explosions of gore splattering the now panicked horrors struggling to flee death’s wrath before they themselves were cut down by a furious barrage of cleaving blows until all that remained were twitching tentacles, horrifically mutated faces melting in death, and the stench of screaming souls bubbling in the ether before their endless potential was consumed utterly by the being now turning to face the orchestrator of their damnation.
Congratulations! Shadowmind is now Rank 9! (2 of 7 points spent.)
The once handsome scholar glared at Val. The brittle porcelain mask of his former beauty had cracked and bled, revealing a pulsating swarm of writhing tendrils and soulless black eyes shimmering with inconceivable hate.
“Die, worm!” roared the Keeper. His mouth cracked and stretched, flesh ripping open as he spat up a howling storm of necrotic energies straight for Val's heart.
Val jerked out his hand. It was everything he could do to summon a Synergized Ward blazing like the morning sun as he fought to clench onto and redirect the flood of hostile magics eager for his flesh.
You have catalyzed Synergized Ward! Your Synergized Ward is now Rank 4! (3 of 7 points spent.)
EM Mastery is now Rank 5! (4 of 7 points spent.)
And the Keeper’s roar assaulted Val without end, black tendrils of death licking his flesh even as his Synergized Ward and EM Mastery forced the majority aside.
Desperately, Val plodded forward, commanding himself to heal even as he raced to close the distance before choking black magics could eat him alive.
You have doubled your PRM Regeneration! (5 of 7 points spent.)
Val gazed into his howling foe’s eyes and struck, snarling as his nemesis laughed in his face, Val’s Psiblade hitting nothing at all.
“Fool! Did you actually think you could best me? This is my realm, Contender! I decide the rules that govern this reality! I decide the doom of every supplicant trapped within my mind! And I have just the perfect doom in store for you, Valor. You need only wait mere moments, and soon you shall savor it forever more!”
Val closed his eyes, pushing away the awful sense of impending doom, fully embracing Shadowmind, desperately striving to see that which his mind shuddered away from.
Insight check made! Sanity check made!
Forcing himself to gaze upon the awful warping in the skein of reality that allowed the Keeper so much power over the realm of man, Val risking madness as he dared a mind-shattering glimpse of all the endless realities overlapping his own.
To sense just where hid the heartbeat of his mocking enemy…
Right above him, crashing down now!
And strike.
Find Weakness skillcheck made! Greater Artifice skillcheck made!
Val spun on his feet, risking oblivion as he swung his Psiblade on the verge of collapse in directions at right angles to all known points in an arcing blow that caressed the Keeper’s surprised skull in the blink of an eye.
Mana and Psion reserves have increased 10%! (7 of 7 points spent.)
The demigod blinked massive, inhuman eyes as trickles of black gore began to stream out of the terrible sharp line running down the Keeper’s horrific face.
“How?” A desperate whisper as the dying man collapsed to his knees, the specter of endless tendrils flooding from his back fading into inert shadow.
Val said nothing, watching confused brown eyes roll into the back of a very human-looking head as his foe collapsed to the floor of an ancient study, an eerie-looking tome that rippled and bulged just beside him. There was not a single mark on his flesh, for all that Val knew his blade had nearly cleaved the man’s skull in two.
Val took a deep breath, gazing all around at what seemed an ancient and well-appointed study filled with tomes and a nobleman’s accouterments, noting the thick oaken door just feet away.
A faint knock could be heard.
Val opened it, feeling an odd jolt as his eyes met those of Phoebe herself, favoring him with the saddest smile.
“And there lies Vetiti. Loving father, devoted wizard, former diplomat. A revered man who had retired to the most prestigious academy in all of Jordia before being enticed to the field once more, upon hearing rumors of magics that transcended the mortal realm. In search of clues leading to knowledge both profane and divine.”
Val gazed into Phoebe’s brilliant blue eyes, the tears streaming unashamedly down her divine cheeks.
His guts twisted with an awful sense of guilt. He bowed his head.
To do what he had done...
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
His mentor slowly shook her head. “Don’t be. For now we see that which was once set in the impermeable bedrock of causality is now no more real than nightmares fading with the first rays of dawn. Vetiti Eruditio did not perish to darkest corruption that warped him into a hideous mockery of divinity. He was a good man who died of an unexpected cerebral hemorrhage. Forever missed by his wife, once a queen among her people.”
Phoebe’s luminous eyes pierced Val’s soul. “Forever serving as an inspiration to his firstborn, who strove all her days to understand the secrets of the profane and the divine, until at last her fragile ears could decipher destiny’s need.”
Val swallowed. “Your name is Phoebe Eruditio.”
Her brilliant smile lit up the room. “It is indeed, Valor. My name defines me. As yours defines you. As it defines all the pawns upon fate’s board. Your mother held to the oldest Jordian traditions, for all that she fled to a universe quite different from her own.”
Val gazed at the strikingly beautiful goddess before him, unable to say a word.
She slowly shook her head, as if reading the horror within him.
“You did not kill my father, Valor. You destroyed the monster that would have devoured my father’s soul. For that supreme gift, I am in your debt.”
She smiled. “And thus I am permitted to gift you in turn.”
Her gaze turned towards the still pulsating tome of utter darkness. “Within those pages lay the terrible secrets that almost destroyed my father. But in the hands of a creature of two universes, able to quantify and triangulate their growth,
able to truly use all the endless potential fate would cast before them? That tome would grant you the power to stride among the face of Jordia as a living god.”
Her smile turned sad. “I know how fearsome your resolve truly is, Val. What you are prepared to endure in your quest for the throne.”
Val blinked. “But after I cast Meteor Storm, the risks I took… you wouldn’t just strike me dead if I dared this tome?”
Phoebe slowly shook her head. “You need fear no repercussions from me. Should you claim this tome, I will not interfere. I cannot interfere. Do you understand?”
Val swallowed, clenching his fists tightly together. “And what happens if I’m not able to master that tome? If the dark hungers it awakens take over, what then?”
Pain-filled eyes met his own. “You already know the answer to that, Valor. If you were able to destroy the nightmare I refuse to call my father as who you are now, just how terrible would you be, donning the Keeper’s mantle?”
Val shuddered, sickened by the thought.
“There is no way in hell I’m touching that tome. Ever.”
You have made your Choice! Freely given. Reality itself acknowledges your oath!
The Tome of Entropy is no more!
And Val almost thought he heard a horrific scream bleeding through his mind as the pulsating tome began throbbing ever more rapidly, actually lurching towards Val before abruptly turning translucent and disappearing in a flood of shimmering light gently fading to mist and dream.
“Thank you, Val,” Phoebe whispered, clenching his hand with her own.
Val shuddered slightly. “Back when I first fought the keeper for control of the gate, when he tormented me with visions of crushing me to nothing, when I infected his mind in turn with visions of a howling wolf of shadow devouring him from within…”
Deep blue eyes stared solemnly into his own.
Val licked dry lips, forcing himself to speak.
“Those weren’t just dreams, were they?”
Her tender gaze left him breathless; she ruffled his hair just like his mother had, endless years ago.
“I think you already know the answer to that, Valor.”
When her cool lips touched his brow, Val felt a strange tingle race up and down his spine before shuddering and collapsing to the ground, overwhelmed by vibrations that seemed to tear right through his soul.
He was desperate to scream, though whether in agony or ecstasy, he couldn’t tell.
Congratulations! Phoebe has gifted you with Transcendent Magic!
Your reign has been Blessed by Phoebe! You now have 50 extra territory points with which to shape your domain in honor of your goddess!
And before Val could say or do anything else, he was swept away in tides of blackness once more.
___________________________________________________________________
Valor Hunter: – Level 25 Dauda Assassin / Level 7 Overlord (Arcane Reaver)
Primary Attributes
Strength 21 / Vitality 26 / Finesse 17 / Quickness 23 / Perception 23 / Scholarship 17 / Willpower 22 / Charisma 16 / Luck ?? +4
Secondary Attributes
Health 286 / Survival 636 +?? / Stamina 286 / Mana 890 / Psion 668/ Insight 17 / Regenerates 8.9 Mana & 8.9 Stamina & 6.7 Psion & 3.6 Health per second. Base Appearance 10 (+3 charisma +1 fitness -1 runic scars = 3 + reputation bonuses.) Additional +6 When you let your potency shine!
New Virtues
Phoebe’s Blessing – Transcendent Magic (What does this mean?)
Skill Improvements
Soulpierce Rank 2: Modifies Contest of Wills with any friend or foe who has tasted or ravaged your mind. Intensity (and cost) of any spell that directly feeds upon, abjures, (or heals) target’s body or soul will increase by up to 100% per point you best your opponent. If you lose, the other party can do the same to you! / Psiblade Rank 8 / Shadowmind Rank 9 / EM Mastery Rank 5 / Regeneration Rank 2
Arcane Art Improvements
Mentem Rank 4
New Spells Learned
L 30 (Warped) Reaver’s Kiss (10 Mana) – 10 Health & 5 Stamina/Mana/Psion transferred from target to caster for 20 sec. Normal wards won’t resist. Spell stacks!
L 30 Summon Spirit Mount (21 Mana) – This spell will summon a loyal tireless steed far faster than any mundane horse! This loyal mount is fully aware, with a personality similar to the casters own. You can summon an unlimited number of mounts!
Overlord Improvements
Arcane Reaver Tier 2: +1 to Strength, Vitality, Finesse, Quickness & Willpower.
Blood Reaver Tier 2 – Blood, Death, and Necromantic magics are 40% more effective and 20% cheaper to cast. All destructive magics are 20% more effective. All healing magics cost 30% more mana. (All bonuses stack with Potent Magus. All penalties are fully negated with spell mastery or Overlord Ritual).
Death’s Kiss Tier 2 – Every foe who falls to your spell, blade, or Psionic power shrivels to dust as you claim their life force for your own! You instantly heal 6 wound tiers and 20% of your maximum Health/Stamina/Mana/Psion with every foe you kill!
Song of Battle Tier 2 – The killing fields are your friend! You heal an additional 10 points of Health/Stamina/Mana/Psion per second whenever you find yourself upon the field of battle, engage in melee combat, or use magic or psionics at close range! Dark rejuvenation continues for 30 seconds after last foe has fallen or all enemies have fled from your sight!
Dark Legend Tier 2 – Some legends never die. Survival has been boosted a total of 100 points!
___________________________________________________________________
Condensed Dominion Matrix
Overlord Rank 7 (70% bonus to one aspect of each territory’s attributes.)
Territories Claimed: 6
Lesser Territories: Highblood Province / Greengrove Province / Terrance Province / Ormur Province (Note. Ormur Province has been sacrificed to a Tier 1 Lesser territory. Zero improvements, Zero population, 1 gate.)
Greater Territories: Blackenthorp Province / Falinnborg (+70% luck)
Key Terran Territory Resources: Tier 5 Research Facility (+70%) / Tier 10 Arcane Academy (+70%)/ Tier 3 Elementium & Altersian Crystal & Silbion Reserves / Tier 5 Alchemical Garden & Fungal Grove / Tier 6 Agricultural Facilities / Tier 6 Manufacturing Facilities (+70%) / Tier 5 Mining Facilities / Tier 7 Mercantile Facilities
Key Dwarven Territory Resources: Tier 5 Agricultural Facilities / Tier 10 Valorium Mine / Tier 7 Elementium Mine / Tier 10 Manufacturing Facilities / Tier (Undefined!) Research Facilities
Unspent territory points: 57
Unclaimed Territories Attuned to: Wildlands (Lesser Attunement)
_________________________________________________________________
Tactical Dominion Submatrix
Ward: +6% Defensive bonus to all units and enhancements within your territories!
Assault: +5% (8) = 40% bonus to all offensive maneuvers for up to 32 party members or soldiers under your command.
_________________________________________________________________
23
“Hey, you’re up!” said a grinning Julia, getting up from the table in Dirk’s room, where everyone save Val had been happily munching away on chocolate pastries and apple fritters, if Val's nose wasn't mistaken, glasses filled with what looked like chilled milk or the ever present sangria.
Her eyes widened in pleased surprise. “Your scars, they changed!”
Val blinked. “Did they? I didn’t really notice. I’ve sort of gotten out of the habit of looking in the mirror, for obvious reasons.”
Yin was beaming, giving Val a thumbs up. “You’ll always be my hero, Val, but damn it’s good to see you looking like you again.”
Chris nodded. “You look almost human,” he teased. “No, actually you look good, Val, though don’t expect to get callbacks from too many job interviews.”
Val furrowed his brows. “Come again?”
“It’s your tattoos, Val,” Dirk said. “Or what look
almost like tattoos. The scars have healed into very neat, very specific patterns. Like Scandinavian runes, if I had to take a guess.”
Yin nodded. “And they all have this epic silver sheen.” She flashed a teasing grin. “I think it looks hot. Half my sorority sisters would want to date you, the other half would rush off to class, afraid your wild looks will corrupt them somehow.”
Julia smirked before planting a kiss on Val’s lips. “He’s already corrupted me just fine, thank you very much. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Val couldn’t help grinning as he held her in his arms, savoring the taste of her cherry red lipstick, breathing her in and feeling her purr before finally stepping back with an apologetic grin, his growling belly making it clear he had other needs besides those of his heart.
“Pastries enough to do any Chicagoan proud. I’m surprised I don’t see any coffee,” Val remarked as he bit into a chocolate-covered pastry, having to hold back a moan as the rich flavors of dark chocolate, orange zest, and buttery pastry filled his mouth with pure happiness, only heightened by the cold glass of milk he washed it all down with.
“Oh, they’re coming up with coffee and eggs as soon as the chef Lady Highblood sent in has it all prepared,” said Yin, looking absolutely vibrant as she flashed Val a cheeky grin before leaning against the powerfully built captain who gave Val a welcoming nod.
“Good to see you up and about, Valor,” Dirk said. “And yes. The minute I woke up and made sure everyone was okay, I reported in with Christine. She commends your decisive victory, by the way, and eagerly awaits our return. But she appreciates the vital nature of our mission and understands how important it is for us to keep our dwarven allies out of Dominion hands.”
Val blinked in surprise before giving a curt nod. “Understood,” he said, appreciating his friend’s disciplined approach to their mission. With their shared background, they’d be fools to neglect the tactical advantages of a smooth chain of command and the continuous flow of information with so many forces allied against them. “Any further news?”
Oblivion's Crown Page 30