Panting in relief and with adrenaline still surging, Kyran looked forward to see how the spider was fairing.
Tamed shadow spider. Remaining health: 63/150 HP. Remaining beast bond duration: 34 minutes.
Skeletal warrior remaining health: 71/120 HP.
The battle was not going well for it. Kyran moved to assist. This time, having learnt his lesson, he positioned himself well out of melee range before launching streams of fire darts into the second skeleton. It disengaged from the spider and moved in attack upon Kyran, but this time Kyran did not relent. Standing fast, and ignoring its charge, he drenched the skeleton in fire.
Your fire dart has hit a skeletal warrior for 13 fire damage (+2 damage). Remaining health: 46/120 HP.
Your fire dart has hit a skeletal warrior for 12 fire damage (+2 damage). Remaining health: 34/120 HP.
Your fire dart has hit a skeletal warrior for 10 fire damage (+2 damage). Remaining health: 24/120 HP.
Your fire dart has hit a skeletal warrior for 15 fire damage (+3 damage). Remaining health: 9/120 HP.
You have killed a level 10 skeletal warrior (4,830 XP gained: 33,915/42,000 combat XP).
Halfway through its charge, it collapsed, defeated. Kyran looked up at the guardroom entrance. None of the other skeletons had made it out alive from his firetrap. During the battle with the two skeletons he had been peripherally aware of receiving death notifications from the skeletons trapped in the room. He checked his battle log summary.
Battle Log (Summary)
The battle has ended.
Combat Results
Creatures bonded: 0.
Creatures killed: 6 level 10 skeletal warriors.
Combat Gains
Kyran Seversan:
XP gained: 28,980 XP.
Levels gained: 2 levels (18 SP, 2 attributes, 4 AP). New combat level: Level 7.
Shadow Spider:
N/A (not a player).
Party Status
Kyran Seversan:
Health: 63 / 70
Stamina: 180/500
Will: 920/1020
Essence: 72/1200
Combat Level: 7 (53,235/56,000), Civilian Level: 2 (2,025/6,000 XP).
Shadow Spider:
Health: 63 / 150
Beast bond expires in 34 minutes.
He had won.
✽ ✽ ✽
The throne room of the Crota citadel lay shrouded in heavy darkness. An ancient place, where for long centuries nothing had stirred, twice within the matter of days its occupant was roused. Zarr Dwamenkor opened his eyes. His sleep had been disturbed again. Angrily he searched for the source. The world portal was quiescent, so too was the southern entrance from the forest, and the eastern one from the mountain pass. That left only the subterranean entrance. All was quiet there too… no, wait, the portal room guards were not responding.
Troubled, Zarr projected his mind forth to the sleeping sentinels in the catacombs. He awoke them and commanded them to investigate…
✽ ✽ ✽
The guardroom was badly scorched and the smell of ash clung to the air. Kyran surveyed the room in satisfaction. Even with the nearly disastrous swordfight near the end, it had been a well-planned and well-executed victory. The wound he had sustained in the exchange had turned out to be much less severe than he feared. It had been easily healed with restore health.
The spider had followed him into the room. Curling up its legs, it had squeezed through the doorway with very little difficulty. Looking at the spider, he said, “We make a good team, you and I.” He stopped in surprise. His own voice was strange to his ears. He realised that these were the first words he had uttered since coming to Myelad only…. one day ago. It felt more like a lifetime. His memories from life on earth were already fading and on reflection felt surreal. The battle with the skeletons had been a whirlwind of emotion. He had been very close, he knew, to succumbing to his fears and fleeing the battle. He had been in very real danger of losing both life and limb. Danger in which, he had willing placed himself. He could not imagine ever doing anything remotely like it on Earth.
He shook himself free of his daydreams and refocused on his surroundings. This room’s design was identical to that of the mine guardroom. There were only two exits from it, one back to the portal room, and the other leading deeper into the citadel. He commanded the spider to guard the entrance to the citadel while he systematically searched the room. He did not expect to find much, but wanted to be certain.
In the far-right corner of the room he found a couple of metal chests. One was broken open and empty but the other, though scorched and battered, was whole. He felt immediate excitement, at the thought of finding some useable gear. Loot, thought Kyran wryly, never fails to excite a gamer. He looked around for a suitable rock to bash open the chest, then paused. Maybe it’s open already? He shrugged, it was worth a try at least. He pulled on the lid, and surprisingly found that it was indeed open. What sacrilege, he chuckled, an unlocked chest!
Buried inside, amongst dusty and mouldy remains he found a set of armour and a pair of swords.
Found: Full set of chitin armour (helm, leggings, leather vest, gloves and arms).
Type: Light armour.
Weight: 8 kg (full set).
Rank: Common.
Armour: 20 armour.
Condition: Good.
Description: Light armour is the most common form of armour worn by those seeking both mobility and physical protection. This set of armour is made from chitin. Chitin is an extremely durable substance created from the carapace of insectoid creatures. You may equip this.
Found: Basic steel longsword.
Type: Weapon.
Weight: 1.4 kg.
Rank: Common.
Damage: 6-10 Piercing or slashing damage.
Condition: Good.
Description: The basic longsword is commonly used by arms men and soldiers throughout the world. It is a straight, double edged bladed weapon that may be wielded with either one or two hands. You may equip this.
Found: Basic steel shortsword.
Type: Weapon.
Weight: 0.8 kg.
Rank: Common.
Damage: 5-8 Piercing or slashing damage.
Condition: Good.
Description: The basic shortsword is a smaller version of the longsword. It is a double-edged blade with a sharp point and is wielded with one hand. You do not have the skill (one-handed weapons (short)) to wield this in combat.
Like the helm he had found in the portal room, the chitin armour from the chest showed no signs of decay. Each piece was polished black, and while hard was not overly rigid, nor restrictive. He equipped the armour over his clothing. All the pieces were slightly too big but fitted well enough.
You have equipped a full set of chitin armour (light armour). Your total armour has increased from 2 to 20.
He picked up the swords. Each was sheathed in a chitin scabbard. He drew them out and inspected each carefully. They were both plain and unadorned. Likely the swords of the very guardsmen who had once manned this entrance. They had been well preserved in the chest and showed no signs of rust or decay. He discarded his rusted longsword in favour of his new find and fastened its scabbard around his waist. The shortsword, he stored in his inventory.
You have equipped a basic steel longsword, increasing your maximum physical attack to 10.4.
Pleased with his find, he continued his search of the room, hoping to uncover yet more gear. He was rummaging amidst the wreckage of a weapons rack when two red dots emerged on the edge of his map. The hostiles approached at speed from deeper within the citadel. Without hesitation, he abandoned his search and ran to the portal room entrance. Hurriedly he cloaked himself with the blend spell and ordered the spider to fade into the shadows as well. Calmly he tracked the hostiles approach and formulated plans for an impromptu ambush. His earlier tactics would suffice, he decided. At the entrance the spider would engage the hostiles, entangling and delaying them while from afar, K
yran would cast his own disables and ranged attacks. The hostiles reached the guardroom, and in eerie silence glided within.
They were not what he was expecting.
He has assumed (incorrectly it turned out) that the approaching undead would be more skeletons, at worst some higher order variant, perhaps even skeletal champions. Instead what stood before him were two ghostly shapes that were infinitely more daunting in appearance. He probed the creatures quickly.
Creature: Wraith
Type: Reanimated Dead
Rarity: Uncommon
Level: 20
Health: 150 / 150
Attack: 15-25 (cold)
Defences (Physical/ Psi/ Spell): 20 / Invulnerable / 15
Special Effects:
Defenceless against divine (+75% holy damage).
Vulnerable to fire (+50% fire damage).
Immune to cold damage.
Ethereal (-95% physical damage).
Description:
The haunted and tormented remains of a spirit as a result of a traumatic death. Unlike most other undead, wraiths are the animated remains of spirit, not body. As such they are not mindless and still contain some semblance of thought. They are extremely dangerous due to their near immunity to physical attacks and piercing cold attacks.
The wraiths were ethereal, beings of almost of pure spirit and no body. They were roughly humanoid in shape, with indistinct features and oversized clawed hands that were held menacingly before them.
Your shadow spider has been detected by a level 20 wraith.
As the wraiths glided into the room, they immediately spotted the shadow spider lurking at the entrance. Without hesitation, they accelerated into attack, emitting unholy howls of terror.
A wraith is immune to your shadow spider’s entangling web.
A wraith has hit your shadow spider for 10 cold damage. Remaining health: 53/150 HP.
A wraith has hit your shadow spider for 12 cold damage. Remaining health: 41/150 HP.
Your shadow spider has missed a wraith.
A wraith has hit your shadow spider for 10 cold damage. Remaining health: 31/150 HP.
A wraith has hit your shadow spider for 15 cold damage. Remaining health: 16/150 HP.
Your shadow spider has missed a wraith.
The battle was almost over before it began. The wraiths inflicted massive damage to the spider, with each strike of their claws. Fearfully, Kyran checked the status of his blend. In relief, he saw that he remained hidden. The spider would soon be dead. Kyran knew he had to leave before that happened. There was nothing he could do to turn the tide. He whirled around and fled back to the portal room.
Your shadow spider has been killed.
The expectant message came as he was hurrying back down the passage. Anxiously, he scanned his map but no pursuit followed. He reached the portal room, panting for breath. He was tired and exhausted, having fought two difficult battles today. With the adrenaline fading he wanted nothing more than to lie down and rest but the wraiths were too close. The portal room was no longer safe. Forcing himself into motion, he started the long journey back to the spider’s cavern.
Hunted
Myelad is a prison world. Initially it was created by the gods as a prison to house their elder siblings, the demons. Later, after Eld’s betrayal, it became the gods’ prison as well. You may ask (as many before you have), how can primordial beings of such unfathomable power be contained in something as mundane as a prison? The answer lies with the essence shield and the essence wells. Both serve one core function; to starve its celestial prisoners from essence, their life blood and source of power.
The essence shield cuts off Myelad from the pathways, and thus both prevents its inmates from leaving, and essence from entering. The essence shield is itself a marvel of essence engineering. It is self-sustaining, powered as it is by the very essence it blocks from entering Myelad.
The essence wells trap and contain all natural essence generated within Myelad. There is thus no free essence for the Gods and Demons to feed off. The Gods sustain themselves through divine essence siphoned from Myelad’s sentient beings and the essence wells controlled by its champions; while demons are fed by the mere pittance of essence channelled into the Dungeons, the demons’ prison within a prison, and the only place in Myelad where natural essence is allowed to flow freely – from The Origin of Myelad and the Gods’ Game by Silenheim Librarian, Marcos Aurclasy.
The lich king impatiently waited for the wraiths to report back. He was well awake now and furious with this incursion into his territory. The beasts of the underground knew better than to attempt such. It was more than probable that this was the doing of one of the Gods, but which one? No longer able to remain still he stormed off his throne and impatiently paced the ancient marble floors.
He was on the verge of sending out a second scout party when he sensed the wraiths approaching. They glided to a stop before Zarr and presented their report. “The guard force at the underground east entrance is no more, my lord,” said the first wraith in a tortured hiss.
Knowing as much already Zarr demanded impatiently, “How?”
“A shadow spider was present in the room, my lord. We detected no other presences, however both the room and the skeletal remains showed signs of scorching. We judge that magical fire was used to defeat the guards, and surmise that there must have been at least one other intruder,” said the second wraith.
“And the spider? What was the reason for its presence?” asked the lich king. “That we do not know my lord, but it now lies dead.”
Zarr nodded and dismissed the wraiths. It was time for a hunt.
✽ ✽ ✽
After another torturous three-hour trek, Kyran stumbled into the spider’s cavern. He had spent the better part of the day walking or fighting and was completely drained but could not rest just yet.
Wearily he searched for the silk strand that he had earlier used to climb down from the spider’s web. Spotting it, he sat down to rest and eat before attempting the arduous climb up.
The spider’s web offered the best chance for a safe refuge in the tunnels. Its height and position naturally concealed it and being the spider’s hunting ground, other predators in the vicinity likely avoided it as well.
He wondered at the wraiths’ arrival in the guardroom. Was it mischance, or had his battle with the skeletons somehow attracted their notice? If it was the former, his precautions were unnecessary. But if it was the latter, it was possible that the wraiths were hunting him, in which case, he hoped that the spider's web, his bolt hole, would go undetected. He finished his unappetising meal of rock beetle and struggling to his feet, started the climb.
Minutes later, arms aching from the strenuous climb, he dragged himself up onto the web. He pulled up his makeshift rope and stored it in one of the cocoons. Fearful of falling while asleep, he searched for a suitable cocoon, to serve as both bed and safety harness. The first few he peered into contained the grizzled remains of... something. Fighting nausea, he hastily backed away from these. Eventually he found a cocoon that but for a dry musty smell, was blessedly free of any gory remains. Gratefully, he climbed in and promptly feel asleep.
✽ ✽ ✽
You have slept 4 hours. Will, essence and stamina completely restored. The date is 03 Jul 2603 AB, and the time 14:57.
Groggily, Kyran turned over. Sleepily he wondered what was wrong with his bed, it was lumpier than normal. He shifted drowsily, searching for a comfortable position. Coming up short against the cocoon walls, the present rushed back and he startled awake. He looked around. Something other than his deplorable sleeping arrangements had woken him. He checked the game interface, he had slept for four hours. Wondering as to the source, he sat up carefully. He froze when he heard voices.
“The trail from the guardroom ends here, Aveyad.” The voice was cracked, brittle and more than a little menacing. Kyran shivered.
“Yes, but where is the champion? I don’t sense any divine presence near
by, do you?” questioned Aveyad. His was a cold, wintery voice.
“No, but perhaps it detected our presence and disguised its trail.”
Are they talking about me? thought Kyran. They must be, he decided, even if they mistook him for a champion. Their presence here could not be a coincidence. Not so soon after his attack on the skeletons. They had tracked him from the citadel... which meant they were undead.
“Perhaps,” replied Aveyad. Both voices fell in a contemplative silence. Kyran could not see either speaker. They were both beyond the range of his truesight vision but he could hear them clearly. Their voices echoed loudly in the still silent air of the cavern. The cold dispassion of the two creatures sent chills of dread running through him. Whatever they were, he suspected that they were scarier than the wraiths he had encountered earlier.
“So, what do we now? The king will not be happy if it escapes,” said the first.
Aveyad laughed, a gravelly hollow sound. “That is an understatement Tyeliss. Zarr will be furious. I suspect there will be no rest for us until the invader is found and killed.”
Tyeliss grunted, “I tire of this Aveyad, how many more years must this go on? When will our duty ever end?”
A pregnant pause greeted this statement. A thought long left unsaid had been voiced. Eventually, Aveyad replied, “I understand my friend, but we must hold to our duty.”
“I know Aveyad, I know, but I wonder if it worth the price anymore.”
“Dare not doubt Tyeliss, least I lose you too,” said Aveyad urgently. “Hold tight to your duty, or risk losing yourself like the others.”
“Never fear Aveyad, I will hold to my duty”.
A glum, unhappy silence followed this. Abandoning the awkward subject, Aveyad said, “We must divide the hunting party. I will take the north-east fork, you the north-west.”
“And the eastern tunnel?” asked Tyeliss, accepting, without comment, the change of topic.
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