The Omnithaneum

by Matthew Powell

  The plasma round from Jonah’s special gun clipped Joshua, passing through his barrier and obliterating half of his helmet, managing to take off a chunk of his head, including an eye. The wound wasn’t lethal and was healed instantly at a hefty Pestilence cost, but it still pissed Joshua off. A weapon that completely ignored defenses like that just wasn’t fair.

  The hundreds of laser-sniper beams currently striking him were hardly fair either. Joshua’s barrier broke under the pressure, though his shield was able to hold. A few shots pierced through, but none were able to penetrate both his shield and thick armor. Not seeing an opening and still angry about the plasma rifle, Joshua released Airborne Pandemic and fell behind the building.

  It would only take a few seconds for the snipers to follow and make sure he was dead, so there wasn’t any time to spare. This building was taller than the surrounding ones, nearly ten stories, which was exactly why the snipers had picked it. That height also meant it could be collapsed just like the other two, but Joshua wasn’t happy with that. No, after being shot in the head, he needed to show off a little, for his pride if nothing else.

  Joshua drew his longsword and took a position, preparing to swing it. Extending his sword with Pestilence wasn’t a useful ability in most situations since he could just use the Rail-Disks, but damn if it didn’t look cool. He swung, pushing nearly 200,000 Pestilence into the sword all at once.

  The blade extended nearly 200 feet, cutting the building in half at an angle before dissipating. The sword didn’t cut all the way through, coming short by just a few feet, but it was close enough. The tower collapsed into the building next to it, bringing them both down and sending all of the snipers on the roof crashing to the ground. Joshua could tell by the EXP notifications that only three of them had died, but now that they were on the ground, he had the advantage.

  The sensor web spread throughout the building’s rubble, telling Joshua exactly where the survivors were. Most of the were injured at least slightly, which made the next part even easier. The half-halo of Rail-Disks reformed and started shooting through the rubble, piercing through and killing the snipers one at a time. For the ones that were behind or under too much stuff to shoot through, the disks hunted them down like drones and finished them off. Two disks were destroyed in the process, but it was a small price to pay.

  Jonah, unfortunately, managed to escape towards the building that the rest of the Saints were fighting from. He wouldn’t be enough to make a difference, at least not quickly, so Joshua hid among the rubble and waited for his Pestilence to come back. Everyone in both of the buildings had seen his little stunt, and the only thing stopping them from investigating was eachother.

  While waiting, Joshua started thinking of plans for how to deal with the two groups. A massively overcharged Exploding Eye might work, but it would never get close without being shot down. The Infection-variants had the same problem, and the Rail-Disks would just draw attention towards him.

  Joshua pulled out the skill book that the Living Dead had dropped. It could possibly give him a skill that would silently kill both buildings, but was it worth it? No, Joshua decided as he put the book back, it wasn’t. Saving the book for emergencies was a much better idea, and there was hardly a shortage of battles throughout the city. He didn’t need to waste time or resources on every single skirmish.

  Joshua sped away from the battle but kept a mental image of where it was in his mind. While he wasn’t worried about the NPCs, he wanted to avoid Jonah if possible. No amount of preparedness and defense would save him from that rifle, so he wanted to be out of sniping distance at all times.

  This process continued for some time. Joshua wasn’t sure how long he spent fighting, but it must have been a few hours at least. The city was huge, so big that he never needed to risk running through the same area twice while searching for targets. Any tall buildings that he found with Saints or Demons inside was destroyed, earning him more EXP than he ever would have gotten by fighting normally.

  Levels and Pestilence flowed like a river as Joshua made good on his promise to turn the war into a massacre. He managed to steal hundreds of laser rifles and other weapons, though many were destroyed by the collapsed buildings and the prices continued to drop. The sheer quantity he was selling actually forced the prices down even faster, as there were fewer people buying these specific weapons than he had weapons to sell. The price for each gun, in the space of these few hours, had dropped from 100 each to less than 10.

  Once the sky began to grow dark, the fighting calmed down. Joshua found an abandoned rooftop in yet another section of the city and looked over his spoils.

  Zandrius the Blight Lord

  Tier: 5

  Level: 31

  HP: 390,000/390,000 25,000/min while Pestilence capped

  Pestilence: 1M/1M 100,000/min

  Stored Pestilence: 750,000/750,000

  The gains over the last few hours had been unprecedented. He had reached the new Pestilence cap of one million long before he had found enough EXP to reach tier 6, something Joshua was very disappointed about. A million Pestilence was nothing to sneeze at, especially with the insane regeneration it gave, but hitting the cap so early meant that he wouldn’t see any more growth for almost 70 levels.

  Speaking of leveling, it wasn’t exactly getting easier. Just getting to level 32 would take 32 million EXP, equal to well over a hundred of the tier 5 recruits. On the plus side, his killing speed had risen significantly as the battle raged on.

  He had even managed to overpower a few tier 6 enemies in straight-up fights before, tearing through their armor and barriers by just throwing Pestilence at the problem. Turns out a Demon soldier’s armor can’t stand up to a 200,000 Pestilence Rail-Disk shot, though it took a few weaker hits to finish the job. Fighting more than two tier 6 enemies was still out of the question, at least for a few more levels.

  While Joshua was capable of hunting more enemies down and continuing to grind through the night, he had just decided to take better care of himself earlier in the day, and it was better not to break that resolution so quickly. Joshua took 20 minutes to abuse his new Pestilence generation and upgraded his equipment before logging out.

  Blight Lord’s Bulwark

  Soul-Bound Class Set

  Mitigation Potential: 15,000

  Pestilence Towards Next Upgrade: 0/10,000,000

  Stored Pestilence: 0/1,000,000

  Set Bonus: Pestilence Vision, Instant Equip, Empowered Weapons, Plague Battery

  Gem-Encrusted Blight Mage’s Robes (Adornment)

  Soul-Bound Armor Set

  Mitigation Potential: 2500

  Barrier Strength: 100,000

  Pestilence Towards Next Upgrade: 10M

  Stored Pestilence: 0/500,000

  Set Bonus: Instant Equip, Plague Battery, Gem-Adorned

  His sword and shield grew stronger as well, doubling in stats, but nothing gained any extra bonuses. Joshua was tempted to go right for the next upgrade in the hopes of finding a new bonus and better stats, as the equipment was starting to feel a little underwhelming compared to his current power but resolved to save that for later. For now, he needed some rest.

  Chapter 18

  Factions wars will come to an end, eventually. Nothing lasts forever after all. The conflicting nature of most factions means that the war will likely start up again within a few weeks, but by then most of the original players will have moved on. When it comes to Sci-Fi civilizations, the most common way for a faction war to end is when one side takes complete control over the planet’s Omnithaneum door. Complete control, in this instance, means they have successfully pushed out the enemies’ space fleets to the point where they can safely reinforce the door's position, making it unassailable until a new fleet arrives, at which point the war will resume. – on Faction Wars, from The Chronicles of The Founder

  Centus smiled widely as his soldiers began the assault. They had finally pushed their way through the Saint’s forces, forcing them all the
way back towards the Omnithaneum door’s location. One more battle and the war would be over.

  The Nineveh had proven its worth and forced the Cathedral of Apotheosis to leave the system, marking the first major space victory that the Demons Who Corrupt had ever earned over the Saints Who Cleanse. The strange and new immortal outsiders had proven useful to the cause, quickly adapting to whatever role they chose.

  The Saint's strict adherence to the worship of gods had become their downfall in the end. They had believed that the Demons wouldn’t intervene while they used the Cathedral to create a new god mid-war, shutting down all of its weapon systems and pulling most of its personnel away for the ritual.

  It would have worked, had Centus not spent the last few days digging through the Omnithaneum’s countless tomes. Most expeditions into the endless halls of the great library were fruitless, as there seemed to be little in the way or organization. The librarians occasionally helped, but just as often led to knowledge that was completely unrelated. Not this time.

  Centus, with the help of a number of librarians, had managed to find a book that recorded the future. Such records were common in the Omnithaneum, but no one cared about the detailed history and future of a specific rock or blade of grass. What Centus had found was a tome detailing the history of the Saint’s Pantheon, past, present, and future.

  And it warned of the creation of a new god that very day.

  Normally, the Cathedral of Apotheosis wouldn’t have appeared any different while creating a god. Its weapons would have simply stopped firing for a few hours, after which they would resume as if nothing had happened. With this book, the Demons were prepared to take advantage of that opening.

  And take advantage they did. The battle had cost nearly half of the Demon fleet, but they had succeeded. The Saint fleet, including the Cathedral, had been crippled and forced to flee for repairs. They would return within weeks, and during that time their ground forces could only be reinforced by the Omnithaneum door that Centus was currently sieging.

  Despite having possessed the door for less than two days, the Saints Who Cleanse had done a remarkable job securing it. Judging by the size of the base and the material of the walls, an entire battleship had been scuttled to use for resources. Such armor could only be pierced by battleship-class weaponry but doing so risked destroying the door that it protected.

  Centus led over 5000 soldiers, all tier 6, along with multiple tier 7 and 8 sorcerers like himself. Jakobus, one of the most powerful Saints and the leader of their ground forces, personally commanded the defending force of 2000 tier 6 priests. They did not have nearly as many tier 7 and 8 fighters, but Jakobus was the only person on the planet at tier 9. He personally made up the difference.

  The Demon soldiers advanced, sprinting the distance to the pristine white walls that guarded the dungeon. Centus could sense that the Saints had destroyed the dungeon, likely to build this very fortress. At least they wouldn’t need to worry about being harassed by low-tier zombies during the battle.

  The Demons shot at the walls, forgoing siege weaponry and using their personal guns. The bullets hit the wall by the thousand, but other than a few unlucky priests at the top getting clipped, no damage was done. Those same priests turned around and threw holy fire down on the attacking soldiers, burning any who drew too close to the wall.

  Demon Sorcerers made their way to the front, shielding the soldiers with their magic while they climbed the wall. Hundreds of soldiers died before the first crested the wall edge, and the tide of battle turned in the Demon’s favor. The priests did not have the heavy armor or weaponry that the soldiers relied on, and while their magic was powerful, it could only accomplish so much.

  The priests began to fall. The walls were finally overtaken, with nearly two soldiers dead for every priest, but that was a sacrifice Centus was happy to make. It would all be worth it once they took the Omnithaneum door.

  Centus, from a perch on the walls, was finally able to observe the inside. The Saints had completely demolished the dungeon that used to sit here, replacing it with heavy fortifications. In the middle of the base sat a wooden door, not connected to anything, and he knew right away that this was what they had been fighting for.

  Reaching the door was a different story. The walls had not been the only defense that the Saints had erected, merely the first. The door sat on top of a small hill, surrounded by three separate rings of bunkers, each slightly farther out than the last and connected by a trench system.

  Priests hid among the trenches, firing bursts of magic and holy fire the moment that a soldier came into range. Massive gouts of fire spewed from the bunkers, as squads of priests fed their power to mounted flamethrowers pointed at the approaching Demons. Jakobus himself stood by the door, firing long-range artillery spells that wiped out a dozen soldiers with each cast.

  The soldiers, in spite of the danger, marched forward without hesitation. Each one knew that this was their best chance to seize the door and that every minute they wasted gave the Saints more time to reinforce. Even now, Centus could see new priests coming through the door to help hold the line. One way or another, this battle wouldn’t last long.

  The first trench fell within minutes, only because the Saints pulled back towards the second. Their numbers had been cut thin during the assault on the walls, and they didn’t have enough priests to cover every direction versus the encircling soldiers.

  The second trench had no such issue. Demon soldiers burnt alive by the hundreds as their own armor melted, trapping them in a scalding hell until their HP ran out. The sorcerers saved whoever they could, but they couldn’t shield the soldiers and attack the bunkers at the same time. Sacrifices had to be made.

  By the time that the Demons broke through and began assaulting the third and final trench, both sides were growing tired. Less than 2000 Demon soldiers were left, in addition to just over half of their original sorcerers. The Saints were in even worse shape, with less than 500 survivors, as many had not been able to pull back from the second trench. Most of their strongest priests had fallen while attempting to buy time, leaving Jakobus as the only true threat.

  The soldiers continued their advance, never stopping to glance at the comrades falling around them. Centus personally lead the remaining sorcerers, heading the charge at blocking the majority of holy magic that came their way. While the soldiers fought the remaining priests, Centus and the sorcerers broke through to fight Jakobus.

  The old priest stood, slightly hunched, in front of the open Omnithaneum door. On the other side, Centus could see dozens of priests, all watching the fight. If Jakobus wasn’t enough, then they would only get in the way.

  “We meet again, old man,” Centus said, drawing Jakobus’ stare. “Its been a few years since we fought last. I hope your age hasn’t weakened you too much.” Centus took a mocking tone as he spoke. He was one of the only Demons to survive a fight against Jakobus before, although barely, and now he wanted revenge.

  “Ah, yes, the Demon youngling.” Jakobus, in comparison, spoke like a tired old man. “I see my last lesson didn’t get the point across. You cannot defeat us, Demon. The Pantheon will hold strong, regardless of what tricks or magic you use against it.”

  “How about we put that claim to the test!” Centus roared, firing a barrage of dark-magic bolts towards the old priest. A golden sphere sprung up around Jakobus to protect him. Divine Protection, one of the Saints most powerful defensive spells. Only four priests in the entire order were able to maintain one for longer than an instant, and Jakobus was among them.

  Centus and the other sorcerer’s magic bounced off the sphere without even scratching it, only causing it to dim slightly. Centus saw his chance and bombarded the sphere with every offensive spell he knew, and the other sorcerers followed shortly. Jakobus had already spent much of his power flinging those long-range artillery spells, and while he had personally killed hundreds of soldiers, the act had left him too drained to maintain the barrier for long.

&
nbsp; A look of despair came over the old priest’s face as he realized what was coming. If he attempted to defend the door for any longer, it would mean his death. It was in this moment of despair that he saw an armored figured, standing on the walls that the Demons had long since moved past, with a giant floating disk above his head. A twinkle came into Jakobus’ old eyes as he jumped backward, dispelling the barrier and flying through the door into the Omnithaneum.

  All of the Demon sorcerers stopped their magic immediately, afraid of what might happen if some slipped through the door and angered a librarian. Centus walked up to the door, head held high, as he addressed Jakobus.

  “We finally beat you. With this world under our control, the Demons Who Corrupt can finally establish an empire that truly opposes the Saints Who Cleanse. It’s just a shame that I didn’t get to kill you, Jakobus.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Demon,” Jakobus said this with a disturbing smile on his face that put Centus on edge. There was a cracking sound, an explosion, and half of the door’s frame was blown away by a railgun shot. Jakobus’ smile grew even wider, showing his teeth as he continued speaking. “Those damn outsiders can be an unpredictable bunch, can’t they?”

  Centus could only scream in anger as door frame crumbled and the Omnithaneum faded away, creating a new entrance somewhere on the planet. It could take days for them to locate it again, and by that point, it would be even more heavily reinforced than this one was. The Saints had won, and it had all been due to outside interference.