Before I was turned into so much dead meat by the colored dragons, I launched a flurry of blows at the ghost dragon. Electricity and Holy Power exploded with every strike that hit the dragon, tearing through its skin and slamming into its massive beating heart. I had half a second to smile as my power exploded out of me, blowing the beating organ into gooey bits that sprayed outward across the walls.
COMBO! Your Knight’s Flurry combines with Smite the Wicked and Lightning Bolt! It hits Ghost Dragon 4 times (2 critical)! It takes a total of 32,172 Physical Damage, 97,182 Spiritual Damage, and 12,872 Electrical Damage! Ghost Dragon dies!
I whirled around, sinking to my knees, exhausted and powerless. I could only watch as the other dragons roared toward me energy rolling off their bodies.
Damn.
I sucked in a breath and tried to will myself to my feet, but my Endurance was so low, it was nearly impossible. I tried, planting one hand on the ground and trying to push myself bodily to my feet. Then I collapsed.
I lay there, watching the dragons come toward me and even though I wanted to shut my eyes, I knew I would be dead either way. I might as well watch it coming like a man.
“Come on!” I snarled, using the last of my Strength to raise my right hand and give the snarling pack a good ole one-fingered salute, and as I did, the ghost dragon finally collapsed to the ground beside me.
And as he did, the other dragons dropped out of the sky and hit the ground all around me. Dead.
A cry of triumph tore from my throat as the things flickered out of existence and their deaths sent experience surging into me quicker and more furiously than I’d ever experienced before. After all, this had been meant as a group encounter certainly, and one for a tough guild to tackle. Me, I had just taken it on solo.
I felt like a boss myself as all the Power traveled into me. My level shot up, pushing upward and upward, over and over. I couldn’t quite keep track, but I did see the end results as the explosion of level-ups ended.
Congratulations! You are now Level 63!
Your maximum Energy increases to 123,000!
You now have 65 unspent Attribute points and 13 unspent Attunement points!
My Attunements I had used had also shot up, the messages lost in the scroll of level-up notifications, but I saw where they had stopped: Knight was up to Rank 60, Celestial was at 32, and Natural Magic ended at 27.
To top it all off, there was a cherry on top. Well, a shining dragon tooth on top, to be specific. One of the ghost dragon’s teeth the length of my forearm sat in the middle of the cave floor, shining with the ethereal light of a loot drop. I snatched it up with one easy motion and knew instantly that it was a trinket-class item, like the goggles I now had. Usually full of useful magic, I wasn’t familiar with this one, so I took a quick glance.
Ghost Dragon’s Tooth
Trinket, Activated
Requires Level 50
30 minute cool down
Calling on the spirit of the ghost dragon, you summon forth four dragon minions to fight at your command for 1 minute or until killed.
Oh yeah, I could think of some uses for that one. I tucked it into my belt, the lingering ripples of power from my massive level up still tingling in my body.
I heard Ori’s words in my head again.
Feeling like a god, I muttered, “Guess it wasn’t so cheesy after all.”
23
I re-emerged from the lake like Superman carrying the broken body of Zod. Except, instead of the corpse of a former Kryptonian general, I was carrying a boatload of new levels and that nifty dragon’s tooth. I had spent my points before I had risen. While before I would have dropped everything into Strength, Stamina, and my Knight Attunement, this time I spread the love. I didn’t want to be a one-trick pony anymore, not with my life on the line.
“Look at you,” Hecate said, smiling at me like an idiot. “All leveled up and no place to go.”
“That’s not exactly true now, is it?” I asked, giving her an emphatic high five and turning to Ori. “We have a tight-ass group of angels to keep safe, don’t we?”
“That we do,” she answered, giving me a pat on the shoulder, though I’d have really liked another kiss. “Now that you’re ready and powered up enough to actually reach the Upper Level, it’s time we go to the portal spot. Oh, and before I forget…” Ori gestured out toward me, and my quest notification sprang to glowing life.
You have cleansed the land of the threat of the ghost dragon and its minions!
You gain 870,000 Experience! Experience 4,733,100/5,200,000 to Level 64!
You gain the favor of the Guardian of the Void! You may now access the Upper Levels!
Quest “Hero of the Principalities” updated!
Objective completed: You have gained Orgina’s favor and access to the Upper Levels!
Objective added: Travel to the Upper Levels and consult with the Principalities!
The Principalities smile on you! Your maximum Energy increases to 173,000!
You gain 13 Essences of the Principalities! 20/100 Essences until a new Attunement unlock.
It took all I could not to freaking squeal with joy when I heard those words. I was going to get to the Upper Level, to the super awesome place where dreams come true and happiness is as simple as looking around, and I was going to be the first to do it.
“Wait ‘til the Avenging Angels get a load of this,” I muttered. “So, the portal,” I started, smiling from ear to ear. “We’ve all looked for it for a long ass time. I’ve got to know, where the hell is the thing?”
Ori leaned closer, her eyes almost shining as she neared me. “Iron Jack, have you ever heard of the Tunnel of Enlightenment?”
“Seriously?” I asked, pulling back from her. “You’ve got to be joking!”
“I am most certainly not,” she said, walking off while smacking her thigh with one hand. “Come on, we’re not going to get there by standing around.”
I grinned. “Yes. Ma’am.”
A little while later, I stood at the mouth of the tunnel, thinking of the last time I was here. I was with the Avenging Angels then. It was the night this all started. It hadn’t been that long ago, though it was hard for me to be sure how long it had been. Everything had gone by like a blur, and the day-night cycle here didn’t exactly sync to Earth. Still, for me though, it felt like a lifetime ago. I felt like a brand-new person.
“We were just here,” I said, almost snorting.
“Are you- are you bragging about nearly finding the portal to the Upper Level?” Hecate asked, looking over at me.
“Hell yeah, I am,” I answered. “It’s a big deal for me.”
“It’s about to be an even bigger deal,” Ori said. Waving her hand, a new set of steps appeared, leading not downward but up. She turned to me, smiling. “Looks like you weren’t as close as you thought.”
“Show-off,” I muttered, my voice shaking.
“You all right?” Hecate asked, leering at me.
“Just nervous,” I admitted.
“That’s to be expected,” she said as she blew out a regretful sigh. “Listen, I just wanted to say that I’m sorry.”
“For what?” I asked. I was on such a high, the suddenly serious turn caught me off-balance.
“For all of it,” Hecate answered. “I’ve lied to you more than once, and you don’t deserve that. But most of all, I’m sorry for taking you away from them. I didn’t see how important your family was to you before. That might sound downright insane, but the truth was, I wouldn’t allow myself to see it. To be fair, it was easy to feel that way. You seemed to be more burdened by your family instead of basking in their love when I first met you. I know better now. To keep my conscience at ease after that, I had to look at you like you were a thing. It was the only way I could do what I needed to.” She shook her head. “I know it doesn’t make it okay, but it is what it is. I hope you can understand.”
I took a deep breath, thinking about all she’d just said. “I can try,�
�� I said as honestly as I could muster. “I can definitely try.”
“Then that’s all I can ask for,” she said, nodding at me and walking toward the tunnel. “Take all the time you need. I know how thrilling this can be the first time, but I know how daunting it can be too. Just … just come when you’re ready.” She smiled at me again. “I think they’re going to be really proud of you.”
I nodded, watching as Hecate disappeared up the stairs as well.
“Wait!” I said, reaching forward. She turned. “About Aaron. I’m really–”
“I know,” she nodded and turned, fading away into nothingness.
“Hey there,” I said, turning to Ori. She grinned at me in response. “I guess this is it.”
“That it is,” she responded. “I think you’re ready.”
“I bet you say that to all the boys,” I teased, pushing her with my elbow.
“I’ve said it a time or two,” she admitted, taking my hand again. “This might be the first time I’ve ever really meant it though.” She swallowed hard. “When you came here, I thought Hecate had made a mistake. Her vision wasn’t as clear as it needed to be after Aaron, but I was wrong. You’re as advertised. I truly believe that now.” She looked down.
“Maybe there’s something in this place for me too,” I dared to say. “Something that’s everything I need too.” I lifted her face with my hand, so she was looking at me. “Someone who means a lot to me too.”
“Iron Jack,” Ori said, her voice actually shaking.
“I’m not the guy you’re looking at,” I admitted. “I’m not handsome like this. I’m not buff and perfect.”
“No,” she said, her face grazing the side of my face. “You’re better because you are the person you are in spite of those things. You have the heart of a true warrior, and it is a good heart, Jack, a heart I am in awe of.”
“Come here,” I said frantically, pushing her face toward me and diving into another life altering kiss. I felt her against me, and I never wanted anything more than her. But I couldn’t have her, not until all of this was finished.
“I’m going to save the world,” I said as she pulled away. “I’m going to do it for you.”
“Do it for all of us,” she answered, then she turned and flew through the portal, disappearing along with Hecate.
I took another deep, cleansing breath, looking around this place. It was funny. I spent so much of my time disappearing into this world. It was insane that now that I was actually in it, all I wanted to do was leave.
Running my hands through my hair, I shook my head and tried to be brave. This was it, after all. It was time to man up and do my damnedest to find the Principalities, save the world, and get back home. Or, you know, die trying.
The steps were nearly alive as I stepped onto them, shifting and squirming underfoot. As I climbed them, hearing some weird, churchy music as I ascended, the world melted away.
KOH and everything inside of it felt like an afterthought as a warm, bright light appeared around me. It wasn’t intrusive or dangerous. It felt like a warm bath, inviting and healing. Pain melted away. Tiredness disappeared. It was all replaced by this light, all replaced by this wonderful light. It seemed to circle me and then replace me. I was the light, and it was me. I was more than myself, more than this avatar, more than Iron Jack.
I was everything, and everything was me.
No wonder the Principalities loved this place.
The light began to fade and the stairs I was on flattened out into ground. I began to imagine all the wondrous things I’d find in this place once the light subsided enough for me to see again.
I could only fathom the miracles and joys I was about to experience, and my heart sped up at the thought of it.
Breathing light and shallow, the light subsided, and a smile spread across my face. My eyes adjusted and the greatest place in all of KOH unfolded before me.
…and it was horrible.
A gray world that was literally on fire spread out around me. This place was a temple, but it had been destroyed, every inch of it desecrated. At my feet lay the bodies of the Principalities: noble angels who had been stabbed, beaten, and had their wings sliced off. The great rule makers of this place had now been reduced to a mess of blood and guts on the floor of this sacred space.
Gasping, I jerked backward. Looking up, I saw Hecate and Ori on their knees, tied up with glowing rope. The Jackal was standing behind them, flanked by guards.
I rushed toward them, but a wall of energy knocked me backward.
“Not so fast,” a familiar voice said.
Looking over, I saw the Shadow. At his feet were the wings of the fallen Principalities. This son of a bitch had killed them all, and now he was going to pay.
“You and I,” he smiled, red eyes glowing, “have some unfinished business to attend to.”
24
I was too late. The Shadow had already won. While I was busying myself slaying dragons and making myself worthy to enter this place, he was breaking it over his knee and sucking out the juices. I was a failure. I had lost, and now I was going to die.
I pulled out my sword, feeling a surge of power run through me. Despite that feeling of strength from all my recent leveling, the Shadow hadn’t been sitting on his laurels since our last meeting. Before, he had simply been breaking the old rules by being above level cap. Now, though, the experience points he had reaped from the Principalities had turned his Level into a number as glitched out as his unknown Attunement. Speaking of those, all his Attunements were now max Rank, 100 across the board. To say this was bad was the understatement of the century.
“Does it really have to be like this?” the Shadow asked, walking toward me and pulling out his own sword. In the corner of my eye, I saw Ori and Hecate struggling vainly to free themselves of those glowing bindings. I had never seen them before, but something told me my allies weren’t going to be able to help me here. Like with the dragons, I was on my own. I could only hope against all reason that things would turn out similarly. “I was hoping we could talk like we did before. I was hoping you had finally come to your senses.”
“My senses?” I balked. “You just slaughtered an entire race. You killed them in cold blood.”
“Those bastards’ blood was always cold!” he snapped back. “Their hearts were too. How can you blame me for this? Look at these things! They flutter around, building a world full of rules that only serve to hurt people, to harm them. Look at the death and destruction.”
What was he even talking about? So people died here; they died back on Earth just as easily. Shaking my head in frustration and growing anger, I yelled, “Destruction you caused!”
“I did what I had to, and I did it because no one else would. These fools would have allowed this world to decay into nothingness. They would have allowed us to fight and kill each other over and over again like playthings whose only purpose is to keep them entertained.” He stomped hard against the floor, a ripple of black, eldritch energy rushing out from his foot. “No more! I will rule this place now, and I’ll do it the right way. I’ll make it all right, and I’ll reshape this place the way I see fit.” He shook his head. “It’ll be the perfect game.”
“This isn’t a game,” I countered tersely. “Not for these people. This is their lives!”
“If that’s the case,” the Shadow said, “their lives are about to get a hell of a lot more interesting.” He shook his head. “I suppose the whole ‘join me’ thing is a lost cause?”
“You could say that,” I answered, holding my ground.
“That’s a shame,” he sighed. “I guess I’ll just have to kill you then.” He shrugged. “Don’t worry, I’d sort of expected it to be this way, so I’m not too broken up about it.”
With that, the Shadow rushed toward me. Above his head, an Energy bar appeared, and I knew it was on. Matching his unquantifiable Level, his Energy bar glitched out, showing only random numbers and letters across it.
As I took
a step backward, ready to fight back, Celestial Energy began to rise from the fallen angels and swirl through the air around me. A surge of Strength hit me, and as it did, my own Energy bar glitched.
Quest “Hero of the Principalities’”updated!
Objective failed: The Principalities have been slain by the Shadow, and the Skull Throne is threatened!
Objective updated: Fight back against the Shadow and find a way to claim the Power of the Principalities!
You have gained the status “Avatar of the Principalities”! Your Energy and Attunement Ranks have been temporarily boosted! You have been given the Power to fight the darkness.
Your maximum Energy is temporarily increased to UY+qazd*567!
Your Knight Attunement is temporarily increased to Rank 100!
Your Celestial Attunement is temporarily increased to Rank 100!
Your Woods Mystic Attunement is temporarily increased to Rank 100!
I ran at him as well, bridging the gap and screaming as blue energy sparked around me, contrasting the blood-red light rippling off of him. My sword swung forward, slamming into his own. A wave of power rang through the air, rattling the walls of this place and shaking the very ground we stood on. It was unlike anything I had ever felt before, perhaps unlike anything this place had ever felt before. Two titans were going at it, one of us wresting the Power of the Principalities by force and one of us wielding it freely given, and that kind of unleashed force had likely never been seen before.
This was the end and, regardless of how this ended, KOH was going to look like a different place from this day forth.
I felt the heat coming off the Shadow’s sword. It scorched me, burning my needlessly handsome face, burning my hands, burning my eyes even. All the same, I still felt strong, and I’d have to trust my feelings instead of the Energy meter in this battle.
He was on the other side though, and I could see that the Celestial Energy coming off my blade wasn’t doing him any favors either. The similarly handsome man’s face was twisted into a mask of pain and tension. It was actually equal parts surprising and flattering. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised. After all, I had taken out a giant dude, a bunch of flunkies, and a pit full of dragons since my time in KOH, not to mention all the PVP and other battles I’d won back when I thought this world was just a video game. I was no newb, and I wasn’t going to go out like one.
The Skull Throne: A LitRPG novel (Kingdom of Heaven Book 1) Page 16
