by Skyler Grant
Walt raised his spectral fist—and predictably the crowd cheered.
“And their opponents in this warm-up round. From the shores of Sixathi we have Crackling Slime! From the skies of Harendome, Razor Harpies! And last, but certainly not least, Blink Sprites!”
Gates were opening on the far side of the arena and our opponents were slithering, flapping, and blinking out of them. I analyzed one of each
Crackling Slime: Gross and Electrifying
Level 15: Type: Creature HP: 140/140
The body of the Crackling Slime is made of a goo that quickly bonds to anything it comes into contact with and hardens. Once hardened the substance of these slimes has a dampening effect on magic and can occasionally inflict paralysis.
Razor Harpies: Cutting Wit
Level 12: Type: Creature HP: 120/120
Razor Harpies earn their name by their ability to cut through everything. The touch of their claws cannot just sever armor, but cuts through defensive charms and enchantments.
Blink Sprites: Don’t Blink
Level 15: Type: Spirit HP: 90/90
Blink Sprites are capable of moving with incredible speed. While their attacks can inflict only mild damage initially their ability to lower magic resistance makes one increasingly vulnerable to future attacks.
None of these were especially tough compared to us, but I was already troubled. All three had some ability to debuff us and they seemed especially oriented at magic. I didn’t think they were expected to kill us. They were supposed to take us out for what came next.
“Only one of us should take on those Slimes. We don’t need to all be covered in goo,” Walt said.
“Please don’t make a sexual pun out of that, Yve or Liam,” Ashley said.
“She knows us too well,” Yve said.
“I’ve got them. Nothing they do is going to affect the Death-hand,” Walt said.
“Yve. You’ve got to stay clear of the Harpies. You’re our biggest magical force right now,” I said.
“I’ve got some area damage with the flames that will take out those Sprites anyways,” Yve said.
“The Harpies sound like they might leave one of us unarmored after the fight,” Ashley said.
Yeah, I was already thinking about that. I wasn’t in love with the thought, but I had a plan there.
“I’ll strip down first. With my regeneration I can take a lot of hits even without armor and that will leave it intact for the next round. You use me as bait for a sneak attack,” I said.
“I think this is the first time you ever planned to go into a fight naked,” Yve said.
“Blame it on the women in my life,” I said. I doubted I’d be as good at it as Ashera or Cobalt though.
I shed my armor and left it in a pile, although I kept Intemperance. I didn’t think they’d be able to do any harm to the divine sword and while I was good at punching things, it was nice to have a blade.
Envelop
Walt was advancing towards the Slimes when one leapt up and encased him totally. He punched his way through, but the others were already working to flank him and get to us.
I charged the lead Harpy, its claws raking across my shoulder even as I brought my sword up to cut it into two. The claws were nothing to joke about, they left clean and perfect lines through my flesh that dug deep.
A second Harpy dived after the first, going for my throat.
Backstab
Ashely was there and her blades tore the Harpy in two.
Field of Fire
Yve ducked and weaved around Sprites, then slammed a hand down onto the arena floor. Fires bloomed everywhere. The Sprite’s wings ignited and in little sparkles of rainbow-colored dust they dissipated.
The fight was going our ways so far, but that wasn’t a surprise. None of them were genuinely a match for us.
Bloboon
One of the Slimes had filled some internal bladder with air and was starting to float in the air. It wasn’t the physics of that which bothered me so much—more that it flew out of the range of Walt’s fist.
Facerake
I didn’t see the Harpy which found me next. I didn’t know it was there until talons were scraping across my face and cutting through my skin. I grabbed the Harpy with my free hand and threw it to the ground.
There was blood in my eyes, entirely too much—or perhaps the Harpy had gotten them. Either way, it was a good thirty seconds until I could see properly again. I’d lost control of the Harpies.
Three circled Yve, diving on her, unbothered by her field of fire. It wasn’t long until her armor was in fragments. Walt got the same treatment.
“Stay stealthed until we deal with them, Ash,” I said, trusting that she could hear me.
I drew back Intemperance and threw it with all the force I could muster, impaling one of the Harpies in midair and causing it to explode in a burst of feathers and flames. I willed the sword back to my hand. I’d never used my sword as a ranged weapon, but with the ability to recall it I could.
Bombs Away
A Harpy had picked up the Bloboon and sent it hurtling towards me. It exploded on contact. I felt the slime coat my skin and after a few moments it hardened. I could still move, but it felt awful and I could feel strange electric jolts in my muscles.
The others were getting hit in the same fashion. Then the Sprites were everywhere, blasting away. Each hit drained my magic resistance a little more and I could feel that unpleasant tingling in my muscles just a bit more sharply.
The synergy of these three was quickly becoming evident. I didn’t know if Veros was the next fight, but if so most competitors would be fighting him naked, vulnerable to magic, and paralyzed a good portion of the time. It was a triple threat that would be difficult to survive even for us.
Yve just kept blasting away at the Sprites and with Intemperance I finished off the last of the Harpies. Walt only had a few Slimes left, but had them backed into a corner while he pummeled away.
“Stand close,” Yve said, coming up beside me.
“Not that I’m not always in the mood, but it doesn’t seem the time,” I said.
“Oh, I’m about to make you all kinds of hot, but not in that way. We need to get this gunk off us. I’m going to burn us alive,” Yve said.
That was a good idea, which you didn’t get to say often about being burnt alive. With her fire resistance and our mutual regeneration we might be good to go by the next stage of the fight and be rid of this paralytic effect.
“Do it,” I said.
Pillar of Flames
Yve pressed herself close to me and the world exploded into fire. There was nothing in the least romantic about being burned alive, for all that I was getting rather used to it.
When the flames finally faded it was like my entire body was a single agonized nerve. Still, it wasn’t too long until my skin began to grow itself back and my lungs stopped aching with every breath.
“Take my armor,” I said to Yve.
“You sure?”
“You’re still our tank and you’ll need it more than I do. One of us should have some protection going into the next fight,” I said.
In a world that wasn’t the Crucible Shard the armor wouldn’t fit me, of course. Here I didn’t think she’d have any trouble fitting into what a short time ago was sized for me. I was fairly sure she’d even make it look better.
Walt finished pounding the last of the Slimes.
“Congratulations to our challengers! A brief rest and then entering the arena will be the noxious clouds of Vree and the fan favorite, Death Fog,” said the announcer.
Chapter 33
Ashley faded back into view with the fight done and we all met together back in the middle of the arena.
Everyone except Ashley had their magic resistance seriously lowered. Walt and I were naked, while Yve had my old set of armor. Walt was furthermore covered in the Slime’s paralyzing film which occasionally caused an electric spark to dance along his flesh.
“How
is everyone?” I asked.
“Cold and occasionally losing motor control,” Walt said.
“I’m good to go. Sorry I wasn’t of more help back there,” Ashley said.
“You had to protect yourself,” I said.
“Any idea what the noxious fog is going to be?” I asked.
“Nothing good. Whatever it is, if it’s a true fog we might be able to burn it off. Yvera is all for it and we’re going to try our best,” Yve said.
Sounds like we had a plan.
Just in time. The gates on the other side of the arena rattled open again. This time what emerged from them was a thick mist covering the ground. One path was brownish and another green. I pulled stats for both.
Noxious Cloud: Agonizing Mist
Level 30: Type: Magical Conjuration HP: 1/1
The Noxious Fog has no real health to speak of or even a body. This thick mist is however fiercely corrosive to human flesh. Every second spent in the fog will result in a magical resistance check. Passing will cause crippling agony and a loss of 1% of current HP. Failing will cause far worse agony and a loss of 1% of maximum HP for the next day. This effect is non fatal and will never reduce the victim below 1 HP.
Death Fog: The Last Mist
Level 30: Type: Magical Conjuration HP: 1/1
The Last Mist has no ability to inflict harm or pain on another. It has one and only one effect once breathed in. It invokes a state of permadeath for the next day. Should a victim be killed while under the effects of the Death Fog the killer will receive their full experience points and life energy.
If the first creatures we faced were all about stripping away our defenses, this was about leaving us weakened. Besides torturing us with our lowered magical defense, we’d probably be at a single hit-point for the next day and subject to permadeath.
This was how Veros had killed so many. This was his finely tuned system for funneling people to murder. No matter how hard the adventurers struggled or what level they were coming in, when they finally met him they’d be negligible threats. The slightest blow would kill them and he’d funnel their full power into themselves.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Ashley said, sounding stuck in a loop. I didn’t blame her.
“Yve?” I asked.
“Maybe. It’s going to be close, there is so much of it,” Yve said.
Purifying Flames
Yve raised both of her hands above her head and for the moment I saw the image of the Goddess that shared her features overlaid on top of her. The rush of flames was immense, divine as it burned towards the mist. For a time it seemed to hold off the billowing clouds, but then they simply began to drift around.
Damn it.
We could not let these mists touch us. I didn’t see where we had a choice.
“Can you trigger Gina’s lamp, Ashley? We’re going to have to brave a wish,” I said.
Ashley nodded and got that distant look that said she was in her inventory.
Turquoise smoke billowed and suddenly Gina was there. The Djinni spent a moment surveying the arena and the public crowds, and then the members of our party.
“I like it. Nudity too. You do enjoy the public spectacle bit, don’t you,” Gina said.
“I’ll be delighted to flirt with you later. See those two bands of very dangerous-looking mist oozing in our direction?” I said.
“Bright boy, Veros. You want me to get rid of it? You know what to say. Be careful with your wording,” Gina said.
I knew that she’d screw with me with the wish. It was just a matter of how. Gina was on my side, generally. It didn’t mean she wouldn’t have her rules.
I needed these mists, not for them to go away—I needed control of them. Veros was a God and by his own accounts an almost immortal one who couldn’t be killed. If these fogs weakened his prey and made them vulnerable, they might do the same to him.
“I wish each mist would be captured in a gem and transferred into my inventory so I could later release it to ravish a target of my choosing. I further wish to be clad as I will in several weeks when telling this story at court,” I said.
“Little obvious don’t you think?” Gina pouted as she waved her hand. The mists vanished and I was dressed in an ornate suit of pitch-black armor. I checked my inventory, there were twenty identical gems. That was a few more than I’d asked for.
“Really?” I asked.
“Unexpected nudity at court wasn’t going to cut it. Especially when it wasn’t unexpected and an add-on wish. Twenty was me being nice, a girl does appreciate the effort. Need me for anything else?” Gina asked.
“I think we’re done,” I said.
Gina vanished.
“I think she likes you,” Ashley said.
Looking winded, Yve returned to our side.
“Did I do that?” Yve asked.
“Gina, I used a wish,” I said.
“How bad did you get screwed?”
“Moderately, she likes me,” I said.
“The challengers have survived against all comers, but they have seen nothing yet. The grand champion of the Arena. Undefeated in over twenty thousand matches! Veros the Bringer of Light!” said the announcer.
There was a pyrotechnic display at the far end of the arena and in a thousand melding layers of light Veros appeared. He was dressed for a fight, a rapier at his hip and wearing white armor so polished that it glowed.
Veros was playing it up for the crowd. Good, that gave us time to talk.
“I have those mists in gem form. I want to get him to consume them at the right time,” I said.
“He’s going to be ready for something like that,” Yve said.
“Probably. So we beat him down first,” Walt said.
I nodded. That was exactly my thought.
“Once we have him down and the mists have had a chance to work, we’re going to need Ashley to strike the killing blow,” I said.
“He’s going to be strong,” Yve said.
Yeah. I knew that. We’d already fought him in his office and he’d kicked our asses.
“He is used to fighting weakened opponents. He may think the mist had a chance to work on us. We’ll surprise him,” I said.
The cheering of the crowd died to an expectant buzz. Veros was facing us. It was show time.
Chapter 34
Veros walked towards us. He even wore a cape that I had to admit did flutter rather majestically in the breeze behind him. It took panache to pull off a cape.
“I do admire his fashion choices,” Yve said thoughtfully.
Veros called, “It is not too late, but I am done with games. Accept my offer, join with me and live, or fail and perish.”
“You know that is never going to happen,” Ashley said, as she readied her daggers.
“I didn’t breathe your mists. I won’t go down easy,” I said.
“Boy, do you think you’ve faced anything close to my full power? But if you wish it, taste my fury,” Veros said.
Let There Be Light
Veros glowed brilliantly, his armor cascading with a rainbow of colors, and energy blasted at me. He was right. I’d never felt anything close to his full power before.
By now I’d seen a few cosmic powers operate. Ashera, Cobalt, I was even a weak one myself, as was Walt. I’d never fought another though, and the scale between this and any other hit I’d ever taken was indescribable. I was dissolving, melting. Fading away as if I was nothing. He wasn’t drawing this out. I was getting his best shot right out of the gate and it was enough.
But then I felt a surge of power of my own. The black armor. The armor I was wearing only because I’d wanted to reduce the bad effects of the wish. Darkness swirled around me, inside of me.
“Liam?” Elsora’s voice asked in the midst of all this light.
“Elsora? Why are you in my head?” I asked.
“You’re wrapped up in a considerable bit of my power. Strange, as I’ve not given it to you.”
“I made a wish and wear armor from
the future. I’m fighting Veros.”
“You shouldn’t be. I told you to stay away. You don’t know the threat he poses.”
“I’m kind of being dissolved at the moment. I have some idea.”
“Liam. I don’t know what comes to pass that you wear that armor, but know this. Believe this. You are the King of Darkness and the villain of this story, and no God of Light is going to be your end.”
“I’m not…”
“I have lied to you a great deal. Our relationship is filled with falsehoods you have yet to fully realize, but I am not lying now. If you love me, trust me. Believe me. Say it.”
“I trust you. I am the King of Darkness. I am the villain of this story. This is not my end.”
The Darkness inside me fought like a thing alive and settled into my essence, into my very bones and being as if it had always been there. I was not choosing a new destiny here, I was accepting the one I had.
I was the villain of this story.
Heart of Darkness
Light shattered around me like a thousand shards of glass. The earth was scorched and the very air trembled with the breath of unspeakable power, but I was untouched. Veros stared at me, his expression stricken.
“You can’t be alive,” Veros said.
Volcano
Yve’s form was again overlaid with Yvera’s. For a moment I saw her as she once was—perfect and loved, and wreathed in flames, then her skin turned to stone and fire as Yvera’s aspect took over.
Beneath Veros the ground exploded into a geyser, the God boiling away with a cauldron of molten rock.
For just an instant I wondered if perhaps Yve didn’t need the rest of us at all—then Veros was blinking away in a swirl of light to reappear before us.
“You are not the only one who is born a survivor. If you have yielded so far to her machinations, you are beyond saving,” Veros said. There was no magical spectacle this time, just a fist with immense strength lashing out to deliver an uppercut to my jaw that sent me sailing dazed through the air.
