Unbound

Influence of the Wisp!

Reign of Vellus!

The lashing claws around him froze, most of them Enthralled by his Skill as Felix exploded back toward the Arcids. He burst through the Revenants and redcloaks, Blade and bone slashing his way forward.

Before he even reached the edge of the madness, he saw a massive beam of Profane energy rip across the sky. It punched through the miasma and crossed the entire cavern almost instantly. Felix emerged from his violent cocoon in time to see the Broodmother, already hurt, get hit center mass.

The creature boiled, instantly sublimating into noxious steam before exploding outright.

Felix gawked, his weapons faltering. Yet before he could do more than pan back to the Arcids, the array pulsed once more, and released another wave of invisible force. This time, however, it passed him by without touching a hair on his head, but his Affinity and Perception howled as they were wrenched from his Body. Sense of his self vanished, and instead Felix rode that tsunami of profane energy, experiencing the deep defenses within the earth that broke before its onrush. Shadows and steel, masonry and enchanted stone, none of it was enough to stop the wave. It swept up and out, through the earth and jumbled, hidden passages deep beneath, through the sewers, and then up onto the streets of Haarwatch.

Into a city besieged.

Revenants bellowed in a hungry frenzy as they ripped through homes and businesses, maddened, he sensed, by the death of the Broodmother. He swept by them, pushing ever onward, ceaseless. Until he hit a shining mass at the edges of his floundering Perception, one that was equal parts red and gold and hummed with a staid potency.

The Wall.

Screams and shouts of a different sort dominated the air here, and Felix could feel them reverberate through the magic. Monsters crashed against the Wall, barely held back by the enchantments and the Guilder's own desperate efforts. Only Tin and Iron Ranks were left to fill the defensive construct, and he could feel the weakness of their Skills. The monsters shrugged off their attacks and kept coming. Some tried to climb the Wall, but the enchantments on it blasted them off. The Guilders thrummed with anxiety and fear, but it was dimmed by the protections of the orichalcum Wall.

Then the tidal wave of Profane energy found its way in. Like a sledgehammer hitting a bell, the Wall rang with a tone bent from true. Violet arcs of Mana fire tore through the interior of the structure, frying those unlucky enough to be within. The Wall's shine died as the sigils along its length burned out.

The Guilders panicked.

The loping monsters attacked again, and this time, their climb was not countered. The monsters swarmed the Walls.

The shrieking cry of a bird caught his ear, a warning in its tone. Pit?

"HUAUH!" Felix felt the air leave his lungs as something hit him hard. He was driven into the ground, shattering the roots and tiles and nearly losing grip on his weapons. Above him, the cylindrical fist of the Sphere pulled back while its tepid Spirit swirled in satisfaction.

Status Condition: Concussion (Mild)

"Fool! Do not abandon the ritual!" Skeleton shouted. She sounded far away.

"The ritual can hold itself," the Sphere hummed happily, hate in its movements. "Father will praise me if we remove you from the board." The big magic cyborg pulled back it's stubby fist.

Pit cried out again. Felix blinked up at the bastard and flared Sovereign of Flesh. Essence burned through him, ripping his channels even further, but he didn't stop.

Reign of Vellus!

Aimed below his feet, the counterforce sent him out of the way of the Sphere's immense blow. He tumbled backward, flexing Unfettered Volition and his Dexterity to regain his feet. He rolled several times before his enchanted boots found purchase.

"Come, Fiend! I wish to test your vaunted Strength!" The Sphere hummed again, far more aggressively. Felix crouched and did the only smart thing.

He ran.

"Halt! Return and face me!"

The Quest isn't over, he thought, flicking through his notifications. That strike killed the Broodmother, but it didn't end the Quest. Something else is up there—

The howls of Revenants and Ghouls finally reached Felix, and he looked up to see thousands of them all racing toward him. Their Spirits were consumed by blood vengeance. For once it wasn't directed at him, but at the Arcids.

And above the horde, atop the rise in terrain where the mangled Broodmother laid, was the biggest goddamn Scale he'd seen yet.

There it is! The last chance he had was the claim Authority before the Arcids turned the whole city into a slaughter house.

Reign of Vellus!

Reign of Vellus!

Dual cast, the kinetic blast sent Felix flying above the horde as it approached and he unfurled his borrowed wings. He soared into the air, nimbly twisting from a Ghoul's grasp. He kept using Reign of Vellus despite his Spirit's injury and the state of his channels. They were raw and weeping. He didn't stop. Everything went into speed, every ounce of his Will and Endurance. He assigned his seven free points into Agility.

All the while, he heard the cruel laughter of the Sphere as it crushed the horde to paste.

It took less than thirty seconds to reach the Broodmother's corpse, and he made a bee line for the Scale. A mass of redcloaks had bunched around the beast's corpse, and three tall figures were approaching the Scale on foot.

"Stop!"

The redcloaks opened fire. Bolts of intense light seared across his body, forcing him to tuck his wings and drop. He landed with a crash, tearing up flesh and stone beneath him. Only the enchantment on his boots let him keep his feet, so slick was the earth. The Inquisitors spun, turned on him with massive blades of flame.

"Fiend," DuFont hissed. She hefted his hooked blade in her hand, the bronze metal pristine despite the ichor that covered everything else. "You're younger than I expected."

Behind him, the giant orb had started giving chase. The Sphere had tucked it's limbs in and rolled through the Revenants and Inquisition like a steamroller. Bodies and bones and claws burst into sprays of ichor and Human blood, but the monster didn't stop.

"You can't touch it. It's...it's concentrated Essence. The same stuff in the air that's burning at you." Felix nodded at the red patches he could see on the elderly Inquisitors. They scowled at him, not moving their weapons. "It will kill you."

"Unlikely, boy," Daur said. "We are Tempered with the greatest of Bodies known to our Empire. We'll not fall to paltry tricks and monster spawn."

"They're Primordials," Felix blurted, and all three of the Inquisitors froze as if they'd spotted a deadly viper in their midst. "Nascent, but Primordials just the same."

"Impossible," Rutger scoffed, but the quiver in his jowls and Spirit betrayed his unease. "No Primordial has been seen outside the Seas in a thousand years. You lie."

"My Analyze calls them Manawarped, but their Type is hidden," DuFont said, flicking her eyes across the battlefield and then Felix. He felt the amulet around his neck heat up. He'd almost forgotten about its veiling enchantment. "And it calls you Human...but that's not right either, is it Felix Nevarre?"

"I'm as Human as they come, DuFont." Felix bared his teeth, grown into sharp fangs by his Skill. "But we're running out of time. The Arcids are coming and they've already disabled the Wall with their ritual. You have to let me take the last Scale; only my Skill can remove the threat."

"How convenient!" Rutger lunged forward, his sword describing a flawless arc.

Reign of Vellus!

A blast of kinetic lightning threw the sword wide, and Felix booted the man in the chest. The Inquisitor was tough, however. His boasting of a strong Body wasn't all air; he was thrown by the kick, but he never lost his feet or weapon. Then Daur was on him, swinging for his head.

Felix brought his Blade up, deflecting the blow. The shock of it vibrated through his arms and into his chest, and he saw his Health drop by ten percent. "Listen to me!"

"And hand you the Authority over this Territory?" DuFont laughed, and her sword came back up. "You think us fools?"

"That Wall is pure orichalcum!" Daur screamed, weaving his long blade around Felix's own. "It isn't falling to some overgrown golems!" He thrust, shoving Felix's weapon aside and opening the Nym up for the kill. "And we will not fall to you!"

Felix's other hand came around, the club rapidly expanding as he brought it across the old zealot's neck and shoulder. Daur was committed to the attack and tried to turn into the strike, but was too slow. The Femur hit him with a sound that reminded him of a car crash, steel bending beneath the metal club like softened clay.

"You can't!" Felix shouted, rolling and then jumping above a twisting attack from Rutger. A Cloudstep reoriented his movement, so he ping-ponged behind the whirling Inquisitor. "Don't touch it—!"

DuFont was running up the slick incline, only yards away from the looming Scale.

Shadow Whip!

Influence of the Wisp!

Enthrall failed.

The blue-white wispfire died before it touched the woman, snuffed by her white-enameled armor. But his whip caught her by the leg, yanking her back until she planted face first in the ichor-slurry that was once the Broodmother.

"Stop, you idiot! I'm trying to save your life!" Felix shouted, planting his Blade into the earth to deflect the whirling strike from Rutger. The force of the old man's blow shattered the stone platform they stood on, and all of them stumbled forward.

Felix felt the Shadow Whip tighten, and he hauled back, dragging the inconsequential weight of the ex-Elder back through the muck. She shouted through the grime coating her face. "Imbeciles! Do something!"

The Inquisitors brandished their flaming swords, chopping at Felix who had to dive out of the way. Their swords whistled through the air, propelled by Adept level Strength, and severed his Shadow Whip.

"Got you," one crowed.

Felix threw an acid orb at his face.

"Ah!"

The man's helmet saved him from most of the acid, though Felix didn't care. He cast another Shadow Whip, catching DuFont's arm and twisting her around in a neat pirouette. She splatted back into the vile muck.

"Stay down!" Felix shouted and advanced, but the old men cut him off.

"You'll not get past us, Fiend," Daur promised. Golden Mana gathered in his core, visible to Felix's Manasight. "We are protected. Echo of the Divine Shell!"

Not this again...

Golden plates of light Mana formed around both of the Inquisitors' bodies, lifting them off the ground and encasing them in elaborate armor. They were transparent, golden mechs; better by far than the Initiate Felix had one faced. Yet still, the armor was made of magic.

And Felix had grown hungry.

Sheathing his club, Felix flared Unfettered Volition and ducked under Rutger's guard. The old man seemed surprised that Felix didn't hesitate. He grabbed the front plate of Rutger's light Mana armor and drove his Essence fueled talons into it. Cracks spiderwebbed across the surface, and Rutger exclaimed as Felix pulled the man closer.

"Ravenous Tithe."

For a brief moment their two Wills butted against on another, but the old man could not match Felix. His chest plate, the largest front portion of the armor, dissolved into colored light that Felix breathed in.

"Impossible!"

Perception screaming, Felix leaped backward just as Daur brought his burning sword down before his ally. The blade cut clean through the stone.

Ravenous Tithe!

Felix cast his free hand outward, grazing the edges of Daur's conjured armor, but it was enough. Streams of golden energy surged into his channels, stabbing at his Body, Mind, and Spirit in equal measure. Pit bristled, but his cry helped Felix focus more than anything. The blade had missed him, but they had succeeded in making him lose his Shadow Whip. Again. Beyond the two Inquisitors, Felix could see DuFont get back to her feet.

"Keep him busy!" she shouted. "This is mine!"

Daur growled as if fighting with the sword before yanking it up from the groove it had carved. While once it had been aflame, now it was as dull as any normal steel. Interesting. Despite his frustrated grunts, the enchanted sword seemed burnt out.

Felix's weren't.

He poured his Mana and Essence through his two chosen weapons, sword and club, Blade and bone. They crackled, glowing but containing the magic that filled them to the brim. Golden-blue energies began to drip from both of the weapons, and both of his resources rapidly dwindled.

"Get out of my way," Felix said.

"Never, child of Night. You stand against the Indomitable Order, and we will not let abominations take hold of our people," Rutger proudly proclaimed.

"They'd be better off dead than under your Authority," Daur added.

Felix surged forward, not bothering to speak, all of his Strength and Agility pushed into the movement. He swung low with the Blade and high with the Femur, pushing into the Fourth Form of Long Blade Mastery Rory had drilled into him. Their blades hit and stopped dead.

"Our...enchantments," Rutger said through gritted teeth. Apparently the blades had boosted their Strength before.

"Seems like they burnt out," Felix grinned, showing off his mouthful of fangs. He poured more of his Mana, filtering it through his Skill and into the weapons. They glowed brighter and brighter as the Inquisitors tried to leverage their Strength against Felix. "Your turn."

Felix dropped the Form, letting the sudden release stagger his opponents and stepping back. With six-foot long weapons, his reach was ridiculous. The Inquisitors stumbled, and Felix performed two simultaneous thrusts.

Straight through their golden chests.

Their armor immediately shattered into motes of golden light, which Felix swept into his core. The Blade pierced Rutger through the abdomen, and so did the Femur, though the latter was far more brutal.

They fell.

You Killed Inquisitor Slavis Rutger!

XP Earned!

You Killed Inquisitor Ellis Daur!

XP Earned!

"You're next, DuFont!" Felix shouted, but his way was blocked by another figure. A familiar one.

"Me first," Ilia the Sworn said. "Been looking forward to a rematch."

"There!" Teine screamed, his channels burning, blood shreds. But the sigiladry was completed. He slammed his scarred hand down upon it and forced the last dregs of his Mana into the array, cackling all the while.

Fury and hate! So powerful! So useful! I see it now! They wouldn't take this revelation from him. This unique energy was his!

The flux of power before him threw his Spirit into disarray and his Mind just barely kept up. Yellow-red energy mixed with the Mana in the crystal and the purple glow had turned into a swirling nexus of howling power. He muscled the madness down, just long enough to press his Will against the spellform he had crafted.

"Let it be done!"

Dodge is level 51!

Unfettered Volition is level 50!

Journeyman Tier—!

He cut off the notifications. God damn tier ups in battle.

"You could've stepped in at any time," Felix panted. He'd dodged the assassin's furious dagger work, but he had to put everything he had into it. She blurred toward him again, and this time her daggers scraped harmlessly off the heavy scales on his chest. Sparks flew.

"Maybe," Ilia grinned, winded herself. Sweat beaded on her upper lip. "Maybe they deserved it."

The Sworn never stopped. She was strong and agile, but her Endurance was less than Felix's own. But she didn't need to stop Felix for long, just until DuFont was done.

"She'll die if she tries to destroy that Scale," Felix warned, actively looking for a way past the woman.

Ilia shrugged and gestured sharply. Five throwing blades appeared in her hand. "So what?" She whipped them at him at speeds closing in on supersonic. Felix burned Unfettered Volition, shifting himself out of their path by the barest of margins before charging himself. He needed to get in melee range.

"So fast! You've grown much, Felix!" Ilia laughed, but her smile was off. "Too much! Show me how!"

Cloudstep!

Felix stepped to the side, landing atop an angled platform before springing off of it. He completed a dizzying arc around the assassin, but the Sworn met him mid air. She, of course, had her own Cloudstep to use.

"How did you learn this!?" She demanded and jammed a short blade into his gut.

While his scales had protected from slashing attacks, with all the Strength the Journeyman Tiered assassin had, it was simple enough to penetrate his defenses. He dropped his Blade. The ball was in her court...except that by stabbing him, she had put herself into his melee range.

He grabbed her as they fell, neither of their Cloudstep strong enough to hold their combined weight. He didn't grab her skin or muscles, but her armor.

Ravenous Tithe!

The black metal and leather resisted his Strength, but not his hunger. He ate the enchantments within the garment, before ripping it completely asunder.

"I learned it from watching you," Felix said. And he punched her right in her unprotected chest. Ilia was hurled backward and her Health dropped sharply, but she was still alive. But that didn't matter. Not to him. Not now.

DuFont had nearly reached the Scale.

From behind them, a purple light mushroomed up from the battlefield, staggering them both. Ilia, gasping for breath, release a sound of utter terror. Felix, however, couldn't spare it a thought.

Unfettered Volition!

Reign of Vellus!

Felix rocketed forward, past Ilia. Boosted by his unflinching Willpower, powerful Agility, and a brilliant burst of kinetic lightning. His club ripped from his hand and he and reached out his talons, screaming all the while.

So close! Ravenous Tithe!

Before he reached it, he heard the metallic clash of bronze hitting stone.

"Mine," DuFont hissed.

And then a blinding purple light consumed them all.

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