Before Jazmel could even catch his breath Abram was already moving past him, doggedly but he was hurrying back towards the inner layers.
Jazmel drank a stamina potion, the fight had taken it out of him, he rarely used all of his Mana. simply put, the tyrant body allowed him to replenish his stores whenever he wasn’t using them, same for stamina. But mentally he still felt the taxation of the usage, that was what was drying him out now.
But he got up, a little beleaguered but strong enough to follow in the footsteps of Abram.
“We have to go; I need to go. But you have to stay here, they need reinforcement, and I need you to wait for when the domain boss comes.” She said, worry was written all over her face, but she was saying less than she wanted.
“We know what we are tasked with.” Jazmel offered and she looked at him, first it was like she was going to tear into him, but then it was a pleading look. She was worried.
“None of us know what a domain boss is or what it is capable of.” She confessed and Jazmel felt what she was saying.
“We will face it nonetheless, we have to.” Abram said, his voice soft and soothing.
“Go.” He urged and after one honest look, she hurried through the barrier exit and her and her troop were gone.
Abram turned to the others and after checking that everyone was alright, he entered the main hall where a large stone tablet had been erected. Jazmel was about to ask what it was, but when he looked deeper, he could see the steady system energy flowing through the tablet. It was the seat of power, the central node of the sect. it interested him to know that it could take the form of other things, after all. His was an actual seat of power, but this one was a tablet that had runes or lettering on it that Jazmel could not read.
“I need to repair the warding.” Abram said over his shoulder, Jazmel could tell that this was a sign of trust for Abram, he was showing Jazmel where his central node was. It was his font of authority within his sect, and he had just shown some strangers.
Before Jazmel could comment or ask anything further, another domain wide announcement churned through their minds, systems, and ears all at the same time.
DING!
THE DOMAIN BOSS HAS REVEALED HIMSELF!!
GENGHIS CLANIS OF THE HERD IS CHARGING THE FIELDS!!!
DEFEAT HIM AND GAIN CONTROL OF THE DOMAIN!
BUT IF YOU ARE DEFEATED, HE WILL GAIN ACCESS TO THE DOMAIN!
BEWARE!!
…
“Well that was quick.” Katie said and both Jazmel and Abram looked at her.
“What? The system didn’t say the quests need to be completed, just that they need to be engaged. Now we know where it is, let’s go and hit it and make it cry.” She said, only in the way Katie could speak. She shyly looked away when Abram smiled at her, but Jazmel was just enjoying seeing this new side of her.
“Let us go, it has shown up on my map.” Abram said, Jazmel didn’t have access to the map, he wondered if it was because he wasn’t part of the sect. But it didn’t bother him, he was happy to just follow Abram and his team anyway.
“Again, no idea how strong a domain boss is. But I imagine it will probably be around tier V.” Abram said, and he studied all of their faces to see how they would respond.
“Oh, we have had our fair share of those. Trust me.” Jazmel said and Abram looked worried, horrified and then he nodded.
“You will have to tell me about that later on.” Abram said.
“Provide the ale, and I will share the stories.” Katie said, shouldering past the two and standing in the centre of the courtyard of the sect.
“Now how do we get there?” she asked, leading the team it would seem.
“I will summon a beast that can carry us all.” Abram said, pulling a talisman from within one of his rings. He pierced his finger and with a drop of blood he activated the talisman. Holding it between his index and middle finger he cast it into the air. It burst into a shower of sparks and a piercing cry tore the air.
The barrier above shimmered and a four-winged thunderbird descended. It was huge, bigger than the one they had fought in the havens. It cooed gently when it spotted Abram and he motioned for them all to clamber on. But Paldane climbed from Jazmel’s collar and bounding from his shoulder, he leapt down and transformed into his true size.
“Looks like I got my own ride.” Jazmel said with a smile.
“Follow me then.” Abram shouted as the thunderbird leapt into the air and rose through the barrier and up into the skies.
Jazmel followed behind on Paldane who was pumping his shoulders, using his wings to catch the uplift from the thunderbird and access the wind thermals. In mere minutes Paldane was above the thunderbird, he weighed less after all and so it took him less time to break through gravity’s clutches.
Abram led the way and Paldane gleefully flew, using the wind stream and the wind tunnels to glide and twirl in the air. He was having fun, in truth Jazmel enjoyed the flying too, but it was so dangerous if he ever fell. He chose to stay on the ground more.
While they flew he looked back through his items, he was thinking of using a skill token. He currently had the master tier skill, and he cracked the token open, letting the skills intent meld into him.
Shadows engulf your blade when you swing it, and you move at the speed of the absence of light. In some instances you will be able to move between the shadows of your enemies. So agile will your sword be, it will become a wraith in the night.
Shadowing Wraith is the skill, be careful to not let it taint your heart. For the dark takes just as much as it gives…
And just like that he was back on the back of Paldane, his hair bristled by the high winds they were using to fly. Jazmel felt cold but the absolute warmth wafting off of Paldane’s body was enough to combat the cold of the skies. It also helped that his body very rarely suffered affliction or affects from environmental causes. After his species or race change, it was as if his body ran at peak condition and due to that, he almost always felt hale.
DING!
YOU USED THE MASTER TIER SKILL TOKEN!
THE SKILL YOU HAVE LEARNED IS SHADOWING WRAITH (TIER III)
AS YOU USED A MASTER TIER, THE SKILL WILL BE MAXED FROM THE BEGINNING!
IT CAN ONLY EVOLVE IF SUNDERED OR MERGED!
…
That was interesting, he had another skill slot, also but he wouldn’t force a skill into that. No he wanted to consider his options. whenever they returned he would ask colin. In fact, he was going to bother him now. Raising an origami swan in his hand, he clutched it and tried not to crush it up there in the wind streams.
Colin, I hope you are well. I have not seen you in a while, well I am requesting you do some shopping for me; I need you to buy as many ranker and master tier skills as you can. The faction will need it, buy as many good quality skills as you can, and we will reimburse you. I am delving at the moment and do not know when I will return, so if you get to the faction before me. Just seek out Melle, she is in charge of finances and resources.
After he sent that, he took a moment and then conjured another to send to Melle.
I have sent colin a request to buy us skills, ranker, and master tier. Set aside some of our coins to reimburse him, but if he will. Offer trade with some of the loot we have received from our members and retainers.
He sent the second one too and it fluttered through the wind and disappeared with a burst of Mana.
“We are nearly there!” Abram shouted over the chorus of wind that blew all about him, but Jazmel heard him. Taking a moment, he looked about him and saw a steppe filled with horses, herds, and herds of them. they were galloping around, and huge dust clouds were being evoked. But Jazmel could see through those still and he could see the Mana embroiled in the very being; the nature of each and every horse that was charging around in the steppes.
Then mixed amongst them at first he thought they were riders, but then he noticed that their bodies were connected. Half man and half horses were riding in amongst the herds and almost herding them in different routes that would ensure they didn’t collide with others.
Out of the swirling dust, the largest of them emerged. His entire human torso was encased in thick armour, covering him from head to toe. His powerful, muscular horse legs were protected by greaves, and on one side of his equine body hung a quiver filled with arrows as long as spears. On the other side, two spears and a heavy lance were secured. He gripped a sturdy wooden bow, its string taut, with an arrow poised between his fingers. Though a helm obscured his face, Jazmel could see his eyes—and in them, he found nothing but pure, seething hatred.
But Jazmel was compelled to keep his glare, and he didn’t look away, even when the great horse man drew his great bow and shot an arrow the size of a spear at them.
DING!
THE DOMAIN BOSS HAS DECLARED HIS CHALLENGE!
TIER V CENTAUR GENGHIS CLANIS HAS RUSTLED THE HERD!!
TIER V STEPPES LORD HAS SHOWN HIS ANGER!!
…
The arrow shot past them and Jazmel didn’t have to dodge, but the wind changed around them as the long arrow shot past them.
“We have to fight that?!” Myn said and the others seemed to mirror her thoughts.
“And them.” Abram motioned as a group of seekers rushed onto the steppes. Jazmel looked over them and there was he could see just what was bothering Abram. In amongst the confederacy was a single master tier and she was so strong Jazmel could see her Mana from high in the sky.
“Paldane we need to land.” He called over the whistling winds and Paldane slowly began to descend.
The master tier was literally floating across the grounds. Jazmel could see the way the wind melded around, and her Mana it was as if it were carrying her. her conceptual control of her Mana was so extensive that she was barely using any, but it was enough to allow her almost complete control of the wind that surrounded her.
“She is strong.” Jazmel said as he descended and he could see Abram had no joy in his face, he was not looking forward to clashing with her, and yet he was prepared to do just that. Paldane landed and then climbed back in the sky, the others had landed too, and it wasn’t long before the steppes were thundering with the sounds of thousands of hooves.
“The horses and the centaurs are under the influence of the centaur!” Abram shouted over the charging horses.
“We need to get to the centaur and stop that master tier from getting them before us.” Jazmel said.
“Paldane!” he called his dragon companion again, there was no way through the herd, besides over it.
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“I am going to commandeer myself a horse.” Katie said, she unfurled her chains and as a horse charged her she literally leapt over its head and lashed her chains about its throat and snout. She was firm but also gentle. The horse bucking and rearing trying to remove her from its back. But Katie had such grace and dexterity that she was able to stand in the saddle and then still rein the horse in.
“We will deal with the centaurs, clearing you a path. Come on Myn! Puppy follow behind us!” Katie said, as she hoisted her Myn up to sit behind her.
“Follow their lead.” Abram said to his people, and they made their own provisions, trying to tame horses as they rushed around.
“Look out!” Baek shouted, Jazmel almost missed it but dodged to the side as an arrow the length of a spear shot past him.
“Oh he’s happy to see us, is he.” Jazmel said, suddenly annoyed that he had to be told to dodge.
“Let us go and greet him then.” Abram said, the pigment forming on his face, his Mana jumping up twofold.
Wood golem dragon!
He called his skill and from beneath him a dragon formed, larger than before and thicker in the limb. It began to bound forward and rush towards the armoured centaur.
Paldane swooped low and Jazmel leapt up to land deftly on his back. When he settled he watched as Baek simply followed them, bounding seamlessly across the tops of the horses as they charged. It was so graceful, that it reminded Jazmel of stones skipping across water. Baek didn’t even look disturbed, his poise was so upright it was as if he was going for a walk through a garden.
A centaur bounded towards Jazmel, though he was flying atop Paldane. They were flying low. It shot a volley of arrows at him which Paldane simply turned to cinder with a spray of fire.
Shadowing Wraith!
Jazmel was warped, from the swinging of his blade. in the split second of his movement he was behind the centaur appearing from its shadow as he emerged and his strike, draped in black Mana; dark Mana struck. And the strike was deadly, his sword flashed with the absence of light and a mark of his slash was all that could be seen. For his sword made no sound and he watched as the wounds, his strikes left black streaks across the human chest and the horse flanks of the centaur.
That one move had taken almost a fifth of his Mana, even as he felt it slowly replenish. It was the first time one skill had cost him significant Mana drop like this, and he grinned almost maddeningly at the strength of the skill.
Shadowing Wraith!
He used it again, feeling the vertigo around his stomach as he lurched through the shadows and leapt, through the air swinging his sword and beheading the centaur as moved past it through the swinging of his blade.
DING!
TIER III CENTAUR ARCHER KILLED!
+2 STR
+3 PER
+3 DEX
TIER III RED HARE STRING BOW COLLECTED!
He didn’t even have a chance to look at the bow he had been gifted by the system. Other centaur archers rushed him, Paldane scorched the earth, and many ran in abject fear. The steppes ablaze caused some part of their horse side to take over and the centaurs dispersed in anarchy.
Before they could rally and attack him again though, Katie and Bannerman were there. Bannerman leaping through the air, obsidian claws glinting in the daylight. He carved through the ranks of centaur. Katie used one chained hand to maintain the reins of her horse and she was using the other; her free hand to cast chained skills at the centaurs as they ran from the flames Paldane had spewed. Myn ride behind her, using her sword striking at any free purchase she could find. She was after acting as the cavalry rider here.
“Go ahead! We can hold them here!” Katie yelled above the thousands of horse hooves across the steppes.
Paldane rushed forward, forming his wings about his body making himself smaller. Jazmel clung to his body, hands around his neck as they shot across the land towards the domain boss.
DING!
TIER V CENTAUR GENGHIS CLANIS USES VOLLEY OF THE VALLEY!
HUNDREDS OF ARROWS TRY TO BLOT OUT THE SUN!!
Jazmel couldn’t tear his face away from the body of Paldane who was flying through the herds, centaurs, and volley of arrows.
I cannot dodge all of them! Paldane sent mentally.
Jazmel could tell, the wind was being repeatedly changed from the arrows as they burst the domain. He couldn’t even see where they were going anymore, but he trusted him.
That woman is doing something to the wind! Paldane sent him, and before Jazmel could do anything. Paldane turned about sharply, sending him flying before the ground and just as he was about to land, hard and maybe injuring himself, Abram atop his wooden dragon was there.
“Need a ride?”
“Oh please don’t say that.” He said back, but in truth he was happy to see the sect leader.
All good? He sent to Paldane and Paldane didn’t respond but from above he scorched the steppes sending the horses and centaurs in a flurry.
“She controls the wind; I think it has something to do with her race!” Abram said as the wood dragon bounded forward. Jazmel couldn’t question it, he surely still looked human himself. But here he was, a tyrant species or something of the sort.
“Whatever she is, we need to defeat the centaur before she does.” Jazmel expressed.
Divine winds!
To their surprise, she sung her skill, letting the melodies sail across the air and into the winds. Calling up a gentle storm that carried her higher into the air.
The centaur must’ve felt the change because it turned on her and drew its large bow against her.
Wind sprite
They watched as she literally turned to mist and then floated above the centaur.
Wood golem dragon!
Abram conjured another wooden dragon, and it rushed forward trying to constrict around the centaur, but he didn’t sleep. He crashed forward and before the wooden dragon could clutch onto it, he pulled a spear from his flank and stabbed through the mouth of the dragon and wrenched it upward, breaking the golem apart.
Shadowing Wraith!
Sundering Raven!
Jazmel leapt into the fight, warping through the large shadow that the centaur created, he blade flashed twice. Once, completely blackened and carving through the spear shaft. The second blackened also, but angry with red burst of Mana. that strike struck the armour and bludgeoned it before knocking it back half a step and sending Jazmel somersaulting through the air.
DING!
GENGHIS CLANIS HAS ACKNOWLEDGED YOUR THREAT!
BE WARNED!!
That wasn’t good news. He thought to himself.
But he didn’t run, no he simply evaded and dodged the spear jabs from the centaur, and he almost got away but then it drew its lance and struck at him. He tried to evade it, but the lance tip was different to the spear’s and as it collided with the edge of his sword, it exploded.
DING!
STATUS CONDITION WARNING!!
40% HEALTH!
BLEEDING (major)
WOUNDED (major)
WARNING!
Ouch
He groaned; the pain was awful. He hadn't noticed the Mana surrounding the tip of the lance was different and now he suffered for it.
He had been blasted away, knocked out of the area bounds and now he was bleeding quite a lot.
He drained two potions and let his body use the magic in them to restore itself. he didn’t stop to check the system; no he had no time. He had to get back into the fight. He rose up, aching but feeling his body knitting back together. Abram and the wind user were locked in a duel, fighting one another whilst also fighting the centaur.
Great rumbling dragon!
Jazmel slammed his skill into the ground and a dragon rose from beneath it, rushing the centaur and knocking it off its feet.
Flaming Evisceration
He struck out at the wind user, and she tried to use the wind to send his skill awry. But his skill was locked into its trajectory, she seemed surprised but not slow enough to miss throwing up a shield of wind to block the strike.
She glared at him now; he simply brought his sword down to his side. Waiting and she didn’t disappoint.
Advent of the sky!
A spiral formed above her hand, and she threw it like a javelin at Jazmel. Learning from his mistake, he darted forward, avoiding the skill and as it landed where he had been, he watched as the ground warped in the form of the spiral.
Sundering Raven!
He slashed through the air, and she dived out of the way, she almost cast another spiral. But Paldane appeared above her descending like a falcon and streamed blackened blue flames atop her.
Aeonic blast!
She screamed, caught in the sudden torrent of fire, she was burned but she darted forward. Literally skipping on the winds. She pulled from her ring, a lotus flower and scrunching it, she let the gel drip from her palm and onto her back. It soothed her wounds it seemed, but she turned on Paldane who was already ascending.
Sundering Raven
Flaming Evisceration!
He let two skills go, she dodged them both, but it allowed Paldane enough time to escape her.
“Stop interfering!” she screamed, enhanced by the winds.
“No.” he simply said. She dived at him, rushing on a small tornado about her lower half.
Advent of the sky!
Advent of the sky!
Advent of the sky!
She pelted the ground with her attuned javelins. Jazmel dodged one, the second one missed him. But the third one hit him and though he had tried to parry it, it burst atop him and the violent storm it unleashed on him. He suffered under its unrelenting focus.
STATUS CONDITION WARNING!
…
…
CONDITION UNKNOWN!
HEALTH BELOW 20%
…
HEAL NOW!
This was the lowest that Jazmel’s health points had ever been. But before he could feel it, he took a moment to drink a potion, he felt worse. He drank another and felt his body fighting alongside the potion’s powers. Jazmel drank a third and he felt his skin replenishing itself as it rejuvenated. His chest had been shredded by the wind javelin she had used.
He didn’t have the spare Mana to repair his clothing. So he didn’t, he struggled up to his feet.
Watch out! Paldane yelled into his brain.
He winced at the shout of another voice in his mind, but he leapt up and moved. Even though his body was wrought with aches and pains.
Some centaur archers had broken through and were sending volley after volley of arrows in his direction. Katie and Hari had made it through. But they were not fast enough to stop them.
White heron
Baek appeared, he simply waved a sword, a new one. After the last had broken with that final strike of his. He was using a new simple Jian sword, he deflected the arrows and simply stood with his back to Jazmel.
“Go.” Was all he said and Jazmel rose up, pushing himself to rise to his feet.
The woman, the wind user of the confederacy was fighting the centaur again and throwing barrage after barrage of spears made up of little windstorms again. Abram was trying to block her, but she was high above.
Come get me.
Jazmel called after Paldane, and he dropped down and plucked him from the ground.
Are we going for the boss? Paldane asked.
No, we are going for the wind user, I owe her. Jazmel responded over their shared thoughts.
Aeonic blast!
Flaming Evisceration!
They sent their skills together and she couldn’t even block as she was busy holding off a volley of arrows from the centaur.
When she realised what had happened, she turned and tried to conjure up a shield, but the skills were too strong. Strong enough to burst through her hastily conjured wind shield. Her shield broke, burst asunder and then she lost her hand for it, the blue flaming swing of his sword cut through her forearm.
She screamed.
Just as Abram had conjured three dragons of wooden golems. They crashed into the centaur, restricting, and constraining it.
Moon’s edge
He cut through the armour with a hand slash, he took an arm. The centaur roared tried to break three, but the dragons held him firm.
“this is my home!”
Moon’s edge!
Abram cast it again and the armour breastplate fell away, cleaved in two.
“This is where my people reside!” Abram yelled, his pigment blood red and fierce, while his wood golems held the domain in place.
DING!
BE WARNED!!
THE STEPPES LORD IS ENRAGED!
…
He broke free, but Jazmel was there too.
Shadowing Wraith!
He crashed into the back of the centaur, stabbing deeply into its stomach.
“Abram!!”
“I am already there!”
Pale moon mode!
Abram pooled all his Mana into his left arm, his forearm and he punched into the face of the centaur. It was as if a hammer had struck the centaur in the face. It fell back, the back of its skull exploding with such force, skull fragments burst free like shrapnel.
DING!
DOMAIN BOSS DEFEATED!
NORTHERN MOON SECT HAS DEFEATED THE DOMAIN BOSS!!
TIER V CENTAUR GENGHIS CLANIS KILLED!!!
…
Abram landed on the body of the centaur as it crumpled to the ground. He was about to begin considering the loot, but he didn’t get a chance yet. The woman from the confederacy was flying towards them with a storm beneath her. One hand raised and the other to the side, a bleeding stump.
“REMOVE ALL MEMBERS OF THE CONFEDERACY FROM LUCIRIA.” Abram shouted and immediately she disappeared, teleported to some random space inside the labyrinth.
DING!
THE NORTHERN MOON SECT HAS TAKEN DOMINION OF THE DOMAIN!
REWARDS FOR THE SECT SHALL BE OFFERED!!
…
…
CALCULATING!
…
Jazmel watched as Abram seemed to begin going over his system interface. He turned to his own members and saw everyone hale and whole.
Hours had passed and everyone was in the safety of the sect, which was due to undergo great changes after.
Jazmel had watched as Abram was rewarded with three mithril chests. He didn’t bother to watch what was inside, none of them were for him after all or his party. But they were to continue their delve, after all this was just there first stop. It didn’t matter that they had spent nearly four days here. Jazmel was ready to move on anyway.
“We wish to thank you for your help.” Abram came over, shadowed by Senju. Who had become nicer to Jazmel now that her worries had been eased.
“No need to thank you, anyone else would have done the same.” Jazmel said, as he sat beside Baek and Katie who were eating and drinking tea.
“You really believe that don’t you?” Abram said, a look of surprise on his face.
“I have to, I have to believe that somewhere in the labyrinth there are others who think like me.” Jazmel confessed with a shrug. Abram studied his face for a moment and then laughed.
“I get that, and with the help you gave, we have hope too. But now we have secured the domain. The sect has work to do, we need to grow stronger so nothing like that can happen to us again. we have solid work to do.” Abram expressed and Jazmel nodded while looking around.
“Work is work, hard or easy.” He said simply.
“Will you stay?” Abram asked, but his eyes told him he already knew.
“Nah, we are leaving at first light. We didn’t earn anything here; I got a few stats but that is it.” Jazmel said and Abram went to reach into his ring, but Jazmel stopped him.
“You need all your rewards, get stronger. Solidify your home and use it to help those who will pass through. The next time we meet, at your sect or my home, both of us will be better for it.” Jazmel said and they shook hands.
DING!
MASTER TIER I ABRAM OF THE NORTHERN MOON SECT HAS SENT A REQUEST!
WOULD YOU LIKE TO ACCEPT?
Y/N/?
He accepted and Abram smiled at him, a grin forming.
“Well, let us see you off in some style. Bring out the wine! Put more food on the fires!!” he called over his shoulder to his people. Jazmel smiled and followed him closer towards the spit roast. Tonight they would dine and tomorrow morning they would enter another gate.
