ALL GATES HAVE BEEN UNLOCKED!
ALL NEW GATES HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM!
TIER V, VI AND VII CREATURES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE LABYRINTH!
WITH THE ADDITIONS TO THE LABYRINTH THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN MODIFIED!
BOSSES HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE SYSTEM!
HERE ARE A FEW OF THE BOSSES THAT HAVE BEEN INTEGRATED INTO THE LABYRINTH
BOSSES;
- BOSS! A general term that could refer to any significant enemy, often easier than specialized bosses.
- TASK BOSS! A boss encountered during specific tasks, generally straightforward.
- QUEST BOSS! Associated with completing a more significant quest, requiring more effort than a Task Boss.
- GATE BOSS! Acts as a barrier or guardian, more challenging than a Quest Boss.
- DOMAIN BOSS! Rules over a specific domain or area, requiring greater strength or strategy.
- CORE BOSS! The most difficult, likely the central or most powerful adversary in the story or mission.
SEEKERS SEEK OUT NEW QUESTS AND ADDITIONAL PLOTS!!!
…
The addition and integration of bosses was interesting. Jazmel had fought his share of difficult creatures and monsters. But the system hadn't officially always referred to them as ‘bosses’ but now the system was modifying itself and explaining the presence of bosses and also the different types, which probably explained their difficulties too.
The system announced the opening of all its gates, and everyone was standing excitedly at the gates. Everyone who was entering the labyrinth again anyway. Some were staying, the usual faces, such as Mary and Tango while they trained the fresh-faced retainers who chose to stay behind and train their stats more.
Sadé was entering the labyrinth without Jazmel for the first time in a long time, he was standing to the side, waiting to see her off. She was nervous, he could almost smell it on her, but she wasn’t anxious about going without him. No, the plot she had been given seemed arduous and complicated. But she was ready to go, she kissed his cheek, hushed words were spoken by the retainers who were lining up and waiting to enter after her group. But he didn’t focus on anyone.
“Look after yourselves, come back if you need to, or send for help if you have to.” He told them as they entered the gate, she was going with a group of all girls and it wasn’t like they were not all strong, they were all members of his faction he had to believe in them.
Next up was the Braddon Hills group, it had been a whole month since the faction had heard from Lysander and the Braddon Hills faction. So Gelth was leading a team to go and support the reestablishment. Gelth, Gilmore, Wendy and Grace walked through the gate next, they were leading a contingent of troops, retainers who made up the mountain breakers, just under one hundred retainers who Gelth was the captain of. They saluted Jazmel as they passed, marching in firm formation.
Next through was the trio that Jazmel had grown really fond of. Leno, Serafina, and Saif. They were extremely adaptable and had begun to really shine together. Seeker tier though they were, they all were extremely strong and flexible. Adapting to whatever the labyrinth threw at them, they had come to Jazmel a few days ago. Asking if they could enter the labyrinth together as a group to see how far they could go before having to return home. Jazmel accepted, ensuring that they would be careful and return before their safety was in question. He made sure Leno was aware of the consequences of if he played with their safety, but Leno understood.
After that, it was just one more small group, before the faction troops would enter. Jazmel’s group, it was himself, Myn who he had grown quite fond of from Tera Nema’s group, Katie, and Bannerman. Baek would be joining them of course, but these four were strong enough to be entering the labyrinth as a four.
Myn had come to Jazmel after they had all eaten dinner one night, asking if she could follow him into the labyrinth. When he asked why, she shrugged and simply said, why couldn’t she. So he said yes as all the others had already banded together, it wouldn’t be an issue and so she joined his small elite team.
Jazmel stepped through and the first thing he noticed, were the statues. Three great stone statues stood over the gate he walked out from. Overlooking the see to the west as if they were standing guard over the entrance into their lands.
DING!
YOU HAVE ENTERED LUCIRIA!
THE THREE JUDGES BAR YOUR WAY!
BE JUDGED!!
…
Jazmel thought that was interesting, his hand strayed to his swords tucked into his belt, but he didn’t draw any yet.
“Be careful.” He said and his companions all grew tense slowly.
What brings you to the shores of Luciria.
A voice asked, it was loud but calm, quite but authoritative. In truth, Jazmel’s keen senses could not focus on where the voice was coming from, but everything in him told him it was the statues.
“I am following where the labyrinth sends me.” Jazmel answered, projecting his voice, and making sure he kept his fear in check.
The labyrinth creates all paths, but what will you do in Luciria?
The voice boomed out again, coming from both everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
“I will go where the gates take me, if it be a task, quest or plot.” Jazmel answered again, keeping his voice level. But also being as honest as possible.
You have been judged, little dragon, you have been found honest, you have the integrity of a dragon. Make that hold you anchor, follow your heart at all times, it will be your lighthouse in the dark days to come. The judges have spoken.
That was ominous, something stirred in him. not worry, no this was something different and his heart suddenly felt strange hearing those words, but the foreboding pressure he felt from the statues fell away like a summer breeze.
“That isn’t scary at all then.” Myn said and Katie snorted as she laughed, it was a mirthless laugh and in truth, Jazmel could tell everyone was feeling the foreboding words.
“Let’s move on.” Baek said, at the back of their small retinue, Bannerman took point. His wolf keen senses being the better of all in the group.
“Do you know of Luciria?” Jazmel asked Baek, who shook his head before smiling.
“I have not been all places in the labyrinth, with the changes the labyrinth has mentioned, I am not sure I even know the route it professes.” Baek explained and in truth, Jazmel wasn’t surprised by his words, a lot had changed and Jazmel was starting to see; that a lot of it was to do with him.
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“So we can also expect tier V monsters here too?” Myn said and Jazmel realised she was asking the correct thing too.
“What are you worried about; we have three master tier here!” Katie exclaimed, Jazmel rolled his eyes as she slapped him on the back and thumbed at Baek. She was extremely happy at hitting master tier, but Jazmel had also found out later, was she had also hit 100 in all of her stats, finally. She had found balance and though some where higher, tempering her body had allowed her to find balance between her stats. She had told him a while later that she had been given the ‘anchored pendulum.’ This was a special tempering that worked for her, now she could build up energy, not kinetic but something else. It was an energy from her chains being swung or moved around. They now could enter a frenzied state and discharge all along their length. Which she was immune to of course, but also she could charge them and keep that one burst for when she used a skill. This would amplify whichever skill she planned on using, her tempered body was serious and Jazmel could tell she was proud of both achievements.
“Myn how high are your stats?” he asked, and she looked at him, a little incredulous.
“I am in the high eighties at the moment, but my strength and intelligence have both hit ninety-two. Why?” she asked.
“Did you know that when you hit 100 in all stats, your body undergoes a tempering?” he told her, and she looked at him with disbelief.
“I promise its true, me, Bannerman and Katie have all undergone tempering.” He offered and she looked at them all to see if he was joking.
“Do you know how hard it is, to hit 100 in one stat. But now you are telling me you have done it in all your stats, how?” she said and Jazmel smiled.
“I cannot tell you how, or why. The labyrinth and the system has given us high risk quests and tasks.” He confessed and she looked at him, suddenly curious.
“We will help you to get to 100, just to show you it is true. But I think that’s the point of the faction quests also, they give you extra stats to use. Do you have any spare stat points?” he asked, and she nodded, he smiled at that.
“Use those on the stats you struggle to gain points on the most. Bring them as close to 100 as you can, we will help you hit your stats.” He said and then that was what they decided, they began their journey inland, moving past the statues and entering the land of Luciria.
Jazmel was enamoured with the beauty of the domain land they were in. It was a beautiful place, luscious land and greenery grew in abundance. Lush plains across all the land in great fields rolled over one another, as far as Jazmel’s keen eyes could see. The fields were filled with ambient Mana, and it looked like a field of shy lit stars to his Mana sight.
“There is nothing around.” Bannerman said, he hadn't been further than a few yards from them. But his senses were keen, keener than Jazmel’s who tried his best to scout like him. But he just didn’t have the aptitude for it.
“Let’s keep going, something is bound to appear before us.” Katie offered and it was agreed.
So they continued, inland, through the fields and on foot. They travelled beneath a hot sun, though it wasn’t blistering; not instead it was just bright and a little hot. While a nice breeze from the sea washed the land ever so slightly, bringing with it the scent of salt. The fields moved with the coming and going of the breeze and it looked like the tall grass was waving to Jazmel and his party.
“Well this place is really beautiful.” Myn said, suddenly and though Jazmel had been thinking it, he hadn't said a word.
“It truly is, most of the labyrinth is. Except something scary or nasty could be lying in wait anywhere and that is the problem.” Katie said, a little smile on her lips, but what she was saying was true.
“But don’t worry, we are strong enough to do this. We can do this, whatever the labyrinth wants to throw at us, we will face it. together of course.” Katie said, and Jazmel was invigorated by her words. He was happy that she was actually doing so well and could even provide positive support to someone else.
To Jazmel, it felt weird to have someone aside from Sadé with them. But he was making it a point to try and integrate more of the other members of the faction. Those who had taken the faction task and been made into captains, he wanted everyone to be able to work with everyone and that was something he had to incorporate himself.
The fields seemed endless, and they had been travelling for almost half the day before Bannerman stopped them, he had noticed something but by the time he stopped them, Jazmel could hear something in the distance too.
“Something is happening ahead, seekers are fighting. Disturbing the animals as they hide.” Bannerman said and as he said it, Jazmel noticed the birds flying away from behind the field a few hundred yards ahead.
“Do we go and see or do we skirt around them.” Katie asked Jazmel, Bannerman was waiting to be told how to scout forward and Jazmel simply decided.
“Let us go and see what is happening, we will not show ourselves until we know what’s happening.” Jazmel compromised and everyone acted accordingly.
They moved silently through the fields, pushing towards the sounds and cries of battle. Soon words were being heard, shouted out into the air and Jazmel could tell that a battle was occurring, happening just over the field.
Jazmel worked his way over the hill and when he reached the top. He crouched low and looked around to see what he could. At the foot of the hill, there was a battle occurring, but not by seekers against creatures. No, the seekers were fighting in amongst themselves.
“No intervening.” Jazmel whispered to his group, and everyone stayed still, but they prepared just in case. Katie letting her chains spool from around her wrists a little.
One man was leading the fight against a larger group. But Jazmel could tell they were even, simply from how powerful the man was.
He wore odd armour, it looked light and woven parts that had been tied together with leather straps, around parts of his body that might be awkward for him to defend. But he was fighting simply with his hands and feet, punching, and kicking. But the way his body was moving was so interesting to Jazmel, he was propelling the Mana around his body forcefully and using it to emit from his hands and feet only when he was striking. Creating a stronger punch or kick. It was incredible, he used it so masterful and Jazmel watched as he continued to do this and expertly so.
“That man can fight well.” Katie commented and Jazmel agreed.
Pale moon mode!
The man uttered, the Mana within his core flushed his entire body and Jazmel watched as the Mana he was using to push around his body and strengthen his strikes grew stronger. He then watched as his eyes were outlined, growing dark with pigment.
The skin around his eyes is marked by deep, intense red pigment, almost as if blood has pooled beneath the surface. It radiates from his eyes in a striking, almost ominous pattern, extending outward in bold, crimson strokes that enhance the severity of his gaze. The red is not just a subtle hue; it's vivid and contrasts sharply against the rest of his face, giving him an otherworldly and intimidating presence.
He dashed forward, his speed suddenly doubled. He crashed into the first man. Driving his elbow into the man’s chest and shattering his breastplate.
“Run! Abram has come!! Run away!” the other side, men in plate armour and thick knight armour. But Jazmel watched as they began to back track and retreat before him. They were doggedly pushing back and retreating, Jazmel listened to this and stayed where he was. Waiting to see what would happen.
The smaller group with the strong leader stopped. They didn’t follow the retreating group and when they had back tracked for a while the man turned to the hill and looked directly at Jazmel. He didn’t move, he didn’t even speak, he simply stared up to their spot.
“We have been found out.” Jazmel said and stepping from his hiding place. He began to descend the hill, Bannerman to his right and Baek to his left while the girls followed from behind.
“Who are you?” the man asked, his Mana was dense and covering them in a domain shaped like a sphere. But it wasn’t oppressive at all.
“We are the black wing faction, my faction. We came by way of labyrinth gate.” Jazmel said, introducing themselves but withholding names.
“The only gate from that direction is the three judges and they never let anyone pass.” The man questioned, but then he simply stopped flaring his Mana, Jazmel felt it shrink away but the pigment stayed around his eyes and was there in case he needed to leap into action.
“If the judges have judged you, and you are still here. You cannot be on the side of the Confederacy.” He stated, he beckoned to his people, and they all relaxed after being so tense.
“Senju, get our people together. We are going home, recover the wounded and separate our dead. We need to leave before the carrion come.” He said, there was a young woman who was standing at his shoulder, she was shorter than him, though the man was taller than Jazmel. But she was shorter than him also, she had pale white hair, and she had tied it back from her face during the fighting. She carried a single longsword that she had strapped across her back, but Jazmel could tell she was wary of them and did not want to leave their leader at all.
“I am Abram, I lead the Northern Moon sect. this is my second, Senju and my worrisome, better half.” She sighed and blew away a strand of hair that had fell into her eyes.
“I am Jazmel, this is Bannerman, Baek, Katie and Myn. We are the black wing faction.” Jazmel said, offering a hand and Abram reached out and shook it. firm grip, strong but not trying to overpower Jazmel, he considered this and wondered what type of man Abram was. The pigment around his eyes had since faded and Jazmel could see he was relaxed now, not as wary as before.
“Would you like to return with us or go on your way?” he asked, surprising Jazmel.
“We will come with you if you have us. I would like to hear more about this confederacy that you are facing off with.