You will be surprised to know that a domain has formed beneath the lake, and some of the creatures are seeping into the lake. We haven’t cleared it; it is quite high. But Tango and a few new rankers have delved to test its limits. It might be a new training space for us.
Where are you and how is it going?
He read through the response of Mary and quirked at the idea of a new domain in his domain. But he was comfortable with the idea that Mary and Tango would be able to maintain the safety of everyone while he was away.
He took a moment to quickly look over his faction interface, he couldn’t tamper with anything whilst he was away. But he could glance at it.
FACTION INTERFACE SCREEN
OUTPOST – BLACK WING FACTION
TIER II OUTPOST
- 26% OUTPOST STRENGTH
- 80% REGION MAP
FACTION LEADER SCREEN INTERFACE
FACTION LEADER – JAZMEL
WAR COMMANDER – MARY
FORGE MASTER – GORIN
SCHOLAR – BAEK
FACTION CAPTAINS
- BANNERMAN
- KATIE
- GILMORE
- GELTH
- ELAI
- WENDY
- LYSANDER
- TERA NEMA
- GRACE
- MYN
- Morwen
- Sadé
- Tango
FACTION RETAINERS (WELL KNOWN)
- LENO
- SERAFINA
- SAIF
OUTPOST POPULATION
- 6 MASTER TIER
- 22 RANKER TIER
- 273 SEEKER TIER
GROUPS
- CLAW
- MOUNTAIN BREAKERS
- BRADDON HILL DEFENDERS
ALLIES
- KINGDOM OF OREVALOR
- BRADDON HILL
- NORTHERN MOON SECT
They had gained more members, retainers who had joined them. and yet now they were creating and more influence. Jazmel’s faction had grown substantially and now even without him in person. They were growing substantially; he was glad about that; proud even.
They had rested for hours, till Jazmel could rest no more. He felt refreshed and recovered and now he was just itching to move forward; itching to advance and they were all planning to move on. The bathhouse was on the precipice of the final floor. It acted as a barrier between the roots of the tree and those who hoped to descend.
The nymphs who ran the bathhouse had clearly been prewarned by either the tree or the system. So they were ready for when Jazmel and the others approached regarding descending. Chae Namgoong was dressed in a beautiful white robe with a purple outer robe. She looked like she was going to a ceremony. But she was carrying her sword; sheathed but at the ready.
Gadlin was wearing much the same, except his outer robe was blue and he was calm and looked unbothered by the size of the ordeal they were facing. But then he carried his Halberd over his shoulder, and it was all clean, keen, and menacing.
Baek followed behind them both, in his ever pressed and clean white robes.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Ready.” Jazmel responded.
They left the bathhouse and all its pleasantries and embarked back, into the labyrinth and the depths of the spirit tree. Which Jazmel felt exhilaration and anticipation for. A descending tunnel led to a locked gate which a nymph had to literally sing to the lock, to unlock the metal gate. Here she stopped and beckoned them all through.
“Once I lock this gate again, it will ward its discovery and will keep all senses from perceiving this tunnel. So make sure you are ready before you depart.” She said, a final warning before they entered the depths of the spirit tree’s roots.
“We are ready.” Jazmel said with a grim smile, and she bowed quickly, before locking the door and as she said it. the gate closed and it literally changed to look like an unfinished tunnel.
“Whoa, that is uncanny.” Chae said and he agreed with her.
“Come let us cleanse these roots.” Gadlin said and moved to lead from the front.
It was much colder here, so cold that Jazmel almost shivered and he bit back the shudder.
“The spirit tree keeps a warm temperature, what you are feeling is the lack of its presence. Technically we are under the tree now and out of its embrace.” Chae said and Jazmel noticed she had been looking at him.
“Oh.” He said and she smiled at him her beauty stunning him, he looked away and she laughed; the sound of wind chimes in the air.
“Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked him and Jazmel didn’t answer her, he didn’t know how to explain what he and Sadé actually were.
“He is courting a princess.” Baek said and Jazmel snapped his eyes on the old man, sharing his secrets.
“Ahhh a princess, you could do no better it seems. You must be a worthy suitor! Where is she?” she asked him. Jazmel responded quickly to stop Baek from speaking up for him.
“We entered the labyrinth together; we have faced almost every gate as a pair or in a group. It made sense that we would grow closer. She is completing a personal plot and had to leave on her own journey.” He explained and she accepted, acknowledging how important completing a plot from the system was.
“I got my first plot when I was a seeker.” Gadlin said and Chae gasped and slapped him playfully.
“You never told me that!” she made out.
“It wasn’t even special; I had to find lunar moon ores. Metal ores that had been bathed in the direct moonlight of the moon. Once I completed it, I was rewarded with this. My Halberd, but a special and rare type. It’s a growth type item, It doesn’t gain exp like we do. But if I provide it items, it can consume them and grow stronger.” He explained and to Jazmel that sounded wondrous.
“Is that ability locked to the lunar moon ores?” Jazmel asked and Halberd shrugged, in the dark but then he realised it was dark. Not knowing Jazmel could see him perfectly well.
“I am not sure; it might have been the system.” He confessed.
“That sounds like a blessing of an item.” Jazmel admitted and Gadlin smiled by swinging his Halberd in front of him.
They fell quiet after that, moving along the tunnel through the darkness and trying to find the roots of the spirit tree.
Just as Jazmel was beginning to wonder why he hadn't heard back from Sadé, he smelt it. the putrid stench of infection, it smelt like dead flesh or rotting corpses. Whatever it was, it smelt worse and Jazmel gagged at it. he almost felt ashamed until Gadlin coughed and covered his mouth and Chae used her robe sleeve to cover her mouth. Baek didn’t cover his features, but there was a look of disdain on his face.
“I think we found the roots.” Gadlin said and they all murmured their agreement.
DING!
YOU HAVE FOUND THE ROOTS OF THE SPIRIT TREE!
THE ROT HAS BEGUN TO SEEP FURTHER, YOU MUST RIGHT THIS WRONG!
FIND THE INFECTION AND STOP THE ROT!
SAVE THE SPIRIT TREE!
The system flashed across his screen, and he knew the others had seen it on their own screens as they were all had that distant look as if they were looking at something that nobody else could see.
Jazmel took the lead and edging along the tunnel, closer to the stronger stench. They reached the end and found a sorry sight. The roots of the illustrious tree were thick and long, growing in many different ways and angles. Just to Jazmel’s gaze he could see almost thirty different dark ochre-coloured roots growing around. But also, there were other roots that were dying. Quite literally falling away and breaking up in brittle pieces. It was as if they were festering in something and dying from it.
“There look!” Chae said in a hushed whisper and pointing she beckoned for all of them to look.
In the distance, a good few hundred yards from their position, were pools of inky purple ichor and from them clouds were rising up and creating the putrid stench.
“I see the rot, but what created it.” Gadlin said, through clenched teeth.
“Look.” Baek said beckoning with a jutting chin and following his motion a quick movement caught Jazmel’s eye. He looked and caught sight of a creature. It was an insect, a praying mantis with long protruding glossy scythe appendages.
“Jade hand mantis. Great.” Gadlin uttered.
DING!
TIER IV JADE HAND MANTIS! A praying mantis that has earned the jade metal to form its bladed hands.
He had always felt an uncanny fear for praying mantis, they were said to be vicious hunters as tiny insects and if they were larger they would try and aim for larger prey. This mantis was easily taller than him, maybe ten to twelve foot.
“Mantis do not create poison. There is something else.” Chae said and the others deliberated. Jazmel simply stayed quiet, this was like another time where his lack of knowledge of things inside the labyrinth, were more proof of his need for more studying. But could you really prepare for random advancing and the likelihood of facing a different creature every time was extremely high.
“But look over there.” Gadlin uttered.
Jazmel followed his line of sight, and beneath the largest root and coiled upon it; was the body of either a lizard or a serpent. That had wrapped itself around the biggest root he could see and what he noticed with his keen Mana eyes. Was the drain.
“It is draining the tree of its Mana. its siphoning off its energy.” Jazmel told the others and that was it, everyone knew it was time to stop this.
“We need to be able to fight and not be poisoned, any closer to those miasma pools and we will be afflicted. Any ideas?” Gadlin said and Baek spoke first.
“I can clear the pools; I have cleanse talismans on me. They cost a lot but they’re the only way we are going to get close enough to stop whatever that is.” He explained his idea.
“Cool, so we keep the mantises off of you while you clean the pools? Then we deal with whatever is trying to drain the tree?” he explained, and everyone agreed.
“Alright, let’s move.” Baek said and he launched into a run, rushing towards the first pool that was misting with a toxic fog.
One of the mantis turned to him and when it realised he was human, it chittered a high-pitched screech and rushed towards him. mandibles clattering and claws outstretched.
Jazmel and Chae met it claw for claw, against swords and holding it back it flared its wings, a nauseating buzzing sound coming from it. but Gadlin was there and striking deeply with his Halberd he struck off its head with a powerful thrust.
DING!
TIER IV JADE HAND MANTIS KILLED!
EXP SLIGHTLY ACCRUED!
…
Just that simple block was enough to gain him a trickle of Mana. Baek was literally raising a talisman that was burning with a white light. It began to cleanse the pool, and it took some time, it seemed to cost him some Mana to burn the talisman while it cleansed the pool. But he was focusing his entire Mana source on getting these things cleared.
Buzzing thrummed around the air and Jazmel grit his teeth.
“More mantis’ are coming!” he yelled, and they all prepared to defend Baek and in moments Jazmel’s words were confirmed when a bunch more of the mantises appeared. They didn’t even look around, they zoomed through the air rushing towards Baek, not even considering them but Jazmel wouldn’t let anything happen to Baek.
Shadowing wraith!
Floating through the dark of the shadows. He appeared just beneath the group of jade hand mantis’ they noticed him, but he was already active. His sword was singing from its sheath and different parts of mantis fell like pieces from the sky.
He heard shouting, unintelligible but jumbled and when he turned. He could see Gadlin and Chae shouting at him, beckoning below him. time had somehow managed to slow down, looking down he noticed he was floating over a pool, yet to be cleansed and also really dark with toxic miasma.
DING!
X4 TIER IV JADE HAND MANTIS KILLED!
EXP ACCRUED!
…
…
DING!
TOXIC MIASMA HAS BEGUN TO TRY AND THREAD ITS WAY INTO YOUR BEING!
BE CAREFUL!!
POISON CAN PERMANENTLY AFFECT YOU!
…
YOUR BASTION HAS MAINTAINED!
…
Jazmel moved through the air, changing where he would land as best as he could. Especially not wanting to land within the pool itself. So he vaulted to the side and landed a little on the shore of the pool. Holding his breath and back pedalling quickly and moving away from the radius of the cloud.
“It is done.” Jazmel heard and looking over, he sees that its Baek and he has completed the first pool, cleansing it and the consistency of the water changes immediately, it becomes thick and filled with Mana. life Mana in abundance but also spirit Mana, something Jazmel is almost shocked to see.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“It is sap of the spirit tree!” he exclaims with a smile of wonder.
“I will collect some.” Baek says and he delves down and begins to collect using utensils he pulled from his spatial ring.
“Hurry up will you and cleanse the other pools! We got lots of company coming!” Gadlin shouts.
Hailing fury!
He crashes his Halberd into a new group of oncoming mantis, and they literally burst apart becoming an ichor stain. The stone grounds where the roots found no purchase to grow further.
Yin flame blade!
Chae was carving through another group of mantis and when she had killed her share. She broke the pillars that were holding up the tunnel entrance that the mantis were using to enter the area. Jazmel wondered where they were coming from, but he didn’t let that thought wander for long.
“Baek how are we doing?” he asked, over his shoulder, not bothering to look and take his eyes off the surveying he was doing.
“Gadlin more are coming from the west! I will hold the centre. Any that get past either of you, I will deal with.” He shouted.
“Got it!” Gadlin said, sprinting over to the furthest tunnel with his Halberd raised over his head. Chae was still beside her tunnel and when it collapsed on itself she was happy with it.
“Where am I going.” She yelled over at Jazmel. Understanding that he could literally see through the tunnels and ground and scry the Mana of the beasts that were approaching. None were coming, he could send her to support Gadlin, but he was managing on his own well enough.
“This is taking too long; I am going to do a risky thing!” Baek said and those words made Jazmel turn to him. Baek had conjured up all the talismans he had been holding. Five in total and now he was injecting literally his Mana into them. they were forming into a large force of Mana, pure and almost holy; Jazmel thought to himself.
“I am going to use all my Mana and inject it into the talismans, they are going to explode and purify the whole area. But once done, I will be out of commission for a while.” Baek explained, not even giving them a chance to consider his next steps.
“Help!” Chae shouted and looking over, her collapsed tunnel was being excavated, and through the rocks. It could be heard that sound. The buzzing of glassy wings.
“Baek do what you must, once cleansed. Recover as quickly as you can.” Jazmel commanded and then he rushed over to where Chae was standing.
Great rumbling dragon!
He crashed his skill into the tunnel, through the debris the Mana dragon soared downwards, and he couldn’t tell how much damage that would do, but he felt the trickle of exp mingled with system energy.
DING!
EXP SLIGHTLY ACCRUED!
He moved back towards the centre, the area literally thrumming with energy and when he looked at the talismans, he could tell they were close to their peak.
“Here it goes!” Baek yelled, as he used both hands to try and control the explosion that he was creating.
KRAKOOM!
BOOM!!
KRAKOOM!
The room, the cavern shook. The energy that erupted outward in a ring of white and golden light was so strong it knocked Jazmel off his feet. It wasn’t even injured; it was just the shock output of power. It reduced all the pools to sap immediately, all the withered tree roots suddenly became hale, and the remains of any mantis was decimated. Leaving behind, not even a mark. Worse too, Jazmel felt refreshed, and his Mana had been refilled like he had gotten a good rest overnight.
Baek sat where he had stood and began to meditate, his eyes closed, and the tiniest speck of Mana left. He began to pull at it and churn it about, kneading it with his breathing as he tried to create more from that iota.
DING!
THE SPIRIT TREE ROOTS HAVE BEEN CLEANSED!
THE SPIRIT TREE SAPS HAVE BEEN CLEANSED!
YOU HAVE REMOVED THE ROT, THE TOXIC MIASMA!!
WELL DONE!
CONGRATULATIONS!!
THE SPIRIT TREE HAS REVELLED IN ITS PURITY!
…
…
…
REWARDS WILL BE PROVIDED!
…
…
WAIT!
ONE MOMENT!
REWARDS WILL BE WITHHELD!
YOU HAVE NOT MANAGED TO STOP THE CAUSE OF THE ROT!!!
TIER VII ABYSSAL SERPENT CIATLATZI IS AWAKENING!
Tier VII? Jazmel thought and he coughed not at the shock, but the abject horror of it.
Focus don’t let the fear of a name confound you. Paldane rumbled into his mind and Jazmel shook his mind, shaking the doubt and fear from his frame.
“You are right.” He said aloud.
“Huh?” Chae said, closest to him and Jazmel shook his head.
A sound like rock scraping against rock could be heard, drawing his attention. He looked and saw that the thing that had curled all around the thickest root. Had begun to uncoil, unfurling itself from around the root.
The sound was eerie, much like fingernails on a chalkboard. The hairs on the back of Jazmel’s neck stood up and he felt unnerved as the largest creature he had ever seen. Began to unravel.
Its body was so thick that Jazmel couldn’t even tell how wide it might have been. He couldn’t wrap his extended arms around it, it was that thick. The length was easily fifty feet and as it reared its head, Jazmel could see that its scales were stone like, each scale overlapping another in a mosaic design.
The heard reared dancing as it raised itself up and Jazmel could see it was shaking the slumber from its body. It heaved, inhaling deeply, and flicking out its tongue as it yawned revealing sickly sickle curved fangs in its upper and lower jaw.
DING!
TIER VII ABYSSAL SERPENT HAS AWOKEN!
…
“That thing is huge, only the labyrinth could put us through this.” Chae said, mutedly.
“No point for fighting a battle of attrition. I am going to hit it with all I have right now.” Gadlin said, he stabbed his Halberd into the ground. Pulling from his ring, he grabbed a smooth and round pill. He bit it, grimacing and then he bit the other half and swallowed it whole.
“Oh no, this is going to go badly.” Chae said.
“Why?” Jazmel asked, suddenly worried.
“That was a tier pill. It raises the tier of the consumer for a short time, but then it reduces them a rank after consumption.” She explained, Jazmel was mortified. He hadn't heard of the pill, but that was dangerous. On so many levels, not only would Gadlin lose such a serious amount of power. But what if they didn’t manage to defeat the creature in time. Gadlin would be a big loss.
Langdrin’s lark!
Paldane roared, he was in his smaller form as he crouched on Jazmel’s shoulder and roared. The abyssal serpent hissed, challenged by the small lizard and the skill affected it little.
Yin flame!
Chae Namgoong cast a burning scythe from her sword in a slash and it struck the serpent head on. It leaned into the strike, simply accepting the strike. But it was the first strike to land on it fully. It sneered at her, hissing, and flicking its tongue out. It jerked forward, edging some of its body forward.
Flaming evisceration!
Jazmel struck out. Sword swinging with might and Mana, it hit the ground and burning aggression sailed through the air and hit the serpent square on the chest. The underbelly wasn’t particularly defenceless, but the scales there were smooth and lighter in colour. Jazmel didn’t even leave a mark, but he wasn’t expecting too. He was hoping to draw its attention from Chae.
Hallowed Tempest!
Gadlin appeared, his body thicker and more muscular. He also had a reddened tinge to his skin, his Mana burning up to the point where it was appearing on his physical flesh. He sailed through the air, his Halberd sailed through the air. His Mana must have drawn the attention of the serpent, it turned its motion and movement. Rearing its head up and showing its fangs in a hissing snarl. It opened its move wide enough to swallow Halberd whole, but Jazmel was not going to allow it.
Shadowing wraith!
He lurched through the shadows; they almost catapulted him through the air. He hit Gadlin and pulled him out of the trajectory he was sailing towards. They smashed into a wall and Gadlin coughed, a little bruised from the quick change of momentum.
“Let’s try that again.” he said, launching himself through the air again. before the serpent could figure out where they had landed.
Raging furl!
Swinging his heavy weapon about his body. He sent two soaring strikes through the air. Both hitting the serpent on either side of its head.
DING!
TIER VII ABYSSAL SERPENT CIATLATZI HAS BEEN FUELLED BY FURY!
IT WILL NOW BE ABLE TO SHOULDER MOST ATTACKS AND OFFSET THE DAMAGE!
…
DING!
TIER VII ABYSSAL SERPENT CIATLATZI BEGINS THE DANCE OF DAMOCLES!
As the system flashed the words across Jazmel’s screen. He noticed that the gargantuan serpent was dancing, a hypnotic sort of sway that was causing Jazmel’s balance to veer with it.
Paldane roared again, but the dance negated that. The tier VII beast was beating them with sheer strength and there was nothing they could do.
DING!
DANCE OF DAMOCLES SHARPLY HINDERS DEXTERITY!
…
Of course it does. He thought to himself.
“Keep pushing!” he heard and as he looked up, causing himself to stumble and nearly tumble over. Gadlin was hanging from his Halberd in the ceiling of the cavern. he had stabbed it for purchase and was using it to stay above.
DING!
BASTION OF THE TYRANT CANNOT STAND AGAINST THE DANCE OF DAMOCLES!
BASTION FAILS!
DEXTERITY FALLS SHARPLY!
…
Jazmel felt it, though he had never really noticed the difference when his stats rose. He felt this restriction now. It felt as if two chained balls had been locked to each of his ankles. That feeling of untold balance and harmony with his movement fell away immediately.
The snake hissed again, and looking up sluggishly. He watched it inhale and hack up phlegm from the back of its throat.
DING!
TIER VII ABYSSAL SERPENT CIATLATZI USES TOXIC TETHER
…
Bright lilac tendrils of poison shot from its mouth. He had to dodge as best and fast as he could. Not only were they toxic, but where they landed. They began to permeate a nasty mist of poison.
Aeonic blast!
Paldane roared from his shoulder and spewed flames down onto the tendrils. Burning them up, the serpent didn’t like that, not one bit. It lurched forward; that same scraping sound of the scales against the stone again. Jazmel grimaced, wincing at the sound as it moved towards him.
Winged harmony!
Chae shot past him; sword raised for a hardy strike. She landed it and before the serpent could bite or snap at her, she hurtled past it, drawing its attention and gaze. Just as Gadlin appeared.
Spear of retribution!
Halberd drew all his Mana in and pressed, imprinting it into the tip of his Halberd. It glimmered, shining like a bright star in the shadowy depths of the cavern. He jammed his spear between scales, and with pure monstrous strength, he ripped a couple off. The serpent roared and Jazmel had cover his ears with his hands.
Quick, while its in pain! Paldane yelled into their shared mind link.
Wincing from his stinging ears and now the shouting of Paldane in his head. he stumbled, as he tried to move and almost forgetting how his movement had been restricted. He was moving as if he was trapped within a bog. Struggling to stay strong with the feeling of vertigo and restriction.
DING!
TYRANT BODY IS FORCIBLY TRYING TO FREE ITSELF!
BASTION OF THE TYRANT IS FIGHTING AGAINST THE DANCE OF DAMOCLES!!
…
THE HINDERING OF YOUR DEXTERITY HAS DIMINISHED!
YOU HAVE GAINED SOME OF YOUR DEXTERITY BACK!!
…
As soon as the words flashed across his screen, he felt it immediately. It felt as gravity had lessened its hold on him, and within minutes he was already breathing and moving easier. He felt lither and back to his self. He looked to the side and saw Chae struggling under the weight of the dance, her skin glistened with sweat and her eyebrows taut with strain.
Shadowing wraith!
He skimmed through the shadows, racing towards the abyssal serpent. It was still shrieking from the pain of its ripped scales. But that was exactly where Jazmel was aiming. He appeared a little ways away from the lower body of the monster, but it was enough. He leapt from the shadows and swinging his blade he sent a black scything strike through the air. It crashed into the wound and blood spurted, turning the wound into a savage rend but Jazmel wasn’t done.
Sundering Raven!
While he was descending from his former skill, his body ignited with the next use of his latter skill. The wound tore up, a rend appearing as a climbing ladder, as more scales fell away, and its defence had now been penetrated.
But it had caught sight of Jazmel, it spat poison at him it missed him but where he was forced to move. The abyssal serpent was already projecting to attack him again. Paldane roared flames but the serpent didn’t even flicker from their affects.
Heron’s herald!
Baek!
Baek appeared, he swung his skill, a shining white heron soared across the expanse and clattered with the serpent’s head. it was blown back, and it screeched in shock, Jazmel looked at Baek. He wasn’t as comfortable as before, he hadn't recovered all of his Mana, but he was near about half and that skill had been augmented by surprise. The serpent hissed and changed its focus, angling its body about as it moved towards him he moved, as agile as usual. Trying to turn it away from Jazmel completely.
Raging furl!
Gadlin hit it on the side again, but this time it seemed like it had been waiting for him. it snapped at him, catching him in its mouth.
“No!” Chae shouted.
But as soon as it closed its mouth. It also opened it and between its teeth Jazmel could see Gadlin standing on its tongue and had stuck his Halberd into the top of its mouth.
“I am running out of Mana!” he yelled and as he said that the abyssal serpent shook its head, side to side. Trying to dislodge him, and then it spat him out sending him sailing through the air. He hit the wall badly, crashing into it. Then he fell to the ground, the reddened tinge leeching from his skin.
“Gadlin!” Chae screamed as she rushed over to him, the grace gone from her movement.
The abyssal serpent spotted her and with narrowed eyes it aimed for her. But Jazmel and Baek were there too.
Sundering Raven!
Jazmel sent his soaring skill through the air, it crashed into the side of the face of the monster. Cracking some of its facial scales, it hissed in anger turning about. He didn’t care, he was protecting Gadlin and hurried forward.
Sundering Raven!
Night of the white moon!
He sent his skill sailing again, to his dismay the serpent dodged it. Ducking its head quite quickly but Baek’s skill crashed into its face and sent it back reeling. It snarled, flashing its teeth turning to face Baek again, realising that he was the greater threat.
Aeonic blast!
Paldane roared and this time he leapt from Jazmel’s shoulder expanding in size, he was the size of a wagon, and all black and blue scales sailed through the air. Flames burst free from his mouth and engulfed the face of the serpent. It wailed in pain and when Paldane swooped away, Jazmel could see that the serpent has lost its vision, thick red rivulets of tears were listing from both eyes.
Night of the white moon!
Baek leapt up and slammed his condensed Mana into the face of the serpent, it snapped at him but missed him.
Winged sever!
Paldane zoomed past slashing with the edge of his wing. Scoring an even larger strike across the face and the serpent couldn’t even defend himself. But now the strikes were getting through and that really changed things for them.
Great rumbling dragon!
The Mana dragon lurched from his Mana core and crashed into the massive swivelling head. crashing it into the head and forcing it down.
Winged sever!
Paldane soared past and using his wing he sliced the very air; a twisting maelstrom of Mana struck the face of the serpent. Tearing up the scales and bloodied flesh.
Night of the white moon!
Sundering Raven!
The white orb expanded, and using all of his last Mana. he caused it to expand again, the sheer Mana it took. Jazmel was sure it was much more than he could accumulate himself. His slash crashed beneath the snout of the serpent and caused its head to bounce up. It swayed from side to side, its brain clearly rattled.
The orb was so large that Baek had to hold it up and away from his body. Raising it above his head so he wouldn’t be consumed by the maelstrom. He ushered it off with a whisper as if blowing on the seeds of a dandelion.
The skill obliterated everything as it ascended to the wavering abyssal serpent. The snake didn’t know what was coming, having already lost its eyes. But its sixth sense warned it, its tongue flicked out and it was as if it tasted its doom. It hissed and tried to back pedal, but the orb of white Mana moved forward; rushing forward hungrily and it exploded on the head of the abyssal serpent as it consumed it entirely.
DING!
TIER VII ABYSSAL SERPENT CIATLATZI HAS BEEN KILLED!
DING!
DING!
CONGRATULATIONS, YOURS IS THE FIRST TEAM TO OVERCOME A TIER VII!
YOUR REWARDS WILL REFLECT THAT!
DING!
DING!
YOU HAVE MANAGED TO CLEAR THE ROT FROM THE SPIRIT TREE!
YOUR REWARDS WILL REFLECT THAT!
DING!
DING!
YOU HAVE FOUND OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE ROT AND REMOVED IT!
YOUR REWARDS WILL REFLECT THAT!
…
…
+5 END
+5 DEX
+5 VIT
+5 INT
+3 AGL
+3 PER
+3 STR
…
DING!
EXP MASSIVELY ACCRUED!
LEVEL UP!
LEVEL UP!
YOU HAVE EARNED THE TITLE MANTLE OF THE REAVER! You have seen battle, and you have seen death. You have danced with it, learned its name and it has known to fear your own. All attacks will do slightly more damage!
That sounds ominous, but he would take any more skills he could. He said to himself in his mind.
DING!
PLEASE SEE YOUR REWARDS!
…
Before them. Four orichalcum chests dropped from the air appearing from nothing. Jazmel felt the ebb of the dance of Damocles fall away and he recovered his litheness. He looked off to the side and saw Paldane digging into the corpse of the snake, blood and gore flung about him as he dug into its flesh trying to find its core.
Chae and Gadlin came forward and began to stumble over towards the chests. Jazmel moved quickly and went over to support Gadlin who was much heavier than he had thought, and Chae grinned at him with thanks.
“We survived!” Gadlin whispered, he smiled but Jazmel could tell he was in pain. He winced and Jazmel could feel his Mana had reduced considerably.
“Come let’s get you over beside your rewards.” Jazmel said, as he helped Gadlin move over and beside the four chests.
Paldane was hungrily chewing on the flesh as he was trying to find the core of their first ever tier VII monster. And Jazmel was happy to let him, once they were beside their chests everyone hungrily opened one each.
DING!
ORICHALCUM CHEST GAINED!
There were just three items in the chest for Jazmel and they were filled with so much Mana. That he had to turn his head slightly to hide his eyes.
The first item was an obsidian talisman made of metal or black rock. It had writing on it, but Jazmel could not read the runes. The system perked up and flooded his screen with information.
MASTER TIER DOMAIN INVITATION! This item will provide you entrance to an oncoming timed event. Keep it close and wait for further instruction.
An item he couldn’t use yet, but an invitation to an event? Jazmel nodded but pulled it into his ring for safe keeping.
MASTER TIER SKILL TOKEN! An affixed skill token at the master tier rank.
Something for his final skill slot, he didn’t open it yet, but the skill token held some weight to it. Jazmel nodded with a thanks to the system and pulled the token into his ring.
TIER VII ABYSSAL SERPENT MANA CRYSTAL! A tier VII monster will have more than a core, it will have a Mana crystal too. A great ingredient for crafting armour, weapons, or alchemy. But also a tier tribulation item.
The system had gifted him a great item, he pulled it into his ring and then when he was finished. He checked the chest and finding it empty he closed it and when it exploded into a shower of platinum rings. He pulled them into his ring too.
1000X PLATINUM COINS GAINED!
A thousand platinum coins?! He exclaimed.
“Did you get an invitation too?” Baek asked and Jazmel showed him his own.
“We did too.” Gadlin stated and Chae nodded sharing she had too.
“Maybe everyone who kills a tier VII monster or creature gets one?” Jazmel surmised and the others agreed.
“But if you can only gain this after defeating such a high tier, what could the invitation be for?” Chae pondered aloud and everyone grew silent at that.
“Whatever it may be, we clearly need to be stronger. This battle was very dangerous, we should consider and reflect on what we just faced. Prepare for future advancement and heal.” Baek said and his last words were for Gadlin more than anyone else.
“He’s right. I need to recover; I need to gain my tier back and then some. Luckily, my rewards were something to help towards that, but I need time to recuperate.” He said and Jazmel could tell he really needed it.
“You should return to the bathhouse.” Jazmel said and Chae perked up at that idea.
“We should, we are going to.” Gadlin smiled at that and nodded conceding.
DING!
MASTER TIER I CHAE NAMGOONG HAS SENT YOU A FRIEND REQUEST!
DING!
GADLIN DEVEREAUX HAS SENT YOU A FRIEND REQUEST!
WILL YOU ACCEPT?
Y/N?
Jazmel accepted both and everyone smiled at each other.
“We will check with you when we have recovered but let’s leave from this place. It is eerie and that body scares me.” Chae said shuddering.
“Yes, let’s leave from here.” Jazmel agreed.
They moved off, making to finally leave the roots of the spirit tree.