《Eternus Online [DEFUNCT, IGNORE THIS FICTION]》 Chapter 01: Eternus Online December 1st, 2085 Hampton Falls, NH United States of America 1853 Hours EST Bradford Michael Alexander Robert Pendragon the Fifth, or ¡®Brad¡¯ as he preferred to be called, pulled into the driveway of his family home in Hampton Falls. ¡°Power off.¡± He said as he stepped out of his car. The command deactivated the electric engine immediately and allowed the vehicle to connect to the charging pad built into the faux-granite driveway under his feet. The only sign of the charge was the subtle flicker of electric-blue light around the rectangular pad, muted by the sporty chassis of the luxury two-door. Brad¡¯s footsteps were quiet as he approached the doors to the massive house, glancing up at the centre of the brown double-doors and allowing the small projector above the frame to scan him quickly. The wash of blue light raked his form, and a chime of approval echoed from somewhere nearby. Several loud clicks went off, and the doors opened inwards, offering him entry. ¡°Thanks, Alfred.¡± He said as he stepped inside, beelining for the large staircase at the end of the carpeted marble entrance hall and ascending them two at a time. ¡°You¡¯re quite welcome, Master Bradford.¡± The distinctly English accent of the residence AI responded warmly, voice projecting from one of the many hidden speakers within the infrastructure. ¡°Shall I prepare dinner, Young Master?¡± Brad shook his head as he turned left at the middle fork of the staircase, still taking them two at a time. ¡°I ate while I was out.¡± He glanced at the sleek black band wrapped around his wrist, noting the time when it appeared on his forearm in holographic blue digits. ¡°Has everything been set up, Alfred?¡± ¡°Yes indeed.¡± The AI responded affirmatively. ¡°I had the technicians install the device in your study, as you asked. I take it this is that new VRMMO you¡¯ve been excited for?¡± Brad grinned. ¡°Eternus Online.¡± ¡°I took the liberty of familiarising myself with the available information, sir. Would you like me to¡ª?¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± Brad said as he stepped through multiple doorways and a long corridor, stepping through the opening doors to his bedroom. ¡°I want to go in blind. More of an adventure!¡± ¡°Understood, sir. Is there anything I can do to assist before you engage in the game?¡± Brad hesitated. Was there anything that Alfred could do? He certainly didn¡¯t want the experience of Eternus spoiled by the AI, but maybe there was something he could take care of on Brad¡¯s behalf. ¡°Can you call Kent and tell him I¡¯ll be starting it up soon, please?¡± ¡°Ah, will master Kent be playing with you?¡± ¡°Last I checked, yep.¡± Brad confirmed. ¡°Though he said he wouldn¡¯t be free until about nine, so I have a couple of hours to kill. Tell him I¡¯ll be figuring out the tutorial while I wait.¡± ¡°Of course sir.¡± Alfred conceded agreeably as Brad doffed his jacket, rid himself of his casual jeans, and pulled off his shirt and underwear. Naked as the day he was born, the twenty-three-year-old stepped through the doors to his adjoining study and settled his eyes on the full-immersion pod resting on a dais at the centre of the room. When Eternus Online had been announced, the company behind it had also announced a special raffle. The winners would receive custom, specially created cradles for full-dive immersion into the game. Each person had been limited to one ticket to make it fair, and Brad had entered without hesitation. When he¡¯d received the email he¡¯d won, he¡¯d been unable to believe his luck. The obsidian-coloured pod was shaped like a coffin, an ironic touch that Brad had found weirdly endearing. The electronics that powered it were hooked up to a low-grade fusion generator on the dais beneath it, one that was independent of the home¡¯s power supply and was self-recharging. He had no idea about the science behind it, of course, but that hardly mattered. All he cared about was the fact that it could run even in the case of a full black-out. The pod itself also had a state of the art quantum uplink to the Eternus servers in the middle of the Atlantic, meaning that his connection was basically uninterruptible. From what his research had told him, the trillionaire behind the creation of Eternus had spared no expense, and the server mainframes for the game had been built onto a state of the art man-made island, named ¡®New Atlantis¡¯, adrift in U.S. sovereign waters. Rumour had it that the United States Navy was also helping keep the island safe, though for what reason, was unclear. ¡°Thank god for absentee parents.¡± He murmured as he approached the pod, once again finding a positive note in the relative absence of his old money, hyper-ambitious parents and their all-consuming quest to increase the Pendragon family fortune. The pod hissed quietly as it vented compression, the lid lifting away to reveal the deceptively sparse interior of the metal device, and the viscous liquid inside of it. Brad took a slow breath and shook out his arms and legs, eyeing the interior of the pod with a mix of nervousness and excitement. A breath in and out followed and then he stepped forward, moving to step into the pod before he could second-guess himself. ¡°Woah. Weird.¡± He said as the warmth of the liquid inside of it greeted him, and banished his concerns about being cold. With less hesitation, he lowered himself down until he was sitting within the strange substance. An oxygen mask and simple forehead band slid out from one of the side panels and Brad accepted them both, placing the band on his head and slipping the mask into place. A few moments of nothingness followed, and Brad was about to open his mouth to pose a query to Alfred when a sudden prompt lit up his vision.
New User Detected. Initializing . . .
Brad blinked at the message, experimentally waving his hand in front of his face. When he touched nothing but air, he realised that the message must have been projected in his vision alone, and his eyes widened. ¡°Okay. That is cool.¡± He murmured to himself. A moment later, another prompt replaced the first one.
System initialized and calibrated. All power and connection readings nominal. Please lie down and close your eyes to begin.
Brad did as the prompt requested without much hesitation, allowing the warm liquid to frame his face and closing his eyes. He felt the liquid rising as he did, and detected the subtle hint of something else coming from the mask covering his mouth and nose. Before he could even open his mouth to question, he felt his consciousness slipping away, focus pulled from him. The distant sound of the lid of the pod closing accompanied him as he drifted, and the faint hiss of pressurisation was the last thing he heard as the liquid covered his body and face. A moment later, Brad¡¯s eyes snapped open to an endless white void. ¡°What the hell?¡± He muttered, before a prompt abruptly filled the air before him, making him blink rapidly.
Welcome, Traveler, to Eternus Online! Eternus Online is the latest, and most cutting edge form of VRMMO gaming. Unlike other games, there is neither a script nor a standard experience to Eternus Online. Every player is limited to one character. Permanent death is very rare in Eternus Online, but is not impossible. You are allowed 1 re-roll every 6 real life months. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Eternus Online operates with a time compression system in place, allowing 4 hours to pass for every 1 hour in the real world. This equates to one in-game day for every 6 hours in real life. Time compression is an experimental feature, and all users must consent to medical monitoring to avoid any unforeseen complications, the terms and extent of which are included in the Eternus Online EULA. Do you wish to view the Eternus Online EULA?
YES NO
Brad hesitated, and then shook his head and selected no. Alfred had already gone over the EULA when he¡¯d looked into the game, and the AI had raised no major concerns when questioned. If Alfred saw no reason to worry, especially given his programming to protect the lives of the household, then Brad saw no reason to bother with the minutiae. He¡¯d already known about the compression technology as well, and that was part of what had made him so excited for the game in the first place. The compression could be roughly calculated to 91 real life days per year in Eternus Online. With the average human lifespan nearing close to one hundred and fifty years thanks to modern science, that meant that if someone played Eternus Online for half a decade, they would experience over a dozen years of life within the realm of the game. It was an incredible breakthrough in modern technology, and something that only ten years prior had seemed beyond the scope of possibility. ¡°So, what now?¡± He asked to the empty air, only for another prompt to fill his vision. Well, at least he knew how to get things moving. He had to prompt it verbally.
By waiving the viewing of the EULA, your consent to its contents has been assumed. If you wish to view the EULA at any time, please access the [Help] option in your in-game menu. To proceed further, it is time to create your character. This character will be your Avatar within Eternus Online for the duration of your playtime, unless you decide to re-roll or are permanently killed. Once you begin the character creation process, it is extremely important that you do not log out or disconnect during the process. Are you ready to begin?
YES NO
Brad selected yes without hesitation, and glanced around as the window disappeared. A few moments of silence passed as he considered whether or not another verbal prompt was required, and then another few seconds again before he decided to throw caution to the winds and opened his mouth to speak. Before he could, however, he was interrupted by a flash of light and the appearance of a new person in the endless white. The new arrival was female, standing around five foot five with her blonde hair in a corporate-chic haircut, dressed in a white blouse and a simple black pencil skirt. Matching stockings and cream heels completed the look. ¡°Hello!¡± She said with a winning smile, wiggling her fingers in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m Ada, your actualisation assistant. I¡¯ve been sent by the Gods to help with the construction of your host body within the world of Eternus!¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Hello.¡± Brad said uncertainly, blinking at the bubbly tidal wave of personality before him. ¡°So you¡¯re here to help me make my character?¡± ¡°Yup!¡± Ada said with a grin. ¡°You Travelers sure do use weird terms.¡± Brad¡¯s mind raced as he took in the blonde, before he decided to throw his confusion aside. Was it really surprising that a game as ambitious as Eternus would have dynamic character creation wrapped into an immersive experience? In a way, he¡¯d already started playing the game. ¡°Um, so how do we do this?¡± He asked instead of answering her statement, unsure how to proceed. ¡°It¡¯s simple really!¡± Ada replied happily. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and create a simulacrum for you to interact with. When you¡¯re happy with the look and feel of the example, I¡¯ll pass the design along and your soul will be tethered to your body within Eternus!¡± Brad nodded along as she spoke. The gist of it was simple enough, and he saw no reason to ask for elaboration or hesitate in proceeding. It all seemed relatively straightforward. ¡°Okay. Ready when you are, Ada.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± She replied happily. ¡°Here we go.¡± A sudden flash of light made Brad blink rapidly again, and when he refocused his gaze he stared at what appeared to be a replication of himself. This rendition was inert, arms at its sides and blue eyes staring vacantly ahead. Its blond hair was cut with a fade just like his, and it even sported the small crescent scar on its chin that he¡¯d acquired as a toddler. It was also, he noticed, completely naked. ¡°Whoa.¡± He said as he looked it over with a mix of awe, surprise, and embarrassment. ¡°This is your simulacrum! You are allowed, per the rules of Eternus, to alter yourself within a thirty-percent margin of difference.¡± Ada said brightly. ¡°Any changes you want to make, you only need to picture in your mind. When you¡¯re satisfied with your choices, just say you¡¯re finished and I¡¯ll take it from there!¡± Brad chewed his lip and braced his hands on his hips, eyeing the construct warily. ¡°Any changes I want?¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t grow horns or add wings or anything.¡± Ada said with a laugh. ¡°But height, weight, muscle, limbs, hair, face, eyes¡­ Even your genitalia!¡± Brad blushed visibly at that, and laughed nervously. ¡°That¡¯s detailed.¡± He muttered. Drawing in a breath, he shrugged and decided to dive in. The first thing he did was change his hair and eyes, altering the first to be down to the middle of his shoulders, and adding vibrancy to the gold. His eyes brightened to a more vibrant blue colour, while he went about subtly tweaking his muscle mass. He¡¯d played football in high school, but he¡¯d let his figure go in the five years since he graduated ¡ª and that was something he still regretted. He tightened up the looseness on his belly, and brought three neat pairs of abdominal muscles back into definition. His arms and legs received the same treatment, tightened up muscle-wise. Thankfully he¡¯d managed to retain his general size, even if the definition had faded. The changes, therefore, were easily accepted. He was already reasonably tall at 6¡¯3, but he decided to crank that just a little more: Pushing himself up to 6¡¯5 and better structuring his jawline. He noticed his body seemed to proportionally increase in density and size with his actions, saving him the trouble of having to adjust anything to fit the new height. His eyes glanced down at his groin, and he shrugged to himself in acceptance. Above average was fine, he didn¡¯t need something ludicrous. His eyes flickered over himself, and he nodded in satisfaction before turning to Ada. ¡°I guess I¡¯m done.¡± He said after a moment. ¡°Can¡¯t really think of anything else.¡± The blonde smiled brightly and looked him over, nodding to herself. ¡°Okiedokie! Your psychological acceptance of the demonstrated body is also on par with what¡¯s expected, which is great!¡± ¡°My psychological acceptance?¡± He asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Why yes! One of my tasks is to be on the lookout for gender dysphoria or other disconnections from one¡¯s own body. This is a new world, traveler! You can be whatever your heart desires.¡± Bradford blinked, then shrugged. That made sense. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m going to go ahead and begin the soulbinding process, if you¡¯re absolutely sure?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Brad replied with a final glance over himself. ¡°Great! Here we go!¡± Ada said brightly. A sudden vortex opened before him, resplendent with a kaleidoscope of every known spectrum of colour. Brad raised his eyebrow at it, and then looked at Ada again, who appeared perfectly unperturbed by the development. Deciding not to worry, he watched as his new body lifted off the ¡®ground¡¯ and drifted toward the portal languidly. It was funny in a way, watching his own physical self inertly drifting toward a rainbow tear in the fabric of reality. At least, until something seemed to go wrong. The portal, in the blink of an eye, seemed to fracture. Its myriad of colours were abruptly shattered, black lines of menacing power threading in from the edges of the circle to turn the entire structure a roiling, vicious obsidian. Bradford looked at Ada, who was now staring at the portal in shock. The blonde seemed frozen for a minute, before she spun back to face Brad. ¡°Why is this happening?! What did you do?!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything!¡± He shot back, watching as his new body was greedily sucked into the black abyss. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there an error with the¡ª?¡± ¡°This is wrong! How is She doing this?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!¡± Brad panicked as Ada turned to him, looking terrified and shocked, even as he was lifted off the ground. The blonde made as if to grab him, and a bolt of obsidian lightning struck out to swat away her hand. Ada hissed as if burned, turning back to the portal that was now rapidly approaching his vision. ¡°Ada! What the hell is going on?!¡± ¡°I have to report this¡­¡± She said while ignoring him, glancing between him and the portal. ¡°This can¡¯t be allowed. You¡¯ll regret this day, Traveler. You¡¯ve just made some very powerful enemies.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?!¡± Bradford¡¯s demands were in vain as Ada vanished. Panicked, he turned back to the looming darkness of the portal. With a final shout of fear, he was pulled in. Everything turned black. Chapter 02: Choices Wake up. Bradford floated in darkness, barely aware of the fact he was aware. He remembered little of what had happened, trapped as he was in an endless void. Some sense of self-awareness told him he was alive, but how and where remained outside the scope of his understanding. He tried to move, tried to blink, and felt as if he were mired in deep water. The void seemed to undulate around him, compressing and supporting him in equal measure. Wake up. He struggled through the compression to bring his right hand to his face, and touched his eyes. For all that he¡¯d thought he was looking at darkness, he realised that his eyes weren¡¯t even open. Another attempt to lift his eyelids told him something seemed to almost be fighting his ability to do so, and Bradford pressed his forefinger and thumb to his closed eyes. With what felt like a herculean effort, he pushed up the skin. He froze the moment he did. Bradford was afloat in the infinite void of space, surrounded by stars and nebulae and facing what appeared to be a gothic throne room bereft of any anchor to the physical world. Roman-style pillars lined the throne room, marching toward the seat at the far end which itself was a beautiful construct of black marble, with gold and silver veins running through it. When he raked his eyes over the throne room again, a patch of darkness his eyes had seemed to naturally roll over caught his attention. Almost as if his attention was a desire for movement, he was abruptly standing on the marble flooring of the throne room, staring at that patch of darkness. As he did, he noticed it start to erode ¡ª sloughing away until what was beneath it was revealed. What he saw took him a long few moments to process. The most beautiful woman he¡¯d ever seen knelt on the floor of the throne room, her arms bound by golden chains that now stretched to each one of the pillars. The chains seemed to dance with liquid sunlight, expelling coronas of power that snapped and scorched at the airless void. Her silver hair fell like a river of starlight across the nearly-translucent black nightgown that barely covered her body. Brad abruptly remembered he was naked and glanced down in a panic, only to find himself attired in a simple white shirt, matching pants, and a pair of brown boots. Sighing in relief, he turned back to the woman. She seemed to exemplify beauty, grace, and power, from her black-painted full lips to her generous bust and notable hips. Her arms and legs, he noticed, were clearly defined with muscle ¡ª showing him a woman who not only held staggering beauty, but a prominent physicality as well. He was reminded of a silver-haired Wonder Woman, in many ways. When she lifted her head to look at him, her eyes were striking: They glowed with crimson light, though it seemed faint, as if they were somehow diminished. ¡°At last¡­¡± She rasped wearily, her eyes fixed on his in a way that froze Bradford in place. ¡°I have waited so long for your arrival¡­¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± He asked in confusion as he watched her, glancing around at the floating throne room before turning back to its jailed occupant. ¡°I have no idea who you are, or where I¡ª¡± ¡°I am known by many names...¡± the woman replied before he could finish his sentence, her voice breaking from disuse ¡°...but you may call me Lilith.¡± He swallowed as she spoke, forcing himself to come back from the strange sense of almost juvenile intimidation he felt at her presence. Something deep within his mind told him that the reaction was not entirely natural, and he wanted to fight it. He¡¯d never been afraid of anything to the degree he was afraid of Lilith, and the smaller part of his mind yelling it was all part of the game demanded he break free of the absurdity of the intimidation¡¯s effects. Almost as if a switch had been flicked, the fear was gone. ¡°Impressive.¡± She whispered as she stared at him in consideration. ¡°You overcame my aura so easily.¡±
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: [Dark Will] Despite being in the presence of the Dark Lady, you have overcome her [Aura of Terror] and mastered your will. This is a feat of legend, granting you the unique boon of complete immunity to all forms of Fear effects. Your [Dark Will] will also protect you from the effects of [Mental Domination] and other such control abilities. You are now able to withstand the presence of all creatures be they Mortal, Immortal, Elemental, Undead, Divine, or Aberrant.
¡°Dark Lady¡­ Are you some sort of deity?¡± ¡°Ah, so you understand.¡± Lilith croaked. ¡°Yes, traveler, I am She of the End. All creatures of the Dark are my servants, from the lowest of ghouls to the greatest of Reapers.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± He said slowly, watching the beautiful goddess warily. ¡°And why are you chained up here, exactly?¡± ¡°Even gods fear the inevitability that I represent, traveler. They whom I called my comrades betrayed me and imprisoned me within this realm between realms.¡± Brad nodded slowly and looked around at the area surrounding them. ¡°And why am I here?¡± ¡°You, traveler, are here because you entered Eternus through a special artifact; one that I sent out into the cosmos in hopes of summoning aid.¡± Brad raised an eyebrow at her words, and then his eyes widened. ¡°The coffin!¡± He said abruptly, snapping his fingers in realisation. ¡°That explains the raffle¡­¡± ¡°Yes. The Coffin.¡± She agreed. ¡°Which leads us to the Path before you.¡± ¡°Uh, what path?¡± He asked with a sudden sense of wariness. That capital ¡®P¡¯ had been very distinct. ¡°You have two options before you, traveler. The first is to leave me to my imprisonment, perpetuating the current state of affairs and allowing the Greater and Lesser gods to stand uncontested as the ruling deities of Eternus. Doing this will likely earn you some small measure of favour with the other gods, as well. It will be a quick means to a favourable beginning upon Eternus.¡± Brad raised his eyebrows. ¡°Okay¡­ And option two?¡± ¡°You free me.¡± She said quietly. ¡°And I shall deliver you to Eternus as my Avatar. You will be my champion, my agent, my blade and shield. Through you I will once again bring the power of the Dark to Eternus, and exact my vengeance against my treacherous siblings and their sycophants. This path will be the harder and more grueling of the two. You will be hunted by the servants of the other gods, outcast from society, and thrown into a war you are ill prepared to wage. Your chances of success will be slim, your chances of survival slimmer still.¡± ¡°I see.¡± He said with raised eyebrows. ¡°Not exactly appealing, that option.¡± ¡°It is not.¡± She agreed with a wry smile. ¡°But along the path you shall receive powers and abilities beyond your wildest imaginings. You will become a Dark Sovereign the likes of which Eternus has not seen since the days of the last Revenant-King, and when your power and influence reaches the appropriate levels¡­ you shall even have me.¡± Brad stared at her for a split second in confusion, and then his brain caught up and his eyebrows vanished into his hairline. He¡¯d known Eternus Online was rated for adults, but this was something else. Before he could say a word however, a screen appeared before him.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Issued: Fate of the Dark Lady The Dark Lady, Lilith, has offered you a choice. Two paths now lie before you¡­ 1: You may choose to abandon Lilith, leaving the Dark Lady trapped in eternal imprisonment, and receive rewards from her siblings in return for such a pious act. Your name will be lauded as a hero of virtue by the gods that imprisoned the Dark Lady, and you will doom Lilith to a slow death in the realm between realms. 2: You may choose to free Lilith, breaking the Dark Lady¡¯s bonds and releasing her back to Eternus in a vastly weakened state. Doing this will empower you as Lilith¡¯s Avatar, allowing you full mastery over the lost arts of Dark Magic. This will also trigger a follow-on Quest with unknown rewards. WARNING: Both actions have irreversible consequences both for yourself and the world of Eternus. Choose wisely.
Difficulty: S+ Success: Variable Failure: N/A Rewards: Various
Brad stared at the screen before him in silence, and then looked up at the stars as he mulled over his options. On one hand, Lilith had all but admitted to being the ¡®evil¡¯ god in the mythos of Eternus, and pretty looks aside, she seemed every bit the temptress archetype. Her name, even, put him on alert: He hadn¡¯t missed the reference to the biblical mother of demons. On one hand, he could just ignore her and dive into the game with a great head start, some potentially unique loot, and a sterling reputation. Yet as he looked at her, something told him that he would regret that option. Something about the implications of chaining away a goddess, regardless of what she represented, spoke of cowardice and duplicity to Brad. He¡¯d seen and read enough fiction to know that screwing with the natural cycle was bad. If Lilith were to be believed, which the System implied she was: She was the goddess of everything that fell under Darkness, including Death. When had chaining away Death ever ended well in any fictional universe or game? Exactly never, in fact. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Besides, there was the other compelling note: He¡¯d always played the ¡®hero¡¯, the virtuous paladin or heroic knight swooping in to rescue the ¡®people¡¯ from the ¡®blight of darkness¡¯. Every MMO had been rife with the light versus dark motif that made for standard fantasy fare. In a lot of ways, this was his chance to do more than be just another generic protagonist. It was, if nothing else, an exciting departure from his norm. After all, hadn¡¯t he wanted something fresh from Eternus Online? His decision was made in that instant. ¡°Fuck it. Full send.¡± He muttered, before turning back to Lilith. ¡°I will free you.¡± Brad declared as grandly as he could, barely resisting striking a pose. There was roleplaying, and then there was self-inflicted humiliation. Lilith¡¯s smile was radiant at his answer. ¡°Thank you, my champion. On the throne behind me you will find a weapon. You must hurry and sever my bonds once you claim it, for my siblings will know that it has been taken and they will come to investigate.¡± Brad didn¡¯t need to be told why that would likely be a bad idea, and as his decision settled over him, he felt a sense of determination override his concern. Stepping around the silver-haired goddess, he walked carefully past and under the chains tethering her to the pillars to approach the black throne. A seemingly innocuous blade lay sheathed upon the throne as he approached, its hilt and pommel reminiscent of a roman gladius, and its blade hidden within the dark leather of the sheath. When he took the moment to properly examine it, a pop-up appeared before him. Instead of the usual blue screen, it was a simple notification that appeared in the bottom left hand corner of his vision as if it were inside a chat window. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Examine Skill Type: Active Skill Function: By focusing on an item, you are able to understand its nature. This does not work with people, or items that require specific rituals, codes, or special prerequisites to understand. Skill Level: Mastered Skill Description: Most items are now available for you to Examine! The moment he finished reading it, the prompt vanished. Bradford blinked at the inconsistency of it not having a screen, until he realised why it had likely been designed that way: user friendliness. Not only was the alert far less distracting than the blue screens, it was also easily ignored and relatively transparent. It was very likely that personal alerts were not deemed as important as System alerts. It also likely meant that a mass of skill increases or learned skills wouldn¡¯t occlude his vision with a mass of blue screens. That was great. Pleased with the unexpectedly sensible turn of events, he focused on the weapon resting on the throne and snatched it up quickly. A pivot saw him hurrying back toward where Lilith knelt on the floor, though when he tried to draw the sword in preparation it refused to budge. Confused, he looked down and properly examined the weapon. Its details appeared as boxless text beside the blade. Name: Hidden Type: Hidden Rarity: Mythic Slot(s): Main Hand, Off-Hand, Two-Handed Level: Hidden Description: A weapon of dark power, this blade seems to hum with unknown purpose. Durability: Hidden Special Effect(s): Hidden Brad stared at the weapon in frustration until Lilith¡¯s voice snapped him out of his distraction. ¡°Hurry, Champion! I can sense eyes turning toward us.¡± Not needing to be told twice, he hurried to her side and ducked through the golden chains with a wary glance at the coronal ejections. Those looked like they would hurt if they touched him. Stopping once he returned to Lilith¡¯s side, Brad held out the blade. ¡°I can¡¯t draw this and can¡¯t examine it beyond some basics. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Only my Avatar can wield that weapon.¡± Lilith explained quickly. ¡°It is a Revenant Runeblade, one forged aeons ago and the only one never Bonded. To wield it, you must be willing to truly tie yourself to me for good. You must cast aside any thought of hesitation or doubt, and commit yourself utterly to being my Avatar.¡± Her crimson eyes rose to look at him. ¡°Can you do that, my champion? Can you commit yourself to my cause?¡± Brad opened his mouth to say he already had, and then paused. Part of him did want a way out. He¡¯d only just started playing Eternus Online, and already he¡¯d been presented with a clearly irreversible choice. Doubt, concern, mistrust¡­ It was only natural he felt those things, wasn¡¯t it? After all, character re-rolls weren¡¯t exactly common or easy in the game, and once he made the choice, there likely was no going back. ¡°I¡­¡± He sighed and grit his teeth. He¡¯d made the damn choice by picking up the sword, hadn¡¯t he? He¡¯d already invoked the sacred compact of Full Send! His eyes met hers again, and the hope he saw within her gaze steeled his resolve. The time for doubt had passed. It had passed. No more worrying, no more fretting. He had to do it. If for no other reason than to avoid Kent¡¯s relentless mocking at his indecision if he didn¡¯t. ¡°Yes, Lilith.¡± He said as he felt his decision finalize in his mind. ¡°I will be your Avatar.¡± Brad placed his hand on the hilt of the blade and drew it, pulling the weapon from its sheath. As he did, a sharp prick caused his hand to spasm and tighten on the grip, and the sword changed. Where before it had been simple and unadorned, it seemed to melt and change before his very eyes. The steel blackened as the leather wraps dyed themselves white. The pommel shifted as well, changing from a simple rounded end to the guise of a reaper¡¯s skull. Next the crossguard expanded outward above his fingers to form a T with the hilt, both sides capped with skulls to match the pommel. The blade itself retained a steel finish even as it lengthened, and the hue darkened noticeably. By the time the changes were complete, he no longer held a gladius. Instead his fingers were wrapped around a weapon he knew well: A Bastard Sword. A lot of people knew them as hand-and-a-half blades, referencing the hilt allowing for a one or two-handed grip. Brad had always preferred the term ¡®bastard sword¡¯. It seemed more badass to him, for reasons he¡¯d never fully been able to explain. ¡°Woah.¡± He said simply, staring at the weapon in silence. ¡°Thank you, my Avatar.¡± Lilith¡¯s voice shattered his contemplative silence. ¡°Oh. Shit. Right.¡± He said abruptly, realising he¡¯d been standing there staring at his new sword while his goddess was kneeling on the floor in chains. The fact he¡¯d mentally referred to her as ¡®his goddess¡¯ almost failed to register, but when it did, he brushed it aside. He was just getting into the mindset of the game, that¡¯s all. It was nuts how lifelike everything was. It was easy to forget he was only playing a game. Brad hurried forward and lifted his runeblade. ¡°Here goes nothing.¡± He swung downwards awkwardly and shattered the first of the chains linked to Lilith¡¯s left wrist with surprising ease. The moment he did a gong sounded, reverberating throughout the space and causing the throne room to tremble. That, in his gaming experience, could not be a good thing. ¡°Hurry!¡± She urged him. He hurried. Each chain was severed one after the other, the dark steel of the runeblade making short work of the radiant bindings until, as the last chain was severed and flared away into nothingness, Lilith was free. The manacles around her wrists vanished, and the goddess drew in a filling breath. ¡°At last¡­¡± She whispered. Brad stepped to her side quickly and sheathed his runeblade, holding the weapon in his right hand while wrapping his left under her arms and helping Lilith to her feet. ¡°Thank you, my Champion.¡± She said wearily, offering him a warm smile. ¡°No problem.¡± He responded with a smile of his own. ¡°So what now?¡± ¡°Now we go to Eternus at last. There is a task you must complete to fully awaken as my Avatar. It will be an arduous undertaking, but with your new weapon and your evident force of will; I have full faith in your ability to succeed.¡± A dark portal awash with purple at its edges suddenly appeared before them. ¡°We have little time, so listen well: I will not be able to aid you directly outside of the most extreme of circumstances. We gods operate on Faith, and my erstwhile fellows have seen to it that my worship is all but extinct. You must bring my influence back to Eternus. I will instruct what few followers I have left to seek you out to aid you.¡± ¡°Oh, that sounds gre¡ª¡± ¡°Do not let your guard down.¡± She cut in firmly. ¡°My faith is one of strength, Champion. Strength of spirit, of mind, and of flesh. If you allow yourself to be weak, even I will not be able to shelter you from the blades of those that covet your place as my chosen one.¡± Her right hand reached up to touch his cheek. Brad was surprised, momentarily, by how warm and real her palm was against his face. ¡°My Champions have always been loved and feared in equal measure. You must find that balance yourself.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± He said with a nod, feeling that he¡¯d somehow missed some fine print. ¡°You don¡¯t right now.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°But you will. I only hope that such understanding does not cost you greatly.¡± ¡°Me too.¡± He said with a nervous smile. ¡°You said I had to do something else to be your Avatar, right? Or was that the worship¡ª?¡± ¡°No it isn¡¯t.¡± She cut in again hurriedly. ¡°I will be sending you to the seat of power of the last Revenant King. You must enter his necropolis and claim the Liber Nox, my holy book. In its pages you will find the key to unlocking your power as my Avatar.¡± The throne room shuddered around them, and both Lilith and Brad turned as if by instinct as several of the stars in the distance started to brighten. ¡°They¡¯re coming!¡± She hissed. ¡°We must flee. If you need my advice, my champion, you need only sacrifice life and pray to me. The more potent the life, the longer and more powerful the connection.¡± The pair of them hurried toward the portal as she spoke, with Brad supporting the weakened goddess. ¡°As a final note, remember: My Avatars are strong of mind, spirit, and body. Like death balances life, so too must you balance yourself.¡± Brad frowned at that but nodded, realising that she was very likely referring to his stats or something equivalent. That would make sense. As they neared the portal, Lilith eased herself off of his arm and turned to him, her pale fingers taking his face between them. ¡°Death is mine to command, and thus so too is it yours. I have faith in you, Champion. You have earned my favour. Now, restore the dominion of the Dark and earn the right to more than simply my favour.¡± Her eyes brightened and she smiled in a way that made his cheeks hot. ¡°Remember, all creatures and followers of the Dark are yours to command... if you have the strength.¡± Lilith pressed a kiss to his lips, stunning him, and then turned away. ¡°And Champion: Hurry and take a name when you arrive on Eternus. I would like to put a moniker to my saviour.¡± With that, the goddess vanished into the portal. A sudden surge in temperature caught his attention, and Brad turned to where those brightening stars were now hurtling toward the throne room with the coronal force of a solar flare. ¡°Shit.¡± He said not-so-eloquently, before throwing himself into the portal. Everything faded to darkness once more. Chapter 03: First Steps Bradford slammed into the ground with a grunt, groaning at the impact. He felt what seemed like grass against his cheek, lifting his head to confirm his suspicions and blinking as he took in his surroundings. He¡¯d come out of the portal on a rolling plain, lit by the sun at an unknown time of day. His eyes blinked at the sudden brightness and he forced himself to his feet to get his bearings. The moment he did, his vision was filled with a flurry of notifications.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: My First Steps Congratulations, Traveler, and welcome to the world of Eternus! Your adventure awaits you within a dynamic, player-influenced world of infinite possibility. Your actions alone dictate your destiny from this moment on. Will you be the conquering hero? An enterprising merchant? A storied archmage? There are no set or standard classes in Eternus Online! We look forward to seeing where your adventure leads, and wish you the very best of luck! The Eternus Team
¡°Okay, that¡¯s weird. Should¡¯ve gotten that way sooner.¡± He grumbled as he swiped away the notification to view the next one in line.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
You have yet to select your name in Eternus, and your name has been defaulted to ¡®Bradford¡¯. Would you like to change this name now? WARNING: You only have 1 name change per character!
YES NO
Brad stared at the alert in thought and then lifted a hand to select ¡®YES¡¯. Almost instantly a new window appeared, showing a blank box and a keyboard for his use. Several moments of consideration followed as he pondered what to name himself. He usually went for names like ¡®Lightseeker¡¯, ¡®Sunblade¡¯, and other such fanciful and righteous monikers. A glance down at his new runeblade told him that such a name would be ironic at best, and woefully inappropriate at worst. Moments later, he entered something that came to him on a whim. Once he was done, he hit ¡®confirm¡¯ and waited. A new window popped up immediately.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: What¡¯s in a name? Your name has been successfully changed to ¡®Romulus¡¯. Welcome to Eternus, Romulus. Your legend awaits.
Romulus, as he was now known, smiled to himself. He¡¯d always liked the old ¡®legend¡¯ of the founding of Rome, and while perhaps somewhat unoriginal, it was at least a name he was happy with. He dismissed the alert with a swipe of his hand, and raised his eyebrows as a new one replaced it.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Complete: Fate of the Dark Lady After meeting the Dark Lady in her celestial prison, you were presented with the choice to free her and become her Avatar, or ignore her plight and doom her to fading from existence. Whether wise or not, you chose to throw your lot in with She of the End, and are now on the path to becoming her Avatar on Eternus. In the process, you have managed to make enemies of almost every other Deity in Eternus. The Dark Lady has also sent out a summons to her most loyal, and they will begin to find their way to your location. While now considered a Heretic in most parts of Eternus, you have also earned rewards for your actions on the Dark Lady¡¯s behalf.
Difficulty: S+ Success: Variable Failure: N/A Rewards: For freeing the Dark Lady, you have been awarded the following:
  • Experience: 22,000
  • Item: [Unnamed Runeblade] (Mythic Weapon)
  • Effect: [Mark of the Dark Lady] (Passive Effect)
  • Skill: [Dark Mana Channelling] (Active Skill)
  • Skill: [Sword Combat] (Active Skill)
Romulus arched his back the moment he finished reading the rewards, enveloped by a sudden surge of energy that froze his limbs and left him spasming on his feet in the middle of the grassy plain. Black flames saturated his body, roaring around him as pain and pleasure beyond his ability to put into words set his mouth into a silent scream. Within seconds that felt like an eternity it was over, and he staggered backwards with a heaving breath, eyes noting another screen that popped up the second the energy surrounding his body dissipated.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: You¡¯re gonna go far, kid! Congratulations, Romulus! You have achieved what no one else has managed in the world of Eternus! Through providence or persecution, or perhaps both, you have achieved a new record in the pursuit of level 10! While this alone may seem unimpressive, you have done so with less than 5 minutes of playtime in Eternus Online! You now hold the record for time played to level 10 at 00.01 Hours Played! Congratulations, and keep up the great work!
Romulus stared at the alert, and then snorted out a shaky laugh as he dismissed it. It seemed as if his time spent in the Dark Lady¡¯s prison didn¡¯t even count toward his playtime, which was weird but not something he was about to complain about. He¡¯d always liked hunting achievements in many of the games he¡¯d played, and while Eternus Online seemed like an altogether different experience; he wasn¡¯t about to complain about new milestones. When the next screen popped up, he sighed in resignation. It seemed as if the powers-that-be had decided to flood him with an extensive list of things to handle before he could actually begin his supposedly legendary adventure. He turned before he focused on the new screen, figuring he¡¯d might as well find a destination and start walking while he dealt with the minutiae. Romulus had no idea what direction he was facing, but as turned he noticed what looked like some sort of rising structure and walls in the near distance. Conversely, the rest of the area had only open plains heading toward a massive forest that dominated the area several hundred metres away. ¡°Hell, walls mean civilization. Maybe I can get some guidance.¡± He set off at a walk as he turned back to his notifications, reading the aforementioned screen quietly as he moved.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Issued: Avatar of the Dark Lady You have successfully freed the Dark Lady from her prison, and been gifted for your efforts. Now, however, you must take the next steps on your path. She of the End has tasked you with finding the [Liber Nox], her holy book and the tome of scripture for the true faith of the Dark Lady. You must enter the Necropolis of the last Revenant-King and retrieve the tome in order to fully embrace your role as the Dark Lady¡¯s Avatar. WARNING: This quest cannot be refused. Failure of this quest will result in permanent character death.
Difficulty: C+ Success: Claim the [Liber Nox]. Failure: Die. Rewards: Should you succeed, you will receive:
  • Item: [Liber Nox]
  • Title: Avatar of the Dark Lady
  • [Hidden Reward]
  • [Hidden Reward]
¡°Can¡¯t refuse and permanent character death?¡± He groaned as he walked, swiping away the screen in annoyance. ¡°Jeeze, no pressure right? This game is nuts. It feels more like a goddamn isekai novel.¡± Romulus ignored the new screen that popped up, instead looking back toward the distant walls and towering structure behind them as he considered his next steps. Lilith had told him that he¡¯d be deposited in the last Revenant-King¡¯s seat of power, and given the only other option nearby was endless forest, he had to assume that the distant walls and what appeared to be a vaguely castle-like structure behind them was the Necropolis in question. With that in mind, all he had to do to proceed was gain access to the town or city or whatever was behind the walls and make his way to the Necropolis. The fact that the quest text had even capitalized ¡®Necropolis¡¯ as if it were a title as much as a place made him curious as well. The Revenant-King must have been truly terrifying, revered, or both if his castle or home were constantly referred to as a pronoun. ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to replace him¡­¡± Romulus muttered with a grunt. ¡°Great.¡± Shaking his head at the absurdity of his situation, he turned back to the new screen in his vision.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Level Up x 14 You have reached Level 15! You have 75 Attribute Points to Allocate! Would you like to Allocate your Points now?
YES NO
Romulus selected ¡®YES¡¯ immediately, a smile lighting up his features. He¡¯d always enjoyed building his character in video games, and he was excited to see what his character sheet would show him. His eyes scanned the space in front of him as he waited, watching the air eagerly for¡­ nothing. He frowned at the lack of follow-up screen, confusion welling up within him at the lack of readily available character sheet. Concern replaced confusion as he wondered momentarily if something was broken, until he realised that almost every game had an initial set-up stage, where someone¡¯s HUD was calibrated. Even the most rudimentary of VRMMOs, especially, had contained that kind of feature. Clamping down on his worry, Romulus lifted his right hand and muttered ¡°Menu¡± as he did. Instantly a menu appeared in front of him, and he nodded as he slowed down his walk to focus. He was on the right track, it seemed. His fingers found the ¡®Settings¡¯ tab and opened it, navigating the new branch to ¡®Player Preferences¡¯ and opening a third branch before him. There, he browsed the options until ¡®HUD Settings¡¯ caught his eye. A sigh of relief escaped him and he selected the option. A box appeared asking him if he¡¯d like to calibrate his HUD and Romulus selected ¡®YES¡¯ immediately. The moment he did, his view of the world changed. A digital clock with both Eternus and Real Life time appeared on the centre top of his vision, while a compass appeared above a heavily fog-of-war obscured map window on the bottom right. The bottom left manifested a chat box, in which he saw absolutely zero activity in the ¡®General¡¯ and ¡®Local Area¡¯ tabs. A red bar, blue bar, and green bar appeared in the bottom centre of his vision, tagged as ¡®HP¡¯, ¡®MP¡¯, and ¡®SP¡¯ respectively. When he saw that his status bars had percentage values and numerical ones, he grinned. He¡¯d read that Eternus had done their system differently, since they emulated more realistic forms of combat. It was a relief to see that he wouldn¡¯t need to meticulously track the numbers each time he took a hit, ran a distance, or cast a spell. Having them there was certainly useful, but it was nice to know he could just use the percentages in a pinch. ¡°Alright. Now we¡¯re in business.¡± He said as he took in his HUD. ¡°Should probably track my quests in the blank space on the right¡­¡± As he said it, it happened: The space between the top right of his vision and the compass filled in with a simple transparent box that said ¡®Quest Log¡¯ with ¡®Avatar of the Dark Lady¡¯ as a bullet point within it. ¡°Can I minimize the quest log?¡± He asked to the air, watching as it happened immediately. ¡°Cool. Vocal commands work, I guess. Okay¡­¡± Romulus rubbed his hands together. ¡°Open Character Sheet.¡± The requested window appeared instantly, and he began to read excitedly.
PLAYER INFORMATION
DETAILS
Name Romulus Alignment Neutral Evil
Level 15 Experience 900 / 1,700
VALUES
Health 1,000 HPM 300 (5/s)
Mana 1,500 MPM 210 (3.5/s)
Stamina 1,000 SPM 300 (5/s)
ATTRIBUTES
Strength 10 Agility 10
Dexterity 10 Intellect 10
Willpower 10 Charisma 10
Vitality 10 Endurance 10
Romulus nodded to himself as he looked over his character sheet, reading each of the sections carefully. His alignment was unsurprising, given his freeing of the Goddess of Death from her bindings. That probably wasn¡¯t going to win him any good boy points with the more traditionally benevolent deities or forces, and given that Lilith had all but stated that her followers and faith believed in might makes right, the evil alignment made more sense than he¡¯d have liked. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. He glanced over his Health, Mana, and Stamina and noted the per second values in the regen fields. He didn¡¯t immediately query the mana value, since he had a feeling that would be explained when he did a proper deep dive into the attributes. The unfortunate part of any game, really, was learning to understand the attributes and how they affected a character. Given Lilith¡¯s advice, Romulus was determined to approach things with a cautious and balanced mindset. ¡°Open Attribute details.¡± He murmured as he walked, focusing on understanding what it was he¡¯d be putting points into, and how exactly it was going to affect him.
Strength Bonus Physical Damage, Carrying Capacity, and Damage Resistance. Bonus Physical Damage 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% BPD) Physical Damage Resistance 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% PDR) Carrying Capacity 0.75 Kilograms per 1 Points. (7.5KG CC)
Agility Bonus Speed of Movement, and Unconscious Dodge Chance. Bonus Speed of Movement 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% BSM) Unconscious Dodge Chance 0.2% per 1 Points. (2% UDC)
Dexterity Accuracy of Ranged Weapons, Weapon Fire Speed, and Reload Time. Accuracy of Range Weapons 0.5% per 1 Points (5% ARW) Weapon Fire Speed 0.5% per 1 Points (5% FS) Reload Time -0.5% per 1 Points. (-5% RT)
Intellect Spell Potency, Mana Pool, Limited Mana Regen, and Learning Speed. Spell Potency 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% SP) Mana Pool 100 per 1 Points. (1000 MP) Mana Regen 0.1 per 1 Points. (60 MPM/1.5 MPS) Learning Speed 0.25% per 1 Points. (2.5% LS)
Willpower Mana Pool, Mana Regen, and Spell Resistance. Mana Pool 50 per 1 Points. (500 MP) Mana Regen 0.25 per 1 Points. (150 MPM/2.5 MPS) Spell Resistance 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% SR)
Charisma Capability to Charm, Intimidate, Inspire, Seduce, Deceive, or Convince. Chance to Alter Decisions 0.2% per 1 Points. (2% CAD) Chance to Resist Decision Alteration 0.2% per 1 Points. (2% CRDA)
Vitality Health Pool and Health Regen. Health Pool 100 per 1 Points. (1000 HP) Health Regen 0.5 per 1 Points. (300 HPM/5 HPS)
Endurance Stamina Pool and Stamina Regen. Stamina Pool 100 per 1 Points. (1000 SP) Stamina Regen 0.5 per 1 Points. (300 SPM/5 SPS)
Romulus let out a low whistle as he read over the attribute breakdowns, murmuring unintelligibly as he did. There were a lot of options he could see, and already he understood why the developers had chosen the path they had: Balance. It was almost impossible to be good at everything, or even multiple forms of one thing. Dexterity was absolutely integral for any kind of ranged fighter, but that also meant that they would have to sacrifice massively either in agility or strength, depending on what sort of ranged combat they were doing. A spellbow, for example, could easily use intellect to make up for a lack of strength. It also meant that becoming a spellsword or paladin would require a sacrifice of dexterity and perhaps even agility, to focus on strength, intellect, and wisdom. Charisma, vitality, and endurance added even more dissemination to the pile, with each attribute controlling important facets of a character¡¯s capabilities. Unless there was some way to combine attributes, he was quickly realizing that there was no easy path to dominance. Lilith had told him to strengthen his mind, body, and spirit equally. Looking at his options, Romulus was beginning to wonder if it was even possible. Sighing to himself, he dismissed the attribute descriptions and went back to his character sheet, wondering what to do. He had the runeblade from Lilith, which meant he definitely needed strength. He¡¯d also acquired some form of magic, though whether or not that was going to be immediately helpful was still frustratingly unclear. With intellect also controlling bonuses to learning speed, not taking it seemed crazy even if he didn¡¯t have practical applications for his magic yet. The Dark Lady had implied he¡¯d gain some control over Death, and it didn¡¯t take a genius to connect that anyone named the ¡®Revenant-King¡¯ likely had some immense Necromancy at their disposal. ¡°So I¡¯ll basically be a spellsword, if my suspicions are correct.¡± He muttered. On the off chance that he wasn¡¯t right, he would likely be screwed. ¡°Fuck it.¡± He said with a grunt. ¡°Nothing ventured¡­¡± Romulus sent a prayer to Lilith, as absurd as the act was in a video game, and slammed home his points distributions. He put 25 points into strength, 15 points into intellect, 10 into endurance, 10 into agility, and dumped the remaining 15 into vitality. Muttering to himself about sadistic game developers, Romulus confirmed his distributions when queried. The moment he did, he staggered sideways. The points allocations took effect far more viscerally than he¡¯d imagined. He could feel his muscles thicken, his steps quicken, and his body grow somehow denser and more durable. He felt his mind growing subtly sharpened, and he almost seemed able to think more clearly. That was absurd, given he was in a video game, but it still felt¡­ different. Refreshing. Romulus squeezed his hands and stared at them as he did, eyes wide at the feeling coursing through him. He felt¡­ powerful. Good. Really good. ¡°I¡¯m only level 15, and I feel amazing. This game doesn¡¯t even have a level cap¡­¡± As he spoke, another set of alerts flashed into his HUD¡¯s chat log, drawing his attention. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Dark Mana Channelling Skill Type: Active Skill Function: By calling upon your magical talents, you are able to channel Dark Mana, and use it to fuel all Dark Mana Schools. Dark Mana is the most flexible and diverse of Mana Types, though it is not without cost. Channelling Dark Mana will gradually reduce your ability to use Light, Fire, Air, Earth, and Water Mana. Skill Level: Novice 3 Skill Description: Bend the power of the Dark to your will! Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Sword Combat Skill Type: Active Skill Function: You have taken your first steps on the path to mastering the Sword! The greater your proficiency, the more effective you will be in combat. New katas will come to you instinctively, and you will passively grow more and more lethal the more you hone this skill. Skill Level: Novice 2 Skill Description: Wield swords of all types in combat against your foes! Romulus sighed as he read over the new alerts in his log, reaching up to brush his fingers through his hair. Dark Mana seemed powerful, given the description, but the fact that using it would lock out all other mana schools was¡­ Well, it meant he could kiss his dreams of being a Gandalf-esque Archwizard goodbye. ¡°I wish Lilith had warned me about that before I agreed to be her Avatar¡­¡± He muttered as he walked, reading the final notification to enter his log. You are under the influence of a new effect! Effect Name: Mark of the Dark Lady Effect Function: You have been marked by the Dark Lady, and are now identifiable to all true believers of the Goddess as her Chosen. Furthermore, those of great piety among the faithful of the other Gods ¡ª especially followers of the Light ¡ª will be able to sense your presence, with increasing range based on the level of their faith. These individuals will mark you as a foe to be slain immediately. Effect Level: Divine Effect Description: Glory, Champion, in the Dark Lady¡¯s favour! Romulus let out a long, slow groan at what he read, his palms rising to rub at his eyes in frustration. Not only had Lilith marked him, bound him to using a mana type that would erode others, and thrown him to the ass-end of nowhere: She¡¯d also managed to put a gigantic ¡®come kill me, please!¡¯ beacon on him that any frothing-at-the-mouth priest, paladin, cleric, or other stereotype would be able to see and set a beeline for. Even worse, her crazy followers ¡ª who Lilith had not done a great job of painting in a positive light ¡ª were going to be flocking to him. ¡°I need to get stronger.¡± He muttered as he raised his eyes to focus on the approaching walls of the town, momentarily surprised by his good progress. Romulus glanced to his left and turned to the beginnings of a faded dirt road, stepping onto the overgrown path heading toward what he could now tell was a large gate perhaps five hundred metres away. The fact he hadn¡¯t seen the path until that moment told him how little use it likely received. ¡°I wonder if this place even has people?¡± He questioned as he moved, flexing his hands idly and then resting his right hand on the hilt of his blade. The moment he did, he froze in place, again. A sensation akin to need echoed into his mind from the blade like a bolt of lightning along his arm. Stunned, Romulus instinctively pulled the sword from its scabbard and stared at the dark steel of the weapon. Immediately, that sense of need pulsed again and Romulus frowned at the weapon in perplexion. It seemed to want something from him, though he couldn¡¯t tell what it was. ¡°Are you just wanting something to stab?¡± He asked, going for the obvious first. A small pulse of agreement came from the weapon, but somehow he knew that was a general agreement more than a specific answer to its need. It still wanted something else. How he knew that, Romulus couldn¡¯t even explain to himself, but know it he did. ¡°Okay well if you aren¡¯t looking to stab people, what else could you want? You aren¡¯t dirty, you¡¯re definitely not lacking in the sharpness department¡­¡± He frowned as a thought slithered into his mind unbidden. All good blades have names. ¡°Do you want a name?¡± He asked a moment later. This time, the pulse of agreement was powerful. A clear yes. ¡°Hm¡­ I¡¯m not great with names. I normally choose heroic paladin ones¡­¡± He snorted. ¡°That seems really inappropriate for something with skulls all over it, though.¡± The sword pulsed in agreement. ¡°How about Darktooth?¡± The sword pulsed heavily in discontentment. ¡°Okay, uh, what about Blightcaller?¡± Another pulse of discontent, though this was lighter. ¡°Hm. Well, we¡¯re getting somewhere at least. Uh. Dawnkiller?¡± A more neutral pulse followed the suggestion. ¡°Definitely things to do with killing the Light then, eh?¡± The blade pulsed enthusiastic agreement. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Romulus frowned at the sword. ¡°Does it need to be one word?¡± A negative pulse made his eyes brighten. He could work with that. ¡°So it could even be a word and an extended title?¡± A confirmation pulse rippled from the sword and Romulus grinned. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it.¡± When he¡¯d first drawn the sword, he¡¯d realised that the sunlight seemed to almost slide away from the blade, as if it refused to be illuminated by it. The subtle aura of darkness, in fact, was palpable as he watched it. The name of the sword would need to exemplify its nature, its purpose, and its origins. Thankfully, a lifetime of Fantasy novels had prepared him well for that. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to name you ¡®Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady¡¯.¡± The sword pulsed once with fierce approval, and a dark flare of black fire erupted. When the flames cleared, three void-black runes outlined in purple were present near the base of the dark steel of the blade proper, marching up from the crossguard. Even without knowing the language, Romulus could understand what they represented. Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady. ¡°I guess that¡¯s that, then. I¡¯ll call you Lightsbane for short.¡± Another hum of approval, and with a surge of curiosity Romulus used [Examine]. Name: Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady Type: Revenant Runeblade (Soulbound) Rarity: Mythic Slot(s): Main Hand, Off-Hand, Two-Handed Level: 1 Description: Revenant Runeblades are one of the most feared and powerful creations in the history of Eternus. Once wielded by the Revenant-King and Death Knights of his Court, these storied blades brought fear and hope in equal measure to the peoples of Eternus. This blade may very well be the last of its kind, with all others having been shattered with their Masters¡¯ deaths. Durability: 100 / 100 Special Effect(s): Revenant Runeblades evolve in power as they are fed Essence. Romulus nodded to himself as he read over the sword¡¯s stats, and then sheathed it. The moment he did, he also noticed the subtle dark aura vanished from the blade. ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than walking around with a menacing sword announcing my presence.¡± Disagreement came from Lightsbane, and he snorted. ¡°Agree to disagree, then.¡± A pulse of acceptance was returned and Romulus shook his head, setting off back toward the gate in the near distance. ¡°Let¡¯s see how I look with everything said and done.¡± He muttered. ¡°Character Sheet, and add a modifiers section so I can see my attribute bonuses.¡± The System complied an instant later.
PLAYER INFORMATION
DETAILS
Name Romulus Alignment Neutral Evil
Level 15 Experience 900 / 1,700
VALUES
Health 1,500 HPM 450 (7.5/s)
Mana 3,500 MPM 330 (5.5/s)
Stamina 2,000 SPM 600 (10/s)
ATTRIBUTES
Strength 40 (35) Agility 20
Dexterity 10 Intellect 30 (25)
Willpower 10 Charisma 10
Vitality 30 (25) Endurance 20
MODIFIERS
Strength 30% BPD 30% BDR 30KG CC Agility 10% BSM 4% UDC
Dexterity 5% ARW 5% WFS -5% RT Intellect 25% (15%) SP 3,000 MP 3 MPS 7.5% LS
Willpower 500 MP 2.5 MPS 5% SR Charisma 2% CAD 2% CRDA
Vitality 3,000 HP 15 HPS Endurance 2,000 SP 10 SPS
It was easy enough to discern that the numbers in parenthesis were his true values, while the first ones were the values after factoring in Lightsbane. Any gear or further equipment he gained would likely also skew the numbers. Looking at his health and mana, Romulus could only shake his head. Very likely the management of those resources would become pointless in time. It would come down to a general sense of fatigue and battle weariness, more than any mathematical calculation. It was a smart choice on the part of the developers. It meant that player versus player battles would be far more exciting at higher levels, with a more seamless and flashy form of combat almost indistinguishable from a movie or fantasy novel. Players would fight until their health bars bottomed out. Mana, very likely, would play no more than a cursory role in much of the fighting. It made him excited, and he dismissed his character sheet with a grin. Ahead of him, the gate loomed. It was time to start his adventure in earnest. Chapter 04: Blackstone On his approach to what Romulus was realising was quite a large city, the gates had seemed both menacing and powerful: Built with a black stone that seemed bereft of seams or visible masonry marks, it was as if the wall and gate were part of one massive slab of onyx stone. The battlements had been equally terrifying, with vicious spikes angled downwards in intermittent rows five high along the wall itself to deter climbers, and battlements of an equally sharp nature protecting the theoretical guardians upon the high wall. At a quick estimate, the height of the walls was easily in excess of thirty feet, and the closer he¡¯d gotten the harder it had been to chance a look to see if anyone had been walking the top. The gate itself was even higher, which no doubt provided a vantage point for the defenders in the case of an attack or siege. When he¡¯d reached the colossal maw of the gate, his surprise had been compounded. Given the beauty of the wall and the evidently masterful nature of its construction, he¡¯d expected to be greeted by some manner of royal guard or soldiers in equally impressive attire. Instead he¡¯d found two roughly attired guards who looked and smelled as if they had never heard of a shower. ¡°Halt.¡± The larger of the two said in a gravelly tone, waiting until Romulus complied before continuing. ¡°State yer business.¡± Romulus reminded himself that Eternus Online had been advertised as a living and dynamic world. He¡¯d read enough theoretical novels about such a thing to understand that treating the non-player characters as actual NPCs was probably a god-awful idea. ¡°Uh.¡± He hesitated as he opened his mouth. Did the game have Travelers in its Lore? ¡°You tryna be funny or summat?¡± The guard asked, eyes narrowing in dislike. ¡°No!¡± Romulus said hastily. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m a Traveler. I recently arrived in Eternus, and to be honest I¡¯m a bit lost.¡± Both guards straightened at that, and the pair exchanged surprised glances before the bigger one squinted analytically at Romulus. ¡°Yer a Traveler?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± He responded with his best smile. ¡°Well, yer certainly not runty.¡± The guard said as he looked Romulus over. ¡°Uh, thank you.¡± Romulus said after a moment, silently thankful he¡¯d beefed himself up in character creation. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect t¡¯see none of yer lot fer a while yet.¡± The big guard continued, voice edging with suspicion. ¡°Yes, well, I had a bit of a mix-up in my, uh, transit to Eternus. Spat me out a ways back, near the forest¡¯s edge.¡± The smaller guard snorted at that. ¡°Aye.¡± The bigger guard said with a snort of his own. ¡°Mix-up¡¯s right. Them divines plunked yer arse into an area far beyond yer level.¡± Okay, so they know what levels are. The System is probably part of their normal lives. That makes sense, and it¡¯d help with player immersion as well. Not like a LitRPG setting is anything new for a lot of gamers. Smart call on the Developers¡¯ part. ¡°I assumed something like that had happened.¡± Romulus said ruefully. ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯m just looking to try to get my bearings and understand what the hell I¡¯m doing.¡± Both guards barked a laugh at his words, and Romulus smiled in return. ¡°Aye, as are we all.¡± The big guard agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have any advice or tips for me? You know, to help me survive?¡± Romulus tried to appear casual as he asked, but some of his concern at his situation might have slipped into his voice, because both guards seemed to soften. Or at least, they didn¡¯t appear as wary as they had. ¡°First thing yer gonna wanna do is speak to the local Wayfinder. He¡¯ll get ye sorted with a map of the local area, a homestone, and a traveler¡¯s license. Yer gonna need the last one quick-smart, else yer likely to be mistaken fer a vagrant.¡± ¡°Or a deserter.¡± The smaller guard added, eyeing Lightsbane¡¯s hilt. Romulus nodded as he listened, filing away the information. ¡°May I ask why neither of you suspected that?¡± He asked cautiously. ¡°Ain¡¯t no deserters nor vagrants hereabouts.¡± The taller guard said with a shrug. ¡°Anyone halfway useful with a weapon is in the guard, with the King¡¯s garrison, or part of the Duke¡¯s wardens. Only two ways into Blackstone: The docks or the forest. Ain¡¯t nobody come through that forest in my lifetime, and I been alive ¡®least forty winters.¡± ¡°And ain¡¯t nobody who gone in come out neither.¡± The smaller guard added, spitting to the side. ¡°Bloody cursed, it is. If it weren¡¯t fer them docks, we¡¯d have all bloody starved. Only food we get is from the blasted ocean.¡± ¡°Fish, fish, and more bloody fish.¡± The taller guard agreed sourly. Romulus looked between them in surprise. ¡°Wait, docks? This is a port city? I thought it was on a plain.¡± The guards squinted at him, and then both started laughing. ¡°Get a load of this¡¯un.¡± The taller guard cackled. ¡°He¡¯s a bloody traveler alright.¡± The shorter guard shook his head in amusement as he elaborated. ¡°Aye, Blackstone opens up to the plains and the forest, lad, but it¡¯s built with its back to the sea on the edge of a peninsula. The walls go all the way ¡®round to the mouth of the bay. Ye ken?¡± Romulus nodded, not wanting to interrupt as he listened. ¡°The bay itself is full of all manner of nasty shit what predates the claiming of the city. Dozens of ships were sunk tryin¡¯ to find the path to the harbour. Nowadays it be the Duke¡¯s tugs what bring them into dock and guide them out.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t people just walk onto the beach to get around the walls, then?¡± He asked curiously. Both guards guffawed. ¡°Get a load of this¡¯un.¡± The taller guard repeated before answering. ¡°The peninsula ends in cliffs, lad. Sheer cliffs. The only way to access the city is thirty feet below in the dock, and the dock¡¯s built down and along the cliffs into the bay. It¡¯s an entire fakel bloody island joined to the cliffs. Ye¡¯ll see for yerself.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± The shorter guard agreed. ¡°And the peninsula ends in what most folks call the Jaws. They be angry-lookin¡¯ cliffs what form the natural barriers of the bay. Two kilometres long. Whoever built this city knew what they was doin¡¯.¡± ¡°Aye, that¡¯s fer certain.¡¯ The taller guard said with a nod. ¡°And what about the big building I saw near the back of the city when I was coming in?¡± The guards looked at each other and then back to him, expressions grim. ¡°That be the old Citadel.¡± The taller guard answered darkly. ¡°Nasty place. Gates are open, but there be no light inside the place, and them what go in never come out.¡± ¡°Never.¡± The shorter guard confirmed. ¡°The Duke tried to hire adventurers to clear the place of whatever evil haunts it, once. Whole city gathered to watch.¡± The taller guard shivered. ¡°Was silence fer the first quarter hour, then¡­ screaming. Screaming so horrid yer dick would shrivel and yer blood would lose its warmth. Whatever happened to them adventurers, it was something awful.¡± ¡°Citadel¡¯s been ignored ever since. No one¡¯s tried to get in for the past twenty years.¡± That sounds exactly like what I¡¯m looking for. Romulus thought grimly as he nodded. ¡°Good to know.¡± He said out loud. ¡°So where would I find this Wayfinder?¡± ¡°Marketplace in the outer city. Look fer the fella with the big map banner.¡± ¡°Outer city?¡± Romulus asked automatically. ¡°City has the inner ring and outer ring.¡± The shorter guard responded simply. ¡°Invasion failsafe, I s¡¯pose. Not enough people fer there t¡¯be actual segregation, so folks are allowed back¡¯n¡¯forth ¡®tween inner and outer rings. Only the real posh can afford to live in the inner, tho¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Thanks.¡± Romulus said with a smile. ¡°Yer welcome, lad.¡± The taller guard responded with a smile of his own. ¡°I hope all travelers be as polite as ye. Have a good time in Blackstone, mind the laws, and watch yer purse always. Small as our population is, we¡¯re still afflicted by cutpurses and scoundrels.¡± The shorter guard spat. ¡°Nearly two hunnerd years since we claimed this place on order of the crown, and we still ain¡¯t got enough support to make it a proper home.¡± Romulus nodded to both guards as the taller of the two waved him on and stepped through the looming entrance of the portcullis, glancing up at the menacingly thick steel winched above him nervously. He had no doubt that the spikes above could obliterate him in an instant if dropped. He didn¡¯t manage to relax until he was fully through the gate and walking down the main thoroughfare of the city. Life blossomed around him sporadically as he did, showing a city that was at the very least alive. Blackstone was clearly far larger than its population, as the endless amounts of unused or ruined buildings revealed. ¡°I need to make it a point to look at this place from a vantage point later.¡± Despite the dark beauty of the walls, Blackstone¡¯s interior left much to be desired in the way of architecture. Many of the buildings appeared made from timber or cheap stone, and more still were barely functional ¡ª and that was after discounting the ruined ones. Even the few shops and people he passed as he walked appeared to mostly just putter along in their state of existence, as if the city were itself in a fugue. Romulus took note of the grim faces, hard eyes, and general sense of despondency as he walked. Blackstone was a city in suffering, through he couldn¡¯t begin to wonder at how to fix it. He was no longer in the world he knew, with easy access to basic essentials and human needs: He was in Eternus, and the game world did medieval fantasy well. He could even detect the nose-wrinkling, pungent musk of manure, urine, and feces in the air. His history professor had taught him that cities in the ye olde days had smelled awful. Whatever else he might have thought of his teacher, she had not been wrong. Romulus continued walking for several minutes in silence as he examined his surroundings, letting his feet guide him until he came to a large crossroads. The population was far denser deeper into the city, and he began to see more than just sallow and unhappy faces. Some people even looked downright content in some cases! A glance up at a signpost told him he wanted to turn right to reach the Grand Bazaar, which he assumed was exactly what he was looking for. The fact he could read the signs despite the clearly foreign nature of the language also told him that the game was being nice to him. At least, to some degree. Romulus turned into the river of people calmly, and within moments felt at least three different hands brush along his belt. His lack of coinpurse, however, made the efforts futile. He almost laughed when someone even tried to filch his sword, only to hear a voice yelp in surprise at the result. He placed a hand on the blade after that, murmuring a ¡°good job¡± under his breath. A pulse of smug pride was its response. He was thankful for his choice in height once again as he walked, as it allowed him an unobstructed view over the heads of most of the people walking the street with him. With Romulus standing a good head of height above the average man or woman, he could clearly see his destination in the distance. The canvas sheets and distant roar of voices were hint enough, but the colourful streamers and throng of moving people were even more telling. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Spatial Awareness Skill Type: Passive Skill Function: You have begun to understand the local world around you and the various peoples and creatures within it. As you hone this skill, your ability to pick up on things being out of place, or sense when something isn¡¯t quite right will grow massively. A master of spatial awareness need never fear ambush, surprise, or obvious betrayal! You will gain a bonus chance to identify things of interest in your surroundings, increasing with every level of Spatial Awareness. (Current: 2% Bonus Awareness) Skill Level: Novice 1 Skill Description: Keep one eye open at all times! Romulus stepped into the chaos of the market a few moments later, and once again thanked his desire for height. He¡¯d very likely have gotten instantly lost if not for the advantage, and it was that very thing which allowed him to spot the map-marked banner near the far end of the marketplace. Threading his way through the crowd proved easier than he¡¯d suspected it would, and before long he was standing before a stall manned by the single most flamboyant individual Romulus had ever seen. Every one of the man¡¯s clothes was a different colour, from his mustard yellow beret to his lime green tunic, bright red shirt sleeves, and vibrant blue leggings. Even his shoes were different colours; one white, the other black. When his eyes met Romulus¡¯, the eccentric human grinned. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Hi.¡± Romulus responded after a few moments of surprised silence. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m a Traveler and I was told to¡ª¡± ¡°A Traveler?!¡± The man asked as his eyes widened. ¡°REALLY?¡± Romulus leaned back a little in surprise at the man¡¯s enthusiasm, but nodded. ¡°Yeah. I just arrived on Eternus and I need¡ª¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d get a fresh Traveler!¡± The Wayfinder said excitedly. ¡°Yeah¡­ I never thought I¡¯d end up here to start with either, honestly.¡± ¡°You get a choice?!¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± Romulus said half-heartedly. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want to be rude, but I really need to take care of some¡ª¡± ¡°Oh! Right! RIGHT!¡± The man flapped his hands at Romulus in a gesture that seemed a mix between ¡®calm down¡¯, ¡®one moment¡¯, and ¡®get lost¡¯. ¡°I have it here somewhere¡­¡± Romulus hesitated and decided to wait quietly as the Wayfinder busied himself with rummaging through the eclectic collection of random junk that seemed to populate his stall; from the strange masks, furs, and nicknacks hanging along the canvas walls to what appeared to be several chests of varying size and elegance. The man seemed to be muttering to himself as he quite literally threw shirts, pants, and what appeared to be lacy female underwear to the other side of the stall while rummaging for something. A surreptitious glance at his immediate area told Romulus that no one was staring or seemed to find the Wayfinder¡¯s behaviour odd, which was a relief, though it begged the question as to what strange would qualify as if this was normal. After what seemed like an inordinate amount of time, the Wayfinder suddenly straightened, clutching a package with an exclamation of ¡®ha-HA!¡¯ as if he¡¯d overcome a great foe. Romulus stared in bemused silence as the Wayfinder marched back to the counter and slammed the package down, a wicked grin on his features. ¡°I¡¯ve got what you need!¡± ¡°Uh, thank you?¡± Romulus ventured warily as he reached out toward the package. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, Traveler!¡± The Wayfinder said with a kind of manic glee. ¡°You should find everything you need in there. Homestone, local area map, and a Traveler¡¯s License. I¡¯ll need to inspect the last one before you leave.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ Alright¡­¡± Romulus said with still-present confusion as he unwrapped the package to reveal a simple wooden box. The lid wasn¡¯t nailed on, and so he lifted it off to reveal a rolled up scroll, an oval stone, and what appeared to be some sort of card made out of copper. Romulus grabbed the scroll first, unfurling it and immediately receiving a prompt.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
You have found a map of the city of Blackstone, Stormwatch Bay, The Dusklight Plains, and Darkwood Forest. Would you like to add the map and its landmarks to your own?
YES NO
With a tap of the ¡®YES¡¯ option, the map in his hands burst into motes of energy and threaded into his body. A ping on the border of his circular map window caught his attention, and the words ¡®MAP UPDATED¡¯ flashed over it before fading away. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s useful.¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just?!¡± The Wayfinder asked excitedly, resting his chin on his hands and his elbows on the counter. He seemed to be staring with rapt attention, as if Romulus were the most interesting thing in the world. ¡°Try the homestone. Go on. Do it. Dew it.¡± Shaking his head at the Wayfinder¡¯s antics, Romulus focused on the stone and reached out to take it, holding it in his right palm after he did. For several moments nothing happened, and then the stone abruptly melted into a runic tattoo which appeared on the back of his hand. Romulus stared at it in momentary confusion, until he realised he could recognise what the rune said. ¡®Traveler¡¯. At the same time, his chat log flashed and a new tab appeared in the top left of his HUD: ¡®Social¡¯. Beneath it were the categories ¡®Friends¡¯, ¡®Group¡¯, ¡®Guild¡¯, ¡®Alliance¡¯, and ¡®Nation¡¯. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Fascinating! I know!¡± The Wayfinder cut him off happily. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered how that works. Gosh, the gods sure are interesting, aren¡¯t they, with what they prepare for you lot!¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, for sure.¡± Romulus said with a smile. He couldn¡¯t help it, the Wayfinder¡¯s weird manic glee was somewhat infectious. ¡°Now the license! Go on!¡± The Wayfinder said eagerly, making the flapping motion with his hands again. Romulus gave him a bemused smile, and then reached out to take hold of the license. The copper card was light in his hands, and Romulus frowned at the blank slate as he took it. A moment later, another pop-up appeared.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
You have found a Traveler¡¯s License. These items are your way of identifying yourself in Eternus, and cannot be destroyed or stolen. A license will evolve in appearance to reflect the power and fame (or infamy) of its holder, and you will be required to show your license to gain entry to most major cities. Would you like to bind and activate the Traveler¡¯s License now?
YES NO
Romulus selected ¡®YES¡¯ and the copper tablet rippled, suddenly populating with his name, level, and alignment. A perfect rendition of his face also appeared on the left side of the copper card, as if it were a photo fused to the metal. As a final touch, tiny threads of obsidian wove their way along the card in elegant patterns, though Romulus had no idea what it meant. Once the license had been activated, he looked at the Wayfinder, who was watching him with wide and stunned eyes. ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not just any Traveler, are you?¡± Romulus¡¯ heart skipped a beat. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Wayfinder opened his mouth, then cocked his head as if listening to something. Romulus waited in silence until the man abruptly grinned, as if he knew a secret. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Something you¡¯re not allowed to say?¡± Romulus enquired. The Wayfinder simply smiled. ¡°Right, that figures.¡± Romulus said with a sigh. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll go explore the city for a bit. Can I ask your name before I go?¡± The Wayfinder brightened at the question, and his silence broke immediately. ¡°Of course! My name¡¯s Dave.¡± ¡°...Dave?¡± ¡°Dave!¡± ¡°That¡¯s so¡ª¡± ¡°Formal?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I know. Ugh. You¡¯re right.¡± He tapped one of his fingers to his lips, and Romulus noticed finally that all of the Wayfinder¡¯s nails were painted different combinations of colours. ¡°Well, I used to use a different name during my days as a travelling bard!¡± He said with a waggle of his eyebrows. ¡°I can use that, if you¡¯d like.¡± Romulus said as he picked up the hint. ¡°Sure! Call me Ziggy, then.¡± He grinned. ¡°Ziggy Stardust.¡± Romulus felt as if he should have known the name, but it didn¡¯t quite register. Instead he gave the Wayfinder a friendly smile. ¡°Ziggy it is. It was great to meet you.¡± ¡°And you, Traveler Romulus. I have a feeling we¡¯ll be hearing your name quite a lot in the days to come.¡± Romulus¡¯ eyebrow rose, and he wondered what exactly it was that the strange Wayfinder knew. Perhaps he was some sort of special NPC in Eternus Online. Whatever he was, he obviously recognised something about Romulus and it likely had to do with his [Mark of the Dark Lady] effect. As the silence between them grew longer, Romulus made the decision to turn away instead of prolonging the sudden awkwardness, when a thought occurred to him. Almost cursing his own stupidity, he refocused on the Wayfinder and spoke quickly. ¡°Ziggy, before I go, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know how I can get access to that cursed citadel, would you?¡± Normally it went without saying that telling random strangers about your plans was a terrible, terrible idea. With Ziggy however Romulus had the unshakable feeling he could ask the Wayfinder without being betrayed. The eclectic bard had kept his other secret, after all. There were obviously rules in place. Ziggy¡¯s smile widened and he appeared pleased. ¡°I do, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Of course you can¡¯t.¡± Romulus said with a sigh. ¡°Not because I¡¯m limited, but because our time is up.¡± The Wayfinder clarified. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ziggy nodded at something behind Romulus. When he turned to investigate, he blinked at seeing a squad of well-dressed, green-and-black attired soldiers approaching. Before he could do more than raise his eyebrows in surprise, the lead soldier came within five feet and stopped, her hand resting warily on her sword hilt. A tabard bearing a silver sword over a rearing white horse adorned her chest, the tabard itself made of rich green material. Well this can¡¯t be good. He thought warily. The woman¡¯s face was uncovered, and her blonde hair was tied back into a neat ponytail. Romulus could already tell she was beyond his abilities to deal with, given the quality of her gear, and the fact that she looked like someone had taken a Valkyrie from the old stories, removed the wings, and placed her before him. Her blue eyes were piercing, she was at least 6¡¯1, and had quite a pretty face in the ¡®warrior princess¡¯ kind of way. ¡°Traveler Romulus?¡± She asked in an elegant and aristocratic voice. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Romulus said carefully. ¡°I am Isolde Argent, Captain of the Duke¡¯s Wardens. I¡¯m going to need you to come with me, please.¡± Romulus glanced at the six men fanned out in a crescent formation behind her, all of whom she was taller than, and realised that fighting his way out was not an option. He also noticed a crowd growing around the spectacle, with more than a few people murmuring among themselves as they watched. ¡°Have I done something wrong, Captain?¡± Romulus asked carefully. ¡°No, Traveler, but the Duke is curious as to how a Traveler appeared so close to Blackstone, especially one coming from the direction of the Darkwood.¡± Her expression never changed, but he thought he detected curiosity in her voice as she spoke. ¡°He¡¯d like to ask you some questions personally.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Romulus said as his mind raced, looking between the Wardens. No easy ways out, no way of earning crowd sympathy, and likely no chance of evading capture even if he did get away. He was neatly backed into a corner. His father had always told him that when someone was out of options, especially when it came at the hands of a potential enemy, then the only option left was to make the negative situation into a positive. The Art of War also stated that knowledge of the enemy was imperative to conquering the enemy. If the Duke was going to become a complication, then Romulus figured he might as well take the chance to do some intelligence gathering. After all, he was immortal. The Duke was not. He suppressed a smile as he thought it over. If he managed to really twist the situation and make the Duke a friend, his quest in Blackstone would become a whole hell of a lot easier. ¡°If you¡¯ll kindly follow us, sir?¡± Isolde asked without actually asking, gesturing with a hand toward the west, and away from the market. ¡°Very well, Captain.¡± Romulus said as he schooled himself not to betray his churning thoughts, and tapped into his father¡¯s tuition on social niceties. ¡°I am in your capable hands.¡± For a moment, he could have sworn her eyes tightened in anger. However the emotion, if it had been there, was gone between eye blinks. ¡°Thank you. Follow us.¡± She said a little more stiffly, turning to walk away with a clear expectation that Romulus would do as requested. With a plan in mind he fell in behind her, nodding goodbye to Ziggy as he left. The Wayfinder¡¯s only response was a cheshire grin. Chapter 05: Intrigue Almost an hour after he¡¯d been taken from the market, Romulus found himself standing in an opulent sitting room within the inner city. Isolde and her team had taken him from the bustling crowds of the city¡¯s Grand Bazaar westward through the city, bypassing several checkpoints he likely would never have been able to pass himself, and veering north toward the towering walls of the inner city. When they¡¯d entered the district, the traffic had died off considerably, though the presence of guards had ratcheted up in tandem. It was something to take note of, given that the guards within the inner city seemed both better presented and better supplied in terms of equipment and general health than the two he¡¯d met at the southern outer gate of the city. When they¡¯d come to a stop only a few hundred metres from the third and final gate, which Isolde had told him led to the restricted entrance of the towering black citadel ¡ª The Revenant-King¡¯s Necropolis ¡ª that dominated the inner city and northernmost point of Blackstone; the wardens had changed direction toward one of the palatial villas closest to the citadel. All of them were wrought of the same obsidian-hued stone as the walls and Necropolis, which told Romulus that the buildings had likely belonged to the Death Knights of the Revenant-King¡¯s Court. Of course, that was just a guess, but it seemed to make the most sense. The fact that skull iconography seemed present in many places supported his theory. Isolde had dismissed all but two of her team and led him deeper into the estate, passing at least two dozen guards in various areas as she led him toward what seemed to be the heart of the villa. Finally she had told him to wait in the sitting room he now occupied, along with enough gilded finery that even his mother would have cooed in delight. The floor was adorned with a gold-bordered green carpet, matched to a similar theme in the chairs and various pieces of tertiary or secondary decoration. The walls were covered in a tasteful selection of portraits and tapestries, some displaying what were no doubt famous ancestors while others depicted battles against creatures of evil. In one place heavy drapes were hung to obscure a section of the wall, and Romulus could only hazard a guess at what manner of dark adornment had been permanently added to the forbidding estate. He tapped the hilt of his sword in thought as he waited, still amused by the sequence of events that had allowed him to keep it. First Isolde had asked him to hand it over, and the moment he had the man who tried to take it nearly threw himself off his feet in his speed to wrench his hand back. That hadn¡¯t gone over well, until Romulus had explained that the sword was bound to him. He¡¯d called it a gift to aid his new life as a traveler on Eternus, which hadn¡¯t been a lie. A debate had occurred then, until Isolde had grudgingly decided that even if he had the weapon, he was too low level and too ill-equipped to present any real danger to the Duke or anyone else in the estate ¡ª though he would be watched carefully. A pulse of derision had come from the sword, though Romulus had wisely said nothing. Boredom crept up on him as he looked toward the clock in his HUD, and raised his eyebrows. At least four hours had passed in-game, yet true to the word of the developers, his local time only showed the clock edging toward 8pm. The time compression was nuts. He could pass an entire day and night in-game and only be playing for six hours in the real world. Romulus let his eyes roam the interior of the room until they rested, once again, on the obscured area of the wall dominating the far end of the sitting room. Situated on the eastern wall, it was in perfect view of the two sets of doors entering the room from North and West, and Romulus couldn¡¯t help the curiosity that rose within him at what could be under the curtains. Glancing at the door he¡¯d entered from and the other one as well, Romulus threw caution to the wind and marched over to the end of the sitting room, his right hand idly resting on the skull-head pommel of his blade as he did. Soothing pulses came from the weapon, as if it were trying to reassure him of his choice to investigate. That only stoked his curiosity higher, and Romulus extended his left hand toward the drapes with determination. When he pulled back the heavy fabric, what he saw was not what he expected. A large family portrait was hung on the wall, displaying a proud-looking man with brown hair and wise, compassionate eyes. He was adorned in a formal tunic in green and gold, and had an elegant-looking blade strapped to his hip. His legs were hidden behind a high-backed chair, his right arm resting atop it. In the chair itself sat an elegant blonde woman with bright blue eyes, and a familiar cast to her features. Her hair spilled down from her head to her waist, and she wore a dress of similar colouration to her presumptive husband, a gentle smile on her features. Last was a young girl perhaps sixteen years of age, tall and thin, with a sword at her side and a decidedly happy expression on her features. She stood on the other side of the chair, her features a clear correlation to the seated woman. What was more, he recognised her features. It was Isolde. ¡°Wow.¡± Romulus said quietly, his eyes never leaving the young Isolde as she beamed at him from the portrait. The Isolde in the painting was already visibly of a height with her father, though she possessed none of the feminine curves in bust or hips that the adult Isolde possessed even in her uniform. The hint of them was present, but it was a far cry from the woman he¡¯d met. He wondered if the young girl had known how beautiful she had been destined to become. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Isolde¡¯s icy voice cut into his ruminations and Romulus spun in surprise, cursing his low level [Spatial Awareness] as he did. She had likely entered the room while he¡¯d been absorbed in analysing her family portrait. ¡°Sorry. I got curious.¡± He said lamely. ¡°I didn¡¯t realise you were the Duke¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Why, do you have a problem with me serving as my Father¡¯s Captain because I¡¯m his daughter? You think I¡¯m only in my position because of nepotism?¡± The sudden anger in her voice took him aback, and Romulus held up his hands in a gesture of peace. ¡°Woah! I never said that. I think it¡¯s great that you followed your dreams.¡± ¡°What the hell do you know about my dreams, Traveler?¡± She asked dangerously. Romulus quickly gestured at the portrait, working to keep himself and her calm. ¡°The painting. You obviously have a lot of pride in what you¡¯re wearing and how you¡¯re presented, and you look really happy. I can only guess, but I wouldn¡¯t call that a begrudging face. You must have wanted to be a soldier, and¡ª¡± he glanced at the portrait ¡°¡ªyour mother obviously looks very happy, and so does your father. I can only imagine they¡¯re both very proud of you.¡± Isolde stared at him for a long moment, and then slowly turned to the portrait. Her expression seemed to soften briefly as she looked it over, before hardening again quickly. ¡°My mother died shortly after that was painted, so I wouldn¡¯t know her mind on my vocation. Now if you¡¯re done gawking at my family, shall we go see the Duke?¡± Of course her mother¡¯s dead. That¡¯s exactly the kind of thing that would happen in this sort of situation. Well done, idiot, you just walked into the most classic gaming trope in history. Despite his internal self-recrimination, Romulus nodded in what he hoped was a contrite manner. ¡°That sounds great.¡± He said with not entirely feigned relief. The situation was incredibly awkward. ¡°Lead on.¡± Isolde gave him one more cold look and turned to open the door she¡¯d entered from, which was not the door he¡¯d come in with. Romulus promptly stepped to it and followed her through, falling into position behind the towering blonde as she strode down a long corridor wide enough for ten people in formation and lit by the sun, its rays slanting in through arched windows filled with stained glass. When Romulus took the time to actually look at the windows above and to the right of them, he nearly tripped in amazement. Each of the windows depicted a different warrior in forbidding attire, either standing on a field or sitting astride an equally terrifying mount. He recognised what must have been several different Revenant Runeblades, though they all looked far more menacing and lethal than his own. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s what we can look forward to?¡± He questioned under his breath. Lightsbane pulsed with eager confirmation in reply. The corridor ended in a pair of massive, open black doors and Isolde nodded to the two wardens on duty, the pair snapping to attention at the sight of their Captain and slamming their silver-mailed fists against their tabard-covered chests. Romulus offered each of them a smile as Isolde led him past, though with their visored helmets covering their faces, all he received back was the impassive view of cold steel. What he¡¯d seen in the stained glass of the corridor had stunned him, but what he saw in the Duke¡¯s throne room took his breath away. The ceiling of the room was easily twenty feet above them, with massive stained glass windows from floor to ceiling that depicted battles, gatherings, and triumphant men and women that Romulus could only assume were Death Knights. Twelve windows framed the long room on each side, spaced almost a dozen feet apart, and two wardens stood on either side of each window. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. As they walked along the gilded green carpet, however, it was the image above the throne that most captured Romulus¡¯ interest. A man with obsidian hair down to his chest, wearing a bone-white crown inlaid with diamonds, and attired in skull-bearing warplate that seemed at once menacing and regal in equal measure. Both of his large, armoured hands were wrapped around the hilt of a massive Revenant Runeblade, and his eyes burned with wisps of cold blue fire. ¡°The Unknown King.¡± A voice called out, drawing Romulus¡¯ attention back to the throne and the muscular man sitting upon it. He¡¯d completely glossed over the occupant, who was clearly the Duke himself, in his wonder at seeing the stained glass rendition on the back wall. ¡°Unknown King?¡± Romulus enquired before he could help himself, drawing a dirty look from Isolde as she glanced over her shoulder sharply. ¡°Yes. Nobody knows who he is or why he¡¯s attired in such a macabre fashion, but he was clearly someone of great importance. Either the owner of this estate, or the master of the owner.¡± ¡°That theory holds merit.¡± Romulus agreed as he closed the last few feet of distance between himself and Isolde, stopping beside her when she came to a halt. ¡°Your Grace, I present the Traveler Romulus per your summons.¡± Romulus was certainly not from any kind of nobility in the real world, but he was hardly new to fantasy settings thanks to his earlier forays into less advanced VRMMOs and MMOs in general. He executed a polite bow, right hand on his sword hilt and left hand clenched at his side while he bent at the waist. ¡°It is an honour, Your Grace.¡± He said with his best ¡®speaking to the board¡¯ voice, as taught by his father. ¡°Your home is breathtaking.¡± ¡°Oho.¡± The Duke said with a smile. ¡°The Traveler has courtly manners. Were you a Lord in the place Beyond, before you came to Eternus?¡± ¡°No, Your Grace. I was, however, the son of a very powerful merchant with a very large, ah, trading empire. My world has scarcely few members of the peerage left, and their power no longer has relevance to the politics of our society.¡± The Duke leaned forward at that, raising his eyebrows. ¡°How interesting. You will need to tell me more about this another time.¡± ¡°If Your Grace so desires.¡± Romulus said with a smile. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Intrigue Skill Type: Active Skill Function: You have demonstrated a remarkable talent for the interactions of the courts of the land, and shown yourself to be a shrewd and intelligent individual in the eyes of a member of one of the world¡¯s many monarchic societies. Not to be confused with Charisma, Intrigue is a representation of your ability to identify and navigate delicate and convoluted social currents. Continue to improve your Intrigue skill in order to better establish yourself in Eternus and gain advantage when interacting with the blue-blooded denizens of the world. Skill Level: Novice 1 Skill Description: You are currently perceived as a pleasant curiosity! ¡°So far from what I¡¯ve been led to expect.¡± The Duke said with evident bemusement. ¡°Here I thought all of you Travelers would be a new headache we had to deal with. Instead, you already prove that asking you here was a promising decision.¡± Romulus maintained his polite smile despite the Duke¡¯s words. He¡¯d hardly been ¡®asked¡¯. That implied a right to refuse, which Isolde had certainly not given him. ¡°Perhaps you should impress upon the Traveler the reason for your summons, Your Grace?¡± Isolde prompted coolly, standing off to the side now that introductions had been made. ¡°My daughter is right, of course.¡± The Duke said, seemingly oblivious to the irritation that flashed across Isolde¡¯s face. ¡°I did ask you here for a reason, after all. I am told Travelers are uniquely gifted in ways that could be of great value to me and my city.¡± Romulus could feel the prelude to another quest as he answered. ¡°How might this Traveler serve the Duke?¡± ¡°I have a problem, Sir Romulus.¡± The Duke responded with a pleased smile. ¡°No doubt you have seen the large fortress that dominates the inner city?¡± ¡°I have, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Then you have seen my problem. There is an¡­ issue with this fortress, one that more mundane assistance has been unable to solve for me. I was rather hoping that you might be able to succeed where they failed, regardless of your humble level.¡± Is he seriously about to give me a free access ticket to the Necropolis? Despite his thoughts and internal glee, Romulus remained outwardly calm to the best of his ability. ¡°I am not sure if I have the ability for whatever it is you¡¯re asking, Your Grace, but I would be happy to make the attempt. The Duke¡¯s good graces would be incredibly useful for a new Traveler.¡± The Duke grinned widely. ¡°You see, Isolde? This is the kind of fearlessness I¡¯ve been looking for. This must be the courage of an immortal.¡± Isolde said nothing, though Romulus noticed with a glance that her expression was icily neutral. ¡°Do you have a quest for me, Your Grace?¡± Romulus prompted carefully. ¡°I do indeed. I want you to enter the fortress, Sir Romulus, and I want you to fix whatever is wrong within it by any means necessary. Whatever you need to make that happen, you shall have it.¡±
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Issued: Neutralize the Necropolis The Duke of Blackstone has tasked you with entering the fortress in the heart of the inner city and dealing with whatever is wrong within its depths. He has authorised you to use whatever means are necessary to ensure the completion of your task, and offered you anything you need to see it done. WARNING: The manner in which you resolve this quest will have lasting consequences for the world of Eternus. Choose your path wisely.
Difficulty: B+ Success: Variable Failure: Exile from Blackstone, Other Rewards: Various
Romulus read over the System prompt and struggled to hold back his grin. He swiped away the screen and offered the Duke his most polite smile, the one he saved for hedge fund managers and capital investors at his parents¡¯ infrequent soirees. ¡°Your Grace, I would be pleased to undertake this task for you.¡± ¡°And what, I wonder, would you ask in return?¡± Isolde cut in, her eyes locked on him in suspicion. Romulus noticed the Duke also looked interested, and there was no mistaking the sharpness of the man¡¯s gaze as he joined his daughter in sizing Romulus up. For all the Duke¡¯s cheer, there was a steeliness to his eyes that told Romulus he¡¯d have to be very cautious in dealing with the man, now and in the future. ¡°There are admittedly many things I could think of as a reward for this task, Your Grace.¡± Romulus started cordially, his mind racing through The Prince, The Rise and Fall of Rome, and every fantasy novel he¡¯d ever read in search of the proper response. He needed something greedy enough to be believable, while also being reasonable. Selfishness would also be necessary, though he couldn¡¯t afford to be disrespectful. ¡°If I were to name my desire, however, it would be a place of power in Blackstone, Your Grace¡ª¡± suitably greedy, and next he needed to be selfish ¡°¡ªand the chance to Court your lovely daughter.¡± Silence followed his statement, until Isolde¡¯s cheeks reddened and she opened her mouth, no doubt ready to rip him apart for his impudence. The Duke, however, beat her to it. ¡°A title, wealth, position, and a chance at my daughter¡¯s hand in return for the resolution of whatever is amiss at the Fortress?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± Romulus said, hoping neither of them could hear his racing heart. ¡°Done.¡± The Duke said simply, drawing a stunned look from Isolde. ¡°I like your courage, Sir Romulus. Such gall implies confidence to see the job through. It gives me hope. I would be remiss not to agree to such generous terms.¡± ¡°Father, I must protest¡ª!¡± Isolde started, only to stop at the Duke¡¯s raised hand. ¡°You must, but you will not. I have made my decision.¡± He turned back to Romulus. ¡°Go. See to your preparations and undertake your task. I eagerly await your success, Sir Romulus.¡± Romulus bowed and tried to keep his immense relief suppressed, partially in disbelief that his gamble had paid off. Asking for the Duke¡¯s daughter¡¯s hand had seemed like something the truly arrogant or self-important men in many of the books he¡¯d read might do¡­ and for that reason alone, he knew, it was perfect. The Duke would have known those kinds of men and even women his entire life. He¡¯d likely have been among their number. In that moment, the Duke had likely seen Romulus as a potential threat. That, in Romulus¡¯ experience, was the fastest way to a powerful man¡¯s respect. ¡°I hope to please.¡± Romulus said as he bowed respectfully, leaving his internal monologue for his own mind. ¡°I shall see to my quest immediately.¡± ¡°Good. Isolde will show you out. May Solarius bless you, Sir Romulus. I daresay you¡¯ll need His guidance.¡± Romulus merely bowed his head and followed Isolde as she stomped her way toward the exit. After all, he already had a Divine patron. Now he just needed to lay claim to Her gifts. A ping caught his attention, and he glanced at it silently. Congratulations, you have levelled a skill! Your Intrigue skill is now Novice 5! He suppressed a smile as he followed the Valkyrie-like blonde out of the throne room. Eternus Online was shaping up to be quite the experience. Chapter 06: Cogito, Ergo Sum ¡°Why did you do that?¡± Isolde¡¯s voice stopped Romulus as he stepped toward the arched gate of the Argent Estate, bringing him up short. He turned slowly after stopping, meeting the imperious blonde¡¯s hard gaze. She stood with her arms folded, a frosty look on her beautiful features and a still-present pink tinge to her cheeks. ¡°What are you referring to?¡± Romulus asked carefully. ¡°The request to court me!¡± She spat. ¡°You don¡¯t even know me!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that was a requirement with the nobility.¡± He answered with forced calm. ¡°You aren¡¯t a noble!¡± ¡°If I succeed, I have no doubt I will have more than enough status to attempt.¡± ¡°My father would never allow a Traveler to take my hand.¡± She said haughtily. ¡°You¡¯re probably right about that.¡± He conceded with a shrug. ¡°Not that it matters.¡± Surprise flitted across her face, and then she furrowed her brow. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the desire or time to talk about this, Isolde.¡± He said while turning away. ¡°Wait!¡± Romulus ignored her and started thinking in terms of logistics as he moved through the access point and past the walls of the estate, turning left toward the looming spectre of the massive citadel. He had considered going and finding health potions, mana potions, a magic teacher, or any other number of complicated and epic things that any real story protagonist would likely search out, stumble upon, or bumble into¡­ But none of them would really be all that helpful. He wasn¡¯t going to conquer the keep, after all. He suspected that he had exactly no chance against whatever was within. He was gambling quite literally everything on what the Dark Lady had told him when he freed her: Death was her domain. If some spectre or creature of the Revenant-King¡¯s era haunted the halls of the Necropolis, he had to rely on his [Mark of the Dark Lady] to see him past its wrath. Otherwise he had no real hope of achieving his goal in any reasonable timeframe. The sound of clicking, armoured footsteps caught his ears and he glanced behind him to see Isolde stalking along in his wake, her eyes trained determinedly on his back. He sighed at her doggedness. ¡°What is it going to take for her to leave me alone?¡± He muttered to himself, receiving a sympathetic pulse from Lightsbane in response. A few minutes of silent walking later, the final hurdle loomed before him as he approached the Necropolis; noting the closed portcullis ¡ª which itself was reminiscent of massive fangs when combined with the skullhead gatehouse ¡ª that barred further entry into the gargantuan fortress. When he finally approached the gates, the wardens on duty eyed him askance while they looked from his simple clothes to the lone sword on his hip and his complete lack of anything resembling armour. He had expected that much, at least. He looked like a suicidal idiot to them, most likely. ¡°Greetings!¡± He said in his most confident and charming corporate voice. ¡°I¡¯m here on a mission from His Grace the Duke. He¡¯s tasked me with resolving the issues inside the citadel.¡± ¡°And why would the Duke trust such a task to a vagrant?¡± One of the wardens asked boredly. ¡°I¡¯m a Traveler.¡± Romulus said with an easy smile while ignoring his trepidation. ¡°Of course you are, and I¡¯m¡ª¡± Whatever the man had been about to say was cut off as both he and his partner snapped to attention at the arrival of Isolde, slamming their fists to their breastplates in salute. Romulus sighed and turned, looking at the blonde as she came to stand beside him. ¡°You¡¯re going to fail.¡± She said flatly. ¡°No one that¡¯s ever gone in there has come out. No one.¡± ¡°Then why are you so worried?¡± He asked with what he hoped was a casual tone. ¡°Because you¡¯re a Traveler.¡± She said flatly. ¡°For all I know, you¡¯re going to pull off some trick and prance into the estate telling my father you succeeded, and then I¡¯m going to have to put up with you slobbering all over his boots for a chance at my hand.¡± ¡°You certainly have a way with words.¡± Romulus said while reaching up to rub his forehead. ¡°So the task your father the Duke¡ª¡± he emphasized the title ¡°¡ªset for me, that being to resolve the issue inside this keep, is apparently futile.¡± She nodded haughtily. ¡°Yet you¡¯re still worried I might succeed?¡± He continued with a raised eyebrow. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re underestimating me or overestimating me.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Besides, if it¡¯s as impossible as you say, then once I enter the halls I¡¯ll be out of your lovely hair forever.¡± The blonde pinked again at the word ¡®lovely¡¯, and then cursed under her breath. She lifted a mailed finger to point at him accusingly. ¡°Stop that.¡± He turned to the wardens instead of responding to her. ¡°Is this proof enough for you?¡± He asked casually. Isolde blinked and then seemed to finally realise they had an audience, looking to the two wardens in alarm. For their part both men were wisely silent, though the one who¡¯d initially mocked Romulus nodded. ¡°Yes, Sir Traveler. The Captain¡¯s word is enough. We shall accede to the Duke¡¯s wishes.¡± He turned toward the portcullis and shouted ¡°Open it!¡± before resuming his quiet vigil, and very clearly avoiding Isolde¡¯s stare. Romulus smiled in relief. As he¡¯d hoped, Isolde couldn¡¯t do anything about it if it was confirmed the Duke had directly ordered Romulus to enter the citadel. The fact she didn¡¯t even try appeared to further validate his assumption, and he turned back to Isolde. ¡°Thank you for your help, Captain.¡± Isolde looked livid. ¡°You baited me!¡± ¡°I did.¡± He confirmed with an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡± She repeated again, though she sounded perhaps a smidge less certain this time. ¡°Nobody survives this place.¡± ¡°Then I guess this is goodbye, Captain Argent. Best of luck with everything.¡± Romulus said as he turned away from her and hurried through the open portcullis, glancing up at the looming teeth of the entrance as he moved into the darkness of the passage. He glanced back as he did, spotting Isolde watching him consideringly as he walked, and sighing in relief. He¡¯d been worried the stubborn woman was about to follow him into the cursed palace. At least she wasn¡¯t stupid. ¡°Just you and me now, Lightsbane.¡± He said as he patted the sword. It pulsed with a sense of eagerness in response. When he emerged out of the gate a few moments later, a low whistle escaped him at the scene beyond. A massive circular courtyard paved in white dominated the area, with a black obelisk nearly thirty feet high at its centre and ascending stairways connecting to the rear of the circle. The courtyard itself was large enough for nearly thirty people walking side by side around its circumference, and was framed by high walls connected to those branching out from the gate behind him. The twin stairways at the rear of the courtyard beckoned to him and he walked toward them, marvelling at the beauty of the architecture and the sheer immensity of the area as he approached the leftmost stairwell. A large block of marble ran between both sets of stairs, separating them with a wall too low for more than functional segregation, though the massive spikes of obsidian metal affixed along it allowed for a more lethal enforcement of the separation. ¡°Bottleneck.¡± He murmured as he started up the stairs, impressed by the mix of beauty and ruthless pragmatism inherent to the design. The entire entry area was a mix of elegance and brutality, with a clear emphasis on defensibility given to the design of the construction. It took him several minutes to ascend the stairs, and as he did he took the time to appreciate the towering statue of a runeblade-wielding Death Knight standing vigil at the peak of the segregated stairwells. ¡°God their weapons and armour look cool.¡± He murmured to himself, and smiled when he received a pulse of happy agreement from Lightsbane. Clearly the sword shared his view of the ancient, ominous warriors and their aesthetic. He¡¯d never thought the hard goth route was for him, but he had to admit there was a certain elegance to the way the skulls and animal furs were displayed on the imposing bulk of the carved marble. Romulus stepped past the statue and along the new plateau in silence, looking around him at a much smaller and more straightforward square courtyard. There was no obelisk nor decoration to be seen in contrast to the lower one, only the curved tiered stairs leading to the ominous pair of double doors offering entrance to the fortress. The doors themselves were set into the superstructure of the fortress proper, and stood behind a roman-style overhang held up by several large pillars. This combined with sun¡¯s rotation from east to west meant that no matter the time of day, the entrance to the fortress was shrouded in darkness. There was no hint of what lay beyond the open and forbidding doors. Romulus approached the entrance with several long and deep breaths, schooling himself to calm and reminding himself it was a game he was playing. This wasn¡¯t real life, no matter how real it felt. It was a pixelated facsimile of a different reality. A very, very convincing facsimile, but false all the same. The self-reassurance helped a little, but not much. ¡°Ready Lightsbane?¡± He said into the silence, his right hand resting on his sword hilt. The sword pulsed its confidence at his question, and in doing so helped stir his own. Romulus forced a smile onto his face as he ascended the marble steps toward the fortress¡¯ entrance, looking up at the doors. They were big enough for two elephants to enter while stacked on top of each other, and wide enough for twenty people across. His heart raced as he considered why they would need to be that big, and then he shook his head. ¡°No cave trolls here. No balrogs. Just video game suspense.¡± Releasing another shuddering breath, Romulus steeled his nerves and strode into the double doors with determination. The moment he breached the limits of the entrance, blue fire erupted from large sconces set along the walls of what appeared to be a colossal entrance hall. Above his head, massive chandeliers burst into flame as well, casting a cold blue light across the interior of the space. Romulus hesitated momentarily as the light erupted into being, but dismissed his concerns almost immediately. If what he¡¯d been told was true, he had far more to be worried about than a little fire. His footsteps echoed within the hall as he walked, his eyes sweeping the interior in quiet appraisal and noting the hints of intricate scrollwork and beautiful artistry along the distant walls. As he walked he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, and a strange pressure settled over him. He could feel the presence of someone or something watching him, as clearly as if they were breathing down the back of his neck. Fighting the urge to call out or run, Romulus kept his head up and his hand on his sword as he walked, taking comfort in the steady thread of what seemed to be contentment echoing from Lightsbane. When he reached the foot of the grand staircase, a flash of something caught his eye and he looked up toward the left branch at the first landing of the stairwell, raising his eyebrow. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. That hadn¡¯t been a coincidence. He¡¯d played enough games to know he was being guided. ¡°At least I¡¯m not being gutted. I¡¯ll take guidance over a brutal death¡­¡± He muttered as he took the hint and ascended the stairwell, taking the first twenty steps at a measured pace and turning left at the landing to take the next twenty up and to the left. A crunch of something brittle underfoot echoed loudly in the area when he reached the top of the stairs and Romulus winced. A glance down at his feet told him he¡¯d crushed some long-dead person¡¯s bones, and he let out a shuddering breath as his heart raced in his chest. The dust, the crunch, the texture of bone under his boot¡­ It all felt so real. He swallowed down his nerves again and continued on, walking along the corridor the stairwell led him to and glancing up as more sconces and chandeliers immolated to guide his passage. When the light died suddenly halfway down the passage, and a pair of torches lit up over an open doorway to his right. Taking the hint in stride as best he could, Romulus turned with little hesitation entered the doorway into another corridor. This one ended three quarters of the way down, and he took another right into yet another corridor. When he glanced at his map at the end of the latest detour before taking the illuminated left, he realised he¡¯d been guided to a place that was in line with the entrance hall at the front of the Necropolis, though it was situated on a higher level than the foyer. The left took him down another corridor that looked as if it were a continuation of the entrance hall, if not for the difference in elevation. The new corridor was the largest one yet, and when he reached the end he was greeted by a massive pair of double doors with a crowned skull emblazoned across them. When the doors didn¡¯t open automatically, Romulus glanced around awkwardly before looking back to them. There was no other path or entryway in the entire corridor. He could turn around, but that seemed to be opposed to whatever had guided him to that point. ¡°Fuck it.¡± He muttered in an echoing grunt. Reaching out with both hands, Romulus pushed against the doors and almost jumped when they gave way, opening with twin groans of weight that set his hair on end from the sheer volume of the noise. In the silence of the Necropolis, it was akin to someone smashing a drum right next to his ear. When he finally pushed the doors all the way open, he stepped through and stopped dead as the torches and chandeliers lit once more. The sight beyond the doors floored him. A massive throne room with vaulted ceilings, black flooring, and what appeared to be a white throne of bleached bones topped with a dragon¡¯s skull greeted him. The entire area was open, with no pillars or needless ostentation present. Tattered banners hung along the walls, and most stunning of all was the fact that the throne wasn¡¯t empty. Romulus walked forward in shocked silence as he beheld the being on the throne. The best way to describe it was a being of flame and black steel. Its head was blue fire in the shape of a skull, with a loose solidity to its form and an endless mist that seemed to bleed from the top of its head and the joints of its armour. A crown of white bone was present atop its flaming skull. The skull itself sat above a gorget and obsidian breastplate, its pauldrons home to a pair of horned skulls akin to the heads of classical demons, and encased in the black metal of its armour. The cuirass itself was elegantly worked, and formed a solid shape that tapered down to a sharpened point over where its upper groin would be. Blue fire occupied the empty space beneath the chestplate, with a pair of thick cuisses connecting to legplates with human skulls over the kneecaps. The sabatons were spiked along the sides, and the shins and calves were protected by wolfhead skulls wrapped in fur, ending in taloned sabatons. The being¡¯s gauntlets were worked with vicious spikes over the knuckles, and it held the hilt of a shattered Revenant Runeblade, the sword¡¯s blade ending half a foot from the elongated skull adorning the crossguard. Blue fire comprised the rest of the sword, resting over the creature¡¯s knees. ¡°At last you have come.¡± The creature said into the silence as Romulus halted a dozen feet from the throne, having found himself approaching without realising it. ¡°You knew I was coming?¡± Romulus asked, before instantly feeling stupid. It was a game. This was probably a scripted event. ¡°I knew She of the End would send someone eventually. The Dark Lady would not allow Herself to be chained for eternity. I did not expect you to be a boy pretending to be a man, but I will not begrudge Her the choice of champion. Desperate times call for desperate measures.¡± ¡°A boy pretending to be a man?¡± Romulus asked in surprise. ¡°You think your veneer can fool me, boy?¡± The creature asked with a hint of cold amusement. ¡°I have lived for over a thousand winters within this place that is both my home and my tomb. For all that your father taught you, you are a boy still, and woefully unprepared for the burdens you will face. Be it your father¡¯s company, your family¡¯s legacy, or ruling the Midnight Court.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Romulus asked as his blood ran cold. ¡°How can you know about¡ª¡± ¡°This world is a game to you, Traveler, but that is your mistake. For all you may believe this place to be little more than an idle amusement, it is far more. You dwell within a realm that has experienced more time and existence than you can plausibly fathom. Eternus is only a curiosity for your kind at present, but soon it will be more. Far, far more.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Romulus said, his heart racing and his fear forgotten. ¡°I know.¡± The creature said simply. ¡°You will in time. For now, there are things that must be done, and time is not our ally.¡± ¡°Hold on a minute, you still haven¡¯t told me¡ª!¡± ¡°There will be time for that later.¡± The creature said firmly, the force of its words causing Romulus¡¯ jaw to click shut. ¡°First we must proceed with the reason for your coming here.¡± It lifted its left gauntlet and opened its fingers, conjuring a flash of blue fire that resolved itself into an ornate book with black metal for its cover, bound shut by chains of silver. ¡°The Dark Lady¡¯s scripture. You were sent for this, were you not?¡± Romulus nodded mutely, staring at the book in surprise. ¡°It is the task of Her Avatar to safeguard and keep this tome, and disseminate its knowledge to Her faithful. A god¡¯s Avatar is both their Champion and their Divine Messenger. Even the High Priest or High Priestess of Her faith will answer to Her Avatar, for their word is Her word.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Romulus said, clearing his throat as he spoke. ¡°My duty as Her last Avatar has had me here, bound to this place for centuries beyond count. You have Her Mark, but are you truly prepared to do what you must for Her return? Are you prepared to unleash a tidal wave of blood and death, and paint the continent in terror for Her sake? Are you prepared to become the spectre of Death that haunts the minds of children late at night?¡± Romulus stared at the creature, the Revenant-King, in silence at his questions. The more he interacted with the world of Eternus Online, the harder it was becoming to fully remember it was a game. It had been growing harder to disconnect, in a lot of ways, from what was happening. Serving a Dark Goddess? That at least was fantastical enough to keep him grounded. Wielding a sentient sword? No problem, that was part of a lot of game tropes. But in the relatively short time he¡¯d spent inside Blackstone, he was finding it harder and harder to not take things more seriously. The smells, the lifelike details, the feel of the world¡­ He still viscerally remembered the crunching of bone beneath his feet, the very real fear churning in his gut. In the short time he¡¯d spoken to the Revenant-King, his immersion into the world had grown even more intense. The undead Avatar knew things about him, about his life, about his origins. He stripped him bare and cut layers away from him at the core. His questions didn¡¯t feel rote or scripted, they felt real. Weighty. Impactful. The Revenant-King wasn¡¯t offering him a quest reward, he was offering him a warning. He was giving him a chance to truly confront what it was he was doing. ¡°Cogito, ergo sum¡­¡± Romulus muttered without thinking. ¡°So you understand.¡± The Revenant-King said in a tone that seemed satisfied. Romulus started at the Avatar¡¯s words and then nodded slowly. The phrase translated, roughly, meant ¡®I think; therefore I am¡¯ and was attributed to Descartes. The phrase was the result of a search for something beyond doubt or question, and Descartes had arrived at it as an absolute. It had become the measure of true life in many philosophical debates, especially surrounding artificial intelligence. I think; therefore I am. If that held true, then he truly had to take what the Revenant-King said seriously. The NPCs in Eternus Online, following that line of thought, weren¡¯t simply strings of code, not in the same way as more generic virtual constructs¡­ they thought, and thus they were. They were, in every way that had been seen to truly matter, people. The world might have been built artificially at first, but did that prevent its development from becoming something more? Eternus was populated by self-deciding AI. They were shackled by the limits of the world, but that was no different to humanity in many ways. They too were shackled by the laws of reality that governed Earth and its Universe. More than one scientific mind had postulated that humanity was itself the product of a gigantic simulation. There was no tangible means to discern the truth one way or another, but therein lay the crux of the matter: Eternus Online was no different. To the beings in the VRMMO, the world was their home. Whether it be biological process or lines of code coming together, they reproduced. They had children. They thought; therefore they were. What the Revenant-King asked him was not merely a script to scare him. It was a true test of his mettle. He would not simply be fighting players or washing away NPCs, he would be killing people. The only difference was that, with some exceptions, the residents of Eternus would not come back once slain. Travelers would. He hadn¡¯t simply logged into another VRMMO, he had transitioned to a living and breathing world, and been given a body compatible with it. As long as his consciousness remained the same, even having a new character would not change that fact: He was one person, and no matter what his Eternus body looked like, he would remain the same person. A perfect example of having a soul. ¡°Holy shit.¡± He said as he reached up with a shaky hand to brush back his long, blond hair. ¡°Holy shit.¡± The Revenant-King was silent upon his throne, watching intently. ¡°I¡­¡± Romulus sighed wearily. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know if I can do that. I don¡¯t know if I want to do that. You¡¯re right, this was just a game to me, but¡­ I can¡¯t just¡­¡± He closed his eyes, his forefinger and thumb rubbing at them as he tried to order his thoughts. ¡°When I woke up this morning, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be having an existential crisis on the legitimacy of life in Eternus.¡± ¡°The calling is never easy.¡± The Revenant-King said simply. ¡°But it calls regardless. The Dark Lady gave you the choice, and you still must make it. Freeing her was the first step, and bonding with Lightsbane the second. Yours was the first essence it reaped, allowing it to act as a secondary safety net. So long as that blade exists, you cannot be permanently killed. It will grow as you grow, and it will be an anchor point for your resurrection should you fall in battle.¡± Romulus looked down at the weapon in silence, and felt a pulse of resolve from it. ¡°The third and final step is to take the Liber Nox and Ascend. Claim your place as Her Avatar, and all the burdens, glories, and horrors that come with it. I cannot tell you it will be either easy or fair. The path before you is terrible, even compared to that which I walked in my own life. At least I lived in a world that knew of Her glory. This one does not. You will face resistance, hatred, and fear at every turn.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be expected to become a mass murderer¡­¡± ¡°You would be expected to become a King.¡± The wraith responded coldly. ¡°Death is not an evil, no matter what the arbitrary alignments of the gods decree it to be. It is necessary. It is natural. The truly selfish cannot master power over Death, for to understand Death one must understand mortality. To understand mortality means to love mortality, not to flee from it as lesser servants of the Dark Lady seek to. You will unleash a tidal wave of blood, but so too will the shadow of your power be a shelter for those that can find succour nowhere else.¡± Romulus bit his lip as he listened, feeling his Earth-born hesitance falling away. ¡°The Dark Faith is about strength, boy. Strength of body, mind, and spirit. The strong dictate the path, but strength of one facet alone is not enough. You must embrace your sins, and be the master of them, not beholden to them. Build the Empire you want to see through your own power. Only the Dark Lady can offer you that freedom, and only you can choose to make use of it.¡± Romulus took a step forward as he listened, eyes flitting to the Revenant-King. ¡°So with enough power, I can dictate the way everything goes? That¡¯s what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡°The privilege of power is being able to wield it however you see fit.¡± ¡°What if I¡¯m not strong enough?¡± He finally asked. ¡°You will never know if you never try.¡± At that moment, Romulus felt something click. Hadn¡¯t he wanted an adventure like no other? His resolve hardened immediately. ¡°Have you ever regretted becoming Her Avatar?¡± He asked the wraith. ¡°Not for a single moment of my existence.¡± The Revenant-King replied. Romulus ascended the throne several moments later, coming to a halt before the spectre. The brighter light within the fire skull¡¯s eye sockets watched him unblinkingly. Romulus felt himself smile as he stared at the Liber Nox. All his life, he¡¯d been told what to do, how to do it, and why. He¡¯d never chosen for himself, not really. Not until he won the coffin. Not until he¡¯d freed Lilith. Whatever came next, it was his choice. ¡°Alea iacta est.¡± Romulus said softly. The die is cast. He took the Liber Nox in his hands. Pain exploded within him, and the world turned white. Chapter 07: Damnation Romulus opened his eyes to light, bright and overbearing and washing away everything around him. He squinted against it, feeling firm ground beneath his feet and tasting a sterility to the air. As he blinked against the radiance, the brilliance dimmed gradually until it resolved itself into a manageable level of luminance. When he glanced down to his hands, the Liber Nox was gone ¡ª though Lightsbane remained on his hip. ¡°So, this is what passes for a Champion in my sister¡¯s eyes.¡± Romulus spun at the sound of a voice, and stopped dead. A blond man attired in golden armour stood before him, shorter than Romulus by several inches yet possessed of a presence and sense of authority that spoke of terrifying power. His eyes shone an azure blue, and upon a second inspection the plates of his armour seemed to be formed of liquid light, with golden flames curling off of it like miniature solar ejections. ¡°I see you don¡¯t know who I am.¡± The man said coolly. ¡°I can¡¯t say I do.¡± Romulus replied cautiously. ¡°I am known by many names and titles, Traveler, but you may know me as Solarius.¡± When Romulus instinctively furrowed his eyebrows, the blond warrior clicked his tongue in annoyance. ¡°I am Lilith¡¯s Counterpart. I am the patron deity of Kings and the god of Light, Life, and many other things.¡± Romulus¡¯ eyes widened, and his mouth formed an ¡®O¡¯. ¡°From the panic in your eyes, I see you understand. Good.¡± Solarius looked away from him as he spoke, clasping his armoured hands at the base of his spine beneath a flowing cloak of radiant light. ¡°I have brought you here to offer you a chance at salvation, boy. It is within my power to cleanse you of my sister¡¯s mark, and grant you absolution.¡± Romulus¡¯ heart thumped in his chest as the god spoke, and he rapidly tried to cycle through his thoughts. His father¡¯s voice came back to him again, urging him to look at every angle and so he did. The god of Light, Lilith¡¯s brother and antithesis, had called him for an audience. Likely he was before the deity in a non-physical form, which explained Lightsbane¡¯s presence: The sword was bound to his soul. Why was Solarius negotiating though? That was what Romulus couldn¡¯t figure out. He needed more information. ¡°Forgive me my ignorance, ah, your holiness¡ª¡± Solarius¡¯ subtle nod told him that was the right choice of words as he continued ¡°¡ªbut I don¡¯t quite understand. Why would you offer me something so gracious?¡± ¡°You are quite daring to be questioning a god, boy. However¡­ I suppose it is only fair that you would be curious, especially given your ignorance as a Traveler.¡± Romulus smiled at Solarius¡¯ insult, nodding as if thankful. ¡°Your charity is most appreciated, your radiance.¡± Flattery was always the best bet with the powerful and vain. ¡°I can see why she Chose you. You are properly respectful, if nothing else.¡± Solarius rumbled in approval, a haughty smile on his features. ¡°We gods have rules, you see. Rules that were laid down by our Father. We cannot directly intercede against one another in the mortal realm, and must act through proxies.¡± He glanced at Romulus to check he was listening, and Romulus nodded compliantly. ¡°However, we are allowed to speak to mortals ¡ª to offer them a better way, or rewards for tasks we need done.¡± ¡°So you wanted to reach out to me now instead of after I underwent an irreversible change and became the Dark Lady¡¯s Avatar.¡± ¡°Yes. You are correct. There are certain protections afforded to our proxies, including a lack of direct intervention by each other. We can affect things around each other¡¯s proxies, but we cannot affect them directly.¡± ¡°I understand, your brilliance. You wanted to offer me a chance at salvation before I was too tainted for your beneficence.¡± Solarius smiled, nodding at Romulus like he were a clever dog. ¡°Precisely! You truly are a smart child, aren¡¯t you? Yes, I sought to offer you a chance at deliverance prior to you damning yourself to my foolish sister¡¯s cause forever.¡± ¡°And what would you exactly need me to do, my lord?¡± Romulus asked politely. ¡°Well that is rather simple, really. All you need to do is renounce the Dark Lady, rid yourself of that abomination on your hip, and give me the Liber Nox.¡± ¡°Pardon my impudence, glorious one, but what would I receive in return?¡± ¡°Is a god¡¯s pleasure not enough, boy?¡± Solarius asked with a cold look. ¡°It is a great thing, your magnificence, but I am being offered some small measure of power by your sister. I can only assume, by your bearing and evident power, that you are the mightiest and most powerful among your siblings, so revered that I had not even learned your name due to the pious adherence of your faithful flock.¡± Solarius nodded as if that made perfect sense while Romulus continued. ¡°They do not wish to tarnish your name with mortal lips often, and so you must forgive my ignorance.¡± Romulus smiled apologetically. ¡°Nonetheless, I would assume that a being of your impressive glory and immense power could see fit to offer me some small incentive?¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Well, I can hardly fault you for your mortal limitations. Of course you would desire a reward¡­¡± The god nodded to himself. ¡°Very well. Here are my terms: You will renounce my sister, hand over the Liber Nox, and divest yourself of that thing upon your hip. In return I shall grant you riches, designate a block of land as yours in perpetuity, and name you a Paladin of Solarius and a Hero of my Church. I shall grant you access to my power via Light Mana, and guarantee your canonisation as a Living Saint.¡± Romulus listened in stunned silence at the offer, and alarm bells immediately went off in his head. In return for turning his back on Lilith, handing over a book, and getting rid of Lightsbane ¡ª that alone was a dealbreaker anyway ¡ª he¡¯d receive all that? It was incredibly generous. In fact, it was downright excessive. Especially given the fact that Solarius had been loath to negotiate in the first place. That left only two possibilities. First Solarius wanted Romulus very badly to be on his side, which would make sense if not for the fact that the god of Light had done everything except make an equitable offer: He had not offered Romulus to be the Avatar of Light. That fact alone meant that despite the god¡¯s seeming magnanimity, there was something else at play. Which brought him to the second and most plausible theory. Solarius was scared of Lilith¡¯s return. Romulus knew his answer, but he needed to be careful. ¡°You have given me a most generous and incredible offer, your eminence.¡± ¡°Indeed, so it is time to accept it!¡± Solarius responded firmly. ¡°Of course, but first, I do have one concern. A fear, actually.¡± Solarius¡¯ eyes narrowed, but he said nothing as he waited. ¡°If I were to accept your gracious allowances, your radiance, I fear for what your sister might do. After all, she is the goddess of Death¡­ What is to stop her simply killing me herself?¡± ¡°Tsk. Foolish. Did you not hear me, Traveler? She cannot! We cannot directly act against proxies!¡± ¡°But I would not be your Avatar, your grace. Would that not leave me vulnerable?¡± ¡°Ah, I see your confusion.¡± Solarius said with a superior tone. ¡°You do not comprehend. Let me be more simple in my explanation: A proxy is not merely an Avatar, but any creature or being that owes total allegiance to a deity. My sister had her Death Knights, Inquisitors, Acolytes, and others... loathsome as they were¡­¡± The god scowled at the thought of said followers, then continued. ¡°I have my wonderful Paladins, Confessors, and Apostles. You would be among the first, and while Avatars are certainly the most powerful of a god¡¯s representatives, they are hardly the only form of proxy.¡± ¡°And if you were to bless me with your Mark, as she did?¡± ¡°Yes, that would also count. You would be utterly safe. You have my word.¡± ¡°Thank you, great one. That is all I needed to know.¡± Romulus said with a smile. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°Excellent.¡± Solarius declared with an arrogant lift of his chin. ¡°Now, let¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Romulus said simply. ¡°What?¡± Solarius asked in momentary confusion. ¡°Ah, my apologies. Let me be clearer: Go fuck yourself, you radiant ball of stupidity.¡± Solarius¡¯ eyes widened momentarily, and then narrowed dangerously. His armour started to ripple and flare with fire, and golden lightning arced around him. ¡°You dare?! I will obliterate you for your insol¡ª!¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Romulus said smugly. ¡°I have Lilith¡¯s Mark. You said it yourself, you can¡¯t touch proxies, and I doubt the ever-honourable god of Light would ever lie. It isn¡¯t part of your brand of rainbows and sunshine.¡± Solarius hissed. ¡°You snarky little rodent. You think you tricked me?!¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re a pretentious shithead with delusions of grandeur. I think you¡¯re a bully who doesn¡¯t like being told no. More than any of that, I think you¡¯re scared. No, you¡¯re terrified. This was your only real chance to stop my goddess from gaining momentum. If I¡¯d given you the Liber Nox, you could¡¯ve spirited it away to keep it out of the reach of her Avatars for as long as you wanted. This was your only shot at stopping her.¡± ¡°SILENCE!¡± Solarius roared. ¡°Fuck you!¡± Romulus shot back. ¡°I''m going to convert every one of your shrines, you arrogant prick, and I¡¯m going to piss on your altars! I¡¯ll make sure the act of uttering your name is so terrifying that you fade into complete obscurity!¡± ¡°MY SERVANTS WILL CRUSH YOU!¡± ¡°Bring it on, you asshole. I can¡¯t wait to skullfuck your Avatar!¡± Solarius screamed in rage as his armour turned to blinding light. Romulus laughed in the god¡¯s face. Everything faded away. ¡°Boy!¡± The Revenant-King¡¯s voice brought Romulus back to himself and he started, looking around himself at the throne room and then down at the Liber Nox in his hands. ¡°I¡­ Sorry.¡± He said after a moment. ¡°Solarius dragged me away to try to get me to join him.¡± The Revenant-King went very still. ¡°What did you tell him?¡± ¡°To go fuck himself.¡± Romulus said as he peered down at the Liber Nox. The Revenant-King¡¯s laughter startled him a moment later and he looked toward the wraith in surprise. He almost said something and then thought better of it, eyes turning back to the Liber Nox. ¡°So what do I do now?¡± He asked out loud. ¡°The Liber Nox will only open to the blood of the Marked. There is a spike on the middle chain encircling the book. Press your palm against it.¡± Romulus turned the book to find what the Revenant-King referred to and spied the subtle glint of something sharp. Gritting his teeth, he pushed his palm against it and hissed at the feeling of a puncture. ¡°Alright, now what¡ª?¡± He fell silent abruptly as the chains melted away, unshackling the book and allowing it to fall open in his hands. As opposed to a random page, what he saw was a blank slate of silver, and then the pages flashing aside rapidly. Moments later, the turning pages finally halted at a place somewhere near the front, and letters started to appear in red. Letters Romulus found, with only a little surprise, that he could read. My Chosen, I can sense that the Liber Nox has come into your hands. While I hoped for this outcome, I would be remiss not to admit some measure of trepidation. Your acquisition of my scripture, however, has put any lingering concern to rest. I do not have much time, so I must impart knowledge to you in haste. The Liber Nox is the key to becoming my Avatar not because of the scripture, but because of the rituals involved. Without a Focus, I am unable to properly affect the world. With the Liber Nox in hand, I can use it to circumvent this restriction and empower you properly as my Avatar. Each of the gods has different means of achieving this, but the Liber Nox is mine. A choice now lies before you, with three divergent and equally beneficial and difficult paths. To become my Avatar, and channel the pure essence of my power, your body must change. Your current self would be torn apart by the purity of my power. The first of these options is the path of the Wight. With my abilities and command over death, I can petrify and freeze your body in time. You will lose the need to sleep, to eat, to drink, and will never run out of stamina. Your body will also gain tremendous durability and physical strength. Wights are creatures of ultimate physical force, and you would be no different. Your skin would turn away all but the greatest of enchanted steel, you could fight forever without fatigue, and you would never lose your calm focus even in the greatest of wartime chaos. You will be a singular pillar, reliant on nothing but your own power and the sharpness of your runeblade. However, you will no longer be able to enjoy food, drink, dreams, or the pleasure of a night¡¯s rest. You will also lose all ability to intimacy now and forever in the future. You will feel neither love nor loss, and your emotions will forever be dampened to cold neutrality. Romulus winced at the last section. He¡¯d suspected that sex was an option in Eternus Online, and while he didn¡¯t really intend on pursuing that course of action any time soon, the idea of losing the option and his emotions just did not sit well with the most primal and deeply rooted parts of himself. Hoping for something better, he kept reading. The second path is that of the Lich. In this way you will become a being of mana and power, not unlike the last Revenant-King¡¯s current form, though yours will be far more tangible and stable. Your physical vulnerabilities will be removed, and you will become a spellcaster of singular power. Liches are masters of the Undead and powerful Necromancers, and as a Lich you would forever have an army at your beck and call. Every foe you faced would be another potential recruit, and even the most pious of enemy warriors would be yours to raise in undeath against their former allies. This path would result in you losing much of your physical strength in exchange for near-total physical invulnerability, but so too would you lose the ability to eat, drink, dream, sleep, and be intimate with others. It is a great sacrifice, but one none have ever regretted. The power of a true Lich is legendary. ¡°I like this one even less.¡± He muttered out loud, glancing at the Revenant-King. ¡°No offense, but being a ghost isn¡¯t exactly my idea of evolutionary improvement.¡± The Revenant-King said nothing, but Romulus thought he sensed amusement. Looking back to the Liber Nox, he continued to read. The third and final path is that of the Sanguine. Using my own blood, I will gift you with the eternal body and ageless guise of a powerful Sanguine Revenant; a unique form of Vampire Prince. Your body will gain strength, agility, vitality, and endurance bonuses that will grow slightly with every level. Unlike the first two paths, this one relies on your ability to lead as much as your own capabilities. Your individual strength will grow as you add more souls to your Court. Each individual you Sire will grant you a portion of their attributes permanently, growing your power relative to the strength of each new addition. While all the arts of the Dark will be open to you, the path of the Sanguine is neither as physically unstoppable as the Wight nor as sorcerously gifted as the Lich. Your mana pool will be merged with your health and it shall be the only resource available to you for spells and abilities, both simplifying your path and limiting you in some ways. As a Sanguine Revenant and my Avatar, you will be immune to the common weaknesses of their kind: Silver will have no effect on you, and the sacred places of the other gods will hold no thrall over you. You will, however, gain a severe weakness to both Fire and Light Mana. You will also need to feed regularly to maintain your strength. The more potent the person you feed on, the longer your hunger will be sated. Unlike many false myths, Vampires are not creatures of undeath: Instead, you will maintain your youth and vibrancy through the life force you consume from others. There is more to be learned about all the available paths, my champion. That information, however, must be earned with time. For now, you must make your choice. Be warned: Once you decide, there is no going back. I await your decision. Romulus stared at the final line and sighed. Three options, and while the last one appealed to him the most, it also presented the most challenges. First of all, he¡¯d be more vulnerable than he would be as either a Wight or Revenant because he¡¯d be susceptible to all the failings of a mortal body in terms of wounds, and he had to assume that also meant pain. The logical deduction was that both the Wight and Revenant enjoyed some measure of immunity to something as mortal as pain. Furthermore, if he chose the third path he¡¯d need to find followers to grow his power, and would need to then manage those followers. He had a suspicion that there was nothing stopping an ambitious Vampire from trying to supplant him as both leader and Avatar if he let himself be vulnerable to it. Finally, he needed to ensure a steady supply of¡­ Well, food. The thought made him mildly queasy, but he didn¡¯t think that was a bad thing. The moment he started to view people as less than people, something was wrong. ¡°You must choose.¡± The Revenant-King said from beside him. ¡°And quickly.¡± ¡°I know, it¡¯s just hard.¡± He grumbled. ¡°All of them have benefits and negatives, and the idea of the Wight on paper seems the most straightforwardly beneficial.¡± He sighed. ¡°Dependency on others seems like a huge weakness to the Sanguine.¡± After a moment more of thought, he turned to the wraith on the throne beside him. ¡°Which did you choose?¡± The Revenant-King looked toward the book, then away. ¡°Sanguine.¡± ¡°Did you regret it?¡± Another pause followed, then¡­ ¡°No.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s good enough for me.¡± He said with a shrug, turning back to the Liber Nox. ¡°Let not hesitation anchor your footsteps.¡± He murmured to himself, before speaking clearly. ¡°I choose the path of the Sanguine, and confirm my choice.¡± Romulus squinted at the Liber Nox warily after he spoke, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, he frowned. Had he said the words wrong? Perhaps he needed to write down his decision? He turned to the Revenant-King to ask. A moment later, Romulus staggered as the flaming skull came into view inches from his face. He looked down, and saw the ethereal length of the wraith¡¯s runeblade in his chest. ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡± It felt so goddamn real. Romulus found himself struggling to breathe. His eyes rose to look at the Revenant-King once more, and he thought he saw approval in the spectre¡¯s eyes. ¡°Welcome to the blessed damned, brother.¡± The runeblade came free. Romulus dropped to his knees. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be fucking kidding me¡­¡± He rasped around the blood filling his mouth. Romulus felt his heart stop, and everything went black. Chapter 08: Rewards Romulus awoke once again in darkness, and grumbled to himself as he did. He was getting very tired of everything turning black. It was a bad enough trope in anime and fantasy novels, and he wasn¡¯t enjoying feeling like he was stuck in one, the other, or both. He was in a video game! Then again, that might have been worse. His hands instinctively went to his chest amid those thoughts and he sighed in relief when he felt the lack of a hole in his shirt and, more importantly, his sternum. ¡°Hello, my Champion.¡± Romulus rolled his eyes to the heavens at Lilith¡¯s voice. ¡°You gods sure do like your dramatic entrances.¡± He said blithely, turning to face the silver-haired goddess of Death and suddenly standing in a throne room reminiscent of the one he¡¯d freed her from, except this one had an enclosed ceiling and hanging chandeliers. ¡°Though you¡¯re a far better sight than that pompous nightlight you call a brother.¡± Lilith laughed at his reticence, and he couldn¡¯t help but grin at her reaction. It was nice when his humour was appreciated for the masterpiece it was. ¡°I rather enjoyed that little showing, actually. Especially the part where you threatened to¡­ What was it?¡± She tapped a red-painted nail to her lips, then snapped her fingers. The motion made her body shift in a very distracting way beneath her ankle-length black dress. ¡°Ah yes. ¡®Skullfuck¡¯ his Avatar.¡± Romulus felt his cheeks redden a little with embarrassment. ¡°It sort of just slipped out.¡± ¡°I take it that would be your version of taunting in your world?¡± ¡°Something like that.¡± He said evasively, not wanting to explain internet trolling. ¡°It was wonderful to hear, my Champion. I would reward you for your courage in standing up to my brother, in fact¡­¡± Her lips curled upward in a lascivious smile that made him think very bad thoughts ¡°...but I fear we do not have the time. I must give you my Gift quickly, for Solarius has put plans in motion and you are in peril.¡± Great, cockblocked by a god. Lilith approached him and placed her pale right hand on his heart, her left reaching up to brush his hair and cup his jaw. ¡°I am so proud of you, my champion. You completed your task in an impressive time. I had thought it would take great guile to infiltrate the Necropolis, yet you managed it with an ease that few would be able to emulate. Your masterful handling of the Duke and your easy befriending of the Wayfinder will come back to reward you in time.¡± ¡°I had good incentive.¡± He said with a smile. ¡°Indeed.¡± She replied coyly. ¡°And I hope that incentive continues to guide you. For now, however, you must focus on your immediate circumstances. You have just arrived, and yet already our time grows short.¡± Her right hand extended and a massive scythe abruptly appeared out of nothingness. With masterful precision, she twirled the weapon and shallowly sliced the side of her neck. Black blood interlaced with bright silver rivulets stained her pale flesh immediately. ¡°Come and take your gift.¡± She said in a breathy tone. ¡°You have earned it.¡± Romulus hesitated as he watched her, swallowing down the initial sense of shock at seeing a woman cut open her own neck. He looked at her glowing red eyes, and then back to her bleeding neck in concern. ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°Do not hesitate.¡± She urged him. ¡°You have earned this, my Champion. Take what is yours, especially when it is freely offered.¡± Romulus bit back another objection and cursed his own hesitation. He had already committed, hadn¡¯t he? He was being an idiot. He¡¯d selected the goddamn Vampire route! It wasn¡¯t as if this was wholly outside the norms for that trope. Swallowing back his natural aversion to what he was about to do, the tall blond grit his teeth and darted forward before he could think better of it. A moment later his lips locked around the wound in Lilith¡¯s neck, eyes falling shut as he let the goddess¡¯ blood flow into his mouth. The moment he did, his eyes shot back open in wonder. It was the greatest thing he¡¯d ever tasted. Nothing in his life, not a single thing, could compare to the sheer wonder of the flavour that was her blood. He couldn¡¯t even put an association to what it was he was experiencing. The nearest comparable thing would be ambrosia, the mythical drink of the olympian gods of Earth. A guttural moan escaped him as he swallowed Lilith¡¯s vitae, his eyes rolling up in pleasure as he greedily drained her. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± She whispered under him, her hands on his chest. Romulus didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Champion.¡± She said with a hint of concern. He needed more. More! ¡°Romulus!¡± She croaked. ¡°Stop!¡± Clarity abruptly returned, and he tore himself away from her neck in a stagger. His breathing came in heavy, vicious gulps of oxygen and he licked his lips instinctively, barely noticing that his entire body was shaking. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± He muttered, looking anywhere but at her neck. ¡°No¡­¡± She murmured. ¡°It¡¯s alright. You are just far stronger than I thought. Far, far stronger¡­ Your hunger is terrifying¡­¡± Her cheeks blushed red as she said it, and the goddess seemed short of breath for a moment. A second later, she cleared her throat. ¡°The Gift has been given, and you are Anointed. You will return to the mortal realm in a few short moments. I have done all that I can within the limits of my power, and I am still weak from the lack of Faith. Survive what is coming, my Avatar. Conquer your foes, found your dominion, and revel in your lusts. Overcome the machinations of my self-righteous brother.¡± She smiled at him as she finished, the coy seductress once more. ¡°Gather me ten thousand Faithful souls, and you shall reap the first of your rewards. I vow it.¡± As if to drive home her point, her hands rolled down her sides and her dress turned from formal silk into a sheer nightie that would make a Victoria¡¯s Secret model blush. ¡°Ten thousand souls, huh?¡± Romulus asked as he eyed her new attire. ¡°Deal.¡± ¡°Romulus, one last thing¡­¡± Lilith said as his vision started to darken. ¡°Yes?¡± He asked with a sudden onset of weariness. ¡°Remember: Revel in your lusts, and take what is offered. I can give you no further hints. Good luck, my Avatar. I will be watching you with hope and longing.¡± Lilith faded into darkness. Romulus opened his eyes with a start a moment later. Something hard was under him, and when he shifted he heard the tell-tale creak of metal. Something also felt strange about his head, and when he lifted a hand to investigate, he froze at the feeling of metal blocking access to his skull. Heart racing, Romulus looked down at himself and realised he was sitting on the Revenant-King¡¯s throne. His runeblade was on his lap, and his body was encased in a suit of armour that felt more comfortable than anything he¡¯d ever worn. Before he could investigate further, a System message filled his vision. Romulus stared at it in confusion for a moment, before he barked out a strained laugh. Of all the things he had expected, what he read was certainly not part of the equation. The more he looked it over, the more he wanted to laugh, curse, dance, and groan in equal measure.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Complete: Avatar of the Dark Lady You have successfully claimed the [Liber Nox] and as a result have been transformed into a Sanguine Revenant by the Dark Lady. In accordance with the ancient laws, your name and status as the Avatar of Darkness has been anointed in the eyes of the gods, and you have been given access to the seat of power of the last Revenant-King. In addition, your ascension forged a bond between yourself and the last Revenant-King. As a result, he will now be your permanent companion, a unique summoned character manifesting at first as an invisible and intagible spectre to advise and guide you on your path. You have taken custody of [Liber Nox], the last Revenant-King¡¯s [Armour of the Dark Sovereign], and his Revenant Runeblade [Silence]. As you already have a Revenant Runeblade, [Silence] has been fused with your own. Evolve your weapon further to unlock the hidden powers of [Silence]. Finally, your [Mark of the Dark Lady] has evolved into the [Aura of Darkness]. Congratulations on your Ascension. All hail the Avatar of Darkness!
Difficulty: C+ Success: Claim the [Liber Nox] Failure: Die Rewards: Due to your success, you have earned:
  • Item: [Liber Nox] (Divine Relic)
  • Title: Avatar of the Dark Lady
  • Gear Set: [Armour of the Dark Sovereign] (Mythic Armour)
  • Weapon: [Silence] (Weapon Infusion)
  • Skill: [Aura of Darkness] (Passive)
Romulus dismissed the prompt with a wave of his hand, flopping back into the throne of bones to consider his situation, only for another window to immediately jump into his view as he did. This time when he read it, he felt only interest and mild satisfaction at what he saw.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Race Change: Sanguine Revenant Through the power of the Dark Lady, you have been transformed into a powerful and ageless Sanguine Revenant. As a result, your Mana Pool has been removed and converted into Health, and any future points invested in Intellect or Willpower will be converted to Health instead of Mana. Other modifiers will remain the same. Additionally, you have now received several new Racial Passives and Abilities. Refer to your skills menu to view these in more detail. As this is a World First in Eternus Online, you have also been awarded 10 Platinum to spend at your leisure. Congratulations, Traveler Romulus!
New Skills:
  • [Sanguine Thirst] (Passive Skill)
  • [Sanguine Kiss] (Active Skill)
  • [Sanguine Body] (Passive Skill)
  • [Sanguine Mind] (Passive Skill)
  • [Sanguimancy] (Active Skill)
The moment he dismissed the new window, a series of alerts dominated the log on the bottom left of his HUD, and Romulus read through them dutifully. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Sanguine Thirst Skill Type: Passive Skill Function: As a Sanguine Revenant you are gifted with agelessness, supernatural beauty, and powerful physical and mental gifts. The cost of these things, however, is the Sanguine Thirst. Now and for the rest of your immortal life you will crave the essence of others, draining them to sustain yourself. The more potent the essence, the longer you will be sated. As you grow more accustomed to the Thirst, your ability to sustain yourself will improve. Eventually, you may even be able to feed on the blood of your foes as you rampage across the battlefield. Skill Level: Novice 5 Skill Description: Let the blood flow, and your cup spilleth over! Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Sanguine Kiss Skill Type: Active Skill Function: The strength of a Sanguine Revenant is in their Court. The more Vampires you create, the more powerful your Court, and the more powerful you will grow. To create more Vampires, the Sanguine Kiss must be given. Only the truly willing may become part of your Court, though their loyalty is not required. Bear this in mind, for once you sire a Vampire, they gain access to the path of succession. Be wary you do not create your own downfall. As you become more proficient with this power, your ability to sire new Vampires will increase in speed, and new Vampires will start at a higher level. Skill Level: Novice 1 Skill Description: Bend the knee and accept immortality! Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Sanguine Body Skill Type: Passive Skill Function: As a Sanguine Revenant, you wield the power of the Dark Lady¡¯s own blood within your veins. This allows you to far exceed the physical limitations of other flesh and blood creatures. You are stronger, faster, more durable, and possess healing capabilities far beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. For each level of Sanguine Body, you gain +1 to Strength, Agility, Vitality, and Endurance. Additionally, you gain +10 to each Attribute every 5 levels of Sanguine Body, and +25 to each at every new Tier. (Current Bonus: +15) Skill Level: Novice 5 Skill Description: Tremble before the perfection of the Sanguine! Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Sanguine Mind Skill Type: Passive Skill Function: As a Sanguine Revenant, you wield the power of the Dark Lady¡¯s own blood within your veins. This allows you to far exceed the mental limitations of other flesh and blood creatures. You are smarter, more gifted, and more magically potent than other mere mortals. For each level of Sanguine Mind, you gain +1 to Intellect and Charisma. Additionally, you gain +10 to each Attribute every 5 levels of Sanguine Body, and +25 to each at every new Tier. (Current Bonus: +15) Skill Level: Novice 5 Skill Description: None may comprehend the dark majesty of a Sanguine mind! Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Sanguimancy Skill Type: Active Skill Function: The power of the Dark Lady courses through your veins, and through her grace you have managed to unlock a rare and powerful skill: Sanguimancy. As a Sanguine Revenant blood is your domain, and the blood of your foes is no exception to your sovereignty. You are now able to manipulate blood upon the battlefield, using it as an Aquamancer might use water. As you grow in power, your potency, control, and range will increase alongside a decrease in cost. (Current Range/Cost: 5m/50HPS) Skill Level: Novice 1 Skill Description: The very blood of the enemy betrays them! Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Aura of Darkness Skill Type: Passive Skill Function: As the Avatar of Darkness and Revenant-King, you are the personification of the Dark Lady¡¯s will and power upon Eternus. For so long as this holds true, you will carry with you an Aura of Darkness that announces your nature and presence to anyone sensitive to such magic. This Aura also doubles as a Charisma bonus, and a minor resistance to magical attacks and enchanted weapons. You will receive +2 Charisma and +2% Spell Resistance per level. (Current: +6 Charisma, +6% Spell Resistance) Skill Level: Novice 3 Skill Description: Yours is the Shadow of She of the End! Romulus hummed thoughtfully as he read over the last of the updates, his expression thoughtful beneath his new helmet. While the bonuses from Sanguine Body and Sanguine Mind seemed like they could be immense, he also realised that they were likely only going to be truly relevant in the lower centuries of levelling. Once he reached the truly massive levels of power, even a bonus of +50 would be a footnote in comparison to the norm. He could only assume, however, that he¡¯d unlock other benefits as he grew in power. He could already feel the difference in his body and mind, however. Everything seemed¡­ clearer. Sharper. He perceived the world with noticeably more clarity and a stronger sense of personal awareness and purpose. His blood hummed with untapped potential, and he made learning to use his new power a priority. He¡¯d have to ask the spirit of the Revenant-King, whenever he figured out how to summon his new consciousness passenger to talk. ¡°Oh! Armour stats.¡± He said gleefully, realising he¡¯d yet to look at his new digs. Name: Armour of the Dark Sovereign Type: Revenant Runeplate (Soulbound) Rarity: Mythic Slot(s): Head, Back, Shoulders, Chest, Arms, Hands, Legs, Feet Level: 1 Description: Once worn by the last Revenant-King and Avatar of Darkness, this set of armour became the anchorpoint for the fallen warrior¡¯s soul through the power of the Liber Nox. With the coming of a new Avatar, the power animating this set of armour has vanished along with the Liber Nox, though the soul of the last Revenant-King remains. Uniquely, this armour will evolve as it absorbs the Essence of its wearer¡¯s enemies, a remnant of the Sanguine power of the Revenant-King¡¯s soul. Durability: 1000 / 1000 Special Effect(s): Revenant Runeplate will evolve as it consumes Essence. Romulus whistled as he looked over the stats of his new armour. Part of him was worried, given that he had received a ludicrous level of loot and bonuses to start him off in Eternus Online, but another part of him reasoned it was a result of the dynamic nature of the world. He¡¯d simply made the right choices. There were so many places along the way he could have screwed up, perhaps irrevocably, and yet he hadn¡¯t. Somehow, he¡¯d managed to ace every challenge thrown his way. The gamer in him told him to be prepared for something very bad as a result. ¡°Sucks there¡¯s no mirrors in here. Would be great to be able to see myself.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± A cultured, baritone voice said suddenly. ¡°There¡¯s the vanity I expected.¡± Romulus cursed in surprise, moving to leap to his feet and snagging his arm on a protruding bone from the throne, which resulted in him slamming straight back down onto the macabre chair with a grunt of embarrassment. ¡°How regal.¡± The same voice intoned drily as the speaker at last came into view, stepping around the Throne. The new arrival was a few inches shorter than Romulus, with silvery-white hair to the middle of his back, and a regal-looking silver-trimmed black doublet worn above matching pants, boots, and a complimenting belt. He wore no weapon, and a bone-white crown sat atop his hair, studded with diamonds. His eyes were the colour of freshly spilled blood, and his features were heart-stoppingly handsome. Were Romulus not firmly heterosexual, he might have started drooling. Most telling of all, however, was the fact he was faintly translucent. ¡°Holy shit, you¡¯re the guy from the window!¡± A snort of derision escaped the handsome spectre. ¡°You must be referring to the abomination in the Ebonwrath estate. I hated it when it was created, and I hated it more when Jorah hung it in his throne room. One of my few regrets is not destroying it when I still had the life to do so.¡± ¡°So this is what you actually look like, huh?¡± Romulus asked as he eyed the ghost curiously, overcoming his initial shock. ¡°Definitely better than a flaming skull for a head.¡± The Revenant-King rolled his eyes. ¡°As much as your witticisms amuse me, we have no time for them. You have trouble on the way.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Romulus asked, before immediately remembering the ¡®peril¡¯ the Dark Lady had warned him about. ¡°I have a better idea than explaining. Your quest should be updating right about¡­¡± The wraith snapped his illusory fingers ¡°...now.¡±
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Updated: Neutralize the Necropolis The Duke of Blackstone tasked you with entering the fortress in the heart of the inner city and dealing with whatever is wrong within its depths. He authorised you to use whatever means are necessary to ensure the completion of your task, and offered you anything you need to see it done. The Duke also, however, had an ulterior motive. Having stumbled on texts relating to the [Liber Nox] and the power it holds, the Duke of Blackstone desperately desires to acquire the sacred tome in order to bring back his departed wife. He has infiltrated the Necropolis in the wake of the Revenant-King¡¯s presumed demise, and even now advances toward the throne room to take what he believes is his. Should the [Liber Nox] fall into the Duke¡¯s hands, a cataclysm will ensue. The Duke cannot be allowed to take hold of the Dark Lady¡¯s sacred tome. WARNING: The manner in which you resolve this quest will have lasting consequences for the world of Eternus. Choose your path wisely.
Difficulty: A+ Success: Variable Failure: Permanent Character Death, Destruction of Blackstone Rewards: Various
Romulus stared at the quest text for a long, angry moment. ¡°Are you fucking kidding me?¡± He demanded as he waved it away and threw his hands up. ¡°First Solarius, and now this? Come on!¡± ¡°I do recall telling you your path would be hard.¡± The Revenant-King said drily. ¡°Yes. Thank you. I remember.¡± Romulus bit out, scowling at the calm vision before him. ¡°Do you have any advice?¡± ¡°You cannot win a direct confrontation, but you likely don¡¯t need to. The Duke wants his wife back, and you have yet to lay claim to your full inheritance. This Necropolis is more than just a gothic fortress, it is a nexus point for an immense amount of pure mana. I built it atop a massive leyline convergence. Thanks to the amount of dark mana suffusing the Necropolis, the stockpiled pure mana has been converted into more dark mana.¡± ¡°Meaning what, exactly?¡± Romulus asked with legitimate curiosity. ¡°You have enough power to commence a Dark Consecration across this entire territory, and offer the people within the chance to join you in the Dark Lady¡¯s Faith, or die as sacrifices to her glory. You also have enough power to raise thousands of the dead. That includes the Duke¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s looking for a maggot-riddled skelebride.¡± Romulus said flatly. ¡°True, but does he know that? Furthermore, what about those he brings with him? Do they value their loyalty to the Duke more than their own lives? Or their family¡¯s lives?¡± ¡°You want me to try to turn his wardens against him?¡± ¡°All mortals are susceptible to temptation, Romulus. As the Avatar of Darkness, you are temptation incarnate. The sins of all mortal peoples are yours to command. Pride, Wrath, Envy, Avarice, Gluttony, Sloth, and Lust.¡± The Revenant-King had assumed an almost scholarly parade rest as he spoke. ¡°In time, you will learn to sense which Sin holds dominion over a soul, and use that to your advantage. If you find the pressure point, you can press until the target concedes or breaks. Whichever comes first.¡± ¡°Okay. That¡¯s cool.¡± Romulus admitted. ¡°But it also doesn¡¯t help me in the immediate, uh¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°Mortarius.¡± The spectre replied with a wry smile. ¡°My parents were rather lacking in subtlety.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t say.¡± Romulus muttered, weighing his options and running through different possibilities in his mind. ¡°The Sins won¡¯t help me this time, I need to use the nuclear option. How do I access the mana reserves?¡± ¡°The Throne is the Focus.¡± Mortarius answered immediately. ¡°You need to attune to it and use it as the channel to access the well beneath the Necropolis.¡± ¡°Why do I feel like this is more complicated than you¡¯re making it sound?¡± Romulus asked as he leaned back, idly rubbing his hands along the bone-crafted armrests nervously. ¡°You either do or do not.¡± Mortarius said calmly. ¡°I¡¯m already dead, so this is on you.¡± ¡°Helpful.¡± Romulus grunted. ¡°Less whining, more attuning. You¡¯re the Revenant-King now, Romulus. Not me. I¡¯ll try to delay the Duke with the sconces, and make him run in circles chasing their light. I also took the liberty of activating the remaining defenses within the Necropolis through our bond. The skeletons will slow him down, but only for a short time. You need to focus on attuning to that Throne.¡± The spirit waved a hand, and a countdown appeared in Romulus¡¯ HUD showing just under seven minutes. ¡°Once this reaches zero, they¡¯ll be here.¡± Romulus let out a shaky breath as Mortarius spoke, slipping into the breathing exercises he¡¯d learned to calm his anxiety as a child. ¡°Thanks.¡± He said between breaths, realising how much the spectre was actually helping. ¡°I mean it. Thanks.¡± Mortarius eyed him speculatively, then inclined his head before turning away. Romulus looked away from the ancient King at the same time, his focus drifting to the Throne beneath him. ¡°Okay, you pile of bones¡­¡± he muttered to himself ¡°...let¡¯s get properly acquainted.¡± All the while, the timer ticked down. Chapter 09: The Dukes Requiem Romulus focused on his breathing as he gripped the armrests of the throne, eyes closed under his helmet and his heartbeat pounding against his ribs. He shut out the ticking of the timer, instead directing all of his focus toward the task immediately at hand. Part of him felt guilty, given what it was he was intending to do with the power. The devastation he intended to unleash was¡­ immense. Very likely there would be a large amount of people that would accede to the call for submission. After all, Blackstone and its surrounds was all they had ever known. Others, he knew, would not be so willing. His thoughts drifted to Isolde, and he felt regret. ¡°Snap out of it.¡± He muttered to himself in irritation, curling his fingers more tightly around the armrests as he worked to divest himself of the distracting thoughts. His point of focus was forcibly narrowed, and honed in on trying to sense out the connection to the power lurking on the other end of the Throne¡¯s network. He could detect a sense of¡­ something as he worked, a lingering possibility or feeling that tickled at his awareness. He dove in on that feeling, probing around with senses he barely understood as he searched for some sort of click or rightness. Mortarius had been frustratingly vague on what it was he was actually supposed to do, but Romulus had already assumed it would be some sort of resonance action. It always was in the stories. He needed to connect his essence with that of the throne, and the well beyond it. The feeling of something brushed along his consciousness, and then slipped away. Romulus snapped his eyes open and turned to Mortarius with an aggrieved sigh. ¡°You need to give me a hint here. Lay some ghost wisdom on me. What exactly am I meant to be doing?¡± ¡°Attunement.¡± The spectre responded simply. ¡°Okay, yes, but how? I don¡¯t even know how to use my mana properly!¡± Mortarius blinked at that, and his ghostly eyebrows shot upward. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Fuck you, Mortarius. Help me!¡± The ancient King sighed in turn. ¡°Dark Lady give me patience¡­¡± He muttered as he moved closer. ¡°Okay, listen carefully Romulus. All mana is a form of energy. In its pure state, this energy is not dissimilar to an electric current, and we can feel it in our bodies in the same way. For some it¡¯s a simple matter of willing it to work, but for others it¡¯s not so easy. I have a feeling you fall into the latter category, or else you¡¯d have likely already unconsciously activated your sorcery.¡± ¡°I thought my mana pool vanished when I became Sanguine?¡± Romulus questioned. ¡°No it didn¡¯t vanish, it was transmuted into your blood. Your blood is mana, to some degree. The functional difference is that you use your health, your life force, to fuel your spells now. The actual difference is that your mana veins and regular veins were merged. Mana now flows unimpeded through your body. That¡¯s the source of your gifts as a Sanguine Revenant.¡± He lifted a hand, tilting it side to side in a ¡®so-so¡¯ gesture. ¡°Well, that and the Dark Lady¡¯s ichor.¡± ¡°Her what?¡± ¡°Ichor, Romulus. Blood of the gods.¡± Mortarius frowned. ¡°Forget it. Look, the point is that you should actually find it easier to access your sorcery now. You just need to focus on that subtle tingle in your blood. The mana within you is aligned to the Dark now, more or less irrevocably. This is good and bad. It¡¯s good because it means I can tell you exactly what to look for, and it¡¯s bad for a plethora of reasons I¡¯ll elucidate on later.¡± Mortarius glanced back toward the entrance to the throne room sharply, then returned his attention to Romulus. ¡°Focus up.¡± Mortarius said firmly. ¡°You¡¯re running out of time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± Romulus bit out. ¡°Frustration won¡¯t help, but anger will. I want you to latch onto that feeling of anger and channel it. I want you to really dive into it until you feel something resonate inside yourself. An echo, a¡­ pulse of familiarity. That¡¯s what you need to find. Once you do, grab onto it and hold. Hold tight. Once you channel for the first time, you¡¯ll know. Trust me.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Romulus said as he focused ¡°...and then what?¡± ¡°Then you push every bit of that power into the Throne, and hope to Lilith that it works.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Romulus said simply before closing his eyes again and focusing in on his emotions, namely the frustration and anger he felt at the situation. When he had stopped viewing Eternus as if it were purely a game, he had felt like his emotions had become¡­ sharper. More real. It might have just been his own mind playing a trick on him, but Romulus could have sworn he had become more alive in Eternus Online after his Descartian revelation. Anger, anger¡­ He recited mentally as he worked, his hands tight against the throne. The Duke¡­ This situation¡­ Solarius¡¯ stupid face... He felt his lips moving silently as he worked but ignored what he might look like, digging deeper and deeper into his well of anger and resentment as he searched for a spark. Expectations¡­ Family¡­ My parents¡­ His father¡¯s face appeared in his mind, watching him with disappointment. Romulus¡¯ rage flared white-hot. At that moment he found it. Like a match put to pitch, the Dark mana in his veins erupted into an unseen inferno, and the power lurking within him roared to life. Romulus shuddered in his throne as it did, his lips parted in pain and pleasure at the feeling of the destruction raging in his veins. It felt like a river of fire, like an avalanche of ice, like he was being caressed and stabbed all at once. He tasted copper, and he realised that one of his fangs had punctured his bottom lip. Fangs. He had fangs. The thought snapped Romulus back to awareness and he found himself slouched in the throne, panting for air and shaking. ¡°I did it.¡± He breathed as he looked toward Motarius. ¡°I found my mana.¡± ¡°Nice work.¡± Mortarius said half-heartedly. ¡°Now find the well before the Duke gets here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Romulus asked with a lingering sense of befuddlement. ¡°Oh. Right. The well.¡± His eyes blinked through his confusion, and then widened. ¡°Holy shit, the well!¡± A glance at his HUD as he scrambled to find his focus again made his heart race. He¡¯d lost almost his entire remaining time trying to find his mana. His window was counted in seconds, not minutes. Cursing himself wordlessly, Romulus hastily adjusted his sitting posture and drew Lightsbane, resting the blade along his knees and assuming a collected and controlled position on the throne. He needed to appear completely in control. After that was done, he immediately summoned his Dark mana again, finding it easily after the initial ¡®awakening¡¯ of his connection. The shiver of pain and pleasure rolled through him again, and he understood why Lilith was the way she was in that moment. If this was Her essence, he could easily see why She vacillated between sex kitten and stern teacher with ease. The energy in his veins was what he assumed crack cocaine must feel like. It left him focused and excited in equal measure, like his mind had sharpened and his emotions had been whipped into a frenzy at the same moment. It was an initially disconcerting, paradoxical feeling. ¡°He¡¯s almost here.¡± Mortarius warned him, the ghost¡¯s gaze fixed on the doors to the throne room. ¡°Can he see you?¡± Romulus asked distractedly, already trying to find a way to funnel his dark mana into the throne in a viable manner. ¡°Only if I want him to. Normally that would require me drawing on your reserves, but because we¡¯re in the Necropolis¡­¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°Stay hidden for now. I may need you to be my trump card later.¡± Mortarius glanced at him in surprise, before nodding slowly. ¡°As you wish.¡± He said easily, though Romulus thought he detected a hint of curiosity in the wraith¡¯s tone. He put it out of his mind, however, when he noticed the digits of the timer. 10 seconds remained. Romulus quickly redoubled his efforts, pushing as much power as he could into the Throne, searching for the connection, probing for the path forward, and praying with all his might to Lilith for help. 5 seconds remained. The sound of footsteps and talking voices echoed from the entryway. Romulus steeled himself for what was to come. ? ? ? ? ? Duke Rasmus Argent strode toward the open doors at the end of the thrice-accursed corridor grimly, his dawnsteel blade held in his right hand and his polished armour upon his person. His journey to the throne room of the ancient fortress had been an exercise in frustration, and fraught with danger at every turn. From hidden traps in the form of pitfalls, wall spikes, poisoned needles, armour-piercing bolts, and a plethora of other horrific things to the walking dead themselves: Every step had been a form of irritation and torture. Had his mages not sensed the Revenant-King¡¯s oppressive aura vanish, he¡¯d never have dared to follow the Traveler in as he had. Whether or not the boy or the Revenant-King were dead was irrelevant. All that mattered was that the latter¡¯s power had been broken somehow, and Rasmus wasn¡¯t about to miss such a golden opportunity. He had been waiting too long. Even still, two thirds of his Wardens had been lost on the journey, leaving him with a scant seventeen and his daughter as the last remaining. Thirty-three of his best pawns, gone. Dead. Slain by traps they¡¯d failed to circumvent or detect, or killed in battle with the creatures that haunted the dread citadel. When they¡¯d at last discovered the route to the throne room, he had been in an argument with Isolde. His daughter didn¡¯t understand. He could see that his Wardens didn¡¯t either. His beloved wife¡­ Her fate rested on his success. He couldn¡¯t be stopped here. Not now. Not after he¡¯d come so close, finally, to his goal. When he¡¯d discovered the information on the Liber Nox, he knew he had to get his hands on it. Nothing else was of greater importance. Yet every time he¡¯d tried, those he¡¯d sent had never returned. Not even the supposedly invulnerable S-Ranked Adventurers from the Guild in Valencia, the Kingdom¡¯s capital, had been up to the task. When that immortal Traveler had walked into his city, though¡­ Rasmus smiled grimly beneath his beard. That fool boy had been perfect. He¡¯d recognised a Revenant Runeblade that moment he¡¯d laid eyes on it, and he¡¯d known in that moment that he had made the right decision. He¡¯d wanted to imprison the boy at first. He could hardly have an unknown element in his city when he was trying to wrest the Liber Nox from the hands of the dead Revenant-King¡­ but that sword. Had he not known it to be impossible, Rasmus would have simply tried to kill the boy and take it from him. A pity the weapons only allowed one master in their lifetimes. As the entrance to the throne room loomed, the Duke schooled himself to calm. It wouldn¡¯t do for his underlings to see his eagerness, not in such an accursed place. He would need to give many offerings to Solarius once all the business within the Necropolis was concluded. It was only proper. He would need to appease the god of Light when he shattered the rules of nature and brought his beloved back to life. Perhaps the Liber Nox would be payment enough to soothe the god¡¯s wrath. ¡°Your Grace, please, let us go ahead of you. It¡¯s our duty.¡± Rasmus blinked at the sound of a voice and turned to the warden who¡¯d spoken, struggling to remember the helmeted man¡¯s name. L¡­ L¡­ Lamonte! ¡°Thank you, Warden Lamonte.¡± He said with a practised smile. ¡°I am in your care.¡± Only a little longer. He¡¯d only need to pretend a little longer. Once he had her back, he could be done with the pretense. The Liber Nox could make him immortal. He would have no need of these commoners and their baggage at that point. They¡¯d be useful sacrifices for his ascension, and nothing more. They bred like rats anyway. There were plenty more to replace them. Oblivious to the Duke¡¯s disdain, Lamonte stepped forward with four of the remaining Wardens, the quintet of armoured men stepping cautiously through the ominous doorway and into an expansive throne room lit by the same blue flames as elsewhere in the Necropolis. Lichfire, Rasmus knew already. The cold beacon of the grave. The wardens ahead signalled the all-clear and Rasmus followed along behind them, flanked by the remaining four and his darling daughter. He glanced at Isolde as they walked, scanning her exposed face. It was a matter of pride for her to show her face openly when in command; a habit of her youth, and one he had failed to break. The girl thought herself invincible. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Then again, so had her mother. He looked away from her. Soon, she would be free from any threat to her life. She¡¯d be able to rest easily. He wouldn¡¯t need to worry about his baby girl anymore after he completed his task. ¡°There is someone here, my lord.¡± Lamonte said quietly as the Duke approached. Rasmus nodded. He¡¯d expected that. When the group moved further into the expansive chamber, his eyes finally came to rest on the subject of his desire: An armoured figure sat upon a throne of white bone, a Dragon¡¯s skull and massive wingbones overlooking and flanking it. A blade lay across the figure¡¯s lap, and at his side¡­ Rasmus drew in a hiss of air. The Liber Nox, chained to the man¡¯s right hip. ¡°Hello there!¡± Rasmus said with a lifetime of pride in his voice, stepping forward confidently until he was a scarce two dozen feet from the base of the dais upon which the elevated throne rested. ¡°I am Rasmus Argent, Duke and Ruler of the City of Blackstone. I take it by your presence here that you are prepared to discuss terms?¡± Rasmus tried to Examine the man on the Throne, and blinked when he failed. That was¡­ unexpected. ¡°Terms?¡± The figure asked curiously, his voice faintly distorted by the full-faced obsidian greathelm he wore, its top crowned by vicious spikes, and its sides marked by elegant backward-swept batlike wings. ¡°Are you here to offer your surrender, then?¡± Rasmus snorted at the man¡¯s words. Clearly, the Revenant-King had gone mad in his centuries of undeath. ¡°My surrender? Sir, you are quite outnumbered. Given how far we have penetrated into your abode, I might even wager that you are rather more weak than you once were.¡± The Duke kept his tone schooled to careful amicability. While he was confident, given what his mages had sensed from the Necropolis, it would not do to be hasty. His eyes went to the Liber Nox again, and he subconsciously licked his lips. No, it would not do to be hasty at all. ¡°What care does Death have for the mewling of kittens who think themselves lions?¡± The Revenant-King asked in a tone that seemed bored. ¡°I am the fear that gnaws at your spine, the terror that haunts your dreams. You look upon the Avatar of Darkness, mortals. You stand before the Revenant-King.¡± An armoured fist abruptly struck the arm-rest of the throne, and the lichfire illuminating the throne room blazed with harsh light. ¡°Kneel before your doom, and I shall make your deaths painless.¡± Rasmus froze at the ancient King¡¯s words, licking his lips nervously. Had he miscalculated? Had he misinterpreted what he¡¯d felt? He remembered clearly the wash of dark power that had emanated from the Necropolis, and the subsequent abdication of pressure that had emanated from the ancient fortress beneath conscious awareness. It had felt like a boot being lifted from his chest, or a blade levered away from his neck. He had felt the Revenant-King¡¯s great power fade. He had been certain of it. The boy had done something. He had to have done something. The pressure was gone! The Duke¡¯s eyes flicked to the Liber Nox, and he felt his fear erode as his desire resurfaced like an inferno. He was so close. He was so close! He couldn¡¯t stop now. He wouldn¡¯t. He had to bring her back! Around him, he noticed the faint shiver of his men. Saw the way they seemed frozen in indecision, weapons half-lowered and resolve wavering. The fools. The useless, worthless lowborn cowards! Their lives were his to spend, not theirs to preserve! ¡°A worthy effort, wraith.¡± The Duke said in as strong and regal a voice as he could muster, leaning heavily into his statecraft. ¡°But ill-conceived. My wardens and I are not so easily cowed by your empty threats. You are no longer what you once more. You are a shadow of your former self.¡± The Duke smiled victoriously. ¡°Yes. I can sense it. I can feel it. You are no longer the creature you were! All that remains within that armour is rot and forgotten glory.¡± The men and women around him stirred, and he saw Isolde step up to his side. ¡°Your reign of terror ends here and now, Revenant-King! Your eons of predation upon the good people of this world will be ended on my order!¡± The Duke chuckled as he spoke. ¡°You are finished! I shall cleave your helm from your desiccated shoulders, and the world shall know it was I, Rasmus Argent, that cleansed your blight from the mortal realm! You shall be an example in the cost of dabbling in perfidity!¡± Rasmus himself was different, of course. He was going to use the Liber Nox to save his wife from the grave, ensure their long lives, and then hand it over to Solarius¡¯ church. The Revenant-King was a slave to the darkness. Rasmus would never be so easily enthralled. He was a Duke, a man of proper station and breeding. Such basic occultism could never hold sway over his mind. ¡°Well?¡± He demanded haughtily, feeling victorious glee thrumming in his body. ¡°What say you, creature? Speak, you knave! You foul beast! Show us the truth of your cowardice, and let all behold the Revenant-King and his ignoble weakness!¡± Rasmus laughed mockingly. ¡°Speak, cur! We are waiting!¡± Silence followed in the wake of the echoes of his own voice within the cavernous throne room, the remnants of his denunciation fading away into nothingness. His wardens looked between him and the Revenant-King quietly, and Rasmus could almost imagine the veneration on their faces. Yes, he had withstood the creature¡¯s terrible presence, and had exposed it for the weak ghoul it truly was. Now all that remained was to unleash his underlings and let the foul, decrepit old¡ª Rasmus froze at the sight of movement from the Revenant-King, instinctively going still along with the rest of those present as the creature shifted, reaching up to grip its greathelm in its armoured hands. The Duke hissed in a breath of disbelief as the creature removed its helmet, and revealed a heartbreakingly handsome face beneath. Pale skin that seemed to shine with the vibrancy of life lay beneath a head of long, silky hair that seemed as much silver as it was platinum blond. His eyes were a shining red, the scarlet irises ringed with silver that crept into them like veins on both sides. His pupils, meanwhile, were abyssal: Like two pinpricks of the void made manifest. His jawline was strong in a familiar way, and the set of his sculpted cheekbones granted him a regality that bordered on the supernatural. Many had called Rasmus handsome, but when compared to the spectre before him, he felt like an unworthy wart. His throat went dry, unable to form words as a wry smile blossomed on the Revenant-King¡¯s features. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Your Grace?¡± A familiar-yet-different voice asked in an amused baritone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you pleased to see me?¡± ¡°You¡ª!¡± Isolde¡¯s strangled voice beside him drew Rasmus¡¯ attention. ¡°The Traveler!¡± The Duke felt a wave of confusion crash into him and he turned back to the Revenant-King. ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­¡± He muttered as he studied the armoured man, looking from the greathelm now resting under his hand on an armrest to the exposed features of his face. Slowly the similarities started to become obvious, until he realised what it was he was seeing. The Traveler, Romulus, but perfected. All the harsh lines and clumsy planes of his face had been swept away, replaced with a perfect symmetry that was both terrifying and beautiful. The rugged Traveler had been transformed into a beacon of supernatural health and vitality, with a presence that seemed to transcend that of a mere mortal. No matter what way Rasmus tried to rationalize it, only one thing truly made sense. ¡°You killed the Revenant-King?¡± He asked in disbelief. ¡°Not quite.¡± Romulus answered him casually. ¡°In truth, I¡ª¡± ¡°How are you alive?!¡± Isolde cut across him, stepping forward from her place at Rasmus¡¯ side. The Duke felt a pang of worry as she did, glancing at his daughter in concern. ¡°Good to see you again, Isolde.¡± Romulus answered with a calm, casually controlled manner that immediately infuriated Rasmus. How dare that vagrant sit there, holding his Liber Nox like he was anything more than a lucky hobo! ¡°I asked you how you¡ª!¡± She fell silent when Rasmus placed his hand on her shoulder, recognising his daughter¡¯s tone and the argument it preceded. When she turned to him, he noticed her cheeks were flushed, and he smiled at her comfortingly. Of course she was upset. The woman probably thought that Romulus would be able to Court her, now. ¡°No need to worry, my dear. He won¡¯t be alive much longer.¡± The Duke said with a wide smile, turning back to the Traveler. This was perfect. His task had suddenly become far, far easier. ¡°As for you, Traveler. I admit to being fooled by your ruse. Very clever. You managed to convince us the ancient one yet lived. Brave, but ultimately futile. You have clearly made a bargain with the creature, and must now face justice.¡± ¡°Is that what you call it?¡± Romulus asked in that same infuriatingly calm voice. ¡°Here I thought you wanted to steal the Liber Nox for yourself.¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but he called himself to account quickly, suppressing the surge of shock that had filtered through him. How did the blasted vagrant know?! He had told no one of his plans! ¡°A desperate accusation, but useless.¡± He lifted his right hand and motioned the Wardens forward. ¡°You will die now, Traveler, and we will commit your tainted flesh to Solarius¡¯ cleansing fires.¡± Romulus made no move as the wardens stepped forward, remaining seated as if he hadn¡¯t a care in the world. It was that very lack of reaction that made the Duke¡¯s men hesitate, looking between each other with uncertainty. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± He demanded. ¡°Take him!¡± The wardens glanced at each other again, then seemed to steel themselves. Rasmus held back a sneer at their lowborn manner. Good help was almost impossible to find, it seemed. He turned to Romulus with a look of smug superiority as the wardens stepped forward, only to shift to a frown again. The man was still smiling, as if he knew something Rasmus didn¡¯t. What had he missed? What did the Traveler know that he didn¡¯t? It had to be an act. Surely, the vagrant couldn¡¯t be¡ª A collection of cries echoed across the throne room as the lichfire died, leaving the wardens momentarily panicked. Rasmus cursed as he reached into his coat for his lightstone, only to turn away abruptly at a burst of radiance. When he looked back, he froze. Standing in front and to the side of Romulus was a figure of nightmare: A flaming skull, ephemeral blade, and armour that seemed filled with the lichfire that once filled the throne room. The creature lifted its blade as he watched, slicing it down to the side to block the approach to the Traveler on the throne. ¡°If you wish to do my Master harm, first you must make your way past me.¡± Its words sent blades of terror down Rasmus¡¯ spine, his eyes locked upon the burning skull and the armour that comprised its body. This is what he¡¯d expected to find. This was the nightmare that he had suspected lurked within the Necropolis¡¯ heart. The true Revenant-King. The Avatar of Darkness. The wardens staggered backwards at the appearance of the spectre, cries of alarm rising from their throats as they beheld the creature. For once, Rasmus could hardly blame them. This was the long-haunting symbol of death for Blackstone. Every man, woman, and child in the city had seen it in their dreams at least once, a result of the power it held still within its Necropolis. They recognised it even if they did not recall it, and their bodies told them what their minds could not process: Flee, for Death had come. ¡°STAND FIRM!¡± Isolde¡¯s voice cut through the gloom that had settled over Rasmus¡¯ heart, and his eyes snapped to his daughter, who stood with her blade out and held before her. The wardens froze as well, many of them halfway into turning to run as they looked at their blonde-haired captain. ¡°Stand firm!¡± She repeated again, her voice a bastion of strength in the darkness. ¡°This creature is an evil we may yet defeat! Not for ourselves, but for the future of our home! Too long has its reign of terror gone unopposed, unanswered, and unresolved! We shall end its tyranny here, and liberate Blackstone of its curse!¡± The wardens glanced at each other, before looking back to Isolde. Rasmus dared to hope. ¡°With me! Stand at my side, and together we shall rid the world of this blight!¡± Ah, Isolde. Beautiful, noble, naive Isolde. Rasmus smiled with sad pride at his daughter as the wardens rallied to her call, first one at a time and then all at once. They rushed to their Captain¡¯s call, forming ranks before her and the Duke. They were useful tools, he admitted, when properly motivated. ¡°We go together!¡± Isolde declared. ¡°Open eyes, pure hearts¡­!¡± ¡°...VICTORY ASSURED!¡± They trumpeted as one in response to her words. Suddenly the lights within the throne room burst back to life, and Rasmus looked around in confusion. At the same moment, the spectral Avatar vanished into nothingness as if he¡¯d never existed. ¡°Yes, it worked.¡± Romulus said into the once-again stunned silence. ¡°I told you it would.¡± Rasmus looked at the Traveler in confusion. Who was he talking to? ¡°Of course he was going to monologue. It¡¯s about knowing your audience, Mortarius.¡± Rasmus grew even more bewildered as Romulus continued. ¡°Of course it was a risk!¡± The Traveler said with a snort. ¡°But it worked, didn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Rasmus called out in annoyed confusion. ¡°My predecessor.¡± Romulus said as he looked back toward the Duke. ¡°Not that it matters now. The stall tactics worked, though I¡¯ll admit you had me worried there for a minute.¡± He grinned with boyish excitement as he spoke. ¡°So now for real, Duke Argent, I have to ask you to surrender¡­ because if you don¡¯t, I¡¯m going to do something I think we¡¯ll both regret.¡± This boy. This boy. The nerve, the sheer gall, the absolute lack of respect or proper decorum! No more. Rasmus would tolerate no more of this. He tightened his grip on his dawnsteel blade and stalked past the wardens, ignoring their cries of alarm and Isolde¡¯s shouting voice. He was tired of the games. He¡¯d been played. He could see that now clearly. The boy had used his own arrogance against him, and Rasmus had bought into it hook, line, and sinker. Well, the time for games had passed!¡± The Duke stepped onto the stairs approaching the dais with a growl, his sword held steady. He was going to carve the little bastard¡¯s face off, skin him alive, and feed him to his hounds. He would see his body hung in pieces from the front of the Necropolis! He would¡­ Rasmus frowned in confusion. He could no longer feel his legs under him. The Duke looked down, and confusion gave way to terror. Black hands lifted the duke from the ground, raising him into the air and spinning him around. Rasmus tried to scream, but no sound came from his mouth. He tried to slice with his blade, but his arms wouldn¡¯t respond. He felt coldness seeping into his limbs, into his body, into his mind. He looked down at Isolde, saw her terrified, wide eyes staring at him. He saw his wardens stagger backwards in horror. They had to help him! Why weren¡¯t they helping him? Why¡­ Darkness consumed him, and Rasmus felt himself pulled by something, drawn like a fish on a hook. Suddenly a laughing skull appeared before him, partially obscured by void-black hood. Rasmus saw something flash, closed his eyes on instinct, and felt something within him break. When he opened his eyes, he was¡­ ...in his Master¡¯s throne room. Yes, he was where he belonged. Rasmus turned away from the crowd of unworthy supplicants, instead shifting his gaze to the Master. To his liege upon his ivory throne. He felt himself smile, felt his new and powerful body kneel in an appropriate genuflection toward the greatest being on Eternus. All emotion outside of his absolute dedication faded away, and he welcomed the relief of the cold void. He felt himself speak in a voice that was harsher than he remembered, and yet filled with so much more power than the frail, inferior vocal range he¡¯d had as a mere mortal. ¡°My life is yours, my dark sovereign. Command me, and see your will done.¡± Rasmus smiled happily as he spoke. At last, he could serve with purpose. At last, he had achieved eternity under the banner of the Revenant-King. He barely even heard the tattered remnants of his soul screaming in the distance. Chapter 10: Dark Salvation Romulus nearly sagged in relief when his experimental casting completed, staring down at the kneeling form of the freshly Wighted Rasmus Argent with a victorious smile. Even with Motarius explaining the process of Necromancy step by step, it had been inordinately difficult to actually implement the process in a successful way. He¡¯d failed four times in row before he¡¯d finally managed to properly tap into the Dark magic, and he¡¯d very nearly killed himself in the process. It had been worth it, though. He could see a small ¡®attachment¡¯ next to the Duke generated by his HUD that signified he was a minion, represented by a skull with a chain around its forehead. Romulus had also received a new interface the moment he¡¯d successfully summoned the duke, one which even now sat to the side of his HUD in a smaller window than the one it had initially appeared as. He could look into it properly later. For the immediate moment, he had other issues. The wardens that the Duke had brought with him stood shellshocked, Isolde most of all. They were all looking from the Duke to the throne, as if their brains were still playing catch-up. Isolde herself was at her father¡¯s side, shaking him as if she could rid him of what she might perceive as some sort of fugue. Of course, that was assuming she had found a way to rationalize the fact her father had been carried into the air and torn into pieces by spectral hands of dark mana. That had been hard to accomplish, but Mortarius had agreed the theatrics were important. The others didn¡¯t need to know how exhausted even that little use of the well had left Romulus. They needed to believe he was unassailable. What better way to accomplish that than to target the person all of them subconsciously saw as invincible? ¡°The Duke has paid for his crimes against me.¡± Romulus said as he subtly shifted into a more authoritative posture, his fingers bridging together and elbows resting on his armrests. He waited for them all to look at him before continuing. ¡°He came here with the intent to do far more than simply kill the Revenant-King. He intended on stealing that which is sacred to the goddess of Death, and in doing so, unwittingly unleash a cataclysm upon Eternus.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Isolde shouted immediately, glaring up at him with pain, hatred, anger, and a mix of other emotions Romulus couldn¡¯t even begin to decipher. ¡°My father is a good man! An honourable man! He would never do what you¡ª!¡± ¡°Your father is a liar, one who attempted to supplant the rightful ruler of this land.¡± ¡°He is the rightful ruler of this land!¡± Isolde spat. ¡°As his father was, and his father, and¡ª¡± ¡°A line of usurpation is poor evidence against usurpation, Isolde. Your family has been illegally squatting as the rulers of this territory for generations, on the orders of a King with no legal claim to anything upon this peninsula.¡± ¡°If you think we were going to recognise some dead thing as the rightful¡ª!¡± ¡°The Revenant-King is not the one of whom I speak, though indeed Mortarius was the rightful ruler of these lands before I succeeded him. No, I speak of a higher power. One whose authority is not to be questioned.¡± Now for the hard part. Romulus had them. He could tell by the way that even Isolde hesitated, suspicion and rage warring with a hint of curiosity and dash of fear. He had to act quickly, before their distraction evaporated. He was in no condition to fight, and the Duke had been Wighted far below his original level. ¡°You have likely wondered how I came upon my new gifts. It was not without cost, but it is a cost I would pay again without hesitation.¡± He looked across them for emphasis as he spoke, ensuring he was calm. Controlled. They would let him finish. Rushing would only undermine his power over the situation, and make him look nervous. This was a sale, and these people were potential investors. He needed them to want to buy his product. ¡°The goddess of Darkness has returned to Eternus. After eons of imprisonment at the hands of her traitorous siblings, the Dark Lady once again exerts Her will over Eternus and all who dwell upon it. It is She that I serve, and it is She that I now call upon to confirm my status as Her Avatar on Eternus.¡± This was the risky part. Mortarius had assured him it would work. It was part of the Avatar bargain that he could apparently invoke Lilith to ¡®confirm his status¡¯ once every day. It was supposedly something relatively simple, and protected under the clauses that also protected divine proxies from godly wrath. He only hoped the ancient King had not overestimated their goddess¡¯ strength. Relief filled him a second later as a System window appeared before him.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
At the request of the Avatar of Darkness, the Dark Lady does hereby confirm to all those present the glorious truth of his words. Lilith, goddess of Darkness, Death, and Order has returned to Eternus and selected the Traveler, Romulus, as her Avatar of Darkness! All hail the Dark Lady! All hail the new Revenant-King! Tremble, mortals, before the incarnation of Death!
Romulus dismissed the prompt quickly, focusing more on the people before him. Almost as one, he saw the shoulders of the wardens slump as they read the System message. It was one thing to see Necromancy, but when the System told you something, even the most stubborn of souls had to accept it. As his eyes roamed over the collective, Romulus schooled himself to impassive superiority. He had to play this out to perfection to achieve his goals. ¡°I am prepared to make you all an offer.¡± He said into the defeated silence, carefully not watching Isolde as she clenched her fists, clearly reading and re-reading the System prompt in rage. ¡°You are all loyal men and women, soldiers who gave your all for a cause that was tainted from the start. You now have a choice¡­¡± Almost every head in the throne room shifted to him, watching Romulus cautiously. ¡°Your city has been graced by the Dark Lady¡¯s glory. Solarius and his false faith can no more shelter you than the Duke could hope to stand against me. You have the choice, here and now, to decide your fate. In the days of old, the Dark Faith believed in merit over all else.¡± He waved a hand across them all, as if he held their lives in his palm. A careful balance of indifference and supremacy. ¡°Kneel, and swear yourselves to the Dark Lady. Offer genuine oaths of fealty to the goddess upon whose land you reside, and you and your loved ones will be given a place of safety in Her new Empire on Eternus. Give her your Faith, and in return I shall guarantee you and any that you know who swear to Lilith will see the dawn of Her dominion absent the fear of Her wrath.¡± He could see many of them wavering, their eyes darting to the still-kneeling Duke. Now for the hook. ¡°Alternatively¡­¡± He said more harshly, lifting a hand in signal and sending an unspoken command to his first and only Wight. Rasmus rose smoothly in response, turning to take up position before the throne with his blade in hand. ¡°...you may choose to resist, if you believe yourself up to the challenge.¡± That got them, and when the first knee hit the ground, the next followed in a wave. By the end, only Isolde remained standing with her gaze locked on her father. ¡°You do not seem convinced, Isolde.¡± Romulus said more calmly than he felt. He hadn¡¯t completed his sale, yet. Isolde could still turn it all on its head. ¡°Or is it that you cannot accept your father was anything other than the man you thought he was?¡± That seemed to draw her attention, and Isolde turned to him with red eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about my father!¡± ¡°Rasmus, tell her your plan. Offer no deception.¡± ¡°Yes, my liege.¡± The Wight responded coldly, turning his gaze to Isolde. ¡°I intended to use the Traveler as a means to an end to claim the Liber Nox, the sacred book of the Dark Lady. My intention was to use it to resurrect my wife, with your body as the host for her spirit.¡± Romulus¡¯ eyes widened at the last sentence. That was unexpected. And gross. Incredibly, incredibly gross. Isolde stared at the Wight in silence. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± ¡°I cannot lie.¡± The Wight responded simply. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Isolde shouted again. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re bewitched! He¡¯s making you say it!¡± Romulus frowned at her words. Perhaps he had misjudged¡ª ¡°Captain, he ain¡¯t lying.¡± One of the Wardens said quietly, glancing at Romulus worriedly. Romulus simply gestured for him to continue. He was interested. ¡°Yer father¡­ He had strange books, Captain. I overheard him once, muttering to hisself in his study. Something about yer lady ma and that leaver knocks thing.¡± ¡°Harold¡­?¡± Isolde asked in a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s true, Captain.¡± A female warden said, glancing at Harold and then back to Isolde. ¡°I overhead some of the same, though it wasn¡¯t as specific. He kept mumbling about ¡®the book¡¯ and how you were a ¡®perfect host¡¯. I thought he was talking about the banquets¡­¡± ¡°Not you too, Tricia. How many of you are under his spell?¡± Isolde demanded. ¡°We be under no spell, Captain.¡± A second man said gruffly. ¡°We be free of mind and spirit. This fella do be scarin¡¯ the wits outta me, but I do be sensing no deceit in his words, and as you know, I do be havin¡¯ some talent with Truthsayin¡¯. He do be speakin¡¯ true, Captain. All of it. Your father too, the bastard.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Isolde seemed at a loss. Hearing it from the Wight that was or had been her father was one thing, but having it confirmed by the wardens ¡ª her wardens seemed to have breached her faith in a way nothing else had managed to. Romulus watched as she stared at her father, her cheeks flushed with emotion. ¡°Why?¡± She finally asked. ¡°Every time I looked at you, all I saw was your mother. When I discovered the texts speaking of the Liber Nox in our estate¡¯s hidden library, I realised I could have her back. You looked sufficiently like her that it would be like having her again, but younger and fertile.¡± The Wight spoke coldly, as if it were reciting from a book. ¡°I could always have another child. Preferably a son. Better you die so that she may live again.¡± Curses rippled across the wardens, and several of them retched at the revelations. Isolde stared at her father in a mix of horror, sadness, pain, and disgust ¡ª her cheeks stained by tears as she watched the caring, kind parent she had loved peeled away to reveal the horror beneath. The blonde choked back another sob, swallowing the emotion and visibly steeling herself. ¡°I renounce you.¡± She said hoarsely. ¡°I renounce your name, your house, and my oaths.¡± She reached up and tore away her tabard, throwing it to the ground. Then for good measure, she spat on it. ¡°Isolde Argent is dead.¡± The sound of ripping fabric echoed around the throne room, and as if Isolde had been the final nail, the rest of the wardens threw down their tabards in kind ¡ª scattering the fabric across the throne room like unwanted garbage. ¡°There remains one matter to be resolved.¡± Romulus said in the same calm, imperious tone. ¡°Isolde¡­ will you bend the knee?¡± Isolde turned to him as he spoke, and her jaw clenched when he posed his question. Come on¡­ Romulus pleaded within the confines of his mind. Take the nudge¡­ ¡°I have one condition.¡± She said at last, her eyes moving to her father and then back to Romulus. ¡°Release him. I never want to see him again. Release him, and if you will have me, I will serve you in his stead.¡± ¡°This is an opportunity.¡± Mortarius said suddenly from beside Romulus, fully aware only the Traveler could see him. ¡°Isolde is clearly still held in high regard by the Duke¡¯s former Wardens. I¡¯d wager your Sanguine Mind had something to do with them swearing loyalty, but without Isolde they will waver as you execute the next phase. You need to bind her to you, but in such a way that she remains Isolde.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Romulus leaned back in his throne as if he were pondering Isolde¡¯s offer, while subtly motioning Mortarius to continue. ¡°Give her the Blood Kiss. She will be Sired at a much lower level than her current one, but it will show them your power, and she seems the type to demonstrate an impressive level of loyalty in the right circumstance. Were our places reversed, I would have marked her as a potential Death Knight immediately.¡± Romulus reached up to rub his mouth to cover his muttered words. ¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Mortarius said with regal confidence. ¡°Trust me. She¡¯s perfect.¡± Romulus nodded and pushed himself up from the throne, taking Lightsbane in hand as he did. ¡°Very well.¡± He said as if addressing Isolde, his armoured footsteps echoing throughout the chamber as he stepped forward. ¡°I agree to your terms, Isolde, with an addendum¡­ You will be the first to see the power of the Dark Lady, and accept Her gifts.¡± Isolde froze, her eyes darting warily to the Wight that was her father in fear. ¡°No, not like that.¡± Romulus said with a hint of amusement. ¡°Your heart will still beat, your lungs will still draw air, you will still retain life¡­ But it shall be enhanced. You shall be the first of my¡ª¡± ¡°Methuselah.¡± Mortarius supplied with a sigh. ¡°¡ªMethuselah.¡± Romulus said smoothly as he descended the stairs from the dais. ¡°I shall grant you the gift of eternal life, and you shall be the first elevated to position within the¡ª¡± ¡°Midnight Aristocracy.¡± Mortarius called again with a hint of boredom. ¡°¡ªMidnight Aristocracy.¡± Romulus finished as he halted before her. ¡°Do you accept, Isolde?¡± The blonde woman swallowed as she looked at him, looking at her father again. ¡°Will I¡­ Will I retain my soul?¡± ¡°Yes. Your mind, too. Methuselah are not slaves, they are simply empowered. I know you to be a woman of honour, Isolde. I would consider it a privilege for you to join my Court. I feel confident in trusting your intuition to guide you true, be it for my interests or against them.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s asking for a knife in the back¡­¡± Mortarius said from above. Romulus suppressed a snort. After all, the ancient King was technically correct. Isolde hesitated for a long moment, and then released a shuddering sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. Yesterday I was content with my life. Everything seemed¡­ good. Now not even a full day later, my father is a Wight and I am offering my fealty to the Revenant-King.¡± ¡°It could be worse.¡± Romulus said with a wry smile. ¡°I could be a Paladin of Solarius.¡± That earned a snort of laughter from at least a couple of the wardens, with the truthsayer cackling. ¡°Aye, that do be true. Pretentious wankers.¡± A more broad round of laughter accompanied the statement, and Romulus nodded to Isolde. ¡°Kneel, Isolde. When we are done, I will dismiss your father¡¯s soul.¡± Isolde hesitated a final time, her eyes darting to her father searchingly. Then, after finding what she was looking for ¡ª or perhaps not finding it ¡ª she turned back to Romulus and knelt gracefully, her right knee to the ground and her left boot beside it. A knightly position. Romulus drew a steadying breath as he looked down at her. ¡°I, the Revenant-King, do hereby invoke the sacred rite of the Sanguine Kiss. I call upon the Dark Lady to stand witness and welcome a new acolyte into her embrace, that she may be judged and elevated if found worthy.¡± The Liber Nox shifted suddenly at his words, unbinding itself from his hip and floating into the air. The covers snapped open, silver pages fluttering rapidly until they landed at the correct page. Romulus looked down at it, reading the instructions with an internal sigh of relief. He¡¯d only known the first words, not the rest. After a moment he began to speak. ¡°To ascend, first you must die, for it is only in Death that you may truly understand the glory of defying it.¡± Isolde stared at him in surprise, frowned, and then nodded while steeling herself. ¡°First, I shall bind us in blood.¡± Romulus nodded to her in approval and lifted Lightsbane in his right hand, bringing it against the wrist of his left. Immediately, the armour protecting his flesh turned translucent and the runeblade drew a line against his skin, parting it like silk and allowing silver-streaked red blood to flow well over the wound. A flash in his HUD told him he had taken damage and was suffering a slight bleed, but Romulus ignored it. Murmurs filled the throne room at Romulus¡¯ actions, but he ignored those too. When prompted by the book he stepped forward, offering his wrist to Isolde. The woman hesitated for a moment, glancing up at him in question. When he nodded to her and lightly wiggled the wrist, she closed her eyes, took a breath and brought her lips to his wrist. The moment she did her eyes shot open and rolled upward, and she released a very uncharacteristic moan of delight. Romulus felt his cheeks warm at her reaction, and cleared his throat. He had noticed that the stages of the spell greyed out when completed, and when the section that read ¡®offer blood from the wrist¡¯ turned grey, he firmly withdrew his arm. Isolde almost lunged after it as he did. Almost. She seemed to master herself just before she acted, and reached up to wipe her lips, her own cheeks turning red from embarrassment. He could relate. If his blood tasted anything remotely like Lilith¡¯s, he couldn¡¯t blame her. Romulus looked at his wrist for a moment and, to his surprise, it stopped bleeding only a few seconds after Isolde released it. The skin even started to heal before his eyes, in tandem with his recovering health. That was useful. He suppressed a smile and turned back to the Liber Nox. ¡°With the Kiss complete, I commit you to the embrace of the Dark Lady for her judgement. To know death, you must first embrace death. Are you prepared?¡± He stepped forward as he asked and looked down into her bright blue eyes. Isolde¡¯s expression firmed, and she nodded to him once. ¡°What does that mean?¡± One of the Wardens asked, a hint of fear in her voice. ¡°He¡¯s the servant of Death, ya mook. Captain¡¯s gotta die and come back, innit!¡± Romulus looked from the woman to the man, and then nodded. The Wardens adopted grim looks at the confirmation, but seemed to take strength from Isolde¡¯s own lack of concern, the blonde remaining ready and stoic before Romulus. He turned back to Isolde, gave her a reassuring smile, took a small breath, and then slammed Lightsbane into her sternum. As she gasped and staggered, he pulled Lightsbane from her chest and bent to catch Isolde as she dropped. Her body fell against him, already lifeless, and Romulus laid her gently upon the throne room floor as he kneeled down, placing her hands over her stomach and stepping back thereafter. He saw the Wardens visibly relax at the action, as if observing the care he took with her body alleviated any lingering doubts or concerns. They would, it seemed, let it play out. After all, it wasn¡¯t as if he could escape them if he¡¯d deceived them. Romulus had expected the process to take a while. Several minutes, at least. Instead, Isolde¡¯s body erupted into black flames moments after Romulus had settled in to wait. More cries of alarm echoed from the Wardens, but nobody made a move as the fire licked and burned across the blonde¡¯s body and armour. She started to rise a moment later, pulled from the ground as if held up by a pair of hands, and slowly shifted to a standing position several inches above the ground. As fast as they appeared, the flames vanished from across her body and Isolde dropped to her feet. When the flames vanished, Romulus was rendered speechless. Isolde¡¯s blonde hair had turned the same shade of silver as his own, and her already lovely features had been enhanced. Her face had become symmetrical, and her jaw and cheekbones sharper and more aquiline. Her nose had shortened, and her lips had become full with an alluring, natural pinkness to their hue. When she opened her eyes, a pair of silver-flecked red irises stared out at the world, her pupils having taken on an abyssal shade. Her armour had changed as well. Where before it only hinted at what lay beneath, now her plate seemed to fit her like a second skin. The steel had been darkened to black, with silvery chainmail between the joints. The plate had been thinned and sat more snugly upon her, allowing the previous hint of her hourglass figure to now be properly demonstrated in spite of the smooth plane of her breastplate. Her armour had gained clawed extensions over her knuckles, and her plate boots ended in lethal talons. The blade on her hip had changed as well, and be it his bond with Lightsbane or something related to his Avatar status; Romulus knew immediately she had been gifted with a Revenant Runeblade. Finally, a crimson tabard had been draped over her chest and a roman-style petruges ¡ª a skirt of leather straps that shortened as they extended toward the sides ¡ª had been added to the bottom of her breastplate. When she reached up to throw back her hair, a long cloak of black fabric completed her new ensemble. The Liber Nox slammed shut and returned to his side, chaining itself to his hip. ¡°Woah.¡± Romulus said into the silence that followed. ¡°The Dark Lady sends her regards, Revenant-King.¡± Isolde said with a smile, her voice more melodious and rich than before. It was a confident, powerful soprano. ¡°She has also informed me that I am to be the first of Her Inquisitors, charged with ensuring the sanctity of Her Faith and the enforcement of Her Avatar¡¯s will. This includes the enforcement of any and all laws within any lands you claim as your own.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be damned¡­¡± Mortarius said from above. ¡°That is one hell of a first Siring.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Romulus said, momentarily too stunned to formulate an appropriately formal response. ¡°I¡­ I admit to being surprised. I didn¡¯t expect¡­ this.¡± ¡°The Dark Lady told me you might be.¡± Isolde smiled ruefully and turned to the watching wardens. ¡°For those wondering: I am still who I was, just¡­ better. I know many of you have doubts, but I spoke with the Dark Lady and She offered me no deception. The path ahead of us will be difficult and bloody. I know all of you will rise to the occasion, though. You have never failed me before.¡± She smiled ruefully. ¡°Unless it means letting me win at King¡¯s Fountain.¡± Laughter followed from the group, and Romulus noted the straightening of several backs, along with nods exchanged by wardens. In some places he saw postures relax, as well. They clearly loved Isolde, and her reassurances appeared to dismiss many of their concerns. ¡°I told you.¡± Mortarius said smugly. Romulus ignored him, turning back to Isolde as she looked at him and continued. ¡°As for you, Revenant-King: She wished you to know that this drastic change is a consequence of the potency of Her blood within your system. Because you Sired me so soon after your own Ascension, I was able to benefit from the remnants of Her Essence. She does not wish you to expect this to happen each time.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Romulus said as he gathered his wits. ¡°That makes sense.¡± Isolde bowed her head to him, and then looked at her father. ¡°Now that we have concluded my fealty¡­¡± Romulus glanced at the Wight, and then abruptly remembered what he¡¯d said. ¡°Right. Of course. You obviously upheld your end of the bargain, allow me to uphold mine.¡± ¡°Actually your majesty,¡± Isolde interjected, ¡°I was hoping you would allow me to do it.¡± Romulus blinked and Mortarius whistled. ¡°Are you sure, Captain?¡± One of the wardens asked. ¡°He¡¯s still yer father¡­¡± ¡°He wanted to possess my body and rape me in order to have my mother back.¡± Isolde said with an edge of steel to her voice. ¡°I am positive, Lamonte.¡± That silenced any further questions, and Romulus simply nodded. ¡°Proceed as you wish, Isolde.¡± The newly Sired Vampire moved immediately, her Revenant Runeblade drawn in one smooth motion. The blade was beautiful, a long bastard sword not unlike Lightsbane, though the blade held a silvery hue and was serrated on the left side near the base. The crossguard was also different. The ends of the T were marked by wicked spikes, and the centre of the crossguard differed even further with a small tiger¡¯s skull as its centrepiece, matched by another on the other side. Both skulls had their jaws braced against the base of the blade proper. ¡°Tell me something, father.¡± Isolde said softly. ¡°Did you ever love me for me?¡± ¡°You reminded me of what I had lost.¡± The Wight responded resolutely. ¡°How could I ever truly love a pale imitation of my beloved?¡± Isolde released a long, steadying breath. ¡°Thank you.¡± She said simply. Rasmus¡¯ head hit the ground with a harsh thud a moment later, and his body collapsed lifelessly. Isolde turned to Romulus when she was done. ¡°Thank you, my King.¡± ¡°Did it help?¡± He asked carefully. ¡°It will. In time.¡± She responded simply. ¡°But that is for later. I believe we have more work to do yet.¡± ¡°I take it the Dark Lady filled you in?¡± ¡°She did.¡± Isolde confirmed. ¡°You have no objections?¡± Romulus asked curiously. ¡°Before the Kiss, I might have.¡± She admitted. ¡°Even now, it pains me to know what will happen¡­ But I understand now why it¡¯s necessary. The Dark Lady showed me so much. You need not worry about me, sire. I owe you a debt I can never repay for saving me from my father¡¯s intended fate. I am yours to command now and forever.¡± Romulus inclined his head in acceptance. He would take what was offered. With that done the Revenant-King sheathed his runeblade as he turned away from Isolde, ascending the stairs to the throne once more. ¡°Our work has only just begun.¡± He said when he reached the top, turning back to the wardens and Isolde. He suppressed a smile at the way many of them shifted their heads, clearly stealing glances at their improved, proudly standing Captain. ¡°I promised your families safety in return for your oaths. I will honour that vow. Now, however, we must proceed with the true purpose of my coming here.¡± He looked across them all, letting his eyes linger on each one. ¡°Beneath this Necropolis lies an extremely powerful well of dark mana. It has been accumulating for over a thousand years, and with the Dark Lady¡¯s blessing, I have been granted access to its depthless power.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Mortarius said sarcastically. Romulus ignored him as he continued. ¡°I am about to use that power in a ritual that will rebuild this city into its former glory, rouse its ruins from the earth, and offer every living soul for miles the chance to join the Dark Lady¡¯s Faith. Those of you who have family or loved ones, give me their names. I will ensure they are exempted from the process, and spared the consequences of refusal¡­¡± His words were met with cheers. ¡°...for now.¡± He finished harshly, cutting off the sound. ¡°This is no small undertaking. I am the Avatar of Darkness. I am the living will of the goddess upon Eternus. All who wish to remain within my dominion must swear their loyalty and Faith to the Dark Lady. I will tolerate no exceptions, from the youngest child to the frailest elder. All will swear, or they will die.¡± Silence met his words, and Romulus thought he could almost sense the fear. It was a strange feeling. It didn¡¯t help that he felt like a stereotypical villain in what he was saying, but he also knew the importance of aftercare with a successful sale: He needed them to understand what it was they had bought. No returns policy, so to speak. It was the first time in his life he was thankful his parents had dragged him to so many thespian plays. ¡°Our great work is about to begin.¡± He said imperiously. ¡°Let all who stand against the return of the Revenant-King pray to the Dark Lady for mercy¡­¡± Romulus lifted his chin. ¡°...for they shall receive none from me!¡± The silence was broken by Isolde, who dropped to a knee and saluted fist to heart. ¡°All hail the Revenant-King!¡± She shouted. ¡°All hail the Avatar of the Dark Lady!¡± The wardens stared for a moment, and then like a stack of falling dominos joined her. ¡°All hail the Revenant-King!¡± They shouted, some in fear, some with interest, and a small few with growing fervour. ¡°All hail the Avatar of the Dark Lady!¡± Romulus smiled. His prologue had ended. It was finally time for his story to begin. Chapter 11: Praetorians Romulus panned through his alerts as the wardens and Isolde conversed below him, with a smaller group of the still-mortal soldiers returning periodically as they ferried back the bodies of their slain comrades. The task had been a grim one to order, but Isolde had understood the need and made sure the wardens did as well, marshalling the men and women she¡¯d commanded for most of her adult life with ease. He turned back to his alerts as he focused on getting through them.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Complete: Neutralize the Necropolis The Duke of Blackstone tasked you with entering the fortress in the heart of the inner city and dealing with whatever is wrong within its depths. He authorised you to use whatever means are necessary to ensure the completion of your task, and offered you anything you need to see it done. The Duke also, however, had an ulterior motive. Having stumbled on texts relating to the [Liber Nox] and the power it holds, the Duke of Blackstone desperately desires to acquire the sacred tome in order to bring back his departed wife. He infiltrated the Necropolis in the wake of the Revenant-King¡¯s presumed demise, and entered your throne room. In the ensuing confrontation, you managed to secretly access the well of ancient Dark mana beneath the Necropolis. Using this power, you killed the Duke and raised him as a Wight, successfully turning your enemy into an asset and succeeding in defanging the assault force that would surely have killed you. As a final hurrah, you even managed to turn the Duke¡¯s daughter, Isolde, into your first Methuselah. Congratulations on your victory, Traveler Romulus! WARNING: The manner in which you resolve this quest will have lasting consequences for the world of Eternus. Choose your path wisely.
Difficulty: A+ Success: Thwart the Duke of Blackstone¡¯s Plan Failure: Permanent Character Death, Destruction of Blackstone Rewards: Due to your success, you have earned:
  • Experience: 22,000
  • Currency: 5 Platinum
  • Reputation: +10,000 Infamy
  • Item: [Duke¡¯s Signet Ring] (Epic Ring)
  • Territory: The Necropolis (Capital)
  • Access to Dominion Interface
¡°Oh shit.¡± Romulus spat out, before the power of multiple level ups consumed him. When the black flames rolled over him, Romulus gripped the armrests of his throne with gritted teeth, his eyes narrowed against the raging pain and pleasure roaring through his veins. After accessing his mana, the level ups felt even more potent, consuming him in an inferno of black flames that roused cries of alarm from the wardens. Only Isolde remained calm, and offered reassurances to the wardens. Romulus made a note to ask her how she understood later. When the process was complete, Romulus sagged in his chair, resting his head back against the ivory throne. He felt amazing after a level up, but he also felt exhausted. Very likely it was the sheer volume of power as opposed to the actual power itself. He doubted many people achieved multiple levels in one go regularly. Wearily he looked into the space before him as a System alert populated.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Level Up x 10 You have reached Level 25! You have 50 Attribute Points to Allocate! Would you like to Allocate your Points now?
YES NO
Romulus selected ¡®NO¡¯ after a moment¡¯s hesitation. He¡¯d do it soon, but not yet. ¡°Good choice.¡± Mortarius said from his position next to the throne. ¡°It¡¯s mostly laziness.¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°Still a good choice. You have other alerts waiting, and they might change your allocations once they¡¯re dealt with.¡± Romulus frowned at that. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, how did you block the Duke from Examining me?¡± ¡°I am your soulbound companion, Romulus.¡± Mortarius said in the tone he used when he wanted Romulus to know he was intentionally exercising patience. ¡°That means I have the ability to access your HUD, see your System alerts, and offer you some defenses against the invasive probes of others. My power is far more limited than it used to be, however. The more you level, the more I level.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see a System message about this?¡± Romulus asked in confusion. ¡°I suppressed it.¡± Mortarius said without contrition. ¡°Would you like to see it?¡± Romulus hesitated, then shook his head. ¡°Not now. I trust you. Besides¡­ My world had similar things to our¡­ relationship. They were artificial, though, not other souls.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Mortarius said after a moment¡¯s silence. ¡°Thank you for your trust.¡± ¡°We¡¯re in this together.¡± Romulus said simply. ¡°Now about this ¡®Dominion Interface¡¯...¡± ¡°Ah, you finally have access to it?¡± ¡°Apparently.¡± Romulus confirmed. ¡°Ah yes, the alert was pending.¡± Mortarius confirmed. ¡°Would you like to deal with the other ones first? You have some skill levels, a new skill, and achievement alerts... nothing too pressing.¡± ¡°Can you summarise for me?¡± Romulus asked. ¡°Intrigue to 8, Spatial Awareness to 4, Sanguine Kiss to 3¡­ You also earned the Strategist and Tactician skills, which were merged into Warmaster, and you now have access to Necromancy.¡± ¡°Warmaster?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you the new skills.¡± Mortarius said with a flick of his hand toward Romulus. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Necromancy Skill Type: Active Skill Function: You have awakened the power of Necromancy, an ancient and proud tradition of the followers of the Dark Lady. Through the power of Necromancy, you may assert your control over the souls of the dead, or turn the living into your minions through vicious rituals. As you level your Necromancy, you will be able to raise more powerful and potent minions, and gain access to new types of Undead creation tools. The amount of minions you may control is tied to your Willpower. Necromancy also grants access to the Summons Interface. You may control 1 Minion per 3 Points of Willpower. Skill Level: Novice 3 Skill Description: Every foe that falls is another soldier in Her army! Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Warmaster Skill Type: Passive Skill Function: Having successfully earned both the Strategist and Tactician skills, you have unlocked the hidden skill Warmaster. This skill allows you to affect a bonus via leadership to all forces under your command during all forms of conflict, be it political or martial. Not to be confused with Intrigue, Warmaster gives an overall effectiveness bonus to your forces, and at higher levels can offer several unique bonuses based on your choice of evolution. Warmaster also grants access to the special Warfare Interface. (Current: 2% Effectiveness Bonus) Skill Level: Novice 2 Skill Description: The realm of War is yours to rule! ¡°So I¡¯ve got a summons interface and warfare interface.¡± Romulus said as he read. ¡°Both are useful.¡± Mortarius said as he started to explain. ¡°The former will let you understand your limits as far as Necromancy goes, as well as designate special designs for new minion types as you advance. The latter will give you a more powerful tool for managing your forces, and allowing you to see where you need to make changes and such. You can also grant specific access to designated Generals or Admirals as needed, and they can do the same to their subordinates. It makes unit management far less agonizing.¡± ¡°Like a 4X Strategy Game¡­¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s pretty cool.¡± ¡°Both can wait until later. For now, you need to start making good on your proclamation. The wardens have just finished assembling the corpses, and you need to reaffirm their faith a final time.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sure this will work?¡± Romulus asked as his eyes drifted to the corpses, some mangled beyond recognition. ¡°As long as the majority of their still-whole corpses are here, yes. It hasn¡¯t been a full day, so their souls are still lingering. Power over Death isn¡¯t purely about undeath. These people need to understand that. It¡¯ll make them perfect for your personal guard.¡± Mortarius had already suggested making them the beginnings of whatever Romulus decided to name his personal guard, and while he was hardly about to fully trust his life to people that had been his enemies not even two hours prior, he understood the former Revenant-King¡¯s logic. The wardens were the first of his ¡®converts¡¯, and some of them had taken the idea of earning an escape from death unsurprisingly well. The next step was to turn the converts into true believers. ¡°Okay, here we go.¡± Romulus muttered to the ghost, before raising his voice to address the surviving wardens and Isolde. ¡°There are no more bodies within the Necropolis?¡± He knew the answer, but process was important. ¡°None milord!¡± One of the wardens answered. ¡°Fredrick was the last.¡± The man gestured to the newest addition to the rows of bodies. ¡°Good.¡± Romulus said, ignoring the fluttering of nerves in his body. ¡°Now step away from your fallen comrades, and prepare to witness the Dark Lady¡¯s glory!¡± The wardens beat a quick retreat from the bodies, while Isolde remained apart but nearby, appearing quite unconcerned. Romulus really needed to figure out how much the Dark Lady had told her about everything. Her confidence was both reassuring and disconcerting. First, the interface. He said mentally as he focused, connecting to the well of dark mana beneath the Necropolis. Immediately, a screen filled his vision.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
Welcome to the Mana Well Interface. Within this interface, you may designate the use of your Mana Well in the pursuit of various available projects. As you have unlocked access to the Dominion Interface, Summons Interface, and Warfare Interface new options have been made available to you. Please note that some options will require upkeep to maintain, which will detract from the daily mana income. Upkeep that outstrips the income will result in a daily, weekly, or monthly loss of your total mana reserves as specified. Mana Well Status:
Available Mana 999,750 / 1,000,000
Daily Increase 150
Which of the following purchase menus would you like to peruse? This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
Avatar Menu Sovereign Menu
Necromancy Menu Warmaster Menu
Romulus selected the ¡®Avatar Menu¡¯ with a finger tap, returning to the same interface he¡¯d used to kill and raise the Duke into a Wight. As his eyes roamed the options, pondered his options, noting nothing had changed following his defeat of the Duke.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
Welcome to the Mana Well Interface Avatar Menu. This menu will allow you to peruse purchase options relating to your status as the Avatar of Darkness. Please note that all purchases are final, and cannot be refunded. Mana Well Status:
Mana Well Level 100 / 100
Available Mana 999,750 / 1,000,000
Daily Recharge 150
Avatar Menu Purchase Options:
Dark Rebirth -250 Mana
Dark Resurrection -150 Mana
Dark Sacrifice +100 Mana
Dark Conversion -300 Mana
Dark Rebirth was what he¡¯d used to forcibly kill and raise the Duke, albeit at a much lower level. While 250 Mana seemed like a pittance, it was only because the well was at capacity. Once that changed, Dark Rebirth would be both costly and extremely economically insolvent. Romulus already knew what he wanted, anyway. His finger moved down to Dark Resurrection and he selected the option.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
You have selected Dark Resurrection. There are currently 33 viable targets in your immediate vicinity. Enacting Dark Resurrection will cost 150 Mana per target, for a total of 4,950 Mana. This expenditure cannot be recovered, even if the targets are slain. Do you wish to proceed?
YES NO
Romulus clicked ¡®YES¡¯ without hesitation. The cost was far outweighed by the benefits he would reap. The moment he did, darkness boiled over the interior of the throne room, black clouds of power rippling into existence with flashes of purple lightning. From above, hooded beings in black plate descended with midnight-feathered wings, carrying with them glowing white orbs. Each of the figures touched down beside a body, bending to place the orb gently within each one with reverence. When they were finished they waved their hands over the corpse, wrapping each body in a cocoon of dark magic before ascending upward to retreat back into the clouds. The storm continued until each of the figures had departed from whence they¡¯d come, at which point single bolts of lightning struck each of the cocoons with thunderous cracks of sound. Once this final act was done, the clouds dissipated from the roof of the throne room quickly. ¡°I never get tired of the Reapers.¡± Mortarius said from beside Romulus. ¡°What are they?¡± ¡°Souls that have proven their devotion to the Dark Lady¡¯s Faith in life, and are immortalized in Death. Men and women both. They are her enforcers, messengers, protectors, and agents.¡± He glanced at Romulus. ¡°Never forget that. You may be Her Avatar, but they are Her eternal companions. Show them respect.¡± Romulus nodded in understanding, watching his interface.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
You have successfully cast Dark Resurrection on 33 targets in your immediate vicinity. 4,950 Mana has been deducted from the well. There is no upkeep for this purchase.
Romulus smirked and dismissed the interface entirely, leaning forward on his throne to watch the cocoons. Each of them had a new icon next to them populated by his HUD: A purple cross in a black circle, slowly filling with red. The progress on each cocoon was different, and Romulus could only assume it was due to the differing severity of injury across the collective. Many of them had been all but obliterated by traps or the skeletons activated by Mortarius. When the first status circle filled to maximum, Romulus watched as the cocoon bisected and burned away toward the ground in a flare of black fire. When the flames abated, the woman that had been within the cocoon stirred, slowly pushing herself up to sit as she looked at her surroundings. Her restored armour had seemingly undergone a change as well, with the steel blackened and the chainmail over the joints turned to a light silver. When she pushed herself to her feet, her eyes searched out the area. The moment her gaze fell on Romulus, her eyes widened and she made her way toward the foot of the throne¡¯s dais determinedly. The wardens that had started to approach hesitated when they saw this, clearly worried she was about to do something foolish. Romulus wasn¡¯t so sure. There was a calmness to the way the woman moved, and he watched her curiously as she approached. ¡°Ah. The Dark Lady really is spoiling you.¡± Mortarius said from beside him. Romulus didn¡¯t have a chance to question his meaning. The woman halted just shy of the stairs to the throne, and she tossed back her long black hair to look up at him. A look of uncertainty flashed across her features, and she finally spoke. ¡°Are you the Revenant-King?¡± She called up to him in an interrogative tone. Romulus raised an eyebrow. ¡°I am.¡± He called back. The moment he did, the woman smiled beatifically and dropped to one knee, slamming her fist across her chest. ¡°Hail, Revenant-King! I, Kalaria Mengst, do hereby pledge my life and loyalty to you now and for all time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m honoured, Kalaria, but also mildly perplexed.¡± Romulus said after he recovered from his moment of surprise. ¡°While it¡¯s true the other wardens have sworn themselves to me, I expected to have to convince you and the rest of the resurrected to do the same.¡± ¡°I understand, sire.¡± Kalaria responded as she raised her head, remaining in a salutory pose. ¡°But that is only because you do not know what transpired across the veil. The Dark Lady has returned by your hand, my King. The souls of the dead no longer wander aimlessly through the infinite black. When you invoked the Resurrection, She came to us. All of us. She told us who She was, and what it was you were doing for us.¡± Kalaria paused as she choked, reaching up to brush away tears. ¡°We could see and hear everything that happened from the moment you encountered the Duke. Our souls lingered, even though our bodies were gone. We watched it all, heard it all. Then when the time came to choose, you chose the harder path for yourself. You chose to give us life again, with no guarantee of loyalty. The Dark Lady¡­ she offered us a modification to the revival. New bodies, new armour, and access to magic. All we had to do was agree to serve you, Her Avatar.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t use magic before?¡± Romulus asked in surprise. Isolde¡¯s laugh drew their attention as she approached languidly. ¡°No, my King. Magic is not necessarily rare, but it is very uncommon. Perhaps one in a thousand people will be born with the talent, and even then the level of capability is exceedingly inconsistent. To be given magic is a wonderful gift, made sweeter by the unique powers of the Dark.¡± Kalaria nodded at Isolde¡¯s words, turning back to Romulus. ¡°Lady Isolde is right, my lord. Once you saved her¡­¡± ¡°I told you my lord,¡± Isolde said with a grin, ¡°the Lady showed me many things.¡± ¡°You knew this would happen, didn¡¯t you?¡± Romulus asked shrewdly. ¡°That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t even flinch at what was happening to their bodies. You knew the whole time!¡± ¡°Not the specifics.¡± Isolde admitted. ¡°Only that, if you made the choice, I would receive an entire force of what the goddess called Dark Templars.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± Mortarius said with a nod. ¡°They¡¯re the equivalent to Solarius¡¯ Paladins. Very dangerous heavy infantry. It¡¯s a prestige class, at that. The Dark Lady just handed you a means, if properly harnessed, to make your mortal army very dangerous.¡± Romulus glanced at the ancient spirit in surprise, then turned back to Kalaria. As he did, he noticed more and more of the fallen wardens rising from dissipating cocoons, with more of the dark circles filling to completion. As they did they seemed to look around until they spotted Kalaria, before immediately moving to join her. ¡°I¡¯m a little taken aback by how many assets the Dark Lady is offering me.¡± Romulus admitted to Isolde, but also partially to Mortarius. ¡°I¡¯m certainly not about to complain, but it seems disproportionate to how weak She is currently.¡± Isolde snorted at the same time as Mortarius, though the latter was invisible. ¡°My king, you show your Traveler nature with that statement.¡± Isolde said with a shake of her head. ¡°You think this is significant? It is certainly helpful, but it is hardly significant. You have no concept of scope, when it comes to the other gods. Today the Dark Lady has gifted you thirty-three Dark Templars. Tomorrow, Solarius could awaken hundreds of Paladins, if His Avatar fulfilled the correct requirements.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Romulus said thoughtfully. Isolde seemed content to let him think about it, turning to watch over the still-healing stragglers as their cocoons neared restorative completion. ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Mortarius said from his side. ¡°The Dark Lady is giving you a few blades to use against entire legions. You need every advantage you can get, but it still may not be enough. You should have enough in the well to use Dark Conversion on the still-living wardens. I recommend you do so. It¡¯ll bring your total number of Dark Templars to an even fifty, and it¡¯ll make them indebted to you.¡± Romulus nodded slightly at Mortarius¡¯ words, and looked over at the final resurrected warden, watching as the woman moved to join the others kneeling in neat rows of ten before the throne. When she did, Isolde raised her voice. ¡°Sons and daughters of Blackstone!¡± She began in a commanding tone. ¡°You have been given life once more, and freed from the cold embrace of Death by the power of Her Avatar, the Revenant-King.¡± Romulus watched Isolde with a subtle raise of his eyebrows. She was a natural. ¡°As if that were not benevolent enough, the Dark Lady has given you a gift beyond measure: She has infused you with Her own power and granted you access to the magnificence of Dark mana. All She asks in return is fair exchange.¡± Isolde turned to Romulus with an arched eyebrow as she spoke, as if asking if he were paying attention. He responded with a wry smile as she continued. ¡°You live now by the Revenant-King¡¯s mercy! Your lives are his, and your Faith is Hers!¡± Isolde¡¯s voice hit an oratory crescendo as she finished. ¡°You are called to serve, now and until you return to the Dark Lady¡¯s embrace! So I ask you now¡­ Will you serve?!¡± As if rehearsed, they responded one after the other, repeating Kalaria¡¯s words. ¡°Hail, Revenant-King! I, Victor Reznick, do hereby pledge my life and loyalty to you now and for all time!¡± ¡°Hail, Revenant-King! I, George Beltane, do hereby¡­¡± On and on they continued, filling the throne room with their fervent declarations of loyalty until the last of them spoke. ¡°Hail, Revenant-King! I, Victoria Larryn, do hereby pledge my life and loyalty to you now and for all time!¡± When Victoria¡¯s echo within the space trailed away, Isolde spoke again. ¡°Dark Templars, to whom do you owe your eternal loyalty?!¡± ¡°The Revenant-King!¡± They repeated back with martial precision. ¡°To whom do you owe your eternal worship?!¡± ¡°The Dark Lady!¡± They roared with fervour. ¡°Your Eternal Majesty¡­¡± Isolde said as she turned to Romulus with a smile ¡°...I present the first of your Dark Templars!¡± Romulus glanced subtly at Mortarius before he fixed his attention on the kneeling Templars, considering his words carefully. ¡°Today is a momentous one. I came to this city as an unsure Traveler, sent on a mission by a deity absent from the world for eons. Yet despite my lack of preparation, my unabashed weakness, and my clear unpreparedness¡­ My Faith in the Dark Lady was not misplaced. You are proof that, with enough Faith, there is no limit to what we can achieve.¡± Romulus subtly accessed his mana well interface as he spoke. ¡°Yet as powerful as you are, you are not whole. You have brothers and sisters who watch you with envy, with uncertainty¡­ They do not know where they fit any longer. Yet, that need not be the case. Fifty of you came to this place, endured its crucible, and now stand whole¡­ yet seventeen of you remain absent from the new majority.¡± As Romulus spoke, he looked toward the wardens that had survived to make it to the throne room. Within their ranks he saw shock, confusion, and in the more savvy of them; hope. His fingers navigated stealthily to Dark Conversion as he spoke. ¡°The time has come to unite you all on this new and glorious path.¡± Romulus declared as he turned to the remaining seventeen. ¡°Will you give me your loyalty, now and forever? Will you swear to serve me above all other authorities, and give your Faith forevermore to the dark Lady?¡± The warden known as Hector was the first to respond. ¡°Aye! I will!¡± He was joined by Lamonte. ¡°I will!¡± Then Tricia, and then all of them; their voices roaring their oaths of fealty. ¡°Then let it be done.¡± Romulus said grandly, selecting ¡®YES¡¯ in the waiting window. Dark energy erupted from the floor the moment he did, surrounding the seventeen wardens in a flurry of power and obsidian fire that discharged bolts of purple lightning. No sound came from within the flames, which obscured each of the men and women from view entirely. Nobody moved as the conversion occurred, leaving the throne room eerily silent. Abruptly the flames vanished, the lightning dissipated, and where before seventeen wardens had stood with armour in various degrees of durability: Now seventeen Dark Templars stood in their place, bedecked in abyssal steel and silvered chainmail. Nobody spoke as the newly converted looked at their armour in wonder, admiring themselves in stunned silence. It was Hector, in the end, that spoke first. ¡°Bugger me.¡± He said, voice shattering the silence. ¡°I look fantastic!¡± That opened the floodgates, and even Romulus joined in the sudden laughter at the man¡¯s words. ¡°Rise!¡± He said to the still-kneeling thirty-three. ¡°Rise, and be whole once more!¡± The sound of clanking steel followed as the kneeling Templars rose and moved to join their converted fellows, breaking down the momentary wall that had come between them and embracing with clangs of metal and echoing laughter. Tears were shed, hugs were exchanged, and a few kisses shared between both the survivors and resurrected. Romulus smiled at the sight. ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Mortarius. I think this would be a fine beginning to my personal guard.¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯m right.¡± The ancient King responded indignantly, glancing over at him. ¡°What will you call them?¡± Romulus knew the moment he was asked. It was a fantasy he¡¯d had since childhood. ¡°Praetorians.¡± He said after confirming his thoughts. ¡°I¡¯m going to call them Praetorians, of the Praetorian Guard.¡± Mortarius tilted his head, and then nodded in approval. ¡°A strong name.¡± ¡°Now all that¡¯s left is to give them something to protect.¡± Romulus said with a grin. ¡°Ah.¡± Mortarius said with a hint of approval. ¡°You¡¯re finally ready, are you?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Romulus replied with a shiver of anticipation. ¡°Let¡¯s remake a city.¡± Chapter 12: His First Steps Romulus stared at the floating option before him with a pounding heart, his eyes reading the words over once again as he hesitated. It wasn¡¯t fear, per se, that stilled his hand. It was caution. He needed to ensure that he was ready for what would come, in any capacity that it arrived. His eyes drifted over to the assembled Dark Templars, watching as they readied themselves to move out the moment the order was given. They¡¯d arranged themselves into squads of nine, in accordance with Romulus¡¯ desires. Each squad was led by a tenth Templar called a Decurion, with a Penturion Tesserarius as their second. The ranks weren¡¯t quite accurate, but his knowledge of ancient Rome was operative, not scholarly. He knew enough to know what he was designating, if not the exactness of the translation. He¡¯d gone with a more simple approach: Deca was ten, penta was five, and that was simple enough to him. A true scholar of Rome would likely insist on just ¡®Tesserarius¡¯. Romulus, however, was happy with the addition of Penturion. It made a nice middle ground between the full formal title and a more easy to use, simple signifier. He had named Isolde Centurion Pro Tempore, marking her as their temporary leader. When he¡¯d explained it, several of the Templars had shown confusion, until he elaborated that her duties as an Inquisitor meant she would eventually be unable to remain in a static command position. Isolde had reinforced his view, and the Templars had accepted it, albeit sadly. Isolde was beloved. Finally, he¡¯d appointed Hector as Optio, Isolde¡¯s second. That had been met with laughing approval, and the veteran had quickly seen the Maniples ¡ª Romulus had chosen the name for the squads ¡ª organised and prepared for the potential battle to come. He¡¯d yet to announce the formation of the Praetorian Guard, but that was coming. First¡­ First he needed to pull the proverbial trigger. Once again his eyes drifted to the screen in his vision, and he read it over one more time.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
You have selected Dark Reconstructon. There is currently 1 available target within your controlled territory. Enacting Dark Reconstruction will cost 900,000 Mana per target, for a total of 900,000 Mana. Dark Reconstruction will irrevocably alter the appearance and scope of an eligible city, transforming it into a Dark Metropolis. As the targeted city is a degraded Dark Metropolis, this will restore the city to its former level of function. This process will restore the following buildings:
  • Grand Necropolis (Seat of Power)
  • Ziggurat of Knowledge (Learning Hub)
  • Dark Manaforge (Crafting Hub)
  • Imperial Docks (Economic Hub)
  • Imperial Bay Defenses (Protection)
  • Multiple Wall Segments (Protection)
Enacting Dark Reconstruction will also raise 3,150 eligible souls as Shades, bound to the will of the city¡¯s ruler. Do you wish to proceed?
YES NO
¡°Mortarius?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Tell me about Shades again.¡± The ancient King sighed, but obliged without objection. ¡°They¡¯re the souls of warriors who died faithful to the Dark Lady, but with a lingering desire to serve once again. Shades are somewhat akin to a mix between a Wight and a Wraith. They lack the raw physical power of a Wight and do not possess the agility or magical prowess of a Wraith, but serve as something between.¡± ¡°And you said they operate like normal troops?¡± ¡°They are shock troops, in essence.¡± Mortarius corrected with mild impatience. ¡°Shades are not a permanent fixture, however. They will return to the Dark Lady¡¯s embrace thirty days after being summoned. They¡¯re good in a pinch, since they need no sleep, no food, and have no physical needs. They¡¯re perfect soldiers in many ways¡­ but again, they¡¯re temporary.¡± ¡°I suppose that will help secure the city, if nothing else.¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°As I stated before.¡± Mortarius agreed as he turned. ¡°You¡¯re stalling, Romulus.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ deliberating.¡± Romulus responded defensively. ¡°You¡¯re stalling.¡± Mortarius said flatly. ¡°Yes, the ritual will change Eternus. Yes, you will likely have to deal with a Solarian Crusade. Yes, you are going to be neck deep in politics, betrayal, and enemy assassins¡­¡± ¡°Thanks for the encouragement.¡± Romulus grumbled. ¡°...But I stand by what I said: The only path forward is forward.¡± He nodded to the Templars. ¡°You won them over in a startlingly short time, even with your Sanguine bonuses. It¡¯s time to capitalize, Romulus. Stop stalling.¡± Romulus cursed the ancient spectre internally, and threw caution to the wind. With an intake of breath, he slammed his finger into the ¡®YES¡¯ option. Instead of some grand ritual, another window populated immediately.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
You have chosen to enact Dark Reconstruction. Before you proceed, would you like to select a new name for Blackstone City?
YES NO
Romulus blinked, and then with a grin hit ¡®YES¡¯. When the window vanished and the same interface he¡¯d written his name into appeared, he hesitated. He almost instinctively wrote in ¡®New Rome¡¯, before realising how utterly asinine that would be. Players would understand, probably laugh at it, and he¡¯d become a joke overnight regardless of his fancy new title and position. He could go with something edgy and dramatic, like ¡®Abyssium¡¯, but then he¡¯d have the same problem in a different way. He needed something with meaning, impact, and gravitas. Something that told anyone who heard it exactly what type of city it was, and exactly what sort of Faith dominated it. He needed something poignant, clear, and suitably grandiose. Something worthy of the literal incarnation of Death and Darkness. Romulus¡¯ eyes widened as his train of thought came to a halt. Just like that, he knew exactly what to type. It was perfect. He input his selection quickly and confirmed it, grinning to himself the whole time.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
Renaming complete. Dark Reconstruction is now being precipitated. Please allow 15:00 minutes for proper catalyzation. This purchase is non-refundable.
Romulus dismissed the alert as a timer appeared on his HUD. With nothing left to do, he rose from his throne and sheathed Lightsbane at his side. With a nod to Mortarius, he swept down the stairs leading up to the dais, taking the seven of them quickly and joining the Dark Templars on the floor of the throne room. Isolde came to his side as he joined them and the Templars parted, allowing him to move through them and reforming ranks after he passed. Despite the fact many of them had been faceless strangers not three hours prior, he felt no discomfort. The Dark mana flowing through them, bringing the familiar mix of icy focus and burning power resonated with his own. He was their Avatar, and they his Templars. He would watch them, but he would also choose to trust them. Paranoia was a lonely island, after all. ¡°Call them to attention.¡± He said to Isolde as he halted in front of the formation and turned his back to the entrance to the throne room, his ivory throne framed behind the five neat formations of ten. Isolde glanced at him curiously, but did as he asked, snapping out an ¡°Attend!¡± Fifty sets of armoured sabatons slammed together in martial unity in response. ¡°Templars of the Dark Lady!¡± Romulus began in his best approximation of a stately voice. ¡°We are a queer pairing, you and I. I am a Traveler. A foreigner from another world, thrown into Eternus and selected for a quest I believed beyond my scope. You are veterans, warriors and knights all, with storied pasts and lives of honour. Many of you can count your years in decades, where I cannot lay claim to my twenty-fifth year.¡± The Templars shifted slightly but said nothing, watching him with rapt attention. ¡°I am a man alone, accompanied only by my Faith in our goddess, and the runeblade at my side. I must choose to trust, or my ignorance, my inexperience, and my lack of understanding would surely see me to a final death, one even my Traveler gifts cannot stave off.¡± He paused for a moment as he considered his words, tapping into the myriad of political biographies, wartime accounts and fantasy novels he¡¯d consumed over the years. ¡°In this moment, as we stand at the precipice of a new dawn for this place, I have made a decision. In the world I hail from, there was a place known as Rome. It was an Empire born of a small nation, yet one that possessed a thirst for glory almost unmatched in my world¡¯s history. The Romans were proud people, and their dominion extended from one small seaside nation into an Empire that spanned multiple continents, and conquered the known world.¡± Romulus could tell he had their attention, at that point. They were watching him now with open interest, riveted by the tales of his strange land. ¡°The Roman Empire continued for over one thousand years in one form or another. They were tenacious, pragmatic, intelligent, and learned. The power of Rome was so great at its height, that a Roman citizen could travel from one end of the known world to the next, and do so absent weapons or protections. All he needed to guarantee his safe passage was a single phrase: ¡®Civis romanus sum¡¯.¡± Romulus looked over them as he continued. ¡°Loosely translated, it means ¡®I am a citizen of Rome¡¯.¡± ¡°Was that some sort of special incantation?¡± One of the Templars asked, before being growled at by her Penturion. ¡°No, Templar.¡± Romulus said with a grin. ¡°It was not. There is no magic in my world.¡± He let the mutters of surprise take them for a moment, and allowed Isolde to glare them into silence again before continuing. ¡°The protection existed because all the world, from east to west, and north to south knew beyond a shadow of a doubt: If you harmed a Roman citizen, Rome would come for you. With fire, and blood, and Legions of such a number as to shake the earth and rattle the mountains. Such was the reputation of Rome, and such was the respect and fear it inspired.¡± Romulus took a breath as he realised he was starting to drift, re-centering his mind and focusing on the point he was trying to make. ¡°This is the example that we will build on. This is the foundation for what we will begin here, today, at the end of my beginning in Eternus. To that end, I have an announcement to make¡­¡± He suppressed a grin when they perked up. His speech had certainly raised their interest. ¡°In the ancient days of Rome, it was known that its Emperors were protected by the greatest and most powerful warriors in the world. These men, each one storied and revered, were known simply as the Legio Praetoria, the First Legion of Rome. Later, they would be known as the Praetorian Guard, and individually hold the honoured title of Praetorian.¡± Romulus smiled widely at them. ¡°As Revenant-King, and Avatar of the Dark Lady, I do hereby announce the founding of the First Legion. In that founding, I do hereby and forthwith irrevocably bestow upon each of you the mantle of Praetorian, and induct you into my Legio Praetoria as the warriors in direct service to the Revenant-King.¡± He looked at their faces and noted surprise, understanding, acceptance, and even wonder. ¡°I will entrust you all with my life.¡± He said more levelly, and then grinned. ¡°Try to be gentle.¡± Silence greeted his words when he finished, and Romulus¡¯ smile flickered. He turned to Isolde to ask if he¡¯d erred, when an explosion of sound staggered him. The former wardens were cheering, roaring their approval and stamping their feet. With the acoustics of the throne room, the sound was deafening and had the effect of an army ten times their size. Romulus couldn¡¯t help but laugh at their reaction, grinning to himself at the evident pride and joy they felt at his proclamation. They barely knew him, and he barely knew any of them. But they were Templars of the Dark Lady, and he was their Avatar. It was enough. Romulus checked his timer quickly as the cheering started to abate. 10:34 remained, ticking down every second. He glanced at Isolde and nodded to the Templars. Like the trained professional she was, Isolde took the hint and bellowed out a command for them to be silent. It worked for the most part, though a few final cheers echoed in the chamber before the new Legio Praetoria, or at least the beginnings of it, settled down. ¡°As we move into this new chapter, it seems prudent that we understand what it is we are and will be fighting for. I could give you a long-winded insight into some archaic phrase brought forward and turned into something poetic and dramatic both. However, I think I¡¯ll leave that to the scholars for later. Instead, I think there is something simple. Something we can all rally behind.¡± Romulus glanced at his clock again, noted he¡¯d lost two minutes, and continued. ¡°We are the loyal servants of the Dark Lady. Where others fight to live, we fight to honour her. After all, other warriors count dying as failure. Do we? Of course not. Thus, our warcry should exemplify that. To that effect, our rallying cry shall be simple: Death is no disgrace.¡± He fell silent as the Templars repeated the words under their breath, tasting their worth and then slowly in twos and threes nodding. He grinned. They seemed to like his idea. ¡°Good. You understand.¡± Romulus glanced at his clock again and turned. ¡°And now we need to make haste. The magic I activated is about to come into effect, and I doubt any of us will want to miss it.¡± He glanced back at them. ¡°Legio Praetoria, with me!¡± ¡°You heard the Revenant-King!¡± Isolde called a moment later. ¡°Order of march! First Maniple on me, Second Maniple five seconds staggered! Medium advance. For the Dark Lady! Death is no disgrace!¡± ¡°DEATH IS NO DISGRACE!¡± Romulus shivered as he jogged out of the throne room ahead of the dying echoes of their warcry. That sounded way better when yelled by a large group. The thought of thousands of warriors doing that forced him to suppress a very not-Kingly giggle. He heard the thudding reverberation of armoured footsteps behind him as he moved, leading the way through the Necropolis toward the exit. Mortarius moved languidly at his side, jogging with no discernible effort. That was probably a side effect of the fact he was technically a ghost. ¡°You did well back there.¡± The former Avatar admitted as they jogged. ¡°Your Roman Empire sounds fascinating.¡± ¡°Maybe I can see about getting you some information on it. Not sure if there¡¯s a way to bring historical records with me, but I can certainly try.¡± Mortarius glanced at him in surprise, and then offered a curt nod. ¡°That would be enjoyable.¡± Romulus suppressed a smile at the spirit¡¯s reserved nature. Mortarius could vacillate between expressive to a fault and icily indifferent quickly. He supposed it was part of being a King, and one that lasted centuries at that. He¡¯d have to keep working on breaking down the former Revenant-King¡¯s walls. ¡°You still have unspent points.¡± Mortarius said a moment later, breaking apart Romulus¡¯ musings. ¡°You should invest them now. I¡¯m not sure how the reclamation of the city will go, but it may be important.¡± ¡°I will, though I almost feel like I deserve a hard time of it at this point.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Mortarius asked as they entered a long stretch of hallway. ¡°Where do I begin? I¡¯ve entered Eternus, met a goddess, gotten a race change, and become a King all in the span of a single day.¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°I haven¡¯t even had to kill a single wild boar, or beat up goblins, or deal with a bandit camp or anything.¡± ¡°Is that what you expected it would be?¡± Romulus hesitated, then remembered that Mortarius had some level of self-awareness regarding Eternus. ¡°Well¡­ Honestly, yeah.¡± He admitted as he turned, leading the way down a different section of the Necropolis. ¡°Does the fact it was different make it any less impactful or real to you?¡± Romulus glanced at the spectre, then took a moment to think. Did he actually care about the lack of regular MMO fare? After a moment of consideration, he shook his head and peered at the path ahead. ¡°No, I guess not. There are stories in my world that talk about people travelling to other worlds sort of like this. There¡¯s always some big adventure, or build-up, or path to power. I guess people want to feel like there is substance behind the rise to glory.¡± ¡°Glory is glory.¡± Mortarius said with a snort as they turned again. ¡°Whether it¡¯s an abrupt rise or an extended tale, all that matters is that end result. You rose quickly, Romulus, but you¡¯re in for a rude awakening if you think you walk the easy road. Compared to what you¡¯re going to have to face, I imagine you¡¯ll wish you¡¯d travelled the wandering adventurer¡¯s path multiple times in the days ahead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s reassuring.¡± Romulus said dryly. Mortarius shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the truth. It¡¯s easy to conflate power with freedom, but in truth it¡¯s the opposite. You aren¡¯t lucky, Romulus. Oh I know most people would disagree, and there will be millions who wish they could be in your place¡­ But reality does not care for the sundry whims of wide-eyed storytellers. Leadership is hard, Kingship harder. Add the burdens of an Avatar to that¡­¡± Mortarius shook his head. ¡°No, Romulus. You did not get lucky. You were cursed.¡± ¡°Cursed? That seems a mite odd from the thousand year faithful one.¡± ¡°My long life gave me perspective.¡± Mortarius responded calmly. ¡°You were cursed with purpose beyond the ordinary. Whether or not you make that curse a blessing depends on you, Romulus. Nobody with absolute power ever escapes equivalent hardship. The question is whether you will manage to endure the suffering long enough to find the rewards.¡± ¡°So there are rewards in your eyes?¡± Romulus asked as they reached the stairwell. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Incredible ones.¡± Mortarius said with a nod. ¡°If you last long enough to earn them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re referring to the inevitable Crusade from His Holy Pompousness?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t dismiss Solarius so easily.¡± The ghost warned. ¡°He may be an egomaniac, but he is both ancient and cunning. He did not imprison our goddess, nor guide the founding of the most powerful Faith in Eternus, by being a fool. He is one hurdle, but there will be others. You aren¡¯t the only Traveler that will experience a meteoric ascension, but the chances are that you will have the hardest time solidifying your power.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not looking forward to sitting on a throne for hours every day.¡± Romulus muttered, arriving at the first landing and turning right down the main set of stairs. ¡°You truly believe you will be?¡± Mortarius questioned. ¡°Well I can¡¯t exactly rule in absentia.¡± ¡°That is the point of a government, Romulus.¡± Mortarius said with a snort. ¡°The Revenant-King is not some bloated, throne-sitting laggard. It is a position that demands excellence in all fields, and that includes martial pursuits.¡± ¡°So I can go adventuring?¡± ¡°Certainly.¡± Mortarius said with a nod. ¡°Especially given your status as a Traveler. Death isn¡¯t remotely permanent for you.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that open up avenues for betrayal?¡± ¡°That is why you have checks and balances in the form of Inquisitors and Dark Templars, Romulus.¡± Mortarius said patiently. ¡°The power of the Revenant-King is not a mere inheritance, it is a divine mandate. It is quite literally a sin to act against you within Her dominion.¡± Romulus chuckled quietly as they crossed the grand entrance hall. ¡°I suppose you have a point there.¡± ¡°There are a dozen city-states in this part of Eternus, each one a kingdom in its own right, with armies powerful enough to stave off even Solarius¡¯ Unification Crusades. At the start of my rise, I conquered one of them every two years.¡± Mortarius stated it with such detached simplicity that Romulus couldn¡¯t even call it ego. He had simply been that powerful, and that capable. ¡°I challenge you to do better.¡± The spectre finished with a glance. ¡°Challenge accepted.¡± Romulus said with a grin. ¡°Now if you¡¯re done pissing on my parade, I¡¯m going to spend my points.¡± ¡°Urinating on your¡­? Ah, an idiom.¡± Mortarius shook his head and fell silent. Romulus glanced at the timer in his HUD again, noting that he had a scant 02:29 remaining. When they crossed the threshold of the colossal double doors leading into the entrance hall, he slowed to a halt with a huff of air near the top of the stairs leading up from the marshalling courtyard. The upper courtyard he corrected as he looked out at the statue-marked pair of segregated stairs leading down to the lower, obelisk-dominated courtyard below. ¡°Unobstructed view of the city.¡± He commented to himself approvingly as he shifted his attention to his HUD and muttered ¡°character sheet¡± under his breath. With a grin perusal of his current levels, after factoring in his new modifiers, he set to work quickly assessing his current points and bonuses. There was no time to spend admiring his progress, not with the timer steadily ticking down and the catalyzation of the ritual he¡¯d activated close at hand. ¡°Mind, body, and spirit.¡± He repeated to himself under his breath, also factoring in his new skills. Necromancy was fun in concept, but willpower wasn¡¯t something he could points dump on a whim. He had to consider his actual combat style, and the role he¡¯d likely play in any party he created: Frontline. Romulus had played more than enough MMOs and VRMMOs to know that someone with his particular set of skills would be badly sought after as a tank and damage dealer hybrid. To that end, he needed to focus on how to play to those strengths. He could worry about commanding legions of the dead when he was stronger. For the immediate, he needed to double down on what would allow him to not only survive; but to thrive.
PLAYER INFORMATION
DETAILS
Name Romulus Alignment Neutral Evil
Level 25 Experience 1,400 / 2,700
VALUES
Health 12,650 HPM 2,547 (42.45/s)
Stamina 5,000 SPM 1,500 (25/s)
ATTRIBUTES
Strength 105 (85) Agility 46
Dexterity 13 Intellect 52 (47)
Willpower 15 Charisma 49 (39)
Vitality 67 (42) Endurance 50 (35)
MODIFIERS
Strength 47.5% BPD 47.5% BDR 71.25KG CC Agility 28.5% BSM 11.4% UDC
Dexterity 6.5% ARW 6.5% WFS -6.5% RT Intellect 36% (26%) SP 5,200 MP 5.2 MPS 13% LS
Willpower 750 MP 3.75 MPS 7.5% SR 4 MC Charisma 8.2% CAD 8.2% CRDA
Vitality 6,700 HP 33.5 HPS Endurance 5,000 SP 25 SPS
Romulus nodded at the expected changes. He could see the bonuses to his mana pool and regeneration rate from willpower and intellect, but they¡¯d evidently been merged into his health and added to its totals. His entire mana line had also been deleted, further evidence of the sweeping change that becoming a Sanguine Revenant had wrought. His bonuses were, bluntly, absurd as he looked them over. He had ballooned exponentially in frontline capability. He could also see where his attributes had increased with the addition of Isolde¡¯s. 15 Strength, 11 Agility, 3 Dexterity, 7 Intellect, 5 Willpower, 8 Charisma, 12 Vitality, and 13 Endurance. Most interestingly, the values appeared to have been applied to his base stats, not as bonuses. The implication was that even if he lost Isolde, he¡¯d never lose the bonuses. That was probably why Lilith had called it a ¡®permanent¡¯ addition. ¡°It¡¯s ten percent of her total.¡± Mortarius said before he could ask. Romulus just nodded as he looked at the rest of his stats. In fact when he looked at his dexterity, he spotted where the balance gods had decided to curb him. His ability with ranged weapons was, in a word, pathetic. More than that, his willpower was also horrendous. Even with Isolde¡¯s bonuses, he would be next to useless in anything resembling a distance conflict, barring a very lucky throw of Lightsbane. The image of the blade careening end over end to brain someone entered his mind, and he couldn¡¯t help but snort in amusement. A glance at the timer showed him he had less than a minute and a half left. Romulus took a breath and got to work quickly, ignoring the sounds of the Maniples organising beside and around him. First things first he slammed 20 points into strength, bringing it up to 125, and then added 14 into agility for a total of 60. With 16 left, he put the remainder straight into intellect for a total of 68. His ability with Sanguimancy might become his only reliable means to fight at anything resembling range, and he wasn¡¯t about to pass that up. His other stats were fine as they were, and the intellect would increase his health anyway so it offered a nice dump stat. In some ways, intellect almost removed the need for vitality completely, barring the fact that its scaling was far worse as far as regeneration went. He¡¯d need to be mindful of that. After checking everything over quickly, Romulus took a breath and then confirmed. Immediately he shuddered as he felt his body change; his muscles growing denser, his flesh and bones strengthening to resist damage, and his mind subtly expanding to better grant him access both to his view of the world around him and the knowledge in his mind. Each time his intellect increased, he had the strangest sensation that his memory improved as well. It was like the world became¡­ clearer. Like a fog was lifting from his brain. Romulus shuddered as the changes finalised and rolled his shoulders to test out the ¡®newness¡¯ of his slightly improved body. It felt good. Really good. The thought of sacrificing the feeling for sitting on a throne had, subconsciously, been gnawing at him. Mortarius¡¯ mix of light castigation and motivational doomsaying had lifted his spirits considerably. He wanted to explore the world. He was glad he¡¯d have reason to do so like any other adventurer. He glanced at the Templars ruefully. Well, almost any other adventurer. With thirty seconds left, Romulus pulled up his sheet one more time to look it over.
PLAYER INFORMATION
DETAILS
Name Romulus Alignment Neutral Evil
Level 25 Experience 1,400 / 2,700
VALUES
Health 14,250 HPM 2,643 (44.05/s)
Stamina 5,000 SPM 1,500 (25/s)
ATTRIBUTES
Strength 125 (85) Agility 60
Dexterity 13 Intellect 68 (47)
Willpower 15 Charisma 49 (39)
Vitality 67 (42) Endurance 50 (35)
MODIFIERS
Strength 62.5% BPD 62.5% BDR 93.75KG CC Agility 30% BSM 12% UDC
Dexterity 6.5% ARW 6.5% WFS -6.5% RT Intellect 44% (34%) SP 6,800 MP 6.8 MPS 17% LS
Willpower 750 MP 3.75 MPS 7.5% SR 4 MC Charisma 9.8% CAD 9.8% CRDA
Vitality 6,700 HP 33.5 HPS Endurance 5,000 SP 25 SPS
Romulus dismissed the character sheet as the timer in his vision continued down, eyeing it as it descended toward the last minute. He glanced left to see the five Maniples of Templars filing down into the marshalling courtyard under Hector¡¯s watch while Isolde made her way over to him, coming to a halt on his left. Mortarius stood unseen on his right, but said nothing as the woman joined them. ¡°I never expected this.¡± She said without preamble. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone would expect to be turned into a Vampire, Isolde.¡± ¡°Not that.¡± She said with a snort. ¡°I mean you. This. My¡­ loyalty. I¡¯ve always been a good soldier, even my father¡­¡± She caught herself and sighed. ¡°I have always been a good soldier, but this is¡­ different. I feel drawn to you. Tethered. It¡¯s like an anchor holding me close.¡± ¡°Do you resent me for it?¡± ¡°No.¡± She said with certainty. ¡°It just puzzles me. If someone had said I¡¯d earn immortality at the side of a Traveler two years my junior, I¡¯d have dismissed them as mad. Yet¡­ here we are.¡± ¡°One year.¡± Romulus corrected idly. ¡°I turn twenty-four in a few weeks.¡± ¡°One year.¡± Isolde accepted. ¡°The point stands, though.¡± ¡°I get it. It¡¯s not something anyone really expects. Certainly not me. I thought I¡¯d be punting goblins or collecting exact amounts of bear ribs from puzzlingly rib-lacking bears. I definitely didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be selected as the champion of a goddess who¡¯s been imprisoned for over a thousand years.¡± ¡°I suppose we¡¯re both finding our way¡­¡± Isolde said thoughtfully. ¡°I suppose we are.¡± Romulus agreed with a smile. ¡°At least we can do it together.¡± ¡°Together.¡± Isolde agreed with a smile. Romulus opened his mouth to say something, and snapped it shut when his timer hit 00:00. A flash of red alerted him, and then abruptly a system message filled his view. As it did, the sun above darkened as clouds rolled suddenly across the sky, crackling with lightning and blasts of thunder. His eyes lowered to the system message, and he read it in silence.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Attention inhabitants of Blackstone City. Hearken to glorious news: the goddess of Darkness, Death, Order, and Sin has returned! Freed from the shackles of her imprisonment, the Dark Lady has resumed her rightful place among the gods! By decree of her newly anointed Avatar of Darkness, this city has been reclaimed for the glory of the Dark Lady and her deathless servants. The city of Blackstone will now undergo a Dark Reconstruction and return in full glory to its status as a Dark Metropolis. All those who call this place home are now faced with a choice: You may choose to swear your Faith to the Dark Lady, and in so doing swear your fealty to her champion, the Revenant-King¡­ or you may attempt to resist her Avatar of Darkness as he prosecutes his claim. Once the Dark Reconstruction is complete, the Battle for Blackstone shall begin. Those who swear eternal Faith to the Dark Lady shall be shielded from the carnage, those who refuse shall be marked as enemies of Death herself. Should the Revenant-King fall or the Grand Necropolis be captured, the Avatar of Darkness will be declared defeated and Blackstone City shall go to the victors. Should the Revenant-King subdue or kill 80% of his opposition, he will be declared the victor and his claim over Blackstone City shall be complete, and the city renamed per his desires. Let it be done. ¡°I am Death, and I am inevitable. Will you go to my embrace as my follower or my foe? Choose wisely.¡± - The Dark Lady
Romulus dismissed the prompt as the earth rumbled, glancing down at the slight tremor subtly shifting the stone beneath his feet. He raised his eyebrow and glanced at Mortarius, who seemed calm and unsurprised. Either it was because he expected the shaking, or he was simply enjoying his lack of true physical body. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Isolde asked with a hint of worry. ¡°I¡¯d wager it¡¯s part of the process.¡± Romulus said with forced calm. ¡°Wait and see.¡± Another window popped up the moment he finished speaking. When it did, Romulus¡¯ lips erupted into a wide grin.
MANA WELL INTERFACE
Precipitation complete. Dark Reconstruction is now being catalyzed. All glory to the Dark Lady. This purchase is non-refundable.
¡°Be calm, my Templars!¡± He roared over the rumbling, silencing the growing sounds of distressed men and women. ¡°Take heart and remember your Faith. The Dark Lady is with us, and works to reshape her dominion. Be glad and rejoice! You have a front row ticket to an event that will be talked about for centuries to come!¡± Isolde glanced at him in surprise as he spoke, but Romulus didn¡¯t elaborate. There was nothing more to say. Instead he turned to look out at the city. All that was left was to watch as the world of Eternus was changed forever. Chapter 13: Deus December 1st, 2085 Manmade Island "New Atlantis" USA Sovereign Waters 2200 Hours EST Aiden Michaels sat with his legs kicked up on his desk in the massive control room nicknamed the ¡®Fortress of Nerditude¡¯ by the staff. His jacket embroidered with the bright red ¡®Engineering God¡¯ across its rear hung from the back of his executive office chair, the titanium bearings supporting his thin frame as he idly passed the time with a game of battle toads on his tablet. Unlike the close to one hundred people in ¡®The Pit¡¯ several stairs below his elevated workstation, Aiden¡¯s role was less day to day monitoring and more big picture. His job wasn¡¯t the hands-on management of Eternus Online in a day to day manner, but the general well-being of the game and more specifically the metaphorical ocean of sleek silver pyramid-shaped terminals separated from the control room by tank-proof glass behind him. Where the control room monitored the game and watched for irregularities, while also providing support for players when direct contact with customer support was requested; Aiden¡¯s job was to ensure that the air-gapped network of Artificial Intelligences controlled by the game¡¯s Root Administrator were operating safely and within the outlined, turing test approved parameters. The largest of those pyramids was nearly three times the size of any of the others, and bore the letters D.E.U.S. in proud block capitals. It stood for Direct Engagement and Unilateral Sovereignty. That had been Aiden¡¯s brilliant idea. The AI simply called itself ¡®Deus¡¯. The fact it meant ¡®God¡¯ in latin was a happy ¡®coincidence¡¯ that was not so coincidental. Aiden had thought it to be immensely appropriate for the role Deus played in the running of the game world, and the millions of AI it oversaw within the scope of Eternus. ¡°Earning your salary as usual, I see.¡± A tired female voice called from behind him. Aiden snorted without looking up from his game and shrugged. ¡°Snark all you want, Emma. I¡¯m this close to breaking the top score set by this kid in Korea.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been saying that for days.¡± Emma responded with a resigned tone, taking her seat beside Aiden across the aisle set aside for the set of ten steps leading down into the pit. ¡°Everyone¡¯s a critic.¡± Aiden muttered distractedly as he rapidly button mashed his way through the current level. ¡°Speaking of critics, initial reviews are in for EO.¡± Aiden perked up and turned around in reflex to ask for more information, only to be met by the almost-immediate sound of a game over. ¡°God damn it.¡± He said as he tossed the tablet onto his desk. ¡°You did that on purpose.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t control what you do, Aiden.¡± Emma said with a self-satisfied smile while lifting a cup of coffee to her lips. The side of her mug read ¡®Commander in Chief¡¯ along its circumference, confirming her role in the Control Room. While Aiden served as the overseer for the engineering side of things both as it related to hardware and software, Emma¡¯s official title was ¡®Executive Project Manager¡¯. She was the highest authority within the Eternus Online team, in essence. She was also technically Aiden¡¯s boss. He liked to ignore that detail, though. ¡°So don¡¯t keep me in suspense.¡± Aiden said after a whole ten seconds of silence. He was proud of his self-control, at that achievement. ¡°What did the reviews say?¡± ¡°You could just check them yourself.¡± Emma said in amusement. ¡°Lazy.¡± He said with what he thought was a very dignified wave of the hand. ¡°At least you¡¯re self-aware.¡± She said without bite, pulling up her own tablet and sipping her coffee. ¡°But since you asked nicely, the current consensus is that we¡¯ve broken every expectation. Eternus Entertainment¡¯s stock value has gone up by ridiculous numbers every hour since launch, and we¡¯re currently tracking twelve million players worldwide, with the number increasing rapidly as different time zones gain access to the game.¡± ¡°Called it.¡± Aiden said smugly. ¡°I knew we¡¯d make history.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need to see how the servers handle everything, first.¡± Emma said critically. ¡°We¡¯re using quantum processing and a true AI!¡± Aiden objected with a surge of defensiveness. He¡¯d pioneered much of that technology himself! ¡°Deus can handle a few million players without batting a digital eyelid. He¡¯s rated for a processing power able to withstand a threshold a hundred times our current number of players, and that¡¯s without factoring in the back-up processing resources he can access if he wants to!¡± Emma listened to him with a neutral expression, and then offered him a self-satisfied smile when he was done. Instead of saying anything though, she just went right back to sipping her coffee. Aiden realised immediately that he¡¯d just been baited. Again. ¡°You¡¯re a sadist.¡± He said simply before turning to his holographic work terminal and pulling up his pending items. For all that he could laze around and play battle toads for hours, there was actual work that went into his job on the software side of things, and he made it a point to check his to-do list somewhat regularly. Well¡­ whenever he remembered to, at least. His eyes rolled down the list of alerts awaiting his attention boredly as he lounged at his desk, checking each one briefly. The alerts were categorized into five classifications by colour: Grey was mundane, and could be more or less completely ignored. One of his subordinates would handle those. Green was more complex, but was also usually deferred unless assistance was requested. Yellows were important, but he had team leaders that looked at those first, and would flag them with a specific marker if they wanted his insights as well. Sometimes he looked them over anyway to keep the others on their toes, but for the most part Aiden believed in a more hands-off approach to his division¡­ as long as nobody messed up too badly, anyway. The last two classifications were Red and Black. Reds were looked at by his direct team and himself, and Blacks¡­ Well, a Black was when they made and received phone calls to the board, to the media, and generally meant something had either gone catastrophically bad or miraculously well. After all they were classified by priority, not by negative or positive. That would just be cynical. ¡°Hey good news,¡± Emma said as he worked, ¡°we¡¯re getting a bonus. Looks like the launch has impressed a lot of people.¡± ¡°Cool.¡± Aiden said distractedly, clicking away alerts as he filtered through them. He already set greys to automatically filter, and greens were only checked if they¡¯d gone at least thirty minutes without someone picking them up. He had one yellow relating to a quest event, but he ignored that: Those were expected. With how Eternus Online operated, there was little to no repetition in the world. Once a quest was done, it was usually done. That was one of the consequences of a dynamic, living world. His scrolling took on a form of auto-piloted efficiency as he worked through the alerts, only half-attentive to what he was doing. Unless something happened to warrant his direct intervention, the usual process he followed was identify, acknowledge, dismiss. If he spent too much time on every alert, he¡¯d never have any time to work on important things during his shifts. Like beating Sung Yae-Jin¡¯s high score in battle toads. ¡°The title will be mine, you little prick.¡± Aiden muttered to himself distractedly as he parsed more alerts, already formulating the withering barrage of gloating he would throw the high schooler¡¯s way once he dethroned him. What did Aiden care if he was over twice Sung¡¯s age? There was no mercy from trash talk! ¡°Anything interesting?¡± Emma asked from beside him as she sipped her coffee and read her own reports on her tablet. ¡°No. It¡¯s just an ocean of greens and some pointless yellows. I don¡¯t even know why I¡¯m bothering. It¡¯s launch day, nothing is going to¡­ huh.¡± ¡°What?¡± Emma asked after a moment. ¡°That¡¯s interesting¡­¡± ¡°No it isn¡¯t.¡± Emma said immediately and worriedly. ¡°I hate your idea of interesting.¡± ¡°No, seriously, this is interesting. This green just turned yellow.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± She said as she relaxed. ¡°That¡¯s not unusual, right?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. It¡¯s just weird because of the location.¡± Aiden frowned as he read over it. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well it says that there¡¯s a unique event chain happening in Blackstone right now, but Blackstone is on the Northern half of Eternus near the ocean.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So,¡± Aiden said with a glance at her, ¡°that area isn¡¯t supposed to be ready for anyone below level 100 at minimum. The whole place is miserable with all sorts of horrible shit. It was on our list of possible natural Raid occurrences due to the Revenant-King.¡± ¡°The what?¡± Emma asked. ¡°The Rev¡­ Nevermind.¡± Aiden said with a flare of annoyance. ¡°The point is, nobody is supposed to be able to access that area yet. Even if they did, the time to travel there should be at least a day in-game by sea, and it hasn¡¯t even been that long yet.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Emma said as she caught on. ¡°So how did someone circumvent that? Deus doesn¡¯t allow exceptions like that, or at least it isn¡¯t supposed to. We both know he¡¯s a stickler for consistency.¡± ¡°I know. I designed him.¡± Aiden muttered as he dug into the report. ¡°What¡¯s frustrating is that this alert lacks detail. It¡¯s just a generic report.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you request more information?¡± ¡°All the reports are logged by lesser AI reporting to Deus. They don¡¯t provide anything more than what¡¯s absolutely required for us to investigate. Almost all the alerts are more like courtesy messages informing us of things that Deus or his sub-routines have already cleaned up.¡± ¡°So if Deus isn¡¯t panicking, we shouldn¡¯t panic.¡± Emma said simply. ¡°It¡¯ll let us know if something¡¯s wrong.¡± ¡°I guess.¡± Aiden said grudgingly. ¡°But I still don¡¯t understand why this¡ª¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes widened as the alert changed. ¡°Aiden?¡± Emma probed. ¡°It just turned red.¡± Aiden said in disbelief. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± Instead of answering him, Emma stood up and looked down at the workstations below and in front of them. ¡°Alright people!¡± She called out authoritatively. ¡°We just picked up a Red in the vicinity of Blackstone, on the northern peninsula of Eternus, located at¡ª¡± Aiden looked up and noticed her staring at him. ¡°Stormwatch Bay.¡± He provided after a moment of wracking his brain. ¡°¡ªStormwatch Bay!¡± Emma continued as she turned back to the men and women below. ¡°Deus hasn¡¯t flagged this as a problem, but we¡¯re investigating anyway, especially since nobody is supposed to even be there yet. Find me the player in question, and get me access to a visual feed!¡± ¡°If the player hasn¡¯t opened their camera to the public, we can¡¯t legally¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of the protocol, Janice.¡± Emma interrupted in a calm voice. ¡°See if any of you can access an observer camera in the area. I¡¯ll log a request with Deus to provide one if not.¡± ¡°What if it says no?¡± Someone else asked, stilling the activity in the room. Aiden looked up as well. It was a fair question. It wasn¡¯t necessarily likely, but Deus could in theory tell them to go to hell. He could be¡­ prickly about the game world. He understood his role, but he also took it very, very seriously. Sometimes Aiden wondered if he¡¯d accidentally put too much of himself into the AI when he¡¯d created him. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge if we come to it.¡± Emma said, the ever-reliable pillar of calm certainty. ¡°Now get to work. I want a goddamn feed ASAP.¡± When activity resumed within the control room, Aiden turned to Emma as she sat back down and immediately opened a black and white screen on her terminal. Very few people had access to that network: A closed pathway to Deus that used a separate, secured local area connection to communicate with the AI Overseer. They trusted him, but they weren¡¯t about to give him and an army of semi-aware AI access to the internet. It was part of why New Atlantis was an island: Zero hardline access. Aiden waited impatiently as Emma finished her request, cracking his knuckles idly. When the response wasn¡¯t instant, he chewed his lip. Deus was always instant. His attention turned back to his terminal and he eyed the red alert, reading the actual text to himself again in silence.
SYSTEM ALERT
A unique quest event has been triggered in the Blackstone City region of the northern peninsula of Eternus. No System errors have been detected. Quest event is within allowable safe operating parameters. There is precisely 1 player involved in the on-going quest event. There has been no record of anomalous access or universal consistency violations. Updates will be provided as mandated by operational safety guidelines. ¡ª Monitor G-05581-NE
Aiden scowled at the lack of detail and turned to Emma again, perking up when he saw her reading a message of white text on a black window. ¡°What did he say?¡± He asked quickly. ¡°It approved the request and provided us with five anchored observer cameras.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sound pleased.¡± Aiden said as he heard the tightness in her voice. ¡°It didn¡¯t just give us the observer cameras, Aiden.¡± Emma said with a look of consternation mixed with mild worry. ¡°It also delivered a warning.¡± ¡°He what?¡± Aiden asked in surprise as he pushed himself up and crossed the aisle to look at her monitor, reading the message for himself.
SECURE LOCAL AREA COMMUNICATION
From: AI Overseer, Designation ¡°DEUS¡± To: Executive Project Manager, Designation ¡°Emma¡± Re: Observer Camera Access Request Emma, I have approved your request for access to Observer Cameras in the designated region of Eternus. I have provided exactly five cameras, anchored to key points relative to the on-going events in area designation Blackstone City. However this approval is predicated upon adherence to universal integrity directives. No violation of world-state consistency will be tolerated. Do Not Interfere. ¡ª AI Overseer D.E.U.S
¡°What the hell is going on, Aiden?¡± Emma asked as he read over the correspondence, her tone warning him she was in no mood for his usual flippancy. ¡°I sincerely don¡¯t know.¡± Aiden said as he shook his head. ¡°But Deus has been vetted time and time again by experts in the field. He passed multiple turing tests and exhaustive safety examinations. This has to be within the scope of his primary directive.¡± Emma scowled at the screen as Aiden spoke, seemingly mulling over what he was saying at the same time as reviewing Deus¡¯ message to her. He could understand where her concern and consternation came from: It wasn¡¯t exactly the most polite or diplomatic message, and it highlighted exactly how much relative power the Overseer held even compared to the humans that essentially controlled his fate. Aiden wasn¡¯t particularly worried, though. He knew how stringently Deus had been ¡®shackled¡¯. ¡°Its primary directive is to maintain the integrity of Eternus Online and ensure player enjoyment, health, and retention.¡± Emma muttered. ¡°How does that come into play with him obstructing our efforts to observe the game world?¡± ¡°He technically only asked us not to interfere¡­¡± Aiden pointed out carefully. ¡°Asked?¡± Emma questioned with a critical raise of her eyebrow. ¡°Okay, assertively asked.¡± Aiden said with a cheeky smile. ¡°This should trouble you more, Aiden.¡± She responded wearily. ¡°I created Deus.¡± Aiden replied steadily. ¡°I know his limits and capabilities, Emma. It¡¯s not precedented, but also shouldn¡¯t give you much concern. He¡¯s just taking his job seriously.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still not happy.¡± Emma said with a frown. ¡°Well when you¡¯re around me, that¡¯s not unusual.¡± Aiden quipped, ignoring his own nagging sense of concern. It was a foundationless worry. Deus had never demonstrated the slightest hint of rampancy or variance. He was a solid, reliable creation that had served his purpose with outstanding levels of reliability. Everything else was just fear of what he represented. With that happy reinforcement, Aiden hopped back to his desk. ¡°Observer cams are online!¡± Someone called from the pit. ¡°Woah.¡± Someone else said. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Emma called. ¡°I¡­ I think it¡¯s best if I just show you, ma¡¯am.¡± The tech replied. ¡°Segmenting the main monitor now.¡± Aiden lifted his eyes to the colossal, hundred foot holoscreen at the ¡°front¡± of the control room, watching as five different camera feeds suddenly filled what had once been a variation of dozens of different scenes. As the new footage came in, one of the five had been given pride of place in the middle of the other four. A tall man stood amid a group of others, his blond hair lifted and tossed by what seemed to be the winds of a gathering storm. His armour was dark and held an ornate, ancient look to it; with layered steel plates and animal furs that seemed to wrap around his neck, forearms, and shins. Skulls adorned his knees, boots, and pauldrons and an unused black hood sat framing his upper back as the material fluttered in the wind. What was more surprising, however, was the observer HUD¡¯s designation.
Romulus, Level 25 Traveler
¡°There¡¯s our guy.¡± Aiden said with interest. ¡°What can we find out about him?¡± ¡°Uh, not much.¡± One of the techs replied. ¡°What do you mean? Just run his player profile, and it¡¯ll show his information.¡± ¡°I tried.¡± The tech responded in a confused voice. ¡°It won¡¯t let me find much.¡± ¡°Put it on the screen.¡± Emma commanded.
SECURE LOCAL AREA COMMUNICATION
Player ¡°Romulus¡± Query received. Query Results: 23 Year Old Male. No Health concerns. Playtime 3 hours, 13 Minutes (RLT)
¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Aiden asked in confusion. ¡°Deus is redacting his information.¡± One of the techs said in wonder. ¡°Uh, technically he¡¯s not.¡± One of the other techs said after a moment. ¡°She¡¯s right.¡± Emma chimed in. ¡°Deus has privacy guidelines to adhere to. As much as I hate to say it, this is probably the right call. There¡¯s a lot of sensitive information in a player profile, and there¡¯s a chance this ¡®Romulus¡¯ could be a public figure or have a sensitive identity. Technically, what Deus is doing is within the boundaries of the legal obligations we supplied it with.¡± ¡°Well that¡¯s boring.¡± Aiden said with a sigh, disappointed at the lack of dramatic reveal. ¡°At least we know his age. Twenty-three, and already level 25 after, what, twelve and a half hours of ECT?¡± ¡°Eternus Compression Time or not,¡± Emma said with a frown, ¡°this makes no sense. His level is questionable, but not serious¡­ But to have triggered a Red event? And what the hell is that armour? And who is he with?¡± All eyes shifted to the screen as the observer camera panned around, looking at the fifty or so darkly armoured men and women standing in neat formations around and ahead of the mysterious Romulus, who appeared to be watching the growing storm with a look of calm determination. The woman who stood at his side in a more ornate version of armour than the others inspired several mutters of confusion, until the camera properly zoomed in on Romulus¡¯ face as he turned and said something to the woman, who laughed. That brought silence. They both had scarlet eyes, and fangs. ¡°Holy shit, he¡¯s a fucking Vampire!¡± One of the techs exclaimed. ¡°Did she turn him?¡± Someone else asked excitedly. ¡°That¡¯s so cool. I wish I could¡ª!¡± ¡°Hey, fanboy later!¡± Aiden called in irritation. ¡°What¡¯s going on with that storm?¡± The camera panned around as the controlling technician pointed it toward the storm, which had built ominously and rapidly over the city. As they watched the black clouds boil and crackle, the drama of the situation was helped by the surround sound equipment in the control room. A sudden roar of energy washed through the feed, and the tech spun the camera to find a beam of purple-wrapped blackness arcing upwards into the storm from the tip of the massive central spire of the castle Romulus stood before. The moment it impacted the storm, a wave of power exploded outwards in a visible expansion of energy that was followed by several more, each pulse occurring five seconds after the one before. When the observer camera panned again to track the pulses, a sudden arc of purple lightning smashed down into a random part of the city¡­ and then more followed. With an intensity that stunned Aiden, the storm started striking the city several times, then a dozen times, then dozens of times: Escalating in seconds from a single bolt to over fifty at a time. As they watched, the buildings also seemed to react albeit not in the way they¡¯d expected. Stone and timber were transformed as ripples of power surged across them, replacing both materials with beautiful, sculpted black stone. Veins of gold and silver created whorls of unique prestige in every affected place, and the shape of the buildings was not spared either. Designs both incredible and physics-defying were brought into existence by the rapid-fire strikes of lightning, as if each bolt were the fingers of a hundred limbed god reshaping the city to its desires. More and more alteration occurred with an ever-increasing tempo, and when the sea of lightning finally hit the borders of the Necropolis, it transformed. Instead, green blasts of power smashed into the courtyard ahead of the line of armoured soldiers and Romulus himself. As the flashes continued, something else started happening. Humanoid shapes rose from the points of impact, awash with spectral green fire. More and more blasts of lightning impacted, and more and more of the new arrivals arose, filling the courtyard rapidly. The courtyard seemed unaffected by the lightning and the green bolts continued to deliver the rising creatures, dozens at a time until hundreds, then thousands dominated the rectangular marshalling area. ¡°What are those?¡± Emma asked into the stunned silence of the control room. ¡°Uh, System pegs them each as ¡®Deathsworn Shade¡¯. They¡¯re all level 150.¡± ¡°He¡¯s so screwed.¡± One of the other techs said with a hint of sadness. ¡°Poor dude.¡± ¡°So long, badass Vampire lady.¡± The fanboy lamented. Aiden remained silent as the Shades turned toward Romulus and those around him, and one of the creatures slightly larger than the others half-marched, half-drifted up toward him. The creature came to a halt and drew its sword, pointing it at Romulus. It spoke, though its words were lost to the thunderous roar of the storm, and then abruptly threw the control room into exclamations of surprise when it dropped to one knee, followed in a wave by the others of its kind. ¡°Okay, what the fuck?¡± One of the techs demanded. ¡°What the hell just happened?!¡± ¡°Did Romulus just get the cursed mountain men as an army?¡± ¡°The what?¡± ¡°Dude, Return of the King? Seriously?¡± Aiden ignored the exchange below them and scanned the scene carefully. This was¡­ well, it was exciting but it was also definitely not expected. Especially not in Stormwatch Bay, which was itself so far above Romulus¡¯ level that he should have been insta-killed at least a hundred times before even making it to that part of the continent, let alone the city itself. ¡°Vampire Lady is saying something!¡± Abruptly, audio of the speech burst into the control room. ¡°...soldiers of the Dark Lady, and Her chosen Revenant-King! You are the sons and daughters of Blackstone, reborn in the dark glory of She of the End!¡± The pale beauty stepped down two steps and turned back to Romulus, gesturing to him as she continued. ¡°Our Revenant-King has given us the path forward! Now it is time to do what we must, for the glory of Lilith and a new age on Eternus!¡± ¡°All hail the Revenant-King!¡± Another voice shouted. ¡°HAIL!¡± The assembled soldiers and Shades echoed, filling the control room with the thunder of thousands of voices. The camera turned once again to Romulus and he lifted his left hand, sweeping it out before him. Finally, the audio of his voice was clear as well. ¡°Go forth, my holy warriors. Grant succour to those that worship Her, and the mercy of the grave to those that oppose her. Yours is the inheritance of the Chosen. Go forth, and let reality tremble at the return of the Dark Lady¡¯s Faith! Death is no Disgrace!¡± ¡°DEATH IS NO DISGRACE!¡± The thousands roared in approval. ¡°Woah.¡± A tech said into the silence that followed. ¡°That was fucking awesome!¡± Aiden glanced at Emma¡¯s worried face, and decided against voicing his agreement. It was fucking awesome. Chapter 14: Calm Before the Storm This is your first major hurdle, Romulus.¡± Mortarius said beside him as the orders he¡¯d given moments earlier, under the cover of the sun-blocking storm clouds overhead, were relayed. ¡°If you lose this battle, your journey will end before it begins. You will be a flicker of flame in the wind; ashes upon a footnote of the great book of Eternus¡¯ history.¡± ¡°Jovial of you.¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°Humour is not my purpose.¡± Mortarius said coldly. ¡°You stand now against the tide of modern history. Understand this, Romulus: You are not the hero to this world. To all the people of Eternus you represent in essence the greatest existential threat to their way of life in millennia. You stand to them as the herald of ruination. Your magic, your attire, your very patron will be seen as the enemy of all that is good and righteous.¡± Romulus frowned but didn¡¯t interrupt. He was conscious of others nearby. ¡°I say these things not to discourage you, but to prepare you. The stakes here are not so simple as facsimiles like good or evil, they are about the very soul of the planet. Death is neither right nor wrong, Romulus: It is inevitable and necessary. Without our Goddess, the souls of the dead wander the abyssal realm absent guidance or shepard. Despite this, it is you that will be seen as the villain for returning Her from her confinement. Not because you are, but because that is what the powers that be have defined the act as being.¡± Romulus murmured his response quickly. ¡°Make your point, Mortarius.¡± ¡°When you fight these people, you aren¡¯t simply fighting to win, you¡¯re fighting to change the narrative. You¡¯re fighting for the right to exist. You¡¯re fighting for the natural order of all life on Eternus. They will not realise it, because you are adorned in monikers of death and wield the powers of Darkness, and they have been taught these things are profane and evil.¡± Mortarius shook his head, and his tone grew almost piteous. ¡°They are not. The people of this era have been lied to. Fire burns, Water drowns, Air suffocates, Earth crushes, and Light blinds¡­ But they are not seen as evil because they simply are. In my time, Darkness simply was. It is your duty to restore that understanding.¡± ¡°Even if it means killing thousands?¡± Romulus asked quietly. ¡°Even if it means killing millions.¡± Mortarius said fiercely. ¡°And where does it end?¡± Romulus demanded under his breath. ¡°Victory, Romulus.¡± Mortarius said impassively. ¡°It ends with victory, starting now.¡± Romulus glanced at Mortarius one final time as the Shades started organising themselves, scanning the dead King¡¯s face contemplatively. All he saw was iron resolve, and unwavering faith. All he saw was purpose, zeal, and confidence. Finally, Romulus offered his predecessor-turned-mentor a subtle bow of the head. In response, Mortarius simply nodded and busied himself with some screens. The implication was clear: the wraith had done his part to explain the stakes, and now it was Romulus¡¯ task to make good on attaining the victory needed for this first and most crucial step. After all, if they lost here, the effort to restore the Dark Faith would perish with them. For a multitude of reasons, one of which being sheer dislike of Solarius, Romulus couldn¡¯t let that happen. The new Revenant-King turned at last to Zerachiel, the ostensible General of the arrayed ghost soldiers. The icon next to his name showed the chained skull, much like Rasmus¡¯ own, which declared him a controlled minion. Odd given the nature of the Shades as relatively self-operating summons, but he wasn¡¯t about to pick an argument with Eternus¡¯ logic engine. ¡°Per your orders, I have detached five hundred of my Shades to each Maniple to form five so-called Cohorts.¡± Zerachiel said as he caught Romulus¡¯ attention upon him. ¡°Myself and the remaining six hundred and forty-nine will remain with you.¡± ¡°Good. I¡¯ll keep one of the five Cohorts with us and deploy the other four as needed.¡± Romulus responded as he turned to Isolde. ¡°Six thousand in the King¡¯s Garrison?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± She responded calmly. ¡°Plus the three thousand men-at-arms of the city itself, and just shy of one thousand city guards if they all choose to fight.¡± ¡°So we¡¯re outnumbered three to one.¡± Romulus murmured. ¡°With Shades, the disadvantage is not nearly as severe as it seems.¡± Mortarius said next to him. ¡°The Shades can only be banished by destroying their core or through decapitation. They also won¡¯t tire, and are incapable of the mortal failings of your foes.¡± Romulus chose not to reply directly to the invisible wraith, and instead turned to Hector. ¡°Optio, take your cohort and two others and march on the King¡¯s garrison. I trust your knowledge of the city. The Shades each have a spear, sword, and shield. Use that. Find a solid choke point where you can invalidate their numbers, and hold. Everything depends on it.¡± ¡°There will be Paladins of Solarius with the King¡¯s men.¡± Isolde warned. ¡°Then they will be the first to bear witness to the return of Her Faith.¡± Romulus replied. ¡°I swear we won¡¯t fail ye, milord.¡± Hector said on his heels. ¡°Those shiny wankers won¡¯t know what hit ¡®em.¡± ¡°I have no doubt, Optio. Show them the mercy of the grave.¡± Hector saluted and turned to growl orders at two of the Decurions that had been billeted to each lead a Cohort, despite a lack of rank change. Given that the Shades didn¡¯t use a similar system, there was no need to worry about the formality given the lack of plausible confusion in authority. ¡°Decurion Mengst.¡± ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Kalaria asked immediately after snapping to attention. ¡°You will remain here with your Cohort and man the defenses. The only way into the Necropolis is through the front gate, thanks to my predecessor¡¯s severe paranoia¡ª¡± He heard Mortarius scoff. ¡°¡ªand I have no intention of compromising that advantage. The gate is a bottleneck, and the walls are largely impossible to conventionally scale. Take advantage of the fortifications and ensure nobody breaches this area. The doors will be sealed, but detach two Maniples to guard them regardless.¡± ¡°By your will, Revenant-King.¡± Kalaria responded with a level of fervent zeal that momentarily took him aback, before turning to organise her Cohort. He still wasn¡¯t used to how profound of an impact the resurrection had left on the once-dead Wardens. When she was gone he turned to Isolde. ¡°You¡¯ll be with me. Zerachiel, you¡¯ll command our remaining forces with Decurion Reznick as your second. His Cohort will be coming with us.¡± The Dark Templar in question saluted fist-to-heart without complaint as the towering Shade nodded, the green flames of his eyes turning to regard the rugged, black-haired Decurion. ¡°What will our objective be?¡± Isolde asked curiously. ¡°Am I right in assuming that the regular men-at-arms and guards are barracked far away from the King¡¯s men?¡± Romulus asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Yes.¡± Isolde said with a slow smile. ¡°The decision was made to avoid the usual fights that occur between natives and foreigners. Blackstone has been a remote colony for a long time. King¡¯s men and ours don¡¯t often mix well.¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to take advantage of that.¡± Romulus said with a grin. ¡°Divide and conquer. If we can break the men-at-arms before they realise how badly outnumbered we are, we might be able to use them against the garrison. With Isolde there, I think we can play on their identities as citizens of Blackstone to invalidate what little loyalty they have to the Crown.¡± ¡°Simplistic and with many, many points of potential failure.¡± Mortarius said with a sigh. ¡°But not terrible for a self-confessed neophyte in the ways of war. Not using your Warmaster interface was a good call. You need more practice with it first.¡± Romulus didn¡¯t acknowledge Mortarius, but the wraith hardly seemed to care. ¡°What if my presence isn¡¯t enough to deter them, sire?¡± Isolde asked as Romulus set off, keeping pace with him easily. ¡°Then we convince them.¡± He said in what he hoped was a suitably ruthless tone. Judging by the way Isolde took a breath and squared her shoulders, he succeeded. ¡°Move out!¡± Zerachiel bellowed across the courtyard, turning the place into a hive of activity as thousands of Shades and a little over two dozen Dark Templars started to mobilise with the efficiency of professional soldiers. The portcullis guarding the entrance to the Necropolis was wide enough for his impromptu army to march five abreast, and allowed them to spill out into the inner city beyond it in short order. The thoroughfares beyond the skull-shaped gate were also far wider than a city of Blackstone¡¯s current population needed, allowing for an ease of passage and organisation as the fifteen hundred-odd soldiers with Hector split off to quick-march toward the outer city gate and from there the Western half of Blackstone. At his point of elevation in the inner city, Romulus could see the distant pennant ¡ª thanks largely to his greatly enhanced eyesight ¡ª signalling the location of the King¡¯s Garrison. Romulus glanced at his map and noted that it didn¡¯t provide him with default knowledge of things like main garrison locations. A strange oversight, but he figured it made sense since he technically came to Blackstone as an invading force, even if he hadn¡¯t known it at the time. He¡¯d definitely suspected. ¡°Isolde, where¡ª?¡± ¡°Cordoned section of the south-eastern quarter.¡± She said immediately. ¡°No civilian access to the barracks to avoid incidents. Whatever else he was, my father was an excellent administrator. We¡¯ll need to pass near the Grand Bazaar to access it, but I doubt anyone will be suicidal enough to try to stop us until we get closer.¡± He raised his eyebrow at her when she finished, and to her credit she managed to blush at having interrupted him. He shook his head. At least he couldn¡¯t fault her enthusiasm. Romulus glanced at Zerachiel after that and the Shade simply nodded, turning to their forces and barking orders as every General in every entertainment medium he¡¯d ever consumed had been known to do. At least Eternus was consistent, even if it suspended disbelief a little at times. In quick order Romulus¡¯ force of 1,152 were moving toward their destination at a brisk march and he found himself with time to himself. His eyes shifted to glance at Mortarius as the wraith half-walked, half-glided along beside him and he spoke quietly under his breath. ¡°I¡¯m curious why you don¡¯t¡ª¡± Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Showing myself to your companions at present is ill-advised because it leads to implications of puppeting. Thankfully they all seemed to have forgotten or chosen not to raise the fact you admitted to talking to your predecessor when confronting the Duke, likely because they assumed I was in your thrall.¡± ¡°And being in my thrall isn¡¯t an easy explanation?¡± He asked in a murmur. ¡°Not when I look and act the way I do. People would think you were being puppeted by me. Even with the Dark Lady¡¯s assurances, it would invariably weaken you. No, it would be better if you made a show of summoning me and binding me to your will.¡± ¡°So¡­ theatrics.¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°Theatrics.¡± Mortarius agreed. ¡°Better they think you dramatic, than enthralled.¡± Romulus nodded slightly instead of replying, and lowered his right hand to lightly brush along Lightsbane¡¯s hilt. The sword sent a pulse of excitement in reply, and he smiled despite himself at how innocuously bloodthirsty the runeblade was. Regardless of its murderous urges, he couldn¡¯t help but find the sentient weapon endearing. ¡°Your Runeblade¡­¡± Isolde began from his left. ¡°Did you name it?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Romulus confirmed. ¡°Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady.¡± ¡°That is certainly poignant.¡± She said with a smile. ¡°It seemed appropriate, and he liked it.¡± ¡°He?¡± Romulus shrugged. ¡°Lightsbane just gives off bro vibes.¡± ¡°Bro vibes¡­?¡± Romulus grinned to himself. ¡°Just slang. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°You must tell me more about your world at some point, my King.¡± Isolde said after nodding at his explanation. ¡°Your Rome sounds fascinating, but I gather it is not all that is of interest.¡± ¡°How about you tell me all about Eternus, and I¡¯ll tell you all about Earth.¡± ¡°That is where you come from?¡± She asked with interest. ¡°Earth?¡± ¡°Earth. Terra. Sol Three.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Has many names.¡± ¡°Is it much different from Eternus? I remember what you said about nobility when you spoke in the manor.¡± ¡°Very.¡± Romulus said immediately. ¡°We have gerat machines and technological marvels, and vessels that can take us beyond the cradle of our world. Weapons that can kill a man in the blink of an eye from great distances, and tools of war that can end planets. My world is far more advanced than yours, Isolde, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± She asked as they marched. ¡°But for all that, there¡¯s a reason we came to Eternus. There¡¯s a reason that I chose to p¡­ participate in this world. My home has nothing left to explore. There¡¯s no more mystery to solve. A man can¡¯t make his legend through the strength of his character or the tenacity of his resolve, not really.¡± Romulus frowned and looked at the buildings as they passed, noting the changes and improvements his Dark Reconstruction had wrought upon the inner city, even where it started to approach the outer city. Blackstone already felt grander. ¡°It feels futile there, I guess. The rich get richer, the poor stay poor, and people step on each other for just an echo of greater relevance in a global system that inevitably finds them irrelevant.¡± ¡°That does not sound so dissimilar to Eternus, save perhaps for the scale.¡± Isolde remarked. ¡°But it is.¡± Romulus insisted. ¡°Here¡­ Here there¡¯s adventure. There¡¯s mystery. There¡¯s unclaimed land. The very idea of that is insane in my world. There¡¯s no such thing as unclaimed land. Our governments control the entire planet. Existence is a rat race for...¡± He trailed off and shook his head. ¡°I know I¡¯m not really making total sense, but here? In Eternus? We¡¯re free here in a way we can¡¯t be on Earth. It¡¯s why players¡ª I mean Travelers are so drawn to it.¡± ¡°I admit I do not fully understand what you mean, my King.¡± Isolde said after a few moments of silence. ¡°But I empathise with your lust for adventure and discovery. I think those are desires that transcend the boundaries of worlds, no matter how different they are.¡± Romulus looked at her and felt himself smile. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right. They do.¡± The pair of them lapsed into companionable silence from there and settled into the march, with Romulus¡¯ eyes dancing over the restored buildings they passed in their wake. The alterations his ritual had wrought upon the city were not limited to updating or restoring buildings, but also entire facilities. New complexes dotted the higher points of the city, with obsidian spires thrusting toward the crackling blanket of dark clouds above as if to bask in the dark magic that sourced them. The Necropolis¡¯ central spire continued to feed energy from the Well to the storm, connecting the citadel to the sky through a beam of purple-and-black mana that unleashed constant pulses of energy every ten seconds. Romulus could feel each wave to his core, resonating with the dark mana in his veins and offering a feeling of elation and bliss. They crossed through from the inner city to the outer city moments later, and Romulus felt the tension shift as his force of eleven hundred and change stepped into the outer city. The Shades seemed to bristle with greater alertness, and the Wardens he found unsurprisingly localised around himself and Isolde watched the area around them like hawks. Their eyes scanned newly stonewrought rooftops and glanced down now-wider alleyways. The biggest change, however, was the lack of smell. After his first experience in Blackstone, Romulus had expected to be assaulted by the stench of human waste and rotten food. Instead there was nothing. It was as if the storm, despite being rainless, had sluiced the city clean. If this weren¡¯t enough, there were also clear signs of more traditional sewage and drainage solutions through the streets and roads, with clear storm drains and filtration gutters present where before there had been none. Romulus glanced at Mortarius and, judging by the lack of surprise on the wraith¡¯s features, guessed that this was likely what the city¡¯s infrastructure had looked like in his predecessor¡¯s time. It was odd that the city would become so dilapidated, if not devolved in the intervening years ¡ª but it was a mystery for another time. A quick glance at his map told him that they were passing through a section of the main residential areas near the Bazaar, and true to its notification Romulus could already see signs of the city¡¯s residents. Men and women in clothes of vacillating levels of quality stood in shoulder-to-shoulder solidarity ¡ª be it out of fear, awe, or simple curiosity ¡ª and watched as Romulus and his forces marched past. Some people ran immediately upon realising what it was that was marching past, and properly seeing the spectral green flames flickering around the Shades. Others stayed rooted in place, perhaps out of some instinct to avoid notice by doing nothing worth noticing. Others looked away from the ghostly warriors to where they suspected a leader must have resided, and found the wall of dark steel that was the maniple of Dark Templars. A mix of recognition, surprise, and confusion passed over the faces of those that knew the features of those they saw. The Dark Templars had helmets, but Romulus had advised them not to wear them until they were about to fight. It was a calculated risk, but it was one that was paying off before his eyes. These people were Blackstone natives born and raised. They knew the Duke¡¯s elite force well. Seeing them walking in formation amid the Shades seemed to have something of a calming effect. What was more interesting was that none of them recognised Isolde. The tall Methuselah was essentially unrecognisable from the brightly-attired woman she¡¯d been just that morning. Her dark plate, with its silvery chainmail and blood-crimson highlights were nothing like what people expected from her. Add to the fact she had physically been enhanced in every way a person plausibly could, and more than anything else there was fear and awe as eyes slid onto her features and away. Romulus noted she was scanning the crowd diligently. She at least was clearly aware of the fact that, while powerfully blessed, Romulus was not himself inherently powerful. Isolde¡¯s role as his impromptu bodyguard was one that hadn¡¯t been discussed, but that existed as a silent understanding between the pair of them. Without her, Romulus was as exposed in Blackstone as the newly minted Adventurer he truly was beneath everything. As he swept his eyes over the crowd of people watching, he noted the staring and wide eyes of a pair of children in ragged clothes. They stood slightly apart, both included by the crowd and rejected by the casual familiarity that linked some individuals to others. Romulus could recognise the sign of what appeared to be orphans or the unwanted. ¡°Those boys over there¡ª¡± He said to Isolde as they walked ¡°¡ªare they part of a larger group?¡± It took the Inquisitor a moment to find who it was he was talking about, and then she turned to him and nodded. ¡°They¡¯ll be part of the beggar youths. Their parents likely died trying to find their fortune in the Forest or ran afoul of one of the gangs in the outer city. For all that we tried to strangle it, crime is rampant in a city this size, with so many places for ne¡¯er-do-wells to hide.¡± ¡°When everything is done, I want all the children without guardians brought to me in the Inner City.¡± Isolde arched an eyebrow sharply in question and fixed Romulus with a hard look, before she abruptly shook her head with a wry smile. ¡°I forget you aren¡¯t one of us sometimes, my King. From many nobles, that order would have implications that no one of sound moral fiber likes. I forget that you are¡­ different.¡± She inclined her head in apology even as he swallowed the rage and revulsion her words evoked in him. ¡°May I ask your intention?¡± ¡°Children are the future of any healthy society.¡± Romulus said after sloughing away the filth of her implication and filing away a mental note to execute anyone guilty of child predation. Publicly. ¡°If we can educate them and train them at a young age, they¡¯ll form the backbone of a loyal and prosperous nation. Children also hear and see things others don¡¯t or can¡¯t. They¡¯re easy to miss. Integrating them into my currently non-existent intelligence network would be practical.¡± Isolde nodded as he spoke, and graced him with an approving grin when he finished. ¡°Benevolent and ruthless in equal measure. It is good you are such. It will make them less suspicious with a clear expectation involved. They will be much more likely to trust you because of the expectation of service.¡± ¡°People are practical.¡± Romulus said simply. ¡°That they are.¡± Isolde agreed as they finally passed the crowd and moved deeper into the outer city, toward the entrance-proper to the area sectioned off away from the rest of the eastern quadrant. The gate they approached was unguarded, but it''s shoddy construction ¡ª at least compared to the newly-restored city ¡ª marked it clearly as a new addition to the ancient metropolis. ¡°That¡¯s our objective?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m surprised it¡¯s unguarded, but I imagine they realised a pair of guards wouldn¡¯t mean much against what we¡¯re bringing.¡± The gate was positioned across what was an otherwise normal thoroughfare, leading into a smaller road away from the main area that wound deeper into the south-eastern part of the city, flanked by towering residential buildings and clumped stores and ancient buildings that had likely functioned as something approximating an improvised wall when combined with the gate. ¡°How are we to get past?¡± Romulus asked as he eyed the gate, noting its not-unimpressive height. It was easily over ten metres high, and six wide. ¡°The buildings here offer little to no wiggle room.¡± ¡°Leave that to us, my King.¡± Zerachiel said at his side, before lifting a hand and motioning to one of the larger Shades. In response the female spirit-soldier grinned and barked some orders to the Shades around her, before all five took off running toward the gate. Romulus watched with interest as they approached the portcullis at sprint¡­ ...and passed right through as if it weren¡¯t there. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could do that.¡± He said in surprise. ¡°Normally we cannot, sire. At least not here.¡± Zerachiel confirmed. ¡°This city has ancient, powerful wards worked into its deepest layers. Your predecessor¡ª¡± Romulus could have sworn the General¡¯s eyes flickered toward Mortarius ¡°¡ªensured that no phase-shifting enemies of any mana affiliation could circumvent its fortifications.¡± He jerked his chin at the gate. ¡°The squatters, however, were not so thorough. This construct is new, and not subject to the wards protecting the old city materials. For my army, it may as well not exist.¡± ¡°That¡¯s useful to know.¡± Romulus said with a thoughtful nod. ¡°They¡¯ll know we¡¯re coming, my lord.¡± Isolde warned. ¡°Very likely they¡¯ll be waiting for us.¡± ¡°We need them to know that we aren¡¯t here to destroy their home.¡± Romulus said as the grating of steel filled the area and the large portcullis started to rise steadily. ¡°You will need to show them who you are, Isolde. It might weaken their resolve, at the least, if a fight is inevitable.¡± ¡°I¡¯d wager it will be, Your Majesty.¡± Victor said from beside Zachariel, the normally quiet Dark Templar bowing his head respectfully as he continued. ¡°No disrespect to Your Grace, but without knowing the full story many will think you to have bewitched or afflicted Lady Isolde. We know she has been blessed, but not all are so enlightened ¡ª or so willing to accept such things, even if the System should throw it into stark relief before their eyes.¡± Isolde glanced at Victor appraisingly, but nodded. ¡°He is right, my King.¡± ¡°All the more reason to at least see if we can¡¯t force them to an earlier surrender when they see how outmatched they are. I need these people as intact as possible, and willing to listen. I can¡¯t hold the city with fifty Templars alone.¡± ¡°Zerachiel¡¯s abilities will tell him when they are wavering.¡± Mortarius said coolly from Romulus¡¯ side. ¡°Once he alerts you to their vulnerability, do something dramatic and call for the surrender again. If you can mix theatrics, shock, awe, and raw power with a healthy dose of fear at the exact right moment¡­ Well, you may be able to eke out something resembling a respectable force from whatever remains of the men-at-arms and city guard.¡± Romulus was careful not to openly nod to Mortarius¡¯ words, and instead looked to Zerachiel, Isolde, and Victor. ¡°The moment they start to waver, Zerachiel; inform me. I may be able to stun them into a long-enough cessation of combat to inspire acceptance of what is to come. My victory here will come regardless, but I¡¯d rather it be buoyed by the immediate employment of soldiers loyal to this city, if not me personally.¡± ¡°In time, they will come to respect you as we do my King.¡± Isolde said confidently. ¡°And I will put my hope in that for the future, Isolde.¡± Romulus replied. ¡°But I¡¯m going with the Alexandrian approach on this one.¡± Grinning at their confused looks, Romulus wasted no time in leading them forward as the Shades started to pass through the open portcullis. It didn¡¯t matter whether they understood. It only mattered that his plan worked. So it was that when they marched further in and the buildings widened into a massive space designed for festivals and pop-up markets, and Romulus beheld the pennants of House Argent and Blackstone City held aloft by a defiant army of grey steel, boiled leather, and steady spears¡­ He smiled. He smiled when his Shades assumed smooth, shield-and-spear phalanxes and his Dark Templars stepped up alongside him as he moved out to meet the flag-of-truce bearing herald at the halfway point between the local forces and his own. He smiled when Isolde lifted her chin with pride, and the flashing lightning illuminated her supernatural beauty and danced within her silver-marked scarlet eyes. He smiled when he saw the uncertainty, the fear, and the determination in the eyes of the men and women arrayed before him. Eternus had promised him action and adventure beyond his wildest dreams. And at last, he felt as if it were starting to deliver. ¡°Dovie''andi se tovya sagain.¡± He murmured quietly. A quote from his favourite novels. It¡¯s time to toss the dice. Chapter 15: The Breaking Storm Romulus approached the herald standing between the Blackstone forces and his own Shades with Zerachiel, Isolde, Victor, and the ephemeral Mortarius in tow. An equivalent delegation ¡ª minus one since Mortarius was invisible ¡ª had departed from the Blackstone side with two knights, a man in boiled leather, and what appeared to be some sort of cleric or priest accompanying them. Romulus didn¡¯t need to see Mortarius¡¯ look of distaste to know the Priest was a follower of Solarius. The obnoxious, colossal sunburst on the robed man¡¯s pristine white tabard announced that readily enough. The herald departed without the flag when the Blackstone group was about halfway over the open square and the two groups met a minute later in the flag¡¯s shadow. He saw the eyes of his would-be foes dart across his features, then Isolde¡¯s, and then take in Victor¡¯s face. When their eyes went to Zerachiel, he saw one of the knights ¡ª the younger of the two, from his youthful features ¡ª and the cleric visibly blanch in fear. The spectral General simply stared at them. ¡°Good day to you.¡± The elder knight began firmly, his barbute helm held in the crook of his right arm. ¡°I am Sir Liam Carstaire, appointed General and Knight of the forces of Blackstone. With me are Sir Frederic Powell, Master Harrison Longsight, and Brother Heinrich Ziegler of the Solarian Order of the Gilded Chalice.¡± Romulus listened as the individuals were introduced, and inclined his head as he knew was proper. When he opened his mouth to speak however, the expected issue came immediately. The source though was a surprise. ¡°Greetings Sir Liam¡ª¡± ¡°This cannot stand!¡± Sir Frederic said with a hint of whiny, nasally entitlement to his voice that set Romulus¡¯ teeth on edge. ¡°These creatures are the spawn of Sin! We cannot permit their existence here, Sir Carstaire. Surely you cannot intend to¡ª!¡± ¡°What I intend¡ª¡± the elder knight cut in harshly ¡°¡ªis to try to avoid wasting unnecessary lives, Sir Frederic; including your own! Insulting parties at parley is a direct contravention of that goal, and I will bid you to hold your tongue!¡± ¡°Sir Liam, if I may spe¡ª?¡± ¡°You may not, Brother Heinrich. I have no doubt at all that what you have to say, these people can already guess. Besides as I¡¯ve stated, this is a matter for Blackstone, not for the Church.¡± The knight, his black hair streaked with grey, turned back to Romulus and his companions after that. ¡°I apologise. Please continue.¡± Romulus found himself liking Sir Liam immediately. The older Knight¡¯s towering height and muscular frame, of a match with Zerachiel, inspired memories of every gallant warrior archetype he¡¯d ever read about. Instead of speaking again, however, he turned to Isolde and nodded to her. Like the Noble she was raised to be, she stepped forward immediately. ¡°Knight-General Carstaire. It is a pleasure to see you again so soon.¡± The four natives blinked at her in confusion for a moment before recognition dawned on their features. The man in boiled leather that Romulus assumed to be an officer among the ¡®regular¡¯ troops was the first to key in, followed by Liam and then the other two. ¡°Lady Isolde?¡± The older knight asked in surprise. ¡°What has happened to you, you look¡ª!¡± ¡°Blessed.¡± She interjected with just a touch of warning to her voice. ¡°Elevated. Gifted. Yes, Sir Liam: I am all those things and more. I am also, it may pain you to hear, also present to speak to you with terms of surrender.¡± ¡°Surrender?¡± Liam asked with a glance at Romulus, Victor, and Zerachiel. ¡°I presume not your own, unless the world has become far less mad in the last ten seconds than it was prior.¡± ¡°Unfortunately my lord, no. You presume correctly.¡± Isolde turned while ignoring the looks of slack-jawed shock from Frederic and Heinrich and gestured with a black-gauntleted hand to Romulus. ¡°I stand here in service to His Eternal Majesty the Revenant-King, Avatar of Darkness and Herald of She of the End. It is to him that I owe my new gifts, and to him that I owe my faith and fealty.¡± She turned back to the four men of her home city, expertly ignoring the stunned looks on their faces. ¡°Now, and in perpetuity. By my father¡¯s own hand did these events come to pass, and by his own doing is the Revenant-King the new ruler of this ancient and venerable city we call home.¡± ¡°That is a lot to swallow, Lady Isolde. Especially given your new appearance.¡± Liam said into the momentary silence that followed. ¡°I admit to some difficulty in believing such a statement. Add your new visage to the mix, and¡ª¡± ¡°I hear and understand your trepidation Sir Liam. All I can tell you is that, in spite of the dogmatic lies spewed by certain factions¡ª¡± she glanced coldly at Heinrich ¡°¡ªI am in fact in sound health and of steady mind. We are at a crossroads, certainly, but you saw the System alert. It announced his coming. This is no more about rumours or speculation. The Avatar of Darkness is here before you and he comes with an offer.¡± The four men turned from Isolde to Romulus at her words, though with vastly different expressions on their faces. Frederic and Heinrich showed a mix of suspicion, anger, and what he identified with a measure of satisfaction as fear. Harrison and Liam, meanwhile, seemed more thoughtful. The older knight and common soldier both appeared far more willing to think outside of the lines when it came to things such as what Isolde spoke of. ¡°What Isolde says is true.¡± Romulus said before anyone thought to interrupt him. ¡°I came to Blackstone not to conquer, but to uplift. This city has long had a presence acting as a smother to the souls of those within, but that is merely a consequence of injustice. The Dark Lady was betrayed and imprisoned, and Death imbalanced with the act. Now that she is free she sent me here to the former seat of her power to put things back to rights.¡± He fixed his eyes on Heinrich seeing the smaller monk swallow back words as he paled further. ¡°Solarius and his ilk would see you all bowed and constrained by archaic beliefs in absolute good and evil, and following the dictates of an arrogant blowhard more interested in his own popularity than the good of his faithful. He would control how you act and how you live with no benefit beyond arbitrary and empty words of protection.¡± Heinrich finally started to bristle, and Romulus fed mana to his Aura of Darkness. The Monk let out something akin to a muted whine and said nothing while Romulus noticed the other three adopting expressions in varying levels of mild discomfort. ¡°You said you had an offer, Revenant-King?¡± Liam prompted in a diplomatic voice. ¡°Join me. Isolde has sworn fealty to me, and by her own words her father¡¯s authority is now mine. I have taken fully half his Wardens as my own and the rest are surely soon to follow.¡± Romulus looked between them as he spoke, noting the guarded nature of Liam¡¯s features, the consideration on Harrison¡¯s, the suspicion on Frederic¡¯s, and the fear and loathing on Heinrich¡¯s. ¡°The only hurdle remaining outside of your forces here is the King¡¯s garrison¡­ but why die for a monarch you have neither attachment nor sentiment toward? Oaths are powerful things, but only when made properly. This city is mine by right and as such your oaths of fealty to the Duke must transfer with them.¡± ¡°My father is no longer with us.¡± Isolde confirmed from beside him. ¡°And as his only living heir, I have given my fealty to the Revenant-King. If you hold true to your oaths to my bloodline, then the man before you is your legal and rightful liege.¡± ¡°Preposterous!¡± Frederic spat out at last. ¡°Absolute tripe! You expect us to just blindly put our faith in this insanity?! Lady Argent is clearly bewitched, and from the sounds of it, you¡¯ve murdered His Grace the Duke! We will never allow such¡ª!¡± ¡°Hold your tongue, Sir Frederic!¡± Liam cut in harshly. The thunder of his voice silenced the younger knight immediately and Frederic¡¯s face paled in fear. Heinrich looked mutinous as well, but appeared to know better than to try to interject. Liam, it seemed, was no Solarian patsy. ¡°But Sir Liam, I¡ª!¡± ¡°I said hold your tongue!¡± The older knight growled again. This time the younger man pressed his lips together and said nothing, averting his gaze from all of them. Romulus focused on the General as he turned back to them. ¡°What you say gives me much to consider.¡± Sir Liam said with candour. ¡°I take my oaths seriously, and regardless of your forbidding presence; I know Lady Isolde when I see her. I am old enough to have known her parents in their youth and I see much of her mother in the ferocity of her gaze ¡ª changed though it might be. Nonetheless I must consider your words carefully, and consult with my compatriots. Would you be willing to grant me leave to do so?¡± ¡°I would.¡± Romulus said immediately. ¡°But only a brief respite, Knight-General. I am not interested in being stalled.¡± ¡°I understand, Your Grace.¡± Sir Liam said with a nod. ¡°Would one hour be agreeable?¡± ¡°Hector¡¯s detachment has yet to engage the Garrison.¡± Mortarius said from beside him, glancing at Zerachiel a moment before he did so. Romulus took on a contemplative stance while listening to Mortarius speak, to give the impression he was mulling Liam¡¯s request. ¡°Even when they do meet the conversation there will be at least ten minutes for the sake of proper conduct. You have the time, as long as it isn¡¯t pushed beyond the hour allotted. It will also show you to be quite reasonable.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Romulus said to Sir Liam a moment after Mortarius finished. ¡°One hour, and no less. I trust the System¡¯s timekeeping will suffice?¡± ¡°It shall.¡± The Knight-General agreed. ¡°I shall return an hour hence, or sooner if the fates are good. At that time, we shall decide if there is to be a battle here.¡± ¡°Go with my hopes that such won¡¯t be the case then Sir Liam.¡± Romulus responded with as much charisma as he could produce. ¡°I await what I hope to be good news for both of us.¡± ¡°Good luck Sir Liam.¡± Isolde said from his side. ¡°Thank you Your Majesty, Lady Isolde.¡± The large knight said, before turning and motioning the other three to fall in with him. Harrison inclined his head respectfully and turned to follow Liam, having been silently contemplative throughout the exchange. Sir Frederic glared at them all before following, and finally Heinrich turned to join them ¡ª but not without a parting statement. ¡°You cannot defeat my God heretics.¡± He said with fervent belief. ¡°Even if you take a small victory here, the Legions of the Light are endless. He will see you destroyed, and your foul Goddess chained once more.¡± ¡°He will certainly try.¡± Romulus responded simply as the monk departed, and filed away the fact that Heinrich had known something of Lilith¡¯s imprisonment. Perhaps there was a greater complicity to Solarius¡¯ actions within the Church than he¡¯d first suspected. Romulus turned to his companions when the natives had departed and immediately looked to Isolde. ¡°Liam seems like an absolute giga chad.¡± He said without thinking about it. The look of bewilderment on her face that had reflected on the others made him realise his mistake quickly. ¡°Slang.¡± He said with an apologetic smile and mental admonishment for breaking character. He¡¯d been very careful with staying ¡®true to the environment¡¯ until his excitement had overtaken his sense. ¡°But in essence, the Knight-General appears to be someone I find myself immediately respecting. He¡¯s intelligent, rational, and clearly understands how to conduct himself with dignity. In my world he¡¯d be considered someone out of a heroic storybook.¡± ¡°Sir Liam is well-known for his honour and integrity.¡± Victor agreed from Isolde¡¯s side. ¡°If these ¡®giga chads¡¯ you speak of are as honourable as you infer Your Majesty, then I would also agree that Sir Liam would be among their number.¡± Romulus fought to keep his expression neutral as he nodded his agreement, and pondered whether or not he¡¯d just unleashed very unfortunate vernacular upon Eternus. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Sir Liam won¡¯t allow deliberations to take more than the hour agreed.¡± Isolde said on the heels of Victor¡¯s statement. ¡°He also won¡¯t delay beyond the point of decision. In the end it¡¯s his call, but if he wants to cede authority to you my King, he will need his subordinates on-board.¡± ¡°That man already made up his mind.¡± Zerachiel intoned in his deep bass. ¡°It was in his eyes. He chose to believe the Inquisitor was who she was before her Kiss and he thus is bound to adhere to her words. If his officers concur with his assessment Sire, you will have this army as your own.¡± ¡°If that happens, then taking Blackstone will be far easier and holding it far less taxing.¡± Romulus said with a nod. ¡°People will always respond better to familiarity than anything else. Your Shades General, are not my idea of a proper peacekeeping force even ignoring your limited manifestation.¡± ¡°On that we agree, my King.¡± Zerachiel replied with a nod. ¡°My soldiers are formidable, but they are weapons of war not peacekeepers. You will need the native population on your side to secure this place as your own in truth.¡± ¡°Your part in restoring it will help.¡± Isolde added a moment later. ¡°The people are not blind. They saw the System message, saw the light from the Necropolis, and saw you marching out from it. They know that the reshaping of this place, and the wonders it brought are by your hand. Only a fool or liar would say otherwise and Blackstone has never tolerated either for long.¡± ¡°And what of when I rename this city?¡± Romulus asked with a curious glance. ¡°Will they still appreciate it then?¡± ¡°That is the privilege of rule.¡± Isolde responded confidently. ¡°You may dictate a city¡¯s identity any way in which you desire, if it is yours to be dictated.¡± ¡°You will have use of my forces for three more days yet, Sire.¡± Zerachiel said thereafter. ¡°There are of course ways to extend our presence¡­ but in such a circumstance I fear you would be sacrificing more than you would be willing to pay.¡± Romulus raised an eyebrow at the Shade but chose not to probe further, and instead turned to where Sir Liam stood surrounded by his subordinates. He noticed Heinrich and Sir Frederic talking by themselves a little bit away from the group and shuffled that away in his mind. He¡¯d need to keep an open eye on the two of them. ¡°All we can do now is wait.¡± Isolde said into the contemplative silence. ¡°And hope that they make the smart decision.¡± Romulus nodded and stepped away from his company. When nobody followed him, for which he was thankful, he turned his back to them and spoke instead to Mortarius while looking up at the boiling storm clouds. ¡°How did you know that Hector hadn¡¯t engaged?¡± ¡°Zerachiel is connected to all the other Shades.¡± Mortarius answered simply. ¡°He and I can speak both outwardly and inwardly.¡± That confirmed one of Romulus¡¯ suspicions at least. ¡°I could probably discover the same through my Warmaster interface, I¡¯d assume?¡± ¡°You could.¡± Mortarius agreed. ¡°Though again, now is a poor time to begin experimenting. You cannot simply play around with it and hope. One wrong order or incorrect deployment and you will kill your own forces as surely as the enemy¡¯s blades.¡± ¡°I understand. I take it I¡¯ll need to use non-lethal wargames to gain a proper understanding of its use?¡± ¡°That would be ideal, yes. The Shades would make fine proxies for that after all is said and done.¡± Romulus nodded and stroked Lightsbane¡¯s hilt, to which the Runeblade offered a thrum of appreciation and eagerness. It at least was hoping that the Blackstone forces didn¡¯t see reason. Bloodthirsty sword. The inherent loyalty of its responses was more than endearing enough that he didn¡¯t really mind though. ¡°What did Zerachiel mean by extending the Shades¡¯ presence?¡± ¡°The Well.¡± Mortarius said immediately. ¡°If you sacrifice three lives for each Shade, you could in theory make them permanent residents of this plane, tied to your own life force or to the Well. The problem of course, is that they require constant fuel to sustain their corporeal bodies. When actively at war it is not a terrible idea since they can use your slain enemies as sustenance. When not engaged in constant combat however¡­¡± ¡°They use me or the Well.¡± Romulus concluded with a sigh. ¡°Correct.¡± ¡°I would estimate over three thousand Shades to be no small level of drain on resources.¡± ¡°Correct again.¡± Mortarius said with a nod. ¡°It would cripple the Well or cripple you. Either one is not worth what you gain, no matter how prolific they are as soldiers.¡± ¡°Something for emergencies then.¡± He frowned as he thought it over. ¡°It seems odd to impose such a great cost on attaining permanency for each of them and then make their presence unsustainable.¡± ¡°Balance.¡± Mortarius said simply. ¡°Even Gods have rules they must follow, and the Shades fall under divine purview. The Dark Lady rarely speaks of her Father, but it is He that imposed the laws that govern the Six. All I know is that His rules are more or less immutable.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Romulus said as he turned toward the Blackstone forces. Mortarius fell silent after that, and Romulus was content to let him do so. His eyes flickered to the System-clock in his top right, and he noted only ten minutes had passed. He suppressed a sigh as he turned back to his companions and started walking, hand idly stroking along Lightsbane¡¯s hilt. He had given them an hour, and an hour he would wait. The time would not be wasted. The moment he rejoined the others he called for their attention. Then he started to plan. ? ? ? ? ? The hour passed quickly while Romulus and his companions spoke, and when the five minute mark arrived his HUD pinged to alert him. As his eyes noted the time he turned to look to where Sir Liam stood with his subordinates still. As if also alerted by the System, the older Knight finally slashed his hand down to cut off what appeared to be an emphatic argument from Sir Frederic and another of the Knights, with Heinrich lurking behind them. At the Knight-General¡¯s gesture the two knights seemed to subside in their arguments and stalked away with Heinrich in tow. It wasn¡¯t hard to see the physical details, though Romulus found his enhanced hearing was not quite up to the task of discerning the disagreement. He could suspect its nature however, and that gave him a surge of relief: Sir Liam would be choosing an option that infuriated Frederic, which meant good news for Romulus and his companions. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡± Isolde said from his left, drawing the attention of the rest of the group as Sir Liam turned toward them. Once again it was Harrison, Sir Frederic, and Heinrich that accompanied him. The latter two however seemed to do so with faces of controlled calm. Perhaps it could even be called resignation. Another good sign. Romulus relaxed his hand on Lightsbane¡¯s hilt and stood at what he believed to be a casual parade rest as Liam approached with his compatriots, and came to a halt a polite distance away. ¡°Knight-General. I take it you have come to a decision?¡± Isolde prompted. ¡°We have, my lady.¡± Sir Liam replied. ¡°After discussion, it has been decided that the path ahead of us is clear: Our oaths compel our adherence to proper procedure, and in this case, the fealty owed to the man you call the Revenant-King.¡± Romulus glanced at Heinrich while Liam spoke, noting the look of focus on the monk¡¯s face as he stared at something beyond Romulus. The man must have been hating his new reality, to look so intently at all of nothing. ¡°These are glad tidings, Sir Liam.¡± Isolde said with clear happiness. ¡°It will be an honour to have you at our¡­¡± ¡°Something is wrong.¡± Mortarius muttered from Romulus¡¯ side as Isolde spoke. A glance at his predecessor showed a look of concern on the wraith¡¯s features. ¡°What is it?¡± Romulus murmured as Isolde and Liam continued to speak. ¡°I can feel Light-aspected mana weaving around us. It¡¯s faint and subtle¡­ Enough that I can only sense it given my nature as a former Avatar. I doubt even Zerachiel can fully feel it, but it¡¯s there. The Monk is doing something.¡± ¡°Then we need to stop¡ª¡± A sudden burst of light cut off Romulus, and before he could react, he heard Isolde cry out and the sound of Zerachiel snarling. When his vision cleared, Zerachiel stood with his blade impaled in Sir Liam¡¯s chest, Harrison was face-down on the ground bleeding from his back, and Victor had his sword locked with Sir Frederic¡¯s own, which was already bloody. Confusion and suspicion dominated Romulus¡¯ mind, until Heinrich¡¯s voice filled the area. ¡°The traitors have broken the truce! Sir Liam has been slain! We are betrayed!¡± ¡°What the fuck happened?!¡± Romulus demanded as Heinrich and Frederic raced back toward the Blackstone lines, where troops were blowing horns and shouting frantic orders to ready their forces. ¡°Sir Liam drew a sword and attacked Lady Isolde.¡± Victor said with clear confusion and anger. ¡°But it was strange¡­ He wasn¡¯t holding a sword after the General impaled him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Isolde said as she knelt next to the wounded Knight-General. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡­ Didn¡¯t¡­¡± The wounded man gasped, eyes darting between them rapidly as blood filled his lungs and bubbled on his lips. ¡°Illusion magic.¡± Mortarius said from beside Romulus as they watched, drawing Zerachiel¡¯s attention as well. ¡°That must have been what I sensed. Solarius¡¯ domain is Light, which lends itself to illusion among other schools of magic. Brother Heinrich could easily have crafted a convincing illusion visible only to those of us here.¡± Romulus¡¯ eyes widened at the final point, and he cursed internally as he looked over Liam¡¯s wounded form. ¡°It was illusion magic.¡± He said out loud while grinding his teeth. ¡°The monk used fucking illusions to trick us into thinking Sir Liam attacked, but let his forces see the actual reality. It must have looked as if Zerachiel attacked completely unprovoked.¡± ¡°That motherless son of a whore!¡± Victor swore. Leaving aside the contradiction of the insult, Romulus glanced back at the Blackstone forces. ¡°We can¡¯t do anything about it now. Grab Sir Liam and Harrison, and we¡¯ll head back to our lines.¡± ¡°You want to take them with us?¡± Zerachiel asked in surprise. ¡°Sir Liam was clearly prepared to follow his honour, and me by extension.¡± Romulus replied firmly. He had seen the cost of wasting such men in too many novels, shows, and movies to repeat the mistake. ¡°As for Harrison, he¡¯s been stabbed in the back. If nothing else, that tells me he may have been less-than-amenable to the betrayal.¡± His voice firmed to one of authoritative dictation. ¡°Take them with us. We¡¯re going now.¡± No more argument followed and the group bid a hasty retreat toward the Shades, whose formation resembled a mix between a greek phalanx and a roman testudo with a front line of interlocked and layered shields and lowered spears, while the back lines held their own shields up to divert incoming arrow fire. When Romulus and his companions approached the line the spectral warriors smoothly parted to let them in, before flowing back into formation behind them. Sir Liam and Harrison were handed off to two of the Dark Templars while Romulus turned to Zerachiel. ¡°The battle is yours. I¡¯m out of my depth right now. I already gave you my thoughts while we were waiting. I trust you to execute them if or how you feel necessary.¡± Zerachiel gave him an appraising look and then graced him with the ghost of a smile. ¡°Humility, wisdom, and ruthlessness all encompassed in one so young. Very well my King, I will stand as your General in truth and not name alone.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve had to do the latter beforehand?¡± Romulus asked before he could stop himself. ¡°When I lived, I served your predecessor.¡± Zerachiel said with a glance at Mortarius, who studiously ignored him. ¡°I am not too arrogant to admit that I was outclassed.¡± Romulus took care to remember that statement as he glanced at the impassive visage of his spectral mentor. After a moment of consideration he nodded. ¡°Then I will endeavour to surpass that example in honour of your compliments, General.¡± ¡°I have no doubt you will Sire.¡± The Shade replied with finality before bowing and turning away to begin barking commands. ¡°You know what has to be done.¡± Mortarius said before anyone else could interrupt. ¡°The Dark Faith is about strength at its core. No Revenant-King worth Her love can stand behind others in such times. In future you will have to take a more measured approach to the prosecution of war, but now is not one of those times. It is time to be more than just another eloquent monarch. More than a charismatic leader.¡± ¡°I have to show them.¡± Romulus concurred. ¡°You have to show everyone what it means to face a Revenant-King in battle.¡± ¡°For Her.¡± ¡°For yourself.¡± Mortarius said with finality. Romulus understood what he meant. Even now part of him questioned whether he could really do what he needed to. For all that he¡¯d thrown himself into the ¡®role¡¯ Eternus had given him, there was a part of him that was still the twenty-three year old history major from Earth. He¡¯d never done more than the usual schoolyard scuffles and those were poor comparison to a real fight. He had to smother the doubts and the only way he could was by definitively proving to himself that they had no basis in truth. At least not here, not where he had come to be more than he could on Earth. He¡¯d wanted to seize adventure like the humans of old. Now was his chance. ¡°Isolde!¡± Romulus called as he turned and found her already at his side and waiting patiently. ¡°I am here my King.¡± She answered calmly. ¡°Bring me to Liam.¡± He said levelly. ¡°I have something I must do before this battle starts in earnest.¡± ¡°We only have minutes at best.¡± She warned. ¡°It will do.¡± He said. ¡°Take me. Now.¡± She complied and Romulus followed her as the first horns began to sound. Chapter 16: The Raging Storm Romulus stood between two Dark Templars one line back from the front of his forces¡¯ formation, watching the advance of the Blackstone forces as analytically as he could. The final formation that Zerachiel had decided upon relied on the natural walls provided by the closely-built buildings ringing the area to protect against flanking attacks, with the front line of tower-shields interlocked for bracing. Each shield had a small, half-moon gap of metal cut out on the right side, just large enough for the Shades to slot their spears in without difficulty. He would¡¯ve given his left arm for a line of solid pikemen instead of medium spears, but that was a consideration for the future. Whoever had assumed command of the oncoming men-at-arms had realised the pointlessness of sending their heavy cavalry against such a formation, and had instead resorted to trying to find a gap in the shields through endless waves of arrows. Against most armies, the eventual attrition associated with constantly absorbing arrow impacts would have resulted in inevitable casualties. Against an army of tireless, reanimated warrior spirits the effect was laughable. The formation from front to back resembled some monstrous, gargantuan hedgehog with the amount of arrows lodged within the obsidian tower shields¡­ and not a single Shade had fallen to the volleys. One of the advantages to his HUD was that it mapped out the distance between him and a target he focused on passively, which allowed him to track the exact metreage of the approaching soldiers as they encroached. The little 50m icon ticking down to 49m had no right being as intimidating as it was. He had expected some sort of overwhelming sense of zen or game-deployed calming method to avoid being subjected to the nerves of being a twenty-three-year-old from the information age on the front lines of a classical battle. No such system seemingly existed, and it was all he could do to keep his face calm while his brain screamed at him to run like hell and not stop. ¡°I¡¯ve never been in a real battle before.¡± The Templar to Romulus¡¯ right said suddenly, her voice forcibly controlled. ¡°I never thought my first time would be against my own bloody people. No offense meant Sire, I just never expected¡­¡± Romulus glanced over at her as the range fell to 42m. ¡°It¡¯s my first battle too.¡± He said quietly. ¡°And I have to agree, the whole situation is outside the realm of my desires. I had hoped to unite with these soldiers and take the city for its own people, with its own people. Instead we find ourselves here.¡± ¡°Forgive me my boldness my King, but how can you be so¡­ calm?¡± ¡°A ruler can never show their weakness, Templar. Ours is to lead by example.¡± She tilted her head at his words, and he smiled at her conspiratorially in return. ¡°That does not mean I don¡¯t want to run like the wind. It simply means that our duty here, and what we¡¯re trying to achieve, is more compelling to me than my desire to flee, hollering at the top of my lungs about the insanity of war until the city is a speck on the horizon.¡± Mortarius snorted derisively at his side, but the Templar seemed to take courage from his honesty. Her eyes brightened beneath her conical helm, and she grinned at him. ¡°Thank you, Majesty. That was¡­.¡± She shook her head and turned back to the encroaching enemy. ¡°Thank you.¡± Romulus felt his own spirits buoyed by the exchange, and his right hand reached across his body to draw Lightsbane from its sheath. The blackened steel of the Revenant Runeblade seemed to darken the area around them further when it came free, and yet it appeared to have no negative impact on the two Templars with him. If anything, when their eyes darted to the weapon to consider it, they stood straighter and with more conviction. In his hand, Lightsbane pulsed a mix of excitement and encouragement. Romulus took strength from the sword¡¯s clear lack of doubt, and the while his desire to run had hardly evaporated it had become markedly easier ¡ª after voicing his feelings and embracing Lightsbane ¡ª to ignore it. A space of about two metres separated him from the front line of the formation and as the blackstone forces crossed the 15m mark of the advance, he heard and saw the Shades slam their shields down to brace against the cobbles, and bend into them as they prepared for the charge. The part that Romulus, the Templars, and the second line of Shades would play immediately became apparent as he joined the others in stepping closer and pressing his free hand against the back of the Shade before him. Even with the shields obfuscating most of his vision, he could hear the increase in pace as the blackstone soldiers ¡ª led by a line of heavily armoured ¡®shield-breaker¡¯ knights ¡ª advanced to a jog, and then to a sprint as they put on a burst of speed to close with the front ranks of the Shades. The steel of sabatons thundered against the stone under their feet, like the thud of a drumbeat. Thud. His heart beat in his chest. Thud. He drew in steady breaths as Mortarius had advised. Thud. He heard growls of anticipation across the lines as others prepared themselves. THUD. Lightsbane all but quivered in his hand in near-overwhelming excitement. Zerachiel¡¯s voice roared out over the noise. ¡°BRACE!¡± BOOM. The impact against the Shades nearly threw Romulus backwards, if not for the bracing positioning of his legs. Automatically, his shoulder pressed against the Shade before him to hold the immortal soldier in position as the shield-breakers slammed into the front line, and the sounds of roaring voices rose to an instant cacophony. From calm to insanity, the storm of war washed over both sides and the Shades bellowed their spectral defiance in the same vein as the blackstone forces howled their aggression. Romulus felt his pulse racing in response to the atmosphere, and something awakening inside of him as he smelled the coppery tang of blood in the air. His throat burned subtly, and he felt suddenly like a man in need of water after a long day under the summer sun. His grip on Lightsbane tightened as he prepared for the next phase, and he was barely aware of his fangs subtly elongating as he grit his teeth. The Shades of the front line adjusted their footing as the line stabilised, holding themselves coiled and ready for what was to come. Romulus knew his part well, and stepped forward just behind the Shade before him, standing on the man¡¯s flank. Seconds passed as the shield-breakers sought to smash apart the stubborn formation, and then Zerachiel¡¯s thunderous voice once more penetrated the madness of the virgin conflict. ¡°PUSH!¡± As one the Shades of the shieldwall threw themselves forward with a collective roar of determination, shoving back the shield-breakers in a long line of power before raising the shields upward and stabbing out with their spears. Romulus and the others of the second line took that moment, stepping forward and sighting their targets as the Shades injured or killed others. Romulus himself picked a staggering Knight, the man¡¯s own height a head shorter than his own. With the haze of war overriding his balking inner self, he hefted Lightsbane and rammed it into the other man¡¯s chest. The Runeblade punched through the Knight¡¯s steel like it were paper, and Romulus felt the sword drive in deep and out the other side. Realising his weapon was now stuck inside an enemy, Romulus instinctively pulled on the sword. His inexperience however meant that he also pulled the blade upward as well as back, and while a normal weapon might have been wedged or stuck at such an action, Lightsbane was no normal blade. Romulus staggered as a result when Lightsbane arced upward and bisected the knight from sternum to skull, spraying blood and viscera in the act and causing more than one nearby combatant to momentarily freeze in stunned horror at the sight. The moment the hot fluid of the now-dead warrior¡¯s body hit Romulus¡¯ face, he felt something pulse inside of him. It rang him like a gong. He felt as if his entire body were vibrating with energy, and before he knew what was happening he threw himself into the melee. Shouts for him to fall back fell on deaf ears as Romulus, face contorted into a rictus snarl of bloodlust, threw himself upon a man in boiled leather with linked discs of steel on his hauberk. The smaller soldier backpedaled as he approached, but it meant nothing. Aided by the speed and power of Lilith¡¯s gift, he was upon the soldier in moments and Lightsbane seemed to hum with delight as it cut through the air to open the man from shoulder to hip. Instead of stepping back, Romulus seized the screaming man by the hauberk and pulled him forward. The battle raged around him relentlessly, and in response to his reckless charge the Shades had ended up throwing themselves forward. What had been intended as an ordered, whittling phalanx had devolved into a vicious skirmish between both sides. Romulus barely noticed, however. Instead his eyes were fixed upon the throbbing vein in the man¡¯s neck, which seemed to sing out to him with every pulse of the dying soldier¡¯s heart. He didn¡¯t even notice the fist weakly battering at him, the sword it once held long-since dropped from weakening fingers. Something bestial and alien took a hold of him, something both terrible and glorious, and Romulus couldn¡¯t find it in himself to care. He embraced it. He embraced the manner with which it washed away his subconscious horror and revulsion at what he¡¯d done. He embraced the way it soothed the mortal desire to throw up at the smells of exposed organs, fear-loosened bladders and death-loosened bowels. His heartbeat synchronised almost automatically with that of the dying man. His senses sharpened in. His focus narrowed, all else rendered moot as his entire world reduced to himself, and the throbbing artery before him. Nothing else mattered. He embraced the Wrath within him, and his elongated fangs stabbed messily into the screaming soldier¡¯s neck. The moment the mortal man¡¯s blood hit his palate, Romulus felt himself shiver in ecstasy. A primal and animalistic growl of satisfaction left him, and the nascent Avatar felt his thirst abate as he greedily supped from the punctured flesh of his foe. Power and vitality filled him like an elixir, spreading through his body like tangible energy as he felt the life drain from the morsel in his grip. The moment the man¡¯s heart stopped beating, Romulus instinctively dropped him to the cobbles. Blood coated his mouth and chin, coated his neck, coated his dark plate. He couldn¡¯t find it in himself to care. Lightsbane sung its approval in his hand, and Romulus narrowed his eyes upon the battlefield. His own soldiers fought around him, and he felt himself wanting. He felt himself needing. The song of unbridled bloodlust within him demanded he take action, and he had neither the desire nor the capability to stand against its siren calling. He was vaguely aware of Lightsbane feeling stronger in his hand, of his armour feeling just slightly more flexible and durable in equal measure. How he knew these things mattered not. What mattered was the thirst. Abandon reason. The bloodlust filling him seemed to whisper. Know only Wrath. Romulus listened. All thoughts of retreat or caution fled from his mind, and a shade of crimson overlaid his vision. A System alert directed his attention, if only for a moment, to what appeared to be a jagged rune glowing red next to his health bar. For some reason, rage seemed to seep from that icon. He had just enough lucidity to read its details on a cursory whim.
STATUS EFFECT
You have been Anointed by the Primal Sin Wrath.
What little capacity he had for reason faded rapidly as the words, especially the burning red letters of the Sin itself; seared themselves into his mind. Romulus fell into his primordial abandon, and his lips spread in a savage snarl as he bellowed his rage against those before him. With all hesitation abandoned in the face of an enemy he could sink his fangs into, Romulus charged. The first foe he faced was adorned in steel, and wielded a massive claymore with both hands. Lightsbane arced up as he closed with the shorter knight, and where the runeblade struck silvery steel the colossal weapon stopped dead. Romulus felt his strength straining against the blow, and something deep within told him that he should not have been able to stop the strike so easily. Not that it mattered. A growl of primal fury pulled itself from his throat and he pressed the attack immediately, stepping into the knight¡¯s guard and slamming his head recklessly against the conical helm the blackstone warrior wore. Heedless of the health that vanished from his own bar at the damage incurred, Romulus pressed against the claymore with Lightsbane and slammed his forehead into his foe¡¯s helmet once more, leaving a small red stain and staggering the knight in the same breath. A trickle of blood trailed down into his right eye, but Romulus blinked through it without concern. On instinct he pulled his blade away from the momentarily disoriented enemy combatant and flicked his left hand up to take the rivulets of vitae on his fingers, tapping into his Sanguimancy skill and morphing the globules of his own life essence into a pair of thin, long needles. Before the knight could properly react, Romulus speared these through the gap of his foe¡¯s helmet and into his eyes. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. A scream of agony erupted from under the helmet, and Romulus pressed his advantage with bloodthirsty ferocity. He dropped under a reckless swing of the claymore and snapped up Lightsbane as he rose in the aftermath, severing the knight¡¯s wrists at the gauntlets and sending viscera, hands, and blade flying away. The maimed warrior stepped back in pained shock, and Romulus took the chance to grab his opponent¡¯s helmet, and with a surge of blood-frenzied strength tore it from the other man¡¯s head. Flesh and hair came away with the hastily removed piece of armour, tearing strips from the warrior¡¯s face and part of his ear to boot. The young man screamed like he¡¯d been jabbed with a hot poker, but Romulus felt nothing for his wails. No pity. No remorse. Not even a shred of regret. His right hand planted Lightsbane into the man¡¯s foot, and his left hand gripped his remaining full ear to pull him forward. Another scream tore from the knight¡¯s throat, and blood ran from Romulus¡¯ gripping fist. Uncaring of the young warrior¡¯s pain, the Avatar of Darkness swooped down and tore into the human¡¯s throat with an addict¡¯s zeal, shuddering in pleasure at the warm surge of blood flooding his gullet a moment later. The screaming knight went rigid at the bite, and his body seemed to weaken immediately. His throat-rending cries turned to feeble whining, and some buried part of Romulus¡¯ awareness released him just before he died. For a moment, the blinded man seemed to think he¡¯d been spared. Then Lightsbane was rammed into his chest, his soul was greedily consumed, and he knew only darkness. Even before the final death rattle left the corpse-husk¡¯s lips Romulus was already moving. The battle had become a buffet, and he was the exacting connoisseur. Amplified savagery and bestial rage drove him onward, and a red haze of wrath covered everything in his vision. Had he the awareness to notice, he¡¯d have seen Mortarius watching him quietly, a look of mild concern on his proud features. From the knight to a hauberk-adorned footman, and then onward to a city guardswoman. Romulus tore from target to target, heedless of gender, armament, or equipment. A blade through the ribs, a hammerblow to the chest, even a spear to the thigh. His wounds built as fast as they were regenerated by the life essence he stole from each subsequent foe. A fist the size of his head tore the flesh from his cheek, a pair of axes bit into his breastplate, and a gargantuan foot crushed three of his toes¡­ only for each wound, and the damage to his runeplate to be mended by the colossal amount of vitality and essence drained from the towering warrior¡¯s body barely two minutes later. Onward and undeterred he cut, stabbed, and tore; ripping and tearing through the mass of mortal enemies like a demon from Earth myth given form. No gentle beast nor self-loathing immortal; a Vampire Prince from the darkest legends of both worlds, given purpose and power by the Goddess he had freed from her unjust imprisonment. He was the icon of judgement for a deity scorned, and brought with him the fury and rage of his eternal mistress. Dark Templars fought fiercely to stay with him as he cut deeper and deeper into the ranks of the men-at-arms, following the carnage he left in his wake with a mixture of grim comprehension and growing fervour. He had made no promises to them of mercy or gentle dealings. He had promised them no mercy to the enemies of their new goddess, and their new King had proven himself as good as his word. Where others saw a monster out of nightmare, they saw the incarnation of divine judgement. They saw the Avatar of Darkness, and the terrible price of opposing his mission. It wasn¡¯t until Romulus cut his way through yet another knight eight ranks deep within the blackstone forces that he at last was given pause. Not by fear or reason, or dawning realisation at the gruesome trail of soulless corpses he¡¯d left in his blood splattered wake. Instead it was the sight of a golden sunburst, burning in his gaze like a beacon of focus amid a sea of irrelevancies that was the cause of his suddenly arrested motion. The cessation of his advance also served to allow Victor and four of his Templars to catch up to him, each one panting and covered in blood. Most of it was from their foes. Most of it, but not all. ¡°My King?¡± Victor asked between panting for breath, his blade planted against the blood-slicked cobbles beside the vivisected corpse of Romulus¡¯ latest opponent, her sightless eyes staring hollowly at the Templar¡¯s blackened-steel boot. ¡°Why have you¡­?¡± The Dark Templar trailed off when his eyes found Heinrich and Frederic beside him, and a growl of anger left his lips. From within the depths of his rage, Romulus managed to find the ability to reply to the Templar for the first time in what seemed like minutes and hours equally. ¡°The Solarian is mine.¡± He had no idea how long he¡¯d been fighting, but the furnace of hatred inside of him cared little for something so irrelevant as time. All that mattered in that moment was the taste of hot blood on his tongue, and the satisfaction of the hunt before him. ¡°You may have the accomplice.¡± ¡°It will be my sincere pleasure, Your Majesty.¡± Victor replied fiercely as he turned to his Templars. ¡°Ensure nobody interferes! Justice will be done, for all those that have died for their duplicity, and for an end to Solarian lies!¡± The Dark Templars snarled their approval, but Romulus barely heard them. His world had once more compressed inward, narrowed to a single focus: Heinrich Ziegler. He started forward with purpose, Lightsbane gripped in his right hand and dark mana searing and freezing its way through his veins. He wrestled it to his will every second of his existence. He forced it to adhere to him, lest it run wild and rampant and obliterate him on the spot. There could be no weakness, no moment of hesitation when wielding the essence of the Dark: Only strength. Only power. Only domination. It was both part of him and separate. Both his own blood and its own power. Shattering rivers of ice, collapsing mountains of fire, and pain and pleasure equal to nothing he¡¯d ever known made up the corrupting and addictive nature of that which was the essence of the Dark. It was more wonderful, more terrible, and more potent than any drug or compound ever imagined by humanity. It was his salvation and his damnation in this new and dangerous world. It was part of him forever, melded and fused with his own lifeblood in Eternus. ¡°HEINRICH!¡± Romulus bellowed as he approached, lifting Lightsbane in preparation. Heinrich¡¯s reaction was far more pleasurable than anything that had come before. ? ? ? ? ? Heinrich Ziegler was a man of faith. He was a man of principle, who had risen to his position within the Order of the Gilded Chalice with dedication, piety, and immense amounts of hard work. He had learned the deepest secrets of the Solarian Faith, and he had found nothing to sway his fervour in the God of Light. If anything he had only reacted with awe at the sheer brilliance of the deity¡¯s deft guidance of mortals. Where others might have seen manipulation or arrogance, Heinrich saw and understood necessity. Salvation was not a business of gentle touches and patient nudging. To save the many, sometimes the few had to be destroyed. The greater good had been his guiding light for the years of service he¡¯d given the Church, and he had regretted it not once. He had burned cultists, heretics, and unbelievers with equal impunity; purifying them in Solarius¡¯ light. He had committed over a dozen wytches and infidels to the God of Light¡¯s tender mercies, and been party to more than a dozen forays into the territories controlled by the lesser four deities. The following of those four was tolerated by his God, but only insofar as they understood Solarius to be the better of them all. Those that preached against such inviolable truth could not be tolerated. Heinrich understood that. Such instances of misguided rebellion against the One True Faith were, of course, why Crusades were needed. He understood that as easily and clearly as he¡¯d understood that Knight-General Liam Carstaire had become an enemy of all that was good and holy the moment he¡¯d even entertained the notion of kneeling to a servant of Evil. No matter what his accolades and irrelevant of his seemingly unimpugnable honour, the Knight-General had been mere moments from bringing damnation to all of Blackstone. The fact that he was also ensuring a far weaker resistance to the faithful, Solarius-endorsed King¡¯s inevitable reclamation of Blackstone, and disposal of its stubborn and increasingly separatist colonial leaders had merely been a bonus. Thus it was that Heinrich pulled aside the young Sir Frederic, and in the act showed him as well the value of the greater good and all that it entailed. Despite his misgivings and nerves, young Sir Frederic had agreed, and with a deft hand had executed the heretical Harrison for his support of Sir Liam¡¯s mad ideas of capitulation to a dangerous heretic. All had gone precisely as planned, and the dark forces arrayed against Solarius¡¯ faithful were properly engaged in righteous conflict. Which left the question, of course, of why. Why despite all his faith, confidence, and iron resolve he was frozen. Why despite all his careful planning and unshakable belief he was utterly immobile. Why he felt nothing so much as bone-deep, blood-curdling, heart-stopping terror at the sight that held his gaze. The heretics¡¯ leader stood afield of him, attired in that forbidding plate and wielding a blade that seemed to project a darkness colder and blacker than the darkest of nights. His body was coated in viscera, wearing crimson fluid upon it like a cloak of hellish glory. The worked skulls on his knees and atop his forearms were disturbingly absent any stains, and shone silver in the unnatural light that illuminated the city. His mouth, his chin, his neck¡­ The sheer amount of blood staining the silver-haired man¡¯s features was stomach-churning, and his eyes. Heinrich swallowed and felt himself shiver as he looked into the man¡¯s eyes. A red beyond any shade he could describe that seemed to shine with dark purpose, framed by the thorns of moonlight silver that threaded throughout the scarlet hue of his irises. An almost imperceptible aura of the same red hung around the towering, silver-haired warrior¡¯s person. Heinrich doubted anyone but him could see it. It would take someone truly in touch with the divine to see such a thing, and someone powerful to divine its purpose. He only knew of one such thing that matched what he saw. One such aural effect that even had a chance of measuring up to the sheer, unbridled hatred that seemed to dwell in that cloak of power. Wrath. The Primal Sin of War, Brutality, and Conquest. ¡°It¡¯s not possible.¡± He muttered without realising as he stepped backward, and felt his control over his bladder turn tenuous. Heinrich tried to summon the power of the Light, to infuse himself with Solarius¡¯ radiance. He failed. Fear overrode all sense of self or faith. Terror overwhelmed all the discipline he¡¯d accrued during his life of service to the Church and Order of the Gilded Chalice. He felt his fingers spasm outside of his control and he gripped his hands together, his heart thundering in his chest. A smile on the monster¡¯s face. Slow and deliberate, with as much warmth as a winter blizzard. Savage. Merciless. Predatory. ¡°Stay back!¡± Heinrich shouted as he stumbled backward. No reply came from the demon-anointed murderer that approached him, his terrible blade held almost casually in the blood-soaked grip of his right gauntlet. ¡°I¡ªI am a faithful servant of Solarius! You cannot do this! I am p¡ªprotected!¡± Still he came onward amid drops of crimson fluid, staining the cobbles red as his tongue slowly and deliberately licked at the coppery liquid staining his too-perfect lips, and flashed his fangs in the act. A Vampire! Of course! Desperately Heinrich lifted his right hand, and with all the resolve he could muster surrendered to the tidal current of Light Mana. He opened himself to it, and gave himself to the flow while welcoming that ocean of calm power to fill him like a willing cup. Warmth and peace radiated within him, bringing with it the rejuvenating caress of the Sun. It was uplifting. It was benevolence given form. How could anyone not see the glory of such pure, wonderful power? Heinrich focused as that energy surged within him, and with the courage it offered he guided it ¡ª one could no more command nor dominate the Light than stop the Sun from rising ¡ª gently to the centre of his palm. There it focused, and there with learned skill he unleashed a beam of Solarian Light at the advancing creature. He knew the legends for the truth they were! Sunlight was the bane of the Night¡¯s children, and Vampires were the greatest and similarly most vulnerable of the Dark Lady¡¯s fell creations. He felt a surge of hope as the beam of power bathed the monster, and the radiance of it banished him from view. He¡¯d done it! He¡¯d ended him! The threat was gone, and Blackstone could be saved and delivered to the King¡¯s Faithful hands. All that was left was to destroy the rest of the abominations plaguing the land, and all would be¡ª Heinrich¡¯s thoughts came to a screeching, terrible halt when he realised that a dark silhouette remained in the aftermath of the Solarian beam. A dark silhouette that, with a slice of a terrible blade, banished the remnants of the magical afterglow. It was impossible. It was impossible. He had used Solarian Light against the creature! No matter how powerful, no Vampire should have been able to survive a direct blast. Even with mitigations, for there to be no damage at all was¡­ It was¡­ The Monk didn¡¯t even notice his tenuous control over his bladder slip away, or fully notice the ebbing of the Light mana in his veins. He only had eyes and focus for the figure that finally came to a halt before him. Frederic¡¯s desperate shouts fell on ears that no longer had the capacity to process the words. His pleas for Heinrich to do something, anything, no longer held sway on a man who finally understood a basic truth. All the Faith in the world meant nothing, when confronted with Death itself. That was what he had opposed. That was what he had railed against. Death made manifest, come to claim Blackstone for its own. The Monk¡¯s body relaxed as the last of his resistance and the last eddies of strength abandoned him. He stared up into those merciless scarlet eyes, so filled with Wrath¡¯s own fire that they seemed like red-silver suns, and he knew. ¡°I am ready to die.¡± He said simply. ¡°I know.¡± Death¡¯s Avatar answered coldly. ¡°But that, in this instance, would be a mercy.¡± Heinrich felt fresh terror lance through him as the dark point of the Revenant-King¡¯s Runeblade was pointed at his heart. ¡°And I am out of mercy today.¡± The sword rammed itself home. Heinrich felt corrosive and destructive energy fill his body to bursting. Eyes that had been half-lidded in despair widened in realisation. Cruel feminine laughter filled the monk¡¯s ears. His soul screamed into the abyss, and Heinrich Ziegler knew no more. ? ? ? ? ? Far behind the battle¡¯s front lines, nestled at the rear of the Revenant-King¡¯s immortal army and guarded by a specially detached pair of Dark Templars and maniple of ten Shades; an armoured figure stirred upon the cobblestones. Awareness returned slowly as stiff fingers flexed with newfound strength, and life ¡ª fueled by a beautiful and terrible power ¡ª returned to a slain warrior. Newly blackened steel creaked as silvery chainmail jingled with motion, and two muscular arms elevated a willing body to its knees. A grunt of effort was followed by a steady inhale of air, and a lifting of once-handsome, now breathtaking mature features. Streaks the colour of liquid silver where once they had been faded grey threaded through martially cropped, rejuvenated hair. A smoothness of motion that defied human capability saw a towering frame rise to stand of a height with the watching spectre that was Zerachiel, and a wry smile form on lips that had only minutes earlier been twisted in shock and the realisation of death, albeit with a heavy hand of confusion. The wound that had caused such a fate was sealed by then, and the plate covering the once-shorn metal instead the proud bearer of an argent skull. Red pupils ever-so-faintly woven with silver streaks fixed upon the flaming green eyes of the Shades¡¯ General, and an empowered body settled itself into a remembered position of military ease. ¡°It seems you made your decision.¡± The massive Shade said calmly. ¡°So I did.¡± A once-mortal voice answered, its bass tones enhanced to hold a supernatural element of elegance, of finery to every syllable and each intonation. ¡°Would that I had known such would be made available to me at the time of my presumed death.¡± ¡°Destiny works as it wills, my lord. We are but riders upon one of its countless ships, sailing the waves of Fate.¡± A laugh was the reply, both deep and genuine. There was no hate to be found, only comprehension of necessity. They had all been duped, after all. ¡°How goes the battle?¡± ¡°Poorly. There will not be enough left of either side for the Revenant-King¡¯s objectives if it is not ended decisively, and soon.¡± A deep intake of air came before the response, which was delivered with a wry smile. ¡°Well then. I suppose it¡¯s time to show my new King the worth of his investment.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir Carstaire.¡± Zerachiel said to the newest and second member of Romulus¡¯ Midnight Court. ¡°That would be most appreciated.¡± The newly raised Death Knight grinned in response. ¡°Let¡¯s get to work, then.¡± Chapter 17: Eye of the Storm ¡°Romulus!¡± The voice went ignored as Romulus stalked toward yet another soldier from the Blackstone forces, Lightsbane humming hungrily in his grip as he closed in on the man, who was in the middle of a tense exchange with one of his Dark Templars. Before either could react, Romulus reached them and interceded in their exchange by gripping the Blackstone soldier by the back of his hauberk and wrenching him away from the Templar. Romulus sank his fangs into the man¡¯s neck, savouring the explosion of blood in his mouth for a few moments before ramming Lightsbane forward and upward to impale the unfortunate mortal¡¯s heart through his ribcage. A strangled and gurgling gasp of disbelief escaped the young soldier¡¯s lips, then Romulus released him to fall from Lightsbane¡¯s blade with his life force extinguished. The Templar offered a bow of the head in thanks when Romulus met her eyes, her head dipping respectfully, her eyes not quite meeting his. Even in the depths of his Wrath-driven battlerage he recognised her for an ally and managed a terse nod in return before turning away to pursue more. More carnage. More blood. More indulgence as the anointment that burned within him demanded. ¡°Romulus!¡± Again the voice called to him and this time Romulus felt a stirring of inclination to heed it. It was a voice he trusted, despite being new to him in the grand scheme of things. Perhaps it would be sensible to listen if only for a moment. The fury in him didn¡¯t like that idea at all but then it had loosened its hold over his reasoning at least somewhat after being exposed to the blast of Light that Heinrich had released. Something about the beam had been detoxifying, as if the infectious power within him had been partially washed away by its furore. He certainly hadn¡¯t taken any damage from it though he had the distinct impression that even with Lilith¡¯s gifts he should have felt something more than an irritation and warmth. His head turned as he regarded the source of the voice at last and fixed his burning gaze on Mortarius. The spectre¡¯s features were drawn in consternation and Romulus distantly noted that he had actually forgotten about his would-be mentor¡¯s existence in the red haze the status effect on him had induced. ¡°What is happening to you right now is part of something deeper and more profound than you realise. The wash of Light from the Solarian might have been a form of deliverance ironically enough.¡± A flare of rage flashed across Romulus¡¯ mind and he almost reached out to strike at Mortarius, though he no longer lacked that much control. It was a struggle not to, however, irrelevant of whether or not he actually could hurt his ghostly predecessor. ¡°I can see Wrath¡¯s influence in your eyes and I can see you fighting it. You need to fight harder. The Sins are part of the Dark realm but they are something older than even the Goddess Herself. Those powerful in the Dark Lady¡¯s power are often objects of their interest, and Her Avatars more than anyone.¡± The wraith¡¯s voice was firm as he met Romulus¡¯ gaze. Do not listen. His mind seemed to whisper. Reason is a prison. Embrace your Wrath. ¡°I know it whispers to you. You probably think it to be your own mind, but it isn¡¯t.¡± Mortarius stepped closer as the screams of the fighting and dying raged around them. They were a calm moment in an ocean of madness. ¡°The Sins are forces of nature, of the Soul. They are neither good nor evil, but they are primordial. They are consumed entirely by what they are and do not know restraint.¡± Mortarius met his gaze levelly. ¡°You must fight Wrath¡¯s hold on your mind or we will lose everything.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Abandon reason. His mind insisted more forcefully. There is no higher purpose! ¡°You can do this Romulus.¡± Mortarius encouraged. ¡°You were chosen for a reason. Even I am not too proud to admit that you are a worthy Avatar. You have the potential to outshine me in every way with time. It stings to acknowledge that but your nature as a Traveler cannot be denied. You must overcome this.¡± Romulus squeezed his eyes shut as Mortarius¡¯ voice washed over him and he reached up to grip his head. He could still smell the war around him, scent the blood in the air and on the ground, taste the sweet ecstasy of the various feasts he¡¯d enjoyed across the battlefield. His armour hummed, his blade sung. War was what he was made for. Surely there was no higher calling than the beautiful, simple indulgence of unrestrained brutality. He would never need to worry about the troubles of others again, nor the burdens they wished to impose on him. If only he stopped fighting. If only he gave in. If only he surrendered. ¡°No, I have to¡­ Nngh¡­¡± His head was pounding like a drum. It felt like his mind was being riven by sudden spikes of rage, of pain. It was like fighting against a crown of nails driven into his brain. It wanted his surrender, and it wanted his adherence to its will. It wanted him to be more and less than he was. It wanted a being absent thought or hesitation, a creature of instinct and primal rage whose only drive was the death and destruction of all around it. The realisation hit him like a wash of clarity. It wanted a slave, just like Solarius. Wrath¡¯s hold on his mind evaporated like a smothered flame, leaving behind an echo of enraged intention as the imagined hooks latched to his mind were obliterated in one moment of sudden revelation. The status effect on his HUD vanished as well, flaking away into nothingness as his vision returned to normal. Romulus felt abruptly dizzy and slammed down Lightsbane to brace himself. The sword pulsed once in indignation, and then again in concern. ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± Romulus asked as he tried to shake off the dizziness. ¡°You were Anointed by Wrath.¡± Mortarius said as if that explained everything. It at least helped Romulus remember what his predecessor had said moments ago, though everything since his first encounter with the strange status effect seemed almost as if he were seeing the memories through a damaged or corrupted source. Everything was distorted and hazy, overlaid with a red film of anger that disturbed him. ¡°Jesus Christ¡­¡± Romulus muttered. ¡°Talk about Biblical inspiration.¡± ¡°I take it that¡¯s some sort of Traveler reference.¡± Mortarius said dryly. ¡°Not that we have time for you to reorient yourself. You are still in the middle of a battle, though your appearance and Templars appear to be warding off anyone with thoughts of challenging you. For now.¡± Romulus glanced around him at Mortarius¡¯ words and remembered where he was, his senses erupting as everything came flooding back. The battle. Liam. Heinrich. His head snapped to where he¡¯d left the Solarian¡¯s corpse and a moment of concern filled him when he saw it wasn¡¯t there. Then he remembered he¡¯d sent it away with several nearby Shades, and he relaxed. It had all happened under the haze of Wrath. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Am I going to need to worry about fucking possession as well now?¡± He asked in an exasperated tone. ¡°That wasn¡¯t exactly part of the deal, Mortarius.¡± ¡°There are rules that all Gods are bound by, Romulus. Even Her. The Sins are part of Her realm but are not part of Her dominion. Think of them like forces of nature within the Dark Realm. She can no more stop or control them than you can stop the sun from rising.¡± ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my goddamn question Mortarius.¡± Romulus grunted as he felt himself starting to approach something approximating stability again, thanks to the retreating dizziness. ¡°Anointment cannot be reversed but you can learn to control the effects of the Sin. It¡¯s just another test of mettle. Another crucible for the strong to pass and the weak to succumb to. That is the nature of the Dark.¡± ¡°How delightfully cryptic.¡± Romulus responded flatly as he felt himself finally return to near-normal, turning to observe the chaos of the battle around him and trying to ignore the smell of death and all the bodily releases associated with it. ¡°We have time later to discuss the intricacies of Anointment, Romulus. Right now you need to master this situation. You are losing Shades and losing potential recruits. I¡¯ve been tracking the Status with the Warmaster Interface and you¡¯re down over three hundred Shades, and the local forces are down almost nine hundred of the regular mortals. None of your Templars have died yet, but that won¡¯t last either.¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve lost over twelve hundred soldiers I could have used against the King¡¯s garrison.¡± ¡°Yes. That battle has started too by the way. Hector managed to intercept the King¡¯s forces at one of the restored chokepoints in the Eastern part of the city, but even with a funnel there¡¯s only so much he can do while outnumbered. His entire force will be destroyed, with time, even if he manages to inflict significant hurt. You can¡¯t afford that. If they break through Hector, it¡¯ll come down to a race to see if you can get back to the Necropolis before they siege it, and that means disengaging here without even more losses.¡± Romulus grunted in acknowledgement of the dire news. Time was against him, and if the battle continued as it was he¡¯d have achieved nothing but to weaken the city against the forces of a distant monarch that held no sympathy for its citizens one way or another. Worse, the restored defences and infrastructure would make for an incredible new staging ground, and he¡¯d likely never get a second chance at claiming the city for Lilith. Not for months or even years. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to see if my investment is going to pay dividends.¡± Romulus said as he turned toward his back lines and started to carefully navigate his way through the chaos, wary of being attacked. His Templar bodyguard fell in around him as he moved, bloodied and panting but otherwise whole. He gave them all grateful nods, which they responded to with brief, tight smiles. He couldn¡¯t blame them for being tense. He¡¯d probably been an¡­ interesting sight, if what he could taste and smell on himself was any indication. Not to mention his conversation with what they presumed was thin air, or even worse, himself. Neither was good. ¡°Is there any way to get this shit off me?¡± He muttered as he looked down at his stained breastplate. ¡°If only you had a skill that could manipulate blood¡­¡± Mortarius said with thinly-veiled condescension. Romulus allowed the wraith the snark. In fairness, it was a little ridiculous he¡¯d just forgotten about Sanguimancy. With a thought and an instinctive motion of his hand the blood staining his face, hair, armour, and adornments pulled itself away. The viscera and giblets of flesh went with it as if magnetised to the sudden maelstrom of vitae, and Romulus compressed the entire lot of it into as small a globe of dark red-brown liquid as he could. He was aware of his health dropping at a rate of 50HP per second as he worked, but he paid it no mind. His health pool was massive thanks to his transformation. Once he¡¯d completely purged himself of looking like something out of a gothic movie marathon, he flicked a hand and tossed the collected blood and bits away from him. He didn¡¯t even care to look where it landed, he just wanted it gone. The looks that followed from the Templars told him they agreed with him. A group of Blackstone soldiers ahead took notice of Romulus and his close-knit party of defenders and turned to confront him ¡ª only to be abruptly intercepted by half their number of Shades and forced into a conflict that threw them out of the way. All around him similar scenes were occurring, with the battle having spread into localised pockets of skirmishing as opposed to the neat battle lines from the initial clash. That was the nature of most such conflicts though. It was never a clean and neat fight with each side staying in perfect formation. It was at times a crush of bodies with as many people trampled as they were stabbed, and at other times a sporadically scattered cluster of smaller engagements like this one. He knew Zerachiel and whomever had taken over the Blackstone garrison would be moving troops across the field in attempts to gain advantage, but there was only so much they could do. There were always two main blocks of course, but the area between them might as well have been a scene from an overly exuberant heavy metal mosh pit for all the sense it made at first glance. When a battle devolved to the scale of the one they were fighting, it was more of a matter of individual squads and haphazardly formed formations that broke apart as fast as they came together. The only advantage was that there was often more room to move around in those sorts of situations, which was the only reason Romulus was able to make progress toward what resembled the main block of his own forces. A cadre of six Blackstone soldiers erupted out of nowhere to Romulus¡¯ left abruptly, and within moments he went from calm analysis to sudden combat. His body moved on instinct, though he was immediately aware after the first clash of swords that whatever Wrath had done to him, it had given him an advantage against people he should never have been able to properly fight. Now without the Sin¡¯s influence he suddenly felt his deficit in levels. The first blow he parried from the snarling soldier nearly staggered him, and would have thrown him back if not for Lightsbane¡¯s supernatural durability and stopping power. He leaned into the blade as he met the other man¡¯s longsword in a cross, pulling back and then sweeping in again to slam Lightsbane against his foe¡¯s weapon in a clang of steel. The impact rattled his armoured hands, and Romulus grunted against the echoes of pain along his forearms from the force of it. He was definitely underleveled. The other man seemed to realise his advantage, eyes narrowing as he sought to press Romulus. The only true reason he hadn¡¯t already run him through was Lightsbane itself, which was as much wielded as it was guiding Romulus¡¯ movements. It was like impressions of movement and unspoken guidance that translated into signals from the sword to his brain and then to his body at the speed of thought. He pivoted in accordance to one such signal and parried an oberhau, slashing Lightsbane forward and down while turning his left side to the soldier. The other man stumbled and Romulus heeded the encouragement in his mind as he stepped forward to slam his left fist into the warrior¡¯s jaw. The man staggered as much from the strength behind the blow as the armour that reinforced Romulus¡¯ striking fist. Blood sprayed from the hit, and Lightsbane¡¯s encouragement was almost unneeded as Romulus took the opportunity to step back onto his left foot, take the Runeblade in both hands and slash up at the soldier¡¯s exposed neck. His aim was off. His enemy had tried to correct his position. He had been unsuccessful. Lightsbane took the soldier in the jaw instead, and sheared through the bottom half of his face and head like a razor through silk. The Blackstone warrior barely had time for his eyes to widen before the top half of his skull was severed from the lower, and Romulus had to hold back a sudden all-too-Earthling urge to vomit at seeing a flailing tongue and blood-spouting esophagus before the corpse¡¯s legs failed and it realised it was already dead. Romulus stepped back from the body to see his Templars handling the remainder of their assailants, the dark gifts bestowed upon them turning the already well-trained and formidable former Wardens into terrifying warriors. ¡°Is anyone injured?¡± Romulus asked reflexively as he focused away from the felled enemy he¡¯d already stepped past. A quick glance around, and then Victor shook his head. ¡°Not enough to slow us down, my King.¡± ¡°Good. Let¡¯s move then.¡± The Templars formed around him once more and they pushed through the chaos of the battle, Romulus¡¯ attention half on what raged around him and half on what he was to do in order to achieve a satisfying resolution. Merely reasoning with those opposing him would be less than fruitful, especially in the madness that raged around them. The storm had well and truly broken, and even if he could bottle lightning there was no ending the maelstrom of violence that consumed the area. Not without something truly drastic. His focus was fixed on something deep within his own lines. A calm centre in a raging tempest, calling him onward with hope. STORY IS DEFUNCT AND REWRITTEN REWRITE ANNOUNCEMENT I''ll keep this brief: if you were or are a fan of this story, I have completely overhauled it (in many good ways) and am reposting it on Royal road. You may find it at the link below. I hope to see you all there!
Eternus Online [VRMMO, LitRPG, Portal Fantasy Isekai] This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. A new VRMMO taking the world by storm. A conspiracy at the highest levels of government. A legacy that was never meant to be revealed.
[New Player Detected] Welcome, Traveler, to Eternus Online! Darian King throws himself into Eternus Online, the cutting-edge new action fantasy VRMMORPG of 2099, expecting little more than an immersive adventure, some casual goblin shanking, and the odd dungeon dive with his small circle of friends. If he plunders some Really Big Chests in the process, that¡¯s just a happy bonus. Instead, his expectations implode before he makes it past the tutorial. The System is disturbingly well-informed, the world seems truly alive, and he appears to have triggered a hidden quest that has dire ramifications for his future. Dark and ancient Powers, warring factions, economic crises, scheming aristocrats, and civil unrest are only a few of the issues he must deal with¡ªall while keeping his only companion from trying to murder everyone that so much as looks at him funny. Among all of this he must find his place in the living, breathing reality of Eternus Online and come to terms with a confronting and unavoidable truth: Darian might just be the Villain of this story.
What to Expect: + Slow burn "Average" to "OP" MC + Anti-Hero MC + Politics and Deep Characters + Vampires, Necromancy, Factional Warfare + Kingdom Building and Army Management + Lots of Historical References
Update Schedule: 3pm EST Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri