Vigil's Valor: 50 – Ravenous

The grizzly charged on all fours and knocked Kol face first into the stone wall. In his altered form, Kol had to weigh in at a thousand pounds, but the Elder Bear didn’t even seem to notice.

The nightmare grizzly’s jaws chomped down on the shapeshifter’s ankle then, with a violent shake of his head, the bear began to jerk him around like an overgrown dog with a chew toy. It almost would’ve been funny except it turned out the bear’s jaws were a lot more powerful than the Kol’s connective tissue. After a couple of good tugs, the whole limb came loose at the hip socket. The leg popped right off like an action figure, except the geyser of blood that sprayed out was all too real. The Viking craned back both of his ogre heads and let out a gut-wrenching cry of pain.

These guys were dicks, and they had justice coming, but this was hard to watch.

When the echoing scream finally cut out the world seemed unnaturally quiet, and it took me a second to figure out why. The Mortka Remnants below were still waging their unholy crusade against what remained of Telent’s team, but the deafening buzz of the .50 Cal had fallen silent.

I glanced to the tree where Pascow had been holed up. He was gone and there was bright red blood splashed across the pale white trunk.

Well shit. That couldn’t be good.

Panicked, I turned and found Telent perched on the limb above my Automated Sentinel. I raised my 240 but it was already too late. He brought his rapier screaming through the air in a wicked arc. The thin blade burned with white hot fire as it slashed through the conjured weapon as though it were made of nothing more than gauzy shadow. In a blink the Sentinel vanished, and a small timer appeared on the edge of my vision—a cooldown tracker. Ten minutes before I could use the ability again. With Path of Twin Shadow, I could probably still conjure the shadowed weapon, but trying to dual wield a pair of 240s was a terrible idea.

Besides, the damage was already done.

“Well played,” Telent said from his perch, “but you could never win this fight, no matter how many tricks you have tucked away.” He leapt from the branch and disappeared as he fell, vanishing into the shadows below.

Without the constant, murderous barrage of Celestial gunfire pinning the Aberration in place, it was already back on its feet. One of its arms had been severed but that didn’t matter. The limb crawled across the blood-soaked ground of its own volitation. The Aberration picked up the arm and jammed it back in place without even flinching. I leveled my 240 and unloaded everything I had into its chest, triggering Crippling Strike. Hoping to paralyze it. More instances of Hellflayer Rot appeared with every hit, but the Aberration didn’t seem to care in the least.

[Chaos Aberration afflicted with Hellflayer Rot – x357]

It glared at me, but instead of attacking, it turned and raced toward Amherst, who was frantically fighting off a dozen encroaching Wither Husks. The Vigil of Wrath was covered in blood and had seen better days.

The Aberration attacked without mercy.

It swept its arm from left to right and a cloud of dark flame rolled outward from its palm, engulfing the Husks. Burning them from reality in a second. The creature reached forward with its other hand and plucked Amherst up like he was a hurt puppy. Obviously, the Aberration had a vested interest in protecting its meal ticket, but nothing could’ve prepared me for what happened next. The monster’s chest cavity ripped open, curved ribs spreading outward in welcome like enormous fingers.

The Aberration nonchalantly jammed Amherst into its torso and the ribs curled closed, concealing everything but the Vigil’s face, which protruded from the center of the Aberration’s chest like a cancerous growth. Swirling tongues of violet power twisted around the beast of oblivion and its body started to grow at an alarming rate. Huge purple spikes erupted along its spine and shoulders. A wicked scorpion tail erupted from its back, wiping through the air. Its claws buzzed with powerful Chaos magic.

Amherst was now inside the creature, piloting it like an Eldritch Voltron. This was such a load of horseshit. Especially since I wanted to pilot an Eldritch Voltron.

The Aberration continued to grow until it stood even taller than the Elder Bear. The monster grizzly was still mauling the absolute shit out of Kol, but Eldritch Voltron put an end to that real quick. In three long strides it covered the distance between them and lashed out with wicked claws the size of sword blades. The talons eviscerated the grizzly, cutting through its hide like butter. The enormous Remnant flopped onto its side, its top half separated from its bottom half, though somehow it was still alive.

It lay there whimpering in pain, but the Amherst Aberration didn’t bother to kill it. The bear was no threat now and it was almost as if the corrupted Vigil of Wrath wanted the monster to suffer.

It straightened and stomped one huge foot, sending out a shock wave that rippled through the ground. The rocky cliffs surrounding the clearing cracked and toppled, huge boulders cascading down on a wave of rubble. The attack also knocked Kerra flat on her back, and before she could recover, a twisted dome of thorn covered brambles erupted from the ground in a shower of dirt and debris, closing around her like a clenched fist.

The creature swept its gaze around, eyeing all of the remaining Remnants. “Obey me,” it boomed, its voice thrumming with Arcana. I could feel the raw power of its will pressing against me like physical weight. Thanks to my heightened Insight, I resisted the command, but only just barely. The Remnants folded like a bad poker hand as fear overtook them. “Gather the others. Bring them to me. Now!”

The bewitched Remnants leapt to do as commanded, dashing over the fallen boulders, and fleeing into the woods in search for the rest of my party. There were so many Remnants, and though the Simulator room appeared enormous, that was all just an illusion. The physical cavern dimensions were the same regardless of what scene was being played out via the projector.

While the Remnants combed through the forest, the Aberration turned its gaze on me. Its face was twisted up in a cruel mask and its eyes promised pain, misery, and suffering for being such a disagreeable little shit who couldn’t just get with the program. Instead of giving into fear or uncertainty, I raised my 240 and unleashed hell, targeting Amherst’s face, protruding from the creature’s chest. As the Aberration stalked toward me, a glimmering shield of purple and red light sprang into existence, easily deflecting my rounds.

“Continue to struggle and I’ll burn her to cinders.” Although the rumbling voice emerged from the creature’s inhuman jaw, I realized for the first time that Amherst’s mouth was moving. He was using the Aberration as a supernatural megaphone.

It stalked toward me slowly. Deliberately. This was the end of the road and Amherst wanted me to know it. I dismissed my 240 then immediately leapt from the canopy, hoping to get cover and try to lose it in the trees. Before I hit the ground an enormous hand lashed out, plucking me from the air like an easy pop fly. In a split-second, I was at its mercy. It could’ve flexed its hand and turned me into meat paste. But it didn’t. It wheeled and slammed me down into the clearing.

Stars danced across my vision, and I gasped, struggling to pull in even a single lungful of air. The ground trembled beneath me as more brambles reached up from the dirt, curling around my arms and legs, pinning my body in place. A wrist thick vine wrapped snugly around my throat like a python, making it even harder to breath, and inch long thorns dug into my skin. A gentle heat spread through my veins, but it soon transformed into a terrible fire that singed my nerve endings. My muscles spasmed and it felt like my organs were liquifying in real time.

[You have been afflicted with Hellflayer Rot – x1]

[You have been afflicted with Hellflayer Rot – x2]

[You have been afflicted with Hellflayer Rot – x3]…

More and more instances of the Rot flashed across my eyes.

“Hellflayer Rot,” Telent said. He stepped out of a pocket of shadow and squatted down beside me, forearms resting on his knees. “Thoroughly unpleasant stuff, as I’m sure you’re aware.” He gestured at the clearing with one hand. “You certainly used it to great effect. Honestly, you should be proud of yourself.”

“Don’t gloat you goat humper,” I wheezed. “I’m still not going to join your shitty team.”

He offered me a sad smile. “I’m afraid we’re leagues past that, my friend.”

“Then just kill me already. I’d rather die than listen to any more of your bullshit moralizing.”

“Oh, you will die,” he said, nodding. “The question is, how much will it hurt before you do? And that doesn’t just apply to you. I have a feeling that it will take a while to break you. You strike me as a man of incredibly strong will and fortitude. But what if I torture Kerra in front of you, hmm? Or those new, young Vigils you roped into this mess.”

There was a rustle of foliage as the Remnants we’d summoned began to return to the clearing with struggling captives. The monsters moved mechanically, shambling over to where Kerra was held. They unceremoniously tossed the rest of my teammates into the bramble prison. Bramin, Stefana, Berk, Marina. Even Pascow. Only Cal was still free and clear, and that was probably because he’d bailed. Not that I could blame him, given the circumstances.

“You are all going to die,” Telent said, “but whether it is slow and painful or quick and clean and is entirely up to you. All you need to tell me is who else knows. You said in your letter that you left instructions with others should you fail to check in. Just give me their names. Their locations. Then this can all be over. Nice. Quick. Clean.”

I glanced toward my friends, all huddled together, trapped by Amherst’s impassable roots. Hurting me was one thing, but I couldn’t let them suffer.

“Come… Closer,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Hard… to talk.” The words came out as a barely audible whisper.

“Thank you for finally knowing when you’re beat,” Telent replied. He dropped to a knee and leaned forward until his ear was almost next to my lips. “The names,” he said again, voice laced with power. “Tell me now or I start taking body parts. And your little girlfriend Kerra will be the first one on the chopping block.”

I licked my lips. “You… You should’ve killed the bear,” I said.

He pulled back, cocked his head in confusion, then glanced over at the gutted Elder Fell Bear, split in two but somehow still alive. Are you mad, that look said.

I just laughed, blood dribbling down my chin, as I activated my final spell.

Soul Storm.

Power surged out from my core like a tsunami, like a hurricane, like a tornado and a volcano and an earthquake all at once. My soul ached from the profound emptiness as a beam of putrid green light erupted from my chest in a geyser. The beam itself didn’t do any damage, but all around me I heard the fervent howls as the Remnants we’d conjured dissolve all at once, their Essence converging on me in a whirlwind of ghostly green spirits.

A cyclone of primal fury swept up Kol, batted Telent away as though he were a rag doll, then descended on the Aberration.

This was no ordinary cyclone. Biting fangs and ripping claws churned within its tumultuous winds.

The face of a great horned grizzly blurred past, its hungry jaws taking a huge chunk out of the monster. More mouths ripped away their pound of flesh, while vicious claws flayed skin, and sliced through tendons. The Aberration staggered away on giant feet, flailing fruitlessly at the ravenous spirit wind, but there was nothing to fight. It wasn’t a thing of the material world, rooted in our plane of existence. It ignored armor and bypassed the best of defenses.

It was an attack of pure spirit.

Even worse for Amherst, Soul Storm dealt additional Necrotic damage to all enemies afflicted by disease, plague, or rot. The Hellflayer Rot hadn’t seemed to slow down the Aberration much before, but its body was crawling with infection. Now Soul Storm stripped away corrupted meat, devoured bone, and consumed the beast of oblivion from the inside out as the Hellflayer Rot finally extracted it’s terrible, gruesome toll. The Aberration stumbled and dropped to its knees.

Its wings were gone. Dissolved.

Its flesh melted.

Its muscle ripped away as though the wind were an industrial grinder.

With one last guttural howl it vanished.

Amherst raised his face and let out a silent scream, then he was gone too. His body rotting in hyper speed. As he finally died, the brambles pinning me in place withered and turned to dust and the rest of his dark magic failed.

Golden words swam across my vision as the howling spirit wind fizzled and dissipated, gone as quickly as it had come.

[You have vanquished a Chaos Aberration! The world has been cleansed! You have been blessed with 10,000 Essence!]

[You have slain Amherst, Corrupted Vigil of Wrath! The world has been cleansed! You have been blessed with 10,000 Essence!]

[You have slain Jori, Corrupted Vigil of Justice! The world has been cleansed! You have been blessed with 10,000 Essence!]

<<<>>>

Bounty Fulfilled

Avenger of the Fallen:The dark creature stalking the streets of Wildespell was none other than a Chaos Aberration, but the beast of oblivion was merely a weapon, wielded by another. Those truly responsible for the attacks were rogue Vigils and initiates in the Order of Immolation. You have uncovered their plot to play Kingmaker and wrestle control of the Wildespell from its rightful ruler, King Andreas, third of his name. The Aberration is gone, banished back to the realm of Oblivion with the death of its summoner. As a reward for a job well done, you have been granted +20,000 Essence, 1 x Gravitational Affinity Scale (Sage Class), the Seraphic Boots of Air Walking (Saint Class), and the Ruler of Thrones Legacy Scroll (Fatemarked Class).

<<<>>>

The words faded as a heavenly orchestra of chimes rang out, announcing my advancement. A vortex of golden light swirled around me in a potent rush, gently lifting me into the air. The influx of heavenly power purged my body completely from the noxious Hellflayer Rot rampaging through my system like an angry Kaiju, and closed every wound, leaving only faint scars behind. Slowly, I descended, my feet lightly touching down on the churned, blood-soaked ground.

The spirit wind had eradicated any sign of the Remnants, but what was left behind was a shocking portrait of chaos. The aftermath, left in the wake of a warzone. There was no sign of the Aberration—it had vanished back to the realm of oblivion where it belonged—but what little remained of Amherst was sprawled out in front of me. There wasn’t much. Just a twisted and charred pile of bones, topped by a grinning skull. Most disturbing of all, a fleshy tongue protruded from the grinning skeleton’s mouth.

Almost as though it had been given back, once the Aberration had returned to Oblivion.

I surveyed the rest of the field, searching for potential threats or anyone who needed my help. Kerra was already on it though. She was kneeling beside Pascow, who was propped up on his palms, legs stretched out in front of him. His skin was pale and he had a deep gash carved across his throat, but remarkably the old bastard was still alive and kicking. Kerra took his head in her hands and muttered a half-heard prayer, conjuring a cloud of silver light that descended on the Builder, washing away his wounds.

I didn’t see any sign of Cal, but everyone else was present and accounted for. No one had walked away without taking a beating of one kind or another, but everyone was alive. I couldn’t say the same for Telent and his team. Amherst was dead and, according to the notice I’d received, so was Jori.

Berk shuffled over to me while Kerra finished her work with Pascow and moved down line to Stefana, who was cradling her left arm against her chest. Her forearm bent in places forearms weren’t supposed to bend, and a shard of bone sticking out of her elbow told me exactly how nasty the break was. Not so nasty that Kerra couldn’t patch her up, I was sure.

“Vigil Boyd,” Berk said tentatively, “are you okay? That was…” he trailed off. “I’ve never seen anything even remotely like that before. It was awesome.”

I sighed. No doubt another legend had been born here.

“I’m fine,” I grunted waving away his concern. “But we’re not quite done here. Marina,” I called, “go shut down the Simulator. Everyone else who isn’t broken or fixing the broken, fan out and help me find Telent and Kol. The others are dead, but we need to make sure those two don’t slip away before the night is over. Unless I’m mistaken, the Custodians will be waiting for us in the Council Chambers. And the King should be with them.”

“Oi, I don’t think Kol is going to be much of a threat,” Bramin said, standing from a crouch. The Society thug looked like he’d gone ten rounds against an army of velociraptors. His clothes were tattered, one pant leg had been burnt off, and he had more open wounds than I could count. He was holding a severed leg in one huge mitt. “I reckon he isn’t going to get too far without this,” he said, hefting the leg. “Unless you Vigils have a way to come back from the bloody dead, I’d say his ship has already sailed the great straights of the River Acronine, bound for the Lake of Ash.”

“Any sign of Telent?” I asked, glancing around.

Before anyone could answer, the conjured landscaped flickered and vanished, taking with it the bone-white trees, the boulder strewn landscape, and the stary sky. But even with the illusion dispelled, the blood remained, slicking the floors, and puddling in pools. The golden arms overhead circled and wheeled with a gentle woosh then came to stop as the Simulator control console fell silent.

Without any cover or thick shadow to blend into, it was easy to spot Telent. He was curled up in a ball, not but ten feet away. He’d pulled his leather chest armor off and had a thick strip of fabric pressed against a ragged trio of slashes that ran across his belly. They looked like the claw marks of an enormous grizzly. His skin was ashen, his hair matted against his head, as sweat poured down his face. Even at a glance I could tell he was feverish with Hellflayer Rot.

He bared his teeth at us like a wild animal and lifted one hand, calling his Soul Bound Rapier from the Ether. The weapon trembled in his hand then clattered to the ground and vanished. He didn’t even have the strength to hold the blade, much less fend off our party.

With an unspoken signal, our team closed in on every side like noose pulling tight around his throat.

Even though Kerra only stood five-feet tall, she loomed over the fallen Vigil. She pulled out a set of Suppression Manacles and tossed them to Telent with a flick of the wrist.

“I would tell you to stand and be judged,” she said, her tone biting, “but given the circumstances, I’ll allow you to remain seated. Telent Ovink, you have claimed the title of Vigilant, one of the Chosen of Raguel. You have stood in our hallowed halls, bowed in our places of worship, undergone the tests of our faith. You have glimpsed into the mysteries Celestial. Yet, despite this, you are no brother of mine and no friend of the truth, regardless of the brand seared across your forehead.

“You have lied, cheated, murdered, and betrayed this order and your faith,” she intoned. “You stood in the exalted places and planned the death of Dogan the Shieldbreaker, Justiciar of Seekers. You made dark pacts with the very enemies of the Celestial and unleashed a creature of dark hunger on our streets, sowing fear and fomenting war against the duly elected rulers of Wildespell. There is no rule you have not twisted, no law you have not broken, no faith you have not betrayed. For all of these things you will be judged.”

“You’ve already made up your mind about me.” He sounded bleak and broken. A man resigned to his fate. “Although I see things in a different light, I will not dispute your pronouncement against me. Just do what you must. End it now.” He lifted his chin and presented his bare neck.

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “This is beyond me. The truth of your vile actions must be made known, which is why I will deliver you on a silver platter to the Custodians so they can uncover the full extent of your crimes and render their verdict.” She nudged the suppression manacles with the toe of her boot. “Now put those on. After all, the rules are the rules for a reason…”