Windere was coming back to life. The people had complete confidence in their King to do this. After a long campaign in which I traveled across the continent crushing any trace of worship of the Butt God, I dedicated my ti to reviving and regenerating Windere's vegetation and bringing back the fauna.
I had about a hundred churches in storage. A lot of gold because the Butt God priesthood really loved the tal. With that, I bribed so elents to spread rumors and stories about Bundeus' fall. I expected him to co down get so satisfaction but it didn't happen.
Three years later, Windere was a living and thriving country again. That's when I dropped my guard and shit happened.
The priest of Galbarar barged into the throne room. "Sire! Sire! Galbarar has spoken!"
"Speak freely, friend. What does the Lord of Justice say?" I ask after using my daily curse suppression.
The priest started to speak,
The Age of Eclipse upon us descends
When darkness rules and reason ends
Against those they begrudge
The weary travelers shall judge [1]
Why did he say "travelers"? Is there more than one transmigrator? Eclipse is the shadowing of the sun or the moon. Since we have three of them, it is hard to be the latter. Why the Gods are breaking their silence now, that's also a very good question. But I had a feeling of finality. That my task here was done. I looked at Lorna, my Queen. Playing the facade of the King was both easy and hard. Easy because I didn't need to pretend to act like a male. I knew how. But it was a falsehood. Rosewise's public appearances beca less and less.
I was glad the Eleons didn't agree to migrate. They would be dead now. I lost all the promising youngsters I brought. They are in new silk bodies, but they aren't truly alive. They can't gain experience but they can use all their Skills and perks. Even magic. I wish I could do sothing for these hundreds of people now living as cloth.
A week after the prophecy, a priest of Bundeus ca to my court. There was a commotion but if he boldly ca here alone, I would listen.
"King Anomaly!" He shouted. I waved the guards to stand down. "My Lord Bundeus challenges you to a duel. A week from now, et him where the Black Dragon King fell."
I put a geas on the priest to leave Windere and never co back before sending him on his way.
I took Lorna to the solarium. "I'll have to go," I told my Queen.
"You won't co back," She started to sob.
I hugged and kissed my cat lady. "But the prophecy says that I win. The Age of Eclipse. Bundeus loses."
"How are the crops going to grow without sunlight?" Nenandil mused.
"Damn. You're right," I smiled at the fairy's wisdom. "I need to prepare. Lorna. I want to give life to your brother and the cloth golems. Make them real people."
"Is it even possible?" She asked.
I rembered the Raggedy Ann books my grandmother read to . Pinnochio. Granting true life to animated objects surely is within the possibilities of a fairy, although the costs would be enormous.
"Yes, it is," I answered with a reserved whisper.
"At what cost?" She demanded to know.
"A big one!" Nenandil replied without her usual levity. "Rember, when Silverstreak blessed the cat princesses, she gave up her life. Rosewise is orders of magnitude stronger than Silverstreak. But the cost will be ridiculously big. Do not take this lightly, mortal. It is not about you. The sacrifice offered shall be honored."
"Your brother will live again. And so will everyone else," I cooed.
"One week. Will this sacrifice take from the scant ti we have together?" She asked.
I wiped her tears. "No. It will only greatly weaken my powers."
"I'll do as you ask, elder water fairy," Lorna said, resigned. "I'll honor the sacrifice."
The next day, I gathered the cloth golems. Over six hundred of them. At their inhabiting spirits' request, I made modifications and reshaped their bodies to look more life-like. Then I blessed all of them with my {Fairy Godmother} perk.
The cost to do what I wanted was Twenty-five million SP. I didn't have that much. The leftovers would be split between my HP and MP. It had the irritating side-effect of blocking from my spiritual powers. No more geas unless I leveled again. It wouldn't happen.
I spent the week with Lorna at the Eleon village. After going around to say my goodbyes, I went to face the final boss. Before I arrived, I activated an ergency perk. I needed help.
I sensed his divinity as I approached. I was in my were-jaguar form, wearing my silk bodysuit. I was bloody pissed at this asshole, and eager for a chance to sink my claws in his Butt-Godness.
"I thought you would run away, Anomaly. I'm here to end you once and for all," Bundeus - I assu - boasted.
"What changed? You still can't touch ."
Was he luring to strike at Windere behind my back?
"A duel," he answered. "Sponsored by the System. Whoever loses suffers final death."
I sat down and yawned, showing my fangs. "There's no incentive for to accept that. I do not wish your demise, just that you stop ddling with my affairs. If you are here now, it ans you are desperate enough to play even if it's a bad hand. So, no. You gang-pressed into ruling a country, I'm doing that. Do not waste more of my ti, God of Butts."
"I'll destroy everything you hold dear," He threatened.
I sighed and shrugged. I expected a god to be dignified. Not a bratty bully. "Mutually Assured Destruction. My people are well aware of that concept. Sure, go ahead. You can try."
I stood up and ran toward him, claws and fangs bared.
DUEL FOR DIVINITY
As the Champion of [REDACTED], you accepted the challenge Bundeus, God of the Sun, Humans, and War for a divine duel. The winner shall absorb the divinity of the loser.
Do you wish to set the terms?
"The winner shall absorb the divinity of the loser," I mused. Did I have any? I got no answer.
I set my terms.
No attacks by either party can affect terrain or other creatures.
The holdings, Realms, and domains of the contestants, along with their followers, sympathizers, family, subjects, friends, and employees of both parties will be protected from harm until the duel ends.
The contestants will be moved to a cavern five hundred ters above the mantle. Half the cave will be air, half the cave will be solid bedrock.
None of the parties can leave a cube a kiloter wide centered on their current location. They will be restrained by force walls. This shall be known as the barrier.
There is no ti limit.
No enchanted item worth more than ten enchantnt points can be used.
No contestant can exert power or request aid from outside.
This tale has been pilfered from . If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
No outside parties can interfere, not even familiars, followers, scions of the contestants, or other deities.
The duel ends only when one party suffers Final Death.
No contestant can abscond or hide part of their power outside the barrier. They cannot project power outside the barrier either.
No contestant can receive power or sustenance of any kind from outside the barrier. Power can still be sent out if it is not for offensive use.
Dinsional magic and abilities are forbidden.
Ti will pass a billion tis faster inside the barrier. The contestants agree to pay for the ti dilation with their own divine energies.
The System adhered to the spirit of the terms, not to the letter. That should be enough. I set the rules and waited. I guess that since he was the one to issue the challenge, the rules I set were accepted by Bundeus without questioning.
This guy didn't notice I set him up. I couldn't wish for a better battlefield.
I sent my silk suit to the storage and waited. The world around us moved as we were teleported to the underground. The next ssage was all I needed to know.
DUEL START
I rushed him in a flurry of claws, rage, and spite. Bundeus deftly dodged all my attacks. I ca close several tis but he was in control. Then he kicked . I managed to scratch him but he sent to smash my back at the force wall.
Change of plans. The impact cleared my mind. I wouldn't win against him in a frontal assault. But when he kicked , I felt so of his divine energy sent to Loki. I felt him approaching and ran up the force walls. {Absolute Clinging} specifically said I could.
I felt him swing a sword. He severed the tip of my tail. I didn't have a {Favored Enemy} against him and the lack of combat bonus from the Perks was showing.
Bundeus cut you for 17,483 HP. Mana shield burned 5,828 MP. (Base 185 x 5 Strength x 7 Skill x 3 Grandmaster x 3 Perk x 2 Perk x 0.2 glancing blow).
His Attributes and Skills were all set to two hundred. I couldn't face him head-on. We played this ga of cat and mouse, or god and cat for a long ti. Bundeus showed no signs of slowing down. He ca close to cutting with what I assud was a normal sword several tis.
I fired magic at him but I might as well have splashed him with a thimble of water. His pursuit was relentless. My only silver lining was that he didn't have chains in his weapons. Or a blue-glowing returning ax. Or red tattoos, a bald head, and a sick beard. Maybe he did. I couldn't see it.
He scored a hit here and there. I was growing tired of running away, while he had an Endurance score four tis bigger than mine and showed no signs of slowing down. He was an enemy I couldn't win on my own.
Ti to cheese this duel.
I dove down into the rocks and stopped a ter below the surface. Then I crossed my paws behind my head and waited. Bundeus slamd the ground and pulled a Luigi. I wanted to win doing exactly nothing.
I took a nap. Then I sensed Bundeus bashing the ground, the walls, walking around, screaming, and cursing. Another nap. A dozen naps. Whenever I was bored, I popped out of the ground and ran around a little, then dove back. I had literally all the ti in the world.
Great Longevity (ultra-rare): Increase your natural lifespan and reduce the rate of aging past your race's age of maturity by a factor of ten.
Extre tabolic Efficiency (ultra-rare): Your need for air, food, water, and sleep is reduced by 96%.
Deep Sustenance (very rare): You thrive on the magic energy of the depths. The deeper you go, the less food, water, and sleep you need, and the slower you age.
T'ai chi ch'üan (unique): Improve body recovery rate, reduce the duration of debuffs, and increase your lifespan by Rank x Willpower x 0,01%.
At this depth, more than a dozen kiloters below the surface? Bundeus would run out of divine power before I got gray hair. Because {Great Longevity} didn't extend my lifespan by a factor of ten, only. I also aged at a tenth of the rate. So if an eleon could live about a hundred years, I would live ten thousand. Multiply that by how much {Deep Sustenance} and {T'ai chi ch'üan} slowed down my aging and we'll see who has the greatest endurance.
It was boring as hell. I practiced my Skills, especially the Earth martial arts and ditation. I knitted a sweater with normal (non-living) fae silk. The bedrock this close to the mantle was a warm cozy cushion. Whenever {Suppress Curse} was available, I would expand my Skill cap and train like crazy for one hour. Then sleep.
How many years passed? I don't know. Bundeus gave up on trying to bash the indestructible ground and walls. He was sitting on a corner, mumbling. I would've gone crazy if it wasn't for {PInnacle of Ego} and {ditation}. Which by the way, reached the Master ranks through System recognition.
ditation (rare): After a few minutes of concentration, you can clear your mind and control your emotions. During the ditative state, you gain an extra Willpower test modified by the Skill level to resist ntal influence and perceiving illusions for what they are.
Your rank in ditation is Master 60.
You gained this perk: Master ditation (very rare): The Skill bonus is active at all tis. When you stop to ditate, you enter a deep state of healing. In this state, all your resources recover at double the normal rate and you are immune to emotional and ntal control and instabilities.
I felt slightly hungry. I couldn't eat the rocks for the sa reason Bundeus couldn't break the ground. I needed a morsel, and there was one up there. I walked out of the rocks and Bundeus scrambled to his feet.
He attacked . I sacrificed an arm and drained a couple of years from his life with my banshee powers. That would sustain for two months. I picked up my severed arm and dove back in the rock. But these two months were a hundred because of {Extre tabolic Efficiency}. Tis the hidden multiplier from {Deep Sustenance}.
I reattached my arm. More ti passed. I reached Master ranks in T'ai chi ch'üan and Aikido.
T'ai chi ch'üan (very rare): Improve body recovery rate, reduce the duration of debuffs, and increase your lifespan by Rank x Willpower x 0,01%.
Your rank in T'ai chi ch'üanis Master 60.
You gained this perk: Master T'ai chi ch'üan (very rare): Increase all physical Attributes by 3. This bonus can raise your traits over the cap.
Aikido (unique): Improve dodge and parry chance, the accuracy of counterattacks, and mobility in combat.
Your rank in Aikido is Master 60.
You gained this perk: Master Aikido (very rare): Your joints flexibility is increased by 25%. Add your Dexterity to MInd to sense attacks from hidden enemies or traps. You take no damage from attacks you properly block or parry.
I got hungry again. Ti to feed on Bundeus' lifespan. This ti I didn't lose an arm because I deflected the sword with new mastery. The next ti I surfaced, I found Wyxnos, Galbarar, and Queltphion arguing with the God of Butts. It's interesting how one God presides Justice while another god rules Balance. Because one doesn't an the other. Justice can and most of the ti was uneven, and balance can be injust.
"There she is," Wyxnos remarked. "We tried to contact you. Didn't you notice we hit the ground?"
"Not really. I thought it was Bundeus banging his frustrations again," I snarked.
"How long have you been here?" I heard Queltphion asking Bundeus.
"Six thousand years of relative ti," Bundeus answered. "I'm almost spent. My energy is all but gone."
Damn. No wonder I was so bored. But that was just a bit more than three minutes outside. They found Bundeus really fast. I guess that when the Sun goes out in the middle of the day, that happens.
"What are you doing here?" Galbarar asked.
"This Ano--"
I cut off the Butt God, "Dueling. Bundeus challenged , I accepted and put us here."
Bundeus wanted to keep trying to slice but Galbarar held him back. Now I could notice that the Sun Lord's soul was a bit dimr.
"You dare challenge a God?" Queltphion roared.
"Wyxnos. Please," I asked the guy that should have a level head in the room. "Clear the misunderstanding."
"Bundeus was the one to issue the challenge," Wyxnos said without altering his tone. He could talk about ADHD toddlers into sleep.
"And also the one to sche with the Broodmother to turn Windere into a graveyard. In fact... System: Declare the Quest from Bundeus complete because of undue interference!"
Nothing happened. It was worth the try.
"End this duel," Queltphion ordered rudely. "We entered the Age of Eclipse. Bundeus is needed on the surface."
"Queltphion, I don't think the duel terms allow this," Wyxnos said. "The fools locked themselves here until one of them suffers True Death."
"Then we should kill the Anomaly," Queltphion said.
Just to be sure, I checked my Quest progress. I was winning.
"I'm willing to comply, at a cost," I said. "Shall we bargain again, gentlen?"
"Queltphion, hold it. What do you want, Rosewise?" Wyxnos asked.
It was the first ti they ever used my given na.
"Yes, brother," Galbarar soothed, "Negotiation is the best path."
"Go ahead," Queltphion conceded.
"You will not interfere with my birth anymore. No delaying, no choosing, no setting up to be stillborn," I said the last one staring in the general direction of Bundeus. "And because I don't trust you, I want it in the shape of a Perk. It shall read, 'No outside force or agent can interfere, delay, hasten, select, or divine the conditions of your birth beyond what is stated in your traits. The conditions of your birth are improved by your Luck score. You also automatically access the System upon birth.'"
I felt a stern gaze. I think Wyxnos was giving an "Oh, really," stare.
"We can't allow you to have an early activation. Sorry," Galbarar said. "Would you agree to drop only that last statent?"
"If you three agree to keep the dragon bitch and the Butt God from harassing again. And no retaliation against the people I care either."
"That settles the score," Queltphion declared.
"Wyxnos, do it," Galbarar ordered.
I heard an annoyed grunt from the god wearing a business suit. Honestly, it ruined the imrsion.
You are offered the perk: Sheltered Rebirth: No outside force or agent can interfere, delay, hasten, select, or divine the conditions of your rebirth beyond what is implied in your traits. The conditions of your birth are improved by your Luck score.
"Wyxnos, why did you change 'stated' with 'implied'?" I asked, imitating his annoyed tone.
"Because there are hidden conditions and effects linked to several perks and traits that you should not know of. Sorry, it has to be that way," The God of Logic said.
I groaned, "So long you keep B and B from interfering with my future lives and I have both Queltphion and Galbarar's guarantees, that's okay."
"You can rest assured," Queltphion said. "If soone violates the spirit of the agreent, they will suffer our wrath."
I accepted the perk.
All that was left was to kill . Ti to lift another curse. I went with {Slow Learner} again. Shaving one level of that curse was as good as gaining 3 free levels at each rank. it still required to sacrifice one perk. I dumped a {Corrupted Blood Resistance} from the ones I gained for killing the third Demon Lord.
Luck test passed. Critical success.
Your Remove Curse Skill canceled both stages of the {Slow Learner} curse.
You completed your Quest. All Royal Perks retained. The following Traits were removed:
Windere Territory Awareness (very rare).
Windere Happiness Awareness (very rare).
Windere Developnt (curse, unique).
You gained 2 Very Rare perks. You gained one unique perk of your choice.
You died.
You lost the duel. All your divine power will be transferred to Bundeus.
ERROR. NO DIVINE POWER FOUND. This has been logged and sent to the administrator.
Ergency allocation overridden by [System Administrator] Wyxnos.
- Your unallocated Perks can be selected by your next incarnation. Peace, Old Soul. - Wyxnos
Reviews
All reviews (0)