The flash and explosion of magic drew my attention. I had just finished forging a new sword. It was made out of black bone with purple eldritch runes engraved along its length. To date, it was my best creation. So far, Id created nearly a dozen different weapons, learning how to use the forge more and more efficiently. Ezra had ventured down and fought Chompy two more tis. However, theyd wiped each ti. Raven suggested a prehensile bone tail for Chompy that could defend its flank, and that made a huge difference.
I had also followed Dereks suggestion and moved Chompy up a floor. It was already a very challenging floor, with all of the monsters now around level 80. I didnt try to hide that I was below, creating a clear crystal floor within the boss room that Chompy resided in directly over my forge. It allowed to keep track of the fights. I didnt recognize this group, which instantly drew my attention.
Outside of Ezras group, only three others managed to challenge Chompy. So far none had succeeded. It was hard to see the exact details of the fight, but I could tell they were highly coordinated. Even more than Ezras group, which was saying sothing. There were five of them: two lee fighters, two rangers, and a cleric. I frowned when I recognized the magic as Olattee, but there was nothing I could do about that. Maxwell joined , and the two of us pulled up seats Id made out of bone for watching the fights.
To our surprise, the group was winning, not easily, but they were definitely wearing down Chompy. It was more a fight of attrition than anything, but the clerics power kept his team going. When the fight was finally over and Chompy was slain I moved toward a hovering crystal disk.
I want a closer look, want to co? I asked.
Sure. Maxwell joined .
The disc required quite a bit of mana for to work, but it brought up to the roof of the floor where I could get a closer look at the players. As we ascended, I noticed that the weapon suspended in the crystal floor as the reward raised up on a pedestal. When you entered the room, the weapon was very obviousa way to lure people into fighting Chompy to get the weapon.
The one they just received had been my greatest creation up to that point. That weapon was a bow made of black tal and etched with crimson runes. Any arrow it shot would have a corrupting enchantnt attached to it that would deliver a poison to whatever it struck. It would be quite the weapon for anyone who ended up with it.
Our ascent wasnt unnoticed, and while the bow had been grabbed by one of the rangers, the rest were already preparing to fight . They assud I was going to co through the floor. But I stoppedthere was no way through the floor.
I smiled at the group. I hope you like that bow, it was my best creation until I made this thing. I waved my new sword around. The floor had been configured with runes so my voice could travel through.
Co up and face us, the priest sneered down at . Sothing about his tone was familiar.
I frowned at them, trying to figure out what it was.
The tank spoke. Thats got to be him, the nas right, and our quest brought us here. Behave yourself, Marcus, we need to complete the quest.
Do I know you? That na was familiar as well.
I wouldnt know. A fighter wielding a great hamr leaned down and tapped on the crystal with his hamr. I might be able to break this though.
I doubt it, the female ranger said. Its notoriously hard to break stuff in dungeons, especially sothing like that.
There must be a hidden way down, the tank said. Jessica, Nick, try and find it. You have the highest perception of all of us.
Then it dawned on who they were. Wait a second, are you that group of players who helped through High Pass Fortress?
They all froze, locking their gazes on . Keep that to yourself, the tank said. That could get us in a lot of trouble.
Dont worry, I dont particularly care, you did a solid. I squinted at him. I dont rember your na.
Trust , it was not intentional, Marcus glared at the tank. I warned them we couldnt trust you.
Nas Aaron. The tank flipped Marcus off. Yeah, yeah, yeah, weve heard it a thousand tis.
There was only four of you though. Whos the new guy?
The nas Decker, the fighter with the great hamr said. I hear you make so pretty impressive weapons. I saw that hamr Ezras group got.
That thing? I chuckled. Compared to what I can make now that might as well be a regular hamr.
They said you were unusual, Jessica said.
I slipped on my relic illusion ring, just to see their reaction. My body changed into what I rember my initial disguise looking like. So, why are you looking for ? Really, I do owe you a solid for helping get through the pass.
Were trying to complete the quest you sent us on, Aaron responded.
You gave them a quest? Maxwell asked.
I sent you on a quest once, I reminded him. I dont know how it happens. Sotis it does, I think youve been around too much for it to happen anymore.
What was the quest? Maxwell asked.
I scratched my head, not used to the hair that felt real generated by the illusion. I believe it was so bullshit I made up about rcy, sothing about it being my fathers weapon.
See, I was right! Nick exclaid. He totally made it up just to get us to quit asking questions.
Sorry, I tried to sound apologetic. I was still in a bit of shell shock not really thinking straight.
No worries, it was actually a fairly interesting quest, Derek assured . Found out a lot of stuff about that weapon of yours and about you.
We found out hes a true monster. You sacrificed the entire city for your own lust for power, Marcus snapped.
Did he really though? Jessica, to my surprise, actually defended . We spent a lot of ti around Dothar. I an, technically speaking youre right in that he sacrificed the city; but people are still there. Theyre just different now.
Theyre all monsters. Marcus took on a very pious voice. They are an affront to nature and God.
I didnt realize he was a role player, I said. That explains why hes such a dick.
That and hes just a dick, Aaron agreed. But you are a useful dick, so we like to keep you around.
Thats what she said, I said without even thinking.
A surprised silence stretched before Maxwell burst out laughing. The rest of them joined, except for Marcus, who just continued to glare at .
Ezra wasnt kidding when she said there was sothing different, Aaron said. Anyways, we found so information we were supposed to bring to you, but we actually have to give you sothing. How do we make our way down?
Its a hidden passageway, I said. A month had passed, and since then Id regained the ability for the dungeon to resurrect thanks to Chompy taking the boss role, so I could die again if they attacked . How do I know that youre not going to just try to gank once you get down here?
I guess you dont, Aaron glared at Marcus. But you have my word we wont, maybe at a later date we will, you are the, he made air quotes, bad guy. But for now, we just want to complete our quest.
Alright, Ill tell you where the entrance is, though it does change each ti its accessed, so this is only a one-ti thing, I said. If you do attack , even if you manage to take out, the next ti you enter the dungeon, Im going to have a specially ford hit squad thats going to hunt you down.
We can take them on. We beat your monster, Marcus sneered.
You beat a monster. How would you fare against four of those at the sa ti? I asked, then smiled. Derek, if you keep him in line then the next ti you guys manage to beat Chompy, I will have a custom-built hamr for you.
Derek smiled broadly through his thick, red beard. We could just kill him. He hefted his hamr and eyed Marcus.
Ill behave, Marcus huffed, the pompousness flowing out of him like a deflating balloon.
It didnt take long for them to make their way down. While I was up at the ceiling, I replaced the reward item, even though Chompy wasnt rebuilt yet. That would take so work.
Its a rather long story, so Im going to keep it simple, Aaron said, handing a book with a depiction of rcy on the front of it and a woven pattern around it. If you didnt know, that weapon once upon a ti was a truly evil thing, and I an true evil, not like you evil, like desecrating the soul.
I nodded having learned that myself.
So anyway, Aaron continued. Sothing called a soul weaver found it after killing the man who wielded it. He almost destroyed the weapon but was so impressed with the craftsmanship that he instead decided to free the souls within it and rework it to a different task.
Fascinating, I said, looking between rcy and the book. I suspected sothing like that when I found out what the weapon was. Interestingly enough, this is the place it was made.
Well, thats very fortunate for you, Aaron chuckled. That book notes that the soul weaver made on the weapon and ways he said one would be able to improve if they had access to the place it was created and the right material.
I will do so careful reading, I gave Aaron a slight bow in thanks.
It just completed, Nick said happily. I got a whole level! So close to soul compression.
Glad I could help. I was eager for them to leave so I could dive into the book.
The rest of the group turned and began to leave, but Jessica approached . When I say we found out a lot about you, I really an that. She glanced over her shoulder where the others had paused, Marcus was rolling his eyes. They think Im crazy, but everything we learned about your ti here only adds up to one thing. The records show you didnt exist here for very long, despite being a supposedly ancient and powerful necromancer. The group you ran with were role players, and a nasty backstabbing lot at that. I think you were a player and sohow you lost your power and ended up stuck in this world.
I stared into her eyes, a little stunned. It made sense if the quest had them learning about in the past.
Maxwell laughed and broke the spell. You got it in one.
Maxwell is right. Once upon a ti, I lived on Earth as just your regular old blue-collar worker. I didnt know becoming a Lich actually bound part of here.
I recomnd being careful with who you tell that too, we want people to know, but it has to be the right people at first, Maxwells tone beca very serious. Think about the implications of what Ezekiel actually is getting out and becoming widespread.
The next hour devolved into a conversation where they asked a lot of questions and I answered them as best I could. To my surprise, every one of them, including Marcus, expressed sympathy. They understood Maxwells warning about the information getting out. But Decker argued that it might not be as damaging as Maxwell thought. After all, the Immortals already existed. The only problem was I wasnt exactly like them, I could be killed.
Raven arrived and Jessica imdiately fell in love with her. As the conversation dragged on, Raven got bored and turned into her lynx form, which Jessica loved even more. When they finally left, I was a mix of confused emotions. I was touched that they seed to care, and also thrilled soone besides Maxwell knew, but I was also worried about what might happen if it got out.
Ultimately that was the goal. I figured if people knew and believed what I was, then I might gain so allies against Olattee. The problem was the player killer guilds that hunted the Immortals would find a very tasty morsel indeed. But those were issues I didnt have to worry about right away, and I resolved to always be strong enough or clever enough to stay ahead of any threat.
Regardless of all that, I felt like I had another ally. Theyd asked if it would be okay for them to continue to do the dungeon, and I told them I didnt mind. They would be a net loss of resources for , but having allies around on the outside would be worth it.
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