Akiol quickly backed away. He wasn't aware that players could become undead! He had no idea what this player had up their sleeve. So he decided to be cautious.
"Are you able to speak?" Akiol inquired.
The player didn't respond, instead he stared at Akiol. Feeling something amiss Akiol quickly looked around him. The small squadron of undead were stumbling towards him. Akiol only had three minutes left before he failed his quest. Weighing his options he decided to fight the player. One undead was easier to deal with.
Akiol swung towards the undead. When they blocked Akiol did a sweep kick, knocking them to the ground. Using the opening he stabbed them in the throat.
<-105hp>
Normally there would be a critical hit, but since they were undead they lacked any vital spots to deal guaranteed critical hits. A benefit for becoming an undead it would seem.
While the player was on the ground Akiol kicked the robed skeleton, interrupting its strange spell casting. Akiol noticed this stopped the timer.
The undead player had already gotten up and started attacking Akiol. Dodging the first strike and parrying the second, he pushed the player down again with a kick. He turned to strike the robed skeleton, who was casting again, but the undead player had kicked towards Akiol.
Akiol denied the attack, stabbing into their leg. The player grunted and tried to stand anyway. Akiol gave them another swift kick and sent them rolling. It became obvious that this player didn't have a lot of experience in battle, which automatically reduced the threat of him in Akiol's eyes.
The squadron of undead were almost to Akiol, he had about ten seconds before he had to deal with them as well.
Using his time wisely he quickly attacked the robed skeleton. Killing it in seven seconds.
It looked like Akiol had also finished his undead quest as well. He glanced towards the direction of the undead squadron to find that they were gone. Ignoring this he went towards the now gone magic circle.
All that remained was a small pile of bones. Akiol searched through them, the only object he found was a finger bone.
[The Great Lich Orothus Bone]
The finger bone of the once great Orothus. Now part of his soul remains in this small bone.
Quest Item
Akiol stored it in his inventory, it didn't feel right to absorb a bone. After confirming there was no more additional items Akiol used a teleport scroll to Goldlight. He felt the need to quickly turn in these quests.
~ ~ ~
A player smashed the ground. He had a chance to increase his standing in the undead hierarchy! All he had to do was summon one of the powerful Lichs. It took him a week to find the location of one. But one player stopped the entire process!
The worst thing was that silver haired player looked familiar as well! He couldn't place his tongue on it, but he knew that they were someone he was familiar with.
Nearly tearing out what little hair he had an idea formed. Since the initial summoning had failed there was undoubtedly still a Lich remaining. Since the player had already left he could attempt the summoning again! It was going to be costly, but if he could pull it off the rewards would be astronomical!
~ ~ ~
Akiol walked into the Adventurers Guild. Walking to the reception desk he said, "Here to turn in a quest and make a report."
The receptionist nodded and said, "Please put your hand on the orb."
To turn in a quest at the Adventurers Guild a player had to touch a magic orb. The Guild claimed that it was to confirm if the quest was really done. Many players believed it was just an excuse.
Akiol received the rewards for his first quest. The receptionist then asked, "Your report?"
"There was an attempted Lich summoning at the same place as that quest."
The receptionist looked surprised and stuttered, "P-please wait one moment."
The receptionist quickly headed through a door behind the desk and came back a couple minutes later.
She said, "The guild leader would like to speak to you. Please follow me."
Akiol followed, he soon arrived at the guild leader's office. Which looked the same to when he first arrived. Sitting in the chair was the guild leader, Vordu.
He greeted, "If it isn't the slime! Come, come sit."
Akiol sat and Vordu asked, "So what's this about an attempted Lich summoning?"
Akiol told the events which took place at the graveyard. Vordu tapped the desk rhythmically, clicking his tongue.
He then leaned forward. Speaking seriously he said, "This is a big problem you know? A Lich could easily destroy a city, much less a town. However your going to have to forgive me for not believing you without any proof."
Akiol pulled out the finger bone and set it on the desk. Vordu picked it up and examined it. Squinting he reached under the desk, Akiol only heard a 'click' before Vordu's hand was back to examining.
Not even a minute later someone knocked on the office door and walked in. It was a woman in a science coat. Walking up to the desk she said curtly, "You called?"
Vordu handed the finger bone to her, "Take a look at this, what do you think?"
She examined the finger bone, pulling out what looked like a monocle but had strange magic writing on it's lens. Using the 'monocle' to look at the finger bone she said, "Some sort of powerful soul is in this. Seems undead, black magic perhaps? Where did you find it?"
Vordu waved his hand, "Not important, please examine it however."
She nodded her head and left. Turning his attention to Akiol he asked, "Mind telling me where you found it?"
"It was at the graveyard on my most recent quest. When I was searching the place I came across a magic circle. It had something forming in it so I figured I had to stop it. After halting the summoning I searched the small pile of remains and found that finger bone." Akiol replied.
"How'd you figure it was a Lich?"
"Powerful magic like that summons powerful undead."
Vordu shrugged, "Fair point I guess. Either way we should reward you for this. Give me a minute."
Vordu pulled out a paper and wrote somethings on it. Folding it up he handed it to Akiol, "Give this to the receptionist and they will hand you the reward. Also take this, as a personal thanks for you stopping a catastrophe." Vordu tossed a crystal at Akiol.
Examining the stone he was surprised at what he found.
[Stat Boost Crystal]
Increased all stats by 10 permanently.
This was his first stat increase reward! In 'A World's Legacy' stat rewards aren't impossible to obtain. Such rewards could only be obtained by quests that weren't on a quest board however. Even then a player isn't guaranteed to obtain one.
Thanking Vordu he left the office and claimed his reward. His reward consisted of 800 gold and the experience he was promised.
That meant one thing, he had reach level 100! Or so he thought.
[The Second Evolution]
You are about to take the next step in your journey. The time for your second evolution has arisen.
Requirements:
Have five non-combat skills: complete
Defeat an enemy 20 levels higher: complete
Experience your core being removed: incomplete.
Akiol sighed in relief, it looks like his fight with Scorpion counted for the second requirement. He felt if the first requirement was mocking him however, he only had non-combat skills. The final requirement he could do himself.
He didn't wish to do that in public however, that wouldn't be a great idea. After asking a player for directions to the inn he rented a room. Laying on the bed he took a deep breath, he had no clue what was going to happen. He could only hope it wasn't painful.
He grit his teeth and used his hand to grab his core. Pulling it didn't hurt but the moment he tried to pull it out his arm melted in his body and his core went back to it's position.
It turned out that he couldn't pull it out slowly. Which meant he could try to yank it out. Akiol once again braved himself and pulled out his core quickly.
It wasn't a great experience. He felt his body losing solidity, his consciousness fading. He felt incomplete, unfinished. Yet very much still alive. In this helpless manner he could no longer control the very slime that made his body.
As Akiol blacked out the last thing he saw was his core slowly falling towards him.