Wayland and the short dark figure sat against the wall of the Labyrinth.
"So who do you want to bet on?" the short figure asked, holding a small pouch.
"What are we betting?" Wayland asked, he didn't expect to be using any of his outside resources during the Guild-fest.
"Oh, you'll bet favors and i'll be betting these." the figure told him with a sly grin, opening the pouch to reveal pitch black stones.
"What are they?" Wayland asked, curious as the stones were putting off a wary aura about them.
"These you might or might not need in the future. Young Void Walker, or should i say future Shadow Ruler." the short figure a smiled predatory grin.
Wayland was shocked, this had been the second time he had heard this title, Void Walker. What did it mean?
"Ahhh, the great moment of wonderment. We'll talk as we watch. I bet that the Dragonkin is going to knock your friend Trusga out." the figure laid down his bet, setting half the bag of stones on a stone slab.
"What will this favor i would owe you be for?" Wayland asked, knowing that favors were one and done. But that favor could be used for anything.
"We'll hammer out the details later. Let's just enjoy the show." the figure replied, motioning to the fight.
****
Trusga swung his blade at the Dragonkin, the latter blocked the blade with the head of his axe.
"Huh, trying to over power me. Not gonna happen." the Dragonkin smirked and pushed back, forcing Trusga back a few feet.
"Gah." Trusga ducked low, allowing the axe to swing around across his great sword. Sparks emitted from the clash of the blades, causing Trusga to see the blood lust in the eyes of the Dragonkin.
'It seems that i can't underestimate this opponent.' Trusga thought to himself as he swiped his tail around trying to knock the Dragonkin off balance.
"Tsk, I thought you would do better." the Dragonkin sneered at the Lizardman as he dodged the tail sweep.
'I need to get stronger.' Trusga thought,
Trusga's hide became rock hard, and the hide on his joints became pointed.
The Dragonkin smirked, seeing his opponent start getting serious.
'Poor fool doesn't even know that i'm playing with him.' the Dragonkin smirked knowingly.
Trusga saw the smirk and ducked as the axe came down a little quicker, nicking his shoulder. Stones pelted off his hardened hide.
'Just how strong is this guy.' Trusga thought, even Kamil couldn't cut through a
The axe swung around again, this time Trusga stepped into the swing raising his arms to defend himself. The handle hit his arms, creaking under the strain of being slammed into a hard surface.
Creeeeeak, Snap!!!
Suddenly the axe handle snapped about half way up, the axe head flew into the far wall. Impaling itself with a thud halfway in.
"Huh, you broke my axe. Guess i'll just have to finish this the old fashioned way." the Dragonkin informed Trusga, cracking his knuckles and snapping his maw.
Trusga nodded, settling into a defensive stance. He was already doing his best to stay in this fight. He knew that he was outmatched, his basic instincts telling him to run. He pushed them to the side, knowing that his Captain would see this as weakness. Trusga was going to purge this weakness, become stronger. So that he could stand beside his Captain in the future.
A warm feeling started to flow through Trusga. The Dragonkin stopped his swing in mid stride as a larger clawed hand holds his fist in it.
*Ding*
*Ding*
Race: Basilisk Knight> Trusga opened his eyes, everything seemed to be clearer, as if he was seeing everything renewed. His mind raced with new thoughts as he felt his body grow larger, like shedding an old skin. He was almost two times larger, he was now the same size as the Dragonkin in front of him. Trusga hissed at the Dragonkin, flexing his new found strength toward his opponent. The Dragonkin sneered, he headbutted Trusga in the snout. Causing the new evolved Basilisk Knight to whince slightly. The attack had unlodged some of the Shadow Dragonkin's scales loosened and blood started to seep through. 'Damn, that felt like headbutting a boulder.' the Dragonkin thought, slightly woozey from the hit. Trusga opened his mouth and spat at the Dragonkin, instead of "Ahhhhhh, ahhhhh. You worm, you burned my face. You useless leather pouch." the Dragonkin cried out as the yellow glob melted his hide off his bones. 'What the Hel was that?' Trusga thought to himself. *Ding* Corrosive Shot (Level 1): This shot allows the user to spit stomach acid at the enemy, causing the flesh to melt from their bones.> The screen flashed away as a fist slammed through it, knocking Trusga on his knees. "You piece of worthless leather, you melted my face." the Dragonkin yelled enraged from the earlier blow, slamming his clawed talons into Trusga's soft underbelly. "Gah" Trusga grunted as the talons dug in. His eyes started to burn as he felt the pain from the talons. "Look at me as i kill you, i want to see the life leave your eyes." the Dragonkin gloated, knowing that he had got his opponents weakness and was exploiting it. Trusga glared at the Dragonkin, suddenly the Dragonkin froze. Those cold eyes, as if they pierced his very soul stared at him. His body started to slowly stiffen up from the fear, wait no that wasn't it. He broke eye contact with Trusga, only to realize it was to late. He realized his mistake as the stare finalized his petrification stature. Trusga slammed his huge clawed hand into the Drafonkin's face sending him over and crushing his now stone head. *Ding* Level 5 has been reached. You now have the skill Stone Gaze (Level 1)> The painful burning from Trusga's eyes stopped as he blinked it away. The effects of the Forced Evolution and the fight had pushed the new Basilisk Knight to the edge. 'So.... tired...' the Basilisk Knight thought as he fell down to unconsciousness. *** "Ha, i win." the short figure exclaimed. "No, you lost. The Dragonkin died before Trusga got knocked out." Wayland informed the figure. The Dragonkin's stone body melted into shadows, which piled up and vanished from the area. "Where did he go?" Wayland asked, seeing the event unfold as he watched the battles. "Don't worry about him. He'll be mad when he wakes up again." the figure informed the Necromancer. "I'll give you that one. Now onto the other side." the figure commented, waving his hand to Synclade and the thin figure. "Now onto the other match, which one is faster i wonder?" the figure smirked, as he set the other half of the pouch on the skin. **** Synclade was panting, she was pushing her limits. Even in Hel Month, Kamil had pushed her hard. Yet this was nothing compared to what was happening now. This figure was matching strike with strike and even nicking the Drow every few strikes. "Ha, you are so slow. Do you even think that you can take me on?" the figure asked, flipping back to avoid a slice that would have clipped her hood. "I'll get to see your face. That i promise." Synclade told the figure, sending chills of excitment down the figures back. "Oh, this will be so much fun. I haven't felt this in forever" the thin figure informed the elf as they readied a stance. " The figure melted into the darkness of the Labyrinth as if they had never been there. "So many vital spots, which to hit first? Should i play with you or just hit the sweet spot?" the figure's voice rang out from everywhere. Synclade stood still, not knowing where her opposition was. The feeling of being hunted sickened the woman to no end. She was a hunter, not the prey. Yet in one move the tables had been turned on her. "Over here." the figure's voice whispered, followed by a flash of metal. Synclade barely dodged the attack, deflecting the blade with one of her own. "Ooooh, you made me miss. Time to take it up a notch." the figure's voice rang out. The voice sounded thrilled. The pressure increased, causing Synclade to shiver and goosebumps to form on her body. "Two times." the voice whispered, sweeping away like a cloud of dust on the wind. Synclade watched as glints of metal appeared out of the darkness. The first one she dodged, the second one sliced her hair. The strand floated down gracefully, landing on the cold stoned floor. 'I need to be faster. I need more speed to dodge the next hit.' the elf thought in a panic. The Drow knew she was at the figure's mercy. The figure smirked in the shadows, play time was over. The time for being here was running short. The figure had to finish this now. "Full set." the voice whispered, the figure pulled out her blades. The blades made a silent sound as they were pulled from their seathes. *Ding* Calculating... Class found. Class Updating. Update complete. New Class: Assassin, your speed and attacks are unmatched by your peers. You are now able to see into the darkness that cloaks your deeds. New Skills: Night Vision, Shadow Dance Level 1.> Synclade could see everything in perfect detail, nothing was cloaked in blackness any more. The figure blinked in front of Synclade, their blades shining in the dark. 'Shing, shing, clang.' the two blades sang out against one another. The figure froze, the elf had not just blocked their attacks. The elf had answered every attack with one of their own. 'What, how?' the figure asked themselves, dodging a sweep from Synclade. Synclade clicked her tongue as the figure dodged her attack. Yet the figure's hood swept back, showing a beautiful face of a woman with elegant features. The most striking thing was the figure's eyes, the were a crimson red almost blood like. "Hmm, you got my hood. No one has seen my face and lived to tell about it." the beautiful woman told Synclade, who smiled fully. The woman's canines growing slightly. Synclade shivered, standing before her was something she had only learned in rumors and legends. A vampiress, one who had drinks the blood of their enemies and gain power from it. The vampiress smirked, 'Time to take it up to Level 2.' The creature disappeared once more, flowing into the shadows as if they had lived their entire lives in them. "Catch me if you can, little elf." the voice whispered to her. It had a more sinister aura to it. The time for playing was over, it was all or nothing. Shivers were sent down Synclade's spine as she waited, she didn't have to wait long. Blades, covered in a dark aura shot through the darkness. Synclade dodged and deflected the steady attack as the razor edged weapons kept increasing with each wave. 'Shik, drip, drip, drip'. A blade had finally managed to land a strike on the newly formed Assassin's cheek. Synclade flinched from the cut, suddenly she felt an aura behind her. "Gah, the color. The flavor, that scent." the vampiress' voice came out dreamly, almost as if she was aroused by the sight of blood. "I must have more, bleed for me sweetie." the voice whispered all around Synclade. The attacks, which had been fast before, picked up as the vampiress' blood lust had been shown. Soon Synclade was covered in small nicks and cuts. Blood was dripping from her body landing with small splats every time she moved. ' It's time.' the vampiress thought to herself, suddenly freezing as an aura started to bear pressure on her. This feeling of dread. Something the creature had not felt in centuries, not since that one man had beat her. That day had been burned onto her undead soul. It was the feeling of death, she loved the feeling before it. The scent of the hunt had pulled her away from the real target. The vampiress turned, only to find a pair of reflective silver eyes staring through here. They mesmerized her, it was as if she was staring straight into the Void and was in fear of being swallowed by it. The eyes were set into a rugged face that had darkened with fury that was being held on by a thread. " I'm your opponent now." Wayland informed the vampiress, Gileon shining darkly in the blackness. 'So handsome, i want him.' the vampiress thought, suddenly the blood lust had shifted into one of desire. No not desire, it was more of a longing. The longing to truly feel the edge of death, like all those years ago. That day she had become a vampire, that edge is what she needed to feel alive again. "That look. It sends shivers down my spine. I want it." the vampiress giggled out, blushing slightly. This woman was clearly nuts, she wanted his murderous stare. Wayland settled himself into his own scythe stance. Standing with one foot forward and his arms ready to swing out. With this he waited to see what the woman would do. The vampiress went to sink back into the shadows, yet this time the shadows bared her entrance. It was as if the shadows no longer recognized her as part of them. "That won't work. You are out her with me now." Wayland informed the woman, slicing forward with Gileon. The arc sliced through the corset that was hidden under the creature's cloak. Strings popped as it was sliced. The creature smirked, pulling the now damaged corset of it's body. "Ahhh, this was one of my favorites." the vampiress sullened towards Wayland. Seeing what the article of clothing was, the necromancer suddenly got a tinge of red on his cheeks. "You shouldn't be wearing such outfits in public." Wayland snorted with a bit of embarrassment. He was still a teenager, even though his mental prowess was almost double that. "Stop. We are out of time." A voice called out, commanding with a tone to which no one could defy. "You still haven't told us why you are here." Wayland told the short figure, sensing they were out of time. "We were sent here by the Shadow King to see if you were a worthy successor. I find the results interesting. Now, Camilia. We must go." the figure informed Wayland, before throwing the pouch to him. "Your winnings, minus a fourth for interference of the match." "I'll see you again?" Wayland asked, as a dark portal opened up waiting for the two shadowed creatures. "Maybe, one day. See ya around." the figure bid farewell stepping into the portal. "Let's try this again, sexy. Oh and you can keep the corset, as a reminder." Camilia flirted at him, causing Wayland to grow red again. She then stepped through the portal, which imploded on itself with a pop. The darkened area suddenly started to light up as the creatures left. People began to enter the center as the barrier lifted from the corridors. Confused to see a giant Lizardman laying asleep on the floor, a Drow with multiple wounds scoring her body, and a dark cloaked man holding a crimson corset staring at the wall. "What just happened?" a quiet voice finally asked, cutting the man out of his stupor. "Huh, oh. We just finished off the Guardian." Wayland replied, quickly hiding the corset in his cloak. *Ding* Lie believed. 20 experience awarded.> Companion must be evolved to higher level to use Void Orb.> **** In the stadium **** Several people were suprised to see that only 16 people had only remained out of a couple of hundred. "As you can see, after some technical difficulty. The winners of the first event are the Party named 'The Chaos Eaters'. We will give the teams an 18 hour rest period. While they are resting, you can bet on the tournament or if you feel that you have witnessed enough, please talk to the staff about taking quests." The Headmaster called out, ignoring all the outbursts that had caused them to blank out the main magical screens. Leaving the private screens in the VIP boxes open to see. **** "My future husband is quiet smitten with the ladies." Deina commented, she had a feeling about Wayland. Ever since she got the report from Kamil of a young man with fire in his eyes. "We must celebrate him getting through the first event. Are the reservations set?" Deina asked a servant. "It is as you wished my Queen, the invitations have been sent to the Chaos Eaters. We will prepare the celebration while we await their answers." the servant informed the Amazon Queen. "Everything will be fine as long as they accept. Who would deny the Queen of the Amazons?" Deina asked the rhetorical question. "Would my queen like to leave, so she may have a more appropriate attire for the festivities?" the servant asked, bowing slightly. "Hmmm. Oh, yes. I would" Deina informed her servant. With that said Deina left her box to find the perfect outfit for her to spellbind her future husband. Although this would only be the first step into her plan. **** "I want that human now!!" the male Drow yelled out in anger, his aura reaching a dangerous peak. "Son, calm down. We must first assess the damage that was done to the weapon first. Then we can deal with the interloper." the older Drow reined in his son, although he was had a sliver of fear after seeing what had happened on the private screening. "Yes, the weapon comes first. We must see if there was an unforeseeable damage. Come dear, we must see if our daughter is healthy." the male dark elf calmly ordered his wife. "Yes dear." the female elf replied submissively, "In fact i have already sent invitations for our daughter and the human to join us for dinner." "Ah, what a clever ploy. That is good idea." the male elf commented, soothing his silver hair back into a more appropriate state. "Thank you, husband." her voice edged with venom. "Calm yourself, otherwise we'll have another 'session' to temper yourself again." the male warned. "Yes dear." the female replied, this time no venom was detected. "Let us go see our daughter and the interloper." the male commanded, brushing some dust off his cloak and drawing it up onto his shoulders. **** Wayland and his group had just finished checking on Pricusla. Other than being upset about not competing in the rest of the tournament, she had a few scrapes. "I'll do better next time. I promise." that vow had been all the answer Wayland needed to hear. Wayland was one step closer to completing his goal. The survival of his team when he would attack the Demon Lord. *Ding* "I would like more...." Wayland started to tell the system, only to be interrupted by a large woman. This woman was aleast a foot taller and filled out with lean muscle. "Yes, how may i help you?" Wayland asked the woman. "Her majesty, Deina Queen of the Amazons has requested that you and your party join her for a celebration in her private quarters." the woman announced. "That will be fine, please inform her that i... no we will be thankful for her invitation." Wayland replied. The woman turned and walked away to inform her Queen. Wayland was about to start the evolution criteria on the system again, when a shadow shot out from the wall. Wayland blocked the attack with a Fenrir's Tooth. The weapon was a sickly looking blade that looked like it was rippling. "Now who wants to fight." Wayland asked the shadowed figure. The figure stepped back and sheathed their blade. The figure placed one hand over it's chest before bowing it's head slightly. "My lord wishes for the human, Wayland and his daughter, Synclade to appear at dinner tonight." 'Shit, Deina or Synclade's parents.' Wayland suddenly thought, seeing the two conflicts he was having. "Do you accept?" the figure asked again, waiting for the response from this human. " I'm afraid i must decline, as you see i have made other plans. Lady Synclade will also decline as she to has other plans for this evening. Maybe we can reschedule for breakfast. Now if you excuse me, i must get changed into more appropriate attire." Wayland informed the figure before leaving to go bath from today's activities. "Tsk, that shit hurt." the figure spoke to no one. Blood dripped from it's main hand as Fenrir's Tooth had scraped it when they attacked the interesting human. "I must inform my lord of the changes to the report." the figure spoke to itself as it vanished. **** In the Forest of Drigun, Envy reappeared in it's tent. The feeling of that oppressing aura had given Envy a cold sweat that had lasted until it saw the encampment. "Was the tournament that bad?" a loud voice asked. "Wrath, the subject is stronger than i feared. He is being protected by the Amazon Queen." Envy informed the armored being. "Huh, he must be special then. Interesting." Wrath commented, his sword hand gripping his giant cleaver tightly. "Oh, there is more than that. He stopped a weapon that one of the Royal families from that elf nation had made." a new voice also added. "You mean i missed something interesting, Pronucs. Or should i say Pride?" Envy asked as the nobleman walked into the tent. "That's not all, that group made it into the center before the vision cut out. Or so the Headmaster informed us. But i think it was something else, i felt Void Energy." Pronucs informed his other Sins. "Void Energy, that means..." Envy started, freezing from the very thought. "The Dragons are waking." Wrath finished, he stood up and prepared to head out. "I'll inform out Lord of these new developments. You are to be on standby until further notice. Oh, Envy. I took care of that little trouble maker for you." "Tsk, you can't help but kill my playthings." Envy sneered at the armor plated figure as it left. **** The short shadowed figure knelt before a large obisidian throne, the bearer of the throne was a wrinkled old man with horns weaving into his hair. "Cough, cough. So you made contact. What are your results?" the old man asked, leaning forward with interest. "My lord, he is almost perfect. He is resisting the power of the Void with no training, and he even defended his female companion after Camilia got blood drunk." the figure replied, just this would be enough for them to meet again. The old man stroke his long white beard. After centuries of waiting, his successor had appeared. Now he must wait until he was fully matured to see him. "The gifts?" the old man asked. "Ah, the Lizardman evolved into a Basilisk Knight and the Rouge evolved into an Assassin. The companion Gileon has yet to evolve. As for 'him', we must wait and see what he chooses." the short figure informed his lord. "Interesting, we can no longer interfere with his destiny. We must pray to The Fates, Norms, or whatever they want to call themselves right now. That he makes the right decisions." the old man told the figure. "Cough, cough. No leave, i must rest." the old man ordered the short figure. "Yes my lord, Be well and May the Shadow see all." the figure saluted to his lord. "May the Shadow hide all from prying eyes. Keep me updated." as the old man retired to his personal chambers. "Yes. My lord, be well. Father." the figure whispered as the old man left.