As Cyrus and the group passed through the portal they came across Whisper. Gently cutting leaves from a plant and placing them in mortar. Grinding up the to paste and mixing it with water and some other materials. Cyrus walked over and greeted Whisper with a friendly smile.
"Hey Whisper, we have almost reached the top. Thank you for your help as always, we wouldn't have gotten this far without you." Cyrus smiled and watch Whisper put the paste inside a jar. Having the mortar and pestle vanish before his eyes.
Turning his gaze to Cyrus he nodded, "You have... only two orbs... left to go," Whisper said, clasping his bony hands together. "Do you... still wish... to continue?" Cyrus raised an eyebrow towards Whisper.
Nodding, "Of course I do, no matter what comes in my way I will do whatever I can to save our worlds." Whisper and him stared at one another. Though Cyrus was looking at the empty void of Whisper's shadowed face. Unable to tell any facial features from the being.
Whisper then let out a sigh and reached into his cloak and pulled out the Orb of Wealth. The gold orb sat there and reflected the candle light to make it shine. Cyrus was surprised that Whisper had one this whole time, but had to guess it was for a good reason. Chase walked over and looked at the orb.
"Well seems like we now have only one left. Though I think I already know what orb we have to get next." Cyrus looked at Chase wondering what he had in mind. Chase looked towards the door, "Most likely we will be going up against the Aspect of Death Thane. His very presence weakens all who approach him. We will need to use magic and ranged attacks to defeat him."
Taking not he was a little disheartened that he would be able to use his new weapon. However he knew that he needed more bullets for Wolf's Fang if that were the case. Whisper though looked at Cyrus and held up a hand.
"I can not... give orb... purchase it..." Cyrus knew that was coming and looking at the orb asked how much. Whisper said, "15,000 coins..." Knowing that there would be no bartering he coughed up the coins for the Orb of Wealth. Obtaining the orb, which was the size of a grapefruit, had meant he now had the one left.
Using another 5,000 coins to purchase more ammo and possible more if Whisper was able. Cyrus received 25 addition .50GI rounds for Wolf's Fang, another piece of the unknown gun, and another skill Crystal. Popping the Crystal gave him 3 points now having 6 to do with as he wished. He also took another look into getting more spells for Grimm and himself. Asking for more Skill Crystals for Grimm, Whisper pulled out books instead of crystals.
"A grimoire... doesn't get... spells from Skills... but from books." Cyrus looked at the book and his system translated it to 'Light Spears'. He offered another 2,000 cause he was getting low on his coins. He got the book and another two skill crystals.
Summoning Grimm and holding the book out to him, the system asked a question.
[Would you like Grimm to learn Light Spears?]
He said, "Yes," and Grimm opened his pages as the book was absorbed into the pages. Grimm closed himself and his eye blinked as he learned Light Spears. Then another notification popped up while Grimm was summoned.
[INT is at 20, can learn two spells from Grimm!]
[Choose from his list of spells]
[Call Lightning]
[Blast]
[Light Spears]
[Regeneration]
Cyrus looked at the spells and thought about what each one could do. He figured the Regeneration would do exactly as its name intended. He figured that the Light Spears and Call Lighting might be good choices. Blast sounded like spell that just caused an explosion, not exactly something needed for Cyrus at the moment.
Spending his own Skill points increase his Fenrir's Howl. Allowing his summons to be powered up for 45 seconds instead of 30. Then allowed Grimm to take the other two. Grimm got lucky when he absorbed the skill Crystals as he got 7 points total.
He upgraded Grimm's Quick Casting feature to allow Cyrus to cast spells without speaking. Just thinking of the spell and doing focusing on it would allow him to cast magic. Then he unlocked a unique skill called "Sage's Potent Spell."
[Sage's Potent Spell lvl 1: Doubles the power of a single Spell for the day.]
Cyrus thought about which spell for him to choose, which he decided to choose the Light Spears. For they seemed to be more beneficial against shadows. It might be the same against Thane, the Aspect of Death. Though he wasn't sure it would have to come down to if they could hit Thane.
The group gathered to head through the portal. Then Whisper called out to Cyrus, "We will... only see... each other... one more time... before the door." Whisper then smiled, "Good luck... Thane is no... pushover..."
Then they vanished through the portal and wound up in an almost church like design. The carpet down the middle isle was dark purple and the benches were made of carved jet, a dark stone that is almost pure black. The room had some kind of ominous feeling to it as whispers could be heard floating about. They all were combat ready for whenever Thane may show up.
As Cyrus took a step forward on the carpet and walked down the isle, a spectral figure appeared before him. "Ahh!" It screamed, moving to get closer to Cyrus. But with a quick cast of a single Light Spear dealt with the creature. As it disappeared in a cloud of green smoke, Cyrus was awarded 40 CM points.
[Specter slain]
That is when more and more of the creatures had begun to reveal themselves. The Specters all looked at Cyrus for having killed one of them. One by one they all let out a ghastly wail shambling over to them. Chase used his own Light Spears while Thomas ignited the sword. Godfrey enhanced his axe and started cutting down the waves of Specters.
Cyrus summoned Grimm and the two of them cast Light Spears left and right. Even making a line of Light Spears erupt from the ground. Spears jutted out from the very floor piercing the specters and making them disperse in green clouds. Specters were coming from the ground and the walls like the entire place was filled with them.
[Killed 20 Specters, 800 CM gained]
[Ghost Slayer feature earned]
[You no longer gain CM from Specters, instead you gain 1 skill point for ever 100 specters killed.]
Cyrus was disappointed as he couldn't gain any more Chaos Meter from the specters. But now he had another goal, get more skill points with every 100 specter kills. They ghastly visages of dead souls kept coming. They had to push forward through torrent of damned souls. Or else they would be overwhelmed by the sheer number and run out of energy to fight.
[34/100 specters]
[38/100]
[43/100]
[...]
Cyrus couldn't keep up casting the Spears for his CEP was low. He decided to summon Er'Delrune and Fenrir. Fenrir howled and caused Specters to flee from him. It was the first time he got to use that ability so he relished in killing the Specters while they fled.
Er'Delrune circled Cyrus as it cut down the spirits.
Chase and Thomas had trouble harming the Specters after Chase stopped casting the Light Spears. Spectral hands came up from the ground as Thomas went to strike down a Specter. He had to back away so he didn't get caught by them. Cutting through the specter's hands causing them to vanish.
"We need to get through quickly!" Godfrey called out. They all agreed, forming up they moved quickly. Dodging hands and their flying bodies as the Specters attempted to intercept them. But with their long reaching strikes and the magic from Grimm creating a path. The group managed to pass through the church to the alter.
The alter itself had a chalice on it, empty from any liquid. Getting to the alter and looking around they saw nothing that seemed like an exit. Godfrey, Fenrir, and the vampire brothers were all fighting off the Specters. While Cyrus looked for something to stop the Specters. But nothing was in sight other than the chalice.
"They keep coming," Chase said, stabbing a Specter adding another kill to Cyrus' counter.
"We can't keep this up forever!" Burning another Specter as he sounded worried.
Cyrus looked to Godfrey and then the chalice. Then he had an idea, pulling out the flask he poured it out and into the chalice. As a drop had entered the chalice it sent out a wave across the room. This made the Specters freeze and causing them to back away.
The water fell and filled it up to a quarter of the way full. As it reached that mark the Specters all seemed to stop attacking. They all dropped their arms to their sides and floated their way to the benches. Cyrus and the rest of them were confused what had happened. But as they were all thinking the same thing, the Specters began to change.
From greenish lanky robed figures they began to change to regular people. Each one began to pray and chant as they returned to a more normal visage. One by one they all reverted back to normal spirits, chanting in unison. As the last Specter changed and they were all singing, the water in the chalice rippled. Causing it to glow and drain from the chalice itself.
Cyrus was watching the water disappear, then from behind him a light appeared. Turning to see that a pure white door appeared. He called out to everyone and led them to the next portal. Cyrus was glad they were all still alive but they were all exhausted.
They all took some damage but with a sip of the water from their canteens, Chase and Thomas felt much better. Cyrus had little left and Godfrey just seemed to be fine. Looking at his HP saw it rapidly returning to the max within moments. He was curious how Godfrey healed so fast but didn't get an answer. Cyrus gulped down a small amount of the healing waters which refilled him and all his summons HP and CEP.
"Wow, this stuff is really good," as he said that a chest appeared before the white door. Kicking it open he was rewarded 10,494 rune coins, a jar containing Ectoplasm, and a spell book. The book had the spell of "Magnify Gravity" allowing a 3m radius sphere that can appear 18m away. Giving the book to Grimm allowed him to absorb its knowledge.
[Magnify Gravity: 10 CEP, Create a 3m sphere of intense gravity. Any one who enters or is within it already have half speed and take damage equal to half your INT stat.]
Cyrus knew this might come in handy but for now they must continue their way to confront Thane. Passing through the portal and finding themselves outside at the top of the middle part of the castle. Rain and lightning crashing around them. While ahead of them, a darkly robed figure with bony hands floating in the air.
Cyrus at first thought it was Whisper but then he saw the wicked scythe the creature wielded. A clean and very sharp edge as figure turned to them. In a low and threatening voice Thane, the Aspect of Death called out.
"Welcome, princes, champion, and a descendant of the Reinhard family. I have been waiting for you."