"Wait a moment, did you say Joost?" Laffer interrupts my recount.
"Yes, I just came from Joost,"
"I heard that a dark arts cultist caused quite a ruckus down there," He says while sizing me up, "Could that possibly be you?"
I deny this possibility, no way that could be me. Laffer smirks at my answer and asks me what I had done there.
"I…"
Yup, recounting the story again, I may have been that so called cultist. Damnit.
Grinning, Laffer sighs, "I wish I could've fought the 'hero,' so how was it?"
At this, Lazari beams at me in anticipation, a rare change of emotion on her face.
"He wasn't much, even the knights were stronger than him,"
Laffer burst out laughing, "So you're tellin' me, the famed 'hero' is weaker than a knight?"
Well, he was.
After chatting for a bit, Laffer ends the conversation as he has other matters to tend to.
Well, I guess there's nothing to do but wait.
…
As an exadventurer, Gale took pride in his past glory and expeditions. Though that was behind him, settling down, he found himself under the employ of Shanz City's city lord.
It should be noted that adventurers are individuals who explored uncharted lands and delved into dangerous ruins. They are not hired hands. They were thrillseekers and profiteers looking for fame by searching into the unknown.
In his time, Gale had located numerous Rare and even Epic artifacts. All items had a grade, going, Subpar → Standard → Rare → Epic → Legendary → Mythic → Deity. However, although an artifact may be only of a Rare grade, if it were compared to any modern construct of the same grade, it was by far much more potent and valuable. It truly showed how competent and capable Gale was to achieve such a thing, as such artifacts were usually only found within ancient ruins guarded by primeval constructs and ladled with traps and monsters nestling within.
Gale's combat capability was simply nothing to scoff at.
Standing guard outside the reception room of his lord's estate, he let his mind drift. Earlier today, the lord had welcomed a priestess looking lady and her party, however, it was easy to tell that they were from the Pantheon. Despite knowing of the power struggle between the Pantheon and the Kingdom, he chose to not flag this. As long as he was paid, all was good and the world could keep turning.
But who knew trouble would brew so quick?
Busting through a nearby window, several robed figures breached through. A guard went to intercept them only to be choked and drained of their vitality, frightening the others from getting close.
Dark Arts Cultists. Using immoral practices and forbidden arts, they move with seemingly no goal in mind, apart from causing pandemonium wherever they go. The recent incident in Joost was a great example of their fickle actions.
Brandishing a Rare, Artifact grade shotel, Gale immediately waved it at them, halting their advance. However, swinging and slashing was not the full extent of its abilities. Channelling his essence into the blade, it lit up with a pink light as it unleashed a devastating spiritual attack, battering the minds of the cultists. Though compared to the steel wills of these cultists, the attack was nothing more than a scratch, however, this wasn't the full extent of this rare artifact.
As the cultists oriented themselves to attack, they were suddenly struck by a second, more forceful attack on their psyche. The shotel was capable of creating delay attacks and using this opening, Gale swooped in, cutting a deep wound into one of the cultists, but instead of the expected reaction one would have at having one's stomach slit, the cultist grinned.
Using the moment Gale had his blade jammed in him, he grappled his arm, locking Gale and quickly siphoning his vitality.
"YOu BaSTarD!"
Resisting against the invasive weakness that spread throughout his body, Gale flailed madly. He won't die today!
With his experience as an adventurer, he had the decisiveness to make significant decisions.
Activating a talisman, Gale set it upon his right arm, decisively blowing it off.
"Tss!"
Forcing the cultist to back off, it was at the expense of his arm.
Licking his lips, Laffer's wound had already healed up.
"Fool! There's no time to muck around, so hurry your ass!" Laffer was scolded for his necessary actions. Their forceful entry meant that they had to hurry or their target may have enough time to escape or organise a force to repel them.
Dark Arts cultists were known for their arts which targeted one's vitality and inadvertently their power rank. However, for a mission such as this, it was better simply to crush their opponent's life essence, though Laffer was playful and went on to slowly drain Gale's life essence. Which was simply a waste of time in a situation such as this.
And this action would quickly come to bite his ass.
With the reception door suddenly bursting open, a searing beam of light was launched straight at him. Caught off guard, he was unable to react in time, letting the beam rip a new hole through his torso.
"Shite! What the hell?!"
That wasn't normal magic!
Followed by the beam of light, two white friars dash forward flourishing thin long swords as they rush to cut the approaching cultists.
Friars. They are a high tier unit within the Pantheon, often serving as guards to high level personnel and guarding restricted zones. It was obvious as to the implications if two of them were here.
Imbuing their swords with light essence, they shine inanely bright, momentarily blinding the cultists before beginning their crusade.
…
Oh crap, looks like they need help.
From what I was observing so far, the plan was going well. That was until a burst of light appeared and a dark artist sent flying back out of the window they came from. Quickly jumping in through a window to the side of the corridor they were fighting in I quickly came upon the battle.
Two white friars manage to keep the dark artists busy as a lady in the back launches spell after spell at them. She's draped in white robes and even has a hood that extends over her face, covering her eyes. How does she even see? Presence detection, perhaps?
Nonetheless, after I turn the corridor, she immediately turns her head to me. Followed by that, she raised her left arm up, and after opening her hands, points her palm at me. I'm puzzled by the action until I see the dozens of light orbs surrounding her.
And she just now let her arm drop.
Ah, shite.