It was long into the night by the time I had scoured and gathered the bodies needed for my practical.
Fifty-six corpses were all separated into seven piles with eight corpses in each. I would be lying if I said I wasn't excited. While there was no Archangel this time I was content with having the rest.
Impatient I strode to the first pile and without pause, my hand hovered above the corpses while the spell name echoed in my mind.
'Undead rise'.
The miasma reacted once more pouring out my palm and onto the first pile of corpses.
- Undead rise spell attempted-
- Eight different species detected-
-Would you like to bond all or raise separately? Note combining different species would create a chimera totally different from intended. Results are random -
The process began again as I watched the spell take effect. I peered keenly hoping to gain an extra level from it to my magic eye. There was radio silence from both the voice and the runes.
"Must not be possible to earn exp from the same spell process. " I deduced feeling disappointed at this development.
While the process went on I strode past the other heaps using the undead rise spell while secretly glad I could just do it non-stop. Soon enough I was standing back Octo behind me as the heap of eight bones continued their melding process.
The process wasn't as fast as Octo's. Probably because I was feeding miasma to eight groups of bones. Still, I was undeterred and immensely focused on my task. So focused on looking into the weaves of the spell and comprehending it to increase my spell tier and magic eye level that I failed to note what was happening around me.
It took a clang of Octo's sword against his skull to me have me look away. Peeved as I felt I had been s bit close to earning a level I glared at the Hellwalker who took one look at me took a step back then pointed to the side.
At first, I didn't get what I was looking at till I realized and then focused on it.
The thing about unequal sense was that it worked like the human eye. Sure you were watching or looking at something but unless you knew what you were looking for then it could elude you.
My sense had a range of 200 miles in all directions which meant I could feel or hear and even smell everything within that range.
All I could smell though was death and some other smells that I didn't exactly know.
Right now I was looking into the distance as a dust cloud roared in our direction. My senses pierced its coverage and a picture of what was hidden within painted like art into my mind.
"Is that .. " my words were not fast enough as the dust clouds or more like parted. From within rode a warrior. His armor was a terrifying overlay of wicked metal, his helmet designed into the screamer shape of some demon no doubt.
A black mane fluttered in the wind behind him while he wielded a broadsword its steel was as black as the surrounding night while its handle a bone white was grasped by iron gloves that covered its palms.
The rider mounted atop a smoky Nether stallion with various flesh and muscle parts missing stopped right in front of me. Its eyes looking through its helmet stared me down.
Then it raised an arm the one wielding the sword and pointed the lusterless blade point at me while its left fist banged on its armor.
- Your Authority has been challenged -
Undead
Knight Commander (Horserider)
- MISSION - The Duel
-TIER - - I
The knight commander respects the blood that flows through your veins yet it sees you as unfit for the throne of the Deadlands.
Whip his ass to its place.
Rewards - None.
Failure - Not even possible even if you sit and get beaten.
ACCEPT - Y/N.
That explained why the tier was in a minus I. Yet it didn't matter. I'd already realized something by this point. I wasn't scared. At least not of it, nor was I scared when I saw Feather's twisted form. Shocked. Stunned. Maybe. Not scared.
Somehow I seemed to know when something was beneath me. And from the moment I saw the dust cloud I had known whatever came within wasn't worth my time.
Yet the mission was here and while there were no rewards I was curious as to how bad the knight was to get a failing grade.
As I mentally clicked on the yes the knight made a respectful bow. Not a subservient one but one amongst equals. Something seethed within me at that. A nagging thought rose itchy to crush this ant.
A shake of my head did the trick in exorcising the demons.
My eyes locked on the Knight just as a rune flashed before my eyes.
-The Duel has commenced -
Before I could even think of refocusing back on the knight it flickered and vanished from sight. I froze and then spun right as a black sword with the wrath of the dead descended on my shoulder.
The ground shattered and dust rose. Before I could even react the sword was pulled away and the knight back to his starting position.
'What the hell?'.
'How was that a failed grade' my eyebrows, if I had them, twitched while my fist folded up.
I realized then that even if I felt surprised by the attack speed all my mind saw was a pest that I had to crush.
The knight moved once again and I followed vanishing from my spot with a little boom that almost snuffed out the almost completed undead rise spell.
I reappeared right where the knight had disappeared from my fist striking out with speed but no power. A slight thump resounded and then boom an explosion of dust and rocks covered the area.
It was so fast that the form of a figure flying out of the still-rising dust wasn't noticeable till it created a crevice on the floor for just a little distance.
"I'm faster Mr commander. You might need to keep up". I muttered looking down at the knight with a mocking glint in my eye.
To my surprise knight rose. His hands clenched onto the handle of his broadsword even tighter than before. His eyes within the black demonic helm almost twinkled which was impossible as there was nothing to see there. I challenged him and now he was answering. His legs hunched his feet digging into the ground.
Then he lunged forward and vanished.
A tickle from my left gad my lips splitting in a grin. 'At least I can train my reflexes'. With the thought I lashed out instantly to the left my claws whipping out and smacking into the sword. It creaked as the force flung the knight back. But this time I moved as well
"Let's see how good in this fighting stuff, I am".