*/// Happy New Year! Sorry for not being able to update, but I went to a very VERY isolated area in my country. Also, the parties that my relatives throw are very... long :) //*
*// (Read chapter 1 if you don't get it right, there may be some inconsistencies at first glance, but if you interpret it a certain way you can see that it fits) //*.
Before the spell was cast....
And so, the group of brave players advanced to end the threat called Spectre.
There were a few casualties along the way, resulting from multiple traps the bastard had set, but over 60% of the rookies they brought survived.
Once they reached the first floor, those leading the assault gathered.
"Well, even though we spent some potions, there won't be any problems later. Now we just have to kill those NPCs," said the golden paladin, while lightly swinging his golden sword.
(With this sword, it will be easy to deliver the final blow...), the paladin thought complacently.
"I feel no dark presences," the priest said cautiously as his staff glowed dimly.
(That's strange, why doesn't anyone seem to be home?), thought the priest.
"Archer, from here on, the novices go first," suggested the bulky mage wearing a dark gold robe.
"Fine," replied the archer dryly, but not before looking at her physical attributes out of the corner of his eye.
This was the strategy the four of them secretly discussed even before entering the castle.
Use the rookies as cannon fodder to weaken all threats, be it the numerous traps or the dreaded demons (NPCs) that inhabited this place.
"Alright, Attention!" shouted the paladin to the rookies following them from behind.
"We have decided to let you enter first. Be careful, as we never know when Spectre will attack, but don't worry, we'll watch out for you from behind," he continued.
"Why are you letting us go first?" the more reasonable rookie asked.
"Well... we're very grateful that you're coming with us to take out that monster, so we'll let you go in first and whatever you find will be yours," the paladin said with a big grin.
"Great!"
"Awesome!"
"No problem! How powerful an NPC is he? Surely the rumors are unfounded."
"We have the world's top 5 in the team, what could possibly go wrong?"
(Idiots), thought the paladin.
Greed and ignorance are a very bad combination for humans, especially when accompanied by blind faith.
5 minutes later...
*Rumble!
*Rumble!
*Rumble!
Suddenly, the ground began to shake....
"What's going on!"
"Who's the idiot who set off a trap!"
"LISTEN, SOMETHING'S BREAKING!"
Followed by the sound of glass cracking and shattering almost at the same time....
*Craaac! *Crash!
*Craaac! *Crash!
*Craaac! * Crash!
* Craaac! * Crash!
* Craaac! * Crash!
* Craaac! * Crash!
* Craaac! *Crash!
It didn't take long for the leaders to react.
"A DAMN MAGIC ATTACK, I CAN FEEL THE MANA," the mage said in terror as she felt the level of mana in that attack.
"WHAT KIND OF DARK MAGIC IS THIS!", even the priest was terrified as he felt a great destructive force coming from that supposed attack.
"'QUICK, SPREAD PROTECTIVE MAGIC!", shouted the golden paladin to all present.
*Craaaaaaaac!
This time, the sound of something cracking sounded louder....
"INTERMEDIATE MAGIC: LIGHT SHIELD."
"MAXIMUM MAGIC: SHIELD OF EMBERS"
"PROTECTOR'S AURA"
"MAXIMUM MAGIC: SHADOW SHIELD"
"ARTIFACT ACTIVATED..."
Sensing the danger right above their heads, the players were quick to launch their best methods of protection.
"SUPER ULTIMATE MAGIC: ASTRAL SHIELD!!!"
"MOTHER CELESTIA, COVER US WITH YOUR MERCY AND GUIDE US TO VICTORY: LIGHT PROTECTION!!!"
"MAXIMUM AURA: AEGIS DEFENSE!!!"
The players combined their spells and auras to increase their defensive power.
But it wasn't enough.
* ¡¡¡BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!
*CRAAAAAAAAASH!
"AAAAAAAAAAAA"
"NOOOOOOOO"
"I CAN'T STAND..."
*CRAAAAAAAAASH!
"GODDESS, ¡¡¡¡GIVE ME MORE STRENGTH !!!!,"
*CRAAAAAAAAAAASH!
"GODDAMN SPECTREE!!!!!"
*CRAAAAAAAAASH!
--
-Present.
"What a depressing sight..." said the dark figure approaching.
Dressed in a black trench coat, which matched his dark pants, a dark mask and frightening ruby red eyes.
Walking among the ruins of what was once the outer castle, Spectre made his presence known.
He checked the place out briefly before stopping in front of someone.
*Paf!
"Hey, are you awake?", Spectre lightly kicked the golden paladin's body to see if he was still conscious.
Unfortunately, the paladin didn't respond.
"No, well, surely you don't mind me taking this nice sword, do you?", Spectre continued as he picked up the holy sword that the paladin was so boasting about.
Actually, they could see everything that was going on thanks to the unconsciousness system the game boasted.
Which puts you in "spectator mode" for a few minutes when your character gets a very big shock instantly, but not enough to kill him.
(NO! NOO!!! MY SWORD! THIEF! THIEF!!!!!)
It's a pity that the paladin is powerless to respond....
"A golden paladin, a mage and an archer... what a peculiar formation," Spectre said "amused" as he tapped his shoulder with the new holy sword he "found".
"Aren't they missing a healer?" he wondered, since he didn't see any more high-level survivors.
And what happened to the priest?
(DAMN THIEF!!!), he watched a few yards away, hiding in a toppled pillar.
"Father, the wizard brigade knocked down all the magical barriers of the castle, there was irreparable damage to the facade and slight damage to the inner castle," at some point, a shadow materialized.
Presenting a young woman, who was wearing a dark robe that made it difficult to see her appearance clearly.
"Damn, he knocked down 8 legendary grade barriers? Tsk, Tsk, these bastards almost ruined my latest project," Spectre exclaimed in mild frustration.
*Paf! *Paf! *Paf! *Paf!
As he kicked the golden paladin....
(I must hide and find an opportunity), the priest thought, believing that no one had detected him.
"Tell Selene to get rid of those magical rats," Spectre said to the woman wearing the dark robe, as he approached a certain mage.
And in a low voice, without anyone being able to hear, he added:
"Leave the white rat alone, I want to see what he's up to."
After saying that, Spectre approached his next victim....
"Oh, lady mage, I think a nice necklace got stuck on your neck, let me help you!"
(DAMN THIEF!!!!!)
--
Pov BeatyRuby24 (Adelina):
"Cof-cof-cof!"
[You're dead!"]
[ Guardian Angel: Activated (0 lives remaining) ]
(I never thought I would have such good luck as to activate x50...).
It was my most sincere thought before everything went to shit.
I looked up to make out the result of my spell, but....
(Too much smoke...),
"Crazy warlock, are you there?", I asked the air, but I literally couldn't see beyond 10 feet because of the magical smoke that abounded in this area.
-*Clank!
-*Clank!
"Hmm?", I exclaimed quizzically.
(I think I heard something...)
**Shhhhhhhhrrrrrrr!
*"AAAAA, help, help!!!"
(??)
"Again... I think it's coming from the front!"
But I couldn't hear very well, let alone see clearly.
At that point, it occurred to me to use the game interface to communicate, since we were in a group.
"Oh..." but I couldn't help but exclaim when I saw the notification window.
[You have killed the player: xX Itz to Mad Warlock Xx,]
[You have killed player: XMr SpligetX]
[You have killed player: CosmicMagic777]
[You have killed player...]
[You have killed the player...]
[You have killed the player...]
[You have killed the player...]
[You have killed the player...]
[You have killed the player...]
(Oh, shit...), my thinking slowed down as I saw a list with more than 20 different players' names, plus that....
[ Your attack has changed the local ecosystem: be careful, the surrounding kingdoms might come after you. ]
[ You have killed more than 10 players affiliated with the Celestia Kingdom! If they discover your involvement, they might put a bounty on your head. ]
(I'm... no, wait, if I hide long enough...).
One of the wonderful things about Aerial Chronicles is that, if no one sees you or gives you away, you can leave immediately and the NPCs on the map won't realize you were the perpetrator of the thing.
(I don't think the Celestia Kingdom would cross a continent to find out a few deaths either.... right?)
"I should get out of here," I said in a hurry, not paying much attention to the noises in front of me.
But the game kindly reminded me of my current situation....
[You don't have enough mana for this spell: Teleportation].
[ Actual mana: 5% Required mana: 60%].
"..."
And just as he was about to curse, a gust of strong wind appeared out of nowhere.
*Fuuuuuuuushhhh!
(Great!, it was surely a mad warlock with his wind magic).
I reflexively covered my face before I could finally see precisely what was going on around me.
!!!
And the first thing I saw was....
*shudder *shudder *shudder *shudder
Mad Warlock and the other 5 mages that accompanied me were kneeling while, from behind, they were being pointed at with swords, by what appeared to be hooded women.
The terror was visible in their eyes, plus their bodies appeared to be stained with blood, presumably their own.
(Who are these?!), I thought in alarm before looking at the game window.
[ High Class Vampire (Level 100).
Hidden stats...]
(A vampire, what's a vampire doing here, and why are his stats hidden?)
My brain began to think at full power for a few moments, but.....
!!!
*Caress.
Very cold, thin hands landed on my neck from behind.
(!!!)
I couldn't think, fear filled me completely, as well as my companions in front of me.
Why was I afraid of this situation?
(If I die now, I'll lose 5 levels!)
That's right, even if I don't have to gather the materials needed for the first time, the amount of experience needed to level up again to 120, it's no joke.
(It will take me 2 months to recover if I die here!!!!).
"That was a good spell," a soft, feminine voice sounded in my back, most likely from the person holding my neck.
"Look, that's the fruit of your effort," she continued, and this time she urged me to look around by slightly moving my neck.
What I saw was...
Destruction, just destruction, everything, from the place where I am standing to the far distance.
Everything was completely different from what I saw when I arrived.
The only thing standing in this place was the castle I was aiming at, or so it seemed, as I could see a lot of smoke still coming out of there.
After a few moments, the person holding my neck let go.
*Plaf!
I fell to the ground on my back and I could see the person who was previously holding me.
It was a young girl, a teenager?
Her blonde hair, like strands of gold, falls in soft cascades around her shoulders, a stark contrast to the darkness of her attire.
The center of attention are her eyes: bright and piercing, a deep crimson red that glows with a sense of mystery.
Her delicately sculpted face wears an enchanting smile with crimson lips that contrast with her pale, flawless skin. As she smiles, sharp fangs, symbolic of her vampiric condition.
She wears a black dress that flows gracefully down to her ankles, adorned with red straps that stand out against her pale skin.
*///She is the girl on the cover, though her attire changes slightly///*.
She looked very beautiful, but...
(Carmilla!!!, no, she's different... she's...).
[Permission granted...
Selene Spectre Carmilla (Named Npc) Creator: Spectre (player).
Race: Vampire Progenitor (Special Lineage: Isabella Carmilla)
Knight level: 100
Mage level: 80
Attributes: Blood, +11
Hidden stats...].
The terror filled me completely.
(I'm dead, hahaha, yeah, I'm completely f*cked!).
An NPC created by Spectre saw how I destroyed her house, as well as being a level 100 knight mere feet away from me.
"Hehehehehe" I started laughing unhingedly.
(Before you kill me, I'll at least make fun of you).
Then, I'll just stop playing for a few months in the hope that Spectre will forget me.....
The vampire, seeing my reaction, smiled wider and moved very close to me.
"What do you think is funny?" she said.
Although she was smiling, through her glowing red eyes, I could see what emotion she really had.
Anger, lots of anger.
"A....," I had intended to answer him in the most sarcastic way possible, but....
Out of the sky fell a light...