The battlefield falls silent as Klade and Aethereal size each other up. Aethereal places her hands on her glowing white branch stick, whispering fervently, "Let the sacred light convert." The branch grows, morphing into a large, formidable tree branch, runes and leaves shimmering with divine power. Klade, with the Maw of Perdition, charges forward, swinging a heavy overhead blow. Aethereal effortlessly side steps, her movement leaving a trail of light, striking Klade's side with the tree branch, the impact sounding like thunder, cracking ribs and spattering blood on the ground.
'Shit! I gotta stay up long enough for Seven to leave..'
Reeling from the blow, Klade attempts to regain his footing as Aethereal circles him predatorily. He swings the spectral red ax, calling forth ethereal red chains aiming to bind Aethereal. She leaps over them, a flash of light in mid-air, and lands behind Klade, driving her knee into his back, pushing fractured vertebrae close to breaking, forcing a grunt of pain from him. Klade spins, swinging both weapons in rapid succession. Aethereal parries with her enchanted branch, each block a clash of godly might. She kicks a low sweep aimed at Klade's legs, but he jumps, barely avoiding a trip. Mid-air, Aethereal unleashes a flurry of jabs with her branch, each strike aimed at vital points; one catches his shoulder, another his chest, bones audibly cracking under her relentless assault.
'I can't keep this up..! Seven, leave!'
Bloodied but undeterred, Klade swings the Maw of Perdition with reckless abandon, each hit resonating destruction, but Aethereal's agility is unmatched. She catches his wrist, twisting brutally, the sound of tendons snapping fills the air. She then drives the end of her branch into his stomach, lifting him off the ground with the sheer force, before flinging him down into a crater of his own impact. Klade struggles to his feet, pain flaring across his features, blood dripping from multiple wounds. As he prepares another attack, Aethereal moves like a specter, her speed unholy. She appears before him, thrusts the branch into his chest, and withdraws it in one swift, fluid motion. Blood gushes, and Klade's eyes widen in agony.
Klade said, "You're annoying…"
Aethereal snarled, "This is why I snatched you up down there. You are abnormally tough. Why..?"
"…."
Despite the relentless assault, Klade manifests a surge of willpower. He swings his spectral ax in a desperate arc, summoning the ethereal chains again. Aethereal catches the chains with one hand, the glow from her branch intensifying. With a powerful tug, she yanks Klade forward, straight into a knee to the face, teeth shattering on impact. Klade, bleeding heavily, swings the Maw of Perdition horizontally. Aethereal ducks under the swing, rises and delivers a roundhouse kick with her heel slamming into Klade's temple, sending him spinning. Clutching his head, he barely keeps consciousness, his vision swimming.
'Openings…I have to see her weaknesses! Any movements of attacks that slow her own self down! It's no use trying to kill an immortal, but from my experience fighting Glefnir, the head area is like a weak point I'm guessing, staggering them.'
In a brief rally, Klade lunges forward, pushing past his physical limits, his ax aimed at Aethereal's neck. She, in turn, anticipates and grabs his arm, twisting violently. The snap is clear as his arm hangs uselessly by his side. She then uses her branch to sweep his legs, sending him crashing back to earth. Klade, half-kneeling, half-lying, tries to stand, each movement laborious and filled with pain. Aethereal walks over slowly, holding her branch ready. As Klade looks up, defiance still burning in his eyes, she swings the branch down in a powerful arc, colliding with his side, more bones cracking audibly.
Struggling for breath, Klade still manages to grip his spectral ax, swinging it upward in a feeble attempt to ward off Aethereal. Unmoved, she catches the blade, the glow of her branch pulsating. She then kicks him squarely in the chest, sending him skidding across the battlefield, leaving a trail of blood..
Aethereal steps up, looming over the battered form of Klade. As Aethereal approaches triumphantly, Seven slides in, her eyes glowing with intense concentration, and attempts her astral projection into Aethereal. She manages to infiltrate Aethereal's awareness briefly, but the overpowering strength of Aethereal forces her out almost immediately. Klade rushes forward in synchronization, but his attack only slices the air where Aethereal stood a moment ago. They regroup hastily, drenched in sweat and frustration.
Klade and Seven slid back together, and they looked at each other.
"I told you to leave.." Klade said.
"I don't wanna. And you're getting your ass kicked."
"You were too."
"Shh. You have a plan don't you?"
"Kinda."
"Combine."
"You can jump in and out of people using astral projection."
"Yes. But depending on how strong they are, depends on how easy or hard I can control their movements, but it drains a ton of my mana."
"We can use it. Hold her still, so I can cut her head off."
"How do you know that's gonna work..?"
"It won't kill them, but it staggers them. I got some experience."
"Okay…"
Aethereal spoke, "You tried to make us the bad guys. We were the ones who were wronged first. Your deities stole from us to make a home for all of you, while we were left with nothing."
Klade responded, "You kill people to feed them to the Ember Tree to sustain your immortality. If not, then the power of the tree dwindles and you'll lose it."
"If we do not do that, then this would all be for naught. We cannot have outsiders ruining what we have in store for the future child, the avatar of light. All we need is the embryo."
Seven, feeling the drain of her mana, summons a spectral dagger, throwing it to distract Aethereal. As the blade arcs through the air, she uses the diversion to attempt another possession. Aethereal, sensing the intrusion, deflects the dagger with a swing of her branch and repels Seven's astral form again. Klade charges, managing a shallow cut across Aethereal's arm, the first sign of her vulnerability.
Breathless, Seven and Klade communicate with just a glance. Klade distracts Aethereal with a flurry of blows from the Maw of Perdition to cover Seven's third attempt. This time, she penetrates Aethereal's psychic defenses, causing Aethereal's steps to falter. Klade swings with all his might, yet the strike misses by mere inches as Aethereal regains control and backhands him across the field. Bloodied, Seven refuses to yield. She conjures two spectral swords, crossing them in front of her as a shield while she gathers her strength. Aethereal barrels towards her, enraged. Klade intercepts, using the last of his strength to clash head-on with Aethereal, whose counterstrike sends him tumbling. Seven's projection slips in during the confusion but is expelled with even greater force, leaving her gasping on the ground.
Klade dashes past her, "We're almost there! You got this!"
With their options dwindling, the pair circle Aethereal warily. Seven uses a feint, projecting herself physically towards one side while sending her astral form to the other. Aethereal is momentarily confused, slashing wildly around her. Klade uses this opening to deliver a brutal strike, but it's deflected off the hardened bark of Aethereal's branch, narrowly missing her neck.
Aethereal jumped away, thinking, 'They're going after my head? Ah. Of course, the brat defeated Grendell, he must have some knowledge of us. And the girl is trying to control my body with astral projection. I won't let them. They're just feeble humans.'
Klade's weapon thrown off by the deflection, Klade rolls aside to retrieve it, coughing blood. Seven struggles to her feet, her form flickering from the strain. She knows she can't sustain another failed attempt. They opt for a direct assault, with Seven charging physically while her astral form attempts from behind.
Klade gasped, 'She can control her physical body at the same time as her astral body? That takes skill, but I know from the old world that the astral body can't touch physical things or people. And when her astral form is wounded, her physical form takes the true damage, that's why her physical body has gotten even more bloody.'
With each brutal exchange, with each blow from Aethereal met by desperate parries from Klade's ax. Their strategies growing more desperate, Klade feigns incapacitation, luring Aethereal in close. Seven barely clings to consciousness, her projection shaky. As Aethearly reaches Klade, Seven's astral form manages to encase Aethereal just long enough for Klade to attempt a decapitating blow. However, the strike only grazes Aethereal as she breaks free, roaring in fury.
Klade exclaimed, "Dammit! Almost!"
Aethereal growled, "How are they even able to keep up with me?! I'm a goddess!"
'It's like the boy knows how to fight me! Like he's fought me before! Yes we have taken the power of the gods and goddesses and demigods, could this not have fought them before? Is that why he's able to still live this long against me?!'
Every muscle screaming in resistance, Klade swivels for another attempt while Seven, nearly drained, supports him with weaker spectral projectiles. Aethereal, now anticipating their tactics, dodges elegantly, her counter strikes leaving trails of light that cut deep wounds into Klade's flesh.
With their energy nearly depleted, Klade and Seven realize that this may be their last opportunity. Seven, drawing deep into her core, manages one final, all-encompassing projection. Klade darted towards Aethereal at close range, launching his Maw bone at her, and at the same time, Aethereal catches it, but Seven's astral form flows from Klade's arm, and jumps inside of Aethereal.
Aethereal gasped, thinking, 'She possessed the boy as soon as I took eyes off of her?! And came out of his arm?!'
Her spirit engulfs Aethereal, seizing her completely for a brief second. Klade, with every iota of his remaining strength and mana, channels a ferocious blow.
As Seven's form begins to flicker out, Klade's ax swings with lethal precision. The blade connects with Aethereal's neck, severing it cleanly. Seven's projection snaps back just as the blade passes through, narrowly escaping destruction.
"No!" Aethereal screamed.
Aethereal's headless form crumpled to the ground in a heap, her reign of terror ended. Klade collapses, his body unable to sustain him further. Seven crawls to his side, their faces pale, but relief washing over them.
Aethereal's head rolled over to the floor, but she was still alive.
She said, "You brats…this isn't over. The gods of the old world stole from us, to make that world and this new one. I had to learn for years as we were dying of a world with no power, a librarian of sorts…took me under his wing. I worked so hard to get us here. I am the reason we were able to come here and take the Oracle's power after they were killed by those unknown warriors."
Klade, wearily, thought, 'Old warriors..yeah she means us. The players from the Shadow Lance Online. Me included since I killed most of the main bosses and the final boss. But their children (The demigods) were side bosses so I didn't hunt all of them down. So the demigods were the ones who the royal family waged war with. Basically they came to kill them to take their power and succeeded. And here we are. But I don't know why the Oracles stole power and mana from them in the first place, and what's the real history behind this royal family? What realm are they from?'
As they sit among the ruins of their battle, Klade and Seven share a look of mutual respect and understanding. They had pushed beyond their limits, survived by sheer willpower and a bond forged in the fires of countless battles.
[Hidden Quest completed: survive against Aethereal. Reward: x500 xp. 200 point increase to all stats]
[You have leveled up]
Klade smiled, 'That's amazing…'
Aye! So, the tale continues with our master blacksmith Klade—bathed in the fires of the forge and the battles of the artisan's war, accruing experience like a behemoth hoards gold. With an additional 500XP under his hardy belt and a monumental increase in his capabilities, let's scale him up both in levels and prowess. Here enters Klade at level 15, nearly a demigod among blacksmiths, wielding a hammer that might as well be a scepter of creation. Brace yourself, for this ain't your everyday forge-teller.
[Character Name: Klade]
[Occupation: Dragonhound Blacksmith]
[Level: 15]
Attributes:
[Vigor: 355 ]
*Now a bastion of physical health, Klade can withstand even the explosive backlash from working with volatile arcane materials.*
[Mind: 350 ]
*Capable of mediating and manipulating magical energies directly with his mind, supporting complex multi day crafting rituals requiring utmost mental endurance.*
[Endurance: 354 ]
*Klade's endurance is that of legend; he can continuously forge for days without rest, pushing boundaries of physical limits.*
[Strength: 355 ]
*His strength allows him to manipulate raw materials from the elemental planes—forging with the very essence of fire, ice, or thunder.*
[Dexterity: 352]
*With such dexterity, there's no design too intricate; his hands craft at the whim of imagination, mastering creations thought impossible to a certain extent and depending on current level
[Intelligence: 350]
*An unmatched intellect in the arts of metallurgy, Klade's knowledge extends to lost civilizations and their forgotten forging techniques.*
[Faith: 350]
His creations are now more than just metal; they are conduits of divine power, often becoming relics worshipped by warriors and kings.
[Luck: 350]
*Luck has turned into a foresight—predicting where the rarest of materials can be found and occasionally, materials find their way to him as if by destiny itself.*
[Upgraded Equipment: Celestial Star-Forged Hammer (Platinum Rank)]
[Weapon Details:]
- **Type:** Hammer
- **Material:** Star Metal with Celestial Runes
- **Rank:** Platinum
- **Weight:** 10 kg
- **Total Length:** 0.60 meters
[Weapon Stats:]
- **Physical Attack:** 200-250
*Capable of shaping reality at the molecular level, preparing materials others can barely dream of standardizing.*
[Magic Potential: Extreme ]
*With the ability to channel celestial energies through his hammer, Klade can imbue his creations with life-lasting or even eternal enchantments.*
[Durability: 200/100]
*Virtually indestructible, the hammer can endure the creation of artifacts meant for gods and heroes, lasting through ages without as much as a scratch.*
[Special Abilities:]
- **Genesis Crafting:**
*Klade can now forge artifacts that possess their own consciousness, loyal to their maker and bearer, capable of growing in power over time.*
[Divine Architect]
*Upon forging, Klade can invoke a divine architect, allowing him to replicate historic and mythical masterpieces or create entirely new legends.*
Klade thought, 'It's like I'm growing all over again, I'm getting the same feeling of satisfaction from all of this. And the new special ability, I never had before in the old world. I can make weapons sentient…that's damn cool. The feeling of getting stronger again, but I can physically feel it…it's amazing. This is the type of shit that makes me happy, something I've always wanted, genuine happiness.'
Klade said, "We did it…we actually did it.."
Seven nodded, "Yeah.."
"But she won't die…we have to leave before others come—."
"We need to bring her decapitated head with us."
"Huh?? That's kind of nasty isn't it?"
"You've seen worse."
"Why bring her head?"
"If we run into anymore of those royal family members, we'll use her head as a contingency. And also, torture her if she doesn't give us answers we want."
"That's…a good idea actually…" Klade said in a tired tone.
Seven noticed Klade wasn't in the best condition, though his leveled up condition helped him survive, if his wounds aren't treated, he'll die from them.
Aethereal snarled, "You bastard brats, you wouldn't dare take my head!"
Seven said, "We will."
Having triumphed over Aethereal, the dove slowly vanished, and they landed and fell heavily in the boss room, heaving from their recent battle. Strewn about, Aethereal lies defeated, a silent testimony to their resolve. In stark contrast stands Claw and his cadre of Lances, their eyes wide with disbelief at seeing Klade and Seven not only alive but victorious.
Claw gasped, "They're alive…? Who is that with them?!"
A Lance replied, "A Royal family member of Rothgar! They cut her head off?"
"Impossible.."
Claw got on one knee, pleading, "Forgive me for what I've done. I am sorry for trying to sacrifice you to the dove. I did it out of a means to survive for my family, if not they'll starve. And—."
Before Claw could continue, Klade, his anger rising, his aura flickering like a storm about to break, glances at Seven with a nod.
Seven said, "I only have a little mana left…"
Charged with adrenaline, they leap towards Claw and his group.
Claw stuttered, "I apologized!"
Claw's Lances chased forward at Klade and Seven, and Klade thought, 'Still being loyal even after he killed his own people and sacrificed them…how delusional.'
Seven dashes forward, her movements a blur. She conjures a spectral scythe, sweeping it through the air. The blade meets flesh, cleaving through the Lance's torso in a gruesome arc, his body falling in two clean parts with a sickening thud on the stone floor, blood smearing the blade. Klade, not missing a beat, spins to his left, the Maw of Perdition in his hands humming with dark energy. He arcs the weapon downward in a brutal chop, severing the head of another Lance. The head rolls away as its body crumples to the ground, blood spurting from the severed neck in a macabre fountain.
With deadly synchronicity, Seven pivots, releasing a barrage of spectral darts. They hiss through the air, embedding in the chest of the third Lance. He gasps, looking down at the protrusions, then collapses as his life force drains away, his eyes glassy and still. Claw, finally snapping out of his shock, raises his weapon to fight. Klade, with a ferocious yell, charges. Ducking under a desperate swing from Claw, Klade drives his shoulder into Claw's midsection, knocking the wind out of him. As they stumble back, Seven joins, and together they thrust their weapons into Claw. Klade's ax and Seven's newly formed spectral lance impale him from both sides. Claw's eyes widen in shock and pain as he stammers a final, gurgling breath, then goes limp.
They withdraw their weapons, and Claw's body drops heavily, his blood mingling with that of his fallen Lances.
As the last of their foes falls, the adrenal rush begins to fade. Klade looks at Seven, a tired smile playing on his lips. But the toll of their ordeals finally overcomes him; his eyes roll back as he starts to collapse. Seven catches him swiftly, lowering him gently to the ground. Klade's head rests against her breast, his breath evening out into the steady rhythm of sleep, snoring softly amidst the chaos of their victory.
Seven looks around, her expression weary but vigilant, ready to protect the slumbering Klade as they both recover from the battle's exertions. The scene closes on this oddly serene tableau, contrasted starkly against the brutality that preceded it.
'He won't make it, I need to give him a healing elixir. One of these guys has one, I'm sure.'
Aethereal said, "I'll never go with you! Brats!"
"Shut up."
"That boy…he's blessed by the Ember Tree. He's dying though. That blessing seemed to have a little effect on his ability to withstand deadly blows. But now it's run out. What a joke. And to think I lost to him like Grendell did. A joke!"
"He beat you…that's all there is to it. We kicked your ass."
"By himself, he wouldn't have won. That astral projection is a high ranked skill that even rare deities had many years ago. Don't think you're too special."
Seven remembered her mother and father saying she was special all her life, so Seven ignored Aethereal.
…
(2 hours later)
Klade's eyes flutter open, the echo of battle fading as he finds himself under an unfamiliar tranquility. system blinks with an array of notifications. He blinks at the flooding messages:
[Level Up to 40 Complete]
[XP Points Gained - 8,000]
And there were notifications of new weapons and armor items added to his inventory, such as weapons and armor. Confusion sets across his features, his mind still reeling from the recent skirmishes.
'How did I level up? What happened?'
They were still in the dungeon, and Seven sat beside him, her gaze softening as she noticed his perplexity. "You were almost gone," she begins, handing him a shimmering vialis he recognizes as the healing elixir. "I took this from one of the Lances. You needed it more than they did. So I fed it to you."
"And all this? I got stronger, what happened?"
"I possessed your body for a while," Seven admits, a hint of mischief in her tone. "Forged all the items and armor around us. I knew what your power could do, and you weren't in any state to use it." She shifts uncomfortably, avoiding his gaze, "Found a map in Claw's pockets, too. I thought we might deliver some essentials to his family... might last them a long time."
'I see..when she controlled those golden crystal humanoids earlier, she used their abilities as well. So she did the same with me….she did all of this for me?! She possessed my body, and used my blacksmith skill to use all the material in here to craft new items for me?'
Klade's cheeks were flustered red, and his eyes got watery, but he kept himself from letting the tears fall.
He asked, "What about.."
"Yes. I forged weapons from Aethereal's clothing. But not her stick weapon since it's not a materialized weapon made from steel or anything."
Aethereal, her head on the floor, scoffed, "Damn bitch!"
Klade lets out a heartfelt "Thank you," touched by her actions and her thoughtfulness towards even their enemies' families. Klade continued, "You're amazing, really."
Seven, flustered, quickly adds, "I just did it so you won't slow us down next time." Her voice carries a nervous edge, betraying her true concern.
Klade chuckles softly, recognizing her characteristic way of masking her deep care with practical excuses. "Sure, sure. Just for that, huh?"
A yawn escapes Seven, her earlier adrenaline rush finally betraying her fatigue. Klade stands, still a bit wobbly, and gently lifts Seven into a piggyback position. "Rest now, I've got this."
He picks up Aethereal's head, its eyes still flickering with malevolence. As they exit the boss room and navigate through the dim corridors of the dungeon, Aethereal's voice, a grating echo inside the head he carries, keeps spouting threats and curses.
"You fools! You think you have won? I will haunt your dreams; I will—"
Klade adjusts the head, trying to muffle the sound as best he can, stuffing a piece of his own cloth in her mouth, his smirk evident. "You're quite the conversationalist, aren't you? Shame we can't say the same about your hospitality. Now shut up for awhile
Seven, her body relaxed against his sturdy back, lets out a soft chuckle before her breaths even out into the steady rhythm of sleep. Klade's strides grow confident and steady, the weight on his back a comforting presence as he steps from the shadows of the dungeon into the light of a new beginning, Aethereal's ongoing tirades fading into just another part of their relentless journey forward.
Klade looked up in the sky outside, covered in blood, holding Seven, and carrying Aethereal's head at the same time, thinking, 'I'm starting to think..I'm not so useless after all..even though I'm not this strong in the real world, damn it feels so real. I don't want this to end.'