[path: Titan Blade (R): You have accepted the path of the Titan, embodying the constant defiance of the system's expectations. Rather than conform to the violent archetype it imposes on those given the title, you have chosen to forge your own destiny. The system expects much from you!]
[Congratulations, you have defeated Urguth the Bloodthirsty. Trial completed!]
[Rewards:
100,000 credits1,000 lesser aether shards500 refined aether shardsBlood Core]
[level 140! +120 attribute points!]
[titan's edge level: 45]
[blood absorption has harvested Urguth's vital essence. Vitality increased by 50 points!]
[Weapon: Ida has upgraded to Soulbound Rank!]
Moyo stood amidst the shattered remains of Urguth's form, his presence radiating power. The crowd at Bastion's gates and atop its walls gazed at him in awestruck silence. Clenching his fist and gripping Ida tightly, he felt the flood of strength and vitality coursing through him.
Ahead, tier 1 dungeons began manifesting, their gates breaking open as waves of creatures poured forth. Refugees streamed into Bastion through its open gates, but even this commotion seemed muted compared to what Moyo had just overcome.
As the first wave of monsters charged toward his position, Moyo instinctively raised Ida. But before he could act, a firm hand gripped his. Turning, he saw Annika beside him, her storm-gray eyes blazing with wrath and her spear crackling with lightning.
She shook her head, her intent clear without words. Moyo understood instantly.
"Defenders of Bastion!" she roared, her voice booming as thunder answered her call.
Moyo watched as Annika channeled every ounce of mana within her, becoming one with the storm.
"The Lord Titan has paved the way for us," she declared. "He has held back the worst the system has thrown at us. We will not cower in fear. Our gates will not break. Our wills will not shatter. Send these aberrants back to whatever holes they crawled from!"
Lightning rained down in a cataclysmic barrage, each strike a blinding flash that shook the earth. The force of the explosion left the plain before them desolate, the first wave of aberrants reduced to ash. Yet, the dungeon gates continued to spew more creatures, a seemingly endless torrent.
Moyo cradled a weakened Annika, handing her a refined aether shard. She crushed it in her palm, her core refilling rapidly as the lightning in her eyes reignited, wreathing her form once more. Her aura surged as Moyo sensed her climbing the ranks of initiate right before his eyes.
The chanting began softly at first but quickly grew, carried by the voices of Bastion's defenders. Mana mages, intent users, and aura warriors stepped forward in disciplined lines from Bastion's gates. Leading them were Idris, his makeshift axe slung over his shoulder; Josh, gripping the hammer Moyo had given him; and Ayo, her fiery orb blazing above her like a miniature sun.
Four tier 1 dungeons had opened, and Annika steadied herself beside Moyo. She touched his shoulder lightly, her gaze resolute.
"Let us prove ourselves," she whispered before marching toward one of the dungeon gates. Her lightning spear cut down any aberrant in her path with swift, devastating precision.
Moyo used Void Step, appearing in front of her to clear the path with Blade Surge, wiping out the aberrants around them in an instant. He handed her a pouch of lesser aether shards, earning a chuckle.
"Giving me the weak stuff, are you?" she teased, blasting a flying aberrant from the sky without breaking stride.
"Something tells me you wouldn't appreciate me coddling you," Moyo replied with a faint smile.
"Good," Annika shot back. "I won't be a liability. None of us will be."
With that, she turned and strode into the dungeon's entrance, her lightning cutting a path of destruction.
Moyo's gaze shifted to the other commanders. Idris moved with methodical precision, his axe swinging in wide arcs, tearing through the aberrants with ruthless efficiency. Josh and Ayo displayed equal fervor, the young hammer-wielder smashing anything in his path while the fire mage incinerated scores of creatures.
As the tide of aberrants dwindled, the defenders of Bastion surged forward, their spirits bolstered. Empowered by the aether shards Moyo distributed among them, they entered the dungeons with determination, bringing the wrath of the Titan with them.
Scores of ascenders, including those who had braved the arduous journey to Bastion, flooded the dungeons. Armed with mundane weapons forged by Boyle, who churned them out by the dozens, the once small ranks of ascenders swelled overnight. Refugees continued to pour through Bastion's gates, enduring the cold and dangers of the road to reach safety.
Previously empty buildings were now filled to capacity, with Martha and her growing logistics team handling clothing, shelter, and supplies for the new arrivals. When funds became an issue, Moyo once again stepped in, donating another 500,000 credits. Martha raised a brow at him but quickly devised a solution.
"We need a stable economy to run Bastion, Moyo," she said sternly. "Not more than ten percent of their credit loot—just enough to keep things running."
Moyo was initially against taxing dungeon runs, but Martha's logic was sound.
"You're the lord, not the bank. We can't always depend on you, and neither should we."
As it turned out, Martha was right. The ascenders barely felt the tax, and seeing the wealth dungeon runners accrued, more refugees joined the effort. Boyle's forge bustled day and night, outfitting the growing number of defenders with weapons and armor.
Idris, Annika, Ayo, and Josh reached the peak of initiate rank in short order, running dungeon after dungeon. Their rapid progress mirrored Moyo's own journey, much to his satisfaction.
Annika's most recent dungeon run brought back more than just a triumphant story. Emerging victorious after slaying the dungeon boss—a thunderbird—she carried its core in her hand. As she stepped out of the gate, the dungeon shattered into motes of light behind her. Yet, something about her felt different to Moyo.
"Acolyte rank," he murmured, surprised.
The skies darkened overhead as Annika's newfound power manifested. Lightning crackled around her, and her grey eyes shimmered with electric currents. Her once-dark hair was now a stark white, contrasting with her radiant dark skin.
[bastion notice: Vice Lord Annika has obtained the path: Stormsinger!]
Cheers erupted from Bastion's walls as ascenders celebrated their vice lady's ascent. Lightning bore her aloft as she approached Moyo, standing next to him atop the walls. Her presence carried a chill that Moyo found both familiar and invigorating.
"No matter how high I climb, I can't catch up to you, can I?" she said, her voice filled with both strength and a hint of pride.
"You're getting there," Moyo replied with a small smile.
Annika snorted; her gaze steady. "Even with all this power, I couldn't have taken down that level 150 beast. But you did it in one hit. How high are you, Moyo?"
Moyo gave her a soft smile but said nothing, a tense silence passing between them until Martha's cough broke the moment.
"Careful, you two," Martha teased, amusement dancing in her eyes. "You'll give the women something to gossip about."
Moyo cleared his throat, stepping back as Annika pouted.
"I was this close to getting him to show me his stats," she grumbled.
"In time," Martha said smoothly, her tone shifting to business. "For now, we have more pressing issues."
Another dungeon shattered at that moment, and Josh emerged, dragging what appeared to be the corpse of a dungeon boss. Oddly, it hadn't disintegrated into aether. Behind him marched the aura users who had accompanied him, their faces flush with triumph.
Moyo raised a brow, sensing the raw power radiating from Josh. His silver irises gleamed like liquid light, his gait now steady and self-assured—no longer the inexperienced young man he had once been.
As the first rays of dawn crept over the horizon, Moyo turned toward the rising sun. In just two days, so much had been accomplished, but the necromancer's shadow still loomed over them. Every minute mattered.
Idris stepped out of his dungeon next, his bloodied and cracked axe slung over his shoulder. His posture exuded quiet authority. Their eyes met, and Moyo raised Ida high, the blade catching the morning light.
"For Bastion!" he shouted.
"For the Titan!" the assembled ascenders roared back in unison, their voices shaking the air.
A slight smile touched Moyo's lips as he stood atop the walls, surrounded by the strength and hope of his people.
Moyo made his way to Boyle's forge, where the rhythmic clanging of hammers on metal filled the air. A dozen men worked tirelessly, crafting weapons ranging from blades to shields, their focus unwavering. The noise was deafening, but Moyo's presence quickly drew attention. The would-be smiths paused, glancing at him nervously before offering respectful bows. Moyo nodded back awkwardly, making his way toward Boyle, who turned at that moment with a wide smile.
"My lord!" Boyle greeted warmly.
"None of that, please. A month ago, I was just a graduate," Moyo replied, exasperated.
"Titles matter not to me. You saved us all, pulled us back from despair. Everyone here owes you their lives," Boyle said, his words echoed by murmurs of approval from the workers.
Moyo waved a hand, smiling awkwardly. Then, with a flick of his wrist, he opened his voidkeep. Hushed whispers of awe spread through the room at the sight.
"Yes, yes, he owns a voidkeep. Move along; we have a necromancer to deal with!" Boyle barked, dispersing the gawking workers.
Moyo chuckled, shaking his head as he began pulling items from the voidkeep. Boyle's eyes widened as he laid them out: the chitin shells of Razorback Elites and regular Razorbacks, cores of Stonehide Golems, and the Blood Core of Urguth. Boyle rubbed his beard thoughtfully, his gaze scanning the treasures before him.
"I thought the regular chitin shells could serve as armor for our standard ascenders, while the superior ones go to those personally handpicked by our commanders. As for the golem cores and Urguth's Blood Core, I'm sure you can find a good use," Moyo explained.
Boyle's eyes flicked back to him, astonishment etched on his face. "Lord, do you know how valuable these are?"
"Do you?" Moyo asked, curious.
"As a member of the Forge Covenant, I have access to item pricing. The regular chitin shells are worth over 2,000 credits apiece, and the elite ones go for over 5,000 each. The cores? They're worth at least 100,000 credits each. My lord, these are treasures!"
Moyo shrugged. "It won't matter if Bastion falls, will it?"
Boyle paused, his expression softening. "And you? What of your needs?"
"Do you really think I need armor, Boyle?" Moyo asked, allowing his aether to ripple subtly, his presence filling the room.
Boyle chuckled. "Fair point. You're a walking stronghold."
"Now, about my blade," Moyo said, unsheathing Ida and handing it to Boyle.
The weapon crashed to the ground with a deafening thud, startling Boyle and everyone nearby.
"Was it supposed to be that heavy?" Moyo asked, confused.
"You're asking me?" Boyle said incredulously. "What's your strength stat like?"
Moyo bent down and lifted the blade with ease, placing it on a stone slab with another heavy thud. Boyle stared at him in disbelief.
"And you just carry that around like it's nothing?"
Moyo shrugged. "Maybe I've been underestimating myself."
"Leave it with me. I'll see what I can do," Boyle said, his eyes gleaming. "Anything else?"
Moyo nodded and called out, "Aje."
The holographic construct manifested beside him, startling Boyle.
"She can do that?" Boyle asked, astonished.
"Of course, Lord Artificer Boyle. As I've told the others, I am Bastion. I can appear wherever I am needed within the settlement," Aje replied with a smile.
"Good to know. Saves me the walk to the Grand Hall," Boyle muttered.
Aje turned to Moyo. "As you requested, I've procured items suitable for each of the leaders, including Lord Artificer Boyle."
Boyle raised an eyebrow as Aje presented the items one by one:
"For Vice Lady Annika, a Storm Shard sealed in a reflective box. It's relatively cheap but grows stronger with its ascender. Vessel upgrades will be needed," Aje explained. "it also cost 200,000 credits." She added as Boyle choked,
"For lady Martha, A bundle of venom silk threads from a rare arachnid species, cost: 250,000 credits."
"For lord commander Josh, Graviton's Orb, a force-affinity relic crafted by the golems of Ashahad. Cost: 100,000 credits."
"For lord general Idris, a fragment of the Metal King Golem's body, gotten as part of the terms of his duel with the phoenix empress before his death to spread his pieces around the cosmos, perfect for forging a near-indestructible weapon. Cost: 50,000 credits."
"For Ayo an Ember Core containing the Phoenix Empress's eternal flame. "It negates the need for a staff but requires careful control. Cost: free—sent as a gift from the Phoenix Empress."
"Why?" Moyo asked, wary of free gifts, nothing was free in the Archailect, Ajax had repeatedly warned him,
"The phoenix empress does it as a form of recognition for those who shun the need for another path and focus completely on the element of fire itself"
Boyle's jaw dropped as Aje concluded with the final item:
"For lord artificer Boyle, An upgradable Runestone Anvil, perfect for advancing his craft. Cost: 250,000 credits."
The glowing anvil melded seamlessly with the stone slab, symbols, and shapes spreading across its surface. Boyle stared at it, tears glistening in his eyes as he picked up his hammer.
"You spent over a million credits," he whispered hoarsely.
"For Bastion," Moyo replied simply, clapping him on the shoulder.
"When do you march on the necromancer's stronghold?" Boyle asked quietly.
"Soon," Moyo said, though he wasn't certain when.
"Then I'd best get to forging weapons worthy of Bastion's champions," Boyle said, turning to his anvil, determination blazing in his eyes.
As Aje vanished, Moyo handed over the remaining credits. He now had only 66,000 credits left, but it didn't matter. He would earn it all back. For now, his people came first.
Back within the grand hall of Bastion, Moyo approached the round table, his gaze sweeping over his companions who now radiated the strength of the Acolyte rank. Annika, a fierce and electrifying presence, sat to his right, a deadly beauty embodying storm and lightning. Martha, Bastion's steward, occupied the seat to his left, her calm demeanor contrasting the others. Idris, the stoic general of Bastion's forces, sat next to Annika, his cracked axe resting heavily on the table as he gave Moyo a respectful nod.
Josh, practically glowing with raw power, stood tall with his massive hammer head-down beside him. He saluted Moyo with a grin, drawing a chuckle from the titan. Across from him sat Ayo, Bastion's grand mage, her fiery eyes literally ablaze with intensity as she gave him a small nod and a smile.
"Well, everyone seems to be in a good mood," Moyo observed, drawing a round of chuckles.
"I would be if we were already marching toward the necromancer's stronghold," Josh said, his voice brimming with confidence.
Moyo's smile faltered, replaced by a thoughtful frown. The mood in the room shifted as all eyes turned to him. "True," he began, "but, my dear friend, let me remind you of the strength of this necromancer."
Josh's grin faded as he grew sober. "If my guess is correct, he may be close to me in power," Moyo said, his words hanging heavily in the air.
"The system called it an advocate. Are you saying… you're an advocate?" Idris asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
Moyo sighed and took his seat, folding his arms as he looked each of them in the eye. "You've all proven yourselves trustworthy, but what I'm about to say must not leave this room. Do you understand?"
Martha nodded, standing. "Do we all swear, as individual ascenders and leaders of Bastion, never to divulge what the Lord of Bastion shares with us today?" she intoned solemnly.
Moyo felt the ripple of aether spread through the room as they all responded in unison, "We swear, the system as our witness."
Satisfied, Moyo nodded.
"To make this fair, we'll reveal our stats first," Annika said, volunteering herself as the first.
Annika's Stats
Name: AnnikaRace: HumanRank: AcolyteCore: [Bright]Level: 51Path: StormsingerSkills:Boltstrike (C): 15Static Shield (C): 10Storm's Wrath (U): 20Attributes:PER: 43DEX: 55M.C: 55VIT: 55
"Impressive—Stormsinger suits you," Moyo commented, noting her stats were low compared to his but in line with her current rank.
Ayo's Stats
Name: AyoRace: HumanRank: AcolyteCore: Mana [Bright]Level: 51Path: Flame EmpressSkills:Infernal Rebirth (R): 5Molten Wrath (U): 15Inferno Surge (U): 20Inferno Lash (U): 25Attributes:PER: 40DEX: 28M.C: 90VIT: 50
"Our grand mage, the Flame Empress, is coming along beautifully," Martha said, earning a pleased bow from Ayo.
Josh's Stats
Name: JoshRace: HumanRank: AcolyteCore: [Bright]Level: 51Path: Iron SentinelSkills:Iron Wrath (R): 10Iron Wall (U): 15Crushing Fist (U): 20Shock Blow (U): 15Attributes:STR: 70DEX: 40M.C: 48VIT: 50
Idris's Stats
Name: IdrisRace: HumanRank: AcolyteCore: Mana [Bright]Level: 51Path: Battle WarlordSkills:Severing Blow (R): 5Warlord's Fury (R): 10Battle Cry (U): 19Roaring Cleave (U): 20Attributes:STR: 85DEX: 60END: 60VIT: 23
"Perfectly geared toward leading," Moyo remarked, noting the synergy between Idris's skills and role as general.
Martha's Stats
Name: MarthaRace: HumanRank: InitiateCore: Mana [Dim]Level: 50Path: WebweaverSkills:Strategist (R): 15Thread Weaver (U): 10Influence Aura (C): 9Shroud (C): 16Attributes:PER: 50DEX: 5M.C: 100VIT: 50
"Impressive," Idris said as Martha conjured a cup of tea from thin air.
"How did you do that?" Moyo asked, bewildered.
"Steward of Bastion," Martha replied with a sly smile. "All ruling members can manifest items from Bastion's resources. Perhaps if you weren't all so busy rampaging like vikings, you'd have explored this ability."
Idris tried, summoning a dagger into his hand. "It works," he confirmed.
"Guess that leaves our illustrious leader," Annika said, arms crossed.
Moyo leaned back in his seat, a faint smile on his lips. "What you see doesn't reflect how far you've all come," he said.
"Just show us already!" Josh said, rolling his eyes.
Moyo smirked, assigning 120 unallocated points into vitality. Then, he revealed his stats.
Moyo's Stats
Name: MoyosoreRank: AdvocateCore: Intent & Aura [Radiant]Body: Lesser DraconLevel: 140Path: Titan Blade (R)Weapon: Ida (Soulbound)Skills:Blood Absorption (L)Endure Agony (U): 70Blade Storm (U): 30Titan's Edge (R): 45Titan's Vitality (R): 20Titan's Ascent (U): 5Void Step (R): 1Attributes:STR: 492DEX: 448END: 475VIT: 445
The room fell silent, the weight of his power settling over them. Moyo relished the rare moment of quiet before Martha chuckled, breaking the spell, and the questions began pouring in.