Ethan woke to the sun shining in his face, its warm rays cutting through the chill of the Deadlands. He sat up, groaning as his body protested the movement. Looking around, he noticed Selene was nowhere to be seen, but her coffin was closed, its gem-lined edges glinting in the sunlight.
"Daytime, isn't it?" he muttered, stretching his stiff limbs.
He glanced at his system interface, the glowing notifications demanding his attention.
"CLAIM REWARDS," he said, tapping the screen.
"Ah, right—the rewards," he muttered, his voice tinged with relief.
He scanned through the list, deciding to set aside his stats for now. His attention shifted to another objective:
"OBJECTIVE: REACH LEVEL 10 HAS BEEN COMPLETED."
"Huh, I almost forgot about this one," he said, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
In total, he received:
- Levels:+4 (Now Level 10)
- Coins: 2,600 (Debt reduced to -15,400)
- New Skill Selection:Choose one of four powerful abilities.
Ethan noted the rewards, his mind already racing with possibilities.
But what caught his eye was the Skill Selection option. He pressed it, and a faint purple glow emanated from the interface, revealing four glowing cards:
1. Fusion Fire
2. Anti-Force
3. Nature Retreat
4. STEEL COMMANDER
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Skill Descriptions:
1. Fusion Fire
"The union of flame and fury, a dance of destruction born from chaos."
Ability: Active (Targeted AoE)
Cooldown: 20 seconds
Mana Cost: 80
Effects:
- Unleashes a swirling inferno at a target location, dealing 100/150/200/250 magical damage** to enemies within the area.
- Leaves a burning zone for 4 seconds, dealing 30/45/60/75 damage per second** and reducing armor by 2/3/4/5.
2. Anti-Force
"The void answers your defiance—strike back with the weight of nothingness."
Ability: Passive / Active (Toggle)
Cooldown:12 seconds (when toggled)
Mana Cost: 40 (activation)
Effects:
- Passive: Grants 10%/15%/20%/25% damage resistance from all sources.
- Active (Toggle): Redirects 30%/40%/50%/60% of incoming damage back to the attacker for 4 seconds. Drains 10 mana per second while active.
3. Nature Retreat
"The wild heeds your call—fade into the embrace of the earth."
Ability: Active (Self/Allies)
Cooldown: 25 seconds
Mana Cost: 60
Effects:
- Grants 30%/40%/50%/60% movement spee and 15/20/25/30 health regeneration to yourself and nearby allies for 6 seconds.
- Removes debuffs and grants brief invisibility (1.5 seconds) upon activation.
4. STEEL COMMANDER
"Iron and wrath incarnate—command an army forged in fire."
Ability: Active (Summon)
Cooldown: 90 seconds
Mana Cost: 120
Effects:
- Summons a Steel Golem for 20 seconds.
- Health: 800/1200/1600/2000
- Abilities:
- Taunt: Forces enemies to attack the golem for 3 seconds.
- Shatter: On death, deals
200/300/400/500 physical damage in an AoE.
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Ethan stared at the cards, his mind racing.
"Fusion Fire and Anti-Force won't really mesh well with my abilities," he muttered. "On the other hand, Nature's Retreat and STEEL COMMANDER..."
His eyes lingered on STEEL COMMANDER
"Summoning a golem? That's... new."
He thought about it, weighing the options.
"I know there's a skill called Summon Stone Golem, but this one seems like an improvement. And well, it would be handy to have someone to aggro the undead."
After a moment of deliberation, he nodded.
"Claim."
As he selected the skill, the screen turned a deep red, the card transforming into a new description.
"STEEL COMMANDER HAS BEEN TURNED INTO Lmeures Sovereign."
Ethan blinked twice, his confusion evident.
"I now have absolutely no idea about this one."
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Lmeures Sovereign
Passive/Active Ability
Passive Effect:
- Grants the ability to summon a powerful Skeleton Undead minion.
- The Skeleton Undead grows stronger by assimilating the abilities or traits of enemies it kills.
Active Effect:
- Summon a **Skeleton Undead** to fight alongside you.
- The Skeleton Undead has its own unique abilities and cooldowns.
- The Skeleton Undead lasts indefinitely until killed.
Details:
- No Mana Cost: This ability can be used freely without consuming mana.
- Combination Mechanic: When the Skeleton Undead kills an enemy, it absorbs their essence, gaining additional strength, abilities, or bonuses.
- Cooldown: The Skeleton Undead has its own ability cooldowns, separate from the summoner's.
Note:
- The Skeleton Undead's power scales with the strength of the enemies it kills.
- If the Skeleton Undead is killed, it must be resummoned with the active ability.
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Ethan seems a bit confused on its actual performance but decides to try it out. He ponders what command to use, then remembers an old phrase from a fighting game he once knew:
"Bone Guard."
A mist appears, bringing with it a chilling air. The ground beneath him cracks slightly as the skeleton crawls out, its eyes glowing purple and its body covered in dirt. It clutches a shield and a sword, its movements deliberate and eerie.
CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK
Its jaw rattles endlessly... it can't speak.
Ethan lets out a small laugh. "I guess a job in a circus would suit you."
The skeleton looks annoyed, as if it understands exactly what he means.
CLICK CLICK CLICK
As Ethan takes a step forward, he notices the ground beneath him has become slimy, coated with a tar-like substance. He slips.
CRASH
"Ah, come on!"
CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK
The Bone Soldier laughs, rattling its teeth mockingly.
"You've got more than the eye can see, Pest," a voice says.
Ethan looks behind him to see Ferox standing there, his massive frame looming.
"When did you get up?" Ethan asks, brushing himself off.
The Minotaur grunts. "Long enough to take a trip beating some of the Undead."
Ethan nods, a sly grin forming on his face. "You know, I could use that as a test for my new subject."
He turns to the skeleton, its purple eyes already gleaming with readiness. It seems its existence is about to get a lot more fun.
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Skeletons
"The dead do not rest in the Corseir Deadlands... they serve."
Skeletons are the restless remains of the dead, cursed to wander the desolate expanses of the Corseir Deadlands. Unlike common undead, these skeletal warriors are a rare and sinister breed, bound to the will of ancient liches who prowl the shadowed reaches of the land. Their hollow eyes glow with a faint, malevolent light, and their brittle bones carry the weight of forgotten battles and unfulfilled vengeance.
Once proud warriors, mages, or even common folk in life, Skeletons are stripped of their former identities in death. Their souls are shackled to the liches' dark magic, forcing them to serve as eternal sentinels of the Deadlands. However, whispers among the undead speak of a rare fate for those who were once mighty in life: should a Skeleton retain enough of its former strength and will, it may ascend to the rank of a Death Knight, a fearsome commander of the undead legions.