BOOK 2/67 - Danger

Ring - 1st
Realm - SOL
Location - Wyrm’s Cross, Southwest of The Cinderii Kingdom.

Having more mobs join this fight was not what the Titans had in mind. From every corner, mobs spawned into the Valley. Their forms were quickly shaped and forged from the fog trying to cloud the Titans' vision.

“Guess we all know where the valley beasts come from.". Mera chuckled, catching a six legged scaled canine by the neck. Solar energy washed through its body as it whined and barked in pain before falling to ashes.

The lLarge beast used that opportunity to lash out. Its tail, only now entering the focus of the Titans, lashed out like a slaver’s whip and let out an echoing snap as it struck Mera. The Titaness was flung into the right valley wall.

Thorin made it pay with a hammer blow and his Strength and Will Portfolios activated. The wave of blue energy seeped and swept through its body drawing a pained roar.

“Stryder, get down here!. You're with me. We'll take down these mobs, keep them off their backs. Focus more on guarding Blaze though.". Hellion shouted. He stepped to his right, his leg swinging out of the way of a beast’s bite. The long sword flashed, its cracking light leaving a blurred trail as it cut through the air from the right and down on the creature's neck.

“Thorin and Mera,. kill that thing. Blaze!. Keep it occupied!".

"Aye.”.Thorin stepped to the side avoiding a stomp that aimed to pulverize him and hammered the leg. While the creature was large, the Titans got to its knees. Mostly because it was longer than it was tall. There was a cracking sound and the Beast roared again.

"Roger.” Stryder left the blinded creature and blurred downwards. Several beasts fell, either cut open or sliced in two.

"Thanks. I'm gonna smash its head in.”. Mera kicked off her valley wall that she was getting increasingly intimate with and flew to the beast, her right fist drawn back, her eyes narrowed into a fiery glare. The beast must have noticed her as it turned sharply. For a large thing like that, the movement was surprising.

Thorin backpedalled to avoid its body while Blaze moved, the chains dragging him and his legs digging into the ground. With a grunt and a heave, the earth swam like liquid and flowed up his body. Then with a cracking sound like ground stones, he stopped moving. The action made the Beast’s head jerk and pause, creating an opening that Mera’s fist followed.

BOOM!!

It roared again. This time though it wasn't just out of pain. The spawning monsters all changed direction and aim. Both those spawning around the beasts and those spawning right behind Blaze. They all aimed for the Titan of Fire and Earth.

Blaze swung the chain in his right hand and it retracted with rattles. The moment the last of it wound around his arm he punched the ground. The floor cratered, the spider web cracks spreading out at a speed that should have been impossible for an earthquake. The foundations of the earth shook and ruptured. From below, fire and heat swept up.

It swallowed the Titan then spread out in a wave of destruction that washed away anything he desired in a storm of ash. Some of the spawns fell into the rifts and burned before they even got any lower.

With a wave he fixed the ground and focused on holding the Beast.

“Badass.". Stryder chuckled. She moved through the seemingly frozen world gutting, slicing and decapitating. Running around the wave of fire she cut down some spawns aiming for Hellion's rear and then blurred off to kill the troublesome flying creatures harassing Thorin.

The Beast, seeing its attempt had failed, it moved again. With the Titaness on its back punching without reprieve on its head it could only make one move.

There was a click and rattle. Below, Thorin saw a scale shift and move. His eyes widened.

BOOM!!

Scales, earth, stones and wind exploded in all directions. Like a frag bomb on steroids it destroyed the valley walls, raced for the Titans. Thorin below it and Mera above it took the brunt of the attack. The force and projectiles sending them flying away and getting pelted.

Stryder paused her run and Hellion palmed a beast away. Blaze frowned. The three Titans burst forward. Stryder of course was the fastest. Vanishing in a blur of gold and reappearing under its neck. Blaze tugged on his left chain, retracting it but keeping it looped around the thing’s neck. Fire erupted from beneath his sandals and he shot forward like a rocket getting grappled towards the creature.

Hellion was the last. Essence flooded his feet, flowed into his blade and made the cracks on his arms spit more light and starfire. Holding the sword with two hands he took out essence orbs and drained them consecutively to fill his arms and legs with essence. His sword brightened more and more with the essence fueling the Primordial Flame within his blade. The Void steel seemed to part even more to let even more light and starfire out. His sword lost its golden glow, blazing with a bright incandescent looking white flame.

When he kicked forward, he left a crater behind him as the essence in his foot was spent with a burst of wind that shattered rocks and sliced through the spawns charging at him.

Blaze, already at the Beast, ignited its body. Fire raced over it as the Beast screeched. But the pain it was feeling clouded the pain from the Titaness sawing at its throat, her arm a blur as her blade worked.

The boom as Hellion appeared next to the Beast drew Blaze's eye. The bright star that was his sword made his gaze widen. With a sharp, fire aided jump, he took to the sky. Chains unrolled and whipped downwards. A little tiny flame raced through the links and down to the last link.

Another sonic boom echoed as Mera appeared, her face livid, her body floating to the right of the Beast's face and her fist cocked. Blaze could swear the place was heating up and he was immune to heat now.

Hellion swung, the essence in his arm burning up like water against heat. Steam leaving the cracks on his hands. Mera's fist arrived and Blaze’s chain struck. Underneath the Beast, Stryder smiled as the thin scales gave way and the first drop of blood followed by a deluge splashed on her.

The four were so focused on their attacks that when a hammer suddenly appeared aiming right for the Beast’s face it didn't faze them. What fazed them was the speed it appeared at. There was no blur, no trail. It just appeared, like a spawn. The blue glow and weight to it told them it has all the portfolios possible stacked on it. Even worse by the time it cleared the last inch to the thing's face, it quintupled.

BOOOM!!!
BOOOM!!!
BOOOM!!!
CRRR NNKK!!
SPLATTT!!

The Beast was a prime example of what you got when an object or entity was forced against the wall. Depending on the durability, strength and density and strength of each part,several results could be inferred. One such result was what five titans were looking at.

The Beast’s head was missing. From the very edge of its short serpentine neck, everything was gone. Black Ichor dripped down the neck wound while bone bits could be seen. “That’s bloody.”. Stryder frowned.

“Let’s get out of here.”. Thorin’s voice called out. A humming sound became audible to their ears as the hammer on the ground next to the Beast’s corpse flew backward and with a thump landed in Thorin’s palm. The Titans all sheathed, drew in, or stored away their weapons while walking away.

“Think there’ll be more of those?”. Stryder asked with a bland face.

“Hopefully not, those things would be annoying to deal with.” Thorin frowned. “Found them rel;atively weak,” Mera argued. “It didn't even have any form of attacking power or skills, just stomping around and spawning those beasts.”

No one argued that. While the fight had not been easy it wasn't exactly hard. ‘But at the same time it would have been easy if we'd all used Domains.’. Thorin could remember his Domain pulsing through the beast and not affecting it in any way.

“If we meet another like it then we know how to beat it easily now.". Hellion urged them forward.

“I doubt we could all time our attacks to strike simultaneously.” Blaze pointed out. That was true enough and it bothered them all. While it wouldn't endanger them as it has proven incapable of such a feat, fighting it would waste their time, time they needed to enter the True Center of the Realm.

“How did we even kill it? Thorin's Domain didn't do much damage to it. We don't even know if Stryder cutting open its neck would have killed it cause our attacks took its head.

“A HP bar would have been good for this.". Thorin stated. “Or at least show how much damage we can perform.".

"I think I may have a suspicion.".

Everyone stopped and looked at Hellion. “Is this the ‘I Know and See things’ part?" Mera air quoted.

"Yes. Yes it is.”.

With a snort Mera joined them in bringing up her notifications and scrolled to the last. “A Pantheon Crit?. What’s that?”.

“Exactly what it sounds like.”.

“We all know to go for the head now.”. Thorin smirked.

****

Ring - 9th
Realm - MURHIL

Athena’s POV

The stairway leading up to Gordorik’s tower should have tired out my real self from how long the climb was. From the City Center all the way up here, I had yet to kill anyone. It was simple. Taking their lives was easy, but I didn’t need their populace disliking me. That was why a line of guards that had rushed out to meet me were not splayed out on the stairs dead, rather they stood to the sides letting me through, their vacant gazes the only difference to them.

The great double doors were locked and the sound of terrified hearts beating on the other side didn't help me feel good about this. “It has to be done.”. Having an antagonistic realm dweller who knew no fear was a recipe for trouble. ‘I will not fight a battle on two fronts.’. The other players were still out there and I honestly didn't doubt that they were plotting and planning how to end each other, myself included.

I flexed my will and, with a snap, the beam keeping the door shut shattered with a blast. Shouts and cries could be heard from the other side as I shoved the door open with my force. The doors hit both sides of the walls with a bang.

The guards, those not on the ground grasping some wounds on a part of their body, were gathered to the rear of the room. A familiar head poked out of the masses, his eye staring straight at me.

“I knew you would cause troubles for us.". A feminine voice yelled.

“Oh, hello.". I stared at the Sykeri Gordorik's daughter. I couldn't remember her name. ‘Did I even ask?’ Shrugging, I simply smiled at her and turned back to Gordorik. “We have business, Lord. Would you prefer I tear through your people or will you step out willingly?"

I could see the uncertainty in that one eye. Unfortunately he didn't get to decide as one of his guards stepped forward spitting at me. Literally. “You are not welcome here Monster."

I blinked, the guard, a Sykerin interposing with another's image. I swung my arm out and towards him. Scarlet red energy, like liquid, appeared flowing around my fingertips. The same glow suddenly appeared around his neck. The guard gasped, his eye going wider than it naturally was.

“I promised my people that I would kill none. Do not make me break that promise." He rose into the air choking as the energy lifted him up by his neck. With a flick of my fingers he was sent flying to the right.

I Mind Leaped, my body leaving a mirage behind and appearing in-between the guards, right in front of Gordorik. The Sykeri stumbled back, his eyes were visibly frightened but his expression refused to show it.

“You disappoint me Gordorik. After trying to kill an Elder Force in a Realm space for your people, I would think you wouldn't sacrifice them.”

"It…it was…still is, for the greater good." His words stumbled out, frightened but calm. I furrowed my brow but the next move shocked me. His hand flashed forward at a speed I could follow and yet I didn't stop his attack. A glint of light from one of the many crystals illuminating the chamber glinted off steel.

‘Wait!. What is…’.

I felt pain. The blade sunk into my belly and stopped at the hilt where his hand held it. “What…”

He let go and took quick steps backwards. I took a step to follow him and crippling pain swept through my torso. The scream that wanted out was bitten down and swallowed as I staggered and fell to my knees. Golden blood flowed free from my wound, over the hilt and dripped on the floor. I shivered and reached for it.

“She's down. All of you, strike!".

The guards attacked. Swords and spears and whatever they held as weapons flashed over my body. The clanging as their weaponry struck my body became a background noise as my hands touched the hilt.

Suddenly the pain spiked and the hilt burrowed into my body. ‘No!. No!’ I gripped it but my body let it slip out of my grip and it vanished into my body. The pain tripled and I doubled over my skull hitting the ground.

Have I been too arrogant?. Overconfident?. Would this be my game over?. Killed by a Realm Dweller. This early too. My senses expanded as the pain increased, trying to distract myself. I swept it through the city, through the mind controlled Guards guiding the Citizens to safety and keeping watch. Through Ernwes and the Sykerians battling in the city as they took down other guards and soldiers. Over my Realm Touched army as they swept into the city.

The pain spiked and, this time, I couldn't ignore it as I realized what it was doing. Whatever the weapon was, it had melted inside me and was clogging my blood. What the hell clogs an Elder Force’s blood?.

The pain calmed but I knew it was still there. Restricting my blood and my essence. Slowly poisoning me. I pushed myself up with my right hand. A blade struck my right horn and bounced off.

“What was it?”*. I asked him while focusing all of my senses on him.

“A way out.". His answer made me frown mentally. I Mind Leaped to him and he stumbled back. A guard pulled him back and swung his blade at me. I caught it and red liquid poured from my fingers around it. The blade crumbled to dust.

The guard stumbled back. I ignored him, walking past him to the shivering Gordorik. I barely made it two steps past the guard when the pain felt like a vice on my heart. ‘Did I even have a heart?’

I stopped in place and stiffened.

"It's taking effect isn't it?. I wasn't sure but I'm glad it worked.”.

‘My essence is getting clogged.’. I pulled out an orb from my inventory and drained it. The essence joined my body but couldn't flow through. It was like blockades around the path had been set up.

While the Essence was still unrefined, I didn't care. With a flare of will I Mind Leaped again and this time I caught myself on the smaller being. The moment I caught him I burrowed into his head.

The pain wasn't letting me concentrate but I got snippets. Enough to know where this came from.

“NILHEIM!*.

It was a meteor from the eighth realm. The Lord didn't know what it had been as it landed as a hunk of black ore. Black ore that was snatched by the very reason he was attempting to kill me. But he had kept a piece. Hidden it.

A sharp flash of a scene showed the ore reacting to me. It was what had given him courage to even try it now. I pulled out of his mind stumbling back and realizing he had been screaming while the guards had been trying to get him away from my vice grip.

I chuckled in annoyance. Even the time factor of entering minds had been negated by this thing inside me. I didn't know if Elder Forces could survive their blood flow getting blocked but I knew it would surely affect my power.

“You fools.". I shook my head. Gordorik was still screaming, his hands holding his head. “Trying to weaken me. Even if you succeed, you have used the last weapon you could have used in 6 siblings. Compared to them I might as well have been a nice bunny.". I stopped. With a frown I dug into his head and with grogginess fixed his mind that I had clearly broken. I needed to him hear me and know his plans have failed and he'd fucked up badly.

“You tried to kill me to avoid me being convinced to turn against you. Next time don't be ignorant. I wouldn't have turned against you if I wanted to. Five cities. Five Elder Forces. Surrounding the center where we all need to go to meet our parents. I could have helped you more than I would have turned against you.”.

"Why should I believe you?. You could be lying.”. Gordorik looked alright now and he'd clearly heard everything I've said.

"Because we Elder Forces would have needed each city we found to support us in case one attacked the other.".

“Why would you attack each other? You're siblings.".

I grinned. “Should have thought of that before. But it's simple. There are no rules binding us. No necessity to assist or aid each other. We don't even know if being the only one to meet our parents would be more beneficial than all five. Some would think this way, others won't care. Do you see it now?. The danger you feared will come. And even if I wasn't here, with the power of my siblings on the side of your enemy you will face the same danger you feared from me. Remember that.".

The pain spiked up again and angrily I focused my force on it. That was useless as my essence could barely move. I tried activating my skill to find a result to do this but it failed.

‘I got into his mind though. Which means, my Domains still work.’.

Mental Force would be useless against the thing inside me. Chaos was more likely but which Portfolio. Anarchy and Disorder was a sure no. Telekinesis felt likely.

My body glowed red as I grabbed the thing inside me and began drawing it out. Pain lanced through me again. I couldn't move it without having it cut through my essence channels.

‘Why do I even have organs?. Shouldn't we be energy based entities without flesh and skin. So annoying.’.

There was no other way to get this out without damaging myself. Trying to compress and make it small didn't help as it seemed stuck to my channels.

I focused on the mutterings around me as the guards and Gordorik with his daughter argued about what I just told them. I didn't really care but the Sykerin was getting on my nerves. She seemed hell bent on ending me. ‘I could just kill her, twist her insides.’ I really wanted to do it too.

“Wait,". I whispered. “Mutation.’ My eyes moved to the guard whose sword I ashed. I hadn't really thought of it but I had mutated that sword.

‘Reverse Mutation. Mutating a thing or being into destruction. Positive Mutation. Making something or someone better. Could I?”.

I focused within and at first had the thought to destroy. A piercing pain later and I realized that it wasn't working. ‘What the hell was this ore? And why is it so powerful? Or is it due to NILHEIM?’

‘Last step then. Please work.’.

I let Mutation try to upgrade and make the thing better. Simultaneously I mutated myself to adapt and assimilate the thing without endangering me or destroying it. I felt pain, but it was nothing like the pain from this thing. This was pain within my bones, my very self getting rewritten and changed to accommodate the thing.

The moment I felt my Essence getting freed I drew in more to refine and then powered my Domain to rush and make the process better.


A scream left my lips and I felt the thing getting grafted into my cells, into my bones, into my blood and Essence. I felt it flow into whatever was in my chest. But there was more of it. Mutation has increased and improved it. Now it was everywhere but there was still a huge size of it left floating within me. Mutation showed me that while I could reinforce myself more with it I wouldn’t be able to take it. Growing stronger would help but right now I was too weak for more.

My scales had already gotten one of them as well. My mind rushed through different things. ‘Where to put it, where to put it?’

I had a thought. Directing it, I heard the cracking sounds as my chest got more of it and a protection for my heart or whatever was made. I knew what to do with the remaining too.

I had been on my knees all through this. So my back arching as bones snapped and shifted, grew and got dense, shifting like animals swimming within my body was quite visible. The murmurings stopped but I ignored them as I felt the scales part on my back. Slowly the material grew out. But it wasn't just it. Cells, flesh, muscles, cartilages, everything a body needed grew alongside it.

Slowly I felt the weight increase as I directed the mutations shape and size till I had made it complete.

I gasped as the process finally finished and I was bombarded with notifications.

I was still trying to catch my breath when there was a sharp spike in energy around me. I tensed pushing myself to my feet and looking around. I wanted to think that the Sykerians didn't have a way to create such a spike but I wasn't dumb to ignore they'd pulled out something shocking from nowhere.

The weight on my back created a change to my normal balance but it wasn't just it. My whole body weight has increased. I was heavier.

Grayish blue mist suddenly gathered around me and rose, forming a whirlpool.

I just knew to put my hand inside. So I did. The mist condensed and formed a thin Black Crystal that looked like a shard.

“What, what was that?". Gordorik’s daughter demanded. I really needed to learn her name if I wasn't going to kill her.

I didn't answer her though, my focus on staying upright and the notifications I had. I read through all of them for a moment then smiled. Looking at Gordorik I grinned wider. “Thanks for the Power boost.".