Author’s Note: (PLEASE READ)

You have certainly noticed that more and more fictions are getting covers.

So I wanted to create some kind of Cover Contest, let’s call it

Don’t Fear the Cover Contest

I want to ask everyone interested to send me their creation of a cover for this fiction.

Be creative, make it fitting, and have fun making it. [th_092_.gif]

If you want to make something but don’t have an idea, you can ask me for some thoughts.

The resolution is supposed to be 200x300 and the picture has to be an original,

Meaning you have to own the rights to it.

Upload it on imgur (or something similar) and send me the link via PM or chat.

I will choose the best entry and use it as a cover for my fiction and I’m sure I can find a purpose for the others.

Hopefully I will get some nice entries, I’m counting on you :grin:

Well then, on to the chapter, I hope you will enjoy it

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Chapter 18 – Dead Heart in a dead World

The names carved in the ground were not only those the figures gave him, they were derived from the Latin names of the seven virtues. The virtues they once embodied themselves.

Though calling them virtuous now would simply be a lie. They fell, they stumbled, they gave up or gave in. Time and circumstance was what changed them and they let it happen.

So all that was left, was sin. When he looked at the riddle it was quickly clear to him that the first answer was the letter g, meaning the true name, the sin that hid what he desired, began with that letter, leaving only two possibilities. The answer to the last part of the riddle would reveal the end of the sin he looked for. It was the letter d.

He turned to the man who called himself Caritius. Once representing Charity, only greed for power and wealth was left. Greed, the true name that hid what he looked for.

Grabbing his chains, he acted quickly, his time was running out as crevices started to form on the dark ceiling.

With great force he swung both chains at the same time and the impact on the name, the lie, “Caritius”, which was carved in the ground before him, was strong enough to shatter the rock and reveal what was hidden beneath it.

A small compartment was dug into the earth, a shallow hole covered by stone. Its walls were covered by runes and magic circles. He couldn’t read any of it, but he understood enough to recognize their importance.

In the middle of a ring of runes lay the black book he saw when entering the room, its corners touching the magic circle. By now he wasn’t sure if it was the real grimoire he saw before or just an illusion, a trap to give him a false sense of security.

With a faint smile he grabbed the tome and perceived a slight, but not uncomfortable surge of energy run through his body. It almost felt alive and despite it being Death’s grimoire it was surrounded by a comforting warmth.

“Who is it that wakes me from my slumber?”

Hall flinched and almost dropped the book when he heard a loud voice in his head.

“What the hell?”

“Very rude I have to say. I have nothing to do with hell, I am Death’s grimoire and who are you if I may ask, again?” It took him a moment to regain his composure after a book just talked to him.

“My name is Hall, I am the First Harbinger of Death, tasked with the retrieval of Death’s grimoire. I passed the trial of the seven guardians and have now earned the right to lift the seal placed upon you.”

Hall sighed a bit inside. Without himself noticing it had become a habit of him to actually take on the role of his character. Sometimes he forgot he was playing and became the Harbinger and although it made him worry a little, he also enjoyed it, even if his choice of words could be corny at times.

After a moment of silence the tome spoke back to him. He barely noticed when the trembling ground came to a standstill. No more dust and rocks fell from above and the forming cracks ceased to spread. He was safe, for the moment.

“Interesting, so Grim finally found someone who she deemed worthy.”

Although her words were spoken with pride, the grimoire sounded like a young woman, maybe a girl even. The slight tone of arrogance in her voice seemed almost childish and made him smile.

“Though you seem to be mistaken on one thing Harbinger. It was not me who was sealed away. Quite the opposite, it has been my power that was used to seal a being of great danger.

The trials were placed by me. I used the very soul of the being sealed away and created a test to let only those pass that would be able to stand against it. Unfortunately my power is dwindling, slowly seeping away through the cracks of time and I could not sustain the seal much longer.

I hope you are prepared to fight Hall, First Harbinger of Death. Show me if you are worthy of entering a contract with me.”

If he was honest with himself, he was not prepared. He was tired, his body and mind exhausted. When he looked to Lily she only watched at him in confusion. It seemed that he was the only one who could hear the grimoire’s voice.

Breathing in deeply he nodded while looking at his companion to warn her.

“I am ready to fight.”

*Ding*

Event Notification – The Origin of Sin

An ancient demon who feeds upon the souls of sinful mortals was sealed beneath Roselake. By removing the power source of the seal you allowed him to break free.

Centuries of imprisonment left him weakened, but should he feast on the souls of the city’s inhabitants, he could endanger the lives of countless innocents.

If you pray for forgiveness for your sins before battle, the gods of light may hear your plea and grant their protection to you.

Hall could only laugh at those last words. “As if I’d bow my head to them.”

Still shaking his head he looked at the sentient tome in his hands. “Can you tell me anything I should know?”

After activating his Soul Perception he sensed a shift in the energy of the seven guardians. Even though he still couldn’t read them, they were somehow slowly drained of their power which was transferred to the golden throne that was veiled in shadows by now.

The voice of a young woman inside his head broke his concentration as he received his answer and a slight insult at the same time.

“I’m sure there is a whole lot you should know, but that’s a problem you can work on another time.

The demon you are about to face was not always the corrupted being it is now. Once he was a symbol for hope, a child of the gods, his name Benmal’ach. But he lost sight of what was good and right and in the end he fell and only darkness remained.

He became a fallen one, a demon, attracted to souls heavy with sin. His mind clouded, he did nothing but devour and gain strength. The gods, blinded with grief over the loss of their beloved child wouldn’t take action despite the sorrow he caused.”

While listening to the grimoire he continued to observe his surroundings. The soul energy still was pouring into the large throne and several torches increased the intensity of their flames, throwing more light at the large throne and allowing him to notice the cracks forming in the gold it was made of.

Shrieks of tearing metal and wails that emerged from the deepest parts of hell almost drowned out the voice inside his head. Thick shadows oozed in and out of the gaps in the golden throne and slowly engulfed fragments of the precious metal, turning them to black ash that scattered in the air.

“If the demon was that strong, how did he get trapped down here and how exactly did you become part of the seal?” It was a fair question, but the grimoire took a while before answering.

“It is a complicated matter. Before establishing our contract, a Harbinger, just like yourself, was asked for support in defeating the fallen one, Benmal’ach. He was a menace to the souls of the living and their peace in death, so she chose to follow the plea for help, as was her duty.

Unbeknownst to her, those who begged for her assistance used hundreds of criminals as a sacrifice to lead the demon beneath the city. When she arrived, she could do nothing but witness a brutal, mindless slaughter and the gluttonous devouring of souls.

She was appalled. Even though their souls were burdened with sin, they had a place to go, a destination, and a fate that was disturbed. Maybe she was just a bit too soft for the life of a Harbinger, too gentle at heart.”

The sorrow in its … no, in her voice surprised him. She was more than just an ancient book, the emotions in her voice clearly proved it. Outrage and sadness, a young voice carrying the memory of a lost friend.

While the large throne in front of him crumbled away, the somber voice in his head continued. “Their battle, fierce and relentless, raged for hours until she finally managed to pierce Benmal’ach’s chest, binding him to the ground, restraining him with the weapon she received from Grim herself.

When those, who begged for her help, saw her fight, they were terrified and full of fear she would turn on them one day. So instead of thanking her, mages attacked the weakened Harbinger, close to death after the fight. Spells and all the power they had rained down on her until she finally fell, tears on her face after being betrayed by those she wanted to protect.”

The soft voice trembled and he swallowed hard. Without noticing he gently stroked over the warm leather of the grimoire in an attempt to console her.

“With her gone they used me as a source of magic power to seal away the wounded Benmal’ach, who was unable to move and couldn’t defend himself as Death’s weapon still penetrated his torso.

For centuries the seal drained my energy and at the same time the demon got weaker as he tried to break free. The seven guardians you saw were souls he consumed, accumulation of sin, personified and split from him to diminish his strength. Yet they still held his will and their task was to corrupt those that entered these catacombs and fuel his power to unleash him from this prison.

It took me decades to set up these trials, working around the poisoned mind of Benmal’ach, letting those live that were able to withstand the fallen one’s corruption. If you had been too slow or if your soul was on the verge of giving in, I would have collapsed the ceiling, destroying you and the hope you held of defeating what was left of a child of god.

I’m glad you passed, even if it was barely. Those too weak, too wicked or even too pure wouldn’t have stood a chance. In the face of this evil, this corruption, innocence can only falter.”

During these last words the remaining metal of the once golden throne turned to dust and a gust of wind carried the black ash into the darkness that rose from the ground.

‘Why would they build a throne here? A casket would have made more sense! Oh well, maybe it’s a religious thing…’

While Hall’s thoughts wandered for a moment, black smoke and a great amount of soul energy gathered in front of him.

Where before his Soul Perception skill had failed to give him an answer when reading the seven guardians, he was now almost overwhelmed when he observed the amassing darkness. He perceived dark souls before, rotten after loathsome crimes and he thought of them as evil.

How clueless he was! What he saw before couldn’t be compared to what stood before him. It was nothing. A glance was enough to make him almost physically sick and before he had to take a step back, he deactivated his skill, even if it meant a disadvantage in battle.

A figure peeled itself out of the shadows and stretched its limbs as if shaking off a long night’s rest. In an instant Hall knew it was Benmal’ach. He could almost smell the corruption as the demon took a step forward but was still held by a large blade that pierced his heart.

Hall’s forced his breath to remain calm while he put the grimoire in his inventory and confirmed he could still communicate with her. His fingers tensed around the chains while his eyes remained on the fallen one before him who gave off bloodcurdling moans and terrifying wails.

Echoes resounded inside the round room and made it sound like it was filled with vengeful spirits. Even though he wasn’t easy to frighten, he had to put in all his will not to take several steps back. Facing the imposing figure in front of him he almost forgot about the seven guardians that still lurked in the shadows.

Though nobody would blame him. The blade inside his chest barely took away any of his threatening appearance. At over two meters and with defined muscles he looked like a statue carved from flawless marble.

His grey skin wasn’t covered by clothes and black lines that twisted and moved formed shapes and patterns on his flesh. He looked male, but there was no organ to confirm it.

When the shadows at the demon’s back exploded, Lily shrieked and retreated with wide eyes, trying to get to the safest place she could think of, behind Hall. With trembling hands she grabbed his shoulders for support and her shallow breath tickled his neck.

The shadows behind Belmal’ach formed wings, giving him the impression of a dark angel, a fallen child of god. Though instead of a clear image of feathers they only saw twirling shade, coiling and spinning, creating wailing faces, hands grabbing in despair and countless snakes. Innumerable, they crawled through the darkness. They hissed, snapped and kept their obsidian eyes on the two intruders that dared to challenge their master.

When the demon spread his wings a gust of wind swept ash and dust into their eyes, blinding them for a moment. Being three meters wide, they swallowed the light that originated from the cracks in the wall behind him.

Tears of cloudy mercury fell from his dim eyes and even though his face showed no emotion, it was a sorrowful sight to behold. Hall wasn’t sure if he should feel fear or pity toward the fallen angel.

Myriads of snakes continued to dig through his formless wings and thick, dark ooze dropped from them, evaporating in a sizzling sound as soon as it touched the ground.

An atrocious scream left his lips as he tried to step forward. The blade that pierced his chest had a wide end and stuck several centimeters out of his heart. Where it left his back, the metal bent and got thinner until it penetrated the ground, restraining the demon’s movements.

It was the blade of scythe. A scythe large enough to mow down giants and even though there was no shaft, Hall could imagine its former scale when looking at the blade that measured around one and a half meters.

It was a terrifying weapon and even in the face of an enemy as powerful as the fallen one it remained impressive.

Although Benmal’ach couldn’t move forward, his scream echoed from the stone walls, causing dust and small rocks to fall from the cracks.

Out of the corner of his eyes Hall saw movement in the darkness and before he could react, time around him slowed down.

If he hadn’t activated his skill Watching over me, he would have been in trouble. Even so, he instantly dropped to the floor and barely evaded a stream of green liquid. As time was slowed down, drops of the fluid fell to the floor and on his armor, burning its way through leather and stone.

‘Great, acid.’

While his armor lost a small fraction of its durability, he turned to the source of the corroding attack. On the spot where the young woman, who introduced herself as Temperia, should have been, stood a figure that bore no resemblance to the pretty girl.

Decaying flesh under rotting, pale skin that was covered in festering wounds and an appalling stench created a repulsive image. Mountains of rancid fat caused her overburdened bones to creak and her gaping, toothless mouth seemed ready to swallow him whole.

“Benmal’ach is far from full strength, so he can only control one of his puppets at the same time, be careful though, he is still a formidable enemy, one you should defeat while he remains immobilized.”

Hall nodded at the grimoire’s calm voice, now carrying a hint of arrogance again, and before he hit the ground, he threw a chain, aimed at the demon’s head.

Even though the time was running slower, it was running out. While the first chain flew straight like an arrow, he put his strength into his other arm, twisted his body and swung the second chain at the monster he now knew was Gluttony incarnate.

Then the time was up. His movements, the velocity of his weapons and everything around him returned to normal speed. The moment he hit the ground, his chain was about to collide with Benmal’ach’s body. But in the blink of an eye his wings contracted and covered his body in a cocoon of shade and darkness.

The sound of the impact was swallowed by the swirling shadows that formed his wings and the chain recoiled, barely inflicting the slightest bit of damage.

Luckily Hall’s other chain smashed into Gluttony’s legs with tremendous force and with the sound of a snapping branch of a dead tree her bones gave in, causing her to fall forward.

A gurgling noise left her throat as she choked on the acidic liquid she prepared to spit at him. Without a moment’s hesitation Hall swung his chains over and over again. His speed and strength a sight to behold, he let a brutal hail of strikes rain on the immobilized target while he dodged streams of acid with swift movements.

Bones shattered under the heavy blows and putrid skin burst open while her large health pool dropped steadily. Slowly the movement of the abominable monster ceased and Hall prepared to deliver the finishing strike.

Only moments before his next attack would have hit, Gluttony went limp as if all strength had left her. His surprise caused him to pause.

“Watch out, behind you.” Lily’s warning was followed by magical blue chains that shot out of the ground as she used her skill Angels don’t kill to conjure bindings to hold the warrior who was about to strike Hall with a rusty long sword.

His trust in Lily allowed him to simply react to her words and without hesitation or even a single glance he jumped to the side, rolling on the dusty ground, evading a crushing blow that split apart the stone where he just stood.

The glowing mana shackles around the armored man’s feet stopped him from going after Hall who quickly regained his stance and inspected the new opponent.

It was Humitas, or what was left of him, Pride. His sword and armor was on the verge of crumbling, his wrecked shield discarded where he stood before. With precise swings he took care of the chains that bound him in an instant and instead of casting new ones, Lily focused on her song to increase Hall’s strength.

Pride closed the distance between them in a second and Hall barely evaded the next strike. In close combat his chains lost a lot of their advantage, so he quickly used the one around his left wrist as a shield by wrapping it around his arm and tried to coil his right one around the enemy’s leg.

Unfortunately the tall man with the frenzied look in his eyes dodged it with a speed his stature should have made impossible and as the attack flew past him, his sword already collided against his left arm. The damage was minimal but even though Hall already took out his sword and dagger he couldn’t do anything but defend against the barrage of strikes.

While breathing heavily, he pressed a few words through his grinding teeth. “Lily, bind him.”

A moment later a blue glow rose from the ground and chains of mana pinned down Pride’s left leg.

Before she could cast a second chain to tie down his other leg, he already broke free by violently yanking up his foot, ripping apart the shackles that bound him.

But it was enough. A moment, not even half a second, but it was enough. The short distraction allowed Hall to shift his weight and ram his sword into Pride’s gut.

He pierced the rusty armor as if it was cloth and the dark flames that covered the back of his blade entered the body of the enemy with the sizzling sound of burning flesh.

Hall furrowed his brows. He scored a clean hit, but barely caused any damage.

Shrugging he continued the assault, together with Lily he created a pattern of taking away the enemy’s balance, attacking and quickly retreating.

It worked, but the constant creation of the glowing bindings began to drain their mana pool. His left arm throbbed after blocking several incoming swings and his attacks still inflicted far too less harm.

Dozens of strokes shattered what was left of the corroded armor and revealed the enemy’s heavily damaged body.

His skin, dry and thin as paper, was burned by the sword’s attacks and the wounds in his flesh were deep. Insects, worms and maggots, dug their way through the mangled body and with each step and each hit, they dropped to the ground to scurry away before they were trampled in the violent exchange of blows.

Among the grey flesh, the black burns and the crumbling armor only one thing stood out. The scar on his neck. Even though it was only faintly visible when the abomination in front of him was still a man, it was almost impossible to miss now.

‘Might as well try it, it worked the last time I killed him.’

With grim determination he aimed at the scar and brought his sword down, yet he only cut air.

In an impossible motion the enemy twisted his body to evade the blow. The sound of breaking bones resounded in the lithic chamber and with a broken neck Pride took a step back, creating some distance between them.

Before Hall could overcome his surprise the foe’s body faltered and stopped moving.

Only a moment later he felt a stabbing pain in his right leg.

- 156 hp

You have been crippled:

-25% movement speed for 30 seconds

He was careless, while he hesitated, Benmal’ach used Gluttony, who he already thought of defeated, and her acidic spit. The damage wasn’t too bad, but he needed his speed to evade Pride’s attack.

With a roar he turned around to finish off the monster who harmed him, but any signs of life in it already ceased and instead Pride jumped forward with a rusty sword raised above his head that bounced without the support of his neck.

“Lily, change of plans, continue to tie him down, don’t worry about the mana.”

Though his strength was still a large threat, countless wounds and broken bones reduced his speed and hindered his movements but Hall knew, he couldn’t survive if he fought one enemy after the other.

Besides, a quick glance revealed motions inside Benmal’ach’s cocoon of shadows and whatever happened inside, it was likely the battle against the seven guardians was only a distraction.

Thankfully the room became a lot brighter after the fight began as the cracks in the walls, which formed before, now leaked copious amounts of bright light that illuminated the chamber sufficiently to perceive every single one of the guardians, though it was barely reflected by the dull steel of Pride’s battered sword.

Instead of blocking the stroke, Hall sidestepped the attack and with a roar on his lips he rammed his fist, clad in chains, into the monsters back.

The powerful blow threw his foe into a struggle for his balance and without letting him gain his footing, Hall used his heavy boot to kick his sacrum and send him flying for a meter until he crashed in the middle of the room.

With a quick nod he gave Lily a signal and shackles rose from the ground, binding the limbs of the struggling monster.

He probably could have finished him off then and there. But the next opponent would just step up. Instead he quickly swallowed one of the mana potions he bought in town. They weren’t cheap and even though he had the money, he didn’t buy many, but for his plan to succeed he needed a large amount of mana.

The monstrosity that once depicted Humility stopped his struggle for a moment and raised his weapon while still lying on the ground in anticipation of Hall’s attack. One that never came.

Instead a sinister grin spread on his face. He knew he wasted enough time with the battle against two of the seven guardians, his health hasn’t dropped too much, but he was already exhausted.

Roaring, he let his chains fly and with remarkable precision they wrapped around two of the figures that still stood unmoving in a circle around him. He secured his stance and pulled with all the strength he could muster.

Lucky for him the creatures weren’t able to resist, their bodies weak without control.

Resembling the monsters he fought before, they still had their human forms, but they were only husks of what they used to be, their bodies foul and decaying, a mirror of their soul.

As they crashed on top of Pride, who seemed surprised, even though it was an emotion his mangled face shouldn’t be able to portray, Hall already untangled his chains and sent them flying again.

Timing and speed was essential, so he didn’t hesitate and the moment his shackles grasped two more necks, he again grinded his teeth and put all his strength in his arms while his boots almost cracked the stone beneath him.

There was a pile of five bodies in the middle of the room, a lump of rotting meat, a mass of repugnant stench.

Only now did Benmal’ach react to Hall’s unconventional actions and even though he had different options, he chose to move the last standing figure.

A smile appeared on Hall’s face; it was within his expectations.

If the fallen angel he was about to face would have used one of the bodies on the ground before him, it would have been a bigger problem, though he didn’t forget the grimoire’s words.

Benmal’ach’s mind was clouded, his senses dull, weakened and hungry his only desire was to devour and the easiest piece to move was the one Hall left standing till the end. Industius. Sloth.

His haggard body was nothing more than sick, pallid skin and weak bones that trembled even though he couldn’t weigh more than a child. Before Hall could react, the monster's eyes widened, it raised his head and let out a bloodcurdling shriek.

Lily gasped, pressed her hands on her ears and dropped down to the ground and without the sound of an impact, she struggled to even move.

Curse of Lethargy

As long as the voice of Sloth lingers, everyone in its range will be under its spell

-90% overall speed (attack, movement, regeneration)

Paralyzed for 20 seconds

Due to your resistance to curses the speed penalty will be reduced by 30%

Duration of paralysis reduced by 50%

“You call that a curse? Don’t make me laugh!” Hall could have sworn his taunting words caused a ripple in the shadows that surrounded Benmal’ach.

Despite the resistance, the paralysis effect made it impossible to retaliate. The monster that moved forward with sluggish steps was soon upon him and if the curse’s duration wasn’t reduced, he’d surely be hit by sharp claws.

Instead an infernal grin showed on his face when he slowly raised his sword. For an outsider it might actually be an amusing sight, two opponents moving at greatly reduced speed.

Though in the end, Hall was quicker. Accompanied by the sound of tearing flesh and ripping skin he slowly pushed his blade into Sloth’s convulsing neck. For Hall, who was used to swift movements in battle, it was as if he was penetrating the lethargic enemy in slow motion.

His decisive strike was rewarded by a gurgling, almost pitiful noise that left his opponent’s throat and the restrictions on his movements were instantly lifted.

With a heavy blow Hall sent the monster flying and it crashed on the pile of decaying bodies.

“Duck!” Lily’s warning wasn’t a split second late. Following it, he avoided another stream of stinking, acidic liquid.

While turning around he glanced at the trembling Lily. Though it wasn’t fear she showed. Her eyes held fire and she clenched her fists hard. “I can’t believe I was taken out this easily, how shameful.”

“Don’t worry.” Hall said with a mischievous smile. “You’ll pay it back tenfold, for now, keep them on the floor.”

After he fought an exhausting and long battle against Pride, he now completely overturned the situation before him within less than a minute.

As if he was swatting an annoying fly, he let his chain crash on Gluttony’s disfigured head. Taking away the last of its remaining health, he cracked open its skull and splattered its contents on the ground beneath.

A wave of appalling stench caused him to wrinkle his nose in disgust. Weak bones cracked and its chest caved in as if something was pulling from the inside. A silent explosion of darkness enveloped the mangled corpse for an instant and the shadows dispersed as quickly as they formed.

Hall’s Soul Perception wasn’t active, so he couldn’t see it himself, but just now he destroyed one of Benmal’ach’s sources of power. The energy stored inside the guardian was released before he could consume all of it and being denied a meal after he was starved for so long, caused the black cocoon that surrounded him to shiver in fury and irritation.

“Time to finish the first course…” With a menacing glance he observed Lily who managed to keep the pack of six bodies from dispersing. Thankfully none of them had the same speed or strength as Pride and Hall only needed a bit more time.

He swallowed a stamina potion and readied his chains. “Lily, let them all burn.”

After hearing these words she chuckled slightly. “With pleasure.”

Hall smiled when he heard her menacing tone. He knew, she was a lot more gentle, a lot more caring, but this place, these monsters, it was as if both of them felt their death was an absolute necessity, their obliteration the only right way.

Standing in front of Lily as if protecting her, Hall carefully observed the mass of bodies only a few steps away from him.

He had to keep them from separating, by any means. The moment one of them moved, turned, tried to untangle their limbs, he let his chains fly. Devastating blows landed on skulls, arms and backs.

Mercilessly he let pain fall upon his enemies. They were tough opponents, their health pools large, their strength immense, yet now, facing him, they seemed helpless.

The demon, the fallen angel, clad in darkness, roared under its cover of shadows. His hunger unquenchable, his corporeal need to devour fueled his wrath and the movements to free himself from the blade that bound him became desperate.

It was something Hall noticed with satisfaction while his back was doused in comforting warmth. White, radiant light enveloped him as he continued to rain sorrow and destruction upon those lying before him.

Her tender voice was chanting a spell, her words of grace contradicting the carnage in front of them.

An angel and a reaper, bringing salvation and doom. A divine being, a pledge of mercy. A grim warrior, a promise of death.

Soon a silvery glow spread on the room’s ceiling, casting a glistening light on the rotting bodies beneath it. It was brighter than he remembered, more dazzling and it took longer to cast. He didn’t know why, though maybe Lily unconsciously changed it to match the great evil they faced.

Finally the first drops of azure light appeared, setting the air ablaze. Their brilliance caused him to smile and their radiance gave him hope in the upcoming battle against a fallen child of the gods.

When it touched the flesh of the abominations, the husks of what once was good, their skin and bones were scorched by the brilliant tears of heaven. The beings Benmal’ach controlled not only received Halls brutal blows but squealed as its decaying limbs began to melt under the rain of light.

Glowing teardrops burned away the foul flesh they touched and slowly annihilated the monsters that suffered under the terrifying power. Meanwhile Hall had to swallow two potions to restore the mana Lily’s attack consumed at a considerable speed.

He could have used more, but potions had diminishing return effects. That meant if a mana potion was swallowed, Hall had to wait at least five minutes before consuming another one. If he didn’t, the effect would be halved after each potion.

Though those diminishing returns were only applied to potions that refilled the same resource, so he quickly used another stamina potion. The consumption of each elixir took several seconds, so using it in a close quarter battle was unthinkable, but Lily’s magical onslaught kept the enemy busy, so he had some time to breathe.

Already saving his strength for the next fight, he tried to hold back on his attacks. Explosions of darkness signaled the demise of the guardians. One after the other they fell, annihilated by the mighty spell and the divine power it held.

When their mana finally ran dry an eerie silence spread inside the room. Almost invisible mist drifted over the scattered remains of the once terrifying monsters. Their charred bones, their scorched flesh, it was a pitiful sight. The stench was almost too much to endure.

A movement caught his eye and he carefully approach its source.

It was Pride, most of his limbs torn apart and his body obliterated, yet still under Benmal’ach’s merciless control.

Shaking his head, Hall didn’t even feel pleasure at finishing off the pitiful sight before him. He stepped on the frail arm that was raised as he came closer and the weakened bones crumbled under his adamant step.

He was at the bottom of the pile, which was the only reason he survived, be it by a hair’s breadth. After a deep breath Hall grabbed the head of the mutilated monster and with a swift stroke he cut it off its body, separating the link it had with the demon that was draining its stored power.

You have leveled up!

Hall ignored the windows as well as the following expansion of darkness that left him unimpressed and with grim determination he stood up and turned his gaze to the last remaining opponent.

Under his forceful grip the dry skin tore and the battered skull cracked. With a wide motion he threw the head he held, smashing it against the shield of shadows the demon created around himself.

Of course it caused no damage, but it was enough enrage him further. Wrath, a basic emotion. Anger, desire, hunger, not much intelligence was needed to perceive those, and even a mind as clouded as the fallen one’s held them.

“I’ll make sure to teach you fear.” His resolve ironclad, he grabbed both chains hard enough to turn his knuckles white. “Lily, we wait.” It was a decision he made reluctantly, but their mana hit rock bottom and if they could leave the combat state, their rate of regeneration would increase manifold.

So he waited, grinding his teeth, as the seconds passed and his mana and health bar filled slowly while Lily put her hands on his shoulders, waiting patiently behind him. Her presence was comforting and in a place like this, filled with darkness and sorrow, he couldn’t wish for a better companion.

It took painfully long for their mana to refill, not that his mindless beating on the powerful barrier would have yielded much result, but simply standing in front of an enemy, watching him break free, was something Hall could barely stomach.

Then the time came. When their mana was full, Lily initiated her song, her voice increasing Hall’s strength. He swung both chains at the same time, aiming for Benmal’ach. He knew his fear inducing skills were worthless, they didn’t even effect the guardians, representatives of sin, so they would be of no use now.

Though it was no surprise, an ancient evil that consumed countless souls and feasted on their power, could hardly be overwhelmed by him alone.

An instant before his chains met their target, the black wings split and the hissing of snakes filled his ears. A wave of pressure violently pushed away his chains and when it hit him, he barely kept his stance.

Before him stood Benmal’ach, his wings spread wide, ashen steam left his mouth as he gnarled at Hall. A gaping wound adorned his heaving chest after the blade that held him was violently torn out and still stuck in the ground behind him.

Thick, black blood seeped from the hole in his flesh and the snakes, their bodies formed by shadows, stretched from his wings, tried to devour it, fighting each other over every drop.

“Well, at least we know he can bleed and if he bleeds, we can kill him.” Hall’s words to ridicule his opponent didn’t have any effect, he probably didn’t even hear them.

His breathing was heavy and it took him a moment to control his shaking legs, the imprisonment and the wound he received drained much of his strength, though his eyes held a greedy fire, a desire to consume and fury towards those that stood in his way.

The one who presented the biggest obstacle was of course Hall. The monster’s delicate hands, unfitting for an abominable demon, formed claws while he slowly stepped towards him which almost caused Hall to instinctively back away.

Another wave of pressure hit him, different, not physical, but filled with Benmal’ach’s emotions, intentions and will. It was overwhelming. Lily behind him covered her mouth to muffle a scream and it took her a few seconds before she started to sing again, slowly getting rid of the hesitance in her voice.

‘I wonder if that’s how others feel when I active my skills.’

Shaking his head he tried to dispel the oppressive feeling. He was reminded of the tower’s essence, of its profound darkness. An evil power, strong enough to extinguish any light too weak to wander through endless night.

It was similar to Dravan’s curse. The mage who created the trap inside the tower and was now ruling over an army of demons was an enemy they had yet to face.

Though Benmal’ach had a different presence, it was evil too, certainly, but on a more basic, a more savage level. It was as if an animal was eying him, one made entirely by darkness. There was no higher purpose, no plan or intricate thought, it was pure, uncontrolled evil, a wickedness beyond measure.

But he came too far to turn around now, so he strengthened the grip around his chains again and faced the terrifying monster with fierce determination.

His absolute resolve gave courage to the faltering Lily. He didn’t notice the grateful glimmer in her eyes as she looked at him. The one who stood by her side when nobody else would. The one who even defied the gods and made the world his enemy.

With new vigor her dazzling voice resounded in the gloomy room and filled Hall’s heart with strength.

A growl to push away the darkness formed in his throat and he used his skill Blast Tyrant. A deafening roar left his throat and without any more hesitation he swung down the chain in his right hand.

The blue glow intensified, their light grew brighter and in a small explosion of brilliant shards of frozen flames his chains collided with a wing Benmal’ach raised.

But this time it didn’t simply recoil. He didn’t know if his chains were stronger or if the demon was weaker, maybe it was an ability he possessed to form an unmoving wall when he stood still, though in the end it didn’t matter.

His chains still didn’t do much damage, but the moment they touched the shadows of the fallen one’s wings, a battle between Hall’s soul energy and the darkness surrounding it began.

Hall used Soul Cleansing, which was part of his skill Down with the Sickness, but it was as if he was trying to put out a raging fire by spitting on it. He burned away the shadows. It melted under his brilliant glow, yet the moment he lost contact twisting and twirling snakes reclaimed their lost territory.

While stepping back he continued to rain down brutal blows on the enemy, each one enough to shatter bones and mangle flesh. But not one of them broke through his defense, not one made him falter.

Soon Hall felt as if he was toyed with. The demon before him was the predator that played with his prey before devouring it. Maybe he wanted to show his superiority, maybe he desired revenge after what Hall did to his guardians or maybe he just didn’t care enough to end it quickly.

Instead of wide swings he attacked by throwing his chains like arrows, partially penetrating Benmal’ach’s defense, creating bleeding wounds on his dark skin and scorching his flesh.

But it wasn’t enough, not even close. Strangely though the demon hadn’t made any moves to attack yet. He probably wasn’t used to defiant prey, but Hall remembered the grimoir’s words and the battle she described, so he was carefully observing, waiting for his opponent’s retaliation.

The battle dragged on and soon the continuous striking took its toll on Hall, his arms became heavy, his strikes weakened. Lily used her strongest song, so their mana dropped slowly but steadily. He needed a different approach.

Feinting two strikes he leaped forward and with immense speed he let his left chain fly, wrapping it around Benmal’ach’s thick neck who didn’t seem to notice and continued his approach.

Only when Hall used his Soul Cleansing skill, he stumbled, even if it was only for a moment. Hall used this one instant and attacked with his other chain and wrapped it around the monster’s left biceps.

Soul Distortion was useless as Benmal’ach was far too strong, though at least he could drain him of some mana to replenish his dwindling reserves.

But more importantly, he could finally use an attack that showed some effect for a prolonged time. Soul Cleansing. The skill he gained to extinguish the corruption sin causes to the soul.

Usually he needed to be close to the one he intended to use it on, though with the help of his chains it was possible to extend his reach. Against an enemy like the one he was facing, it was an absolute necessity.

New hope surged up inside of Lily and Hall as they saw the effect of the attack. The glowing blue light of his chains burned into the demon’s flesh and a deep snarl rose from his throat.

The sickening stench of torched filth penetrated his nose and with grinding teeth he grabbed his sword and his dagger while his chains continued to scorch the enemy.

His whole being was sin, his flesh, his bones, his skin. So Hall’s skill was an enormous advantage in this battle, though he still doubted it was enough.

It was a shame he couldn’t materialize his chains while they were in solid matter, or else he could have burnt the abomination from the inside.

Raising both blades, preparing to strike, he slowly approached Benmal’ach. The weapons of the soul weaver he carried began to glow, becoming brighter with each step as he infused them with his energy.

“If I can’t beat you to a pulp, I’ll just have to cut you apart.” His voice and eyes filled with malice, he was prepared to follow up on his words with deeds.

As the blazing light of his blades was reflected in the demon’s dark eyes he could have sworn he saw something move deep down, but before he could think of it, his enemy abandoned his lethargy and within a heartbeat he grabbed the chain around his neck.

The sizzling noise of burning meat was loud enough to drown out the monster’s growling and traces of ashen smoke left his hand. With mammoth strength he yanked the chain before Hall could react and he was pulled toward Benmal’ach with tremendous speed.

Although he instantly disintegrated his chains, it was too late. He was already airborne and was about to collide with his opponent while Lily yelled his name in panic.

Somehow though he twisted his body as he kept an eye on the enemy’s raised arm, ready to strike him down and step on his mangled body.

Brutal pain flooded Hall’s brain when his shoulder was mauled under Benmal’ach’s assault, his claws razor sharp and hard as steel.

But instead of dropping to the ground, his face distorted in pain, Hall put on a forced grin. He succeeded in avoiding a fatal blow and took the force of the strike and let himself be pushed aside like a doll.

He hit the ground a handful of meters away from the roaring demon. Chuckling, Hall spit out a mouth full of blood. “Was that fear I saw in your eyes there?”

Laughing caused him to sharply breathe in as pain surged up inside of him again, so he stopped his act of mockery. It was mostly tactic anyway. The hit he took was a brutal one and the window in front of him confirmed it.

-723hp

Your left arm is disabled for 3min

Bleeding effect:

-5hp / sec for 20 seconds

Effect will be lifted if fully healed or specifically countered

How could he have forgotten to buy bandages? Well, he had no time to apply them anyway and his damaged arm was of greater concern for now.

“Lily, use Spiritual Healing, we’ll sacrifice some mana, but I need to get back some health if we want to face that monster head on.”

She nodded at his calm words and began to transform their mana into health points. It wasn’t much, but it was something.

With trembling legs he pushed himself off the ground. Never losing sight of Benmal’ach, a faint smile showed on his face.

A deep, long gash stretched over the demon’s chest and an awful wound, penetrating his arm, cost him even more of his strength. Hall had rammed his dagger into the flesh and used the force of the enemy’s attack to gain momentum and cause horrible damage.

He paid a high price for it. Both of them were covered in blood and had suffered great damage. But Hall was certain he had an advantage, he only had to stall for a few minutes and his shoulder would be healed again.

Carefully, as not to alarm his opponent, he put away the blades and grabbed his chain with his working hand instead. Benmal’ach began to move again, slowly approaching him.

Spiritual Healing was a skill that needed to be channeled, so he couldn’t get to far away from Lily while she chanted it. Instead he planned to lead the monster before him in circles until the healing was complete.

The swings of his chains started to clash with the demon’s wings yet again, this time showing an immediate response. Benmal’ach’s staggered under every blow as the blue soul energy combined with his Soul Cleansing skill afflicted devastating damage.

As he fell into a rhythm of raining brutal strokes on the weakened demon he almost missed the dimming light around him.

It was as if it was sucked away and a chill spread inside the room. Hall formed puffs of white steam when he exhaled his warm breath and noticed how there weren’t any when Lily calmly breathed while focusing on her spell.

The change in the chamber caused him to hesitate, just so slightly, and destroyed the flow of his attacks, not that it mattered.

In an explosive motion the scarred Benmal’ach lifted his wings and let darkness charge at them.

A wave of twisted shadows washed over Hall, drowning him and Lily in a sickening torrent of black mist that gained structure and form.

Dark snakes, full of malice, dug their fangs into his flesh. His arms were pierced, his neck, his back and legs. The leather armor offered no protection against the incorporeal attack the fallen one used.

Pain surged up inside his whole body as if he was set ablaze. Lines dark as ink trailed through his skin. If he swatted after the beasts that gouged into his skin, they returned to mist and attacked at another spot. It was as if he was trying to catch smoke with his bare hands.

You have been affected by Benmal’ach’s soul energy, your body will be corrupted

-75hp/sec for 30seconds

-50% speed

Hall widened his eyes in horror. It was a devastating attack and his health dropped rapidly. It took him only an instant to realize why.

Behind him lay Lily, her face distorted in agony. Dozens of snakes sank their teeth into her and injected their corrupted energy.

Her skin slowly turned grey while her damage was transferred to Hall.

“Don’t worry Lily, if it’s about strength of the soul I won’t lose to anyone, especially not against these puffs of smoke.”

He hoped his words held more confidence than he felt as he took two steps and let himself fall beside her. Putting all his focus on his skill Soul Cleansing he surrounded himself with an aura of purifying energy.

Compared to using it on a small area it consumed his mana at dangerous speed. So he grabbed Lily from behind and put his arms around her, holding her tight, pressing her against him.

It only took a few moments for the brilliant light he emitted to disintegrate the black snakes that Benmal’ach used. The blazing glow of his aura pushed away the shadows and only seconds later his and Lily’s skin was free of darkness.

Clenching his fist, he cursed the demon. This single attack took almost half of his remaining health, but when Hall observed his opponent, there was a noticeable change.

He seemed smaller, weaker, panting and trembling slightly, he lost part of his strength. It was obvious the attack took a large toll on him. Within the energy he used was his very own soul, torn from him and used to overwhelm and destroy his prey. To a normal enemy it would be a disastrous blow, a vicious attack few could survive.

It seemed Grim sent Hall for a reason. His unique skill gave him the opportunity to deal with this particular enemy. His considerable resistance to magic with the attribute darkness did its part. Though only at great cost, he still lived, ready to retaliate.

With gentle movements he let go of Lily. She had recovered from the attack and blushed slightly as Hall held her from behind. After a few deep breaths she continued to cast her healing spell, slowly building up the health they lost.

Meanwhile Hall faced the monster once again. Despite its loss in strength it was an enemy he couldn’t hope to defeat without full focus and every bit of strength he could find inside his battered body.

Benmal’ach hesitated, only once had he met an enemy that was able to withstand his powerful darkness. Hall could see it in his dark eyes as he readied his chains, doubt, uncertainty and maybe, just maybe, fear.

“Stay right behind me Lily, forget the healing for now and use a song to buff me.” They lost a lot of health and couldn’t take many more of these attacks, but Lily’s healing spell didn’t allow her to move and he could only protect her when she was close to him.

Without hesitation, putting all her trust into his words, she searched for protection behind him. Once again she saw how wide his back was, comforting, and even when facing the abominable demon, the fallen angel that rained down terror on the people of this world, she felt strangely safe as long he was with her.

“I will follow you into the dark.” She meant it.

He was still unable to use his left arm. So he continued to swing his right chain, slowly chipping away at the monsters health.

This time he knew what would follow as the light dimmed and the temperature dropped to the point of freezing.

The moment Benmal’ach spread his wings for another calamitous attack, Hall used the opening presented and wrapped his chain around the demon’s neck.

Before the tempest of darkness drowned them, Hall quickly surrounded himself with a purifying aura, protecting even Lily with his skill.

His mana dropped fast, though he could slightly compensate by draining it through his skill while his weapon burned the flesh from his opponent’s neck as he tried to recover from the attack he used.

Hall and Lily remained mostly unscathed as they approached Benmal’ach and the dark creatures that dug their teeth into them were quickly devoured by Hall’s brilliant glow.

Now, finally rising his other arm, he wrapped his second chain around the monster’s biceps again. With a blasting roar he charged at the surprised beast who was still recovering from the attack.

While running Hall grabbed his blades, tensing his grip as their tips pointed down instead of up, and imbued them with energy, spreading blazing blue light.

His chains scorched filthy skin, his heavy steps raised dust from the floor and he lifted both his weapons over his head.

Benmal’ach showed a confused and angry expression on his once blank face. His prey resisted. It hurt him. It happened again. Although he lost a lot of strength, he was far from beaten and raised both arms, dashing forward to receive Hall’s charge head on.

Lily’s song reached a climax, her voice carried a tune, almost drowning out the moment the two enemies clashed.

Hall activated his bright aura, cleansing the darkness before him. Benmal’ach flinched, pulling back just so slightly, tripping only for a heartbeat, losing focus, losing power.

With a fierce smile Hall rammed his blades into the demon’s hands, piercing them and penetrating the shoulder with his sword. A blazing glow surrounded Hall and his weapons. The light pushed away the darkness. Devouring it. Burning it. Obliterating it.

“Burn” Hall yelled, screamed at the fallen angel in front of him. His blades digging deeper into the corrupted flesh. The monster’s dark skin boiled under Hall’s assault. The stench of filth and torched waste almost made him retch. And just so slightly, he pushed him back, one small step at a time, diminishing the beast’s immense health at an amazing rate.

But if you push a wounded animal, it will bite. With a terrifying growl Benmal’ach raised his head and sank his fangs deep into Hall’s unprotected neck. A fountain of blood was the result, covering the dark figure into an eerie red mist.

The light Hall emitted dimmed and he was pushed back several steps. The damage was brutal, his health points blown away. Grinding his teeth all he could do was clench to the blades that still dug into the demon.

With every passing second Hall lost copious amounts of health in the form of crimson blood that dyed the hard ground red.

Tearing at each other they remained in a lethal lock, fangs mangling soft flesh and blazing light burning away darkness.

It didn’t take long until Hall saw the expected window, a curse and a blessing. Close to death he gained new strength.

In my Time of Dying has been activated

+100% Willpower

+30% to all stats

+30% speed

A surge of power ran through Hall and the brilliant glow around him intensified as he pulled the blades down, slowly cutting through the demons body. Severing muscles and scorching bones, he spilled gallons of vile blood.

A loud wail, full of agony, left Benmal’ach’s throat as he let go of Hall’s neck, his face scorched by the painful blazing light his prey emitted.

Lily clenched her fists and tears formed in the corner of her eyes. She witnessed the violent battle before her with horror. Her feelings were obvious, her expression an open book. Seeing Hall getting wounded, hurt, brought to the edge of death yet again, filled her heart with sorrow.

Yet she could see it in his eyes, every injury, all the torment, it was something that didn’t stop him, didn’t hold him back. Relentless, unyielding he pushed through, no matter the obstacle, no matter the suffering.

It was as if he forgot that others could care for him, sense the pain he ignored, feel the anguish he hid.

Almost gently Benmal’ach dropped to his knees. The torched skin, the burned flesh, it turned to dust as his movements ceased. The blades Hall still held tight, left the body as it fell on his back, turning to ash, dust and mist. A gust of wind carried away the shadows and the room around them brightened and was bathed in warm torchlight.

Absolut silence surrounded them. It was an almost peaceful end as the horrifying demon, the fallen angel Benmal’ach crumbled away like a lifeless sculpture made of sand.

You have leveled up!

“We did it Lily, we really did it…” His hands trembling, his legs unsteady, he gulped down a health potion as not to die from his bleeding wounds. Still behind him, Lily wordlessly clutched his shoulders and chanted her healing spell.

His exhausted mind screamed for sleep, though he couldn’t lie down just yet. Instead he closed his eyes and breathed calmly. The end of the fight was not much more than a blur to him. He fought on pure instinct, on pure will. But in the end it was him who remained standing.

*Ding*

You have survived the Seven Trials of Lives long gone

Throughout the trials you struggled with the darkness within you, not pure or absolute virtuous you never gave in, never allowed yourself to forget what is important. Controlling the shadows is far more difficult than ignoring them.

+6 Strength

+2 Agility

+3 Vitality

+6 Endurance

+8 Intelligence

+9 Wisdom

+10 Willpower

You have leveled up!

You successfully completed the event Origin of Sin

The evil in the catacombs below Roselake has been annihilated. Only few know the danger they escaped and only those will know of your heroic deeds. The public, nobles and royals will never come to realize the terror you kept away from them and they won’t reward you for saving them.

Though if you find those who know of your actions, you will gain something more precious than coin.

+2 Endurance

+3 Willpower

You have leveled up!

Finally he gained some rewards for his effort. The stat bonus alone was worth several levels and there was still the loot left.

First he investigated what the seven guardians left behind. He was a little disappointed to only find a shirt and another item that looked like a hand mirror. Nevertheless he picked the items up and identified them.

Gluttony’s Stomach CoverDefense:1-10Durability:35 / 35Quality:RareThis repulsive shirt once belonged to an abomination, a righteous person that fell into the pits of despair.

Special Abilities:

10 Defense if satiety bar is filled, -1 Defense for every 10% drop in satiety

Sacrificing 25% of your satiety bar will allow you to turn the contents of your stomach into acid and then fire a stream of it on your enemies.

You will receive 10% of the damage you caused.

Requirements:

Level 65

Endurance: 125

‘That is disgusting. Though someone will surely buy it.’

He had no intention of ever wearing the shirt, but that didn’t mean it was useless to him.

Mildly curious he identified the hand mirror. At least it looked valuable. Its grip was made of ornate silver and small gems were placed on its back.

Mirror of the false PrincessDamage:0-1Durability:5 / 5Quality:RareIts origin is unknown but using this beautiful mirror will make others see you in a new light, even if it may be a false one.

Special Abilities:

When dealing with NPC merchant you can charm them with your beauty and get a discount.

Cutting the prices too much will result in a small gain of infamy

Requirements:

Level 65

Charisma: 150

‘Well, that goes on the sell pile I guess.’ Sighing, he hoped at least Benmal’ach had dropped something decent.

He collected a handful of soul shards off the ground. Even though he still didn’t know what he needed them for, he was not about to leave anything behind.

Next he picked up a plain, grey ring. It was made of simple steel, no silver inlays or embedded gems.

Ring of the Fallen OneType:Accessory[/td2s][td2]Quality:RareAlthough it looks plain, it carries the gods’ power which was changed by centuries of magical influence. Now it will cloak the wearer like its power is hiding within the metal.

Effects:

+15 Intelligence

+10% Light Resistance

+slight protection against the gods’ power

Special Abilities:

Cloaks the wearer in shadows

Effect stacks with similar ones

Requirements:

Level 70

Three different stats over 175

Neutral or worse relationship with the gods of light

A wide grin spread on his face. ‘Finally something useful, though it will take me a while to use it.’

There was one more item on the ground. Hall picked up the book and brushed off black ash that stained its ebony binding. “Identify”

Identification failed!

“Damn. Identify!”

Identification failed!

Sighing, he shook his head.

“Identify.”

Skill book: Dark Wings Type:Skillbook[/td2s][td2]Quality:Rare???

Requirements:

Level 70

Intelligence: ???

Wisdom: ???

Resistance: ???

‘I hope it is what I think it is. But I guess I need to increase my identification skill first.’

The items he got ranked between useless but interesting and amazing but out of his league. He was especially excited about the skill book and though he was pretty sure there was no such thing as a flying skill, at least he never heard about it, he had high hopes.

Using the palm of his right hand he rubbed his tired eyes. With slow steps he dragged himself to the scythe’s blade that still stuck in the ground. Its dark metal seemed unaffected by the corruption Benmal’ach emitted.

It felt familiar and as he touched it and carefully swept along the edge, he knew why. It gave off the same air, the same presence, Grim had around her.

Sighing he sat down and leaned his back against the blade, closing his eyes for a moment before taking out the grimoire.

“So, how did I do?” His voice attested to his deep exhaustion while he held the warm, dark book.

“You did well Harbinger, Hall, I hope you will be able to form a contract with me.”

Her tone was that of a young girl, but her words were honest and he was glad to her them.

“What’s your name?” he asked the book who answered slightly surprised.

“It’s Moira, though you would have known anyway if we will share a bond.”

Hall chuckled, his limbs heavy, his mind weary.

‘Death’s grimoire, Grim Moira, seriously, the AI of the game creates worlds out of nothing and then it chooses names like this.’

He gestured Lily to sit beside him and wordlessly they rested beside each other until Hall interrupted the silence.

“I’ll be gone for a bit Lily. And Moira, as soon as I’m back, we’ll form a contract and leave this place, I promise.”

After they agreed, he spent the attribute points he gained through leveling up. Then he logged out and as soon as he dropped on his bed, he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Back to Main Page

--------------------------

Status Window Hall:

Spoiler :

Status WindowName:HallAlignment:DeathLevel:42Class: Harbinger of DeathRace:HumanGender:MaleTitle:The bigger they are…Fame:987Infamy:0-Health:3195 / 2175Health Regen:4.5/ SecMana:0 / 2315Mana Regen:4.9 / SecStamina:860 / 860Stamina Regen:6.4 / Sec-Strength:144+70Agility:108+70Vitality:81+10Endurance:89+10Intelligence:108+10Wisdom:116+10Willpower:158+10Luck:40+10-Attack:33+48Defense:25+120Magical ResistanceFire:10%+10%Water:11%+10%Wind:11%+10%Earth:11%+10%Lightning:10%+10%Illusion:40%+5%Light:10%+5%Darkness:40%+25%+ 30 added to all stats

+ Willpower stat raised by 80 points

+ Magical Resistances raised by 10%

+ Resistance to Illusion and Darkness Magic raised by an additional 30%

+ Enables you to equip certain items or equipment specialized for this class

+ Increases attack power for attacks with soul energy

+ Unable to learn most crafting professions

+ Skills that use soul energy will be 10% more effective and will gain experience 50% faster

+ Unknown

Skill Overview Hall:

Spoiler :

List of skills Marked for DeathBeginner LVL3 (33%)Death to EveryoneBeginner LVL3 (19%)In my Time of DyingpassiveAin't no Grave, can hold my Body downpassiveKeep me in your Heart for a WhilepassiveJudgementpassiveI'm Still StandingpassiveWatching over mepassive/activeSoul PerceptionBeginner LVL5 (23%)Soul PressureBeginner LVL3 (21%)Soul ChainsBeginner LVL7 (67%)Mana DrainBeginner LVL3 (79%)Soul DistortionBeginner LVL2 (92%)Hells BellsBeginner LVL2 (23%)AmbidexterityBeginner LVL3 (61%)IdentificationBeginner LVL5 (69%)Down with the SicknessBeginner LVL2 (7%)Blast TyrantBeginner LVL2 (19%)Ancient LanguagesBeginner LVL3 (4%)Sorian LanguageBeginner LVL9 (11%)Ancient KnowledgeBeginner LVL1 (53%)Sorian KnowledgeBeginner LVL2 (89%)Chain MasteryBeginner LVL6 (33%)Sword MasteryBeginner LVL3 (81%)Dagger MasteryBeginner LVL3 (28%)

Equipment Hall:

Spoiler : Weapons:

Main-hand:

Blade of the Soul Weaver (incomplete)Damage:44-57Durability:77/90Quality:UniqueAn incomplete sword covered by shadows. Can only be wielded by those that have control over soul energy.

Remnants of soul essence mark this sword as property of Hall, the Harbinger of Death.

Effects:

Ignores 30% of the enemies armor

Ignores 30% of the enemies endurance

Slight chance to confuse or stun the enemy

Wounds caused by this sword won’t bleed

If cut by this sword the effect of all healing spells are reduced by 50%

+10% Darkness Resistance

+20 Strength

Area of Effect damage around the sword (5% of hit damage, Range: 10cm)

If imbued with soul energy, damage can be increased (max. +50%)

Requirements:

Willpower: 130

Strength: 100

Agility: 80

Off-hand:

Short Blade of the Soul Weaver (incomplete)Damage:32-44Durability:56/75Quality:UniqueAn incomplete dagger covered by shadows. Can only be wielded by those that have control over soul energy.

Effects:

Ignores 50% of the enemy’s armor if the dagger is used to stab

Ignores 50% of the enemy’s endurance if the dagger is used to stab

Slight chance to confuse or stun the enemy

Wounds caused by this dagger won’t bleed

If cut by this dagger the effect of all healing spells are reduced by 20%

If stabbed by this dagger the effect of all healing spells are reduced by 40%

+10% Darkness Resistance

+20 Agility

If imbued with soul energy, damage can be increased (max. +50%)

Requirements:

Willpower: 130

Strength: 80

Agility: 100

Clothes

Shirt:

Bloodcount’s Silkshirt Defense:5Durability:30/35Quality:RareBlack shirt made of high quality silk by a skilled tailor for high nobility.

Effects:

+10 Agility

+10 Intelligence

Armor worn over the shirt will lose its durability slightly slower

Requirements: (not fulfilled!)

Level 60

Agility: 100

Intelligence: 100

Pants:

Bloodcount’s Silkpants Defense:5Durability:23/35Quality:RareBlack pants made of high quality silk by a skilled tailor for high nobility.

Effects:

+10 Agility

+10 Intelligence

Armor worn over the pants will lose its durability slightly slower

Requirements: (not fulfilled!)

Level 60

Agility: 100

Intelligence: 100

Armor

Chest:

Hardened Leather Chest Defense:30Durability:43/60Quality:MagicLeather armor of good quality made by a skilled craftsman without any special features.

Effects:

+5 Strength

+10 Agility

Requirements:

Level 35

Strength: 50

Agility: 80

Legs:

Hardened Leather Pants Defense:30Durability:34/60Quality:MagicLeather armor of good quality made by a skilled craftsman without any special features.

Effects:

+5 Strength

+10 Agility

Requirements:

Level 35

Strength: 50

Agility: 80

Gloves:

Hardened Leather Gloves Defense:15Durability:41/45Quality:MagicLeather armor of good quality made by a skilled craftsman without any special features.

Effects:

+5 Strength

+5 Agility

Requirements:

Level 35

Strength: 50

Agility: 80

Boots:

Hardened Leather Boots Defense:15Durability:52/60Quality:MagicLeather armor of good quality made by a skilled craftsman without any special features.

Effects:

+5 Strength

+5 Agility

Steps are muffled slightly

Requirements:

Level 35

Strength: 50

Agility: 80

Cloak:

Armored Cloak of Ella’s Heritage Defense:30Durability:72/90Quality:UniqueAn armored cloak made from rare dragon spider silk. It is harder than steel and at the same time almost as light as linen. An incredible piece of work improved by generations of craftsmen, imbued with powerful magic.

Effects:

+5% Resistance to elemental magic (Fire, Earth, Water,Wind,Lightning)

Cloak will apply a low level form of stealth, diverting the attention of others

+5% Chance to evade, deflect or divert an enemy attack

Strong feelings of affection and gratefulness blessed this item:

+5% damage against beings you deem evil

If your health drops below 50% the material of the cloak hardens, doubling its defense for 10 min

Requirements:

Extremely high intimacy with Ella, blacksmith apprentice of Gelt

Strength: 100

Agility: 100

Wisdom: 80

Rings:

Ring of Ogre StrengthType:Accessory[/td2s][td2]Quality:MagicA ring made for the chiefs of ogre clans as a bribe.

Effects:

+15 Strength

+1.0% melee damage

Requirements:

Level 40

Strength 150

Gold Ring of a Blade Dancer NoviceType:AccessoryQuality:MagicA ring given to those that chose to become blade dancers and pass the initial test of the dancers guild.

Effects:

+5 Strength

+10 Agility

+1.5% Chance to Dodge

Requirements:

Level 40

Strength 60

Agility 110

/td100]

Necklace:

[td100]Pendant of the Soul Weaver (incomplete)Type:AccessoryQuality:UniqueAn incomplete pendant covered by shadows. Can only be worn by those that have control over soul energy.

Effects:

+10 to all stats

+5% to all resistances

+unknown

Requirements:

Willpower 140

Active Quests:

Spoiler :

Quest: Carry on my Wayward Son – Part 2After lifting the curse, Lily’s soul is still not complete. Dravan, who made the curse, still holds part of it after draining her soul energy for so long. Rip it from him.

Difficulty: C

Quest requirements:

lift the Grand Curse of Shattered Trust from you and Lilith

Rewards: Unknown

Failure: abandon Lily

Quest: No Sympathy for the DevilThe great mage William Henley asked you to hunt down his disciple, Dravan, the last one of the Sorian people.

Dravan rules over a land of darkness unbeknownst to mankind where he controls an army of evil.

Difficulty: C+

Quest requirements: Be cursed by Dravan, survive the curse and find the scroll of his master

Rewards:

Restore what was broken, find what was lost and return what was stolen

Additional rewards depending on your actions

Failure: exceed the time limit of one year

Quest: The Running ManThe kingdom seems to entertain their nobles by robbing, tormenting and killing the common people in exchange for money. It may even involve the king himself. Investigate!

Difficulty: E

Quest requirements:

find the orders of the king concerning The Cattle Hunt

Rewards:

Increased intimacy with the common people

Other Consequences, depending on your actions

Failure: ignore the quest.

Quest: Alice in ChainsDeath’s Grimoire is hidden deep inside a dungeon under the castle of Bredon’s capital Roselake,long lost, long forgotten. Form a contract with it after pouring your soul energy into it to show you are worthy.

Difficulty: C

Quest requirements:

Be Death’s Confidant

Be able to use Soul Energy

Rewards: a contract with Death’s Grimoire

Failure: fail to form a contract

Quest: They can't keep us downThere are those in Bredon that can't tolerate the oppression and injustice. They hide in the shadows and plan their actions carefully. They often live a dangerous and short live, but won't back down. Prove to them you are worthy of their trust and you will gain their support.

Difficulty: E

Quest requirements: Gain the trust of one of the members of the resistance

Rewards:

Support and information from the Resistance

Failure: Betray the resistance by revealing them to the king

Completed Quests:

Spoiler :

Quest: Rest for the WickedQuest complete

The quest that was given to you under false pretense and that was part of the ploy to betray you and leave you to die was deemed impossible to solve. Against all odds you did it.

The Banshee’s soul found peace at your side because you set her free and gave her the ability to trust again.

Quest: Carry on my Wayward SonQuest complete

You and Lilith managed to lift the Grand Curse of Shattered Trust and to leave the area after destroying the tower.

Quest Part 2 Unlocked

Quest: Follow the ReaperQuest complete

You exceeded Death’s expectation and decided to join her as a companion.

Quest: Master of PuppetsQuest complete

Not only did you destroy the goblins inhabiting the abandoned mine, hindering them from creating more undead animal servants, but you also destroyed the cause of the dark magic.

You also released the souls of those imprisoned by darkness and gave peace to the souls of the dead villagers.

Quest: Mama liked RosesQuest complete

You gave Ella a little peace of mind and a chance to bury her beloved mother.

Furthermore you destroyed the cause of her grief.

Quest: The Witch’s PromiseQuest complete:

You chose to destroy the witch, releasing her prisoner, hindering her from summoning a great blood demon that would have terrorized the kingdom.

Available Titles:

Spoiler :

Title : ParanoidThe betrayal of your friends scarred you for life but you learned a lesson to choose careful who to trust and are now a little bit tougher than before.

When equipped:

People think you’re insane because you are frowning all the time

Title : Solitary ManFor breaking a curse of betrayal you will be marked by dark powers to keep you alone in this world

Effects:

When in a party you deal 15% less damage for every party member

Familiars and Pets are not included

Effects are applied even if the title is not equipped

Title : I Stand AloneFor breaking a curse of betrayal you will be marked by dark powers to keep you alone in this world

Effects:

When in a party you receive 15% more damage for every party member

Familiars and Pets are not included

Effects are applied even if the title is not equipped

Title : Damaged beyond RepairYou damaged your own soul irreparably and because you forcefully destroyed the connection between cursed chains and it’s source the remaining dark magic will taint your soul.

Effects:

Relationships with the churches of light suffer and can’t advance beyond friendly

Effects are applied even if the title is not equipped

Title : Losing my ReligionThe gods punish you for refusing them.

The seven churches of light of the continent Akreton declare you a Persona non Grata, an unwelcomed person.

Effects:

Your reputation with the churches can’t advance further than unfriendly.

You are not allowed to enter the churches premises.

Healing fees are tripled.

If a member of one of the seven churches of light kills you, he will not gain infamy

Effects are applied even if the title is not equipped

Title: The bigger they are…For defeating a unique, named quest boss more than 40 levels above you, you are granted with knowledge of how to deal with experienced and dangerous foes, bigger and stronger than you

Effects when equipped

+5% damage against named monsters

+5% damage against monsters bigger than you

Stat Window Lily:

Spoiler :

Status WindowName:LilithAlignment:DeathLevel:43Class: Familiar of the Harbinger of DeathRace:Human (Spirit)Gender:FemaleTitle:Lady in Black-Health:0 / 1020Health Regen:3.5/ SecMana:10170 / 7855Mana Regen:39.7 / SecStamina:-Stamina Regen:--Strenght:32Agility:40Vitality:55Luck:35Intelligence:359Wisdom:369-Attack:4Defense:-Magical ResistanceFire:10%Water:10%Wind:10%Earth:10%Lightning:10%Illusion:40%Light:10%Darkness:40%+ 15 added to all stats

+ Intelligence and Wisdom stat raised by 20 points

+ Magical Resistances raised by 10%

+ Resistance to Illusion and Darkness Magic raised by an additional 30%

+ Unaffected by physical attacks if not in corporeal form

+ Increases magical damage if the target is affected by the magic of the Harbinger of Death

+ Soul bound to Hall, the Harbinger of Death

+ Unknown

Skill Overview Lily:

Spoiler :

List of skills Soul Meets BodyBeginner LVL4 (7%)Angels don’t KillBeginner LVL3 (51%)Spiritual HealingBeginner LVL3 (32%)Voice of the SoulBeginner LVL7 (4%)I will follow you into the DarkBeginner LVL4 (92%)Prayer for the DyingBeginner LVL1 (37%)The Sound of PerseveranceBeginner LVL2 (57%)Tears of HeavenBeginner LVL3 (31%)

For detailed explanation on the skills you can check the stats thread, they are not up to date right now, but the details stay the same

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Author’s Note #2:

Well, chapter 18 done, hope you enjoyed it

As always please follow, favor and rate, it means a lot :grin:

Thanks for the patience and support you guys give me, it’s very encouraging,

And I will try to continue to improve my work, so please keep giving me your opinions, suggestions and point out mistakes

:bye: