Dharen died, his lifeblood spilling from the gash in his throat. It pooled on the floor, an artificial river of red that spilled through the channels of the stone.

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Second Chance Activated:

Your Hope has been rewarded. You have received a Second Chance. Two seconds of invulnerability has been bestowed.

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His eyes burst open. He propelled himself off of the ground, bounding recklessly towards the wall of Orbels that blocked the entrance to the doorway. Heedless of the impact, he smashed into it, allowing their metal bodies to bounce harmlessly off of his currently-invulnerable form. He split them with his charge, forging a way through the center. Faintly, Dharen felt the impact of numerous blows across the surface of his body. Yet, it was more of a mental awareness than one of a physical nature. His mind registered the sensation, but it stopped there.

As his invulnerability came to a close, he vaulted over a shattered desk and reached the skeletal remains within the room. Hastily, he summoned the Pulser from within the confines of his spatial ring. The Orbels flowed in closer in preparation to end him once and for all.

Dharen, after offering a silent apology, ripped the skeleton’s hand off, then used its fingers to press down on the Pulser’s button. Just as before, the button depressed. He held his breath, anxiety creeping in. Then, his hair raised on end as a monumental blast of power emanated from the device. It radiated in a circle from his location, passing straight through him. The Orbels did not fare so well. They shuddered and shook, the vast majority falling down with a loud clanging. Then, they fell inert.

Only a few remained, three that were a larger variety and took a more humanoid form. Placed between each of their center orbs were small black crystals. He narrowed his eyes. Soulseeds. Though it seemed improbable, the creators must have succeeded in creating a way to strengthen the war-augmented Orbels even further by somehow imbuing them with Soulseeds. The Awakened constructs rumbled their way towards him, but he could tell that they were suffering residual effects from the pulse of power that he had released.

Their movements somehow felt less fluid, and the orbs that composed their bodies seemed to scrape against one another - in stark contrast to the smooth sliding their parts had exhibited just moments prior.

With his adrenaline still forcing his blood to roar in his ears, Dharen made short work of the faltering automatons before looting the soulseeds.

After taking a moment to calm his nerves and ensure that none of the automatons continued to move, he strolled over to the barrier in the wall that blocked the next room. He knocked on it before yelling out. “We’re all clear in here!”

For a moment, he considered sharing a portion of the soulseed spoils that he had collected. Only for a moment, however. He had nearly died to resolve their previous situation, after all. He heard the door in the next room open, and hurriedly placed the three crystals within his right hand and absorbed them.

Unfortunately, they were rather low-ranked soulseeds, but it was still enough to allow him to level once more.

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Level

Up

x1!

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Congratulations! You have reached Triumph Level 8 (Rank: Common).

Strength +6, Vitality +4, Wisdom -2 (NULL).

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Name:

Dharen

Awakening:

Triumph

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Triumph is the domain of the strong. Clad yourself in victory and accolades, that your enemies may quake before you. Arm yourself in glory, that you may pierce the very heavens. The Champion walks, and history trembles.

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Level:

8 (Common)

Boons:

Champion’s Aura (Common) Rank 0

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- Warcry -

A Champion does not back down; they know only triumph. Roar your defiance to all that might hear. Increase stats of self and allies by 10% and decrease nearby enemy stats by 10% for a short duration.

10 minute cooldown.

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Champion’s Aura (Common) Rank I

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- Challenge -

A Champion prevails despite all odds. An opponent’s strength is irrelevant; only his own might holds meaning. Send forth a Challenge to a single entity. Increases Strength of Challenged entity by 25% for one hour. If the Champion deals the killing blow, gain +50% Strength for 10% of the duration the entity was strengthened.

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Name:

Dharen

Race:

Faceless Human

Affiliation:

The Faceless One

Spirit:

41

Strength:

56

Agility:

38

Vitality:

39

Endurance:

27 (28.35)

Wisdom:

1

Charisma:

1

Luck:

1

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Tower Tokens:

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7,500

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While he waited for the others, he couldn’t help but marvel at the effectiveness of the Pulser. With numbers that large, the fight might have easily gone the other way - ending in their unfortunate and untimely deaths. All in all, the entire affair had been extremely fortunate. If he had not found the tattered journal that revealed the existence of the Pulser, they may have had to depend upon an even more suicidal plan than they had. Though confused regarding how he had been able to decipher the journal’s script, Dharen was deeply grateful that he could.

“Wow. How did you even make it in here without dying?” Erik said, gingerly stepping over the masses of now-inert Orbels.

“I didn’t,” Dharen replied with a melancholy tone.

Erik blanched, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly as he did so. “Sorry, man. I know how much that sucks,” he said. Brightening, he continued: “Still, you’re alive again! Isn’t Serah great?”

Despite his residual discomfort at having slit his own throat to survive, Dharen couldn’t help but agree. The ability to return to life, especially when combined with two seconds of invulnerability, was one of the most unheard of abilities out there. There was very little that could not be accomplished with the correct preparation.

Even the drawback of having to experience dying wasn’t quite enough to dissuade his opinion on the matter. It was close, though.

With the imminent danger defeated, the group discussed the possibility of retreating. However, as Ozen adamantly stated, it was unlikely that there would be many more difficulties now that they had attained the Pulser device. Actually, he resorted to furiously cursing at the rest of the group for considering drawing back, but Erik translated for him.

The matter settled, they returned to the fork in the corridor. With the vast brunt of the enemies on the left side of the fork likely having been dealt with, and eager to complete the objective, they moved as a group towards where Erik had observed the Orbel Knight Keljier.

They couldn’t help but feel that there was an eerie quiet now that the horde of creatures were gone, setting them ill at ease. Their discomfort proved unfounded when Erik motioned them to slow, signaling that the target was not far ahead.

They pulled themselves at a tentative pace through the desolated corridor, unable to stop themselves from swiveling in response to every echo, every phantom noise. Though they had gained confidence with their successful retrieval and deployment of the Pulser, the former feelings of imminent death was not one that was so easy to dismiss.

Finally, the corridor began to open up into a grand chamber that stood in testament to the previous splendor of the Del people that had once inhabited it. As the stone floor of the corridor met the threshold of the chamber, it was replaced with a stunning combination of marble and a shimmering alloy that was inset with glowing crystals, lending it an otherworldly majesty and setting the room aglow.

Truthfully, room was a poor description for the Great Hall that was lying before them. Dharen couldn’t help but provide emphasis to even that term; the Great Hall was without a doubt the most grandiose place he had ever encountered. Though, admittedly, he did not have a great amount of expertise in the matter; his life had been spent far more in seedy cesspits than in more respectable places.

With great effort, Dharen managed to pull his attention away from the splendor before him. As fascinated as he was, there was no time to gawk and gape. Because standing on that very same floor that had so pulled his attention was something far more pressing. A lone creature. It rested placidly, somehow appearing both languid in its demeanor while also emanating a decidedly dangerous aura of readiness. As if it were undoubtedly assured of its own power, yet knew itself bound to assail itself against powers of equally frightening might. As Dharen’s gaze fell upon its form, he knew that he had found the greatest of the Del’s creation. Their last hope. And, perhaps, their last nightmare. The Orbel Knight Keljier.