Discordant Ax. Weight: 8076 grams. Item Quality: 10

Also known as the Guitar of the Cruel Procession or the Vain Avatars Bass, this instrument is considered lost after a previous hero killed its wielder.

This item was created and carried by the leader of the Cruel Procession, the group of Bardic Demons that would play their music at Beleth’s will. It is believed that the creator of this item was just a lowly member of the background players but rose after slowly crafting, improving, and proving it and this item’s worth. After Eons, many believed that the reason this Guitar and the Wielder’s power rose was due to a blasphemy of the highest order being committed. There was no evidence of this, but the rumors spread anyway.

The Discordant Ax has several powers that are varied depending on how this instrument is employed.

If no mana is employed while wielding this item, it only acts as a standard acoustic guitar of high quality. This does increase the effect of the Charisma effects of Bardic Skills on those who hear you play. When you put mana of any type into the item to use Bardic Magic Skills, the acoustic guitar turns into an electric guitar with the amplifier inside the instrument. This has two effects. First, The mana cost of the Bardic Magic Skill is decreased by 30% while using this instrument. But when you input Infernal Magic, the effects get more interesting. When using the Bardic Magic Skill while wielding this instrument AND using Infernal mana, the results of said magic are harder to resist and deal stronger effects depending on the skills level(1% per level). When using the Bleeding Ears subskill with any mana type, the normal cooldown is ignored. When you use Infernal mana, you can, instead of a 360-degree effect around you, make it a cone area of effect instead with added range. Or, if you wish to be barbaric, you can grab this item near the end of its neck with both hands and wield it like a real ax. Dealing slashing damage based on your Instrument Mastery (Guitar) Skill.

While not an Artifact level item, the original creator always seemed to believe this item could still be improved. She just didn’t know what step needed to be taken.

The item that fell into Colin’s hands was not what he expected and definitely not what he hoped for. He wanted a firearm, a new piece of armor, or even something like a means to increase some of his more used skills utility, like Enchanting.

This thing defied all logic of guitars that Colin knew from before his early killing days. The body and neck were made of some metal scorched black, with the tuners and strings being made of a brass-like metal. The headstock and pickguard appeared to be made of a polished red-black stone that caught the light in weird ways. All along the black body were engravings filled with silver words in a pictographic language that he recognized but couldn’t read.

“Nox? You wouldn’t happen to read Zaphyriform, would you?” Colin asked, trying to make sense of it. It was a sensation he was getting used to but knowing things that you didn’t have to earn was annoying; you feel like there are things you should know but don’t, and there are things you know but make no sense. It was a little frustrating.

Nox stepped out of Rielle’s shadow and looked at the various symbols on the guitar. After a moment, the Goblin furrowed his brows in annoyance as he followed the words. After asking Colin to turn over the instrument and looking at the ones on the back for a long moment before sighing. He shook his head and said, “no, DevilWalker. It appears I cannot. Though I feel like I recognize the language, I cannot decipher it.”

Understanding, Colin looked at the space in front of where he sat on the floor and found a Guitar Case that appeared to be covered in soft but sturdy leather. He opened the case and found a Guitar Strap made of a stained and cracked hide. Considering the guitar for a moment, Colin looked at Nox for a moment and just asked.

“Do you know what a blasphemy of the highest order for Demons would be?” Colin asked Nox, wishing he had Larry to ask.

Nox raised an eyebrow, “Demons have a concept of blasphemy?”

Colin shrugged, “that’s what this item’s prompt said. It’s not important right now. What is important is that the universe seems to be pushing me towards being more Bard-like. First the Bardic Magic Skill I got from Ari’s corpse and now this thing?” Colin said, putting the guitar in its case.

“Sometimes the universe intervenes with people where it can without robbing free will. I don’t know if it’s better to go with it and do as it pushes or make your own choices, but in the end, as with all things, it’s your call.” Nox told him.

Taking a moment, he wondered if the universe, as Nox put it, had some kind of insight that made this path better. He didn’t have anything against doing music-related stuff, but it wasn’t in his plans either. For the moment, though, Colin just decided to put it away for a while. Mainly because his Bardic Magic Skill and its subskill, Bleeding Ears, was underdeveloped for now.

“Alright,” Colin said, stuffing the headstock of the guitar inside his Dimensional bag and waited a moment while he spoke. “Now, we need to figure out how to get to the fourth floor. Any ideas?”

“We know that the portal over there will lead out of the Dungeon, right?” Paladin said, gesturing behind Colin.

Looking, Colin did indeed see a swirling portal of blue-white energy connecting to the floor and otherwise hovering in the air. “Seems to be the most likely option,” he agreed but watched for a moment longer because he thought he saw something.

“What about secret doors?” Rielle asked while Colin continued to look at the portal. “I could take a look around to see what I can find. Or maybe there is a secret lock in here somewhere that opens another portal?”

Paladin shrugged, “possibly. I doubt it. If that were the case, I think there would have been cases reported of people finding this place’s Dungeon Core. Not to mention Zagan himself. No, there must be something more to it. Right, Walker? Hey, Walker, what are you doing,” Paladin asked.

Colin had been staring at that portal for a few moments, and something about it was making him more sure that something was off about it. “I think it might be as simple as there is something different about the portal out. Before I came in here for the first time, I heard a rumor from one of the Guards stating that a Demoniac Servator went crazy down here after finding the fourth floor. Ended up committing suicide for some reason.”

“And how does that help us?” Paladin asked, wondering where he was going. “None of us are obviously Demoniac Servitors.”

“Maybe not, but you know what I am and how I got it. Maybe that could count too?” Colin said, turning away from the portal to look at the guitar that wasn’t going into his Dimensional Bag. He had a sinking feeling about what this meant but looked at the prompt that appeared as soon as he thought it.

Your bound Dimensional Bag is at 99% of its total capacity. It is suggested that you remove items before you force this current item inside to avoid things falling out of your Dimensional Space, never to be seen again. At least, not by you.

Sighing, Colin simply grabbed the case by its handle and smiled at another realization. The Guitar Case had adjustable back straps. So he stood up, adjusted it, and threw it over his back before making a little bit more of an adjustment. It was a little uncomfortable given the stiffness of the case but was glad to have it anyway.

Paladin stood up too and looked at the portal, “what makes you think that?”

“Mostly because I think I see some other energy inside the portal,” Colin told him, walking towards it. As he got closer, Colin could feel magic swirling around the opening with an intensity like a field of static. It played across his skin, made his skin stand on end, and made him think of a breeze on a hundred and ten-degree day.

He stopped at about two-ish meters away from the portal as the energy he’d seen became more substantial and definitely was integrating with the portal without overtaking it. A prompt appeared in front of him, and Colin shook his head at how easy this was. He knew what he expected, maybe a trap door or a riddle, but this was not it.

Antagonist, welcome to the exit of the Dungeon’ Zagan’s Besieged Fortress! Being the Antagonist and a Demon Lord Candidate has granted you an opportunity to enter the fourth level of this place.

A warning before you proceed. The next floor is not an official part of the Dungeon and thus will not follow the rules and level restrictions of the Dungeon you have just fought. If you enter, you may suffer at the hands of creatures that are potentially many times more powerful than yourself. Would you like to activate the portal to take you and your party to the fourth floor?

Colin told the prompt yes and felt the magic field around the portal, and himself recede. The portal then altered itself; it was no longer made of swirling energy. It now looked like a standing door with an obsidian frame and a slate gray stone door with a glassy black handle.

“Walker… what did you do?” Paladin asked, moving forward to stand next to Colin.

“Apparently, being the Antagonist gives me a few other benefits,” he told the massive man.

Paladin nodded, “oh, it must,” he said, a little in awe at the sudden change in the doorway.

The Sumo took a step forward, and Colin stopped him, “wait. I had better warn you three. The system warned me that this next floor does not follow the normal rules that the Dungeon was following. The Demon’s we see in there could be much stronger than anything else we’ve seen up to this point. I’m going in, but if you guys decided to stay, I’m sure the portal out of here will be back as soon as those who want to go, well go. I don’t want to force anyone, but it may not be worth dying over.”

Paladin shrugged, “I’m a player and am already pretty strong by most of our player standards. I’ll go.”

Rielle looked nervous, being the lowest leveled person on the team and the only one unable to come back if she died. She seemed to be going through the options in her head while Colin waited, trying to be patient. They were almost done here.

When she did speak, she smiled at Colin, saying, “I can’t let you go in there without me, can I?” she said, the smile turning into a smirk.

Shaking his head, Colin turned to the door and swallowed once. He really hoped the rest of the rumor was true. Otherwise, they may really be in trouble here.

“Okay, let’s go,” Colin said, voice level as he approached the door and opened it. A flat plane of red light like a curtain covered the doorway, and Colin paused for a moment. He then took a breath and stepped through.

Immediately inside, Colin found that the fourth floor was apparently one massive oval room being held up by support pillars. He could see some doors from his vantage point, but no hallways made up this room for them to try and navigate like a maze. The simplicity of this floor put him a little at ease for about four seconds.

When Paladin stepped through next, Colin quickly put up a hand to keep quiet but reacted a moment too late. “Wow. this place is-”

A spear flew through the air and missed the massive Sumo by only a few inches. Colin followed the spear’s trajectory back to its origin and found a single bipedal demon standing still. In contrast, others started to come towards them. Except for Bosses, every Demon they encountered in the Dungeon belonged to a particular species. But these ones did not follow that pattern.

These wore bronze cuirasses molded to their bodies, outlining impossibly dense muscles, leg grieves, and Corinthian helmets. As they got closer by the instant, it became easier and easier to see their deep gray and black hides that might as well be armor for how thick it looked. Oh, and each of them so far over a dozen creatures stood around two-and-a-half meters tall. As they rushed, many of them let out bellowing roars as they readied their weapons, primarily spears and short swords that looked similar to Colin’s Xiphos.

Colin drew his Ravenous Mythic Xiphos and his Lesser Infernal Edge, readying himself to fight with Paladin next to him. Both men have a moment to wonder about what is taking Rielle so long. They can run for it with her and hope to get away from these Demons long enough to find the Dungeon Core and hopefully shatter it.

Another spear gets thrown by the small and oncoming horde and impales Paladin right in the center of his belly. Not only did this spear knock the man several feet back into the wall the doorframe they entered from was set into, but it also made him actually cry out in pain. Paladin, the level 37 Sumo, that hadn’t happened once since they’d met.

“Shit,” Colin cursed. Stepping in front of Paladin until the man was ready to fight again.

Another spear was thrown at them, and Colin swore that he could hear it whistle as it flew towards him. He attempted to deflect the projectile away from him and Paladin, but the six-foot shaft carried too much weight and was way too fast. Instead of stepping to the side and using both of his blades to push it aside, the spear ended up impacting his right bicep and slicing clean through.

You have taken 217 points of damage and now have 383/600 Health remaining.

Cursing again, Colin readied himself to take another attack like that. As long as it wasn’t too much worse, he figured he could deflect another attack and hope Paladin would be ready by then.

Then Rielle stepped through the door, saw the Demons coming their way, and froze. She only stayed that way for a single moment before she bent backward imperceptibly fast to avoid a thrown spear. That dodge skill of hers must really have been getting a workout today.

They were closing the distance at few yards a second when Colin could hear a gravelly, British accented laugh echo through the room. The laughter only grew louder as the Demons got closer and closer to Colin and his group.

“Oh, DevilWalker,” Nox said through Colin’s shadow. “I don’t know if you are clever or lucky. Did you know that these Grendel Demons were down here, or is this just good luck on your part?!” Nox said, the light in the massive area flashing on and off as if the magic in the room maintaining it was faulty. “Oh, don’t worry, no judgment on my part. Actually, quite the opposite.”

His laughter echoed out again, the Grendel Demons, this time slowing down as they tried to find the source of the manic laughter. After a long moment, they found that the laughter was coming from everywhere and once and slowed down as they approached the present threat. That being Colin and his party.

Then the real threat materialized from shadows that separated from their source and joined together before becoming a 3-D creature. The creatures saw it manifest as a Goblin and were confused for a moment, most of them almost laughing as they saw him. That was a second before they felt the mana moving around the threat and felt the deep dark of an unknowably deep shadow before them.

But Grendel Demons are created, grown, and raised to be strong and without fear. Intelligence, problem-solving, and wisdom were never something their superiors wanted in their kind. Just an obedient brute force that could handle things Lesser Demons could not. That was why when Nox stepped out of one of their shadows, reached into it, they forcefully ripped it in half. All of them were stunned when the Grendel Demon, armor and all, ripped in half as well.

Nox repeated this procedure another two times. Melting into a shadow, stepping out in another, dismembering its owner into two or more pieces, then vanishing again. All the while, Colin was sure he could see the widest, toothiest, most vicious smile on Nox that he’d seen since meeting him. Colin could understand it; this was the first time he was really letting loose on some enemies since resurrecting in the Dungeon they’d met, but still. Wow.

Worse yet, Colin could still see Nox carefully grabbing a heart from each fallen Demon and storing them away in a canvas bag.

“Lady and Gentlemen!” Nox announced, appearing in front of the group of party members that were feeling relatively small comparatively. “I think I will show you something interesting. It’s a bit lower level than what I am capable of, but I think it will really show you all what I am. Are you all watching closely?”

Then before waiting for a confirmation, Nox reached into his coat and produced three vials. One was clear with specks of black contamination, another seemed to perpetually swirl with black tendrils in its vial, and the last seemed thick and syrupy.

The Demons didn’t wait for Nox to do anything; the group immediately rushed him when they pinpointed his location. They got close enough to see Nox pour the contents of all three out onto his own shadow and got a great view as an eye opened up in the middle of their target’s shadow.

Much in the same manner that the Goblin traveled around through shadows, something came out through his own.

This creature looked like a beetle that was triple its average size. But instead of mandibles, antennae, or normal eyes, there was just one disproportionately sized humanoid eye. The rest of the insects’ carapace was black but shimmered with the light and seemed to flicker as it buzzed. It moved to hover in front of the Goblin’s face, its eye looking into his, and he told it what could only be described as orders.

“Kill only the Demons. Leave their hearts intact,” Nox told it, pointing at the closing horde.

The insect turned, and the humming of its wings got louder and louder. Then more of these bugs appeared from the shadows, at first one, then two, then they started to number more by the instant. Not that the Demon’s noticed immediately, they simply continued their assault.

Nox conjured his shadow cane and proceeded to defend himself with apparent ease. The thin-looking rod didn’t break, let alone shatter, with the attacks that he was blocking. Worse for them, Nox would adjust his grip after a few blocks, then counter with an attack of his own. The cane-forming hovering blades or tips out of shadow stuff remained fixed in place until the deed was done.

It did not escape Colin nor Rielle’s notice that Nox’s own attacks were not killing the Grendel Demons. He certainly was hurting them, maiming them, and dealing fatal wounds, but none were killed.

At least until the insects started moving, their buzzing going from background noise to a droning that drowned out everything else. Now thousands of the insects swarmed after the Demons, the group able to see what they did to the Demons.

From their eyes, a beam of ultraviolet light flew forward onto the demons, disintegrating part of them, before the constituent pieces flowed into the insect’s body. From there, they would repeat the process again, and again, and again. But still, Nox wasn’t done.

Withdrawing one more vial, Nox threw it at the ground of the insect’s feasting. Instead of the Demons disintegrated pieces being eaten, they flowed into the clear liquid now splashed onto the floor.

Smiling at an idea, Colin pointed to the group of Demons and told Rielle to attack from afar. “Just damage a few,” he told her as he threw a few of his own spells towards them. A few Burning Marbles, some Ice Shards, and a few Force Bolts later, and he stopped. Letting Nox’s bugs do the work.

Rielle did as she was told, primarily using her Heavenly Blight for three seconds before stopping it and moving on to the next.

“Oh, goody!” Nox said excitedly. “I need some Groni Teeth, come here!”

Colin looked where Nox was and found a trio of naked Demons coming towards the slaughter. Not that any of them had anything to showcase, their twisted green skin bore what looked like burn scars over most of it that Colin could see. Their faces looked like they belonged in a horror movie with four eyes in a row and turned ninety degrees, so they closed sideways. Their mouths were circular and covered in both flat, and round teeth meant to rip and tear painfully.

Not that the Goblin gave them any time to even blink in anyone’s direction. Withdrawing another potion, Nox poured this one out onto the floor and waited a moment before flicking his arm towards the four oncoming Demons. Over two dozen twisted, jagged, and sharp spears of glassy stone shot up from the nearby darkness and impaled themselves through their foes. Many of them passed through one and into another.

Acting quickly, Colin threw a few Force Bolts at them, trying to deal some damage before they died.

It was then that Colin looked past the Groni and found a large prismatic splinter of a crystal that was five feet tall from top point to bottom. Lines of red Infernal Magic held the thing in the air where another Demon stood with his hands touching what had to be the Dungeon Core. The lines pulsed every few seconds as more Demons rushed into the room, and with one large pulse from the crystal, Colin felt the air change.

Colin looked back to see all the Demon’s remains, dead or alive, burst into gory clouds, only to swirl and reform into a much larger form. This thing stood fifteen feet tall with razor-lined tentacles lining its torso and an elongated skull like that of a fanged goat. It roared and began swinging its new appendages everywhere it could reach.

Rielle, for her part, was doing as he told her, using anything she had to attack and try to deal damage. Which mostly meant using her Heavenly Blight when she could. Paladin was fairing better than her, especially considering that he had to move in and deal damage with physical attacks. Whatever skill it was that let him coat his arms in Ki to defend was really good. It kept the slashing tendrils from slicing clear through him and only deal thin cuts.

Finally!” Nox cackled. “I can see how this combination works on something that isn’t a god!”

“Oh shit,” Colin thought, having an idea of what was probably about to happen.

Jogging towards the suspended crystal, Colin tried to watch out of curiosity. Yup, he was doing what he did to Loki when that blonde hair trickster came for a visit. Nox threw a pitch-black potion at the Demon amalgamation’s head, which somehow summoned shafts of darkness to extend from the shadows and impale the creature. Nox then threw another vial that shattered on contact, which ignited all the shadows spears with azure fire.

Nox then poured a white powder onto the nearest ignited shadow to him, which caused the flames and shadows to merge before shattering into thousands upon thousands of hovering shadow shards. Each floated around the giant Demon as Nox drew his Dagger and let the handle extend into a spear as shadowy replicas of the pointed shards formed. He then crouched and sprang forward, the fragments spinning around the target as fast as they moved forward, shredding into the Demon as quickly as Nox stabbed into it.

A sound like a buzz saw grinding into flesh as Colin was getting close to the crystal. He was around ten meters away when he activated his Lesser Infernal Edge, starting Kinetic Vigor and Aligned Strike on both weapons. Another pulse of power through the crystal and a pair of Grendel Demons rushed into view and made a beeline for him.

They were moving incredibly fast, and Colin did not have the time or the ability to fight them. So he followed their example and focused on the goal at hand, hoping that this would do the trick. He certainly did not have time to try and do this carefully.

For the first time, the Demon holding the crystal turned its face to look at him, and Colin had to take it all in at once. It was easily ten feet tall, had scarred blue-gray skin that covered its body, all the way up to its bovine head with spine-covered horns. Each hand was armed with thick, dark claws and large folded wings hung on its back.

From what he knew, this was Zagan himself, a Noble of the Inferno and what might as well be a demigod in hell. Even if its head moved, Colin was infinitely glad that it didn’t make any other move to stop him as he got closer. Reversing his grip on both blades, Colin raised them above his head and used every skill, attribute, and skill he had to leap up and plunge both swords into the crystal.

He felt the tips of the blades pierce the crystal, and both of the Grendel Demon’s weapons stabbed him at the same time, one in the gut and the other clipping his right shoulder.

You have taken 237 points of damage and now have 146/600 health remaining. You have taken 131 points of damage and now have 15/600 health remaining.

Groaning as he realized just how close to death he was, Colin skimmed the following prompt and just said yes quickly. Hoping to live long enough to destroy this Dungeon.

You are inputting mana into the Dungeon Core of ‘Zagan’s Besieged Fortress.’ You are the first to attempt this and have thusly earned a boon from two different sources if you decide to destroy the Dungeon. One from the Demons and one from the Dungeon. But these Boons come at the cost of one of the Great Dungeons of Rosengard, a whetstone to sharpen the world’s peoples into weapons. A curator of the world would like to bargain to keep this Dungeon intact. Would you be willing to negotiate?

A second later, Colin realized what he just agreed to and had a sinking feeling that he just signed his own death certificate. But to the contrary, when the prompt closed, instead of minimizing, it moved towards him and engulfed his vision.

When it vanished a second later, Colin found himself free of pain and in a space that could only be described as cosmic. A flat plane of glass was under his feet, but above and around him, he would see millions of celestial bodies unimpeded by light or chemical pollution. It was both serene and terrifying at the same time. The sheer size of it made him feel too small, and it was not something he appreciated.

When he looked back down, Colin found a woman standing in the space with him. She looked Asian, maybe Japanese in origin, and wore a closed robe of mottled blues, oranges, purples that hugged her form without looking uncomfortable. Her dark hair was combed down and straight about her head, and she looked very naturally pretty. If something like this could look natural, at least.

“Hello DevilWalker, my name is Anaheim. Would you like to have a seat while we have our discussion? I am afraid that I am swamped and cannot spend time bandying about words. I swear if you leave religion alone for five minutes, and they consider starting inquisitions. No one ever sees them coming.”