You have killed yourself

Death penalty (Level 67 - 1)

You are now Level 66

No bound respawn points found

Respawning at closest spawn point in 2:29

Kyle watched from his bodiless form as the rest of his party stood up in the other room, the darkness not affecting his sight at all. He couldn’t hear them but saw that they were mostly fine as they glanced back into the room, Soren’s armour and axe glowing from the heat giving them light.

(“Looks like I’m temporarily down for the count”) he thought to himself, relaxing in his incorporeal form Kyle let himself take a breather as he waited for the timer to tick down. As he did so he let the notifications flood in.

Level up (x17)

Through training the skill [Ooze] has reached mid-tier 2 level 5!

Attribute upgrade is available!

(“No wonder it levelled up, with all the mana I would have spent controlling all that slime if it wasn’t for [Core Overload]”) he mused while taking his attention off of the notifications, he watched the others leave out of sight. Checking the timer that stood out of his vision It became more visible similarly to the notifications.

Respawning at closest spawn point in 1:57

(“Well I got time to spare…guess I’ll check out my new acquisitions after picking an attribute for [Ooze]”) opening his skill he read through his choices.

Attribute effects are kept, further attribute upgrades progress through each attribute owned meaning that all upgrades for previous effects can be earned later on.

Warning skills tier cap is 15 therefore you are limited to 30 attribute upgrades.

Currently unlocked attributes for [Ooze(Frost)]: (Ice)

(Frost) (Cold) Effects:

[Cold Mist]; Turn into a freezing mist,

[Cold Puddle]; Turn to sticky liquid while retaining temperature

(Frost) (Snow) Effects:

[Blizzard]; Turn into a flurry of snow flakes,

[Snow Touch]; Physical contact causes a spread of [Frostbite] which spreads on further contact

Currently unlocked attributes for [Ooze(Demonic)]: (Monstrous)

(Demonic) (Cursed) Effects:

[Weakness]; The slime attaches itself to the target slowing them down,

[Illusionary]; The very sight of this slime causes hallucinatory effects

(Demonic) (Vampirism) Effects:

[Leech]; Leeches life over time and regenerates the user’s,

[Drain]; Drains mana over time and regenerates the user’s

(“The other Frost options don’t suite my playstyle…they are more mage than the fucked up gunner-fighter I am currently. Cursed and Vampirism for Demonic both seem like good choices…but Cursed seems more suited for a mage same as the previous two, Weakness isn’t very useful from it’s description and Illusionary might be completely useless…”) thinking it through he decided on (Vampirism) and made his selection (“Sustain it is”).

As the attribute choice window closed he began reading through his new skills.

[Slime Scattershot] ((EXP 31%) Level 2 – Tier 1): Summon a monstrous flak cannon entirely made of slime

Activation Cost: 230 mana

Usage cost: 10 mana (1 per barrel)

Reload time: 0.9 seconds

Ammunition sub-skills:

[Demonic Rounds]: Fire an armored shell that pierces through defenses

Usage cost: 15 mana (1.5 per barrel)

Reload time: 1.6 seconds

[Mana Detection] ((EXP 12%) Level 1 – Tier 1): The ability to detect mana through touch, vision, smell and mind.

[Soul Detection]((EXP 90%) Level 2 – Tier 1): A new sense allowing you to detect souls similarly to sound and sight.

[Absorb] ((EXP 40%) Level 1 – Tier 1): Contact with your slime breaks down the target’s form and absorbs them.

Takes on [Devour]’s effect.

Soul bind:

Bind a weapon to yourself disabling trade, enabling high tiers of enchantment and earning it a higher grade.

Bind a soul to an object capable of withstanding it’s energy and putting it under your complete control.

[{Cold Soul}] (Set skill stats): The winter lord’s blessing is upon you, personally selected by Ymir as a vessel for his immense power. Channel his energy at will making it your own, the power of ice nothing more than another limb under your control.

Kyle’s surprise was cut short as his time ran out, his vision changing as the familiar feeling of revival washed over him. The return of all of his other senses and the explosion of light half blinding him and disorienting him momentarily, ignoring his surroundings and even Thurk as he waved a greeting and walked over. Kyle reopening his skill book and reread the skill.

“That doesn’t tell me jack…” he thought out loud.

“Excuse you?” Thurk asked catching his attention.

“Oh, sorry reading a skill I just got. Where are we?” Kyle looked around at the familiar overgrown taiga trees, snow engulfed ground and mountains that lay behind him.

Thurk crossed his arms and sighed “Outside the city, I’m guessing it did not go very well as we haven’t felt any explosions yet”.

Kyle shook his head “On the contrary, I may have died but it costed the dungeon an Elite. I doubt it has any more to throw at us if it’s as you say.”

“So you believe your allies can destroy it? Even though they are down a hero?” Thurk whispered his frown was weak and expression weary.

Kyle smirked “If we can’t then nobody less than another hero will, I doubt the old heroes serving the Dominion will be as lenient and as for the other heroes I highly doubt they’ll even care.”

Thurk nodded in agreement “That is what we feared from the start.”

Seeing as he was again outside the city Kyle decided to call in, as he pulled out the VCD from his inventory Thurk coughed to get his attention “Who might you be making contact with? I’m sorry if this may seem harsh but you have to understand, this cannot get out-”

Kyle cut him off with a chuckle “Don’t worry, this remains between your people and mine. Our commander is the one who calls the shots, honestly we should have called it in beforehand but I’d rather make a full report than a half-assed one.” He explained not making contact yet.

Thurk’s frown grew “I do not follow”.

Kyle grinned remembering their conversation with Jekyll and Helen, the invisible confirmation he got from Sly at the end. They hadn’t gone in there to destroy the dungeon, they had only entered to weigh their leverage over this kingdom. “I know the main units the dungeon has to offer and what traps to look out for at the start, Sly and the others will know the rest when they come out. Of course, we cannot eliminate a dungeon without scouting it out first” he explained, the true reason they accepted to help without asking for anything in return lurking between his words.

Thurk continued to frown as he nodded “I see, yes that is indeed a viable strategy seeing as death doesn’t faze you. The dungeon also shouldn’t get too much from your deaths either as it cannot absorb the mana within your souls due to fact that you don’t truly die.”

“Exactly” Kyle added, leaving Thurk to fool himself (“There is no lie stronger than a belief constructed by yourself.”) he thought. “Do you mind if either King Jekyll or Elder Helen speak with our commander after I am done reporting in? There are many things to discuss.” Kyle asked with as much respectful a tone he could muster (“Such as price”) he also tried very hard not to chuckle.

Thurk thought it over momentarily “I believe that is a question better asked to them adventurer, make your report and I’ll take you to them after your comrades also arrive.” he finally responded.

At Thurk’s acknowledgement he focused on the device “Birse”.

The Dungeon, core room, couple minutes earlier.

Abaddon stood staring into the dungeon’s core, her expression grim and twitching. Clenching her fists she bit her lip in annoyance as she watched what remained of her Troll “No matter…it can be rebuilt…They lost a comrade, his suicidal antics will have destroyed their will to continue” she muttered to herself.

“What now” the dungeon asked, it’s focus returned to the core.

She grimaced “What remains at our disposal?”

The dungeon stayed silent momentarily as it’s core showed her the remaining rooms and corridors before responding “31 Warriors, 17 Knights, 37 Barbarians, 22 Undead Dwarven Gunners, 5 Necrotic Duellists and the Lich floor boss.”

Abaddon considered their chances, the adventurers were on equal level with their minions but far stronger due to being living and far more skilled than any brainless undead. “The Duellists and Lich are the only ones that stand a chance normally but we cannot send them first. Send the Barbarians and Knights first to weaken them, send the Warriors and Gunners after that to eliminate them. Any survivors will be devoured by the Duellists.”

“How many of each shall I send?” the dungeon asked as the view on it’s core returned to the party, already standing up to continue moving.

Abaddon considered it’s question for less than a moment “Wait until they reach the hall, open tunnels to behind them and the other corridors. Then send…everything”.

The Dungeon, Delving part.

All six adventurers looked around cautiously, having met with little resistance after the Troll. They moved with a new formation, Silv and Skill up front with Soren between them, Reyna behind them and Sly with Karnage at the back defending from ambushed from behind.

Skill having scavenged back most of his arrows along with Silv having plenty of ammunition held their weapons ready to fire and themselves to back off if targets got too close. Soren stood by them ready to stop any agile monsters from attacking the two ranged members before they backed off.

“How many rooms has it been so far?” Karnage whispered as she kept glancing back and forth.

Sly did the same but less anxiously “Four rooms, five corridors” he responded also whispering.

“Haven’t the monster packs gotten smaller? I mean that first ambush had so many…even the pack of six that came with the Troll where more than the three and fours we’ve had…” she continued to speak while staring back down the corridor they came, the sound of earth crumbling barely reaching her ears. She was walking backwards and suddenly hit something, it wasn’t a wall.

Reyna and Karnage turned to face each other after a short scream, “S-sorry!” Karnage apologised after lowering her swords from a pale Reyna who nodded back.

Sly rolled his eyes “Stop being so jumpy, this is obviously a trap.”

“Then why are you so calm?” she glanced at him with wide eyes before continuing to look around.

“Because it doesn’t matter, if it comes to it I’ll just take out anything else that comes by like Kyll did and you all continue forward.” Sly explained.

“That doesn’t make sense” Skill stated as he glanced back at Sly “How do we destroy the dungeon core then without you?”

“Oh I’m touched Skill, you actually admit that you need me?” Sly replied with a smirk “The answer is easy, we don’t.”

The whole party stopped to look back at him.

“What?” Sly asked with a grin “Fine I’ll let you in on it now, not like the Dwarves and Fae can hear us in here. This is a scouting run, to figure out if we can even get to the dungeon’s end at all.”

“But…you told them…Oh, you didn’t promise them anything” Reyna spoke with surprise, her expression turning from confusion to understanding then ending with a glare “You tricked them?” she asked pointedly at Sly.

Giving her an innocent smile Sly raised his arms up in surrender “We” he corrected, “Don’t worry they don’t know and won’t know. Why would we help them if we don’t gain anything? Kyll is probably looking for ways to contact Birse, until then let’s continue our scouting run” he explained.

Reyna continued to glare at him with a frown “Fine” she replied with a single word and turned around.

Noticing Karnage also glaring at him Sly turned to her “What?”

“You’re despicable” she stated plainly with a shrug and continued to walk with the others, Silv, Skill and Soren chuckling up front.

“Comes with the name” Sly murmured before sighing, jogging momentarily he caught up with them as they neared the end of the corridor.

Going through the doorway they found themselves walking into a vast hall, the light produced by Soren’s armour not enough to show all the way. Suddenly torches lit up in unison, the whole hall now fully visible.

“Shit” Sly cursed as he glanced back “To the centre!” he ordered and they moved, quickly they ran through the enormous hall as the sound of bones clattering with stone came from all four doorways that lay in the middle of each wall. Before they even reach the middle skeletons wielding clubs charged in from every direction.

“Surround Reyna!” Sly barked out orders as he grimaced at the sheer number of enemies “Silv! Skill! AOE attacks! Soren you too! Don’t lose your axe!”

As they all formed around Reyna who began chanting buff after buff the others prepared their offensive magic, Skill, Silv and Soren casting their wide area of effect spells while Karnage and Sly kept watch on the enemies with blades ready.

Author: Youtube autoplay takes me to strange places, this time it did not disappoint…

Battle music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJniq9KuDAQ

“Like a swarm of death fall upon my enemies! Arrow Rain!” Skill fired three arrows into the air and in unison they broke in ten ethereal green ones.

“Charged energy compose death for me! Flak Rounds!” Silv pulled the trigger and as the bright blue projectile left the barrel a low-pitched sound echoed out like a bass drop.

“Blazing anger infuriate my attack! Falling Rage!” Soren raised his battle axe back with a two-handed hold, it’s two edges gleamed a bright red. Raising it up higher he slashed forward and downwards as a wave of blazing hot flame left the blade, the fire travelled forwards in a pillar of ethereal red energy.

Skeletons fell as the barrage of arrows descended upon them, more fell apart as the blue projectile connected and exploded sending a wave of blue destruction in every direction while more disintegrated to ashes as the pillar of flame cashed into their ranks.

Dozens of them died in the attack…but the sound of more still swarming towards the hall could be heard.

“There’s too many!” Reyna shouted, having finished her buffs she prepared to cast healing.

“Yeah, guess we’re just gonna have to abandon the formation then” Sly announced with a grin “Silv, Skill, Karnage, Soren you have my permission to go ham. Cover each doorway, you should be in range for healing. Reyna stay close.”

All four adventurers nodded, stepping forward they abandoned their formation and charged towards a doorway each. Just as more skeleton barbarians and knights neared the doorway so did they, the narrow corridors giving them the advantage over the horde. Arrows flew, projectiles exploded, heads cracked under an axe and bones shattered from blades.

Sly closed his eyes and stood still, a dagger per hand hanging from the tips of his fingers “Find the calmness…the pond within…” he chanted as his mind drifted elsewhere.

Reyna struggled to heal the others “Bestow life upon them! Regenerate! Bestow purity! Heal!” going through each healing skill she had.

Soren held his doorway with his immense strength, using [Earthquake] as much as possible alongside his other rage abilities he crushed the coming waves with single slashes of his axe. Bones not even felt under the attack, shields shattering from the power.

Karnage danced around the shields while evading clubs and swords alike, aiming for their spines she two hit skeletons with rapid slashes and evasive combos.

Skill unleashed his quiver with destructive magic before switching to his dagger as he waited for the cooldowns, quickly disarming the skeletons on the front he played around with them as they tried to pick up their weapons or simply grab his skinny form. When the cooldowns where done going through he’d sheath his dagger and continue with the firing range.

Silv lay kneeling down aiming into the doorway, whenever a skeleton stepped through he’d pull the trigger after picking out of his array of magic projectiles. Be it green for a splash of acid, blue for an explosive flame, red for a scatter shot or white for a blast of electricity he stacked bones at the entrance making it harder for the next to pass.

“Fuck!” Silv cursed as a bullet penetrated his shoulder, quickly standing up he evaded a second.

“Gunners!” Skill announced as he fell back from the corridor.

Soren and Karnage taking cover behind their doorways they waited for them to come close “Warriors too!”, Karnage shouted after one of the longsword wielding skeletons ran into the hall only to fall apart from her attacks.

Sly continued to mutter his chant under his breath, barely a whisper he paid little attention to his surroundings.

The adventurers fell back as the Warriors charged through the doorways followed by squads of zombified Dwarves wielding rifles, their skin almost green from rot, their eyes completely hollow while some chunks of flesh were completely missing from their face and or limbs.

Skill and Silv reached Reyna and Sly, standing by them they let loose what ammo they had left on the approaching Warriors. Karnage and Soren on the other hand charged around the Warriors and headed directly for the Gunners. Taking out some the two melee fighters still took fire from the other two Gunner squads.

Party member [Karnage] has died!

Party member [Soren] has died!

With an empty quiver Skill strapped his bow and unsheathed his dagger “Strides of the deep green! Forest walk!” after a quick chant he charged forward as a yellow glow formed around him, projectiles from the Gunners turned around him due to it. With quick evasive movements, he killed a Warrior before a second lunged at his sword arm. Grimacing from the pain he stabbed the skeleton’s skull, a third ran it’s sword through his back.

Party member [DemSkillShots] has died!

Silv abandoned his rifle and pulled out a pistol, firing away at the Warriors he evaded their lunges while keeping them in between him and the Gunner squads. Not caring for their fellow Undead the Gunners fired anyway, the projectiles injuring some of their own before hitting Silv firing squad style.

Party member [Silvaragon] has died!

Reyna looked around in panic, the Warriors surrounded them as Gunners took positions in between them to take aim.

“Sorry Reyna, looks like this is as far as we go” Sly suddenly spoke, his eyes still closed and body still unmoving.

Before she could even answer the Gunners began to fire.

Party member [Reyna] has died!

“But before that…” Sly’s form faded as the projectiles flew right through “I’m inflicting as much damage as possible.” he disappeared. A silent chant echoed throughout the hall “I am one with the shadows, part of your own shadow, my own shadow. Way of the dagger.” as Skeletons and Zombies alike looked around for their target violet lightening arched through them.

Momentarily appearing behind them, Sly stabbed as many Gunners as he could get to. His mobility no longer restricted by a body he dashed from target to target before taking form for a mere second before turning back into energy. His skill ran out just as he stabbed into his ninth Gunner, the others immediately turned to aim at him as the Warriors dashed to surround him.

Blood streamed down from his lips as the two opposite types of mana within him clashed, he coughed and splattered blood into his hand. With a mocking grin he stared at the gunners lining up together as the dozens of skeletal warriors approached. Coughing up more blood he smirked “Sorry boys, I’m too much of a coward to give you the kill” spinning a dagger into a backhand grip he stabbed himself in the heart.

Party leader [SlyOkami] has died!

Member [Silvaragon] has left the party!

Outside New Ruk, Respawn point.

Kyle sat down on the circular elevated stone platform, the VCD held in his right hand he stared out at the fields of snow with a bored expression.

“Not only do you fail to report back in with this important development but you don’t even fucking give me a full report of what the dungeon contains?” Birse spoke harshly through the VCD as Kyle continued to ignore his rambling “I would understand if it was-”

Kyle sighed (“Kill me”)