Underdark- Unending Abyss Region

Eternal Night- Lower City Ruins

I studied the creature, the [Underdark Spiderling Brood Mother] had the body the size of the old VW Bugs, with eight limbs attached, fangs dripping poison, and a stinger that I knew would skewer me if I gave her a half of a chance. After three hours of work, we had managed to clear out all the nearby Spiderlings leaving the Brood Mother with a pair of [Underdark Spiderling Warrior] that were bigger than the normal Spiderlings but smaller than the Brood Mother.

I assumed they were her guards and the last line of defense for the nest. "Suggestions?" I asked as I studied the three oversized spiders.

"I can pin them down for thirty seconds, I don't think it will work on the Brood Mother though. Down the Warriors first, then concentrate on the mother." June replied immediately and I agreed with her.

I looked at Drax but the Orc just looked on worriedly. "This will not be an easy fight," he warned me.

"It is not meant to be. It is a test and one I cannot fail. Now if I go down, both of you fall back to the Inner City, understood? I can resurrect, you two cannot.' I told them and while June accepted my order Drax was reluctant to accept any order that prioritized their lives over mine. 'Drax, your word." I told him and he frowned but nodded begrudgingly.

"As you say my lord if you fall we will return to the inner city and await your resurrection," Drax stated after a moment and I nodded as I pulled Moonlight from its sheath and conjured a Shadow Bolt in the other.

Like me, June had access to some Shadow Magic, but unlike me, she also had access to Death magic to augment her skills and abilities. One of those Skills she had was a crowd control spell, but it also boosted some damage to all rooted enemies. I had a similar skill, but it wouldn't unlock until level fifteen for me, while she had unlocked when she had hit level ten. The black and green quagmire pooled underneath the spiders causing them to screech in surprise.

My Shadow Bolt smacked into the side of the Brood Mother as I triggered Charge of the Dark aiming for one of the warriors. The three spiders moved as quickly as they could, but with the spell hampering their movements, it wasn't quick enough. Moonlight sheared through one of the warrior's vulnerable limbs. I ducked under the spider's mandibles and stabbed out, skewering its vulnerable areas and earning a quick critical hit flashed in front of my eyes as its health dropped to half as arrows started raining down on it.

The other Spiderling Warrior was almost clear of June's spell but my Shadow Bolt hitting it in the head grabbed its attention. The attack earned the creature's aggro but the distraction cost me, a blow from the Brood Mother knocking me back and took a third of my health. A cold rage filled me and I felt something shift in me as my jaw hurt.

I threw myself forward, Moonlight gleamed and I felt anger and bloodthirst from the blade. The Brood Mother screeched in surprise as my new blade cleaved into its side taking a chunk of her health. CRITICAL HIT! The Shadow Bolt from my outstretched hand blasted her in the face, destroying two of her eyes and caused her to reel back in surprise and pain as I continued my assault.

"JACOB!" I looked back to see one of my enemies scrambling towards the what is mine. The cold rage explodes white-hot as I triggered another skill instinctively and I am hurtled across the small battlefield and slam into the creature that would dare attack what was MINE! It lets out a screech of surprise but I pinned it down and ripped out one of its legs before burring my weapon into its body.

My enemy convulsed in death once, but two yet remain and I turned back to them. Both were chittering, enough talk it's time to fight! I threw the limb at the smaller of the two as I sprinted towards the larger. My rage and the fact they are a threat to what is mine and me is a death sentence for them.

My roar of rage, my enemies' screeches, and chittering filled the air. I can hear the twang of a bowstring and feel the cool healing as what is mine assists me in the fight against the enemies. No quarter, no surrender, they die or I will. My rage and the threat they represent demands it!

I dodge and parry their attacks, while the smaller enemy avoids some of my blows, enough gets through to end its threat leaving the larger enemy alone. Its fear permeates the air as I close with it. My weapon swinging through the air, almost a blur even to my sight.

While the smaller foe was faster, the larger one is more powerful. It can absorb the damage I deal, yet it is slowing and weakening. Arrows and magic end its miserable life and with its death, we are safe. I turn back to what is mine and stride over to them. The female is nervous looking at me but the male accepts me for what I am.

I check them for wounds, but the only blood I can smell or see is from the dead enemies and my own. I inspect them carefully, without them I am alone and my power is diminished, their health and safety is a priority. I turn each of them around, inspecting them carefully before relaxing slightly. I closed my eyes, listening and smelling for any threats, but none remain nearby. "My lord.' the male called to me and my eyes open and snap towards him. 'It is ok, we are safe. You killed them. You can relax, we are safe Jacob." the male used my name and I can feel calming emotions from my weapon. I can trust them and I release the cold rage.

I come back to myself suddenly, Holy shit...that was freaky. "Wow, I am fucked up." I look down, my armor is bent and broken in multiple places. 'Sorry, I am not sure what that was." I told them earning a chuckle from Drax while June lets out a nervous breath. Several notifications were waiting for my attention but we need to loot and get back to the city.

"That was a skill Elders and Ancient Vampires can use, it augments their physical prowess by many magnitudes. Yet for those who are not used to the power, their instincts will drive them. Luckily for us, those instincts were to kill the Brood Mother and insure our safety above all else." Drax commented and June snorted.

"You think, he shrugged off blows that should have put him down. Using the spiders' limb as a missile weapon...Let's just loot and get out of here." the Drowess commented, I thought about stopping her but she needed to learn to accept this.

"If you wish to be released and Enthralled by another June, say so and I will make it happen. I cannot change what I am any more than you can change your skin color, it is a part of me, blood and bones." I told her making her stop and frown at me.

"I never said that Jacob. I agreed to follow you, to be your Thrall. This has not changed, I am yours to do with." she replied before touching the nearest Spider Warrior and I pulled up the notifications awaiting my attention.

>>

Skill Name: Unarmed Combat

Skill Level: 2

Skill Type: Passive

Effect 1: Increases Unarmed Combat damage by 7%.

Effect 2: Increases Armed Combat damage by 1.75%.

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Skill Name: Bladed Weapons

Skill Level: 4

Skill Type: Passive

Effect 1: Increases Bladed Weapons damage by 11%.

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Skill Unlocked: Heavy Armor

Skill Level: 3

Skill Type: Passive

Description: Heavy Armor offers the most protection in Ithea at the cost of Speed and Stamina. Those that wear this armor are not afraid to fight close in and can stand long bouts of combat due to the strength of their armor, as well as their health and stamina in open combat.

Effect 1: Increases base armor rating while wearing Heavy Armor by 11%.

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Skill Name: Dodge

Skill Level: 3

Skill Type: Passive

Effect 1: Increase the chance to Evade an attack by 9%.

Range: N/A

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Skill Name: Parry

Skill Level: 3

Skill Type: Passive

Effect 1: Increase Chance to block/deflect an attack by 9%.

Effect 2: 10% Chance that counterattack will trigger.

Range: Melee

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Skill Name: Conditioning

Skill Level: 4

Skill Type: Passive

Effect 1: Pain felt due to effort, status effects, or injuries is reduced by 8%.

Range: N/A

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Racial Ability Unlocked: Vampiric Transformation

Racial Ability Type: Active

Description: Due to being an Elder and having the blood and power of the First flowing through your body, you can unleash your inner monster and become what your enemies fear.

Damage: N/A

Effect 1: +25% Resistance to Poison, Plague, and Mental Damage.

Effect 2: +10% to all other Resistances.

Effect 3: +10% Resistance to Blunt, Piercing, and Slashing Damage.

Effect 4: Increase Armor, Health Regeneration, Attack/Movement Speed, and Damage by 10%.

AoE: N/A

Range: Self

Duration: 30 Minutes

Cast Time: Instant

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: 1 Hour

Racial Ability Unlocked: Elder's Rage

Racial Ability Type: Active

Description: Due to being an Elder Vampire, your rage can power your body to new heights and has few challengers.

Requires: Vampiric Transformation must be Active.

Damage: N/A

Effect 1: Break any Movement Impairing, Stun, Mental, or Disorientation effects.

Effect 2: Immunity to any Movement Impairing, Stun, Mental, or Disorientation effects.

Effect 3: +10% Critical Hit Chance

Effect 4: +25% Critical Hit Damage

AoE: N/A

Range: Self

Duration: 30 Seconds

Cast Time: Instant

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: 2 Minutes

Racial Ability Unlocked: Aura of Terror

Racial Ability Type: Active

Description: Due to being an Elder, your presence and sheer power can both inspire your allies and fear in your enemies.

Requires: Vampiric Transformation must be Active.

Damage: N/A

Effect 1: 50% Chance nearby enemies will suffer Fear Debuff and flee from your presence and will even attack their allies in their bid to get away from you. (Duration 30 Seconds)

Effect 2: 25% Chance nearby enemies will suffer Terror Debuff taking 20% more damage from all sources. (Duration 10 Seconds)

AoE: 5 Yards

Range: Self

Duration: 60 Seconds

Cast Time: Instant

Cost: N/A

Cooldown: 5 Minutes

>>

2 X Level up!

You have (10) unassigned Attribute Points. Attribute Points can be assigned at any time.

You have (6) unassigned Skill Points. Skill Points can be assigned at any time.

>

I read the information about the new Racial Abilities I had unlocked and began to wonder what exactly I had stumbled into when I had unlocked the Vampire Race. Not for the first time I wondered if I was in over my head. "Ok, the spiders dropped mainly crafting items, but I found a chest back here," June called out and we moved to follow her, picking through the various spider parts strewn across the floor carefully as we did.

With a smile and click the large chest opened revealing its contents. June received a new bow, ring, boots, and cloak. Drax got a staff, robes, a trinket of some sort, and a necklace. I got a belt, a cloak, and necklace and finally, a large pile of uncut gems, silver, and gold was uncovered underneath a false bottom. Yet the jewel of the collection was an egg and Quest to go with it.

>>

Quest Alert: Taming the Web!

Description: During your excursion through the lower city, you destroyed a nest of Underdark Spiderlings. Among the riches of the nest was an egg of a Spiderling Brood Mother Egg, if you can find a Monster Tamer, they can hatch and tame the egg. This will provide additional defenses and troops for Eternal Night in the coming days.

Quest Class: Ultra-Rare

Quest Difficulty: Hard

Success: Find a Monster Tamer capable of hatching and mastering the Spiderling Brood Mother.

Failure: Do not find a Monster Tamer capable of hatching and mastering the Spiderling Brood Mother within (30) days.

Rewards: 5,000 Experience, Unknown

Accept? Yes or No

>>

The egg was about the size of a watermelon, pitch-black with silver veins crawling all over it. It was a no brainer to me. While I knew it would take time to find a Monster Tamer and develop a nest for the spiders, the possibilities made accepting the Quest worth it. "Ok, let's head back to the city. I am hungry and I am sure you all want to eat and get cleaned up, correct?" I asked them and received two nods of agreement.

As I turn I stop and frown, I can see a dozen webbed up bundles that are man-sized. Most of them have parts torn open and bloody, but not all of them. "Drax!" I snap out and point to what I am seeing and the Shaman moves before I can voice the command.