The elite died without protest.

Using a combination of backstab and whirlwind, I made short work of his defenses, and before his paralysis or the smoke cloud could dissipate, I slit his throat with faithful.

You have killed Mersk with a fatal blow.

Backing away from the corpse, I listened intently. There were still one hundred and eighteen mages alive. Individually, they weren’t a threat, but together, they could be problematic.

None were nearby, though.

I frowned. I couldn’t see the remaining possessed, but I could tell from mindsight and the sounds and smell carrying to me they’d retreated to the rim of the Circle. Dropping into a crouch, I crept to the edge of the gray cloud and peeked out.

My senses had not lied.

The mages had broken out into ten uneven groups, the smallest numbering eight and the largest twenty, and as far as I could tell, they’d divided themselves along factional lines. Arrayed around the Circle’s perimeter, they were making no attempt to attack or even approach the area around the fountain.

Well, that’s inconvenient, I groused. So much for my safety net.

If the mages weren’t going to come to me, I might be forced to go after them and leave behind the traps I’d seed around the center. Rising to my feet, I stepped clear of the gray clouds.

Multiple hostile entities have detected you! You are no longer hidden.

Even though I stood in full view, none of the mages attacked. Huh. They’ve truly gone on the defensive.

It was not exactly what I’d been hoping for. I’d been expecting more panic, less reasoning. And while the tactics the possessed had opted for were not the best—an all-out attack would’ve suited them better—they could still prove troublesome.

What will they do if I use shatter again? I wondered.

Would the possessed attack the charmed mage? Given how they huddled against the rim, I guessed not. But that was alright. There were other ways to use charm.

And other ways to deal with the mages too.

Looks like I’ll be doing this the hard way, then.

Stepping back into the smoke cloud, I set about replenishing my health and void armor. Once I was ready, I would take the fight to the possessed.

✵ ✵ ✵

You have fully restored your health, mana, and psi.

You have cast facial disguise, heightened reflexes, load controller, fade, and trigger-cast quick mend.

It was the work of only a few minutes to restore myself and renew my buffs. The smoke cloud had long since dissipated, but the mages still hadn’t attacked.

It seemed I would have to make the next move. Taking my time, I took stock of what I had to work with.

You have reached level 210 and have 11 attribute points available.

Your thieving has reached rank 14, your telepathy rank 21, your insight rank 22, and your deception rank 20.

You have 0 x trap elements, 10 x smoke bombs, 7 x fire bombs, 4 x acid bombs, and 10 x ice bombs.

I rubbed my chin considerately. Despite my lack of traps, I had plenty of bombs—enough to execute an escape if necessary.

I’d also gained five levels from the battle, which translated into a tidy sum of attribute points. I didn’t have to think too hard about how to spend them either. Perception had been boosted enough, and my Mind was already quite high, which left only Dexterity.

Your Dexterity has increased to rank 84. Other modifiers: +24 from items.

Right, that leaves only one more thing to take care of.

Striding across the field with affected nonchalance, I headed to where I’d dropped ebonheart and the Cloak of the Reach. The soulbound items were exactly where I’d left them. Casually, I re-equipped both.

Finally ready, I surveyed the battlefield. All ten groups of mages stared warily back at me, their defenses up and their weapons clutched tightly in their hands.

For just a split-second, I considered charming the possessed to come to me or returning to the center of the Circle and waiting them out. Exhaustion would get the better of the mages sooner than it did me, and they would be forced to sleep.

But neither idea appealed. Let’s get this over with.

Bared blades in hand, I strolled toward the smallest possessed faction, a group of eight. It was better to start small. They inched back further. Would the adjacent groups attack? I wondered idly. If they did, things would certainly get interesting. I kept walking.

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Fifteen yards. Fourteen. Twelve.

The group began chanting in unison.

I didn’t hurry, but I did draw psi.

A bar of flames shot out of a witch’s staff. I dodged to the side, but that only put me in the path of a jet of sparkling ice.

You have sustained water damage.

Your void armor has reduced the damage incurred by 45%.

The ice dissipated, the damage it had dealt not even enough to cause me to wince, and I resumed walking.

Storm clouds gathered overhead, and a bolt of light rushed down. Lunging forward, I rolled clear, but as I regained my feet, six churning balls of blackness crashed into me.

Ork’s hunting orb of Dark has hit you!

Ork’s hunting orb of Dark has hit you!

Ork’s hunting orb of Dark has hit you!

Void thief triggered! Void siphon and negate activated!

Jaim’s 3 hunting orbs of Dark have failed to harm you. You are immune to this spell.

I laughed—in genuine humor and not just for show—despite being staggered back by the focused blows. Two of the casters had employed the same spell on me, and while they’d certainly hurt me, they no longer had the power to do so anymore.

Thanks to my void armor, I’d become immune.

Resuming my advance, I ducked beneath three whirling ‘somethings’—successfully—but that only allowed the incoming attacks from the casters on my flanks to close in unimpeded.

Your void armor has repelled a Shadow cord!

Your void armor has partially resisted the effects of a Light cord!

You are light-bound. Duration: 3 seconds.

“I got him,” the caster in question crowed as the tendril of dazzling light wrapped around my torso.

I grinned. “Not for long, you don’t,” I replied and released the psi I held ready.

You have cast windborne.

I formed the windslide beneath my feet and was immediately thrust into motion despite the ties of binding Light.

The Light caster’s eyes rounded with shock as he was unceremoniously jerked off his feet by the taut cord. Cursing and yelling, the other mages flung yet more spells at me, but I’d woven the ramp of air in a devilish path around them, and they missed more often than not.

You have evaded Hogen’s freezing cone.

You have evaded Zalmain’s horrid tentacles.

Yasmin’s blood swarm has injured you (damage reduced by 5% due to void armor).

You have evaded…

…

Trusting the windslide to keep me safe—relatively safe, anyway—I risked a glance at the adjacent group of possessed. While both sets of mages watched the skirmish avidly, neither group appeared intent on interfering.

So be it.

Refocusing on my current foes, I waited for the Light caster’s debuff to run its course or for my own spell to end.

You are no longer light-bound.

The debuff dissipated first. Not hesitating, I flung myself off the windslide and atop the closest enemy. I hit him feet first, causing his protective bubble to turn over, and before the mage could recover, I struck at him with ebonheart and faithful, both blades a barely seen blur as they rushed forward and back.

Your target’s shield has blocked your attacks.

Your target’s shield has blocked your attacks.

Your target’s shield has been destroyed!

Amazingly, it took only three hits to penetrate the mage’s defenses.

And a fourth to dispatch him.

You have killed Firmath with a fatal blow.

I didn’t stop to celebrate. Throwing myself to the left and out of the way of the next wave of incoming magical projectiles, I laid into the next mage.

You have cast whirlwind and piercing strike.

Your target’s shield has blocked your attacks.

Your target’s shield has blocked your attacks.

You have killed Xain!

Three strikes alone sufficed to secure the kill the second time around.

I smiled grimly. Things had not panned out as I had hoped after Mersk’s death, but ripping apart the remaining mages looked like it was going to be child’s play. At this rate, I’ll be done in an hour.

Stepping through the aether, I searched out my next victim.

✵ ✵ ✵

Thirty minutes later, I was done.

None of the splintered possessed factions proved a challenge, not even the largest group of twenty whose ranks I first thinned from afar using shatter before tackling more directly.

I supposed the ease of the contest explained why killing all one hundred and eighteen mages netted me only one player level. The level disparity between me and the possessed had grown too large, it seemed, and even their strongest spells were negated before they could offer any serious threat.

But despite my lackluster player progression, my skills had advanced appreciably.

You have reached level 211.

Your dodging has reached rank 19, shortswords rank 20, and two weapon fighting rank 17.

Your mediation has reached rank 21, and telekinesis rank 18.

Your channeling has reached rank 20, elemental absorption rank 11, null force rank 7, life rank 3, and death rank 5.

Withdrawing my bloodied blades from the last corpse, I lifted my gaze upwards as the shimmering dome around the Circle vanished.

Congratulations, Michael, you have survived your first ritual combat, carrying Team Wolf to victory!

My lips twitched at the somewhat anticlimactic message, but I’d survived, and that was what mattered. More so, I saw that the previous vacant orbs of the Skull of Souls were glowing. The artifact had fed well, no doubt. Sheathing my swords, I straightened to meet the onrushing spectators.

“Well done, Prime!” Ghost sang, her words ringing loudly in my mind.

“Thank you, Ghost,” I replied, watching her race across the courtyard towards me. Nyra trailed her closely while the others followed more sedately.

“M-michael, that… was…” Nyra began as she panted to a stop before me.

“Horrible? Gruesome?” I suggested, running my hands through Ghost’s coat.

Nyra raised her eyes to mine, her face shining. “No, not at all. It was beautiful.”

I suppressed a laugh. “This one will do well as an assassin.”

“She certainly is bloodthirsty enough for it,” Ghost agreed.

“I’m sure Ceruvax will have something to say about that,” I replied. “The old wolf doesn’t strike me as the type to enjoy gratuitous killing. He’ll—”

I broke off. Another Game message was clamoring for attention. Smiling expectantly—perhaps the Adjudicator had a reward in store for me—I turned my attention inward.

You have killed or co-opted the last of the former sector boss’ minions. The dungeon will now reset to its original configuration. The new sector boss and his minions will respawn in 1 hour. Warning to all players still in the dungeon: collect any unclaimed loot and exit the dungeon before the final chamber is resealed.