" Kill it." Lesley didn't hesitate to order Red's death.
SSSraaagh!
The Bone constrictor roared and charged forward like lightning with blood lust, it's scaleless body moved quickly on the sand. Shifting left and right with it's bones as it would on a flesh belly, if it had been alive.
[Bone constrictor has used {Zombie Dash}]
The skeletal serpent's speed doubled and it became a blur, it's killing intent potent in the air.
"Circle him, and we'll strike when i see an opening." Lesley telepathically instructed his Summon.
The Bone constrictor obeyed, and circled Red, getting close to gain attention but far enough for a hasty retreat.
"Good. It's smarter than it looks." Lesley complimented the skeleton for its strategy." Time to see what that guys packing."
His eyes glowed green as he gazed at Red and used [Primordial Perception] to see his stats.
[
Name: Red
Species: Undead
Title {s}: Vengeful One , Territory Avatar
Rank: Low level Zombie Champion
Class: Undead Swordsman
Main law: Blood
Minor law (s): Decay
|∆|
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Strength: 40 {+20}
Agility: 40 {+20}
Stamina: {Limitless}
Vitality: 120/120 {+20}
Endurance: 50/50 {+20}
Sanity: 60
|∆|
MAGICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Spirit: 50 {+20}
Zombie Core: Grey {Awakening}
|∆|
UNDEAD ABILITIES:
[BLOOD BARRAGE| Level 5]
[NECROS SLASH | Level 4]
[ZOMBIE DASH| Level 4]
[ROT RAIN| Level 3]
[LIFE SENSE | Level 7]
|×|
TERRITORY AVATAR ABILITIES;
[AREA LINK | Level 2]
[SEALED STASIS | Level 1]
[TERRAIN MASTER | Level 1]
[POWER TO ALL| LEVEL 2]
]
The moment he saw Red's stats, he grabbed Mel's hand and turned around.
"Run!" Lesley shouted to them," That thing is too strong!"
Keep him busy, he telepathically instructed the Bone constrictor.
Lesley started to run, and Mel followed suit, Tobias floated onto Lesley's back and clung on for dear afterlife, while looking behind to see the action. They sprinted away as quickly as possible, Lesley using a tiny bit Aether to push himself faster.
"Uh, Boss, that Rick guy looks like he's about to collapse." Tobias sent Lesley a telepathic message.
"Fuck," Lesley glanced back and saw Rick panting heavily, his knees were shaking and he truly looked like he was about to collapse.
"Mel, grab him and follow me," Lesley zeroed in on a particularly high sand dune. It stuck out higher than the others in the area and they really needed cover. He wasn't deluded into thinking they could outrun that thing back there.
Hopping over the edge, he gracefully surfed down the sand dune, and waited for Mel to join him.
"Interface, how is that thing so strong? It's abilities are crazy," Lesley reached out to his Bone constrictor and received a cry for help. With a quick thought, he unsummoned it, freeing it from whatever torment it had been going through.
[Host, the undead has been blessed by Death with Ambient Mana, which allowed it to evolve and gain a class. It's heightened abilities and attributes are enhancements given by its Title of {Territory Avatar}]
[Chances of success against the Territory Avatar remain the same]
[50% success]
"It that was meant to be motivational, it fell flat." Lesley took slow breaths as he thought hard on how he could defeat that Zombie Champion.
"If me and Mel faught it, would we succeed?" He asked.
[Request Acknowledged]
[Analysis concluded]
[Primordial Heir and Primordial Familiar would perish with a head on collision]
"Then I need a plan." Lesley groaned but looked up when a shadow appeared at the top of the dune. His Whip sword, Grim, appeared in his hand, ready to strike if it was the Territory Avatar.
But it was just Mel and a very dizzy Rick who was green from Mel's violent running.
"Are you okay?" Mel asked as he got down.
"Yes, I'm fine." Lesley replied and his Whip sword disappeared.
"So Boss, what's the game plan?" Tobias spoke up for the first time, he'd been with Lesley but decided to let him think.
"From what I saw of his stats, he has abilities I don't know about and he's physically stronger and faster than all of us. We can't fight him head on, even all together, we'd probably delay it but eventually be killed." Lesley tilted his head in thought," I'd say we chip at his Vitality but that could take a while, and our energies aren't replenishing in here."
"I...ugh...have an idea."
All eyes turned to Rick, who had a hand on his chest, trying not to throw up.
"And? Our lives are hanging on the line here, talk you ninny." Tobias floated in agitation.
"How about we trap him?" Rick asked," Lure him to a trap and dispose of him?"
"That sounds great, but what kind of trap?" Tobias asked skeptically.
"We use fire, all zombies hate fire. It kills them everytime. " Rick said with a nod.
"That's great, super fantastic. My guy, we are in a magical prison, trapped in an empty blue desert, from where are we going to get this fire? Thin air?"
"He made fire come out earlier? Can't he do it again?" Rick pointed at Lesley and Mel pushed the finger away with a frown.
"That's not really fire, that's just how summoning looks like. You could have put a piece of paper in my hand, nothing would happen. I don't have fire powers, sorry to say." Lesley placed his chin in his left palm," Even if I did, I couldn't start throwing fire balls or whatever, my energy is low right now. "
[MAGICAL ATTRIBUTES;
Spirit: 35 {+30}
Aether Soul Sea: 205/320]
Lesley glanced at his remaining Aether and sighed, it was enough to maybe avoid the Zombie Champion for a while.
"What about that little guy? Is he not made of fire?" Rick pointed at Tobias.
"Little guy? I'll tell you something, back when I was alive, I was just as tall, if not taller than you." Tobias spoke with indignant emotions.
"He's... a ghost?" Rick asked in shock but Lesley didn't bother to answer him.
Tobias proceeded to insult Rick for calling him a ghost and little guy, claiming Rick was a judgmental idiot. Rick defended himself as best he could, but Tobias wouldn't let up. The red haired didn't stop them, instead he turned to Mel.
"I just had a thought right now, but I need your help." He said softly.
" Anything you ask, I'll do it. " Mel nodded his head happily.
"The fire thing is actually a good idea, we just need materials to burn. I'm sure Aether can cause a fire, so I just need to get something that can burn in my Law Domain."
"You mean, the place in your head?" Mel asked softly,"I can come with you."
"Yes, you could, but I need you to watch my body. Im going to go unconscious for a few minutes and I need you to make sure I don't die. I don't trust Grimaire not pull some stunt. Use our Soul link to talk to me on everything while I'm gone."
Mel reached for Lesley hand," Will you be safe?"
Lesley didn't pull his hand away or answer, he squeezed Mel's hand back.
"I'll be back in two minutes or five minutes. I have two ideas incase the first one fails. Keep Rick alive but don't make it a priority, keep yourself safe." Lesley gave a small smile and then his eyes went blank and he fell limp into Mel's arms.
"Also I - oh? Boss did it? Cool." Tobias suddenly stopped arguing with Rick," Sorry dude, Boss told me to distract you while he got ready."
"Ready for what?" Rick looked at Lesley's limp form with concern," Is he unconscious? What happened?"
"No time. We move. More distance is better, to stay alive." Mel lifted Lesley effortlessly and held him tight.
"Wait, wait, what are we going to do? Just run around until it picks us off?" Rick tried to get Mel's attention but the zombie had already turned away and began jogging away.
"If I were you, I'd run too. I've known that dude for a while, in a sense, and if you're not Lesley, he'll pretty my ignore your existence." Tobias started floating after Mel," Come on, Human. Damn that sounded oddly right!"
Rick hesitated a moment but quickly ran to catch up. He knew he was far safer near Lesley's zombie than alone. Even if he found the thing annoying and it's indifference towards him erked his patience, he'd bite his tongue.
"I hope Lesley wakes up soon." Tobias suddenly spoke up next to his ear.
"Why do you keep trailing me?" Rick asked the floating spirit.
"I... Actually ain't sure. I just have this... feeling to want to be near you." Tobias levitated thoughtfully," It's weird."
"For me too. Look, I ain't into... Whatever you are." Rick said slowly and Tobias cringed.
"Even if you were into necrophilia I'd say no. Wait, is it necrophilia? I'm dead but I'm not a corpse," Tobias shook his head," Look man, you're not my type. Grow some boobs, then we'll talk."
"How did you die?" Rick asked," And, more importantly, what are you?"
Tobias froze and turned to Rick slowly," You asking that now?"
"Yes." Rick replied simply.
"Gosh, man, you should have asked way earlier, when we're not running for your life and our undeaths." Tobias shook his head in mock disappointment.
"Will you tell me or not?"
"Fine, fine. I was a dude just like you, then I died, and Lesley,my Boss, brought me back to... well, not life, he kinda made me an undead spirit. I'm a Wisp. Go ahead, make a joke about it. I'm ready."
"A Wisp? A spirit? So... You're a ghost?" Rick looked at Lesley's unconscious body," Lesley... is he a necromancer?"
"Huh... I don't really know. When I look at him, I just get this feeling that tells me, he's my master, my creator and his death will lead to my death." Tobias became quiet, "It sounds terrible in concept, but so far the Boss hasn't steered me wrong. You might think following a kid is crazy, I was in my mid twenties when I died, and he's a teenager. But... I honestly can say, I trust him. He even apologized for killing me by mistake."
"He killed you? Then made you a ghost?"
Tobias floated closer to Rick's face and the human felt an icy chill across his mind.
"You tried to kill him yourself. And, judging from the condom , your near nakedness and the smell of sex I've been sniffing off you since we met, you were not even a tiny bit sorry to begin with." Tobias translucent greyish blue flames grew darker," Don't even think of becoming a judge , or I will make you pay, before and after you die. Now run faster."
Tobias levitated away with a disgusted humph, his wispy body flew to Mel's side and kept pace with the jogging zombie. Rick's face grew ugly with a furious scowl as he picked up his rhythm, to catch up.
"Hey Boss," Tobias spoke to Mel," I wanted to ask you something weird."
"Ask Summon." Mel replied.
"Can you just call me Tobias?" The Wisp asked carefully and Mel glanced at him, before giving a slow nod.
"Tobis...Tobias... Ask."
"Uh, okay. I have this weird craving to get near Rick and I don't know, do something. I just don't know what. It's a gnawing feeling in my gut... Or whatever Wisps have instead of guts." Tobias chuckled softly but Mel remained impassive.
"You... are hungry. You want... to eat him." Mel explained and Tobias recoiled.
"Seriously? Eat him? I don't even have teeth I think. Honestly, I feel like a ball with eyeballs. I don't even want to know where my voice is coming from." Tobias shivered.
"You are undead, like me. Human is living, and we eat them. They give strength and make us stronger. I don't know how you eat with no mouth. But, me, I eat heart and brain. More life, more strength. Do you understand?" Mel asked him.
"Hmmm. I think so. But if I want to know how I eat, I'll actually have to and Boss said no hurting him, though the dude deserves it." Tobias chuckled," Hey, can I call you Mel? Calling you both Boss, gets confusing."
"You can call Lesley Master and me Boss if you wish." Mel replied," Or call Lesley Boss number one and me Boss number two."
"You know what, we'll talk to Boss when he wakes up." Tobias decided to give up,"When is he waking up? It's almost ten minutes now."
"I don-"
"Hahhh!" With a violent gasp of air, Lesley awoke with wide fearful eyes, gazing at the sky.
"Boss!" "Lesley!" Tobias and Mel shouted.
"Run!" Lesley shoved Mel away from him as he waved his hands and a torrent of green ethereal flames emerged from his chest.
The flames spun and imploded into a pillar of nonlethal fire, it's purpose dramatical rather than essential. Tobias moved a ways off, watching Lesley, curious as to what he was doing. These were the same flames he used when summoning, but something felt off. They were too violent and chaotic, and Lesley had a strained expression that he did not have when summoning Tobias or The Bone constrictor.
"G-grrarr!"
"What the... Fuck!" Tobias swore perpetual profanities as he moved even farther back, watching in abject horror as something appeared from the flames.
A giant skeleton appeared from the green fires, made from greyish white bones that were dry and rotten smelling. It's size was nearly twice the size of an average man, and it's bones were twice as thick. A dirty dark brown cape was draped on its back, with what appeared as beastskin shoulder pads. Twin blue flames burned in the darkness of its eye sockets and a bright blue flame burned like a torch in its bony chest. A massive metal and bone hammer was strapped to its back, dried blood lined it's head, belonging to some unfortunate creature that crossed its path.
[Unwillful Summon identified]
[Summon has Aggro towards the Summoner]
[Berserker State identified]
[Physical Attributes receive 10% enhancement]
[
|•|
Name: Skeleton Chief
Species: Undead
Title {s}: Bog Champion
Rank: High level Skeleton
Class: Skeleton Warrior
Main law: Bone
Minor law: Rot
|∆|
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Strength: 55 {+5}
Agility: 45 {+4}
Stamina: {Limitless}
Vitality: 90/90 {+9}
Sanity: 85.0 {+8}
|∆|
MAGICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Spirit: 50
Zombie Core: Grey {Apex}
Weapon: Skull Hammer
|∆|
UNDEAD ABILITIES:
[BONE BENDING| Level 6]
[NECROS BITE| Level 7]
[ZOMBIE DASH| Level 5]
[SPINE SLICE| Level 7]
[RIB CAGES| Level 6]
[LIFE SENSE| Level 8]
|•|
]
"Mel! We gotta go back!" Lesley hugged Mel and the zombie quickly ran away from there.
"Wait for me!" Tobias floated after them, glancing back repeatedly in terror and disbelief.
What on Earth is that thing? Rick sprinted away as if his life depended on it, which he guessed it pretty much did.
"Wait here, Mel,you can put me down. It won't catch us instantly from this distance... I hope." Lesley took some slow breaths as the other two catches up," Okay. I'm okay."
"That's great to hear Boss, but what -"
"What the fuck is that thing? Why are we running away from it? "
"Something wrong... It feels... Like not Tobias. Not the same. Not the same as Tobias." Mel replied slowly.
"That's because it's not like him at all, or The Bone constrictor." Lesley looked up at the Skeleton Chief, which had not moved an inch since arriving here," It's a forced Summon. I lured it from its lair and got it here."
"Why's it... standing there?" Rick asked as he reached them. They watched the skeleton and it just, remained stationary, it's eyes locked onto them with killing intent.
Or more specifically, it was gazing at Lesley.
The human had appeared in its bog and started to destroy the area with another giant skeletal serpent. It thrashed and decimated the trees, and when The Skeleton Chief arrived, the two fled away. In its rage, it followed them, racing with murderous intentions. A voice even whispered in its head to kill the human, to eat him and grow strong.
But The Skeleton Chief was tricked.
As soon as it stepped out of the forest, Lesley who had been hiding in the trees, whipped Grim around its neck and yanked it back with brutal savagery. Then, with a wave of his hand the Bone constrictor appeared and rammed it through four trees.
The Bone constrictor got injured and wastossed aside a moment later, like an oversized worm. Lesley had luckily zeroed in on it, sneaking from behind and with another vicious tug, it landed in the Phoenix courtyard. There, it burst into green flames as Lesley willed it into his world.
Which led to the present situation.
"It needs Aether. As a Summon, it relies on me or the environment for Aether. I'm not giving it anything." Lesley explained.
"What's Aether?" Rick asked.
"It's a magical type of energy inside Undead. Atleast, undeads I've seen and gotten." Lesley took a slow steady breath.
"So, Boss, not to rush you, but why did you bring this giant skeleton statue here?" Tobias asked and Lesley cracked his knuckles.
"To fight." Lesley smirked," Meet our Meat shield... Bone shield I guess."
"What?" Mel asked and Lesley gave a sigh.
"This thing is almost as strong as the Territory Avatar, so, if it fights and weakens our opponent, we can go in for the killing blow and free ourselves. Understand now?"
Tobias gave a thoughtful hum," But, the way it's looking at us, doesn't seem like it's on our side."
"Its not. In fact, if I let my Aether sip into that thing, it will pounce and kill us all " Lesley said simply.
"That... doesn't give me hope." Tobias quivered with apprehension.
"The trick is to use the Carrot and Stick approach." Lesley's eyes glowed green as he raised his hand and smashed it into the ground.
The blue sand quivered and shook as a mangled and dead dry tree shot out from the ground. It reeked of death and decay, the bark parched and fleshy like a dead limb. With its appearance, the Skeleton Chief lifted a weak hand and reached out for the tree.
"No." Lesley's eyes glowed green again the tree vanished in a puff of black dust.
The Skeleton Chief's arm sagged as it's eyes locked onto Lesley's eyes with utter fury.
"If you want to be free, you must listen to what I say." Lesley told it and crossed his arms with a frown."Fight my enemy and I'll return you back to your territory."
The Skeleton Chief's eyes blazed violent and chaotic, it's rage threatening to consume it's will. Then, they died down, turning cold and livid.
"Did it work?" Tobias asked from the side.
"No idea. Honestly, I don't even know if this thing can talk." Lesley replied back with a thoughtful expression.
"You.Will.Pay.Human."
Tobias and Mel recoiled, whilst Lesley cringed like he'd heard a nail scratch a chalk board in his brain.
"Would you look at that," Tobias moved begin Mel," It can talk."
"It's voice is terrible though." Lesley looked at Rick who was bent over looking like he was going to vomit and pass out at the same time.
"What's wrong with you?" Lesley asked him, but it was the Bloodline interface that answered.
[The Skeleton Chief has communicated in Dead Tongue, a language of the Undead. It can cause minor mental damage to the living with no affinity to Undeath. The human has no mental protection and so the damage affected his senses and mind.]
"Huh, okay." Lesley turned back to the Skeleton Chief," So, if I help you move, you'll fight my enemy and then I'll send you back to your territory."
"I.Conceed." The Skeleton Chief's eyes grew colder,"Betrayal. You. Die."
"I won't betray you, I just want to escape and get to my own territory, my home." Lesley raised his hand and was about to take out the damaged Miasma trees he's collected in his Law Domain.
It's what he did first before trapping the Skeleton Chief. Last time when he chopped Miasma trees, he just left them there, planning to take them later as Grey wood. Sadly, the other tree's ate them like fertilizer and the ones he'd left were gone, so he had taken as many of the destroyed Miasma trees as he could, which became Miasma Husks.
That wasn't the only thing he'd done of course.
[
|•|
STATUS:
Name: Lesley Woodsman
Species: Human
Title(s): Primordial Heir, Aggrieved One
Bloodline: Primordial Phoenix {Incomplete}
Bloodline class: Primordial {Extinct}
Status: Bloodline integration {8%}
Class: None
Cultivation Rank(s);
Physical cultivation: Level 3 {Mortal coil}
Spiritual cultivation: Level 9 {Soul Awakening}
Main law: Reanimation
Minor law(s): Reincarnation {Sealed}
|∆|
ATTRIBUTES:
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES;
Strength: 45
Agility: 45
Stamina: 60/60
Vitality: 50/50
Endurance: 25/25
Sanity: 89/89
|∆|
MAGICAL ATTRIBUTES;
Spirit: 35 {+30}
Aether Soul Sea: 640/640
Soul Ascension: 640/10 000
Aether Core: Awakened {Stabilizing - 18%}
Soul Weapon: The Grim One {Golden Grade}
Necros Points: 0.0
Soul points: 0.0
|∆|
SKILLS:
BLOODLINE ABILITIES:
[PHOENIX ATTUNEMENT | Passive]
[PRIMORDIAL PERCEPTION | Active | Level 1]
*
MAIN LAW ABILITIES:
REANIMATION;
[NECROS ABSORPTION | Active | Level 4]
[UNDYING | Passive | Level 2]
[DEAD AURA | Active | Level 4]
[BLOOD FAMILIAR| Active | Level 1]
[UNDEATH TRIALS| Active | Completed Rings 0/4]
*
MINOR LAW(S) ABILITIES:
REINCARNATION;
[INCARNATION CHAIN] {Sealed}
[CYCLE PSYCH] {Sealed}
|∆|
Name: Mel {Change?}
Species: Undead
Title {s}: Lost Lamenter, Primordial Familiar
Rank: High level Zombie
Class: None
Main law; N/A
|∆|
PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Strength: 30
Agility: 30
Stamina: {Limitless}
Vitality: 50/50
Endurance: 25/25
Sanity: 84.0
|∆|
MAGICAL ATTRIBUTES:
Spirit: 20 {+20}
Zombie Core: Grey {Awakening}
|∆|
UNDEAD ABILITIES:
[NECROS BITE | Level 1]
[ZOMBIE DASH| Level 2]
[LIFE SENSE | Level 1]
|×|
FAMILIAR ABILITIES;
[SOUL LINK | Level 1]
[PRIMORDIAL ATTUNEMENT | Level 1]
[TWO TO ONE | Level 1]
|∆|
Summons {2/5}:
Bone Constrictor [Low level Skeleton]
Tobias [Low level Wisp]
|∆|
Items: +4 Miasma Husks
Note: Accursed Delicacy
{Law Descent and Plane ascension imminent in 2 months, 3 weeks, 4 days and 1 hour}
|•|
]
He'd risen his Spiritual cultivation and upgraded his [Undying] ability along with his [Dead aura] ability, so he would feel sure about capturing the Skeleton Chief. Outside his body had been unconscious for several minutes but in his Law Domain, several hours had passed. He regretted not coming up with a more ingenious and methodical plan, but was happy with the results of his efforts.
The Aether he'd obtained was less than last time, according to the Bloodline interface it would steadily decrease the more powerful he became. It was unfortunate , but now was not the time to be thinking of that.
"Just remember, I can get rid of them, and you, easily here." Lesley eyed the Skeleton Chief warily as he slammed his hand on the ground and a pulse of green embers combusted around them.
From the ground, Miasma branches shot out, their dead trunks snapped and broken, remnants of the savage battle between Lesley, his Bone constrictor and the Skeleton Chief. The Miasma Husks stood in the blue sand like blotches of death and decay, obscene to look at. Their gnarled branches reached out like a corpses death claw, and black sap bled from their bark like rotten blood.
"You're... not human." Rick said suddenly.
"The fact that you're still here, is very... nevermind." Lesley ignored Rick and watched the Skeleton Chief flex it's boney fingers.
"Where. Is. Enemy?"The Skeleton Chief asked, it's blue eyes blazing with caution and distrust.
Lesley didn't care if it trusted him, he had the advantage here. It needed him to keep the Miasma Husks around, so it could move.
"He's here! Eek!" Tobias shouted as a dark silhouette landed a few feet from them.
Red stood in his heinous form and roared, raising his right hand. The skin began to rot and fester as wounds appeared like punctured tumours. Greyish red blood flowed out from the wounds and floated in the air, converging into a circular blade with a razor sharp edge.
"D...Diie!" Red shouted and his Blood blade struck.