Download App
59.65% Dragonborn Saga / Chapter 447: Abyss (4, 5)

Chapter 447: Abyss (4, 5)

A Double Chapter! Daily + 5K votes Extra.

~~~~~~~~~~

(Part 1)

A long time ago in a world far far away, a war broke out between two factions aiming to control that world. As the war was never going to end at the rate it followed, some scientists came up with a weapon that defied sense and logic calling it the Antimatter Bomb.

That horrific weapon was bombed right in the middle of the enemy's main city harvesting every life and casting the city itself to nothingness. Only its shadow survived the apocalyptic moment and was cast down the Abyss becoming a ghost world between worlds.

It was that case until a certain Mage discovered the existence of the lingering ghost world and turned it into a place to experiment with all manners of forbidden magic. Later, this secret realm would become his vault for the undead creatures his followers gather.

Sealed and secured behind layers of complicated seals, no one really thought that this secured place can be accessed by an unauthorized intruder. After all, this place needed the permission of the one who sealed the realm to be accessed. This permission comes in the form of a Crystal that can Teleport its holder across the Abyss and the Cult colonizing that ghost world were experts in reproducing those Crystals and cultivating them like plants using the lives of their victims.

The Order of the Black Worm, followers of the King of Worms Mannimarco, were a vicious and heartless cult that originated in Tamriel a millennia ago. Their goals might be appealing and favorable to those who don't know them such as the free use of magic and the reunion of ancestors, however, those who know them are well aware that this cult holds no sacred or holy aiming to infiltrate the places of power and hoard the honored dead for their twisted creed.

The arts of the cult were all about creating the most perfect for of Life or Undeath. Compiling the Dead was the first of their arts and as spells that construct a new undead from existing remains were extremely popular, examples for that are the Bone Colossus, the Flesh Atronach and the most basic Bone Shambles. Still, one of the trickiest spells was the Necrostruction that can freely make whatever undead the caster wants as long as the materials were available, only the best of Necromancers were able to use such a spell.

Mummification was one of the early arts in Necromancy and its goal was to create the ultimate undead that can be raised over and over again but it wasn't as promising as it sounded.

But on top of all the Arts of the Worm Cult is the Transformation by embracing the power of Lichdom, placing souls in an object called a 'Phylactery', which is usually a jar or a chest. Liches are selfish and power-hungry, destroying all in their searches for souls to repair the Phylactery. Extremely intelligent and powerful, they are always resurrecting if their Phylactery is not crushed. Most Liches are in control of at least a small undead army and a tomb and are adept spellcasters.

Nether Liches are weakened form Liches, Ancient Liches are stronger than the normal ones. Finally, the Lich King was a title only held by the first Lich, Mannimarco.

Some argue that Mannimarco was not the First Lich as he managed to become one after studying the Nordic Dragon Priests. The Dragon Priests also had a similar theory but instead of using Phylacteries, the used the prayers of their Draugr followers buried with them in their crypts.

Such a study always occupied Elder Falkyn, a very old Lich that served in the Ghost World as the Anchorite, the Leader of a Worm Cell.

Falkyn was a Nord Necromancer who served Mannimarco for ages later to be guided to Lichdom and transform into a Lich. Some may argue that a Nord is lucky to reach such a high position in Magic but those ignorants never knew that the best Necromancers in history, aside from Mannimarco, are mostly Nords.

Argument may come and go but Nords have the best aptitude to Chaos. That is why Falkyn took pride in his apprentices, who are mostly Nords, as the ones who will revive the Cult and return it back to its former glory once again.

Still, Falkyn was very occupied with managing his territory as the Locker of the Summonable Undead of the Cult. Hidden as it may be, a lot of maintenance was needed to keep the Ghost World up and running. The Cult always provided living sacrifices to the Ghost World for the sake of keeping the stored Undead functioning. This realm wasn't a Daedric Realm which means there was no higher entity to fuel it, Mannimarco had his own Realm, the Necromancer's Moon, that is busy keeping the Realm of Arkay in check and that's where the Ghost World, Falkyn and the Sacrifices come in action.

So aside from his role as the Anchorite, his studies on the Dragon Priests were the second on his list followed by training his apprentices.

The apprentices of Falkyn, being Elite Necromancers, looked after the Ghost World away from the political drama of the cult.

The places were basically an old city dragged from a different world. It had many large halls, mansions and side streets. Those places were either used as living quarters or undead storing facilities.

No one really needed to patrol or guard the place so they kept some Bone Shambles and Zombies on the lookout just in case.

For many long years, nothing disturbed the Ghost World but lately, a new prisoner was delivered personally through the Void and the Abyss to Falkyn. A prisoner to fuel the Ghost World like nothing before and to be locked in the safest innermost sanctum of Falkyn by the direct order of Mannimarco.

As far as he was concerned, it was a Fragment of a Daedric Prince.

"Nothing less can be expected from the King of Worms, to be able to bring such a rare specimen to me." Falkyn wondered.

By that Fragment of a Daedric Prince, forget about the living sacrifices. It was as if wings were added to a serpent creating the foulest of dragons.

At such occurrences, disturbing Falkyn was a taboo and as he would spend hours brooding in his research and the rarities he is in charge of.

But the most exciting gifts brought the most eminent disaster, a real Dragon Priest has invaded the Ghost World and the impossible became possible. The seals on the Ghost World were broken and the connection with the King of Worms was broken.

The sheer idea of finding the Shadow World was impossible and impassable. The realm was personally hidden by Mannimarco through an enigmatic method only an otherworldly being can crack. More to that, the stealth function of the Ghost World was simply perfect.

Who in the right mind would have guessed that the seal was broken by an Otherworldly Reincarnated Individual and the Ghost World was discovered by a Cat who happened to be a Shadow Fairy that can track the presence of a Daedric Prince or even hide from them?

It was absurd but that was not Falkyn's problem for now. Currently, he had to repel the attacker, this strange Dragon Priest.

"How can a Dragon Priest invade the Ghost World?" Falkyn couldn't understand.

The one he saw was a man in black armor, covered by a large black cloak, wearing an Ebony Dragon Priest mask. In this day and age, the Dragon Cult has long since perished, this Dragon Priest must be a very ancient being but that doesn't explain his invasion to the Ghost World.

Of course, the Dragon Priest (aka Jon Dare) was impossible to be recognized as a living human for he was covered in with [Greed] in a cloak form.

With [Pride] in hand, the [Ebony Blade] in another and [Wrath] leading a small army of undead behind him, Jon was making a grand intro.

During the past few hours, Jon was busy doing mapping around the area with the help of the System, he infiltrated the place and gathered accurate information about the locations of the major powers in this realm.

In his point of view, this realm was another twisted version of the already twisted Coldharbour. The Order of the Black Worm had connected this place to most of the other Worm Cells creating a hub for their unholy army.

At first, he thought the materials were gathered here and then manufactured into Zombies and Bone undead. The truth wasn't far from that but he misunderstood something.

If it were him, he would indeed gather the best quality of bones and create his undead with them but the Worm Cult operated by different values.

There were undead, yes, but as Jon and Jax opened a certain warehouse in this Ghost World, Jax identified some of the Undead.

"These ones were fighters from the Arena. That is Fiura the Strong, a Nord I remember very well; and that is Savius Aventus, a former Imperial soldier who was forced to fight against Darius." Jax said.

"You are saying that the Worm Cult is collecting strong heroes and fighters from the Arena to mummify and fill their Zombie Locker with? This is very concerning." Jon realized how much of a threat this is.

According to Jax, the Corpses of the dead in the Imperial Arena are handled by either the family members or some gravediggers contracted with the Arena. Apparently, those are the Worm Cult agents.

By the looks of it, the Worm Cult has many cells spread across Tamriel judging by the diversity of the bodies and they rely on more than just the Imperial Arena. Just thinking of how many bandits, criminals, assassins and unidentified corpses are handled by the nameless gravediggers, it all made Jon feel a chill in his spine.

"There is more than just that, Hooman. Other places have Big Dummies, Cow Heads and even Large Doggos."

What Nefertiti wanted to say was that there are Giants, Minotaurs and Dire Wolves as well.

"This is worse than I thought." Jon fell silent for a few seconds then spoke once again, "I have a plan but will need you guys to assist me. Nefertiti, you will take down the extra load on me, stick to the shadows and protect me stealthily."

"Too much work, Hooman."

"Jax, take this staff. Even though you are not aware we are outside Mun… ehem! Sorry. You Minotaurs have an excellent sense of directors. I will assign those scrolls to different locations and I want you to activate them with that staff I gave you. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Good, I'll be the distraction then. Move out!"

**********

(Part 2)

Back to the present, Jon and [Wrath] made an intro. Jon as a Dragon Priest in all black ebony wearing his mask and donning [Greed] as a cloak to hide his life signal while [Wrath] led all the undead Jon summoned from the Soul Cairn.

"BO TIR!" (Come out!)

Jon shouted in the Dragon Tongue to call forth the leader of this place.

The whole ruined city shock as Jon made his grand appearance. Necromancers and Undead started running from their spots to see what is going on.

Jon made sure to put on airs as a Dragon Priest and float in the air while giving off a heavy pressure to his surroundings. Just as a Necromancer tried to attack him on sight, Jon made the poor sod explode from the inside out using his imagination by [Pride].

"What is that?"

"Where did this come from?"

Some Necromancers tried to make a formation but [Wrath] arrived beside them and took them out in one slash.

*HOWL*

Jon didn't mind [Wrath] having some fun, after all, the Sin of Wrath Odokuro has arrived at a new Evolution since he received the Dead Sand Jon gave him.

====================

[Wrath / Bone Samurai, Odokuro] <Sin>

- Howl of Wrath

- Howl of Death (NEW)

====================

[Wrath] was able to manipulate undead by the normal magic Jon installed on you him but now that magic evolved into a Howl. [Wrath] can scream and raise the Undead from the ground, not just that, he can also disturb the connection between the Undead and their Master taking over those Undead.

It was, by all means, an overpowered skill. Jon watched proudly his [Wrath] take over those high-quality undead led by those Necromancers.

"Priidah hin maar." (Spread your terror.)

*HOWL*

The 'Howl of Wrath' echoed around turning everything in its wake into ruin as if a Dragon was breathing out destruction.

The Worm Cult members were indeed taken out by surprise in their safe vault but not for too long, these elites were specially trained to be the future of the Cult.

"Seal it."

"Follow my lead, start a Binding Soul Gem Array."

Jon was surrounded by the best Mages in the Worm Cult and layers upon layers of barriers were applied around him.

Suddenly, a swarm of bugs flew from the innermost building and formed a floating humanoid that kept the same altitude as Jon.

"Capture it! A Dragon Priest came to our home, I want to interrogate this specimen myself." The humanoid said in the most disturbing or voices.

That humanoid was a pale zombie-like man wearing some ornamental robes and holding a large staff. His appearance was akin to a corpse but staff and eyes carried a pale cyan soul flame exposing its identity as a Lich.

Jon felt the pressure of the binds cast on him by tens of Necromancers but that was easy to withstand for a few moments.

{Nefertiti, take action now.}

Jon sent a Telepathy signal to Nefertiti who acted in an instant. She crept out of the shadows and attacked the nearest Necromancer as if she was a bolt of shadow. Jon synced his hand movement with her acting as if he killed all those mages by some unknown method.

"Help!"

"No!"

"Stop him!"

Jon's hand movement became akin to terror. The Necromancers, who felt they were going to be killed as their comrades, dodged Jon's hand movements and escaped thus the binding array was broken.

"Useless!" The Lich shouted as he aimed his staff at Jon casting [Necrotic Spear].

"Impudent!" Jon didn't give the Lich Falkyn a chance to attack him and retorted with [Lightning Bending], a spell only available to [Pride].

The bolt of lightning canceled the Lich's spell and twisted itself to attack from the side, the Lich cast [Soul Cage] and flying crystal came out of the ground casting and met the bolt exploding together.

Despite the effort, Jon's magic wasn't canceled and what survived of it grew in power and attacked relentlessly once again.

"What Sorcery is that? Identify yourself, bug!" Falkyn became infuriated by Jon's tenacity.

"Know your place, maggot." Jon's pride kicked in and he returned the insult and increased his power a tad more.

"Hah! Interesting specimen, I will dissect you to my heart's content… if I have one! Ahahaha!"

Falkyn didn't back down in front of Jon and started to fight seriously.

In Jon against Falkyn, Jon was overwhelmingly disadvantaged. Falkyn was way older, craftier, stronger and fighting in his den. Jon held this far and kept acting tough because of [Greed] concealing his true level and [Pride] boosting his power by over-consuming Magicka.

{Jax.}

Calling out Jax, a sudden change occurred on the battlefield.

*Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

Explosions sounded all across the ruined city.

"What the…" Falkyn was distracted as he noticed those explosions engulfing his apprentices and the precious specimens he was tasked to keep.

"Getting distracted? Such a fool… KUN LAAS SHUL!" (Light Life Sun)

Jon took the chance and shouted his ace in the hole, the [Sun Blast] shout.

"!!"

Falkyn was fast to notice the deadly attack coming towards him, it was as if a flash of light came hurling from Jon's direction taking down every undead in the way turning it to dust.

Such an attack is made of Light and will cause tremendous damage to even a Lich of his level.

The only option Falkyn hand was to use the Baleful Undead Flame and set himself ablaze. The Baleful Flame can cause damage but it is designed to hurt the living more than the dead, unlike the Sun damage.

In a second, Falkyn performed his outstanding defense trick but his left side was late to be overtaken by the flame and got some Sun damage.

"CURSES! YOU BUG DARE TO HURT ME…"

"Excusez Moi!"

[A/n: kids in Egypt would use the French "excuse me" to express extreme shock.]

As Falkyn turned to face Jon, the latter was just a millimeter away from him.

"Wha…"

"Have a cookie!"

And without further ado, Jon blasted the Lich Falkyn away with a [Thunder Cookie].

Falkyn flew backward and crashed into a ruined building.

"What the fuck do you mean by 'Dare', you son of a bitch? We're having a till death do us part fight, you dimwitted fool. I Dare you Dare me again! No, I Double Dare you Dare me… that's an ability only I can use, [Double Dare]."

Being aggroed by the forbidden word, Jon was foaming from anger over the ruined building Falkyn fell in. To vent that anger off, Jon waved [Pride] in a half-circle killing all the Necromancers near him with a Cold Flame.

As Jon was doing so, Falkyn returned in the foulest of moods.

"Bug! I'll teach you your place."

The land rumbled as Falkyn flew out with a viciously twisted frown on his Lich face. He cast a spell that took over the ground in a second.

[Defiled Ground], a rune spell that does a lot of harm to anyone who steps on the area of the mage.

[Wrath] jumped away and stood on a huge pillar away from harm. All the undead that he controlled started being broken by the effect of the Defiled Ground.

It was then when Falkyn took note of [Wrath], at first, he thought that this large Bone Samurai was simply a Bone Colossus that has overgrown and got enhanced a bit but it was clear now that this is a very unique undead. Something new and unknown.

A long-living Lich may have a vicious personality but long life gives curiosity and he knew exactly how to harm the Dragon Priest.

[Undead Claim], a spell that drives away the mental control on a certain undead and gives it to the caster. In other words, Falkyn was hijacking [Wrath].

Jon felt the underhanded strike as it landed on [Wrath] and attacked Jon's consciousness right away. He completely understands the effect of the spell and was amazed that the ability that [Wrath] developed also came in a spell form.

Sadly, it was an Undead exclusive spell.

But now Jon had to deal with that mental attack. Trying to hijack [Wrath] is wishful thinking, [Wrath] is just an extension of Jon's Soul and Will. The spell Falkyn used was only causing some headache… but Falkyn doesn't know that.

"AAARGH!"

*GROAN*

Jon and [Wrath] both feigned mental damage and staggered in their places. Jon, who was floating, descended down a few meters.

"Hahahaha! Interesting specimen, you truly caused me great trouble. The Lord won't be pleased by that but offering this exceptional Undead as a new model will surely make things easier. Now, who sent you?" Falkyn said as he approached the suffering Jon.

"AAAARGH!" Jon exaggerated more as he acted to be in agony.

Falkyn stopped in front of Jon and looked down on him.

"Does it really hurt that much? How can a Dragon Priest such as yourself suffer greatly from a mental attack like…"

"Shouldn't it hurt?"

As Falkyn spoke, Jon stopped acting and looked at Falkyn.

"Huh?"

"My bad."

Before Falkyn realized what went down, Jon waved the [Ebony Blade] from point-blank.

"!!"

Teleporting away as fast as he could, Falkyn appeared far from Jon with an amazed look.

Looking at Jon, he was holding a dead arm and waving it at Falkyn. That was certainly Falkyn's left arm… it was cleaning chopped.

Not just a Mage but an incredible Warrior and a crafty Trickster with no honor or respect.

"You rogue!"

"This is the material world, baby." Jon cast the Ashen Flame on the Lich arm he got turning it to a fine cinder.

Falkyn was overwhelmed by pain but could endure losing an arm for now. This Dragon Priest is by no means someone simple.

He needed to be crushed by all the force he can muster up.

"Come to me! Back me up!" Falkyn howled to the sky calling for someone.

"Shut up! VEN GAAR NOS!" (Wind Unleash Strike)

Jon shouted a [Cyclone] to obliterate Falkyn once and for all but a string magic barrier protected the Lich.

"Who is it?" Jon became annoyed by the interference.

"Support Falkyn!"

"Haha! Falkyn, you arrogant bastard. You can't take care of one ant."

"Staying in the Ghost World all the time, huh? You clearly turned senile."

A strong wave of power came forth as three figures appeared. They were ghost-like incorporeal beings that looked exactly like a Lich.

Those were Nether Liches, weakened Liches because they faced destruction and still in a recovering state.

From what it seemed, when Liches from the Worm Cult get destroyed, they are sent to the Ghost World to recover. Still, Nether Liches are as much of a pain in the ass as regular Liches.

Jon, however, has a second say.

[Pride] and the [Ebony Blade] were returned in the Cube and the chains of  [Ahzidal's Evil Fists] were loosened while the Ashen Flames engulfed then in a second.

Incorporeal beings are weak to energy attacks and the Ashen Flames were the best type of energy Jon can muster. It is an incineration flame that can burn whatever Jon wanted and spare whatever Jon wished to spare.

Right now, Jon had two long chains with the ability to Seal Magicka, fixed on a gauntlet that can Negate Magicka and engulfed with a flame that can burn Magicka.

"Aaaand Music!"

♪ Highway to Hell ♪

~~~~~~~~~~

• P4TRE0N

(Goal: 5 Extra / Next: 6)

pat-reon.com/eldokhmesy (remove - )

•PayPal (+10$ = Extra)

Paypal.me/eldokhmesy

• Extras by Votes: 5000 / 8000

• Discord discord.gg/gKcKva7s

• Twitter @eldokhmesy22


next chapter

Chapter 448: Abyss (6)

♪ Highway to Hell ♪

< [Bardic Knowledge] effect: Fortify Speed 10%>

"Sweet!"

Two chains with the length of many meters dangled down as each ring was being lit by the white Ashen Flame. Jon reinforced his control by folding the chains around his hands once then give them a shake.

*Tink* *Tink* *Tink*

And they were to his liking.

One man who is supposedly a Dragon Priest was facing one Ancient Lich and three Nether Liches. The odds were totally uneven but in these cases, it is advised to play the game by a new set of rules.

No matter how good his talent in Magic is, this fight was hopeless for Jon if he kept fighting using Magic. A physical fight, on the other hand, is the right equalizer for this situation.

"Get him!"

As Falkyn shouted, four Liches cast magic at Jon from every direction.

"Fat chance!"

Jon pulled off 120% of his strength and speed as he pulled the chains up. In a second, they were moving around him like in whirls intercepting every Magic.

With [Ahzidal's Boots of the Apostle], no matter what surface he stood on or what altitude it is, Jon was moving unhindered.

With sure movements he advanced to the nearest Nether Lich with his body reinforced with Aura, the next move was a flashing flying straight kick with both feet launching the Lich backward.

"Restrain his movements!"

The Liches tried to bind him with barriers, seven layers of an unknown spell stacked up around him but with brute force, Jon ripped that Magicka in those barriers by waving the chains around.

Magic may be able to restrain Warriors but fast and flashy martial arts were of great risk to any spell caster. That, of course, didn't mean that those Liches were not experts in close quarters combat.

The remaining three Liches tried to attack with their staves using a close-range spell but to no avail, Jon controlled the trajectory of his movements by attaching a chain to the ground and pulling himself away.

As the Liches were trying to return to formation, the other chain found its way to the neck of one of the Nether Liches wrapping itself around it and pulling him towards Jon. As the Lich tried to gain a view of the direction he was pulled to, Jon's knee entered the screen.

Even though Nether Liches are partially ghosts, a physical attack supported with Aura can sting where it hurts. The Lich got the feeling of having his skull being rammed through his nose. Unpleasant as it is, Jon's merciful style included an elbow attack between the neck and shoulder after that knee.

Then the other knee upwards to the chin.

Then a hand chop to the neck.

By that move, the target should be stunned so what follows is a finishing attack. Jon would break the neck but considering the nature of a Lich, it was better to overload the eight major energy points with Magicka causing a backflow and soul damage.

The poor Lich was over and sent back to the Phylactery he recovers in.

"Daaaym! This song is getting to me. Whatever!"

Jon turned to the Ancient Lich Falkyn and the remaining Nether Lich, the two got nervous as Jon started to charge at them but suddenly, he got stopped.

It seemed that the chain holding down was stuck in something, the two Liches wouldn't let the chance pass by and Jon knew it but he couldn't help but look at whatever stopped him.

And who would have thought it was the other Nether Lich he blasted away earlier. That Lich was holding to Jon's chain with his staff trying to not let him move.

What that Lich didn't know was that Jon was smiling under his mask.

"Wrong move, buddy."

Feeling a chill all of a sudden, the Lich looked towards Jon who was surely up to no good.

Jon pulled the chain so fast and descended towards the Lich… Butt forward.

Historians never recorded what was the fate of that certain Lich but it was agreed that this was the first Lich ever that was killed by a stinkface attack.

[A/n: you know that Rikishi move from WWE?]

"Two down, two to go."

Jon stood up stretching his waist left and right before dodging to the side as a heavy barrage of [Necrotic Spears] landed where he is.

"Rude!"

"Kill him now. This trickster is troublesome! Keep him at bay." Falkyn shouted as he used every possible spell to catch Jon with.

"I don't need you to tell me that!" The Nether Lich retorted.

Jon zigzagged and teleported a couple of times as he evaded the [Defiled Ground], [Necrotic Barrage] and [Soul Cage] spells.

He was not given a chance to counter as the Liches kept flying further from him.

{Jax, one more time.}

Jon asked Jax for another distraction.

*Boom* *Boom* *Boom* *Boom*

Another series of explosions sounded by as more important places were set on fire.

Using the millisecond of distraction, Jon redirected himself at the Liches for a counter but they saw that trike before and were ready for him.

Still, it wasn't that simple.

Jon cut his counterattack short and someone else proceeded with it.

[Wrath] took the chance to sneak up as Jon was distracting the Liches and attacked Falkyn.

Falkyn had already lost an arm and could barely defend with his staff. The last Nether Lich was totally Jon's prey now. He saw Jon already so close to him so he turned tail and ran.

"Coward!" Falkyn groaned as his last ally abandoned him in such a tight situation.

Jon waved the chain at the Nether Lich catching it by the neck and the waist then let gravity take its course with a strong pull to spice up the body slam.

The Nether Lich fell and got badly damaged. The Ashen Flame took care of the rest turning the ghastly remains into ectoplasm.

Now, the only remaining Lich was Falkyn. Looking at him, it seemed that [Wrath] alone got him good.

Falkyn was hanging from a large pillar as his staff fell down and was still in the middle of recasting his Levitation Magic. Jon rudely teleported above Falkyn.

He looked down at the Lich who was helplessly hanging with one arm to the edge of the pillar, he leaned down and held Falkyn's hand with a twisted smile.

"Long live the K… no, not that one. Oh! Right, ehem! FUS RO DAH!"

***

Jumping down from the high pillar, Jon landed on the apocalyptic land with the other arm of Falkyn in hand.

"Good job, everyone." He said passing the arm to Jax.

Nefertiti and Wrath appeared as among the pile of bodies that belonged to both the necromancers and the undead.

The undead broken included a large number of Bone Colossuses and a few Flesh Atronachs one of them was very gigantic.

"Who the hell took that down?" Jon asked.

"Team effort." Nefertiti replied.

Seemingly, it was her, Jax and Wrath.

"I've seen one of those abominations once in the Three Fates ESO trailer in my past life. The thing stinks from a closer look." Jon said while kicking the large Flesh Atronach.

He turned around to Nefertiti.

"Where should we go?"

"This way."

Nefertiti turned around as she transformed into the Human Form and walked to the heart of the ruined city. Wrath and Jax followed as the latter threw the Lich's arm away.

In the middle of the Ghost World stood a grand temple with statues of people that resembled beauty, wisdom, justice, motherhood, bravery and all; Jon felt as if he was walking into a Greek temple. Most of the statues were intact but not clean maintained.

If such a realm fell in the hands of someone like Jon, he would have turned it into an incarnation of Olympus but sadly Mannimarco found it and maintained only what gained his interest leaving the rest to rot.

More to that, there were still more living people. Not necromancers but living prisoners, sacrifices of sort for the twisted rituals of the Worm Cult.

Children, women, elders… there was just all of them trapped in cages with nothing to cover their skin with exposing the brutalities they have been through. There were actual living souls in them but they were broken. Those who could talk would mutter words of madness in languages Jon never heard off.

(Aliens.) Shadow said.

"Oh please!"

(Aren't otherworldly beings called Aliens?)

"They are humans… and some other strange races. They are… people from other worlds."

(Which is basically Aliens.)

"Stop it, okay? Just… look at those people. Even the Soul Shriven had hope to fight back, had rags on their bodies and Daedric waste in their bellies. Those people are… I just can't begin to imagine what happened to them."

(Humanity at its best if I am allowed to say.)

"..."

(They are nothing but people who were unlucky enough to venture into the Sea of Chaos between the Universes and get caught by the Cult. The Rifts are the only places were all extraterrestrial species meet after all, just find a way to lure them in.)

"... It is sick."

(And look at you, the Hero who stopped the Evil Cult. As soon as you are done here, the realm will collapse given time. Those people are as good as dead so you can give them a merciful death if you want to or give them time to die.)

"No… they suffered long enough."

It only took Jon one click with his staff on the ground for his imagination to be real. Those who were imprisoned for soul extraction died silently and painlessly.

"Find solace for those who have harmed you have died in pain and more shall follow. Find home and peace beside those you love."

(A prayer? How nice of you! I wonder how would they feel if they know that their torture was prolonged only because of your actions that have led their jailors to a better fuel source leaving them as the emergency backup?)

"And their souls would have ended up as undead puppets forever otherwise?"

(You'll be surprised by the things people like them will trade to end the suffering.)

"I don't ask for understanding or forgiveness or any of that, okay? Just shut up."

True or not, there was a part of the responsibility on Jon's shoulders. He knows he doesn't have to be sorry for everything that gets broken by mistake, he understood the term of collateral damage but even monsters would feel the weight of their sins.

But that all was a reminder that the world is not a game.

He knows it… but reminders are reminders and the lessons of life come only after the tests.

"We are here, Hooman."

Getting pulled back to reality, Jon found himself in the inner sanctum of the temple he walked in, it was a large chamber filled with many weird objects. In front of him were four Nether Liches who looked in a dire condition.

"Hey again." Jon took the lead and aimed his staff forward.

"Stop him at all costs!"

"Together."

Jon ignored the Liches and cast [Eye of Magicka] revealing to him the Phylacteries of those Liches. A bunch of jars, chests, and voodoo objects were highlighted and his sight, by the next second, Jon imagined their destruction and [Pride] did the work.

*Wail* *Scream*

The Liches stopped what they are doing and started disintegrating into nothingness.

The Forces of the Order of the Black Worm in the Ghost World were officially wiped out.

The last remaining thing here was the large vault door and the research materials lying around. Jon gathered the materials as his trophy and pulled out the vault's door with Telekinesis.

Whatever riches behind it was pulled in the Cube without even thinking, some otherworldly treasures included. The most important thing, however, was kept deeper in the vault.

A naked woman restrained from her limbs inside a wall. Her beauty was peerless and her silence was soothing. Jon knew that she is his target.

"Azura."

Jon called but the woman did not respond. Rather, Azura's Star responded instead.

Jon held the Star as it glowed in his hand in many colors. Slowly and smoothly, another woman came out of the Star. She looked exactly similar to the captive woman.

"Perfect! Another Azura." Jon said.

{Not Azura I am, Labourer, but a mere fragment of the self embodying Dusk and Dawn.} The Woman who came from the Star said.

"Still with the same speaking problem I see."

Apparently, both women are Soul Fragments of Azura.

Soul Fragments of the Daedric Princes exist in their Daedric Artifacts. Jon's Sin Artifacts also have Soul Fragments of him.

The Captive Soul Fragment of Azura is the one who inhabited [Azura's Star] before Jon corrupts it. This Fragment was cast away through the voids of Oblivion only to get captured by Mannimarco. By using that Soul Fragment, the Ghost World could draw a great amount of power from a Daedric Prince and fuel the mass production and maintenance of undead.

The Free Soul Fragment of Azura is the one who entered the Star to return it to Azura's control. Now that the original one was found, this Soul Fragment had a job to do.

{Wake up.} She called.

Looking at the Captive Soul Fragment, Jon saw its eyes wide open glaring at him.

Without warning, his heart felt like jumping from its place.

It was clear that this Captive Soul Fragment is royally pissed at Jon at this moment.

The other Soul Fragment hurriedly picked up [Azura's Star] and aimed it at the Captive one.

{Return.}

Yet just like that, this super pissed Soul Fragment was pulled from her chains into the Star. Jon could still feel hostility from the Artifact.

{Usable to you it may not be yet a fine job you have delivered.}

From the looks of it, Jon was allowed to keep the [Azura's Star] in the first place for this moment when he returns what was stolen from Azura. Right now, the star is usable to him as the Soul Fragment in it wants to pull his brains out.

It was okay. Just one Soul Gem that cannot be broken and has a very large capacity.

But most importantly…

"So… my 7th Labour is over?" Jon asked.

Azura's Soul Fragment looked at him as it started fading away with the Star.

{It has just begun.}

~~~~~~~~~~

• P4TRE0N

(Goal: 5 Extra / Next: 6)

pat-reon.com/eldokhmesy (remove - )

•PayPal (+10$ = Extra)

Paypal.me/eldokhmesy

• Extras by Votes: 5000 / 8000

• Discord discord.gg/gKcKva7s

• Twitter @eldokhmesy22


Load failed, please RETRY

Weekly Power Status

Batch unlock chapters

Table of Contents

Display Options

Background

Font

Size

Chapter comments

Write a review Reading Status: C447
Fail to post. Please try again
  • Writing Quality
  • Stability of Updates
  • Story Development
  • Character Design
  • World Background

The total score 0.0

Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
Vote with Power Stone
Rank 200+ Power Ranking
Stone 176 Power Stone
Report inappropriate content
error Tip

Report abuse

Paragraph comments

Login

tip Paragraph comment

Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

GOT IT