Midnight Bounties 4 - Chapter 21

“I’m not allowed past this gate, sir,” Butlee said.

I cracked my neck. The few hours of sleep had done wonders to fix me up. My metallic buddy woke me up on time and led us to what he said was the research and development part of IGORF 12, whatever that meant. From what I’d gathered, that would lead us to Morgefah’s chamber, or as Butlee put it, the central administration hub.

“So, you’re staying here?” I asked.

I’d much prefer to have the little helper accompany us. He’d been useful so far and I felt bad for leaving him in that place.

“Artificial lifeforms aren’t allowed this far because we tend to mess things up,” he said jovially. “It was a pleasure, sir. I will miss you so, so much.”

“Well, Butlee. You’ve been a help. Have you ever considered leaving this place?”

“I don’t understand. Where would I go? This is my life.”

Those words made me sad for a change. I patted the thing on its big round head.

“When all this is over, I’m going to take you to Erf.”

“Oh,” Butlee said, standing there for a moment utterly silent, his little lights flickering in different colors.

“My programming will erase all knowledge of this place if I leave.”

“Your what? What does that mean?”

“All Butler units are tied to the central hub, sir. Our security protocols dictate that we delete all information regarding our mission in IGORF 12.”

“So,” I thought for a moment. “Will you still be you?”

“Of course I will be me! I’m happy as long as I’m alive, anywhere, forever!”

I nodded. That would actually work out quite well. I’d save the little guy from this hellish world and he wouldn’t even be able to spill the beans on all the shit going on here. I bet Ragul wouldn’t mind another helping hand.

I grinned. The very idea that I was still thinking about my club despite my current predicament gave me the boost I needed to walk through that gate and do what needed to be done.

The door hissed open, and a wide, metallic corridor spread before us. I tightened my grip on my swords, seeing rows of creatures to each side.

“Statues,” I said to myself and relaxed breathing out. “Alright, Butlee. See you soon, pal.”

“I really, really, really, hope so! Love you!” he said and the door closed behind us, leaving my mouth hanging open.

“Love you,” I uttered to the empty hallway and snorted into a chuckle. I didn’t expect to hear those words in Hell.

I led Wolf down the corridor, admiring the statues to both sides. They looked an awful lot like that maniacal imperial soldier I had met at the entrance, except these had intricate armors and carried a wide array of weapons and shields. They stood proudly, chins up, faces covered by complex helmets, and chests sporting a strange emblem. Five circles arranged in a pentagon and a star-like symbol at the center.

“Five of five,” I whispered, remembering the Quinta chant. “Gods damn it, how did they know?”

I thought on it for a moment. Everything about the Quinta was in fives and Butlee said the Emperor was ruler of the five prime worlds and five realms or something. Did Alevia tell them the truth or something?

“No,” I muttered and grinned.

He had lied as all Gods do. There was no way Alevia told the Quinta about all of this, but still, the coincidence didn’t seem like a coincidence. I shook my head free of the thoughts. There’s been way too many crazy stories in this place, I couldn’t entertain all of them. I had to push on and finish what I started. Then we could sit down and discuss, well, the many truths.

The door at the end of the hallway wasn’t just old, it had scratch marks on it, even some dents and cuts that couldn’t have been caused by time. There was violence here. I could smell it.

“Be ready, boy,” I said, turning to Wolf and realizing the deviltail had already tensed up. He was grumbling softly, baring his teeth. I jumped into my saddle. The door scanned me with that green light and hissed open.

Darkness. Screams. The clatter of feet. Stripes of light shot in all directions bringing the room and its inhabitants into focus.

“Abyssal Rampage, Wolf!” I roared and Wolf roared too.

A dozen or so Imperial Soldiers met us snarling, hissing, screaming like maddened witches. Blue flaming swords and spears came at us running at incredible speed. Their faces twisted into unnatural, insane expressions of hatred.

Wolf charged through the first three or four, flinging one into the air with his head. I sliced down at the nearest cutting it. The hand went flying still clutching its sword. Black blood splattered the others.

My deviltail reached the far wall in three great strides, squashing one of them against it, its entire mid-section exploding in a shower of corrupted intestines and chunks of steel.

One of the creatures jumped on the back of my mount, I raised Mercy to block a downwards swing without turning around, twisted my body and cut through his legs with Traitor. He fell on Wolf’s ass then slid down, leaving a trail of black blood on the deviltail’s armor.

I teleported with (Rift Walk) into a group of five, the blast of the upgraded ability sent one flying, but the others managed to remain on their feet. Blades flashed all around me. Some clanking against my armor, cutting into it. Those bastards were strong. Stronger than most demons I had met in Hell.

I parried three blades crossing Traitor and Mercy above my head. As I opened from the block, I cut the soldier to my right in half from shoulder to guts. Ducked the follow-up by the others, spun in a crouch, and sliced across two sets of knees. Imeprial Soldiers dropped like freshly cut wheat, screaming and snarling.

A spear tore through the armor on my leg and pierced my thigh. Fuck, I didn’t expect them to be so fucking fast. Another Imperial Soldier came flying at me with flaming swords pointing downwards. I barely had time to raise Traitor and block.

Wolf jumped over me and caught the flying bastard mid-air then crashed into two more skidding across the metallic floors and leaving a long trail of black blood.

Well done, buddy.

The two he brought down with him got back on their feet as Wolf was shaking off the third. With my (Rift Walk), I appeared behind the first, slicing at an angle. Traitor crit as it hit the head pulverizing it, Mercy sliced through its abdomen.

Before the other one could react, I bashed my fist into its filthy mouth twice, turning it into mush. Another screaming cunt came from my side. I stabbed Traitor into the one in front of me, leaving the blade inside then grabbed onto my belt, pulled Silencer out and flung it in the incoming pissdrinker’s face. The axe caught him in the throat and sent him off his feet.

I pulled Traitor free from the other guy as the last four were coming at me, and dashed forward with both blades at the ready. I leaped into the air, spun like a steel tornado, tore through the swords and spears, and turned two of them into minced meat.

Wolf bashed into the one flanking them, flung him up in the air, and jumped after him, biting down on his head. The whole upper section of the Imperial Soldier disappeared in the deviltails mouth. He crashed down and spat out the mangled remains.

I was so entertained by that, I ate a burning sword to my face. Luckily the (Demon Skin) protected me enough for it to only be a shallow cut.

“Motherf—”

I grabbed the last one by the wrist, pulled him towards me and headbutted him in the face, kicked him away, and finally sliced his legs, arm, and head off in three quick swings. Black blood splattered my armor and face.

“Finish them,” I told Wolf, pointing at the legless soldiers who were crawling toward us. Wolf happily obliged, squashing their heads beneath his weight, popping skulls, and spraying brain matter onto the metallic floor.

“That was fucking wild,” I said, wiping the thick black ooze off my face.

My leg hurt and my face felt sore. I would heal through it with the help of my class bonuses, but it was a reminder that despite my insane new powers, I was still very much a mortal.

The experience came in droves. I got 3,000 experience points for every kill, totaling at 39,000 and then the bonus.

[KILLING SPREE BONUS]

[DESCRIPTION: Kill three or more enemies in quick succession during PvP to gain bonus experience per kill]

[Enemies killed: 13]

[BONUS EXPERIENCE: 1,000 x13]

[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE LEVELED UP!]

[SPELLMONGER LEVEL: 69]

[You have gained +2 STAMINA stat]

[You have gained +2 STRENGTH stat]

[You have gained +2 AGILITY stat]

[You have gained +1 INTELLECT stat]

[SPELLMONGER CLASS EXPERIENCE: 3,200/52,000]

“Another fight, another level. Damn.”

I was closing in on the upper threshold. I knew Garret was around level 70, but had no idea what level Castelian was. He couldn’t be that far off, either.

As the killing settled, I took a look around the room. There was something off since I had entered but I had little time to take it in.

“What in the holy shit is that?” I said with a grimace.

It wasn’t just that purple tentacles grew across the walls like some sort of fleshy ivy, or that they oozed the same black shit the Imperial Soldiers did when I opened them, it was the fact there were two skeletons chained to the ceiling and looking down at me. They must have been really old because much of the bones were missing. They had no armor or clothes, those must have deteriorated a long time ago. Even so, I noticed a similarity between the two. The skulls, mostly in tact, had a destroyed eye socket, as if something tore one of their eyes out.

I swallowed.

“Spellmongers,” I whispered, feeling a sense of unease wash over me.

I was wondering when I’d come across signs of my predecessors. The rotted weapon shaft in the arena was probably the first indicator, but I couldn’t have been sure. These two, however? Yeah, those were my kin from who knew what century. A fucked up way to go, a fucked up way to be remembered. But there was nothing for me to do about it.

“Come, Wolf. We have more work to do,” I said, wanting to leave the place as soon as possible. I kicked one of the dead Imperial Soldiers on my way to the next gate. What were these creatures? It was clear to me they were guards, and very capable ones at that, but how did they survive all those eons? And what did they do with their time, anyway? They were conscious enough to fight with unquestionable fervor, they used immense skill, speed, and strength too. And yet, they’d been in that mostly empty room for all that time doing exactly what?

“Probably getting each other off, those ugly bastards,” I muttered, waiting for the door at the far wall to open.

It did open, though shakily and with a great metallic creak. At one point it almost stopped as if the mechanism behind it was too rusty to pull it up. A loud horn-like sound bellowed from within and instead of the white lights snaking throughout the place, a flashing red met me.

An alien voice spoke in that same strange language I heard in the arena repeating a short phrase several times. I heard the stomping of feet. Metal against metal. Great heavy footsteps that could have belonged to a troll or a fautar.

Two large creatures came sprinting towards me both with shields and spears in their hands. Their frame was twice the size of the Imperial Soldiers I had slaughtered only minutes before.

I quickly stepped back into the large room and prepared for the worst. My left leg was still aching and I had to be careful not to force it too much while the flesh was still knitting itself together.

The two towering creatures that came through the gate were impressive. They were clad in deteriorating golden armor entwined with their own flesh just like the Imperial Soldiers. Great shoulder guards with heads of a bird-like creature made them look even wider than they already were. Long gold red cloaks, torn in many places, flapped behind them. Their faces were hidden behind long gold visors.

The creatures spoke no words, they didn’t scream or hiss like their smaller counterparts, and just came at me with a force I was not entirely prepared for.

The shot forward in a storm of incredibly powerful jabs, clanking against Traitor and Mercy, sending sparks every which way. I had no room for my own attacks. I was immediately forced on defending myself.

Wolf came charging into the side of the left one, his head bashing into the large shield. A sort of magical field flickered on impact. The golden fighter brushed the attack off, slammed his shield into the deviltail’s head, and thrust his spear forward, stabbing into Wolf’s side. My trusty mount jumped away, fear apparent in its eyes.

“Here!” I roared grabbing its attention. “I’m your enemy!”

I came at the attacker with a flurry of attacks, some he parried, others blocked. Those that went through clanked against the armor and made his magic shield flicker, but I didn’t do any damage.

I used (Rift Walk) to create some distance, but as if sensing where I’d appear, the two turned about and rushed at me.

One of the spears almost took my ear while I parried the other. My frustration was growing with each unsuccessful attack. What even were these bastards?

“Die, you fucks!” I roared, swinging both Traitor and Mercy directly at the shield of the right one. The impact was tremendous, sending a blastwave across the room that sent body parts of the Imperial Soldiers flying. The shield cracked, the lower part dropping onto the metallic floor with a loud clank. I used the opportunity to cast another (Rift Walk) and appeared at the other end of the room.

“Now we begin!” I used (Morgefah’s Favor) to double my damage and lower my defense slightly. These were walking fortresses, staying defensive would just drain my strength.

The two charged at me in unison, and I ran at them in return. Just before we met, I flung silencer at the left one, he raised his shield just enough to deflect the axe. I used (Rift Walk) to appear in his face while his shield was down, then stuck Traitor into his neck, pulled it out, ducked a swing of his fist, pivoted on my heel, and rammed Mercy into his back.

The giant creature dropped to one knee.

Just as I was about to finish him off, the second one shielded him from my execution. Using my momentum, I leaped off my good leg and kicked him in the head. He staggered backward, his shield slightly raised. I flung Mercy into his open chest, pulled out my Star Wraith, and stuck it into the kneeling bastard’s neck, and pulled. The magic shield shimmered, cracked, blood shot out of the wound.

One down.

Not losing a breath, I tackled the one with Mercy in his chest to the ground using all of my strength. He grabbed for my throat, I grabbed for the handle of my sword with one hand, and onto his arm with the other.

“Fucking…die!” I growled, raising Mercy just enough to stab him between the shoulder guard and his neck, once, twice, and then with the third time I shoved the sword into his mouth. He was still squirming on the floor, trying to get up. The magic shield flickering, crackling like mad as blood sprayed the floor.

I swung Traitor with both hands down on his face, cracking the visor and cutting his skull in half. I heard the crackle of DREADFIRE spreading through his insides, causing havoc through the bastard’s body. He finally stopped moving and I dropped on my ass, breathing hard.

“Ugly sons…Sons of hellish…Fucking shit!”

I only glanced at my Deeproot.

[You have slain a Level 72 IMPERIAL PRAETORIAN]

[You have slain a Level 72 IMPERIAL PRAETORIAN]

[You have received 20,000 experience points toward your SPELLMONGER CLASS]

[SPELLMONGER CLASS EXPERIENCE: 23,200/52,000]

I looked to Wolf who was licking his wound in the corner. Blood still oozed out of it. I quickly got up and unpacked a healing potion from the vaultpack on his sides. I sprayed some on his wound and made him drink the rest, then opened one for myself and drank it. It would help speed up my recovery though my leg hurt even more after that performance.

“You’re alright, boy,” I said, patting him on the nose.

Wolf seemed to have calmed down a bit as the effects of the potion took hold. The encounter shook me a bit, I had to admit. The Imperial Soldiers were tough, but they died without me having to use most of my abilities. Just a bit of extra caution and a clear head, but these things? They required proper handling. I had become a bit careless putting a lot of stock in my new powers and levels.

I walked back to the two dead fucks and kicked one of them for good measure.

“You die just the same, you cunts. You hear me? I won’t end up like those two up there on the ceiling!” I yelled to the empty room.

“And what’s this anyway,” I said picking up one of the spears. It was heavy and polished. The handle seemed to be as tough as any metal the duergar could hammer together with red and gold meandering up to the tip. The blade was thin and crackled with power.

[ITEM: Praetorian’s Justice]

[DESCRIPTION: The weapon of the Imperial Praetorian is imbued with the powers of Harzen Smiths from Geneda III.]

[PROPERTIES: +4 Spear Proficiency, +7 strength, +7 agility, +5 stamina]

[MAGICAL PROPERTIES: Each successful attack increases attack speed by 5% up to 50%.]

“Eh, not bad, not great,” I said, somewhat disappointed.

I still packed it away thinking of a certain someone to whom I would give it if I ever managed to kill my way through that hellhole. The shields were sadly destroyed beyond repair and the armor, well it was melted into their flesh so there was that.

“You feeling alright, Wolf?” I said, grabbing the reins.

He stuck his tongue out and licked me.

“A nod is enough,” I said wiping my face and smiling. I looked back at the gate and the flashing red lights lighting up the corridor we were supposed to go through.

“Research and development it is, then.”