Midnight Bounties 4 - Chapter 19

I put up my (Demon Skin) and clutched Traitor and Mercy hard, already expecting the worst when the second door hissed open. Another waft of decaying air blew through me and Wolf and out the corridor we came through. At first, there was only blackness and the sense of a great open space before me.

Then, a soft chime rang in the distance that made both Wolf and me tense up. More snaking lights suddenly spread from the door we came through and branched in every direction, lighting up a vast hall. It took a moment for my dumb Sankta Varathian brain to comprehend what I was looking at.

It was a round hall, a rotunda of sorts with weirdly small seats spreading and cascading across most of the wall. It felt as if I had entered the sands of an arena and that didn’t help calm my nerves at all. The ceiling was a grand dome of dark blue and green dotted with lights that represented a constellation of stars. I was no scholar, believe it or not, so I had no idea what it was supposed to represent. And even if I were, time had eaten away at big parts of it rendering the scenery unreadable. More loose leathery pipes and tentacles or whatever they were hung loosely out the holes in the ceiling.

The walls were a shiny, polished white with golden stripes meandering into more strange symbols. What caught my eye the most though were the giant paintings hanging off the walls representing strange creatures in lavish clothing, or even stranger cities of twisting towers and bulbous structures. There was a sense of magnitude, of nobility in that place. None of it screamed Dark Lord, evil doings, violent sacrifice, war or death, and all the other things associated with Morgefah.

“What do you make of this, Wolf?” I said, slowly moving to the center of the podium in whose direction the seats were turned. Parts of the ceiling were strewn across it, debris, rusted metal and dust. I looked around to find some sort of marking that would point me onward, but the room, despite its grandiosity had that same sterile feeling to it like the rest of the fortress.

“Shit,” I muttered, seeing something among the large rotting plates. Stuck between the heavy steel debris was the handle of a weapon. The shaft was white and carved from some sort of resilient bone. It took some strength to pull it out and when I did, I realized it was missing the head. It might have been a hammer or an axe, but now it was just a fragile bone stick.

I checked the surrounding and noticed several dark spots where something had been spilled a long freaking time ago. Perhaps blood, or oil, or something worse. Could it have been a previous spellmonger who died there? Everything about the place seemed entirely alien to me.

As I stepped onto a slightly elevated platform of sorts in the center, another chime sounded across the place and I turned around, tensing up and readying myself for another one of those screaming bastards, but something entirely different happened.

Strange lights began forming in the in front and above me. I took a few steps back, staying close to Wolf. Slowly the lights took on forms. They coalesced into screens and menus not unlike those we had in our Deeproot, but more complex and filled with those strange letters.

A soft female voice rang across the rotunda, speaking in a language I couldn’t make out. I tightened my grip on my swords and looked around, but nothing was happening.

The voice spoke again, and though I had no idea what it was saying, it seemed as it repeated the same words. There was a sort of inflection at the end of it that almost sounded like a question.

“I have no idea what you’re saying. What are you? Who are you?”

Another chime rang out and the voice spoke again.

“Language, human. Amalgamation of English, Mandarin and Spanish with elements of…Calculating: seventy-three more human languages, six dwarven languages. Three elven dialects. One drow language. Name: Common. Adapted.”

“What?”

“Species: humanoid. Origin: cannot calculate. Amalgamation of human, orc, gnome and dwarf. Minor genetic elements of eleven more species present. Name: Frank Gerber…Midnight. Class: Unknown. Error. Cannot calculate class.”

“Species: Deviltail. Origin: cannot calculate. Amalgamation of Haratian canine, Terran canine, Clantic Reptilian. Minor genetic elements of four-hundred more species present. Name: Wolf. Class: Mount.”

“What the fuck is going on? Show yourself!”

Yet another chime rang and at this point I was certain some kind of shitshow was about to start.

“Welcome!” The voice said cheerfully. “You have been selected for tonight’s entertainment! Congratulations! Now bow before your Gods.”

Like an idiot, I looked around for the aforementioned gods, but luckily only empty seats looked back at me.

“Entertainment? I’ll show you ent—”

Suddenly, a green beam of light appeared a few feet to my left and I jumped off the platform and braced for whatever.

As the beam dissipated, black outlines of a creature took form, and I almost lost my shit when I realized what I was looking at. The voice spoke again,

“Species: Jaggadar. Origin: Orgakorga. Genetic code: Clean. Enjoy!”

“A Jaggadar,” I muttered not believing what I was looking at.

The Jaggadar was the sacred beast of the orcs. A monster that terrified the orcs as much as it inspired them. I had so far only seen paintings of it, but never the real thing.

The Jaggadar roared, shaking the entire hall. Its head resembled that of a crocodile only much larger with teeth the size of daggers. It walked on two massive green legs covered with a white bone armor above which a hulking torso sat with four arms, two of which ended in long deadly scythes.

“Wolf, get out of here,” I said looking over my shoulder. My deviltail didn’t need to hear it. The poor thing was already cowering in the corner.

The orcish holy beast narrowed its burning yellow eyes at me, snarled baring its terrifying teeth, then charged stomping through the debris.

Just before it reached me, I vanished with my (Rift Walk), and appeared to its side cutting at its leg with Mercy. The blade barely sunk into the meat, leaving only a shallow cut.

The monster hissed, swung its scythe at me, and I jumped back creating some distance, then fired the full force of (Dark Embrace) at it. The four orbs detonated across its body, tearing into the armor. Chunks of bone and meat flew across the arena, some landing on the seats. Part of its neck was torn out.

“You’re not too bad,” I said, grinning.

My enthusiasm was quickly dented when I realized the wounds were almost immediately beginning to grow back together. New sinew, arteries, and muscle formed and reformed so quickly it felt like someone had sped up reality.

“Motehrfu—”

The beast bellowed and sprayed deadly green ooze out of its massive maw. I wasn’t ready for that. I managed to roll away, but some stuck to my armor where it hissed and burned. With all the defensive powers I had, I was lucky it didn’t go entirely through because I could easily imagine it melting my bones.

“Fine, let’s get to it then!” I roared and activated (Morgefah’s Fervor), pumping up all of my damage by a 100%. A purple aura surrounded me, shedding the arena in its light. The Jaggadar must have sensed something because it slightly flinched before it sent another wave of toxic slag my way. I rolled away, ready this time, then flung Silencer, my one-handed axe at it. It stuck to its chest, interrupting the ranged attack. The beast seemed confused, trying to blow more of its ooze out but all it did was give off a weak cough.

I used (Rift Walk) to close the distance again, appearing at its side once more. This time I swung both Traitor and Mercy with such force it cut through its leg and sent the Jaggadar keeling over to the other side. It landed with a thud, swinging its scythes and arms. Debris came loose off the ceiling from the impact landing near us.

I wasted no time, jumping on top of it, cut off its arm, then the scythe before using (Rift Walk) to get away before it could grab and crush me with the other hand.

The monster flailed on the ground for a short moment before a new leg, arm, and scythe sprung from the wounds and knitted the thing back together. I was so impressed by the creature all I did was look on like a dazed idiot.

“Oh, fuck you,” I yelled.

The Jaggadar roared then charged at me even angrier than ever before. I let it come this time, it’s maw wide open, the teeth threatening to snap me in half. Just as it was about to tear into me I used (Rift Walk) a third time to appear above it with Mercy and Traitor in each. The Jaggadar turned its neck with a surprised expression, as much as such a monster could be surprised. I stabbed Traitor into its left shoulder and Mercy in the right then jumped off its back and somersaulted on the ground.

The Jaggadar roared in pain, trying to reach the swords in its back.

“Uncomfortable, are we?” I said, grinning.

It shook and flailed trying to do something, anything that would dislodge the embedded swords.

“Time to die,” I hissed through clenched teeth.

I pulled out my Star Wraith, used (Rift Walk) one final time, and appeared on its back with my feet on the handles of my swords. I stabbed down the jagged edge of the Star Wraith deep into its skull. Bone met bone, and something cracked. The Jaggadar howled, staggered to one side, then the other as more debris came raining of the ceiling. Its knees gave in and it dropped to the ground, breathing shallowly. Another burst of the toxic shit came oozing out of its mouth, splattering the metallic floor. Finally, its head dropped into the green puddle and the thing died. Properly this time.

I pulled free my swords then the dagger and looked at it with a smile.

“Fashioned from the tooth of the sacred Jaggadar beast,” I said, remembering the words of Sharka, the late leader of the Loco Bruego. “Stops all regeneration. Ironic, isn’t it?” I said, kicking its head.

[You have slain a Level 67 JAGGADAR BEAST]

[You have received 22,000 experience points toward your SPELLMONGER CLASS]

[SPELLMONGER CLASS EXPERIENCE: 31, 200/41,000]

Now that was the single greatest chunk of experience I had ever received. Funny thing? It wasn’t even that difficult.

“Brilliant! Congratulations!” the voice echoed.

“Yeah, fuck yourself,” I said and sunk Star Wraith into the Jaggadar’s mouth, prying free the teeth.

“Targa is going to fucking love this,” I said, straining to pull more shiny whites.

“Look to your masters, they are enthralled.”

I glanced at the empty seats where my alleged masters were supposed to sit then got back to the dental work. I managed to pry three teeth out before the entire thing suddenly collapsed into itself and made me jump away. Within seconds, nothing was left of the Jaggadar beast but the bloodied fangs in my hand. I snapped my fingers and Wolf ran up to me so I could stash my findings into one of the vaultpacks on his back.

“No wounds detected. Specimen is ready to continue,” the voice said and my heart sank at that.

“No, the specimen is not fucking ready to continue, you bitch!”

“Species: Satyr. Origin: Ungus Humangus Falius VII. Genetic code: Clean. Enjoy!”

“Satyr? And what the hell is Falius six? Are you shitting—”

The same green light appeared, and I was not nearly as tense as before. Why would I be? I could kill satyr by the cartful. I grinned as they brought down my next enemy.

As the light dissipated, though, I suddenly wasn’t so sure of myself anymore.

“What the fuck is that thing? That’s no satyr, you lying bitch!”

The thing before me was twice my size in width and height. Musclebound and hulking with arms like tree trunks. It had some attributes of a satyr, it was hairy alright, it had hooves, but those horns on its giant head were sharp and deadly, its mouth full of sharp fangs and its claws long and black. The worst thing? Aside from the six huge milkers with golden nipple rings, that is, was the fact it didn’t have the decency to cover its crotch like Spiff, but not only did I have to look at that monstrous dong, it stood hard and upright pointing threateningly at me.

“Good Gods,” I muttered. “This is a fucking nightmare.”

The hellish vision of a satyr licked its lips with a forked tongue keeping eye contact with me all the while, then grabbed onto its john and laughed raucously.

I grimaced. How could Tyfus even consider screwing around with its kind?

The satyr suddenly vanished into a puff of smoke. I felt it appear behind me, but I was too slow. One clawed hand landed on my shoulder and the horrifying sensation of its bejeweled tickle badger coming up between my legs left me frozen for a moment.

Before the horror scenario unfolded, I bashed my elbow into is ribs and jumped away. The satyr groaned and chuckled then vanished again. I swung Traitor and Mercy blindly around me thinking it might catch him as he uncloacked near me, but the thing was smart. Wolf roared from the side and as if I could understand him, I looked up and saw the satyr’s stink fish coming at me. I used (Rift Walk) to evade as the satyr plummeted down where I stood a moment ago, then vanished a third time.

I appeared near the middle of the platform and looked around frantically. He was in stealth somewhere.

“Show yourself so I can feed you your own dick, you little piece of—”

A couple of marbles suddenly rolled in front of me, before I could react, they exploded, sending me flying through the arena and bashing my back against the wall. I came sliding down when the satyr appeared before me again. He caught me by the neck, his tongue smacking me across the face.

“Ah, fucking…disgusting.”

I managed to kick him in the throbknob hard enough for the satyr to squeal and back off as I landed on my feet again. I wiped my face and spat on the floor.

“Enough of this shit!” I roared but there was more shit coming my way.

Another marble rolled across the floor, exploded in a huge puff of smoke that blanketed the entire arena in grey fog. Something shot my way from my left, a tentacle kind of thing, though I sadly knew what it really was. It curled around my throat hard and I dropped my swords trying to pry it away.

“Wolf!” I roared and then heard him stomping through the debris as the satyr laughed in the distance.

“Bite!” The deviltail sunk his deadly teeth into the flesh and the satyr cried out. His elongated front tail slung off me. I used (Rift Walk) to where the sound of his voice was coming from, then bashed my fist into the bastard’s face with all my strength.

His pork pipe snapped back into its place as he fell backwards and hit his head against the floor. I jumped the horny nightmare creature and bashed its face in with my knuckles until it was nothing but bloody puss and gore.

“Fucking shit, shit pissing motherfucker! What is this fucking circus? Stop fucking with me!”

I breathed hard and angrily wiped my hands against my armor.

“What the hell, man? What! The! Hell?”

I could deal with demons and monsters and zombie imperial soldiers, but this? What was this?

[You have slain a Level 66 PRIMAL SATYR]

[You have received 13,000 experience points toward your SPELLMONGER CLASS]

[CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE LEVELED UP!]

[SPELLMONGER LEVEL: 67]

[SPELLMONGER CLASS EXPERIENCE: 3,200/45,000]

[You have gained +1 STAMINA stat]

[You have gained +2 STRENGTH stat]

[You have gained +2 AGILITY stat]

[You have gained +1 INTELLECT stat]

BASIC INFORMATION

NAME

Frank Midnight

RACE

Human

CLASS

Spellmonger

LEVEL

65

STATUS INFORMATION

STRENGTH

93

STAMINA

88

AGILITY

87

INTELLECT

99

“Amazing! Congratulations!” the voice rang through the rotunda.

“No, fuck you! Enough of this. I’m done! Wolf, let’s get moving to one of those doors upstairs. I’m not going to spend another minute—”

“Your Gods are mighty satisfied with your performance! Well done!”

I wasn’t going to stand there and wait as that bitch sent more and more shit my way. I had to find Morgefah or the souls or both. Something had to give.

“No wounds detected. Specimen ready to continue.”

“No! Enough, let’s go!” I jumped on Wolf’s back and made my way to the stairs leading behind the aisles of seats when that cursed whore spoke again.

“Species: Humna. Origin: Earth. Genetic Code: Clean.”

I stopped and turned around feeling my feet go cold.

“Humans don’t come from earth. We’re born, you bitch!”

The green light appeared again. I looked to the door, then back down at the arena and clenched my teeth. My stupid curiosity wouldn’t let me move.

As the light took form, I saw five figures appear. They were indeed human, perhaps a bit frailer than the average Sankta Varathian. They looked plenty pale, too, kind of piggish and they were a bit short, but still. I guess you could call them humans.

“Don’t even try,” I said.

The humans looked up at me, each clothed differently and sporting widely differing weapons. One had a bow and arrow and was painted in tribal colors like an island elf. The second one had dark armor made of some kind of wood with a long thin blade he seemingly could use very well. The third wore sandals for some reason, but the rest of his armor was decent bronze with red outlines. The fourth one again had some kind of leather and wood armor with a long spear and shield and the fifth, well that one I couldn’t really figure out. He was wearing some kind of cloth armor in green, brown and yellow. Perhaps some kind of camouflage? At least that helmet looked kind of sturdy, but that weapon? Some kind of black stick he was pointing at me.

“Who are these clowns?”

The fifth guy’s weapon boomed, cutting off any more questions, and sparks erupted across my armor as some kind of magic projectiles bounced against it. I rolled my eyes and spurred Wolf on.

The other four braced to stop me with the spear guy in front. I simply swiped it away as we approached.

“Wolf, (Abyssal Rampage)!” I yelled and the deviltail blasted through the five, releasing dark energy which sent the fragile humans flying and slamming against the walls and landing in the debris.

I stopped my mount short of hitting the wall myself and turned around. Only the guy with the weird stick was still standing, his legs shaking and his face even paler than before. The others were strewn every which way, having lost limbs and in one particular case, a head. Blood was everywhere, especially on the last guy standing. These were humans? No fucking way. Sankta Varathian children had more fortitude than that.

“Can you speak?” I said.

The guy muttered some words of which I could only understand one, the word ‘please’.

“Shit,” I said, trying to figure out what to do. “Hey, don’t do it, man,” I said, realizing he was pointing that black stick at me with shaky hands again.

Surely, it boomed again. I used (Rift Walk) to close the distance and took his head with Traitor. Another mistake. The crit made the poor fellow burst like a bag of blood covering Wolf and me.

[You have slain a Level 70 ROMAN SOLDIER]

[You have slain a Level 70 HAN DYNASTY SOLDIER]

[You have slain a Level 70 CHEROKEE SOLDIER]

[You have slain a Level 70 SAMURAI]

[You have slain a Level 70 COWBOY]

[You have received 25,000 experience points toward your SPELLMONGER CLASS]

[KILLING SPREE BONUS]

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

[Enemies killed: 5]

[BONUS EXPERIENCE: 1,000 x 5]

[SPELLMONGER CLASS EXPERIENCE: 33,200/45,000]

“Those were level 70?” I barked. “You people got it all wrong and you call yourself Gods. Bloody idiots is what you—”

I stopped myself. I was angry, after all after slaughtering a bunch of people I had no quarrel with. This place was ugly in more ways than one.

“Fantastic! Congratulations!” I looked up and around, trying to figure out where the voice was coming form.

“You know what? I don’t care. I’m out. Wolf, let’s go.”

“Your overlords are only mildly amused! Too bad!”

“I. Don’t. Care!”

I couldn’t even imagine what that entailed, but I wasn’t going to stick around and find out.

“Morgefah, if you can hear me, stop this shit. You want me to reach you? Then help me get the hell out of—”

“A break is in order. Would the hallowed guests join us in the lounge area for a feast made in the fashion of the Five Prime Worlds?”I flinched hearing a hissing sound. One of the doors upstairs had opened. The largest one.

“Specimen Frank Midnight Gerber, you may rest in the healing chamber until we call upon you again.”

Suddenly, a fragment of the arena wall opened.

“You will be escorted by Imperial Soldiers, so please behave yourself.”

I narrowed my eyes on the opening in the wall, expecting more of those crazy creatures to burst out but nothing happened. I eyed the large gate upstairs again, then used (Rift Walk) to port Wolf and myself.

“I’m good, thank you,” I said, making my way to where their hallowed guests were supposed to go. What a fucking shitshow.