The Runic Artist

Nate watched as the eight demons continued to make their way towards him. Unlike the demons of the first trial, who had come on like a horde, fighting each other almost as much as they fought him to be the one to kill him, these eight came on carefully. It was clear they were wary of each other in the way they spaced themselves out, but they weren’t actively fighting each other like some of the horde had. That was only the first obvious difference. The second was a suspicion that he would need them to get closer so he could confirm. He doubted they were only Rare classers. Among the first trial there were a few Epics. Weaker than he would’ve expected. Definitely weaker than Null and Coralie. But still, Epics. The ones coming now were almost certainly Epics. Maybe even Legendary.

His thoughts were interrupted as one of the demons launched a ball of flames at his rune fort. The flames were so vividly red they almost looked like blood. As the flames crashed into his barrier, he felt the mana drop far more than he had expected or hoped. The fire continued to race over the barrier, hungrily consuming the mana. There was a secondary Concept in the flames and it reminded him of the summoning circle used to bring him to this forsaken realm.

Ignoring his curiosity he quickly thought through his problem. He had nine completely filled Legendary processed mana gems. It was obvious from that first attack that he wouldn’t be able to maintain his barrier around his rune fort for long if the demons began bombarding him. He ground his teeth in frustration. It was a choice between losing mana by trying to hold his location or losing mana by constantly using True Teleportation. The former meant losing mana at a far faster rate while the latter meant he ran the risk of Skills that could interfere with his ability to teleport. No good choices. But in the end, standing still was a sure way for him to die while the latter only meant possible death.

Decision made, he recalled his three crafted items. He handed off his Legendary Shadow Prison rune to Frick to use, taking his Legendary Acid Wand for himself and slipping his Legendary Barrier bracer back on. With all his tools ready he grabbed the processed mana gathering array, slipping it into his robe. He could always use True Teleportation to move his processed mana gems in and out of the cube anyway. He left two of the processed mana gems with Frick before nodding to his Spirit.

“Do it,” he said.

Frick instantly began growing as the Familiar’s crazed laughter echoed throughout the valley. My Will, My Way, powered by processed mana, quickly turned his Familiar into a titan, towering over even the largest of the demons. The plan was twofold, firstly, he needed Frick to keep at least a couple of the demons busy. The second part was a momentary distraction as he used True Teleportation to quickly move three times. Each time he appeared only for an instant before moving again as he scanned the eight demons, determining exactly what he was fighting.

Whispering Master of Despair (L) (38) / Whispering Soulspeaker (E) (8)

Greedy Flamebearer (L) (36) / Greedy Inferno Mage (E) (7)

Devouring Fleshshaper (E) (40) / Devouring Hellbeast (R) (6)

Prideful Master of Commands (E) (36) / Prideful Blademaster (R) (10)

Hungry Shadowwalker (E) (33) / Hungry Demonshade (R) (11)

Devouring Mistress of Dreams (E) (37) / Devouring Soulwhisperer (R) (6)

Greedy Master of Blood (L) (31) / Greedy Lifeweaver (E) (11)

Decaying Corruptor of Desires (E) (40) / Decaying Hellbeast (R) (4)

Appearing back at his rune fort, he felt despair enter his heart. Unsure if it was caused by what was almost certainly an impossible fight, or the Master of Despair demon, he altered his barrier, incorporating the soul rune etched into the gauntlet. Instantly the despair lessened, though it didn’t completely leave him as the demons began to truly make their moves.

Frick intercepted the Fleshshaper, two of the demon's four fists growing to the size of a small car as they tried to attack his Familiar. That seemed to be the signal for the rest of the demons to attack as he felt two more attacks against his barrier. Nothing was visible and he knew they were soul attacks. They were followed by a set of three red fireballs and a questing whip of blood. True Teleportation moved him near the Mistress of Dreams, his hand whipping up as he sent forth a glob of acid from his Legendary wand. The processed mana turned the green acid from dangerous to deadly. The Mistress of Dreams’ wail of pain as the lower half of one of her purple arms was melted off staggered everyone in the valley except himself. Even Frick seemed to be affected and the soul attack consumed even more of the mana remaining in his barrier.

He activated True Teleportation again. Disappearing a moment before a flaming gigantic sword cleaved the space he had just occupied. Appearing on the other side of the valley, well away from any demons, he had a moment to take it all in. The Master of Commands' flaming sword had cleaved a perfectly thin line across a third of the valley. Frick was wrestling the Fleshshaper and honestly seemed like he was losing that battle. The Mistress of Dreams had recovered enough to be focused on him again, even with most of an arm missing. Awareness of the Runic Artist warned him as the Shadowwalker appeared behind him but he was still too slow to react. Claws of shadow tore at his barrier and launched him down the hill, bouncing inside of his barrier as he careened towards the Flamebearer. A wall of blood red flames appeared in front of him, attempting to consume him. He quickly teleported past the flames only to be slapped out of the air by a wave of blood that enveloped his barrier.

Slamming into the hillside he spat up blood which instantly flowed, trying to encircle his throat as the viscous liquid was now beyond the confines of his body, allowing the Master of Blood to seize control of it. A quick application of the Mana and Exclusion runes from his robe interrupted the demon's control long enough for Nate to teleport again. Trying to create space he watched the Fleshshaper fly across the valley, crashing into a hillside in a tangle of broken limbs. The flicker of hope he felt died as the body of the Fleshshaper warped, changing shapes even as broken bones and cracked skin reformed.

Frick had taken the opportunity to activate the Shadow Prison rune around the Corruptor of Desire. His Familiar was doing better than he was but that was a small welcome considering how badly outnumbered they were. Even that small success was shattered a moment later as the Shadow Prison failed for the first time he had seen. The Corruptor of Desire stepped out as the shadows around it shattered, a small gem held in one of its yellow hands. The light from the gem was one he knew well. A Devouring Light, far stronger than what he had encountered when he fought Xalvoloth. The vengeful demon had put its claws on the scales of the fight. It had rendered useless one of his few tools.

Grinding his teeth in frustration and pain he teleported again, avoiding another barrage of flame, narrowly avoiding a spear of blood and a flaming sword as he was forced to use True Teleportation a third time in as many seconds. Frick was being battered by the Shadowwalker as the elusive demon seemed to slip around his Familiar like a ghost, raking its claws through Spirit. Every attack sapping the blue goblin of more of the processed mana that was keeping him in the fight.

He was losing, and losing badly. Hopelessly outnumbered he’d only managed to score one hit so far, constantly put on the defensive and finally facing enemies only a tier below him and all at least ten levels above him. Still, if he could hold out a bit longer, perhaps he could create a rune beneath the valley large enough to suppress them all.

He’d already burned fully through one of the processed mana gems, between teleporting, restoring his barrier against the soul attacks and powering his runes. He had five left and his only accomplishment so far was removing a single arm from the Mistress of Dreams. At this rate he was going to die. He tried to think his way out of his problem when he heard his own death knell.

“Let the third trial begin.”

Even the other demons paused as a single golden skinned demon crested the lip of the valley behind him, a golden axe resting on the monster's shoulder. Close enough for him to sense his doom through his sphere of awareness.

Devouring Temporal Executioner (L) (40) / Devouring Temporal Mage (E) (13)

A Legendary user of a higher tier Concept. He felt the looming shadow of death on his soul as he teleported away frantically. It was like snippets of time vanished as he tried to move. In a flash the Temporal Executioner’s axe shattered his barrier, carving halfway through his shoulder before he was able to vanish.

He appeared on the opposite side of the valley and collapsed to his knees, blood streaming down his robe from his carved shoulder wound. He was dead if he didn’t come up with something, and quick. Because he was running out of time. Literally.

*************

Xalvoloth glanced at its contract. A sense of doom hanging over it.

Current Period of Service: 161yrs

Every demon that had died in the first trial had added another year to its period of service. The demons arrayed against the mortal now were even more valuable. If the mortal killed even one, that would be another ten years at least. It already doubted it could survive such a stretch. It would be turned into nothing more than a battery to fuel Lord Sag’thoz’s growth. Even the System wouldn’t intervene, for this was the truth of reciprocity. It had agreed to this. The System would enforce it. Only now could it see how its emotions had driven it to absolute madness. It could have just waited. Continued to labour. It would have achieved Divinity and escaped from Lord Sag’thoz’s clutches. Now it could not leave, even if it wanted to. No more, it begged the multiverse. Let this be an end to the mortal. Surely I have paid enough for my foolishness by now, it hoped.

A cold and uncaring multiverse failed to answer it, even as it heard Lord Sag’thoz announce the beginning of the third trial. Xalvoloth watched as Jazguth entered the valley. The Temporal Executioner would soon break through and become a True Disciple, a Mythic Class holder, the step before Divinity. Even Xalvoloth had been concerned about that day, as Jazguth was the strongest of the next generation among those who served Lord Sag’thoz.

Xalvoloth felt that the multiverse had finally heard its prayers. No mortal could stand before Jazguth. The trial was over. The mortal was dead. He just didn’t know it yet. Xalvoloth stole a look at where the Divinity that even Lord Sag’thoz seemed to fear stood, both sets of arms crossed as the purple being watched on, uncaring. The mortal’s only hope would not interfere. Xalvoloth gave a last breath of thanks to the multiverse before he sensed a well of powerful mana appear within the valley. Eyes swivelled back to mortal as the human cracked open his mana gems.

*************

Nate had run out of ideas. He’d taken stock of everything he had. All his tools and gems. Nothing was going to be enough to get him out of this mess. If he’d had more time maybe he could have crafted a rune big enough to suppress the eight demons. But he was out of time. The Temporal Executioner was so far beyond him he had no hope and no reprieve to prepare. Everything he had done had always been about preparation. From his humble, and honestly foolish, beginnings back in the first Dungeon he’d found himself in, to his first fight against Torian and his second battle against the Berserker that had forced him to kill a human.

The kobold Dungeon had been badly prepared for but his preparations inside, the first rune fort, had ultimately saved them. Then his final battle, if not confrontation, with the demon Xalvoloth. His preparation had again been key, the Shadow Prison allowing him to defeat the demon even after it picked a perfect moment to ambush him. Finally, his most recent accomplishment, defeating Null. A well-trained, excellently funded swordsman with a skillset built around combating mages. And again, his preparations had snatched victory for him. But in this valley, in this trial, there was no time to prepare. No time to adapt. He only had the tools he’d brought with him and though those tools were powerful, he was still being picked apart. He needed to change the rules. Needed to flip the gameboard. And for that, he only saw one option. He was underleveled. The weakest of the demons was twelve levels above him. The strongest, the Temporal Executioner, was twenty-two levels above him. At only one tier below him, that gap felt impossible to bridge. So he just needed more levels. He dropped the processed mana exclusion rune he’d maintained to prevent himself from absorbing the processed mana from the defeated demons. The first gem flowed into him in a wave as he guided it through his Class Core, sending it to his Wandering Runic Artist Class. The Class Core drank the mana before distributing it throughout his body as he levelled himself. The first gem gave him four levels, but that wasn’t enough and a second gem followed, adding another three levels. Still not enough, he thought. A third gems worth of processed mana flowed into him as he pushed his Wandering Runic Artist Class to level forty.

Notifications flashed in front of his eyes and he glanced over them even as the demons began to launch attacks.

Accrued Mana applied to Primary Class.

Level up…

Level up…

…

Level up…

Stats adjusted: +10 Dexterity, +10 Endurance, +20 Intellect, +20 Creativity, +10 Willpower,

+20 Perception, +20 Mana Reserve, +10 Mana Absorption +60 Free Stats

He knew Magic Power was an option for his Free Stats, but he wasn’t using his own mana to fight. He was using the processed mana contained in the gems. Besides, first he had to decide on what Skills to take, as they might affect his choice of Stat. He teleported before another series of attacks could land on him, trying to buy time as he brought up the list of Skill options. This was his only hope.

Skills Available! Please Select 2* Skills.

Class Skill Options:

Runic Sizing (Epic)

Creating runes takes up space, eventually growing until runes can span entire cities. The volume of material is a factor, but runic complexity requires more space to work. This skill allows the user to alter the size of their runes after completion, growing them larger or making them smaller as needed. This Skill allows the user to increase or decrease the size of their runes by 10%. Increases by 1% per Skill Level.

Enhanced Intellect (Epic)

Speed of thought, processing of information, comprehension of knowledge. All of these things are the domain of Intellect, the enhancement of one's mind. From your mind to the multiverse, turn your thoughts in reality. For those lucky few, this Skill increases the user’s Intellect by 5%. Increases by 1% per Skill Level.

Runic Automation (Epic)

A Runecrafter without a golem is like a banker without a pen. This Skill is the first step on the path to your own automaton army. Bound to you by rune and mana they will stand guard over your laboratory for eternity. Runes carved into automatons are 20% more durable, increasing by 1% per Skill Level.

Conceptual Expression (Epic)

Art is ultimately a form of expression. The medium by which you convey your ideas and emotions to the world. You have already proven that your ability to express yourself is not limited to the visual, as you incorporate the underlying Concepts of the multiverse into your artworks. Your art is fundamentally bound to the Concepts of the multiverse. The user of this skill finds the Concepts included in their art to be more powerful representations of the underlying Concepts. Concepts are 10% stronger when included in art, increased by 1% per Skill Level.

Material Shaping (Epic)

An artist is limited by the materials they use to craft, create and express themselves. Paint is only one medium by which ideas can be made manifest. This skill allows the user to mould matter into the shapes they desire at the cost of mana. Mana cost is based upon the tier of the materials being shaped and the volume of matter being shaped. Mana Cost decreases by 1% per Skill Level. Mana cost is further decreased by 10% of the users Intellect.