Gunther aimed for the Behemoth’s head and fired with deadly precision. But the abomination shielded its face with its bulky arms, deflecting the iron pellets. “It looks like you have a tough hide.” Realizing that normal rounds were never going to be able to penetrate the Behemoth’s thick skin, Gunther reloaded his gun with magic bullets. The rifle went off with a loud bang as the coachman fired again. This time his shots hit the Behemoth in its bloated belly, squishing one of the eyeless faces growing under its navel. The Behemoth shrieked and stumbled back. Inside the carriage, the priestess was trying her best to get the chambermaid to follow her, but she was too terrified to step outside. “I don’t want to be eaten alive. We can’t go out there…That monster will see us!” the chambermaid quivered, trembling from head to toe. “Let’s pray to the Goddess. I know she will save us.” The priestess grabbed the chambermaid’s hand and tried to pull her from her seat. “Listen to me, child
The hungry Behemoth opened its gaping maw, revealing its dirty white teeth, and reached down to grab the knight trapped under the dead horse. “Get away from me, you vile abomination!” the knight shouted as he stabbed the Behemoth’s palm with his backup dagger. But it meant nothing to an undead creature of its stature. Its insensitivity to pain made it completely ignore this blow. It lifted the dead horse and tossed it away before grabbing hold of the knight. “Aghh! Let go of me!” As the knight realized he was about to become the Behemoth’s next meal, he turned his head to look at Tanya. “Run, my Lady!” Tanya opened her eyes, and the scene unfolding before her sent shivers down her spine. Her heart thumped inside her chest, and she felt she would faint at any moment. The Behemoth lifted the knight high in the air and tilted its head back. A pit of razor-sharp teeth awaited underneath, waiting to rip the Behemoth’s fleshy meal to shreds. “How can this be? I believe in you, Goddess
Out of all the fights Ezra had been in, this had to be the most challenging one. Few Gunners had ever encountered a Behemoth, and even fewer could boast of slaying one. The abomination would have continued slaughtering every person it could find on the highway and eventually reached the gates of Aranor if it hadn’t been stopped. Ezra had not only slain the Behemoth, but done so just in time to save Tanya. And what sweetened this deal was the added reward of unlocking a Gunner’s most useful skill: Bulletproof Armor. But before checking his skills and items, Ezra decided to help the girl he had just saved. He walked up to Tanya while she was still shivering on the ground and offered his hand. Judging by her fine silk gown and delicate features, Ezra realized that she belonged to one of the noble families. But he still had no idea that this was the Count’s daughter he had just saved. “Come on. It’s over now. The Behemoth’s dead,” Ezra said, offering his hand to Tanya. The knight ly
A veil of ashen clouds had darkened the skies over Aranor and its adjoining areas, shading the midday sun and drenching the land in an unnatural darkness. Ezra looked up; expecting it to rain, but what fell from the dimly lit sky was a tarry black liquid. “What on earth is this?” he questioned, staring at the black droplets as they dripped from his open palm. “Ishani is crying. She knows her children are in grave peril,” the priestess proclaimed in a prophetic voice, her eyes staring blankly at the gathering clouds. “We must reach her shrine as soon as possible!” Aurelia picked Tanya up on her stallion and instructed the mercenaries to gather the supplies scattered on the road. “I am sorry we did not bring a carriage, my Lady. I actually had no idea you were going to be here,” Aurelia apologized as she turned her horse around and prepared to ride back to town. Ezra was about to climb onto the last horse when he spotted Gunther’s double-barreled rifle lying at the side of the r
Sister Nymeria accompanied Tanya to Ishani’s shrine, but Count Gressil was requested to stay back as they did not feel it was a good idea to allow non-believers in the Goddess’ presence.Even Aurelia was told to wait outside in the general prayer hall, and the only ones permitted to enter the inner sanctum were Sister Nymeria and Tanya. Inside the inner sanctum, the High Priest had his head bowed over the altar, and Ramel was nowhere to be found. “Father Varya, are you alright?” the priestess asked, touching him lightly on his shoulder. “What ails you?”The High Priest turned around with a jerk, his lifeless gray eyes staring into hers. “Sister…Nymeria. Welcome to the abode of our Goddess. You have traveled quite far. I hope this is your final destination.”Sister Nymeria stepped back, as a sense of uneasiness washed over her body. “You do not seem alright, Father. Where are the other priests?”“I instructed them to go to the neighboring villages and distribute alms to the poor. The
As the sun set upon the western horizon, casting its dying rays on Ishani’s shrine, Tanya opened her eyes in Sister Nymeria’s lap.“The Goddess is in pain. She has seen terrible things,” she spoke in a feeble voice. Her magic power had been drained by the ritual and she felt exhausted.Sister Nymeria slowly helped her to a bowl of cold water from the fountain of Erelor. She drank it in little fervent sips, and it gradually restored her strength.“You have strained yourself beyond your limits, my Lady. The Goddess spoke through you, but it took a great toll on your delicate body. You need to rest,” Sister Nymeria expressed her concern in a motherly voice, gently helping Tanya sit up straight.“How can I rest now that I know our people are in danger?” Tanya asked. “The dead will walk upon these blessed lands unless we find a way to stop Zepheroth’s chosen.”Despite Sister Nymeria’s several entreaties to rest a while, Tanya decided to meet with the four families first and disclose all th
The festivities continued outside while the nobles from the four great families returned to their lodgings to rest for a while and change into traditional attire for the midnight celebrations.As soon as they returned home, Aurelia went up to Ramel’s room to check on his health. She knocked thrice and was about turn the knob when one of the maids opened the door, allowing her to step inside.Ramel was lying on his bed with nothing but a loose silk robe on his bare body. He was sweating profusely and an old man was applying a yellow herbal paste to his chest and frequently wiping Ramel’s forehead with a moist towel soaked in the icy cold water from the fountain of Erelor.“What happened at the shrine? Did you see any—”Aurelia stopped midway as the old man turned around and looked at her. It was none other than Arch Maester Zang Wu Ling.“What on earth are you doing here? Who called you?” Aurelia asked, fixing her questioning gaze upon his face.Zang Wu turned away while mumbling, “I a
Jasenki did not return to his lodgings but went straight to the merchant’s guild to meet with Yarpin Dale and request him to procure enchanted bullets and firearms from his secret supplies and contacts.Meanwhile, Lord Sebastian decided to spend the night beside his ailing elder son.This left Ezra and Aurelia alone to discuss the upcoming hunt and make the necessary arrangements for tomorrow.Aurelia was firmly against Ezra’s idea of fighting the griffin alone. And if it were in her hand, she would have never allowed him to embark on such a perilous quest. But, Ezra had already raised the stakes to challenge Jasenki and there was no way for him to back out of this mess.“I don’t know what you were thinking, brother, but hunting a griffin all alone is a terrible idea. Most E-level Gunners would crap their pants just at the sight of that thing,” Aurelia began in an anxious tone, but it quickly changed to inquisitive. “I still can’t believe you killed a Behemoth. Maybe I am worrying too
Sir Galahar and Servius had been preparing for this day ever since they heard about the Flame Demon sighting outside Avondale. The city’s guard towers had been repaired, and the walls fortified with magic. But the threat marching toward the capital was much larger than they had anticipated.What made things worse was the appearance of the Eye of Doom over the city, which caused widespread panic among the masses. People scurried out of the Arcadium like insects, and those out on the streets rushed homeward to seek shelter within the safety of their houses.Ten squads of City Guards were immediately dispatched to man the walls, and the sirens were sounded from the garrison, spurring the snipers into action.The Mech Defenders were ordered to clear the streets and reinforce the gates while the adventurers were tasked with protecting the guild houses.Servius surveyed the undead army through the magic windows and quickly understood their strategy.“This is not a skirmish. They are going
Shocked gasps escaped from the people in the crowd as Ezra revealed who he actually was. The news of the brutal massacre in Aranor had made its way to the capital many weeks ago, and it was common knowledge that the Romanov family had been wiped out.But seeing Ezra standing there as the living proof of his bloodline subverted all past notions.This white-haired boy had once been hailed as a prodigy across Valaria, but his name had quickly faded from their memory after his tragic accident. But it seemed fate still had one last die to throw, and with the final toss, it had restored his fortunes.The only ones in the Arcadium who knew about the masked devil’s identity beforehand were Tanya and her father. Ezra had revealed his secret to them just last night, but it was a complete shocker for everyone else.Even Queen Guinevere and Princess Aleena had been completely clueless about Ezra’s identity up until now, and this unexpected revelation left him speechless.“So…the dragon still lives
The Duke’s shocking confession turned the whole narrative on its head, spreading further panic among the crowd. Not even Ezra had suspected him to be allied with the necromancers.“Is this another trick of yours?” Tanya questioned, still struggling to make sense of the whole situation. It seemed absurd that a high and mighty noble like Duke Carrington would willingly worship Zepheroth and kneel before the necromancers.But the Duke was quick to clear her confusion. “There is no trick in what I say. I do not worship any Gods, but I understand Zepheroth’s powers cannot be matched by mere mortals. We must kneel before him if we are to survive his reign,” he replied.“So you lied to all of us?” Marquis Desmond’s voice boomed from the distance as he marched into the arena, ready to confront the Duke. “We thought you wanted to protect the king and help the people of Magaravia fight this darkness.”“Fight? How can anyone fight a God?” Duke Carrington retorted in a mocking tone. “Are you even
The spectators who had once eagerly supported Ezra now seemed to regard him as the greatest enemy of the kingdom. The sudden change in their behavior shocked him.“How did they believe him so easily?” Ezra asked, unable to believe what had just happened. “Something is not right.”While it was common for the gullible commoners to be duped by the cunning words of the influential nobles, the change seemed to be too drastic this time. The same crowd that had been cheering for Ezra had suddenly changed sides, almost on a whim, and even the other nobles seemed to be siding with the Duke.Marlin was also surprised by this twist. It was as if Duke Carrington had bought their allegiance with a snap of his fingers.Queen Guinevere stood up to reason with the spectators. “Listen to me, good people of Magaravia. Your beloved Duke is lying to you. King Reginald never intended to sell you to the Lord of Decay. While I agree he may not be the bravest, he is certainly not a traitor.”The Queen though
The Spectral Phoenix let out a piercing shriek that carried its voice across the city, dispersing the gray clouds and illuminating the sky with a brilliant golden radiance.Ezra channeled his magic energy outward and boosted his flying speed, breaking away from the phoenix as it surged toward him.“I have never seen a Spectral Phoenix before. These spirits are primal manifestations of the fire element and are regarded as the most challenging ones to tame. Their flames are undying, and if you get touched by its feathers, it will burn you to ash in the blink of an eye,” Marlin cautioned.Ezra continued flying backward, keeping the phoenix in his sights. But he was so focused on the spectral bird that he forgot all about its owner.Duke Carrington took advantage of this distraction and replenished his magic power with a couple of Superior Magic Restoration Potions before warming himself with the phoenix’s Thermal Radiance ability.Finally free from the numbing effects of the frost, Duke C
Duke Carrington fired a round into the sky to celebrate his victory and turned to the crowd expecting a thunderous applause. But instead of being greeted with cheers and shouts of joy, he was met with a stern silence.“What’s wrong with you all? Are you not happy I vanquished that rookie and offered you a glimpse of my true powers?” he yelled at the top of his voice, staring at the mute spectators. “I am the Champion of Valaria, and I promise Magaravia will be safe in my care.”“So, what are we celebrating?” A voice questioned from behind, wiping the smile from Duke Carrington’s face.“Over there!”“He is alive!”The crowd went berserk with shouts and howls as they spied their favorite Gunner flying near the clouds, holding a sniper in his hand.Duke Carrington clenched his fist, digging his nails into his palms, and turned around to face his opponent.“How did you survive that?” He muttered, trying his best to restrain his rage.“I have been stabbed in the back plenty of times before
Duke Carrington’s eyes widened as he heard the accusation. He could already tell his plans had been leaked, but he could not understand how a stranger could know about his ambitions.“Who are you?” he demanded, staring daggers at Ezra. “The dragon of Aranor,” Ezra replied, staring right back.Before either could speak again, a set of stone slabs and pillars shot up from the ground, redecorating the arena with obstacles and separating the two contestants.The crowd erupted with wild cheers as the brass bell was hammered in the commentary tower, declaring the start of the round.“I don’t care who you are, but that mask is coming off today!” Duke Carrington shouted with full-throated fury, unleashing a devastating volley of Disintegration Rounds from his Rapid-Firing Six-shooter.Ezra ran across the arena, moving from cover to cover as the stone slabs in front of him were punched full of holes. “There is no point running from me. You can’t survive!”Duke Carrington reloaded his second g
The next day, Ezra put on his new attire: a fiery red coat with golden yellow stripes and two split tails. His old demonic mask was replaced with a new one sporting two large black horns and blazing red eyes. To complete the look, Ezra added a black bowtie over a clean white shirt and a pair of red trousers trimmed at the bottom, hanging taut over his jet-black boots.Although Ezra hadn’t cared much about his appearance during the other rounds, this time, he combed his hair back, put on a pair of spotless white gloves, and pinned the dragon brooch to his pocket.Holstering his single-shot flintlock on his right hip, Ezra walked up to the mirror and gazed at his reflection.Ezra still remembered staring at his trembling hands in the mirror in the Romanov Mansion. He was treated like a cripple back then and could not even shoot a target lying straight in front of him. But a lot had changed since then.Magaravia knew Ezra as the Red Devil: a formidable sharpshooter who had defeated the b
Back at the Blackwell Mansion, Ezra was busy at his workbench, trying to craft a new kind of enchanted ammunition for his sniper rifle.So far, Ezra had experimented with all the common metal ingots and alloys and even tried infusing magic crystal shards and dragon scales into them, but to no avail.Each time Ezra tried to craft a new enchanted bullet for his weapon, he would end up with something so brittle and volatile that it would disintegrate as soon as he loaded it into the sniper rifle.“The Celestial Avenger is a Legendary weapon. You cannot load such low-quality ammunition in it and expect it to work just fine,” Marlin barked once more, grinding his teeth in frustration. “I already told you that you need rare metals to craft your round. Try titanium or refined zirconium.”Ezra loaded another newly crafted round into his weapon and watched it explode with a loud bang before finally relenting.“Damn it! I don’t have any rare metals at hand!”“Then perhaps you can ask your careta