2024-12-31 05:35:53Vardy experienced a peculiar sensation as he gazed down at Sly in this manner.
The act of looking down was entirely novel to him, yet it felt undeniably fitting. In fact, it felt just.
Yes, it resonated with justice. Justice backed by tangible actions, not mere idealism. This was the justice Vardy intended to enact, a justice sorely lacking in this world.
As his eyes met Sly's, a screen materialized before him, presenting a new quest: "VENGEANCE obtained". The interface differed slightly, with the quest details displayed in bold, bloody red font, giving it a sinister appearance.
"VENGEANCE "ACTIVE"
Difficulty: 5
Details:
Hunt down Dean and his crew. Enact vengeance. Enact judgement.
Rewards:
-Death of Sly: 200 EXP, 200 Coin
-Death of Evan Harker: 50 EXP, 50 Coin
-Death of Simon Wells: 100 EXP, 100 Coin
-Death of Zayn Soldata: 250 EXP, 200 Coin
-Death of Dean: 1000 EXP, 800 Coin
-Bonus EXP gained from absorbing Negative Energy from each individual\"
Vardy adjusted his neck, uncertain of how this quest had materialized, yet he welcomed it without complaint. After all, he intended to eliminate Dean and his gang regardless. If he could receive rewards for doing so, all the better.
The bonus EXP from absorbing negative energy intrigued Vardy, although it made logical sense. Undead creatures thrived on negative energy, which sustained and healed them.
Vardy recalled from game lore that while positive energy was associated with emotions like love and happiness, negative energy stemmed from emotions such as hate and fear.
It was evident how Vardy would obtain negative energy from Sly.
"You still have a hole in your chest. I can see right through you. How in the world are you alive!?" queried Sly.
"That's irrelevant, isn't it? Your concern, as a selfish individual, lies in your own survival, correct?" countered Vardy. He thrust the butt end of his staff into Sly's chest.
As anticipated, Sly employed Phase, causing the staff to pass through him effortlessly.
Sly, still able to move his head, continued to exert his power.
"You foolish, foolish person. You must have undergone a Blooming and acquired some ability that enables you to survive like this. How you endured Moss Beast pollen - I cannot comprehend.
Yet, it was foolish of you to employ Moss Beast poison. It induces paralysis from the head down, and as long as I retain my consciousness, I can employ my power.
You will never, ever lay a hand on me. And when I regain mobility, you had better prepare yourself, because I will finish what Dean commenced. I will tear your head from your shoulders and adorn my dwelling with it."
"A Blooming, you say? I suppose that is what everyone will assume happened to me," mused Vardy. A Blooming referred to the awakening of one's powers, typically occurring post-puberty.
However, it generally applied to individuals with dormant Altana Cores who Bloomed past puberty. Duds like Vardy, lacking such Cores, had no prospects for such an eventuality.
However, this information piqued Vardy's interest. If news of his abilities spread, individuals would likely categorize him into specific power classifications, thus underestimating him.
Nonetheless, that suited Vardy just fine. Let them underestimate him – he would exceed their expectations and vanquish any opposition that crossed his path.
"Fortunate are you to have Bloomed with a life-preserving power. Nevertheless, deep down inside you remain a worthless Dud.
At some point in time, someone will locate me and when they do I shall ensure your pursuit to the very ends of the earth,"declared Sly.
"Fear not, Sly,"replied Vardy confidently. "No one shall find you; no one except for them."
With a snap of his fingers, low groans reverberated through the air, accompanied by bestial growls reminiscent of distant engines.
"W-what on earth is that!?" exclaimed Sly, attempting to survey his surroundings. However, his mobility was restricted, leaving him to gaze up at Vardy.
"You shall see," replied Vardy.
Luthor, Tracy, and the three Essentrias emerged from the forest's edge.
Vardy had concealed Luthor and Tracy while deploying the Essentrias to patrol the vicinity, thus enabling him to track Sly as soon as he approached within two hundred meters of the dumping site.
Luthor and Tracy positioned themselves beside Vardy, fixating hungrily on Sly. Drool seeped from their mouths as they quivered in anticipation of flesh.
"Look who it is. Our old acquaintance, Sly," remarked Vardy.
Luthor and Tracy snarled, with Tracy even attempting to swipe at Sly's face. However, Sly phased through the attack, evading contact.
Meanwhile, the Essentrias circled Sly like voracious predators, occasionally lunging towards him, their noxious breath and saliva splattering across his visage.
"Z-zombies!?" exclaimed Sly. "Is this also your doing? Conjuring zombies?"
Vardy placed his staff over Sly's mouth. "Shh. That is inconsequential. What matters is that you provide a satisfying meal for my associates. At least you can accomplish one benevolent act."
Withdrawing his staff, Vardy permitted Luthor, Tracy, and the Essentrias to commence their onslaught.
Sly, predictably, phased through their attacks, yet they persisted in their relentless assault.
"I'm invincible, you fool!" asserted Sly, though panic was evident in his demeanor. "This is futile! Release me!"
"Let us not hasten," retorted Vardy. He gestured for his undead allies to pause, affording Sly a brief respite.
Taking a seat on a nearby rock, Vardy observed as Sly lay helpless beneath the onslaught of the undead.
Fear gradually etched itself onto Sly's countenance, signaling his realization that his powers were not infallible.
Vardy shut his eyes and let out a breath, gazing up at the pale moon above. Green energy pulsed around him, a sign of his leveling up, enveloping him in a powerful aura fueled by Sly's suffering.
The sounds of Luthor and Tracy feasting on Sly's remains reached Vardy's ears. It was a gruesome scene, but they deserved this retribution. He allowed them to consume Sly's corpse as a reward for their anguish and because Sly left behind a Soul.
"Good job, everyone," Vardy said, nodding to Luthor and Tracy while patting the Essentrias as they curled around him like giant dogs. "Now, it's time to add more friends to our party."
Vardy approached Sly's remnants, contemplating the options for summoning a Chosen Undead from the Netherealm. He had preferences based on his gaming experience, but he considered other options for their utility in the real world.
"Options, options. So many options," Vardy muttered to himself, weighing the possibilities.
However, instead of receiving a list of options, a crackling portal appeared, indicating that a Chosen Undead had been selected. Vardy braced himself as an imposing figure emerged - Ferah of the Immortal Knight.
"Vardy, my master, is that really you?" Ferah's voice, surprisingly feminine, echoed through her full-face helmet.
Vardy cautiously addressed Ferah, unsure of her intentions. "Yes, it's me. Do you potentially...remember me?"
"Of course!" Ferah exclaimed, dropping her giant cross-shield with a heavy clang. "We went through so many adventures together! So many trials! So many lives and deaths!"
Vardy listened as Ferah recalled their past adventures, noting her pain at his disappearance. He realized that Ferah retained memories from the game to a degree.
"But now I see you are here, starting a new life in a new body. Oh, my master, how my heart races to see you again!" Ferah rushed forward using the warrior skill "Dash", turning into a blur as she slammed into Vardy and hugged him. "My dear, dear master whom I had devoted my entire soul to!"
"G-good to see you too, Ferah," Vardy managed to say, feeling the pressure of her embrace. He was relieved that Ferah seemed friendly, but he remained cautious, unsure if her memories from the game would affect her behavior now.
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 10: Forge of the Future
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 13: The Dark Soul
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 15: The Fight for his Soul
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The Dark Warlock's Game Chapter 16: The Rebirth of the Dark Storm
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Chapter 26: Shadows Rising
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Chapter 25: The Unbelievable Return
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Chapter 24: The Light against the Dark
The citadel, once a monument to Aziel’s reign of terror, stood silent in the wake of his fall. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the stone, casting long beams across the ruin. The oppressive darkness that had once hung heavy over the city was gone, but the cost of victory weighed heavily on the survivors. Vardy, Ferah, Tracy, Jesse and Luthor stood at the heart of the shattered citadel, the echoes of the battle still roaming through the air.Vardy’s chest rose and fell in labored breaths, the toll of the final confrontation taking its toll on him. The light within him had faded, leaving a hollow emptiness in its wake. He had given everything to defeat Aziel, but in doing so, he felt the last of his strength slip away.Ferah knelt beside him, her gaze soft but unwavering. "You did it, Vardy. We did it. The city is safe because of you."Vardy’s eyes met hers, filled with both gratitude and sorrow. "It doesn’t feel like we are done yet," he admitted, his voice soothing the situatio
Chapter 23: The Confrontation of Vardy against the Dark
Vardy kept on pushing in, giving all he could to stop all of this, he knew. He was no match for what was ahead of him, but should he just. Give in, after all, No he can't do that, not if it was him alone in this,, but for the precious sake of, the one around him, I'll rather die by my hand than give in to this forsaken darkness lurking inside, I won't accept defeat not so soon,His heart was still pounding, it looked more like the dark could listen to everything he was saying, and with every step they took towards the citadel, the depth would always yawn to park them in, but was not a match for the three skills and what they had encountered so far..The air inside the citadel was thick with the weight of dark power, pressing down on them like an invisible hand. The walls seemed to pulse with energy, their surfaces slick with shadow, as though the very structure of the citadel was alive. The distant echoes of Aziel’s laughter vibrate through the halls, mocking and sticking, but Vardy
Chapter 22: The Heart of Darkness
The air was alive with crackling energy, and the very earth beneath Vardy's feet seemed to hold with a dark, unyielding power. Tendrils of shadow reached out from the cracks in the ground, twisting and writhing like serpents with a mind of their own. Each movement sent a shiver through the city, as though the streets themselves were groaning under the weight of an ancient, forgotten force.Aziel’s figure loomed above them, the faint glow of his eyes illuminating the darkness. He stood unaffected, unrestricted, not to be destroyed, his confidence over shadowing him, his hands raised in a commanding gesture. The dark energy swirled around him like an obedient pet, bending to his will. His smile, cruel and knowing, sent a shiver down Vardy’s spine."You still don’t understand, do you?" Vardy. Aziel’s voice was soft, almost coaxing. "This power, and this darkness,is your inheritance, Vardy. It has been waiting for you. All this time, waiting for your presence just to embrace, you’ve fough
Chapter 21: Eyes of the Dark Storm
Now, dark and cold, tired and weary, the city loomed ahead like a dark stain on the earth surface, its towering spires reaching up to the sky like cracking teeth, sharp and unforgiving. Vardy could feel the oppressive weight of its presence pressing on him, the air thick with a sense of looming danger that seemed to emanate from the very streets.Ferah, Luthor, and Vardy walked in silence, their footsteps muffled by the dirt road beneath them. The wind had picked up, circling dust and debris around them, as if the very world was preparing for something monumental."We’re getting close," Luthor said, his voice low, almost as if speaking too loudly might provoke something hidden in the shadows. "This place… it feels wrong.""I can feel it too," Ferah agreed, her expression tense. "Something's off about this city. It’s like it’s been waiting for us."Vardy said nothing, his mind consumed by the storm of thoughts swirling in him. The darkness within him, the pull of Aziel’s words, the ch
Chapter 20: The Daring Choice
The reality is now and here, a way forward is all I can only think of, I don't care about myself, but for those who have journeyed with me up till now, Vardy spoke to himself in silence, I can't put them down, I can't give up on them, he said to himself.Vardy’s heart raced, the weight of Aziel’s words pressing down on him like a thousand stones. The very idea that the darkness, something he had fought so desperately to escape, was a part of him was too much to comprehend. His mind reeled, struggling to understand how he could possibly be connected to the very force he had always seen as an enemy.Aziel’s gaze held steady, watching him closely, almost as if he were savoring Vardy’s internal conflict. "You’re torn, I can see it. You want to deny it, push it away, but you can’t. You’ll come to understand, eventually. We all do."Vardy shook his head, trying to clear the fog clouding his thoughts. "You’re lying. I’m not like you."Aziel’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. "You think you’r
Chapter 19: The Depth Unraveling Threads
The Oracle’s words continued striking Vardy as he and his companions began their journey from the mountain. The cold, thin air had stung their limbs, but the weight of the Oracle’s prophecy hung heavily on their hearts. He had expected guidance, a path to follow, but what he had received was a riddle, a cryptic warning that left more questions than answers.Ferah, ever monitoring, noticed Vardy’s troubled expression as they walked. "You’re still thinking about what she said, aren’t you?" she asked, her voice low and steady.Vardy glanced at her, then nodded. "She’s right. It’s all tied together. The darkness... it’s not just some evil force. It’s alive. It grows. And it has a price. But what does that mean? What exactly is the cost?"Luthor, who had been walking ahead, turned to face them, his eyes seen in thought. "The Oracle speaks in riddles. The truth isn't always easy to see, especially when it’s buried in layers of metaphors, unknown words and heart-pounding questions.""True,"
