Divine Apostasy Book 7 - Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Ruwen sprinted across the outcropping toward Poison and War. Hope rose again inside him. They had a chance. The Masters sat, safely sealed away from the area of effect spells of Pestilence, Plague, and Poison. Sift and Ruwen only needed to delay the Aspects a little longer, and the door home would be complete.

Swirling particles from Plague’s spell surrounded Ruwen and he Analyzed them.

Target: Bloody Tears

Type: Resource

Components: Burned Blood Flower Seed

Health: Extremely Toxic

Alchemy: Hallucinogen, Blood Thinner

Uses: Poison

Stay above this ash stuff, Ruwen told Sift. Use your swords from above. We only need to delay them a minute and we can all get out of here.

Okay.

Pestilence’s contribution crawled across Ruwen’s back, through his hair, and into his clothes. The tiny flying worms tried burrowing into his skin and eyes.

Ruwen cast Insect Repellant, pulling the ability in close to his body, and channeled the level four Fighter spell Wrath. His body burst into magical fire, vaporizing all the bugs that had gotten inside his shield.

Poison and War had moved to the far end of the stone outcropping, almost two thousand feet away, and Ruwen felt a moment of joy. So far from the hidden Masters, it made their success even more likely.

The flying insects interfered enough with Ruwen’s hearing, that at this distance, he lost track of the Masters’ heartbeats. It didn’t matter though, as he still had Nymthus in his group and her portrait had a full Health bar. His plan was working.

Ruwen slowed as he approached War and Poison, wary of a trap, and slipped into the beautiful balance of Harmony.

“Your fighting is pointless,” Poison said. “Our Brother and Sister have already returned.”

“Tell that to Drought,” Ruwen replied. “I showed you all mercy in the Infernal Realm, and this is how you show thanks. First, you attacked me as I fought your Lord, and now this. It is shameful.”

“The only thing shameful,” War hissed. “Is your misplaced arrogance and incredible ignorance.”

A thin strand of magic vibrated like a string. It stretched from War, into the distance behind Ruwen. Stalling for time, Ruwen continued. “What ignorance?”

“That our victory was ever in doubt,” War responded.

Sift spoke to Ruwen with Chat. Pestilence and Plague have stopped at the clearing. They’re still in the air.

That makes me nervous. Head down there.

Right.

“This isn’t a contest,” Ruwen told War. “There doesn’t need to be a victor. I will give you what you want.”

War pointed the Infernal Blade of Mayhem directly at Ruwen and shouted. “We are at war!”

Stone is ready, Overlord told Ruwen. Give me thirty seconds to get the runes drawn. Send them up.

Ruwen’s skin flushed, unable to hide the immense joy that surged through him. He spoke to Nymthus over Chat. Nymthus, head to Overlord. You’re going home.

War shook his head slowly. “You still don’t see. You are powerless. Too weak to even summon Famine. You think you can protect those delicious new black belts, when you can’t even protect yourself.”

The Infernal Blade of Mayhem, still pointed directly at Ruwen, activated, and the five second beam of chaos, Ray of Slaughter, exploded from the broadsword.

The beam struck Ruwen in the chest, activating the level eighteen Collector spell Sunburn, which he had maxed to spell level five earlier. Instead of damaging him, he converted one hundred percent of the chaos beam into Energy for himself.

Concerned about the thread of magic coming from War, and worried the chaos attack served as a distraction, Ruwen used Harmony to encase War and Poison in rock up to their chests.

War laughed. “You failed.”

The thread of energy leading back toward the clearing vibrated and disappeared.

War had disappeared as well.

Ruwen didn’t hesitate. He turned and dashed toward Overlord. Black, soot like tendrils, filled the air around him as Poison did his best to disable Ruwen. But Ruwen’s Resistances had reached two hundred forty-nine percent, and he resisted everything.

Do you see War? Ruwen asked Sift. Can you see the Shed Overlord is in?

No, it’s just a huge layer of bugs and ash. Should I get closer?

Ruwen considered Sift’s Resistances. No. Keep an eye on Pestilence and Plague. I’m on my way back.

Nymthus, Ruwen asked in Chat. Have you reached Overlord?

Not yet. We just found the new tunnel.

Hurry.

We are. Wait, I hear a voice. Is Overlord down here?

Ruwen’s stomach clenched so hard, he almost tumbled to the ground.

Overlord, Ruwen said. War is in the tunnel.

I understand.

The magical thread Ruwen had seen and thought activated some type of trap, had actually triggered the second part of War’s spell or Aspect capability. It acted like a two-part Blink. Sending you to a new location, and then putting you back in the original spot if you wanted. A great ability for a warrior.

The bugs smashed against Ruwen’s Insect Repellent shield, leaving behind mucus yellow smears. In moments, he couldn’t see at all, and he relied completely on Survey.

The bugs created vibrations of their own, however, and it interfered with Stone Echo, making the information displayed by Survey blurry. Ruwen ran so fast, the pressure wave he built pushed the bugs away and scraped his shield clean.

Pestilence and Plague dropped straight down, through the layer of bugs, Sift said. Should I follow?

Ruwen wrestled with the risks for a moment. Can you coat your body, mouth, and nose with soul energy like a shield.

Maybe.

If you can, go down. Otherwise, don’t.

Ruwen switched focus. He was only a few seconds away. Nymthus, are you out.

Overlord rushed by and told us to run. Prythus and I are—Ouch!

Ruwen almost screamed at the sound of pain from Nymthus. Are you okay?

Sorry, yes. Some type of surge through my body surprised me.

A moment later Nymthus groaned again and Ruwen desperately watched her Health bar, but it remained full.

No one is in the tunnel, Overlord said in Chat. It’s rapidly filling with some type of burrowing insect. I’m taking damage, and probably can’t make it back.

Thanks, Ruwen told Overlord.Come back home. You’ve done more than enough.

I’m back, Overlord said, now back inside Ruwen’s mind.

Something’s wrong, Nymthus said.

I’m almost there Ruwen told her. Hang on.

Survey displayed the Shed’s that acted as a poison barrier and Ruwen leaned backward, skidding across the ground to slow himself. He could only hear a handful of heartbeats and he prayed it was because of the interference.

True God help me, Sift whispered in Chat.

Ruwen crashed through the Shed and dropped the thirty feet to the ground.

Prythus had made it half out of the tunnel when War yanked him up by the head. With a violent squeeze of his armored hands, War crushed the neck of Prythus. Then with the other hand, War grabbed the leader of Rung Four’s hair and wrenched the body apart. With a casual toss, War threw the head to the side, and placed the body on a pile near him. Probably so he could collect the belts.

Ruwen stopped himself from vomiting and fed every emotion he had into the third meditation. Twenty-nine bodies lay at War’s feet, the remnants of the destroyed Shed scattered around them.

Nymthus, do not come out, Ruwen said, his voice distant to his ears. It’s not safe.

It hurts, Nymthus whispered. Burns.

War kneeled and pulled Nymthus out by the hair. “One grass snake left,” War said gleefully.

The colors of the world turned harsh, the edges jagged, as Sift transformed into a white sun. The spells of the Aspects vaporized under the onslaught of soul energy, and War held Nymthus up like a shield.

Poison, Pestilence, and Plague joined War, the four of them shielding their eyes against the brightness of Sift. Ruwen strode forward as Sift lowered himself to the ground, still blazing with white light. Twenty feet separated them from the Aspects, and Nymthus hung limply from War’s grasp.

Ruwen continued to feed all his emotions into the third meditation, knowing if he didn’t, he would lose the ability to function after witnessing the horror that confronted him.

Ruwen and Sift could fight these four and win. Maybe even save Nymthus.

Fog spilled out of the trees, roiling like it was possessed. The silence became oppressive, as if something suppressed every noise in the surroundings. The trees disappeared as the fog engulfed them, and then, out of the mist, a figure emerged.

And they rode a pale horse.