Divine Apostasy Book 7 - Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Time resumed its normal pace, and a red Energy bar greeted Ruwen, the color a result of dropping under ten percent. Using two portals with such large openings had almost cost him his life.

Ruwen’s Energy Regen of four hundred per second quickly replenished the paltry four hundred ninety-seven left in his pool. He continued to fly upward, his velocity still over a thousand miles per hour.

Overlord, I’m coming in hot. Match my Void Band actions.

Will do. Sift landed down here and he’s still angry about his turtle.

It’s not a—

Ruwen stopped mid response. Overlord obviously knew Shelly was a tortoise, not a turtle, so he’d only said turtle to lighten the oppressive mood.

I’ll be right there, Ruwen said, and then added. Thanks.

Careful not to pull too much Energy from the depleted pool, Ruwen created a hand sized portal. Trying to stop his forward momentum would take far too long and require a lot of energy. Plus, he’d just need to speed up again anyway. Better to just alter his direction a bit.

Ruwen straightened his body, and placed his hands down, a foot off his waist. Just like he’d done in the underwater level of the Black Pyramid when avoiding the Octorse, he took in air on the front of his Void Band and released it with a little more Energy out the back of the portal. `

With the propulsion in place, Ruwen angled himself forward by tilting the Void Band. In two seconds, he had turned himself around and now hurtled toward Sift, the Masters, and the Aspects, while gravity added its acceleration to his own.

Unlike Ruwen’s sub-second attack on Pestilence and Plague, his transition toward War, Poison, and Drought had taken a few seconds, making it easy to detect the pressure waves he created. He wouldn’t be able to duplicate his Void snatch again.

The three Aspects sat on their horses at the edge of the Red Forest. Drought waved a hand dismissively and the flames instantly disappeared. From the speed and lack of water, he had probably utilized some type of oxygen starvation.

In the fire’s place, a white mist formed, and it spread toward the Bamboo Viper group. Ruwen Analyzed the fog.

Target: Shuddering Death

Type: Resource

Components: Jellyfish Venom (Aerosol)

Health: Extremely Toxic

Alchemy: Necrotic

Uses: Poison

Stone Echo and Survey calculated five seconds before the poison reached the group. Ruwen had originally planned to just land near the Aspects with a massive concussive force. If he did that now, the force of his impact would cause the poison to surge toward his friends. Since he had less than two seconds to decide, he modified his plan, hoping to delay the poison until he could get into position to help.

Instead of aiming for the Aspects, Ruwen used his Void Band to nudge himself in front of them, right in the middle of the poison gas. He spread his arms and legs out wide and channeled one hundred Energy into Melt. If this didn’t work, it would be the most embarrassing entry ever as he faceplanted with a bellyflop right in front of the enemy.

Ruwen struck the rocky ground at a thirty-degree angle, and instantly Melted it, creating a self-generating hole which he continued to fall into. Survey displayed the effect on the poison, and the results were just what he’d hoped for. The sudden opening, coupled with the air he’d dragged with him from his rapid descent, pulled the poison mist in behind him. His plan had worked well.

Too well, as Ruwen quickly found himself fifty feet underground. Using blasts of air from his Void Band he angled himself upward and exited the top of the outcropping behind Sift and the Masters. Using more forced air, Ruwen maneuvered himself through the air and over the cliff, dropping down and landing three feet to the right of Sift.

All three Aspects had turned their attention to the sky where Pestilence and Plague had hovered just seconds before.

Ruwen spoke to Sift in Chat as he studied the three Aspects. Their amor has a shield that repulses physical attacks.

Sift still held the sword Pointer in his left hand, keeping his right free to release the two Relic Marks that remained. Survey displayed the change in trajectory of the sword Flyer two hundred feet above them.

Overlord? Ruwen asked.

Gate runes still don’t work. Nymthus is adding the last of the blessed paste now.

Prythus stepped away from the group of Masters and strode up to Ruwen. He had a Major Health sticker on his cheek that read “I Love Bubbles.”

“We recognize these creatures,” Prythus said. “They cause more destruction than the demons they lead and are responsible for great suffering.”

“Thank you,” Ruwen said. “Organize the others so as soon as a portal opens, we can leave quickly.”

Prythus nodded and moved back toward the group. Ruwen appreciated that all the Masters wanted to help, but they had absolutely no chance against these three.

Drought looked at Poison. “Want to bet?”

Poison glanced at Ruwen’s wrist and then back at Drought. “Two portals, the final exit under a literal mountain of snow, I’ll say ten minutes.”

War gave a short laugh. “Plague will be furious it happened to her first. I say five.”

Drought tilted his head in thought. “I’ll split the difference, and add War will sleep in a bed of lice for a year when he fails to hold his tongue at her failure.”

Ruwen’s confusion turned to worry and then fear as the Aspects spoke. He had received two notifications as he’d expected when snatching Pestilence and Plague with his Void Band. He’d assumed they’d contained the usual warning that if he didn’t add Energy to keep them alive, they’d die, which is exactly what he wanted.

With the distractions of getting safely back to the ground, Ruwen had missed that the notifications had disappeared. He opened his log and found only the initial warning. No count down or notification that either Aspect had perished.

Ruwen suppressed a dry heave as he understood just how far Lalquinrial had gone to protect his Aspects. Ruwen’s Void Band was no secret, and anyone with ten Intelligence could figure out the powerful killing tool it represented.

It explained, once again, the behavior of the Aspects. They lacked all urgency, and instead appeared to be stretching this encounter out, as if to increase their pleasure. Ruwen knew now that one of his most powerful capabilities for killing monstrously powerful beings had been neutralized. The most likely way, based on the Aspects’ discussion, was an automatic portal by their armor back to the Infernal Realm.

It meant, far from killing two vastly powerful Aspects, Ruwen had only inconvenienced them, and they would return within minutes.

The three Aspects discussed the reward for the winner of their bet as Ruwen spoke to Sift in Chat. The Inventory trick doesn’t work. They planned for that, too. Pestilence and Plague will be back within ten minutes. Maybe as soon as five.

Do you ever have good news?

Fractal is growing those red fruit you love.

What! And you’re just telling me now?

I have a lot going on.

You are a terrible friend.

I know. We can discuss that after killing these three but using my Void Band will only delay them.

Do you have a good plan?

Let’s just call it a plan.

That means even you know it’s terrible. Let’s hear it.

The three Aspects appeared to agree on the winner’s reward, and Ruwen knew he only had a few seconds left.

War has heavy single target damage, and Drought is a Step Master. I think we should overwhelm Poison to get rid of their area of effect spells. Then we focus on Drought and last War.

Which one is Poison?

The one on the white horse. I’m going to use my Relic Marks. Use your exhaustion one after my stun wears off or is cleansed.

What about the physical damage shield?

I’m hoping to overwhelm it.

Whatever happened would occur within the next five minutes, so Ruwen extended his pointer finger and flicked his wrist outward, like dealing a card. The Relic Mark disappeared, replaced with an intense point of cold, that rapidly disappeared.

The Chariot Relic Mark triggered the effect Wings of Resolve which would give all his allies in a thirty feet radius fifty extra points in Strength and Stamina for five minutes. That should provide another five hundred Health for everyone.

Here we go, Ruwen told Sift.