Chapter 48: Sacrifices and Legacy

It wasn’t the first time Ethan stood in a magic circle, but the first time he was involved with blood magic. While he said magic wasn’t good or bad and he actually believed it but feeling the energies of the dead wash over his skin made him feel dirty, tainted. Maybe he would pay for it at some point but that wasn’t important today.

He saw the other mages approaching, keeping their distance. Ethan saw the worry in their eyes and disgust was all over their faces. Still even when they were against it, they waited, ready to support him and heal him. A smile snuck onto his face, his dry lips cracked and pale blue blood seeped from them, he really hated the tutorial. These people became his allies, his friends, something he never had in his normal life back in the run down apartment.

A nod was all he managed before the ritual began, his eyes turned to the Wight King, he had ignored him, hoping he would just vanish but there he was. Strutting around like the whole world listened to every command of his.

Ethan hated him with every fiber of his being, he killed his soldiers and now he approaches him like a god of death. But it was too late now anyway, he would reach the ritual circle before it was finished, Ethan could feel it.

Sighing he wanted to step out of it, break the circle and maybe run away but before he could move a muscle he heard it, the stopping off feet, the rattle of blades. His head turned to the army, he commanded them to wait and now Kra’kulgar marched forward, slowly at first but soon the entire force sprinted towards the Wight King.

They didn’t care, skulls burst in their midst as the Wight King attacked, dozens of them fell to the ground, decapitated, blood spurted from their necks like water fountains while their head rolled around in the sand.

Crocodiarii and Brammgestir died for Ethan without caring for their lives. Tears streamed down his face as he watched them being ripped apart, arms and legs flew around when the King ripped them out, entrails got used as garrottes to strangle them. The horns of Brammgestirs were broken off and used as a crude dagger to gouge out the eyes of the Crocodiarii.

The bodies that were somewhat intact rose again as a zombie to act as a buffer between his army and the King. Again he needed to watch them kill their own a second time. Ethan knew he hadn’t earned it, earned the right to play with their lives like chess pieces. Nobody should have that right but now he felt like he did it only to keep him alive.

While they were just here for the tutorial and sometimes just felt off, they were just real enough for him and he suffered with them. Nevertheless, their sacrifice was in vain, the King was too powerful, not only for them but also for Ethan. He didn’t even know if his plan could work, the ability that nearly killed him before was a gamble.

During his thoughts the mages stepped forward, encouraged by their comrades they decided to help as well. Forming a circle around the ritual they all saluted to Ethan before taking out daggers, knives or other sharp objects. “We die for you my liege, so you may live, remember us.”

They gave the blood mage a nod and he pulled a dagger from his robe, resting it on his neck, a smile on his face. “Remember us, my liege, for you gave us purpose. Our families will speak in reverence of this day.”

Shocked, he didn't even know how to answer, then the first of them slit his throat. A scream escaped Ethan’s mouth, he wanted to run to them, stop them from doing something so foolish but after the first step he fell to his knees, his reserves still empty, his mana more smoke than a liquid, his stamina burned up and his health was still decreasing ever so slowly.

He just sat there, watching as they killed themselves. Their mana and their blood strengthen the ritual. Ethan watched each of them killing themselves, his eyes glued to their bodies. Lastly he stared at the blood mage, a man shunned for his practices, so far in the background Ethan barely noticed his existence. Even he killed himself for Ethan, finishing the ritual.

Crying he sat there, it was stupid, they weren’t real but his emotions got the better of him, his nerves were frayed and he couldn't help it. He missed Nora’s company but even though she fought to help him, she knew to keep her distance but her frozen breath was trying to slow the King down.

The ritual hummed with power, ready for him to use but he just sat there, his mind blank, his eyes unfocused. Deep down he knew what he had to do but it would kill the hundreds of soldiers still fighting.

Someone called him, one voice then more and more, he didn’t understand what they wanted from him. He thought back to his last day on earth and wished he had that pill bottle to just sleep and never wake up.

Lumbering steps approached him and he lifted his head, tears clouding his vision, something approaching him and slammed into his face, his head got thrown to the side, his cheek burning from the punch.

He groaned and held his cheek, trying to breathe normally but that one hit had so much weight behind it that it rattled his skull. Wiping the tears away he saw a bloodied Kra’kulgar standing over him, he was missing a part of his lower jaw and his right arm was gone, ripped straight from the socket.

“My liege, you need to snap out of it and cast your magic. We already made our peace. Don’t disgrace it with your indecision, we die today and pray that you keep our legacy alive.” Ethan saw how scales from Kra’kulgar’s body withered away, the ritual circle he stood on drawing his life force away, he didn’t fight it, he embraced it Ethan realized.

“I can’t Kra’kulgar, so many people died, I don’t want to doom all of you with my magic, I was here to help you not kill you. How can you force me to do such a thing!”

The general laughed, teeths started to fall from his mouth and he dropped to his knees, he grabbed Ethan’s shoulder with the remaining arm. “Because we’re your soldiers my liege, we die for our own and you’re one of us. I know you don’t think that yourself but we feel it, our destiny lies with you.”

He grabbed Ethan’s arm, pointing his hand to the fighting soldiers, the ones still alive, in their midst the Wight King, laughing while he ripped bodies apart. The sand was so soaked with blood it was more of a quagmire than a desert.

Ethan didn’t want it but Kra’kulgar was relentless. Forcing Ethan to keep his hand aimed at the King. “It was just a few weeks but I’m proud that I served under you Ethan Delaney. May you live a long and happy life.”

Kra’kulgar slumped against him, his body a mere husk compared to his former self. Ethan wiped the tears away and stopped hesitating, he wouldn’t tarnish the soldiers' sacrifice any longer. “I will always remember you, my soldiers!”

They gave Ethan their best war cry and charged the Wight King, burying him under their bodies. "May you remember us!” He heard one of the remaining commanders. A chant slowly started to build up. “Brave in Life, Eternal in Honor!"
With one last tired smile Ethan slammed his hand in the middle of the circle, drawing on its power and cried out his spell.

“[The Abyss of Winter]”

For a moment nothing happened, then the ground started to shake and just like before a massive maw pushed itself from the ground, this time, with all the energy available it was even bigger. Nora managed to slip away before it was too late. The massive teeth pushed themselves from the ground and the creature slammed his mouth shut in the blink of an eye.

Slowly it sank back into the ground, leaving only a massive hole that slowly filled with sand again. Ethan just sat in the magic circle, his fingers moving through the dust that was Kra’kulgar, he pulled a long tooth from the dust and held it in his hand.

He crawled over to the mages and pulled the dagger from the Brammgestir’s neck and cut a thin piece of leather from their bag. Laying there he made a necklace from the tooth and looked at it, it was crude and amateurish but he liked it. Curious he analyzed it, surprised he got a response.

[Crocodiarii Tooth Necklace (Basic)]
[A memorabilia made from the tooth of a friend. A legacy of the one who sacrificed himself so that another might live on. So that he would always remember those who died for him.]

Ethan sighed and put it on, the tooth felt cold on his skin. Laying there in a circle of death he started into the sky. The Wight King died, the notification sat there in his vision.

[You killed Enok, The Wight King - Level 65 | You gained experience!]

Update You reached Level 30! Stat points allocated! Free points received!

“I will remember you, all of you. For you were my soldiers.”

Update Skill acquired - [Leadership (Advanced)]

“The next time I lead something, I do it the right way.”