Honestly, when it came to the whole situation, it was hard to not feel shocked. We had arrived in order to take on what we assumed were a group of 9 hostile necromancers with bad intentions. Yet it turns out it was only one bad necromancers, and 8 others brought in because they wanted to do research, get something out of it, or just have a spot to themselves.
If anything the whole situation was both strange and kind of odd. Yet at the same time there was only so much one could do. Aiden, Thalia, and I stared after the departing guards with the necromancers. While they had been initially bound, once someone they said was a sealing mage arrived, they were allowed to walk freely as long as they agreed to go with the guards for questioning.
"Not gonna lie, I was expecting a repeat of the poison arrow thing when we took on this dungeon."
Thalia said as we watched the little gray kobold and his small entourage make their way down the road. We turned to her as Aiden shrugged and said.
"Well, I personally don't want to be going gray from that much stress so soon after the first time."
I turned to Aiden and Thalia who seemed just about done before I said.
"I-I'm gonna head back in to make sure everything is handled in the dungeon."
"Got it, well finish up out here and head on in so we can get to the last room."
Aiden said, giving a thumbs up as he turned back to the remaining necromancers. I reached the dungeon and dissolved into sparks, entering into the Bricks within. Yet as I did, my face was flashed by a sudden barrage of system notifications. My eyes went wide as I tried to read a few and the only things that showed up were Jax getting attacked and taking a lot of damage. I quickly broke into a sprint as I dashed down the hallway as fast as I could. Up ahead I saw Liora rounding the corner.
"There at the last room, Ill grab Aiden and Thalia, hurry!"
She yelled as she jumped over my head and ran for the entrance. I rushed past her nodding as I charged, notifications kept appearing, message after message, but I had to keep moving, I had to get there in time.
Party member Beatrice has evoked the pact
A Primrose garden rises around her
Party Leader Jax attacks Skeleton "Jack"
Skeleton "Jack" has taken 54 damage
Skeleton "Jack" has crumbled away
Party Leader Jax's skill Relentless Assault(D) activates
Party leader Jax attacks Skeleton " Jullian"
Skeleton "Jullian" has taken 62 damage
Skeleton "Jullian" has crumbled away
Bone Golem "Papa" has attacked Party leader Jax
Party leader Jax has taken 20 damage
Party leader Jax spent 1 Ki to take 18 damage
The Bane of the Vow of Soul activates
Party leader Jax has maintained their grip on sanity
Skeleton "Adam" has been attacked by the Primrose garden
Skeleton "Adam" has taken 11 damage
Skeleton "Adam" attacks Party member Beatrice
Party member Beatrice has taken 15 damage
I continued to spring, my shoulder barreling through and taking a chunk of the corner with me as I slid around in a dead sprint. At best I could get there in 10 more seconds, but in a fight like this where one person took on a whole party of adventurers and won, that could be a death sentence. I could hear the echoing of clashes and blows ahead as I ran, however I felt a true chill run down my spine
Bone Golem "Papa" attacks Party leader Jax
WARNING WARNING WARNING: Party leader Jax is Unconscious
WARNING WARNING WARNING: Party leader Jax is Bleeding out
Skeleton "Kaelith" attacks Party leader Jax
My eyes didn't want to keep reading, it was too casual of a system notification, too simple, too cruel. My legs wouldn't move, they wouldn't go faster, and yet I was forced to turn to the notification.
Party leader Jax's heart has come to rest, may they be remembered
I felt the surge of Mutation course through me as ripping from my lungs, my soul cried out with a ferocity I couldn't have possibly fathomed possible
"NNNOOOOOO!"
I felt my condition flare up, something changing, but my legs were stronger now, I could get there, I could do something, I wouldn't be made to watch one of my first friends die through a FUCKINGG SCREEN!
I tore through the dungeon coming to the corner where I saw the scene. Beatrice stood surrounded by vines and flowers, the vines wrapping and ripping at a skeleton who tore through and advanced on her despite the cracks on its body, blood leaning from her side and staining her white coat. Past her I saw a figure of a hulking humanoid covered in rotting flesh standing next to another skeleton, the two stood over a gray bloody figure on the ground.
I tore forward with a ferocity I couldn't recognize as human, the skeleton attacking Beatrice was shattered as Swung with everything I had at the massive rotten flesh figure. It raised an arm to block as Flesh caved, and bone cracked, but it held.
"You are too late, creature, the ritual is complete."
The massive towering golem said as a pulse of energy spread throughout the room. Around me, more skeletons rose from piles, far too many for a mere level 11 necromancer to summon on her own.
Lily has used skill Necrotic Surge
All undead receive a moderate buff to all stats and abilities
Lily has called forth 10 new undead
I want to say I became a feral beast, ripping through rotting flesh and bone with ease. I want to say that I rushed forward and beheaded that necromancer. I want to say that I found that Jax despite the odds was alive, but I can't. Years of practicing control won't let me, like a leash holding despite a thrashing dogs frustrations. I couldn't win this, and there was already one person dead. For all we know Aiden, Thalia, and Liora would arrive just to see us being puppeted by this sadistic little girl.
I hated the feeling this caused, the dread of knowing what this would do, and yet I kicked away, grabbing Beatrice as I pulled us away from the fight.
"Not fast enough!"
The large lumbering zombie roared as it jumped with surprising speed at us. Its hand outstretched in a grab. I braced myself, wrapping around Beatrice to shield her, and yet as we rolled to a stop, no impact came. What did was a cold familiar sweat. A sweat that comes from terror being injected into ones soul. Beatrice shook in my arms, as I felt this terror settle over us like a blanket trying to slam us into the floor.
I turned my head where I saw the large zombie was no longer staring at us. Instead it was looking to our left, its arm it had been reaching out with ripped off.
There was a sound of popping and snapping, like bones breaking and reforming again to get just the right angle. I turned my head to look and saw a bloody gray figure, the wall in front of them covered in core where the zombies arm had slammed as they turned. Whatever it was, that was no longer Jax, as its head was turned around in a complete 180. Its nose pointed towards the ceiling while its ears pointed forward. The thing pawed at its head for a moment before it caught it snout, and with a sickening crack, spun its head back into place. A strange sound escaped the things lips that almost sounded like…. Laughing as a notification appeared.
Party leader Jax's soul burns to bright to be snuffed out
Party leader Jax's Vow of the Soul has activated
Party leader Jax's consciousness is unavailable to resist the madness
Party leader Jax has fallen into insanity