Redmane watched, with a certain satisfaction, as Aerin Morholt and his companions processed the sight before them.
Aerin's grip on the hilt of his sword tightened, his knuckles white. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated as he took in Redmane's presence. The air around him seemed to still, his breath caught in his throat.
Redmane could smell the fear on him.
He also noted that the sword he gripped looked very much like the sword of the Sicarius he’d recently fought, and eaten.
While they were all just standing there, Redmane’s eyes shifted from one face to the next, getting the measure of them and also stealing a glance at their System tags. Starting with Aerin himself.
Aerin Morholt
Class: Warrior
Archetype: Champion
Faction: Defenders of Volos
Level: 97
Behind Aerin, a tall figure with a salt and pepper beard shifted his weight, feet shuffling on the ground. He was old, but still in fighting shape. He noticed the man’s hand move to the hilt of the axe belted at his waist, fingers twitching, gaze darting between Redmane and Aerin, uncertainty etched in his posture.
Danan Bogdan
Class: Warrior
Archetype: Vanguard
Faction: Defenders of Volos
Level: 92
Next to Bogdan stood a dark haired, broad-shouldered man with a perpetual grin on his face. He seemed to be putting on a show, acting more relaxed than he truly was. But Redmane noted the way he clenched his jaw, muscles in his neck tensing as he subtly adjusted the position of his feet, easing into a stance.
Aleksander Grimgarl
Class: Warrior
Archetype: Duelist
Faction: Defenders of Volos
Level: 95
Beside Grimgarl, and slightly behind him, stood a tall, slender, fair-haired young man. He swallowed hard when Redmane’s gaze met his, and his shoulders hunched slightly, as if trying to make himself smaller. His gaze flickered to the ground, as if a silent struggle were playing out in his mind.
Kamil Velibor
Class: Warrior
Archetype: Berserker
Faction: Defenders of Volos
Level: 99
Lastly, a stocky figure with a scar across his cheek took measured breaths to tamp down the battle-lust rising in him, his chest rising and falling steadily. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword, eyes locked onto Redmane, unwavering, a silent challenge in his stare.
Thorgrim Kuggi
Class: Warrior
Archetype: Vanguard
Faction: Defenders of Volos
Level: 94
[Imbued] marked as Prey
Redmane took in their reactions, feeling the tension in the air. He could sense their fear, their resolve, their uncertainty. He let the silence stretch, savoring the moment, before finally speaking.
“Well well… Aerin Morholt. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”
The sound of Redmane’s voice made Aerin seem to remember himself. He set his jaw, and his eyes went steely.
“You weren’t supposed to be here, freak.”
“Alas, here I am,” said Redmane. “And the weapon you sought is no more. You’ll have to find a new way to conquer the recurring doom of this land.”
He sensed a fresh ripple of fear wash over them. But they handled it well. They were knights. Imbued. And they outnumbered him five to one. Though he could see the doubt in their eyes. In some more plainly than others. At that moment it occurred to Redmane that he was higher level than these men.
Fear Aura
Gnosis: 139
Now he could really smell the fear. All five of them went stiff, eyes wide, each one locked in a private struggle to overcome the Skill.
But he had only a few moments to truly enjoy it. Aerin Morholt steeled himself, stepped forward and drew the curved blade of the Sicarius, held it high.
Valor
A gasp of relief went up from all four of his companions, who were briefly suffused with a glow of pale gold. The knight fixed Redmane with a hard stare, weapon held at the ready. Ser Grimgarl was next to unsheathe his his weapon, a long thrusting sword with a basket hilt. Ser Bogdan readied his axe and a small round shield. Aerin Morholt drew a second Sicarius blade — a curved dagger, matching the sword in shape — in a single smooth motion.
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Only Kamil Velibor hesitated. He had a greatsword strapped to his back. Redmane thought it an odd weapon choice for one so light of frame.
“Truly I should thank you,” said Redmane. “For calling my attention to all this. I didn’t remember my previous existences at all. No memories of my world in the original times. The primordial times. No recollection of my wife, nor of the tale of my wayward son, and his God Breaker. Those things were taken from me. You’re here because you wanted to take more from me, I expect.”
“It’s what you deserve,” said Aerin.
“What I deserve…”
Redmane walked toward them casually, with a smile. The knights drew together in response, tensed, weapons at the ready. Even timid Kamil Velibor reached back and grasped the handle of his weapon.
Ser Bogdan lifted his shield, activating a Skill.
Aegis
Another brief aura settled over the Coterie, this one pale blue.
“Perhaps I do deserve what happened to me. Perhaps I deserve more. But what does the punisher deserve? Is he truly without sin? I think not. At a minimum his hands are sullied by the act of retribution,” said Redmane, who held his hands out to his sides as he closed on them. “Cruelty answers cruelty, yes? Blood calls out to blood. So perhaps we deserve each other.”
And then he swept both claws through the air.
His hands drew an X, from the outside in, and a cutting wave of force flew at the tight formation of Imbued.
Ser Bogdan held out his shield and the wave broke against it like water crashing against a rocky shore. For a moment the impact revealed the aura of blue around them again, just before it dissipated.
Aegis
And a fresh one took its place.
Redmane snarled and lunged.
Aerin Morholt had been his first target, until Ser Bogdan had promoted himself.
But he was not alone. And the instant the companions recognized Redmane’s intent, they swarmed to the defense of Ser Bogdan.
Grimgarl advanced behind the point of his sword, aiming to deny Redmane the space in front of Ser Bogdan. Kuggi stepped in from the side, swinging his stout blade in a wide arc to force Redmane back. Velibor, still hesitant, finally drew his greatsword, joining the defensive line. He swung his massive blade with surprising force, adding to the wall of steel protecting Bogdan. Aerin Morholt circled around, attempting to flank Redmane. He aimed a precise strike at Redmane's side, trying to draw his attention away from Bogdan.
It was this exchange which taught him what he needed to know about Aegis.
He saw the Sicarius Sword sweeping in out of the corner of his eye, ducked it at the last instant and clawed Aerin Morholt across the gut, but Aegis absorbed what could have been a devastating blow before shattering into motes of Gnosis.
In the next instant, before Bogdan could prepare another Aegis, Redmane's claws met the thrust of Grimgarl's sword with a clang, the impact sending a shock through Grimgarl's arm. Grimgarl winced, his grip faltering, and Redmane seized the opportunity, slashing at the knight's shoulder, leaving a deep wound. Grimgarl staggered back, clutching it, but remained grinning nonetheless.
Bleeding (4)
Venom (5)
The first tinge of Bloodthirst gave Redmane a splendid idea.
He shifted his focus, targeted each knight in turn, aiming to inflict a single wound on all of them. He lunged at Kuggi, claws raking across his arm. He spun toward Kamil Velibor, dipped beneath a wide swing of that greatsword and sliced across the young knight's thigh. Bogdan attempted to raise another Aegis, but Redmane was already upon him. He slashed at Bogdan's shield arm, forcing him to drop the shield momentarily. Aerin Morholt slashed at Redmane's neck but he stepped back from it, the blade speeding past his trachea, and answered with a claw to the gut that drew fresh blood.
With each successful strike, Redmane felt the Bloodthirst building, his movements growing faster and faster. And a single dose of Venom wouldn’t have been enough to substantially slow and weaken any of them, but every little bit counted.
Now that he had a great speed advantage, it was time to make it even greater.
Might of Umber
Gnosis: 119
As the power coursed into Redmane’s body, toughening his flesh, charging up his muscles, steeling his courage and resolve, he flew into action.
He was elusive as a shadow and swift as a bolt of lightning. Weaving through the Imbued as their weapons swung and thrust, but he was always a step ahead, a leap ahead, an evasion and counter move ahead. The clamor of steel echoed as he parried and dodged, his claws a blur.
Kuggi's blade swept through the air, wide arcs missing their mark.
Velibor's greatsword came down with force, but Redmane sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as it passed.
Bogdan tried to raise his shield, but Redmane was already behind him, claws slicing through armor.
Aerin lunged, Sicarius Sword aimed at Redmane's heart and he twisted away, feeling the blade skim his ribs, and retaliated with a swift strike to Aerin's shoulder.
Grimgarl met him head-on, but the darting point of his sword met empty air again and again.
And each time, each exchange, Redmane’s claws found flesh. Slowly whittling down their vitality, their Corpus, slowly stacking Bleeding and Venom, making them progressively sluggish and weak as he kept getting faster.
Redmane felt the power of Bloodthirst and Might of Umber coursing through him. His muscles surged, his senses sharpened. By comparison the Imbued moved in slow motion, their efforts valiant but futile. He danced among them, a predator in his element, relishing the thrill of the fight, the savage exultation filling his body, making his heart thunder against the inside of his ribcage.
He was unstoppable.
He was a force of nature unleashed.
And the world around him felt more vivid and vibrant than ever before. He found it beautiful, the image of this battle, the dark stone Tomb of Vos covered in green growth behind them, the flowers beneath their feet, the warm sunlight, and the battle-roars and blood spraying through the air most of all.
As intended, Ser Bogdan was the first to be struck down. He raised an Aegis at the last second to prevent a killing blow landing on Ser Kuggi, but when the Skill shattered under his claws he wheeled around, faster than any of them could have reacted, and struck Ser Bogdan across the neck.
Blood painted the flowers.
The flap of skin at the nape of Ser Bogdan’s neck was the only thing that kept his head from flying through the air.
Ser Kuggi was next, since he happened to be right there already. And this time there would be no Aegis to protect him. The sight of Bogdan’s demise made his eyes go wide in shock. He roared, long and loud, and bull rushed Redmane with his blade hacking the air with wild strikes.
Redmane let him have one.
The sword of Kuggi bit down into his shoulder.
Corpus: 3212
Rage Fueled Might
Gnosis: 99
And Redmane clawed his body in half, neatly separating torso from legs. Ser Kuggi landed on his back, eyes wide and empty, mouth open, face painted with a spray of his own blood spurting up from his severed lower half, which still stood.
Ser Grimgarl was on one knee, bleeding from multiple wounds, that grin still stuck on his face.
But Aerin Morholt was… Gone.
And something was happening to Ser Velibor.
The tall, timid knight with the greatsword stood trembling, eyes darting between the fresh corpses of Ser Bogdan and Ser Kuggi. Redmane thought it was fear at first, but then his eyebrow rose when he realized it wasn’t trepidation the young man had been feeling all this time. It was restraint.
And the sight of his comrades dead made it slip.
Kamil Velibor’s eyes rolled back in their sockets. He made a choking sound, which became an inhuman snarl, which became a battle roar that could have come from the great bear himself. The young Imbued’s muscles bulged unnaturally, his grip tightened on the handle of his greatsword until the knuckles went white as bone.
Berserk
The grass and flowers rustled as he vanished.
Redmane thought he’d teleported for a moment.
Then a glint of steel caught his eye from above.
He looked up to see a howling Imbued plummeting down with blade held high and the sun behind him.
PATREON
