As we vacated the area I’d portaled too, intending to check on Far Reach once we were moving, I was caught off guard when I felt the telltale tingling of a new follower praying. What really caught my attention was that I instinctively knew it was Joel, of all people. My first thought was filled with curiosity. Why the hell would he suddenly want to bond with me now? My second thought was coated in panic that things must be going really badly in Far Reach for him to make that decision. I didn’t take the link but I looked to the Protectorate Map to view Far Reach.  

As the town blossomed to life in my vision, I was drawn immediately to north western section where the building and demolition work had been going on. It was now a heaving maelstrom of bodies. The focal point of the battle for Far Reach and I needed to be there. From my vantage point, I could see two Greatworms heading toward their makeshift fort.

They looked like they could hold if it wasn’t for the Greatworms. They needed help quickly. I looked further afield, searching for the Malatian soldiers coming to their aid and  it didn’t take long to spot them. A bright column of gleaming silver and blue armor marching through the passes of the Crasters, stationed only ten mile away. It was still going to be an hour at least before they made it to Far Reach.

Coming out of the Protectorate view, I looked around to Sania. “Hey. I’m really sorry to do this, but… I just need to pop back to Far Reach one more time. I promise it’s just a quick in and out. Even if they’re all about to get wiped out, I’ll come back.”

“No you wouldn’t,” Sania replied. “And while I absolutely don’t want you to go back I trust you. If you need to protect our people, our families, then you go and you kill everyone in sight. But please do come back quickly, Clive. We still really need you here to survive that army,” she said casting her eyes back. “And you’ll reappear back where you leave, so the most time you will have is an hour. Or you’ll be on the other side of their army from us.”

I nodded my agreement. That was the last thing I wanted. “Ten minutes at most. And if any shit goes down here, you tell me immediately. I keep expecting them to portal in front of us like Justice and Destruction kept doing,” I said, flying closer to Sanias side to gently shoulder bump into her. My impersonation of affection while flying. She took the gesture for what it was and smiled.

“I’m surprised too, but it certainly looks like something only their high level warlocks can do and they seem to need a portal ring too. Can’t say I’m not happy. Justices portal usage was way too difficult to combat without you.”

“Yep. Hopefully, one day, we’ll be able to produce more portals more quickly. I wonder if their use of portals is why Darkness had to wait until Justice and Destruction had dominated Kalabri.” I realised I was talking about things that weren’t important at the minute. “Anyway, I’m off. See you soon.”

I closed my eyes to bring up the Protectorate Map while letting myself fall from the air. As I fell, I transported myself to Far Reach, desperately hoping this time went better that last time.

Appearing in the air above the fort, still in free fall, I was right on time for the first of the Greatworms I’d seen to burst from the cobbled road, right in the middle of the hastily built defensive area. Using only the momentum of my freefall to approach, I built an ethereal blast in my hands and sent it down to splatter the Worms head. As blood and brains went everywhere I slammed into the big bastard like a Clive comet and shot another Ethereal blast down into its open throat.

That did the trick as the behemoth died. A roar of cheers went up, but I ignored them for now as I launched back up to locate the second worm. Only to be hammered with glowing green arrows.

“It’s Lord Clive!” I heard Sazor roar at the Fensalfar archers. I kept moving to the other side of the fort, waving at Joel and Mal’s shocked faces as I passed. The other Worm was about ten feet out of the ground when I reached it. Same script ethereal blast, straight into it’s opening mouth, before I went higher and put an Ethereal blast down its open throat. The main difference this time, was that I wasn’t bombarded by green arrows. Now, I was targeted by hundreds of Dark neuma blasts from deep dwarves. They were like fly bites now as I was all but immune to their power,  being entirely a dark build now.

I sent out a few blasts of quick fire Ethereal bullets that killed on impact, before dropping down next to Mal and Joel. They’d come down off the wall as I arrived, as the fighting still continued around the walls of the fort.

“Gentlemen,” I rumbled.

“What the fuck Clive,” Mal greeted me. “Why are you a full demon now? I can’t keep up with your damn costume changes.”

“Oh if only you knew, mate. I’ll give you the full story tomorrow when we can all put our feet up. But unfortunately, for now, I’ve really gotta go back to Sania and the others. We’re being pursued by a hundred thousand at least.”

“That explains where all of Darkness’s forces are at least,” Joel said. “And thanks for dropping by for those friggin Greatworms. Hopefully that’s the last.”

“I hope so too. They’re not exactly easy to kill.”

“You did alright,” Mal pointed out. “But yeah, I get it. They’re just too big. The Malatian troops on their way have Nephilim among them. They should be able to deal with any more that come.”

“I hope so, sorry I can’t hang about but I trust you guys.” I was about to leave, when I remembered an important reason for coming here. Looking to Joel I gave him a speculative look. “Why you praying to me man? What gives?”

He struggled to speak for a moment, embarrassed if I had to guess. Then he shrugged and let go of whatever he was holding inside.

“First I just want to say I’m sorry I couldn’t stop them from taking you. We tried, but they would have killed everyone if we pushed further.”

I waved off the apology. “Don’t be stupid man. You don’t need to explain shit to me, I know you’ve got my back. That’s not why you want to follow me is it?”

A smirk this time from him. “Nah, I want those powers you can give out and there’s no chance of me following some other rando god,” he said glancing over to Mal. “They can’t even bring me back from the dead as far as I can figure.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed. While I wasn’t entirely comfortable with it, the ability to bring him back from near death was the deal breaker. “You sure about this?”

“Nah,” he said, shaking his head. “But we’re doing it anyway.”

I felt the tingle of his power from prayer again. “Here goes then,” I sighed. “And as self-serving as this sounds, you need to pray like a motherfucker to me if you want the Spicy Balls quickly. I wish I could give you them straight away but you have to reach Cleric tier.

“That’s fine. Just get it over with.”

I did as he asked and locked him in, watching as his expression and his identifier changed.

“There you go, Joel, it’s done. If it’s any consolation, you’re a lot safer now.”

“Be ready for Lierin’s bond as well. She’ll be following you too, now I have. I’d really like her to have that safety net.”

“Shit dude. That’s not okay. I won’t bond anyone unless it’s their choice 100%.”

He scowled at me. “What the hell do you take me for? She’d have done it ages ago if not for me dragging my heels. Not that I stopped her mind. She just didn’t out of respect for me.”

“Ah, sorry, Joel. That’s fair. I’ll just be happy to be able to bring you both back if anything happens. It’s all about protection for everyone. Never about lording it over anyone.”

“Regular condom for the masses our Clive,” Mal laughed.

Joel laughed and punched Mal in the armored shoulder.

I cast my eyes over to our temperamental friend with a wry smile. “Wish I could cover you to, mate.”

“Im happy with Devotion,” he said defensively.

“I know. Maybe she’ll let me resuscitate you or we can come up with a deal between us. Need to keep you on your feet somehow.”

“Aye, sure, mate. I won’t complain if you can.”

I nodded. “Anyway guys. I really have to go back before the place I left from is heaving with the enemy. Just hold on okay? I know you can keep these fuckers at bay for another hour, right?”

“We’ll sort them out,” Joel said confidently.

“We will. There’s ten thousand Malatians coming to pull your little town out the shit now,” Mal grinned.

“You’re damn lucky I like Boris, Mal,” I laughed, putting my fist out for a fist bump as the logistics for a handshake weren’t looking straightforward.

Sazor, Johan and Hek were still up on the walls fighting, so with a quick mind message to them and the rest of my followers here, repeating the promise of aid very soon, I flew up into the air.

With one last look at the surrounding enemy, I hammered out half a dozen more Ethereal blasts into the deep dwarves beyond the walls. Killing and injuring a decent amount. Satisfied that my friends really could hold out I activated the Protectorate return function.

As soon as I returned to the area I’d left around ten minutes ago, I received a selection of decent Notifications.

 

 

 

Congratulations: You defeated two Great Worms Level 58 and 63 for 1,210 Experience Points available.

 

Congratulations: You defeated 12 Deep Dwarves for a total 7,080experience points

Total Experience Points 8,290.

 

While I had no penalties, it was pretty damn depressing to only get one level for single handedly killing 2 Greatworms and 12 bloody deep Dwarves. I gave dexterity a little boost before leaving as it was lagging heavily.

 

 

 

< Level 102 >

 

 

Physical statistics:

 

Strength: 138               

The capacity to exert and resist force.

 

Dexterity: 76

Skill and ease in hand-based activity.

 

Agility: 108

How effectively the body can move into a range of different positions.

 

Speed: 108

Rate at which the body can move.

 

Stamina: 108

Period over which the body can effectively sustain prolonged activity.

 

Constitution: 258

The ability to withstand physical punishment.

 

Mental Statistics:

 

Intelligence: 120

Knowledge and its application

 

Charisma: 35

Charm, coerce, inspire.

 

Perception: 63

Awareness of surroundings

 

Spiritual Statistics:

 

Ethereal Awareness: 0

Attunement with the Gods and spirits of Gulithea. (Necessary for Ethereally supplied magical ability.)

 

Internal Connection: 100

Attunement with oneself. (Necessary for cultivation of one’s own inner power)

 

Singularity: 57

Innate understanding of universal essence (Neuma). Will increase with personal level. (Cannot be leveled by other means.)

World sense: 9.1% Knowledge of Gulithea.

 

Experience Points to next level: 4980/5050