Chapter 12: The Graveyard Showdown
Khajiit Dale Badantel was pleased with how things had been progressing. Clementine had secured Nfirea Bareare, an army of then undead had stormed the gates of E-Rantel, he and his fellow Zuranon cultists were almost done with the ritual, and he would be one step closer to achieving his dream of becoming a lich. Everything had gone according to plan. That is, until they showed up.
"It's a beautiful night isn't it?" an unexpectedly cheery voice called. Khajiit's eyes widened when he heard that voice and turned his head towards an armored behemoth, a gorgeous scowling woman, and… he wasn't what the beast behind them was, but it was certainly fluffy. "It is nights like these that make me hungry. Beautiful moonlight, a soft breeze in the air, and the promise of bloodshed."
"How did you get past all of the undead?" Khajiit demanded with the skin on his corpselike face stretching. The man in dark armor simply chuckled as if he found Khajiit's question legitimately funny.
"Isn't it obvious? I killed them. The Adventurers Guild and the city guards are mopping up the remnants of the undead and securing the city as we speak," the more this man spoke, the more Khajiit began to sweat. Who was this guy? "The only loose ends left are you and your people. I will give you one chance to be granted a painless death: Where is Nfirea Bareare and where is the woman with the piercing weapons?" Khajiit gulped.
"There's no woman here!" he lied.
"Khajiit, give it up," Clementine's voice came from the mausoleum. "He's figured us out and I'd looooooove to hear how he found us." She said with a smirk as who walked towards the group.
"Take off that robe and I'll show you," he said as if it wasn't suggestive at all.
"Whoa! Hey! You're making me blush!" she called out mockingly. "And I like it." With that said, she ditched her robes, revealing her armor covered in adventurer plates. "Looking for these?"
"You are a fool. By taking those you led me right to you," the armored man stated. Clementine frowned in confusion. "My name is Momon. I already know who you are Clementine."
"Oh? And just how the hell do you know that?" she asked.
"Your old friend Nigun told me," was all Momon said. "Shall we settle this over there?" he asked as he pointed to a nearby clearing with one of his swords. Clementine just shrugged.
"Fine by me," she said as she and Momon set out for the clearing. "Nabe," he called over his shoulder. "Take care of Khajiit and his friends, please."
"I live to serve, my lord," she said as her hands started glowing with magical energy.
They spent several minutes of walking in total silence, other than Momon quietly singing to himself:
"Prick your finger it is done, the moon has now eclipsed the sun; angel now has spread it wings the time has come for bitter things," he hummed quietly.
"Hey!" Clementine interrupted.
"Yes?"
"Aren't you going to cry about what I did to your friends, how they meant so much to you, and that I had no right to kill them?" she asked with an evil grin. Although she couldn't tell, Momon matched her smile with one that was just as sinister under his helmet.
"You misunderstand. I don't care what happens to other people. If someone spewed such idiocy about their nakama to me I would laugh in their face. I only pretend to care because it suits my interests," he stated coldly. "Your kidnapping of Nfirea and slaying of the Swords of Darkness is an inconvenient setback, but since you also provided me with an opportunity to slay an army of the undead and raise my reputation immeasurably so I will give you one chance: Surrender now and I will make death painless." Clementine laughed.
"You really think you can beat me? Puh-leeeeaase," she mocked. "I know the names of every person in the Kingdom who can beat me: Gazef Stronoff, Gagaran, Luisenberg, Brain Unglaus, and Vesture Kloff Di Laufen. You? I've never even heard of you before!"
"Of course you haven't," Momon responded calmly. "Momon isn't even my real name." Clementine's eyes narrowed as she continued to size the man up. They both knew in their hearts and minds that only one of them would be walking away from this. As they arrived in the clearing, they put a reasonable amount of distance between each other. Momon silently deactivated some of his vampiric traits. Since his status as a Dracula gave him +15 to all his stats, including his swordsmanship, whenever it was nighttime he had decided to bring it back down to 0 for two reasons. One: this woman was NOT a threat to him. Two: he wanted to gain some real experience from this fight.
"Should I start?" Clementine asked mockingly. Momon shrugged, unconcerned.
"Go ahead."
Nigun stood with two guards at his sides with their backs to the open room behind them. In the depths of the labyrinth underneath the Shrine of the First Miko was the vault where the Slane Theocracy stored its most valuable and dangerous treasures as well as holy relics. A few priests were in there cleaning the holy relics and catalogued what was in the vault. Even though he was now the Shrine's Chief of Security, he wasn't allowed in. Only those with the rank of Bishop and higher were allowed in. It didn't matter if he was allowed in however, as Nigun was aware that one of the Shadow Demons he had with him had infiltrated the vault one of the other times he had been standing guard. Soon, Nigun would give their master a report on the contents and his recent discover concerning the identity of the third World Class Item in the Theocracy's possession. Once the priests were done, Nigun and his searched them for anything they may have tried to smuggle out, as was standard procedure, and upon not finding anything they went back up to the surface. With his long day at work finally over, he went to visit a low class bar near the Fighters' Guild. He walked in and sat down at a booth in a quiet corner and waited. Thankfully, he didn't have wait long as Corvo walked in and sat across from him.
"What do you have to report?" Corvo asked. Nigun sighed.
"It's not good news, Lord Attano," Nigun said with a sigh. "The third WCI, it's called [Ahura Mazda]. It is capable of decimating Nazarick. The more negative a being's karma is, the more damage it inflicts, and its range is enough to cover EVERYTHING from here to the Agrand Council Alliance!" Corvo's eyes narrowed.
"We need to report this to Demiurge," he stated. "I have found that the Black Scripture is on their way back to Humanika. They will remain here for several days while the Captain of the Black Scripture, Ruvik Alaf, continues the selection process for a suitable bride so she can give birth to another God-Kin. After that they will begin hunting for our master with the intention of using [Downfall of Castle and Country] on him. Since our lord had another WCI with him at all times it is not likely that it will affect him, but there is a chance their hunt will lead them to Nazarick."
"So what are our orders?" Nigun inquired as he leaned over the table.
"When the Black Scripture returns, we will prevent them from leaving by ensuring that the city is lacking in manpower."
"How?"
"I have a spell [Rat Swarm] that summons a horde of ravenous, plague bearing rats. We will summon a few thousand of them over the next few days, hide them in the sewers, and they will scatter across the city. After the Black Scripture arrives, I will use my ability [Pied Piper] to control the rats and make them flood the streets spreading the plague among Humanika's inhabitants. We are undead so we will be immune."
"What about that woman, Jessamine Kaldwin? Won't she be stricken with the plague too" Nigun asked. Corvo winced a bit.
"Let me worry about that," he said grumpily.
"What if they suspect us? What if they use [Downfall of Castle and Country] against us and turn us against our god? If we are in the heart of enemy territory why do Mistress Shalltear and Lady Narberal have access to WCIs while we do not?"
"To answer your questions: if we one of us was controlled by [Downfall of Castle and Country] Lord Dracul would most likely kill whoever was controlled to free us from its affects and revive us shortly after," Corvo said while ignoring Nigun's gulp. "And there are two reasons we do not have WCIs. One: That Black Scripture is usually on missions outside of Humanika so we will have limited contact with this Kaire woman. Two: Because we are staying here for an extended period of time we cannot afford to have items of such power in our possession as they would inevitably attract attention, raise suspicions, or worse: blow our cover." Nigun was silent as he mulled over what Corvo told him. After a few moments, Nigun nodded in understanding as the two of them stood up.
"I understand, sir. I apologize for my lack of foresight," Nigun apologized.
"It's fine," Corvo responded gruffly. "I'm not the one you have to worry about disappointing. Now let's get out of here, we have work to do."
"Very well, Lord Attano. Let us being preparations to unleash the Rat Plague!"
"Come on! You're boring me!" Clementine taunted as she dodged Momon's swords yet again. "You're athletic abilities are topnotch, but you swing your swords like a fool!" She was right. Although Momon was freakishly strong and fast, Clementine had skill and experience. Of course, that was the point of this exercise: learn to be a convincing swordsman.
"Attack me then!" Momon shouted. "If you're so strong then why have you done nothing but dodge this whole time?"
"THE HELL DID YOU SAY TO ME!?" Clementine growled in rage as the armored behemoth continued to look down on her.
"You heard me. What happened to being a warrior who only a few people could defeat?" Momon continued to goad her. "It looks like you can't even land hit on someone you've never even heard of!" Clementine seethed as she unsheathed two of her stilettos. Just as they were about to reengage, they heard loud noises coming from where Nabe and Kahjiit continued to battle. Two large dragons made of bone had appeared. "Skeleton Dragons," Momon muttered to himself.
"That's right," Clementine said as she calmed down. "You really know your stuff," she added as she got into a position that reminded Momon of a cat getting ready to pounce. Quick as a flash sprinted towards him at a suprising speed and with extrodinary agility. Momon lashed out with the sword in his right hand when Clemenitne said these words: "[Invulnerable Fortress]." Clementine's small stiletto deflected his massive sword and she jabbed her other stiletto at his shoulder with tremendous force. She instantly retreated before Momon could counterattack with the sword in his left hand.
"That's a tough shell to crack," she muttered, disappointed she hadn't hurt him. Momon was impressed. The force of that strike had managed to dent armor made by a level 100 magic caster.
""So that's martial arts? Impressive," he chuckled.
"Ready for round two?" she mocked.
"I was waiting on you," he mocked back. Clementine furrowed her eyebrows and shot towards him again. This time, Momon was ready for her [Invulnerable Fortress] when her stiletto blocked a swing from his right sword but when he followed up with the left Clementine used another martial art.
"[Full Throttle]!" as she said that, her already impressive speed went into overdrive.
Gazef used these martial arts. So are these the best martial arts this world has to offer? It would be a relief if it was but also a little disappointing.
He turned his head to the side to avoid being stabbed in the eye through his visor so Clementine's stiletto only grazed the side of his helmet. However, this made him unable to see Clementine's other stiletto strike on his neck until felt cold steel pierce his already cold skin. There wasn't any blood however and both combatants backed off for a moment. Clementine glared at Momon.
"Why didn't my attack hurt you?" she demanded. "I stabbed you in the neck so you should be choking on your own blood! You piss me off so let's finish this!"
She has taught me well. I will practice with Cocytus some more in the future. Still, the adventurers won't be held up by the remaining undead for much longer so I should wrap this up.
"You're right. It is time to end this," Momon said calmly as he stabbed his swords into the ground before turning his in Nabe and Khajiit's direction. "NARBERAL GAMMA!" came a terrifying from under his helmet. "SHOW THEM THE TRUE POWER OF NAZARICK!" Clementine shook as she heard what she believed to be a hundred souls cursing her and creatures jeering in anticipation of her soul being collected. She stared at Momon as he turned his gaze back to her and outstretched his arms. "Come then," he said now that his voice had returned to normal. "Let's end this."
"What the hell?" Clementine said, still slightly alarmed from the demonic voice that came from Momon. Then she straightened up and decided she had imagined those sounds, even if they did continue to echo in her ears. "Giving up, huh?" she asked now that her arrogance had returned.
"Why would I do that just as I get serious?" Momon responded with a smirk. Clementine scowled as she charged at him for the last time.
"[Pace of the Wind]! [Greater Evasion]! [Ability Boost]! [Greater Ability Boost]!" She exclaimed as she closed in for the kill. Momon didn't make a move.
I WON'T LOSE TO A NOBODY LIKE YOU!
It was that thought that led to Clementine's last bad decision. She got in close and jabbed her stilettos into Momon's eyes and unleashed the [Fireball] and [Lightning] spells at the same time. The lightning fried Momon's brain while the fire spread over his entire body. Clementine grinned, convinced she had won, until Momon's arm came up and locked her in a painfully tight hug.
"WHAT!?" Clementine screamed. What answered her objectiveless question was a voice from within the burning armor that had erupted into evil laughter.
"You really thought that would work, didn't you?" came Momon's voice as he removed the stilettos from his eyes with his free hand and dropped them to the ground.
"But how? HOW THE HELL AREN'T YOU DEAD!?" Clementine screamed. As she finished her little tantrum, the fire instantly vanished and Momon's armored form was replaced by a man with a fanged grin and soulless red eye the gleamed in the night: Lucifer Dracul. "Y-YOU'RE A VAMPIRE!?"
"Obviously," Lucifer said as he once again raised his free hand and grabbed the top of her head and forcibly tilted her head to the side. "I haven't had the chance to drink blood in three days and you, my darling Clementine, have been volunteered for the honorable task of being my next meal." Clementine's eyes widened as she realized what was about to happen. Lucifer leaned forward and sunk his teeth into her neck while using a low tier healing spell on Clementine. For every two drops of blood Clementine lost, she recovered one and because having one's blood drained by a vampire was an extremely painful way to die, the healing magic had been used with the intention prolonging her suffering. To hurt her even more, Lucifer used illusion magic to give Clementine hallucinations. She saw every single person she had ever killed covered in every horrid wound she had ever inflicted upon someone. They were all reaching for her from behind Lucifer, demanding she come and rot with them for her sins. She heard her mother and father whispering in her ears about how her brother was always better than her and how she would never amount to anything more than her brother's body double. Worst of all, she saw her brother laughing at her as he looking down upon her.
"This is why mother and father always loved me the most," the hallucination laughed arrogantly. Clementine screamed and tried to lash out Lucifer. She couldn't move her head since he was holding her from there, keeping her head tilted, so she clawed at his eyes only for her nails to break off, she punched him again and again but he didn't even seem to notice, finally she recalled the morning star on her back, grabbed it, and attempted cave Lucifer's skull in as she struck him again and again.
"YOU BASTAAAAAAAARD! KEEP THEM AWAY FROM ME! DON'T LET HIM TOUCH ME! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO!" she screamed, half insane at this point while bleeding from her eyes and mouth. Lucifer's response was to tighten his grip on her back until her spinal cord snapped. The intense pain caused her to drop her morning star. There was absolutely nothing she could do. It was as that horrifying fact sank in, she started to vomit out her organs and she finally died. When there was absolutely not a single drop of blood left in her body, Lucifer simply dropped her corpse to the ground and straightened up, his red cloak billowing gently in the wind. Her corpse was skin and bones, a sickly pale, and her internal organs hung out of her gaping mouth. She looked like a Draugr from Skyrim by the time he was done with her. Lucifer stared down at what was left of the wretched woman and, on a whim, kicked the corpse in the face, caving the lifeless husk's skull in.
"Maaaaaasteeeeeeer!" a familiar voice rang out stealing Lucifer's attention away from Clementine's corpse.
That goddamn hamster.
Lucifer, now in his usual vampire form turned to face the overgrown rodent. He saw something in Hamsuke's eyes: concern and loyalty for his master. Lucifer gave the smallest of smiles when he saw this.
Hamsuke may be a fool, but the creature is a loyal and useful fool. And that is the best kind. Crap, I just realized I don't know if Hamsuke is a boy or a girl. Oh well, cares?
Upon seeing those blazing red eyes directed at it, Hamsuke skidded to a halt.
"That's not master! It's a monster!" Unfortunately for Hamsuke, Narberal, clad in her Pleiades Maid uniform, picked that moment to land on the beast's head.
"Annoying gerbil," she scoffed not noticing Hamsuke's lack of an ability to breath at the moment do to the fact Narberal was currently standing on its neck. "I honestly don't see whatever it is you do in this creature my lord."
"Its reputation as the Wise King of the Forest is the extent of its usefulness," Lucifer stated coldly. "The more fame the adventurers Momon and Nabe gain the more access we'll have to valuable information. Adding in the fame of the so-called "Wise King" will further our objective." And with that, he entered the mausoleum and found Nfirea bleeding from the eyes and was wearing some kind of translucent robe. On his head was some kind of spider web-like crown. Judging from the gash across his eyes it was obvious he was blind. It was also obvious that the crown was controlling him somehow.
That should be easy enough to fix with magic.
He raised his hand to the crown and said:
"[Appraise Magical Item]."
Crown of Wisdom? There wasn't an item like this in Yggdrasil. Shame I have to destroy it. I can't afford to jeopardize Momon's reputation.
"[Greater Break Item]." And with that, the crown dissolved into a myriad of tiny lights as Nfirea, now free from the item's affects, slumped over unconscious. Lucifer then set to work on restoring the boy's eyesight. "[Greater Heal Wounds]." The gash vanished as the spell took effect. Lucifer transformed back into Momon and strode out of the mausoleum with Nfirea slumped over his shoulder. Waiting for him at the exit were Narberal, who had changed back into her Nabe outfit, and Hamsuke, who had a large sack on its back full of items they had looted from the corpses of the members of Zuranon. Narberal was holding an item that resembled a black pearl while Hamsuke was doing what Lucifer assumed was the hamster's attempt at bowing.
"Forgive this king for its outburst my lord," Hamsuke chirped. "Devote myself even more to your greatness I shall!" Momon simply nodded in response before turning his attention to the item in Narberal's hands.
"Nabe, what is that?"
"Actually my lord-" Nabe began.
"Master! Please don't take my oath of undying loyalty so lightly! Break my fragile heart it does!" Hamsuke wailed. Momon furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance before deciding to shut the beast up.
"[Aura of Despair Level 1]." The effect was almost instantaneous and Hamsuke fell over for the second time in as many days. After making sure the shivering hamster wouldn't interrupt again, Momon turned back to Nabe. "You were saying?" Nabe, who wasn't even fazed by what just happened, continued.
"Actually, my lord, I was hoping you could tell me." Momon gingerly took the orb out of Nabe's hands and cast a spell.
"[Appraise Magical Item]."
Jewel of Death. A sentient item? That definitely wasn't in Yggdrasil. Let's see… The more the living die in its vicinity, the more power it gains. The more power it gains, the more control the wielder has over the undead. Additionally that power can be spent to create more powerful undead. If I killed enough people with this thing nearby, I could create some really powerful undead creatures! I might even be able to make something that didn't exist in Yggdrasil! If this item really is sentient I want to hear it speak. Well I guess the simplest way would be the most efficient way.
"You may speak, Jewel of Death," he stated as he folded his the arm that wasn't holding the jewel behind his back.
"Thank you, Great God of Death," the jewel spoke, in a surprisingly feminine voice. "I am deeply impressed by thy unmatched aura of death and offer my deepest respect to you supreme one." Momon let out a slight chuckle as that statement reminded him of the denizens of Nazarick.
"I don't suppose you don't have anything other than flattery to offer me?" Momon asked bluntly.
"Yes my lord! I meant no disrespect. Before I met thee, all I wanted was to spread death throughout the world. But now I know my true purpose. Great Lord of Death, please accept this humble servant's oath of loyalty. My only wish now is to serve thee, great one."
"At least his thing knows its place," Narbe said before glancing at the still shivering Hamsuke. "This overgrown rodent could learn a thing or two from it."
"What shall I call you?" Momon asked.
"Jewel of Death, my lord," the jewel stated simply. Momon sighed.
"Do you have a name?"
"No, my lord."
"Do you have any objections to my simply calling you Jewel?"
"I have no objections, my lord." Momon nodded in acknowledgment.
"Then you may now consider yourself to be one of my servants and I know exactly what to do with you." As he finished his statement he extended his free hand and, in a flash of light, the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown appeared in his hand. Nabe's eyes widened.
"My lord! What are you doing?" Nabe asked as she stared in awe at the staff.
"[Combine Items]!" With the spell cast, Jewel gently floated out of his hand and landed on top of the staff. Both items glowed brightly for a few moments. When the light faded, the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown looked almost exactly the same as it always had. The only addition to it was the fact that half of Jewel was visible on top. "How do you feel, Jewel?" Momon asked.
"Powerful, my lord. More powerful than I dreamed was possible!" Jewel exclaimed. Momon grinned under his helmet before teleporting the staff back to Nazarick. He glanced behind him to see Hamsuke had finally gotten up.
"Well then, I suppose it's time for our triumphant return," Momon declared. And with that, the messiah of E-Rantel and his comrades set off back to the Adventures Guild.
Am I the only one who thinks that the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown looked like it was incomplete? I wonder what kinds of undead Lucifer can make now cough cough the Skull Knight from Berserk.
HAIL AND KILL!