Chapter 17: Loose Ends
Name: William Morgan
Race: Human
Level: 48 (24%)
Leveling Class: [Knight lvl: 10 (48%)]
HP: 1070/1070
MP: 29400/ 29400
STR: 100
END: 107
DEX: 107
INT: 162
WIS: 132
CHA: 150
LCK: 170
SP: 42
SC: 10,000
Classes: ˅
Gamer: (lvl: MAX)
Necromancer: (lvl: MAX) {Slots:43/58}
Kight: (lvl: 10)
Survivalist: (lvl: 48)
Enchanter: (lvl: 48)
Titles: ˅
-Tragic Prince:
-Dungeon Delver:
-Master of Orthanc:
'Hmm, I should really take some time to look over that store.' I can't help but think as I start my day. The daily exercise doesn't really do anything for me anymore but habits are hard to beat. Letting Taking a moment to stop by Raynare's new apartment before I head to school. I offer a warm smile as the door opens.
"Hello, how are you, mister Morgan." Came the soft smiled greeting of the fallen.
"Good morning Raynare; just wanted to stop by and ask about something. That abandoned saint you were taking in, where is she?" This earned me a shocked look from Raynare. She figited on the spot for a few moments seemingly worried to be met with my ire for her response.
"I don't know; everything moved so fast when we were cleaning up the exorcists. It's entirely possible no one picked her up." That's probably not good I sigh rubbing my face wondering how this fell through my fingers. The information retention from my intelligence must not work retroactively. Shaking my head I look over the sheepish fallen, sighing I just decide to move on instead addressing the fuckup.
"Hmm, put Dohan on figuring out where she ended up. It's not what he wants to be doing, but it'll hopefully help with how stir-crazy he's been getting. I'll be heading on to school now… good luck, and try not to get too stir-crazy. I've almost figured out how to get back to my world." That last bit obviously had her looking a little worried but she didn't say anything.
'I hope she's okay, or at least in good enough condition to be resurrected… I've enough to cast [True Resurection] even if it is at the cost of another all but one health sacrifice…'
As I make my way into the ORC meeting room, that thought is pushed aside. Getting approved by Satan Lucifer is a very important step in getting into the fight with Riser. As I walk through the front door, I find two mops of crimson hair across from me, having a rather hushed conversation.
"... he is an unconventional person, but I trust that if he can even deliver on half of what he promised, I'll be out of this foolish marriage contract."
"Ehem." I clear my throat from the doorway and firmly pretend not to hear that. Sirzrecs looks over, giving me a thoroughly uncomfortable once-over before speaking.
"I take it you are Morgan, then? I hear from my beloved little sister that you've made some rather grandiose promises." He's fully turned to me in a converse combination of relaxed yet official. "What is it that makes you so certain that you can follow through with your promises."
"I'm a mage of some small amount of skill, and I'm sure you know that the one thing about mages is that they're monsters if given the time to prepare." That earned me a raised brow from the man; good, it's doubt, not outright dismissal. "Alright… that's fair." Pulling a soul-flask out of my inventory behind my back. Putting the flask down, a spark of my mana into the glass causes silver runes to flicker to life across the surface.
"And this is?" I'd say that was more curiosity than disdainful disbelief, so I hope this is going well.
"That is a soul flask." This earns me the keen attention of both people in the room. "Ah, yes… well that's what it is… and it does what it says on the tin… or well glass." I say, losing steam under the stare of the man who can disintegrate me on accident in the room. "Basically, if things are looking bad… I throw myself at him in an attempt to capture him with this." I say, gesturing to the flask. "But that's only if my magic fails…" Sighing, I stand and walk over to the two. "Listen, while I'd love to give in to the intimidating front you're putting up to protect your little sister… I've too much meat in this game to back off now." I say, holding up my hand's green fire shackles appearing around my wrists, a strand from the connection running over to wrap around Rias' hand. "If I fail to hold up the bargain I've made, at a minimum, I lose my magic, but more likely, I lose my life." That drew a surprised look onto the face of the Satan.
"My dear sister has told me that you've made strides to prove your trustworthiness… however I must say, she seems to have forgotten to mention that you've bound yourself by any magic to the agreement." He thinks deeply, likely just to make me nervous. "Very well, I'll allow this to go forward."
"I thank you, Lord Lucifer." I give a respectful bow. "Now that this business is hopefully complete, I'll leave you to enjoy your time… I'd hate to get in between two siblings catching up." I say with a wave while leaving. It was hard to restrain my laughter at the strained look Rias gave me or the pleased look on Sirzecs' face.
I'm ready for my adventure now. Asia's been found, she was taken in by a kindly old couple The wholesome, innocent gremlin was barely spared a second glance before she was safe. She's been moved to the apartment building she's safe and sound protected by Raynare for now. I've been spending my time after school with the ORC getting a few token relation bumps. Today is the day of the funky chicken's little dick-measuring contest. I barely get comfortable sitting down when the Strongest Queen arrives, whispering off to the side with Rias. I was offering Koneko some cookies I picked up on the way to school when the Phenix family seal appeared on the ground heralding the arrival of Raser.
"The Raiser has ar-" Was as far as he got before I interrupted him.
"Ooooh, weee, talk about a dry heat!" I let out a few hammed-up dry coughs. "Can you tone down the Aura of Dehumidifier ability, please? I'm practically turning to jerky over here!" This, of course, had the immediate desired effect of earning me the ire of 'The Raiser' as he turned to glower at me.
"Raiser wonders who this fool is?" While it was phrased as a question, his tone was anything but.
"Well, I-" Was as far as I got before I was interrupted by the Strongest Queen.
"This is mister Morgan; he's been approved to act as an interim member of Rias' peerage in case this dispute is resolved with a rating game." Came Grafia's calm cander.
"Then Raser is to assume that Rias intends to continue with this farce… but to think that she would stupe so low as to enlist the aid of a mere human," Raiser said, waving me off dismissively. "And honestly, A rook, a knight, a queen, and a human." He snaps his fingers. His whole peerage appears in a similar vortex of fire to him. "How do you actually intend to face a full peerage, veterans of several rating games at that." His smugness practically radiates off of him.
"A mere human… hmm. And what if this mere human was able to make you feel death's cold grasp on your heart?" I've been able to get a good look at all of them, I can outpace the knights, but it's close. Consuming an enhancing item from my dungeon diving, I move… and the world blurs. Suddenly I'm standing over the bastard wearing my wraith armor dagger just over his heart. Cold starts to fill the room as the armor's passive fear effect begins to seep into those I consider my enemy. My eyes are wide, matched only by my mad grin. "A soul most painfully carved from the chest." His knights move; they are undoubtedly fast, but I'm still easily faster until that boost runs out. I intercept a zwei-hander with my gauntleted hand, causing the armor covering my palm to creak warningly. The other knight's sword was intercepted by my dagger, only for me to react quickly after a sudden dagger joined the onslaught. I barely managed to pin the dagger with my knee stopping it sandwiched between her sword interlocked with my dagger and my knee. An awkward position to be sure, but I have more than enough strength to keep up the stalemate.
"That's enough." Came the severe tone of the Strongest Queen. What followed was the closest I felt to death in quite a while. Her spiritual pressure hit me like a truck causing a dip in my shoulders.
"Apologies, ma'am, but I've too much skin in this fight to simply let his petulance continue," I say calmly, only releasing the blades of Riser's knights after they'd finished trying to press me into dust. "I can only hope you can forgive this misstep."
"You are forgiven based on your ability to refrain from further upsets." I return Acharn to my back and bow respectfully.
"Please return to your seat, mister Morgan." I nod, moving quickly to comply. "Riser, you've been unacceptably disparaging for someone arriving in another's territory. I would ask that you restrain yourself moving forward."
'Aris, how much does Isildur's ring cost? Without the drawbacks, of course.'
*Hmm, with that modification, allowing you full access to the wraith world and the specific bonuses of Isildur's ring to necromancy. 24000 SC*
'Fair enough; honestly, I would have been fine with just the necromancy bonuses, but with the rest of that, I can't say no, take the rest of the cost out of SP.'
*One moment, processing… conversion complete purchase complete.*
Name: William Morgan
Race: Human
Level: 48 (24%)
Leveling Class: [Knight lvl: 10 (48%)]
HP: 1070/1070
MP: 29400/ 29400
STR: 100
END: 107
DEX: 107
INT: 162
WIS: 132
CHA: 150
LCK: 170
SP: 28
SC: 0
Classes:
Pulling out the ring and observing it, I get something truly wonderful.
[Item] Isildur's Ring:
-Temporarily Applies the Race: {Half Wraith} while worn with all advantages therein.
-Special effects: Increases range of spell [Raise Dead], secondly increases damage dealt by undead under your control by 65%
Nodding at that, I put on the ring.
Name: William Morgan
Race: Human {Half Wraith}
Level: 48 (24%)
Leveling Class: [Knight lvl: 10 (48%)]
HP: 1070/1070 {5070/5070}
MP: 29400/ 29400 {79400/79400}
STR: 100 {250}
END: 107 {257}
DEX: 107 {257}
INT: 162 {412}
WIS: 132 {382}
CHA: 150
LCK: 170
SP: 28
SC: 0
Classes:
I almost lost my careful grip over my own power; for a second, the temperature of the room dropped massively, and dread tickled at the hearts of all present.
"Is there something you would like to add, Mister Morgan?" Came the sardonic tone of Grafia with a raised brow at my outburst.
"Sorry… sorry, it was a drawback from my little stunt earlier." I say, pulling back my hood and looking apologetic, rubbing the back of my head. Which… if I'm honest, was probably not a good plan, considering how sharp my gauntlets are.
"Hmm… well, do try to avoid further… distractions." After that, things continue more or less as they do in the show; we've got a little under a week to prepare before we throw down. This led to me being invited on the training trip, which led to them meeting Kaija. Not the most awkward of introductions though explaining how I have an ancient vampire as my live-in maid was a lot easier when I was an immortal Sith mummy king. Things continued as planned most of my time was spent with Kiba, helping him improve his swordplay. The rest was more or less a three-way split between strategizing with Rias, relaxing, or being kept apprised of how things were going for the Raynare squad.
We were on the third day, and I was working with Kiba; it was surprisingly fun. I'm faster than him, but not by enough for it to be a sure thing. He's got cycles of patterns; it's taking a while to get them down. Blocking him has gotten easy, I can parry him consistently, and finding an opening to counter is rare but possible. My strongest counter so far is intersecting a horizontal blow with my dagger and trying to run him through. It gets him to disengage and throws off his tempo. But he's skilled and determined to keep up with me. The windows for those counters have appeared less and less frequent. After we'd gone for almost an hour, I held my hand up.
"That's enough Kiba." He freezes up, but it's obvious that he wants to continue.
"Are you sure? We haven't been going at it that long…" He says, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice.
"I've got a bit of a full dance card today, sorry. If you want, we can do endurance training together tomorrow with some light sparring after." He nodded, but his body language dripped with knowing it was a consultation prise. Honestly, it was, but that's what he gets for being the one in this group I'm worried about the least combat-wise. Don't get me wrong; it doesn't take knowing him much on a personal level to know how emotionally unstable he is. I should… probably do something about that. Then again, this isn't my peerage.
Walking through the honestly bonkers manor, I can't help but wonder if I'm forgetting anything. I mean, I watched the show… I did not, in fact, write a fucking thesis on it. After checking in on Raynare and the others, I've been trying to improve my relations with Rias' peerage. I haven't really made much progress; after all, I'm an ally, not a member of their little family. Not that you could tell by how Rias usually talks to me, but as far as she is concerned, my joining her peerage is a foregone conclusion. To be fair, if I wasn't a multidimensional entity with an upcoming ascension into a godlike being, I probably wouldn't mind joining that much. But I've got a Star Wars to go do.