Augmented Aspects: Chapter 145 The King (Patreon)

Chapter 145

The King

Stretching.

Fortunately, the best part about soul bound gear is that it will stretch to fit you perfectly. This was a feature designed to make it so even when a player got older and stopped working out as much, their legendary equipment would still fit properly. Nothing is worse than going out, earning the ultimate set of gear, only for it to not fid due to old age and bad habits. As such, the ability for soul bound items to stretch and heal themselves became a staple of the world.

An unexpected benefit for these of course is that it also allowed for shapeshifters to exist. Werewolf gunslingers are not uncommon to find in most parts of the world. Their ability to have soul bound gear that stretches with them and then shrinks back is often the only reason why they are not truly found by authorities.

This fun aspect of the world is a feature I too am exploiting, though in a slightly different way. For me, I am not just taking on a new form, but an entirely different role.

Wearing the skin, I feel slightly odd, knowing that the last time I used this skin, I was conducting a game of high stakes poker.

Odd, how time flies, and how much changes at seemingly random intervals of time.

Last time I chose this persona, I had to escape from violently bluffing and cheating my way out of the situation I caught myself in.

This time, I am still gambling, still going to try to lie, bluff, and cheat my way out of this situation, but this time the stakes are higher. As this time I am also gambling with the lives of four of my guild members.

Still, I felt I was more than up for this challenge.

Breathing in once, I mentally take in the air of the body I am wearing. Then breathing out, I let go of my own personality, as I am now committed to this role.

As I approach the overly ornate building where my guild members are being held, I can instantly tell that this building is supposed to be the King’s chambers and the main and final dwelling of this realm.

There are flights of stairs leading up to the entrance chamber of the main hall that finally leads to the throne room. Then off to the side, in the corner of the grand throne room are my four guild members bound and chained to the floor. Why someone would want chains in their throne room is beyond me, but apparently that is how ancient elven kings did things back then.

Silence.

I move with a silent grace up the steps. Each step is easily led into the next step.

As I walk by, I keep my head forward, though I can see the guards in their armored suits stiffen up, as I walk past them. Fear and surprise were evident in their stares.

I also note a few of the guards stare at me a little longer than necessary after I walk past.

Clearly this would not be a battle I could win. At most, I could likely attempt to use Celerity to get away, and ultimately Teleport to safety, but then my guild mates would still be in the position they are in.

Nope, I seemingly have just one chance to get this right, and I am confident that I can do this.

I get to the grand double doors leading to the entryway. There I am met by four large guards, who stare at me, and then do a double take.

I open my mouth to speak, but fortunately the guards speak for me.

“Right this way, sorry we had no idea you were coming.”

With that I nod, curtly. I intend to give off a dignified air, which is always hard to do, as you are always one over reaction away from looking like a witch. Fortunately, I pull it off.

That or the guards are just relieved that I didn’t appear haughty to them as I walk through.

“Now then sire, what should we do for the four interlopers who were found on our property.” A sniveling ghost called out.

Just hearing the voice of this noble elf, it was clear that he was somehow both important, and felt he was worthy of a higher position of authority than that which he already held. Just the type of conniving backstabber that one would expect to be duplicitous in all actions, always aiming to somehow come out far further ahead than anyone else in any sort of deal struck.

“What is it that you recommend.” The King said.

“I suggest we kill these Interlopers, to deter others from freely roaming on our lands.” The arrogant count stated.

Honestly, the minute I saw him I felt a certain recognition. But it was only now that I realized why.

If the Arch-Lich was Rahul, then this would likely be Count Vikar, or maybe one of the twins. Yet, my mind grabbed onto one of the words said by this noble, and couldn’t help but repeat it.

“Interlopers.”

Hush.

With that, I realize that I didn’t say the words as quietly in my head as I had planned. A fact that was made apparent as everyone who had been staring at the spectacle of the Count trying to talk the King into murdering my guild members all turned to face me.

This was fine, rather than pausing, I kept to my role and continued silently striding forward.

Shock.

The Count was shocked to see me.

“You, you’re alive?” The Count blurted out, seeing me still alive and kicking. I was about to say something, but it was the king who sidetracked me with his words.

“Octavia, is that you?” The King asked.

“Surely you haven’t forgotten your own daughter. Despite having banished me to another kingdom to accomplish the impossible, I am pleased to inform you that I have returned victorious in my pursuits.” I state, making sure to come across as both dignified and eloquent as I stride forward. Until I stand between the King, with the Count who is to my back.

Normally having such a man to my back would be a big mistake, but fortunately I still have my Angel’s Sight active, even while using my Spiritual Doppelganger Trait active.

“You say you have returned victorious?” The Ghost count says, his words clearly filled with venom and contempt.

“I have, and I can prove it to you, if you wish.” I state calmly, before doing three things.

Cleansing Rain [Tier VII] (C): A storm spell created by Octavia De’Arcaneri, that can generate rains that will purge the Blight from any infected lands, and prevent the spread of the Blight from creatures that have been splashed with any purified rain water for up to 24 hours.

Then with Octavia’s spell being shown to everyone, I pull out my doctoral diploma from Arcanarus University, before casting a double Illusion spell on the document. The first layer of the Illusion covers my name and distorts it. While the next causes the name Octavia De’Arcaneri to appear where my name would, a slight manifestation of will, that makes this Illusion permanent, well semi-permanent, at least until I wish to dispel it, and then I am done.

In this case, I don’t mind if I make permanent changes to the diploma, as I know it will revert back to its original format by tomorrow, thanks to the intricate nature of being soul bound.

Arcanarus University Doctoral Degree: +100% Skill Efficacy to Spell Theory and Magical Theory.

Shock.

Everyone lets out a gasp, as apparently graduating from Arcanarus University is still a big deal or was even back when Octavia was first sent to attend said university.

Just as everyone is getting these details, I am met by a new system message.

New Spell Created: Double Layered Permanent Illusionary Text [Tier XIII] (A): A spell created by Cassiopeia Spiritlight that can be used to permanently alter the wordings on any contract, even magical soul bound contracts. This effect can be made permanent with double the initial mana costs. Can only be dispelled by a higher tier magical practitioner, or by the caster of the spell.

At that, I pause, wondering if this will actually permanently change my degree to state that Octavia was the recipient of the degree, at least until I dispel the spell. That is wild, but then my mind goes crazy as I imagine all the millions of different ways that we can use and implement this spell.

Take for instance the binding contract I had originally when I was posing as Tobias Spiritlight, while working with the Duke of Legrand’s daughter. I could now use this spell to change that contract to have it bind the duke’s daughter.

A myriad of different scenarios where I could use this to change binding agreements between different political powerhouses around the world and right now, I would be the only one who could undo this. I could also use this as a source of good and abolish all slave wage contracts that many first-generation adventurers signed to, not knowing that they were binding even after the first death of your avatar. So many thoughts that I was too busy focused on these thoughts and not on my immediate surroundings.

That was why I was almost caught completely off guard when the King made his next statement.

“I take it, since you have come back with your degree, and fulfilled your reason for exile. You now wish to take up the spot where you last left off?” The King asked.

With this, I felt a slight bit of confusion, as this was not something I had expected in the slightest. There was a deal struck between the King and Octavia? This was not something that Octavia had mentioned while I met her at Arcanarus. Was there something else to her exile.

“Umm.” Was all I could manage to say, clearly breaking character but I was lost at this point.

“Well you can’t.” The King shouted as he slammed his fist glowing fist down into his throne.

Crunch.

The metal of the throne buckled under the force of the mighty blow. At that I couldn’t help but wonder if the King had somehow inadvertently tapped into a flow of Qi to make his blow that strong, or if he had some exceptionally high Strength Attribute rating to pull off that attack.

“What?” Was all I could ask.

Oppressive Aura.

With that one question, it seemed that I unleased a monster. Or maybe caused the King to shift into his second battle form. Unlike the Lich who seemed to be exceptionally brittle to Qi and Qi related powers, I somehow felt that my use of Qi would not go over as well here.

“I said, I your king, cannot provide you with the resolution you wanted. You took too long and your lover is now a self-imposed eunuch.” The King snarled out.

With that, I could see bands of power slowly wrapping around the king, binding him in place. These bands would be invisible to everyone else, but to my Angel’s Sight, they glowed brightly. Long blue binding chains of mana were being wrapped around the King’s mana core, compressing, and squeezing until his core looked like it would break. Then I saw a system message letting me know the reason why.

Hidden Quest Completed (Decision Point Reached): The Oath Breaking King: You managed to get King De’Arcaneri to not only break his word, but to admit before others that he broke his word. Effect: The king will be at half his stats until either forgiven or killed by the person who they betrayed with their words. You choose the outcome: Forgive the King and earn a reward, Fight the King (at half power), or Force the King to suffer on with their power forever halved.

This was another cool feature of the world, where the powers of leaders could easily be stripped. Corrupt leaders could be deposed, so long as you got them to admit to their mistakes or prove that they otherwise broke their words before their subordinates.

Fortunately for me, the King was clearly holding court to determine the status of my guild members, meaning multiple people that he rules over were in attendance. This also means that those same delegation members saw him and were able to witness his admittance to having broken his word.

I had a few options here, especially with the King at only have his power rating, it would be tough, but I could theoretically subdue him, though this was not an optimal route, especially as I still had the power in this dynamic as everyone seemed to buy the fact that not only was I Octavia, but that I had fulfilled my unknown conditions of graduating from Arcanarus University with a doctoral degree, in order to be able to return as a prodigal daughter.

Silence.

There was a hushed silence that fell over the room as everyone watched as the once great and powerful king suddenly looked years older in a second. This was a visual effect given to the oath breaker. Even as an immortal undead elf, his form quickly changed to that of a king who suddenly looked ready to pass on even in the afterlife.

“Perhaps I could offer a different suggestion.” The conniving count behind my back spoke up.

As he spoke I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck tingle as I knew I would not like what he said next.

Now I am not saying I can predict the future, but I am old enough now to spot a train wreck when it is about to strike. And I could all but hear the train coming off the rails and barreling straight for me as the greasy count began his speech.

“I know I was originally dishonored by your dalliances, in the past.” The Count said, and suddenly I realized this was not just a count but likely a Viscount, as suddenly different details of the later books of Rahul and the Maiden came back to me.

In the books the princess had originally been forced to marry the Viscount, due to the services he provided for the King and Kingdom alike. It wasn’t until Rahul came that he saved her from that life by sweeping the princess off her feet and entering her into a whirlwind love affair that ended up breaking off the engagement and throwing the kingdom into turmoil.

Now, I was apparently smack dab in the middle of this controversy. I should have seen it coming sooner honestly, especially as I knew the storyline and plot of these stories so well, but I could not expect this to have been the Viscount himself, the person who played the over-the-top villain. A person who you swear cannot exist in real life, until of course you see said person speaking like a snake and trying to whisper sweet nothings into the King’s ear.

Realizing this was my time to speak up, and act on the momentum I have created thus far, I decided to speak first.

“Your honor has nothing to do with me anymore. That much was clear when you sent me away. Furthermore, the fact that I survived your assassination attempts should prove that I am far more capable than you think.” I state, going with my gut on why the Viscount looked so shocked to see me back here alive, when I first entered.

My mind put together the pieces of what happened, when I recalled the overworked shape of Octavia. She was young, and an elf. Despite pushing herself, there was no way that an elf of her stature and power should have died, unless she was poisoned or worse. Given the look of shock on the Viscount’s face, I deduced that a planned assassination attempt was conducted.

This hunch is now being further reinforced by the way the Viscount is just standing there with his mouth open like a fish trying to breathe on land.

Turning to him, I go for the killing blow. “Looks like you can’t find a way to weasel your way out of this one. Let me guess, your assassin told you that I had been killed long ago, so you thought nothing more about me, until now. Then now that I have come back, conquering both the trials, your failed assassination attempt, and found a way to bring back life to our lands. This is when you try to slither your way around me so you can what? Choke me in my sleep? Have me bear a child where I will die giving birth?”

OHHH!

Silence.

The Viscount, upon hearing this, appears to be visibly shaking at this, then as he raises one finger to protest, he shouts, “you dare to besmirch my good name, despite me granting you yet a second chance back into my life. Back into the light of the Kingdom. All of this and you dare spit in my face with these baseless accusations?”

At that I smile widely, like the Cheshire cat. Seeing my sudden change, he pauses and seems to shake for a second before regaining his composure, but before he can fully I strike.

“Besmirch your good name? Baseless accusations? These sound like the sounds of a slanderous tongue themselves. I admit to my past wrongdoings, I admit to being banished. I now have proven that I have take the trial of banishment and returned victorious in my endeavors. From the state of all things I have come back as clean. Even being deprived of my just reward. Yet, here you dare call me out like this, in front of everyone. With not one shred of proof to your claims.”

I state each line, making sure to add more and more inflection in each word, making sure my voice is heard from all corners of the throne room. By now everyone is watching us, eager to find out where this will eventually lead.

That is when I decided to go in for the coup de gras.

“Viscount, in light of your slanderous tongue. I challenge you to a true Wizards Duel of Power and Promotion. Where if you win, I will admit my mistakes and wrongdoings. Even going so far as to say I lied under oath. But when I win, you will give up your claims to honor and integrity, giving up all titles and claims to nobility and be banished from the lands.” I state.

Silence.

There was a cold silence as the Viscount looked me over. I could even feel him gauging my levels with his invasive scans. A feature I let go, as I wanted him to see me and the fact that I was far lower of a level than he was.

Seeing my level he smiled widely, and with an arrogant tone he said the two words that would forever seal his fate.

“I agree.”