Chapter 274 (Patreon)

Chapter 274

Riven sent out another pulse, using his mana as a kind of echo-location tactic just like he’d been taught to do by Lillith over the past months.

It worked like a charm.

He’d picked up on a number of stealthed individuals already, though he was sure that there were some he’d probably missed given the insider information from the priest of The Scythe that Allie had talked to.  Individuals like Fimrindle in the reaper casts would be far harder to sense than the spies, other potential enemy assassins, his own entourage from The Church of Gluttony who’d volunteered to escort him, or just curious onlookers.

There were also the crowds of individuals who didn’t try to hide, and rather just stared at a distance while making room for the passage of the large group.  Nobles of great factions across the multiverse came out to watch from their balconies, drunkards silently sat at their places at windows in taverns, and tradesmen watched from the doors of their shops as the palpable auras passed them by under the shadow of towering obsidian buildings and the flashing rumble of sin-imbued storms overhead.

Out from one of the crowds, a cloaked priest bearing Gluttony’s mark came to fall in line beside Riven and Lillith at the front.  Making a reverent gesture with his hands, the red-skinned, horned man glanced around warily.

“Lady of Black Skies, The Eternal Maw.”  The priest bowed his head.  “The operation is commencing as we speak.  The Seventh Wing’s enclave is under attack in the third universe, and there is no doubt that Greed will attempt to snatch her after she is out of Heaven’s domain.”

Riven nodded, feeling Gluttony stir within him at the priest’s words.  It was an unspoken thing, knowing that both Greed and Gluttony would immediately revert back to being enemies once their combined strike force abducted the reincarnation of Purity from her home.  After that, all bets were off… and both Original Sins had their pieces on the chess board waiting for the moment to fall.

“We should still make it to the portal and into the descent before then.”  Riven replied.  “We waited as long as we could, I just wish we had more time to train.”

Lillith snorted in amusement.  “You’ve already spent far too long here, and have to catch up with your Apocalypse Beasts trials.  Albeit, you’ve improved much and the training was needed… but still.  We cannot wait any longer, not for finishing The Abyssal Descent and your ascent into the E-grade, and not for finishing your time in The Altars of Despair and Hope.  And not…”

Her voice trailed off, hesitantly.

Riven raised an eyebrow her way.  “What is it?”

Frowning, Lillith gave him the side-eye.  “And not for your return to Panu.  Word has reached us that the vampire princess Kathrine has gone missing, though her family says she still lives as they can feel her lifeblood still pulsing.  It is likely that someone captured her, but who it is and why they did it is unknown.”

Riven nearly stumbled, surprise and worry etched into his features.  “What?  When did this happen?  How long has it been?”

“It has been nearly two weeks.”  Lillith replied gravely.  She held up a hand of restraint when she saw the look of rage cross over Riven, and shook her head.  “Calm down.  We couldn’t be sure of the details until just recently, and I have some of my best scouts from the banished looking for her.  It is likely they will find her if she is still on the planet.”

Nostrils flaring, Riven closed his eyes.  Letting out a deep breath, he grit his teeth.  “Fine.  I would appreciate it, however, if you didn’t keep things like that from me in the future.  Kathrine and I aren’t extremely close, but she’s still a friend and it isn’t your place to decide what I can and cannot know.  I’m not as fragile as you may seem to think.  Not anymore.”

Silence hung in the air between them.

Lillith scrutinized him for a time, not expressing any emotion, but then gave him a firm nod.  “I will keep that in mind for the future.”

Their path into the city’s center was undisturbed after that.  They walked in silence, and soon found themselves facing a whirlpool of darkness that spanned over a mile across with the mountain peaks raised up like a crown around them - and a greeting party of nearly fifty strong waiting at the edge of the descent’s first portal down.

Jamal the cyclops smith and other artisans from the Firebrand Trading Company that’d worked on Riven’s new equipment, along with their heavily equipped guards, had come to meet Riven before his departure.  It was likely the last time he’d be here if things went according to plan, and they wanted to make a display of giving Riven his upgraded weapon and armor - likely for their own benefit.  Because if they were trusted enough to make items for someone like the Reincarnation of Gluttony, then what did that say about them?

The company’s president was there, a husky mutant undead of some sort, but he only smiled and stepped back after his presence was noted - not wanting anything more than being seen.  Others in the company inclined their heads in respect or even bowed and took a knee, while Gentry the cyclops waved Riven over with a cheery grin.

Standing behind a long stone table they’d erected, with a thick semi-transparent glass casing over the top, the large cyclops slapped his protruding belly in excitement.  “Aye!  I’ve been waiting for this day to come!  Are you as excited as I am?”

Raising an eyebrow and leading the procession to a halt, Riven stepped forward with a smile of his own and put his hands on his hips.  The four icosahedron totems sparked around him while they orbited his body, and the city directly behind them became silent when the others of Riven’s group took guarded stances to face outwards in case of a possible attack.  “If you were able to do what I asked, then yes.  I am rather excited.”

“Aye, I did that and more.”  Jamal replied almost arrogantly, and reached down one large hand to grip the glass casing.  “They both have your very blood and soul shards from Gluttony imbued into each piece, and only the finest materials from the most dangerous abyssal creatures.  Just you wait!”

The glass shattered and evaporated into thin air, and underneath on the stone table were two items that were both familiar and unfamiliar to Riven at the same time.

But their soul signatures made it easy enough to tell that they were still the same Jackal and Messenger he was used to at their cores.  Based on his training and developing fighting style, these would suit him better than the previous versions of these items quite a bit.

The auras of unholy energies were almost physical things that crashed into his senses like a storm; with a mixture of Sin, Unholy, Shadow, Death, Blood, and Infernal all mixed into it.  So potent was the onslaught of ambient energies surrounding both of these items, that it caused many of the nearby onlookers to stagger after the glass casing had shattered.

His spear-staff had been reforged into a sorcerer’s staff, somewhat reminiscent of his early start in Chalgathi’s starter event.  Only that instead of a gnarled wooden staff that was basically considered garbage in retrospect, he was looking at an absolute masterpiece.  The weapon was almost as tall as he was, retaining about the same size as its original form.  The main body of the item was still made of obsidian metal with pulsing streams of actively flowing blood running the entirety of the shaft; but with two very realistic bone figurines of beautiful winged succubi crawling up along opposite sides of the staff near the top and reaching upwards.  Their tails wrapped around the staff and intertwined, and their wings remained flared out behind them.  There, at the head of the staff and where the barbie-sized succubi bone carvings were reaching, was the visage of a skeletal hand carved from ebony metal; holding a horned humanoid skull that burned with hellfire in the eye sockets.  A burning pentagram with Gluttony’s maw sigil in the center also was displayed in the center of the skull, and spider-webbing arteries pulsed along the skull’s surface like cracks in a mirror.

[Jackal (Legendary Weapon, Vampiric Artifact, Sin Artifact - Gluttony Aspect, Sorcerer’s Staff)(Evolving Symbiote): 1795 average damage on strike with each physical strike dealing additional explosive Infernal Damage.  This is a Self Repairing Item.  Mana regeneration is increased by 600% while holding this item.  Sin, Unholy, Shadow, Death, Blood, and Infernal magics are all amplified in effectiveness and damage output by 20% while wielding this weapon.  All spells cast while holding this item have their range increased by 100%.  This item has an abnormally high endurance and is hard to destroy.  Requires Vampiric Heritage and an affiliation with the Original Sin of Gluttony to wield.

• Gluttony’s Ascent: Passively and steadily builds up its own stats based on the growth of its bonded master.   Current Master:  Riven Thane, Reincarnation of Gluttony.

• Furious Storm: This staff can passively build up charges of furious storm, which utilizes a supercharged dose of any single energy from the pillars of Sin / Unholy / Shadow / Death / Blood / Infernal.  You may only unleash one type of energy at a time.  Power of furious storm depends on the amount of charge emitted.

• Portal Master: This weapon can sync to any stabilized portal you permission to use by the maker and master.  Current locations available for access:  Dungeon Negrada, Riven’s Eye Wormhole, Panu - Changeling’s Forest.  Takes 1 week of channeling in the same place to use this ability.

• Abyssal Beastform: This weapon can turn into an Abyssal Canine Warbeast, and does passive Sin damage on strike.  This form is offensively compatible, but your weapon will automatically revert to staff form upon taking damage equal to 20% of your maximum health.]

The damage output had skyrocketed.  The mana regeneration had skyrocketed.  Passive shadow damage had turned into passive and explosive infernal damage.  He no longer needed to kill things to absorb stats, rather it grew with him at a steady rate.  He got a  supercharged pool of dark energies to utilize beyond his normal mana pool, which could draw on six different pillar types.  Jackal had retained its portal master trait, and its beast form had upgraded into something that it could use to actually fight.

Most importantly though, his spell-casting range had just doubled merely by holding the item.  It was the most important aspect of all the upgrades, and was doubtlessly going to play into his newly developed fighting style - focusing on his mage-related strengths rather than close quarters fighting as much as possible.

His eyes flitted to the next item on the table.

Messenger had similarly undergone a complete rework.  Once it’d been the conglomeration of Chalgathi-labeled artifacts, only protecting his upper body.  This in turn had been a problem, as he simply hadn’t found any pants or lower-body armor that compared or matched the amazing set of upper body armor he’d had.  In many of the arena fights, people had actively targeted his lower body whenever he used the armor because of this.

Now, that problem was mostly solved.  He’d had to sacrifice a little bit of defense from the item to do it, but his entire body would be protected with the rework.

It was a full-body suit, made from plates of ivory - albeit thinner ones than had been present on his previous heavy-armor set.  It looked relatively lightweight due to the reduction in thickness, and the bloodsilk connecting all the plates together was more prominent now as it filled in all the gaps to stretch the material out - even going as far to cover his fingers and toes.  His pauldrons had reduced in size, and his helmet was thinned out; no longer had a dorsal ridge with red feathers coming out the top.  The central chest of his body suit still had Gluttony’s Maw however, and bone spikes still remained over his gauntlets’ knuckles.

[Messenger (Mythic Medium Armor Set, Gluttony Aspect) (Evolving Symbiote) (World Quest Item: Panu) (Unique Soulbound Sentient): This Mythic tier armor set was created on the world of Panu during its integration cycle by the pureblooded vampire Riven Thane, and has been upgraded by the smith Jamal Iktorian in The Abyssal Descent.  Having far surpassed the realm of normalcy, this armor set has been afflicted with the original sin of Gluttony.  As the reincarnation of an Original Sin, Gluttony has blessed this armor to even further heights so that the wielder may one day become the tidebringer of wanton destruction Gluttony seeks.  All shall perish before the great maw, all hail the abyssal depths.

• Gluttony’s Ascent: Passively and steadily builds up its own stats based on the growth of its bonded master.   Current Master:  Riven Thane, Reincarnation of Gluttony.

• Devour: This amulet can use shadowy tendrils to attack and pull in prey for devouring.  If bitten, there is a chance to paralyze your enemy.

• Identifier’s Clause: Bonding with this item increases your ability to identify information concerning items or living creatures, being the equivalent of a low tier identifier class.  Your own basic information will be much harder to identify.

• Ripping Claws: Punching someone with the spikes of your gauntlets will cause massive hemorrhaging damage over time.

• Quickening Flight: Wearing this battle suit will enhance your reflexes and speed drastically, and allows you to fly.  Flying puts a significant drain on your own energy reserves.

> +20% to all base stats

> +300 Strength, +600 Sturdiness, +300 Agility

> +1650 Defense to all Plated Areas of Armor

> +1010 Defense to all Bloodsilk Areas Between Plates

> +50% increased mana regeneration

> Natural sunlight does not affect you while wearing this suit

> Liquid breathing is bestowed upon you while wearing this suit]

Slight decrease to the armor along the ivory plate pieces, slight increase in armor to the bloodsilk, but with a spread that encompassed his entire body now and not just the upper half.  Increased mana regeneration that hadn’t been there previously.  It’d retained a lot of the previous traits like negating natural sunlight debuffs, liquid breathing, ripping claws, devour, and identifier’s clause.  However the most vital and massive change to this armor piece was the last of the traits displayed on the list: Quickening Flight.  It was the keystone to the entire change he’d had made, which would increase his speed and drastically increase maneuverability by adding in flight.  Previously he’d had “Launch” incorporated into the suit, but it was more of a blunt instrument when compared to the refined touch that Messenger now had through Quickening Flight.  If Jamal had made it to his specifications, he’d be able to do quick turns and evasive maneuvers previously impossible in the heavy and clunky - though very sturdy - armor that’d once been Messenger’s first form.

“They’re amazing.”  Riven said, letting his fingers trail Jackal first, and then Messenger - feeling them calling out to him as they began to rise off the table.  “Exactly what I wanted.”

Instantaneously, Messenger expanded itself and snapped around his body.  In the blink of an eye, it’d molded itself to fit him perfectly - covering his entire body with the exception of the eyes in a layer of bloodsilk with overlapping patches of ivory bone armor.  Immediately he felt his stats increase and his body become empowered with a thrum - and he began to lift off the ground by a couple inches while initiating the innate flight ability that the armor made accessible to him like a newly grown limb.

The influx of increased mana regeneration was beyond noticeable as well, and he felt his body drawing in ambient energies of the Abyss like he was drinking out of a fire hydrant; whereas previously he’d only been drinking from a glass.

“I’m glad you like them.” Jamal the cyclops said with a bow and a wide smile, which was copied by many of the others of his trading company behind him as they whispered excitedly to one another.  “If you are pleased, perhaps you may pass on a good word to your church?  My company and I would be indebted to you eternally if you were to come up with a labor contract, so that we may supply your worshipers here in The Abyssal Descent.”

Riven chuckled, and set himself back down on the ground as silent as a feather.  “Consider it done.”

More excited whispers and muffled exclamations came from the back of the company’s group, when he noted the cyclops gesturing behind him.

“There is still one more piece that we helped create.”  Jamal replied cheerfully.  “Athela?”

Riven turned around, and saw Athela pass by where Fay was standing - who in turn gave the other demoness an encouraging nudge.  Almost in an embarrassed manner, Athela avoided Riven’s eyes from underneath her own shadow-crafted cloak and came to stand in front of him.  

“You have something to show me?” Riven asked curiously, cocking his head to one side.

Athela gave him an awkward smile, and shrugged, still avoiding his gaze.  “Uhm… Yeah!  You know, a princess always has to make sure her prince looks stunning right?!  So, uhm, I spent a lot of time on this between jobs.  I got some help from the crafters here that were already working on your other equipment and I… I want you to have this.”

From underneath her cloak, she pulled out a medium-sized box.  It was wrapped with pink wrapping paper he’d have expected to see at a birthday party or Christmas, with a little yellow bow on top.

“I made it look like your old world’s presents!” Athela said, and she suddenly became animatedly excited when he took it from her hands.  She poked the decorative bow.  “Allie suggested these colors too!   She helped me design it, she was super nice!  I’ve been working on this for a long, long time.  I made it by hand!  And I… I wanted to originally give it to you as a birthday present.  Back before I was killed and you brought me back, and I… I wanted to say happy birthday.  And that I love you.  I hope you like it.”

She got up on her tiptoes, closed her red eyes, and pressed her pitch-black lips against his cheek before stepping back.

Riven was taken by surprise, and he felt a lump in his throat beginning to form.  “You’ve been working on my birthday present by hand?”

“Mhmm!” Athela replied excitedly, bouncing on the balls of her feet.  “Do you like the wrapping job!?  Go ahead and open it!”

Riven just stared at her for a while, let his helmet fall back and wiped at his eyes before laughing.  “You did such a good job wrapping it that I’m not sure I want to undo it… but pink!?  Really?!”

“Allie said your favorite color was pink!”

He shot his sister a glare, who was laughing in the background.  “I see.”

Gingerly, he began tugging at the ribbon - and then ripped off the paper to reveal a cardboard box.

Nostalgia hit him full force.  He hadn’t seen cardboard in god knew how long, and he began to silently laugh while opening it to reveal a folded garment within.

It was a cloak made from shadow on the outside - similar to Athela’s, but had an underside made from red fabric that was no doubt Athela’s bloodsilk.

[Riven’s Happy Birthday Cloak (Epic Light Armor Piece, Gluttony Aspect): This cloak was hand-crafted by Athela, who incorporated her own bloodsilk to weave much of the garment.  Gluttony has infused part of its own essence into the cloak as well, instilling the ability to hide your status information from all but the most observant identifiers or scrying treasures while wearing this garment.  Crafters fromThe Firebrand Trading Company have also helped imbue it with further resilience and shadow affinity.  +190 defense to physical damage, +410 defense to magic and miracle damage.

• Gluttony’s Guise: Passively hide your status information from most forms of identification while wearing this cloak.

• Walk in the Dark:  Passively increase your success at attempting to hide when moving in shadow.]

The corners of Riven’s lips turned upwards, and he reached out to pull Athela into a long embrace.  Holding her close, he hugged her and whispered into her ear: “I love it almost as much as I love you.  You’re amazing, Athela.  Thank you.”

He heard Athela inhale sharply in fake bashfulness, which got him to laugh.  But before Athela could reply, he felt Lillith’s hand on his shoulder.

“Riven.”  She said with a stern face while movement in the crowded street began to vamp up further into the city.  “We just received word that-”

There was an explosion that cut Lillith off, then multiple explosions as the entire portion of the city along the portal’s edge shook - and a rising mass of flesh tore through the streets itself into the sky.  Buildings were crushed or swatted aside under its might as the abyssal residents caught up in the disaster began to scream, and an aura on the level of Lillith at her peak crashed down on their position.  Huge, bloodshot eyeballs tore open from towers of writhing tentacles made from millions of leeches, worms, and insects as roars and battle cries escalated all around - with dozens and then hundreds of demons beginning to swarm from places of concealment at the left and right.

“The deed is done… The Seventh Wing is captured!” A booming voice echoed across the skyscrapers while the huge hive-mind abomination stared down at Riven’s location from different angles in the sky.  “BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF GREED!  CAPTURE GLUTTONY’S REINCARNATION NEXT, SO THAT HE MAY FOREVER BATHE IN THE AGONY OF OUR HALLS!  SPILL HIS BLOOD, AND KILL HIS ALLIES WITHOUT REMORSE!”

There was a splat and crunch a dozen yards away from where Riven stood, and as the sounds of battle erupted along the perimeter - he recognized the crushed body of the dark elf he’d befriended upon coming into the descent.  Gentry, who’d he’d only known for a short time, was still recognizable even with his corpse twisted in pain and at odd angles.  It appeared he’d somehow gotten himself caught up in this after all, and Riven felt a little bit bad for the man.

But the expected battle had finally come, albeit a little earlier than he’d thought, and there was no time to dwell on such things.  It was time to show these fools just who they were fucking with.  Just like Greed had set up the trap, Riven and Gluttony’s forces had been expecting it.  And they had prepared in kind.