Chapter 215 (Beginning of Book 5) (Extra chaps this weekend) (Patreon)

Chapter 215 (Extra chapters will be posted again this weekend due to time constraints with work this week)

The world was changing, and new empires were rising across the ashes of dead civilizations as the merged worlds creating Panu were beginning to come together.  The tutorials were over, the initial shock of the integration now passed.  It was a time of new beginnings.

The terraforming of the inner lands of the Thane Necropolis had been a blessing to many of those drawing power from the Unholy Foundational pillar, and all associated pillars.  Especially for the undead, who made up nearly half of the population under the Thane sibling’s rule after the ongoing wars had added more bodies to the mix.  The bone garden was working overtime converting more and more bodies to the cause, and thousands of people across the multiverse at a combat level below 5 that were unaffiliated with any major factions according to system standards were allowed their own pilgrimage to the newly integrated world as well - bringing tidbits or knowledge and expertise with them that helped the new nation progress over time.

After the battle for Mandon, Capital of Dawn, as well as the subjugation of the elvish kingdom of Tereen and the absorption of Chicago’s surrounding territories across the Riven’s Eye Wormhole, the Thane Necropolis was one of the leading powerhouses in their prospective areas on either side of the planet.  Refugees from areas of wilderness where civilization still hadn’t taken root due to monster nests or raging conflicts with other natives that wanted to carve out a piece of the planet for themselves were in abundance.  Local warlords vying for control with one another along with roaming gangs and bandits were commonplace, but these were also prime targets for many of Allie’s forces - specifically targeted for leveling opportunities as well as keeping the peace and maintaining a constant flow of new bodies for the bone garden in Brightsville.  Thus the reputation of the Thane Necropolis had become something of a double-edged sword, a safe haven for some - and a treacherous calling to death for others.  World forums often had starkly contrasting views on the faction as well, some praising them for wiping out the majority of an invading force while others called Riven and Allie evil for their blatant disrespect for life.  The ‘Butcher of Carnis’ title had stuck to Allie after her incredibly brutal treatment of her elves during the war against Tereen, and Riven was outright known as a genocidal maniac.

There’d even been three other top 10 rankers that’d spoken about the rise of Riven’s presence on the world forums along with the country he represented.  Judith Marcina - the number 1 powerhouse on the worldwide leaderboard 3 spots ahead of Riven’s own number 4 spot, had issued a statement proclaiming the existence of an undead uprising as a concern - but she hadn’t outright condemned them either.  Publicly stating that if their factions should meet, she would concern herself with the necropolis then - but that it may be years before that were to ever happen and until then she was focused on her own newly created empire’s expansion.  Meanwhile Nithkik Brutishvase, the dark elf number 5 ranker and Sinthil Tuk’tuk the rank 8 Lizardian had very opposing views on a vampire being in the top 10 that lined up with their charisma allegiances.  Nithkik, being a dark elf, had a negative charisma allegiance by race alone and praised Riven’s ruthlessness and magical prowess - while the opposite could be said for Sinthil the lizardian, who called RIven a madman after witnessing what he’d done to Daskus, City of Canyons to bring back what he called ‘an abomination from the hells that should never have been allowed onto this mortal plane’ in reference to Athela.

Yet despite all the attention Riven had received from Elysium’s showcasing of his own exploits, he wasn’t very invested in what people had to say about him.  Mostly he ignored them entirely, and was far more focused on the important things that were close to home.

Vampires from a local faction in the underdark had made contact in deepnest concerning the world quest of the vampiric elder god.  The dwarvish kingdom of Brya had fallen after their king had been slain by Riven, and was being incorporated as another vassal state - but it would take time and some reeling in of their ratkin allies that still had a deep seated hate for the conquered dwarves.  Chalgathi’s next quest was upcoming in less than 3 months now, and the capital city of Dawn was still being rebuilt after the attack from Rippenvire.  The Blood Moon Requiem was on the brink of an internal civil war after Jalel and Lord Barimont had been slain, resulting in multiple noble houses having their low-leveled elites enter into an all out battle with one another on Panu, and Kathrine had even left to go back home for time being until her parents made sure things were settling down to discuss family matters.  The lesser lords and ladies of House Wraithtide were also scheduled for a meeting with Riven and Allie in upcoming days, and General Viku had stationed an entire garrison of House Wraithtide’s own F-grade elites at level 90 apiece in the vampiric compound on Panu while simultaneously letting Riven know that there would be much talk on the matter of empire politics upon his projection’s arrival.

All in all, given the recent events, Riven should have been rather busy.

Should have been.

***

The sunset cast brilliant orange-yellow hues on the horizon across a sprawling sea of grasslands, sending shimmering trails off winding rivers etched into the landscape.

Fay squealed in excitement, reeling in the line on her fishing pole with wild abandon while sitting cross-legged on the water’s shoreline.  The white Sunday-dress matched her hair that had been pulled back into a ponytail, and a wide thatched hat covered her eyes from the sun.  “Oh!  Oh I think I finally got one!”

Riven laughed at her giddy display, sitting immediately next to her and a few feet away from his wheelchair that’d been parked on a grassy patch leading out to rolling hills and fields; grasslands that stretched for miles in all directions.  “Good!  Maybe that bait Azmoth got us really is doing the trick after all.”

Riven looked right to where Athela’s growing pile of fish was being cooked and snacked on by the other campers here with them.  His red eyes, cloaked by a black hood to block out the sun now that he wasn’t wearing Messenger, shifted to meet Athela’s own when she nuzzled up to him.  “Athela you damn cheater.”

“Cheater!?” Athela repeated, aghast at the accusation and bringing up both pitch-black hands to pinch his cheeks like one would do to a cute puppy before smugly kissing him.  “I would never cheat!  My bloody strings are just more viable than your fishing poles!”

Athela wore an outfit nearly identical to Fay’s own after the two demonic women had gone shopping in Brightsville together for their trip.  Her bare feet dug into the sand and she mockingly grinned down at Riven’s own fishing pole that was clutched between his hands.

A large campfire crackled behind them by a couple yards where Luke Blissfallen, an old elf and one of Riven’s thralls, was preparing some of the fish by cooking them on sticks.  He was in deep conversation with Genua, Riven’s other thrall who’d accompanied them on the journey with her daughter Len - the two older elves having a rather good time teaching the little blonde girl about how to skin a fish and what spices to use in the broth they were making as a soup.

“You’re making that face again.” Fay said, finally pulling in the trout that she’d hooked with a knowing smile.  “They chose to attack you first, Riven.  Your decision was a sound one.”

Riven grimaced with guilt, continuing to stare over to where Len was dangling her legs from a log and looking up to her mother with wide, wondering eyes and a bright smile.  “I can’t help but feel guilty.  That little girl lost her big sister and her father because of me.”

“She doesn’t know it was you.” Athela said from the other side, standing up and brushing herself off before turning around with her hands on her hips.  “Genua never told her the truth about how they died.”

“What did Genua tell her then?”

Athela shrugged, then walked over to get Riven’s wheelchair.  “Perhaps you should ask. But come on!  Don’t be a downer, we’re having fun tonight and all your friends are here!”

“She’s right, you know.” Fay stated, putting her hand on his to give him a warm squeeze before standing up.  “Cut loose tonight, you deserve it after everything you’ve been through.”

“After everything we ALL have been through.” Athela corrected the succubus, spanking the other young woman and getting a yelp before grinning to herself and bringing the wheelchair over.  “Let’s go big boy.  Lahn and friends are back from their walk, it’s time to gather around for the meal!”

Riven glanced back over his shoulder, smiling in the dying light of day at the assortment of people who were present.  “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

He took her hand, hoisted himself up, and took a seat as she wheeled him around to join the main group.

Aside from Luke, Genua, and Genua’s daughter Len, there were quite a few other familiar faces around the vampire sitting in folding chairs or on logs cut from the few trees that scattered themselves onto the rolling hills and flatlands around them.  Gurth’Rok the orc chieftain-turned-vampire and an orc woman he was courting were present and off to the side.  Dr. Brass was - as ever - wearing his old whitecoat and had ditched the glasses after his body had undergone vampiric changes to become a younger man with sleek silver hair.  The doctor was laughing and joking alongside Mara, Nin and Vin - the three black-clad necromancers seated highest in the tiers of Allie’s underlings running the necropolis.  Azmoth and Fimrindle were seeing who could better skip stones along the water, pelting the skeletal undead drake Tyranus while he napped in the deeper waters further in.  Allie, Lahn, and Lahn’s mother Shovi were just now rounding a bend in the river and wading through ankle-high grass, with Allie occasionally zapping mosquitos with her death mana, and Shovi was pushing her own son’s wheelchair as the three talked and joked with one another rather loudly.  Allie was obviously drunk but was having a grand time, and Lahn was still recovering physically from his temporary transition into an angelic being after fighting the vampire lord who’d tried to take Allie as his own - but it was doubtful Lahn’s soul would ever fully recover in terms of being able to wield magic or martial arts again.

Though the young man still had hope, his eyes had been grown back and he was in better physical condition than he’d ever been before, even despite the loss of his left arm entirely after the fight at the vampire compound.  His stump where the arm used to be still retained significant residue from the possession however, and it’d been so etched into his body that it would take massive amounts of possibly dangerous surgical interventions to fully regrow it given the knowledge Riven and Allie - or even Gaia had now.

Otherwise the parasite that’d been exorcized by Fay had left toxins and scar tissue which were eradicated by the angelic possession, and his physical recovery had increased at a rate by threefold.  It wouldn’t be long before he didn’t need a wheelchair at all.  There was also the topic of Miracles.  Miracles and divinity worked differently than spells and mana, or martial arts and stamina, by essentially summoning the power of another entity or the pillars themselves rather than using his own innate strength as a power source.  It was possible, according to Luke, that Lahn could potentially utilize miracle-type abilities in the future even despite the absolute destruction of his core and pillars.

Albeit, the act would still be far harder to do than it would be normally - and no one they knew had access to holy miracles either.  Even amongst the entire military of Dawn, miracles were apparently quite rare.

“Feeling better, I see.” Riven said as a statement rather than a question when Lahn was rolled up to the fire next to him.  “You’re looking healthier.”

Lahn waved Allie off after she gave him a peck on the cheek, grinning as she and his mother joined Fay, Genua, Luke and Athela at a picnic table right behind Riven on the left.

“Yes, I feel amazing.”  Lahn smiled back, then gestured to the wheelchair Riven sat in while the flames of the fire cast shadows across his body.  “Looks like you’ve joined my club.”

Riven blinked, then snorted a laugh and clasped his hands together - enjoying the warm of the orange glow.  “I certainly did.  Hopefully not for too long, for either of us.  Everything ok with your eyes?”

“Your healers did a wonderful job, there are no problems at all.”

*THUMP*

The ground shuddered just slightly when Gaia’s small figure slammed into the earth beside them, and the dryad-like demigoddess gave everyone else she’d startled a wave before creating a chair out of earthen soil to lean back lazily while taking up residence next to the two temporarily crippled men.  “Hello children.  How is everything?”

Riven raised an eyebrow her way.  “Good to see you made it Gaia.  Wasn’t sure you were coming.”

“I never miss an opportunity to gossip.”

“Is that so?”

“It is.  Try being cooped up for as long as I have, and you too would seek as much social activity as possible given the chance.  Thank you for inviting me.”

Riven gave the little dryad girl, or what appeared to look like a little girl, a nod with a warm smile.  “I never did get to thank you face to face for how you helped Athela.  Thanks again for what you did, it means more than you know to me.”

“She helped Athela?  How?” Lahn asked curiously, scratching the back of his head with his pointer finger.

“She donated a tiny piece of her soul to Athela when Athela was killed, it helped reform her from a mere speck that my gluttonous miracle was able to acquire.”

“Oh.  That’s intense.  Is that a normal thing?  For demigods to give out pieces of their soul?”

Gaia snorted a laugh at the young man Allie was so interested in.  “It is certainly not a normal thing, but it was the right decision.  My soul has already begun mending itself and it will be like the piece taken from it was never gone to begin with in time.  Also - here.”

Gaia extended a hand over Riven’s, and then dropped an amulet into his palm.  It was sleekly crafted from the wood of a tree, circular in nature akin to that of a thick quarter, with a tiny flower carved into the front face.   “What you asked for.  A replacement for the one you broke, and somewhat upgraded so that it can act with Fay’s illusions more fluidly.”

[Gaia’s Heartwood Token (Epic): Wearing this token around your neck allows you to suppress any Charisma effects you may have, suppresses your vampiric qualities as well as the demonic qualities of your contracted familiars, as well as changes your status page information to represent a Level 55 Human.  Those with identifier classes at high enough level can circumvent this passive ability.]

The amulet she’d given him was spectacular, and a wide grin spread across his pale face as he thanked the demigoddess and stowed it away.  “This will come in handy when I visit Hakim.”

“And Julie!” Athela called pointedly, taking a ketchup bottle and slathering the stuff all over a hotdog - and handing it to Riven.  “Julie is my favorite.  By the way, these hot dogs look nothing like actual dogs.  I’d been expecting a flaming canine or something.”

“Yes I was wondering about that myself…” Shovi, Lahn’s mother stated with a raised eyebrow - having already finished two of them and starting her third.  The usually well dressed lady of the court was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt with an electric guitar on the front - some of Allie's old clothes after Shovi had made it known that she didn’t own any traveling gear.  “It is rather good though.”

Allie hummed in amusement and popped the cork off another wine bottle, motioning for Genua to slit her wrist.  Genua did so and let a good amount of her blood settle into the wine before Allie gave a heads up that she could stop, and the elf soon-to-be-thrall gave a nod before twisting her hand and sealing the wound shut.

“Can all thralls do that?” Shovi asked curiously.

Genua shrugged.  “I can, and I’m only ready for the transition.  I haven’t taken the dive yet.  Luke?  Can you do that?”

“I can.” The old man acknowledged her question with a grim frown.  “However, not nearly as fast as you can.  That was impressive, Genua.  Perhaps it has something to do with your other features…?”

He gestured to the woman’s reddening eyes.  “I don’t recall ever having heard of thralls gain vampiric traits.”

“They’re not supposed to.” Allie confirmed with a nod and a drunken side-bob of her head.  Then she hiccuped.  “It’s weird.  You’re weird, Genua!”

“How many has Allie had to drink?” Riven asked Lahn under his breath while the two men continued staring over their shoulders.  “She’s plastered.”

“Too many to count.” Lahn confirmed with a chuckle.

Riven’s eyes shifted between his sister and the thrall to be, and he shook his head with a smirk before turning back around to the campfire and biting into his own hotdog.  Immediately the taste of a perfectly cooked bratwurst caused his mouth to nearly explode with salivation, and he let out a deep, content sigh while loudly moaning amidst his slow chew.

“Riven!?  Was that you!?” Fay asked incredulously with raised eyebrows.  “You must really be enjoying your food!”

Smacking his lips and nodding enthusiastically, he only chuckled through his nose while continuing to eat.  It’d been way, way too long since he’d had some basic, bad-for-your-arteries Americanized food.

***

[Tear of the Blood Good (Legendary F-Grade Dao Treasure): Must have a bonded, contractual partner to use.  Reveals insights into the Dao of the Blood Subpillar and drastically increases the resilience and size of both partners’ Blood Pillars after use regardless of what your insights gain for you.]

Athela handled the large red tear-shaped gemstone glowing in her hands carefully, sitting cross-legged in front of where Riven was doing the same - albeit being supported due to his weakened state by Azmoth.  Fay sat to the side, continuing to chomp and crunch on the smores Allie and Lahn had so enthusiastically begun making on repeat after Lahn had joined her in getting drunk and getting the munchies.

“I hope this works!” Fay said smiling widely, being absolutely on top of the world ever since rejoining the group and after recognizing that there was no ill will held towards her for her abrupt leave of absence.

With her words came a wink from Athela, and the succubus blushed slightly - something that Riven did not miss due to his concern about how the two would interact after Fay returned.  To his surprise things were going well, very well in fact.

The odd new twist to how she and Athela were acting towards one another was somewhat odd to Riven over the course of the past two days, as they were a little handsy with one another which was certainly a surprise, but he didn’t mind in the least and was just happy to have Fay back.  He was getting suspicious concerning their behavior but if he was right on the money of just what had happened when Athela had decided to try and have Fay come back - he couldn’t say he was mad about it.  If anything they were making it kind of obvious, and he was curious as to how that’d play into his own relationships with both of them.

“Alright so how do we do this?” Riven asked curiously, appreciating Azmoth’s supporting hand when the muscles in his lower back began to spasm and his shattered pillars twitched with electrical currents.

Athela frowned in concern at Riven’s brief grimace of pain, but she placed the hand-sized ruby-colored crystal inbetween them - continuing to grasp the object with her right hand.  “We can try touching it at the same time.  Probably our best bet.”

A loud splash echoed from further down the river where some of the others had taken to swimming under the starlight, and Riven only hesitated a moment due to the distraction before placing a steady hand over the top of Athela’s own.  Wrapping his fingers around hers and letting his skin touch the red crystal tear underneath, the red light inside the treasure began to build.

“See.  Easy as pie.” Athela winked at him fondly, only for her eyes to roll back alongside his own when a flood of power tore through their minds - and began to roar to life as the energy made contact with their Blood Subpillars.

Or in Riven’s case, where his Blood Subpillar should have been.