Essence Wave Book 2 Chapter 34

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE ***

And one more!

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE ***

“Foolish primates,” a massive Daemon called out as it stood behind the first row. David threw a Scholar’s Vision at it, straining slightly at the distance.

Name: Daemon Legionnaire Legate

Level: 12

Description: The Legionnaire Legate is the Daemon in overall command of a thousand member Legion. Often has abilities to enhance and enrage its subordinates.

“Get off our planet!” David yelled back.

“It is ours now,” the Primus called. “If you surrender, you can join us. You will become a Corrupted, with the ability to grow and evolve as we do. With us, you will know peace and become a part of something bigger than yourselves.”

“We already are!” David yelled. “The protection of our world. Defending those who are defenseless. Standing against evil. We reject your offer, and know that you only made it because you are frightened by us!” The people behind him cheered. David focused, channeling Mana into an Unstable Mana Bolt, coating the edges with pointy bits of Metal Mana.

“Frightened, of monkeys,” the Daemon scoffed. “So be it. Now you will all die, and your Essence will strengthen my Legion instead.”

David laughed, then threw his hand forward. The Bolt, holding nearly a thousand Mana, streaked forward, only to detonate on a shimmering shield that appeared in front of the Daemon shields.

With a roar, the Daemons stepped forward. “Fire!” Josiah bellowed, and hundreds of attacks flew out. Nothing made it through the Daemons shield, though several of the Daemons in the front started to look queasy. Not that David was sure of that, as the ugly frog-insect-gorilla beasts were hard to read. Then the first Daemon died, Absalom and another sniper hitting it simultaneously with Piercing Shots.

“Josiah, now’s a good time to use the Ballista!” David shouted, sending another Bolt out. The Daemons were only twenty meters from the wall now.

Through the communication system, David heard, “Jack in the box is go!”

Six loud thrums echoed from behind him, and six glowing projectiles slammed into the glowing shield in front of him. The shield held, but the force of the impact knocked the first three rows of Legionnaires off their feet. “Keep it up!” David shouted, Inciting Speech prodding him to talk more. “We hold the high ground, both physical and moral! Together, we will destroy them!”

A beam shot out of the cloud of Incubi hovering over the Legion and blasted into the wall. David shoved his shield in the way of the crenulation in front of him, blocking it from impacting Colin and Josiah. Other Vanguards and Defenders blocked most of the beams coming in, though a few got through and screams sounded from the walls.

A girl’s cry made David look to see Adi’s tower was burning. Adi herself was missing her bright red hair, and the look of pain on her face made David scared for the preteen. A second later, her eyes focused and both hands extended. The fire around her stopped moving, then flowed upward into a ball between her arms. She lifted them over her head, then threw the ball of fire into the grouping of Incubi. It detonated with enough force that David felt it from nearly fifty meters away. At least twenty Incubi crashed to the ground, with dozens of others flapping frantically to regain control of their flight.

A second flight of ballista bolts slammed into the Daemon’s shield, this time higher up as the Daemons were only a few meters away. David threw his last Unstable Mana Bolt at the shield wall, only to be surprised when it went through and impacted on a physical shield. The Daemon that took the blow collapsed backwards, the row behind it parting to allow the body to fall through.

The Daemons thrust forward with short spears, trying to stab at the defenders through the crenulations. Colin leaned over David’s shield, which he’d reduced in size, and stabbed downward with his halberd, skewering a Legionnaire through its shield.

Blasts of fire, balls of water, icicles, and dozens of other types of ranged attacks flew around them, and David jerked when a Lightning Bolt, cast by four Incubi, nailed him in the shoulder as he blocked a spear thrust. He staggered, the electricity causing his muscles to twitch, and then dropped to one knee. His shield was still partially caught on the wall, so it held his arm up, blocking the next Bolt they shot at him.

Their distraction proved their undoing, as Jamie threw a ball of metal into their midst and then clapped her hands. At the sound, barely audible from only a few meters away, the ball detonated into a storm of fragments, shredding the Incubi. To his right, David saw Ben frantically scratching runes into the wall and empowering them with Mana. Each rune strengthened the stone, preventing the Daemons from chopping it apart.

With a roar, a dozen Alphas leapt onto the wall, or tried to. Colin smashed one back onto the struggling Legionnaires, and Steve pretended another was a baseball and he wanted a home run. That Alpha flew nearly fifty meters back, clearing the entire hoard of Daemons to splatter on the ground.

David leapt to his feet and used a quick Vanguard’s Charge to move two meters in a fraction of a section, manipulating the shockwave to send two of the Alphas into the enclosed area, letting the second string of fighters chop them apart.

Barry staggered back, the nearest Alpha’s blade nearly cutting his left arm off, and collapsed into the arms of a healer. The Alpha tried to follow, only to be brained by Jack. Jack turning to defend his friend, though, let a Legionnaire stab him in the back. The Alphas died quickly, but the chaos they caused let the Legionnaires start to climb onto the wall.

David left Colin and Josiah to fight over the opening they were guarding, and leapt to cover Jack as he fell to the platform. A Vanguard’s Strike cut the Legionnaire down, then a Shield Bash cleared the next one from the area. He tossed his sword into the air, holding it in place with a thought, a streamer of Mana flowing from his wrist. A Healing Potion appeared from his inventory, and he dumped it on Jack’s wound.

The fight devolved from there, flashes of pain as David was hit and bursts of disgust as Daemon ichor got all over him from an attempted tackle from an Alpha. What felt like hours, but was probably less than ten minutes, passed before the Daemon Primus bellowed something, and the pressure immediately lessened.

The Daemons were retreating, keeping their shield wall open as they marched backwards. “Don’t let them leave without paying for it!” Josiah bellowed, throwing a Mana Grenade as hard as he could. The invisible shield had reformed, however, and before they could break it the Daemons had retreated out of range. The brief clash killed over two hundred Legionnaires and all of the Grunt Alphas. The Lieutenants and the Primus were never in any danger. The Incubi lost a full half their number, leaving only fifty or so still flying, and the majority of them were injured in some way.

Another stream of Daemons were visible in the distance, including thousands of Gremlins and hundreds of Grunts. “They’re going to wait for reinforcements, then hit us again,” Josiah said softly. “This time with Gremlins and Grunts to soak up our Mana and Energy, and then use the Legionnaires to press in for the kill.”

“That’s why we have grenades,” David said. “Should we have used them on the first clash?”

“No,” Josiah said, “they were just testing us, seeing if we would crumble in the first wave. Look at the Grunts coming, another fifty Alphas are in the mix.”

“How many did we lose in a testing fight?” David asked.

“No deaths, thankfully,” Josiah said, pointing to an enclosed area. “Liz had the Earth Mages put an infirmary in. Twenty seven people are out of the fight, healed just enough they won’t die in the next day but too injured to heal fully. Another forty three have to be healed from moderate injuries to be combat capable. If the Daemons wait for half an hour, which seems likely, we should be able to get a couple more back into fighting shape.”

“Do they need Mana?” David asked, ready to leap down and support.

“No,” Josiah said. “There’s a limit to how much healing a body can take. Liz or Andrea can explain it.”

“Huh, I guess self-healing is different?” David asked rhetorically, and all he got back was shrugs like he expected. “Well, time to spend Essence.”

“I’ll keep watch,” Josiah said. “And organize a group to loot all the Daemons.”

David nodded, then opened his Status, looking over the full listing before diving into his Ways.

NAME:

David

LEVEL:

9

Ways

Stats

Total

FREE ESSENCE:

2076.18

20500

18000

45000

Required to Level

TITLE:

Prime Forerunner, First Cleanser, First Lord, First Baron

22500

Required per category

38500

Total towards level

CREDITS:

47

HIT POINTS:

4427

ENERGY:

3825

MANA:

3926

Name

Base

Mod

Final

Name

Base

Mod

Final

STR:

82

46

128

INT:

109

40

149

AGI:

80

45

125

WIS:

97

44

141

CON:

112

48

160

PRE:

86

42

128

NERV:

86

43

129

PATH

Lvl 5: Lord(E)

SKILLS:

Mana-Artifact Creation (App 10), Hiking (Beg 9), Running (Beg 11), Scholar's Vision[U](Beg 8), Sneak (Beg 11), Sword Mastery (App 2), Shield Mastery (App 1), Unstable Mana Bolt [U] (Beg 17), Vanguard's Charge [R](App 3), Pain Resistance (Beg 15), Mana-Inscription [U](App 1), Vanguard's Strike (Beg 12), Strenghten (Beg 15), Sprint (Beg 12), Omnicaster [E](App 2), Swordsman's Step (Beg 10), Earthen Bulwark (Beg 8), Mana Shield (App 3), Shield Bash (Beg 2), Scholar's True Focus [E] (App 7), Drawing (Beg 5), Inciting Speech [L] (Beg 12), A Lord's Presence[R] (Beg 10), Lead from the Front(U) (Beg 3), Combat Reflexes (Beg 14), A Leader's Gift (Init 4), A Leader's Due (Nov 7), Spike Field (Beg 1), Advanced Bodily Repair [S] (App 6), Earth's Unrelenting Motion [A] (App 1), Minor Muscle Efficiency (Beg 1), Swimming (Init 4), Overcharge (Init 7), Precast [R] (Init 7), Defender's Riposte (Nov 1)

Available WAYS:

Protector (0/500), Runner (0/500), Shield Beginner (0/1000), Leader III (0/3000), City Knight (0/3000), Augmented (0/10000), Frontliner (0/1000), Shieldwall (0/1000), Vanguard III (0/1500), Earth Mage III (0/1500), , Metal Mage II (0/1000), Cultivator (0/10000), Swimmer (0/500), Beast Leader (0/1500), Mana Artificer (0/3000), Mage III (0/1500), Balanced (0/2500), Jack of All (0/1000), Spellsword (0/2000), Arcane Knight (0/3500), Knight Templar (0/2000), Runic Defender (0/2000)

So ridiculous, compared to where I started, David thought, and yet, still not enough. Well, I’ve got a number of Ways available and two thousand Essence to spend. As much as I’d love to save up for Balanced, Arcane Knight, or Mana Artificer, I only need another two kay to finish off my Way requirements for leveling, and getting to level ten would be extremely helpful So, only looking at Ways at or below that.

Protector (0/500), Runner (0/500), Shield Beginner (0/1000), Frontliner (0/1000), Shieldwall (0/1000),  Swimmer (0/500), Beast Leader (0/1500), Mage III (0/1500), Jack of All (0/1000), Spellsword (0/2000), Knight Templar (0/2000), Runic Defender (0/2000)

Alright, so I could go Jack of All and one or more others, David mused. Maybe Frontliner, or do Protector and Runner. Beast Leader isn’t an option, not right now, same as Swimmer. I’m leaning away from Mage three, as I doubt I’ll get a useful passive ability a second time in a row, and generic Mage abilities aren’t really a goal right now. So, Spellsword, Knight Templar, or Runic Defender. What can I guess from their names? Man, I really wish we got more information on the Ways before we Walked them.

He thought for a bit, then asked Josiah about them.

“Well, the Knight Templar were an order of Catholic knights,” Josiah said. “Not sure what they’d have to do with the System, if anything, so it’s probably a name supposed to invoke something.”

“Maybe a paladin from Dungeons and Dragons,” David said. “It’s a class, which the Ways somewhat seem to resemble. Paladins were holy warriors of their deities, and usually were strong fighters with a moderate ability to heal or cast spells. I got the Ways from finishing Mage two, so they all have magic in them.”

“Well, what does a spellsword do in that game?” Josiah asked.

“Uh, I think they’d be something like fighting with one hand open to cast spells from,” David frowned. “So not a great fit for me, at least for now. Knight Templar, if it’s a paladin, is better.”

“What about Runic Defender?” Colin asked, opening his eyes. “Sorry, got distracted by your discussion.”

“It could be good, but I worry that the three options are basically offense, balance, and defense,” David said. “Balance would fit me better.”

“A defensive class would let you hit well outside your level, though,” Colin said. “You regenerate everything so much faster than anyone else, that all you would have to do would be to outlast your opponent.”

“While you are in the front line, everyone else gets bonuses,” Josiah said. “If you could just stay there, you’ll let everyone else fight to their fullest.”

“True,” David said. “Plus, runic makes me think of Inscriptions. Maybe it’ll enhance that as well? I’m going for it.”

The first thousand Essence gave him four stats, two each to Wisdom and Strength, which surprised him. At exactly one thousand, he received a new Skill.

You have begun to Walk the Way of the Runic Defender! You must be able to understand and emulate the runes that govern Inscriptions. You receive the Skill: Runic Inspiration!

Synergy detected, Skill: Mana Inscription already possessed. Combination possible, attempting, success! Runic Inspiration and Mana Inscription have been combined. Mana-Inscription has evolved into Runic Inscription [Rare]! Skill level retained!

Skill: Runic Inscription

Level: Apprentice 1

Description: Carve and infuse runes into an object to create single-use or permanent effects. Infusion of Energy, Mana, and Essence possible. Multiple runes can be combined for improved effectiveness and manipulation of result. Quality of runes, materials used, and Skill level impact Mana, Energy, or Essence requirements and Skill effectiveness.

A rush of knowledge slammed into him, and he suddenly knew two dozen more runes. “Whoa, ow,” he said, putting a hand to his forehead. “That’s a rush. Upgraded Mana Inscription to Runic Inscription, and a whole bunch of information got shoved into my brain.”

“Better you than me, kid,” Josiah laughed. “Hard to teach old dogs like me new tricks.”

“Eh, you’re doing pretty good at adapting to the System,” David said. “Still got a thousand Essence to allocate.”

“Well, go for it. I’m waiting on you,” he laughed.

David grinned, then focused back onto his Status. The System allowed for quick changes in perspective, the notification windows vanishing in instants. He started to allocate the rest of the Essence, receiving another Wisdom, when he was stopped by a notification that forced its way into his vision.

Congratulations! Your Intelligence and Wisdom have both reached one hundred base points! Prepare for Mana Core evolution!

He collapsed, his head exploding in pain, and started to spasm like he was having a seizure. He could vaguely hear an exclamation of shock, but he couldn't focus on it. The seizure stopped quickly, and the pain cleared itself out just as fast. “Ow, whoa!” David said, amazed as he looked into his core cave with True Scholar’s Insight.

“What happened?” Josiah asked, concerned.

“My Mana Core evolved,” he answered. “Felt like an ice pick to the brain, but my Core is brighter, the Mana inside denser and thicker than ever. No idea what it means for casting Skills, but it’s gotta be good. Going to finish allocating Essence, I got interrupted by the evolution.”

“Be careful,” Josiah admonished.

David nodded absently, then opened his Status again. The rest of the Essence flowed into the Runic Defender Way, giving him two more Strength and one more Wisdom. The last bit of Essence, though, gave him the expected pop up.

Congratulations! You have Walked the Way of the Runic Defender! Runic Defenders stand tall through their unique Skill, Core Inscription!

Skill: Core Inscription

Level: N/A

Description: Carve a Runic Inscription on your Core, permanently strengthening yourself. Each rune requires a massive investment of Mana and Energy, and a small amount of your Mana and Energy regeneration will be siphoned off to maintain the rune. This Skill does not level up as normal. Learn more runes and Runic Inscriptions to empower yourself further.

NOTE: If your Mana or Energy drops to zero due to this Skill, you will die.

“Well, that’s the first time a Skill threatened to kill me,” David laughed.

“A Skill threatened to kill you?” Colin asked, confused.

David shared the Skill description with him and Josiah. “You were looking for a way to get stronger,” Colin said. “Looks like this is it. Losing a bit of regen for a permanent boost? For you, Mr. Energizer Bunny?”

“Yeah, just got to figure out what to carve,” David said. “I know about two dozen runes now. Probably should start with something simple. The sense I get from the Skill is I can start over or wipe what I create, so I can upgrade and modify it as I learn and get stronger.”

“Can’t help you,” Colin said. “I’ll stand watch, Josiah. Take care of your Essence allocation.”

Josiah nodded, then his eyes unfocused, gaining the far off look that people had when they were looking at pop ups in front of their face.