《Garden of Thorns *Lit RPG*》Chapter 23: Quest Spire Bahamut Empire 3 Liberating the Port.
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Lugasa walked over to the gates where the Sobis soldiers stood with their weapons in hand.
"Hey. You there!? The red werewolf! Turn around, this is Sobis territory!" One of the werewolves called.
"What, think you can make me turn around windy boy?" Lugasa's open insult was met with a gust of wind at his direction. It hit him, but Lugasa scratched his head.
"Did you actually hit me? Or was that your way of a hello? Pretty weak.. For a werewolf." Lugasa continued mocking as the werewolves jumped to attack him with their spears. The spears struck Lugasa but they broke instead.
"I expected better but then maybe I have to do this instead." Lugasa let out a howl that caused the ground to shake, the buildings were vibrating just from that howl itself. The werewolves all made their way to where Lugasa was. Looking at roughly ten thousand werewolves before him. They were wielding weapons and armors.
"Come now kiddies. Come give your Uncle Lugasa a warm...Warm... Hug!" Lugasa howled back as they charged at him. Joshua readied Ice Reaper as he headed to face the Venerators that were inside the port area. Lugasa unleashed his Peak Skill: Werewolf Pride, to the gates. Burning it apart for Joshua to head inside, the Venerators readied their weapons. Guns and blades to face him.
"Take him down!" One Venerator charged at Joshua.
'Sword Skill : Azure Strike' The Venerator readied his sword for a set of slashing combos. Not particularly threatening because of what Joshua had in his hands. Ice Reaper defeated the Venerator by slashing the head off.
"No! Kai! Damn you!" The Venerator fired his rifle at Joshua, he dodged it first as he caught a glimpse of the weapon. It was a sniper rifle and at this distance? Joshua couldn't make a move toward the sniper because of the others that was attacking him. Fine, they why don't he do the opposite? Ice Reaper created a barrier as Joshua leaped upwards wielding Rayland's Unforgiven. Thumb pulling the hammer back as he lined up the shot.
The sniper fired first, grazing Joshua's shoulder but not enough to steer his aim off course. Joshua fired the Unforgiven, imbuing a bit of magic into it. Not enough for a spell, just to give the bullet a bit more power. Pulling the trigger, only to see the shot tearing the Venerator to pieces and a big chunk of the walls to the port.
"Didn't... Mean to do that." Joshua said, backflipping in the air to dodge a blade. He recovered, pointing it to the neck of a Venerator.
"Why are you helping Bahamut!? They don't have anything to offer y-" Joshua didn't want to hear it, this was a fight not an argument. Words have no meaning in a fight like this. Joshua kept on firing the revolver to the other Venerators.
"We're ready oh Lord!" Joshua moved back while seeing Lugasa punch through the green werewolves. Then he gave the thumbs up as Cinder unleashed her spell.
The spell struck the entirety of the area, vaporizing every single enemy in their path. Including the werewolves, Lugasa just stood there and took the calamity of flames. Joshua could see the words 'Revitalized' over him. Which was surprising to say the least. Ice Reaper on the other hand was back at Joshua's side.
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"Lugasa is a beast of fire. So he can recover himself with the flames." Cinder said as they looked at how empty the port is, the bodies of Sobis's army have gone silent.
"By the way, is it possible to clear a Quest Spire?" Joshua asked.
"Yes. It can be cleared when certain conditions are met. The current primary condition is to win the upcoming final battle. When the battle is over, the spire will reset with a new or older generation of characters depending on how it was cleared. Quest Spires do not have a set time limit but the actions you take here may cause things to change. It is possible for a new spire to born from it." Cinder explained to Joshua.
The Three Factions will assemble their armies by the Edge's Plain.
Where many battles have been decided there.
Current Venerators
Bahamut : 1
Sobis : 150
Aren Hide : 200
When the defeated return to the fight in the next 10 hours. There will be a final battle to determine the victor.
Joshua thought about it, if Sobis and Aren Hide preach all about war then what would happen if Bahamut wins? Would that lead to something new? This world it is beautiful and it is unique yet, there was many things not right about it. Sobis and Aren Hide hate each other while Bahamut embraces the differences of the races and live in harmony.
Though what Joshua will have to do will be nothing short of genocide. When a foe chooses to not reason, even when that Venerator from Sobis chose to try to talk Joshua out of it, he did not mind it. When Ice Reaper went to Aren Hide camp, Ice Reaper uttered that they were unredeemable. Joshua did not need to ask but seeing the state of mind of the non-humans in that place itself? It was enough to judge that they were subjected to torture.
Perhaps genocide may be the only option. Destroying the Nations of Sobis and Aren Hide Kingdom. Even Joshua though he was no soldier, he was able to see how pointless wars were and how cruel they are. The Unknown Soldier's Vow and Zduhac were a testament to those things.
"Master?" Ice Reaper called out.
"In 10 hours. When the war begins... I may have to ask you all to do something evil." Joshua spoke grimly where Lugasa smacked his head.
"Ow."
"Quit thinking too hard. It is grim but war is the same everywhere. People live, people die. But what you want to do from here on out with all this power determines what you will be. You got more power than most of these people combined. That and you got four ancients with you. It isn't evil if you believe in what you're doing. Same goes for the soldiers of Aren Hide. They view non-humans as evil because it is a belief that has been put on them. Either way no matter what we do. We're going to cause trouble anyway." Lugasa lectured Joshua and it was something Joshua was thinking about.
"Hesitation in such thoughts will be dangerous, master." Ice Reaper added on, Asim, Bayran, Cinder and Barakas appeared in their human forms and looked at Joshua.
"We will follow the command of the Lord of Thorns." The four of them said as they knelt before Joshua.
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"These people are real and it seems I've become desensitized to killing. I don't want to just clear this spire in a battle. I want to help this spire achieve a happy ending. This Spire itself is another world. Aren Hide and Sobis must fall. Their beliefs must fall. If not we'll have a repeat of history." Joshua said to them.
Your words have reached two unique familiars.
They are making their approach towards you.
By the many moons of the realm of Tristanobles.
Served a woman who was known as the Lord of Thorns.
A warrior that was a descendant of a tribe of berserkers.
A rage that quelled with the desire to protect.
This warrior fought to protect his people, only to see another hero had beaten him to it.
Serving as the 2nd Lord of Thorn's shield.
This warrior was given the title Lord's Guardian.
This warrior has served many Gardens and acted as a mentor, but to the Lords he will act as their shield.
Joshua felt a figure approach him, clad in full white armor with black markings on it. Black sigils, black enchantments that was beared to it.
The helmet was a pair of horns that faced downwards, a face plate of a humanoid skull with white haunting eyes. The chest ornament of his armor was the lower jaw of a beast.The pauldrons were shaped after fanged beasts, and the kneecaps shaped like human skulls. The design was a bit too much but Joshua could feel the ferociousness that was eminating from this figure with a white long sword with a sword breaker dagger in the other hand. A large shield on his back. The shield had a beast skull made to it, with spikes at the front. The violent poking kind of spikes, not the prick and it hurts. This was the kind that was used on maces and iron
The other figure approached from the south, clad in black. The design of this armor was slimmer but it looked noble. The face plate was plain but the helmet had a dragon motif, not a dragon's skull motif but shaped like a dragon's head. The right pauldron had a mantle attached to it. A small waist cloth was attached to the back of this figure. The weapon wielded was a rapier saber that lacked a handguard. Throwing knives were tucked to his chest.
By the many twilights that has occurred in the world of Dulavis.
This man was no warrior nor was he a mage.
He was merely a counselor and drew his blade to defend the corpses of his liege's family.
Rescued by the First Lord of Thorns.
Serving the First Lord as the Counselor.
Dubbed by many as Wise of Darkness.
He acts a teacher to many Gardens and can only be attained as a familiar when one ascends to Lord.
Donovan, Lord's Guardian
Class Shielding Berserker. Level *Follows the Lord*
Donovan, a famed hero that had served the 2nd Lord of Thorns.
The white marks of his armor are reminders of his mistakes that had caused his 2nd Lord to cry for him.
His duty in the battlefield is to follow the Lord of Thorns to battle, always by their side to defend them with his famed sword breaker and tearing through the enemy formations with his long sword. He serves the lord faithfully with the shield on his back
Personality : Loyal to his lord, reserved.
Familiar Skills
Berserker's Roar Aggroes enemies, breaking their morale if weaker than him. Shield of the Lord Takes mortal wounds against the lord. Once per encounter. Blade Shatterer Able to break weapons at Phantasm sharpness and below Morale shatterer
The more blood is spilled onto Donovan's armor, the easier it is to break the morale of the enemies.
Armies will fall When fighting armies, Donovan will pave a path for his lord to take down the enemies.
Iacus, the Wise of Darkness
Class Fencer of Darkness Level Follows the Lord
Iacus, the Counselor for the First Lord of Thorns.
His armor features a slimmer design to suit his ability as a fencer, fighting battles with fast speeds.
His duty is to advise his lord in all matters, including on forming relationships, who to trust and who to avoid.
Serves as the Final Judgement, to decide if the Lord's companions are worthy to become companions.
Personality : Loyal to the lord, and outspoken.
Familiar Skills
Dark Tide A tide of darkness will blanket the targets and destroy them from within. Lord's Counsel Will always fight the weaker unique enemies or Venerators to break the formation of enemies. Mind shatterer Halves INT + MAG of enemies and Venerators. Mages must fall.
Enemies with mage classes will be Counsel's primary target, stopping mages from using their magic.
Spell breaker
Uses throwing knives to cancel magic spells aimed at the Lord.
"We greet the 13th Lord." Donovan and Iacus knelt before Joshua.
"Rise, both of you."Donovan and Iacus stood before Joshua, bowing to him.
"Your words... Though you may feel that it is childish. I for one do not. This final battle that wishes to be fought. You being the only Venerator where others have chosen Aren Hide and Sobis. Though, do not fret, Lord. For we both agree. Will you allow me to gather data to determine which members of the Royal Family of Sobis and Aren Hide shall be left alive? Or do you wish to kill them all?" Iacus asked.
"This war is merely a clash of beliefs that had been shoved down into their throats. Whatever you choose, I will follow." Donovan said to Joshua.
"Iacus... In all your years, can you tell me what is your thoughts about this action?" Joshua asked.
"If we can get the families of the other two empires to agree to joining us. It may lead to a more interesting way of an alliance instead of a normal murder. If you allow it, I will go with the Ancient of Springs to learn more about them. I will give you my opinion after I deal with them." Iacus said with a bow.
"Do that, thank you Iacus." Iacus vanished with Barakas as Joshua had a lot to ponder about. In 10 hours, this will all be over.
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