Chapter 450 The Chalice
"Sorry guys, but I gotta make sure the legend of Skelly doesn't end here. You're gonna hate me for this," Dave grinned to himself and charged into the fray.
The more than a dozen Blood Eaters screeched in glee as they saw the approaching Doom Knight. Yet what awaited them was by far the worst day of their life.
Dave charged forward with his [Stampede] crashing into three huddled up creatures, breaking the formation and sending one of the unfortunate creatures down to the bottom of the chasm.
"That's one down!" Dave roared and swung Durandal like a club at another creature.
The power behind his blow was devastating. Dave shot the creature clear off the bridge and into the abyss thanks to the Knockback effect.
"That's two!"
Dave dodged a clawing attack from a nearby creature and headbutted it, dazing the beast, his sword moved along with him, stabbing the assailant thereby forcing it into a dazed retreat. Another creature jumped on Dave, but with his shield ready, he pivoted right, and the jaws on Ajax opened wide, biting at the arm of the creature locking the two.
"Herculean Strength!" Dave buffed himself, increasing his Strength stat even more. His muscles flexed and puffed, the stagnant rotten blood in his veins pumped with destructive vigor even though his draugr heart had long since stopped beating, sending more power to his entire body.
Dave spun around, smashing the creature caught in his shield into its brethren. He ignored the values appearing above the creatures. The effectiveness of his current action spoke for itself. The creature caught in Dave's shield acted as a wrecking ball, smashing into anything dumb enough to approach Dave, and sending the few lucky ones down the chasm for a quick death. As for the others… more pain awaited.
When he felt his momentum slowing Dave unclenched the jaws of Ajax, throwing another monster into the deep.
"Down! Down!" Dave laughed like mad and charged ahead. Three more Blood Eaters stood in his way. He increased his speed and slid forward, his foot rocked into one of the Blood Eaters' legs knocking them slightly up, giving Dave a small breath of time where he sliced up, mid slide.
Durandal tore with ease into the belly of the Blood Eater, enacting a screech of pain from the skewered monster.
Dave stood up with the creature screaming and gushing loads more blood than it should reasonably have. With the monster stuck to the blade, it would have been an impossible feat for anyone to even try and swing their swords further yet Dave's inhuman strength made this feat appear comically easy. The additional 'weight' on his sword provided some nice extra damage which he would gladly take every time. He relentlessly slashed, hacked, and batted at the monsters in front of him. Limbs and heads rolled on the bridge floor and blood soon painted everything in the vicinity, be it the ground, his foes or Dave himself.
The creature stuck in Dave's sword squealed one last time before its body turned limp and slid off the sword, its own weight acting against its body, ripped in half by the blade's edge.
Dave pulled further ahead from the monsters until he was almost at the other side of the bridge. Meanwhile the creatures had regrouped and began a maddened rush, Dave opened his mouth wide and cast [Dragon Roar].
Wind overwhelmingly exploded from his jaws at the monsters, sending half of them into the deep.
Dave fought the remaining creatures to an anticlimactic end. Their ability to draw on blood from enemies to deal damage was quite similar to Zhang Shi, the Northern Region's Guild Master. Yet with Dave currently in his draugr form, the blood abilities of the creatures were useless. He was the living counter to their existence.
Perhaps if the Devie's were here, things would be different and the monsters might have the edge in their own domain, but against the undead, there was no such luck.
Dave wrapped up the fight only to facepalm after he realised what he had done. He might have caused the death of many of these creatures thanks to the abyss, but without a body in reach it also meant he couldn't loot them any more. Fortunately his displeasure lessened once he checked up on the corpses of the others that were still on the bridge. They were all lootless.
Dave turned to the compounded floors, he needed to climb up and enter into the central pillar to get to the other floor. Dave began his climb, ascending through pools of blood, knee-deep. More of the Blood Eaters spawned from the blood pools, causing Dave to fight in a slightly unconventional situation. Nevertheless it all ended the same with the death of any Blood Eater coming his way.
He mowed through the beasts like a lawnmower over grass, efficiently, sharply, and rapidly. He kept moving ahead, climbing each section of the compounded floors. Monsters spawned obstructing his way, only to fall within a few swings. Eventually he stopped going for the kill and simply cut off their limbs and feet, allowing him time to move ahead. There was no need to waste time killing creatures, especially when they didn't give him EXP or loot.
He was sad that his passive [Deathly Presence] didn't work against these creatures. It should have normally scared away any creature that was more than 50 levels below his own, yet since he was literally invading their home, they had no chance but to fight. Truly in some way they were no different from the warriors of the Qin kingdom.
Dave moved up ahead and reached the top area where the pillar stood tall, an open way for Dave to access the later floor of the dungeon he was in.
He walked inside the pillar and found himself in yet another new region. This place however was as hot as hell itself.
Dave stood on a perch that showcased the entire room. It appeared to Dave that this was the last room of this place. He was quite happy for this, as it was starting to get annoying. Even more so when he thought he would have to repeat this 3 more times…
There was a small altar in the center of a flaming hot pool of lava. A small pathway led from the perch where he stood directly to the altar. Above the altar there was a small floating orb, which he recognized as the dungeon's core as well as a chalice of pure gold standing on the altar.
Dave carefully moved toward the chalice, making sure to keep an eye on the lava pool. He had encountered his share of creatures that happily lived and swam in even such impossible areas and he was not about to be outdone by a careless mistake while the goal of his journey was right in front of him.
Shield poised upfront, his sword ready for the draw, Dave stepped ahead, one cautious step at a time, making sure his footing was steady, less the path gave away and he fell to a fiery death. Ultimately what should have taken a couple minutes turned into half an hour, his journey ending eventless before he arrived at the chalice.
The chalice was decorated with all kinds of jewelry and filled with a bright red liquid. He didn't even need to guess what the red liquid inside was. Heck, it would be a miracle if it wasn't blood! There was a small drawing of a face on the chalice featuring the owner of the chalice.
As soon as he touched the chalice a loud chorus blasted through his ears.
"DIDO TUS!
TIMERE!
DIDO TUS!
IGNIS!
BIBERE SANGUINA SACRILIGAS!
REGEM AOREMUS FERIA!
TIMERE ADORMEUS FERIA!
SERVITE ADORMEUS FERIA
DIDO TUS
TIMERE!"
The sound of this chorus ended leaving Dave feeling like keeling over. If this was real life, he would not be surprised if he would have permanently lost his hearing.
Dave understood still what the message he heard was, even
Although Dave had never learned, he was able to make some guesses what the chorus must have said, given the context. One needed to drink from this chalice to get the Ash King to bless them with his power as it seems. This chalice was probably a binding to the deity of fires. In essence, it must have been the usual, 'treat carefully mortal!' shtick those almighty beings seemed so keen on. They were undoubtedly more powerful than any of the current players or NPCs, so was there really a need to flaunt their own horn?
Once he picked up the item, the two jewels making the eyes of the Ash King on the chalice shone brightly as if they staring right through Dave's soul.
A notification popped up in front of Dave.
***
WARNING! By choosing to drink the Unholy Son's Blood, you will be giving up your Undeath Legacy! All your rank progression, achievements, relationships with the undead race shall be expunged, and your relationship to the Undead Realm will become extremely hostile. This action is irrevocable!
Do you still wish to proceed?
Yes or No?
***
Before he could even press a button, another notification showed up on his screen.
***
Several powerful entities of the world of Conquest are currently watching you!
***