Holy Blood 14

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Chapter 14

A few hours later found us against a small cliff. It gave us a wall to our back for defense. We made a mental mark then hunted the surroundings in widening circles. I wanted clear out anything that might consider attacking us late in the night. The monsters in this section were tougher to deal with and not something I wanted to fight late at night. 

Shadow bears and even some trees that could move started to assault us after we traveled another three kilometers. The first Shadow Treant we encountered nearly sent Lulu back to respawn. Her skeleton took the blow for her and died instantly. Weapons didn’t have much effect on it and I had to take twenty percent of my health, I finally figured the exact amount, to deal magic damage to it. 

The bears, well, they were just tanks. They were slow and hit hard, but the real issue with them was the massive amount of health they supported. Thankfully, they didn’t have any long-range attacks. We were able to kite them around until we burned their health. 

Our minions were quick learners. We only had to explain once, and they were able to remember the directions. The Fallen was more intelligent than the skeleton though as it would work out improvements while the skeleton would only do as directed. I felt the higher-level undead Lulu would unlock in the future would make up the difference, but that was still to be seen. 

“Level thirty,” I said as the shadow bear collapsed to the ground in front of us. 

“Damn, I’m so close,” Lulu said snapping her fingers. 

“You get first watch tonight,” I said, chuckling at her disappointed expression. 

“Don’t want to be a gentleman and let the lady go first?” she asked with a pout.

“Nope,” I said heading back to the cliff clearing we found a few hours ago. We set about setting up camp when we arrived. It was time for me to work on another skill I’d recently gained. Cooking. 

It was interesting how it worked. I knew how to cook, living alone for several years, it’s a skill you’re almost required to learn. The skill gave you recipes of things you’ve already cooked before in game. Right now, it just showed a list of various cooked meats and the results of different lengths of time over the open fire. While I let the Shadow cat meat roast over the fire, I checked my status. 

Name: Abaddon

Race: 

Angel: As an angel you will be unable to initiate combat with intelligent life. Self-defense is only allowed after a certain threshold. 

Class: 

Harold (Priest) (The linchpin to any party.)

Goddess: Otris

Skills: 

Light of Blood (Damage or Heal. Dependent on target)

Shield of the Caller (Area of Effect. Places a barrier around a location that heals or does holy damage to occupants. Bonus effect: Barrier now moves with target.)

Bloody Prayer (Increases the stats of those around the Priest that have given blood to the Goddess Otris. Otris listens to her herald. When in the presence of allied players or npcs, an image of the goddess will manifest. When in the presence of neutral players or npcs, target will feel awed by your presence. When in the presence of enemy players or npc, Otris’s wrath will weaken them.)

Blood Ablution (Cleanses debuffs from target and boosts resistance to similar debuffs for a time. 30 second cooldown. Bonus Effect: Restores a small amount of health.)

Raining Blood (Creates an area of ten meters that damages and heals all targets inside.)

Summon (1/2(+1 Deadless Staff)) (1,400 AP)

Soldier – A creature sent by the Goddess to aid you in your endeavors. It will remain until dismissed. The soldier will match your level. Skills can be added to the summon. 

Fallen Blood (As your Life points fall the effectiveness of your skills increase.) (Passive)

Level: 30

LP: 4000 AP:4000

Curses: 

Boons: Divinity of Otris

Goddess’s Affection

EXP:171,980/182,540

Being at level thirty opened up some options for me. I’d kept my Summon up for almost two days straight and the cost had reduced by a hundred astral points. That would put summoning two of the Fallen at only twenty-eight hundred astral and would leave me with over a thousand astral points to work with. My Fallen didn’t suffer from the ridiculous debuff of being unable to attack first. 

“Roasted meat again. I know I shouldn’t complain but its only been a day and I’m already tired of it,” Lulu said as she plopped down on a large rock near the fire. 

“You had it for lunch while I was experimenting. Just once… Please don’t tell me you’re one of those vegans?” I asked with a frown. I might have to rethink this group if she was. 

“No. I was just used to a certain standard,” she replied flipping her hair.

“Certain standard… How long were you in prison for?” I asked.

She looked away with a downcast look. She was silent but finally sighed, “A month. I was sent to prison for Embezzlement. I just barely met the conditions to be sent to this place when they announced it. Plus, the people I’d stole money from were quite… insistent that I go.”

“Embezzlement. That sounds familiar,” I said tapping my chin with the knife I was using to test the meat. Then it hit me since it was my own dome. “Mayor Lucy High! She stole billions from the government over a five-year period.” She was known for her being mayor despite her young age of being elected mayor at nineteen and serving for five years.

Lulu held up her hands. “Guilty,” she said. “I was both excited and frightened to come here. Like I told you, I was treated like a toy in prison. At least here, power is numbers and easier to gather.”

“I see. At least you’re not a murderer,” I commented while cutting slices from the meat. I placed it on a wooden plate that was with the camping kit and handed it over. She gave me a disgusted look but took it. “If you don’t like it too bad.” Until I find something that allows me to test for poison, I would not be eating food cooked by someone else.

“I didn’t say anything,” she replied as she stared at the roasted meat on her lap. She narrowed her eyes and took a bite out of it. “A little better than yesterday.”

Silence reigned as we ate. The sounds of night were kept at bay thanks to the fire, but they still managed to creep in. The occasional roar or screech made us look in that direction until we were sure we were safe. We could return the dishes to our inventories without washing them, but they would still be dirty later. We did it anyway. Washing them would come tomorrow.

“What’s your story?” Lulu asked after the silence stretched on for nearly half an hour.

“Why should I tell you?” I asked throwing a stick into the fire.

“Just so we’re on even playing field,” Lulu said putting her elbows on her knees then cupping her face as she looked at me.

“How about this. I’ll give you a hint everyday until you guess it,” I said with a grin.

“Fine.”

“I was a criminal in your city,” I said then walked to the tent. “Goodnight.”

I could see she was wracking her brain as she thought it over. The tent was just a bedroll and a lamp. If the environment was slightly safer, it would be a nice place to rest your head after a day of hunting. I laid down and thought over the day. 

~System Notification! Congratulations! The First Boss of the Elven Server has been defeated!

I sat up as the notification flashed before my eyes. I just someone in one of the other cities got jealous of us defeating a boss. I knew everyone on the server saw a message, but it looked like it was for all the world to see. 

“Abaddon! Someone else defeated a boss!” Lulu yelled while pulling the tent sheet back. I wasn’t wearing a shirt at the time, found it hard to sleep in, and she got a full view of my form. I just sat there as she stared at me. 

“Any longer and I’m going to start charging,” I said glaring at her. 

“I think I wouldn’t mind paying,” she said with a grin. She let the sheet fall back and went back to watch. I sighed and laid back down. 

~~

My turn for watch came too quickly for my tastes. A secure way to rest at nights moved up on my list of priorities. I left the tent and found Lulu drifting at her spot. My Fallen nodded to me when it saw me then went back to its vigilance. I walked up to her and picked her up. She was lighter than she looked.

Walking back to the tent, she snuggled into my chest. I pulled the tent cover aside with my foot then tossed her inside. I heard a groan then she started snoring. Lulu was much too heavy a sleeper for this. I would have to increase my time on the watch, or we might both end up with our throats slit. 

“How is the night Mohr?” I asked my Fallen Soldier.

It pointed to the sky with its spear. I looked up and almost had my breath taken. The stars and what looked like two moons were on full display tonight. They all glowed beautifully. A few spots flickered and after watching it for a minute, I realized that something large was flying in front of them.

“That really is beautiful,” I said taking a seat.

It nodded then went back to looking around. Its body reminded me of a vulture watching for prey. I chuckled then thought about what to do until sunrise. I pulled the bowl that was gaining power to see how much more I had to go. 

Bowlà Otris’s Offering. This common bowl has been used to offer tribute to the Goddess Otris more than once. A power is starting to fill it. Offerings 97/100. 

I just needed three more offerings before it would change. I was looking forward to what would happen when it did. Problem was that Lulu and I had already offered to it and it had to be voluntary. A problem for a later time. 

I looked over to Mohr. “Let’s summon you a friend,” I said spinning my staff. I used my ability and the magic circle formed in front of me. I felt my strength drop and almost feel to my knees, but it stopped before I completely collapsed. Another creature that looked exactly like Mohr pulled itself out of the portal that formed. It possessed a bow, but I didn’t see a quiver. 

It screeched at Mohr before it bowed to me. Once my strength returned, I walked over to it to check its stats. 

Name: N/A

Race: 

Fallen Soul: A soul that was fallen from grace and seeking redemption. Serving the Goddess Otris is its form of redemption. 

Class: Archer

Level: 30

LP: 2500 AP:4500

Curses: 

Boons: Child of Otris

EXP: N/A

“What should I call you?” I asked.

It looked to Mohr who wrote for it. I looked down when he was done and saw ‘Kano’ written. It sounded feminine when I said it out loud but there was no way to tell for sure. Mohr walked back to his post while Kano stood looking at me.

“Thank you for answering my call. Let us serve the Goddess well and earn your redemption. For now, can you stand watch with Mohr?” I asked. These were her children after all. She could be testing me on how I treat them. Mother’s are dangerous when angered. 

Chapter 15

Kano was deadly. Also, I decided on she for the gender. Mohr and Kano together made a team that I felt was almost cheating. They didn’t even need to kite the bears anymore, Mohr would keep it occupied with quick footwork, and Kano would nail the beast to the ground with her arrows. 

Arrows, which were made out of blood and astral energy. She only needed a few points of health to form an arrow. I did find that she could change the formula to affect how the damage was dealt. More astral, more energy damage. More blood, more physical damage. She was a very nice addition to the little team we have going. 

The rest of the night passed with me testing Kano’s abilities. It looked like she had most of the ability an archer might have. I’d talked to the two in our group from before, and Kano had the same skills. Rapid-fire was even more deadly with her strange bow for example.

I heard some rustling coming from the tent and grinned as an idea came to me. I had Kano and Mohr stand on either side of the tent’s entrance. Lulu’s hand started pulling the tent cover aside so I moved out of sight, but where I could still see the scene. She yawned while stretching once she exited the tent. She looked to the left and saw Mohr, then looked to the right and saw Kano. 

I could see it didn’t register right away but when it did she looked back and forth between the two with rapid glances. I was next to the tent by Kano and couldn’t resist. 

“Morning Lulu. My spell failed and I became a fallen,” I said doing my best to cast my voice. Anyone with a bit of sense would see through it but Lulu had just woken up. 

“Abaddon! Oh My God!” Lulu yelled rushing to Kano and grabbing her hand.