Chapter 67: The Disgrace of an Earl

Chapter 67: The Disgrace of an Earl

The horizon brightened, bathed in light as millions of wisps appeared. Appearing from nowhere, they fell like flaming snow. Despite the unique spectacle, the phenomenon stirred a terrible feeling in the hearts of the spectators. Recognizing the divine origin of the manifestation, the battle came to a halt.

The two armies had moved apart, as if a truce had been called. Each combatant looked up in solemn silence, disturbed only by a few gusts of wind enveloping the Earl. Without them, one could have heard the short breaths of the tired animals, and noticed the disturbing mutism of the Abominations.

Sphinx watched the scene from a hillside a few hundred meters from the violent theater. With uncertain eyes, she watched the countless wisps descend. Their bluish light reflected off every shiny surface, and Sphinx's mane seized the opportunity to shimmer. The picture was superb.

Yet, despite the beauty of the landscape, Sphinx felt nothing but primal fear. Her instinct told her to leave, to get away from those tiny, trembling lights. They looked so frail but promised great disaster.

Like a snowflake, the first wisp landed near the Earl. It touched the ground and dispersed noiselessly. A second flickering flame struck one of the Earl's Barons - a monkey whom Sphinx found unpolished. The Baron was paralyzed for a moment before blossoming like a fiery rose. Sphinx's eyes widened.

One second, the monkey was a living Baron. A second later, his body was fuel for an infernal pyre. The flame rose to a height of five meters, and the panicked animals scurried away. A large, empty circle formed around the immolated monkey, growing larger as his cries grew weaker.

Sphinx instinctively stepped back, looking up at the sky. Millions of wisps were falling over a vast area, centered around the Earl. At her level, the wisps were scattered enough to be easily avoidable. As Sphinx pondered whether to leave - should she wait for Priam? - the surrounding aether began to move.

Sphinx focused on the origin of the event: the Earl. Proudly erect, the lion blew, and a gigantic air mass appeared. The aerial wave was colossal, more than capable of uprooting hundreds of trees. Half the sky seemed to move, taking countless wisps with it. It pushed hundreds of thousands of deadly flakes toward the Revenants' camp. Within moments, the air tsunami crashed and destroyed the enemy camp. A second later, thousands of men, women and dozens of Abominations were transformed into flying torches.

The fire was so powerful that Sphinx had to momentarily close her eyes. She was glad she wasn't currently the Earl's enemy. If he could manipulate such horrors... Looking at the furnace, Sphinx began sweating while feeling the heat from several hundred meters away.

Sphinx turned her attention back to the Earl, who was breathing heavily. The battle was won. Yet the Earl's aura was weak... Sphinx squinted for a second before recoiling in horror.

The burning monkey was rising. Nothing remained of it but a glowing skeleton sheltering a devouring flame. The former Baron hurled itself at the Earl in frightened silence. With a kick, the lion swept aside his undead adversary. Or was it an elemental? The monkey took off, crushing several animals in its path, which then burst into flames. A second later, it was back on its feet.

Sphinx squinted as she saw the skeleton moving toward the Earl again. A Baron should have been reduced to ashes by the power of the blow.

[Identification - Rare]

[Simiiformes - Semi Elemental - Tribulation touched] - A former Baron corrupted by a Tribulation. The sacrifice of its life, Potential, and body allows him to temporarily increase its power. Affected by the Curse of St. Helens, it will transmit this plague to any living being too weak.

Transmission threshold: VIT+CONST <>

Resistances and Afflictions can modify this threshold.

St. Helens only has eyes for the Earl.

The monkey lunged at the lion again; this time, its former master landed a devastating blow with his paw. If the first attack had been a reflex, the Earl was now determined to crush his opponent. Literally. The monkey was pressed to the ground, and Sphinx heard its bones being crushed. When the lion lifted his paw and blew on it, all that remained was black dust.

Sphinx's attention turned away from the Earl. In the background, the Revenants' camp was swarming. Or rather, a horde of flaming skeletons and Abominations were heading for the Earl. Sphinx swallowed hard. Either the wisps could curse beings more potent than the ape, or the Abominations were weak against the Tribulation. Either way, thousands of semi-elementals were advancing.

Worse still, some Abominations were merging, creating gigantic monsters of flame.

Sphinx shivered. Watching the infernal legion gave her a feeling of dread. There was something deeply disturbing about a corpse walking in silence. The animals were as shocked as she was, and none spoke. There was a deathly silence floating on the deforested plain.

The Earl roared, waking up the spectators, and sent wind blades toward the horde. The Earl's majestical silhouette was emerging against the burning horizon. He roared again.

"My loyal subjects, we must fight! Let me be your guardian, your protector. Stay away from these creatures. Stone them, and together we'll win!"

As if hypnotized, the animals howled and began to help their master. Boulders, tree trunks, even corpses, the Earl's subjects, from the simple animal to the mighty Viscount, threw everything they could at the corrupted multitude.

The situation quickly improved, reinforcing the animals' conviction. Between the wind blades and the dozens of projectiles crashing into the lines of Revenants, the elementals were gradually pushed back. A human, even one burning up his potential, could do nothing against a tree trunk hurled by a giant moose.

Despite this, Sphinx knew that the hardest part was yet to come. The infernal Abominations continued to merge...

On the front line, the tired Earl was doing a titanic job. Every corrupted being was destroyed as they approached his army. The few Abominations that had not merged, Barons or Viscounts, were swept away, powerless in the face of the lion's monstrous strength.

"We must flee."

Sphinx turned to Blueberry.

"What? But we're winning!" Sphinx exclaimed.

Blueberry shook his head. "Right now, we mean me, you and Priam. Moreover, look carefully. Every two or three seconds, a wisp sets an animal ablaze. In a few dozen minutes, there won't be anyone left," said Blueberry, pointing to the sky.

Sphinx turned back to the battlefield and watched intently. Suddenly, she saw a flame. Then two. Regularly, animals spontaneously burst into flames. Their neighbors would quickly stone them before resuming the fight, not caring about what happened.

Looking up, Sphinx turned pale. The firmament was full of wisps. Many had been spent converting the Revenants' army, but three-quarters were still quietly falling. It was hopeless.

"The Earl used one of his skills to manipulate his troops. They no longer feel fear," explained the bear.

"... Why?"

"I don't know, but he's planning to sacrifice our army. His army. I guess it has to do with his Tribulation."

Sphinx growled and instinctively created a mental bridge to the Earl. For some unknown reason, she didn't meet his Domain and activated the communication by touching the lion's mind.

"Earl, order the retreat. Your subjects are dying because of the wisps."

After a second of silence, an answer came.

"I know... Of course, I know, but I have no choice. I used a quarter of my aether reserves blowing those wisps at the enemy camp. These flames turn aether into heat. Because of this, my Domain can no longer absorb ambient aether. Every attack I use weakens me and draws on my reserves."

"Then run. The wisps will follow you."

Lvl Up: [Battle Flow] lvl 2

PERC +1

DEXT +2

Priam understood as he read his notification. His new fighting instinct did have a source. Without it, he would have been seriously injured, as the pollution of the Depths was no small matter to solve.

Further down, his grenades finally exploded, and the System informed Priam.

First Quest: Soon to be reunited? Updated.

Revenant General - Talia the reaper is dead.

Keep up the good work!

Priam closed the notification and directed his gaze toward the person who had blown up the Abomination. Anatole had not moved and was looking in Priam's direction. An annoyed expression was painted on his face, but there were no scratches on him.

"Well, what have we here?"

Priam didn't reply. He had little to say to this madman and preferred to analyze the situation. How did he block my attack?

"Um, you're not very talkative, are you? That's fine with me; less bullshit to talk about. I'll get right to it then. Get the hell out of here. If you refuse, I'll order Viracocha's Revenants to massacre the whole dome."

Status: (Average value for a Homo sapiens male before integration: PHY 10 / MEN 10 / META 0)

PHYSICAL:

Strength 152 (+4)

Constitution 258

Agility 164

Vitality 284

Perception 299 (+2)

MENTAL:

Vivacity 176

Dexterity 196 (+3)

Memory 50

Willpower 274

Charisma 150

META:

Meta-affinity 141

Meta-focus 98

Meta-endurance 90

Meta-perception 32

Meta-chance 114

Potential: 1071 (-10)

Tier 0

[He Who Eludes Death] charge OFF. Reloaded in 6 hours 26 min 46s

[Tribulation]: Tribulations are coming.

Time: 10 hours 46 minutes 40 seconds.