Chapter 16: A Life’s Worth

Chapter 16: A Life’s Worth

Empty your pockets. Said Luke, his sword pressed lightly against his Nafiks throat. A request he regretted making immediately, as Nafik rummaged around in his pockets with his undamaged hand. Watching him carefully in case he pulled any last minute tricks, while trying to stay as level headed as he could under the circumstance. Trampling over his irritation, as what should have been a simple task, took the wounded man way too long to complete. Irritation founded in the guilt he was already feeling for what he was about to do.

Thats everything. Nafik laid out all his possessions. It wasnt much. A few vials of pills, a few more talismans, and a sack full of coins.

Is it?

It is. He nodded frantically.

Luke stepped on each item, sending it into his inventory as he did so. Careless to the fact that it was a power he shouldnt have. Nafiks eyes widened.

I thought only Warriors could use storage rings? Is that how y Luke stuck his blade into his heart. Staring into his eyes, his gaze locked with Nafiks.

Im sorry. He said, watching deaths grip get stronger on his foe. If its any consolation, death isnt the end. I never really found out what was supposed to happen, but I hope you find peace.

Ghk. Ghhh. He wheezed.

+5 Stat Points

I just killed him.

Luke dismissed the message as soon as it came, and stumbled away from the body, and puked his guts out on the wall furthest away from the corpse. Idly noting the mechanical noise of another passage opening as he heaved. Confirming his suspicions about the nature of their battle.

He couldn't just leave though. Something about it felt disrespectful. Kneeling by the body, he covered the remains with sand. Using his shield as a makeshift shovel. Then, collecting Nafiks sword, he laid it on his buried body.

Try not to get eaten on the way. He said, standing over the body, he gave it a final nod, and walked away, without looking back. Calling up his Status as he did so.

Status | Quests | Inventory

Name: Lukas King

Tier: Mortal

Mana: 608

Rate: 15% per hour

Strength: 38 > 40

Agility: 35

Constitution: 35 > 38

Arcana: 32

Stat Points: 0

Bloodline: Locked. Conditions not met. (1/10 000)

Charges: 7/10

This is the price. Some dead bitch who loves The Floor is Lava way too much, is making us kill each other for her treasures. Sure, I could never have guessed this would be my life after I died, but Aeolus was eating souls for fucks sake. I knew what I was getting into. I knew it wouldnt be peaches and cream.

I cant bitch about it now. I cant bitch about it ever. Its useless. Either I die, and move the fuck on, or I keep going. Keep doing every one of these dumb Quests until Im a god. Then Ill go back to Earth and finally figure out what the One-Piece is. Maybe troll some people. It would be so awesome to show up in a flying saucer.

Thats it Luke. Remember why youre killing all these people.

Hyping himself up as best as he could, he leapt to the next platform, and then the next, and then the next. Ignoring the burning heat on his feet, while keeping an eye out for all the others doing the same. So far none of them were close enough to target each other, but that was bound to change, and change soon.

Three platforms later, it finally happened.

Just as he was about to jump, Luke spotted something fly through the air and land on the platform he was about to land on. Luke frowned, as he staggered back, covering his eyes as bits of lava splattered at his feet from the exploding talisman.

Seriously! Luke shouted at the figure, more than a dozen meters away. Snarling, he pulled out two of his own exploding talismans. Counting down, he tossed one near the foot of the platform the guy was standing on, and one near the platform closest to him. Aiming for the lava, instead of the actual person with both of them.

The figure howled as the molten rock splashed on to him. Immediately setting his robes on fire. Luke watched dispassionately as he stumbled into the lava and died. Too angry to feel guilty for killing another man.

The rest of the figures watched quietly as they processed what had just happened. Some of them reached into their robes, and pulled out their own talismans.

Wait. Luke shouted. How about we all agree not to go crazy with the explosions. Alright? Whoever throws one next, gets bombarded by everyone else. Deal? Trust me, I brought a lot of them with me, and I doubt I'm the only one. I dont care how strong you are, all of us will burn to death just like that guy if we go that route.

Deal. We fight on the steps, or if we need to use the same platform. Someone shouted.

Agreed!

Luke allowed himself to relax, just a little, as a chorus of voices rang out in agreement. Averting his fear of all of them going down in a hail of explosions, and splatters of magma.

Mutually Assured Destruction for the win I guess.

Focusing on the next platform, he jumped over, and looking at his competition, realized that things would be getting tight and soon.

They had all started quite far from each other, but as they closed in on the structure at the center, the area they were concentrated in kept on getting smaller and smaller.

To his right, two cultivators landed on adjacent platforms, with the only way forward being a platform they would have to share.

Luke jumped onto the next platform, idly watching them to see how it would play out.

It wasnt pretty. Both of them stared at each other before launching themselves at the platform at the same time. It would have been smarter to not risk a fight, or maybe even come to an agreement and work together, instead as soon as they landed, they fought.

The girl caught her opponent's sword on her shield, and before she could react her opponent stepped back and kicked. Powerfully striking the large circular surface of her shield. Staggering back, she almost fell into the lava then and there, just barely managing to stop herself from falling. Grunting, she chucked her shield as hard as she could at him.

He knocked it into the lava with ease, and was caught off guard when she charged forward, and pierced his sword hand.

He watched in despair as his only weapon fell into the lava. Seemingly not even registering the pain of having a blade stabbing into him

Disarmed and lacking a shield, her opponent, realizing that he was going to lose didn't even attempt to continue the fight, and rushed her. Impaling himself on her sword as he did so, and tackling them both into the lava.

Luke shook his head at that, and kept advancing leap by leap. Until both him, and a large black robed figure were both primed to leap onto a single platform. Just a few hops away from the tower.

I have a bad feeling about this.