TQG 46. The Vengeance of Thedum

“Thedum, no!  Send me back!” I pleaded to the white nothingness.

“If I send you back as you are, you will simply die,” the sad benevolence said.  “I will not consign you to that fate.”

“I have to save him!  Grandfather, he, he—you have to save him Thedum!”

“I am sorry, young one.  This was inevitable from the day the Gates of TirNiki opened.  Scenario forty-six has been activated, and there is nothing I could do to prevent it,” the voice informed me.  “Your grandfather’s death is canon.  It is both expected and unexpected.  The question has been asked thousands of times by thousands of Travelers, and now they shall finally learn what happens when a ruler of this world is slain by their hands.  This world is about to change again.  And not for the better.”

“You can’t just let him die!” I shouted.  “I won’t let it happen!  Grandfather can’t be dead, he’s--”

“There is nothing I can do, young one.  I cannot interfere with the freedom to choose of those within this world, neither native nor traveler,” Thedum answered.  “All I can do is enforce consequences.”

“Bring him back!” I shouted.  “Bring my grandfather back as you brought Gyudue of the Blackest Night back!”

“If only I could, but then there would be no consequences.  A crime must occur in order to justify the punishment.  Scenario forty-six has been activated.  A [Kingslayer] has been proclaimed.  I have stood in silence for too long, and now it is my turn to speak.  Would you be my voice, young one?  Will you avenge your grandfather?  Or will you let this outrage stand unanswered?”

“I’m level twenty-nine!” I shouted.  “What can I do?  He already killed me in one hit, and he wasn’t even trying!”

“Become my avatar, child.  I shall grant you the strength of a worldboss, for a time.  There will be permanent consequences, but the power itself will be fleeting, just long enough that you will see justice done.  To the kingslayer.  To those who knew and said nothing.  To those who watched and even now do not act.  You do not have long to decide your answer, Hail Jeoran.  Malkios fights valiantly to avenge his king, but he is outmatched.  Tarisha fights righteously to avenge you, but she is outnumbered.  I cannot act through them.  I can only act through you.  I shall give you my eyes.  I shall give you my strength.  Will you take them?  Will you be the vengeance of a kindly god, Hail Jeoran?”

“Malkios and Tarisha are losing?” I asked.

“Yes.  Soon it will be too late for you to save them, even with my help,” Thedum answered.  “You do not have long to decide.  Accept my boon, or--”

“Yes!  I will do it!” I shouted.  “I cannot lose Malkios too!  Send me back so that I can help him!”

“This is not a choice you can revoke later, Hail Jeoran.  Permanent changes will be made as a result, with far reaching consequences for you and the world.  I ask you one last time.  Will you --”

“Yes!  I accept the consequences!  Send me back!” I shouted.

“As you wish, my avatar.  I hope you do not come to regret this decision.”

My body burst into light, painlessly reforming a second later.  Things were different, and yet they felt right.  Like something which had been limiting me had been lifted, and now I was complete.  I pulled up my status screen to check what had changed.

Name

Hail Jeoran

Level

29 (Effective:200)

Guild

<Nethersong Mavericks>

Strength

2,300

Health

7,400,000,000,000 / 7,400,000,000,000

Dexterity

6,600

Mana

11,600,000,000,000 / 11,600,000,000,000

Vitality

3,700

Experience

-----

Endurance

3,000

Age

15

Intelligence

5,800

Race

Human (blood of the travelers)

Wisdom

36

Class

Spellblade

Charisma

42

Job

Earl

Armor

2,90

Temporary Boon

Avenging Wrath of a Kind God

Spell damage

337,122

Attack Power

214,090

Passive Skills

Short Swords (20)

Spells

Detect Poison (17)

Long Swords (20)

Lightning bolt (25)

Rapiers (25)

Chain Lightning (17)

Katanas (20)

Fireball (14)

Dodge (21)

Ice Blast (13)

Battle Trance

Arcane Missile (12)

Magic in Motion

Dazzling Lights (9)

Concussive Sound (8)

Active Skills

Dash (23)

Befuddle (12)

Thrust (27)

Water Jet (7)

Slash (29)

Polymorph (20)

Riposte (19)

Slow (24)

Feint (19)

Create Trap (7)

Piercing Lunge (18)

Mark of Karma (special)

Swiftcast (20)

Summon Karmic Warrior (special)

Empower Magic (17)

Imbue Sword: Fire (16)

General Spells

…

Imbue Sword: Lightning (25)

Imbue Sword: Ice (17)

Traits

High Aptitude (Temporary: Unlocked Potential)

Aqua Blade (4)

Royal Blood (+5 Charisma, bonus to relations with factions loyal to Yuikon)

Arcane Weapon (13)

Nobility: Earl (+5 Charisma)

Holy Weapon (Max)

Avatar of Thedum

Righteous Brand

Mark of the Phoenix

Voice of the future

General Skills

…

For just a moment I was surprised, but I could sense that I was being sent back.  I noticed the changes that were important.  I had way more health than should have been possible, even with the one hundred times bonus I had to Vitality, Strength, Dexterity, Endurance, and Wisdom.  I had as much health as a worldboss.

And my age was listed as fifteen.  I realized, without really being aware of it, that I had grown.  And rather than wearing the adventurers outfit I had put together myself, I was in silver and black clothes, with a rapier of white steel that felt just right.  In fact, everything felt just right.  My shoes fit perfect, my clothes were both comfortable and loose enough to move in.  And something told me that I would be moving a lot in the near future.

The light flashed and I was back in the courtyard.  Malkios was fighting against Nial, who glowed bright red with a rune etched into his forehead that shone.  The captain of the royal guard was at forty percent health, whereas Nial was holding steady at eighty.  However, I judged that Malkios was faring better than Tarisha.  She was facing off against three glowing red players and rapidly losing health.  Never before had I been so sorry to have lost my healing abilities, but the next best thing was to simply kill everything before it could do any damage.

So I charged.

Using my newly acquired [Holy Weapon] skill, I [Dashed] into the fray.  I was surprised at just how quickly and far I moved, and yet it felt natural.  It felt like all of the practicing and struggling to perfect my combat style had crystallized into something whole and cohesive and perfect.  More than that, I could see things clearer, predict my enemies movements, and anticipate their strategies just by looking with them.  With precision, I slid through the foes attacking Tarisha and [Slashed] repeatedly.  For the first time ever, there was no cooldown or limitation on the ability.

“You do not fight alone,” Thedum whispered.  “I am lending you more than just a boost to your stats, young one.  We are linked, and I am guiding your avatar as much as you are.”

“Who are you?  Where did you come from?” Tarisha demanded, turning upon me once the others finished.

“There’s no time for that,” I said, “We have to help --”

“He is Divine Judgment,” Thedum’s voice echoed.  “King Rain’s rule was sanctioned by myself!  I have sent him to punish those who would subvert my will.  You have long--”

I had heard enough long and boring speeches today and I tuned out Thedum’s as I rushed to rescue Malkios.  Nial saw me coming and turned, but rather than take him on sword to sword, I began [Swiftcasting Lightning Bolt] repeatedly.  Nial was skilled, and while I wasn’t afraid to face him in battle, rescuing the blue-cloaked captain took precedence to testing my new abilities.

Two[Lightning Bolts] is all it took, and the [Kingslayer] burst into black smoke.  Black smoke, not green or blue or any other color.  A Traveler, but one claimed entirely by the darkness.  I hadn’t known such a thing was possible.

I was struck from behind by an [Archer].  The damage was insignificant compared to my massive health pool, but as I turned around I was filled with dismay.  <The Endolphins> present had equipped their raid gear, and were rallying themselves into position.

They saw me as a boss, I realized.  More and more of the were glowing red by the minute, and my own hostility towards them increased.  Whether it was my own anger or Thedum’s influence I could not tell, but I wanted to crush this impromptu raid for its insolence.

I identified their healers first and began casting [Chain Lightnin] upon them.  The spell was infused with divine energy and chained far beyond the normal four targets, affecting thirtyor more.  It drained eight percent of my massive mana pool per cast, but I didn’t care.  The divine lightning smote the raiders, and the first five that it hit were almost always vaporized into various colors of motes.  Including black.

“It’s a wipe, run out and reset,” Someone shouted.

“This isn’t a raid you idiot!” I shouted, and I cast my lightning at him next.  Lights cast from the healers shone brightly, but many of them turned dark as their divine energies were replaced with unholy.  The priests and clerics who had once taken their power from the light were being cast into darkness before my very eyes, and rather than heal their raid they were helping me to wipe it.

Without healers to support them, the raid was crumbling.  The damage from my lightning was intense and widespread, and the direct hits were enough to kill even a tank, preventing them from getting close to me to try to prevent me from casting.  A few more arrows intercepted me, skilled arrows meant to interrupt me at range, but they did nothing.  Likewise the mages who [Counterspelled] me were frustrated in their efforts as I somehow resisted them entirely.

While I ran out of mana in twelve casts, almost half of the three hundred players were banished to the space between worlds.  I wasn’t done, however, and I promptly recast [Holy Weapon] and strode out to meet them in battle.  Their surviving raid was in shambles, and although a few skilled tanks managed to delay me, they were unable to avoid my bows completely.  I was able to out-damage their incoming healing, and any non-tank who got in my way was promptly one-shot.

I was unstoppable.

But I was only one person, and I couldn’t stop every incoming blow, every magic spell, every enchanted arrow which was aimed at me.  They were doing thousands of damage to me every second, even with most of their raid already dead.

But it just was  not fast enough.  [Battle Trance] regenerated my mana quickly as I waded through the numbers of <The Endolphins>, slaughtering all who didn’t run and chasing down many that did.  When I began casting [Chain Lightning] again, the raid’s spirit broke, and the thirty or so survivors ran out of the courtyard in many different directions.

They were still glowing red in my vision, but I couldn’t chase after all of them myself.

“That is enough, young one,” the guiding voice of Thedum whispered.  “You have slain those who knew in advance what was to happen today, and many more who deserved it for other reasons.  Go see to your wounded.”

I turned back to the stage where the knighting ceremony had taken place.  Malkios was kneeling over my fallen grandfather, and Tarisha with him.  The battle had been hard on both of them, and I wished again that I had not given up all of my healing spells in my class change.  Or that Thedum had given them back when I became his avatar.

I stepped forward, and Tarisha drew her sword once more.

“Back!  I had nothing to do with it!  Do not come any closer, monster!” she said.

“Tarisha, it’s me, Hail,” I said.  “I know I’m bigger, but don’t you recognize me?”

“Hail?” she asked.  Then she frowned.  “From what country was I born?”

“The nation of Miami, of course,” I answered.  “Tarisha, you taught me to dance.  You pledged your fealty to me because you love this world and wished to be part of it.  Why are you treating me like--”

As she spoke, she pulled out a hand mirror and showed me.  My hair was no longer black with silver highlights, but pure white.  As were my eyes, with no iris or pupil.  And my face was shaped different.

“This avatar will not last forever,” Thedum whispered.  “I am only able to assist you and could not avenge your grandfather without you, but I can at least obscure your involvement.  They will believe that their actions have spawned a roving worldboss, and in a way they are correct.  They will be rather disappointed once they kill you, however.  I have not adjusted your loot table to match the prowess I have given you.  And there will be other, longer lasting consequences for having sided against us.”

“Lord Hail, I believe it is you, but what has happened?” Tarisha asked.

“I have become the Avatar of Thedum to avenge my grandfather,” I answered.  “I don’t … I couldn’t simply stand back and let Malkios and you die as well.”

“You little fool,” Malkios scolded.  “Don’t you understand?  The travelers don’t care if you’re allied with the light or the dark.  After the destruction you’ve caused, they’ll--”

“I don’t care,” I said.  “Let them come.  I’ll wipe the next raid that tries to kill me the same as I wiped my father’s guild.”

I stepped over to my grandfather, and I began to cry.  I had hated him for a little while, blaming him for the changes in my life that had come from the annulment of my parent’s marriage.  I had forgiven him at some point in the last several months since I had become an adventurer, and especially since he had named me Earl Jeoran.  My new tutors had explained how his seeming disregard for me had been intended as a kindness and protection, to allow me to come into my own without the pressures of court.  He had forgiven my mistakes, given me vast expanses of land, assisted me in setting the foundations of my house, and overlooked my shortcomings.

And now he was dead, and connected with Thedum as I was, I new that he would not be resurrected as Gyudue had been.  I did not understand the difference between the situations.  Grandfather’s soul would be repurposed instead, and I knew not how.

There was only one last thing I could do for him.  I lifted him out of the undignified position he had fallen in and moved him into the funerary position.  Then I gave him his funeral rights.

“May you return to the light of Thedum,” I said, and my grandfather’s body burst into motes of light.