(Op-F1) The Ascendants

[Asen 0]

After a while of thinking, I believe that it's time to start ascending to the upper floors as soon as possible and possibly catch up with the others. However, I know that there's going to be a guardian that you got to defeat in order to ascend to the next floor. Nevertheless, I have to in order to get out of here.

After half an hour of preparing for the journey, I ventured out to the fields out of Arya Village near the Sarushas River that flows with clear water over the polished stones. To be honest I'm actually starting to like this place, now whether its a good thing or bad I don't really know.

But I walked toward the tower that can be seen ten miles from here. Nothing much eventful happened through much of the journey, in fact it was rather light and the monsters would look up at me and just wander off. I raised my eyebrow in interest, but I figured to take advantage of it and just mind my own business.

[Asen 0]

"Well this tower isn't creepy at all!" I remarked sarcastically as I spot at least five kobolds roaming around the floor. Three of them looked at my way with angry snarls and they made their intent clear when they suddenly charged at me like buzzing bees with all their snarling and all. I grinned at them as I reached up to grab the hilt of my sword (Anneal Blade) and prepared myself.

[Asen 0]

The kobolds charged at me and the door behind closed. The thrill of battle was pumping inside my veins, but before I could make a move I got knocked on the back knee and I buckled to my knees. There was another kobold hiding beside the door,

and the group was closing in on me!

"I guess this what happens when you get overconfident! I remarked.

10/11

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I grinned as I flipped the blade to where it points at me and thrust through my side and impaled the kobold. With the

three approaching, I drew the blade forth and prepared myself once more.

When they were in range, I simply slashed horizontally just below their skinny necks.

[Asen 0]

I slashed through one but I could only parry the second. The third leaped in the air and slashed at my head. I instinctively

raised my free hand to block, and it sliced half way through my hand.

I winced as I tried not to scream in agony for it hurts a lot. Instead I bit my tongue as I slash at the third and roundhouse kicked the second simultaneously hoping I can get lucky.

8/11

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I slashed through the third, but the second one dodged and lunged at me with its big machete. I winced as it slashed at my

side, but i retaliated with my sword bringing down on him.

7/11

[Asen 0]

Again I grazed the kobold as it slashed at my side again.

This little monster is becoming annoying! I thought to myself

with irritation. I'm half tempted to use my skill on him, but I know that he's not

really worth it. So I slashed at kobold once more hoping it will go through.

6/11

[Asen 0]

It attempted to dodge, but I followed him and managed to cut through it.

Pant... Pant... that was a bit difficult than I'd imagined it would

be... I remarked as I took an apple and took a bite into it. With one hand holding

the apple and the other held the sword as I walked around the kobolds on the floor.

[Asen 0]

I had to cut down a few more kobolds before I got up to F7 of the tower. Each time I go up less monsters appear but it also looks like someone has been through here recently. I kept my guard up as I continued up through the tower.

About half an hour later I got up to F18 and I'm already worn out. All the fighting and constantly having to recover my health from the red zone took it's toll on my body.

Oh suck it up Jin! I'm almost to the Boss Room so come on! I yelled inside my head as I forced myself to press on.

[Asen 0]

As I climbed up to the final floor of the tower, I heard multiple voices up ahead of the spiral staircase. Straining to hear anything, I leaned closer along the wall, but to no avail.

Activating my Hiding skill, I crept with what little noise these leather boots make. Slowing my breathing to the point of it being faint, making my feet as light as it can be as I walked along the spiral.

[Asen 0]

Standing in front of the massive gate was a small group of shady characters going over strategies and such.

Their icons above their heads were red like blood.

PKers I thought to myself. I smirked and shook my head.

Talk about bad timing to run into guys like these I muttered under my breath. I spotted three of them in front of the door, but something told me that wasn't all of them. I searched some more but suddenly I felt a knife on my throat.

Looking for someone? He he he! The guy spoke with his breath breathing down my neck.

Hey Thirag! What do you want to do with is little runt? The guy yelled over to the group. They looked over at our direction and the guy pulled the knife tighter on my neck. One of the guys from the group with short blonde hair and cold blue eyes raised his hand above his head.

Don't kill him, we can use him as bait for the boss. That must be Thirag as he went back to planning their strategies. The guy behind me frowned as he took my (Anneal Blade) from me. He led me to the group with his knife at my back.

Consider yourself lucky kid... He remark with boredom and disappointment. Then one of the other guys grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and started to squeeze.

Drav, step down or you'll be missining some hands. Thirag commanded coldly. Drav released my neck as I staggered from the sudden hostility. Without much warning, Thirag opened the massive door and I was shoved in there along with the four casually walking through.

[Asen 0]

I managed to catch myself before I fell on my face and we all stared into the dark chamber. Nothing happened for a minute, but when the guy from behind moved to my left side I noticed some movement in the shadows. I tried to get my eyes dialated to the low light, but I couldn't make out much. Then the guy poked me on the side with his knife and I flinched.

[Asen 0]

You better get moving kid. Thirag commanded with his deep voice. He drew out his battle axe as did the others drew out their weapons as well. (Except the guy beside me

) I took a deep breath as I took a step deeper into the chamber to soothe my nerves to the best of my abilities.

This is going to be tough, I got two blades on both sides of my body now. If I go to the Boss head-on I'm dead, if I go back I'm dead. Not to mention I'm weaponless, but then again I still have my over sword that I started out with. I thought to myself. Then I waved my hand to open the menu and drew out my other sword. I grinned to myself as I looked at the old friend. I could tell the guy was getting uneasy now that I have a sword drawn out, but he surprisingly didn't strike like he looks like he's about to.

What the?! Hey boss I can't move!! He exclaimed. Thirag frowned in disgust.

Just hurry up and kill the kid already! He demanded. The guy strained to move, but it looked like someone or something bind him into a frozen state.

[Asen 0]

Seeing my chance, I reached to grab my sword, but he quickly lashed at me with his knife as I withdrew my hand while my other sliced through his hand. The knife dropped to the ground as the guy cried out in agony, the creepy part was that I liked those sounds echoing throughout the room and cracked a wicked smile. He even dropped my sword which I thought was kind of him as he suddenly buckled to his knees and grabbed his amputated hand. I picked it up and while I was at it I noticed threads of shadow slithering back to the darkness. Thirag grew wide eyed as he saw the same thing as I just did. I already got an alert that I became Orange now that I've injured a player. The other guys looked angry at me, but Thirag quickly pointed their attention in the darkness. At first there was nothing, but after a while I noticed that there were some more movement!

[Asen 0]

The room finally lit up and standing before us was a huge spider-like thing with a bone texture exoskeleton. It's head rotated a complete 180° with a set of milky-white teeth. The chamber itself was like a cave compared to what the rest of the building looked like. The ground was soil with no life and the walls were all jagged of poor condition. The guy with the amputated hand picked up the knife and stood back to back with me.

I should kill you for doing that, but if you hadn't I would still been controlled by that thing! He said even though he was still pale and weakened by the wound. Soon the rest of the gang stood back to back with me in a circle as well.

Consider this as our appreciation! Thirag shouted as he charged at the creature with a war cry. Then it hit me on what this thing is!

Was it Puppeteer? No that's not it, Puppet...! I figured it out which is a surprise for me as well. I kind of panicked as my body rushed with good speed and agility just in time to parry a kobold's attack on Thirag. It stopped as it hung in the air at eye level, then like it was being pulled by strings it strikes again, but Thirag swung his axe and cleaved it in half from one side to the other. No sooner than that we heard sounds of battle from the gang. We turned back and saw

all three of them fighting the dancing kobolds off. Thirag was about to rush to their aid, but iI grabbed his shoulder and forced him to stop.

The only way we can help them is to defeat the that's controlling the bodies. Which is the Puppet Master standing before us right now! I said as I stared straight unto his eyes. He hesitated, but he agreed with a nod as we turn our attention to the Puppet Master.

[Asen 0]

As we charged up to the Puppet Master, three kobolds shot out from it's mouth with thin shadow strings following them as they dangled in the air. Thirag jumped in and easily dispatched them while I used the speed and momentum to my advantage and jumped. I landed on Thirag's shoulders, but I jumped high again just to get eye level with the Puppet Master. I prepared to strike with my Longsword and when I came into range I swung with all my might on its head. The moment my sword made contact, the sword broke in half with a loud clang! My eyes grew wide as the sword vanished in my hands. Luckily I managed to cut a small gash on the chin, but it rotated straight and opened it's mouth. Strings of shadow shot out of it's mouth, aiming straight at my heart. Then just before it could touch my body, it suddenly jerked to its side and so did the shadows as it barely brushes past my leather chest piece. I landed on its main body and I started to slide backwards. I quickly lashed out my free hand and grabbed a bone spike that was sticking out as I looked down and saw that Thirag had chopped one of it's legs off tipping it off-balanced. I swiped my hand and drew out my Anneal Blade. Taking a deep breath to get a clear head, but it was like something clicked in my head as everything seemed like it was being slowed down.

[Asen 0]

The Puppet Master croaked as Thirag chopped another limb off making it tilt on the left side. All the sudden something slashed at my back and I winced in pain. I swung my blade wide so that my body would move as well and lopped off a kobold's head by accident. While I did that my sword cleanly cut into the main body about half a foot deep and it stayed there. I closed my hand into a fist as I prepared myself.

12/13

[Asen 0]

Naralsol! (Crimson Crush!)

I swung my body to stand on the hilt and closed my main hand into a fist. My hand glowed red with a fiery crimson flame wildly blazing as I thrust my fist into the main body. I was getting bathe in blood as the wound erupted into flames like one of those NOS in Fast and Furious. I pulled hand out and dropped with my main hand now bloodied and scorched outstretched to catch the hilt of my sword.

11/13

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The Puppet Master was howling madly as it started to thrash wildly in all directions. I drew my sword out of the niche and dropped ten ft. to hit one of it's flailing legs. I couldn't catch a footing and before I knew it I got smashed into the ceiling of the chamber. The wind got knocked out of me and I couldn't breathe at all no matter how much I struggled. The leg lowered itself and I followed it by dropping for the ground.

9/13

[Asen 0]

I couldn't move, or even breathe. It felt like I was already dead but my HP bar isn't even on the red zone yet. I emptily stared at the ground's soil as I continued to fall. I don't have a teleportation crystal anymore because I used it on my last quest. I bit back my frustration.

D... Damn it...! I cursed to myself. Then a girl with long brown hair with a bright smile and hazel eyes with creamy milk skin appeared in my head. The Puppet Master swiped Thirag against the wall and opened it's maw waiting me to fall right in.