Remarkably, there was not a single trace of any Firebeetle honey on the stairs. I had been worried about slipping, but apparently every last bit of it had burned when I caused the inferno several hours earlier. Layered atop the scent of cooked lizard was the smell of something else, far more foul, that grew stronger the further down the curved stairway I descended.
There wasn’t a single trace of any Kobold corpses, but I had expected this. Once looted, dungeon creatures were ‘reclaimed’ by the Dungeon Core for reprocessing. The bodies either melted or were reduced to ashes once killed and looted and I had helped in that process this time. The only thing that remained was the pulsating purple light near the center of the cavern-the Felshard.
The slow, steady waves of light it had given off earlier were nothing compared to what it was doing now. With each pulse an invisible wave of power echoed out from it and spread throughout the cavern. It may have still been showing as Inactive, but I feared that would not be the case for much longer.
Fel Shard of Limbus (Inactive)
Lore: This shard, once activated, will release the highly concentrated toxin Atrax Infernum or Shadowmurk. Slow acting, its duration is based upon a combination of the victim’s CON and Poison/Disease Resistances. Results are: Madness and/or Mutations (Randomly generated). There is currently no known cure. Only Infernal creatures or those claimed by the Void are immune.
Advanced Lore: While you are now immune to the taint of Limbus, this shard is close to forging a extraplanar bond with a Felshard of Hadaeon located in sector (Goodlabor). The Hadaeon shard will increase your chance of a Class Mutation by 45%. Once a bond is forged, both Fel Shards will become Active and open a Void Portal.
Monk’s Faith Test Challenges Updated!
1) You have discovered the Guardian protected a Corrupted Shard of Ara. Find a way to remove the corruption and destroy the Void Infestation.
2) You have identified the false idol as a Fel Shard of Limbus attempting to connect outside the Dungeon to a Fel Shard of Hadaeon. Once connected, Dungeon Portal: Monk’s Faith Test will permanently become a Void Portal. Stop the Fel Shard of Limbus from activating either by destroying the shard or interrupting the connection.
That was it then. His path was clear and two-fold. Destroy the Fel Shard or stop its connection to the shard in Goodlabor and destroy the Void Infestation.
Ord’s Blood, is that all?
I didn’t know why I should fear a Void Portal being created only that I did. I didn’t know how I was going to conquer either Dungeon challenge only that I must. I removed the goblet of font water from my Inventory and approached the felshard. I could feel its power pushing against me, it’s sickly light trying to invade my senses.
Wisdom Check Sufficient! You have resisted {Aura of Domination} from Felshard of Limbus!
I wasn’t going to let this stone get the better of me. With each step I took, I prayed aloud.
“Mir, giver of life
Tek, sum of existence
Hul, finder of paths
Qas, architect of choice
Ord, soul of Man…”
I stood before the shard, its purple facets casting shadows even in the dark cavern. The smell of burnt Kobold was gone, but it was replaced by new scents. Rot, cinnamon, dead leaves and putrid waters. With each moment, I felt my resistance to the shard’s influence being challenged. The hand which held the goblet of font water felt made of stone and it took all I had to raise it towards the shard. I continued to pray…
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“Wik, sin’s memory
Gor, forest’s heart
Sul, Sun’s shadow
Cel, magic’s keeper
The goblet tipped over and crystal clear water hissed and spat as it made contact with the felshard. A keening wail echoed about the cavern that pierced my mind like an arrow shot from a ballistae. I fought back a scream as it felt like my eardrums about to explode. My eyes vibrated in my skull, my teeth had they not been clenched would have certainly severed my tongue I grit my teeth so hard.
Warning! A Fel Shard of Limbus is connecting to a Fel Shard of Hadaeon! Void Portal Imminent!
Lore: A Void Portal is a connection to redundant sectors previously cut off from seeded mainframe sectors due to Mana Death. They are areas of extreme Negative Energy and are self-perpetuating. They require Ascendancy Classes to navigate and a minimum of 100 Classed Adventurers to Raid for successful completion.
Advanced Lore: Each Void Portal Raid must contain at least one Hierophant, Wardbow, Celestial Blade, Prophet and Nova Mage.
There was no time to wonder about what the Lore notifications meant. The only thing that mattered was that a Void Portal was about to open and I couldn’t let it happen. The last of the font water fell from the goblet onto the shard. Cracks were spreading across the crystal’s surface and purplish mist was escaping from through each crack like steam escaping from a boiling tea kettle.
Warning! Shadowmurk Tier Increases to Tier IV!
Warning! Shadowmurk Tier Increases to Tier V!
You are immune to Fel Shard of Limbus Shadowmurk Infection!
You are under assault from a Fel Shard of Hadaeon's Chrono Trap Aura!
Wisdom Check Success! Chrono Trap Aura reduced by 50%. Dimensional sector connection under assault! Established connection at 67%…64%….57%…
Chrono Trap Aura? Is that what is holding me paralyzed? I just need to hold on a bit longer until the connection is fully severed!
The purple mist was spreading all around me, covering every inch of the cavern in its impenetrable fog faster and more completely than should have been possible. The Fel Shard was large, but how much Shadowmurk could it possibly contain? I was still held fast by the shard’s mental assault as it attempted again and again to impose its Aura of Domination upon me while the Chrono Trap Aura continued to lose energy and the Felshard disintegrated in front of me. Were it not for the extraordinary increases to my Wisdom through my Node advancements on the Mir Web Nodes, I’ve no doubt the results would have been different and I would be at the mercy of both shards. Also, despite being safe from the Shadowmurk’s ability to infect me again, I was frustrated time and again in my attempts to break free from my paralyzation until finally I received a welcome notification.
Chrono Trap Aura removed! Connection with Felshard of Hadeaon lost!
I could move again! The mist had run its course and pieces of the felshard now crumbled and fell to the ground where they lay inert and lifeless, their energy spent. I had used every drop of the font water I had gathered so tossed the empty goblet aside. My gamble had paid off. Void Energy and Holy Energy did not mix.
The Shadowmurk was dissipating and I breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the still omnipresent stench of the Murk itself. It could no longer infect me in this Dungeon, thank Mir.
Wik’s Curse upon Shadowmurk! I wonder if the Church of Light is aware it carries tiny worms that grow inside you?
I would inform someone of my discovery as soon as possible to be safe. Hierophant Johannes, if he would listen. Or my Father, if he could find his way home.
Congratulations! You have successfully severed the connection between a Felshard of Limbus and a Felshard of Hadeaon!
Warning! Fel Shard of Hadaeon has increased Sector 13AX4 (Goodlabor) Shadowmurk to Tier IV!
That’s not good. Ord protect those poor people.
I scowled. Nobody said being an adventurer was dealing with a never ending series of terrible events. An increase in Shadowmurk meant greater mutation and madness. What effect would it have on Sneed and Leif who were already out of their minds? I cringed at the thought of those two evolving into something even more terrible. Yet, I would have to deal with it as soon as I left the Monk’s Faith Test Dungeon.I checked my Dungeon Timer to see how much longer I had to complete the Challenges.
NOTICE! You have 3 hours remaining in the Monk’s Faith Test Challenge! You have completed 1 of 2 Challenges of [Monk’s Faith Test] within the allotted time. Do you wish to exit [Monk’s Faith Test] and return to Sector 13AX4 (Goodlabor) ?
Yes/No
I immediately selected No and closed the window. I wasn’t ready to leave just yet. I took a deep breath. I approached the stair leading up to the Temple and took my time ascending in order to think. I decided I wouldn’t worry about the Shard being corrupted at the moment. After all, I didn’t need to use it until I was ready to do so. I would find a way to purify it before I did, but the immediate problem was the Void Infestation.
I’ve no more of the font water to use, but I have 15 Green Nodes and 3 Blue Nodes to spend. Let’s see that’s…5 Tier I Green Abilities to choose from and 3 Tier II spells. Or, I could unlock every other Tier I spell I don’t have and grab a bunch of attributes and other bonuses.
If one thing was for certain about my Prophet Class, it came with options. Reaching the top of the stairs, I sat down in the Temple Hallway and opened the Faction Web Terminal. It was time to make my final preparations before I took on the final challenge. Failure was not an option. It would mean being locked out of the Dungeon for 48 hours. I doubted Sneed would agree to stand by and wait while I tried for Ara’s Shard once again. Also, while the Fel Shard of Limbus was no more, the Fel Shard of Hadaeon would likely assault me with Shadowmurk the moment I left this Dungeon. Ord’s Fist, but the thought of being infested with one of those worms again was almost too much to bear!
“Stay calm, Kenric. The Light and the Shadow are both with you. By Wik’s Black Blade, you will find the path forward!”
