[Vulnerable] (affliction, unholy, stacking): All resistances are reduced. Additional instances have a cumulative effect. Consumed to cleanse instances of [Resistant] on a one to one basis.
With inexorable doom racking up more instances of both, the troll eventually stopped resisting the effects at all. With leeches in full effect, the creature was ravaged and fled for the ocean. Vincent ran up to Jason.
“It’s making for the water,” Vincent said urgently. “If it makes it in, it’ll start healing.”
“No, it wouldn't,” Jason said, “but it won't get that far anyway.”
He didn't move from where he stood. Unhurried, he raised an arm in the monster's direction and chanted a spell.
“Suffer the cost of your transgressions.”
The creature's resistances were in ruins, but its bronze-rank damage reduction was still in effect. Even so, the punition spell inflicted damage for each of the myriad afflictions on the troll. It was enough that most monsters, even at bronze-rank, would be dead already. The troll stumbled as its flesh withered and turned black, but continued staggering forward. Jason chanted a final spell.
“Mine is the judgement, and the judgement is death.”
Light of silver, gold and blue shone down on the troll from above, and under its radiance, the monster’s body started rapidly dissolving into rainbow smoke. Leeches dropped out of the air as the flesh they were burying themselves in vanished. In the spot where it had been fighting, gobbets of blood and flesh remained, patches of light shining to eradicate them as well. In moments, there was nothing left of the troll but a memory.
Ability: [Verdict] (Doom)
Spell (execute)
Cost: Moderate mana.
Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Current rank: Iron 1 (01%)
Effect (iron): Deals a small amount of transcendent damage. As an execute effect, damage scales exponentially with the enemy’s level of injury.
“Was that transcendent damage?” Vincent asked incredulously.
“Yes,” Jason said as he glanced over the rewards.
You have defeated [Tidal Troll]
[Tidal Troll] has been wholly annihilated. It has been looted automatically.
[Gauntlet of the Sea Giant] has been added to your inventory.
[Monster Core (Bronze)] has been added to your inventory.
10 [Bronze Spirit Coins] have been added to your inventory.
100 [Iron Spirit Coins] have been added to your inventory.
Quest: [Contract: Tidal Troll]
Objective complete: Eliminate [Tidal Troll] 1/1.
[Necklace of the Deep] has been added to your inventory.
Quest complete.
100 [Bronze Spirit Coins] have been added to your inventory.
1000 [Iron Spirit Coins] have been added to your inventory.
“What ability was that?” Vincent asked as he stared at the spot where the monster had been annihilated.
“That’s a rude question,” Jason said absently, also staring at the space where the troll vanished.
“You’re dealing transcendent damage with an iron-rank ability! Do you know what transcendent damage does?”
“I do.”
Help: Transcendent Damage
Transcendent damage ignores all forms of physical and magical defence, damage reduction and resistances.
“So, what ability is that?”
Jason turned to look at Vincent, his face unreadable.
“It’s the end,” Jason told him, his voice flat and emotionless.
“The end? The end of what?”
“Of whatever I want.”
Jason’s hard expression suddenly broke into a grin and he laughed.
“Listen to me, right? ‘Whatever I want. I'm very scary.’ I need to stop listening to that chuuni angel on my shoulder. Colin, gather up. This sea air isn’t good for you.”
100
Legwork
Danielle Geller and Thalia Mercer looked at the water pouring out of the astral space aperture. It was within a crevice in a rocky outcropping but was itself a free-floating circle of shimmering blue. The water streamed out of the aperture, the source of a small creek they were currently standing in. It wasn't the overwhelming torrent that some apertures had, which is why they had chosen this particular one; there wasn't so much force that people couldn't push their way against the water to enter. The other reason being that the first two apertures they tried had already failed and vanished.
“You’ve been in the astral space before, haven’t you?” Danielle asked.
“The last monster surge,” Thalia said. “Monsters were spawning out of an aperture in the desert, so we set up a defence point just inside.”
“The advantage of having your family seat in the city,” Danielle said. “I spent the whole time defending the estate.”
Danielle turned back to look at the expedition arrayed out behind her. The order of entry had already been organised, with the silver rankers heading through first to scout and deal with any immediate trouble. She turned back, took a deep breath and pushed herself through the water streaming out.
She emerged underwater, disoriented, spreading out her senses to get a grasp on her surroundings. Finding a sandy bottom, she kicked off of it to push herself up, breaching the surface as the water was not very deep. As she swam away from the submerged aperture in the water, Danielle took a look at her surroundings. She was in a turquoise lagoon, under a clear cerulean sky. The lagoon was mostly bounded by rocky rises with scrubby trees growing up the sides, but she spotted a small, sandy beach. Behind it were trees and tropical plants.
Thalia emerged from the aperture and likewise quickly surfaced.
“Nice,” Thalia said, swimming away from the aperture to give the next person space. “It’ll be good to explore instead of just staying near the aperture and fighting monsters.”
Clive entered the office of the Magic Society director. As normal, the director was absent, while the deputy director, Pochard Finn, was at work behind his own desk. Pochard barely glanced up at the intrusion, continuing to write as he spoke.
“What is it, Standish? I don’t have a lot of time with all these people off on the expedition.”
“I’m aware, sir,” Clive said. “I’ve been very busy myself, but I’ve managed to get things reorganised, so I’d like to take some time on another project. As you know, I also have Adventure Society membership.”
“Yes, I heard about the marsh hydra,” Pochard said. “I can't imagine your contribution was all that much but well done.”
“There’s an open contract with the Adventure Society,” Clive said. “A friend and I want to take a crack at it.”
Pochard paused his writing to look up at Clive.
“You want to slack off so you can go to social events in the hope this thief shows up?”
“Actually, sir, we’re going to take a different approach. Something that will hopefully have more success.”
“Who is this friend of yours?”
“He’s another iron-ranker. Jason Asano.”
“The one who handled the lumber mill affair,” Pochard mused thoughtfully.
“You know him?”
“I like to keep apprised of goings-on,” Pochard said. “You’re sure your duties will be covered?”
“I won’t be completely absent, sir. I’ll be checking in each day to make sure everything is running smoothly.”
“Then take what time you need, so long as you still feel your chances of success are reasonable.”
“Really?” Clive asked.