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  Hadrian stomped forward, raising his arms, face red. His anger blinded him to the waiting threat. Bandit struck like a snake and chomped her jaws around his body.

  [Bandit] dealt 142 damage to [Hadrian]

  The Whisperer screamed and twisted as teeth pressed against crystal. The armor was amazingly resilient, but some of it crumbled away. The Eye of Orik, gliding through the air, sputtered in position.

  "The soulstone," called Lash.

  I leapt up and triggered dash. Whatever unseen force suspended the ruby released it. It plummeted from my grasp, and I could no longer immediately redirect my dash because Stigg's buff had worn out. The soulstone slipped into a shallow crater on the surface of the frozen lake and a chord echoed deep underneath. The ruby flared. Rainbow flashes lit up the ice. The dragonstone on Bandit's forehead shimmered.

  Hadrian winced in excruciating pain, but between it all, he'd found his opening. "Of course." The usurper showed his own teeth. "The last of the Crystal Core."

  Still clamped by jaws, he reached for the stone resting between Bandit's horns. Violet energy coursed through his arm, invigorated him, and Bandit was hit with a knockout punch. The dragon's mouth went slack and released Hadrian. Her head lolled and crashed into the new staircase. The Whisperer landed lightly on his feet, health potion in one hand and the dragonstone in the other.

  My focus shot to my mount who'd collapsed in place. She was at the top of the steps, now in mountain bongo form. The dragonstone was missing.

  "Lucifer's gambit," chuckled Hadrian menacingly. I ran to Bandit as the others regrouped. Even Hadrian healed mid-speech. "My great opponent stole the aura of the Crystal Core long before I could get to it, and after his staff shattered, this was the last of it to return."

  I reached Bandit and rested a glove on her neck. She was still alive but out cold. I tried to force a health potion down her mouth but she wouldn't take it. Glinda rushed to my aid.

  Hadrian took the time to pore over the dragonstone. He wasn't just looking at it, he was feeling it, experiencing it. "This is what I've been missing," he said softly. "The last of my power is no longer imprisoned."

  He was talking about Lucifer's power trap. The mad usurper tightened his grip and the temporary housing of Oakengard's magic crumbled to dust. Colorful energy danced from his fingers and sank deep into the lake, rejoining the mass of the Crystal Core like a long-forgotten breath.

  At the same time, the Eye of Orik reactivated. It slid across the ground, floated upward, and affixed itself into Hadrian's spiked crystal helmet. A tremor shook the Speculum. The god emperor studied his hands, now oozing with power, and cackled.

  2150 Eternal Champions

  I stepped down Izzy's makeshift stairs in a deliberate fashion, vision red. It was as good a time as ever, judging by the incoming combat notifications from the distant battle. The war was almost won, the XP almost done. It was time to cut off the head of the beast. I traded silent nods with Izzy and Kyle.

  Hadrian chuckled and reveled in his growing power.

  "Your magic doesn't matter," I declared, walking toward him with the dragonspear. "The soulstones, the mantles, the armor—none of it matters, Hadrian, because as long as people live they won't subject themselves to you."

  "I don't need you," he spat. "I can make more people."

  "I don't think so," announced Kyle, producing a green gemstone. "This is a little thing I stockrigged, something like a remote detonator. And the next sound you hear is your recruiting factory going up in smoke."

  The brewmaster ran his finger across the surface of the gem and the entire room shook. A blast echoed through the halls. Dust dripped down from the broken ceiling.

  "And speaking of bombs..." Kyle pulled a collection of vials bound by rope, beakers of various sizes containing volatile bubbling chemicals of yellow, black, and red. The haphazard contraption definitely wasn't a professional stockrig, a fact that made it look all the more dangerous.

  Hadrian's eyes flared. Crystal slivers rose from the floor. Kyle swung his shield before him but missed the real danger. A large chunk of ceiling crashed down toward him. He attempted to heave his contraption of bombs away but the glass shattered and ignited a chain reaction. As the debris crushed down, explosions of various colors filled the area. The smoke cleared to silence.

  I charged forward with a deadshot. The dragonspear struck true, rocking the Whisperer backward. I went for the Eye of Orik on his helmet next, but he twirled away, casually fending off the attack as he raised an arm. The floor of the Speculum cracked and yawned open. The parties rushing to my aid skidded and fell on the ice. Vagram was closest. He fell in the chasm bisecting the room. Everyone else besides Izzy was on the other side. We were now cut off from our companions.

  I continued to engage Hadrian. Icicles slashed at his arms and face. His armor held strong. I crossblocked a counterstrike but missed Hadrian's second spear. Quartz grazed my neck.

  77 damage

  I dashed to his flank and reversed my spear. Bullet's peppered my unguarded side.

  38 damage

  43 damage

  39 damage

  Yellow shield walls sprouted up around me, but they could only account for so many projectiles. Hadrian swatted a silver arrow from the air and the others helped Vagram from falling into the pit. As we battled, more and more shards rose from the lake floor and harried us. Daggers hit my face.

  Blind!

  You cannot see until your eyes are healed.

  I countered with a tornado spin, some crossblocks, and desperate swinging, but the attacks kept coming.

  36 damage

  Critical Hit!

  84 damage

  41 damage

  [Glinda] cast Minor Healing Aura

  You are healed and instantly relieved of minor status effects.

  I blinked warily at the growing frustration in our enemy. A wave of Hadrian's arm and the rainbow below intensified. An entire wall of ice rose from the edge of the chasm, sealing us off completely from our reinforcements. They stared helplessly through translucent pockets of ice, trying to break through.

  Izzy flipped forward and slashed with the sharp end of her staff. A shield arm blocked the blow. Hadrian kicked her backward. Crystal spikes broke through the floor. The frost mage retreated, bashing them as she backtracked. Then her foot got caught in a pocket of ice. Izzy pulled her leg and looked down, shocked. The frozen lake grew up, over her skin, She tried to yank free and screamed.

  The ice finished her off, encasing her completely in a matter of seconds.

  Now alone with Hadrian, I screamed and slashed wildly but was countered at every turn. Spears came at my back. I sidestepped more than I pressed. Finally, the god emperor charged right through my guard and delivered a world-shaking body blow.

  Disarm!

  89 damage

  Stun!

  You are stunned. You may not use skills, move, or attack for 20 seconds.

  The dragonspear clattered to the ice. I tumbled and settled facedown in a jagged pile of crystals. They snapped up and spiked my ankle and wrist.

  Leg Break!

  Your leg is broken. You cannot move unassisted until it is fixed.

  Arm Break!

  Your arm is broken. You cannot use it until it is fixed.

  With Haven's pain filters offline, the feeling was unbearable. Stones pounded my back. It was all I could do to protect my head from a crit. When the hits stopped, I readied my inventory, watching the top half of Lucifer's staff, even though I was currently unable to use it. Hadrian scanned our party for incoming threats, saw that his wall was holding, and turned to me with a smile.

  I watched the pulsing lights beneath our feet, the purple energy coursing through his eyes, the smoky rock armor as it constantly adjusted and reformed over the usurper's skin—but mostly I watched the notification window and my character sheet with growing anticipation.

  Hadrian lifted a jagged hand over my head. The room thrummed.

  "Wait," I
said weakly. "What are you now? Some kind of dungeon core?"

  Hadrian paused and took a calming breath. He had every reason to strike me down right here and now, every reason to act instantly, but I knew he wouldn't do it. What good was power with nobody to witness it? What was godhood without worship?

  "Dungeon core?" he laughed. "That's what you see? Look at everything I've done. I raised a titan to besiege Stronghold, wrested Shorehome from the saints, and commanded the kraken. I single-handedly overtook Oakengard." His voice grew coarser as he ticked his accomplishments. "I've commandeered the soulstones and molded the game mechanics in my image. No, I'm no mere dungeon core, little man. I'm a world core. And you've rebuffed my attempts to complete the trifecta of towns twice already."

  With a few seconds left on my stun, a jolt of energy streamed through the spike in my wrist.

  Stun!

  You are stunned. You may not use skills, move, or attack for 20 seconds.

  The god emperor chuckled lightly and dismissed me. He may have been gloating, but he knew a stalling tactic when he saw one. He stepped to Tannen's strung-up body and reacquired the trijewel. I needed that if I had any hope of creating a power trap for the Crystal Core.

  "Hear this, Talon, Protector of Stronghold. The core city will be mine. You'll fall and it will fall and so will Lucifer, wherever he is. No one will stand against me because I'm not just in control of Haven. I AM Haven."

  Hadrian slipped the leather necklace over his head. "And you," he mused with a hint of derision. "What are you, anyway? Did you ever stop to ask? You're nothing more than a pawn, Lucifer's left hand. And pawns are meant to be sacrificed."

  Hadrian stormed over as I watched the remnants of the battle notifications scroll in. The XP had slowed to a crawl. I'd underestimated how much the battle would net me.

  "I need more time," I groaned.

  The spymaster lifted an arm as the rock transformed into an executioner's axe. "Sorry, you're fresh out."

  A heavy Indian accent cut through the Speculum. "Hold it right there," ordered Varnu.

  Hadrian spun to the side, keeping his back from either of us. "Who the— ?"

  The colonial-garbed soldier put his eye to his long gun. "I believe this is what us Texans call a BFG: a big friendly giant."

  So much for an impressive entrance. "Wrong BFG, Varnu."

  Spears of crystal shot forward and harmlessly passed through the resident companion's body. Hadrian scoffed. "This is preposterous. You're tech support. You can no more harm me than I can you."

  "Famous final words of the gnat of Barstu. How strong is your conviction in that fact, sir?"

  Hadrian clenched his jaw. "Strong enough to do this." He again raised his axe hand above my neck.

  Varnu's rifle barked. The Whisperer recoiled several steps away, but there was no bullet. The support companion looked down the rifle barrel and frowned. "Oh dear, I'm afraid you may be correct. Perhaps this will fare better?" He put the rifle away and tossed a small doll. It bounced on the ice and came to a stop just out of my reach.

  [Kogal Chibi]

  The Japanese schoolgirl grew to full size and giggled. She wore a short orange skirt and a small white top with buttons about to pop off. Blue hair curled over anime eyes and a smile.

  "Idiots," snarled Hadrian. "You think I don't know a distraction when I see one?" He flicked a finger at me and I was jolted with another wave of electricity.

  Stun!

  You are stunned. You may not use skills, move, or attack for 20 seconds.

  I grumbled on the floor. I couldn't reach the automaton and it didn't much matter if I could. What was I supposed to do with a sex doll? The answer barely mattered because I was stunned and unable to act.

  The schoolgirl giggled and wagged her hips from side to side. She wasn't offering any help. But I did have to admit, as ridiculous as it was, she was pretty hot. With my head on the ground, my eyes trailed up her pale legs and caught a peek of underwear.

  Varnu chuckled. "You big pervert, sir."

  Crown Unlocked: Jeepers Peepers

  Graduate to full-on creeper with a second of misjudgment.

  1000 XP awarded

  "Always so smart," I chuckled, bracing for the XP. "But you're wrong about me, Hadrian."

  "Is that so?" he spat.

  "I'm more than a pawn," I affirmed, barely pushing to my hands and knees. "I'm more than the hand of the resistance. I'm the claw. I'm the Talon."

  Teal-blue fire engulfed me.

  BWOOOOOM!

  You have reached Level 11!

  My health surged to a new maximum. The break and stun effects evaporated and the spikes in my body shattered. I braced my boots beneath me and defiantly pushed up. The dragonspear was out of reach, but my fingers were wrapped around the assassin needle.

  Hadrian started at the turn of events, including the sight of his former weapon. He focused on it, eyes narrowed. It was forged in Oakengard by the saints, an OP weapon meant for killing heroes. If anything could get through his crystal armor, it was this. Hadrian fumed.

  I took a firm breath. "You..."

  His face reddened and he shook.

  "You..."

  I burst out with laughter.

  "You fucking idiot," I said.

  Kyle flickered behind the usurper, the invisibility granted by his decanter failing as he slid his assassin needle into Hadrian's back.

  Surprise!

  [Kyle] dealt 62 damage to [Hadrian]

  Stun!

  The god emperor jerked his head around. Izzy flipped out from behind her ice decoy, her assassin needle leading the charge.

  Critical!

  [Izzy] dealt 111 damage to [Hadrian]

  Stun!

  Hadrian stiffened and collapsed between them. He lifted his head as the trijewel scraped the icy floor. I took a step closer and casually flipped the assassin needle in my grip.

  "The trijewel is a symbol, three forming one. But the assassin needle is the opposite, isn't it? It's a weapon, illegally forged, exploitatively buffed. And it was duplicated—one into three."

  Hadrian sputtered on the floor, having trouble even forming speech.

  I kneeled before him and lifted the trijewel necklace away. Then I used the needle to pry the Eye of Orik from his helmet. Finally I stuck the dagger into the Whisperer's neck.

  Critical!

  You dealt 189 damage to [Hadrian]

  Stun!

  I blinked.

  By all accounts Hadrian should've been dead. He should've been dead but wasn't. I went to stab him again but the needle was lodged into his body. I tightened my grip and tugged but it was stuck, just like the other two. The rock armor closed around it, growing up and over the handles. The three of us blinked in horror, backing away ever so slightly.

  The Whisperer's hand shot forward and snatched the trijewel. I cradled the Eye and hopped backward.

  "What's the deal?" asked Kyle. "You said this would work."

  I stared. "It was supposed to."

  "Dude's still alive, bro."

  "It was a hell of a plan," murmured Izzy.

  "It still is," I countered. "We don't need to take his life, we need to take his power." I gripped the Eye of Orik as we watched the shifting quartz.

  "My power is indestructible," growled Hadrian.

  I recovered the dragonspear. "Lucifer and I had a long talk about the soulstones. And you're right, destroying them's impossible. That's why Saint Peter's quest wanted them removed instead of broken. But there's something else Lucifer revealed to me. Each city has a soulstone, and each city has an item of power. These six artifacts make up the founder relics, each with an opposite. So while the Eye of Orik can never be destroyed, the dragonspear can release the soul of the titan within."

  I tapped the tip of the legendary weapon to the oversize ruby. The two objects had an almost-magnetic repulsion between them. They were at odds with each other, in opposition, yet sharing a common thread. Something in me found that connection, brou
ght it together, and it clicked.

  The deep red of the Eye of Orik swirled and became blue. A silent shock wave shuddered outward.

  "What have you done?" snarled Hadrian.

  "But the Oakengard quest," said Kyle. "It's corrupted, which means it's blocking the soulstone quest forever."

  Izzy nodded. "It's true. The string is broken."

  "Forget the quests. We don't need the approval of game systems to tell us we're doing the right thing. Our actions are what matter."

  Hadrian stirred. Still on the ground, but his stun wore off. His body trembled. Crystal continued to grow on him, around him, up from the ground. It was encasing him again.

  "I see this precursor isn't enough," he spewed. "So I'll show you more."

  The ruined Speculum lit up, whirring engines beating a mountainous heart. Hadrian was part of the floor now, his legs quickly being overtaken.

  "The Crystal Core," warned Izzy.

  My eyes snapped to the trijewel in his grip. Crystals grew around his fingers. I equipped Lucifer's witchwood staff and leapt. My hand closed around the leather cord but I couldn't pull it away. The founder relic was also in Hadrian's grip.

  "This one's mine," he insisted.

  I yanked again but it wouldn't give.

  "We're running out of time," said Izzy.

  Instead of trying to take it from him, I focused on the soulstone below. It wasn't just an item anymore, something that could be contained in inventory. The Crystal Core was a living mass beneath us, growing and breathing. I squeezed the trijewel into the ground and focused, trying to find that repulsion, that common link that could dispel the soulstone. Once that was done I could trap the power if needed.