John the Warlock

Your breach of contract has bestowed the Warlock status. Stipulated damages for this breach include: your life, your soul, and all that you own.

Achievement unlocked! “Broken Bonds”!
You’ve broken an Abyssal contract and acquired the curse of the Warlock. I hope it was worth it.
+3 END
+5,000XP

Warlock lvl1, passive, curse
Damaged Party: The Order (Brightons)
The damaged party of this curse is the individual or faction which now enjoys significant benefits against you in combat, magic, and detection. Furthermore, any Abyssal creature, or any mage with a sense for bindings or curses, will detect that you are an oath-breaker whose word is worthless. You will be so marked until you atone.

John grew unnerved by the message and the stillness of the hall that followed Lord Brighton's declaration. The Confessors were the first to break the sudden calm: all three were men of younger age than the one John had seen in Krieg’s memory, and each had sunken, tired eyes that menaced him with angry leering. The Hospitallers split between what looked to be active prayer and, for the others, some kind of counting by the twitching of fingers made in closed fists. No messages alerted John of their casting or purpose yet, but all intently stared at John.

Suddenly, the six knights present all drew their swords and shields in a practiced guard. The fire elementals in the sconces trembled and flared. All seemed ready for John to dare any action.

John turned to Moira; she shook her head as her eyes were cast to the floor. Galley clenched her teeth loud enough to be audible. John bored a hole through the Warden with the plea in his eyes. “Moira, you can stop this.”

Moira started, and then gave John her dumbfounded stare. She shook her head reflexively, but her father answered for her. “She is sworn to her duty... and she will not disobey it to save an enemy of the Order... no matter what she had hoped you would become.”

John opened a wide tunnel under the old man, ready to drop him into an alleyway downtown-

Your Tunnel spell tried to change spacetime, but spacetime resisted! Tunnel failed.

John’s heart sank. He called his pistol from his gloves-

Your Gloves of the Trickster tried to change spacetime, but spacetime resisted! Gloves of the Trickster failed.

You tried to Blink to the hallway outside, but spacetime resisted! Blink failed.

“Father-” Moira started.

“Warden of the Golden Rose.” The elder Brighton’s voice commanded the younger, and the younger ceased her plea. “This is the test of your faith.” Moira’s eyes trembled with tears, but Lord Brighton did not pause. “Here, now, will determine what kind of Warden you will be... and no matter your misgivings or pleasures before this moment, now is where you shall find your true path under the Lady’s watch.”

A mixture of shock and shame played out on the Warden's features, and she racked her brain to try and figure out her father's meaning... until her trembling gaze landed on Lorelei. No... did she...?

Less than an hour ago...

"My Lord," Lorelei greeted, bowing deeply as she stepped into the massive hall, "the Purifiers have finished their toil at the Academy... and I beheld our triumph moments before the Warden delivered it."

A small clutch of Hospitallers, deployed to heal whatever wounded souls remained at the school, filed in to bow to Lord Brighton in the near-empty hall. Cornelius had vanished to check his research; the knights numbering four were now three, though Lorelei struggled to see through the Lady's vision as to why.

"Our Warden's triumph..." Lord Brighton repeated. His words seemed distant; something was amiss. Lorelei cocked her head, ready to ask her Lord what disturbed him so... but he continued, "What did the Lady show you of this triumph, Seer?"

Lorelei stepped forward until she was at the table's edge. "The darkness of this evil must have obscured my vision, my Lord, for that truth is mostly hidden. I see... my Warden's struggle, I see a wounded soul that hides, even now, in our care... so mangled as to be nearly gone... and I see... the Warden, and your loyal knight Krieg, walking... investigating in our barracks."

Lord Brighton's mustache trembled ever so slightly. His mind was difficult to pierce for Lorelei, perhaps because the Lady simply willed that she not spy upon her master's thoughts, but his tells, the smallest vibrations of his flesh, gave away so much. He was upset with her, though Lorelei could not fathom why. "The Lady's vision does not let you see the Soulless... isn't that true, Seer?"

The Seer exhaled with a touch of relief. "So that is why... yes, my Lord. My vision must be clouded, then, by the Hound of Titus, ordered to protect the Warden only two days ago-"

"But pray, reveal to me, Seer," Lord Brighton continued, his frustration flaring, "why you've made no mention of John Newman?"

Lorelei's heart sank... but now, she could not hide anything from her Lord, no matter the Warden's wish.

"I had to, my Warden," Lorelei softly replied. Her frown ran deep; empathic and dutiful, the Seer ever was.

"B-But... but you said-"

Cornelius shook his head as he "tsked" at the confused youths. "Do not blame the Seer, Warden... she was ever your ally in this hopeful chicanery. Were it not for your father's brilliant attention to detail--and the Lady's will, of course--this fiend might have gotten away with it, as well. But you must have questioned it: how could a boy hail from Gaia, how could one serve the Lady, when Heaven itself does not protect them, or when the Lady cannot see them? Not even devils are forsaken... not even stones are forgotten by Her."

You tried to call the Crown of Fear from your inventory, but spacetime resisted! Inventory access failed.

John slowly processed the Court's words to Moira. "... Then this whole... fucking time...?"

"A champion of Gaia might have surprised us yet," Cornelius eagerly taunted, "with a miracle of redemption... and to have such a legend serve...! Ah, but you're naught but a charlatan, a pretender at-" The old sage's words suddenly cut off, and a startled glance at Lord Brighton suggested the quiet command of silence.

You tried to Convey Fairy, but you’re in a barrier where she isn’t!

"I sensed it, Mr. Newman... like a cancer in your soul, it was there, but in all my years of smiting the foes of humanity, I had never... no, never encountered one so forsaken by the Lady. That the Seer failed to mention your intervention, as key as it was, or the spies being hunted as she walked in... no, I knew it before then, but her omission was the final confirmation of my worst fear for you." Lord Brighton shook his head in a mockery of pity. "Only by the Lady's clearest will would I kill one who extended unto me a misguided helping hand... though it becomes easier when it is my daughter's ****."

The Court did not gasp at the revelation; indeed, they had only been called in such numbers to answer that injustice. Lorelei raised her head and quietly mouthed her apology to the Warden. Moira stared back, shocked and horrified to hear her father's words. Galley, stunned anew, glanced between Moira and John. No... that's definitely not what connects them-

"Don't give me that horseshit." A newfound silence. John's Eye of the King glinted green as he looked over the master of the Brighton Estate... and then over the praying host of Hospitallers and Confessors. "You run an army of slaves until they die, you kill when you want, and take what you want... so don't act high and mighty. I know what you are."

Lord Brighton returned the demon's glare... though his face nearly faltered at the strangest sensation that washed over him as the boy spoke his bitter words. "Hound of Titus.” Galley flinched as her name was suddenly declared. “John Newman is a warlock, a rogue mage, and an abomination before the eyes of the Lady, humanity, and all that is good. I sentence him to ****, and order you: kill the creature known as John Newman.”

Lord Brighton’s verbal orders ceased there... but the whole of his Hospitallers and Confessors present heard the same order. With a nod, Lord Brighton commanded his knowing knights to do the same.

John’s mind scrambled for some solution, but none came even as Krieg was the first to charge.

You tried to serpent’s lunge, but-

John had no time to read the warning and turned on his displacement.

The Order Knight resisted your displacement illusion and strikes at you!

-79HP

John cursed as he lifted his arm to meet the brutal slice of the man’s sword. Krieg’s expression shifted from victorious rage to confusion; though Krieg felt the surge of power as he faced a foe of Heaven, his sword didn't so much as open the flesh. That surprise was just long enough for John’s reply. Shit, but these guys... they're just victims at this point! John pulled back on his response.

Your serpent’s bite deals 241 subdual damage to the Order Knight!
Your quickcasted serpent’s bite deals 241 subdual damage to the Order Knight!
Order knight has been knocked ****!

John had enjoyed over 300 damage with this ability before; with only ten points of damage resist thanks to Krieg’s armor, the knight had to be enjoying the benefits of this Warlock curse. Even as the veteran knight fell, John watched with dread as his fellows approached to maneuver around John and the collapsed Krieg in a wide circle.

Lord Brighton watched from across the table. His thick mustache did not so much as twitch; the fury of earlier had been replaced with a tranquility that felt dangerous to John. But in stealing some glances at the ultimate boss of this encounter, John realized that it wasn’t him that the old man measured with his judging eyes.

Beneath her father’s glare, Moira looked ready to crumble as she continued to remain still. Moira’s hammer was unsheathed from her shield, but her legs trembled like jelly at the idea of bludgeoning her husband to ****; Galley, now knowing all that she knew, remained still as well. Her fists clenched... but not for John.

"Hound," Lord Brighton commanded, his eyes never leaving the Warden, "you have before you a criminal mage... and your singular duty to us."

Galley grumbled underneath her breath in response. She moved forward... a mere inch before her conscience stopped her hand again.

“The Hound has turned!” Cornelius shrieked. “My Lord, pray capture her! A Soulless may be salvaged yet-" Another command from Lord Brighton, and Cornelius was silenced anew.

"The Hound forgets her place... but the Hound will simply be reminded of it," Lord Brighton chided. Galley considered her grim options.

The Confessors waited no longer. Each clasped their hands in prayer before parting them wide, revealing a rope of golden light extending from their palms.

Confessor casts Bindings of Confession!
Confessor casts Bindings of Confession!
Confessor casts Bindings of Confession!

John knew the spell from Krieg's memory: a wire of light to tie a victim, inflicting magical suffering without so much as marking the flesh. He hadn't imagined it could be used in combat... or that each of the Confessors would throw them at John like radiant lassos.

Before the lassos of pain had even landed, a swamp of prompts from the Hospitallers filled John’s vision: each had cast the same spell, and each had aimed their choir of soft chants squarely at the Gamer. Reflexively, he copied those.

Hospitaller casts Moment of Peace, but you're immune!
Moment of Peace copied!

Copycat is now level 6!

Moment of Peace lvl6, 60mp
Moment of Peace: stuns the target with the radiant beauty of the Lady, enthralling them for a number of rounds not exceeding [skill lvl]. The duration is shortened in combat. Repeat castings of Moment of Peace extend the duration of the stun.

John kept his mind enough to dodge away from the ropes of tossed energy, letting them crackle on the ground like fallen electric cables as two of the knights made him pay for leaping among them.

CRIT! -118HP!
-59HP

Crap, that Order spell's not going to do me much good here...!

From the sconces, the fire elementals slowly grew and rose until they floated in the air, menacing and ready to pounce upon and scorch the heretic mage that had angered their master.

Moira raised her hammer halfheartedly as John drew near... but froze as the heretic mage met her eyes briefly. She couldn't move... even though he did nothing to stop her.

Your serpent's bite deals 241 subdual damage to Order Knight!
Order Knight is knocked ****!
CRIT! Your quickcast serpent's bite deals 723 subdual damage to Order Knight!
Order Knight is knocked ****!

"Moira, Galley! This is bullshit, and you know it!"

Moira's lip trembled. Galley cursed under her breath. Across the room, Lorelei and Cornelius finished their own aid.

The Seer casts Renewal on three Order Knights, restoring 94HP to each!
Three Order Knights have revived!

"Oh fuck off-" John didn't even finish his curse before the two revived knights had grasped his ankles in thinly gauntleted fists. The Hospitallers prepared some other spell in a low chant; the Confessors reared back their whips of magic, ready to snap them again at John despite his proximity to so many Order bodies. The rest of the knights readied to pile in on top of that, their shields held high and swords ready to stab forward into John. I need to get the fuck out of here!

The Sage casts Mana Tap, dealing 129 damage to your mana!

The mana loss ached in John's mind... and though it was far from the sour-searing pain of Juniluny's ****, the sensation was too close to forgive. Fine, fuck it.

You cast Move!

John pumped 200 mana into move... and targeted himself as he looked to the magically sealed doors meant to imprison him.

Sovereignty: Eye of the King suppresses Arcane-Locking Doors!

The doors seemed unchanged until John's body was suddenly and violently slammed through them. His form flashed past a stunned Moira, and the two knights that had held onto John were pulled from the floor before their gauntlets finally slipped from around the mage's glamoured ankles. The two nearest fire elementals were nearly snuffed out by the sudden and violent passing of their enemy. The doors crashed open as John had hoped and, on slamming shut with John's Eye no longer upon them, sealed the host of enemies inside. John’s own body slammed into the stone wall… and the wall gave him nothing in return.

CRIT! -77HP

John barely managed to land on his feet in a hallway… and faced two shocked “knights” wearing far less ceremonial gear: black kevlar armor, tactical fatigues, and gray **** rifles of some unknown make.