Chapter 279: Hubris

Chapter 276: Hubris

“Detect magic.” Synopse cast as he ran through the ruined streets, eyes upon the clouds above. A blue set of magical runes formed a circle around the rims of his eyes, causing the pupils to glow. Using the spell's effects, he carefully looked at the lightning being shot out of the clouds like a spear at the fleeing Abyssal dragon.

The game gave him item cards for the spell, including the caster - The Great Prophet of Zeus. With this information in mind, Synopse cast Fly on himself and levitated up into the air to get a better view of the city. Once above the rooftops of the nearby buildings, he could locate the Temple of Zeus easily. With no roof and just pillars on the flat, open structure built elevated above the nearby buildings, Synopse could easily see all of the players standing within - including Mikael and his guildmates standing guard around the chanting Great Prophet.

Synopse glanced from this scene to the scene of the Skyport, where Reapers were overrunning the walls and swooping down into the city streets just inside the walls, quickly spreading to move further inside. He soared out of the sky to land on the ground at the altar's base where Mikael, the Great Prophet, Jeremax, and Mightymira stood.

“Oh, look who it is. The cavalry has arrived.” Mikael commented sarcastically as they all watched him land.

“Your Great Prophet drove the dragon off?” Synopse asked to confirm.

“Someone’s gotta do something to protect this island from that walking apocalypse you brought here.” Mightymira replied while crossing her arms and glaring down at him.

“He’s under contract, it was just for the tournament...”

“We told you idiots he wasn’t going to play nice. Maybe next time, listen to the guys who’ve been containing him for you the past few months while you were prancing around playing hero on your streams.” Migthymira retorted with elevating hostility.

“Alright. Then, let’s stop him.” Synopse nodded at them anxiously, sensing the hostility coming from not just Mira, but every member of the guild surrounding him as well as the Zeus NPCs and Ryner’s former Airship NPCs.

“Knock yourselves out. Your boy Makaroth and all you other streamers said you’d handle him if he stepped out of line, didn’t you? So handle him.” Mikael replied, motioning in the direction of the swarms of reapers descending on the city, slowing making their way closer to the temple.

“The portal altar was destroyed. Only I was able to get through. They’re on their way from the dwarven city under the mountain.” Synopse replied as warmly as he could, trying not to anger them more than they already were.

“Of course it was.” Jeremax sighed, rolling his eyes.

“But, they’ll be here, don’t worry. We’ll put a stop to this.” Synopse tried to reassure them over this sigh.

“It’ll be too late.” Mikael shook his head at him.

“Too late? What do you mean?” Synopse replied, confused, glancing back at the swarm over the city once more to gauge the destruction. “Once he’s defeated a single time, it’s over, isn’t it?”

“Just like Zeus' priests were given a quest to destroy his sword for our advanced class, his sword gave him a quest to kill the Great Prophet of Zeus. That’s exactly what he’s planning to do, and why he wanted to have the tournament on Tarolas. It wasn’t an issue until you guys rolled out the red carpet for him to come here.” Mikael explained coldly.

“This is our fault, then?” Synopse asked quietly, pondering their words as he looked away from them to the destruction caused by the dragon.

“No shit.” Mightymira groaned.

“I’ll make sure nothing happens to the prophet, then. Until Makaroth and the others arrive.” Synopse decided as he turned to face the entrance of the temple.

“Just don’t get in our way,” Jeremax responded.

“They’re coming. Almost here.” A ranger player spoke as his familiar, a black eagle, soared down out of the sky to land on his shoulder, drenched from the rain - as we all of them now.

“Focus on protecting yourself above all else. You are his target.” Mikael turned to the Great Prophet, who finished his incantation and nodded back at him.

“The Dragon has fled the island. The thunder of Zeus is mighty, and it was no match for it. We will weather this storm and defy this sword of hatred.” The Great Prophet replied confidently. Not long after these words, a group of five players wearing primarily black armor and clothing could be seen walking quickly towards the staircase that lead up from the city streets below into the temple.

Synopse felt the tensions rise as everyone tightly gripped their weapons and aimed them toward the top of the stairs. Arrows were nocked, spells were charged, and blades were unsheathed.

“Aura of Thunder,” Mikael mumbled, chanting an aura that erupted outward from him, enhancing everyone's nearby weapons with bonus lightning damage. Following this, the other players cast several other buffs and auras, including Synopse in the aura, so he could also benefit from their effects.

Synopse was relieved to see that, at the very least, they were treating him as an ally. That relief didn’t last long as he watched Seraxus reach the top of the staircase and step onto the large, rectangular platform of the Temple of Zeus. Behind him came Hajax, Sylvie, Zuon, and Gambit, who all looked relatively unscathed.

“Yo, long time no see!” Seraxus cheered excitedly upon spotting Mikael. “Guys, our wardens from Puagas are here to take us back to our cells.” He chuckled, and his party members laughed along with him. “Yo Synopse, these guys ain't VGN. You probably don’t wanna be associated with ‘em.” Seraxus turned his attention from Mikael to Synopse, who stood at the center of the Temple between the two.

“What’re you doing? You said you’d play along until the tournament. But you’re destroying everything.” Synopse motioned to the ruins, and smoke rose nearby from the dragon’s destruction.

“You’ll be returning that staff to us.” Makaroth said in a deep, angry tone that he scarcely used on the stream. Millions of viewers were now watching them as all eyes followed the many streamers present inside the temple.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa...” Seraxus raised his hands in his direction. “You threatenin’ me? You wanna have this showdown now? All gladiators fight against me at the same time? S’abit unfair, don’t you think?”

“Do it. Kill him, put an end to this shit.” Mikael shouted out from under Hajax’ foot.

“Why’re you holding him like that?” Lilya asked with a worried look.

“Oh, this guy? He’s been such a pain in our ass these past few months. I wanted to make sure he watched as I killed his stupid ass prophet. He was tryin’ so hard to protect him.” Seraxus explained.

“So he completed his quest...” Daehyun mumbled, worried.

“That’s pretty twisted...” Calikgos replied to Seraxus.

“It’s ‘cause he’s a fucking psycho. Kill him and destroy the sword right now. You’re all gladiators, aren’t you?”

“Tchaa, so noisy.” Seraxus sighed before jumping down from the altar, gliding somewhat due to his wings, and landing beside where Mikael was being held. He quickly stabbed his sword of hatred downward nonchalantly into Mikael’s back, killing him immediately with an insanely large red damage number. “I’m down to brawl, but I think a showdown in the arena would still be more interestin’, don’t you?”

“I can’t let you walk around this city anymore. You’re too dangerous. Look at what you did.” Makaroth motioned to the ruins surrounding them.

“S’all good. Promise not to do anything else. Look, Hajax, call off the reapers.”

“Alright.” Hajax shrugged, quickly waving his scepter through the air with dark magic emitting from the end of it.

“See? No problem. The city is saved thanks to your heroic arrival.” Seraxus smirked, causing his group members to chuckle along with him. “Sylvie, give ‘em the staff back.”

“Huh? Why?” Sylvie pouted.

“‘Cause they need it.” Seraxus shrugged.

“But, it’s pretty cool. I kinda wanna keep it.”

“Just give it back.” Seraxus sighed in annoyance.

“Fine.” Sylvie huffed, then chucked the staff towards Makaroth, causing it to land on the temple floor at his feet after rolling along a bit. Watching this disrespectful act made it hard for Makaroth to hold back, and he refused to lean down and pick up the staff himself. Thankfully, Liyla stepped forward to grab it on his behalf and added it to her inventory while Makaroth remained glaring at Seraxus, and the other players began to slowly spread out over the temple around him, preparing for a fight.

“There. All good, right?” Seraxus asked with a shrug, locking eyes with Makaroth. Anger got the best of him, and he quickly moved his hand to the hilt of his blade preparing to draw it out, but he was stopped by Calikgos who quickly shot his hand up and grabbed Makaroth’s to prevent him from unsheathing his weapon.

“This is a lose-lose situation.” Calikgos spoke up as he stepped forward. “He only wants to make us look bad. If we don’t fight, we look like cowards who allowed the destruction of Stormtop. But, if we do fight, he’ll mock us for teaming up on him, and his warlock and bard have already been preparing spells for them to escape. Most likely portal stones, linked up to a portal altar from one of the surrounding villages on the island.” Calikgos explained.

“Oooh, smart cookie.” Gambit looked at Calikgos, impressed. Makaroth took this all in and pondered for a moment, briefly eying his massive livestream viewership as he tried to consider the best course of action.

“I prefer the second option.” Makaroth tilted his head to the side and drew out his blade, dashing forward with incredible speed as blue magic erupted around it, while simultaneously, 3 cinderbolts appeared all around him.

Seraxus reacted by aiming a sword swing down at where Makaroth was dashing, but Makaroth easily sidestepped the swing and cut outwards at him, slashing his sword through Seraxus’ body and causing it to pass through, dealing 2,035 damage. The damage put a look of shock on Seraxus’ face and caused him to jump backward while Zuon fired arrows at Makaroth, but all arrows were deflected by his cinderbolts.

“Spellblade, really interesting class. Never fought one before.” Seraxus said with eyes of excitement, drawing out the rest of his weapons as if preparing to fight. He quickly changed his mind when he saw the army of other players rushing towards him up from behind Makaroth.

“We bailin?” Gambit asked.

“Yep.” Seraxus nodded back, and as Makaroth dashed forward again to strike Seraxus again, 5 black domes of magic quickly appeared around each of them, compliments of a spell cast by Sylvie. A second later, the domes disappeared, taking Seraxus and his party away from the temple to an unknown location.

Their disappearance caused the charging players to halt, allowing Makaroth to turn around and meet eyes with Calikgos and Lilya, who returned stares of concern.