Galactic Fist of Legend: Volume 2 Read online

  Eventually, he made his way to a strange room. At the center of it there stood a crystalline obelisk of a dull blue color.

  "No monsters that I see..." said Scott while looking around. He raised his shield as best he could, and then made his way to the crystal.

  He eye-balled it for a moment. What would happen if he touched it? Would it grow hands and tear him apart?

  "Fuck it," he said after he gathered his courage. He had to try out everything that he saw. Scott reached out and touched the obelisk.

  Electric blue sparks skittered along his finger and danced into the obelisk. Blood red words began to coalesce along the surface of the device. They were blurred, at first, as though the writer had smudged them. Soon, however, they became coherent. Scott read them aloud. "One thousand essence to awaken the crystal of salvation."

  "Essence? That's EXP for me, right?" Scott stared at the device. How much was that in EXP?

  After a moment, a thought occurred to him. He checked a few of his items. "There's a little italicized place for EXP in most of these things... If that's the conversion rate from essence to EXP, then..."

  Scott did the math. It appeared that EXP was worth something like thirty to forty essence. "So, twenty-five to thirty-six or so EXP. Maybe?"

  However, he did not know if activating this thing was something worth doing. He had only acquired twenty-three EXP throughout this journey. He did find two more of the memory crystals, but they were smaller than the first one. It was likely that they would be worth less than their predecessor.

  "Screw it. I need to find out," said Scott. The name of the thing made it sound important. If this place really was like Dark Souls, then this might even be something like one of the bonfires where progress could be saved. He had no choice but to try and find out.

  He drew the EXP out of the memories of lost travelers that he had collected, and then nodded. "Thirty EXP..."

  Scott placed his hand to the obelisk once more. The words reappeared, but this time something new appeared as well. "Awaken the obelisk for one thousand essence? Sure..."

  He gasped loudly as life itself seemed to flow out of him. However, what really left him was his precious EXP. An essence counter appeared. Soon it reached one thousand. Below it, the number twenty-five appeared next to the letters EXP.

  The obelisk began to radiate a bright blue light. A pulse of energy washed outward across the area and stopped at the edges of the room. It created a sort of threshold at the edges of the room where the tunnel entrances were located.

  "OK," said Scott. His mind whirled with the possibilities. What had just happened? Was it good? Was it bad? Did it matter at all?

  He found his answers a moment later when the red words appeared once more. This time they provided a list of options.

  [--]

  Bind Soul [Free]

  Travel [Free]

  Improve Attributes [Locked][Unavailable]

  Repair Equipment [Varies]

  Restore Health [100 Essence][3 EXP]

  Heal Status [LV.0][0 Essence][0EXP]

  Restore Spiritus [100 Essence][3 EXP]

  Heal Soul Desiccation [Lv.2][3500 Essence][88EXP]

  [--]

  "Hell yeah, this was definitely worth the price of admission," said Scott after he read through the little blurbs that arose whenever he focused on a specific list item.

  He immediately chose to bind his soul to the obelisk. If he died, he would revive next to the peculiar device. The Travel option would allow him to move via teleportation to any obelisk that he had previously unlocked. The rest of the options were meant to allow him to heal, refill things like this spiritus vials, or even remove the issue he currently had after having died twice. The option to repair equipment was nice as well.

  The only annoyance was that he could not increase his stats through this world's basic system. He would only be able to do that at his home point once the mission ended.

  The cost to remove soul desiccation was obscene, and went higher with each current level of desiccation. "Only eighty-three EXP to go."

  There was one thing that bothered him, though. A warning at the bottom of the list that he did not see before caused his eyebrows to rise up in surprise. "Seriously?"

  He did not know if it would be a good thing, or a bad thing. However, there was something else to look forward to now.

  [Warning]

  A soul who has recently visited an awakened obelisk will stir the echoes of faded memories. This is particularly dangerous in areas such as the underworld, or abandoned ruins.

  Previously defeated enemies may return if you pass through an area that you once utilized as a battle ground. In some instances, the previous opponents may be stronger than before. New opponents may be awakened in this manner as well.

  These beings are the echoes of fallen souls lost to time and history. They cannot seek the light of salvation and may grow angry at those who intrude upon their forgotten memories. This effect typically lasts twenty-four hours.

  [--]

  "So, basically... Enemies will sometimes respawn if I come here?" He would lay even money that if he died, he'd resurrect at the obelisk and pretty much everything would respawn.

  Scott filled his vial of spiritus then decided to backtrack a little. He did not plan to go far, but did want to see if anything respawned when he was around.

  It did not take long before he heard the creaking of old bones. Scott looked up and saw the empty-eyed skull of a bony monkey looking down at him. He backed away a step then picked up a loose rock. It was time to test the situation a little a little. He threw the rock at the monkey.

  The angry little thing screeched then fell to the ground with a clatter. Scott quickly battered it into submission then took a break. A new tactic was formed. Attacking the monkeys by entering from his current direction, allowed him to get a better angle on most of the little bastards. If he could knock them down first, he would have to face less of an issue when fighting them.

  He fought his way through a few of the bony monkeys by knocking them to the ground. It was not until he reached a room that he thought himself to have cleared completely on his first run through the area that he discovered something oddly out of place. "Where did that chest come from?"

  Scott looked at the innocuous wooden chest sitting in the corner. It was an old, time-worn, and unassuming thing. Spider webs covered it here and there, but for the most part it was the same color as the wall.

  He approached it cautiously. While the chest could easily have been overlooked during his first pass through the area, something about it seemed a little off. It looked like a poor man's treasure chest. He played enough games in earlier days to notice such a thing readily. He should have discovered it previously due to his general level of alertness at the time.

  Not long after he started toward the unassuming chest, infinitely curious about what mysteries might await inside, he came to a jerky. Memories of old games past rose up from deep within his subconscious mind and bubbled to the surface of his awareness. His suspicions mounting higher by the second Scott finally tilted his head to the side and gave the chest a thoughtful sideways glance. "Nah, man. This is too easy."

  The cautious explorer threw his chunk of stone at the chest with all of the strength that his desiccated body could handle. It thunked loudly against the chest, but nothing happened.

  He found another rock, and threw that as well. The process continued for several minutes as he pelted the chest with whatever debris he could find. Finally, he was forced to accept his fate and make the choice in a dire decision. Did he move in closer, or abandon the possible treasure altogether?

  Scott chose to investigate the chest further. He smacked it with his torch then hopped back as quickly as his jerky motions would allow. Nothing happened. He did that a few more times, but still, nothing happened.

  "Are you a mimic or not, dammit?" mumbled Scott. He chose to beat the hell out of it after that. He weakly flailed at it with his torch for a
few minutes. Eventually, he brought his sword into play and hacked at the chest with that as well. Still, nothing happened.

  Finally, after he took a moment to catch his breath, Scott levered open the lid of the chest and hopped back. Just as before, nothing happened.

  "Well... Nothing wrong with being cautious," he said after another brief moment passed.

  Scott looked inside the chest and saw a large glowing sphere, and a comfortable looking scarf. He took the sphere and grinned. It flowed into him and became two items. One was a large memory crystal, Memories of an Unwary Adventurer. The other was a pair of well-worn boots.

  He decided not to check the information of the shoes or the memory crystal until after he snatched up the comfortable looking scarf. It was one of those big thick scarves that would keep someone warm on even the coldest of nights.

  The color of burgundy, such as a fine wine or old blood, the scarf had a nice and relaxing feel to it. In fact, Scott immediately felt better just holding it in his hands for some reason. "Guess there are some ordinary items in the world, too. Wonder what terrible tragic story befell this thing's owner?"

  A thought occurred to him. It was a little chilly, and it would be quite nice to put the scarf on. The more he looked upon the scarf, the more appealing it became.

  Briefly, a sense of unease trilled along his spine as the ends of the scarf moved a little. He did not feel a breeze, but clearly there must have been one. In fact, that unknown breeze was no doubt why he suddenly felt chilly. What a lucky thing that he had discovered such a wonderfully useful scarf!

  Yes, it would be best to wear the surprisingly warm and comfortable seeming clothing item. Scott slowly nodded his head even as his eyes took on a glassy appearance.

  However, no one would accuse him of possessing entirely normal thought processes, especially when it came to clothing options. With a sigh, he decided to use the scarf as makeshift underwear to cover his masculine shame. He wrapped it between his legs a few times then tied it off at his hip. "Well, that's better, and quite comfortable."

  The scarf was warm against him, and quite pleasant. Soon, however, the gentle warmth became less pleasant. In fact, he became quite hot with little warning. The screaming started not long afterward.

  Scott cried out in a panic as he pulled and tugged at the scarf, but it was attached firmly and had no plans of letting go of its newly found treasure. He managed to rip one section free, only to see the horror show underneath. Blistered skin and partially melted flesh greeted him alongside the acrid stench of a powerful acid at work.

  The scarf unknotted itself, but continued to cling tightly to its supposed owner. Soon after, it slipped one end downward and wound itself around his legs. He was brought to his knees and then knocked forward onto his stomach while the surprisingly lengthy bit of demonic cloth wrapped his feet together. He desperately tried to roll around, and even took his sword at stabbed uselessly at the damnable bit of hell-cloth.

  In another bid to be free, he finally tried to use his shield's special option, Repel the Wicked. Scott roared out a challenge to the formerly comfortable bit of clothing. Brilliant white light flared from the shield.

  It made a strange trilling sound after the first few times that he'd stabbed it, sort of like a cross between a growl and a bird call. The light from the shield, however, caused it to go absolutely bat shit crazy. It warbled, and shrieked, and then attacked with far greater ferocity. It was enraged by the light.

  Suddenly, one end of the scarf split apart and a piece of it shot toward Scott's right arm. It snatched the arm down forcefully, and then repeated the process to grab the other as well. He was left trussed up like a hog-tied calf, his arms and legs behind him.

  Unable to fight back at all now, it assaulted Scott's chest. The scarf wrapped around him like a coiling serpent then began to squeeze. His body might be undead, but it was the sort of undead that still thought that it had to breathe, and so reacted accordingly. Ribs cracked as the hell-scarf crushed the life out of him. It drank deeply on his vital fluids as blood leaked from terrible wounds. When Scott's mouth fell open slightly, the scarf sent a thick thread upward to invade his newly opened orifice. Several more followed suit. They entered through his nose, his eyes, and his ears as well.

  The last two things that Scott heard, other than the cracking of his own bones, was the sibilant whisperer, "You should learn to be more careful traveler. Out of season fashions can be murder..." and the cackling laughter of a madman who had found something terrifically humorous to amuse him.

  Chapter 7

  The arisen, a soul that will not be claimed by the long claws of death. Unforgotten, the ashes of a former soul will not go down into the dark and remain forever lost. Scott was such a being. Once again, he rose from the bonds of death, the fires of his soul rekindling. The flame of his will renewed.

  "Mother fucking murder scarf," said Scott irritably as he sat up near the obelisk.

  He was pleased to note that he respawned in the location where he bound his soul. That much worked in his favor at least. Unfortunately, the soul desiccation took its toll. His arms were now little more than skin and bones. Now he creaked as he sluggishly made his way to his feet.

  It was the true horror of this world, at least for one such as him. He could not die for real, but over time the penalties of death would build up more, and more. Eventually he would be too weak to move, or even to speak. When that happened all he would be able to do was die, and die, and die forever.

  Once he was able to think straight, he checked to see if all of his items were gone. Strangely, they were still with him. Only his torch was left behind. "So, that's how this place works. The items are all the same as those crystals. They're made from the memories of those who died."

  It was no wonder that outside equipment was not allowed normally. Items such as the ones that he acquired from the dead were manifestations of former memories, forgotten bits of the past now remembered only within his soul.

  Scott would have laid easy money that non-local would be left with his corpse, unlike the stuff he found here. So, in a way the restrictions on outside items were something of a blessing for him at the moment.

  "Why the hell was I so eager to put on that scarf?" Scott frowned. It made no sense. It was not even a good looking scarf. It was so plain, so unassuming.

  Scott took a deep breath, and then sighed. "Well, I'll have to go get my EXP back..."

  Before that, he checked two things. The first thing that he checked was his new pair of boots.

  [Ains' Boots of Travelling +2]

  The moderately well-known adventurer Ains never found an adventure that he did not like. Unfortunately, his last adventure did not like him. He had nice boots, though.

  [--]

  "Nice bit of lore there, I guess," said Scott. The flavor text for these items could be humorous at times.

  [Ains' Boots of Travelling +2]

  Level: 3/4

  Essence Cost: 0/40

  EXP Cost: 0/1

  Durability: 37/37

  Weight: 0.6

  Physical Defense: 2.4 - 6

  Arcane Defense: 1-3

  Mystic Defense: 1-3

  Defense Bonus: 0.9[Resilience]

  Special: Speed of the Wind[B][Vitality]

  [--]

  "Speed of the wind, huh?" Scott looked into the nature of that special option.

  [Speed of the Wind]

  The well-experienced traveler can move like the wind when traversing the countryside.

  Even wearing a heavy pack will not slow them down.

  [Passive][Vitality]

  Stamina Increased: 1.2

  Weight Limits Increased: 1.5

  Walking Speed Doubles

  [--]

  Scott wasted no time in equipping his new boots. A sense of relief washed through him as his bowed back straightened a little. The desiccation still took a terrible toll, but he did feel lighter on his feet. His shield and sword did not feel quite as heavy, eith
er. He was almost back to the way he was before the third desiccation.

  "I still don't know what the numbers mean, but there's an obvious effect," said Scott.

  He did not want to dwell on things too much at the moment, however. There was one more thing to look into before trying to go back to get his EXP. He checked the current state of his desiccation.

  The numbers of screen made him sigh loudly. "Seriously?"

  [--]

  [Heal Soul Desiccation: [Lv.3][7500 Essence][188 EXP]

  [--]

  "No option to heal it in stages either..." Scott sighed loudly. There was no choice. He was going to have to try to grind those stupid monkeys until he healed his desiccation. A little further grinding probably would not hurt, either. His items could be upgraded with EXP, and he intended to do so.

  Speaking of upgrades, he did have that memory of an unwary traveler. "Bet the poor sap was eaten by that scarf, too."

  Scott used the crystal memory and received twelve EXP. He released a low, slow, whistle. "An increase by four thousand in essence cost to cure my soul desiccation only increased the EXP needed by one hundred. That's a forty to one conversion..."

  He decided then and there that one EXP was probably worth forty essence. It fit with what he saw before when perusing his items. There was also the strong possibility that when the system was in doubt of a specific cost due to decimals it would merely round the cost up to the next EXP. Rounding up sounded like something the bastards who ran these worlds would do.