Chapter 37: I like to call myself a risk taker
Noah heard a ping from his notifications and looked at the folder. There were multiple unchecked notifications within and he opened them to look at what he’d gained.
[Astralwalker] has reached level 25.
[Astral Resistance] has reached level 15.
[Dimensional Pocket] has reached level 6.
[Blink] has reached level 14.
Agility increased to 77.
Mystic increased to 90.
+6 free Attribute Points.
[Lifeblood] has reached level 6.
[Abyssal Symbiote] has reached level 10.
[Abyssal Symbiote (Basic → Intermediate)]
[Summon Ability: Metamorphosis] obtained!
Noah eyed the changes, surprised by the massive jump for Astral Walker, and all its related skills. It made sense in some ways, he’d just traveled across realms through an Astral rift, which was bound to give him some experience.
His attention moved to the summon ability, as he wondered what that meant. Perhaps Tony’s transformation had triggered something?
Noah glanced down at the sleeping Tony resting on his finger. Moving back to his previous task, he pulled another book out from the pile, as he began to read on the Crimson.
There was a lot of information on the Crimson cult, the Crimson Heart, and the primordial gods themselves. But a lot of it also referred to the Scarlet Valkyries.
Noah flipped another book open, discussing the Scarlet Liberation, and the War to kill a Primordial God.
There have been many wars on Erandir. Most fought by mortals, but some were fought by gods. Perhaps the most famous of any of these, outside the Eternal War with the Abyss, was the Bloody War. Led by the Scarlet Goddess of War, Raelinah, named for her hair, and the trail of blood she left in her wake, the Scarlet Valkyries had fought the greatest travesty to have ever arrived on our realm, with the arrival of the Primordial Outer God, the Crimson Heart on Erandir.
It is not often that a Primordial God manifests within a realm. The Astral rifts are witness to such events, where worlds have shattered under these wars. It was here, where the Scarlet Valkyries had risen, rebelling against the Crimson Heart, with the battle that formed the Crimson Valley that persists today as the only mark of this war, and the many revenants of this cruel century-long battle that has left a permanent scar upon this world. The skies are forever red there, the ground tainted crimson with blood, as rot and decay subsume life in all forms and nature.
Though the war was won, it was not without cost.
The goddess left this realm upon the war’s end, and the world fought over the scraps of the Bloody Heart’s pieces, leading to decades of stagnation.
Even today, this Rot still persists, waiting for a chance to return upon our realm.
Noah closed the book, breathing out. He returned it to his pile, picking another one when a gust of wind blew in his face, as a high and squeaky voice screamed in his ears.
“Stinky man!”
Noah gave an unamused look to the wind elemental, who in reply bared his sharp teeth at him. “Met mother. Mother likes stinky man. Less stinky now!” The elemental exclaimed.
“Yes, I met your mother. Who had a lot more manners than you,” Noah replied, and the wind elemental twirled happily.
“That was not praise...”
“Want to show stinky man something,” the elemental said.
Noah looked at the creature in surprise as it twirled and spun around, before flying out of the library. He took a look at all the books remaining around him and the little progress he’d made in actually finding a way to use the spear.
I guess a walk wouldn’t hurt.
Noah followed behind the elemental, as it made its way out of the library. A gate of light appeared from the ground near the walls, cutting into reality itself as the elemental flew through and Noah followed behind.
A spear infused with the Crimson Rot, and the remnant spirit of a dying warrior of the Scarlet Valkyries. The spear bonds with its owner, and grows along with it.
Noah read the description, before looking back up at Vati. “So what do I do?”
“Bond with the spear, accept the Crimson Rot and let it run wild. If you can win over the spear, and have it recognise you as its master, the Rot will no longer inflict you when you use this spear. But you will have to do so before the Rot kills your body.”
Noah frowned, looking at the spear in his hand. He did not have a weapon, and given the growth nature of this one, he’d appreciate it if he could unlock it sooner than later.
“Do you think I can do it?” Noah asked Vati.
“You have fate with this weapon. But those who rely on fate are fools. Ultimately, the choice will depend on you,” Vati replied.
Noah frowned, looking at the spear, before he spun it around and planted the butt of it on the ground. “Well, I did say I was a risk taker.”
“Mortals. Foolish as ever. But this is entertaining. Very well, I shall watch over you. Your death, or your victory, both shall live eternally here within my mind.”
“Thanks,” Noah replied to Vati, as he pulled away the cloth covering the spear.
Taking a deep breath, Noah grabbed the spear with his hands, feeling the red color seep into him.
You’ve been inflicted with [Crimson Rot - V].
[Lifeblood] resists [Crimson Rot - V].
[Crimson Rot - V → III].
[Abyssal Symbiote] resists [Crimson Rot - III].
[Crimson Rot - III → II].
[Crimson Rot] has applied [Cancer].
[Devourer] negates [Cancer].
[Crimson Rot] has applied [Mutation - III].
[Lifeblood] negates [Mutation - III].
Max health will be reduced by 5% every minute.
Noah ignored the myriad of notifications, feeling the Rot start to flow through him. Lifeblood began to work in a frenzy, his own body changing as the Rot began to warp him. Quickly taking a seat, Noah closed his eyes. Setting the spear in his palm, he reached out with a pulse of mana, and a new prompt appeared in front of him.
Do you wish to bond with [Spear of Crimson End]?
Yes/No?
Noah selected the yes option, as he felt himself being pulled into the spear itself.
With a sudden pull, he was standing in a vast battlefield. Bodies upon Bodies littered the ground, which had turned red from the seeping blood.
The sky burned a bright scarlet, the setting sun standing still as if watching over the battle from its place.
Noah grasped the spear in his hand, looking around at the area before his eyes locked onto a figure, standing in the distance. Wearing golden armor that had turned a deep rusted shade of red from the blood soaking it, a woman stood, holding a spear in her hand.
The same spear that Noah held in his.
The woman looked lost, her eyes distant and uncomprehending. Slowly, she looked up, and Noah saw the dark crimson eyes looking at him with unrestrained madness.
Using identify, Noah watched the woman in the distance, feeling a shiver run up his spine at what he saw.
[Scarlet Valkyrie Remnant - ??]
