NOVEL NEXT B2 Chapter 3 (Attributes, Abilities)
Each shell's detonation shook the hall, the shockwaves rattling Angar's teeth, a stark reminder concussive forces were a danger, and could injure him despite the armor.
He rolled to a crouch, seizing a fallen Heretic's corpse as a makeshift shield, and braced himself, the toes of his tripod foot digging into the deck.
As Angar moved, the body disintegrated under a direct hit, the shell's blast scorching his breastplate and nearly knocked him over, but it bought him a heartbeat to sprint toward a pillar.
The auto-cannon's fire pursued, stitching a line of craters across the floor, obliterating another Heretic. The rest of the rabble's scavenged blasters and pistols fired wildly, posing no real danger, easily ignored.
Ground Current was off cooldown, as was Tempest and Lightning Strike. Angar had used Glory Thunders on Karnath only to regain resources. He wanted to kill the remainder of this unholy filth without using his Abilities.
The Iron Abomination charged forward, its cyber-claw smashing the thick pillar in half. Angar surged upward with his maul swinging, striking the auto-cannon's barrel. The graviton pulse warped the metal, smashing it in, rendering the weapon useless.
The Iron Abomination roared as its claw snapped at Angar's helm. He ducked, seizing the claw with his gauntlet, and yanked, testing his strength against this Hell-warped creature's.
The arm groaned, the cybernetic claw releasing some sparks, but held steady, as did the beast. Angar swung his maul, imbuing energy into the weapon, and it smashed into the thing's chest, the graviton force caving its glyph-etched plates inward, and thick and dark ichor splattering like blood.
Angar's clawed toes became drills, and he kicked them deep into the thing's head, watching as life left its sunken, dark eyes just as Karnath, limping forward, swung his power-saw, catching Angar's sturdy metal haft without effect.
The maul drove into Karnath's chest once again, infused with energy once again, if not Glory Thunders. The graviton pulse detonated. This time, without that invisible shield, it blasted the champion into a wall.
Angar pushed off his cybernetic leg, twisting in the air, infusing Energy into his drill-toes. They tore into Karnath's flayed-skin covered armor, shredding holes in it.
The pirate's eyes still shone with a spark of life, so the hammer fell a few times, leaving the man's body broken.
Angar's plan was to save on resources, but he kept spending some Energy Points, seeing the cost of infusing his weapon as negligible. But it wasn't. It all added up, especially if he kept spending so freely, wasting it on his drill-toes when a uninfused kick or a hammer strike would do.
That wasn't counting the Energy Points his armor drained either.
Black Veyra had disappeared to reappear behind Angar again, and lunged in, her dagger flashing, her speed a blur. She struck, her one blade nearly grazing Angar's neck. She was fast, but she wasn't fast enough.
He spun and seized her unbroken wrist, his gauntlet crushing bone again, and this time, he ensured she couldn't jerk free. He hurled her up into the air, then snapped her body into the rusted, grated floor with a loud crack, then did so again twice more. He left the shattered body in a pool of her own tainted blood.
He turned to face the remaining Heretics.
With their leader's down, most of the rabble raised their hands, their weapons clattering off the floor. "I surrender!" many yelled out. And as more surrendered, others did too, until they all did.
"I'd pick those weapons back up," replied Angar.
The Heretics looked around at one another, confused. "Huh?" one said, a belt adorned with many skulls of children around his waist. "The Ilarix Accords says you have to take us prisoner. We're surrendering enemy combatants. You have to give us a trial too."
That was true. If they made it to trial, they'd all be found guilty of Heresy and executed.
But he had no way of containing or controlling this many prisoners, ones he sincerely doubted were truly surrendering peacefully, and not attempted some ploy.
And he had never sworn an oath to uphold the Ilarix Accords.
He had sworn a different oath, one uncompromising, not a word of it recognizing treaties with Hell. His oath stated his existence was devoted to the relentless annihilation of Hell's foul spawn and the wicked Heretic.
And those standing before him were Heretics.
"I judge you all guilty," Angar stated. The hall fell quiet, their surrender hanging in the air, the Heretics unsure of what that response meant.
Angar moved forward slowly, giving them plenty of time to figure it out, and rearm themselves.
Surprisingly, very few fled the hall. Most of the rabble grabbed their weapons and gave battle. He respected their courage and commitment.
Their blasters roared as they pressed in, a tide of profanity. Some seemed emboldened by the cultist's fell chanting, which began anew. Angar waded into the fray, his hammer singing its own chant, a hymn of hate.
He reached a man that had some kind of smaller handheld turret, spraying relentlessly. Angar crushed his head with gauntleted fingers.
He spun his maul in a powerful swing, battering those closest, sending viscera flying up and over the crowd in spray of gore.
A cultist swung a strange blade at Angar's back. He spun, smashing the man's skull with a backhand, cracking bone.
Another fired a pistol, the bolt scorching his pauldron, not even leaving a mark. Angar charged, his maul crushing the shooter's ribcage, hurling the body into a cluster of pirates, scattering them like chaff.
The remaining Heretics hesitated, the ones chanting faltered. He wasn't sure why, and didn't care, and waded into them, a reaper of the unholy, his every swing a litany of crimson retribution.
And he did the Lord's work, sending Him plenty, enough Heretic blood to sate even His great thirst, losing himself in righteous slaughter.
Some spells were cast, but none did much of note. Many seemed to be attempts to drown his mind in dark whispers, easily ignored. Only one spell caught him up for a moment, and not much happened in that moment.
One cultist was surrounded by some strange shield, either a psychic power or one from a fell pact, but it barely lasted, and the cultist's guts splattered on the floor along with her brethren's.
Later, the hall was a slaughterhouse of mangled bodies and shattered steel.
As too many of the remaining Heretics began fleeing, Angar spun into Tempest again, lightning stretching from his hammer's tip, tearing through those he judged and condemned to death.
Bodies flew, armor shattered, and the hall shook with the fury of his onslaught.
As Tempest ended, Angar stood amidst the carnage. One foe was left standing. As the brave Heretic charged, Glory Thunders tore him to pieces, and Angar received 8 Energy Points and 2 Charges.
Stolen novel; please report.
His maul dripped with gore, his armor was scarred but whole, without need of significant repair, and he was completely free of injury, discounting the shallow and trifling slice to his shoulder.
The hall was silent save for the crackle of dying men, the beeps of tech, and the distant hum of machinery, probably the station's life support systems.
He'd make a good deal of credits and attain a decent number of gear points from this loot too.
I love being a Crusader, he thought, his grin returning as he waded around, putting enemies out of their misery, sending them to be judged by a much higher power.
The massive metal door he had phased through, despite the Heretics' explosives destroying the top of the stairwell completely, stood whole. He tried communicating with Deli but only received static in return.
He had hoped to earn accomplishments and Glory Points. It seemed he hadn't killed anything new or in sufficient numbers for a new bestowal.
But the battle wasn't over. He suspected it was far from being over.
Then, nervousness hit him. He may not have earned any new achievements, but he was Tier 2. He was earning XP again.
Killing Heretics definitely granted XP, but he received no System messages from Holy Theosis.
Worriedly, he opened his screens. A moment later, he exhaled, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
He'd received XP. Enough to get him from level 34 to 37, a quarter of a level from 38. He looked through the logs, trying to understand a little more of how things had worked out.
He killed a lot of Void Reapers and cultists. He assumed he'd earn more XP. About two full levels came from killing the three leaders. He earned about another level from killing about fifteen of the next most powerful Heretics. The rest, what little of it there was, just over three-quarters of a level, came from killing all the rabble.
More XP was needed with each subsequent level and Tier. He thought three and three-quarters levels was a decent haul considering how easy the slaughter had been.
He had a Stat Point, an Attribute Point, and Ability Upgrade to use.
First, he checked his settings. Spirit had long ago changed most of them. She had turned XP and level notices off.
Out of respect, he left those as she had set them, then increased his Body Attribute and Physique Stat, which had a trickle effect on the Resilience and Power Level Stats, and in turn, increasing his Mind and Spirit Attributes.
With a power weapon, power armor, and a new Ability, his Energy Points were being torn through, even when he held back. He now agreed with the advice Spirit had long ago given him, applying his Ability Upgrade on Tempest's Zeal.
ANNALS OF SIR ANGAR MECIA (SAINT KRAKUS, ERIM, ZANAYA, EENGURRA)
Age: 16
Social: Holy Knight, Private, Lay Rank - Minor Gentry (surviving heir and heir apparent of devastated lands controlled by the former city-state of Mecia located on the planet Sulfuron 9 with few inhabitants or subjects, and no income or apparent imperial value).
Chapter: The Smallest Spark
Tier: 2
Rank: Knight-Adept
Level: 37
XP: 73%
Glory Points: 8
Voluvicas Credits: 9
ATTRIBUTES, STATS, AND ADROITNESS
(Each Attribute Point increases all Stats governed by that Attribute by 1. Applying 4 Stat Points to the same Stat will increase the governing Attribute by 1. Numbers in (parentheses) include increases from items.)
BODY (Physical Attributes): With 10 AP applied – 32 (41)
Physique (Size/Strength): With 10 SP applied – 45 (54)
Endurance (Stamina/Health): 36 (45)
Toughness (Physical Durability/Resistance): 44 (122)
MIND (Non-Physical Attributes): 25
Competence (Skills/Insight): 27
Cognizance (Awareness/Perception): 34 (39)
Resilience (Non-Physical Durability/Resistance): With 41 SP applied – 77 (85)
SPIRIT (Metaphysical Attributes): 18 (20)
Power Level (PL) (Ability Damage and Effectiveness): With 41 SP applied – 60 (62)
Energy (Resource for Powers shown as Energy Points equal to 3 + (Energy Stat x 3)): 18 (20)
Charges (Increases the number of times certain Abilities can be used per combat): 18 (20)
ADROITNESS (Finesse/Reaction/Speed): 5 (6)
RESOURCES
Current/Maximum Energy Points: 44/63
Current/Maximum Charges: 20/20
ABILITIES
(Selected Upgrades Bolded. Cooldown and cost reflect selected Upgrades in parentheticals. Ability description does not reflect selected Upgrades.)
From Divine Storm:
1 – GROUND CURRENT:
Transform into charged particles, allowing near-instantaneous travel through the ground up to 3 + (0.5 x PL) meters. You are mostly immune to damage and effects during this travel.
Cooldown: 30 seconds (15 seconds)
Cost: 2 Energy (1 Energy)
Upgrades:
Enduring 1: Increase travel distance to 3 + PL meters.
Enduring 2: Increase travel distance to 3 + (1.5 x PL) meters.
Fervor: Gain immunity to most attacks and control effects for 1 second after exiting the ground.
Merciless 1: Stun all targets within 1.5 meters of your exit point for 0.5 seconds.
Merciless 2: Stun all targets within 3 meters of your exit point for 1 second.
Mighty: Add 0.1 x PL lightning damage to your close weapon attacks for 3 seconds post-exit.
Rage: Halves cooldown.
Zeal: Halve Energy cost.
Sacred Upgrades:
(A) Geomagnetic Phenomena 1: Strike all targets within 1.5 meters of where you exit the ground with a lightning bolt dealing PL damage, suppressing any permanent regeneration effect targets may have for 1 second.
(A) Geomagnetic Phenomena 2: Strike all targets within 3 meters of where you exit the ground with a lightning bolt dealing 2 x PL damage, suppressing regeneration for 2 seconds.
(C) Geomagnetic Phenomena 3: Lightning damage from Geomagnetic Phenomena 1 and 2 forks to a new target within 3 meters inflicting half damage, then forks to a new target within 3 meters inflicting a quarter damage. Additionally, for 2 seconds after use, allows an additional use of Ground Current at no energy cost if a target moves more than 4 meters away, but the cooldown is reset and only Enduring 1 and 2 apply to this use.
2 – TEMPEST:
Hold your hands together or your close weapon with both hands and spin rapidly for 3 seconds, dealing an extra PL physical damage per hit to all targets in range. You can move while spinning.
Cooldown: 1 minute (30 Seconds)
Cost: 4 Energy, 1 Charge
Upgrades:
Enduring 1: Spin duration increases to 4.5 seconds.
Enduring 2: Spin duration increases to 6 seconds.
Fervor: No Charge required, but cooldown increases to 4 minutes.
Merciless: Hit targets are slowed by 50% and your speed is boosted by 50% for 2 seconds. Does not stack.
Mighty 1: Deal 1.5 x PL damage per hit.
Mighty 2: Deal 2 x PL damage per hit.
Rage: Halves cooldown.
Zeal: Halves Energy cost.
Sacred Upgrades:
(A) Thunderstorm 1: Lightning extends 3 meters from the tip of your weapon, dealing 0.5 x PL damage every second. Mighty 1 and 2 increase damage to 0.75 x PL and PL respectively.
(A) Thunderstorm 2: Thunderstorm now starts at 0.33 x PL damage, but lightning damage increases by 0.33 x PL each second and range is extended by 1 meter per second. Mighty 1 and 2 increase initial damage to 0.5 x PL and .66 x PL respectively.
(C) Thunderstorm 3: Mitigate 90% of incoming damage and resist 90% of negative effects while spinning. Additionally, lightning damage from Thunderstorm 1 and 2 forks to a new target within 3 meters inflicting half damage, then forks to a new target within 3 meters inflicting a quarter damage.
3 – LIGHTNING STRIKE:
Empower your hand or close weapon with lightning, causing your next strike to inflict PL damage.
Cooldown: 12 seconds (6 seconds)
Cost: 1 Energy
Upgrades:
Enduring: Requires a Charge to use but empowers your next 3 strikes.
Fervor 1: Lightning forks to 1 additional target within 1.5 meters, but Energy cost increases to 2.
Fervor 2: Lightning forks to 2 additional targets within 2 meters, but Energy cost increases to 3.
Merciless: For every point of Energy spent, increase damage by 0.33 x PL.
Mighty 1: Deal 1.5 x PL damage.
Mighty 2: Deal 2 x PL damage.
Rage: Halves cooldown.
Zeal: If Lightning Strike only damages armor, its damage is doubled.
Sacred Upgrades:
(A) Eye of the Storm 1: A shield envelops your body, absorbing 0.33 x PL damage for 1 second or until removed by incoming damage.
(A) Eye of the Storm 2: A shield envelops your body, absorbing 0.66 x PL damage for 2 seconds or until removed by incoming damage.
(C) Eye of the Storm 3: A shield envelops your body, absorbing PL damage for 3 seconds or until removed by incoming damage. Upon shield expiration, gain damage mitigation equal to PL percentage for 3 seconds (soft cap at 50%).