Paragon of Weaponmasters

"Honorlord Mergigoth Dragonslayer!" I call, marching though the ruined entrance. "Your judges have arrived. Your jury numbers in the thousands. And your executioner is me."

Paragon Helga says: Time for a quickie? That was hot.

I roll my eyes and continue my stride into the throne room.

As I pass the threshold, a Wall of Swords blocks my group's path.

"Oh god damn it." I say, looking at them though the barrier. "Wish me luck I guess."

It wouldn't be the first time I overcame impossible odds.

The Honorlord stands before his throne, dressed in full plate, with his darkly glowy axe floating beside him.

"Like son-in-law like father-in-law, eh?" I deliberately reverse the order, pointing at his weapon.

"You're a pale imitation, whelp." he tells me.

"You're a terrible leader, a worse father, and I'm willing to bet an even worse Weaponmaster. Let's do this, you fascist son-of-a-bitch." I free my weapons, and draw Kingmaker. I'm not taking any chances.

His axe evades all three of my weapons flying through the air, and almost decapitates me in one smooth motion. I block the blow with Kingmaker, barely stopping the ridiculous force of the impact.

I'll drink your blood and consume your soul…

The terrible whispers of the axe come unbitten to my mind.

I see the Honorlord fending off my weapons with his bare hands. What are they feeding that guy?

I use Tornado Edge in bermuda triangle formation, trapping the honorlord in a slowly closing deathtrap. His axe almost gets me in my moment of distraction, I use Circular Saw in orbit, the massive sword keeps the axe off of me while I focus on my real foe.

The Honorlord reaches out a hand, and Jellyfish stops spinning. He escapes my spell, and wields my sword against my other two weapons. The audacity!

"Two can play at that game." I mutter, using Revolution on his axe.

It completely ignores my spell and continues trying to butcher me. Shit.

It seems to react in anger at my attempt to control it, swinging fast and faster until I have to move to avoid getting cut to ribbons.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I sprint towards the honorlord, recalling my weapons. I use my three floating weapons to cast Circular Saw, and use the spinning, stacked weapons to attack the Honorlord.

He summons his axe to his hand, and is suddenly wrapped in electricity. He used Thunder God!

I use it as well, electricity arcs between us, scorching the floor. He uses Circular Saw, and his one axe overwhelms my four weapons, knocking them away. Defenseless, there's nothing I can do as he brings his axe down, severing my right arm at the shoulder.

Almost too slow, I use Exchange with Kingmaker, nearly losing my head. I use Split Sword on all of my weapons but Kingmaker, swarming the Honorlord with thirty pieces of angry steel.

While he's occupied, I watch helplessly as my health slowly drains out of my stump. I guess I'll have to start this boss fight over and try again.

Just as I mentally prepare myself to die, a bottle shatters over my head, and a new arm pops out of my shoulder, like a plant shooting out of the dirt.

I blink at the newborn limb.

"You should have started carrying around potions after what happened to mother." Earlgor tells me from across the room, standing back to his full height after pitching his healing potion at me.

"Earlgor? How'd you get here?" I ask, a flurry of emotions flowing through me.

"I'm not entirely sure. I was tending to the princess, then suddenly I'm here." he shrugs.

"Bastard child!" The Honorlord yells, noticing Earlgor's presence. "Come to be culled?"

"Come to avenge my mother." he stands a little taller. "And free my people from your tyranny."

"You can try." The Honorlord sends his axe towards Earlgor, seemingly willing to die if it means he takes my son with him.

Thozur!

Intervention stops the axe from splitting Earlgor in twain, then Thozur pushes themself into Earlgor's grip, and bestows him with Thunder God. Two hammers in hand, Earlgor defends himself from the axe, and I turn my attention to the now defenseless Honorlord.

I full sprint towards him, he stands his ground, waiting for my next attack. Perhaps, he wasn't expecting what happens next.

I tackle him into three stacks of Wall of Swords behind him.

He gasps as the blades pierce through him and into me. Yet still, he does not die. He struggles against me over him, trying to push me off. I hold on, grinning like a madman as my blood drains onto him.

Kingmaker rises above us, primed like a guillotine.

"For Lagakh." I whisper as it falls.

You've died.

My head rolls to a stop a few feet away. If I had any motor control, I'd scream. He's still alive!

The Honorlord holds the blade over his throat, the edge digging into both palms. Wall of Swords dissipates, dropping him hard on the floor, and forcing the blade deeper into his hands.

His eyes glow red, and the pressure lets up immediately.

No…

He stands, Kingmaker in hand.

No……

He crosses the room to Earlgor, who's losing ground to the axe.

No!

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

An apparition appears behind the Honorlord, arm extended. Kingmaker flies from his grip into hers.

Lagakh?

She swings at his back, driving the blade deep into him. The honorlord howls in pain, turning on her and freezing for just a moment, but long enough for Earlgor to slam dual hammers into him. He's driven to his knees, even with axe now in hand, it's a desperate struggle against daughter and Grandson. The ghost wields Kingmaker weightlessly, slicing the Honorlord in a dance of steel. Earlgor drives the axe from his hands with one hammer, and catches him on the chin with the other.

"You're… nothing." The Honorlord spits bloody teeth. "The Machine God chose me…"

"No." Earlgor breathes heavily. "You chose yourself. Over your people, your sons, your only daughter." he shakes his head. "Millenia of orc culture lost because your god told you it could give you power. Power at the cost of everything else."

"You're an abomination. A living crime. The day you take the throne is the day the Civilization comes to an end." The Honorlord spits at Earlgor's feet.

"You're right about that. What comes after won't be what you made. It will be something we all build together." Earlgor retorts.

The Honorlord just laughs hollowly, it slows, and slows, until he slumps to the ground.

Levels 71-80 unlocked!

Crossroads Online: Dragon's Reign unlocked!

The room is quiet. No one moves, even as the wall of swords blocking the entrance fades. A moment passes, then another, as mother beholds son, and son beholds mother.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you." Earlgor speaks first.

Lagakh's ghost says nothing, only bringing her hand to rest on his cheek. She slowly fades, Kingmaker lowers to the floor next to Earlgor.

[Lagakh, Mother of Kings] Added to inventory.

Our people file in, my children and Helga go to Earlgor's side, except for Faraine who comes to resurrect me. I blink, and I'm alive and whole, standing next to my son and children. Earlgor retrieves the blade from the floor, and attempts to hand it to me. I put my hand out, not to accept, but to refuse.

"Your mother is with that blade. She should be by your side as you take the throne, son." I tell him.

He nods, holding the blade closer with both hands. He turns to the gathered masses, all watching and waiting.

"The Honorlord is dead," he announces.

"Long live the Honorlord!" an orc calls.

Long live the Honorlord!" thousands of voices say as one.

Honorlord Earlgor Lambert. Level ??

They're already married, and he took her name? Wow.

The huge audience cheers, some are openly weeping. A new day dawns on the people of this world, not just the orcs and their allies, but the humans too.

Roll for Vigdolg, Hate-forged. [Need] [Greed]

"Wow, it actually dropped." Helga says.

"Is that the axe?" I recall Peter mentioning it.

"Yeah. It has crazy good stats but the sentient effect is a bit much for some people." She informs me.

I nod. I've handled Apaki, I'm sure I can handle this.

You've won Vigdolg, Hate-forged!

Vigdolg, Hate-forged - legendary two-handed axe - average slash damage - average strength

Sentient: This weapon has a consciousness. It can operate and think independently.

Floating: This weapon has the ability to hover close to the ground.

We should kill all of them. Every last one here who would deny you the throne. Who are they to decide the brat is king?

Yeah, that's not going to get you far, axe.

My son ascends the throne, takes his rightful place on it, and basks in the energy of the moment. Thousands of souls put their all into getting us here. I don't know what kind of ruler my son will make, but I'm confident he'll be great.

"My people, I have something to say." Earlgor announces with authority I've never heard from him. "The Kingdom of Man and The Civilization will no longer be separate, today we are united." he lets the news wash over them before continuing. "Collectively, we will no longer be ruled by Honorlords or Kings. The people will have a say in who represents them, no longer will the seat of power be used to rule."

He receives a mixed reception. This must be the first time these medieval fantasy monster people have heard of anything like democracy.

"No longer will your status be determined by Honor or Wealth, each citizen's contributions to the whole will be celebrated, but material needs will be provided regardless of status to all." The more affluent members of the audience gasp, but do not protest, realizing they are completely surrounded and outnumbered by the less fortunate.

"Lastly, we will exterminate the threat posed by the Cult of the Machine God. This I promise, as your Acting Honorlord."

The crowd roars. There's nothing like a crusade to get the people going. I clap right along with them, you don't need to motivate me to remove any trace of the Monitor's influence.

"It's like the happy ending to a fairytale, isn't it?" Halanaestra finds me in the crowd.

I nod. But it's not my ending, is it? I'm wasting time.

9 days, 18 hours.

"Family meeting in the Royal Chambers." I announce, leading my prodigy away from the throne room. I make eye contact with Earlgor as we pass, giving him a nod. We both have things to do now.

I walk into Lagakh's old room and pause. The bed is still a wreck. Before I can turn around and find somewhere else for our meeting, everyone is already inside and checking out the scene of the crime.

"Woah, what happened in here?" Oorrcca asks innocently, circling the bed.

"It was like that when I got here." I say the guiltiest thing I could have possibly said.

"We would have heard it if you just did that, obviously." Tsildea says, winded from the walk.

"It does smell like you, though." Voron sniffs the air.

"Alright, enough about the bed. We're here to talk about the future." I insist.

Helga stands in the doorway, not quite in the room.

"Are you coming in or?" I ask

"I wasn't sure if I was supposed to." she says meekly.

"Of course you are, get in here." I insist.

She practically skips. Instead of standing with the group, she sits on the bed. The frame hugs her, almost as if it broke in the shape of her rear. I clear my throat.

"I wanted to tell you how proud I am of each and every one of you. You've shown bravery and skill beyond what I could have imagined." I let the compliment sink in before I get to the tough part. "We lost one of your brothers, one of my sons. Another lost his arms. This adventure has not been without danger, and even if I'm proud of you, even if I believe in my heart that each of you are capable fighters, I can't continue fighting alongside you without knowing that you are one hundred percent confident in yourself, and me to protect you."

They all look at me, then each other. Some of them are not the type to be shaken by loss, and some clearly have been bottling it up until we reached the end. Faraine tries her best to hold back tears, but eventually the dam breaks, and she collapses to the floor.

"I couldn't save him. Hagdiun is gone and Darthoridan lost his arms." she chokes out.

Her siblings comfort her, and I join them, resting an arm on her shoulder.

"None of us could, sweetheart. Sometimes there's just no way. That's why I need to know if you're up for this. There's no shame in going back to Cumbergoine with a story to tell, and becoming a local healer." I tell her.

She nods. "I think I'd like that."

"Okay." I smile.

I wait for someone else to speak up. There's a lot of hesitancy in my warrior children, no matter what i say, some will feel shame if they turn back.

"He's just… gone." Voron speaks up. "Just like that. It happened so fast!"

"What are you saying?" Chathanglas asks.

"We can't go without you, if you quit, we have to go home too!" Tsildea wheezes.

"I know." Voron hangs his head. "I don't want to hold you guys back, but… I'm scared. Really scared."

"There's no shame in that." I promise him. "If i didn't have to go, i'd be back at Cumbergoine with you. Your hero dad would rather sleep in and eat decedent elf food than slay dragons."

"Really?" Voron asks.

"Oh yeah. The thrills are fun, and i've made great friends, but…" I gesture at everything around me. "This sucks."

Voron laughs, wiping his eyes.

"Hey, we can join the scouts. We'll still get out there, just not as far, right?" Chathanglas offers.

"There's a lot less running." Tsildea mentions.

"Yeah. let's do that." Voron grins.

"Anyone else?" I ask, looking each of them in the eyes. "Okay, show of hands. Who wants to come with me?" I raise my hand to demonstrate.

Oorrcca, Halanaestra, Naexi, and Reluvethel raise their hands. Everyone else seems ashamed, but certain that this is the end of the line.

"I promise I'll come visit." I guarantee. "And if I need your help, I'll ask. But it will always be your choice if you want to come or not."

Those who didn't raise their hands nod, some sorrowful, some reassured. It isn't easy for them to admit this is too much.

"Okay. Let's go home."