The Systemic Lands

Chapter X – Day 250 – Murder and Mayhem

“You will carry the chests out of the building and place them in the cart. If you try to run, the brown slimes on your head will kill you.” Several people were crying. No one looked at the three people I had already killed to make a point.

“If you follow instructions you will live.” For a few more minutes, but they would all die regardless. Everything would burn and people would scream. Their screams would be music to my ears as payment for my suffering and near death.

Ruth was wearing a mask in addition to getting an entirely new cloak. She had asked me to call her Nox while we did the heist. I decided to humor her. Her fear of Michael was bordering on irrational in my opinion.

Everyone was gathering in the plaza for the signing ceremony for their Constitution. Pathetic and pointless, only power mattered. Power which I now had. We maneuvered our way through the side streets to just behind the businesses. We would cut through a building to another street and then rush the treasury when it was time.

I had been summoning more monsters constantly and preparing the trap for Michael. He would never see it coming. It was a genius plan. I was a genius and today everyone would know.

Ruth, or Nox, came up to me. “I am ready.”

“Good.” One of my monsters observed from a roof of a building. The signing ceremony was beginning. “The ceremony is beginning. Let’s move. I need to focus.” I sat on the cart. Ruth directed people to pull it while I focused everything I had on my monsters.

Wolves with slimes on their heads poured out from the side streets right into the plaza. People began to scream and panic. I targeted the guards first. A person was trampled in the panic. One less enemy to worry about. Kill them all!

I launched a charge of wolves with slimes at Ken. His guards moved in front of him with tower shields. Acid Shot and Entangling Root were used. I had my wolves dodge to the side and flank him. They continued to circle and look for openings, cutting off any retreat. The rest of the plaza was in total chaos. I focused on controlling my summons to make them last longer.

I could hear the screams and a bell ringing as we approached the treasury. Nox began knocking out the guards that had remained with her skill. The rest had rushed off. The people with brown slimes on their heads rushed up into building. I had wolves follow them with blue slimes.

One interesting thing about brown slimes, was an object had to be inside them for it to dissolve, unlike blue slimes which were naturally acidic to everything but monsters. My research was unquestionable and superior to everyone else. While they were messing around in the dirt and with each other, I was unlocking the secrets of this place.

The guards began to shout inside and try to fight. But my monsters quickly overwhelmed them. The chests began to be carried back downstairs. I focused more on the monsters in the plaza. I smiled at the rage on Champion Michael’s face as he rushed about killing the monsters. He was a clown, a stupid clown. I smiled at his idiocy. He would rush right into the trap I had prepared.

I would wreck everything and kill them all. Feeling the blood rushing through my teeth, the people melting, I felt a joy I couldn’t describe. I had managed to kill two of Ken’s guards and there was only two left. I was not letting him escape alive.

I rushed my wolves with blue slimes in as a suicide attack. Ken was going to die. The blue slimes flew off the wolves’ heads as they impacted the guards, splattering over their shields and armor. They screamed in pain. Another wolf rushed in and bit down on Ken’s groin. He screamed as he toppled over. You rip out my nails, I will rip bits off of you.

That moment was pure ecstasy. The feeling of revenge and blood. My summons, who were a part of me were powerful. The moment was interrupted unfortunately as my monsters were being killed quickly and the people finally organizing in the face of the attack.

“Let’s go!” Nox said. The people started pulling the cart and running. Two people tried to run off. I had my brown slimes collapse onto their heads and kill them. As they ripped at the slime, roots sprung up and poisoned them.

We made our way through the city. The route having been planned out beforehand by Nox. The plaza was now back under control, and I frowned as an arrow killed my wolf observing from a rooftop.

“How are we looking? Any pursuit?” Nox asked me.

“We should make the tunnel. Hopefully,” I replied. The cart continued to rush through the city streets loaded down with crystals. I reached over and patted the four chests inside the cart. Nothing would stop me now.

We traveled for an hour, which was when I felt a wolf behind us die. Other wolves quickly turned their gaze. Champion Michael was rushing right for the tunnel to intercept us. “Faster!” I called out. I couldn’t believe how he had figured things out so quickly. I had been hoping to activate the trap after we had left. It seemed I would have to make an appearance.

Still, no matter how strong the man was. He was helpless before me. I would show him one does mess with the Ritualist. We reached the East tunnel that led outside the city. I kicked two chests off the back of the cart at the start of the tunnel.

We reached the far side that led to the grasslands just as Champion Michael reached the city side of the tunnel. He paused as he stared at me on the back of the cart. I felt a shiver of fear but ignored it. We had come to a halt. I quickly pushed off the last two chests. He stared at them and the two chests near him. Would he retreat and allow us to escape or push forward into he trap?

From all the talks with Ruth, there was one thing I was absolutely sure about the man. He was overconfident in his own ability. To fight his way through any trap. Also, he probably was feeling the same rage at me that I felt at him. He couldn’t allow me to escape no matter what.

“Champion Michael,” I greeted him with a smile from under my cloak. I had already won, and he just didn’t know it. Retreat or death, those were his only options. Savoring his fear and death would make me happy for a long time.

“Chase.” I frowned at that. Chase had died. Betrayed and beaten down. Chase no longer existed. I was more than weak Chase.

“Chase is dead. I am the Ritualist.” I felt my summons ready to spring into action but waited. I wanted him in the perfect position before I sprung my trap and killed him.

“That confirms the monsters were your doing. You.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “You are going to die today.” He began to walk forward. Foolish, like all the other clowns in this city.

“Me die? I don’t think so.” He paused and looked around for a moment and then continued forward raising up his hands. I focused and my trap activated.

One thing about giant slimes was that they could be compressed. It greatly reduced their battle power, and they needed surfaces to push back on them for the compression to hold. That was why the chests were perfect. No one would ever think giant slimes were hiding inside. Maybe a wave of smaller slimes, but those wouldn’t do anything to someone like Michael.

Two level 2 slimes burst out of the chests at the exit and entrance, trapping Champion Michael between 4 level 2 monsters. Soon to be ex-Champion. The slime facing Michael on each side was a giant brown slime. While the slime behind it was a white slime. It was the perfect trap.

I focused the mental attacks of the white slimes on the Champion as they moved forward, while the giant brown slimes closed in as well, unleashing their root attacks from all directions within the tunnel. My remaining wolves with slimes on their heads waited at the exit and entrances.

“Wait or go?” Nox asked. I could hear the fear in her voice. She would make a good second in command. Once I gathered up enough level 3 monsters, I would sweep all my enemies away. I would rule this place uncontested as people gathered crystals for me. Then I would ascend as a God.

“Let us depart.” I observed through the slimes as Champion Michael unleashed acid attacks in front and behind, swinging his sword to cut the roots. A veritable whirl wind of attack and defense. I was glad I had listened to Nox about the preparations I needed to take to kill him. In the open he would have easily escaped, but in an enclosed space with both exits blocked, it was impossible.

The giant brown slimes were breaking apart from his acid attacks, but roots were filling up the tunnel, the giant white slimes were advancing while putting mental pressure. Soon he would be melting and screaming! There was no escape.