Open World Online (O.w.O)

• 1^st Person POV (MC)

-Present Time-

“Perish!!!” -Flame Skull 1,2,3,4,5-

They opened their skeletal jaw and in it contained a flicker of dark green flames before condensing into an intense sphere and hurling it right on us.

Receiving that magical blast won’t do anyone good, especially for Siegfried. Without a moment’s wasted, I dashed to gain some distance away from Siegfried and raised my staff before slamming it on the ground for an extra flair wanting to get their attention as I cast.

“What are you doing!?” -Siegfried-

He questioned as I retorted.

“Trust me! [Magic Rod]!!!”

While I simultaneously activate something else in between. As my body was coated in the glimmering sheen of a prism.

This made the caster a literal magnet for {Spell}. The hurling greenish-black flames suddenly changed their target as if guided by mysterious means towards me.

*KA-BOOOOM*

The resulting explosion shook the cavern with falling debris yet I didn’t feel a thing. My resistance against magic combined with [Star Shield] made me feel fine even if I got hit by 5 [Fire Ball] all at once. My MP didn’t get a dent, I suppose... it would be a different situation if they used physical attacks.

Siegfried’s glowing lance line hands transformed into bulging morning stars made out of flesh and adorned by spiky bones. His blunt form I presume...

He leapt using one of the hands from Virtue of Preservation as a jump pad. I already assigned them so they can be ordered by other party members. But I didn’t expect, Siegfried to use it for a jump pad!

He closed the gap to Flame Skull 5 and bashed its skull with his morning star hands. Making it caved in and crushed...

I mean... He morphed into his Strength mode and the signs of his body indicate he is using Bear spirit. Through this combination, it must’ve dealt tremendous damage to the Flame Skull instantly killing it.

Before long though a barrage of arrows made from golden grains of light shoot towards the flame skulls. It came from Virtue of Hunt who stationed behind and used their limbs to nock their bows as per command.

The other flame skull’s flame flickered for a second upon getting hit by those arrows.

They then promptly levitate away from Siegfried marking him as dangerous and hovering around to avoid the barrage of arrows.

The virtue of Hunt’s onslaught comes to an end before needing to recharge...

Knowing this, the Flame Skulls began to unanimously chant something. Judging by the name it isn’t good to let it fully cast that. The name [Flames of Hellfire] doesn’t sound good...

“Siegfried, [Haste]!!!!”

I pointed my staff to him as visual effects engulfed his body. Siegfried even with his bulky body made several small jumps to check what had happened before giving a wolfish grin. Taking this buff in a stride.

[Haste] a powerful buff that has several effects combined in one. It also has a downside as well that I wanted to avoid which is why this will come in handy.

I touched my chest as I cast [Sigil] and engraved the {Spell} [Greater Cure]. The [Sigil] have several settings in mind...

It will ‘Trigger’ for Ally Only in a specified manner of my choosing. Which is when the [Haste] buff ends. The ‘Radius’ I decided to be Large so wherever my position is, it will trigger when Siegfried’s [Haste] ended. The ‘Timer’ would be Instant, as I do not want to let Siegfried simmered in the drawbacks of [Haste]... his survival will be the key to winning this fight as I can safely assume most of the necromancers and these flame skulls are resistant to magic attacks except the light {Spell}.

Before long, Siegfried's figure simply ‘blurred’ leaving a trail of dust behind. That is not even in his Speed Morph! Amazing...

“WOHOOOOOO!!!” -Siegfried-

He’s having fun, as Siegfried uses gravity to crush another flame skull into bits. Quickly cancelling their unified chant.

They glare at Siegfried and through that, an intense ray of greenish-black fire shoots scorching a spot with soot while he dodges them so effortlessly...

It's like a cinematic movie where the Main Character swivels from a bullet's barrage.

Of course, RNG doesn’t bless him so much that he dodges everything. He took some damage head-on but maintained his wolfish grin as his wounds were enshrouded by golden light.

One of the Virtue of Abundance’s flowers also glowed in the same manner before wilting away like an exchange of restoring Siegfried’s wounds. It will dismiss itself once all of the flowers wilted but looking at how many flowers it holds, I think it might take some time...

Well, I’m here doing something! If I remember from reading a book in the Adventurer’s Guild. Flame Skull has a peculiarity in terms of ‘Staying Dead’ like all undead monsters. They will return after half a minute unless their remains are sprinkled with holy water. Quite specific if you ask me and of course we don’t have a priest to make holy water on the spot.

(“Unless that person is me!”)

I smirked in front of the remains of the previous Flame Skull. Cupping my hands, I cast...

“[Water]”

The wet feeling drenches through the palms of my curved hands and simultaneously while it is still activating I also cast another {Spell}.

“[Aqua Benedicta]”

I overheard this {Spell} from someone who looks like a high-ranking Priest NPC maybe a bishop class or something...

The same way I heard it too from high levelled player so I can confirm this {Spell} is worth its salt.

Waters spilling out from my cupped hands began to dowse the remains of this Flame Skull. I can tell how much different it is once I cast [Aqua Benedicta]

The waters look crisp and crystal clear even glimmered for a bit within this dark and dingy cave. After making contact with the Flame Skull remains, it sizzles as I heard a mortal gasp indicating this one wouldn’t revive back.

I did the same for the other Flame Skull.

Oh yeah! How’s Siegfried...

I whipped my head to the battlefield as I saw half of Virtue of Abundance’s flowers have wilted away. It seems a Flame Skull uses a {Spell} to summon 2 creatures.

Mottled greying skin, gaping maw with serrated teeth, clawed hands, and eyes like a dead fish. I know these monsters are undead but looking more fearsome compared to normal zombies.

Ghouls... they are nasty.

I believe they have paralysing venom coated in their claws and teeth inflicting [Paralyse] de-buff on each hit by chance.

I better help Siegfried!!

Pointing my left index finger in a direction, I ‘intently’ meant it in my mind to target both Flame Skulls as I cast.

“[Double: Silentium]”

This is also a {Spell} I overheard from Bishop class players during the C.B.R event. A particularly effective one against magic caster as it will inflict [Silenced] de-buff preventing the use of {Spell}.

Then hitting like a truck, I felt drowsy all of a sudden as I dunked down an MP potion to counteract it. I do not want to think about the consequences if I use Triple Meta Magic in this situation...

Soon after, the cackling skeletal jaw of the flame skulls shut tightly making them unable to chant as they glare their hateful eyes towards me.

I can tell from the flicker of greenish-black flames, that they are going to an attack that is not a {Spell}. Before I can use [Barrier] though, Virtue of Preservation is much faster in reacting as a golden barrier was erected.

Deflecting the incoming ray of scorching flames from Flame Skull’s eyes, I can see the name of that {Skill} [Glaring Fire] popped underneath the monster’s detail in the creature panel.

Without wasting a second, Siegfried had closed in the gap and crushed their skulls rather easily.

“Mag!” -Siegfried-

“On it!!!!”

I knew what he meant as I quickly approached the remains of those flame skulls. At the same time, the bigger-sized Flame Skull who summoned those two ghouls started to chant a [Dark Empower] {Spell}.

“[Counter Spell]!”

It did nothing... I guess that Flame Skull is higher levelled resulting in this situation.

It's {Spell} finished and the ghouls' greyish mottled skin turns reddish. Growing in bulk as their eyes have gone scarlet.

But I cannot deal with it at the moment as Siegfried pursed his lips in annoyance. In return, I commanded Virtue of Abundance and Virtue of Preservation to ‘Assist’ Siegfried. While continuing the standard holy arrow barrage from Virtue of Hunt.

“[Create Water] [Aqua Benedicta]”

After dowsing their remains with holy water and producing the same sort of visual and sound effects from it. I can be sure that they will not revive back.

The bigger-sized Flame Skull continue to float away from Siegfried’s range while he’s busy dealing with those ghouls. Even with pots and buffs, they are quite resilient and now more with the [Dark Empower] effect from Flame Skull.

Quick! Think! How to solve this issue...

Like lightning, a flash of ideas courses through my mind.

“Sieg, handle the ghouls for me.”

“Sure!” -Siegfried-

I hurled several [Holy Light] which missed Flame Skull as it wiggled around. Little did I know that it was going the way I planned.

It continues to dodge from my barrage of [Holy Light] cackling and giggling like mad probably taunting me until it is in the centre of the room right beneath the candelabra.

With a smirk saying ‘I gotcha,’ I made a gesture of putting my palms facing one another like a clasp.

“[Maximize: Gravity]”

*TINNNNNG*

The candelabra’s clasp croaked in pressure as the flame skull mouth gritted feeling the intense increase in gravity. Making it heavier to float away... and of course harder to dodge what’s next.

*CLANGGG*

The clasp broke from the pressure as it fell directly on top of the flame skull.

*CRASHHHHH*

A loud noise soon came after as the Flame Skull got pinned by the broken candelabra. I quickly turned my attention to the ghoul and aimed my staff at them...

“[Double: Entangle]”

Vines protrude from the ground entangling the ghouls’ legs in an instant and firmly rooted them. They tried to yank it but it hardened in response...

“Sieg! The bo-“

Before I can finish my sentence, his image blurs to the Flame Skull boss and...

I felt pity for the poor creature, being bashed several times until only bone dust remained. With the summoner’s gone, the ghouls simply vanished.

“[Create Water] [Aqua Benedicta]”

“HAAAAAAAA...” -Flame Skull 1-

The last mortal gasp of this Flame Skull escaped as those Virtues I summoned despawned not from the duration ending rather. Virtue of Hunt has run out of their arrows, Virtue of Preservation hands are already broken apart, and Virtue of Abundance’s flowers all have wilted away.

Then...

“Gah!” -Siegfried-

He groaned a little bit but then as quick as he did, his body was engulfed by glimmering starlight. The [Sigil] worked wonders it seems...

The side-effect of [Haste] is the guaranteed inflicted de-buff named [Lethargy] which causes an overall penalty in {Status} and [Stun] like effect.

But my [Sigil] quick activation removed that de-buff resulting in Siegfried only experiencing a fraction of a second.

Before long, he sighed...

“Fuuuuuuckkkkkkk... that was intense. Thanks for the cover!” -Siegfried-

He slammed on the ground tired and heavy breathing as his body morphed back to the usual lanky stature rising weakly with a thumbs up.

“No problem...”

While I sat cross-legged blinking my eyes a few times to shake the drowsiness away. While also raising that gesture in return.

“I am here, not there! Hahaha...” -Siegfried-

Oh? It seems I am still a bit drowsy as I did it in the wrong direction...

-After Resting-

We stood up and I cast [Clean] as we searched the area trying to find a way forward.

“Did you see anything?”

“Nope!” -Siegfried-

He emphasizes the P.

Until I reached the altar where previously laid the unholy symbol but now it is an open book. Out of curiosity, I began to read its contents.

(“Ugh... very culty and grim.”)

It told me the procedure necessary to ‘prepare’ a body for reanimation and the reason why these steps exist. A quick skim of the book made me realise these are a bunch of fluffs since I saw a button underneath the altar.

“Sieg, look at this.”

He rested his chin on top of my head looking at the inconspicuous button as I pressed it.

*CREAAAAKKK*

I heard stones grating while the heavy feeling on my head vanished as Siegfried checked on any changes.

Indeed there was an opening behind me as I turned to see Siegfried already leaning his head to the entrance checking out for any danger.

Raising my palm, I simply cast a {Spell}.

“[Dancing Light]”

A variant of [Light] but instead of making an item glow bright like a lamp. I conjured a ball of light that I could order to move. I used this when we were exploring the Ancient Ruins dungeon.

It shone amidst the darkness for a second or two before being snuffed by mysterious darkness. I looked at Siegfried as he stared at me back.

“Well... I guess it is not an option then. [Double: Dark Vision]”

Targeting Siegfried and me as the magic settles. The darkness that was enveloping this opening simply vanished revealing what’s beyond...

I didn’t expect to see fascinating murals and engraving like those in museums here as we trudged on forward.

Due to the {Spell}, it is all clear to me about the murals and what they depicted.

“That’s... Ominous.” -Siegfried-

He looked at one of the murals depicting a higher being rising above all others. Below them are clusters of people lying on the ground, some raised to be skeletal creatures of some kind, like a massive undead army.

“Yup... I guess it’s happening right now?”

Siegfried nods.

Does that mean the higher being is that lich? Somehow in my gut, I doubt it...

Nevertheless, we move forward or in this case, going upward as well since we’ve been presented with a staircase.