Tacitus remembered quite clearly the first time he ever saw Husk, it had to have been about 5 years ago when he first joined the Order at 15. Back then he obviously wasn't apart of Gorum's sect as it didn't exist yet but rather served under Damia as one of her many secretaries.
One night, Damia had ventured toward a more secluded part of the Demon Continent where a majority of the combatants trained and resided. There was a huge buzz about a new Omen having been created in the warriors ranks, rather than being recruited from the outside. Tacitus could never forget what he saw, what he heard. A looming monster with unnatural proportions, screaming and howling like a banshee. Wailing as it swung its limbs around, destroying whatever test subjects were thrown at it. Reducing golems to dust and flesh into paste, the feeling of being near such a creature was like having nails driven into your ears. And yet that seemingly unstoppable monster that made his skin crawl, was being driven back.
With every thrust of Gorum's spear a chunk of flesh was blasted away from Husk's body. Rotten, brown blood spewing from the wounds before they regenerated and closed, Husk was quickly driven into a wall, his attacks hitting Gorum only because of the high grip spear stance he took.
"What an underwhelming adversary, is this seriously one of Idalia's works?" Gorum thought, boredly taking the undisciplined strikes of Husk head on. The creature had plenty of strength, that was for sure; Gorum could feel the reverbs from each strike all the way down to his toes. Strong as the strikes were though, that was it. The thing had no structure or technique, it was swinging its arms around like clubs, instead of planting it's feet and throwing a proper punch. Gorum was quite disappointed, he expected more from a creation from Idalia. Perhaps he held his expectations too high, or Idalia had just gotten lazy with this one. Either way...Gorum didn't intend on humoring its tantrum much longer.
Gorum kicked off backward whilst swinging his spear to the side, severing Husk's legs off at the knees in one swoop. As the screaming creature fell over due to its sudden lack of footing, Gorum swung his spear down like a headsman's axe, splitting Husk down the middle and slicing a impressive crevice into the wall behind it. Although the Star Slayer Spear was technically a spear, it doubled quite well as halberd, excelling in sweeping AND stabbing motions due to the size of the spear head and sturdiness of the weapon itself.
Quivering weakly, the two halves of Husk still moaned and tried to howl as they inched towards Gorum. Pulling themselves along the floor with their hands, they eventually bumped together and fused back into the complete screaming Husk. Standing up, Husk rushed forward again.
Gorum scoffed, he should have known there would be more to it. Clearly Idalia focused on regeneration more than anything else, which meant a melee would just drain Gorum's stamina.
Planting his spear in to the ground, Gorum cracked his neck and popped his knuckles before leaning into a new stance and swinging his arms backward in a wheel. Dull blue lightning forming at his finger tips in the top of the swing and trailing behind them as he swung his arms forward and together, sending a colossal bolt into Husk.
Sent flying backward so hard they stuck into the wall, it's body was seared in nearly an instant with only their hands and feet remaining unscathed. Groaning weakly as they attempted to pull themselves out, another bolt struck…and then another and another and another and another…
Gorum was fully spinning his arms like windmills, channeling incredulous amounts of mana into the onslaught of bolts he threw into husk for nearly an hour until all of a sudden stopping.
"That took long enough…" Gorum heaved as he took deep breaths and stood up straight.
Husk had finally succumbed, disintegrated by Gorum's bolts once their healing couldn't keep up with the damage. Leaving nothing but a massive scorching crater in the once extravagant ballroom wall.
Turning to the emissaries all bunched up together like spooked livestock, Gorum took his spear back in hand.
"Alright then, would you all happen to know where Idalia and that Damia woman scurried off to?" Gorum asked, resting his spears haft on his shoulder. After he spoke, all of the emissaries spoke in whispers and hushed tones before stopping abruptly as the boy known as Tacitus stepped forward.
"Before we answer that...would you mind us asking a question or two?" Tacitus asked while trying to sound calm, although he was trembling in place beneath his robes.
"Ask whatever you want, just be quick about it." Gorum said, flicking his wrist at the boy as a go ahead.
"Well, f-first of all...why did you attack Madame Idalia like that? Are you that heavily aligned with the kingdom still? Did you not sympathize with her story?" Tacitus queried, hoping for a reasonable answer.
"No, I hold no such alliances. My duty as a soldier is to the people, rather than whomever rules at the top. Although yes, I've been bound to the royal family it was because I thought they were just. I realize now though that I should have been more questioning about my orders. As for her story, it's a sad one but what she wants is not equality for the races, she wants revenge. If I helped her gain power, I'd just be handing the throne of one tyrant to another. Besides, a class divide based on race is about as far as one get from equality. Knowing Idalia, I wouldn't be able to convince her of that though, so it's best to just get rid of her or incapacitate her indefinitely." Gorum responded flatly, speaking clear and concise for the boy. After all he had a full hour to think and rehearse about how he would explain himself to these people.
"Oh...that does actually make sense..." Tacitus looked down at the floor, presumably thinking about Gorum's words. Similarly, the group of emissaries behind him were engaged in thought, even murmuring about the logic of it.
'I suppose this is the problem with building an army of sheep, once a better shepard comes along they all follow them instead...' Gorum thought to himself, quietly watching the emissaries talk it over whilst he awaited the next question.
"Well, we understand why you did what you did now, it makes more sense in terms of finding equality I suppose...as for our second question, we would just like to know why you've spared us." Tacitus cleared his throat and tried to look professional as he looked to Gorum for an answer.
"Well there isn't really a reason to kill all of you, although I'm sure you're all criminals. You were simply acting for a cause you were convinced was just. Besides, I can tell none of you really harbor any ill will. Infact I'll see to it that the lot of you come out of this all safe and sound. It wouldn't be very kind of me to leave you all behind for such a pitiful reason as spite." Gorum crouched, putting a hand on Tacitus' shoulder and gave an honest reply, much to the joy of the many emissaries.
"You mean that?" Tacitus asked, his eyes shining with awe.
"Yes I mean it, but don't get distracted. I still need to deal with Idalia." Gorum said, shooting down the boys' excitement.
"Ah, yes. Well, she would have gone to gather reinforcements no doubt and since she's with Damia I don't doubt they're already on their way ba-" Tacitus' reply was cut off by an intense rumbling from above.
As everyone looked up to the ceiling, they found it replaced with the glittering night sky, a massive hole now reaching all the way to the surface, with several figures of all shape and size peering down into the ballroom from around the edges of the hole.
--------------------------
"Husk barely lasted long enough it seems..." said Damia, looking down at the wrecked ballroom.
"Indeed, I suppose it was a bit early to appoint him as an Omen...whatever, we'll just replace him with another candidate. Speaking of, how many are present?" Idalia said, not taking her eyes off the ballroom below as she spoke.
"Three. There's Julian, Grand Hoig, and Lily. Hoig isn't the best for fighting, but he has potential. For this battle though it's most likely going to be Julian or Lily that get promoted." Damia replied, her mandibles dripping with thick globs of drool.
"Well before we get started, a check-up is long overdue..." Idalia squinted at Gorum, focusing as she used her appraisal skill. Eventually the skill activated and she heard the satisfying chime of the status window opening.
Blip!
[Basic Info]
Name: Gorum
Race: Human
Titles: [The Unstoppable] [Destroyer] [The Serpent Hunter] [Star Slayer] [Crimson Champion Canidate] [Continent Crusher] [Festering Conquerer] [Taker] [Screaming Death] [Transcendent Combat Master] [Undefeated General] [Abandoned Child] [Dark Hero] [Wrathful Spirit] (+23)
Skills: [Destroyers Wrath] [Destroyers Charge] [Destroyers Woe] [Destroying Blow] [Ending Toss] [Homing Ending Toss] [Killing Gaze] [Destroying Presence] [Dominating Touch] [Destroying Hold] [Wrath Throw] [Wrath Beam] [Perfect Force Magic] [Perfect Pure Mana Magic] [Takers Grip] [Takers Spectral Chain] [Brave Wings] [Star Slayers Gravity Magic] [Indominable Poison Resistance] [Indominable Pain Resistance] [Indominable Disease Resistance] [Indominable Magic Resistance] [Indominable Physical Resistance] (+657)
Talents: [Unstoppable] [Bottom Feeder] [???] [Takers Arsenal]
Class: Destroyer
Sub-Class: Brave
[Stat Info]
Level 100,000 (Capped)
HP: 217T / 457T
Stamina: 120T / 212T
Mana: 4T / 18T
Boons: [Outnumbered] [Ring Boons+54] [Necklace Boons +107] [Star Slayers Armor] [Star Slayer Spear] [Spiriual Boons+12]
De-buffs: [Festering Flame Curse] [Twilight] [Crimson's Blessing] [Exhausted] [Eternal Poison] [Mental Fatigue] [Failed Surgery +27]
[Greater Curse +589] [Lesser Curse +20,826]
Power: 182T
Vitality: 139T
Dexterity: 65T
Intellect: 1B
"It's not impossible, in fact we're lucky, but shit..." Idalia cursed, taking in how difficult this was about to be.