Chapter 76 Sedulus

“Maybe just start with who the trap was for?” Jay suggested, but it seemed like the statue wasn’t listening, deep in thought.

Clearly it had been here for a long time as it seemed to either have trouble remembering or piecing its story together, thinking about where to start its story.

Jay took some time to analyse the statue as it was deep in thought.

<[Sedulus – Spear Judge Level 20 ]>

[300 HP]

<[Skills]>

[Brittle Armour]

– 40% damage reduction to slashing, stabbing damage.

– 20% more damage taken from crushing damage.

[Helvetia’s Revenge]

– Magic damage immunity.

– Any wielded weapons become cursed.

[Double Strike]

– Does two attacks in rapid succession. Each attack is 75% as strong as a normal one.

– 10 Second cooldown.

[Uncompromising]

– Immunity to all forms of crowd control: Snares, stuns, slows, taunts, sleep..

– 5 seconds duration. 1 minute cooldown.

[Retract]

– Spear returns to its owner.

– 7 second cooldown.

[Triple Threat]

– Two translucent spears float next to the main weapon, striking targets alongside the main weapon.

– 10 second duration. 1 minute cooldown.

[Sweeping Lance]

– Knock targets down, cause stagger, or break composure.

– 35 second cooldown.

[Force Thrust]

– Thrust attack with double damage.

– Knocks targets back or executes if below 20% health.

– Disrupts channelled abilities.

[Repel] (Passive)

– Knocks away physical ranged attacks.

– 70% chance.

<Description>

A servant of the Helvetian King, turned to stone. She stands guard, waiting for a chance to exact revenge on those who would harm the King.

“Sedulus… same as the name on the chest I opened…” Jay continued to read her stats, “Wow, level 20… so much health. Some similar skills to the other soldiers, but I can’t tell what the damage is because I can’t analyse these cursed weapons… Man, she has so many skills, it must be due to her class and being level 20.”

Jay decided he definitely wouldn’t last long in a fight with her, and definitely wouldn’t try to start one.

Levelling up didn’t just make you stronger, but you also gained skills too – not to mention combat experience which couldn’t be measured. She simply outclassed him by leaps and bounds.

Jay thought his own skills paled in comparison and realised he needed more.

“Hmm, I should put more effort into finishing that chimera skill. It seems easy enough to level up anyway; I just need to summon a feeble creature using the bones of different creatures…”

“Perhaps tomorrow I’ll spend time on it… after I get Trenly employed at the shop.”

“Man, this chair is uncomfortable…” thought Jay, shifting in the cold stone chair as he waited patiently, until finally the statue spoke.

“Helvetia, our city-state, a place once glowing with life. An independent mega-city, it was almost a country in its own right. We were the jewel of the nations, the envy of many. Our manacraft was getting more advanced every day, beyond the understanding of other nations – still, the other countries left us alone. We rose high and grew powerful, and in our pride we mocked the surrounding countries, and no one could do anything against us…”

Her voice turned angry as Jay listened.

“A small cult rose from our own ranks, at first they stole technology and research. Soon, to feed their experiments, they struck out against other nations; cities and forests turned to withered barren lands – and only we had the knowledge to stop them.”

The statue’s voice turned sad, and it had to pause for a moment before it continued its story.

“We set our pride aside and went after the cult. This was our problem that only we could stop. I served the King directly as he marched with his army, and for weeks we chased a small group of the cult through different nations; our supplies dwindled as we followed their wake of destruction… though this was all for nothing.”

“Unknown to us, this was a diversion, as a larger group of the cult directly attacked the defenceless Helvetia, and with a single spell the whole city was laid to waste. The spell drained life to strengthen itself, and it didn’t end until there was no life left to take.”

Jay nodded slowly.

“We returned to a black pit of rubble. Already low on supplies, we could not turn to any other nation for help, as they hated us for our loftiness and for the actions of the cult.”

“We rummaged through the ruins, searching for anything, and soon we found our only option – the soulstones… That very day, we made a pact with each other – a pact for revenge. With the advanced knowledge of our military manacrafters, hexamists, and stone wielders, we used the soulstones as our vessels – cursed ourselves and turned into the statues you see today… But this isn’t living.”

“With a single focus for revenge, we built these lofty pyramids, pretending to guard a treasure that isn’t here. It was all to lure the cultists back to us so that we may exact our revenge – though this was centuries upon centuries ago, perhaps they have already all died. The trap you fell into was one of the many which were meant for them… There are many fake treasure chests just like it.”

Jay was a little dumbfounded “So you’re telling me there’s actually no treasure at all here? Well thanks for saving me the trip…”

“Our treasure is our knowledge, young one. It’s safely locked away.”

“Oh… so if I help you, then will you give me knowledge? What is this knowledge about?”

The statue looked at the skeletons, then back to Jay.

“Hm… a necromancer. I will give you one of three options: Mind, mark, or host.”

“I’m listening…” Jay tried to sound casual, but his eyes still glowed with excitement.

“Mind will allow you to learn the craft of mind-moulding. This will let you create beings with sentience.

Mark will let you place an undetectable, invisible mark on someone – as long as you can see them. After you place the mark, then no matter where they are, you will be able to find them, and know exactly where they are.

Host will let you mentally enter the mind of a skeleton, controlling it as if it were your own body.”

Jay had to stop his mouth from opening as he thought to himself in excitement.

“Wow… mind and host both sound amazing, but if I’m going to get a lot of these undead, then the host skill will be weaker – It would be better to have an army of smart soldiers rather than a single elite amongst a pile of trash.

I can’t really see much practical use for mark other than for taking revenge. I guess I could put more thought into these skills anyway.”

After giving them some thought, Jay turned to the statue with his decision already made up in his mind.

“So, what do I have to do?”

“We are many, we are old, and our chance for revenge has been lost along with most of our sanity. It is my wish that you put an end to us.”

Jay received a notification but was too shocked to process it.

“What? You want me to kill you? The remnants of Helvetia?”

The statue was silent for a moment as Jay began to speak to himself and look at the weapon on the table.

“I only just found out about Helvetia… and it wants me to end it, why… what about all the lost knowledge, what about helvetia’s revenge… was this all for nothing?”

The statue seemed to respond positively seeing that Jay was concerned for it.

“Young one,” the statue leaned forward and spoke with a hint of compassion “don’t follow our path. Our knowledge will not help you as you step into eternity, no. It may simply destroy you… but I understand your plight, and it may be a while before you develop these skills on your own journey… therefore, I shall give you all three skills – but you must find and kill every statue, collect every soulstone, and bring them back to me.”

“O-ok…” Jay felt some restraint, but couldn’t logically disagree, and after some thought he couldn’t bring himself to let this continue. He couldn’t let them suffer and lose their minds.

He read the notification he got previously.

<[Hidden Quest Discovered – Soul Liberation]>

[Gather soulstones and bring them to Sedulus]

[Progress]

– Soulstone: 26/500

– Large Soulstone: 0/2

– Greater Soulstone: 0/3

[Rewards]

– 3 Skills: Mind, Mark, Host.

– Weapon: Sedulus’s war spear.

“So… I get your weapon too?”

“Yes. Once the curse is lifted. A final gift.”

Jay glared at the weapon with a ravenous smile before turning back to Sedulus, his smile disappearing “…Will I have to end you too?”

“…” the statue was silent for a moment, but resolute as it spoke.

“Yes. And I can’t help you on your quest, as I am bound to the pyramid.”

“I see…”

Jay matched her resolute voice with his own, staring into the eyes of the statue. “I will liberate Helvetia.”

He stood up, readying his hammer and shield and looking for the exit.

“…So how do I get out?” the majestic, courageous moment passed – replaced by awkwardness as he felt a little silly.

A crack of light formed behind Sedulus’s throne, a wall came down and a staircase formed.

“I see…thanks” he walked up the staircase and began his mission to lay waste to every statue in sight.