Evolution: A Warlock’s Rise To Power

Lucan had spent all of yesterday fighting his way up Mt. Olympiad, he expected to reach the top today.

He had traveled through over 50 different realms. He didn't know how many were left but he expected to be nearing the end soon.

The warlock continued his journey, taking the path upwards.

Angels and celestial figures blocked his path. Their numbers were too high for him to dream off fighting them. If he stopped he would be overrun, there was almost no chance of defeating them. Every time one was killed another two would take their place.

Using all his mobility spells and abilities he pushed forward. Telekinetic walls blocked the angel's path but only for a moment. Their immense strength shattered the walls with a well placed strike.

Not daring to look back, he and Adrestia climbed higher and higher. Up above, the clouds hid the top of the mountain. Lucan sprinted into the cover. Emerging above the clouds the angels did not follow. He let out a sigh of relief and looked towards his destination. There wasn't much further to go.

The warlock took a step forward when he felt a tickle of danger and leapt to the side.

*Bang*

A bolt of lightning smashed down into the ground where he was previously standing.

*Bang*

Another bolt came, this one he didn't entirely avoid. Lucan was thrown to the side as he felt the wild energy course through his flesh.

Before he could get to his feet, he felt the familiar tickle of danger. The warlock rolled on the ground to avoid yet another bolt of lightning.

Lucan looked up. A chariot was flying through the sky and a man, or should I say a god, was throwing lightning down towards him. The warlock got back to his feet using ethereal step to avoid the lightning bolts.

He sprinted towards the peak. The lightning started to rain down on him even faster. Lucan attempted to use illusionary shadows to hide himself as he moved forward but the chariot rider threw his lightning with such accuracy that it seemed the illusions didn't effect the figure in the slightest.

*Bang*

"AHH!"

Lucan was hit and knocked off his feet again.

He made a surprising discovery. Even through the lightning was incredibly painful, it did little damage to him. Gritting his teeth, Lucan got back up and moved forward. He braced himself as another bolt came. This time he managed to stay on his feet.

"Ha, even if the gods want to smite me, I cannot be stopped. AH, HA, HA!" Tilting his head back, Lucan laughed towards the sky and started to take slow and steady steps as the lightning continued to strike.

Getting closer to the peak, he didn't see the entrance to the next realm, instead he saw the guardian's monolith. The end was in sight.

With electrify pain coursing through his body he still managed to smile when he saw that the end was near. He had been stuck in the trial for over a month. From Jenna's information in real life, things were about to get very serious in his territory. The Plague Baron's forces would be arriving any day, if they hadn't already shown up already.

With no time to waste, Lucan pushed forward under the constant flow of lightning bolts.

He was so close, the monolith was only a few more steps in front of him. The last of his health potions had been drank long ago, his armor was in tatters, unable to be repaired. He felt as if he had spent most of the trial in constant pain.

The figure in the chariot summoned dark clouds high in the sky. Waving his hands, snakes of lightning started to converge to form a bolt as thick as a man. Like a conductor leading an orchestra, the figure directed the lightning to fall at once.

Not sure he if could survive the mega bolt, Lucan left it to fate. He didn't try to dodge, he reached out his hand and placed it on the monolith.

When the largest lightning bolt yet was only a few feet above is head, everything disappeared. Lucan and Adrestia found themselves floating in an empty white space again, much like at the beginning of the trial.

What he wanted most at this moment was to close his eyes and rest, but before him the guardians face took form.

"Congratulations Traveler. You have exceeded my expectations." The massive floating face said.

Lucan only smiled. He was too tired to be cheeky.

"You are worth of being my champion. You have traveled through the realms, defended yourself from the races across the multiverse and have survived till the end."

A green portal appeared beneath the warlock. He fell through it and appeared in the ethereal realm on an island that was floating above the yellow river. In the center of the island was a monolith the stretched as tall as modern-day skyscrapers. At the base of the monolith was a large pool of ethereal energy that had been siphoned directly from the yellow river.

The guardians voice spoke in his mind.

'Enter the pool and undergo your evolution to truly become my champion.'

Lucan slowly dragged his feet forward and took a step into the pool. His fatigue was washed away. Without holding back, he jumped into the center with a big splash.

He could feel the energy slowly invading his flesh and sinking deep into his bones.

Not wanting to waste the opportunity, Adrestia followed her master and dove into the pool as well. Lucan summoned Little Brown and retrieved the egg from his last pet slot. He didn't know if the evolutionary pool would have any effect on them, but he thought it would be foolish not to try.

When the energy had permeated every inch of his being, the warlock noticed a tribal symbol was starting to form on his fingertip, it was slowly growing. Over the next hour the symbols slowly worked there way up to his hand.

With a small portion of his body marked by the symbols of a planeshifter, Lucan now felt naked where there presence hadn't formed yet. He sat in the pool and browsed Raze's shop, updating his favorite list while the ethereal energy slowly started to work towards his wrist.

Seeing the pace that the tribal symbols appeared, he realized that this would not be a quick process.

***

Silent and SuperSleuth left the fortress and entered Raze's palace in Vertshadow. Finding Ash, the shadow elf in charge of security of Quilldrake estate in the palace, they arranged to meet the Supreme Leader.

They were led to a sitting room deep inside the palace.

Raze was waiting for them. The old man was sitting on the sofa, casually enjoying his tea with his daughter while his Hands were about to go to war against each other.

"What did you need to see me for?" He asked.

Silent spoke up. "Lucan previously told you that he would be getting rid of the Plague Baron while Hellfire and the Queen of Shadows dealt with the others. I wanted to inform you that the date has moved up. It will be happening soon."

"Oh, is that all?" Raze asked, not concerned with the outcome of the battle.

"Yes, the conflict will start within the next few days."

"Alright."

"Father, aren't you concerned? Didn't you say that you had high expectations of Lucan, and now he may get destroyed and no longer be your Hand. How can you just sit there and not care?"

"Lilith, if Lucan fails to defend his territory, then I will admit that I over valued him. What happens will happen. It is not something we need to involve ourselves with. If you are so worried about that kid, you can go and help him if you want."

"What, no, I don't care about him." Lilith said immediately.

"Good, you should stay away from him." Silent responded.

Lilith frowned. "You don't tell me what to do. If I want to go watch, I will. It isn't something you, his subordinate, has the right to make decisions about."

"Who is his subordinate, I am his wif-, girlfriend." Silent quickly corrected herself. "But I, if he wins, we will get married."

Silent noticed that Super perked up at hew words.

"We will get married in game." She quickly corrected herself.

"That's fine." Lilith said. "I can allow you to be his second wife. I will obviously be his first wife. My father has already mentioned it to him once. With a little more convincing, it will happen."

"Ha, that will never happen." Silent said standing up. "We have come to inform you that the conflict will begin. We have done that. We are leaving." Silent said, stomping out of the palace with Super following after her, leaving Raze and his daughter alone in the sitting room.

"Father, I think I would like to go to Lucan's territory to see what happens."

"Do what you like. Winner or loser, it makes no difference to me."

Raze went back to his laboratory as Lilith decided what to do. She wasn't all that interested in Lucan but being turned down by him was the first time she had ever been rejected by a man. The feeling of not getting what she wanted didn't sit well with her. She wanted to claim him as her own and stir up a bit of trouble.

Calling a few elite guards to attend to her, she left the palace and prepared to watch how the battle would play out.