Evolution: A Warlock’s Rise To Power

The phantom champion sprinted through the Willow troops, charging directly towards the draconian man. It opened its mouth as 5 shadow bolts fired at the same time slamming into the draconian. As the Willow troops rushed in the phantom bent down and delivered an uppercut, sending the man into the air.

Drawing the two swords from its back the champion leapt to meet it in the air. The draconian opened his mouth again to fire his breath attack straight down but the phantom rose unhindered through the green flames and with a blur of his blades, slashed 10 times. All the strikes were delivered faster than the eye could see, sending ribbons of purple blood flying through the air.

As the man began to fall down the phantom champion smashed the pommel of his sword onto the draconian's head sending him crashing into the ground bellow. The phantom stored its blades and put its hands together as 10 shadow bolts formed a circle in the air before launch at the target below.

The mages and shamans took advantage of the reprieve in battle to start casting some of their stronger spells.

The phantom came barreling down towards the man and landed feet first on its back with a loud slam that cause cracks to spiderweb out in all directions on the stone floor. The champion pulled back a fist and slammed it into the draconian's head, causing it to bounce off the ground before deliver another punch with its other fist. As the casters finished their spells the phantom champion dissipated into a swirl of shadows.

Ice, fire, lightning and rocks started to fall and pound the man further into ground until nothing was left but a corpse.

"YOU DARE KILL MY SERVANT!!!" The young dragon yelled in the human tongue before rearing back on two legs.

*ROOAAARRRR*

It unleashed a mighty bellow before spreading its wings wide and smashing its front legs into the ground. After its roar it turned its head and glared at each player as it swept its gaze across the room.

It unleashed one of the natural abilities all true dragons have. Dragon's fear. Almost everyone froze and fell to their knees. A few of the weaker willed players had their hearts stop as they died from the exchange. Sturdy Willow was the only one to not succumb to the dragon's fear. Originally he was the only one, but

[Warlock's Insanity has been triggered.]

Lucan strode forward through the kneeling players as he started to cackle like a madman.

"AH, HA, ha, ha, he, he, ha. You think I would fear you!"

"Hmm, interesting." The dragon said as it locked eyes with Lucan.

Adrestia sat on his shoulder shivering and unable to control herself.

"I will give you the honor of loyally serving me. Kneel down and greet your master."

"AH, ha, ha. Me, kneel? To a pathetic worm like you? I have struggled against an ancient dragon in a month-long conflict and emerged victorious. I have traversed the depths of despair and emerged stronger. I have laughed in the face of a false god and you WANT ME TO KNEEL! I have no reason to lower myself to an insignificant whelp like you. I AM THE LORD OF THIS FORTRESS AND RULER OF THIS LAND!!!!" Lucan screamed while spittle flew from his mouth as he started running forward. "I WILL PEEL OFF YOUR SCALE AND ROAST YOU FLESH TO FEED MY PIGS! I WILL PULL OUT YOUR ENTRAILS TO FERTILIZE MY FARMLAND! I WILL CARVE A THRONE FROM YOUR SKULL SO YOU DAMN WELL KNOW THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE BENEATH THIS LORD!!!"

Keldoor the dragon had heard enough as he opened his mouth to send a stream of mithril shards at the insane level 95 warlock that was challenging it.

Lucan didn't break stride as he stepped into the ethereal realm. The metal fragments went straight through him without slowing the warlock in the slightest. Activating acrobatics, he leapt straight at the dragon's head.

It opened its mouth to swallow him whole, but Lucan had stepped into the ethereal realm again and passed through his head and landed on its back where he drove the Blade of Corruption between two scales and started wrenching back and forth, prying up a scale a couple inches.

Keldoor howled while rolling over, trying to crush Lucan but a shadow slipped out from underneath him. The dragon only managed to peel of its bent scale as it rolled, causing it to unleash another anguished howl.

Mithril may be a strong metal and mithril dragon scale may be impervious to most weapons, but magic blades were in a class of their own for a reason.

Lucan slashed at the belly of the beast while corruption began to seep into Keldoor. Each time it swiped at the warlock he would take a step into the ethereal realm, but his transparent green mana bar wouldn't last forever. Lucan kept cutting and prying while Keldoor was unable to get a hold of him.

The Willow troops were starting to shake of the fear effect as Sturdy hollered.

"Get your asses moving! Why is the lowest level player here the only one doing damage?!"

The other players quickly got back into action. Unfortunately, mithril was a metal that could partially resist certain magic, and regular weapons were almost worthless against it unless the player had outstanding strength to back it up.

The archers had to aim their shots at the eyes, mouth, or the location where a scale had been removed.

Lucan's mad cackles ran through the room as it was enhanced with mental mana to the point where his voice shook dust from the rafters.

"IS THIS ALL YOU HAVE!?! YOU CAN'T EVEN TOUCH ME!!! YOU!!! PATHETIC!!! ARROGANT!!! WORTHLESS!!! WORM!!!" The warlock yelled as it pried off another scale from its underside before leaping through the beast and landing on its back to attack the small, exposed opening with the Sword of Corruption.

More and more Willow players had come to join the fight, now there was over 100 players all attacking the same dragon. Even those who died were able to resurrect at the graveyard they had cleansed a few days earlier and rush back towards the fight.

"ENOUGH!!!!!" The dragon bellowed while flapping its wings and rising off the ground. It was going to crash through the ceiling and start fighting in the air.

A flying dragon was 100 times harder to kill than a dragon on the ground. Lucan had used all his time in shadow form and was almost out of ethereal mana, he couldn't afford to be crushed by the ceiling as the dragon rose.

"AH, HA, HA!!" He let out another mad cackle as he dove at one of the dragon's wings stabbing into it with his sword. Unlike a drake's wings, he wouldn't be able to slice through them, but it was enough to hold him in place. "FEEL THE BURN OF CORUPTION!!"

There was an explosion of black magic out of the sword that impaled one of the dragon's wings. Keldoor staggered midair but was still able to fly. With no other ideas Lucan activated self-destruct.

*BOOM*

Keldoor was launched towards the ground as the stone ceiling shattered.

Without wasting a moment several paladins called for judgment from the heavens as over a dozen golden sword impaled the beast and golden chains held it to the ground as large chunks of the ceiling began to fall and smash into the dragon.

The wing Lucan had previously attached himself to was somewhat mangled and it wasn't known if the dragon would still be able to fly. Sturdy wasn't going to risk.

"Focus the wings! Don't miss this chance!" He yelled while throwing javelin after javelin.

With the damage caused by the Lucan, the explosion, and the ceiling, there were mana scales that had been pulled off or destroyed, leaving the players with plenty of places to focus their attacks.

Heaven's Judgment was only able to hold down the dragon for 6 seconds even with multiple uses stacked on top of each other. With a roar, the dragon shook off the holy swords and chains before climbing back it is feet.

"Even your ignorant Lord was unable to oppose me and survive, YOU DARE TO STILL CHALLENGE ME!!" Keldoor screamed before launching an arc of mithril fragments killing over 5 players with a single attack.

Shadows swirled as Lucan appeared only a foot in front of the dragon's face. "He, he, he. How arrogant to think this mighty Lord could be done in by the likes of you." He took a little longer to resurrect because he had to get Raze to take some experience points directly from him so he could pay off his soul stone.

Lucan double cast telekinetic slam and backhanded the dragon's mouth, sending his head bending to the side before plunging his sword into its neck where a broken scale exposed tender dragon flesh. Lucan used acrobatics to kick off the dragon and fly through the air before throwing several knives as he distanced himself and rushed back to the safety of the crowd.

The dragon howled as the mages and shamans finished casting their trump cards.

The broken ceiling pieces started to rise and form together into 20-foot-tall golems that pounced towards the beast's wings. Lightning arced through the air and pounded on the back of the dragon. Hundreds of wild creatures took form and started charging towards the injured dragon. A rain of arrows fell like a torrential storm. Ice and hail pounded the Keldoor's limbs slowing the movement of his joints. Rouge's poison seeped into its blood dulling its senses. The ground turned into fiery magma as the helpless creature slowly started to sink. Holy light imbued the weapons of the melee users, letting them overcome the mithril's resistance.

Sturdy rose high into the night sky on top of his wyvern mount where he equipped a large two handed greatsword that was taller than him. With a leap of faith, he left the wyvern behind and started to plummet downwards, blade first.

"DIE!!!!" He yelled before his sword impaled the dragon in the center of its skull.

[You have killed Keldoor the true dragon.]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 96.]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 97.]

[You were one of the top five players to contribute in this fight. You have earned the title 'Dragon Slayer'.]

[You have conquered a fortress in your own territory. Since you are under the recommended level and attacked with less than 500 troops you will be rewarded with 5 levels]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 98.]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 99.]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 100.]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 101.]

[Congratulations! You have reached level 102.]

[You have learned to disable traps.]

The whole room was quiet for a moment before everyone burst out into cheers. Everyone but Sturdy managed to gain several levels at once.