Fanfic: Maplestory-the Master Of Death

[Xorten]

I'm scared to log into Maple now, thanks for that. ¬_¬
Just kidding, great chapters.

[CelHolyPriest]

Well, I have other problem. Next time I won't be able to trust Grendel anymore. Talking to him will be hard as the thought of his foolishness keeps pooping in my mind. Hahahaha.

[Slerotin]

Busy busy busy, but still trying to get things done! :D
A couple revisions have to be made for a few future chapters, but I hope to stay on schedule!


Chapter 20

Serena

Sixtopia station was a charnel house as Serena picked herself out over the smoldering ruins. The zombies had moved into the station while she and Octogarn had battled Grendel and had cut a swath of destruction across what was left of the refugees left behind. She cautiously glanced around a corner, her Thorns staff in one hand and Grendel’s spellbook tucked away in her other hand.

Two plague zombies still were stooped at the entrance of the burning remnants of Sixtopia station. One had a meaty femur bone and gnawed on it feverishly a look of contentment etched on its gory face. The other used his Serpent’s Coil dagger to crack open someone’s spine in order to get to the marrow.

The most important thing to me is that you’re safe.

Octogarn’s words burned into her blood as she viciously pointed her staff at the monsters.

The first one’s head exploded as her spell froze its brains from the inside out.

The other zombie looked up at her hungrily for a split second before she encased from head to toe in solid ice.

She passed the ghastly statue quietly before her face tightened as her grief came pouring out. Swinging her staff with all her might, she shattered the zombie into pieces before wiping her tears away with the sleeve of her robe.
Up ahead, hope suddenly appeared out of the smoky chaos. She ignored the screams from behind her and the animalistic roars of those who hunted them. All she could do was run toward hope.

A single airship still lay at dock.

Lightning suddenly flashed at her feet, the concussive force of the thunderclap that sounded afterwards reeled her a few steps back.

“Stay back!” a voice yelled.

“I’m alive! I’m just trying to get out!”

“Show me your teeth! Lift up your hands!” the voice ordered.

Serena exaggeratedly smiled to show off her white teeth, unconsciously somehow aware of her slight overbite.

“Hands too! Raise up your arms!”

Her graceful hands shot up into the air, showing healthy warm skin.

A White Knight appeared from the ship and walked toward her, a Doombringer sword slung over his shoulder. He kept one hand on the hilt of the sword, but after a quick practiced glance at her, her turned and waved at the ship.

“I apologize for that, but we had to make sure.”

Serena nodded.

“Can you get me out of here?” she asked.

“We’re trying. We didn’t even get here until everything was over. The mob that was here nearly killed each other trying to get on board, but the hull needed to be patched in dry dock and the port lifting stone was busted. It could only carry half its regular load. There was no way it was going to lift off with the amount of people here.” The White Knight sighed heavily. “Then the zombies broke through and let’s just say when everything was over, there was enough room on board after all.”

They climbed onto a makeshift gangplank onto the deck of the ship. A row of grim faced wizards, around 20 fire and ice wizards and another dozen clerics behind them, lined the sides ready to throw every magic spell they knew. Rangers and Crossbowmen were up on the rigging. A handful of beginners that had not chosen any profession were grimly emptying bones and other remains off the side. The White Knight led Serena below decks into a hold filled with another hundred people.

“You can find a spot to sit down. Careful where you sit. We’ve mopped the place down after we got here, but there might be a few spots where…” Des drifted off uncomfortably. “Yeah…well anyway, if you’re up to it, we could always use another wizard on deck just in case. The zombies think they’ve cleaned Sixtopia station out, but it won’t be long before they figure out there’s a few after dinner mints here.”

“Thanks. What’s your name?”

“Huh? Oh. I’m Des.”

“I’m Serena.”

“Nice to meet you, Serena,” Des smiled as he went above deck. Serena sat in the dim lit hold of the airship quietly. Hammering and drilling echoed throughout the wooden hull and occasionally a sudden lurch caused everyone on board to gasp with expectation before groaning in disappointment. A few people who had completely lost it lay weeping somewhere in the darkness, while those with steadier wills passed the time with some Omok. Except for an occasional glance up, they left the newcomer alone.

“What am I going to do now?” she whispered angrily into Grendel’s spellbook clutched against her bosom.

“Well, I have a few suggestions….” A voice whispered to her.
Serena’s eyes widened as she held the book away from her.

The words had come from within it.

Chapter 21

Benjen

The Crimson Balrog left arm seemed to have been chewed by a multitude of tiny jaws. Decaying muscle and blackened blood vessels lay exposed giving its normally frightening appearance an even more hideous look. Its skull helmeted head still looked intact, yet there was no mistaking the black veins that ran up the sides of its neck and the decaying fangs literally dripping with pieces of flesh. Everyone dove for the deck as it swooped down for a pass. Fear swept over the crowd as despair reigned. The magicians cowered and even Benjen couldn’t help but try to take cover behind the Mizzenmast.

As the Zombie Balrog swept overhead once more reveling in the chaos it was creating, a lone dashing armored figure was the first to recover. Standing tall and resolute he eyed the beast in defiance and raised his sword rallying everyone on board.

“Get up all of you or I swear I’ll make you wish you only had to face an undead Balrog! Attack!” roared Andy.

As if his order had shaken them out of a trance, the battalion of magicians on the port bow began firing spell after spell. Fire arrows, Ice beams, and Holy Arrows streaked from the airship at the zombie Crimson Balrog. An errant Fire Arrow struck it in it face and it snarled in annoyance. Great wings spread and within moments the monster hurtled through the air toward them. Benjen summoned his Rage powers of a Crusader that lent extra strength to his arms and readied his Rising Axe. He saw Andy off to his side doing the same with his weapons.

The roar of the Zombie Balrog seemed to shake the whole ship and sent some of the less experienced magicians scurrying for the hatch. Benjen couldn’t believe how fast the creature moved as it grabbed the cleric stationed at the base of the Mizzenmast. The Red Starlight robe he wore quickly splattered with brighter crimson as the demon feasted. Benjen heard Andy curse as they both watched the creature head toward the Forecastle in order to enjoy his meal more quietly.

Sinews quickened and tendons tightened as Benjen realized one of the Assassins on board had just empowered them with a Haste spell. Andy took full advantage of his new found speed and closed the distance quickly with Benjen close behind. The Magicians behind them slowly edge forward to give there spells a better shot, but they would take a few more seconds to get into position.

The furious crusader made sure the Zombie monster understood it was not getting an easy meal as his blade sank into the leg with a meaty thunk. Unaffected by the mortal constraints of pain, the baleful eyes looked up from its bloody meal and barely glanced with annoyance at the warrior.

“Get away from him!” yelled Andy as he swung his sword. Light flashed from the trailing edge of Andy’s sword. This time, the Rage empowered power strike took out a rib, sending the large bone flying into the air. The wound did not bleed; it only exposed the blackened dead flesh that lay underneath. The Balrog though, finally took notice. It threw aside the remains of the bloody Red Starlight Robe it held and swung a clawed hand with enough force to rip off Andy’s head.

Benjen lent his own strength into the battle and struck at the beast’s other side. It was just enough to distract it; giving Andy time to duck under the swooping blow. Multiple Fire Arrows and Ice Beams from the magicians behind finally began finding their range and burned into the monster even as both Crusaders tried to move behind it. Power Strike after Power Strike continued to cleave chunks of dead flesh from the monster and while it didn’t even react in pain, it realized that sooner or later it would still be chopped up to bits.

Frustrated, the Zombie Balrog suddenly spread it wings and shot straight into the sky. Benjen let out his breath and for a moment it looked as if they had won.

“Get out of there! Get down!” Andy suddenly yelled. Benjen was startled as he saw the Crusader race against time to the base of the Mizzenmast where a magical lift would take him to the Crows Nest. Nearly slipping on the pool of the cleric’s blood, he reached the base of the mast and the magic elevator teleported him up to the top.

Benjen looked up to the Crows Nest in horror as he realized who Andy was calling. The Zombie Balrog had flown up to the Crows Nest and viciously plucked off the frightened Dragon Knight stationed there even as Andy reached the top; seconds too late to save him. With a triumphant hideous grin at the Crusader, the beast carried off the screaming Dragon Knight over to its distant ship. Grinning malevolently at Benjen and Andy, he laid the still screaming warrior in front of him as he seated himself on his ship comfortably. Then the ship mercifully turned away from them and started moving away as the monster started to eat.

The screams lasted only a few seconds, but it froze everyone in silence. After a few more agonizingly long seconds, Andy suddenly reappeared at the base of the mast, his face grim.

“Tell the captain to keep on course and don’t stop for anything until we reach Orbis,” he said. Without another word, he then walked over to the Forecastle and stared out to the slowly disappearing speck of the Balrog’s ship.

“You still saved the ship,” Benjen as he turned to go.

“I know. Doesn’t make it suck any less though.”

Andy was still looking at the horizon long after the Balrog’s ship had disappeared from sight.

[CelHolyPriest]

I need a daily fix now.

[Authentic]

I love this. Even though the ship's making its way to Orbis there were a few bumps along the way.

Gotta love a story that isn't all about the happy ending :D

[Slerotin]

Trying to keep things current!



Chapter 22

Samuel

The low growl escalated in volume that vibrated into Sam’s bones. Suddenly, the Crimson Balrog opened its gaping maw and roared with fury. Sam winced as he backed up with his crossbow raised. He glanced down at the weapon. The Raven crossbow seemed pitiful against the mass of muscle and teeth.

Still, even with the threatening roar, the creature made no further move toward him. It just sat there, eyeing him with evil red eyes, but making no further move. Samuel’s vision moved more carefully about the creature and noticed numerous wounds. Sword wounds and magical burns, even a few Ilbi Stars imbedded in its back, still bled profusely. The creature was not in much condition to fight.

“You’re bleeding,” Sam commented. “But you’re bleeding red, so at least you didn’t get bitten.”

The Balrog snarled, baring its great fangs.

“You don’t want to fight do you? With swarms of zombies all over the place, drooling for a taste of Crimson Balrog; there’s not much point in killing a harmless crossbowman is there?”

The crimson eyes blazed with hate, the nostrils flared, and the dangerous rumble sounded deep within the monster’s throat.

Yet, no attack came.

With a final glare of annoyance, the Crimson Balrog turned away from Sam and gingerly inspected its numerous wounds. Razor sharp talons gingerly picked off an imbedded Ilbi Star drawing a surprising whimper from the beast.

“Geez, that doesn’t look good,” declared Sam. He quickly reached for his pack drawing a suspicious glance. “Hey! I thought we settled that part! I’m not your enemy!” Sam held up an ornate glass flask. Purple liquid shimmered in it as it sloshed around inside. “This is an Elixer potion. It’ll fix you right up.”

He started to move toward the Balrog only to suddenly stop as the jaws spread apart and roared at him.

“Fine! Be that way! Bleed to death! You think I have to do this? You’ve got bigger problems; I was in that Cursed Sanctuary where you and Mrs. Gruesome get busy. I saw what they did to your offspring!”

The Balrog suddenly perked its ears in alarm.

“I saw them eating him right down to his bones", Sam said mercilessly.

Another roar screamed out of the fanged mouth. This time, even Sam could sense the angry sorrow that tinged it. Sam stepped up carefully, but purposefully.

“The way I see it pal, you’ve come up craps and I’m that last nickel in your pocket. I’m not much, but I’m all you’ve got right now.”

Sam tried to keep his hand from trembling too much as he stood and held up the Elixer potion within a few feet of several thousand pounds of muscle, teeth, and fangs.

Seconds of silence passed by slowly as the two stared each other down.

Finally, two black claws reached out slowly.

Sam’s hand unconsciously trembled as it stopped; inches away from his face.

Then with amazingly dexterity, the claws of the thumb and forefinger reached out and gently uncorked the vial before taking it from his hand. Without even bothering to empty out the precious liquid, the Crimson Balrog merely tossed the open bottle into its gaping maw. The glass bottle harmlessly crunched and splintered under the powerful teeth of the monster.

Sam backed away slowly as the Balrog’s wounds began healing before his eyes.

“Well, I’ve got places to go and I can tell you have a lot to consider now, so I’m just going to…you know…”

The massive head turned toward him for a second and grunted. The leathery wings then spread out to a massive wingspan and carried the monster up high into the sky. It quickly caught a thermal and rose even higher as it soared into the distance.

Sam sat down with a large sigh.

“I just help save a Crimson Balrog,” he marveled. After a few minutes resting, he realized the sun was settling into the afternoon. Picking himself off, he made his way down the road further.
Sam stopped in dead in his tracks as he realized where he was.

“There’re three things I know for sure in life,” he muttered. “Everybody lies, no good deed goes unpunished, and there’s always some hunting going on at the Henesys hunting grounds.”

Now he stood looking up at the multi-level platforms where just yesterday, there were dozens of rookie adventurers hunting snails, mushrooms, and slimes. Basic creatures for most people, with minimal risk to the careful adventurer and now not a single sign of life anywhere he could see. Hundreds of empty snail shells littered his path. They crunched ominously under his feet as he made his way toward the entrance of the village. Readying his crossbow for whatever lay beyond, Sam stepped into the entrance of Henesys village.



Chapter 23

Kimber

“Did you hear something?” Kimber asked. The zombies continued to mill around below, but so far nobody had bothered looking in their direction. Kimber couldn’t help but react to every little creak and rustle as they continued to get Icarus’s flyer ready.

“You heard nothing,” Manji said gruffly. “Help unpack the other stone.”

Sacharissa ignored him as she kept staring away at the darkness.

“Did you not hear me? The flyer cannot take all of us with only one lifting stone!”

“There’s somebody there,” Sacharissa whispered.

A Steely throwing spike came up to Kimber’s hand and she readied herself. Even Manji looked up from his work, one hand sliding his katana halfway out.

“What are they waiting for?” Kimber hissed.

“I don’t know,” Sacharissa frowned. The cleric slowly walked toward the nearby ladder that lay next to Niora Hospital, her Arc staff readied. She carefully peeked over the edge to look below.

Several hundred zombies below simultaneously looked back up at her. Some even grinned evilly, licking their lips in famished hunger. At least, those who still had lips to lick.

“WE WERE WONDERING WHEN YOU’D BE INVITING US UP FOR A BITE!” A Mage wielding a mighty Kage staff sneered at her with a hideous grin.

A moment later, a Holy Arrow spell had wiped the grin off the zombie’s face, along with its entire front skull. The headless corpse shuddered and then fell to the ground. Like a signal, the other zombies hooted in hunger and started up the ladder.

“Does anyone know how to take out a thousand zombies?” Sacharissa called out behind her.

Magic Claws neatly severed the ladder rungs going up to them. She pointed her staff again and again, each time slicing off a few more rungs bringing animalistic roars as the zombies realized what she was doing. A barrage of arrows, fire, and ice blared up at her, driving her back.

“What did you do?” Kimber called out.

“Pissed them off. We’re out of time! We got to leave now!”

Shimmering air was the only warning before a Hermit suddenly flash jumped up. The skill enabled him to magically bypass the sabotaged ladder and appear next to the surprised woman.

“FOOD! FOOD AT LAST!!!” it hissed as it grabbed the young cleric. Her voice froze as the putrid stench of rot reeled over her. The rotting mouth moved closer and closer to her when two steely spikes from Kimber perforated the undead head and Sacharissa pushed off the body.

“Everyone! Get on board!” Manji roared as he ran up to them, his katana now completely unsheathed.

“I thought you said it needed two stones to lift off!”

“It does. I’m not going.”

Kimber looked at the warrior in shock.

“Do not argue! Nobody can defeat over a thousand zombies without a single scratch that would turn him! Do you know of a way one person can kill a thousand zombies?” he asked harshly. Kimber glared back at him. “At least I can delay them enough to give you both time enough to escape.”

A growl came from the ladders as skeletal and half-eaten limbs began to clamber over. Half-decomposed heads then appeared along with a silent chant as they saw a chance for their hunger to finally be sated.

“FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!” the raspy chant echoed throughout the dead city of Kerning.

Manji charged into them, his katana flying with faster speed than any eye could follow.

“He’s right. We got to go!” Kimber declared as she buckled herself into the flyer. She placed her hands on the control crystals inside and chose Orbis as a destination. The flyer hummed with power as it started to rise.

Sacharissa stepped up to get in beside her when two mages suddenly teleported past Manji’s deadly blade to get at them. They grabbed the cleric from behind and dragged her off the flyer, onto the rooftop.

Kimber screamed as the zombies sunk their teeth into Sacharissa’s side and left arm. Manji came running, still swinging his sword, trying to keep the horde at bay; but a group of zombie Sins and Rangers blocked his way.

The zombies kept coming.

The two zombies on Sacharissa fought over her, even as she readied her staff with another spell. In maniacal hunger, the zombie feasting on Sacharissa’s arm suddenly jerked at it with inhuman strength. The cleric felt blood come to her lips and her body convulsed as her arm was ripped off.

The zombies kept coming.

She didn’t feel much pain as the shock ripped into her. Blood pooled underneath her. It matted down her blond hair even as her teeth chattered from the sudden chill that came inside her. Manji swung his blade with fury. Power strikes and slash blasts ripped into the undead army.

The zombies kept coming.

“K…Kimber. Go….” Sacharissa hissed. She used her remaining arm to angrily strike the zombie eating away at her side with her Arc staff. It ignored the blows and continued to feast greedily. Magic Claws ripped into its head again and again until it finally dropped away only to have another zombie take its place. Black veins of undead plague were traveling up her veins, but from the crowd that was gathering to feed on her, Sacharissa knew that there would not be enough left of her to rise again as a zombie.

As if she ever would let them turn her anyway, she thought.

Tears in her eyes, Kimber took the flyer further up. The lifting stone flared with energy as it carried the craft higher and higher. Nearly every zombie in Kerning came rushing up to the rooftop as they saw the escaping Sin, yet most were too distracted by the fresh meat that remained. There were thousands of zombies and they kept coming.

A few feet away from Sacharissa, Manji stared back at the horde that was eyeing him greedily. His legs festered from Fire arrow burns and blade wounds all over his body had torn his robes to tatters. Various throwing stars had torn his hat to shreds and his left ear had been sliced off by a lucky Kumbi hit. No bite had met him yet, but the zombies knew it was a mere matter of time as they saw his breathing getting heavier and more labored.

He was only human and they were hungry.

“Manji!” yelled Sacharissa in agony. “You want to see how one person can kill a thousand zombies?”

Manji looked upon the fallen cleric, lying in a pool of her blood. The horde had fallen upon her and more were fighting with each other more than actually feeding. Manji could tell it was only a matter a time before the strongest ones in the pecking order would tear her apart. Her eyes were alert and her right hand still grasped her Arc staff firmly. Magical energy surrounded it and Manji suddenly noticed it was pointed at the remaining crate.

The crate that contained the remaining lifting stone.

“Sacharissa,” Manji declared. “It has been an honor fighting with you.”

“Yeah. Well, you still suck,” she smiled through blood-flecked lips.

Magic claws ripped through the wooden crate. Splinters flew everywhere as the high energy lifting stone was exposed.

Magic claws ripped into the stone, drawing sparks.
The zombies paused. Some of them not totally consumed with their hunger suddenly realized what was going on.

“STOP HER! SHE’LL KILL US ALL!!!!” An undead Chief Bandit roared. An Angelic Betrayal dagger flashed out, but paused in mid strike; the monster torn between stopping what the cleric was about to do and the prospect of losing the fresh meat that his inhuman hunger craved.

Sacharissa laughed at him. It was a throaty laugh that was slowly weakening and becoming more and more feeble as life continued to fade from it, but for the first time since the Bandit was turned into the monster he was now, it suddenly felt fear.

The dagger rose once again.

The Magical Claw spell once more ripped into the lifting stone. Sparks flew along the side before the spell suddenly broke through the fragile outer shell.

Kimber felt the detonation rock her tiny flyer as a blinding glow lit up the night sky. Waves of energy rocked her tiny craft and she hung on for dear life. Slowly, the wings stopped shuddering and the blinding flare began dying down into more tolerable levels. She turned around to see that the entire top of Niora Hospital had vanished. The thousand zombies that she had just fled from had been incinerated.

"Guess the zombies never thought they had to face the likes of you, right Sacharrisa?" Kimber whispered as she wiped a tear away. Finally, her eyes continuously blinking away the tears, she turned her eyes forward as the flyer flew onward toward Orbis.

[Xorten]

I'm scared.
*The following sentence(s) may be viewed as a spoiler*
Poor Sacha, you're character has been...eliminated.
Better then being turned into a zombie though, am I right?

[Authentic]

Countess was heroic!

I'm still surprised at all the twists Slero throws at us with every chapter. Didn't expect Manji not to jump on and then finding out Countess doesn't make it either? This is like a live story. It's great but don't want it to end :(

[CountessZero]

*punches air*

YES! Ahahaaaaaa he promised me a good send-off!

*hugs*

YAY!

[CelHolyPriest]

duh, I was waiting for your Genesis ....