Tyrants of Earth - The Legend of Artigan

*It has become an open secret that many nations on Earth have certain ecological sites where they experiment and try to raise certain animals from The Realm. It turns out that sufficiently sized herds of Amperdons will choose an alpha for themselves. Previously alpha Amperdons were thought to have been born to large herds. This mistake led to containment breaches in both China and France. America was lucky that their facility had been underground.

- What the hell? All that dragonshit about ecological disasters and our country has been raising them in secret? @ Molavierre (Unverified)

↪ I thought only adventurers were the ones that can use the portals, how are they sneaking out monsters? @ Rassind (Verified, R3)

↪ America has to have experimental facilities of their own right? @ Lasssssooooo (Unverified)

↪ Area 51 man. I'm telling you they found out a way to smuggle Realmers out of the System portals man. Bet you they have em locked up in there. @ Roflamingo (Unverified)

Ryan grinned as Zedart’s blade came down on Avale’s shield and shattered, Valee went for his legs in the middle of the swing and got a kick in the face for her troubles. Her hands still reached for his legs as he quickly snapped it back.

At the same time his soulsword sliced to get a glancing blow on Zedart.

The [Swordsman] used the pommel of his shattered sword to redirect the blow as Ryan tried to regain his footing. Zedart backed off instead of going for a followup.

Ryan held back from throwing his knife.

They were all exhausted, Valee especially. The orc woman mostly laid on the ground, except for the sudden moments where she leapt up and tried to grab any of Ryan’s exposed limbs. It would be a suicidal move in any other situation.

But she knew Ryan wasn’t going to kill any of them.

All three of them took a breath as Zedart stared at his broken sword in dismay. Ryan looked on in sympathy, having broken one of Zedart’s longswords himself.

“Oof, hope that wasn’t meaningful to you or anything.”

“No, it’s just another sword.”

Zedart casually threw away the handle, then he unstrapped the sheathed sword on his back. The one he hadn’t used at all. Ryan held his breath… As Zedart unsheathed another plain looking longsword.

It was almost a disappointment, until the light touched the blade and a darker green color reflected–

Valee tried to jump at his leg again and ended up with his foot in her face. Her hands reached out even as her face met his boot, but Ryan was too quick on the withdraw for her to grab it.

“Seriously, stay down Valee. You’re not helping at all.”

“Shut up and stop dodging.”

“I didn’t dodge, I kicked your face.”

Valee stopped trying to argue as she laid on the ground, staring up at the sky. She sighed and closed her eyes instead. Ryan shook his head, knowing she’d jump him the moment she saw an opening.

Then he turned to Zedart.

“Anything special about that sword?”

“A realm two [Smith] made it for durability and it’ll keep its edge for longer. No enchantments.”

“Well that’s just disappointing.”

“I wanted to win without it, but I guess that’s impossible with my skill.”

Ryan scoffed, then charged in, Avale’s shield in his left and his soulsword in his right.

He was going to enjoy beating the shit out of Zedart.

Then it happened.

Ryan stepped close and he–slipped. His eyes went wide as he fell backwards. Zedart didn’t take the free opening as he looked on in surprise at the [Rogue] who had slipped on solid ground.

Ryan slammed his other foot on the ground to balance himself.

Both of them turned towards the other [Rogue] lying on the ground. Valee had her eyes closed with her fingers tapping on the ground.

She had a peaceful smile on her face.

–

What was an Epic?

The orc [Rogue] contemplated this as she kept tapping on the ground. In the simplest definition, it was just something that was the next rarity after Rare skills. In reality? It felt like it was even more than what her father had described.

It was like a superstructure that she had really only touched the surface of.

Valee had been practicing with her Epic from the moment she got it. Despite that she’d still suffered from backlash the moment it had come in contact with Artigan’s Epic. That had felt wrong, wrong and unfair. Both of their skills were Epics, she just needed to uncover more. Just like Artigan had done in the Trial.

She sunk deeper, back into the feeling her Epic had given her when it had snapped.

Valee felt the ground beneath her using her [Enhanced Senses], and she felt the Epic–shift.