Chapter 501 - Back to Mt Glory
Dave took the scroll to Urburg after he finished up with upgrading the players he promised from the other super guilds. He had spent hours just making them into undead and was honestly tired of it.
Once he was at Urburg, he headed to nick's bar where he found a guest of Nick that Dave didn't have any good relationship with.
Nathiel, the Fallen Archangel was sitting and waiting to be served a drink from Nick who tended the bar.
The archangel looked disgusted and his wings were limply hanging as if he was crestfallen and the Undeath God was serving him a drink to make him forget his sorrows as it appears.
"What's the occasion?" Dave said and sat at the stool next to the archangel.
"Nathy-boy is bummed."
Dave looked at the archangel and said, "You're still pissed about not being able to serve that haughty ass lord of yours?"
The archangel scuffed at Dave's question and replied, "It's not just that. The spear…"
"What spear? What is he talking about?" Dave asked Nick.
"The Gae Bolg, it belonged to Nathy-boy here. Well, technically the holy version of it. You remember him using it when he fought the Undead King, right?"
"Yeah, d.i.c.k move that was. So you're saying that you're pissed that Ashkar stole your spear?"
"I lost the right to wield it the moment your King decided to blow himself up in my face and corrupt my essence with his ichor. After that, the Ash king stole the spear."
"Right, is there a way to get it back? I really don't like the fact that Ashkar has it right now. He is unpredictable. And his personality is pretty eccentric, to be honest."
"You'll have to find him for that," Nick replied.
"Well, can't you do it?"
"I could, but I won't. Remember, I'm a god, I'm not allowed to interfere directly in the business of those of a lower class than me. But I know someone who can."
"Yeah, Balaam, he still owes you right?"
��Yep, go and meet up with him, see what Ashkar is up to," Nick said.
A notification appeared in front of Dave.
***
Investigation!
Quest tire (Unknown)
Meet up with Balaam and see what knowledge he has on the whereabouts of Ashkar.
***
"Quest accepted," Dave mumbled and turned to the Archangel.
"You want the spear back?" Dave asked.
"Not really, I no longer have the right to use it anymore. I'm no longer of the Holy Order"
"But the Ash King used it, why can't you?"
"Oh…"
"You should use your head a little, the Ash King was not of the Holy order anyway." Dave grinned.
"Right, you're right!" the Archangel stood up.
"I've fallen, so has the spear, it's no longer of the Holy essence, so I could still wield it. Even if I no longer am worthy of serving the almighty as a holy Archangel, I'll still get to be his knight!"
"Chill batman, you belong to me," Nick said.
"I belong to you because I would have died if I had not accepted your deal, but my heart lies with my lord."
"Tsk tsk," Nick shook his head, and shrugged, "Do whatever you want, but don't cross me."
The archangel nodded and a new notification appeared in front of Dave.
***
The Gae Bolg is a weapon to slay the Divine, if you could find it, you'll have to make a choice. Keep it or return it, each has its own consequences. Be sure to make the right choice.
***
Nick slid a beer toward Dave who grabbed and downed it in one go.
"Alright, I'll go meet Balaam. See you guys later."
Dave tore a teleportation scroll to one of the Western Desert's oasis. The closest one to the Mountain of Glory.
"Onixya, come out," Dave called and a small lizard sized black armored dragon came out of his inventory.
Onixya purred at Dave and transformed into her massive size. Allowing Dave to hop on and into the skies.
Dave chose to pick Onixya instead of Grumpy due to how long the journey to the Mountain of Glory would usually take. And add to that the fact that the sand was filled with sandworms that could cause him some nuisance he was not in need of.
Onixya roared and soared high in the skies. Contending against the clouds and diving into them. The coolness of the atmosphere was of no bother to Dave's undead form nor was the wetness of the clouds of any effect.
A black dot appeared on the horizon. It grew slowly as they continued their trek until Dave could finally make out more details. The mountain was as always unusual, to say the least. The conical peak didn't rise from the surface of the desert, the entire thing floated on top of a shimmering column.
As they got even closer the shimmering column revealed itself as a continuous fall of sand. A falling river of reddish-yellow sand. With no acc.u.mulation of sand at the bottom of the column, no growing mound of sand where the falls ended.
With Onixya here, Dave didn't need to use the elevator to take him up, Onixya flew against the falling sand grazing it with her claws as she rose up until she reached the top.
Dave jumped down to the ground of Mt. Glory
It dominated his view, its peak was hidden in clouds. A forest covered the gentle slopes that led to the mountain until it the terrain changed to bare grey rock and steep cliff faces. Trails led from the platform area to the right and left, curving around the top of the 'pillar.' Walking down either would put the forest on one side and the precipitous edge of the sand falls on the other, not a pleasant thought for anyone with a fear of heights.
A curbed walkway paved with white stone stretched straight ahead into the forest. The walkway apparently extended all the way to the mountain. A white line of stairs was rising from the forest and up the steep cliff sides toward the hidden peak. Just past the edge of the trees, a red-painted Japanese torii gate adorned the walkway. There was a torii every few hundred steps as far as Dave could see, little bits of red color accenting the white line of the path going up the mountainside.
He walked up the stairs.
The temperature dropped continued to drop as he got closer to the peak. Soon the way ahead was hidden by a blanket of thick white, he was about to walk into a cloud. Dave walked continued climbing, soon after, his. The stairs did in fact lead all the way to the top of the mountain. Unexpectedly, the peak was flat and level, as if something or someone had sliced the very tip of the mountain off.
Once again Dave was standing on the surface and in front of him the old man, Balaam with his gentle smile welcomed him.
"Greetings again, young prince."
"Hello. I don't really need to tell you why I'm here."
"No, you don't. I already know, but once again, my answer will not be to your liking."
"Sigh, I had a feeling that it was going to be like last time."
"Not really, I know where Ashkar is, and I can show you the way, but you can't get to him nor take what you want from him," Balaam said.
"Well, knowing where he is, is enough for now."
"True. But be prepared, you might not like what I'll show you."