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B4C70 - Authority Dies
🕑 Added 2024-12-05 01:00:04 +0000 UTCTyron’s chest was on fire as he continued to force his own heart to beat.
Looking up at the Noble lady of House Erryn, he could see the fear in her eyes, the uncertainty starting to take hold. He savoured it. For how long had he yearned for such a moment? Every night for five years, ever since his parents had died, he had stared unseeing, burning for a chance like this. He wouldn’t let anything take it from his grasp, not even death.
“You think you’ve won?” Lady Erryn spat. “I can kill you in a thousand ways. Cut your–”
A pair of arrows flashed out from the mist behind him. The Noble’s hand blurred as she batted one aside, but the other sank into her gut, doubling her over.
“Finally,” Tyron grunted.
“It took a little time to get here,” Laurel replied as she stepped up beside him, her spirit flesh glowing with ominous light. “Nor was it easy.”
Recillia gasped in pain as she straightened herself, but Tyron wouldn’t give her another chance. His one free hand flashed through a series of sigils before a hand formed of black smoke snaked forth and closed around her. He tightened his grip, trying to squeeze the air out of her, but she was remarkably durable, glaring hatefully at him.
Of course, she was gold. Why wouldn’t the Nobles afford themselves a level of power they wouldn’t allow to anyone else?
“Defend the lady!” The Magisters behind Lady Erryn seemed to wake from a spell, realising that their only hope of survival lay in the Divine Mandate she possessed.
Tyron cursed and issued a mental order. From the darkness behind him, a horde of skeletons emerged, charging forward as his spell was disturbed, dropping the Noble to the stairs once more.
She gasped in pain before once again drawing on her power.
“Cut your th–”
But he was too fast. With his skeletons racing forward and the Magisters still preparing their spells, Tyron shaped a Death Bolt with a single hand and cast, before she could finish the sentence. His aim wasn’t perfect, but it glanced off the side of the Noble’s head, sending her sprawling once more.
A barrage of spells was released at once, blasting back the front rank of skeletons, some of them crumbling apart as their bindings were undone, but at such close ranges, there was only so much the mages could do. For every skeleton they destroyed, five more took its place, rushing up with their blades at the ready.
The moment Tyron recovered, he ran up the stairs, his heart still screaming in pain within his chest. He paid it no mind, was completely oblivious to it, just like he was to the smile on his face.
He ordered his minions forward with ever greater urgency, gathering every single one from the lower floors and driving them upwards. He took the steps three at a time, charging alongside his wights and revenants as they reached his side. When he saw Recillia rising once more, he flung himself at her, dagger in hand.
Before she could speak, he landed on her chest, driving the wind out of her. Bringing the knife around, he tried to puncture her chest, but she was shockingly strong, catching his hand in one of her own. He fought to bring the knife to bear, but she resisted, slamming her free hand into his side in an attempt to push him off.
With only a single hand, getting into a brawl wasn’t the best idea, but he wasn’t thinking clearly, the pain in his chest and the roaring in his mind drove out all other thoughts. She had to die, and he had to be the one who killed her. Nothing else mattered, nothing else was allowed to matter.
Ignoring the pain in his side, Tyron launched his face forward, slamming his forehead into hers and stunning them both. With his absurdly high constitution, Tyron recovered first and dropped his knife before yanking his hand free of her grip. When Recillia came back to herself, she found his hand reaching for her throat and tried to force her chin down to prevent him from getting a grip. Opening her mouth to speak, she was prevented by another forceful headbutt that sent both reeling once more.
Around them, the final battle for the Red Tower took place, with the wide staircase filled with undead driving forward to strike at the Magisters, flowing around the private battle at their feet without interrupting it. No order came from Tyron to assist, and perhaps the wights sensed their master didn’t want to be helped, and so they focused on the Magisters, driving them back and absorbing spell after spell.
Men screamed and died, magick detonated and skeletons marched in silence while Tyron and Recillia wrestled on the ground, neither able to land a finishing blow.
He thrashed, trying to clamp his hand tighter around her neck while Recillia fought to push him off, striking at his face, his chest, his side, whatever she could reach. Teeth bared, blood spraying and skin tearing, they grappled and clawed like rift-kin, mindless and savage.
Ultimately, Recillia fought to live, to triumph and impose her will.
Tyron fought to kill. And that was the difference.
With a scream of hatred, Tyron took the hand he had been using to make his heart beat and began to form sigils with it.
Instantly, his heart, his chest, his entire body, screamed in pain, an agony that ripped through his body like nothing he had ever known. His mind screeched in panic, adrenaline flooding his system as his body flew into shock for the second time in a short period. He didn’t care.
Recillia felt the spell coming, her face twisted into a snarl as she tried again to shove the filthy upstart away from her. Desperate, she clawed at his eyes and anything else she could reach, but that hand came for her all the same.
Death Bolt was a weak spell, but at this range, it was more than enough. Point-blank, he fired it into her throat.
Garbled, choked coughing was the only sound Lady Erryn could produce. She collapsed back onto the stairs, clutching at her throat and retching as Tyron leaned back, his hand catching the rhythm once more, using the threads to force his heart to pump.
In that moment, he felt impossibly tired. For just a second, he let himself drift, but soon his hatred lit the way and he was able to come back to himself. Swaying as his body nearly betrayed him, Tyron reached into his coat and withdrew a stone covered in runes. He stood, gathering his balance before he stepped over to Lady Recillia as she grasped at her own throat, trying to repair the damage, trying to breathe, trying to speak.
He rolled her onto her back before he placed the stone on her chest and planted his foot on it.
She glared up at him, disbelief, terror and outrage warring on her features.
“We’ll talk later,” he croaked. “I promise you. This is just the beginning.”
Too weak to struggle, Lady Erryn could only watch as a ghostly creature wearing bone armour crouched down by her side, twirled a dagger through its fingers before offering it up to the Necromancer. He took the blade, looked her in the eye, and drove it into her heart.
Tyron watched the light fade from her eyes, knowing that this was the woman who had overseen the torture of his family. As she died, he felt the burden on his shoulders lighten by a tiny fraction.
The stone suddenly blazed with light, chasing away the shadows and blinding the Necromancer, but faded again just as soon as it had come. Tyron removed his foot and lifted the palm-sized stone from the corpse of the Noble.
“You can’t have her,” he chuckled darkly, turning his gaze to the ceiling. “You can’t have any of them. They’re mine. Now and forever.”
He staggered a little to the side as he placed the stone back into his cloak, but Filetta was there to catch him.
“You look like shit,” she told him.
“I feel like it,” he replied.
“What are you doing with your hand?’
“Keeping my heart beating.”
“Oh… shit. Really? Do you… need help?”
He cast her a glance, and she could clearly read him asking ‘just what do you think you’re going to do about it?’ from his expression. In response, she could only shrug.
“I haven’t been dead so long that I don't remember heart beats being somewhat important,” she said defensively. “Maybe you should rest or something?”
“I’m fine,” Tyron replied, shrugging her off. “The biggest obstacle here is dealt with. Now I get to kill every Magister inside this damned place.”
He held out his free hand, and a skeleton stepped forward to give him his staff back while another stepped behind him and placed his helmet back over his head.
“I want all of them. Every single soul. Do the others have the stones?”
Filetta held up her hands at his sudden vehemence.
“Yes, Tyron. They all have the stones.”
“Every single one,” he reiterated, eyes burning. “Make sure of it.”
She nodded, then hesitated before finally asking, “What about the brands? Isn’t that the reason why you’re here?”
He glared at her before he turned away to resume his ascent up the staircase.
“That comes second,” he said shortly. “First is the Magisters. They have to die, Filetta. I won’t leave any of them alive.”
“Of course,” she said. “Just don’t lose sight of the goal.”
“I never have. And I never will.”
Tyron and his undead swept through the Red Tower like a plague. There was no corner the Magisters could hide from him in, nowhere they could rely on their defences to protect them. Skeletons, revenants and wights cut through every door, overturned the beds and threw down the wardrobes. There were pockets of resistance; some of the mages found their courage as they stared death in the face, banding together to try and defend a corridor or doorway.
They used their best spells, jets of ruby light, crystalline projectiles, arcane fire, wires formed of magick that cut like blades. It was effective, but only for so long. Whenever these groups were found, Tyron was sure to arrive, leaning on his staff, one hand flexing in that steady rhythm. Once he arrived, the words of power would roll like thunder and resistance would shatter. Once it did, there would be a storm of blood and bone, leaving broken and bleeding Magisters on the ground, wights pressing inscribed stones to their chests while Tyron strode away towards the next fight.
It was clear they knew who he was when he showed his face. Some cursed him, others tried to apologise, or plead for their lives. None of it moved him. He held no interest for the words of the living. There would come a time he would listen to their voices, he was sure of it, but it wasn’t here or now, not while a single Magister drew breath in Kenmor.
Comments
Cursemaster
Badass chapter!
lenkite
Why can't he divide his force and send half to destroy the brands ? Why delay on something so critical.
Antonio
Nice to see Tyron finally get vengeance against the tower... but I just hope he manages to destroy the brands, I'm pissed he is not prioritising it since it would allow all the golds to rebel. Whatever manipulation was done to his mind made him far too angry and a bit irrational at times
Rayold 0
Was it necessary to dumb down Tyron opponents in such an important battle?
Forrest Ogden
"Men screamed and died, magick detonated and skeletons marched in silence while Tyron and Recillia wrestled on the ground, neither able to land a finishing blow. " It was at this moment I realized Idea 15 by Gibran Alcocer was playing and it was a moment after I realized I had a tear in my eye. This moment was too perfect. I love the way Tyron raced into this fight holding back death in one hand. I actually felt that wild grin of his clear as anything I've ever felt. It's kinda wild really, maybe the music playing had a hand at play but I felt like I was tripping while reading this because I was just so engaged. Thank you as always Rinoz this adventure has been amazing so far!
Rahsheem Reid
Revenge is what matters most rn. He is already Gold with probably a shit ton of lvls on top of that after this incident. Then the clean up will give him a shit ton more spell casters to work with. Fuck that xp. This is personal.
Rahsheem Reid
Go to the corner and think about what you have done.
Suastes Jiménez Miguel Angel
The next chapter has to deal with the situation in the city. I don't think anyone is aware of the attack on the red tower. Someone must have communicated something about the necromancer's attack. At this point, only the most arrogant people, like Lady Erryn, would underestimate the situation.
Suastes Jiménez Miguel Angel
I think Tyron is going to ask a favor from one of his three patrons.
Greyg
He gained multiple levels from bandits and thieves more than twice throughout the story not to mention the estate full of people. The very element necromancers are most likely to kill humans as they need bodies/skeletons humans give plenty of xp partly why the brands exist. i just want her stabbed by hundreds of skeletons not a whimper of self therapy just a preference.
Greyg
It’s vague of course the last feat choice had adapt flesh as one of the choices if that makes him undead instead of human he would lose a subclass slot. Any undead transformation currently removes 1 subclass until thats resolved its a straight nerf especially considering his potential gaining and upgrading mysteries or if he ever gains physical mastery like his father so far only magick related unlocks. He is only forcing his heart to beat he is still alive, but yes the divine authority stuff is iffy when he is immune one minute with his face covering the next time she stops his heart the dark ones be slacking. Still human
Atlas88
We got an incel over here.
Adam
Really love the last 2 chapters but I've gotta be honest I feel bothered about how this whole Divine Command situation has played out. I just really hope it is addressed in some way soon. If due to this he ends up taking a lich route that would not be my preference but it would make a lot of sense as a way to force Tyron to go a route he had tried so hard to avoid but it would also make me lament the last Anathema choices missed that would have empowered that option. Let me know if I'm wrong about remembering some of the last Anathema choices being beneficial to a lich type transformation.
Adam
I have read a few comments the last 2 chapters equating compulsion to the Divine Command and it just feels wrong. I very much feel that they are 2 separate things with compulsion being an availability to different classes, for example the Bard mentioned before, and the Divine Command being an entirely separate category. Compulsion being something that skills or training or stats or items can consistently resist and Divine Command taking something really unique or special to overcome if even possible. It just feels cheap to say they are both the same simply due to both effects amounting to manipulation.
Adam
I think I remember something mentioned in an earlier chapter about how little xp humans gave when killed. They were a gold but it is likely Tyron missed out on less xp than you would expect though I agree with your base sentiment for sure.
Puri Iresan
I think he will be near death and his uncle will Save him.
Vora_Vixen
@ Grey knight Lord. Dont make me get the newspaper. Cause you need a thwack for that.
Fozzy
You'd be surprised. There are quite a few out there.
Greyg
40 max level for subclasses that we know of so no boost no new spells nothing
Roger Mayol
Heart-to-no heart, I fear
BubblyGhost
You make it sound like necromancer stories are growing on trees
Sean Hibbitt
Ahhh, the saddest time of the week, when Tuesday is so far :(
David Burchfield
Yup had to do a double take also.
Brandon14754
it looks like in this case two wrongs made a right, his desire for vengeance made him need to kill her himself but the vampires mind messing increased his hate enough to do what was necessary to win
Wolve
TFTC
Bookworm bibliophile
Yeah he is self made human norcumancer. It would feel like those parasitic vampires had one.
Brudog2
Man when his uncle gets here it’s either gonna help a lot or do the complete opposite
Brudog2
That’s what his uncle is for
Brudog2
Couldn’t relate more
Pablo Hernandiez
Did anybody else think it said Anthony died
DrDankness
Finally. He can wipe the brands too for good measure. The entire region is free of them. Good fucking riddance
LurkerFrontCenter
I wish I could sign up for double Patreon to be another set of chapters ahead 😔 these last chapters have been going crazy
conkerer
Hmm maybe the sheer blasphemy of wrestling and strangling a representative of the divines to the ground would give a huge boost to his Anathema class
Darune Albane
I cannot wait till the brands are dead and gone
dethrothes
Well, he did kill her with a death bolt, so his subclass will get a shit ton of xp I guess
Grey Knight Lord
Hell no, she has been tainted by Ruphus and is no good no more.
John Pratt
Maybe not, it was Recillia's command, but not her power. His heart may be forcefully stopped until he kills the divines, or at least until the Three act to counter it.
Jupiter
I'm willing to bet that tyron will mess up and his uncle will sacrifice himself to get him out of the fire.
Jupiter
But why would he grow resistant to the compulsion? He is no different from any other human alive no matter his will and talent. Perhaps if he stops being human that should make him immune.
Derek Zoolander
Tyron can't die until he makes whoopie with Elsbeth
Runaway_Cactuar
The Madlad finally did it! The Red Tower had fallen! I, for one, look forward to the many heart-to-heart conversations the Gold Slayers will have with their Magister colleagues. I'm sure it would all be sincere and civilized~
alt31415
This makes sense. Like, if someone dies after burning paper to ash with a fireball, you wouldn't expect the ash to turn back to paper.
Magnus
I think it's because the power/will fueling the Divine Will is the gods rather than the noble. She even says something like that in the previous chapter I think. I wonder if this is what will finally drive him to make choices that change his physical body. Still Blood would probably solve his heart issue. Or becoming a lich of some kind if he wants to do it himself instead of using one of his patrons.
CentaureHeart
It's called murder therapy for Tyron so it's ok.
David Bordelon
The last few chapters have been raw awesome. Love it.
Jimmy Oneil
Rot already helped with the door. I think for the 3 thats already their equivalent of moving mountains to help
Zacharey
it would in time, but not instantly
SlanneshSoldier69
Easier to anger for one
Zacharey
the command that's stops his heart beating is gone, but it's still stopped. he's basically having a major heart attack until he can get it back to a steady rhythm
Grey Knight Lord
I was hoping as he ranked up to Gold he could start growing resistance to their compulsion
Greyg
The only thing i hate is not having a skeleton kill her for the xp she was essentially gold a skeleton needs to kill for experience
gabriel vieira
OH MYYYY AHAIFJWBXIIFWNDKFOOEJWNDKEKENDNEK , GOING THROUGH THE CHRYSALIS ITCH READING THIS IT WAS SO GOOOOOOOD
Illue
Pretty sure they left hate untouched/enflamed that one emotion
CentaureHeart
We don't really know for sure of what's left of the mindfuck honestly.
Fleetpanda
Yeah I want him to stay human… maybe this’ll be his next mystery. Living with a dead heart.
CentaureHeart
I think that's why they just gave him so many levels, they knew it was coming anyway.
CentaureHeart
I think a lot of that has to do with the vampires. I hope he can pull back from it, at least a bit. He needs a teaching session to remind him of his humanity
Dylan Alexander
He’s hardly human though, his humanity especially is long gone, he’s more akin to an animal now, a particularly crafty animal, like a panther or something.
Shimelton
Once Recillia died, shouldn’t her compulsion to stop Tyron’s heart end?
CentaureHeart
Either way, he's going to have to figure out something fast
ShadyTundra
Wouldn't manually pumping it cause it to start back up again?
Grey Knight Lord
Honestly, I would like that for any other Necromancer story, but not Tyron. Him being human makes him cool.
BubblyGhost
Didn't the vampires try to deaden his emotions/desires? Not imflame
RedeyeA
Tyron pierced his heart with a bunch of magical strings and then manually moved it. I am sure that has some health consequences. Also, hearts only sometimes restart by themselves after they stop. There might not be a force compelling his heart to stop anymore but there isn’t one telling it to start up.
Gabus Deux
Dont think so, the divines commanded his heart to stop beating with the girl as proxy, but maybe theres a loop hole in that she didnt say like, never beat again. Maybe he just needs to restart his heart or automate it with magic before he goes to sleep
stubs
probably a mix of the two
alt31415
Erryn dies. Dies like the dog she is.
Chris
Time to become a lich
Fozzy
I have to say, I don't read necromancer stories. They don't appeal to me. But I've read the previous 4 books + 69 chapters to have the same gleeful look on my face that Tyron has. It's been a long time coming.
John Anastacio
Too bad Tyron is maxed out on Anathema; he would get so many levels from toppling the Tower, destroying the brands, and murdering with his own hands a noble with Authority and also many Magisters.
SlanneshSoldier69
I can't tell if his desire for vengeance is what clouds his judgment here or more so what vampires did to him.
Andrew
Thank you!
ShadyTundra
If his command over the skeletons ends once he's dead why does her control over him continue after her death
Grey Knight Lord
Finally, she is dead. Now destroy the Brand and escape. Open a portal to the Abyss and get the heck out of town.
Buck
Nice! Great chapter! Can’t wait to see what happens when Tyron destroys the apparatus controlling the brands of the Slayers. I am rather surprised that Crone, Raven and Rot did not shield Tyron from the power of the Divines as manifested by the commands of their descendants.
CentaureHeart
Awesome ! Shouldn't Tyron's heart beat again since the Recillia died ? It's going to be cumbersome to get out of the city with one hand always occupied. Also, if Tyron doesn't get a new Mystery for this I would be surprised.
Sadly_streets_behind
So good.
John Berry
Good hunting
Gyatzilla
YES!!! Thank you for the chapter.
