Apocalypse: Starting With Three Unique Blessings-Chapter 28: Dealing With Gaylord (2)

"Excellent, that’s quite sufficient," Magnus declared, fixing Kragnir with a stare that so unnerved the goblin, he fidgeted uneasily. Magnus added, "And by the way, drop the ’sir’ business. It makes me feel ancient. ’Lord Magnus’ will do nicely."

"Uh, certainly, si... I mean, Lord Magnus," Kragnir stammered, correcting himself quickly.

"Good. Take him away and prepare him for the grand occasion," Magnus instructed one of his summons standing silently behind Kragnir.

"Right away, Lord Magnus," the summon bowed respectfully before turning to Kragnir. "This way," he gestured, leading the bewildered goblin deeper into the fortress.

The remaining captives, including Kragnir, were thoroughly confused by this exchange. ’Grand occasion? What grand occasion?’ they all wondered simultaneously.

Magnus offered no explanation. Once Kragnir and the summon had departed, he turned his attention to the other bound goblins, his eyes glowing with an unsettling intensity.

"As for the rest of you," he began, his voice chillingly calm, "you bear the responsibility for the deaths of thousands within my territory, including my father. You have left my people suffering and grieving. You betrayed the trust my father and his men placed in you, stabbing them in the back. For these crimes, I decree your deaths."

A palpable chill ran through the bound goblins as his words sunk in. Their blood ran cold.

"Even a thousand deaths for each of you would not be enough to satiate the bloodlust of my people, nor assuage their grief," Magnus continued, his voice dropping even lower, laced with chilling finality. "So, as you die, know that your debt will remain unpaid. I hope you continue to pay the price even in the afterlife."

A heavy silence descended upon the room, suffocating the goblins with the weight of their impending doom. Horror etched itself onto their faces.

Kael and Magnus’s two other summons stood silently observing the scene. Kael’s eyes burned with fury as Magnus spoke. He wholeheartedly agreed with his lord; no amount of suffering could ever truly repay the treachery of these goblins. They deserved to die a million times over, and even then, their debt would remain unsettled.

"And you," Magnus continued, shifting his gaze to Gaylord, who visibly trembled under the intensity of Magnus’s burning stare.

"You orchestrated this entire atrocity. You bear the greatest responsibility for the betrayal of my father and his men, who trusted you implicitly. You stabbed them in the back, driven by envy and greed, and thousands paid the price for your wickedness."

Magnus paused, letting the weight of his words hang in the air. "Even if I were to kill you a billion times over, the anger, the rage, the sheer spite my people hold against you would remain unquenched. Therefore, I will leave your fate to be decided by my people."

He turned to one of the summons who had accompanied him. "Take him away. Return him to our territory."

"As you command, Lord Magnus," the summon replied with a bow, approaching Gaylord and swiftly escorting him from the room.

Magnus then addressed the remaining goblins, their bodies shivering in anticipation. "As for the rest of you," he stated, "I entrust your fates to Kael."

Kael’s eyes lit up with a fierce intensity. He looked like a child presented with their most cherished toy. This was the opportunity he had been craving – to deliver justice to these traitors. Finally, the chance was his.

"At once, Lord Magnus," Kael stepped forward eagerly. "I will ensure they experience the deepest regret for their actions."

"Very well, Kael," Magnus responded. "Do with them as you see fit. Just bring me their heads before sunrise."

"Consider it done, Lord Magnus," Kael replied, his face brimming with grim satisfaction.

Magnus nodded and turned to leave. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps when the first resounding screams began to echo from behind him. Kael wasted no time in enacting his judgment.

Magnus didn’t look back. He would allow Kael to vent the pent-up fury stemming from his own past betrayals. Perhaps this act of retribution would offer him some measure of healing.

The guttural screams continued to tear through the air as Magnus walked away, a chilling testament to the agony Kael was inflicting. He was showing no mercy.

Finally, Magnus emerged from the building, standing before its imposing facade. The moment he stepped outside, the noise ceased abruptly. It was as if he had entered another dimension. In reality, his summons had erected a sound-dampening barrier around the building, ensuring that no matter how loud the screams became, they wouldn’t penetrate the silence outside.

As Magnus stepped outside, with the sounds of the goblins’ suffering fading away, a sense of peace finally settled over him. The cool night air brushed against his face, playfully tousling his hair. He took a deep breath, then looked up at the sky, where the full moon of Aetherium glowed with an almost ethereal luminescence.

For a few minutes, Magnus stood motionless, admiring the celestial display, his breathing slow and even. Finally, he exhaled softly and lowered his gaze.

"Status," he commanded quietly.

-----

-[Status]

Name: Magnus Lancaster

Age: 18

Health: 100% (Full Health)

Title: (Lucky Son of Arthur Lancaster)

Level: 5

Trial Status: (0/10)

Magic Affinity: Locked

Mana: 1,000

[EVOLUTION POINTS: 29,050]

[Attributes]

Strength: 1,000

Agility: 1,000

Defense: 1,000

Charm: 1,000

Endurance: 1,000

Luck: 100 [Max]

〔Attribute Points: 1,233〕

[Skills]

>General Skills:

×10 Reward [SS], Akashic Insight [SS], Synthesis [SS], Summoning [SSS], Aegis of Mind [S]

>Combat Skills:

Unarmed Combat [Lvl 7/10], Archery [Lvl 3/10], Swordsmanship [Lvl 3/10], Blade Mastery [Lvl 8/10]

>Magic Skills:

None (Locked until Essence Awakening)

>Crafting Skills:

Apothecary [Lv 7/10]

-----

Magnus sighed as he reviewed his status screen. His attribute points seemed to have plateaued at 1,000, a surprising development. Not because they had stopped increasing, but because they had reached such a high level in the first place.

He knew, from articles published by the Emperor’s Crucible developers back on Earth, that unawakened individuals of all races in Aetherium had attribute limitations. For an average human, the baseline was around 10. While some individuals could surpass this through rigorous training or other methods, there was always an upper limit.

Other races possessed higher baselines than humans, reflecting their superior physical constitutions. Humans were generally considered the weakest in terms of raw physical strength and resilience. However, their talent and affinity for magic and mana compensated for these physical shortcomings, placing them among the strongest races in Aetherium.

Even considering the inherent advantages of other races, Magnus’s attributes were exceptionally high. Reaching 1,000 before awakening was unprecedented. With his current physical strength alone, he could likely contend with some awakened individuals of both human and other races.

This realization prompted him to consider his potential after his magical essence and affinity awakened. Would he also surpass the typical limitations of awakened individuals? After all, even they had limits, which was why they focused on completing trials and leveling up.

Each level gained allowed them to transcend their previous limitations. Their mana cores expanded, increasing their mana capacity and control, enabling them to cast more potent and complex magic. However, the limits for awakened individuals were so high that most never reached them before leveling up.

Magnus sighed again, processing this information. With a thought, he dismissed the status screen and looked back up at the sky. The sun was beginning to rise, signaling the imminent arrival of morning, and the conclusion of his grim task.

Lost in thought, he heard footsteps approaching from behind. The sound suggested two individuals, and without turning, Magnus knew exactly who they were.

"I see you’re prepared for what lies ahead," he murmured.

"Yes, Lord Magnus," Kragnir stammered from behind him. "Might I inquire as to what my role in this will be?"

"Good question," Magnus replied, turning to face Kragnir and the accompanying summon.

Kragnir looked remarkably different. He had been cleaned, and he wore a grand, ornate goblin attire fit for royalty – one of Gaylord’s own garments. He had clearly been well-fed, perhaps for the first time in weeks. A spark of life had returned to his eyes.

"Your task is this," Magnus said, producing a small, metal box. Shimmering patterns, seemingly drawn with light itself, adorned its surface. An otherworldly aura emanated from the object.

Kragnir’s eyes widened as he recognized the item. "The Lord’s Seal..." he whispered, awestruck.