William continued to stare intently at his reflection, the one displayed in a mirror that was adorned with devilishly intricate embellishments.
On the one hand, his stats were now significantly elevated thanks to the awakening of his Infernal bloodline, while on the other, his resistances and armor class were clearly displayed.
He appeared to have developed an unusual level of resistance to fire, a fact he was well aware of, given the intense and furious lovemaking session he and Karlach had just engaged in a few moments ago.
The resistance list continued with minor cold resistance, minor lightning resistance and minor poison resistance.
His Armor Class, a testament to his incredible defense, was a remarkable 17. The fact that he wasn't wearing any armor made his AC even more impressive.
William pulled his hand away from the devilishly ornate mirror and spun around, his summoned his wings without fully transforming into his devil state and flapped once to rise high into the air within his realm.
As he ascended to a height that allowed him to fully grasp the extent of his current realm, which was the size of a small island in its entirety, he witnessed the breathtaking spectacle of the rivulets of magma, which seemed to defy gravity itself and simply vanish into thin air.
He was left wondering about the ultimate destination of these molten streams.
William closed his eyes, his psionic energy surging forth from his own mind in a wave that had finally shed its chaotic purple hue, replaced now by a deep, pulsating crimson that enveloped the purple like a dancer moving gracefully alongside their partner.
This purple and red mental energy swept out like a gentle but fast moving wave in all directions and after a few moments seemed to lose cohesion in a full 2-mile radius around his realm but felt with each pulse of his energy he noticed an extremely slow but ever steady expansion.
He continued to make a valiant effort, trying to peer beyond the confines of his own realm, but it felt like he was constantly hitting his head against an impenetrable wall.
With a surge of his mental energy pulling itself back into himself, he spun around, his gaze returning to the small island, and there he saw it: a pillar of magma erupting from nowhere into the very depths of his island, as if the lava itself were somehow holding it in place, contained within the void.
He lifted his hand and created a fire bolt, flames licking his skin with what could be described as tender affection.
With unwavering focus, William directed his will towards the flames.
As a result, the fire bolt undergoing his manipulation began to transform its shape, evolving into a serpentine tendril that danced gracefully both along and between his fingers.
This tendril continued to move, its movements becoming more precise as it reached the tip of his index finger.
Finally, the tendril's form condensed, emitting a faint, almost imperceptible humming sound as it reached its peak.
He pointed his finger towards one of the trees that bordered the edge of his island, and the low humming sound that had been emanating from it suddenly began to transform, becoming shrill and grating on the ears.
Then, with a quick, practiced motion, he dropped his thumb onto his finger like the hammer of a gun, a momentarily silencing filled the void.
BOOM...
WHOOSH...
A spear of flames, blazing and intense, erupted directly from the tip of his finger and soared into the air, propelled with enough force to generate powerful vortex rings that began to dance around the flames as they slammed into the sturdy trunk of the tall tree.
However, rather than the loud, booming bang he'd been expecting, the flames instead proceeded to carve their way through the wood of the trunk with a series of angry, satisfying punches.
It was as if a white-hot blade had been driven straight through the blocky texture of the tofu.
"I just discovered how to utilize the scorching ray, I wonder what else is possible..." He turned his attention towards the mirror that floated centrally within his realm, letting his hand sweep over its surface.
His spell list shimmered into view on either side of the reflection.
[SPELL LIST]
Cantrips
Dancing Lights (racial)
Mage Hand
Minor Illusion
Fire Bolt
Fire Ray
Prestidigitation
Level 1 Spells
Faerie Fire
An evocation spell that allows spellcasters to conjure brilliant light. Any creature caught in the radius temporarily sheds faint light and prevents invisibility
Charm Person
A spell that allows spellcasters to temporarily charm a humanoid creature, granting Advantage on Charisma Checks.
Shield
Magic that allows spellcasters to avoid being hit by an enemy attack at the last possible instant. It also nullifies Magic Missile damage against them.
Expeditious Retreat
Transmutes magic into your legs for a burst of speed that helps flee from combat or to maintain distance.
Hellish Rebuke
React to incoming damage with an accusing point of your finger, flames surround the enemy attacking you dealing fire damage as a reaction.
Innate Aberrant Spells (Always Known/Bloodline):
Alter Self - Able to change from your Mortal form and your Devil form at will or subconsciously.
Arms of Hadar
Writhing void-tendrils erupt outward, crushing and clawing at nearby enemies while dragging shadows across the ground.
Dissonant Whispers
A psychic intrusion that floods the target with alien terror, forcing them to flee as their mind screams.
Darkness
A sphere of absolute shadow that blinds creatures within. Ranged attacks cannot pass through it.
Level 2 Spells
Misty Step
William dissolves into a ripple of warped space and reappears up to 30 feet away.
Scorching Ray (New)
Hurl 3 rays of fire. Each ray deals 2∼12 Fire damage.
Mirror Image (New)
Channel your raw magic into three illusory copies that each add +3 to your AC, when an attack misses you and strikes a copy it disappears.
Invisibility (New)
Using your magic to bend the light around you allows spellcasters to turn themselves and other creatures Invisible Invisible to the naked eye.
Level 3 spells
Hypnotizing Pattern
creatures that can see the pattern. They cannot attack you. They cannot move nor act.
Counterspell
It allows spellcasters to interrupt another caster's spellcasting, causing it to fail and have no effect.
Fireball (A wizards best friend)
Shoot a bright flame from your fingers that explodes upon contact, torching everything in the vicinity
"Oh shit I got fireball too, that will... Come in hand!" He imagined himself standing on a massive tower and raining fireballs on surrounding enemies who cry out in pain and suffering.
"Like a proper fucking Wizard hehehe!" He scratched the back of his head and smiled with too many fangs.
He shot towards the ground of his island with enough force to cause the air to burst behind in circular rings, and he landed sharply in the center, followed closely by the devilishly ornate mirror.
"Okay let's have some fun!" He reached into the shimmering reflection of the mirror and pulled out himself.
He looked at his copy for a moment and nodded, "Hello handsome!"
Unlike before when his reflection was mute, this time he met Williams gaze and smiled.
"We are quite the handsome devil aren't we!"
They clasped forearms together and shared a moment of laughter before both becoming suddenly serious and simultaneously launching backwards with a single, powerful flap of their wings.
With a swift and powerful gesture, William brought forth the Widower from the depths of his mind.
Immediately, he took up a combat stance, his sword held aloft towards his duplicate, the blade crackling with an unnatural necrotic energy.
In his free hand, he formed a fiery bolt, the flames glowing with an infernal intensity.
His copy smiled with devilish glee and he too summoned a sword in his hand, but unlike what he expected, it wasn't the Widower in his hands but a fantastic Elven longsword that seemed to soak in the surrounding light and let off a faint shimmer in response.
On the flat side of the longsword, there was a beautifully crafted and quite terrifying motif carved into the mysterious metal.
It depicted two figures locked in an eternal struggle, one representing the light and the other the dark.
Williams' copy lunged at him with terrifying speed, his blade raised for a downward swing that would undoubtedly cut him clean in two from bow to stern.
He lifted his trusty Widower to meet the incoming elven longsword at an angle that sent it sparking off to the side and carving into the ground.
William placed the fully charged fire bolt at the copies abdomen.
Boom...
The fire damage did very little but the force behind it sent the copy sliding backwards in a puff of smoke that he immediately shot forth from with before leaping into the air on the left and using a single wing to flap into a tight spin with the Elvin longsword.
William blocked the attack but there was no impact, instead the image of his clone passed through him entirely, he turned to see the image of his clone dissipating into motes of illusory lights but not before giving William a middle finger and a smirk.
POW...
William was suddenly sent flying forward as his copy had appeared behind him and was clearly physical enough to land a solid kick into William's back.
"Fucking illusions..." He spat as he rose back to his feet and began channeling illusion magic of his own.
Three illusory images, each perfectly resembling Williams, materialized from around him, and suddenly, his actual physical form became far more difficult to focus on clearly.
William's illusionary doubles shattered like glass in a hurricane as his mirror clone answered in kind, conjuring a storm of false selves that folded over the battlefield.
The air above the island thickened with afterimages.
Wings beat in overlapping rhythms.
Steel flashed in a dizzying lattice.
The clone, seemingly out of nowhere, launched a flurry of slashes, each one splitting into a dozen phantom trajectories that danced through the air before striking its target.
William twisted through them, his Widow's Carving carving a defensive arc that rang like a struck bell.
Sparks fountained and died in the sulfurous air.
He responded with a swift, snapping kick, followed immediately by a powerful burst of flame that erupted between them, seeming to blossom like a hungry, fiery flower.
The explosion swallowed both figures.
Two distinct silhouettes emerged from the swirling smoke, their movements shifting abruptly as they shot off in opposite directions, skidding across the blackened stone surface.
William took the lead, launching forward with a powerful burst of energy as his wings snapped open with a deafening crack that echoed through the air.
His clone responded with a perfect mirror image of his own voice, both figures streaking directly towards each other, moving as if they were two mirrored comets heading straight for each other.
Shing...
The blades collided directly in the middle of the island, creating a deafening shriek that echoed through the air and sent a shockwave rippling out in all directions, causing the black stone beneath their feet to vibrate and the distant trees to sway.
The impact folded the air around them.
A ring of distorted space erupted outward from the two locked weapons, sending a shower of ash and embers flying. Their identical burning eyes stared into each other's, revealing a chilling intensity.
Necrotic energy crawled along the edge of the Widower, while the elven longsword shimmered with pale, hungry light.
The moment the blades made direct contact, the very fabric of magic surrounding them seemed to begin to unravel, its vibrant colors transforming into a dazzling tapestry of crimson and silver.
Then, a series of dazzling sparks erupted from the scene.
The clone twisted its wrist and the shimmer exploded.
A surge of illusion magic detonated point blank.
The battlefield transformed into a chaotic mess, with false islands emerging everywhere, each populated by a dozen Williams, lunging from impossible angles and positions.
Steel whistled from every direction.
William inhaled sharply and let his psionic sense flood outward.
Crimson energy pulsed from his chest in a steady rhythm, washing over the illusions like a tide.
Most of them dissolved on contact, bursting into drifting motes, but three remained solid enough to strike.
He spun low, wings dragging sparks from the stone as he carved a sweeping arc with the Widower.
One phantom shattered.
He ducked beneath a second strike and drove his elbow backward into the ribs of another, dispersing it in a flash of red light.
The real clone emerged from above.
It dove with its longsword raised, blade screaming as it cut through the air.
William crossed his sword overhead just in time.
The force of the collision sent his body crashing to his knees, the impact leaving visible cracks in his boots, while a surge of raw magical energy seemed to press down on him, feeling like a star about to collapse.
Flame erupted around them.
The clone's free hand blazed with infernal fire that poured over William in a roaring torrent.
Heat wrapped around him like a living thing, but his resistance drank it in.
He bared his fangs in a fierce grin and answered with fire of his own.
Crimson and gold flames flared up and collided directly between the bodies, squeezing together with incredible force until they formed a blinding sphere, radiating an intense, violent hum.
Then it burst.
Both were hurled apart, skidding across the island in opposite directions.
William rolled to his feet and launched forward again without hesitation.
He flicked his wrist, and a trio of scorching rays spiraled from his fingertips, weaving together into a twisting helix of fire.
The clone slashed its sword through the spell.
The blade drank the flames, splitting the helix into ribbons that curled harmlessly around its body. It rushed through the fading fire and met William in a blur of motion.
Their duel became a storm.
Steel rang in rapid succession as they traded strikes too fast for the eye to follow.
Wings beat furiously, keeping them suspended inches above the ground as they circled and clashed.
With every impact that landed on the ground, a series of ripples spread out through the air, and the island seemed to echo the relentless rhythm of their ongoing battle.
William felt the rhythm settle into his bones.
Every movement of his clone was his own, reflected back with merciless precision.
He stopped trying to overpower it and instead leaned into that symmetry.
He orchestrated a feint that was both familiar and designed to lull the opponent's guard down just enough, creating an opening for the downward slash he was confident would follow.
The clone took it.
As the longsword descended, William stepped inside the arc instead of retreating.
The blade skimmed past his shoulder, close enough to kiss fabric.
With his left hand, he managed to grab hold of the clone's sword arm, his fingers digging into the wrist in a vise-like grip, effectively trapping the weapon.
At the very same moment he rotated the Widower, he brought its hilt slamming hard against the flat side of the elven blade.
A sharp, ringing crack split the air.
The impact jolted through the clone's arm.
Its fingers spasmed.
William twisted hard, leveraging both his grip and the angle of the strike.
The longsword tore free from the clone's grasp and spun upward in a glittering arc.
Time seemed to slow.
William released his wrist, snapped his off hand into the air, and caught the falling weapon by its hilt.
The instant his fingers curled around it, a powerful, alien light shot up his arm, feeling both cold and electric.
He did not let it distract him.
He stepped forward and crossed both blades in a single fluid motion.
The Widower's necrotic edge pressed lightly against the right side of the clone's neck.
The captured elven longsword kissed the left.
Twin lines of power hummed inches from identical skin.
The clone froze.
For a heartbeat they stood locked in perfect stillness, breathing in unison.
Then the mirror image smiled, slow and proud, and raised its hands.
"Fair," it said softly.
Its body began to glow from within.
Light seeped through the seams of its form, brightening until its features blurred.
The pressure in the air eased as the magic sustaining it unraveled.
William held his stance until the last possible second.
The clone, once solid and defined, began to dissolve, transforming into a shimmering cloud of particles that floated upwards, resembling the way sparks rise from a dying flame.
They spiraled once around him, warm and gentle, before fading into nothing.
Silence settled over the island.
William lowered the blades and exhaled.
The elven longsword held in his left hand flickered for a moment before melting away into a bright stream of pale light, which then flowed back towards the floating mirror that served as the center point of his realm.
The Widower's dark edge dimmed to a steady pulse.
He found himself alone once again, standing amidst the scorched stone and the drifting embers, his wings slowly folding against his back, the memory of the duel still echoing in his veins.
"It's going to take a while for me to get used to this sudden surge in power and magical prowess, but..." He paused for a moment, his face contorting into a wicked grin, "...I'm going to have a blast with it!"