by Seth Ring
Walking up the large stone stairs to the main temple, Thorn’s thoughts drifted back to Hati's Ascent, the corrupted temple that had been turned into a dungeon where he had first met Hati. Much of the stonework of the current Temple of the Moon was the same, once again proving to him how interconnected the game was. Though people had been playing the game for years, it was obvious that they had only just begun to scratch the surface.
The large temple had a wide set of doors that opened up into an ingeniously designed room that held the main statue of Hati. The roof of the building rotated throughout the day, blocking the sunlight but allowing the moon to shine down on the statue. Stepping into the light of the moon, Thorn felt his spirit relax, the stress and pressure of the day melting away.
Letting out a deep breath, Thorn buckled on his helmet and settled into his first stance. For his whole life, his martial arts had been a form of meditation for him, and nothing had changed when he came to Nova Terra. Pushing his palms out in front of his chest slowly, he slid his right foot forward and gently rotated, his arms floating through the air.
Slowly, calmly, Thorn completed his first set of forms and continued into his second set. After running through all of his forms, he came to a rest and breathed out one final time. Taking a seat with his legs crossed, he rested his hands in his lap, his thumbs maintaining the barest amount of contact. Deep breaths filled his abdomen, filling his body with energy. Holding each breath for a moment, he exhaled, sending the turbid air in his lungs whooshing out like an arrow. The rhythm of his breathing filled him, driving any other thoughts from his mind.
At one point, the temple caretaker arrived to light some incense in the temple but stopped when he saw Thorn’s huge figure seated before the statue of Hati. Lost in his meditation, Thorn felt something shift inside of him and opened his eyes, only to find his surroundings changed. The temple was gone, and in its place was a smooth, silvery surface that stretched into the distance.
Standing up, Thorn spotted something in the distance and began walking toward it. The dark shape was blurry at first, but the closer Thorn got, the sharper his vision became, until he felt like he could see every detail of the dark fur that covered the wolf’s body. Instinctively, Thorn understood that the wolf was Hati, despite the fact that the wolf barely came up to his shoulder.
Stopping next to Hati, Thorn looked down. In front of him an endless abyss stretched, containing a darkness so deep that it threatened to suck him in. Frowning slightly as he felt his mind wavering, Thorn felt like staring into the darkness any longer would be terribly dangerous. Still, he could not help himself and his strength continued to drain away.
[That is not safe, child.]
Hati’s warm voice wrapped around Thorn, pulling him back from the edge. Feeling warm fur at his side, Thorn’s hand reached up to caress the fur on Hati’s shoulder.
[The Abyss is not a place that anyone can face alone. No matter how strong you become, the darkness there will swallow your light and turn it to darkness.]
“Then how do we beat it?”
[By standing together. Together our light is amplified. When we reflect off of others, our light grows. But enough of this. You did not come here to hear my sermon. Tell me, avatar of mine, how are you?]
“I’m good.” Letting out a deep breath, Thorn turned away from the endless abyss and faced Hati. “I’m really good. Life is full, and complicated, and tiring, and I have a feeling that things are going to get pretty crazy soon, maybe in a bad way. But I’m good.”
Though a wolf could not really smile, Thorn got the distinct impression that Hati was laughing at him.
[You are quite perceptive, Titan of Earth. Though I guess I should not call you by that name yet. First, you must unveil the power of your heart.]
“Yeah, about that. Can you explain what is going on? This game is awesome, but the complete lack of explanations is seriously irritating. I’ve already embarrassed myself countless times and I don’t fancy doing it again.”
[What do you mean? What do you need an explanation about?]
“This! All of...this. Sure, okay, my heart has been replaced with this Stone Heart. And that makes me the Titan of Earth. Or it will once I’ve unlocked the heart. How do I do that? What does it mean to be the Titan of Earth? Are there other Titans? How come all of this stuff is happening to me? Why do I keep getting all these quests? What do I do with a whole valley full of people?”
As a torrent of questions poured from Thorn’s lips, Hati sat down on his haunches and cocked his head to the side. Eventually Thorn had to pause to take a deep breath. About to launch into more questions, his eyes met Hati’s and the words caught in his throat. After a moment of silence he lowered his head, his gaze falling onto his hands, and sighed.
“You are not going to answer my questions, are you?”
[Heh, no, no I’m not. I’m sorry, Thorn, but I cannot reveal the secrets of heaven. All of these questions are things you will have to discover for yourself. Without the journey to discover the answers, the questions would lose all value. What I can say is that you and your companions have and will continue to change the world. Since you stepped foot in Nova Terra, it has never been the same. What could be better?]
“I guess that’s true.” Still looking at his hands, Thorn slowly made a fist.
[Thorn, our time grows short and I must return to my task. But do not fear what the future brings, you would not have been chosen if you were not up to the task.]
Hati finished speaking, his form growing larger until he filled Thorn’s vision. A gentle, hot breath caressed his face as Hati breathed out. As Thorn’s vision faded, he saw Hati turn toward the darkness and throw back his head like he was howling before launching himself into the endless abyss.
Opening his eyes, Thorn was back in the temple, sitting in front of the statue of Hati. The first light of dawn was beginning to peek over the mountains and spill into the valley. As he was about to stand up, a silver light flickered in the statue’s eyes and Thorn’s armor changed before his eyes. The thick, bronze plates were gone, replaced by subtle fur-like silver scales. Grinning, Thorn opened up his menu and selected his armor.
Flexing the razor sharp claws on his gauntlets, Thorn jumped to his feet. The motion was smooth and simple due to the increase in his agility granted by Hati’s Blessing. An unprecedented feeling of strength filled him as the bonuses from his [Wolf Hide] and [Wolf Helm] abilities took effect.
Settling into his martial stance once more, Thorn began to run through his forms, this time holding nothing back. His fists ripped the air, blurring as he tore imaginary enemies apart. Laughing out loud, he cupped his fists and bowed to the statue of Hati before leaving the temple and heading for the kitchen.
Once breakfast was over, Thorn rushed back toward Treefell Village, his silver armor gleaming in the morning light. The camp seemed exactly the same as when he had left it, and as he walked toward his tent his shining silver armor caught many of the soldiers' attention.
“Greetings, my lord.” Captain Del’har saluted with his hand over his chest when he saw Thorn walk up, the rest of the officers following suit.
“How is everything proceeding?”
Hasta stepped forward and gave Thorn’s new outfit an appraising look and then glanced down at his own armor before replying.
“It is going well so far. There have been some problems with groups of assassins, but we’ve reinforced the sweeping teams which has helped. Still, it is a rough fight. Casualties have gone up by about fifteen percent as of dawn, which was less than I anticipated.”
“Hmm. Assassins? Are they part of Devil’s Blood?”
“We have not been able to make a positive identification but based on the descriptions of the Freemen who have encountered them previously, I think so.”
“Tell everyone to be careful, if they are part of Devil’s Blood, they’re strong. I’ve tangled with them myself. Be especially careful if you see any with different color masks. The leader we
ars a red mask if I remember right.”
“I’ll relay that, sir.”
“What about the professional teams?” Thorn turned his head to ask Captain Del’har. The day before the three dungeon diving squads had split up to reinforce the other towns in the valley while Thorn held the base at Treefell.
“The Titan Squad is holding the ruins of Greymane Keep, Deimos is holding the Southern Stockade, and Phobos is clearing the forest south of the road between here and Greymane Town. Once the sweep has caught up to them, we’re going to make a concentrated push toward Greyfield village. We’re pretty sure that is where Gelish is right now. If we can take Greyfield and hold the Southern Stockade, we can set up a strong blockade of the abandoned Temple of the Moon where Mayari is sealed. But before that, I think it would be appropriate for you to address the troops, sir. Especially since you have regained your proper, uh, form.”
“You mean this armor?”
“Yes, my lord. Many of our soldiers joined us because they saw your fight against the Stone King, Courdum. Seeing you in that form will be quite inspiring.”
“Good thing I got my voice back, huh. Otherwise this would be really awkward.”
“That is true, my lord.”
“Alright, Corvo warned me that this would have to happen at some point. Go ahead and set it up. I’ll think of something to say.”
Saluting, Captain Del’har hurried off to organize the gathering, leaving Thorn facing Hasta.
“Hello, Henry. You seem to be enjoying Nova Terra.”
“Yes, sir.” Hasta smiled widely, resting his hand on the short sword at his waist. “A world where I can fight freely and often is a welcome change from normal life.”
“Good, I’m glad you are settling in. Do let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you, sir. As long as you let me and the boys whip this army into shape I should be good. Speaking of which, I should go assist the captain. Some of the players are not so fond of listening to an NPC.”
“Sure,” Thorn waved his hand. “Just send me a message when you are ready.”
After watching Hasta salute and leave, Thorn sat down and cupped his chin in his hands. Before he had entered the game he had no experience with public speaking, though the thought of it had never troubled him. Athena had given countless talks and presentations that he had watched so he was quite familiar with the basic principles of public speaking, but his experience was quite limited overall.
Thankfully, the training he had done for his [Dawn Form] had included some public speaking. In fact, his whole class path revolved around speaking to other people. And this was not much different from speaking to one or two people. Mulling over what to speak about, Thorn began to think about the whole questline he was on.
His encounter with Mayari had been quite brief, but she carried the stench of the devils and every indication was that there was a greater devil behind the change in the quest. While Thorn had encountered Karrandras a number of times and even defeated his pawns, there was something unsettling about how everything was ramping up. The changes on Rasyn that preceded the Orc invasion, the strange smell on the third prince, the reports about the changes on the southern continent.
Everything seemed to indicate that the devils were planning a major move, and Thorn was quickly getting swept up in the building maelstrom. With a sigh, Thorn pushed his thoughts aside when he saw Captain Del’har approaching. Standing up, he buckled on his helmet and rolled his head around his shoulders. It was time to give a speech.
Chapter Three
The bright flags that ringed the parade ground snapped in the morning breeze, creating a lively atmosphere. Rows of players stood in their units as they waited for Thorn to arrive, their mixed armor and weapons presenting a stunning sight. Each of the units of ten had three tanks, three dedicated DPS, two healers, and two support classes, creating a roughly uniform fighting force.
Most of the players who had been recruited for the Greymane Army were accomplished, though not quite at the level of an Elite player. When the valley had opened up paid recruitment, they had flocked for the chance to step into the ranks of the professional gamers. After fighting fiercely for the 10,000 slots, they were full of high spirits. Not even the abrupt deployment to the valley had been able to dampen their excitement.
As Thorn walked up onto a small platform that the Captain had set up, he could see thousands of pairs of eyes looking back at him. Reading many things in those gazes, Thorn was stunned to see how intensely they focused on him. Lifting his hands, Thorn removed his helmet and clipped it to his belt. Summoning his tetsubo from his inventory, he planted his feet in the center of the stage and rested the tip of his metal weapon next to his foot.
Seven of the ten battalions that made up the Greymane Army special troops were lined up in front of him, but despite the pressure, Thorn suddenly felt really good. The familiar excitement of a dangerous situation coursed through him, causing a slight smile to slip onto his face. A thick silence hung over the field as the soldiers waited for Thorn to speak.
“Greetings, soldiers.” Thorn paused slightly, his gaze sweeping across the field. “Soldiers. Heh. What a strange way to refer to you. After all, some of you might still think of yourselves as gamers. Professional gamers at that. Feels good, doesn’t it? Well, I’m sorry to shatter your dreams, but we are not offering professional gaming careers here. If that is your goal, you have come to the wrong place. If your goal is to be the greatest warrior, the greatest mage, the greatest tracker, or the greatest scullery maid in Nova Terra, you are in the wrong place.”
Confused, one of the officers next to Hasta turned to him to ask what was going on, only to be silenced by a look. On the stage, Thorn scratched his chin, his deep voice continuing to roll out over the field.
“No, what we offer here is something else entirely. Something new, something that has never been done before in this world. Something that will never be replicated. Something that will cement your name in legend. You have committed yourselves to becoming, not the greatest of warriors, but the greatest of soldiers. Before today, you were all individuals, with your own stories, your own concerns, but from this point on, you will become something more.
“Today is just a beginning. The beginning of a story that will be told in eras to come. A story that will leave our enemies cowering. A story that will grant hope to our allies. Today is the beginning of the Iron Wolf Army. Though the process will be long, though it will be hard, though you will find yourself sorely tested, know that today marks a moment in time that will never be forgotten.”
Lifting his tetsubo to his shoulder, Thorn’s presence dominated the field. Wherever his gaze landed the soldiers stood straighter, passion burning in their eyes. A wide smile spread across Thorn’s face as he continued.
“We have much to learn, much to improve upon, but already we face our first threat. The traitor Gelish, former head disciple of the Temple of the Moon, has spread the corruption of an ancient evil and seeks to overthrow the valley. Yesterday we spilled our blood to prevent them from destroying our homes. Even now, our brothers and sisters fight against the Devil’s Blood cult throughout the valley. But we will not be defeated. Soon we will take the fight to them and rid our land of this blight.
“Today, you are not adventurers any longer. You have a new identity. Today you are soldiers. Soldiers who will be forged into the finest fighting force that this world has ever seen. Today, you are the Iron Wolf Army!”
Completely caught up in the moment, an armored cleric stepped forward and raised her morningstar into the air.
“Iron Wolves!”
Her cry echoed across the field like an electric shock. Hundreds of other players stepped forward, their weapons rising.
“Iron Wolves!”
The cry was taken up by the rest of the soldiers, who stepped forward with an earthshaking crash, their weapons held high. Throwing back their heads, they yelled out.
“Iron Wolves!”
O
n the stage, Thorn’s small smile grew into a great grin. Lifting his tetsubo into the air, he raised his voice in a long wolf’s howl that echoed eerily above the thunderous chant. The howl radiated out, filling the seven battalions with energy and causing their fervor to reach its peak. Once the chant had ended, thorn put his tetsubo back down and held up his hand for quiet.
“Let this moment be ingrained in your minds, for today you have witnessed history being made. Soon we will join our brothers and sisters who are containing the Devil’s Blood cult. The fight will be fierce, and some of us may fall. But know that we will prevail.”
With a wave, Thorn turned and walked off the platform, heading back to the command tent in the center of camp with Captain Del’har as Hasta took his place to begin issuing orders. As he walked away, Thorn could feel a change taking place in him, and before he could say anything his intuition was proven accurate.
*ding*
While his [Basic Weapons Mastery] ability had not changed on the surface, Thorn had reached a journeyman level of proficiency with all of the basic weapons. Combined with an improvement in his [Oration Proficiency], he had finally mastered the Disciple class and advanced to a Dawn Walker. Mastering a class gave him a mastery ability as well, a special passive that granted him a bonus.
The Dawn Walker mastery was one that built on the abilities that he already had, improving them and making them harder to resist. Already granted bonuses to his ability to sway others, Thorn almost burst out laughing when he saw [Persuasive Aura]. He had never intended to develop a silver tongue, but since it had happened he would gladly take advantage of it.
As he moved on to check the other changes that his newly advanced class brought him, Thorn paused and reopened his [Persuasive Aura], his smile slowly leaving his face. There was something in the wording that reminded him of his last interactions with Ouroboros and the manipulative sound that his words carried. Resolving to talk to Velin about it, Thorn shook his head and closed the window.