by Tao Wong
His attack thwarted, Roxley had to break his momentum with a fast staccato of taps. The motions were flourishes on the original dance and allowed—marginally—though Roxley absently noted that his style points dropped once again. In quick succession, the pair exchanged a series of attacks, Roxley continually missing as Tomaidh shifted and morphed his long body. Roxley dodged and received the attacks with determination, searching for Tomaidh’s flaw.
“Ten seconds!” Bress called.
As Roxley twirled away from a strike, following the beat of the music, he spotted his friend’s straining face as metal chains formed from the platform gripped the Elemental. Chain after chain melted under the onslaught of the Elemental’s molten body, only to be replaced by others. Occasionally Bress released a blast of cold air, solidifying some of the melted metal around the Elemental’s body and pushing Xoxe off course. The attack should not have worked on a participant at this level, but between the sloped platform and the now constantly altering beat of music, the additional disruption seemed to be causing Xoxe great discomfort.
Eyes glittering with understanding, Roxley laughed and stamped his foot. He spun aside, turning his Aura and other enhancements to full blast as he focused on Tomaidh. An overhand cut targeted at Tomaidh’s neck sliced at the edges of the man’s skin, the sudden change in environment throwing off the dancer. Another step, another cut, another Skill—Commanding Presence.
“Stop!” Roxley snarled.
Tomaidh froze as the words struck him, and Roxley buried his sword in the man’s skull. A twist sent arcs of Mana directly into the man’s cortex, driving his opponent to the floor. Roxley turned and kicked, sending the man’s body flying toward the corner of the tilted platform where the lava waited. Seconds later, beam cannons opened up.
“You fool!” Xoxe screamed as she dodged the fire, but it was too late.
Her focus disrupted, the Elemental dismissed itself, leaving her to the tender mercies of the beam cannons and Bress. Roxley smiled grimly, waiting for the ending teleportation. Time to go home.
0.43 Earth days before System Initiation
High above, the surviving participants stood on a floating platform. Below them, the remains of the dance floor were being slowly broken up and taken away to be fixed and reused. Floating repair ships scooped up broken portions of failed technological pieces, attempting to recover as much possible. On the platform above, none of the broken detritus was paid any attention as the winners were showered with accolades and gifts.
In a lull between guests, Bress turned to Roxley. “I thought we weren’t supposed to be winning?”
“Things happen.” Roxley glared at Xoxe, the woman looking away from him. From the corner of his eyes, Roxley noticed the attention of an older Truinnar focused on him, clad in the house colors of House Hedran. That could be a problem… “Did her partner survive?”
“Barely,” Bress answered. “I noticed you dodged the question of whether you’re coming back.”
That had been the most common thread among the well-wishers.
“That…” Roxley paused as Vir appeared, tense and intense.
Vir bowed slightly. “My lord.”
“We should be done in another fifteen minutes.”
“I do not believe we have the time, my lord. There has been a development.”
Roxley frowned as he realized that Vir was not the only individual to have appeared. All around, servants were entering the reception hall and speaking with their lieges and mistresses. A particularly short noble lady frowned as her servant whispered into her ear. Stretching his senses briefly, Roxley caught the tail-end of the conversation.
“… change to a Dungeon World.”
Eyes widening, Roxley cast a glance at the imperturbable Vir. The guard nodded, as if confirming the news Roxley had heard, or perhaps just to hurry Roxley onward. Noblemen and some of the businessmen were streaming out of the viewing platform, some going so far as to teleport away.
“It seems the reception is over,” Bress said. Unlike many others, the dancer looked nonplussed by the change in atmosphere. Then Bress’s expression drooped, sadness crossing his face as he stared at his old friend. “You have fingers in that pie too, don’t you?” At Roxley’s nod, Bress smiled and stepped back, offering his old friend a bow. “Then, my Lord, I will not keep you.”
Roxley opened his mouth then shut it, looking at his ex-partner with a trace of sadness before he nodded. “Thank you, old friend.”
Together, Roxley and Vir pushed through the crowd, leaving Bress with the trophy and the accolades and the few Truinnar who cared little for the new world. The new Dungeon World. The Great Dance went on, and if you did not keep to the beat, you would only be left behind.
0.39 Earth days before System Initiation
“Why would the humans do that?” Roxley’s lips pressed tightly as he stared at the ghastly image. To do that. To an Ambassador. How insane were they? Certainly the humans had shown some degree of insanity, but to this level? Vir could not answer and Roxley shook his head vigorously, dismissing the thought. Better for him to focus on what was important. “How does this change things?”
“Many of our competitors to enter the cities have dropped from the world at this time. Others are scrambling to adjust their exploration teams,” Vir answered.
“No surprise there. Merchants are not who you send to a Dungeon World. Zone levels?”
“Up to one hundred fifty.”
“For a recently implemented Dungeon World?” Roxley’s eyes popped wide. “That is insane. Why?”
“It seems that the Council desires to make a statement.”
“I smell politics,” Roxley said, fingers flicking as he scanned down information screens, his eyes narrowing in thought. “There. The vote distribution. It was the Movana.” Lips peeled into a snarling smile. “They were the ones who pushed this.”
“Why? It makes no sense.” Vir shook his head. “It gives us a localized Dungeon World, one that will increase our strength.”
“Ah, but you forget. No one controls a Dungeon World.” Roxley snapped his fingers. “They’re going to try to take over the cities. Buy them out from us.”
“But won’t the Great Houses stop them?”
“You would think so… we’re missing something.”
“I shall check in with my contacts.”
“And I’ll do some research,” Roxley said, his fingers dancing. “X-127, run me a search on Dungeon Worlds and their entry into the System. I also want the latest histories of Dungeon Worlds, their most common monster distribution, and the spawning effects on local populations.”
As Roxley focused, Vir smiled and bowed once more as he retreated to check in with his contacts. Even if many of the other houses were unwilling to take part in the mad scramble for land in a Dungeon World, there were those who would not shy away from the competition. It would be up to Vir to find out who, and what, if anything, he and the guards could do to forestall future problems.
0.21 Earth days before System Initiation
“What, my lord, is that doing here?” Vir said as he stalked back into the room. Hanging in Roxley’s spartan, futuristic study was a massive notification screen showcasing an unfamiliar continental map.
“That, Vir, is North America.”
“Yes, my Lord,” Vir intoned flatly. “I am inquiring to its purpose.”
“There.”
A beacon flashed far up on the map. The topographic map showed that the location—a city—was set amidst a series of high Level zones. Around the city, unlike many other high Level zones, was nothing but more wilderness. In fact, the total population of that village was less than a block in the capital.
“There, my lord?” Vir said. “I see but a minor settlement. One with a high possibility of a Shop, but a minor settlement nonetheless. Surrounded by monsters.”
“Exactly!” Roxley almost bounced on his feet, his eyes glowing with excitement. “Too small for the big Houses. They’ll be busy fight
ing over the other locations.”
“Other locations?”
“Yes. A Dungeon World is a free-for-all ten minutes before the System Initiation begins,” Roxley explained. “In that time, anyone may purchase a location. There’s a percentage that must be left alone and another that is designated for the native sentient population, but historically, it’s been impossible for that number to be reached.”
“Ten minutes, my lord?” Vir said.
“Exactly. In that time, all the Great Houses and other interested parties will be looking at the bigger and more financially viable locations. They’ll hedge their bets, buy multiple locations in bigger cities. They’ll establish their territories and try to gain a real Settlement while keeping their exposure low.” Roxley flashed a shark-like grin. “The more cautious players won’t even get involved. It’ll be the usual rag-tag bunch of explorers and desperate to start.” Vir cocked his head, and Roxley shrugged. “Yes. Like us. But while the rest are going for the safe bets, we’ll steal this territory from right under them.”
“High risk, high reward. A marked change from our initial plans.”
“Our initial plans would float us for a few years. This, if it succeeds, might actually bring us back to where we belong.”
“We won’t be the only one considering those tactics.”
“Which is why we’ll have to bid aggressively. I’ve already put up the mansion, fortifications, and Settlement Mana Engine.” Roxley patted the air placatingly as Vir narrowed his eyes. “I know what you’re going to say. But we’re about to lose it all. Better to gamble.”
“Lose the Barony, my lord. But not our holdings,” Vir said disapprovingly. “If you do this, you will have nothing left. Your personal loans—”
“I know.”
A heavy silence fell over the pair. Without personal funds, Roxley would not be able to pay for the guards and security personnel. Many were liege-sworn, but it was a hard thing to ask a man to work for free, no matter personal honor or obligations. Harder still when it was clear that doing so would lead to their death. A bad liege might feel that it was their right, by blood or status, to request such matters. A good lord, and Roxley strove to be a good lord, never let such a situation develop. In his heart, Roxley knew he would dismiss those he could not pay when the time came. If the time came.
“Well, if you’ve taken the loan, then we best make sure this works,” Vir said. “What else do we know of this location?”
“Not much. I expect these ‘First Nations’ to be of use. There are a higher percentage of hunters in this subgroup, though the numbers in total in the state are relatively high,” Roxley said. “Creating a number of safe havens will be important to reduce deaths. If we can provide them with weaponry, that would be best. But safety will be the main concern.”
“I’ll make arrangements with the personal guards then, to journey over.”
“Volunteers only.”
“Of course.” Vir bowed and backed out.
Roxley continued to research, searching for details about the location, attempting to not only narrow down his potential opponents in the bidding process but also the monsters that would arrive. That, he knew, was key. If a dragon appeared nearby, it would scupper the plan. Even the safety zone that a Shop created by drawing a large amount of ambient Mana into it was not perfect.
0.0503 Earth Days before System Initiation
“That would be the third.” Vir turned away from the wall where the reverberations of an earlier battle died off.
Roxley dragged his attention away from the glacially slow moving clock. “Anything to be concerned about?”
“Local miscreants. I doubt we’ll see anything until just before System initiation.” Vir sniffed. “Our men are more than enough to handle them.”
“Good.”
Silence fell, the pair staring at the countdown. Their agonizing wait was only punctuated by the occasional thrum of laser fire, the crack of a spell or attack breaking the sound barrier, and the crackle of ice and fire as additional assaults occurred around the mansion.
Vir would flick his gaze sideways to his notifications about the continued battle, but he refused to disrupt his liege any further. Yet as the timer dropped to the last few seconds, he grew ever more tense as he waited for the last shoe to drop.
Roxley broke the silence thirty seconds before the end. “Any idea who?”
“The Duchess Kangana. Yuriel. Perhaps a few others,” Vir said. “Our information-gatherers are working on it, but—”
“Multiple cut-outs.”
“Always.”
Silence, then Roxley’s lips pursed. “Ten seconds.”
The attack came without warning. An innocuous chair exploded, the shell showering the pair with poison-coated splinters. Only personal shield barriers stopped the initial barrage, though a few slivers struck exposed skin and armored clothing. Even as Vir shifted to block the rain of wood, a form emerged from the curling smoke.
“Chameleon,” Vir snarled. He caught the Chameleon’s arm, attempting to throw his opponent aside, only to find the Chameleon had left him with a fake arm as he swung around and beneath Vir’s feet to attack Roxley.
Roxley danced backward, his hands up to protect his face and reach the notification screens faster. He only needed a few seconds, just long enough to search, purchase, bid, and win the location. Just a few seconds…
Vir snarled, stamping his feet. A flash of light filled the room, drawing even Roxley’s attention. Yet the assassin ignored the distraction, focused as he was on the Baron. Another pair of strikes laid poison on Roxley’s shield, eating away at its integrity.
“Damn it. Taunt resistance. Let’s see how good it is.” Vir clapped his hands again.
Roxley disappeared, replaced by Vir, who opened his hands. Cupped in his palms was a glowing ball of flame, one that wrapped around the Chameleon’s body as he struck the undefended Vir. As Vir fell back, blood pooled from the wound in his abdomen—blood that turned black and hissed as his healing factor attempted to remove the poison. The Chameleon was having his own trouble with the chains of fire that bound him. Every time he attempted to turn away to attack Roxley, the chains tightened. Only when he faced Vir did they lighten.
“What kind of taunt Skill is this?” the Chameleon snarled as it gave up, focusing on Vir.
In answer, Vir popped up a notification screen in front of the Chameleon, one that was fully opaque.
Chains of Forced Attention
The Gokrus Priests of Mizag are known and loathed the Galaxy over. Their preeminent Skill, the Chains of Forced Attention, is a taunt Skill that binds opponents to listen to them drone on about the multiple levels of saintliness. This Skill cannot be blocked by common anti-taunt spells as it applies mental, physical, and magical bindings on a target’s attention.
“You’d use that?” the Chameleon said, eyes widening as it forced the dismissal of the notification.
“I would use anything for my lord.”
Behind the pair, Roxley focused on the new screens that flashed before his eyes. The marketplace for the world known as Earth had opened and he had to navigate the maze of System notifications, System data, and warnings to locate the information he needed. Even with X-127’s help, the notifications kept changing as parties purchased and took pieces of the new Dungeon World off the market. It did not help that the System would close new notification windows when a certain number was reached as it recalculated the necessary holding percentage for the sentient species.
Again and again, Roxley closed in on his desired location and it disappeared. In the corner of his eyes, he saw how locations with the most repetitive of names, like New York, Yorkshire, London, New London, London again appeared and disappeared. In some cases, the System locked out purchased lands, ensuring that the purchasers could not gain access to them for weeks, even months.
“There!” Roxley crowed and tapped the buy button.
His view changed as his purchase intent was confirmed,
shifting to a new screen. Minimum requirements, rules, and laws that would bind him—or not—were offered. Each of those were then expanded upon and detailed in System legalese, which could be as clear and direct or obtuse and hidden as its original scripter. No single settlement sale was the same, as the System constantly altered the rules and requirements.
Roxley’s fingers flicked and twisted, throwing aside the majority of the rules, searching for a series of regulations he could live with while discarding the majority that he had no desire to be bound to. Even with the binding options being created, Roxley knew other parties would be willing to take the unfavorable trade, so he hurried. In the corner of his notification screen, the Credit cost for all this kept changing, shifting as he discarded options or took on other obligations.
“My Lord!”
A call from outside his viewpoint alerted the Baron and he tugged his hands close as he discarded one last binding, leaving him with a trade-off that he could accept. A mental confirmation was all that was required and the Credits streamed out, even as he received a notification of his successful purchase.
As Roxley came back to his senses, it was to the sight of a sharpened wooden stake stopped inches from his eyes.
“Well, that sucked.” The Chameleon straightened, morphing the stake back into its original form as his hand. “I hate failing.”
“But fail you did.” Roxley shook his head at Vir, who had walked up to the Chameleon, still bleeding black and boiling blood from numerous wounds.
“I’ll just take my leave then.”
“I do not think so,” Roxley said. “You did attack me.”
The Chameleon’s eyes narrowed and its snout-like nose wrinkled before a notification flashed before Roxley’s face. The Baron barely glanced at it, the membership of the Yellow Sashes spotted and dismissed.