The Sleeper Must Awaken

by Kip Terrington

  The mourner spoke, broken pain evident in her voice.

  “Why have you come? These are not yours to mourn.”

  “I don't know you, but I'm sorry for your pain,” Zoya said.

  “I don't need your sympathy! If that's the only reason you came here, you are useless to me!” the shadowed elf's anger began to rise.

  “I am here because I want to help! Who are you and what do you need? Tell me. I am not without my own competencies,” Zoya quickly responded, her programmed instincts telling her there was a quest to be had.

  “Who am I? I am the ancient essence of one who must be avenged. I am the brutalized, the broken, the alone. I am the impetus of action. I seek only one thing, justice! Will you give me justice?”

  You've been offered a quest by the Seeker.

  Raid Quest: Death to the Mistress!

  Travel to the vampire territory, deep under the Wild Mountains. Fight your way through her minions, reach the malevolent mistress, and slay her. During your fight, free as many slaves as possible. In order for this quest to be considered successful, two conditions must be met.

  Condition one: a thousand slaves must be freed and taken into safety.

  Condition two: the mistress must die.

  Rewards:

  Reward #1: The Dungeon of Os will return to normal once again.

  Reward #2: Each adventurer who accepts the quest will be allowed to keep the Nose Ring of Light.

  Reward #3: 500 dungeon-upgrade tokens per adventurer.

  Consequences for failure of quest:

  The Dungeon of Os will remain lost in her own sea of pain and mourning.

  Accept Raid Quest? Yes/No

  Warning: you have been given the option of accepting a Raid Quest. Raid quests require an army to complete. Do not accept the quest unless you have a minimum of 60 other adventurers that will also come and accept this quest. Note: there is no maximum number of quest participants.

  Zoya smiled. The UI was offering a way to help fix the dungeon by creating what she could only assume was this Moon's first Raid Quest. She and Joe had an army. They'd been training them in this very dungeon. She clicked yes and the UI provided her with the required response to say to the Seeker.

  “Seeker, I and my army will bring you justice,” Zoya said.

  “You're a fool, and your quest is utterly futile. However, if you wish to court death, I will not gainsay you. Here. Maybe this will increase your chances of living past the first engagement,” the Seeker suggested as she handed an item to Zoya.

  Rare Item: Nose Ring of Light

  Congratulations! You have found a rare item: Nose Ring of Light. When this nose ring is equipped, damage dealt to evil aligned beings is doubled. Your edged weapons will not be blunted by the filth of the dark, nor will your thrown stones be blocked by evil. While this nose ring is equipped, if the bearer attacks a good-aligned being, the damage will be halved. Note: because of the slight illumination of the Nose Ring of Light, it's important to make sure your nose hairs are properly groomed.

  Zoya accepted the item, but was a little nervous because her nose wasn't pierced. It turned out to be a non-issue, because as she put the nose ring up to her nose, it equipped as if her nose had been pierced. It was a unique feeling, a lightness running through her.

  She turned to leave, but the Seeker stopped her.

  “Wait, one more thing. Do you know the heir?” the Seeker asked.

  “I do. I'm actually on my way to speak to him. He will be assisting me in seeking out your justice,” Zoya replied.

  “Good, send him to me. I have a package for him,” the Seeker entreated.

  “Another Nose Ring of Light, like mine?” Zoya asked.

  “Mind your own business!” the Seeker replied, with not a little force.

  “I will send him to you,” Zoya promised, bowing and then quickly flying out of the cave.

  As Zoya exited, she saw Bork and Joe conversing by the entrance. It was obvious that whatever they had talked about, it was grave indeed.

  Joe noticed Zoya and before she could speak, he held up a hand.

  “You were right, Zoya. This is not a problem we can ignore. I have to go in there,” Joe pronounced.

  “I’m sorry, Joe. You’re right. I don’t think the urgency can be overstated. Os is in real pain and she’s waiting for you,” Zoya replied.

  With uncharacteristic silence, Joe nodded and walked toward the dungeon wall and knocked. This time, it opened just wide enough for him to crawl through.

  When he saw the near facsimile of Hollowbirch, it took his breath away.

  She turned toward him and held out her hands, an item clearly visible upon them.

  Item: Thrice-Blessed Thrice-Pressed Elm Stake

  “Heir, I am the executor. This is yours. Use it soon or it will be too late,” the Seeker said and Joe took the item, answering only with silence.

  The Seeker then turned back toward the grave and sat down, beginning to weep once more.

  Then as if Joe had just entered, the Seeker began her script.

  “Why have you come? These are not yours to mourn.”

  “I am here because I want to help! Who are you and what do you need? Tell me, I am not without my own competencies,” Joe said.

  By the end of the script, Joe had accepted the Raid Quest and received his own Nose Ring of Light. He left the dungeon and saw that Zoya had already informed the rest of the castle about the new quest. The line to accept went all the way up the stairs.

  Zoya waited for Joe as he walked up the stairs to the first floor.

  From a distance, Joe noticed Lang sprinting toward him. When she got closer, she brought her fist to her heart and bowed low.

  Joe returned the salute.

  “Your Majesty, may I speak with you and the queen?” Lang asked.

  “Of course,” Joe said as he led the three of them into one of the side rooms.

  Taking a deep breath, Lang began to tell her story. “I have been a slave for much of my life, and I have had more masters than any other slave I know. I have a unique ability which enables me to increase the productivity of those I manage. Because of this, I have been incredibly well-traveled for a slave. Before reaching this kingdom, I had assisted on dungeon dives in five separate dungeons. I have now trained in Os as well and I’ve experienced her similarities and differences. If what people are saying is true, we might be facing a new cataclysm,” Lang warned.

  “Cataclysm? How?” Zoya asked.

  “When dungeons go rogue, it’s normally spread out over a long period of time, but I can feel the insanity radiating from the entrance of Os. If she doesn’t stabilize soon, monsters will begin emerging from the dungeon… and they will not be the low-level bosses, such as the first-floor mushroom. Not long after that, she will begin rapidly expanding, taking in as much new land and resources as she can. None of our people will survive,” Lang warned.

  “How long do we have?” Joe asked.

  “At least two weeks, but much more than that and there are no guarantees. Only once before have I felt a dungeon this far gone, and the King of Dollmar, himself, went in and shattered that crystal core,” Lang said.

  “Thank you, Lang. We appreciate you being willing to give us your expertise in this matter,” Zoya acknowledged.

  Lang nodded and saluted once more, taking her leave.

  Zoya turned toward Joe.

  “When do we leave?” Zoya asked.

  “I wish we could push it out later, but it sounds like we should leave as soon as possible.”

  “Logistically, we couldn’t be ready to leave sooner than two days from now,” Zoya replied.

  “Two days it is, then. I think the longer that Os is insane, the more dangerous she’ll become,” Joe confirmed.

  “I agree. Two days it is. I can’t put it off any longer, I have crafting to see to,” Zoya said.

  “There is much to do. I will inform the clan leaders of our timetable,” Joe replied.

  Chapter 3
7 - Don’t Forget Your Booties, Cuz It’s Cold Out There Today

  Zoya looked down at the three layers of fabric she hoped to combine into one cloak for Joe. Her mithril-equipped sewing machine could penetrate all three layers, but she wasn't sure if these powerful materials would tolerate her machinations.

  With careful and meticulous accuracy, she used her mithril dagger to carefully cut an identical pattern out of each of the three materials. The first pattern was cut out of the fabric derived from the flowers harvested from the Dungeon of Os. The second pattern came from the tanned Hide of the Phased Devourer taken off the extraplanar beast Joe had killed with his multi-plane fist. The final material she used was derived from the incredibly tough skin of the Nueve Gato.

  “Okay everyone, I think we're ready. But before we start, I want to commend all of you. Every one of you has been working diligently to create the uniforms we use to protect our people. Your quickly rising skill is the reason we can attempt to make this item today. When I give the signal, I will start the sewing machine and, as one, the four of us will move all three layers of this cloak and stitch them together as we have planned,” Zoya said as she made eye contact with each seamstress.

  Placing herself above the spool, Zoya’s hands began to emit the soft shadowy glow of Binding Magic. She took a deep breath. This may not help, but deep down she felt that binding and sewing were natural partners. Gently, she placed her hands by the spool where the thread would slide through her fingertips and hopefully absorb some of her Binding Magic.

  “Three… two… one… begin,” Zoya said and the sewing needle began moving up and down through all three layers of fabric. Her sewing team’s movements were synchronized and meticulous. As the thread traveled through Zoya's hands, she felt the Binding Magic taking hold and observed how the three items became one. As they stitched, silence permeated the room, interrupted only by the sound of the machine pumping the needle up and down. Everyone knew what was needed, they were highly trained, and they moved as one. Gradually, the three patterns wove together to become one cloak. Engrossed in the process as she marveled at the completed work, Zoya jumped at the UI message.

  Congratulations!

  One hidden Master Mage prerequisite met!

  You have woven your Binding Magic into thread and combined three materials that had never been combined before. Your high intellect continues to lead you down the path of a master. Note: not all prerequisites have been met to access master-level spells.

  Congratulations!

  Your team has taken high quality ingredients and crafted a powerful and unique item. Using magic, needle, and thread, the Holocaust Cloak of the Mage has been created. Normally, a well-made item is its own reward, but this is a special case. These three materials have never before been combined. Such an accomplishment must be noted. Zoya, the UI now recognizes you as a Master Enchanting Seamstress.

  Note: items created by a Master Enchanting Seamstress are enabled with a soul-binding element. The first person to equip created items will be soulbound to it.

  “Let’s go find Joe,” Zoya said.

  Zoya, and the others who participated in crafting the Holocaust Cloak of the Mage, quickly made their way to the livestock floor. The smell of manure didn't affect Zoya, but the others grimaced as the doors opened.

  Joe leaned against the far wall. Having just raised a cow and two pigs, he was contending with near mana depletion. As Zoya and her fellow crafters walked in, Joe pushed himself off the wall and headed toward them.

  “Zoya, what are you doing here?” Joe asked.

  “I have brought you a gift. Though, I could ask you the same question,” Zoya said as she looked around.

  “Me? I'm just replacing a few of the livestock, as I recently drained the blood out of quite a few of them. I'm hoping that if I throw a few bags of blood on the battlefield, it will distract a few of the vamps. But, you said something about a gift?” Joe redirected.

  The three seamstresses, carrying the heavy cloak, stepped forward and knelt before Joe.

  “What is this?” Joe asked.

  “It's just a cloak I thought you might like. Try it on, it's for you. I hope it doesn't feel too rough. We spent weeks tanning the hides, but we never really achieved a state of true softness,” Zoya stated.

  Unique Item: Holocaust Cloak of the Mage

  Congratulations! You have been offered a uniquely crafted item: Holocaust Cloak of the Mage. This cloak provides near-perfect stealth, bordering on invisibility. All far range magical and physical attacks against wearer will be reduced by 80%. When engaged in close combat, this cloak will act as medium-grade armor, significantly reducing damage, but will also impede the wearer’s own attack speed. The defensive magical energy contained in this cloak will unfortunately reduce the wearer’s chance of a successful cast by 20%. Note: this material is hand wash only and must be air dried. Harsh chemicals are not needed for cleaning. Use only soap, water, and tender loving care. Crafted by Zoya, Master Enchanting Seamstress.

  Pick up Holocaust Cloak of the Mage? Yes/No

  Joe bent down and picked up the cloak, feeling the thickness and the hum of magical energy flowing throughout it. With a Lando Calrissian cape whirl, he threw it over his shoulders. Pulling the hood up, the cloak’s colors began to match the wall behind him.

  Attention!

  This item is now soulbound.

  “Wow! How did you do that?! Thank you so much. It fits me perfectly. It is not rough at all. This cloak is incredible—stealth, magic, and physical defense. How did you make such a thing?” Joe asked.

  “We accomplished it as a team. It wasn't so difficult, it was a lot like quilting,” Zoya downplayed.

  “Thank you, all of you,” Joe proclaimed.

  Zoya nodded toward the seamstresses, and they quickly escaped the smell of the livestock.

  Joe held the fabric close to his eyes, examining its components.

  “The stats of this item are truly impressive. I can tell you combined a couple different types of fabric. It surprises me that the UI allowed us to combine items without imposing stiffer penalties,” Joe pondered.

  “There are a few negatives in that cloak,” Zoya said.

  “Yes, but they're definitely manageable. Did you make one of these for yourself?” Joe asked.

  “No, it's much too thick. I would end up looking like a bumblebee. Also, it would interfere with my wings,” Zoya said.

  “I really do appreciate this, but I think it's important for me to say that I've noticed how careful you've been over the last month. I've seen you tirelessly working to help the people of this kingdom, and all the while, you've been careful to be completely honest with me,” Joe said and Zoya's eyes filled with tears.

  Before she fell apart, Zoya zipped into the nearest room. Covering her face, she sat sobbing on the fluffy wool of a sheep who appeared oblivious to her presence.

  Joe followed her in and closed the stall door behind him.

  “What's wrong?” Joe asked.

  “I have not been honest. I completely downplayed the reason I was giving you this cloak. It wasn't just something I was thinking about, that I spur-of-the-moment decided to give you. I made it because I'm terrified. I don't want the mistress to kill you, but every shred of information that we have discovered about her almost guarantees that she will,” Zoya faltered, fighting back sobs.

  “I don't think it's dishonest when we don't share our true feelings. Especially when they're so raw. You're doing the best you can to cope in this new world and I’m the one who needs to apologize. I haven't really known how to help you, so I allowed myself to focus on our people when you clearly needed to talk,” Joe confessed.

  “You don't need to apologize. It's not like you've shunned me. I should be able to deal with these feelings on my own. I wish we didn't have to set out to attack her so soon, but I know that you're right about Os,” Zoya said.

  Joe cleared away some of the straw on the ground and sat.

  “As I'm sure
you know, because of my digital history, I'm not a huge fan of sitting down just to process emotions. However, you clearly need to talk and I need to be a better friend. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. Go ahead and drop the filter, don't worry about how your emotions might affect me. Just talk about what you're feeling,” Joe requested.

  That was all it took. Zoya began to unload all of her fears and insecurities.

  Joe did his best to nod and offer empathetic expressions at appropriate moments. A few times, he even stopped her so that he could clarify for himself how she truly felt. He took notice of how the star scape within her eyes occasionally altered as she spoke. He thought perhaps her mood impacted it.

  This interaction was more intimate than Joe generally felt comfortable with for someone he'd only known just over a month, but he was her only lifeline. She had clearly needed an emotional release valve and, at this point, he was the only one she could relate to.

  ***

  The next two days were a flurry of preparation and planning. Large-scale raids were significantly different than five-man dungeon dives. If they had decided to only take players, then it would have been much simpler. However, neither Clan Bounder nor the Clan of the Unchained would allow Joe to force safety upon them.

  Several of the stronger NPCs would stay behind to guard the castle and the children. But over half of the current occupants of the Five-Sided Castle would be accompanying the king and queen on their mission to kill the mistress. Bridcha had been training with Lil, but she was still too young and inexperienced to use her size or strength effectively. She would be staying back to guard the castle, but the big chief himself was eager to kill some vampires.

  Fortunately, the NPC woodworker, Chaff, had successfully modified the diamond-tipped saw to equip it with mithril. As a consequence, multiple flat slabs of Hammered Acer Saccharum had been cobbled together, forming a decent covering of wooden armor for most of the yetis. It also meant that each one had been equipped with a lacrosse stick made of the same wood and the opposite end of the weapon, without the netting, came to a sharp point so that it could be used as a lance.