Sovereign (The Gods' Game, Volume IV)

by Vider, Rohan M.

  Kitchens: 27 Des 2603 AB, 5 days.

  The mill and the granary he added on a hunch, his thoughts dwelling on the strange weirdling grass he discovered in White Rock cavern. Perhaps the grass will prove edible.

  He reviewed his changes. Given the scarce resources he had available in Deepholm, he had done all he could. Satisfied, he confirmed the changes and updated the Deepholm build queue. The well keeper would see to it that the construction proceeded accordingly. He opened his eyes.

  The others were finished with breakfast and waited patiently for him. He glanced at the woods. It appeared no less daunting in the light of morning, but the time for hesitation was over.

  “Ready everyone?” he called over to the party. Receiving their nods of assent, he rose to his feet and led the way into the verdant green of the Elder Forest.

  Game Data

  Ability: Dancer’s grace

  Skill: Body control.

  Description: This ability draws on the power of the mind to increase the speed of the caster’s movement and physical attacks. Warning: this ability does not stack with the boost speed ability.

  Rank: Apprentice.

  Cost: 80 will.

  Execution time: 2 seconds.

  Buff: Speed of all physical actions increased by 2% x skill (may be applied to self only).

  Duration: 15 seconds.

  Ability: Boxer’s strength

  Skill: Body control.

  Description: This ability draws on the power of the mind to increase the caster’s strength.

  Rank: Apprentice.

  Cost: 80 will.

  Execution time: 2 seconds.

  Buff: The damage of strength-based physical attacks is increased by 2% x skill (may be applied to self only).

  Duration: 15 seconds.

  Ability: Woodsman

  Skill: Nature lore.

  Description: This spell increases the movement rate and decreases the detection radius of allied players through wooded areas. Warning, the spell is cancelled if hostiles enter the presence of the caster.

  Rank: Apprentice.

  Cost: 160 essence per hour.

  Execution time: Instantaneous.

  Area of effect: Radius of 10m x skill around caster.

  Buff: Movement rate and stealth increased by 0.5% x skill.

  Duration: Infinite (activated ability).

  Ability: Reveal beasts

  Skill: Nature lore.

  Description: This ability uncovers the location of nearby beasts in the mindscape. Warning: creatures that are hidden or protected from scrying are not exposed.

  Rank: Apprentice.

  Cost: 160 will per hour.

  Execution time: Instantaneous.

  Area of effect: Radius of 2m x skill around caster.

  Duration: Infinite (activated ability).

  Chapter 2

  30 Octu 2603 AB

  Before the Game, the Elder Forest was the centre of elven civilisation, and at its heart, was Aldanna, the largest elven city ever built. Despite its remote and inconvenient location, the Elder Forest and its Heart, held something found nowhere else in Myelad: the grandfathers, sentient trees. —Rosalyn Teramis, cartographer.

  Kyran glanced back the way they had come.

  He had taken no more than two dozen steps into the forest and already the mountains had disappeared from sight. The foliage was so dense nothing betrayed that he was a few metres from the forest’s edge.

  He shivered. Getting lost within the woods would be all too easy. Well, if not for his player’s map.

  He looked up and studied his surroundings. The trees, wooden giants, arched high overhead in the distance, some reaching up to a hundred metres tall. What little light penetrated to the forest floor was no more than a gentle grey glow that paled in comparison to the stark brightness of the mountain sky under which they had so recently travelled.

  Only a light scattering of snow penetrated the forest cover, too, and already Kyran felt much warmer. Everywhere he looked, darkness pooled together in concealing shadows.

  The noise too, was near deafening. The constant chirping, whizzing, singing, whistles, and grunts of birds, insects, and animals contrasted sharply to the barren silence of the mountain. In whichever direction Kyran turned, show hostiles hummed with life. In the forest’s chaos of lifeforms the spell would be nearly useless. Let’s see if reveal beasts is any better.

  Drawing on the wellspring of psi within his mind, Kyran extended strands of energy into the mindscape and created a delicate web around him. His circle of awareness exploded outwards and immediately pinged with detected lifeforms.

  Kyran has cast reveal beasts (radius: 67.2m, duration: until deactivated).

  136 beasts detected.

  The mindscape buzzed with nearly as much life as his player’s map. Kyran sighed. As he’d feared, reveal beasts was about as useless as show hostiles. He was about to terminate the spell construct, but stopped when he noticed an oddity.

  Fifty metres to his left, one mind pulsed larger and more ominously than the other consciousnesses in his awareness. Curiously, he extended tendrils of psi towards the dark presence and tasted the flavour of its mind.

  You have detected a level twenty-one lynx.

  Ah, he thought. Through the mindscape, he felt the intense focus of the predator. The cat was stalking a pair of rabbits. One by one, he tasted the nature of the other nearby minds and realised what distinguished the lynx from the others.

  The lynx was the only rank-two creature in detection range. The other beasts were all below level twenty. Hmm, so does that mean higher-ranked creatures have a larger presence in the mindscape? If that was the case, even with the abundance of nearby lifeforms, reveal beasts could still be useful.

  Leaving the spell active, he opened his eyes. At the press of a weight against his legs, he looked down to find Aiken at his side. Kyran buried his hands in the bear’s coat. “Are you alright, brother?”

  Aiken huffed in response, a wordless mixture of anxiety and gritty determination to stoically shoulder his fears.

  “Different, isn’t it?” said Mirien from behind him. He could almost hear the smile in her voice. He turned around.

  The lines of tension that had sat so heavily on her yesterday were gone. Leaning against the bark of an ancient tree, with her body moulded into its contours, she appeared more at ease than Kyran had ever seen her. Whatever haunted her last night troubles her no more.

  He returned her smile. After her confession two days ago, the strain in their own relationship had disappeared. Despite her insistence that she might one day kill him, Kyran didn’t harbour doubts about the whiesper anymore. He no more believed her capable of such treachery than Aiken did.

  “Different is one way of putting it,” he said with a chuckle. “Now I realise what you and Adra tried to tell me.”

  “You cannot really understand the Elder Forest without experiencing it,” she said, fondly patting the trunk of the oak tree. Her gaze flicked downwards to Aiken’s hunched form. “How is he?” she asked softly.

  “Brave and courageous,” said Kyran with another smile. “We will get through this.”

  Mirien nodded. “We should be ready for an attack.” She pointed upwards. “Adra is keeping watch in the trees above, but given the density of the forest foliage you should not expect much in the way of warning.” She hesitated. “I suggest you travel blended.”

  Kyran looked at her in surprise. “What, already? But we are less than ten metres from the treeline!”

  Mirien shook her head grimly. “The Elder Forest does not smile upon the unwary. It’s best to be prepared.” She looked beyond him to the half-elf and bit her lip. “Gaesin, you are going to be the most vulnerable. I wish you could keep your magic shield activated constantly, but it will drain your essence too quickly. Do you have any other low-cost protective spells you can cast?”

  “Only water armour,” said Gaesin with a nervous gulp.

  Mirien winced. “Cast it, the
n,” she said. “A little protection is better than none.” Gaesin nodded and turned his focus inwards.

  With concern, Kyran reconsidered Gaesin. Mirien was right. Of all the party, in this environment Gaesin was the most vulnerable. And even worse, there was little Kyran could do to help the youth. As many protective spells as Kyran had, none of them could be cast on others.

  “Is this really necessary?” Kyran asked worriedly. “I don’t sense any danger nearby. The closest threat is a lynx fifty metres west of us.”

  Mirien raised a brow questioningly.

  “Reveal beasts,” he explained.

  Mirien nodded approvingly. “You should keep the spell active. Anything that can forewarn us of danger is useful. But beasts are only part of the peril the forest hides. We will have to be on guard against… other foes.”

  Kyran reached out to Adra over the battlegroup. “See anything, Adra?”

  “Not yet, but Mirien is right,” she said. “We have to be alert at all times.”

  Kyran sighed and accepted the pair’s judgement. He shrouded himself within blend and cast woodsman. Weaves of essence extended from him to Gaesin, Aiken, and Adra, quickening their feet and, in the case of Adra, deepening her concealment.

  Kyran has cast woodsman (radius: 336m, duration: until deactivated, buff: +17% movement speed and +17% stealth to the party).

  “Thank you, Kyran,” Adra murmured as the spell wrapped around her.

  Gaesin had already cast water armour. There was only one further bit of protection Kyran could provide him. Sending threads of essence across the vassal bond between them, Kyran cast commander’s gift.

  Kyran has cast commander’s gift on Gaesin (duration: 16 hours, buff: +3.2% body attributes).

  As the spell weaves fell into place, he glanced back at Mirien. “Where will you be?” Given his unfamiliarity with the forest, he had given command of their journey to the two women.

  “Adra will scout ahead, and I will watch our backtrail. You will likely not be able to see either of us, but we will be there. You, Gaesin, and Aiken should stay close together.”

  He nodded. “Then let’s get moving.”

  ✽✽✽

  Two hours later, Kyran realised how different travelling in the forest was compared to both the mountain and the Labyrinth. Pausing for breath, he wiped away the sweat dripping down his brow.

  Despite the season, the forest was warm and both Gaesin and Kyran panted from their exertions. This far into the trees, almost nothing of the outside weather came through, and what little snow had penetrated quickly melted away.

  He resumed walking. At times, every step was a battle against the dense underbrush. With his head constantly swivelling left and right at random grunts, howls, and other suspicious noises from the hidden depths, Kyran was hard pressed to find his footing.

  Gaesin, perhaps because of his experience, fared better, and Aiken simply bowled his way through most obstructions. After a fruitless hour of trying to forge his own path, Kyran gave up and resigned himself to following in Aiken’s footsteps.

  Yet for all the difficulty of the terrain, in those first few hours the party navigated past every danger without incident. While their heading remained generally north, their path frequently snaked left and right as Adra and Mirien steered the party around unseen dangers.

  Some threats, Kyran sensed—a nest of spiders, a pack of wolves, and a bristleback boar—but many, he did not. Monsters and ferals ran rampant through the forest, too, and many of the beasts were adept at hiding, both from physical and magical sight. And although Kyran was tempted many a time to befriend some of the more interesting beasts, he was mindful of Adra’s and Mirien’s warning to keep their presence in the forest small.

  But despite Kyran’s caution and the party’s alertness, when the first attack came it caught them all by surprise.

  One moment Kyran was using his sword to beat aside stray bits of brush that had escaped Aiken’s passing, and the next, he jerked upright at Gaesin’s cut-off cry of alarm. “Ky—”

  A level 30 forest serpent has critically hit Gaesin for 35 damage (10 resisted by armour). Remaining: 197 / 232 HP.

  A forest serpent has trapped Gaesin within its grasp (debuff: strangled, damage: 30 HP per second).

  Kyran wasted a precious second staring in astonishment. The camouflaged snake had dropped down unseen from the branches overhead and wrapped itself around Gaesin.

  The serpent, all dull scales of green and brown, was over ten metres in length, and most of it was wound around Gaesin’s form. Tightening its grip, the creature smothered the half-elf trapped within its coils.

  Gaesin has been dealt 25 damage (5 resisted) by a forest serpent’s strangling grasp. Remaining: 172 / 232 HP.

  Aiken reacted more quickly. Whirling around, the bear batted at the serpent with a large paw.

  Aiken has missed a forest serpent.

  The creature raised its triangular-shaped head and hissed angrily at Aiken.

  Gaesin has been dealt 25 damage (5 resisted) by a forest serpent’s strangling grasp. Remaining: 147 / 232 HP.

  Shaking himself out of his daze, Kyran began casting. He drew together tendrils of his psi and flung it out at the forest monster, overwhelming the creature’s mind with tranquil thoughts.

  Gaesin has been dealt 100 cumulative damage (20 resisted) by a forest serpent’s strangling grasp. Remaining: 97 / 232 HP.

  Kyran has cast calm beast, a forest serpent has been calmed.

  Overcome by the radiating pulse of serenity, the serpent loosened its hold on Gaesin and allowed the shaking half-elf to crawl away, gulping for breath.

  Kyran heaved a sigh of relief. “Brother, don’t attack it,” he warned. Renewed attacks on the creature would only dispel the ensorcelled calm. “Heal Gaesin before—”

  He broke off at the sight of blurred motion out of the corner of his eye. More green shapes were dropping from the trees around them. “Adra! We need help, we are under attack!” he shouted across the battlegroup. “Gaesin, shield yourself. Aiken, guard him!”

  He whipped around, rotating in a full circle. They were surrounded on all sides by serpents, many larger than the first creature. Some slithered on the ground, while others wrapped themselves around the trees.

  He counted at least nine snakes, but disguised as they were within the foliage, he was not sure if more lurked in the depths. Even in the mindscape the creatures remained hidden; reveal beast did not highlight their presence.

  Calm beast or magic shield? There was no time for both. Unsheathing his sword, he cast again. He reached into the mindscape and threw out another pulse of calm, this time centred on himself and extending to the limit of his range.

  Kyran has cast calm beast (radius: 52m, chance to resist: 5%, duration: 3 hours), 4 forest serpents calmed.

  The spell splashed outwards in a wide circle around Kyran, pacifying the serpents in the vicinity—but only those on the ground. He saw those in the trees escape the spell’s effects, unscathed. Damnit.

  There was no time for further casting as one of the nearby serpents launched itself at him. Coiling back, the forest snake wound itself tightly together and sprang forward.

  A forest serpent has missed Kyran.

  Kyran dodged left and chopped down with his mageblade on the living projectile—though the weapon did not sever the snake into two as Kyran hoped. Stopped by the snake’s scales, the blood-iron blade bit no deeper than an inch.

  Kyran has hit a forest serpent for 10 slashing damage (30 resisted). Remaining: 290 / 300 HP.

  Having missed its target, the serpent fell to the floor, but in the same motion it rose smoothly again and reoriented on Kyran.

  Kyran backpedalled and, using the split-second the serpent took to ready itself, activated shocking hands.

  Kyran has cast shocking hands.

  From his hands, lightning crackled down the elven mageblade and wreathed its length in flickering bursts of blue static.

  Mageblade special prop
erties activated (buff: jolt, duration: until deactivated).

  An elven mageblade has been imbued with jolt (+51 air damage).

  The snake leapt again, its triangular head darting forward to bite down on Kyran’s head. Once his feet were planted, Kyran slashed downwards at the half-seen blur.

  Kyran has hit a forest serpent for 70 slashing and air damage (30 resisted). Remaining: 250 / 300 HP.

  A forest serpent is dazed (duration: 1 second).

  Kyran’s blow was rebuffed as the mageblade bounced off the serpent’s head and failed to steer the snake off course or cut through its protective scales.

  A forest serpent has hit Kyran for 30 damage (10 resisted). Remaining: 290 / 320 HP.

  The beast’s closed mouth struck Kyran like a hammer blow and he flew backwards.

  But while the mageblade had not stopped the attack, it had succeeded in dazing the monster. In the instant before the serpent crashed into Kyran, its eyes rolled up and its mouth closed.

  Yet by the time the serpent dropped to the ground at Kyran’s feet, it had fully recovered. His eyes widened in horror. Not taking his eyes off of the swaying serpent, Kyran scrambled backwards.

  The serpent reared up, its eyes glinting with malice. Its forked tongue darted out instantly, then it rushed forward in attack.

  The blow never landed.

  Mirien has shadow stepped.

  Flickering into being behind the serpent, Mirien straddled its length and slashed inwards with her blades, faster than creature’s striking head.

  Mirien has activated esper’s fury.

  Mirien’s flurry of blows has hit a forest serpent for 135 piercing damage (25 resisted). Remaining: 115 / 300 HP.

  Mirien’s psionic blades have hit a forest serpent for 160 psi damage.

  Mirien has killed a forest serpent.

  The snake hissed in surprise as it died.

  “Kyran, are you alright?” asked Mirien, panting slightly.

  He nodded and, scrambling to his feet, grabbed his sword from where it had fallen. Her blades, he noticed, had had far less trouble punching through the snake’s armoured hide than his own. “Thanks,” he gasped.