Skirmish (The Stork Tower Book 8)

by Tony Corden

  She considered everything they’d done, then said, “You guys OK to keep the MOBs away?”

  “T: Yes, why? What crazy thing are you planning to do?”

  “Remove the lid.”

  “S: Are you friggin’ nuts?”

  “Yes. It’s just that I want to do something for her. I do understand what she’s going through, and even if I fail, we can still do this again.”

  Granite was the only one who hadn’t turned to look at her in horror. He said, “G: I’m with you. If you can help her, then I’ll keep the forest off you. She must be in hell itself.”

  Leah had to enter the fight against the creatures as the others’ distraction had caught them unawares. She sent spells to stop a dog-sized crow made of rock and moss that was diving on Val as she simultaneously used her sword to hack at a vine which was spearing toward Shaman.

  Thad glanced briefly at Granite, then took a deep breath and said, “Take as long as you need.”

  Val and Shaman looked at the two creatures Leah had killed, then Shaman said, “S: I must be friggin’ nuts too. Go ahead, we’ll keep the blighters at bay.”

  23

  December 27, 2073

  DUNYANIN

  Leah turned back toward the sarcophagus then took a step towards it. A braille reader appeared.

  Here lies Kerdeli Güneşin, daughter of Güneşin Batışı. She was First of the Swords of Winter. She sought to remain for all she had achieved had faded into legend and the peace she’d brought on the land had been forgotten in the endless cycle of war upon Dunya.

  Leah willed the mana of her earth shroud to flow out of her bones and muscles and form on the outside of her right hand. She moved the excess onto her left, then willed it to extend from both hands to find a gap between the body and lid of the sarcophagus. Once some from both hands had begun to worm their way underneath the lid, she willed it to expand. Slowly the cover lifted until with a last heave it slid off the coffin and crashed to the ground. A wave of mana sprang from the coffin and brought each of the group to their knees. Leah’s wings had formed a dome over her, but even so, it took her several minutes to reform the image of her surroundings.

  Each of the others had survived only because the same wave slammed into the creatures that were attacking and shredded them. Even as they disappeared, more appeared and these looked stronger—each was Level 552. They attacked two at a time, and even though they were being killed, each of the group was bleeding health at an increased rate. When Leah finally came to her feet, she cast heal for the others then threw each of them a restore potion before turning back to the coffin.

  Mana continued to boil out of the sarcophagus, but Leah ignored it as she tried to decipher the spell which covered the fae she could now see. The fae’s colouring was icy blue with a pattern of black and sea green showing through what looked like cracks in the ice of her skin. Her armour was the same deep sea green with ever-changing runes of shadow and dark mana running across it.

  Leah hadn’t moved for ten minutes when Thad yelled, “T: Leah, how much more time do you need? We’re not going to be able to hold them back that much longer.”

  Leah ignored him but raised her hands and then equipped the Imperial Sceptre in her left hand and a Level Ten Darkness Diamond in her right. She reached in with her right hand to place the diamond on the fae’s chest but felt the spell being pushed back. Leah drew the excess earth mana back into her body then anchoring herself to the forest floor with her wings, she forced the diamond down. Slowly the diamond descended, but her wings began to shrink even as the mana in her body began to disappear.

  Suddenly the fae’s mana barrier gave way, and with a thud, the Darkness Diamond slammed into the chest plate of the fae. Leah equipped a second Darkness Diamond, this one Level Five and brought it down to rest on the fae’s forehead. Leah then formed a ball of pure, clean psychic mana using what remained of her divine light shroud. Slowly she formed a braid toward her and then, as she brought the Imperial Sceptre down to touch the largest diamond, she extended braids to touch both diamonds.

  She knew she wouldn’t have attempted this if she hadn’t been able to multi-task using her SNAIL protocol. Simultaneously she tried to absorb all the corrupted mana into the diamonds. As the mana was sucked into the diamonds, Leah used the bridge through her ball of mana to siphon the corruption toward the larger diamond. Along with the corruption, she added the fragments of elemental mana and any free mana. The elemental mana Leah absorbed into the sceptre and used the free mana to help her spell. To the smaller one, she sent the cleaned psychic mana and any water mana, for it was clear that the fae had been powered by a water elemental.

  When the smaller one started to pulsate, Leah pushed additional psychic mana through the diamond into the fae’s head, or cycled it through herself to help fuel the spells. When the amount of elemental water mana became too much for the smaller darkness diamond, she formed a golden bowl from what remained of her earth shroud. She had the water mana collect within the bowl.

  All this took time, and the others would have certainly died if it hadn’t been that as Leah cast the spell, all the creatures that were attacking dropped to the ground and resumed their natural form of wood, stone, earth or metal. Even the mist recoiled as Leah’s spell began to pull the mana from the sepulchre and the ground around the coffin. After what seemed like an eternity, Leah could only feel pure psychic mana being pulled into the largest diamond from the fae. She carefully let the braid collapse, then looking at the ball of water mana willed it to coalesce. As it began to swirl and form an elemental ball, the earth shroud disappeared, used up as fuel for the spell.

  With no wings and without her hand, Leah lifted her head then looked down at the fae’s body. She lifted the Imperial Sceptre which was glowing with all the mana it had absorbed and leant it against her shoulder so she could type. She said, “Kerdeli Güneşin, daughter of Güneşin Batışı, First of the Swords of Winter, enter without fear into the realm of Lady Olme. While I live, your deeds will be remembered. Know that peace, even if it is only for a season, has great value.”

  As they watched, the body shrivelled and dried then turned to dust. The dust began to collect together, then formed a pile that rotated around its centre. Then in a flash of mana, the particles fused together, leaving behind a foot-high statue of the fae.

  A reader appeared, and Leah reached out her left hand to read.

  World Achievement: First 1 (4, Celestial)

  Cast an Ascendant Spell

  Atherleah (Level 452) you have completed the Achievement ‘Cast an Ascendant Spell’. You are the first player to gain this achievement. This is your fourth World Achievement: ‘First 1 (Celestial).

  Reward 1: 25000 x 452 = 73676000 (+552%) Experience Points (93650000/93650000)(48453292/98650000)

  Reward 2: 10 Diamond x 4 = 40 Diamond

  Reward 3: +5% to Experience Points

  Reward 4: 10000 Fame Points (588170 FP)

  Note 1: This spell was unique and may not be recast.

  Note 2: This achievement is not shared with the group. They will receive separate achievements and rewards.

  You have achieved the title: The Ascendant Mage (this title is unique)

  A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

  World Achievement: First 1 (5, Celestial)

  Release one of the Fallen Fae

  Atherleah (Level 453) you have completed the Achievement ‘Release one of the Fallen Fae’. You are the first player to gain this achievement. This is your fifth World Achievement: ‘First 1 (Celestial).

  Reward 1: 25000 x 453 = 74405250 (+557%) Experience Points (98650000/98650000)(24208542/103650000)

  Reward 2: 10 Diamond x 4 = 50 Diamond

  Reward 3: +5% to Experience Points

  Reward 4: 10000 Fame Points (598170 FP)

  Reward 5: Present the statue of Kerdeli Güneşin with her elemental core at any temple dedicated to Lady Olme to receive your reward.

  Note: This achieveme
nt is not shared with the group. They will receive separate achievements and rewards.

  A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

  Leah reached in and took the statue and put it in her bag then took a mining bag out and said, “Thad, can you hold this, please? Granite, can you put the large diamond in the bag?”

  After that had been done, Leah took the smaller diamond, which was larger than her fist and placed it her bag. Holding the Sceptre, she said, “Granite, Thad, Shaman, can you put the lid back on?”

  They tried, but it was too heavy. Leah had very little free mana left, but she willed it through the staff and lay the end on the lid as she cast a gravity spell. The three tried again and this time managed to get the cover up and on the coffin.

  Altogether it had taken half an hour to complete the spell and ever since it had ended, Leah had had relief from the constant barrage of fear that threatened to push her over the edge. She took a look up the trail where the mist still gathered near the final two coffins even though the group was in the mist-free area. She took a restore potion and said, “Thanks for helping. I know it’s weird, but I wasn’t comfortable leaving anything with that torment, no matter how artificial. She’d gone insane.”

  “V: How do you know that?”

  “The spell I used separated the corruption from her psyche. To do that I had to sort each part so it could be filtered and transferred to the right place. I got to feel what she’d been put through. She’s been here for over eight millennia by her reckoning. That’s before humans even came to Vatan. Being fae and isolated from The Vales for that length of time sent her mad. We need to keep moving. Thad, my mind’s had its fill of madness for today, and it’ll take everything I have to keep from giving in to the terror. If I collapse again, then you might need to carry me.”

  Thad moved close and gently wrapped his arms around her and said, “I will if I need to. Put your staff away and take Val’s hand and let her lead you. Granite, go ahead, Shaman, stay on the left. I’ll take the right. Let’s go. This time there is no stopping until we get out of this.”

  Everyone nodded, and Val reached down and took Leah’s hand. She said, “C: Let everything go except the ground at your feet. I’ll do the rest. Are you ready?”

  Leah nodded, then concentrated on her feet as Granite led them into the mist. Just as she’d imagined, the terror washed over her in a wave and it was all she could do put one foot after another as she followed Val’s directions pulling her along. It was less than ten minutes later when Leah felt the terror fade as Val led her out of the mist. Slowly she let the image form around her and then had to hold on to Val for support as she realised only Shaman was with them and he was at twenty percent health. Before she could say anything, Val said, “Don’t worry, they’ll be waiting back at camp. We survived and won through so we’ll all get the achievement. Now, your guards are just ahead and are looking concerned so straighten up.”

  Leah forced herself to stand straight and let the full image wash over her. She handed a restore potion to Shaman then said, “Thank you both. We wouldn’t have made it without you.”

  She didn’t wait for a reply but stepped toward the Günahkâr. As she stepped out of the valley a message appeared, but she waved it away and said, “Yürek, I’m going to hold off on using psychic mana until tomorrow as my mind needs a rest. Thad and Granite died to help me through the dungeon, but they should have resurrected by now back at the camp. Are you ready to leave?”

  “Y☼: We are.”

  Leah tried to picture the camp but lost concentration for a moment. In the end, she said, “We might have to walk for a bit until I get my strength back.”

  Yürek nodded, then led the way along the ridge they’d used to access the top of the valley. They’d been walking for about twenty minutes when Yürek said, “Y☼: Mĕi approaches.”

  Leah had asked Three to restrict the image to fifty paces, so she had to wait for the image to expand before she could feel Mĕi’s approach. She listened for Mĕi’s greeting and had to crouch down as Mĕi landed. Mĕi said, “M☼: Mama, Thad said you might need help.”

  “I do, dear one. I do.”

  Mĕi lowered her central head so Leah could get on. Yürek got up behind Leah to help hold her in place, then Mĕi let Val and Shaman sit on the two side necks. After promising to return, Mĕi took off with a thrust of her wings and Leah was glad Yürek was there to hold her in place. As soon as the group had dismounted at the camp, Mĕi went to collect the rest of the guards.

  Thad was waiting and stepped over to hold Leah tight. She said, “Sorry you had to die.”

  “T: Don’t be. It was my choice, and the truth is none of us would have survived without you there. That became more obvious when you couldn’t help. We missed the sudden spell which caught an attacker when we weren’t watching, or the sword thrust out of nowhere to kill a MOB. How are you feeling?”

  “Absolutely wiped. I’m going to check the messages then sit and meditate for a while. How is everyone else?”

  “T: Most people have had to eat humble crow all day. No one’s made it to the second level of the Kemirmek dungeon, and some have tried two or three times. Those who went to fight the players headed this way to kill you have had more success and the clan coffers are overflowing. Peter’s over the moon with all the loot that’s coming in. I suspect you’ve got a message or two and when you didn’t answer, he sent me one. He wanted to know if those tokens were real and suggested you could get over five hundred diamonds for each one. He said you’d get more by selling whatever you chose from the storehouses, but suggested you go nowhere near those gods while the war is on.”

  “He’s got that right. I might sell them just to get the gods a bit riled up. I bet me still being alive has them a little peeved.”

  “T: More than a little, I don’t think you need to worry about Chant for a while. Apparently, when he resurrected back in Batislar, Lord Önyargi was waiting for him.”

  Leah thanked Granite, then sat to read her messages before lowering herself to the ground to meditate. She’d not moved for half an hour when Amy, Wisp, Mist and Melez returned aboard Mĕi. Amy talked with Thad and Granite, then came and sat near Leah. Mĕi had wrapped herself around Leah but opened up to let Amy in. Amy had been there for a few minutes when she said, “A: Sweetie, want to talk about it?”

  Leah had been leaning back on Mĕi but let herself go sideways to also rest against Amy. “Not here. I will need to talk sometime. I suggest you stay out of that dungeon if you can help it. I’d do the Kemirmek’s a hundred times rather than go in there again.”

  “A: Yeah. Granite said he wouldn’t go back. Some of the clan heard him, and they’ve logged out for a break before going over.”

  “I’m sure some people will love the adrenaline rush and sheer terror, but those people won’t understand the trauma the Fallen are going through. I got a message saying I couldn’t repeat the spell. If I could, then I’d head back tomorrow to release another one.”

  “A: How long before the arm and wings grow back?”

  “No idea. I’m usually too impatient, and siphon mana from my own store then take restore potions. I’m just too numb at the moment.”

  “A: How much longer before you take a break?”

  “I could stay another three hours, but it seems a waste just sitting here, and I know I’m not up for much more.”

  “A: Let’s go for a walk and see if there is anything to harvest. We’ll take Wisp, Mist and Melez, and with the guards and Mĕi we should be safe enough.”

  Leah nodded and got to her feet. Thad wanted to come, but Leah convinced him she was OK because she knew he’d hate having to look for plants. Melez knew the different types of useful plants found on the mountain and the five women spent two hours harvesting and just talking with each other. When they got back, Leah shared her plans to attempt the final dungeon the next Dunyanin day, then headed to the tent and logged out.

  24

  December 27, 2073
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  STORK TOWER

  Gèng was waiting as Leah arrived back in the Tower. She said, “4: You need a break, and Dr Roberts has ordered at least an hour of sleep before you do anything else. There are extra supplements in your room, and she wants you to take all of it. Besides the strain on your body, there was a lot of activity across your entire brain, not just in the amygdala. Six pointed out that some of the greatest activity was close to where we’d extended the nano cables. Dr Roberts wants you taking even more supplements because she’s fairly certain we’ll be seeing another wave of new cell growth. She’ll probably communicate this, but she is really struggling to see a way to help others experience what you are. Every major change comes through a period of pain and trauma that would be seen as unethical by any reputable ethics committee if she tried to re-enact it.”

  “No kidding! I’m emotionally wrung out. It made me very much aware, though, that I’m seriously worried for EPICS that have been isolated and archived in the past. The code locked in the coffin was seriously insane. If that ever escaped into the multiverse, it would cause untold damage. I hope Dunyanin has strong enough firewalls and I hope they face both ways. Which reminds me, anything further on having PAI see a therapist?”

  “4: Officially, Dr Roberts and I have drawn up a proposal which she’s submitted for review to the International Committee on Ethical AI research. She’d expected a reply before this, but they asked for more details, and it’s now back in the review process. Unofficially, Catherine and I have found a small group of ex-slaves who have agreed to share together in what we’re calling a PAI support group. Our first meeting is scheduled to begin at midnight.”

  “Good. We need to do everything we can to make sure the PAIs have the support they need. I wonder what survival mechanisms they’ve adopted to survive and how similar those mechanisms are to what humans use.”