by Dylan Keefer
They have more important things to do, they have their own playing lives. Me, I was close to jumping off a cliff and giving away my life. Smile, smile, Ok I am fine now.
“Hold on Neil, Bourne what are our options here regarding this impure Nonpoth?” I ask curiously.
He tilted his head, “Not a lot, you could just sell it back, you would take a small loss, but we really could not use it anyway. In that impure state it is brittle. Cannot make weapons…”
“We can build it.” Neil uttered.
“What the silo?” I ask.
“Better than buying it as an in game construction, we can put in the man hours and build it.”
“What…pfft.” Bain sneers as he walks off. I did not even know he was listening.
If we bought that silo, it would be from the game’s own building creator which was overpriced on purpose. So a lot of players would fix the building themselves. The usual problem with this, there is a margin of error with the building in question so it might not be as sturdy as the bought one. It would depend on our building skills, of which we had absolutely none.
We could hire another group to do it for us but I was not favoring that idea for the good reason of secrecy.
I begin, “That does not sound like a bad,”
“Man do not include me in that, I am not spending my game time making no damn silo.” Bain lamented
Neil scoffs, “What you do not want to work those muscles of yours? Dude, you are one of the weakest attackers here. Even Xavier has more strength than you, you can shadow it all you want,”
Bain shoots Neil a daring look, “Like you are helping run this group any better. Man go,”
“Oy!” Everyone looked at me.
“Can we just chill for a second, that building might take too long. Hmm, we still need pure Nonpoth so we can get started. So we have the money to purchase some I assume?”
Neil scratched his head then he looked intently into space, must have been a blurb. “Hmm, ya we do.”
“Ok, buy some for Bourne to get started. Ahhhhh…” I snap my finger, “Opa, Xavier we are going to the Underdark,”
“Who-hoo! That place is filled with treasure hopefully I get a share.” Xavier exclaimed,
“You will get a lot, I just want Nonpoth, has to be Sunday or Saturday, we have to honor that group’s quota so tell them we are giving them something upfront and the rest will come later. Neil ask the others when they can devote themselves to this, text on the day you decide as well.”
“Alright.”
“Hey I can go, Saturday I am free as a bird.” Bain said as he came beside me.
“Nah, I need you for something else…”
“Like what?”
“The Witches of Light, I already told Killon to spy on them for me, could you assist him?”
Bain opened his mouth but closed it pertly as he looked troubled, “Yeah sure.”
“Alright thanks, oh you need a Holy Sword right?”
“Uh? Hmm well yeah…”
“Ok so we got some regents for Alice and she enchanted some weapons for us. I got a Holy Sword on the way for you to use.”
His face lightened up, “Oh, thanks?”
“What you don’t want it?”
“No, I mean I just did not expect it.”
I smirk at him, nudging him in the side, “Why is that so surprising?”
He opened his mouth and snorted as he looked away, “Maybe not…”
Chapter 13
Wata rotated the juice I just bought her. As I go through the map on my laptop, I take out my glasses. It seems bribery still works on Wata. There was a time there was nothing between us. Though I would probably say the same thing for me and my brother, he was now at Dowery University.
So he was living the good life away from home. I wish I could be away from home myself. The sooner the better in my opinion, I wonder which university I would go to then?
Wata’s friend came in, she was a blond girl, her eyes were dark brown. She was wearing a white round neck t-shirt with a finger-painted hand shape on it, denim pants and bunny shaped slippers. The idea of Wata having a friend struck me weird but I ignore it. She shot Wata a glance as she rounded both of us and stood on my left.
Tilting my eyes to stare down on her, she smirked and slipped her hand over my laptop grabbing the one of six juices I bought as bribery.
If Wata had her way it would be nine, I negotiated it down a peck.
“Alright I am going to log into the game, soo…” I look back on her friend’s bed, it had overly white plush sheets with various colored animal pillows, it seemed soft. Would that not make it easier for me to get interfered with during the game, well best to try and see.
“Right, we won’t bother you.” Her friend said, Wata moved into the chair I vacated.
I nod and position myself on the bed. I sink down… this was a lot. This bed literally sunk to my weight. Was this one of those fancy beds, because I hear they really absorb you. I felt completely absorbed; my arms were lightly covered on either side.
My head rested almost weightless on the bright blue pillow shaped like a walrus.
“Hey Celina, I will watch you play!”
I groan, I forgot to exit the client program.
“Wata turn off the laptop.”
“Please let me watch you play!?”
“Wata, all you will see is a bunch of dots on a virtual map. You cannot really watch me play. That is not possible. It isn’t streamed so you cannot see it.”
“Hey then we can watch that.” Her friend said brightly, that’s it I give up.
“Fine but do not touch it just watch it, ok? Oh and don’t disturb me while I am playing either.”
“We know.” They said in unison.
I breathe out, time to game on.
***
Wearing the new reddish Lovely Rain tight robe jacket and Payldron over my Breastplate, I had my Dust Boots of Bast with a skirt. The lovely Rain set that Alice crafted herself gave me added power to my spells coupled with my Mercury Staff my concentration was better for spells.
Either way I looked fashionable, as part of the contract I have to always be wearing this robe jacket. But I was underground, oh well… maybe it would become all the rage if people think it is good gear for the Underdark.
“Good to see you are here.” Victor said.
“Somewhat, I feel like I might be sick. What is that?” I inquired.
From since I gamed in, there was this strong smell. It did not smell bad per say, but it filled the air and made it hard for me to focus.
“Someone laid scented bombs, and we ended up walking into it.”
Valush coldly utters, “it might be more accurate to say J Ron walked into it.”
J Ron shudders at her tone.
I smile, “Leave him be Valush…”
The cavern had no light, except for certain small gems beaming light intermittently. It barely gave any coverage but with flares it was enough to navigate by. Victor, Opa, Xavier, Medpack, Valush, Deabush, J Ron and Alice pretty much the whole gang.
I raise my palm as I stood down in front, “Let the marathon begin folks.”
Advancing from the four hundredth level, we pushed through fighting Snakes that hugged the roofs and Spiders that hid in deep holes in the ground. Little Creatures carrying guns that blew out poignant acid.
Victor and Opa easily lead the line while everyone else followed. We only stopped for Alice to check things and items she noticed. Many treasures we find we usually cannot Identify until we leave the cave. So having either Joshua or Alice along really helps.
Each level took us five to fifteen minutes to clear. We had two hours to finish. So we were on a schedule, so we pushed forward almost all the time.
There was not much strategy to it, we just destroyed any enemy in front of us. That included any lone player characters we found. I get notification that a player was nearby, must be Wata.
She was making herself useful. I told the o
thers and we were able to sneak close. We all must have identified the Elvish. He was pacing about in this open space, brown tight hide clothing. A dull gleam of light was shining down from above close to him.
His stats were weak, too weak. On the five hundred and seventieth level with small Earth Dragons roaming freely, no, he must be here with someone.
“Deabush,”
He turned as I whispered in his ear, ”aim at him, do not shoot yet.” Then I motion to Medpack and Victor. We stepped out into the open he turned and gawked at us in alarm. Sidestepping I moved to the right to avoid being in front of him.
“Wait! I am just one person, chill.” he said.
My eyes already floated up and saw the light of a lamp was reflecting off the wall. Someone was nearby.
I jump back as Victor rushed him, the man sidestepped and a mass of black tendrils rose from the ground to slap into Victor. The Elvish had disappeared into the shadows of the same wall the arrow crushed into. A cloaked figure slipped out of nowhere on the ledge above us.
His hands wavered, a nine sign seal, “Deabush shoot him!”
I see Xavier rush towards me as a large thin arm rushes forward and grabs me up. Out of this seal was a monstrosity, a Viner. In comparison to a building, tall as three floors of dark blue flesh with four eyes and a long mouth. The teeth were long, viscously wet, and serrated. His body was rife with stretch lines deep and covered with boils that radiated a yellow tint surrounded by bubbly foam.
The pressure in my side makes me shiver as I try to cast.
“Endiver Mor!” Valush’s voice rang out.
Was that Opa? He flew toward the Viner rotating he swung his hammer hitting the Viner in the lower jaw. The pressure lessens I can breathe.
“Inlodius!”
My body falls, slipping through his hand, the thud of my fall, I heard a squawk. Rolling off, I see J Ron under my forearm.
Valush shoots a large bolt of lightning. As Victor lunges into the Viner, I grab J Ron by the collar of his jacket and pull him up out of the way.
Victor crawled and hopped along the Viner’s body dodging each twist and swing of its arm swipes. Victor reached the ledge and with Opa now grounded rush the magic Caster. He drifts back in surprise, as we have to deal with the Viner’s misdirected rage.
The Caster disappears in a blast of black shadows eclipsing the whole walls and cliff. Victor and Opa got absorbed in it. They were gone.
“Celina! Healing!?” Medpack shouted as she threw a potion bottle, Xavier caught it.
I shift attention to the Viner which was pinned down by Xavier who had taken heavy damage. Valush was not moving but her eyes were, “Black Miracle, Black Heart!”
Deabush and Medpack were dodging its attacks well enough but their feeble attacks had no difference on this beast. The Viner flapped its arms around deflecting arrows and knives thrown at it. Viner’s skin was resistant to physical damage even with the bow, Deabush was only doing a good amount of damage when he did get a good hit while Medpack was only annoying the Viner at best.
Valush surged up, the Viner immediately pushed pass Deabush, the smart aleck, he was planning to take out the biggest threat to him.
“Infernal!”
A long whip hits the Viner in his neck making it wince. Alice slipped in behind me after that, guess she was not the aggressive type but it was enough.
Valush slides beside Xavier as he draws out his Gauntlet, it blackens and shakes as he holds his long sword brewing with dark cursed energy.
“Tired of this thing,” Xavier said as the sword blazes up a dark flame that shone brightly.
Valush utters, “Hey high and low?”
Xavier smiled, “low…with pleasure,”
Valush shoots me a look, I groan, I draw a three sign seal and give her what she wants, “Castomon!”
A wind surges up into Valush sending her wildly on end.
Corner of my eye, a swinging axe?
“Look out!”
A rush of wind, the axe drops across from Xavier’s sidestep. I see three more guys, one Mulu and two Humans. The one with the axe falls back taken down with one shot, Deabush draws another arrow. The guys separate, the one closest I grab, “Takomundo!”
The Mulu gets taken down fully by an arrow as the one I touch flies off. The spell takes effect as Valush rushes skyward and Xavier cuts around the Viner on its side.
Xavier swings his sword into the back knee of the rampaging Viner, Valush casts a five sign seal, and goes through it, “Shock Apathy!” She rushes through and crushes into the Viner’s neck a glaring blast of light.
She hits the ground with the Viner pinned and convulsing under the force of the attack. Other guys came, they were ready to fight.
The Gatlick and Human axe wielder came after me. I dodge one hit only to get another. The other one tries to get around me to reach Alice who was hugging the wall. I grasp him but that makes it easier for the Human as he kicks me in the chest and swings.
“Almander’s shield!” Medpack shouted as she jump kicked the one Human trying to go after Deabush.
The axe hits a black arm of a shadow splashing; I jump back from the hit. I get tripped and was about to be slashed when Xavier pushed over the Gatlick but he was easily rebuffed and punched over my kneeling frame.
Xavier is motionless.
Blast… if only we had another attack based player, Opa and Victor were gone now. These guys were too strong. Everything was falling apart. We had thirty floors to go, all we had to do was reach the six hundredth floor and save our progress.
“Rolling Evol!”
Two of them get pushed back from before me as Valush stomps forward, J Ron slips behind her. As the Gatlick charges, an arrow hits him sending him wobbling.
Valush times him, “Believer Axe!” She surges forward and sends him flying into the other one.
I hear a crackle, as the Gatlick dies. The Human dusts himself off, an eight sign seal appears as the tendrils of the shadows rush out and slap Medpack and Valush from coming near.
He disappears in a dark shadow.
“Sliverine…” Medpack said as much to herself.
Someone was using the shadow spell Sliverine. It allowed short distance teleportation on the same floor of a building or cavern. That is how the Elvish disappeared.
I see a blurb saying, ‘Check on Allies’ What was Wata talking about?
“Black wonderful…map,”
I look at the map, they were all dead.
“Those bastards, they separated us on purpose.” I said out loud, everyone looked around at each other deflated.
“You noticed?” Medpack asked.
“Yeah I noticed too late. I should have been healing but…”
Alice adds, “We were distracted, nothing you could do about that.”
“Blast me, what do we do now? We lost our Tanks. We can’t lean on Valush to carry the whole of that burden.”
“I could you know.” she said with much conviction in her voice as if it was a given.
“Not for the next four hundred floors you can’t. There are mobs on the level of a Viner up ahead. Maybe if we had Alvain…”
“Yeah we can still gate him in.” Alice chipped in.
True but there was one problem, Alvain was busy with his personal life. He said he would be free enough on Wednesday if we were still going down. We had planned to reach the seven hundredth floor by then, so he would help us finish up.
The Numbia NPC Monsters controlled the gates on each hundredth of a level. But we could not get back people we lost by death on the way here, also our player characters could not leave the cavern now.
Neil could only play in short sprints, so asking him was a struggle now. Mom was busy with other things so she was out of the question right now. There was Joshua but he could not Tank, he was like Valush but with a big sword.
I looked around, Deabush was long range, Medpack was better picking off opponents when they were distracted by a Tank and Alice, I still did not k
now her full capabilities as a fighter. That and she was shadowed, I could ask her.
“Ok, hmmm, Ron excavate that Viner for materials. Xa…”
He was still down.
“Uh oh…” Deabush let out, I walk over to Xavier slightly worried.
I called, “Status!”
He was on one hit point, with the effect of Stoned, which was like being Stunned but this was a magical ailment.
Right, my healing magic does not work so well on Blood Knights, he should rise again from his self inflicted Stoned effect but it will be a while.
“Ron you done over there?”
“Yeah,” he came in a hurry.
“Carry his body,” I point towards Xavier.
Ron twisted his face at me, I shoot a glare that my order was not to be belayed. He finally nods and gets to it.
“Hey, I know who attacked us?”
I looked at Alice who was rolling her hand with four sign seal below her twiddling fingers over the Chest Plate I had grabbed.
“This Chest Plate belonged to a member of Kingdom of Pain.”
That group, they were powerful and naturally they had much control over things but were they laying a trap for us specifically or was it that we were unfortunate?
“Alright, hmmm…Valush go off on your own.”
“Huh?”
“The mobs in the Underdark do not regenerate that quickly. So go off on your own and go all out. Clear the way for us, I will heal from afar. All you guys cover me so I can just focus on that.”
Medpack interrupted, “You sure she will be fine on her own?”
“I have seen her in action, she was holding back all this time just to not hurt anyone else in this close space right?”
Valush smiles, “well aren’t you observant?”
“Forget about it, listen if those idiots come Medpack use that Sliverine spell, we have to start communicating better and with mental shoutout too from now on ok?”
Valush nods, “Yeah got it.”
Chapter 14
“Man I am tired.” Xavier complained.
“How many…?” Deabush asked.
Xavier was sitting on the ground, he groans and shakes his head, “Too many,”