by M J Conlon
Finally, after about twenty portal creations and countless trajectory corrections Derick knew he needed to rest for a second. During this time he wondered how he could get off of this planet. He knew the only reason he was able to send many of these diseased bodies to the planet of Argos was that he was stationary and able to mentally see the path and trajectory alterations that the tunneling attacks made.
This meant that if he was to try to travel to Triton, he would likely either start back here at his original respawn location, or he might die completely. It was only a stroke of luck that he had survived his first travel, which also seemed to be before the portal plague hit him, at least he hoped so for the case of Penelope and her two sisters.
So how do I get back? Derick thought, he knew it was his ability in portal mastery that allowed him to alter the trajectories of people in mid transit, but how can I assure my safe arrival? Derick not wanting to waste his time began thinking about his current dilemma while honing his attack skills. They are already dying, I am just going to help them die faster. Derick thought to himself, about the players that were spawning and respawning with the portal plague disease.
After a few respawns the players all began trying to swarm Derick. Derick not wanting to teleport instead went with his natural phasing, where he ran as quickly as possible through the shambling hordes of players who were all moving at half speed, got to a small clearing then began using both blades in his hands, and his psychic-telekinesis fighting form to defeat many of the respawning players. It was carnage incarnate, and for a second Derick felt himself become free in the moment.
When his mental energy began to empty he focused on retreating and using his stamina. Then when his stamina began to draw low, he switched back to mental energy. This dance of death continued until Derick found himself out of the first graveyard, the one that showed a player still had more than seven lives left.
Derick looked back at the graveyard and was somewhat surprised to see that it was a stone entryway, much like Derick had noted when leaving the seventh graveyard. Then Derick remembered the book that Rokella’s group had given him upon completion of their Portalist Journeyman quest.
Derick realizing his stupidity ran to a hidden alcove and waited. He waited for a few minutes in the darkened corner that still was completely visible to Derick and his dark sight. How did my ancestors travel the cosmos? Derick thought to himself, before he realize he was getting into the character of the Celestial Gnome. Derick quickly flipped through the different pages, until he found the portal structures that stood at the convergence of no less than five major lay lines. It was at these major lay lines that fixed portal nodes could be created and connected to different locations. That is how I can get back home, Derick thought to himself. Then Derick did a mental map of the place and realized that there were only two known portal locations in the underworld that he was aware of. The first being to Draco, the planet filled with dragons that killed off his entire species in retaliation for the murder of one nest of dragon’s eggs, or the dungeon portal that should have a portal that could be assembled to take him anywhere if he remembered his original instructor’s words correctly, where he would only have to get past one dragon, that he himself had killed an entire nest’s worth of eggs.
So one with an obvious vendetta, or potentially thousands of Dragons to face that will all have a vendetta against me if I survive first contact. It took a while, but Derick finally decided that he would likely have an easier time getting past the one dragon matriarch as opposed to an entire planet filled with dragons that would likely have giant nesting sites resting on each lay line. Though truth be told, Derick didn’t like either of the two options.
Derick somehow knew that he was back up to at least two respawns through his assistance in killing or direct killing of at least 40 different players. Derick not really thinking too long about his options decided to I wish to use one respawn to pay off the flaw offensive to animals. Derick thought, then he could feel the game world once again come to a grind around him as the server seemed to be deliberating on his actions and what reactions the game mechanics should have to his actions and wishes. Finally the grinding stopped, and Derick was able to move freely about the underworld once more. This time Derick didn’t waste his time going through the city, and instead quickly sped through the town. Yet the more he saw of the town, the fewer NPCs and players he saw moving about the city. He felt for minds with his psychic-viewing and found only a void, where only a few hours ago there were hundreds of active minds engaged with each other and the world.
Derick realized that he now had a few extra spell power points, so he added the points to his psychic-viewing until he knew he could see 100% of all hidden persons, places and items that were within his viewing radius, which had also expanded. However, it seemed that even with his vast increase of power, nothing else seemed to be added to his viewing radius, at least not at the outer city gate.
As Derick made his way through the first few gates, he saw areas where the various NPCs and Professions trainers had been, but were now missing. As he made his way deeper into the city, he found the wondering artificier, but was shocked to find that the artificier was stationary. Derick went to the artificier to see if she had any insights as to what had happened in the city. As Derick approached, he could see that much of the vibrant colors were drained from the face of the traveling artificier. As he looked, he saw that the artificier upon seeing him changed from gray to a vibrant golden color.
A sign that a quest had been opened, it was the same bright golden color that the portalist trainer’s had before Derick was given the task of going into the dungeon to unlock his first Profession.
“Greetings traveler.” The artificier profession trainer said, while slowly curling into a ball. “This was not supposed to be your time to learn the artificier trade, but you are one of the few who has been deemed worthy of learning this valued profession.” Derick just looked at her huddled body that seemed to be slowly deteriorating as he watched. He looked and cast his psychic-healing on the artificer, instantly some of the color came back to her face, showing that the power, though limited still intended some of its desired effect.
“Can I do something to help?” Derick asked, seeing the professions trainer go into convulsions once the channeled healing spell stopped flowing into her. Derick searched his bags for all of his healing potions and elixirs, which he gently placed within arms reach of the professions trainer. Derick looked over the trainer for any status effects and found that she was suffering from the portal plague, though it seemed to be going through her at a slower rate than the quicker version that afflicted his fellow Players.
“I fear this is only a way to prolong my suffering, as I appear to have contracted a Traveler disease.” She said, looking at the potions, then grabbing them and placing the vials gently into her lap for easy access.
“Yet, I can at least pass on, knowing that my purpose will have been fulfilled if I start you on the path of being an artificier.” She said, almost able to look Derick in the eye from her sitting position. “Just realize that this is a dangerous path and will require you to be extra reckless as you will have to access the same dungeon that you explored to unlock your portalist potential.” She said, her breathing became labored as she began forcing her way through the words that she seemed determined to say, even if they killed her.
“You will face two main issues with this class. First, you were not intended to be the original recipient of this profession, as it is not fully compatible with your race. This means that should you find all the hidden clues, you will only unlock the master level of this profession. It will also mean that I will give you my dying quest, find the other traveler who was meant to become the Sage artificier. Should you find and train the intended individual you will have fulfilled my life’s purpose from beyond the grave and I will be eternally in your debt.”
“How will I know this person whom I am meant to train?” Derick Asked.
&nb
sp; “You will know, as their mind, body, and soul will resonate with yours.” She said, before peeling off the top of the largest healing elixir, then downing the content in one massive swig. She panted and breathed heavily for a few seconds. Derick was in the process of turning away when she continued, “second, you must find the missing memory fragments that have embedded themselves into the greater life forms of the dungeon. Unfortunately you will need them all, in order to accomplish this task, as the dungeon is depleted of monsters capable of holding these fragments and your body already holding a sage rank in a hidden profession will be resistant to the additional knowledges that will be thrust upon your mind.” The woman then reached into her robe and pulled out a pair of mechanical spectacles that seemed to grow and extend in her hands. “Take this and go quickly. The worlds are changing, the original timeline is off.” With that Derick took the spectacles from the artificiers outstretched arm, then watched as she collapsed into a panting pile of pain. Derick cast psychic healing on the woman one last time, before he tried to make his way to the grand tower.
Derick was already dreading the steep climb up the countless tower steps, but was shocked to see that his path forward was blocked by two locked iron doors. It was only once he had made his way all the way to the closed iron doors that Derick realized he could feel 30 or so minds that were all gripped with fear huddling inside the tower. Derick looked at the outside of the door and saw large swaths of blood, there were bloody hand prints that seemed to at first push the door shut, then other sets that seemed to have tried to pull the door open. Yet the door had been barred from the inside. Derick looked around for any signs of bodies, but it seemed the portal plague was nearly perfect with its disposal of a dead body. The sight reminded him of the night he received his first purple heart, and the aftermath the next day as he searched through the city for any survivors. Not wanting to see the people that survived such an encounter, Derick decided he would scale the building from the outside. Mentally Derick added five spell power points to his levitation, then not wanting to be caught unprepared he began adding the rest of his Spell Power Points to his two new attack abilities pyrokinesis and psychic assault.
Derick was not quite sure exactly how many points he had added in all but was certain it was over ten points each. Derick had been awarded points for killing a lot of fellow players. They deserved it, he told himself, thinking how it was a rigged system that had a preset group of winners, but Derick still felt somewhat guilty. What he had done was the equivalent of biological warfare, one that seemed to have killed off every NPC in the underworld. Before if a player was killed by an NPC they would be sent to one of the five main planets. Now they would only have each other to kill, which will take them all right back here. This is of course assuming they either avoid getting the portal plague, or die sometime after the Portal Plague has run its course through the Players that are down here.
Derick wanted to look at his spot on the resurrection board, but he knew it would feel like a hollow victory at this point. Plenty of time left to see where I stand in the grand scheme of things, Derick thought to himself as he shook his arms, cast Levitation on himself and began climbing up the large tower as quickly and efficiently as he possibly could.
Character View 10
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Chapter 12
Derick felt himself rising upwards faster than he thought possible. Hands grabbed the side of the seemingly smooth tower structure, miraculously found purchase that then let Derick propel his now weightless body quickly onward and upwards. Feet kicking him upwards when his hands and arms needed a slight break. At one point he almost felt as if he could lean back and just run vertically up the walls. Instinctively he knew he wasn’t quite there yet, but that he would be there if he invested a few more points into his levitation ability. At about the halfway point he began running around the tower in an upward spiral pattern, looking for the marker that served as a bastion of hope for him when he had made his original trek on the inside of the tower.
Finally he found it, a single stain glass window depicting a deity and a field. Derick remembered wanting to ask about the mural, but instead focused on his breathing when he first made his way up the giant tower.
Derick knew that he still had a few minutes left on his Levitation Ability, but decided a rest would be more beneficial at the current moment than pressing himself to make the trip in one strained attempt. So he waited, feeling gravity finally overtake his body once more, which forced him to sit firmly in the window frame he waited. He thought about his mission to this point. It is just a mission to me, isn’t it? I’ve treated it like it was nothing more than a mission. Derick waited for HAIL to reply, but once again came to the realization that he still had Not-HAIL who seemed to pretend to not read his thoughts. Question, Derick thought, do I still have my premium badge? Derick wondered if he still possessed the badge that would allow him to keep his skills and talents that he had learned up until this point of the game? Yet it was more than a game, in a very real sense it was his life, it was what would determine whether he was able to continue to live, once they landed. It was supposed to be a fair trial, letting the most skilled and the most capable of adapting succeed, yet it was anything but fair.
“My scans indicate that you do have a premium badge, but it is being disputed. Apparently there is a claim that you stole money from multiple players.” Not-HAIL interjected.
What does it mean that the badge is being disputed? Also, I thought that I was already out of this phase?
“You were cleared of an initial inquiry, then questions about using in game glitches to cheat caused your case to be re-opened. Added to that, there are no fewer than 237 different complaints about your creating an in game glitch that was used to permanently delete players as it was a disease that stayed through respawns.” Not-HAIL kindly answered.
Yeah, I guess I would have complained about that as well.
“Currently you are being investigated for wiping out most, if not all of the major cities of Argos, and the almost all of the inhabitants of the underworld.” Not-HAIL began.
Is that a bad thing? Derick asked.
“It could be, but you are in fact saved by the fact that there is an active portal that is able to take the travelers to one of the five planets on demand.”
Oh, the portal to Draco that you have to fall into the well to get to?
“Yes, as there is an active portal that is available a city reset is not required at this moment. Though it was noted that while only the most dangerous of the planets is currently available to the travelers, they do have an option to achieve resurrection through Draco.” Not-HAIL answered.
That is quite possibly the most I have heard you state since you got here.
“That is because you had a relevant query that I was legitimately supposed to have access to.”
One last question, Derick thought as he once again cast Levitation on himself then began his rapid rise up the tower. I am about to enter the dungeon of the underworld. Are you going to have any problems if I die in there?
Not-HAIL remained quiet.
Okay, I’ll take that as a yes.
Not-HAIL still remained quiet.
Derick let that knowledge sink in during his long ascent up the side of the tower. Derick also used the motivation that he was not supposed to have lasted this long, that his survival was only due to his friend ship with Parker, and the forewarning he received from Parker about the game.
After what felt like an hour of climbing, though realistically had to have been fewer than 16 minutes, Derick cleared the lip of the tower and pulled his body over the side. No sooner had he landed on the top, then he felt a gust of wind pick up his weightless body and push him off the side of the tower. Derick quickly started running forward, with his new level in his ability he wasn’t losing height, but he didn’t know how much longer he had on his timer. Finally, he allowed his body to drop below the top of the tower, causing the gushing wind to no
t be able to grab him quite so easily. He pumped his legs and he flailed his arms forward, almost feeling like he was trying to swim through the remaining distance to the tower.
As he got within ten feet he felt the slight jerks of weight coming in to grab him, as he felt his Ability flicker for a second, before letting him fall to the ground. Now that his levitation ability was no longer in effect he no longer felt the constant pushing away from the tower, due to the gusts of wind. The only problem now was that he was beginning to pick up speed in his falling. Derick continued to lean forward, almost causing his body to tip over completely, but righted his body weight at the last second. Reaching with his hands, Derick found two of the stronger daggers that he had confiscated during his travels. Upon touching them Derick could now tell that they were Exceptional daggers, though they offered little in the way of extra damage. Their main function was that they were more durable than others and would not require the constant repairs that the other blades would. Derick grabbed the daggers, pulling them up and over his head in a striking motion and then waited for his inevitable impact with the side of the tower. In a second Derick’s battle senses kicked in, the rush of adrenaline that allowed him to slow down the world so he could anticipate his next actions.
In one fluid motion, Derick still leaning forward struck out with his two daggers, making sure to grip them for all he was worth. He did not however, fully anticipate how far he was leaning forward, nor how quickly he had been traveling towards the tower. Derick first saw the tower, then felt the tower impact the side of his face, as he just managed to turn his head at the last second before he would have likely knocked himself out upon impact. As his face began its seemingly slow grind across the side of the wall, Derick then felt his elbows impact sharply, followed by his knees and finally his feet, but only after his elbows and knees impacted the wall once more. Derick could see the bright colors in his eyes from where his face had been used as a rag that tried to clean the outside of the wall. It took a long second, but finally Derick was able to think and move on his own again. The world had finally stopped spinning around him.