Player Reached the Top

by Rick Scar

  “Are you That RAVen?” His eyes, being a clue to recognizing a blind, opened looking at the guy. Lekhor and Gikhor have already told about you. Thank you for saving them. They are good warriors, and our general force would fall without them. What do you want for their rescue?”

  Will frowned. Of course, he was not sacred; his purpose was not to allow the horghs to die just for raising the level at the expense of their force. But that oath they had taken could not be sold for the shaman's gifts. Perhaps, he expressed his gratitude, but RAVen decided to take nothing.

  “I need nothing, but if you want to thank me, answer my questions.”

  “Oh, answers. All of you begin to look for them someday. … I see confusion in your soul…no, it’s something different … Desire? No, something bigger … Thirst? Yes, thirst. What are you so starved for, my friend?”

  The words of the shaman touched unpleasantly the young man. He vaguely realized what that one was speaking about, but he did not like the stranger stepping on his toes.

  “Stop it!” His face become similar to a mask, and the voice showed his hidden rage. “It seems, I was gonna ask questions, but not you!”

  “Well … if you want answers … then drink it.” The shaman stretched the bottle with red liquid and smiled crookedly. “It is not poison, don’t be afraid, but I do not promise also tranquility to you.”

  “What is it?”

  “Drink and you will receive even those answers you aren’t looking for. You have chosen the award …”

  “Thanks to the saved lives the shaman gives you the chosen award. It’s only you who can decide what to do with it.”

  The RAVEN did not understand what was going on, but the words of the blind man caused some unclear feeling. What would be after he drank it and what answers the shaman had talked about?

  “Well. Give it here!” Will took the bottle away sharply and, without thinking any more, drank all its contents.

  He was rocked, then got dizzy... and then dizzier, and the last he saw was the shaman's hands which picked him up in falling.

  “You have drunk: "Truth potion".

  The unique potion prepared only by the shaman Grrakhkat.

  Everyone, who drinks his potion, is shown only that best suit. Pulling out his or her hidden desires, purposes and motives.

  Duration: 4 hours.”

  Will opened his eyes and recognized he was sitting at the desk of his school. He looked around and saw himself, the little and badly dressed boy with the same schoolmates around.

  Nevertheless some of them were dressed better than the others. They had new books costing a lot, fashionable backpacks and notebooks. They were strongly different. Since his boyhood he had been envying them, who was born much richer, than he and his sister were.

  No. He did not blame his father and even mother who had left when Leia was three years old. He cursed the fate, blaming it for such injustice. And this envy, this hatred to poverty gradually expanded in thirst.

  Then his school was replaced by his first job. A JJJanitor. After shots went one after another, showing all new and new jobs he grabbed to escape from that vicious circle of lack of money.

  Will was looking at all this, and his jaw cramped a spasm. The flame of that offense he had hidden so carefully was burning in his heart. He had tears in his eyes. He DID not want to see this!

  “Ra-a-a!!! Stop! Enough! Why are you showing it to me?!” He had already forgotten that he was in the game. His dreadful memoirs which were pulled out from the secret corners of his soul overflowed him.

  He curled up in empty space and covered his head with his hands. “Enough! Enough! Enough! Enough! Enough!!!”

  There is something in each of us that we try to hide deeply. Either desire, aspiration, or hope to have one more chance. Will had always had a burning desire to find the answer to that question: what is it the view from the mountain of money?

  Being eternally poor, he did not wish such future to his sister... So Will tried to clear himself. And, as it was told, there was something in everyone that we were afraid to show even to ourselves.

  And while he was being shown what he had hidden, Will was reliving his childhood when running away from the house; he had hidden somewhere and had cried silently. His sister should not have seen her brother in such condition, as well as their father.

  Will did not want to live for the sake of money, understanding that family, friendship, something moral had to be his ideals, but the worm of the idea had lodged in him gnawed his essence, looking for a way out. And this way out was found after the conversation of those two visitors.

  He was always able to advance towards the set goal. So when, at last, his target presented itself, he could not nip it in the bud.

  The top!!!

  He wanted to know what view could be seen from that top of the wealth!

  Chapter 28. The curst trace

  As soon as he accepted his thirst, he was thrown out it from this state. Being covered with his sweat he was laying on the floor. The relived days knocked down even him. There were two debuffs in his status.

  “"Demoralization"

  Your will is weak, and you will cause for 21% less damage. Energy is lowered for 15%.

  Duration: 10 minutes

  "Weakness"

  Health is reduced by 10%,

  Speed is reduced by 30%.

  Duration: 10 minutes.”

  “Have you found what you were looking for, Envoy?” The voice of the shaman has brought him out of prostration.

  “I … probably, can’t tell what I was looking for, but now it seems to me I'm relieved, actually. As if what has been prevailing over me for all these years has disappeared so far. Well, probably I should thank you? Though you did not warned me about what would happen.”

  “Very few people will decide voluntarily to face their internal demons, those who win acquire something valuable. Don’t you, RAVen?”

  “What are you?” It bugged Will that the system could have got his memoirs from his private life and interweave into the game. It could have influenced mentality of the user …

  “Me? I am just an old shaman of the horghs tribe. Nothing more.” His quiet smile confirmed his words, and RAVen understood that he should not try to obtain the answer.

  “Well, it is time to go, see you, maybe.”

  Will really was going to leave when he was stopped.

  “Wait! While you were being under the influence of potion, I felt an old trace of damnation on you. Did you struggle with someone obsessed with certain violet aura not long ago?”

  “Right you are! It was a big rat. In Skiavra that in several yards from here. Why are you asking?”

  “You see, sometimes fortune favours the bold, and you, undoubtedly, are brave. You can't argue with that you are weak, but brave. Perhaps, your emergence was foreordained, wasn’t it?”

  “Sure. It was foreordained by directly game mechanics,” poorly smiled Will.

  “Cut to the chase, Shaman!”

  “Well. In our wood the damned animal has appeared recently. More likely, it is no animal longer, but monster. He hunts at night and never attacks big groups. So we cannot kill him.”

  “Send somebody as bait and ambush until the monster falls into trap. What’s the problem?”

  “We’ve already tried, but he avoids skillfully all this. We’ve even sent the captain Dreyrok. He’s one of the strongest warrior among the horghs. But the monster as if felt his aura of power and avoided fighting with him.

  Dreyrok has been travelling around the wood for a week, but he hasn’t been attacked by the monster.”

  “How can I help? A-and …There is a curst trace on me, which is able to attract this beast, isn’t it?”

  “Right you are!”

  “There is one point. And how will I cope with him? I am not the captain Dreyrok, and am not rather strong for fight against the damned animal so far.”

  “I see… you are really not enough, but how did you manage to kill one of
them?”

  “With the help of cunning …” sighed Will. “Cunning and good luck.”

  “It is clear … So, you need to become stronger.”

  “It is obvious, Shaman. By the way, and why cannot you kill him?”

  “I am tied to this land. Also I can't get far. So the only chance is you, Envoy. Become stronger and kill this beast, infecting the wood.

  “The task is offered to you: «Monster at night".

  Kill the cursed animal and bring his head as a confirmation.

  Task for level 65+

  Awards:

  +15000 XP;

  +90 gold;

  +47 points of Grrakhkat’s ;

  Opportunity to choose jewelry of your range.

  Note: In case of murder of the monster with lower level that is required, you will earn a bonus.

  Accept? Yes/No.”

  “No way in hell am I getting in that thing without having prepared.”

  When he was reading the message from the system, he was notified of a new letter. The letter was from Light Terror.

  Chapter 29. Follow Cursed Aura

  “Hi RAVEN,

  Sorry, that so long, you see, affairs of the clan and others. In addition, the problem was with the guard. On the web-site you’ve, probably, seen the information about it, and so, it is our idiot shared. He, damned him, decided to draw attention! Well, it isn’t important, we'll sort it out. Now Books are in great demand, especially with rare skills. But as we can farm them, my leader reciprocated after had learned that you would give a higher price, than in the market. (A considerable role has played the fact that I have put in a good word for you;)). So don't let me down. All in all, eight gold, look at the name and the description, maybe, you’ve already got something from this.

  Light Terror”

  Will had a look at the titles of the books. There were five of them.

  A Book of The skill "Theft", - well, everything was clear with it, the skill allowed to rob the victim.

  A Book of The skill "Shock", - one of many skills stunning an enemy. It gave a three-second "stun" for good timing, forced magicians’ cast down.

  A Book of the skill "Dirty dodge ", - the skill allowed to throw some sand into eyes of an enemy to blind him for two seconds.

  A Book of the skill «Poisoning", - allowed to apply concentrated poison on weapon and arrows with bolts. The higher poison level, the more additional damage is.

  The latest book was the rarest one, and the rogue did not understand why Pak had decided to sell it. Especially, why the leader had allowed doing it.

  A Book of the skill: "The double attack", an attack caused damage as two attacks with probability of 9%, without including critical damage.

  He had slightly more than hundred fifty gold coins, and Will, without postponing, sent the companion ten gold. Such help should be appreciated.He was planning to ask him for a help more and more. It is good as to have friends from not the latest guild as to have support of the horghs tribe.

  …

  Dey-Ghard did not follow strange soldiers that afternoon. His mood had been spoiled, and he abandoned the game, waiting for the moment when he would be moved back on his floor.

  When he entered the game next day, he was standing near that grotto of slugs. He knew that the dungeon had been occupied by his clan. After writing back to Alteya and learning where they were, he went to meet them.

  The elf received more than a splendid award from the leader. Though did not understand why … Mollie had already watched the received video four times. She was trying to understand if the player was that she was looking for or he was just a NPC. She again and again damned the elf for the fact that he had chickened out and had not found it out. But now it was possible to put the nickname "White RAVen" on the list of suspects.

  “The list consisting of one name, hmm, was not even ridiculous.

  …

  Will left the house of the shaman and breathed the free air again. The clock said 12:30.

  “Foo-ooh, it’s high time to have a bite,” saying these words he disappeared.

  …

  Half an hour later, he was standing in front of the shaman’s house again. He was eager to leave when he realized that the shaman was more suitable for reading that piece of paper which he had found at the dead adept of shadow.

  Intending to visit him again, Will stiffened on the highway.

  "Dang me! He’s blind!" Will turned around, headed to the gate and stiffened again. “Why did he need the book he was holding when I entered? Aha ". And turning round again, he rushed to the old man.

  That one was sitting in the pose he had been before.

  “Shaman, can you read the book you're holding in your hand?”

  “What are you talking about? Of course, I can. What for am I holding it?”

  “But you’re blind…”

  “Ah-ha-h…” The shaman mildly burst out laughing. “I get it, get it, no, I’m not, Envoy, I’m not blind, my race just has no pupils from the birth. Have you heard anything about Khhasakh?”

  “I guess you know that I have not.”

  “It is clear, what would you like…?”

  “Can you translate this text?” he got a scrap of the withered paper and stretched to the old man.

  “Gm-hm… it’s a ciphered message, but lucky you are that language is familiar to me. Show up in t five days. I think I will have finished by this time.”

  “Thanks, Grrakhkat. And, until I forget again, tell everything that you know about the cursed monster.”

  “Ask Vakhor, he is the only who could endure a meeting with him.”

  “Well, I will show up in five days. See you soon.”

  “Good luck, Envoy.”

  …

  He found Vakhor, a horgh the hunter in the house to which someone from the locals had pointed.

  “Knock-knock. Hello.”

  He knocked quietly, and in a moment the door was opened by a little girl.

  “My to fhear you, Sir.” She was slightly more than three ft, with the same pale skin as all horghs had and with amusing pony tails. Her big childish eyes were gazing at the guest with curiosity.

  “Hi, baby, is Vakhor at home?”

  “Dad being lie, sick, no walk.” She shook her tiny head and pointed into the room. “There.”

  “Thanks, baby, may I come in? I need to chat with your dad.”

  Her blinking eyes and funny ponytails reminded his sister being interested in something new; she always approached it and, sticking with her finger, asked “Bro, bro, where are baby birds of pigeons? Big go everywhere, and small do not, well?” She was inquisitive, perhaps, it influenced somehow on her abilities to study.

  Arch "Clouds over the capital"

  Chapter 30. The loaded shard

  Will opened the inventory, took the shard out, and began to look it through, but then sharply brought it closer to the hunter’s wound. That one was weakened and could not react quickly. When the shard was contacting with the wound, some weak violet smoke was being soaked up rapidly by it.

  “Congratulations! You’ve found the hidden characteristic of the cursed shard.

  +1 Luck;

  +5% Chance to find hidden traps hideouts.”

  The horgh, goggling, either looked at the shard in the guest's hands, or touched his terribly aching recently wound which had not been healing for a week because of this smoke. The shaman said that the wound had been formed by damnation, and a chance that it would be cured, was too small.

  “You saved mine life … I thank yours for it.” - He inclined he head as he could, “My not to forget.”

  Will nodded and went to the door.

  “To stand up. Is that I could tell about the monster. Dangerously to his eye. One of my friend, be strange to die when it looked at it.”

  “Thanks for information.”

  ….

  " Inspection."

  “Cursed shard (Unique).

  It is loaded: 14/100.

  Des
cription: A Completely loaded shard shows the place where there are the others. Having united with a new shard, it should be loaded again.”

  This shard is only a part something bigger. Find the one who will be able to tell you about it.

  “Oh! It’s necessary to find the loaded places in the forest the shaman mentioned. But it’s not worth to go there by my own; I should discuss it with the local warriors. Where is Gikhor?"

  …

  The plan was simple: Gikhor was to introduce him to the captain Dreyrok, Will hoped that the captain had a grudge against this monster. Having heard the plan, at first the captain doubted, but when he learned that the Raven had cured the hunter, he decided to believe him. Besides, Gikhor with Lekhor interceded for him.

  “Grrkh! Weak, but brave, yes! You to go behind mine when ours group to go to the forest. I to remember a little necessary to you the place. Five minutes and gate, entrance.” The captain told and went to prepare for the campaign to the forest.

  …

  In ten minutes they were walking to the forest. There were only four of them. Captain Dreyrok, Lekhor and Gikhor and Will. Horgh the guard did not change his pick-axe for another weapon.

  As the captain joined them into the group, so everyone got an equal amount of experience. Will had learned it before the campaign, when he received the message from the captain about joining the group. The Locals did not stop their developing.

  Each of NPC had the purpose. To become the best hunter, the strongest soldier, or just a smith or miner. How "Emperor" was watching all this, Will did not even try to consider.

  Dreyrok conducted them surely. In twenty minutes they came across with small caterpillars. Those suddenly attacked the unsuspecting victims from the trees. They injected the immobilizing poison into them and turned in cocoons like spiders did.

  “Arakhnite parasite: Level 67.

  Health: 17300.”

  There were not so many of them, but the horghs had to sweat. The RAVEN ran around like a squirrel in a cage, trying not to be under the attack. Sometimes he even managed to strikeout one of caterpillars. But once he passed the critical loss aimed the enemies above his level.