Path of Light

by A P Gore

  A Mayor trying to level up his guards? Was he really an NPC?

  “Is that so?” Jon replied for the sake of it. The mayor must have had expected a shocked reaction from him, but Jon wasn’t shocked about this. It was a game. The AI or logic behind it would add new monsters to the game.

  “It was the worst day for me.” The mayor rubbed his forehead. “The creature used a strange spell that inflicted soul damage. Jacobson and Garret, whom you met, were part of that team, and you know how much damage they received.” His face hardened. “And they were the once who received it the least.”

  “Least? That’s...”

  “I lost two hundred people that day, and five hundred remain on the verge of death to this day. Do you know why darkness is a forbidden magic?”

  Jon shook his head.

  “Soul damage is like poison. A poison without a cure. It eats the soul of a person until the person dies, but even after death the soul will remain in the living realm and can never ascend to the heavens. That’s why the Soul Society is feared on all continents, and only the Church of Light can fight them.”

  “Ohh.” Again, the mention of the Soul Society. What the heck was this thing?

  “Anyway. There’s no antidote. At least, not that I know of. So, you are my only hope. Can you help me?”

  System: Quest Alert

  Heal the Soul III

  Quest Class: Rare

  Mayor Mason’s 1098 people are suffering with Soul Damage. Heal them all to receive huge rewards from the mayor.

  Quest Reward:

  3 types of resources from the mayor (Men/Consumable/Blueprints). Mayor would owe a favor to Jonathan. 10 town of Chinari reputation per 3 people cured. 40000 Exp. Pardon to Maggie’s death sentence on quest acceptance.

  Do you accept? Yes/No.

  For a moment, Jon stared at the notification. The rewards were good, but healing one thousand ninety-eight people? That would be 500*1098 Spirit. Too much. But Maggie’s freedom depended on it.

  What should he do?

  “Mr. Mayor...”

  “Yes, my friend. Do you have any questions?” The mayor stared back, hope lingering in his pea-shaped eyes.

  “Yes.” Jon tapped on his knee. How should he respond to this, so he wouldn’t insult the mayor? “The fact is, I can’t do this...”

  The mayor’s shoulders slumped. “I know, that’s why I prepared this.”

  Chapter 39

  After dropping the utensils in the shelf, Maggie wheeled her chair toward the Rx67 virtual cabin she’d had custom fitted last year. It helped her to fit inside with her wheelchair. Before that, she had to ask someone to put her on the bed and then use the VR helmet.

  Frankly speaking, VR helmets sucked big time. With this virtual cabin, she could wake up with no need of help from anyone to pee and live a life with a little dignity.

  Resting her hand against the warm cabin, she felt a wave of helplessness rushing though her heart. With the measly money she had, she could at most rent the cabin for four more months—that meant 4 years in the game world. Would that be sufficient to gain back her levels and earn decent money?

  No. It wouldn’t be. Maybe she should let go of the dream and apply for a voluntary death. Anyway, the pain had gotten stronger, and it wouldn’t be long before she lost sensation in her waist and upper body. Once it reached her kidneys, it would be game over for her. Irony, game over in real life.

  It was all because of the stupid risk she took.

  “God, why did I go inside that tomb? I was just 2 levels away from the target.” Losing ten levels because of execution wasn’t an option for her. That would push her back to level 18, and gaining twelve levels would be impossible in 4 real-world months.

  Without those levels, she wouldn’t have the money needed to continue using the virtual cabin. Without the cabin, she would lose access to the poison-slowing nutritional fluid, and the rate of infection would increase and result in her death.

  All her hope seemed to slip away.

  Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought about the hardships she had gone through to reach level 28 in the game. BlackFlame Online wasn’t like other games where levels came fast. Especially for the special unique classes.

  She wiped her tears. “Maybe I should just skip the logging on part and lay on my bed for a while.”

  No, she couldn’t do that. She needed to try again and plead to the mayor or the guard captain to reduce the level of execution she would be facing. A tier 5 execution for stealing a blueprint was just too much.

  Maggie used to be a starmage, fighting dark forces in space for her forty-year career, but then she met a dark creature she couldn’t defeat and was infected with a strange poison. Ten years back, that poison had no cure, so she was put on pension and sent to this barren planet to die slowly. She had lost all hope, and soon she started losing the strength in her legs. Her future was clear. Lose her organs and die or apply for voluntary death. In the first five years of her isolation, she made up her mind to apply for voluntary death, but five years back a ray of hope appeared in her life.

  A pharma company made a breakthrough and invented an antidote treatment for the poison she had inside her body, but it was too costly for the government to offer her for free. So, the government asked her to foot sixty percent of the bill, which came to five million chips.

  It was a cruel joke from the government, for which she fought with her life. With her measly pension of one thousand chips per month, how was she supposed to get that much money?

  Then she learned about BlackFlame Online and how lifestyle players were making huge money out of it. After researching for nearly a month, she found a unique profession that would allow her to earn lots of money in the game. A Demi-Engineer. It was a unique class available that was very slow to level up, but the rewards at high levels were astronomical. In the ten years of BlackFlame Online history, not a single player had reached level 50 in that class. It was all because of the unique skill one got at Associate (Level 30) in the class and in the player level: Building Mastery. It was so powerful that many empires hired these players for five hundred gold per month, and she needed thirty thousand in-game gold to reach her five million goal in real world money.

  However, it was very hard to level up the Demi-Engineer class. In sixty years, she could only reach level 28. That was hard. But everything would be in vain once the guards execute her today. Tier 5 execution meant she would lose ten levels. It was like going back to level 0 again for other classes.

  “Let’s do this for the last time.” More tears flew down her cheeks as she initiated the login sequence. Before she opened her eyes in the prison, she felt her magic power getting sucked inside the virtual cabin.

  Chapter 40

  The mayor pulled something out of his Bag of Holding and placed it on the table.

  Perspiration covered Jon’s forehead as he stepped back, fearing the stack of bottles would fall and bury him alive. It was a veritable mountain of bottles filled with a green liquid that smelled like something familiar upon opening a single bottle cap.

  Spirit. Yes, those bottles smelled like Spirit. Was it a Spirit potion?

  “Are these Spirit potions, Mr. Mayor?” Jon asked, wondering what was going on in the mayor’s mind.

  “Yes. This is just one stack. I’ve prepared four more. Each stack contains five hundred low-grade Spirit potions. Each provides two hundred fifty regen. Will that be sufficient? I can ask for more if you need.”

  Jon stroked his chin. This was a huge investment. Though he didn’t know the exact price of each potion, it couldn’t be cheap. But would it work?

  In theory, it should. A potion would replenish his depleted Spirit after each cast. Currently he had 382 spirit. After drinking Water of Darkness—which he should absolutely avoid since he had limited quantity—he could reach 532 spirit. Enough for one cast. One potion would refill his Spirit by 250, and with his regen value he would need ten seconds to refill his Spirit pool entirely.


  Yes, Water of Darkness would eliminate the need to drink any potion.

  Done. He should take all the potions for himself and do the healing with his own regen.

  “Mr. Mayor, I appreciate your preparations, and you’ve left me no reason to say no. But I can’t do it in a day. I need at least ten days.” That would be a fair plan. Anyway, he had to do it for Maggie. This way, he could cure them slowly, and work on some trades in the capital.

  “Off course, my friend. I don’t expect it to be done in a day or two. I know you’ll need time. Let’s meet the soldiers. They are all excited to meet you.”

  Jon nodded and then followed the Mayor to a huge room filled with nearly six hundred men. It reminded him of the day he was awarded Master Farmer in the real world. All his friends and colleagues working on other farms were there, applauding him. It was the second nicest moment of his life. The first was when Kiara was born.

  His eyes stung as he thought about her. It had been a while since he last saw his pumpkin. What would she be doing right now?

  “Mr. Mayor, what kind of reputation would I need to become a baron?”

  “Ah, that. Once you complete this task, I’m sure you will receive enough reputation with Chinari. In my town, you can rank up to Marquis or Duke. You can’t be an Archduke, otherwise I’d have to share my pie.” The Mayor had a lingering threat in his tone.

  “No, no. I’m not looking to become an Archduke. I have a village to manage, and I can see how difficult is to manage a town by looking at you, Mr. Mayor. It’s really a tough job, and I’m not qualified for it.” Jon smiled.

  “Yes, of course.” The Mayor slapped his shoulder again, just as hard as the first time. Though the Mayor looked like a fatso, he was tremendously strong. “These are six hundred soldiers who are infected. I have two hundred more, and those are laying in bed, unable to move.” Sadness echoed through the mayor’s voice. Gone was the previous threat. He really seemed to care for his men.

  “Can you have someone prepare a big isolated room for me and send one hundred of those sick men there first? I’ll see what condition they are in and devise a treatment plan.” He paused, stroking his long hair. “I want the floor of that room made up of soil, not granite.” He had two plans. First, to steal eighty percent of the potions for himself. For that to work, he needed some privacy so he could pretend to drink the potions. Second, to try the first seal effect of the Vine of Light. He hadn’t used it before, but it too healed soul damage. Theoretically, it should work.

  The Mayor gave him a suspicious look.

  Jon conjured the most innocent smile he could. “My light magic works best in the presence of soil. I’m a nature wizard after all.”

  “Oh, that’s why you know light magic. Being closer to nature. I get it. I’ll ask someone to prepare a big room exactly the way you want. And once you are done, let’s drink a new ale that I received recently. It’s the best in town and provides huge benefits to the drinker.”

  Jon nodded. “I look forward to it, Mr. Mayor.”

  “And I’ve got a little present for you.” The mayor clapped his hands, and two guards walked in with a woman between them.

  Disheveled, Maggie ran to him and wrapped her arms around him.

  The sudden surprise bewildered Jon, especially the two soft mounds pressed to his chest and the flowery scent invading his senses, but he held on, not wanting to let go of the feeling. It wasn’t every day that a beautiful woman hugged him so tightly.

  Wrapping his left arm around Maggie’s shoulders, he patted her head with his right hand, enjoying the soft feeling of her hair.

  “Thank you,” Maggie said. “I’m indebted...” Warm tears fell on his chest.

  Something was wrong. Sure, he’d gotten her out of the prison, but wasn’t her reaction too strong?

  “Maggie.” He held her at an arm’s length. “What happened? Is everything all right?”

  She brushed her little red nose with the back of her hand and again flew into his arms, resting her head on his firm chest.

  Helpless, he patted her back to encourage her to relax. After nearly a minute, her sobs calmed down.

  “You should at least let me know what I did, so I can enjoy this moment frequently,” he whispered in her ear.

  “You...” She stepped away and slapped his chest hard, then turned away but didn’t leave the room. “Don’t worry. You won’t get another chance... ever.”

  Jon just smiled back. “Mr. Mayor.” He winked. “Thanks for the little gift.”

  The mayor replied with a laugh. “Yes, I’ll keep putting her in prison, and let you save and comfort her again.”

  Jon shot a cursory glance at the Mayor. For an NPC, he had the intelligence of a human being. “That sounds like a plan.”

  Maggie turned to face Jon, shooting fire from her eyes. “Lord, thanks for saving me. But I think I should go back to the village. Do you have something for me to build?”

  Jon’s face hardened. “Wait for a few days. I have some work here, and I need your help.” He turned to face the mayor. “Mr. Mayor, is it possible to get another guest house for her? I’ll need her help with the healing operation.” Though the mayor hadn’t asked him to stay in the guest house, he shouldn’t be staying anywhere else. After all, he was helping the mayor.

  “Yes, my friend. I’ll allocate a baron guest house for Miss Maggie. And Miss Maggie, I apologize for the actions of my guards. I’ll gift you a three-time use Imperial Guest insignia, so you won’t get into that situation again.”

  Maggie shot Jon a questioning look. She must have been wondering how the Mayor had turned into a softy all of a sudden.

  Stepping forward, Jon whispered in her ear. “I’ll explain later.” He needed Maggie to stay in town for two days and buy a few blueprints for him. Though he could do it himself, he had other plans, and he didn’t trust Grimish to buy building blueprints. What if he bought one for a brothel?

  A guard came running and bowed in front of Jon. “Sir, the room you asked for is ready at the north end of the palace.”

  “Are the patients moved there?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Let’s go.” Jon followed the guard. It was time to test his theory.

  “My friend Jon, a moment before you go.” The mayor’s thundering voice stopped Jon on the steps.

  Turning back, he cast a curious look at the mayor.

  “What do you want to do with the guild that accosted you? I can reduce their reputation so low that they can’t even get out of their guild hall and then execute them, if you’d like.”

  “Please, don’t do that.”

  Chapter 41

  When Jon entered the warehouse, he found a hundred guards wearing commoner clothes laid on the ground and divided into rows. Small sheets covered their bodies, and they stank like dead people. The air felt damp, but Jon wasn’t sure if it was because of the closed enclosure, or the deathly aura the guards emitted. Faces deathly pale, sweat flowing all over their bodies, their condition was worse than a person on their death bed. All had turned into living skeletons with no muscles left on their bones.

  “Lord Jon, why did you let the guild go?” Maggie asked as Jon moved around the guards, casting perception on a few.

  Jon sighed. As much he liked to hurt the ones who threatened him, he had to be cautious today. Punishing a whole guild for a pair of idiots would be foolishness on his part. “If I punish the whole guild, what do you think will happen?”

  Maggie arched her brow. “They will seek revenge.”

  “And do you think I can retaliate with my current powers?”

  Maggie shook her head.

  “Even if I had the power, I wouldn’t have gone that route. I just want to live peacefully and farm. This fighting and all... Well, I like farming more than plotting and scheming.”

  Maggie’s stunning face adopted a thoughtful expression. “I respect your opinion, Lord Jon.”

  Jon smiled and continued casting perception.

 
; Peterson

  Level 40 NPC guard

  Currently Retired.

  HP: 500/11000

  Soul Damage status: 92%

  Other stats disabled due to level difference.

  His condition seemed worse than Jacobson and Garret. Actually, every guard in first batch had similar condition. Everyone hung to life by a small thread. If he couldn’t treat them today, they all might be dead by tomorrow. This soul damage, he was seeing a pattern here. It reserved life pool.

  He had to change his plan and treat all two hundred in one day. There was no way around it.

  However, he was too late for one person.

  A painful cry emerged from the other corner of the room.

  Jon sprinted in that direction, but before he got there, the guard exploded, splashing blood on ten people around him. Whoever got hit by the blood started screaming in pain.

  This was bad.

  Jon sped up to assess at the situation, but another guard exploded, painting everyone around him in red.

  The blood, the rotten flesh, it smelled so horrid that Jon’s insides churned, and he feared the meat he ate that morning would come back up.

  And it did. Apparently, he wasn’t strong enough to endure the smell of death from so close.

  System: Warning, you have been infected with the Corrupt Blood curse. Life reduced by 1% every two days. Darkness resistance reduced by 20%. 10% chance to explode upon death while curse active. 10% chance to inflict soul damage. Explosion will inflict Corrupt Blood to all living things in a 10-yard radius.

  Corrupt Blood effect reduced by 90% because of player’s darkness resistance and light effectiveness.

  Damn! What was this? Inspecting himself, Jon found his knee paining with a deep scar. The blood had landed on his knee and sunk inside his trousers and then in his skin.

  God, this was an epidemic.

  “Everyone get out!” Jon shouted, staring at onlookers. “Guards, move everyone behind me away from this place.” His throat pained because of the intensity of his shout, but it jolted the dizzy guards into action, and they moved everyone away in less than ten seconds.