Ipseity (The Stork Tower Book 5)

by Tony Corden

  Leah knelt down and E’ski placed her hand on Leah’s head. Rik came and cuddled into Leah’s front. Leah wrapped her arms around Rik.

  As E’ski spoke her voice became stronger and lost its waver. It filled out and resonated throughout the room while her hand became heavier as it pressed on Leah’s head. She said, “Atherleah, Empress and Queen, Lady and Friend, Champion and Counsellor, Executioner and Protector, I name you ‘Outcast’. I Serseri, Goddess of the Outcast accept your promise to care for Rik, who is my chosen one. I name you her protector. Rise and accept my blessing.”

  Leah stood and before her was the same ancient elf, but Leah could now see her identity:

  SERSERI, GODDESS OF THE OUTCAST (Level 9331) 87067561HP 466550EP

  Lady Serseri said, “You need not return to collect Rik. I shall see them safely to the Elfaun Valley for they shall be safe there. Give me a letter that they might be accepted and protected, and I will accept your promise as fulfilled. When you leave this cave, you will find a small chest. Inside is your blessing. Like Lord Umut, I name you my Champion.”

  Leah bowed low, and Serseri handed her a parchment and quill. Leah wrote a note to Mirasçi asking him to take care of Rik and N’den and keep them safe.

  When she’d finished, Serseri said, “The maps you requested are beside the chest outside. Both the path through the Günahkâr lands and that which leads into the Kukurt are filled with danger. I will keep watch.”

  As she finished speaking, all three of them disappeared, and Leah was left standing alone in the cave. Leah walked outside and saw a metal chest and a bundle of scrolls on the ground. She picked up the scrolls first, and they all turned out to be maps. There was a map of Eastern Vatan which included the trails between Batislar and Yilinlar, as well as the lands of the Günahkâr. One map was devoted entirely to the Kukurt Depression and even had the Arch marked. There was an ancient map which marked the journeys of Orumek and finally an ancient map of Shenqi, the vast north-eastern continent.

  Leah opened the chest.

  Atherleah, you have been named ‘Champion of the Outcast’.

  Reward 1: 1 Shadow Shield Spell

  Reward 2: + 7.5% to all future Experience

  Fame: 1000 Fame Points (265565)

  The Blessing of Serseri

  Atherleah,

  Blessing 1: 1 Diamond Coin stamped with the image of the Pantheon of the Gods.

  Blessing 2: 2,000,000 Experience Points (500,000 x 4)

  Blessing 3: Lady Serseri’s Chest of Communication

  Leah read through the spell and the description of the chest. The Shadow Shield Spell formed a solid barrier in front of the caster. Different words were used to change the shape of the shield and as the level increased, so did the thickness of the shield and the size and shapes which were possible. Leah could use the chest once each day. She could fill it with whatever she wanted and then by placing her hand on the lid and saying someone’s name, it would appear before them. Once they opened it they could take out or add to it whatever they wished. As soon as they closed the lid, it would return to Leah.

  Leah also read through the spells she had received from Lord Kötü and his daughter. The spell of Darkness Dragonfire was like ordinary Dragonfire spell but with added damage caused by the addition of Darkness. The spell of Darkness Dragonscales was a defensive shield spell which replaced Leah’s skin with dragon scales of the same strength as those which covered the Darkness Dragons. The summoning spell was similar to the one by Orumeck, but it allowed Leah to call on the whole range of minions.

  Leah took out the map which showed the trail to Yilinlar. After memorising the different landmarks, she decided to fly there rather than teleporting. She took Mĕi out of her pack and released her. Mĕi wanted to play for a moment, so Leah played a game of chase and run for ten minutes. When they had finished playing Leah climbed onto Mĕi’s back, and then Mĕi was forcing her way up through the canopy and headed for the clouds.

  Leah directed Mĕi to fly closer to the forest and head east. What would have taken almost a day on foot Leah covered in twenty minutes. As she got close to the city, Leah prodded Mĕi to move higher and circle the ancient city so she could get a good look. Yilinlar looked smaller than Leah had expected, but she concluded that the forest’s advance over the years may have erased the outskirts. From Mĕi’s back she could see the outline of buildings covering an area of maybe ten or so city blocks. Most of the buildings were covered to one extent or another with vines. In the city centre one building stood taller than the others, and it had almost totally resisted the forest’s advance. Leah couldn’t see any signs of life beyond the verdant vines and the branches of the forest, so she directed Mĕi to set her down on the roof of the tall central building. When they landed Leah reduced Mĕi to a statue.

  Leah’s new armour was already equipped, and she’d taken the medallion K’Calama had given her and hung it around her neck. There was no exit from the roof into the building, so she descended to ground level using the rope from the day before. She was tempted simply to teleport down but wasn’t sure whether or not anything was hiding in the vegetation. Despite her concerns, she reached the ground without being attacked. She moved her back against the side of the building and kept watching as she packed her rope back in her backpack.

  Leah circled the building without meeting anybody or anything. There were doors on every side, but they were all closed. A quick inspection showed they were shut tight. Leah was more and more confident that her quarry was to be found in the building, but she wasn’t in such a hurry that she was going to rush in without reconnoitring first. For the next hour she moved through the centre of the city, checking each street and looking through many of the houses. The only one still secure was the large one in the middle. Looking through the houses she discovered they were empty. Not only of people, creatures, and danger, but genuinely empty. When the city had been vacated the people must have taken everything that could be moved; either that or looters had done a fantastic job over the intervening years.

  Finally, Leah made her way back to the locked building. She checked each of the entranceways before choosing the side she thought was the most likely main entrance. The door was made of solid wood covered in fine engravings. They weren’t pictures and didn’t look like words or runes but were something abstract and beautiful. Whoever had hung the doors had been a master craftsman because there was nowhere that Leah could find even a gap through which she could insert her thinnest knife. The hinges, or whatever it was that allowed the door to swing open and closed, were inaccessible. This left Leah with the only option of picking the lock. Her only problem was that she couldn’t find a keyhole.

  Leah began her search at the top of the door and examined each section looking for some button to press, maze to follow, or a clue to solve. She didn’t get frustrated or become agitated but worked methodically down the left-hand door and then up the right. She’d been in the same position hundreds of times growing up—not only when looking for a way into someone else’s home but when studying or when looking for information to complete an assignment. No matter how intuitive she was, some problems could only be solved by taking one step at a time and grinding through it.

  When she’d finished looking at the doors, she began to work her way along the border. She started with the lintel which was a single piece of dressed stone, then the sill, followed by the jambs. As sometimes happens, she found what she was looking for in practically the last place she looked. In the past, this had frustrated and annoyed her, but she’d learned to see it as a validation of her process; she’d been correct, and she had succeeded.

  As she pressed on the bottom edge of the second lowest stone which formed the right-hand jamb, she felt it give. She examined the stone and then after cleaning around its border and scraping it clean with her knife, she pushed solidly against the stone and was rewarded as it sank slowly into the wall revealing a circular depression in the top of the lowest stone.

  Another part
of Leah’s personality leapt to the fore. Sometimes she just knew the answer, like the knowledge had always been there. She removed the medallion from her neck and after checking the indentations in the stone. She placed the medallion in the hole, making sure the chain was positioned to fit in a small groove at the top of the depression. She pushed. It wasn’t easy like pushing a well-oiled door closed or sliding down a properly-waxed bannister. Instead, Leah had to push with all her might. Slowly the medallion sunk into the stone until Leah felt the mechanism inside finally give way and then the medallion slid the final centimetres with a rush. Leah heard a thunk from the door, and when she looked over, the right-hand side had swung loose just a few inches.

  Using the chain, Leah pulled the medallion loose before standing and trying to pull the door open, but it wouldn’t budge. She took a closer look and noticed two small latches stopping it from opening. Moving her hands so she had one hand on either latch she pressed them and gave the door another tug. This time it swung open easily, and Leah stepped into the building. She was in a vast empty room which took up the entire level. She could see the other three entrances, but there was no visible access to the upper floors. On the floor was a large mural of an amphisbaena. It was curled in a circle and facing itself.

  Atherleah (Level 316) you have entered the upper level of the Ancient City of Yilinlar

  You are the first player to access this area and will receive an achievement for this after the following decision is made. From this area, you can either

  A. Complete the Level 4 Dungeon - Servants of the Serpent King

  B. Complete the Level 5 Dungeon* - Challenge the Serpent King

  C. Complete the World Quest** - Claim an Ancient City - Yilanlar

  Notes

  * To complete the Level 5 section of the dungeon you must first defeat the Servants of the Serpent King.

  ** To complete the World Quest you must first defeat the Servants of the Serpent King and also challenge and defeat the Serpent King.

  Which achievement do you wish to attempt? [A], [B], or [C]

  Leah said, “I just want to talk to Somur T’kan.”

  A deep sibilant voice echoed around the room. “I know what you want Atherleah. I will not leave my people. Not now, not ever. Go away or come and die. I don’t care which.”

  Leah said, “Then I haven’t much choice. If you won’t leave your people, I’ll have to take them away from you. I choose ‘C’.”

  Atherleah (Level 316) you have chosen to attempt the World Quest: Claim an Ancient City - Yilanlar

  Many cities throughout time have achieved power and greatness only to decline and fade. Many of these cities lie dormant, waiting to be renewed and their power restored. These Ancient Cities are scattered throughout Dunyanin. Claim these ancient cities by defeating their current rulers and opening them to the world. You currently have claimed no Ancient cities (Please see player specific note 1).

  Difficulty: Extremely Difficult

  Reward 1 if successful: (number of cities claimed) x (Player Level) x 10000 Experience Points.

  Reward 2 if successful: You will be acknowledged as ruler of the city and receive 10000 Fame Points.

  Reward 3 if successful: As a successful claimant you will receive a portion of all revenue generated by the city.

  Note 1: Players will be free to challenge for ownership of the city.

  Note 2: Subsequent loss of the city will not result in the loss of Experience Points or already collected revenue.

  Note 3: Should you reclaim the city a second time you will receive no additional reward of experience points but will be eligible to receive revenue as ruler of the city.

  Additional notes specific to the player Atherleah (Level 316):

  1. Your claim of the Elfaun City of Dag Tarafind is not eligible to be included in this quest due to the unique nature of your claim.

  2. A successful claim is part of your mission on behalf of Lord Geckiş but does not complete that mission.

  3. A successful claim will impact the Unique Hidden Odyssey: Journey to Merkize. This city is not on your list of cities to claim, and therefore it is eligible to be added to this quest. It is however included on the list owned by another contestant. To complete their list, they will need to defeat you for control of the city.

  Consequences of failure: Failure of your mission on behalf of Lord Geckiş

  Atherleah (Level 316) you have entered the upper level of the Ancient City of Yilinlar

  You are the first player to access this area, and with your choice to claim the city you have been awarded

  Level 5 Dungeon Achievement - First 1 (4, Painite)

  This is your fourth, ‘First 1 (Painite)’ achievement.

  Reward 1: 5000 x 316 = 6320000 (+300%) Experience Points (5250000/5250000)…(934961/5450000)

  Reward 2: + 4% to all future Experience

  Reward 3: 4 x 1 Diamond = 4 Diamond

  Reward 4: 5000 Fame (270565)

  Reward 5: Increased probability of valuable drop. Luck is increased by 7.5% whenever you are in this Dungeon. During your first time in the Dungeon, the probability of all drops is increased to 0.5.

  Note: This achievement will be published on the Dunyanin achievement forum.

  As soon as Leah dismissed the messages she heard a harsh grating noise of stone sliding against stone. The mural was slowly sliding into the floor and creating a spiral staircase into the depths. One end of the amphisbaena was on the top step, and Leah assumed the other lay on the bottom. Leah slowly walked to the staircase and began to descend.

  Leah was careful as she put her foot on the last step to avoid stepping on the figure of the snake. She’d not been aware of the danger until on the way down she’d stepped on the snake’s body and it had moved under her foot and almost sent her tumbling down the stairs. Since then, she’d watched where she put her feet.

  At the bottom of the stairs was a portal and as she stepped toward it, a message appeared:

  Atherleah (Level 318), you have entered the Dungeon of Somur T’kan, The Serpent King

  You have chosen to make a claim for the ancient city of Yilanlar. To succeed, you must defeat the servants of Somur T’kan who dwell on the first four levels. You must also defeat Somur T’kan’s Royal Guardians on the fifth level and approach the King with a weapon in your hand. To claim the city, you must descend beyond Somur T’kan and enter the Royal Crypt. If you return from the Crypt, then the city will be yours. Be aware that serpents are hardy and their HP are greater than other creatures.

  Level 1 - The Game of Guests (MOB Level 318-327, HPx1.5)

  Level 2 - The Court of Courtiers (MOB Level 328-337, HPx2)

  Level 3 - The Way of Warriors (MOB Level 338-347, HPx2.5)

  Level 4 - The Labyrinth of Lords (MOB Level 348-357, HPx3)

  Level 5 - The Gauntlet of Guardians (MOB Level 358-367, HPx3.5)

  Level 6 - The Crypt of Corpses (MOB Level 368-400, HPx4)

  Leah stepped through the portal and into an immense cavern in the shape of a cube. She was on a large ten-metre wide square block of white granite. Stretching across the cavern were alternating blocks of white and black marble. On each block, except Leah’s, was a serpent of some description. All were larger than Leah, and many had upper limbs and wore weapons. She could hear the rattle of the large rattlesnake watching her from an adjacent square. In the checkerboard-style floor, coloured stones had been inlaid to create an enormous game of snakes and ladders.

  The Game of Guests

  Atherleah, to exit this level you must progress through the room and exit at the far upper corner. At each turn, you will be given a six-sided die to roll. You will be permitted to progress the number of squares that is shown on the die. Each square is occupied by one of the many citizens of Yilinlar. You must defeat the citizen to earn another roll. If the lower end of a ladder is resting on the square then after defeating the citizen you may choose to roll the die or climb the ladder. If you decide to climb the ladder, you will forfeit y
our roll of the die and must defeat the citizen who is on the square at the top of the ladder. Should you land on a square with the upper head of a snake resting on it, then, if you defeat the citizen you must descend the snake to the square on which its tail rests and defeat both the citizen and the snake. Please step into the middle of the starting square to begin the level. There are one hundred and twenty citizens.

  Leah stepped into the middle and was startled as every square except hers began to rise in the air. The very next square rose one meter, the one next to it, two metres, and so it continued. A red square die appeared at Leah’s feet. She picked it up and threw it. It bounced and would have rolled under the next square except it hit an invisible wall and rebounded toward Leah. Within moments it stopped, and the number four was facing up. An arrow appeared above a white square four away from Leah.

  Leah was watching the rattlesnake on the next square, but it kept to the centre of its square. Leah walked toward it and then had to pull herself up and onto the square. Even though the rattlesnake didn’t attack, it did become agitated, and the rattle sound became more insistent and louder. Twice more she was able to get onto a square without its occupant attacking. Waiting on the square which the arrow pointed to was an eight-meter-long snake whose body was at least as thick as Leah was around her shoulders. Toward its head, it morphed into what could have been the torso, shoulders, and arms of a large barbarian warrior except they were covered in scales. Its face was triangular and positioned on a longer than normal neck which bent forward to look at Leah. One hand was holding a two-metre-long sword, and the other was empty, but Leah could see its claws which were as long as Leah’s fingers and dripped with venom.

  CITIZEN FOUR - ANACONAN (Level 320) 153600/153600 HP (16000 EP)

  As Leah crossed the adjacent square, the Anaconan rose into the air until it was balanced on the last three metres of its tail. Its body arched as if preparing to throw itself forward and strike at Leah. When she was three steps away, Leah picked up speed and leapt onto the square, diving forward into a roll. The Aanaconan’s sword threw up sparks and small slivers of granite as it slammed into the ground behind Leah.