by Isaac Winter
The tall one spoke first.
“You must be wondering why I’ve brought you here. You see, I have something that needs doing. I was out hunting goblins when I ran across the crew that attacked you. Why not kill two birds with one stone, I asked myself. After inspecting your attributes, you must be new to this world, is that correct?”
I didn’t answer, just glared at him and tried to wriggle my wrists free. I wasn’t going to give this asshole any information.
He strode up to me and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him. His fingernails were sharpened into claws and they dug into my skin. I moaned, trying to get away from him, but he held fast. The man that stood before me had thin, slanted eyes and a dusky complexion. Dark elf.
“I asked you a question, my dear.” His voice rumbled next to me and even though I didn’t want to admit it, I was scared.
I couldn’t let him see that, though. Instead, I gathered up the rest of the saliva from my rapidly drying mouth and spit at him. His eyes widened and he drew back, wiping the mess off his face.
“Look,” he said, his voice shaking. “You’re new, and you don’t know how things work around here yet. That’s okay. But I’ll warn you right now, gnome. It’s a very dangerous world out there. You don’t want to make the wrong enemies.”
He glanced over at the bigger man, who brandished a sharp-looking dagger that glittered even in the dim light.
“My name is Alcazar, and my buddy over there is Larc. I’m one of the most powerful sorcerers in the Veil. Keep that in mind.”
The name sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t place it. “What do you want from me?”
“That’s more like it,” The man smiled. “I simply need you to help me with a little quest of mine. It’s nothing difficult, I assure you. Just a little reconnaissance. And besides, your kind are good at sneaking are they not?” He raised an eyebrow at me.
It took me a moment to remember that I’d been assigned the gnome race when the glitch in the Veil occurred. I thought for a moment. Small and light-footed, gnomes could fit in spaces he couldn’t. But that still didn’t explain the kidnapping.
“What’s in it for me?” I asked, turning the tables on him.
Alcazar snorted. “Driving a hard bargain, are we? My, she’s a feisty one, Larc.” The brute grunted in response. “Here’s my deal, and it’s my final one. It’s a hard world out there. No place for a noob like you. Do this little quest for me, and I’ll make it quite worth your while. You’ll be a force to be reckoned with.” He dangled a crystal on a chain in front of me like a hypnotist would.
But instead of being hypnotized, I saw something else entirely. Within those deep purple depths, I saw a small pulse of light, almost imperceptible, but there. It danced across each facet of the gem, making it look alive. I narrowed my eyes to try to follow the light, and saw this message appear instead:
> Memory Crystal.
Exceedingly rare, Memory Crystals enable the user to store skills and knowledge within their depths. When activated, it gives the user skills, spells, and knowledge provided by the creator. Can only be created by Master Mages.
My eyes widened and the man laughed in response. “Good, good. You know what it is, then. You know how valuable it is.”
I didn’t, not fully. But he didn’t need to know that. All I knew was that out here, I was weak. I was nothing. But whatever was in that Crystal could change all that.
“What’s in there?” I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me.
The man smirked, yanking the crystal away. “Oh, nothing much. Just a few of my best spells, is all. Not as powerful as me, of course, but I could use another team player around here.”
Greed clouded my vision, but I reminded myself that this guy was the enemy. No matter what he promised, there would always be a catch. I needed to get out of here and get to safety, then I could think about what to do next.
“What do you say?” He asked. “Can I count on you?”
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to think. “Here’s my deal,” I said slowly, measuring my words. “I go do your little Quest, you give me the Crystal, and then you leave me the hell alone. Got it?”
“Hmm...” he said, looking to his sidekick. “I can’t have you running around with this kind of power alone. Perhaps I should just kill you.” His partner stepped toward me and angled the knife toward my throat.
“No!” I cried before I could stop myself. “Please, all I want is my freedom. Let me prove myself to you and then let me go. Please.”
The man sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Fine. I’ll find someone else. But I’ll have you know, you are missing out on a great opportunity. Once in a lifetime, really. I’d watch my back if I were you. Whoever gets this crystal instead will do my bidding, and I know just who my first target will be....” He grinned at me, showing his mottled teeth.
“What do I need to do?” I asked at last, hanging my head. “If I do this thing for you, you will guarantee my safety until I return?” The last thing I wanted to do was make a deal with this guy, but if I ran with it, at least I could get out of this stuffy fortress. That was the first step.
Alcazar placed his hand over his heart. Or I suppose, where his heart might have been. I doubted this man had a heart at all. “I promise you.”
“Then tell me where to go and let’s get to it.” I said through gritted teeth. “You’ll need to undo my bonds first, though.”
The man placed his hands together beneath his chin, considering. He looked up and motioned to his partner. “Untie her.”
Larc stepped around behind me and I felt the cool metal of the knife against my skin. I held my breath. One false move, and he could slash right through my wrists instead of the rope binding them. What reason did he have for keeping me alive?
With a single slice, the rope fell free and I let out the breath I’d been holding. My wrists and shoulders ached from being held in the same position for so long, and I stretched and rubbed the raw marks where the rope had been.
“Now are you going to cooperate?” The man asked, raising an eyebrow at me. “If not, I can just have Larc dispatch you, after all.”
I stared at the ground. “Yes.”
“Good, good. You won’t regret this.”
I swallowed hard. Somehow, I had a hard time believing that statement.
“Now there’s a bandit I’ve been tracking for some time. She’s stolen something from me, and I’d very much like to get it back. You do not need to face her, but I do need you to go scout the area. I’d go myself, but foreign invaders rest at my doorstep, requiring my resources here. I was only so far afield to gather supplies for the next onslaught, and my forces have significantly weakened since then. I simply can’t go. But I’ll give you all the information you need to find her. I’ll even throw in a spell of protection, so you know you can trust me.”
Fat chance.
“Who is this person, then? What’s her name? How do I find her?”
“She’s a human Tinker with flaming red hair. You can’t miss her. Her name is Tris.”
6
Cael
I hit the ground hard, the breath whooshing out of my lungs as I tumbled down a steep slope. I’d come to in a bright, grassy field the first time I’d entered the Veil. This time was much different.
It was dark down here, wherever here was, and it stank like old moss and water. Had to be underground somewhere. I finally stopped rolling and with a groan hit a flat part of the cave. I blinked the dirt out of my eyes as they adjusted to the light.
Thank god I was a Dark Elf here. My Night Vision kicked in and I saw more clearly the outline of a cave stretching before me. The walls were packed dirt and vines hung down from the ceiling. I looked above me and saw a tiny prick of sunlight where I’d fallen from. The walls were too steep to climb back up; I’d have to find another way out.
I’d finally regained my feet when I felt a knife at my throat.
“What are you doing here?” A voi
ce asked. A female voice.
I knew that voice.
I grabbed her wrist and yanked it away, turning to face her.
Tris. She wore her signature goggles over her eyes and she backed off as soon as she saw my face. Ripping the goggles away, she panted as she looked me up and down.
“Cael...” she whispered, pocketing the knife. “The hell are you doing here?”
“Long story,” I mumbled. “Let’s get out of here.”
“No can do.” She shook her head. “Hiding.”
“From what?” I asked without thinking. Tris had a way of getting on the wrong side of people. Powerful people. Her razor-sharp wit and skill in a fight were unmatched, but she did have a bit of a temper. Probably had lost too much in gambling again and someone was coming to collect their debt.
Or they just wanted her head. Either one.
“Shut up and get down.” She hissed and dragged me behind a stone outcropping. I nearly choked as she yanked on my collar.
Deja vu.
The last time I’d come to the Veil, Tris was the first person I met. In a situation similar to this, in fact.
“Thought you were dead,” She hissed, fiddling in her pouches for potion ingredients. She didn’t answer my question. “Things haven’t been so good here since you left.”
I gulped. How long had I been gone?
“Listen,” she whispered, pointing over a ridge. “They’re coming.”
I strained my ears and heard what she was talking about. Through the quiet of the dungeon came a faint hissing sound, like air being let out of a balloon.
‘What is it?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
“We’ve got company,” she said as she tied off what looked like a water balloon. “Duck!”
Tris crouched above the outcropping for just long enough to get a good shot and chucked the orb toward the hissing sound. It hit the wall and exploded on impact, shattering into shards of light and fire.
The passageway lit up in a flare of magical light and I could see the creatures skittering over the edge.
> Daeldran Crawler
> Level 10 monster
> Status: Stunned
> They might be blind, but these cave-dwellers have finely tuned senses that can detect blood at long range. Crawlers are fiercely territorial and go to great lengths to protect their homes from invaders.
They looked like overgrown spiders, but they were much more deadly than that.
The flames licked at the ground and the walls, forming a barrier between us and them.
“That should hold them for a bit, let’s go!” She said, and grabbed my hand.
We took off farther into the dungeon, my heart racing as I got accustomed to my new body all over agin. All of my items were still here. All of my skills and spells. Thank god I hadn’t had to start a whole new character. But still, being back in the Veil after so long was a shock to my system that I was still getting used to.
Being thrown straight into the action like this wasn’t quite what I’d planned.
She didn’t let go of my hand as we ran through the tunnels, our footsteps echoing against the cool dirt walls. The ground hardened beneath our feet and we stepped onto stone.
Tris skidded to a stop. “This isn’t right.” She said. “We’re going to the wrong way.”
I looked behind us and heard the hissing sound again, only louder. They were coming.
“Don’t think we have a choice,” I said, and dragged her along.
Our footsteps were even louder now as we ran across the stone passageway. We’d come out into some kind of underground tunnel, probably a secret path underneath a castle or stronghold. It reminded me a little bit of the buildings in Syn, all torches and smooth stone. Someone had been down here. Recently.
“So how did you do it?” She yelled as she ran. “Survive, I mean?”
“Hell if I know,” I said, panting as I tried to keep up. “Still trying to figure that one out myself.”
“Just like old times, huh?” She said with a grin, crouching low behind a rock as she pulled a pistol out of a hip holster. The creatures were getting even closer, and I could see their scaly legs clattering over the stone path from here.
“Just like old times,” I agreed, and readied my first spell.
“Now!” She yelled as she pulled the trigger.
I let the mana course through my body and felt the warmth of the power flow from my chest, down my arms, to the tips of my fingers. I missed this.
I extended a hand and exerted my will. A blast of icy water flew from my fingertips and into the oncoming monsters, knocking them into the air with a pitiful screech.
“Good one!” she called, shooting the stragglers as they continued to make their way toward us. “Got any fire?”
I looked through my spell list.
> Spells
Cure Minor Wounds
Water Burst
Earth Resistance
I formed fists with my hands and closed the dialog. “Sorry, no.”
“We gotta get you one of those, then,” she said, firing another shot. “After we get out of here of course. Cover me!”
Tris grabbed another pistol from the other side of her body and tossed it to me. I grabbed the contraption, luckily without dropping it. Even in the dim light, I had to admire the craftsmanship. It was a frankenstein of parts and gizmos, but if her other gun was any indication, it was just as deadly as it was beautiful.
> You have found: Magitech Pistol Mk. II.
Gives a new meaning to ‘packing heat.’
Deals 15-20 Fire damage per shot.
“Thanks,” I muttered and pointed the gun at the oncoming beasts. Pulling the trigger caused a surprising amount of recoil and then gun nearly threw itself out of my hands. A great red ball of light burst forth from the pistol and exploded into the nearby wall, showering flames down on the monsters.
I grit my teeth and fired again, this time prepared for the kick.
> Critical hit!
I wiped my forehead of sweat as I felt the heat of the fire. “Wow.”
“Less talking, more shooting!” Tris said as she fiddled with something in her lap. Her goggles were strapped across her face. She meant business.
I pointed again and fired. The beast screeched in horror, bringing a perverse grin to my face.
There were only a few rounds left, and no matter what I did they kept coming.
“Can’t hold out much longer!” I called over to Tris and took a few steps back. “Little help?”
“Nearly there, nearly there...” I caught a spark out of the corner of my eye and something that smelled like burning hair.
“Got it!” She cried triumphantly, pumping her fist in the air and ripping the goggles from her face. “Let’s see these bastards eat this.”
I glanced over at her invention. There were three metal pods about two hands length wide and glowing with an eerie, flickering light. “What are those?”
“Mines,” she smiled and grabbed my hand. “Run!”
I didn’t have to be told twice. My shoulder twinged painfully as she yanked me along, but I regained my steps soon enough. The scrabbling and screeching grew louder behind us, coming closer, then...
BOOM.
The hall shook and I lost my footing, falling to my knees. Rocks and dust poured from the ceiling, getting in my eyes and nose. I coughed and covered my mouth, looking around for Tris. Where was she?
> Caution: You have been Poisoned. Toxins in the air restrict the airways and make breathing difficult. Leave the area immediately!
‘”Here!” She called out of the haze and tossed me a mask.
> You have found. Blast Mask. Filters the air from explosions and toxins for 5 minutes. Uses: 1/10.
I looked to her. She wasn’t wearing one.
And this one had only one use left.
“I can’t,” I started, but it came out as only a cough.
“I’ll be fine,” she rasped. “Take it and lets get out of he
re!”
I grit my teeth and strapped the mask to my face, finally taking a deep, clean breath. Hey, this thing actually worked!
> Poisoned status removed.
I grabbed Tris, who was doubled over coughing, and headed toward the light at the end of the tunnel. We were almost there. We were so close.
I was so focused on getting both Tris and I out of the tunnel and back into the clean air that I didn’t notice the small figure crouched behind at rock at the entrance, watching everything we said.
7
Laurie
As soon as they were out of earshot, I scrambled away from my hiding spot behind a rocky outcropping.
So they were here, after all. And if that explosion I heard was any indication, they were more dangerous than I realized. I pulled up the map Alcazar had given me and marked down the location where I’d seen them, comparing it with my HUD.
> Quest complete: Tracking the Tinker.
Return to Alcazar and report your findings.
I rushed back to the fortress as quickly as I could, making sure I kept my distance from the two I was supposed to be tailing. I didn’t need to follow them forever, no. That wasn’t my mission. I simply had to mark down their hiding spot and general location, and what direction they were heading.
I felt a little bad spying on them, regardless. I considered that I might just take this chance to make a run for it. I could leave Alcazar and his cronies behind.
And I might have, too. If not for the collateral.
> Debuff applied: Eye of Alcazar. Your location can be tracked and your mana stores are suppressed until the Eye is lifted, making any spells harder to cast.