Because of the gray shroud that was covering the sky and obscuring the sun, or whatever the local light source was, it was difficult to tell the time, and I hadn’t realized that evening was approaching. The reflective whiteness of the snow was also disorienting. But then I noticed how the shadows of the rocks had lengthened and felt the cold begin to intensify as it slithered under my clothes like an icy snake, scratching my unprotected hands and face with its invisible, bony fingers.
I wouldn’t freeze, I knew that much. The cloak was very warm but my body had less and less fuel in it. There was an abyss like pit in my stomach, and I felt as if a pair of strong hands were twisting and gripping my insides.
Another mile later, we came upon an ice-covered surface of a rather large lake sprinkled here and there with patches of snow. Without slowing down, our guides reformed into a line, keeping ten feet apart from each other, and proceeded forward, dispersing as if they were hunters pursuing invisible game.
Were they afraid that ice might break? It was unlikely — it didn’t so much as tremble under their feet. No matter how many times I looked around, I spotted no opponents. Fury, too, was running around without any signs of anxiety.
We crossed the lake in an instant, circled around several snowy mounds and, almost without slowing down, approached one of the ancient ruins. Judging by the size and nature, the remains were once a giant medieval city. The ascetics regrouped again, breaking into pairs. One in the front, the other at the back. The Direcat and I were in the center. This setup only confirmed my assumptions — I was being guarded. The passage through which we were moving was once, probably, a spacious city street. Despite the buildings that had collapsed along sidewalks and were now covering most of the road there was still a spacious lane in the center that could be followed.
The further we went into the ruins, the darker it felt for me.
Ruined domes of pinkish granite, sprinkled with snow, looked like cakes. Fragments of arches and pedestrian bridges, once hanging over avenues, had turned into heaps of garbage. Towers had collapsed into piles of rubble in the middle of residential quarters, and foundations and remains of supporting walls had rotted away. Overgrown lawns were covered with debris from nearby buildings...
The more details I noticed, the more oppressive the anxiety became. One could only guess how terrible the cataclysm that caused such destruction was. Panicked thoughts about a nuclear strike crept into my mind, but such a scenario wasn’t typical for a fantasy world. Nor would the ascetics enter a radiation zone. Something else was bothering me — I still couldn’t see any signs of a civilization ahead. Only dead ruins. There was nothing but ruins around us.
Was I wrong? Did the purpose of the trip not match my assumptions?
Then, what the hell were we doing here?
I received my answer some hundred feet later — the ruins were suddenly replaced by a vast wasteland that had probably once served as a city square. Our guides made a couple of steps to the side, forming a square around me and suddenly stopped.
I had to stop too.
I turned around in confusion, trying to find an answer on the impassive faces staring at me. Why were we here? What should I do? I then heard a rumble, felt the ground tremble under my feet, and hastily looked down. Fury snarled, her green eyes looking at me questioningly. I had no idea what was happening...
The snow near my feet suddenly evaporated, as if swept away by an invisible broom or erased in Photoshop. I found myself standing in the center of the square. Unknown symbols were appeared around the edge of the ten feet wide circle. It was this spot that was vibrating under our feet. The ascetics, staring at me impassively, froze just beyond its border. The first thought that crossed my mind was: “Is this a save point? Where, then, is the Replicator?!” The
Chapter 6
I slowly came to my senses. I was lying on my side, cheek pressed against the cold stone of the portal plate. It no longer vibrated and was standing silent. A low, threatening hum lingered in the air, like the distant sound of jet engines. Still confused, I stood up and looked around. The ascetics were gone. It wasn’t just my imagination then. They ran away while my consciousness was soaring the sky…
The day finally ended; the night, clear and bright, descended upon the city. How much time had passed while I was “floating” in the sky? An hour or two? Maybe more? I stared, fascinated, at the sky with two shining moons framed with a rainbow halo — a pair of silvery apples huddled together on an emerald saucer. What beauty...
Tinnie stirred under my jacket. I threw a hurried glance at her icon, checking how she was doing, and let out a sigh of relief. Her HP was normal; I hadn’t crushed her when it fell. However, she had about a third of her energy bar left... I then realized that the interface had fully recovered! Seems that I had experienced a reboot and synchronized with a new reality. That had been my “registration” taking place. An unforgettable experience, to say the least. But there was no time to deal with –that. The rumbling grew louder. “Don’t stay here!” my instincts screamed, warning me about the approaching danger.
Calling the stunned Fury to my side, I ran back, following my own tracks that lead back to the mountain fortress. Why did those devils leave me? What was the point of bringing me here just to leave alone?
Red shadows were playing in the ruins around. Something flared behind my back, casting a long, quivering shadow beneath my feet. It was something very bright and big. I paused and glanced over my shoulder with the intention of evaluating the new threat. The area with the save point flashed with intermittent radiance — deep purple and flaming yellow. The light pulsed, expanding, and then burst releasing a wave that was rushing in my direction and absorbing everything on its way. Within the radiance were figures of unknown creatures that moved with the fiery barrier...
A sudden burst of energy overcame me. I rushed forth, wind whistling in my ears. Fury ran alongside me like a creeping shadow, with her eyes bulged in fright.
In a matter of minutes we covered more than a mile and found ourselves outside the city border. The hills flashed once again and the ice on the lake’s surface started cracking under the soles of my boots. But the light didn’t lag behind. The glow shone brighter and started to spread over the ice, disturbing the creatures that lived underneath the mirror like surface. Huge, dark silhouettes stirred within the depths, marked as Divers by the system, with levels ranging from twenty five to thirty! Deciding that Fury and I were the ones disturbing them, these creatures aggro’d us. Whizzing through the water like torpedoes, they hit the ice; spider web like fractures started spreading on the ice and dozens of shards shot upwards, glittering like diamonds under the upcoming glow. Barely avoiding slipping into the water, I jumped over the fissure and continued on. I thought that I had been struggling with all my might up to this point. I was very wrong. My speed halved after the first strike. Damn it! I even began choking. I didn’t remember this happening in the sandbox. The creatures raged furiously. Powerful tremors resumed, causing the entire ice surface to vibrate and shatter. One particularly powerful blow made the ice underneath me crack in two. Spewing dark and icy water, thick slabs rose upwards and, almost reluctantly, slowly fell back with a noisy splash.
Falling into the water now would mean certain death.
I have no idea how I managed to fly over that damn opening and manage to pick up the Direcat. The leap felt as if it had happened in slow motion — raising ice, fountains of water, the dark muzzle of a Diver that opened its three foot-wide maw and clicked vainly with huge teeth a few inches away from my heels, and me spectacularly flying over all of it.
Having landed a good distance away from the crack, I managed to surprise myself once again. The momentum almost doubled my speed. I was squeezing everything I could out of avatar... Avatar?! I was squeezing everything I could out of myself! It was about damn time that I got to terms with the fact that there was no “avatar”! There was only me!
I allowed myself to look back once I got ashor
e, leaving the goddamned Divers behind. Making sure that nothing posed any threat to Fury and me, I collapsed onto my knees and dug my trembling hands into the snow. I was breathing heavily. Damn it... A hoarse laugh, similar to a crow’s cow, escaped my throat. Only then did I notice that the glow that had swallowed the city had long stopped pursuing me; it hadn’t even reached the lake. But you had no time to look around and check when you felt as if the devil himself was at your heels.
Having recovered, Fury and I pressed on.
We covered the last couple of miles slowly, saving up our strength. After that sprint across the lake, I was feeling like a battery had been pulled out of me. Every step caused me pain and discomfort. I was still relatively fine, but liveliness had disappeared from my step. My attention was threatening to follow its example. The hunger returned, fiercely twisting my insides. It was hunger that prevented my energy from recovering at a normal rate. Most of all, I wanted to be warm and to have a roof over my head and a good night’s sleep.
But, they were waiting for me near the foot of the mountain.
“You’re lucky, human,” a voice, dry as sand, made me stop. I looked up. The ascetics hadn’t left after all. They had been waiting for me, like lined-up, motionless and mute figures with hands resting on the hilts of their short swords.
“Let’s see if your luck followed you here,” continued one of them with a hint of contempt. “It doesn’t matter if it didn’t… You humans don’t last long here either way...”
Actually, they were no longer “ascetics” but members of the Okhtan race — Screpis, Otex, Caraster and Molec, levels 21, 22, 22 and 23, respectively. My level ten seemed like a joke in comparison to them. The reboot was successful; I understood every word that Caraster said. But I didn’t like the tone of his voice or the implications. Returning to the fortress would have to wait. I wondered how long I would last against four high-level players. A second or so. Just thinking about such an inglorious and stupid death provoked powerless rage...
I drew my sword without hesitation and intention of making their task any easier. The fight never took place. A small figure wrapped in a fur cloak silently stepped out from behind a nearby boulder and quietly slid toward the Okhtans. Eyes flashed from under the hood, reflecting the flames raging in the valley.
Player name: Mashta
Level 18
Race: Lowling
Class: free
“Don’t even think of it, Caraster!” Mashta shouted in a high pitched voice. The nickname I had given her was really close to her actual name but I had no time for amusing coincidence now.
“You followed us, you little...creature.”
“How could I not follow you?! Someone always needs to keep an eye on you! Go back to the fortress, or I tell everything to Initox!”
“And what would he say if he knew that you were here too?” asked another Okhtan, Molek, without a slightest movement.
“And what do you think, you airhead, who sent me after you?” Mashta stood up, put her fists on her hips and proudly raised her button like nose. What a fearless devil she was. “This is not my last save anyway. I will come back and tell him everything!”
“You little creature,” the Okhtan narrowed his eyes. His voice dropped to snake’s hiss. “You’re acting too boldly. We will get you. Another time, another chance.”
“As I said — piss off!” Mashta demanded.
Her demand ended this quite strange conversation. The Okhtans turned around and stomped back up the slope, regrouping into a column as they did so.
“Bloody aggros,” Mashta grumbled, following them with an angry look. She then crouched in front of Fury and, without the slightest fear, pat her ruffled fur. The Direcat didn’t resist. It was a miracle! Moreover, she willingly pressed her head against the girl’s hand and probably even purred. “Ready to cut down anyone to increase their rank...” Mashta added under her breath.
“Forgive me, but I’m not following,” I shook my head, feeling a little tired. “What prevented them from finishing me off right outside the fortress gates? Why was it necessary to lead me to the city center and wait? What’s the point of all this? What does ‘to increase their own ranks’ even mean? Oh, shit! Sorry. Where are my manners? I forgot to thank you for your help. Thank you.”
Mashta nodded and suddenly smiled warmly.
“Wow, it turns out that you’re rather polite, Wisecracker...”
“Just Wise.”
“Wise it is then” agreed the Lowling. “Generally speaking, very few people here know what being thankful means. Neither Okhtans nor Dalrokts have the habit of thanking people. Racial differences, you see. And about the rest… Well, one can’t tell you everything in five minutes. We still need to get to the fortress... Is it just me, or are you barely standing?”
The question was purely rhetorical as she could clearly see my status bars. But, I was a stranger and she wanted to show that she cared. That spoke volumes about my savior’s kind-hearted nature. I examined the girl’s face and stats. She was also tired, although she pretended that everything was fine. I was exhausted. I appeared here immediately after coming out of the Replicator in the late afternoon and full of strength. I doubted that she had been sitting idle all day. She had to follow me around after all. Not to mention the couple of hours she spent overseeing my return.
“I’m a bit tired. I had to run a little. But I’ll be fine.”
“I saw it,” Mashta said. “That was quite the feat. I didn’t think you could get away from the Divers.”
“You saw all of that?” I looked at the lake suspiciously. “It’s more than a mile... I can’t see the lake now. Did you follow us the entire way here?”
“One of my racial skills is keen eyesight,” Mashta calmly explained with a smile. “Well, time’s up. Be patient, we won’t be resting yet. One shouldn’t be in the valley while Flame and Chaos are reigning. It’s too dangerous. Wait a second...” Taking a piece of dried meat out of the bag, Mashta handed it to me, and threw another onto the snow in front of the Direcat. “Feed your beast. Eat, you little thing, don’t be shy.”
Fury was a proper lady. She looked at me and waited for me to nod before eagerly devouring the meat. The Fairy, but didn’t dare get out; she chose to stay warm. I had nothing to offer her as I had no Crystals left.
I liked Mashta more and more. She was calm, friendly and thorough. Without taking my eyes off the blazing valley, I bit off a piece of jerky and began to chew. The meat was tough, salty, and edible. Any food’s a feast when you are dying of hunger.
Strange and menacing creatures roamed behind the boarder of the strange phenomenon that had swallowed up the valley. Some were as tall as a human, while others were significantly larger. Fiery giants marched through the streets, towering over the ruins like Godzilla. Over the city itself, moving as if underwater, soared the scaly bodies of ten feet long enormous, wingless serpents. They opened their mouths, big enough to park a bus into, and exhaled streams of flame. All of this was happening in an unnaturally dead silence. The fiery dome had absorbed all of the sounds.
“Impressive when you see it for the first time, right?” Mashta said, following my gaze. She smiled knowingly and straightened her backpack’s strap. “You have a lot of questions, don’t you? As many as a squirrel has acorns before a long winter. I know it from experience.”
“You’re right.” I grinned back. “These Okhtans... Why the hell did they dislike me so much? What did Caraster mean when he said that humans don’t last long here?”
“He got to you with that, yeah?” Mashta nodded. “It’s not so much about you as it is about the Okhtans themselves. They are hostile to all who are not like them. Don’t expect anything good from them. Never turn your back to them if there are no witnesses. And stay close to us; Lowlings never offend without reason. Moreover, we are few and it’s generally better if everyone sticks together. Let me give you some good advice: if you don’t want to make more enemies, don’t ask about anyone’s past. Such
curiosity is not welcome here.”
I shrugged. “I will manage to survive without knowing anyone’s past. I am more interested in general information about this location.”
“So be it. I will be your guide today, out of the pure goodness of my heart. I’ll tell you all that I can. Well, move it.”
The Lowling stomped vigorously along the trail left by the Okhtans, who were already long gone from our sight. I sighed, how difficult it will be to climb up the damn mountain. And how long it would take.
But we had no other choice. You never knew till you tried.
I looked around once again before taking the first step. My God, what did I stumble into...? The landscape was akin to a Bosch painting in full size and worth the name I had given it — Here We Go. Shrugging nervously, I turned away from the valley and hurried up the hill.
Chapter 7
World: Lunar Rainbow
World Status: closed
Location: The Diamond Crown
I couldn’t immediately remember where I was once I escaped the sleep’s tenacious grasp, mind burdened by the events of the past day. Raising myself on an elbow and looking around the room that was small and narrow and dark like a coffin, with bare walls, my memory returned.
My gaze stopped on the board in front of me; green numbers were ticking away at in its upper right-hand corner. Mentally de-cluttering the interface from everything that I didn’t need, I got up and looked around again, chuckling involuntarily. At least I got plenty of space as there was barely any furniture in the room. Apparently, I’d have to settle down on my own. Judging by the rough texture of the walls, the room had been hollowed out manually like most of the fortress. I had to sleep on the floor, wrapped in the fur cloak, which was better than nothing. My backpack, sword and belt with a dagger fastened to it were lying next to the cloak. And that was about it. Those were all of my belongings. I was not in a hurry to get my things. A light warm-up would do me good. I did about fifty squats and did the same amount of pushups, feeling pleasure as blood rushed through my veins and my head cleared. Comfort was a relative thing in the Fortress of Outcasts — yes, that was the name of this place. The temperature couldn’t have been higher than thirty or fifty five degrees. Doing anything to stay warm was a smart thing to do.
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