Which I definitely didn’t have.
Generally speaking, I still didn’t understand how it all worked and I planned to question Tinnie about it at the earliest opportunity. But now we should return to the reason for my early awakening — the Raksh’s quest. Once they wake up, the Dalrokts will take me under their wing, so this was my only opportunity to try to do something about this damn quest. Otherwise, I would have to forget about the Raksh until tomorrow night, but he might not survive that long for more reasons than one. For example, while the Dalrokts are force leveling me, one of the hot-headed Okhtans, unable to resist the urge and temptation, could fight the Raksh, leaving him in bits and pieces...
Fury growled faintly, returning me to reality.
Somewhere from outside the room sounded heavy, measured steps and the rattling of metal. They could belong to only one creature. Just the man, erm, Dalrokt¸ that I needed. I shouldn’t waste this opportunity. It was time to move forward. I’d figure out Tinnie’s abilities later.
Chapter 34
Throwing one last gaze at the pile of unusable rubbish remaining from my previous “inventions,” I resolutely fastened Blood Brother to the activated Energy Lock and stepped into the hall. Fury followed.
The night guard’s name was Kerix. He was nearly ten feet tall, clad in leather and metal, and looked like a depiction of some god of war. Having finished patrolling the caves, he was apparently heading back to his room to get some rest. His head was uncovered; a helmet, which could cover my entire head, was under his left arm. He was just passing under the crosspiece, which was barely noticeably swinging on its chains, and on which candles were burning. Long, trembling shadows followed his figure, like a trail of living darkness. Hell, I still couldn’t get rid of the shock I felt when I first saw one of these “guys” who were, in my opinion, the walking embodiment of military power. Kerix was like one of the four Fortress’s mini bosses. What did Mashta say about him? That he was the chief of security? I hadn’t had the opportunity to talk to him yet, and I had every intention of doing so. Talking to others of his kin had given me strength, and the task that Chzher had given me helped build up my courage. They needed me. I was worth something to them now.
Having noticed me, Kerix glanced at me, but had no intention of slowing down. I had to call out his name Time seemed to have stopped; turning his head slowly, he fixated his heavy gaze on me. I froze, feeling like I was staring down a barrel of a loaded gun. In the poor lighting of the hall, the dark gray scales seemed as black as tar. The soft, yellowish light of his amber eyes, settled deep inside the eye sockets, highlighted his large features in a fancy play of shadows. Ironically enough, Madogost fought against a race of Demons, while being led by no less demonic creatures.
“Kerix, I have a question, the answer to which I would prefer to hear from... A Dalrokt.” I almost said “From a competent man.”
“Speak, human,” the giant murmured in a deep voice, clearly trying to be silent so as not to wake the others.
I had already realized that it was better not to beat around the bush when talking to Dalrokts and that being polite was a waste of time. So I got straight to the point.
“I didn’t have time to thoroughly question the Lowlings… Tell me, do the grades of the socs have anything to do with resurrecting at the Mausoleum?”
“Yes.”
Having said that, he went his way. How laconic of you...
“Wait! I’d like to hear more details. Chzher promised that you guys would provide me with everything I need. I need information.”
He halted again. His protruding and powerful jaws moved in disgust, white fangs glittering wetly in the open mouth. Did Chzher talk with all of his “relatives” about me? If not, then Kerix could, at best, send me away and continue on his way.
But he answered.
“Grade one socs are suitable for resurrection of players level 1 to 10. Grade two, up to level 20. Grade three... Well, you’ll figure it out. The pattern is obvious.”
“So, can a high grade soc resurrect a low-level player?” I asked. “And vice versa?”
“That’s also possible. But pointless. If the player’s level is higher than the grade, you lose levels.”
“Lose levels? And skills, abilities?!”
“Same. You would be taking a few steps back. Be patient, human! We’ll call you after the wake-up signal.”
He moved on. His fist thick braid, ending with a steel blade ornament and reaching past his lower back, swayed across his broad shoulder blades clad in a cloak. Lost in my own thoughts, I no longer tried to stop him. Things were slowly falling into place. So, grade one socs were worthless; and grade two ones had a dubious value, because the majority of players were above level 20. Mashta had that problem. According to her, she had been here for quite some time, so much so that she was almost one of the old-timers, which meant that she should be on the same level as Colin. There could be only one reason for her to remain level 18 — she had already lost a save, and not for the first time. She had, most likely, already spent her saves, but hadn’t yet accumulated a new one. And since the Lowlings weren’t part of the raid of the Citadel, they wouldn’t spend the most valuable of the socs on them — the grade three ones. They probably faced a difficult dilemma when Mashta’s team failed to get the necessary soc on their own — they could either forget about the girl, or use a lower grade soc to resurrect her. It would’ve been an act of despair, but she would be alive and eventually catch up even if she had to start from scratch...
It was an assumption, of course, and one that I didn’t like at all. However, it wasn’t like I could ask her about it, it was none of my business. But that wasn’t the point. In order to obtain a grade one soc, it wasn’t necessary to hunt down a young Raksh or Dion. You could also kill a newcomer no matter their race. And since humans here weren’t most welcome, then...
I was distracted by a quiet hiss. Fury snarled softly, turning her head and glancing across the hall toward the source of the sound — the cage. I petted her head, which was in level with my armpit, in an attempt to soothe her. I crossed the hall, halting two steps away from the cage. Fury slid closer, growling uneasily at the darkness behind the thick, rusty bars.
A chain clinked dully in response, and orange eyes flashed dimly. The lighting was still poor, but I could see him better than ever. A metal collar, connected by a chain to a ring on the back wall of the chamber, adorned the Raksh’s neck. Chzher agreed to give him to me, but didn’t forget to put the chain back on. Having met Rawrk’s gaze, all I saw in his eyes was the powerless anger of a cornered, wounded creature. Seems like I wasn’t the only one who didn’t have the time to visit the poor thing. He was still squeezing the stump of his lower left hand with his lower right, and his HP was lower than it had been in the “arena.” The air smelt strongly of blood, urine, and dirt. And it angered me terribly. Yes, the Raksh looked like a beast, but he was just as intelligent a creature as everyone who lived here. It wasn’t fair to keep him cage up like a beast!
As luck would have it, I didn’t have a drop of Tincture left. Hell, I didn’t even have water. He must be thirsty by now!
“Human,” Rawrk whispered barely audibly. “Raksh need freedom... Raksh die here... You help...”
Although I had only planned to talk with him, seeing the condition that he was in made me change my mind. However, one must always remain cautious. After all, even weakened and crippled, the Raksh was more powerful than me, and two levels higher.
“Listen to me, Rawrk,” I said quietly. “There’s a secret passage in that tunnel branch, right? You couldn’t have appeared out of nowhere.”
“Yes, human...”
“Could I get there without your help?”
“Not know... Chance. Yes. Not.”
“So I’d have better odds going there with you, right? I’ll set you free. But you’re a stranger to me and I need you to promise that you won’t hurt me. Do you understand?”
“Yes...” he hissed q
uietly. Hope flashed in his eyes.
I examined the bars while we talked. The doors were only bolted, but it was impossible for the prisoner to reach the lock from the inside, even without the collar and the chain. But I could open the cell at any time. A step away, on the metal hook sticking out of the wall, was the collar key. If I am caught, there will be no repercussions. The Fortress needed me, unlike the Raksh.
And then it occurred to me to try to do something unconventional. Formally, the rules weren’t being violated as the Raksh wasn’t one of the Fortress dwellers. Mentally clicking on Rawrk’s icon, I opened the system panel and sent him an invitation to join my clan. I was curious to find out if it would work.
“Accept the invitation,” I rushed him. “You’ll become one of my clanmates. I’ll get you out of here.”
Full of astonishment, his eyes flashed brighter. He didn’t think long before accepting.
Fortune Hunters
Clan status: activated
Attention!
Checking information…
Recalculating achievement rewards...
Not now! I have no time to study the logs.
“Keep quiet, we have to be quick. Fury, make sure that no one sees us. Keep an eye out for anyone. Tinnie, give us some light.”
Tinnie, who had long ago stuck her face out of the case and had been observing us with insatiable curiosity, eagerly darted through the bars and flashed with golden light, using a third of her power. Pulling the bolt aside, I opened the door and went in without fear. The collar fell to the floor with a ringing sound.
“Weapon, human... Need weapon.”
“We’re leaving, Rawrk.” Giving away my only sword felt like a bad idea. “Otherwise I won’t be able to help you.”
We crossed the hall in a few seconds and darted into the passage leading to the underground tunnels. And although it seemed like dozens of suspicious eyes were watching us and that at any moment an alarm would ring out, we managed to slip by unnoticed. The most important thing now was not to run into anyone, or there would be trouble...
Tinnie immediately put out her light and returned to her hiding place. I ordered her to save her strength and not attract too much attention. Rawrk, confidently and quickly, went ahead of our small group. Complete darkness was no issue for my, or his, vision. I understood his impatience and desire to get out of the Fortress as quickly as possible, so that he could lick his wounds in a safe place.
Chapter 35
A few minutes later, I smelled the familiar tart scent of mushrooms and we got to the underground lake; we had reached it from the right side. The Raksh went down the familiar path. I followed. Fury, covering the rear, ran after us, claws retracted. Despite my best efforts, some of the crushed stone left after training sessions crunched loudly under my feet.
I recalled Mashta bringing me here to practice using the sling on my second day, and me giving up after a dozen of attempts. Simplest materials were most suitable for making things in a hurry. Their slings were made out of strips of durable, tanned leather, although one could use a rope with a piece of leather in the middle, the so-called “bed.” Now, a sling seemed like a simple weapon to use, yeah? You fold the leather in half, shove a suitable-sized stone into the “bed,” spin,and let go of one of the ends. But it’s one thing seeing a trained Lowling use it, and quite another to do it for yourself and try to at least throw the projectile in the required direction. During training, one of my projectiles almost crippled Arkoosh who was mocking my futile attempts. I gave up after that. I was a sword and magic type of guy.
Mashta didn’t lie when she said that the path ended in a dead end. But that wasn’t the whole truth. About forty feet later, we stopped near a rocky surface that had been chipped by blows. In complete darkness, Rawrk immediately set to work, groping at the wall with his upper pair of hands. When I ordered Tinnie shed some light on the matter, he hissed angrily at me.
“Kill light! Enemy see!”
Tinnie squeaked indignantly, frustrated that she was constantly being denied doing her job, but obeyed and landed on my shoulder.
“Here,” Rawrk pointed a clawed finger at a section of the wall that seemed no different than the rest. “Now wait. Not long.”
Looking closely, I could see that the area at which he had pointed was slightly pressed into the stone. Better remember it for when I come here on my own. Rawrk then suddenly hissed, turned around swiftly, and tore the sword from my back. I didn’t have time to react; he had already jumped over Fury in a single leap and resumed his fighting stance.
“Enemy!” he snarled. “Raksh cover!”
I swore with undisguised annoyance. Who the hell was it now? Were they all that eager to make me fail the quest!? I was doing this for everyone’s good! I tried to calm Rawrk down.
“Don’t worry. I’ll sort it out. Only you have enemies here; the outcasts are my allies...”
I stepped toward him, but the angry Raksh pushed me aside with his shoulder, forcing me to step back. Fury growled, but he paid no attention to her, staring intensely into the darkness.
“Human! Push, wall, push! There!” he ordered.
Despite the tension and hurry, his chopped up sentences, helped by gesticulations, were easy to understand. I assumed that I was to push and not let go until a passage opened. He apparently knew what he was doing so I had no other choice but to listen to him. Retreating, I continued looking around in a vain attempt to spot what he had seen. Whatever it was, it was too far away even for my new “advanced” vision. Standing half-turned, I pushed the “key” with my left palm.
“Wise,” sounded a low voice from the darkness. I recognized it instantly. For some reason, I felt a chill run down my back and neck. “It’s a pity that it had to be like this, Wise.”
I didn’t like the tone with which the Lowling spoke. There was nothing friendly about it. It was cold and hard. But with a touch of regret. I liked it even less that it was Colin, the strongest of the five. Level twenty-eight. My heart sank, and my forehead and back were soaked in sweat. My suspicions turned out to be true; Mashta had really lied about not knowing about this passage. For some reason, the shorties needed no one to know about it. There were no Dalrokts around. There was no one to stand between Colin and me. Rawrk and I would have a hard time... After all, Rawrk, no matter how brave he was, was still just level sixteen. Even if he weren’t crippled, he would still be practically helpless against Colin...
I was no better. Even if I had Flame, the situation would’ve been just as dire. Soulcatcher was suitable only against creatures of Chaos. However, I had no fuel for it either. I was literally cornered.
“Mashta didn’t want it to come to this,” said Colin. Judging by the sound, there were forty feet between us, which meant that Colin stood at the beginning of the branching path. However, this distance wasn’t a problem for the slinger. “She was against it from the very beginning... Don’t think badly of her, okay?”
“She was against what, Colin?” I asked through clenched teeth, realizing that they wouldn’t let us out of there alive.
“You’re about to find out,” said Arkoosh’s distant, mocking voice. “Catch!”
Sensing danger, I jumped to the side. I was a split second late. The projectile hit my right shoulder so hard that it threw me against the wall, and immediately after that to the floor. Stunned, I gasped in pain, paralyzed by the three-second debuff. Fucking Arkoosh! I barely managed to mentally stop Fury who had rushed at them. She wouldn’t stand a chance...
But the Direcat didn’t like that. She began to hiss furiously, unable to calm down, circling in the narrow corridor, almost scraping the side of the uneven walls. She almost instantly went into combat mode. Looking back and seeing me immobile, Rawrk howled, piercingly and furiously, and waved his sword.
“Raksh protect!” he roared, looking at me over his shoulder. “Human leave! Take beast! Run! Quickly!”
I felt the wall tremble behind my back. A block of stone, seven feet high
and wide, began to descend, opening a passage. Alas, it moved too slowly. There was nowhere to run.
Rawrk rushed down the corridor, buying us time.
What happened next made me roar like the Direcat. Even in the dark, I could see blood gush out of Rawrk’s back. The projectile went through his body like through paper. Rawrk was seemingly thrown against the wall. His charge was instantly interrupted, and the sword fell from his hand and onto the ground with a clatter. His legs buckled, and he knelt down, wheezing, blood trickling out of his broken chest. With the sheer power of will, he tried to rise again, but the next projectile smashed his skull and he fell face first onto the stone floor.
There was no doubt that those two shots belonged to Colin, as he was strong enough to finish us off without using a special attack.
Rage and pain must have lit up something deep inside me. No longer wondering if I could inflict him any harm, I rose to my knees and hit blindly along the corridor with both Flamespear and Windspear. Blue and yellow sparks whizzed through the air toward the lake. The spells illuminated Arkoosh’s swift silhouette. Armed with two daggers, he was gliding through the darkness toward me…
At that moment, something else happened.
Something incredibly powerful started writhing in the back of my mind, waking up from deep slumber. A gigantic shadow rose above me, crushing me with its might. I felt a certain interest. Understanding. Contempt. Emerging from oblivion, this entity squeezed my right hand, just above the elbow, with its invisible fingers. The next second, the menacing attention was gone. His connection with me was still too weak to maintain long contact, but it didn’t go by unnoticed.
Lash of Pain
Rank 1 (0/100)
Active
Causes short-term paralysis and damage. The amount of damage depends on the reputation with the patron.
Cost: 30 energy points
Cooldown: 30 seconds
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