by Prax Venter
Ryea shook her head. “Naw, these two don’t muck around in the mud with gear so pretty. They are truly Guards, not Gardeners.”
“Ah!” said yet another man barging into the small space, and Jack recognized him immediately as one of the two Townsfolk who’d first sailed to Blackmoor. “We had search parties scouring the whole-”
“Hallis!” Jack interrupted. “Good to see you again. Sorry we weren’t able to connect before you left with Jesix and the others, but I am grateful you were able to provide comfortable passage for the traumatized people of Doveport. How are they doing in Ivyset Crag?”
The snooty Gardener sputtered for a moment, thrown off his script, and the two high-level Heroes shared another glance. Three other Townsfolk Gardeners appeared at Hallis’s back and he recovered quickly.
“The survivors of your insurrection are no longer in Ivyset Crag. But you will come immediately for an audience with the Supreme Mayor.”
Every bone in Jack’s body wanted to scream ‘and what if we don’t?’, but his ultimate goal was to befriend these people. He was going to have to play along just like he did when he first landed on his ass in Blackmoor.
“Of course,” Jack said with a chuckle. “We probably shouldn’t have been running around your home, and it’s past time I congratulate your Supreme Mayor for such a jaw-dropping achievement.”
“Er- yes,” Hallis said, frozen in place and blinking as he searched for the thorn in this upstart king’s words. After a moment, he pulled his ornate white smock taut then proceeded to wrangle the now-sizable group. “This way. I’ve heard the Orchid Oracle herself has shown an interest in this meeting. Your disrespect for such countenance is incomprehensible.”
“Haylee,” Jack said before the abrasive man could continue insulting them. “Didn’t you have questions for these experienced Heroes?”
“Kaazo,” she said, immediately turning back to face the Wind Blade behind them. “Did you find that Floor-74 Amulet when you first unlocked your Tier Four Abilities?”
The green-eyed hero looked down at the circular mirror called Eternal Echo lying on his impressive armor. Jack would love to have a few beers with this guy. Peppered stubble covered his jaw and the deep creases permanently worn into his brow spoke of uncountable battles. And his Movement-Speed-focused gear made Jack both exceedingly jealous and distracted with thoughts of looting the top Floors of a Tower- any Tower.
“How could you know this?” he asked as they all turned onto one of the lager roads heading uphill toward the top of the crag.
Lex answered, her head held high. “Choosing to join Blackmoor Kingdom grants the ability to see every item’s Floor of origin.”
“Don’t be fooled by this charlatan court or its propaganda,” Hallis said with a dismissive wave. “What she says is imposs-”
“Prove your claim on this,” the taller Hero named Ilowin demanded, thrusting out a simple wooden bow toward Haylee as it materialized from his Inventory.
The Dark Prism focused on the object for a few steps before turning back to Kaazo.
“I surmised that you found the powerful amulet on that Floor because I see a larger pattern emerging as I study the rules of our world, and,” she paused to nod toward the bow. “That was first found on Floor 12.”
The phoenix-like Hero stopped dead in the middle of the road. “The rumors are true. These foreign… perversions will doom this world.”
“Why does no one listen to me?” Hallis said over his shoulder yet he kept moving.
Jack did not want to start a scene with these high-level Heroes or argue about the nature of their existence in the middle of this busy street. Kaazo also stayed back to lay a hand on his friend’s shoulder, yet the man’s furrowed eyes lingered on Haylee as she walked away scratching ink into her homemade book.
The group began gathering curious Townsfolk as they moved closer to Ivyset’s Town Hall and Tower, and thankfully Ryea and Jip picked up on the idea to keep their mouths shut for now. Despite what felt like a forced march, the Town around them continued to both inspire and enrage him. The people looked happy here, but was their long-term plan really to just wait until everything else was gone around them?
“Then what?” he whispered to himself as he passed his eyes over several specialty Item Shops to either side of the wide cobble road.
Jack then heard one of the several non-Gardener Townsfolk who’d decided to follow this strange group whisper loudly “… no, it’s a king and a queen!”, and he knew his Bastion heard it too when she laced her fingers through his and the heat from her perfect skin radiated through his whole being- a catalyst of calmness. There was no rush here. The change they’d already started had become unstoppable and being seen escorted through Town was going to send out even more ripples.
The number of followers dwindled as the group looped around the massive central hill coming to the top of a wide wall that divided the older section from the rest of the Town below. The view was breathtaking.
The mellow afternoon sun lay muffled behind a swelling layer of white cotton clouds, but its rays of pure light still found holes to shine through onto the vast glittering Town below. He now also better understood what Alt said about building types repeating themselves. From above, he could see many of the spaces that became Gardens seemed copied and pasted way too many times.
Jack turned behind to face the top of the crag and saw enormous quartz buildings arranged around the infinite silver Tower reflecting reality as it connected the virtual land to the virtual cosmos.
Their guide gave everyone a chance to see just how impressive Ivyset Crag was before he turned to face the group and clapped his hands twice.
“Here is where I will need everyone who isn’t a King or Queen to follow Gardener Tani.” Hallis waved his hand behind them toward a seven-foot woman with a tranquil warmth radiating from her wide smile.
“Greetn’s! I’ll be giving you northern lot a tour of our most rarest blossoms and bloomage. Then it’s off to a stop at an exclusive fruit puree bar while you relax. What do you say to that?” The woman genuinely loved her job and it showed.
“Oh, thank you!” Ryea said, instantly moving toward the one called Tani. “Don’t take me the wrong way, I’m sure your Supreme Mayor is quite the fellow, but I’ll take you up on a nice walk in the garden instead.”
Jack shot Haylee a pleading look to play along just for now, and the Dark Prism let out an almost imperceptible sigh before she moved to stand guard over their friends.
“Oh, we’re headed for a right treat, my sweet pea!” Jip cheered, giving Ryea’s shoulder a solid love tap.
The grinning Farmer waved to Lex and Jack before she allowed her Farmhand to offer his elbow and escort her through a massive wooden gate.
Haylee rolled her eyes and silently moved off with the others as Hallis continued to lead Jack and Lex along the wall.
“Take good flower notes,” Jack called after her as they split up, and he knew he’d probably have to do something nice for the young Hero. She really wanted to see this Supreme Mayor.
The three didn’t encounter another person as they continued up toward what Jack thought was another wall until he realized the whole megalithic white structure in front of them was Ivyset Crag’s Town Hall.
“It looks bigger than our whole Town,” Lex said as they approached. Stained-glass windows of every color punched orderly holes into what was essentially a quartz-infused stone cube. Further down the curved road, Jack caught sight of a Fountain that had to be at least three times bigger around than Blackmoor Cove’s, and he simultaneously felt surprise from Alt’s mind. In addition to one central jet shooting a hundred feet up into the wind there were also five shorter columns of water around it.
Jack was beginning to wonder if they should have insisted Haylee come with until they turned toward the main entrance of the Town Hall, and another new botanical wonder scattered his thoughts.
A tunnel of curved trellises filled to bursting with vibrant veget
ation stood between them and the entrance to what looked more like a church. Most of the plants he’d seen in the overworld of Subroutine Sana were normal, but some of these multihued aberrations were undeniably alien. Behind it, the quartz stone building glistened as lush green ivy climbed its walls. This place radiated ancient but solid imperviousness.
“This is all so continually astonishing,” Lex said. “I didn’t know a place like this could exist in a world covered by Corruption.”
“It is astonishing,” Hallis said, looking back at her over his shoulder as he hurried them through the fragrant flowers. “And it could exist. This fertile land of purity must be protected. Perhaps the Supreme Mayor or even the reclusive Orchid Oracle will be able to explain your mistakes.”
Their uptight guide slowed to a stop as he laid his hand on the wooden doors to the Town Hall- which themselves were carved with masterpieces.
“I have been… emotional,” he said, and looked at Lex specifically. “Yet, I can feel hope that you will see the balance of nature we strive to maintain.”
Then, a new status icon appeared in Jack’s vision. A white square with a purple and yellow flower.
Everything’s Fine - [+5 HP | Disposition Boost | Immune to Fear | 00:14:59]
~ It is soothing you…
Despite Alt’s concern over what he thought of as a powerful effect emanating from the surrounding plants, Jack wasn’t too worried. He could talk himself out of anything, couldn’t he? Plus, having everyone’s respect naturally boosted meant that communication should flow smoothly between everyone. He had this.
“Yeah,” Jack said with a soft smile. “We would love to hear about your ways.”
Lex nodded. “We will listen, we will talk, and we will find common ground for everyone to flourish.”
The Gardener named Hallis visibly relaxed before pushing open the doors to a long empty hall ending in an ivy-covered stained-glass window. Jack’s eyes wandered over the thick roots weaving over everything all the way up to two figures backlit by mellow sun rays near a crumbling stone throne.
The Supreme Mayor wore a golden-tined crown with a dome of red velvet in the middle that reminded Jack of a cupcake. His short gray beard encircled stern features that hardened further as he turned to face them. Next to him stood a stunning young woman in revealing black robes and black hair pulled up into a decorative head-slot item. She had to be this Orchid Oracle he’d heard them talk about, but didn’t Jip say she was an old mystic or something? This woman looked all business. A perfect shock of sleek onyx hair covered half of her face, but Jack noticed the poise of wit behind her one aquamarine eye.
There was something about her that greatly interested the AI fluttering in his skull as well, but he let Alt do his thing while turning all his focus on the man on the throne standing as they approached.
“Announcing King Jack and Queen Lex, of Blackmoor,” their guide bellowed, his voice echoing through the sunlit hall. Both the Mayor and what had to be his version of an advisor moved to meet them as Gardener Hallis backed out the way he came.
“I am Supreme Mayor Reedon. Now, should I bid you welcome, foreign King, or should I be afraid for my life? Either way, I should love to hear your story.”
King Jack felt a genuine smile growing on his face. Maybe it was the disposition-boosting flowers behind them, but he was getting some “not-too-crazy” vibes from this guy. His intent was to approach and make introductions, but Alt wrenched away full control of Jack’s body and locked his boots to the cold stone floor.
He had a microsecond of conscious confusion before razors raked across his brain and the deep agony immediately became unbearable, yet he couldn’t scream, move, or do anything but endure-
“Listen!” Alt shouted from miles away as the pain faded. “Discomfort unfortunate yet necessary. That woman is Velintanna. The thirteenth crewmember stands here! I don’t know how. Entity only partially Corrupted. Jack. Made horrible mistake. I need to hide. You are an NPC!”
The virtual world of Subroutine Sana snapped back into focus around him just in time to see his grinning, golden-haired wife already shaking gloved hands with a Corrupted Player.
- 4 -
Terror on a level Jack had never felt replaced the mist of calm previously soaking through his brain. Everyone turned to face him standing with his mouth open, and his emulated human instincts flashed a Mother of Demons eye behind this strange woman’s hair.
He unconsciously slid his hand to his hilt and found it gone. The belt and scabbard that had been attached to him from day-one was utterly and completely… null. It was so much more than phased out. This was the unignorable loss of a broken tooth.
With a glance back up to the Mayor’s look of growing concern, Jack awkwardly wiped his palm on his decorative white trousers instead.
“It’s just all so intimidating,” he chuckled, drawing on what little acting ability he possessed as he approached the ruler of Ivyset Crag. It took all his self-control not to lose his mind, but he Inspected them both after he saw them both Inspect him.
Reedon - Townsfolk: Mayor | 93% Proficiency
[Health: 18K/18K]
Relationship -
[Disposition: Fascinated]
-
Velintanna | 143% Proficiency
[Health: 50K/50K | Mana: 700K/700K]
Relationship –
[Disposition: Annoyed]
Jack was suddenly grateful his sword wasn’t around a few moments ago- and it was then when he realized why there were no high-level guards in the Town Hall. He took a moment to try and remember her ridiculous stats for later.
“I would hear King Jack’s story as well,” the Corrupted woman spoke with the silkiness of infinite patience. “And of your abilities. Founding a new Kingdom was unlikely enough, yet your Class is… improbable.”
He now thought he saw a hint of purple writhing behind her purposefully placed obstruction of hair but had to banish those thoughts as they formed or he would blow everything. The vine-filtered light made it too dim to tell anyway, but the thick choker covering much of her long neck made him sure she was hiding parts of her body.
“My story huh?” Jack said, stalling for time as he risked a peek at Velintanna’s equipped items. He had to know what this world was facing.
A red system message carved into a small black lacquer rectangle popped up instead.
[This person has equipped an item that prevents Character Panel Inspection.]
Jack stared blankly at the prompt until Lex cleared her throat.
The fact that he’d been caught by his wife seemingly gawking this other woman’s bulging cleft of exposed flesh pulled him fully into the moment.
He took Lex’s hand in his and turned to face the Supreme Mayor.
“I spawned at night, in the rain,” he said, squeezing his wife hard enough to get her attention. “I started with no knowledge of Towns and Towers, but this Bastion here saw me stumbling around like a fool and had unending patience for me as I relearned everything everyone already knew.
“I have some strange and strong abilities- like a fiery beam Path for one, but it was my Class name and missing knowledge of the world that led me to believe nothing I did was off limits. It drove me to do the things no one had dared, like take back a Dark Tower, for example.”
Jack shrugged as he looked into his wife’s eyes.
“If it weren’t for Lex listening to my endless questions and reining in my recklessness, I may never have made it here to stand before you. However, most of our tale from there is filled with endless fighting both inside and outside of the Towers to eradicate the Corruption.”
The Supreme Mayor rubbed his short, trim beard. “So, you truly think you are saving us by pushing the edges of the Corruption.”
“Should we have waited until it consumed us?” Lex asked, her brows coming down hard.
“Also, a rare Bastion,” Velintanna said, clicking her heels into the stone as she circled his wife as if she were inspecting a sla
b of meat. “The luck mutation is present, and if I recall correctly, a dual-path of Defender and Aether Song. Mmm. A strong combination for Boss control if used correctly. Perhaps the subroutine is attempting to balance the simulation by introducing some chaotic- or even blank patterns. Conclusion; simple yet elegant emergent noise near system’s threshold.”
“This is Velintanna,” Reedon said with a respectful nod toward what remained of a real person from an alternate universe. “Ivyset Crag’s Orchid Oracle. Half of what she says is spiritual nonsense, the other half is insightful. The trick is sorting out which is which sometimes. And that brings us back to sorting out what’s happening out there. Before we go any further, I’ve heard of some unheard-of things happening on the other side of the world. Taking back Dark Towers? This we can discuss on terms of strategy and facts. However, murdering Mayors to grow your new and aggressive Kingdom might be something I need to get involved with.”
“I am irreparably involved,” Velintanna said in a low monotone voice, taking one measured step toward Jack.
“Of course, you are,” Reedon said, waving away the interruption. “Something shiny for your focus.”
Jack tried to ignore the unfathomable threat standing so close yet scrambled to recall his side of what happened with Morlis. The speeches he’d practiced were scattered to the corners of his mind. With a final clench of his fist, he willed his racing heart under control. This was a game, and this was just another damn Boss fight.
“You seem to be a Mayor who deals in facts,” Jack said. “So, let’s lay those out. I did not fire the arrow that murdered Morlis. Nor did I set up the young Doveport resident that did. I did encourage him to come back with us to Blackmoor if Morlis did not agree to join the Kingdom. Our arrival in their isolated Town put a light on the abusive Mayor. Townsfolk were assigned not by Proficiency, but by a different kind of personal corruption. Did you know he didn’t allow the Townsfolk to eat at the Inn? Only Heroes.”
“It’s true,” Lex said. “Aarin was wrong for killing Morlis. Murder and scheming is not in our character. He has been both punished by a Negative Mark from Subroutine Sana and by isolation to reflect on his crime. Given the rotting state of things in that unbalanced place, some Townsfolk would have snapped eventually whether we arrived or not.”