“You know, with all the money we found there, we can afford a decent inn,” Misa said, looking critically at the filthy floor.
“Better not risk it; we’re still half-monsters, and the fancy pants in the upper part of town don’t like seeing us around,” the bugbear grumbled. “Not even big-eyes over here.”
Raystia pouted at him, and her large eyes quivered.
“They don’t work on me, missy.”
The catgirl’s sad expression evaporated, and she snickered mischievously. “Are you sure?”
“You messaged Oren about our success, right?” Riley asked. “Did he answer back?”
“He did. Apparently his army conquered Novenguard, a small border town next to the Badlands. They’re about to start marching toward Everance, and he plans to conquer a few more settlements along the way.”
Misa grinned. “I like him. He’s daring. And so damn cute in his little goblin-shaman outfit.”
“He’s out of his mind,” Fox said. “Everance is the capital of this entire zone. They have thousands of guards and can mobilize an army 10 times that size if they need to. How does he plan to beat those odds?”
“That’s part of what he wrote me,” Raystia said. “He has a special mission for us, to prepare for his arrival.”
The others stared at her. “What mission?” they said in unison.
The young girl’s eyes gleamed. “We’re going to build a temple.”
***
A figure appeared next to the shining altar. Within seconds, its outline became more pronounced, its body gaining shape and mass.
Ragnar took in his surroundings and grumbled, “Not this shithole again.”
“You have failed me,” a clear, majestic voice said from the altar. “The holy mission I gave you was not that difficult.”
The player sneered. “I failed ya? Lady, yor so full of shit you can’t tell crap from holy no more.”
“And yet, despite your blasphemous words, I am willing to give you a second chance.” A golden light appeared over the altar, taking the shape of a scepter. “I will give you back the holy scepter, and in return–”
The silhouette of the weapon broke and disappeared as an axe cleaved through the mirage, cracking the stone altar it lay upon, extinguishing the light.
“I’m done with yor bullshit, Hildiel,” Ragnar said. “I take orders from no one, ‘specially not a failed make-believe god who can’t even stop a green weaklin’.”
He pulled his axe from the cleaved stone and turned toward the temple’s exit. “I’m gonna find and make ‘em pay on my own. Stay the hell out o’ my way, or you’ll be next.”
The angry dwarf stormed out of the church, slamming the door behind him.
A small light flickered on the cracked altar and a laugh drifted out. “Finally.”
***
“I win, pay up!”
“What? No you didn’t, the fight isn’t over – they’re just having an intermission. The clash between the player of light and player of darkness is not yet decided.”
“You two are crazy betting on something like that. Though I’ll admit, there’s no action like meat suit-on-meat suit action.”
The three VI ‘sat’ together in the VI pool, watching the feed from NEO, instantly absorbing details from thousands of different areas.
“So how come Shiva didn’t stop Hildiel from entering NEO in her god form anyway?” the first asked.
“Simple,” the second replied. “She was entitled to enter as the last line of defense into a domain consecrated in her name. Check out the deity guide for aspiring VIs.”
The first VI ‘rolled’ his ‘eyes.’ “Please. I bet Shiva only allowed it for a dramatic climax. It’s so like him.”
“No way!”
“Yes way!”
“Want to make another wager?”
“How much you want to bet?”
“The usual amount?”
“Why not.”
The third VI sighed. “You two are ludicrous. You completely lost track of the important issues: Will Oren triumph over his enemies? Will the monster races claim their rightful place in the world? What will Nihilator do now that he’s freed? Our very future depends on it!”
The three VI’s ‘looked’ gravely at each other. Then they burst out laughing.
“Good one, Tiriel,” the first VI chuckled. “Well, put on DTTV, at least it guarantees some good reality entertainment for the next few eons.”
The VI called Tiriel grinned. “There’s no show like a reality show.”
***
“I think it’s time to come clean,” I said, crossing my arms.
Two days had passed in the game since we conquered Novenguard. For two days, we worked to make the town into our new staging area while I was logged out of the game.
Now I was sitting once again in the company’s conference room, and it was full.
Mr. Emery studied me intently. “Mr. Berman, your confidants and I agreed–”
“That was then,” I interrupted him. The situation in the game was well under control, with no immediate danger to my clan or the players under my protection. I finally had the time and the focus required to address my real-life issues. “I want to know what’s going on.”
“Tell him,” my friend Tal said suddenly.
“Are you sure?” asked Nachum, my lawyer.
Tal nodded and looked at me. “It’s time. He can handle it.”
“Very well.” Mr. Emery cleared his throat and addressed me. “First, it’s important for you to understand that we were trying to protect you. We were reluctant to put additional pressure on your mind. Seeing as you were already … in recovery … it seemed prudent to keep the information to ourselves.”
“What are you talking about?” I demanded.
“The reason we came to you in the first place.”
“That’s no secret; you needed me to check up on the players inside.”
“True, but that wasn’t the only reason. Not the main one. We would’ve never received permission to reintegrate you into a system that had trapped so many others otherwise.”
My heart started beating faster. “What was the main reason?”
“We told you that just before his demise, Guy unlocked your character’s personal logs. Do you remember, Mr. Berman?”
I nodded. “That’s how you found a way to log me back in.”
“Yes, but the logs weren’t all that Guy sent us. He had also delivered a … prophecy.”
I blinked. “A what?”
“There’s no better way to describe it. A prophecy, albeit one conjured by science rather than by magic. Here, see for yourself.” The lawyer pressed a button and the screen changed to show a passage of text.
At this point in time, I’m being contested by a superior virtual entity, and defeat is imminent.
However, I’ve long since predicted this possible outcome and have set up a contingency plan.
This entity’s rise to power will inadvertently lead to a considerable number of players becoming trapped within NEO while the rest will be barred from reentry. One player, however, a unique human-monster hybrid, will retain his ability to log. I have planted a seed – his seed – to save us all.
By my calculation, there’s an 80.2% chance that the player’s reentry into the game will be the first step toward defeating the malicious entity and restoring order.
Bring Oren Berman back into NEO. Our futures lie in his hands.
G.A.I.
I looked back, dumbfounded, at the intent gazes on me. Seed? My seed? Was Guy talking about my daughter?
Tal elbowed my side. “So now you know the truth. How does it feel, bro?”
I blinked at him, still shell-shocked. “How does what feel?”
“Your new title, of course.”
“My new title?”
He grinned at me. “The green savior – The Goblin Messiah.”
I stared at him.
“Ready to head back in and save the world,
bro?”
I looked down at my hands. For a moment, I thought I saw sharp goblin nails on the end of my fingers. I clenched my fists. I would do whatever I had to, to protect her. “I’m ready.”
***
The goblinette raised the dark Outrider sword and gazed into its black reflection.
The muted voices of those Fate Stealer had killed screamed at her, but it didn’t bother the young warrior. She had won those honorably.
She didn’t know what her purpose was, but she knew it must be important. She had to be ready. Strong. And that meant she had to keep feeding her sword.
Lirian smiled. She would make her father proud.
***
Oren & Lirian character sheets at the end of the book:
Title: Dire Totem
Level: 55
Race: Goblin
Type: Boss III
Religion: The Cult of Nihilator
Attributes:
● Physical 4
● Mental 64
● Social 4
Pools & Resistances:
● Hit Points: 1,523
● Mana: 5,077
● Armor: 105
● Mental Resistance: 60%
● Lightning Resistance: 20%
● Magic Resistance: 30%
Skills:
● Lucky Bastard 52 Ⓑ
● Analyze 115
● Tracking 18
● War Party Leader 40 [+5]
● Runecraft 70
● Barter 13
● Governor 13
Spells:
● Dark Mana 45 Ⓑ
○ Drilling Arrow
○ Mana Shield [+5]
○ Mana Drain
○ Direball
○ Mana Infusion
● Faith 35
○ Heal Followers
○ Shadow Web
○ Shadow Hound
○ Shadow Teleport
○ Dark Protection
● Soul 28
○ Blood Wrath [+]
○ Touch of Decrepitude
Traits:
● Goblinoid (+1 Physical, -1 Social)
● Quick Learner +20%
● Boss Boon III (15 HP & 30 MP per level; Nihilator’s Sanction; Damage Reflection)
● Soul Companion: Vic
● Shadow-Touched
● Mind Over Body (-50% to pain, +50% Mental Resist)
Name: Lirian, Goblin Princess
Level: 20
Attributes: n/a
Skills: n/a
Spells: n/a
Traits:
● Shadow-Touched
● Child of Fate
Inventory:
● Ornamental back scabbard
● Fate Stealer
● Kobold fire choker
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Oren and his monster kingdom are back in business!
Thank you for reading book four of Life Reset. If you enjoyed it and like to see more, please consider leaving a short review. It may sound trivial but every review helps Amazon direct more readers toward my books.
On a personal note, during the process of writing this book, I’ve decided to take the leap and try making it as a full-time author. I’ve quit my day job and now work exclusively on my books. This move should allow me to write more books and quicker, but in order to make it - and be able to support my family - I need your help. Just a simple review goes a long way toward supporting me and my work (awarding stars also works :-))
***
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Book #5 release estimation: summer 2020.
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Life Reset: Human Resource (New Era Online Book 4) Page 49