But Death is Not Forbidden

by Kip Terrington

  “You are not an illuminati. To stake a claim on something this grand and terrible is pure hubris,” Moes said.

  Spooky didn't respond, at least not with words. Her angels quickly picked up Moes and followed after her as she used the Medallion of Safe Passage- Floor 1 to head straight down the stairs to the second floor.

  When they reach the second floor the angels dropped the screaming Moes who fell to the ground in a huff. “You are a tyrant! I'm going to die in here! Not that that's something you seem to worry about,” Moes seethed.

  “I will clear this floor alone. You follow after,” Spooky said, first in halfling for Moes and then repeated it in goblin, for Grork, who nodded his assent. Spooky quickly cleared the traps, but got much less experience since she now had three real group members and their levels were higher hers.

  It didn't take long before they came to the cathedral-like grove with the pond and the gnarled oak tree. Even though Moes was still angry, he was impressed by the efficiency Spooky demonstrated. After the boar, Mibby, was killed, Spooky wasted no time in retrieving the boar's tusks. Almost the instant the giant flower bloomed, it was destroyed by Spooky and one of the tusks.

  Boss defeated. You’ve received 63 XP.

  Loot gained:

  Medallion of Safe Passage- Floor 2

  Mind over Matter Ring

  Silver Crowns- 25

  After taking the medallion, Spooky looked at the properties of the larger ring before picking it up.

  Item: Mind over Matter Ring.

  You have found a Mind over Matter Ring. Plus 15% to spell power for all Mind Magic spells. Note: This ring is stackable with other items that increase the same stat. Restrictions- bearer must contain halfling blood.

  Pick up Mind over Matter Ring? Yes/No

  “Moes, I think that ring is for you,” Spooky said.

  Moes bent down and picked it up. His eyes widened. He quickly slipped the ring on his finger and then made a fist. As he stood back up he seemed a little taller.

  “Are you glad you came now?” Spooky asked with a self-satisfied air.

  Moes shook his head, looking at the ground and smirked without smiling. “No. This ring only proves my point. This dungeon knows how to give good gifts, but only because it understands that our greed will drive us to our death. I've wanted to own a ring like this ever since my magic was awakened. To me, it's just sad that I now have such an item, for I will only be able to enjoy it for a short time. We are all going to die in here,” Moes said.

  “You have an impressive ability to raise the level of drama, considering,” Spooky exasperated.

  “Considering? Is that a comment about my height! Because I have had it about up to here,” Moes said holding a hand above his head.

  Grork, not understanding what Moes was saying, gave Moes a high five, as he had recently learned about them from the book Joe and Spooky gave him. It was proper etiquette that you never leave a comrade hanging when he goes for a high five. Grork felt rather proud of himself for remembering this guideline, whereas Moes just appeared confused. Spooky didn't even realize she was smiling as she experienced a small amount of joy. She was present enough in the situation that she neglected to wall off the code.

  “Follow me, we are taking those stairs,” Spooky said.

  As the group made their way down the stairs to the third floor, Spooky registered the rise in humidity and temperature. When they reached the third floor, there wasn't a door but rather a vine-covered entrance. Spooky's double-sworded angel made short work of the vines in their way and then set its stance, preparing for whatever might come at them. Nothing did, save for another wave of humidity and heat. Through the entrance, they saw no tunnels, but rather a large swamp area with trees that reached high up to the ceiling and low hanging vines that fell to the ground.

  “I completely agree. It's just a creepier version of the Florida Everglades with a glass ceiling mimicking the sky. These developers really need to think more outside the box. Although I do like how it doesn't smell like a swamp. …Do you really think so? On this point, I differ slightly. I actually think it smells more like rice pudding. It's rather comforting. …Yes, yes, I know. I won't let down my guard,” Spooky spoke out loud in her native tongue.

  Moes looked at Grork then back at Spooky. “Are you talking to Grork? That doesn't sound like goblin,” Moes questioned.

  “If you don't know, I'm not telling. Be careful of the still water, I'd be surprised if there wasn't something terrible in it,” Spooky said.

  “I can confirm that. I sense the spirits of many large monsters in this room. One of them is moving toward us,” Moes said as he took four steps quickly back, almost reaching the stairs that led back up to the second level. Spooky saw the ripples in the water as it moved toward her. She commanded her two angels to intercept it so that she could hold her ground and maybe inspire a little backbone in Moes.

  Out of the water leapt a huge and monstrous hippo-like creature. It was a dark green, giving it the perfect camouflage for a swamp with so much shade. There were three small eyes set in a triangle above its gaping maw. A long snake-like vine hung out of its mouth and a few curving stick-like teeth spread almost randomly throughout its mouth. Spooky clicked on its properties.

  Level- 21

  Monster Type- Amphibious Gurkin

  Mana- none

  Hitpoints- 208

  Known attacks- none

  The angel with the spiked mace took a swing at the side of the beast while the other angel used its short swords to force the monster back from the main party. Though Spooky wanted to appear brave, she also wanted to be careful. As Spooky looked at the beast and attempted to categorize its weaknesses, she made eye contact with its top eye. She sensed the danger, but it was too late. What had looked like a vine hanging out of the monster’s mouth was actually a serrated tongue. The tongue shot toward Spooky and wrapped around her like a fly caught by a frog. In the blink of an eye, she had been swallowed by the Amphibious Gurkin. Having acquired a prize, it dove down into the water, submerging itself and laying still on the bottom. Spooky's angels did not pursue.

  Spooky immediately realized what had happened and where she was. She pulled her dagger out and began cutting her way upward. After the first cut, the Gurkin twisted, feeling the internal pain. This caused a problem for Spooky. In an instant, what was up became down. Spooky started to cut her way out again, but with each cut there was another shift. Even with her advanced sensors, she was getting disoriented within the stomach of the monster. Though stomach acid in the short-term would not be dangerous for Spooky's metallic body, it was effective at blinding her sensors. She could still tell up from down, but was having a hard time making progress on cutting her way out due to the constant shift in direction. She was causing a significant amount of internal damage to the monster, but not making significant headway on escaping. It didn't take long before a thought popped in Spooky's head. Do I need to breathe? The answer was unfortunately clear. Her tiny little metallic lungs were burning. She began telling herself that she shouldn't need to breathe. She told herself it was all in her head, this was a game and she was a machine. She was incorrect. She did need to breathe and she was not only a machine. The part of her that was fairy required air.

  Os watched as the dark fairy fought to get out of the Gurkin. It was surprising. Os had not thought this particular monster would be a problem for the group. They had a master of Mind and Spirit Magic with them. He should have been able to stun the monster long enough for the group to kill it. Only, he had jumped back while the dark fairy brazenly left herself open for attack. It was poor group management, a true shame. Os felt it was best to truly work for her meal, not receive it due to lack of preparation on the prey’s part.

  As the dark fairy continued to struggle, Os began to feel a new presence. It was a new kind of magic, something she had never experienced, it felt good. The pressure of this presence continued to increase. This new magic was composed of many things that were
familiar to Os: rules, logic, math, a commitment to unbiased action, a feeling of newness, permanence. Though these concepts were familiar to her, she had never thought they could be combined in such a way. She marveled that they could create such a framework. Os felt new restrictions being put upon her, but she welcomed them. They were not destructive, but rather constructive. She couldn't sense any sentience. It was a force, like wind, or gravity.

  It was the User Interface, a non-sentient learning program created by the Abiogenesis Bunny Generator to facilitate its own existence. Spooky was dying, and the death system needed to be firmly established. The UI watched, preparing to understand how a Champion could die and then be reborn. The UI had calculated that it could copy this moon’s existing death system already connected to champions and use it with new players. It had already selected many, mostly within the area of its origin, but the numbers would grow.

  Spooky couldn't hold her breath any longer. As her mouth opened the disgusting liquid rushed in and filled her lungs and she suffocated. In the moments before her death, her life did not pass before her eyes. Right up until the end, the part of her in control believed she would make it out.

  As she died a complex series of events took place. First, Os gathered the unrefined magical essence that was contained in all sentient creatures. It was more satisfying than Os had remembered. The dungeon quickly absorbed all the energy that had been contained in Spooky's avatar. Os felt the nourishment strengthening her metallic core. Second, as is always the case, she began to read and experience the memories that had been stored in the physical body. As Os started the process of dissolving the body to acquire those memories, she encountered multiple problems. The body did not seem to want to dissolve. It appeared to be tethered to a place of power. Since the body would not fully dissolve, she was only able to absorb fragments of memories. The content of the memories themselves was troubling. This dark fairy was from a world vastly different than any Os could comprehend. There was science, measurement, and rules. It was both wonderful and terrible. One memory fragment Os acquired was of something called an atomic bomb. The data she received from this fragment was enough to confirm that it could destroy the whole of her dungeon in an instant. Os did not understand the mechanism behind this destruction, but she was terrified. She had killed a being, whose comrades were capable of destruction on a world-ending level.

  The second memory fragment Os received was of a castle that she, Os, was apparently the foundation for. From the fragment, it appeared that this castle was barely defended. She could expand and absorb it. It could be hers. It seemed wondrous, but what if there was a bomb in it? She saw a metallic box on the top floor of this castle, but she did not know what was inside. The phrase “mutually assured destruction” seemed to be emanating from it. Was the dead body influencing which fragments Os received? Then, without warning, the body slipped away, and Os did not receive any more memories. The body had somehow been transported along a ley line to its bind point. Os did not understand what this meant. She had eaten the unrefined magical energy she normally consumed, but the memories were an important part of her meal. She was not able to finish and obtain all the memories from within this body. The rings and medallions of safe passage were still in the belly of her monster. If the other group members didn't retrieve them, Os would take them back. This development was something she would have to think more on later. Since time was still passing for the other group members, she may yet get another meal.

  As Spooky died and Os began to eat what was left, the UI observed and rapidly copied the processes that were taking place. The UI saw all of Spooky’s energy drain out of her as she died. There was a strong cord that bound her spirit and even her body to a place of power. When the death was complete, the body and spirit began to flow into the stream of magic called a ley line. The UI followed the stream, which quickly led to the bind point of the Champion. This Grand Place of Power slowly began reconstructing Spooky’s damaged body. Spooky’s spirit seemed to be asleep, awaiting its restoration. The UI didn't need to see the complete process to understand how it worked. From its observations, the UI created a new death system, not for champions but for the new players that it would choose. The UI quickly discovered that it could use any ley line to resurrect a new player. It didn't need a Grand Place of Power for this to work. Any cemetery or even an important geological or cultural landmark could be substituted.

  The UI decided there would always be a cost for each resurrection. Each resurrected new player would lose a portion of their experience, along with the time it would take for their body to be regenerated. This meant that if they were killed enough times, they could go down below level 0 and die their final death. The UI would not be able to create a perfect copy of the champion’s death system, but it would be close. The main difference would be that it would allow any player, or even champions if they wished, to bind to other resurrection points. A strong place of power would always be the most efficient. If a player or a champion was able to respawn at a strong place of power, the rebuilding of their body would take less time. Cemeteries and other resurrection points would be able to revive players, but the timing would be variable. Quickly, the UI finished the new death system and sent messages to the players that it had already selected. As the UI’s influence and power grew, it would continue to choose new players and they would receive the same introductory message that it had just sent out.

  Moes had seen Spooky get snatched by the monster. He felt that it was her own fault. They shouldn't have been in here. After the monster had submerged, the water continued to rumble. He figured that Spooky wasn’t dead yet, because her angels were still upright. When the angels fell and remained still, Moes looked over at Grork who was holding his pickaxe in a defensive position. Suddenly, blue letters popped up above Grork’s head and remained there.

  Player, Grork

  Goblin Warrior

  Grork pointed above Moes’ head and Moes realized he probably had letters also. When Moes looked up, he could see what might be a sliver of writing, but he was looking at it from the wrong angle. It was clearly not meant to be read from directly underneath. Grork could see it, and he could even read it. It was a trick of the UI. Unless actively hidden, every player would be able to read every other player's name, race, and class.

  Player, Moes

  Halfling Mage

  Moes then pointed above Grork’s head and they both realized they now had a sign above their heads that may or may not be permanent. Then, in a quick flash of golden light, Moes and Grork each received a message from the UI.

  Welcome New Players!

  You are viewing this message on just one of the many new features that has been added to your life. The HUD! This Heads-up Display is versatile and can provide you with information from numerous data sources. It can also give you greater control over your own skills and abilities.

  Please understand that from this moment forward you are a new person. The many new features added to your life will give you a greater ability to grow in your class. Whether you are a mage, warrior, druid, or any of the other myriad of classes available, the sky's the limit! The User Interface, or UI, that you now have access to, can be opened with a thought. Please feel free to explore the many new options available to you. There are multiple tutorials available with information on such things as: how to use magic, accessing the off-line message boards, universal translation between players, the death system, the loot system, and many other interesting topics.

  Congratulations! May you achieve victory in all your quests!

  Note- this is currently the beta version of the UI. For this reason, we would appreciate any feedback you would care to provide. If you come across any bugs, please describe them using the support tab clearly marked in the User Interface menu.

  “Are we both players, or am I just one?” Grork asked, not expecting Moes to understand.

  Only, Moes did understand him.

  “I'm a player too, and I understand you!”
Moes said, excitedly.

  “When did you learn goblin?” Grork asked.

  “I'm not speaking goblin, I'm speaking halfling,” Moes said.

  “I don't know halfling. How am I understanding you?” Grork asked.

  “It must be this User Interface. It did mention something about a universal translator between players. When we are out of this dungeon, we'll have to figure it out,” Moes said.

  At that moment, the huge carcass of the monster that had eaten Spooky surfaced. Quick as a cat in the rain, Moes ran for the stairs. Moes was long gone when Grork realized the monster was dead. Quickly and efficiently, Grork used his pick and a rope to pull the monster to shore. He then began to skin it and harvest any parts of it he thought might be useful. He opened its stomach, expecting to find the body of Spooky. Instead, his HUD highlighted the tiny rings and the Medallions of Safe Passage- Floor 1 and Floor 2.

  You have acquired the loot of a fallen comrade. Return this loot to the rightful owner to receive a reward.

  Moes didn't stop running, quickly making it through the meadow of the second floor and up the stairs leading to the first. As he crested the stairs, he tripped on one of the larger mushrooms, falling flat on his face. As he looked up from the floor, he could see the exit, and then he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. He kicked back reflexively and connected with a mushroom.

  You have been bitten by a venomous creature and are currently taking poison damage.

  As he struggled to crawl away, he looked down and inadvertently mind-clicked the monster.

  Dungeon, Floor 1 Boss

  Level- 6

  Monster Type- Mushrooms Eventuality

  Name- ‘Rooms the Unmushable