Project Alpha 2

by R. A. Mejia

  I use Absorb on the three bodies, certain that any loot they have will be worth less than the possibility of a new ability, but I don’t gain anything for my trouble. Even with the difference in levels between us, there’s only a chance I’ll get to absorb something from a monster. Still, looking over my character sheet, I can’t say that I did too great. Those three little goblins made me burn through almost a third of my mana and TP.

  Health 225/270

  Mana 202/320

  TP240/370

  Looking down through the hole in the roof, I see more monsters. Thankfully, my mana and TP regenerate pretty quickly once I’m out of combat. All the abilities and spells that have leveled have not only increased in damage, but also in cost, so it’s important for me to constantly replenish my pools. At level 1, Ice Needle only cost 10 mana, and at level 8, it now costs 18 mana. Shadow Step has gone from a mana cost of 30 at level 1 to 61 at level 7, but the cooldown has dropped from 1 minute to 39 seconds, which means that I can use it more often.

  Clearing the rest of the house is a bit easier. Most of the monsters rarely group up, which means that I can combo Ice Needle with Break and then knock them out with little trouble and finish them off quickly. The Hobgoblins have more health, but because they are alone, they’re actually easier to pick off than the goblins, who travel in small groups of two or three.

  There are only a couple close calls. Once, I find a group of five goblins in one of the bedrooms. I can only take out four of them before the fifth makes a dash out of the bedroom door. It screams bloody murder and brings the remaining monsters in the house to me. Thankfully, the narrow hallway and the doorway to the room prevent me from being mobbed, and I am mostly able to fight each of the monsters one on one.

  The one ghast turns out to be almost completely immune to physical damage, making my war hammer worthless, but it is surprisingly vulnerable to magic. Since it floats off the ground, a couple of Fireballs take it out with minimal damage to the house, although I do catch some curtains on fire, which I promptly put out after the fight.

  The only other challenge I have is with the large monster in the backyard, which turns out to be a level 8 troll. Not only was its HP a staggering 220 HP, but it regens its health during battle. It takes almost half an hour to kill it, and I only manage to do so with liberal use of Fireball, which was the only type of damage that wasn’t healed.

  When I finally clear the house and absorb all the monsters, the grand sum of my rewards is:

  20 goblins: 400 XP

  10 hobgoblins: 600 XP

  1 troll: 120 XP

  1 ghast: 80 XP

  Goblin Cunning - Level 1

  F

  Passive

  When running away from a larger group or overwhelming odds, your run speed is increased by 15%.

  Cost: 10 TP

  The low-level goblin creatures don’t have many abilities to absorb, but I’m still disappointed that I don’t get something cool like that troll’s regeneration.

  Although I’ve cleared the house of monsters, I have still not uncovered their source. After all, they couldn’t have come from nowhere, could they? I try to scour my memory of any mention about this kind of event but come up empty. I can’t recall any mention of monsters appearing outside of a dungeon--not from the System Users who I have I’ve talked to, not from the guidebooks, and not from the System forums. But, then again, I’ve never asked about it. I consider calling Lillian directly but dismiss the thought. She’s the head of an important company, and getting involved in a scandal--or what is frankly criminal activity of breaking into this house--isn’t something I want to put on her.

  Instead, I decide to search the house carefully from top to bottom, hoping to find something to explain all this. The attic, while full of boxes and old knick knacks, proves normal along with the rest of the house. Then I recall that the police found all their evidence in the basement. It takes me a few minutes to find the door to the basement off the kitchen, but I know I’ve hit pay-dirt as soon as I’m down there. My ability All Seeing pings immediately, showing a doorway hidden behind a painter’s cloth and some boxes. After moving them, I’m faced with the very familiar sight of a large red door. I use Dungeon Inspection, wondering why it’s not showing up on my Dungeon Scan even now.

  Experimental Stealth Dungeon #65032B52

  Recommended levels: Levels 14-17

  Classification: None

  Restrictions: None

  I’m confused by the description ‘experimental dungeon’ but understand that the stealth description might be why it’s not showing on my Dungeon Scan. I’m not sure if a higher level in the skill would have overcome the stealth and can only imagine how long it would have taken me to find this if I hadn’t spotted the goblin wandering around the neighborhood when I did. Thinking about how much trouble this dungeon has caused the neighborhood and how it’s just been sitting here endangering Samantha and her child makes me angry. My instinct is to rush right through the dungeon door and try to beat. But I recall how angry Lillian got the last time I went into a dungeon without reporting it, so I grab my cell and call her. I get her voicemail and leave a message with the location along with a brief description of what I’ve found.

  I know that I’ve found the cause of the disturbances in the neighborhood but don’t know how I can use it to clear Samantha. Perhaps there is some clue to why it’s appeared and why the monsters have been able to leave it. But those clues are not outside, they’re inside the dungeon. I decide I can’t wait, but that I also can’t take a level 17 dungeon by myself when I’m only level 12. I take a deep breath and do what goes against my nature and call someone for help.

  Chapter 25

  There is the usual flash of light as I step past the red door into the dungeon, and when my vision clears, I find myself surrounded by cold grey cement walls. Not the rough stone of a natural tunnel, but the flat-and-even, man-made kind. They are illuminated by fluorescent lighting on the ceiling, and a soft feminine voice to my side comments, “Not a very welcoming looking place, is it?”

  “Nope, not a friendly-looking place at all.”

  I turn to look at Nancy, the girl I teamed up with this year at the Halloween Dungeon created by Rothfus Bobblemaster at his annual Halloween party. I don’t know a lot of people that are System Users, and when I couldn’t reach Lillian to get help with this dungeon, Nancy is the one person that I thought would help me. I’d known she was a capable person when we defended a town from a zombie invasion, and she showed me how much she had grown after joining me in the Halloween game and helping beat Auden Arschloch III. She didn’t have to step in there, but said she had wanted to help me. That fact and her willingness to sacrifice herself proved to me that she was trustworthy.

  I’m wearing a medieval armor set, but Nancy is dressed in modern black pants and a long-sleeved shirt with heavy-looking body armor over modern clothing. There is a double-barrel shotgun hanging from a holster and belt slung across her hips, and her long hair is tied back in a ponytail. I’ll admit it: she looks pretty badass. But also a little comical since she is trying to casually hold onto a long rifle with a scope that’s almost as tall as she is. When I ask her what it is, she identifies it as a Barrett M82. I’m not particularly familiar with guns, but the big rifle looks like it would do some serious damage.

  As I look at Nancy, I use Inspect.

  Nancy Scott

  Level 11

  Health 340

  Mana 230

  TP 240

  I notice the difference in the information I get when using Inspect on a System User and a normal person. With a normal person, I get a pretty good summary of who they are, their likes, dislikes, and their disposition. But when I use the skill on a System User, I get much less. It makes sense since their levels are usually equal to or greater than my own, and a normal person is essentially level 0. The first time I tried to use Inspect on a System User, I only got their name and level, but now, I at least get her health, mana, and TP
levels. Based on her stat distribution, I can tell that she’s invested more toward Constitution than Intelligence or Wisdom.

  I take my eyes from her and several notifications pop up.

  Welcome, Subjects, to experiment #65032B52. The role of Dungeon Boss has been filled and the dungeon is now ready to be tested.

  Adjusting challenges to the appropriate level . . . Adjustment complete. Please follow all directions and report any bugs or issues to your superior. Good luck.

  Locate the Dungeon Boss

  You’ve been tasked with locating the dungeon boss. Navigate the dungeon, avoid traps, and defeat minions to locate him.

  Reward: 50,000 XP

  Do you accept?

  I accept the quest, and the notifications disappear after a second. A long whistle catches my attention, and I see Nancy staring off, no doubt reading the same quest notification I did. She turns to me and says, “That’s an awful lot of experience, which means that this dungeon won’t be a pushover. You sure you don’t want to try to get a larger group together to clear this or that your boss won’t mind you calling me in to help you?”

  I think about what she’s asking but shake my head. The police are working right now to pressure Samantha into confessing and pointing a finger of blame at me. The last thing I want is to get Lillian caught up in this as well. “I can’t get a hold of Lillian, and I can’t wait for her. I don’t want anyone else to know about this.” I look her in the eye and add with much seriousness, “When I called you, you said you’d come and help, no questions asked, right? Are you going back on your word already?”

  Her cheeks blush, but she doesn’t look away. “No, I’m not going back on my word. But I find it very odd that I couldn’t locate this place using Dungeon Scan, and that bit about it being some kind of experiment is worrisome. My dad told me that odd dungeons can be the most dangerous.” She drops the butt of the rifle on the ground, reaches out a reassuring hand and pats my arm. “I just wanted to make sure we were prepared is all. But I’m with you all the way, Caballero.”

  I nod, glad that she’s here. “Thanks.”

  Nancy shifts the long rifle on her shoulder, and the two of us walk down the cement hallway, which stretches out ahead of us. It’s completely unremarkable except for how quiet it is. There is a floating blue respawn crystal to my left, the same kind I’d seen in every dungeon, though this one is smaller than the others. I touch the crystal and bind to it, and Nancy does the same. Somewhere up ahead, there is a dungeon boss that needs killing. Now, I just have to find him. First, though, I check my inventory.

  Inventory slots - 12

  Grenade Launcher

  Grenade Ammo - Ice (2)

  Trap - Rope (1)

  Portable Crafting Station

  Star Wars T-Shirt

  Jeans

  Sneakers

  Cell Phone

  Wallet

  Magnifying Glass of the Detailed Detective

  1980s Campy Counselor Set - Damaged

  I’ve still got my war hammer and Leather Armor of the Caster equipped, and looking over what I have, I’d prefer to use my grenade launcher. After all, it’s the weapon I have the most skill with, and I always prefer ranged combat over being upfront and personal. Unfortunately, I hadn’t been expecting to get into a dungeon any time soon, and I don’t have much ammo, just two ice grenades that are more for crowd control than doing much damage. I really should keep more ammo on me. It stacks, and I’m not using my inventory spaces for much else usually, just my street clothes, the Campy Counselor Set, and a portable crafting station. The latter could be useful if I find any resources here, but beyond that, it’s likely that I would only use the rope trap.

  I decide to keep the war hammer equipped in the tight tunnels. Plus, there are no concerns over ammo with the war hammer. We walk down the hallway, and the crunch of a fine layer of dirt grinding beneath my feet as I walk and the faint buzzing of the fluorescent lights above me are the only sounds I hear. After about ten minutes, we’re suddenly faced with a T-intersection. I look down both hallways. Unsure of which way to choose, I look back at Nancy.

  “I always go right when I come to an intersection like this,” she says. Not having any preference, we go right. The hallway curves after walking a few more feet, and then I hear some slight hissing sounds. I motion with my hand for Nancy to stop and hear her footsteps cease.

  When I turn to look at her, she’s dropped to the ground. The massive rifle is laid out in front of her with the barrel resting on some kind of attached support legs. Staring down the scope, she says quietly, “I see four short green creatures wearing loincloths about 100 feet ahead. Strangely, however, they’re just standing there. Their expressions are blank, almost as if they’re waiting for something.”

  I nod at the descriptions, recognizing them. “They’re goblins. I fought some earlier. What level are they?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t use Inspect this far from them.”

  “Ok. I’ll use Sneak to get a closer look.”

  She looks up from her prone position on the ground and nods. “Got it. I’ll have them sighted and ready to shoot if they spot you.” She looks back through the scope, and I hear her say ‘Overwatch,’ and then a blue circle appears beneath her as she activates some System power.

  I activate Sneak and creep up on the four creatures until I’m close enough to use Inspect.

  Goblin

  Level 11

  Health 220

  Using Inspect doesn’t clear things up, but it tells me why these goblins look so much tougher than those outside. At level 11 with 220 HP, these guys are going to be a much harder fight. Thankfully, this dungeon acts like the others I’ve been in, and my health, mana, and TP regenerate faster while here.

  Health 268/270

  Mana 320/320

  TP370/370

  My pools are all full, and I’m almost all healed up. The only thing stopping me from charging in is the fact that I’m not sure why these guys are acting weird. Still, there’s no point in wondering if I can take advantage of it. Still in stealth, I try to approach the group quietly, hoping to get a sneak attack bonus with my first hit and maybe take down one. But as I approach the four, they suddenly come to life and turn to look at me. It’s as if I crossed some invisible line that turned the four of them on. The stealth eye at the top of my UI pops wide open, and I know that I’ve lost any hope of a stealthy approach. The four goblins yell and charge at me. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but charging goblins wasn’t it.

  I hear the loud crack of a rifle shot and see a red 105 floats away from the goblin as its head snaps back. The three remaining goblins continue their charge and I swing the war hammer at the closest goblin, but it misses, and the four surprisingly-strong creatures tackle me. I collapse to the floor in a heap with two on my legs and the other on my chest, and I barely have a chance to fight back thanks to their combined weight. One must have a knife or something because I feel a sharp stabbing pain in my side and see red numbers float away from me as I struggle against them. I’ve gotten off to a bad start, and I can’t see any way of recovering, so I activate Shadow Step. I feel 61 mana pull from me, and the world around me turns grey. I no longer feel the goblins’ sharp nails digging into my leather armor or their weight pressing down on me, but I also can’t breathe, so I need to get a move on. I know I only have three steps before I’m dropped back into the normal world.

  I’ve never had to use Shadow Step this way before, but I’m glad that it makes everything in the real world intangible. Sure, I can’t hurt any of the goblins while here, but they can’t hurt me either; and, more importantly, they can’t hold me down. I carefully sit up while keeping my feet firmly touching the ground, just in case any small shift of my feet will count as a step. Getting up is extra challenging when you can’t move your feet, and I’m just glad that my stats are good enough to let me heave myself up. As I stand, I consider just how much effort that move puts on my core muscles. Maybe I can sell a
workout video titled ‘Fighting for your Life, an Exercise Routine.’

  I decide that a full retreat is in order, but I’m facing the wrong way, so I pivot on my left heel, take a step back, and turn around. The world’s color returns two steps later, and I hear the goblins behind me make surprised noises. Another rifle shot cracks the air and I see one of the goblins fly back, a spray of blood exiting from its chest and a red 40 floating away from it. I don’t stop moving, though, and continue running away. I feel a pull of energy from me and notice 10 TP has left my pool, and I feel a little faster. I realize that Goblin Cunning just kicked in, and the noise of little feet scrambling and chasing after me soon disappears.

  I reach Nancy, who is sitting up waiting for me, the butt of her rifle in her lap.