A Trap for the Potentate

by Michael Atamanov

  “No, you won. I can see that already. I admit before all the gods of Boundless Realm, that I overestimated my abilities and lost the duel. Amra, you are my unquestioned sovereign, and I am prepared to take whatever punishment you give me.”

  Mission completed: Taisha's Rebellion

  Experience received: 40000 Exp.

  Fame increased

  Present value: 7

  Level forty-three!

  After quickly throwing the stat points into their habitual scheme (Strength and Constitution were raised by one point with every level automatically, and I added one to Agility and two to Charisma), I turned to my NPC companion. Taisha, still entangled in the throwing net, was just sitting motionless on the sand next to the pile of fallen equipment.

  With a purposely rude and authoritarian voice, I ordered her:

  “First, stand up spread out that cloak on the sand and set all your things on it. I want it all to be there. You cannot keep any secrets from your master.”

  Taisha stood up meekly, untangled herself and threw the net off, after which she began piling things from her bag, and pockets onto the cloak. The shimmering Kingslayer armor. A whole mountain of coins and scrolls. A lustrous black warg pelt. The very same porcelain statuette (what was that even worth to Taisha?). The dark thief's clothes, my elixirs and alchemy ingredients. The very last things to fly onto the pile were her lacy underwear, a ring with onyx inset and gold earrings with sapphires. The green-skinned girl, her cheeks crimson in embarrassment, was standing in front of me, covering her nakedness with her hands and expecting further commands.

  Now, when I told her to set her items out, I had meant just the contents of her inventory, not her jewelry or underwear. But still, I didn't stop the girl. Knowing how easily embarrassed my companion was, this would be a lesson to her! I ordered her to spread her arms, then unhurriedly walked around Taisha, frozen in fear, looking shamelessly at the nice curves of the naked beauty at my own pace.

  “You know, I should make you walk into the desert looking just like this, so you will never again feel a desire to raise a hand against your master!” I threatened the girl severely, and understood by the frightened expression on her face that the threat was taken extremely seriously. “And also, I forbid you from ever again using Stealth around me, or stealing from me, to once and for all break this habit of stealing your master's things!”

  Picking up the onyx ring from the heap of items, I spun the unfamiliar object in my hands. I could not determine its properties, and asked if this was the object that could summon the djinn.

  “Yes, that's the one,” Taisha confirmed.

  I threw the valuable ring back with the other things and continued talking with the NPC thief:

  “Now, I need honest answers to a whole lot of questions, because you have been acting very strangely for the last few days.”

  First of all, I asked a few questions about the reasons for my girlfriend's pent-up dismay. However, I didn't learn anything new. Taisha assured me, as before, that goblins generally obey the strongest, and I had allowed my wife to doubt my strength and thus right to be leader.

  “And you didn't think with your bird brains that I might not want to attract excessive attention and demonstrate my true power? It didn’t occur to you that my Goblin Herbalist might look weak and inoffensive on purpose, so no one would guess a powerful vampire is hidden in this fragile body? Just watch!”

  I walked up to a massive boulder and, without apparent strain, lifted it with one hand, demonstrating Amra's Strength. After that, I took one of the thief girl's reserve daggers and easily snapped it with just three fingers. Her eyes went wide in astonishment. She wasn't expecting such a funny and frail-looking Goblin Herbalist to be able to do that.

  “Forgive me, master, I was wrong. I only saw that you weren’t even capable of holding me close or pulling off my clothes, when I was in a frisky mood and pretending to try and get out of your embrace. If I had gotten even the slightest hint that all this weakness was faked, I'd never have doubted your strength!”

  I immediately reminded her of the story on the White Shark pirate bireme, when I had kissed Taisha in the captain's cabin, but she twisted out of my embrace and sent me a sharp lowering of her opinion. It turned out that was an element of play from my green bride. Woah!

  Actually, my Strength and Constitution had only grown significantly long after that incident in the bunk, due to the bonus from two items from Fenrir’s Cursed Regalia. All the same, I didn't clarify that, because Taisha didn't need to know.

  I continued asking my questions. Now, I was interested in all the smallest details of what had happened after Taisha had made her wish to the Djinn. What questions had the undying from the Legion of Steel asked her? What had they done, used spells on her? What had the undying discussed amongst themselves? Above all else, I was worried that Taisha might have let slip that I was a vampire.

  On that account, the thief girl reassured me. No one had asked her about vampirism, but if anyone had asked such a question, she wouldn't have been able to tell them the truth. Taisha reminded me that she had sworn an oath before the gods to keep my secret, and no one could make her violate it.

  It was as if a stone fell from my shoulders. But, as it turned out, not for long. I asked about Fenrir’s Cursed Regalia, and Taisha said the very last thing I wanted to hear:

  “Yes, the undying really did ask me about that.”

  “And what did you tell them?” I asked, my voice cracking in anxiety.

  “I told them everything I knew: my husband had long held the Amulet of Fenrir, which gives some useful reinforcements to your wolves. But that you could only put it on after eating the Ifrit Heart. I don't know anything else about the Fenrir stuff.”

  I didn't curse Taisha out for her chattiness. First of all, it was too late to change anything no matter what, and my words of rage didn't overcome the regrettable fact that my secret, that I was trying to collect the entire set of Fenrir’s Cursed Regalia, had become known to other players. Second, it would have been totally unfair to blame this on my companion. I had already figured out that the players of the Legion of Steel must have placed a huge number of spells and effects on her, starting with Charming a Humanoid and Intoxicating Flattery, and ending with Elixir of Truth. Taisha couldn't not answer the questions they asked, and she could only answer with the truth and nothing but.

  But what Taisha said next forced me to first shout out in fear and dismay, then start thinking in the most serious fashion:

  “The most important undying around me was Till Quick_Fingers, and he demanded his servants find out everything they could about Fenrir's stuff. Soon after that, an old man by the name of Alexander the Great3st told him one such item was stored in the storeroom of the main Legion of Steel citadel. He said it was Fenrir's Pelt, a unique cursed suit of fur armor that cannot be removed after its put on. The old man rattled off some numbers to the thief, and Till Quick_Fingers scornfully replied with some strange phrase. I didn't understand a word of it: 'shit for a unique, total dregs.' After that, the undying lost interest in the Fenrir stuff, and changed the topic.”

  Taisha said everything she knew and fell silent, awaiting further instructions from her master. I finally allowed her to lower her hands and relax as I stood in agitation, thinking. So, one of the items I needed was in the Legion of Steel citadel. That was bad, very bad. I had no doubts that the Legion of Steel would refuse to sell the armor, if I asked. Most likely, they would even get on guard if I started a conversation about it. After all, they didn't fully understand Taisha's uniqueness and didn't know that the NPC could tell someone else about their negotiations.

  Stealing an item from a TOP clan's store room was harder than getting gold from Fort Knox. Other than the usual watchmen, there were probably so many guard spells packed in there than any criminal who got inside would be turned to ash on the spot. And taking the citadel of the strongest clan in the game by force was such a hopeless mission, that I just needed
to forget about it. So what now? Had my chance to gather the complete set simply been left by the wayside?

  Perhaps... I looked at the goblin girl, who was patiently awaiting my orders.

  “Taisha, how were you planning to get to Till Quick_Fingers after our duel?”

  The thief girl, no longer embarrassed at her naked body and even strutting a bit, gracefully pulled out her lithe leg and pointed with her fingers at a parchment bound with a ribbon.

  “There's the teleportation scroll. All I have to do is unfurl it, and I'll be brought wherever I need to go.”

  Hmmm... Interesting. What if I took advantage of this chance to send Taisha to the Legion of Steel and get the item? It sounded extremely risky and, if the plan was revealed, the consequences for me personally promised to be extremely disastrous. But I didn't see any other way.

  “So then, Taisha. I heard your explanations carefully and am prepared to tell you my decision...”

  The green-skinned beauty froze at complete attention, I even noticed her ears perk up.

  “As for you challenging me to a duel, I don't see anything reprehensible in your actions. You did exactly as a proud goblin girl should!”

  Taisha's opinion of you has increased by +10

  I skimmed the text that popped up before my eyes and surprisingly noticed that my girlfriend also seemed to be looking at something invisible. Could Taisha read game logs now?! Impossible! But, if that really was the case, influencing her using flattery and even finishing quests would become much more difficult, as the NPC girl would be able to guess exactly what happened.

  All the same, my guesses weren’t confirmed, and I continued my speech:

  “But as for the theft of my things, you really did commit an offense and will be punished in the most serious fashion. But even more than the theft itself, I was hurt by your hypocrisy. I thought you were sincerely joyful to fly over the desert on my wyvern tonight and grateful to me for the chance. But the entire time you had in your head that you were tricking your naive companion, running away with stolen items and not planning to return. That is loathsome and, I cannot forgive you so easily for such villainy.”

  Taisha grew ashamed. At the very least, the thief lowered her eyes in guilt. And I continued my speech:

  “And now, I have a bunch of questions for the leaders of the Legion of Steel. After all, they openly took advantage of your lack of experience and trusting nature, putting spells on you to get secret information, tricking you and using you for their own purposes. They used forbidden magic to gain your confidence and besmirch me in your eyes. They soiled my beautiful bride with their nasty wizardry and thought you a naive and obedient fool! So, I'm horribly mad at them!!!”

  Successful Charisma check

  Experience received: 160 Exp.

  Successful check for Taisha's opinion

  Experience received: 400 Exp.

  It seemed to me once again that the redheaded beauty was looking at a popup. Two times now! That could not be a mere coincidence. Finally, Taisha smiled and said:

  “Amra, I'm insanely glad to hear that you care. And the thing I want most of all in this world is to atone for my sins against you. And so, if there's anything I can do for you, just tell me! I'll do anything! I swear!”

  I had been expecting something like that from my companion, but this was more than I was even hoping for. Taisha wanted to get back to our former good relationship. What could I say? I had just the proposal for how to get us there.

  “Till Quick_Fingers promised to quickly improve your skills and level. It would be stupid to refuse such a great chance for progress. So, you will take the teleportation scroll and go to the Legion of Steel!”

  Taisha gasped in surprise. With a gesture, I told her to wait for me to finish.

  “Before that, you will take all your things back, and everything you took from me in the desert oasis. You will tell them you defeated me tonight in the divine duel in the desert. You didn't kill me, no. That's too easy to check. Just say you forced me to retreat, recognizing your victory. And you won't simply say that, you will sincerely believe it, and any magic checks will prove that you are not lying.”

  “Why do I need that? Why do I need to fool them, and also believe it myself?” Taisha was, to put it lightly, shocked by my words.

  “Don't interrupt! Keep listening. You will study all the wisdom of a master thief from the best one in Boundless Realm. You will take part in all Legion of Steel events together with its head Till Quick_Fingers, improving your level and skills. You will be sincerely glad at the ability to join the strongest undying clan and be a companion of its much-vaunted leader. You will demonstrate sincere joy at your new fate whenever they check and will obey every order except utterly brazen acts of harassment, if such things come to pass. The only thing you will keep silent on is your unique ability to respawn after death. And if you do happen to get asked about that, tell them that both of your rebirths came after I called the Keeper and reached some understandings you are not aware of.”

  Taisha clearly didn't yet understand why I was saying all that to her, but still was nodding obediently, taking all the limitations into account. I continued my speech:

  “In a few days, the undying from the Legion of Steel will get used to you and start to trust you completely. You will probably be able to understand when that happens on your own. They will stop shunning you and start discussing secret things in your presence. And after that, as if by coincidence, you will start a conversation about Fenrir's Pelt and ask them to show it to you using whatever excuse necessary. You're a smart girl and can probably think up a pretext on your own. I trust you on this. Your strange request will probably catch the attention of the leaders of the Legion of Steel, and any object you demand will be given at the very least out of curiosity, just to see what you’ll do with it. And if the undying of the Legion of Steel have any doubts, you can even joke that they can put an anti-magic dome around you, so you won't slip away with the pelt. And now, the most important part! As soon as you make certain that they really did give you the very item you requested, the Pelt of Fenrir is in your hands or inventory, you kill yourself immediately!”

  The goblin beauty shuddered in fear. But I hurried to reassure Taisha that she would remain immortal as long as she stuck with me. Such was the promise made by the Keeper himself, and I had bought her eternal life for a very high price.

  “You will simply return to me, much stronger and with an item that is very valuable to me. As soon as you do, you will immediately be completely forgiven. You will be my wife once again, a loyal girlfriend and my very closest companion, who I trust fully. Yes, all this will threaten me with lots of problems in the future. The players of the Legion of Steel will realize that I tricked them, and they will huff and puff! But I cannot forgive them for using their dirty magic to try and steal my beautiful wife from me! This will be my revenge on the Legion of Steel!!!”

  “Amra, I... I... I simply cannot find the words to express my admiration! You are willing to make such powerful enemies for my sake! I will do everything you ask, I promise! And then I will return to you and regain your trust! But before I use the portal scroll and leave you for some time... I want to give you a gift!”

  The naked beauty Taisha blushed in embarrassment and started giggling uncontrollably, tousling her fiery red hair. She then picked up a fine black warg pelt from the pile of things and laid it out on the sand. After that, she laid her down on the thick fur, spread her legs wide and made a come-hither gesture:

  “My master, today you showed fully that I chose the right husband! I doubted you for a long time and delayed this heart-pounding moment but, after this magical night, you deserve me like never before!”

  Subterranean City

  I HAD NEVER experienced such utter bliss from being with a woman. All of my previous experience with sex with all kinds of real world girlfriends, and even nights of love with Kira had been a faint shadow of the sincerely magical sensations I felt with the
NPC girl Taisha. In the virtual Boundless Realm, everything was simply ideal, the way one can only dream of. Taisha was passionate, and insatiable, at times tender, at times wild, at times violent, and at times submissive but, at every second, sincere and loving. I could feel that. I wanted to extend these moments of sweetness indefinitely. The night was too short for us to get enough of one another.

  But, unfortunately, morning came. Taisha and I were sitting in embrace on the soft black pelt, watching the pinkening sky in the east. As vexing as it may have been, the magical night of love had come to an end.

  “I need to fly to the dwarven city of Dotur-Khawe, so I can get under the earth before the sun comes up,” I said, straining massively to gather my will into a fist, break our sweet embrace and stand up.

  “Yes, Amra, it's time for you to fly away,” Taisha agreed with pity, also standing and gathering her strewn-about things. “I'll be so lonely without you these next few days...”

  “You won't. Because you'll hide your memories of this night in the deepest recesses of your mind,” I reminded my girlfriend. “And in a few days, we'll be together again, and you will remember everything!”

  “Yes, Amra, that's exactly right,” Taisha confirmed, smiling sadly. “But I really don't want to leave you... I'm now certain there’s no one I can trust more or get on better with than you. I want to press myself up against you, pour out my soul and share all my secrets. I've never revealed this to anyone in my life, but I can simply open up to you...”

  I was getting dressed just then, preparing to fly away on VIXEN, and figured Taisha's admission was nothing but fine words, coming out due to the emotional overload of our night of love. But what kind of secrets could the NPC girl have, even if she was so advanced and sweet? All the same, Taisha's next words caught my attention: