The Crystal Crusade

by Mars Dorian

  L’ocean greeted everyone with a half-bow.

  “Well, looks like we’re finally complete. Let’s synchronize our tactics and check our inventory.”

  “You’re joining my Varmegarden liberation quest?” I said.

  Rokkit’s eyebrow cocked. “Yours? We had already talked to Balzac while your offline body was busy having milk and cookies.”

  Chuckles cruised around the players, and I still had no proper counterattack. I was more interested in questing than working on my word-smithing skills.

  “Let’s focus on the quest. Judging by the mission requirements, we need at least three charges to blow up the Sunblood garrison. Demolition is your area, right, Dash?”

  “Yeah. I’m going to buy a couple of different explodas, anti-personnel spike mines, and acid charges.”

  “Splendid,” L’ocean said.

  I was ready to explain the mission layout when Rokkit spearheaded me. The power dynamics switched back to the early Academy days and I hated it.

  Rokkit said, “I will lead Bravo Squad into the sewers and orchestrate the attack against the Sunbleeder garrison near the main plaza. L’ocean will join as support. Boltzmann will act as the official sewage guide, given his vast experience with poop water.” He air-quoted ‘vast experience’ and added, “Boltzmann will also act as support assault to stop him from crying.”

  Yumi-D spoke next. “I will lead Alpha Squad then with Mort and Ritter. We’ll apply the trader disguises, sneak into the main gate, and cause the distraction to entice some troops away from the garrison.”

  My initial worry swapped for hope. At least I was surrounded by experienced players who knew their skills and tactics. An important issue because this liberation mission marked the biggest quest since my field mission back at the Academy.

  L’ocean added her support wisdom. “Please check your gear, make sure you’ve got enough mid-potions and antidotes. Make sure your armor is repaired and fully upgraded. We’ll be dealing with a large presence of armored soldiers and enhanced beasts.”

  I wondered what else we were going to face. The size of the mission called for heavy troops and possibly some sort of boss fight. Either way, I was ready.

  All of us headed to the stable and mounted the available fowls. I chose another speedy version with a small and slender build.

  Alpha Squad had left already; they needed to do a little pre-quest which involved ‘borrowing’ trader gear before the main quest. As always, Rokkit led me, Wu, and L’ocean out of the village as rebels and workers waved goodbye to us. Every NPC seemed to know about our quest and shot us two thumbs.

  “Sunbleeders suck.”

  “Rip ‘em a new one.”

  “Free Varmegarden.”

  Rokkit accepted the cheers as if he had already won the quest and now returned for the reward. I stood silent and focused on the ride down. We passed through the mountainous path, maneuvered around the trees and stones, and reached the Great Plains.

  In the middle of the silent ride, Rokkit matched his fowl’s speed to mine. “I watched a couple of your streams, Boltzmann. Gotta say, you’ve upgraded from total loser to decent slacker. What’s up with the sudden ambition?”

  “I just want to experience the best game possible.”

  His face squeezed, which I translated as ‘don’t bullshit me’.

  “You fight against big enemies and tackle difficult quests way beyond your skill level. Someone seems to be in a hurry here.”

  “As I said, I want to become good. It’s more fun that way.”

  His grin spliced his lips. “Are you sure fun is the only thing you’re looking for? If that’s the case, why am I seeing shining dollar signs in your eyes?”

  Between his snarky remarks, he did mutter the occasional wisdom. Maybe he was smarter than I gave him credit for. Either way, I would be treading carefully from now on. “I don’t know what the future holds for me, Rokkit. As for now, I’m just happy to level up and build my skills.”

  “Always taking cover, Boltzmann, even when there’s no fire around.”

  L’ocean dashed in-between us and fired her fowl over the rocky path. “Let’s talk about money later, gentlemen. It’s time to liberate the Varmegarden.”

  “TechMages,” Rokkit said. “Just can’t handle the dramatic pressure.”

  He yelled as he pulled his fowl’s reigns and shot forward. I had to keep up with these two speed racers. Together, we ventured into the Great Plains and whooshed over the landscapes, our eyes set on the Varmegarden township. Felt like the old times, just like the moment we invaded Montobay and fought the renegade military faction.

  Only this time, the Syndicate resistance would trump everything I had faced so far.

  58

  Of course we avoided the Hope Road, which Alpha Squad traveled for their trader disguise. In order to fit in with the crowd, they had to ride slowly and match their speeds to the caravan.

  On my e-scroll, I shared the location of the escape exit with L’ocean, Rokkit, and Wu. After dozens of kilometers, we reached the wastewater river snaking around the city walls. The contaminated waters glowed in their typical violet shimmer. I pointed at the circle-shaped drain grid in the wall where the poisonous soup splashed out from. The bars had been repaired.

  “There’s a tunnel that leads to the sewage maze underneath the city. From there, we’ll be able to reach the central plaza where the new garrison is stationed.”

  Rokkit nodded. He pinged Alpha Squad for updates. “How far are you guys?”

  Yumi-D answered first. “We’re part of a trading caravan and have acquired our disguises. Unfortunately, we’re moving at snail’s pace, so it’s going to take us at least five to ten minutes before we arrive at the main gate.”

  That was to be expected. I remember my first time using the caravan when I was too poor to rent a fowl. A stoned snail sliming through molasses could have moved faster than the caravan.

  “Okay, update me when you near the gate. We’ll hit the sewers.”

  The brew spat in front of us. I dreaded jumping in again, even though the contaminated liquid neither smelled nor hurt my real body.

  “Please consume your Anti-Reepo potions responsibly,” L’ocean said, sounding like a stewardess from an orbital jet.

  “I’ve got a family pack.”

  We each downed a tube and felt the status effect updated on our life circles. A minor anti-Reepo resistance for sixty seconds upgraded on my HUD—barely enough to deal with the menace.

  We jumped into the corrupted water and swam toward the drain grid. Despite the antidote, my HP had dropped into the single digits already. I unleashed my cutter and sliced through the pipes to cut out a man-sized hole. We crawled inside the tunnel until the first intersection came into view. The shocking memories of my escape quest crept into my mind.

  “These sewers are infested with mutated snakes, so be careful,” I told everyone.

  We hurried along the route shown on our e-scrolls and kept our eyes open for the mutated creatures swimming in the floods. After passing many corners and entering the deeper maze of the underground tunnel system, I was surprised that not a single creature had attacked us. I had somehow believed the game mechanics would re-spawn the enemies.

  We had neared the section leading to the center of the township when a barricade entered my view.

  I checked the updated map on my e-scroll. The entire underground section leading to the central plaza had been sealed with fortifications, allowing only the water to get through. The current whooshed so strong none of us would be able to wade through.

  “Looks like the Syndicate has upped their defenses,” Wu said.

  “I’ve got explodas and mines.”

  “You launch a single charge and we will have the entire Syndicate army on our asses,” Rokkit said.

  That was likely. A loud underground explosion would attract the attention of every nearby soldier, or worse, cause a red alert. We had leveled up much over the past quests, but weren�
�t strong enough to face an entire army, at least not yet.

  “There’s no way around it. We have to surface here.”

  I swallowed. We remained about 0.3 kilometers away from the central plaza. No problem in a safe territory, but a dangerous distance in an occupied perimeter. The gravity of the situation weighed on me.

  The update from Alpha Squad reached us. “We’ll arrive at the gate shortly. Checking the situation from afar.”

  She must have used some kind of binoculars or her Insight skill, which boosted the distance of a Ranger’s vision. I wished I could access that skill.

  “I can see the gates now. There are sentries, eight guards, and armored hounds; not to mention the watch towers. This place is infested with Sunbleeder presence.”

  And that was just one of the entrance gates. Reserve troops must have swarmed the garrison. The adrenaline started roaring in my real body and shot through my bloodstream. We checked the sewage system map.

  “Here’s the nearest exit leading to a gear shop,” I said.

  Moola’s gear shop was close. I doubted she had returned to her local store, but at least I knew the area. I calculated the distance between her shop and the central plaza, which amounted to 0.1 kilometers.

  I marked her location with a cross. The fastest underground route updated on my map. We stormed across the stained pathway and reached the destination in no time. During our sprint, Yumi-D updated us. “We are right in front of the gate. We’ll have to launch the decoy attack in the next minutes or risk raising suspicion.”

  “Almost there,” Rokkit said. “Give us three minutes.”

  We neared the right spot under Moola’s shop. A ladder with iron bars led up where the manhole cover remained closed.

  “I’ll go first,” I said.

  “Hold on,” L’ocean said. “This is it, guys. This might very well be our most dangerous mission. Remember, if we die here, our characters are done. All our progress will be reduced to an entry in the game’s database.”

  Rokkit smirked. But then again, he always did. “Why so serious? We signed up for this. Time to kick some Syndicate ass.”

  “You never change, do you?” L’ocean said.

  “Change comes automatically.”

  We climbed up the ladder and opened the manhole cover. I lifted the heavy plate and carefully peeked through the opened slot. A dozen meters in front of me, a patrol of four soldiers disappeared around the corner. I shoved the manhole cover to the side and helped Rokkit, Wu, and L’ocean crawl out. We snuck into Moola’s gear shop which remained open. She stood behind her showcase, wearing her trademark custom gear. She shone brighter than a radiation leak.

  “Hey, it’s my third favorite customer; well, fifth, to be honest.”

  I was both elated and confused to see her again. “How come you’re back in Varmegarden again?”

  “Told you—I follow my customers.”

  “How did you bypass the township’s strict gate controls?”

  “I can’t possibly reveal my business practices.”

  L’ocean coughed behind me. “We might better move on.”

  “Right.”

  “Wait,” Moola said before she ducked behind her showcase again and surfaced with an X-potion in her hand.

  “You’re giving me this for free?”

  “Before your ego explodes, remember this is a gift for some of my best customers.”

  I accepted her item and joined Wu peeking outside the shop’s windows to observe the enemy’s patrol while Rokkit updated the other party.

  “Yumi-D, we’re in position. What for my command.”

  “Roger that,” she said.

  I would have loved to see how they unleashed the distraction attack, but I had to focus my attention on our part of the mission.

  The assault on Varmegarden central had begun.

  59

  We shadowed the window fronts to the left side of the street. I could see the nearby troop formations. About thirty-five meters up ahead, a patrol just turned their backs to us and resumed their tour around the block. Apart from the soldiers and their armored hounds, the stone-paved streets were forsaken. Barriers covered the doors, even the crossed windows. I didn’t see a single player or NPC.

  “They’re returning.”

  We quickly slipped into a side alley to avoid being detected. A few steps into the darkened path, my analyzer skill spotted multiple charges framed against the wall. Our party stopped. Rokkit watched me with a disapproving glance. “I hope you’ve learned your lesson from the field mission.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ve invested heavily in the Machine Spirit and Enemy Mine.”

  Big mouth, but I could deliver on my words. Disarming the first five mines worked like a charm. My fingers were like golden magic keys turning every device into a free mine for my inventory. Thank tech I still had enough space to collect them.

  Gotta catch ‘em all.

  After the sixth charge was dismantled, I offered to lead the team until we reached the plaza. My WarTech analyze skill was ‘trained’ to stop traps and charges, and with the importance of stealth in this mission, we couldn’t afford to have a single mine detonating.

  “Three soldiers are patrolling the alleyway around the corner,” Wu said.

  This was our chance to ambush them and snatch their armor which we could use to infiltrate the garrison.

  “I don’t need a disguise,” Wu said. “My stealth ability is pretty well developed.”

  He activated his auto-blend. His technical coat and hood reflected off the surroundings, turning him near invisible. A green silhouette engulfed his player avatar so we allies could still see him. Wu tiptoed around the corner and eliminated two unsuspecting soldiers. They dropped in silence. The second the last soldier turned around, Wu plunged his tactical short-range blade into the neck of the victim with a soft thud. The Sunbleeder guard dropped to his knees with a faint moan.

  We helped Wu drag the bodies away and collected their armor. Even though their sizes differed from ours, they fit perfectly thanks to game mechanics. L’ocean, Rokkit, and I sported the crimson, medium-armor disguise and could pass as bonafide Sunbleeders. I had to admit; their angular armor plates and cornered shoulder pads, along with the bleeding sun logo etched into the armor, looked pretty cool. Their stats sucked though and couldn’t even compete with my adaptable personal armor, although Rokkit would have disagreed.

  “Looks better than your crappy armor.”

  “Only if you suffer from a glitch in your vision.”

  “Guys, focus,” L’ocean said, playing the mediator once again.

  We hid the ‘real’ Sunbleeder bodies and moved forward. We passed another parallel road and waited for the right timing to escape our alleys. The garrison stood only seventy-five meters away from us, but the main entry to the plaza sported road blocks and heavily fortified barricades.

  “Let me scout the area,” Wu said. “My suit and skills are optimized for stealth.”

  Rokkit nodded.

  The easiest choice would have been to let Wu do all the work and sneak by the guards in the plaza and stealth-walk into the garrison. Unfortunately, the mission involved setting up charges, which was my specialty. And with the destruction of the building, we would cause enough attention to attract the entire Sunbleeder force. In that case, a strong tank and damage dealer like Rokkit was needed. Seriously, this mission was designed for teamwork with specialized classes.

  Yumi-D pinged our team channel. The intense stealth approach had completely absorbed my attention and made me forget about her.

  “Guys, the guards are checking our caravan. We have to act soon.”

  Rokkit held Wu back before he could activate his stealth skill. “It’s no use. We have to start the distraction now.”

  We pressed our armored bodies against the trash piles in the alley and lay low. It took a couple of minutes before the soldiers reacted.

  Some guard yelled commands from the adjacent main road, probably a cap
tain used to barking orders. Squads of Sunbleeders wearing crimson, medium-armor plates sprinted in the direction of the entrance gate. I counted at least two dozen flashing us by.

  “Jeez, how many are there?”

  “We’re dealing with a major garrison, Boltzmann. The Sunbleeders want this town badly.”

  He turned his attention back to Beta Squad. “How’s the situation, Yumi-D?”

  “We stung the Sunbleeder’s nest. They called for back-up and are trying to surround us.”

  “Stay strong. We are about to begin our infiltration.”

  A boom echoed through the connection. By the sound of it, Alpha Squad’s WarTech had set up charges to blast some incoming enemies in front of the gate. I would have loved to watch his play style.

  “This is our chance,” L’ocean said. “Let’s use it wisely.”

  “Right.”

  As a trio, we ventured into the open space of the road while Wu found his stealthy way into the target destination. Soldier squads rushed by us and stormed the far away township gate. They ignored every one of us. My heart sang. Our plan was working. The HUD showed me a 91% camouflage rate which was the only stat I needed.

  We made it to the plaza, now infested with iron sentries and more barricades. A few more guards stood at strategic locations, but Yumi-D’s front gate attack caused chaos even here. We maneuvered around the sentries and barricades until the garrison came into view. A three-story brick building with steal plating and a reinforced facade. The place looked like a fortress.

  “We’re supposed to take down the whole thing?”

  “You’re the exploda expert.”

  If I hadn’t been able to fulfill the requirements to finish the quest, the game mechanics would have warned me. “Okay, let’s do it.”

  60

  Rokkit group-pinged us. “Remember, we only have this one chance. The second one of us gets detected, our whole disguise is blown. So make this count.”

  Which meant every Sunbleeder soldier would turn against us and fight until their digital death. Yeah, I got it.