The Beginning (Dark Paladin Book #1) LitRPG Series

by Vasily Mahanenko

  “This way.” The Book of Knowledge averaged out the thirty vectors. “Nata, we need you to scout. Could you run straight ahead as a panther along this line and see what’s there? We’ll follow. The experiment showed a result too strange to be discounted. Even though the wall is in that direction, we still ought to explore this sector. Anyone have any other ideas?”

  There were no objections. Dolgunata rushed forward and disappeared over the crest of a hill in a couple of leaps. We moved into travel formation and followed her, thoroughly investigating all the wrinkles in the landscape. As the forest had demonstrated, teachers could be located in the least accessible places, and they didn’t have to be living creatures either. Within the Academy mechanisms could teach as well.

  Learning progress: You have reached teacher 9 of 11(+1 optional teacher)

  “Welcome, recruit,” slowly said the creature that looked like a mushroom. Three red eyes, set right on the stem, looked from under a huge brown cap. The mysterious teacher had neither legs nor arms. Moving away an elephant’s ear that grew next to the wall and was so far the largest plant we encountered in the wastelands, I settled down next to Dolgunata, who was deep in thought. The girl had gone through the training first, and now was reviewing her new knowledge. “I will teach you how to activate a combined attack. Now harken to my wisdom!”

  Chapter Twelve. Chancellor

  “NOW ALL we have to do is figure out how to get there,” I mumbled in contemplation, moving away from the impromptu map of the wastelands drawn right on the ground. The results of looking for the teacher turned out to be so indicative in terms of checking out our luck, that we repeated the experiment several times asking more and more interesting questions. Where is the next additional teacher for the wastelands? Where is the closest hidden treasure? Where is the auction? Where are the objects in the wastelands that are most valuable for a player? Where is the Dungeon in the wastelands? Where are the monsters with the most valuable loot? Where… The group generated questions a mile a minute and Zangar barely had time to make the throws needed to make sure of the direction. Using the Book of Knowledge I drew on the ground a potential map of the wastelands in our sector and marked the directions on it. Once the group ran out of questions and the last line was marked on the map, everyone was left scratching their heads. That was not what anyone had expected.

  Practically all the lines led to the center. Where the Chancellor was supposed to be located, together with his castle. There was only one deviation from the overall picture: the nearest additional teacher‒ in order to reach him it would be necessary to veer slightly to the right. All other indicators led strictly to the center.

  The teacher of combined attack said a lot of interesting things, but the only one who could use them in the Academy was Dolgunata. As it turned out, the players could form so called “combos", which initiated several types of damage at the same time. For example, it would be possible to complement an enhanced physical attack with a mental attack which would temporarily stun your enemy, and with that an Energy destroyer; this ability does not inflict any damage on the physical body, but sucks out Energy like a good Electolux. The combined attack was activated by one keyword that you would set up when you created the whole arrangement; the use of resources would be added to each other. If it took 20 Energy to activate each of the abilities, the combined attack involving three abilities would take 60. So on the whole it seemed to be generally relevant but not really usable knowledge. It would not help us to survive in the Academy.

  “In effect, we have three options,” I summed up the results of the second experiment. “Either we go to the second hidden teacher and learn some other super useful thing, or we go to the mandatory teachers and calmly complete the Academy, or we move towards the Chancellor. I am sure that in his castle we’ll find plenty of good loot, and probably all the teachers are concentrated in the same place. I vote for option number three.”

  “Agree,” Zangar seconded me. “After the Academy can train. All available as here. Combine attack too. Time pockets also. One granis and a half costs half year. Now need to use luck. Go to Chancellor. Need to complete dungeon. If it’s there. The throws show it is.”

  “This teacher was too noticeable to teach anything rare,” Dolgunata was of the opposite opinion. “But suppose, necromancer: what if there is a teacher of, for example, del’onika in the wastelands? Would you be ready to miss that?”

  “There can’t be. Too crazy. My teacher would know. He went through all wastelands.”

  “Your teacher didn’t know anything about luck either.” The druid wouldn’t give up. “Being a Viceroy doesn’t mean being all-knowing.”

  “Stop!” I had to interfere, as the bewildered eyes of the Paladins showed that they didn’t get any of that either. “What's del’onika?”

  “It’s a specialty that enables you to turn emotions into a source of Light,” Dolgunata clarified. “It’s a very rare one; in the main world it’s taught by one NPC, who appears next to the person he randomly selects; it must be a brand new player. He trains the player and immediately disappears; then he reappears a month later. The Light ones guard the chosen ones like the best treasure: no one else can create sources, and catching the NPC is impossible. There were several attempts, and every time it ended quite badly. Even Archibald turned down the quest to find him; the consequences would have been too serious. What if with your luck we find a teacher like that? It won’t make any difference for you – you are Dark, so a source would be deadly for you, but nine Light creatures, who would have all the development they needed for the life of the Game, pampered and doted upon – that looks too good not to check for the possibility, just in case.”

  “That’s a thought!” The Paladins became quite excited. “The druid’s talking business and…”

  “You’d better tell them what happens to those from whom those sources of Light are made,” I snickered quietly, but everyone fell silent as if I had shouted in a thundering voice. “How they are tortured, how their limbs are drawn and twisted in the hope of extracting a little more ‘emotions’, how mothers are forced to kill their children…Tell them and then we’ll decide if we want to look for that del’onika teacher. What a word you made up for that: ‘del’onika’. It’s so that no one could figure it out, right? An ‘executioner’ doesn’t sound so pleasant!”

  “What’s that nonsense you’re spouting?” Monstrichello frowned. “It’s just crazy! The Darks ones torture! The Light ones protect the innocent and help the poor…”

  “Is that true?” Logir turned to Zangar, as the most experienced and informed player. “What Yari said about the sources – is that true? They are made of living beings?”

  “No, not ‘made of’. They provide the energy. Elixirs are made from living. Like those Yari has. Restoring all Energy. One life‒ one elixir. Also there’s the distiller. It uses only emotions. Makes weak elixirs. To restore specific units of Energy. Invented by del’onika professionals. Takes much time to make a source. Takes lots of emotions. No matter what kind. Light, dark… important to have them. Torture is simplest solution. Yari said truth. Most die. No… Normally all die.”

  Dolgunata exhaled disdainfully when the whole group looked at her with disapproval.

  “So, great then.” Taking advantage of the general disarray, I took control into my own hands again. “Now, then, we have decided that we are not going to look for hidden teachers any more, but rather we’ll go straight to the Chancellor. Any objections? No? Excellent. Monster: we go that way. Onward…”

  Leaving behind the oversized mushroom, we started on the path we had already seen, towards the center of the wastelands. Periodically various silhouettes and groups appeared briefly here and there, but no one bothered us. From what I understood, while we were walking along the valley of the worms (who had still not respawned) we were safe. But if we were to leave it, then the troubles would begin, because…

  A huge flat chunk of earth flew towards the sky, carrying the
lead group with it. Monstrichello, Logir and Refor were thrown about twenty meters up, only to crash to the ground with deafening clanging, a rattle and a ghastly squelch. While they were still falling, the other group covered themselves with an energy shield, and Logir’s wild yell made everything clear:

  “MAGES!”

  “I promised, Yari, that we’d see each other again.” Part of the turf moved to the side and a dozen mages climbed out from under the ground, led by Dangard. I turned around and saw that there were three more of those “underground shelters”: we were surrounded by a tight ring of thirty-two mages and a dozen hunters.

  “I consider our agreement complete. I brought him,” Zangar said calmly and moved to stand next to Dangard. Marinar followed him closely. “He’s yours. Don’t touch Marinar. She is mine. Dolgunata interesting to me. Try not to kill. Monstrichello, Logir and Sartal. Are initiated, level 5. Rest are not. Kill them. Yari level 15. Drop to three. Then to Chancellor. Need to fulfill Contract. Need to support him. Help. Till leave the Academy. We help get to Chancellor. Drop to first level. Go to two teachers. He receives return key. Kill forever before activation. Contract will be fulfilled. Devir will be pleased.”

  There was dead silence. Paladins looked at the necromancer, stunned, unable to say a word. No one could believe what was going on, as lately Zangar had demonstrated that he was a real partner. Someone you could rely on!

  Case received: Zangar’s Betrayal (Slots available for: 9 more cases)

  Description: Zangar, necromancer, level 5, breached the conditions of the Contract between him and Yaropolk, Paladin, level 15. In accordance with par. 35.8 of the Contract, the Game delegates the determination of the extent of the breach and punishment for the said breach to the Judge who is located within 20 meters from the location of the potential crime.

  Task: Investigate the case and deliver your verdict on it

  Case investigation: 40%

  Period of limitation of action: 3 months

  The text of the Contract we had signed immediately appeared before my eyes. Scrolling it down to the referenced clause I could not contain a scowl: the standard contract had a reference to Judges who were within a certain distance from the location of the crime. It meant that any breach of the Contract to which I was a party would not lead to instant death and punishment of the perpetrator. Dolgunata, for example, could refuse to follow the contract and force me to dance to her music. I must modify the text and cross this clause off. Standard contract, my ass…

  The first astonishment passed and I growled with hatred:

  “You breached the Contract!”

  “Contract says much,” Zangar calmly shrugged his shoulders, stepping out of the ring of mages. “Cannot kill you. Must share information. Need help you. Need support. Does not have important things. Not forbidden to transfer. To mages, Dolgunata, anyone. I help you. Help avoid dangerous enemies. Will bring to Chancellor. I receive reward. Bring to teachers. You will train. Our Contract will be fulfilled. Then they kill you. Don’t need competitor. Marinar is enough. For future, Dolgunata,” Zangar turned towards the panther. “Not possible activate stone of attributes. Not possible receive luck here. I know truly. Always three stones here. Yari found one. Two remain. Yari activated his. Then three here again. I will find. I know how. Teart sees the way. He help find. If wants to live. I threw spear. My spear, my rules. Fell like I needed. I knew where teacher. Dangard said. Knew where to bring. Dangard set the ambush. I led Yari. Needed to come here. We came here. You may leave. No issues with you. Your task you failed. Kill all!”

  Thirty five lightning flashes and ten shining lines shredded my protection, but I had practically reached the mage that was closest to me. Marinar, as I noticed before darkness swallowed me, was standing to the side modestly looking down, staring at her feet. As for the druid… She was galloping off, and no one was going to chase her. Nata had completely failed her assignment, whatever it was.

  “There he is! Fire!” As soon as the world around me came into focus, a barrage of blows peltered the protective shield that had appeared around me. Lightnings, ice spears, arrows. I tried to take out an elixir and turned cold‒ I had run out! The last one I had poured down Dolgunata’s throat, and I simply had not taken back the other two that I had given her before Zangar’s betrayal. Protection burst and I died.

  “He’s appearing! Kill him!”

  I simply had no time to do anything. I rolled around, jumped, put on shields, but everything was in vain. They were pressing me really hard. Every time, as soon as I appeared, a coordinated volley from several dozen players sent me to respawn yet again. Once I noticed Monstrichello, who was just plowing through; I tried to run over to him, but then our thug crashed down like a tree with over a dozen arrows sticking out of his back. The mages really did figure out a way to fight our Monster: they brought in the hunters.

  “Catch him!” “The darkness dissipated once again and I found myself next to three huge warriors. They were so enormous that I felt like a midget next to them. So finally I had a chance to see real ogres! A pity that it had happened at such an inconvenient time for me. I was clasped and lifted, like a little child; huge paws firmly pressed my arms to my body. Twisting, I tried to hit with my head or feet, but stars danced in front of my eyes as I hit the shield big time.

  “Careful with the hand, he uses it to activate an attack!” an unfamiliar voice stated, and then the ground under my feet started moving – I was being carried forward.

  “He has level three,” the stranger continued making me frown: how would he know? My eyes dashed to the group frames, and I gnashed my teeth‒ Marinar had added Olzar, a mage, to our group. The frames for Dirion and Refor were grey and barely visible. Judging from the three-eyed skulls covering them I could forget those two forever. Dolgunata was not in the group. Teart had level 2; all the other Paladins were at the 1st level. The genocide had happened. By the way, while I was out both Zangar and Marinar had reached level 15. Once I saw them, I would kill those freaks!

  “Ha-ha-ha! That won’t help you!” Olzar started mocking as soon as I removed myself from the group. There was no need to flash my information in front of my enemies. I twisted and tried again to hit the ogre, but stars in my eyes were the only visible result. “Three deaths, Paladin, and you will be gone. What’s up there?!” the mage suddenly shouted to someone ahead.

  “Dark ones! Ten horsemen!” A hunter peeked out from behind the crest of the hill ahead. “Dangard’s dealing with them!”

  “We’ll wait here,” Olzar ordered and continued laughing at me: “How stupid did you have to be to fall like that into the necromancer’s trap! It’s just…”

  The mage froze, glassy-eyed, staring into the distance. The ogres exchanged bewildered glances, unsure what was going on. Pulling out their clubs and demonstrating that in the Academy they were the most dangerous game around, the huge warriors retreated to the crest of the hill and stood in a semi-circle. Olzar and another dozen mages were left without cover. As we were already twenty yards or so away from the still group, I saw, just as a flicker, the black tails of two panthers. In just a few seconds the mages were torn to pieces and the panthers disappeared as if they had never been there.

  “Why are you still here?” Dangard approached the ogres, whose hackles had risen. Taking an elixir from his virtual inventory, he flicked back the lid in a smooth movement and drank the entire vial in one swallow, replenishing his Energy. My brows furrowed: so it meant the mage had a stock of elixirs with him. So then why had he decided to strike a deal with me?!”

  “Druids!” boomed the ogre who was holding me. The timbre of his voice was so resonant that it made my teeth hurt. “They killed the support.”

  “That bitch did decide to declare war after all?” The mage seemed surprised. “No matter, we’ll quiet her too. Carry him on, it’s all clear ahead. I’ll check what’s going on behind you.”

  The earth started moving and rocking again. Finally this was a time when I could thin
k everything over thoroughly. The map showed only Teart of all the Paladins‒ the rest were at respawn. Also, Teart himself was close to the center of the map, presumably in the same location as the Chancellor. And where, by all appearances, Zangar and Marinar would be sitting. I opened the list of cases and was surprised to see the status of the case investigation for “Zangar’s Betrayal”: 40 percent. So, according to the logic of the system, I know less than half of the relevant information on the case; that makes the probability of delivering a correct verdict vanishingly small. But what is it then that I don’t know? The reasons behind his action? But I really couldn’t care less about them! I can see the actual fact: I am going to be wiped out notwithstanding the Contract! What kind of help and support is that? It’s a crime of the first water! What else do I not know?

  “Hello, fatheads!” The ogres had managed to cover only a few hundred yards when Dolgunata’s brother Sakhray jumped out in front of them like he’d been hiding under ground, too. The druid looked impressive: strong and muscular, moving like a dancer, he was not at all afraid of three huge thugs with clubs. At least a mocking grin, shining on his face, indicated clearly: he had no doubts as to who was on top. “I have a feeling that you have gotten it wrong…”

  A familiar picture appeared before me: Sakhray’s eyes glazed, and in an instant he turned into a drooling vegetable. The druid twitched, trying to rush forward, but stopped still when grass entwined his legs. Dolgunata was somewhere close, and would not let her brother move.