The drill hit the rock beside Viola. Dropping the flare, she rolled away from the drill which continued to spin with deadly condensed spirit. Moes could no longer see where Viola had gone, because of the flare, so he began to direct the drill across the hilltop. Most opponents would have been caught by the fast-moving attacking drill, but Viola was a rogue, with dexterity to spare. Like a dark-clad ballerina, she danced around the hilltop, evading the drill and preparing her own spell. Moes may have had the high ground, but he had no mobility. By the time Moes’ spell had finished, Viola counter-attacked. Her whole body glowed silver and she looked as if she was taking a great breath to fill her lungs. When her lungs could no longer hold more of the silver ether, she slowly and gently blew her spell up toward Moes. She had cast a Level 7 spell, Echoes of Family. No one can hurt you like the ones you love. The spell took any spirit of discord within the target’s family, twisted it, and amplified it. It would manifest in a physical representation of the spiritual discord. As the breath of the spell began to reach Moes, it took shape. Viola expected to see angry halflings attacking the spirit master, so she was surprised when a female giant clothed in ethereal mist formed in front of Moes and began screaming. A furious Gretchen floated before Moes.
“YOU SAID IT WAS SAFE! YOU LIED! YOU SAID YOU'D NEVER LEAVE ME! YOU LIED!” the counterfeit Gretchen screamed. Moes covered his head attempting to reset his spiritual defenses. The journeyman rogue had surprised him with this rarely-used spell. She had Moes on the defensive, but he would not stay there for long. Moes took his own breath, and blew out his own silver ether to counter the screaming Gretchen. She dissolved in front of him, her scream turning to a whimper. Moes couldn't help but feel sad at the dissolution. To him, even a screaming Gretchen was beautiful. He barely had time to raise his arms and cast a strong spiritual shield before dark shards of spiritual crystal impacted it. The shots hit him so hard he felt his back instantly bruise from the pressure against the MIL Bar.
Viola gritted her teeth. That was her highest damage-dealing spell. It should have broken through his shield; her dark crystals were sharp. Moes began to glow again. She needed to stay mobile.
***
The battle was not going horribly. Both Spirit Rogues were in physical form, and Joe’s allies were moving in to engage. But, as the old adage says, ‘no battle plan survives contact with the enemy.’ Joe had assigned himself the position of the tank, and though he had taunted more than he was even comfortable with, he had not drawn the attention of the enemy. Right now, the job he was doing was more spectator than tank. He wanted to charge up and engage Viola, but that hill was still full of traps. He had to take the safer, less exciting option. Running to the left, he prepared to help Grork and Bork engage the flanking Luger on the safe side of the hill. Though Joe did not realize it, Spooky had chosen the same option. Spooky used one of her surviving angels as a projectile and slammed into the still-recovering Luger, driving him away from the sleeping yeti child. Even as Luger was being driven to the ground, Spooky was at his ankles. She wielded her dagger, swung as fast as she could, and tried to cut his Achilles tendon as he attempted to kick her away. Spooky knew she was successful when she felt the snap as Luger’s tendon was cut. Even with the mounting pain, Luger was beginning to get his bearings. Pushing his hand against the stone angel on top of him, he cast a Level 4 spell, called Spectral Shockwave. He believed this would knock the angel off of him, but instead, it cut the thin spirit tether that was animating it. The angel became an inanimate stone yet again and Lugar had to fight to get out from under it.
The shockwave spell hit Spooky as well, who, unbeknownst to her, had a powerful spirit. In this case, the strength of her spirit provided surface for the shockwave to batter against, and it knocked her back and dazed her mind. Getting to his knees, Luger prepared to fight the two approaching goblins, but neither paid him any attention. They passed him by and picked up the yeti child, removing it from the area. Joe was right behind them. Luger’s small, but sharp, knives were not going to be enough to stop Joe’s mammoth fists. From on his knees, Luger threw a dagger at Joe's exposed chest. From this position, however, he did not have the strength or angle to penetrate Joe's new skin. The dagger fell to the ground and Luger attempted to scramble backwards. Joe's fist descended down, connecting with and fracturing Luger skull. Luger became a lump of limp meat. In his HUD, Joe saw a flash: Critical Hit. Joe did not give Luger a chance to recover. He lifted his foot and brought it down on Luger’s head in the most primitive form of a double tap.
Leaving the body where it lay, Joe continued up the side of the hill where Viola was trading shots with Moes. Splitting her focus for a moment, Viola looked down and saw her dead companion. This fight had taken a turn. She was now outnumbered and outgunned, and she realized she had always been. Joe had not been exaggerating when he said that he was the superior enemy. Suddenly, the yeti child became valuable again. She needed a hostage. Turning back to the other side of the hill where she had left the child, Viola saw Grork already carrying it away. She should not have turned her back on the enemy force.
Spooky was glad to see that Viola presented her Achilles tendon so willingly. Viola, a more experienced rogue than Luger had been, did not fall so easily. Feeling the danger, Viola lifted her foot and just missed the dagger’s cutting edge. In the same motion, Viola brought her foot over and behind Spooky. Viola punted with all her might and kicked Spooky down the side of the hill, where all the traps had been placed. The more dangerous traps had been placed at the foot of the hill. The one that Spooky hit near the top, however, was very effective against her. As she set off the trap, it coated her in a gelatinous sticky web that hardened around her, effectively taking her out of the fight. Spooky was lucky that that the web was porous or she would have suffocated. She called for her one remaining angel who had been keeping watch over Bork. Spooky hoped it would be able to break her free. Since Grork and Bork were taking care of the yeti children and Spooky was incapacitated, it left only Moes and Joe to confront Viola. As Joe got to top of the hill, Viola placed him between herself and Moes. This stopped Moes from being able to fire spells at her indiscriminately.
“You are a lot bigger in your physical form than you were as an inconsequential spirit. That is weird. Normally, the spirit representation looks like the body. I see that you murdered my friend in your new physical form. I'll have to repay the kindness,” Viola said.
“There was no murder, only a rightful execution. You will receive the same. As king, it is my right. More than that, is it is my responsibility,” Joe said.
As sometimes happens in this type of battle, they continued to talk to each other. Both were looking for a good opportunity to strike. Viola was looking to flee, but the half pint Spirit Master with the elevated position made that difficult.
“You don't have any authority to execute me or my partner. I'm a Hunter, appointed by the King of Dollomar himself. Hunting yeti is perfectly legal, and you are illegally interfering in Spirit Rogues’ duties. You need to rethink your position. Would you go to war for a few yeti children? Whatever you are, you're not yeti, and they are only loyal to their own. They could never truly be your subjects. Make the smart choice. Set me free and I can plead your case before the king, and maybe mitigate your already serious offense,” Viola stated.
Joe smiled down at her. “The yetis are loyal to me, and I will not break faith with them,” Joe said as he raised his hand, palm facing her. Viola had seen him use both Mind and Spirit Magic but both at low levels. She was confident her mental and spiritual defenses would hold. She began casting a strong magical attack, one that would devastate even such a large individual. Her dark crystals were sharp. She was not able to finish her spell; its casting time took too long. The spell that Joe cast was a quick-cast spell he had gained from the yeti chief, Level 1 Kinetic Missile. Even though it was a Level 1 spell, it knocked her back through the air, causing significant damage by just its own force impact. The problem for Viola was that she
had placed her back to the hill. The hill with all her own traps. Her attempt to stop Moes from targeting her, had put her between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Viola flew over the line of immobilizing traps, and right onto a high damage fire trap. She might have survived if she had not just been hit by Joe’s force spell. Joe looked down on the hill where Viola was turning to ash.
Ding
Again, Joe saw notifications at the edge of his vision and dismissed them. Joe knelt down to get closer to the imprisoned Spooky. The stone angel had had no luck removing Spooky. Joe thought he would give it a try, but when he got closer, the angel controlled by Spooky blocked his hands.
“Don't want me to try to remove you, huh?” Joe asked.
The angel put its hands in an X. Joe realized that Spooky couldn't speak because her jaw was forced shut. She had been lucky that the trap still allowed her to breath, otherwise the immobilizing trap would have been lethal.
“Hey! It is cold up here. Get me down,” Moes yelled. Joe looked up at the still suspended Moes.
“Do you see Bork or Grork from there?” Joe asked.
“Why are you worried about the goblins? I am freezing up here. Get me down!” Moes screamed.
“Fine!” Joe said. With that, Moes fell about ten feet down before being brought to a complete halt when the MIL Bar stopped him again.
“THAT'S NOT OKAY!” Moes shouted.
“You want down right?” Joe asked.
“Yes, but not like that.”
“Don't worry, you'll be down soon.”
“That's what I'm afraid of.”
Joe dropped Moes another ten feet. Then another. Thankfully, this dropping, and screaming, of Moes made finding Grork and Bork easy. Grork kept laughing, and Bork kept wincing. Joe waved for them both to come back up the hill. When Moes was eight feet off the ground, Joe simply reached up and grabbed him, releasing the MIL Bar. Helping Moes remove it, Joe then placed it in his Holdall.
“I don't want to ever do that again,” Moes said, rubbing his bruised back.
“I can understand that, but look at what you saved,” Joe said, pointing to the cute sleeping yeti children. The children were small enough that it had not been difficult for the goblins to carry them. When they were all together on the top of the hill, Joe led them to the entrapped Spooky.
“I was going to break her out, but she didn't seem very interested in that,” Joe said.
Bork covered his mouth in shock.
“What is it Bork? Speak up,” Joe said.
“If break crystal, it break her also. Must dissolve crystal, then she be free,” Bork said.
“Can you can you dissolve it?” Joe asked.
“Yes, but it take time,” Bork said.
“That is okay. We're not in a big hurry. We have saved the children. I am going to loot the corpses and see how many of these traps I can disable,” Joe said. Bork went to work mixing vials and preparing the solution that would free Spooky.
***
The Rubicon had been crossed. At this point, the UI realized an updated version of the loot system needed to be implemented. Taking what it had learned from the beings of the conflux and the dissolved vampire, the new magical loot system was forced into being. This left just two more major changes the UI needed to implement: the death system and the player initiation system.
***
Joe walked down the side of the hill where Luger’s body was and began searching it.
Uncommon Item: Heart of Fire Necklace.
You have found an uncommon item: the Heart of Fire Necklace. Provides warmth where there is none. After extended use, must be recharged with a significant heat source. Love the snow, hate the cold? Have we got a necklace for you. Plus 2 to Constitution. Durability better than average.
Pick up Heart of Fire Necklace? Yes/No
Item: Journeyman Poison Throwing Dagger Set
You have found a Journeyman Poison Throwing Dagger set. This set of daggers is a poison delivery system. Each dagger has an inlay along each edge for fast delivery of liquid poison. Poison must be reapplied weekly or loss of potency may occur. The balance of these daggers is best for throwing distances up to 70 feet. Durability medium.
Pick up Journeyman Poison Throwing Dagger Set? Yes/No
Item: Document- Dollomar Royal Seal of Work
You have found a document: Dollomar Royal Seal of Work. This document has the embossed seal of the King of Dollomar. The bearer of this document was hunting yeti on the king's behalf. When assisting this bearer you're assisting the king.
Pick up Dollomar Royal Seal of Work? Yes/No
Joe quickly clicked yes for all the items. He found some gold and silver as well. After the loot was removed, the body quickly turned to ash. Luger dissolved and disappeared as if he had never been there.
“What did you do with the body?!” Moes asked with shock in his voice. The kneeling Joe looked over his shoulder at Moes.
“What do you mean? I looted it, so it disappeared,” Joe said.
“I know that, I saw it happen. I mean, how did you make it disappear?” Moes asked.
“I didn't make it disappear. I just looted the body. Bodies always disappear after they're looted,” Joe explained.
“Why would a physical body disappear just because you took everything of value from it? Do you realize how convoluted that sounds? A dead body is a dead body. It's not there just to provide wealth to some scavenger and, once it completes its mission, it will just dissolve. Vampires turn to ash, but even they don't disappear completely. Where did the body go?” Moes asked.
“After a body is looted, it disappears. It works that way with every game. Why should the reality of this game be any different?” Joe asked.
“This is not a game. I get that you want to view it that way for strategy. Spooky told me. No matter how you wish to view things, though, reality is reality. Bodies don't simply disappear unless there's some sort of magic involved. Is this some new spell that you acquired?” Moes said wanting to understand.
Joe stopped for a moment. This was a new thread. Why would one of the characters in the game question one of the basic game mechanics? In every other game he had played, all the NPCs ignored the weird quirks of the gaming reality. Was Moes an NPC? Or, was he a player fully committed to role playing? If he was an NPC, why was he questioning this game mechanic? Joe decided to explore the issue.
“Moes, where I am from, when I am in a place like this, this is what happens. Has this never happened here before?” Joe asked.
“So this happens where you're from?” Moes asked.
“Kind of. It never happens here?” Joe asked.
“No, it doesn't make any sense. What do you mean kind of?” Moes asked. Joe couldn't help but inwardly chuckle. This game was trying so hard to make him treat it as truly real. He could play along to a point, but this game was pushing it a bit far.
“I mean that, when I was summoned, I was in a game. In that game, just like all games, I assumed that when a corpse was looted it would disappear. I did receive a note telling me that some of the game mechanics in the digital world, that I was in, might get transferred to this reality. If this has never happened before, I can only assume that's what’s going on,” Joe said.
“How can you be in a game? And what is digital?” Moes asked.
“Is this weird to have a conversation like this?” Joe said.
“Just explain. I need to understand what's happening. This conflux had already been so different. I need more information. Just answer my questions the best you can. Please,” Moes said. Joe was surprised at the earnestness on the halfling's face. If this was part of the game, the programmers were genuinely committed.
“Okay, I can explain, I think. Remember that canvas I showed you earlier in the castle?” Joe asked.
“The one with the magical moving pictures?” Moes said.
“Yes, that's the one. You see, on my world, there are games which, in a sense, let you step into the canvas. When you're in the c
anvas, you're in a digital world you can play in. The digital world is not real,” Joe said.
“Magic,” Moes said.
“No. There is no magic where I came from,” Joe explained.
“You're telling me this digital world is not magic?” Moes questioned.
“It's just a really complicated machine,” Joe said.
“Machine? You mean like a wine press?” Moes asked.
“Yes, like a wine press, but way more complicated,” Joe said.
Moes looked at Joe like he was crazy. “A wine press is not magic and, even if you added a lot more levers, it would not make a new world. Even a fake one,” Moes said.
“When we get back I will show you some videos of what I'm talking about. It should help a lot. I can't really explain it here,” Joe said
“Okay, but just one more question,” Moes said.
“Sure go ahead,” Joe said.
“Do you think you're in a game now?” Moes asked.
Where was this game going with this, Joe thought. Why cause this dissonance? If the game knew him so well, why would it push him toward untruth?
“I do,” Joe said.
Moes’ face tightened.
“I'm part of this game? I'm fake? Because, let me assure you, I don't feel fake. My parents died when I was young. That didn't feel very fake. And if this is all fake, does that mean you're a fake king?” Moes said slowly, and coldly. Suddenly, Spooky flew between them, her dagger aimed at Moes.
“Back off Moes! Joe can deal with this reality however he wants to,” Spooky said.
“Do you also think this is fake?” Moes asked the newly freed Spooky.
You're Not Allowed to Die (The Twenty-Sided Eye Series Book 1) Page 22