On the Lost Continent

by Andrew Novak

  “They’re red? Red question marks?”

  “Don’t tell me it doesn’t work like that. By the way, what do your contacts think about the discovery of Gaerthon?”

  “All speculation at this point. After all, nobody was expecting this. Players were more concerned with the war against Nightmare, then the news dropped, one after the other. First, Ruger retreated without a pitched battle, said he was offering peace… yes, Eloise, as far as you’re concerned…”

  “I already know,” Lisa nodded. “Now I can walk around the capital, bump and abuse whoever I want. I’ve got a security umbrella.”

  “Well, the way I see it, as long as I’m around, you could’ve been doing that all along,” Jack said. “But let’s get back to the matter at hand. I need coins. More than that, I need info on this fire creature. How soon can you find a buyer and information about these ‘things that don’t happen’? And what can you tell me about Theokrist’s questline?”

  “The buyers will be here today,” Egghead promised. “I already notified those who might be interested in such loot. I indicated that the first goods from Gaerthon would be available only through me. You’ll have to sell the Cords for a token amount or gift them to me, to conceal your identity. The buyers should never see you. I’ll put you in the next room, you’ll hear every word.”

  “All right, here, take two Cords.”

  Egghead studied the Cords of Strength for a few moments, now in his own inventory slots.

  “Yes, they are indeed red. Good. It’ll be immediately clear that the item isn’t local. Which means it’ll be ridiculously expensive.”

  “This is just the beginning. Just give me time and money. And your guidance, of course. Then the loot will pour from the skies.”

  “Wait a little. I’ll write a few messages in chat and invite the buyers. We can talk later.”

  Egghead stared off into space and moved his fingers in the air. A few minutes later, he shook his head and turned back to his guests. The dandy had already regained his composure and returned to his previous, sickly sweet manner. He was smiling, straightening his cuffs, and so on.

  “Everything’s in order,” he assured. “The two are in the game, both responded. They’ll arrive within the hour. Well, as for your quests, Jack… It’s still unclear what Gaerthon is. If there is any mention of the continent’s destruction in the guides, then that means it broke up into pieces, or islands, at some point… or is it still a whole continent? The geography will become clearer as you continue on Theokrist’s quest… along the islands, from one demolished city with a temple to another…”

  Egghead fell silent, fiddling with a curly lock of hair. He was deep in thought. After the pause, he continued:

  “If so, then each island’ll have its own monsters. A separate quest on each, given by the local elders. Or its own monsters in every region on the mainland, a ruined city with a temple. You kill the monster, find the temple, and light the fire. How are these beads connected to this? Eight gems, as a reminder that you should restore eight temples? And should something happen after that? But why are two of the stones black? In Alterran mythology, there are six Gods of Order: Chronos and his wife, Ged, Astra, Zaratos, and Faceless.”

  “The six white and colored stones. But what about the black?”

  Egghead thought for another minute and gave up.

  “No, I can’t say anything off-hand. I need time to think, dig through the info. By the way, about the Gods. All players received the message that Gaerthon was found. It was expected that the priests in all the temples would call for a great campaign… but it didn’t happen.”

  “It’s more than that. They’re declaring any questions about Gaerthon to be a sin. I overheard a conversation on the way here, in the square,” Jack nodded. “It made me remember what Necta said about the lesser gods. They aren’t who they claim to be.”

  “The lesser gods. Then that would be Ged, Astra, Zaratos, and Faceless. I’ll ask around about what changes have been seen in the priests’ scripts. Maybe there’s a clue there?”

  “And what do you think the purpose of Service to the Dark is? Save Necta’s husband… Isn’t that Chronos? I’m supposed to save Chronos himself! What would his return to the world lead to?”

  “That’s just it, there’s another mystery in that. In all the legends, Chronos doesn’t appear at night. He is a light deity and next to him stands his wife, Vecta, the day incarnation of the Mother. When the minor gods complained about Necta’s nighttime antics, he condemned them. Her antics, I mean, not the gods. Although Necta specifically requested that you to save her husband. Something here doesn’t fit.”

  “And the Dark Service,” Jack added. “Is that what will end up saving Chronos, a god of light? It’s nonsense.”

  Egghead mused some more, rubbing his pointed chin. Jack remembered what the man looked like in real life and began to feel uneasy. A bifurcation of perception or something. Egghead, meanwhile, was staring off into space again, moving his fingers. Chatting with someone. This went on for several minutes, then Egghead flashed them his sugary smile, which always made Jack want to vomit.

  “Very well, our buyers are already hurrying here. No more than half an hour and we can begin the auction. I invited two at once. You’ll see how it works. Jack, what do you want for the Cords of Strength? I need a number to toss out there.”

  “Probably a hundred each,” Jack suggested uncertainly.

  Egghead gave him a skeptical look.

  “More?” Lisa guessed.

  “This is an item from Gaerthon! An unprecedented rarity. All right, I’ve had it with you two. Sit in the next room, be silent and be glad you enlisted me to sell your trophies. That gladness will help you come to terms with my thirty percent commission.”

  * * *

  Egghead directed his guests to a small room and pointed out the hidden opening in the wall:

  “You can hear everything from here. And even see, somewhat. Sometimes I use this room to look guests over before I join them.”

  Jack pressed to the hole and saw a table before him.

  “Keep quiet and don’t give away your presence.”

  “No problem, we’ll manage,” Jack said. “Hey, have you seen Sartorius in the past couple days? From what I understand, he doesn’t log in only in the evenings now.”

  Jack thought the mage had been a decent companion. No need to completely sever relations with him.

  “What do you want with him?” asked Lisa. “He’s so two-faced. I had him pegged from the start. And he’s definitely taken up with Ruger.”

  “Did you not serve Ruger in his castle? And who was it, I wonder, that helped us take those giants out? Think about it! We should stop by the Stargazer’s Tower and reconcile the relationship, or something.”

  “No way!” Lisa frowned.

  “No arguing,” Egghead broke in. “Sartorius no longer lives in Maxitown. The Stargazer’s Tower was put up for sale and I’m looking for a buyer. Our light mage is going to start a new life in a new place. That new place will most likely be in Nightmare, but that’s just my guess. Well, I’m off to accomplish a financial miracle.”

  “Good luck!” Jack wished him.

  Both buyers arrived at almost the same time. The first was a Scand in plate armor. A warrior, by the look of it. The second looked more like a merchant. He was a stocky Achaean, sturdy, rather broad-shouldered, with a bulging belly and a curly black beard, which was obviously drawn in using a custom game mod. Jack appreciated Egghead’s strategy. The buyers looked more like one another than the seller.

  “Well, my friends,” Egghead greeted his guests, rubbing his hands together. “Just as I promised! The very first items from Gaerthon. Precious relics, unbelievably rare. But most importantly, this purchase offers you access to the secrets of Gaerthon. And you will be the first to possess such a marvel. But please remember the terms of our transaction. You’re getting a chance to be the first appraise Gaerthonian loot, and in return — no inquiries
about the way to the lost continent. None! This is non-negotiable. We’re already in agreement, right?”

  Jack pressed to the hole in the wall, examining the buyer’s stats. The warrior was closest.

  Clive Melwig, Scand

  Expertise: 46

  Health: 45

  Battle Seeker Guild, Deputy

  Meanwhile, the Achaean began studying the Cord of Strength that Egghead placed on the table.

  “Nothing indicates that it originated on Gaerthon,” he finally said. “How can you confirm it?”

  Sango Lettis, Achaean

  Expertise: 35

  Health: 45

  Key Wardens Guild, Master

  “Sango, you insult me,” Egghead gave him a meaningful grimace, “my reputation is known throughout Stoglav. You know very well that I wouldn’t deceive you for the sake of a single transaction.”

  “For one, you wouldn’t, but what if this is a large-scale racket and you’ve prepared a series of artifacts for sale? The info about Gaerthon’s discovery gives you the opportunity. The information exists, but no one knows anything specific.”

  “And no one will learn anything specific anytime soon, if not for me!” Egghead said. “I produce exclusive goods only for the best clients. Rare level, and this is only the beginning. The Cords are even unusually marked. Look closely, and see how the hidden properties are marked. Notice the question marks are red. Have you come across this before? Not on Stoglav, I’d wager.”

  “A rare-level item with red question marks, it’s not typical on Stoglav. I’m prepared to believe it. I would be interested to see any legendary- and epic-level items found on Gaerthon,” Clive admitted.

  The Achaean studied the goods for a long while, but even he admitted that the red question marks were unprecedented. Most likely, he just didn’t want the rare artifact to go to his competitor.

  Egghead was enjoying the moment. He nodded, his curls bouncing, fiddled with his cuffs, and smiled. The conversation finally turned to the matter of cost.

  “I would say three,” Egghead announced. “But since you are both long-time clients, and I care about your satisfaction, the starting price is two hundred fifty gold.”

  This figure, naturally, provoked outrage. The buyers tried to bring the price down. Egghead, crossed his legs, leaned back in his chair and smiled, rocking the pointed toe of his shoe.

  In the end, the Achaean agreed to the price.

  “I’ll take it. On the condition that you’ll call me first, when new relics appear.”

  “Two hundred sixty,” the Scand countered.

  The bearded Sango let himself get caught up in the fervor and wasn’t going to give up. He added five coins… The auction ended with a sum of 280 gold.

  The Achaean got the Cord of Strength, paid… and, in parting, reminded Egghead of his request to contact him in the future as new items turned up.

  “And I would advise you not to inflate the price so much,” he said. “As soon as the first portal to Gaerthon opens, these relics will become significantly cheaper.”

  “Want to have a bit of revenge on me?” Egghead proposed. “There’s something I need. And you, if you can acquire it, will fleece me for a heap of gold, eh? I’ll send you a picture. Look in the guild archives. I need to find out how to defeat it.”

  As the guests stood, Egghead called out to the Scand:

  “Clive, hold on, please. There’s one more deal I want to offer you.”

  “Are you collaborating behind my back?” Sango frowned.

  “Hey, you got the artifact!” Egghead reproached. “My question for Clive is not about the transaction. I need fighters. The Battle Seekers are a strong guild.”

  After the Achaean left, Egghead spoke:

  “Clive, I want to make you an exclusive offer. You are my regular customer and I value our relationship. So, I held another Cord of Strength aside especially for you. Just don’t betray me! Otherwise, I cannot continue to do such friendly favors. For you, it’s a special, discounted price.”

  The second Cord went to Clive for 270 coins. The Scand was satisfied and Jack had received an instructive lesson in commerce, but that wasn’t what concerned him most.

  When the auction ended, and he and Lisa were allowed back into the drawing room, he asked:

  “Egghead, what did the bearded man say about the portals? Could a portal really be placed on Gaerthon?”

  “Highly unlikely, of course. But theoretically, yes, it’s possible. Once you discover a temple to Astra, then a portal would probably appear there. But it will, by all appearances, work only within Gaerthon.”

  “But it’s still possible? What if a portal between the continents appears?”

  “If that kind of portal appears, then you could simply call it a miracle. Then again, who performs miracles, if not the gods? And Astra is a goddess. Now, that’s a question…”

  “But the priestess of Astra forbids even the suggestion of such a portal,” Lisa remarked.

  Jack thought, she forbids it today, but what about tomorrow? Or the day after? What if he unlocks Astra’s temple on Gaerthon when he lights the fire, then a portal appears and they start handing out quests in all the temples with a reward in the form of transport to Gaerthon? It was something to consider. For now, he wasn’t under any circumstances going to be playing with fire in Astra’s temples.

  Which reminded him of his first encounter with the Gravediggers. When it turned out they had locked the portal into the black city. He needed to find out how to do that and how much it cost.

  Afterwards, Egghead counted out his share, thirty percent. It was a bit much, but without Egghead, Jack would never have been able to fetch that much money for the Cords. Finally, Egghead said:

  “When you get underway, don’t forget to watch your back. Pay special attention to the Key Wardens.”

  “What, does that guild have a bad reputation? Why did you contact them, then?”

  “They know how to keep secrets, so I reached out to them. They also know how to find secrets. The Wardens aren’t particularly malicious, but they are very persistent and stubborn. It’s a small guild. They aren’t famous mages or warriors. They are my competitors, in some ways. Secret hunters. If anyone can find info on the fiery creature, it’s them. What do you think they’ll do with the Cord of Strength, for example?”

  “Well… what do you mean? They’ll give it to one of their tanks.”

  “They’ll study all the guides and descriptions in their search about the artifact. They’ll look for quests that award such a prize. Then they’ll rummage through all the scrolls at the bookshop and scour every temple library. Oh, and they will have you followed. So, I’m telling you: watch your back. Especially when you go out to sea.”

  “Got it,” Jack was sure that the Dead Wind could shake any pursuers, but it was good that Egghead had given the warning. “And what about Clive and the Battle Seekers?”

  “Ordinary fighters. They will use the Cord as intended, no ulterior motives. They’re simple guys, artless. The only thing I don’t know about them is the Master that commands them.”

  “What do you mean?

  Egghead was shifted uncomfortably. He was embarrassed to admit there was something he didn’t know.

  “You see, Clive always speaks on behalf of the Seekers. He’s their Deputy. He commands them in quests, leads their negotiations. I’ve never seen their Master and there is no information about him anywhere. You can see his name in the clan portal, but nothing else.”

  “Okay. What should we do now?”

  “I’ll try to find out about that fiery beast on Gaerthon. It’d be nice if you could dig up more information about what’s happening there.”

  “Which means we’re setting sail. Write to me in the Shell if something turns up.”

  Egghead wasn’t too lazy to escort his esteemed guests to the gates. Already saying goodbye, he asked casually:

  “Ah, Jack, one more thing. Remember my old friend, the one who wrote the script
to raise the backup? When you launched the outdated version of Alterra? You haven’t seen him in the last couple of days, have you?”

  “What do you mean?” Jack was taken aback. “You didn’t tell me anything about him! You also said his identity was a secret, not a part of our deal.”

  “Yes, yes, that’s right,” he nodded hastily, his curly locks bobbing. “That’s right. It’s just that he’s been missing for two days and I’m asking everyone who has dealt with him in any way. Of course, you couldn’t know. Well, good luck! Don’t forget about the Wardens.”

  And Jack realized that it had been a test. Egghead suspected him. Most likely, the mysterious expert programmer actually had gone missing and Egghead figured that Jack was somehow involved. He could never allow himself to forget what the charming Egghead was.

  Chapter Four

  Encounters on the road

  JACK SPENT nearly all the coins he’d fetched from the Cords of Strength on teleports. The first haul had proven that questing on Gaerthon was indeed a profitable business, which meant it was time to get serious and stop wasting time traveling between the port town of Leuven and Maxitown. Since the Wanderer mage’s shop was right next to Astra’s temple and they had to stop there anyway, Jack decided to see the priestess’s reaction for himself.

  The priestess really was rather easy on the eyes, just as the players had said. Young and slender, and even her baggy priestess garb couldn’t hide the incredible figure underneath. She greeted them with a smile, which displayed the charming dimples in her round cheeks.

  “Welcome. What has brought you to the sanctuary of gentle Astra?”

  Jack couldn’t help smiling in return and Lisa frowned.

  “I humbly seek the counsel of Astra, patron of travelers,” Jack began. “I heard word that some travelers have reached Gaerthon.”

  The priestess’ smile faded but she nodded, encouraging him to continue.