Neverfall: The Dark Path (Book 2): A Gamelit Lit RPG Series

by C. Wintertide

  “I know her type. There were many of them before the Dark Lord’s rise,” Sorayan muttered. “She’ll be good as her word as long as it suits her to be. But after that…” She gave him a meaningful look. He could fill in the blanks.

  “Thanks, we’ll keep that in mind,” Luke said.

  The five of them huddled together just outside of the firelight. Cassie kept looking over at Gloria, who remained seated on the log, trussed up like a chicken.

  “I totally don’t trust her. Tell me that you don’t trust her, Luke!” Cassie said.

  “Of course, I don’t,” he assured her.

  Mack sheathed Cutter. “But that’s really not the question, is it? It’s whether we take her up on her offer. That Marty fella was bad news. She’s even worse. We’re doing all right on our own.”

  “You know that is not correct,” Alicia said. “Our coin purses are almost empty. We gained one level after fighting hard all day. With her at our side, we can kill more enemies, gain more experience points, and get more gold.”

  “And, we are planning to take down Bonecall eventually, aren’t we? We cannot leave the area to his malevolent rule,” Christopher said, stroking the staff.

  Luke raised his eyebrows. “Even if we kill Bonecall, he’ll just come back, Christopher, remember?”

  “Oh, right, I see your point. But they would get a respite from it. And we shouldn’t leave Marty in his hands. If Marty is still somehow conscious in the game, stuck in that box, can you imagine the horrors he’s going through? We cannot allow that to continue. We’re here to save the Beta players after all, and Marty is one of them.” Christopher gave him a desperate look as if Luke could solve all of this.

  “Save Marty? You want to save Marty? Oh, my God, are you going for sainthood? ” Mack rolled his eyes to the heavens.

  That was Luke’s thought, too, but Christopher’s emotion on this plucked at him. They were here to save the Beta players. Despite what Marty had done, he was one of them. It was why they had spared him. Could they really leave him in a box?

  My father would leave him without a second thought. Would I do the same?

  “Such a powerful boss will grant us huge experience points and, undoubtedly, unique loot,” Alicia pointed out.

  There was a gleam in Cassie’s eyes, as she contemplated the loot such a boss would have. Her Bow of the Huntress was just one piece of loot that had made a huge difference in their fighting ability. Bonecall would undoubtedly have other things. Would it be as good as his Dragon Armor or Dragon’s Claw? He didn’t know.

  “Are we sure that any kills she makes will add to our XP? I mean, if she’s not in the party, how can it count?” Cassie asked.

  “Maybe she can be in the party.” Luke brought up the Menu and went to the Party screen. He gave a start as he saw a fifth slot was open. “Actually, she can be. Look.”

  The others crowded around him to see the Party screen.

  Mack let out a whistle. “It seems like we might be meant to take her on.”

  “Or it’s just an option now because we’re considering it. That could open up with any potential companions later, too,” Cassie said thoughtfully.

  “You are surprisingly eager to have her join us, Alicia.” Christopher frowned.

  Luke agreed with that. “I would have thought you would have been telling us that we absolutely cannot accept her offer. You distrust me because I might become like her, and serve my father.”

  “Would you rather have your enemy hidden, or right in front of you?” Alicia raised an eyebrow.

  “I guess you have a point there,” Luke admitted. “And as you said, it would be useful to have her. But this feels a little insane. She’s Marty’s girlfriend! I had Asharoth practically roast the flesh from his bones. Not to mention, bringing me to the Dark Lord could gain her everything she desires. But…”

  “But?” Mack prompted.

  Luke sighed and then grimaced, as he admitted, “I think we should take her on, but we watch her like a hawk.”

  “And then some.” Cassie shook her head, but then said, “I, reluctantly, agree that she could be useful. If she pulls her weight with money and loot.”

  “She’ll betray us as soon as she has what she wants,” Luke guessed.

  “Oh, we know that, Luke.” Mack slapped his back. “But we’ll get the better part of this deal. Cutter will make sure of it.”

  They all turned as one back to Gloria. She remained perched on the log, stretching out her bound legs towards the fire, as if she were already one of the party, and not their prisoner. Luke frowned. But Alicia was right. Better to have her right in front of them, working for them, than somewhere in the shadows, stalking them. She’d located them easily enough, or so it seemed, so he doubted that they would be able to lose her.

  Luke strode forward, stopping five feet from her, with the Party screen still up. The slot was still empty. He guessed it wouldn’t fill until he made the offer. “All right, Gloria, we’ve talked it over, and decided you can join our party.”

  His HUD lit up with the message: Congratulations! You have gained a new companion!

  The fifth open slot now showed Gloria’s picture with the word “rogue” beside it.

  Gloria beamed at him. “I knew you would make the right decision!” She suddenly stood up, and the ropes that were supposed to keep her bound fell away as if they hadn’t been tied in the first place. “What’s our next move?”

  20

  NATURE OF A CLERIC

  The plan was to sleep, then to head towards Shadewell the next morning as soon as the sun touched the horizon. They would pass by the place where Edmund’s goods had been lost to get there, so that quest could be completed as well, and the eight promised gold pieces would be in the bag. Sorayan had volunteered to stay awake on guard so that they could all get a full night’s rest. When Luke had protested that it wasn’t right she should lose a night’s rest on their account, she’d answered with a pat of his arm, “I’m older than I look. Sleep does not come easy to me. I think it is because I know the Great Sleep is coming soon enough.”

  Any doubts he’d had about Sorayan and her people had fallen away. They weren’t going to attack Luke and his friends. She knew he was the Dark Lord’s son, and still accepted him. Gloria had still taken him aside, thinking he was still slightly wary. Could Sorayan keep them safe from what was outside the camp, though? Gloria had shown up after all, and they would not have known unless he and Alicia had remained awake.

  “I’ve placed traps all around the camp,” she explained. “Nothing will get to us without me knowing. As to these people, Sorayan is a respected Traveller. She’s extended hospitality to you. It would be dishonorable for her to allow anything bad to happen to you, especially from her own people.”

  He’d nodded, seeing the logic in this.

  Gloria had squeezed his left forearm, right over the tattoos. “Go get some sleep. I can tell it’s been a long day for you.”

  And he’d felt a trickle of unease as he realized that she did know about his step down the Dark Path. But regardless, he’d gone to sleep, wrapped in a blanket that Sorayan had found for him, close to the warmth of the fire and his friends.

  He did dream though, and his dreams were strange. He dreamed he opened his eyes, and felt the sting of liquid in them. He’d blinked rapidly. Everything was a strange neon blue. He was floating in some kind of fluid. Was it water? Was he dreaming he was back in the sewers about to drown? But no, this was different. He felt air around his nose and mouth from a… a mask? Yes, that was it. He could see blurry shapes, moving all around him, though they did not seem to be in the liquid with him. They were wearing white robes, and carried glowing rectangles in their hands that illuminated their faces. They were peering down at him, and scribbling things.

  Only when Luke woke up did he realize what the dream was about. He had dreamed about being in his tank at Neverfall with the scientists all around him. Somehow, this idea both comforted and unnerved him, though
he could not say why. Maybe because it had been so real. Yet, he was definitely still in the game. If he had truly woken up, that shouldn’t have happened. He would have remained in the real world, not come back here. Regardless, he was glad he had not been separated from his friends.

  The hustle and bustle of the camp when he woke up, as well as a good breakfast of some porridge with honey and nuts, had dispelled the remnants of the dream until he had forgotten all about it. He was sitting on one of the logs, scraping his bowl of porridge clean when he overheard a conversation between Mack and Gloria.

  “We should go to the forge first. Forget about Edmund’s goods, and whatever issues are going on with Shadewell itself so I can get a new axe. Aw, Cutter, do not be upset!” Mack said the last to his current axe.

  “The forge first? I thought you would be keen to do good works and help put the undead to rest in Shadewell,” Gloria said.

  “All the people in Shadewell are dead. How can we help them?” Mack shrugged.

  Gloria blinked. “Well… yes, but I would have thought you’d want to avenge them. Or, if nothing else, stop their mortal remains from being used in Bonecall’s hideous experiments.”

  Christopher practically quivered as he rose up and said, “Oh, yes! We need to lay those poor people to rest.”

  “They are not people, Christopher! How many times do I have to tell you that?” Mack rolled his eyes. “Pixels, not people.”

  “Tell me that when you look at Ibelyn you see only pixels?” Christopher challenged. “Tell me if Ibelyn was turned into the undead by Bonecall that you wouldn’t want to lay his bones to rest?”

  Mack looked disturbed and stroked his long beard. “I--I guess I see your point, but… okay, fine. I guess we do need the experience points anyways.”

  “And you’ll gain renown,” Gloria pointed out.

  “What do you mean by that exactly?” Luke asked, guessing it was some kind of game mechanic.

  “The more good--or bad--you do, it will open up various opportunities,” she explained.

  “Let me guess, you went the bad path?” Cassie’s eyes narrowed.

  Gloria laughed again delightedly. “Oh, I had the Nightshade Guild at my door almost immediately! That should be something you strive for, Cassie, considering your profession in life.”

  Cassie’s brows drew together. “But how? Do I have to rob people? Kill a few innocents with backstabs? How do I gain their attention?”

  “Cassie!” Christopher sounded horrified. “You will not be robbing and killing innocents! I forbid it!”

  Sensing a brewing argument, Gloria raised a hand to silence the twins. “You wouldn’t gain the Nightshade Guild’s attention that way in any case. Robbing and killing are the acts of thugs, not members of the guild.”

  “See? Even Gloria thinks those things are terrible!” Christopher said, even as he studied the Map.

  Gloria chuckled. “Actually, I just think those acts are tacky, and that’s how the guild feels, too. No, Cassie will have to do something daring, bold, and extraordinary to attract their attention.”

  “Oh, that’s not at all what I thought you meant.” Christopher frowned.

  “Yes, I see that. I’m afraid that I’m lawful evil, if anything, in my morality,” Gloria said.

  Cassie’s brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Like a grand heist or stealing something from people who are a real challenge would attract the guild?”

  “Exactly!” Gloria agreed. “You’ll have to be imaginative about it. Membership in the Nightshade Guild has many perks that are invaluable in Neverfall.”

  Cassie shook her head as if to clear it. She was smiling though. “I’m sure I’ll figure something out! I always do!”

  “Unless you get killed before then,” Alicia muttered. “Even a cat only has nine lives, Cassie.”

  “I know! I’ll be more careful. I swear it!” Cassie put up three fingers like a Girl Scout.

  Luke just shook his head, grinning. Cassie and trouble were like peanut butter and jelly in this world. Right now in the sunlight with a full stomach and an exciting day ahead, it didn’t worry him. Though, of course, there was always that flashback to the underground temple and seeing Cassie fall. He would never stop seeing that. He felt Gloria’s eyes on him then, and his gaze jumped to hers. She was frowning and looking at his covered forearms. His tattoos were burning, and somehow she had known.

  “I cannot believe how eager you are to follow the Dark Path, Cassie. It is hard to believe that you are my sister!” Christopher shook his head.

  Gloria’s eyebrows rose into her hairline. “Sister?”

  “Oh, God, this again! I know we’re two different species but that’s just in the game! We’re twins in real life,” Christopher explained.

  “Oh, I see, well, I’m surprised that you are so… worried about your sister going down the Dark Path, considering you chose to be a cleric,” she said. “But, I suppose, you are focusing on the healing and defensive spells, which are an aspect of your class. Still, your attack powers would be most welcome against Bonecall.”

  “What’s this about Christopher having special attack powers against Bonecall?” Mack perked up like a bloodhound on a scent.

  Luke groaned internally, but he was curious himself.

  “I--I don’t know what she means!” Christopher brought the Map closer to his face, but it was transparent, which meant everyone could still see his own face, which was burning with… shame?

  “Christopher, what is she talking about?” Luke asked.

  “It’s nothing! I mean… clerics always have powers I don’t use!”

  “What powers do clerics, especially, have in Neverfall?” Mack’s eyes narrowed.

  “I… I… didn’t notice when I chose the class! I just assumed… oh, it doesn’t matter! I will be sticking to the Light Path!” Christopher practically shouted.

  “What do you mean?” Luke frowned.

  “Bonecall is a necromancer now, but he, like all necromancers, started as a cleric,” Gloria explained when Christopher remained silent. “In order to have the understanding of life that they have, clerics must understand death equally well. While many begin with the desire to help, often they fall into the path of darkness. Staying on the Light Path is exceedingly rare for clerics. Most fall. The allure of the Dark Path powers is simply too great. Imagine, a desire to preserve life so great that you are willing to violate the dead to do it.”

  Luke just stared. His mouth had fallen open. He blinked. He wasn’t alone in this. Mack, though, let out a delighted laugh.

  “You dog! Hiding from us that you’re like the ultimate Dark Path walker while you were giving Luke crap about it!” Mack shook his head.

  “No! I--I didn’t mean… I would never… I see all the spells that are available, and they would be so useful, but I know that they are wrong.” Christopher’s shoulders slumped, and he lowered the Map. “But I feel if I start using them that I might get addicted, and not be able to stop. I wouldn’t be safe to be around.”

  Luke expected Mack to guffaw again, and call Christopher weak, or worse, because of this, but he misjudged his friend badly. Instead, Mack put a hand on Christopher’s back, his face full of concern.

  “Don’t be an idiot, Christopher,” Mack began.

  “Hey, Mack, that’s not--”

  “Just hold on, Luke. Christopher is being an idiot. If he truly thinks that he could ever become some crazy creature like Bonecall,” Mack continued. He looked into Christopher’s face. “Dude, you are the kindest, most conscientious, most stick-in-the-mud guy we all know.”

  “How kind of you.” But Christopher gave him a quirked smile. “I just have felt very guilty for not choosing those spells, as opposed to ones like Beast Pact.”

  “Hey, that came in handy with those wolves. They were so sweet once they were under your mind control!” Cassie kissed his cheek.

  Christopher, of course, frowned. “When you put it like that, it does not sound as benign as I envisioned.”


  “Your intent is what matters. Seriously, little brother, you’re not going to become a monster here. Not even if you took up those powers! But none of us are asking you to,” Cassie assured him.

  “Luke has said many times that he doesn’t expect me to do more than I’m doing, but…” Christopher frowned. “It is life and death. As you said earlier, Cassie, shouldn’t my friends mean more than my morals?”

  “You can satisfy both with what you’re doing,” Luke assured him.

  Christopher looked at Mack. “What do you say?”

  Mack scratched his beard. “Ah, hell’s bells, Christopher, what I said that last day we played Dragon’s Reign applies here, too. We can’t do this stuff without you. Your shields and healing have saved us countless times.”

  A genuine smile crossed Christopher’s face. “Thank you, Mack.”

  “Yeah, yeah. Just keep up the good work, and don’t let us die!” Mack told him.

  “I promise. Next level I believe I will get a Revive spell.” Christopher beamed as he said it.

  “Very useful.” Gloria, though, was looking at the staff in Christopher’s hand thoughtfully.

  “We should head in that direction.” Christopher pointed towards a meandering path in the woods. “To get to the area where Edmund’s goods were last seen.”

  As they all turned in that direction, Luke drew up by Gloria. She smiled at him, seemingly genuinely.

  He dropped his voice low as he asked, “What’s up with Marty’s old staff?”

  “What? I don’t know--”

  “Yes, you do. What made you look at Marty’s staff like that?” Luke pressed. He glanced to see if anyone else could hear them, but everyone was laughing and talking together up ahead.

  Gloria let out a sigh, as if she was doing this against her better judgment. “Manon’s staff is… special.”