by Matt Ryan
The shop’s windows quickly filled with smoke and the flames erupted, shattering a window and sending the black smoke up the plastered wall outside. I couldn’t blink as I watched the flames grow. Was that lady still in there? Was there a back door?
A person blew a whistle from down the street and soon a man and woman were at the flaming entrance to the tannery.
The woman wore a blue dress with white edges. I inspected her: Level 55 Caster. She had a blue staff in one hand that she raised in the air. The whole staff turned white and the wind picked up; I gasped for air, as if my very breath was being pulled from me. The air got frigid. I fell to my knees and stared as the smoke swirled around the point of her staff.
Then it stopped all at once.
The flames were out, and even the smoke was gone. I sucked in a deep breath and lunged back into the alley. Peeking one last time, I saw the owner of the shop stagger from the store and collapse into the arms of the man. He had a red vial out and poured it into her mouth.
+5 Evil
I could agree with those points. After hurting the woman’s business, I deserved it. My heart pounded and I felt as if I couldn’t catch my breath. But I knew one thing, I needed to get out of there. I turned and ran, using my dash where I could.
I’d wanted to end the quest forever, but I never wanted to ruin her entire shop. I’d find a way to pay her back one day, but for now, I needed to get a Shadow clan spec and move on with Sephorus’s job.
Feeling bad, I hoped I had at least completed the quest.
Chapter Twenty-One
I sat at the table and told Lukin what I did. He laughed and shook his head. “Well, you didn’t just ruin a player’s quest, it sounds like you ruined everyone’s quests, along with a merchant shop. You’re lucky you didn’t get caught. They’d probably string you from a tree and let the Muttles lick you to death. I have to say, I’m impressed.”
Quests complete: Sabotage quest and impress Lukin.
+ 150 XP
“So, does this mean I’m in?” I asked.
He leaned back in his chair and took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes. “I’m not some warehouse trainer like you’d find in the city. I train out here, and offer something distinctive and rare. In fact, there isn’t another person in this realm who can teach you what I can, and that involves learning how to be a Shadow Caster.”
I nearly fell from my chair. “What do you mean?”
“You see, the person who sent you knows some of the secrets of this world. And since he sent you my way, it must mean you’re special. So, here’s the deal. I will teach you some of the basics to Shadow Casting, as you are just a pup and I don’t want to incinerate you.”
“Thank you.”
Lukin reached back and grabbed a scroll from a shelf behind him. He placed it on the table. “If you touch this, it will absorb into you, and you will become a Shadow Caster.”
“Before I touch it, can you tell me a bit about what it is to be a Shadow Caster, versus a regular Shadow clan member?”
“It’s good to ask questions, but keep in mind—most people would pay a small fortune to be where you are right now.” He stood up and moved his arms around in a circular motion. “I will show, instead of tell.”
Mesmerized by his motions, I stayed seated. Then Lukin thrust his arms forward and I felt a burst of energy crashing into me like a car. The impact sent me, the table, the books, and much of everything else, flying backward.
I was stunned and couldn’t move, as Lukin walked up to me. Picking me up with one arm, he snapped his fingers and everything went black. I felt him let go of his hold on me, and I crashed to the floor.
Reaching out, I scrambled to find my surroundings in complete blackness. I was blind. Grabbing hold of a wooden chair, I got to my feet and reached out for something familiar. Then I heard another snap of his fingers and the world came back to full color.
“What the hell?”
Lukin moved forward, but I stumbled away, until my back hit the wall. He then produced two daggers that glowed green and had something dripping from the tips. He had one in each hand, before he threw them at me.
The daggers zoomed through the air, forcing me to come to terms with my early death. I closed my eyes, only to have them pop back open when I heard the daggers strike the wall. Looking down, I saw how they’d caught the edges of my shirt, effectively pinning me to the wall. I checked my HP and I was still alive—not so much as a scratch.
Lukin moved his hands in an X pattern, and thrust them at me. A black trail of smoke smacked into me, invading my mouth and nose. I screamed, but no noise came out, as the wispy, black streams filled my insides, making it impossible. My stomach heaved, but nothing came up. It just choked up in my throat, making me heave again. I couldn’t breathe, and my body went into convulsions as I kept dry heaving, trying to purge the intrusion. While I searched for my log off option, Lukin pulled his hands back, and with it, all the black smoke.
-197 HP
I canceled the menu and breathed hard, trying to slow my heart so it wouldn’t explode. The old man was exceedingly more powerful than I could have ever imagined. I couldn’t do a single thing against him, and it put a fire in me like no other game ever had. I wanted to be better. I wanted to learn everything, and not just for Sephorus, but for myself. I wanted to learn everything Lukin had just showed me. I felt I could take on the Queen myself with that kind of power. I wanted more.
I yanked the daggers off the wall and carried them back to Lukin. “That’s Shadow Casting?”
He took them and they disappeared into his sides. Nodding, he said, “A small sample. It’s a powerful form of Shadow, but you were right to ask questions. The path doesn’t allow you to get all the abilities that you would with a normal Shadow path.”
“What would I be giving up?” I asked.
“I’m not giving you a full rundown.”
“Is it more powerful?”
“Wielded by the right person, with the right ability, they may be unstoppable. It will be a slower path as well, but more rewarding in the long term.” Lukin lifted the table back up and placed the scroll on the table. He pointed at it and raised his eyebrows in question.
After that display, I didn’t need to think about it anymore. I reached down and picked up the scroll. Pulling on the red ribbon, I unrolled it. The paper burst into a million pieces and floated into me. I felt the change as soon as it entered my body, as if the words were defining me.
I checked my stats and saw the mark of Shadow Caster listed. I looked at it for my first spell to cast and saw a deflection spell.
“What’s this?” I used the deflection spell and a book fell over.
“That ability is probably one of the better ones. You can’t use it on everything in the environment, but there are many times when you just want to provide a simple distraction to avoid detection. Most of what a Shadow Caster does is in the shadows. We are the killers in the dark. Our victims never see us.”
I looked further down and saw the passive ability.
Walk in the shadows to avoid detection.
“So, if I stay in the shadows, people can’t see me?”
“Depends on how high their perception is, and how well you can hide.”
“Cool.” I went down the list of stat bonuses. “What would you put my points in?”
“That’s for you to decide.”
I used the deflection spell again and pushed another book over. “When do I get the cool push spell, or that dagger throw thing? Ooh, or the tendrils of death?”
“When you’re ready for them. First, you must get some clothes. Do you know why they wear hoods? It creates its own shadow.”
“You don’t wear one,” I observed. “Why?”
He smiled and moved his hand above him. A cloud of blackness moved over him, and he disappeared. I moved, trying to see him, and when I squinted, I saw the edge of something that might have been him.
Then he breathed out a heavy breath and reapp
eared. “You see? As a Shadow Caster, you don’t need hoods or robes, or any of those parlor tricks; you create your own shadows.”
I never wanted to master a spec more than this one. My mind raced with the possibilities in this world. But first, I had a favor to fill and a job to complete. I hadn’t received the reputation of being an honest farmer by screwing over my benefactors, and I wasn’t going to start now.
Sephorus needed a piece of the Spider Queen’s heart, and I intended to get it. He’d said that would help in getting into Trinity Hall, where the real treasure of this world rested.
“So, what now?” I asked.
“Go to the Shadow clan house and report to Denton. He might not like the path you’ve chosen, but you are Shadow, so he will have to acknowledge you and give you another quest. But don’t think he won’t try to make your life hard.”
“Okay. I’m sort of used to that.” I hesitated to ask the next question. “What about the reward? You said if I impressed you . . . .”
“I’m glad you’re asking. It shows you have gumption, no one’s going to push you around.” Lukin went to a book case and pulled a book out. The case slid open and revealed a safe. He placed his hand on the screen and a massive metal door opened. He pulled out a wooden box. While he was doing this, I got a good look at the inside of his safe, and saw various boxes, weapons, and scrolls stuffed in there.
He closed the safe, then brought the wooden box over to me and set it on the table.
I went to it and pulled open the wooden lid, revealing a rather large egg inside. “What’s this?”
“Did you know you can take on a companion in this world?”
“A companion?”
“A pet you can call on for help. If you get the right one, you can do some amazing things.”
I stared at the egg. “Do I just break it open?”
“Yes, and the second you do, whatever companion resides in there is what you get.”
I picked the egg up and cracked the side of it on the table. Then I split it open carefully and let the contents of the egg glide onto the soft bundle inside the wooden box. A baby bird chirped and stood on its two feet. It looked kind of like a bird of prey with its pointy beak and large talons, but it only had a few scraggly feathers.
“What is it?”
Lukin leaned over the table with wide eyes and stared at the bird. “You have no idea how lucky you are. That’s a Dire Eagle.”
“A Dire Eagle. Don’t those get huge?”
“She’s going to get big, but not as big as the males. It is now my turn to be envious of you. You make sure to do everything you can for her. Treat her as a member of your party because she deserves it.”
“I will,” I said and patted the bird on the back of the head. She bit my finger. It didn’t hurt, but I pulled it away quickly, as she might want more.
“Wait, you still have that aging wand from the quest, don’t you?” Lukin asked.
I checked my inventory and I did have it. I brought it out and held it.
“Use it on her.”
“It killed those Linx.”
“Bitter Linx can’t age, so it makes them dissipate. This bird here can, and she will be useful now, if you use that on her.”
“You sure it won’t hurt her?”
“Positive,” Lukin said, but I heard a bit of doubt in that.
I sighed. “Sorry, girl, I hope this doesn’t hurt you.” I tapped the wand on the bird’s head. She screeched and tried to bite the wand, but the wand disappeared from my hand.
Then she grew and grew, until she stopped at about the size of a small cat. Her feathers filled out and she turned a darker shade of brown with a black beak and golden eyes.
“Name her, quickly,” Lukin said, and I struggled to find a name. “Quickly, or you’re going to lose her.”
“Moonchild,” I blurted out, and the bird flapped her wings. Then her name appeared in front of me.
Companion: Dire Eagle
MOONCHILD
“Moonchild? What kind of name is that?”
“I don’t know, you pressured me.” I didn’t really want to get into what it meant. But it reminded me of the few memories I had of my birth mom.
“A name is only a name. The actions we take under that name creates what it means to those around you. Did you know I hate the name Jeffrey? It’s because the Jeffrey I know is an asshole. It’s tainted the name for me.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” I thought of Trevor.
“Here is a cage for her. You can put her in your inventory, just like any other item, but she is a living thing, so treat her as such. She’ll need to eat, and want to stretch her wings out every day.”
I took the case, but Moonchild jumped up on my shoulder and flapped her wings in my face.
“Beautiful,” Lukin said, his hands steepled under his chin. “You are one lucky bastard.”
She then pooped, and some of it splattered on the floor. I didn’t need to look to know some of it had dribbled down my back too.
“Yes, majestic,” I said plucking feather bits from my mouth. Then she flapped her wings again, hitting me in the face. “How do I . . . ?” I pointed to the case.
“Just tell her to get in there. You’re her master.”
“Moonchild, please get into your cage,” I said and she hopped inside. Then I put it all in my inventory.
“Go see Denton now. I wish I could see his face when you show up,” Lukin said. “Oh, and keep to yourself for a bit longer, as they will kill your friends if they try to enter without a quest telling them they can enter.”
QUEST: Search out and find Denton, the Shadow clan master.
Chapter Twenty-Two
It wasn’t hard to find the Shadow clan. A few questions from the guards and I got right there.
The building itself wasn’t much to look at, with two stories, one door, and no windows. More like the school house I went to once a month, versus a mighty Shadow clan house. I wondered if maybe I had been given the wrong directions. Then I saw the carved shadow logo right on the door. Much like what Lukin had on his.
A few players eased out of the door and tiptoed across the street and into a shadow. From there, they ran from shadow to shadow. It was entertaining to watch how they’d almost disappear, then reemerge, only to do it again. I wondered if my points in perception were the only reason I could see them or maybe they just weren’t that stealthy.
Thinking of my abilities, I needed to use the ten attribute points I still had sitting in my inventory. Pulling up my screen, I threw five points into perception, for a total of twenty-five. Then tossed the last five into dash. I figured those couldn’t hurt me in the Shadow Casting business.
I went to the door and wasn’t sure if I should knock or not. Choosing to be bold, I opened the door. Taking a few steps inside I paused to take in the large space in front of me. Much larger than what appeared to be outside. At the far side of the great room, a wide staircase ran up to the second floor, where a balcony wrapped around the room, overlooking it.
Dark-stained wood covered the floors, much of the walls, and the railing. The walls had banners hanging from them, displaying a cloaked figure performing different actions. Clusters of clan members were spread around the room, hanging out on the balcony and around the main floor. Many shot glances my way.
A man burst through a double door near the staircase and everyone moved to the sides of the room, giving him as much space as possible. I couldn’t see his face through the shadow of his hood, but from his gait alone, I could tell the man was mad.
“Denton?” I asked, trying to give my best, welcoming smile.
About ten feet short of me, he stopped. Pulling back his hood, he revealed his raven black hair and short beard. His orange eyes glared at me.
“Where did you get that spec?”
“Lukin.”
The name shocked him even more. “There hasn’t been a Shadow Caster in this building in . . . .”
I thought he was
going to say more, but he didn’t. I took a step forward, wondering if I had done something wrong. “I have a quest to turn in. I was sent here to meet you.”
“So you have,” Denton said.
Quest Complete!
+40 XP
You met a person. Congrats.
I checked my XP meter and saw I was close to leveling again.
Denton walked closer, gazing at me from top to bottom. He was a few inches shorter than me, but I didn’t need to inspect him to know he could kick my ass without breaking a sweat.
“You aren’t the same as us. Lukin shouldn’t have sent you here. What you are is an abomination to the clan,” Denton said.
“I—I . . . ,” I stammered trying to find the right the words. Lukin had said they wouldn’t like me, but this man seemed to hate me.
“Spit it out,” Denton said. “Are you as dumb as your spec?”
“Lukin said you would help me. I’m looking to get to Spider Island and I need—”
Denton laughed and said, “I know what you want. You want my permission. Well, it doesn’t come easy. I may have to use you, but I get to choose the way.”
“Just tell me what it is, I can do it.”
“You’re going to have to prove to me you are worthy of these halls,” Denton said, loud enough for the group at large to hear. “There is something I need done. A wrong to the Shadow clan has been performed and I need you to correct it.”
“Okay, what is it?” I waited for the quest to pop up but it didn’t.
He walked closer to me. Close enough I could feel his breath on my face as he spoke softly. “A man has broken a contract with us. A crime punishable by death.”
“You want me to kill someone?”
“Yes . . . Butcher Bob,” Denton said.
“If I do this, then I want a permission slip for Spider Island.”
He laughed. “Done.”