End Online: Volume 5

by D Wolfin

  Fortunately, the locusts giving off the emerald light move relatively slowly and are easy to avoid if one is careful. I only need to be careful with my speed so that I don’t rush toward one while trying to avoid another.

  A single slash takes down several locusts when placed properly. Sir Laurence and Matrix have the advantage with their larger swords, cutting down tens of locusts with a single strike. Fen attempts to make more numerous but smaller ice bolts, but apparently she can only make them so small.

  The rest of the monsters finally catch up to the locust swarm and attack us from all sides. The most deadly are the poisonous scorpions. Tens of arrows fly through the swarm of locusts from a score of ‘Sahar Tribesmen’ with bows.

  Fen saves the day, creating a wall of solid ice to protect from the arrows and even taking out a small section of the locusts.

  “The locust attacks do next to no damage!” Verde calls out in a melodic voice, singing praise to my ears. “Focus on the larger enemies!”

  I don’t know why, but something about Verde reminds me of her old self. The connection is somewhere in the back of my mind, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Before I can figure it out, our situation suddenly turns from bad to worse.

  Fen’s ice wall doesn’t last anywhere near as long as I had hoped. Cracks form along the surface like a spiderweb before the countless monsters forcibly break through.

  Seeing the small army in front of me, anxiety and hopelessness takes over my thoughts. In my heart, I know there is no possible way to survive this.

  I turn to Fen and plead, “Fen, please, escape from here. You cannot die here. You cannot die, ever.”

  The rest of the party looks at me strangely, but I do not care about their opinions at the moment.

  In response, Fen begins to glow with an ice-blue aura as a crystalline ball of ice forms in the sky. As we watch, several sharp points begin to emerge from within the ball. As soon as the ball is no longer round but shaped like a clove of needles, a thunderclap sounds.

  My jaw drops as thousands of icy needles launch at the area around us, impaling through nearly every monster surrounding us. The weaker monsters instantly die, including all the locusts and most of the Sahar.

  I turn and stare at Fen incredulously for unleashing such an attack. My stomach clenches as I see her crouching on the ground, panting to catch her breath. The corner of my vision reveals that not only did that attack take the rest of her mana, but half of her health points as well.

  “Fen, why would you do that if it costs so much?” I mutter unhappily.

  The wolf must have heard me. Fen looks toward me with unfathomable affection. Looking into her eyes causes a longing in my chest. I think of all the times I have woken up to find her attached to me, and realize that I no longer dislike it. Instead, I only want to experience it just once more.

  “Attack!” I roar while charging forward, using the battle to shake myself free of anxiety’s clutches.

  There is a slight pause, but my team still backs me up and attacks the remaining enemies. Fen’s cluster bomb killed most of them; the remainder are low on health and are easily killed.

  Another thunderclap sounds and the final scorpion dies, only this time the noise doesn’t come from Fen but CaptainGordon instead. Everyone turns to look for the source of the noise, only to see the pirate holding a strange looking pistol in his hand. The tip of the gun is still emitting smoke from the shot.

  ‘A gun?’ My thoughts must mirror everyone else’s, as they are also staring at the weapon with a blank look.

  “Umm, CaptainGordon, what is that?” I ask the pirate, still refusing to believe that there is a gun in this game.

  “It be a gun. Truly marvelous, ain’t it?” CaptainGordon responds, awash in pride.

  “We can see that. Where did it come from?” Mason is as confused as everyone else.

  “Made it me’self,” The pirate holsters the gun back underneath his coat and out of sight. “Hrmm, please don’t be spreadin’ rumors ’bout it. I don’t want unnecessary attention. I be never escapin’ then.”

  “Do not worry, your secret is safe with us,” I assure him as the shock of seeing a gun in a swords and magic game fades.

  Various loot litters the area, ready to be collected. As Fen is my companion, all her kills produce item windows for me, but since I am in a party, anyone else in the party can pick it up.

  “You are all already here and the battle is over?” MoonKite’s voice comes from just outside our group.

  I turn to find Mikhail and his party standing there looking around. It is convenient that they appeared only as soon as the battle is over. I wonder whether they were simply waiting for the right moment to appear.

  “Your timing is a little convenient, isn’t it? Judging by how fast you were travelling earlier, you should have arrived a while ago,” Mason reflects my thoughts to the other group.

  “We don’t have a mount to rush here as you do. When we saw that, we were no longer in such a hurry,” Mikhail states from beneath his helmet as if it is a matter of fact.

  Despite wanting to pursue the topic further, their party’s concerns are none of mine. Regardless, I still reflect the same expression rest of our party by looking at them with disdain.

  “We had best fill our water skins. I don’t know about you, but our water supply is starting to become more barren than this desert,” Mikhail states as he and his party leisurely walk toward the oasis.

  We silently follow behind them, but I angrily pray that the creator of this game spawns more enemies from the sand to attack them. With my plea unanswered, I begin to fantasize about attacking them and wiping them out. I only refrain because that isn’t the type of player I am.

  Everyone fills all their water skins with enough water to last several days. CaptainGordon marks our position on a map he has been creating with his ‘Cartography’ skill so we can return here for more water if we need to.

  A familiar feeling comes over me as I finish filling up my water skins and I look around expectantly. There are herbs nearby.

  Around the base of the trees, nearly hidden out of sight, are multiple herbs miraculously growing from the sand. Rushing over, I find a large quantity of ‘Red Medicinal Herbs’ and a new herb a tier higher than the last, ‘Purple Medicinal Herb’. There is an equal amount of both the red and purple medicinal herbs, giving me a large boost to restoring damage and creating potions for emergency use.

  I find several other herbs with unknown usages, but will most likely be used in cooking instead of concocting potions. There are more herbs of all kinds at the trees around other parts of the massive oasis, but the monsters in those parts have not been cleared yet so I can’t safely collect them.

  A single ‘Purple Recovery Potion’ requires three ‘Purple Medicinal Herbs’ and a vial of water. It also recovers an enormous amount of health points. To be exact, it’s 2520 points of health in twenty seconds.

  Predictably, the potion is a toxic purple color similar to that seen on the old cartoons when someone with no cooking skills attempts to make curry. The taste is just as off-putting. I sincerely feel bad for feeding one to Fen, but it is the fastest way to recover her lost health points.

  After discussing where to go next, we decide we will visit the pyramid dungeon before travelling further south. Mikhail vaguely implies there is something to the south, but refuses to confirm whether it is the truth or not. He claims it is just a rumor he overheard in a crowded street.

  Using CaptainGordon’s map as a reference, we begin backtracking toward the pyramids. I suggest simply following our footsteps in the sand, but Mikhail and Mason both point out that the wind has erased our tracks.

  Fen doesn’t carry us over the dunes since we are travelling with Mikhail and his party, but nonetheless, it is still relatively easy to head back in a straight line.

  Travelling the opposite direction as before, we easily climb the gentle slope of the dunes and slide down the opposite side. Walking back this
way is twice as fast as finding an accessible route to get here.

  Night falls as we approach the pyramids, so we decide to camp for the night before entering in the morning. I cook a dinner using the meat of a snake-like monster we came across during the day. There are no vegetables to be found in this desolate land, and my stock is completely empty, but trying a few new herbs as spices on the snake meat creates a delicious dish regardless.

  For the first time in a long while, I wake without Fen in my sleeping bag. It’s surprising to realize how lonely I feel. Right. Of course, in her wolf form it is impossible for her to join me. My imagination runs wild as I picture her returning to her human form and sneaking into my sleeping bag to hide her nudity. The thought causes a manly reaction. And then I blush.

  Of course, Fen still manages to irritate me upon waking. Unable to join me in the bed, she has curled her body around me in my sleep and effectively smothered me. Due to the system assisting my sleep, I do not wake as what she did does not register as an attack, but upon waking I find myself unable to breath and enter into a violent coughing fit. The rest of the party arise at the same time, and comically look at my odd display.

  After packing up all our belongings and storing them back in our inventories, we head toward the nearest pyramid. The entrance to the pyramid is far too small to allow Fen entrance and I am forced to ask her to stand guard outside. She rampages for a while, trying to prevent me from entering, but eventually relents. She lies down next the the entrance, emitting a terrifying aura while glaring at me. I feel pretty guilty for not staying by her, but the party needs me and Fen will be safe here.

  As we enter, my pulse quickens in excitement. I am always eager to explore a new dungeon, but something about this one has me particularly enthused.

  Small flames burn in pockets carved into the sandstone walls, providing the passage with flickering light. The air is also arid and stale, since not a single breeze blows through to alleviate the heat.

  The entrance passage abruptly comes to a halt and we enter a cube-shaped antechamber. The walls are covered with glyphs in a cryptic pattern.

  “Lost? Is everything okay? We are heading on,” Mason’s voice sounds from somewhere behind me.

  I realize I have been staring at the symbols on the wall for a long time and completely forgot about the passage of time. The others have been waiting patiently, but even patience has its limit.

  “Ah, sorry. I will be right there,” I find it difficult to remove myself from the wall, eventually having to forcibly shut my eyes and turn around.

  Entering Emperor Rahad's Tomb

  The message appears as I leave the antechamber and head deeper into the pyramid. The passage widens to about ten meters. Flames still flicker from the inlets on the sandstone wall, but a black fog dims the light and prevents us from seeing more than twenty meters in front us.

  The dungeon is like a labyrinth, one branch splitting off into three, then those splitting off into three more. Of the nine eventual paths, four end up connecting together and causing us to end up back where we started, two more result in dead ends, and the remaining three split up into even more passages leading into the dark and decrepit unknown.

  CaptainGordon’s impressive mapmaking skills are a beacon of light, forming an accurate depiction of the passages we have used, and even showing passages we haven’t yet travelled.

  As we go deeper, we discover countless traps set up throughout the tomb. They are unlike anything I have encountered in other dungeons; three times as frequent, and twice and deadly. I expect nothing less from an emperor’s final resting place to fend off graverobbers. Are we actually conquering a dungeon, or simply hunting for the deceased’s treasures?

  The monsters are problematic. Around every corner, just after escaping a trap, sometimes even during a trap, they appear. Rotted skeletons and mummies with four arms crawl out of small openings along the base of the walls, while tens of giant scarabs will skitter down from the ceiling. One of the traps drops a total of seventeen four-armed mummies around us and nearly kills Matrix when he is caught by surprise.

  I severely berate Mason and ask if his trap detection skill is even equipped after countless near death experiences, but considering the monsters in this dungeon range from level 200 to 300, his trap detection skill isn’t high enough to detect the traps before they are triggered. He still detects a couple of them, and his skill levels up multiple times as a result.

  We all gain between four to seven levels in the dungeon and a couple of stat point increases before we reach the final boss room.

  The final crypt of Emperor Rahad’s tomb is extremely well lit by roaring flames along the perimeter. The dome shaped walls also have the ancient symbols chiselled into them, all the way up to the epicenter of the roof where a carving of the night sky resides.

  Mason hits me over the back of the head to bring my attention back to the boss who rises from a three meter long sarcophagus. Emperor Rahad clearly never passed on to the next life and decided to become an undead mummy of giant proportions to eliminate any and all intruders.

  The boss towers three meters above me. A dozen cloth bandages begin to slowly unwrap from his body. Once the bandages reach near the ground, they stop unravelling. Looking closely, I realize that each bandage is vibrating at a unique frequency.

  ‘Hmm, that’s strange.’ A hint of danger enters my mind as I focus on Emperor Rahad.

  Each and every bandage turns into a weapon that seems to have a mind of its own. They are as strong as steel and extend to up to five meters in length. Rahad also uses a sacred art that allows the bandages to penetrate into the ground and emerge anywhere in the chamber like spears. Each of his dozen cloth bandages can use the sacred art individually, or they can all use it at once. Either method is an unexpected attack and nearly impossible to block.

  In addition to the independent movement of his bandages, Emperor Rahad also uses various fire magics to control the battlefield, from homing fireballs to minor volcanic eruptions on the floor.

  The final boss room is only twenty meters in diameter, and anywhere within five meters of the boss is a danger zone which leaves very little room for evading him. The only reason we all barely manage to survive is the fact that Emperor Rahad moves quite slowly. Due to the boss’s insanely large health pool, killing him is a difficult proposition that could result in any of us dying at any given moment.

  Mason’s arrows do little as the steel-like bandages respond automatically to block any long ranged attack. It still manages to occupy a few of the boss’s weapons and slow down its attacks while we attack from close range. Sir Laurence and Mikhail focus on defense and healing as we slowly whittle away Emperor Rahad’s health. The process is long but we eventually manage to bring him down.

  The boss doesn’t drop any loot upon death, but a large amount of treasure is found in his sarcophagus. The game enforces fairness in splitting the rewards by allowing each person to find three or four items that only they can pick up. Of course, you can trade the items or give them away as you please afterwards.

  When I inspect the sarcophagus, I find two ‘Unique’ items of women’s clothing which go together as a pair, an ‘Epic’ sceptre, and a ‘Unique’ whip. With a confused look, I stare at the skirt and a top. For some reason, I suspect that someone placed these here knowing that Fen needs new clothes.

  Despite acquiring dozens of ‘Common’ crafting items, weapons, and rag-like armor, the inspection I give the boss rewards is much more profound.

  Sergral Royal Skirt

  A female skirt from a lost ancient civilization. This attire was frequently worn by the wealthy and nobles. The fabric is made from the skin of a desert hydra which are known for their toughness and immunity to fire.

  Gems inlaid in the skirt were thought to repel harmful diseases and poisons. This was never proven and something only the population of Sergral believed in.

  Requirements:

  ~ Level 180

  ~ Female
>
  Defence: 52

  Durability: 78/78

  Weight: 6.3 lbs

  Fire Resistance: +50%

  Abilities:

  ~ Immunity to all minor diseases and poisons.

  ~ Movement +20%

  ~ Ice affinity spell damage +20%

  Sergral Royal Top

  A female summer top from a lost ancient civilization. The temperature of the ancient capital Sergral was always high.

  The material is from the skin of a burrowing sand scorpion that would hide from the sun beneath the desert. It provides little defense but will help keep the wearer cool.

  Requirements:

  ~ Level 180

  Defence: 17

  Durability: 38/38

  Weight: 12.3 lbs

  Abilities:

  ~ Halves the depletion of satiety.

  Will also cool down the wearer's body drastically in hot weather.

  ~ Movement +10%

  ~ Ice affinity spell damage +10%

  Emperor Rahad's Sceptre

  A sceptre used by Emperor Rahad when he ruled over his kingdom. The sceptre was said to provide a connection between the emperor and the gods.

  The sceptre is one of thirteen made from an ancient tree that was found growing in the middle of the desert. Thirteen men worked for thirteen days to chop the tree down and carve these sceptres.

  This sceptre is 2.1m long.

  Requirements:

  ~ Level 255

  ~ Str 32

  ~ Int 62

  ~ Mnd 35

  Weapon Type: Staff

  Attack: 125 – 134

  Durability: 94/94

  Weight: 12.5lbs

  Abilities:

  ~ Mana cost of spells is halved

  ~ Spell damage +35%

  ~ Wielder may pledge allegiance and join the religion of the sun god Seref

  ~ Can use Seref religious spells

  ‘Actually, would she even wear this?’ I wonder to myself with a wry smile.

  The skirt is made from a brown hemp-like cloth with a single cord on the side to tie it at the waist. It will only reach halfway down her thighs with short slits at either side that allow for easy movement and are quite eye catching. Along the hem of the skirt is thin golden trim inlaid with several rubies.