“I have one condition that you must agree to before I give you the Sphere,” the Emperor said at long last. “You shall not follow in the steps of Carliori.”
“I have no desire to kill hundreds of sentients to get what I am looking for,” I replied immediately. “I don’t want to go down in history as yet another mad genius.”
“I will have a Herald deliver the Sphere to your castle the day after tomorrow at eight in the morning,” the Emperor said decisively and turned to Anastaria: “My condolences—this meeting is more useful to you than to me, so I am hereby revoking your right to receive an audience from me whenever you like. If Mahan succeeds in crafting the Stone, you will both receive this privilege. If not, you will have to go through the regular channels in the future. My friends, I dare not take up any more of your time!”
Anastaria returned to Nashlazar, promising to kill me if I didn’t manage to create the Stone, while I headed back to Altameda. I had received a notification about a letter that had arrived from a ‘trusted’ source—I knew very well which one. Leite had managed to call and inform me that he’d sent three hundred thousand gold, of which two hundred and fifty were for the two pieces of Epherite—an incredibly rare stone.
“Come here, Viltrius,” I summoned my majordomo. “Take off your robe.”
The goblin stared at me shocked, but at last began to remove the item he had grown so attached to. His eyes looked like he was removing a part of his soul along with his robe, so I felt like I needed to explain to the poor NPC what I had in mind:
“I have a Tailor acquaintance. I want to send your robe to him so that he can do some work on it and make it more presentable. I think it unfitting of a majordomo of a Level 24 castle to go around in an admittedly expensive yet fairly ordinary robe. I want to ask my friend to work his magic on it. He’s sure to do something wonderful with it. You don’t mind, do you?”
Viltrius began to shake his head so violently that his large ears began to slap against each other. As if he could have minded! As I had discovered, the majordomos of Malabar had their own tacit hierarchy along with their own meetings at which they would share experience. My goblin also attended these and I didn’t want to impair his standing…
Opening my mailbox, I penned an answer to Spiteful Gnum:
On the subject of reagents—sorry, I’ve been very busy and simply forgot. Attached, please find all the contents of your list—and in triple quantity to match the Imperial Steel I sent you. Hmm…Hang on, my majordomo here has fainted from hearing how much money I’m about to send you…Okay, I’m back. Getting the players you need is a bit harder. I don’t have anyone who’s Level 300+. I can scrounge up some people from Kartoss—where do you stand on the question of alignment? I don’t have any others. An enormous request—a favor—could you please embroider some ornament on this robe (attached)? It’s for my majordomo. The goblin keeps complaining that he can’t go out like this, that I’ve put him in an awkward position before his friends. I’d like to make him a present. We can figure out what I owe you for resources later. Mahan.
Well, let’s see how quick Gnum is on the uptake. I just let him know that I know more about him than he thinks. Now we’ll see what his reaction’ll be. By the way, I’m interested to see what he’s decided to create if the reagents alone cost so much money. Including the Imperial Steel, this whole thing has cost me three-and-a-half hundred thousand so far…The product better astonish me, or I don’t know what I’ll do.
The entire next day turned into one enormous conflagration…I would have never thought that we had so many Priests and Paladins. The players began arriving in Altameda in the early morning and were immediately relayed to Beatwick. First dozens, then hundreds, then thousands, the tens of thousands…By day’s end I was squeezed as dry as a lemon and incapable of doing anything else. I was more exhausted than I had been after a day’s worth of swinging the pickaxe at the mine. In the evening, having collapsed in my rocking chair and nodded in the direction of yet another group of players who wanted their pay and permission to take a stroll around the castle, I began to go through my mail. I was curious to see what Gnum would do with the robe. Evidently to remind me of his loss, Viltrius kept sighing deeply, shivering demonstratively and trying to get closer to the fire, even though it was fairly hot out.
I went through the chaff quickly, filtering out two unread letters. And while Gnum’s was expected, the letter from Kreel was about as expected as a draft notice to a septuagenarian. Unexpected and entirely unprompted…
Dear Mahan! Some circumstances surrounding a quest that I received and accepted as head of the Stepsons of the Abyss Clan compel me to invite you to participate. In issuing me the quest, a mutual acquaintance of ours has set the mandatory condition that ‘his children’ participate in this adventure. Enclosed, I am sending you a recording of my conversation with my employer. I invite you to meet with me at The Cross-Eyed Angler tavern outside Anhurs to discuss your clan’s participation in this event. Please let me know when you will have the time to do so. Sometime within the coming week would be best. Kreel. Head of the Stepsons of the Abyss.
The clan heads—they’re multiplying.
* * *
“Greetings, Kreel. My name is Aarenoxitolikus,” boomed the green Dragon. “You may call me Renox for short.”
“Greetings to you, oh Ancient Foe,” replied an enormous player who was about two-and-a-half meters tall. He began to make passes with his arms as if preparing a spell and something dark and foggy started to form behind Kreel, resembling Geranika’s Shadows. Gradually the effect changed and the darkness came to resemble a cape.
“Why such hostility?” Renox replied, paying no attention to the preparations Kreel was making to attack him. “I admit that Dragons were involved in your demise, but there’s no longer a conflict between us. We too have departed Barliona…Hmm, I think it would be best if your minions there take a smoke break while we chat,” the Dragon breathed a green flame in Kreel’s direction. It flashed brightly about halfway as if it had encountered a protective barrier, but didn’t stop and continued on its way, completely destroying Kreel’s dark cape. The player began to cast various spells at the Dragon, but they caused Renox no harm at all. In fact, Renox swallowed a lightning bolt that Kreel cast at him and even closed his eyes as if savoring it.
“A chat then?” said Kreel, having expended his mana pool.
“A chat it is,” hummed Renox and smiled a toothy grin.
“What do you need from me, Dragon?”
“I want to hire you to do this one delicate thing for me…”
* * *
The video ended, but I remained sitting, staring into nowhere. The footage had been shot in Barliona, yet Renox was not allowed to enter this world…Or is there something I don’t know? Why the hell would he get in touch with the inexperienced Kreel and not with me? What the hell is going on?!
Besides the video, the letter had one other attachment. Opening it, I saw the description of the quest that Renox had issued to Kreel:
Assassinate the Dragon Aquarizamax. Class: Unique. Description: Dragons are both wondrous creatures and the perfect killing machines. Geranika managed to discover the lair of one of the few Dragons remaining in Barliona. He corrupted his spirit, filling it with Darkness. And so the once proud Dragon began to transform into a Cursed Dragon of Shadow. Kill him before it’s too late…
Kreel didn’t include the rewards for this quest, but the description was enough to let me know that I needed to be involved. As soon as I finish with the Stone of Light, I’ll meet with Kreel. Plus I need to find out how he managed to bring Rogzar’s Crystal to Altameda…But first:
“Stacey, I need you. Urgently and in person…”
“Twenty minutes, no sooner…”
One head is good, but two—considering that the second one is very pleasant to look at and kiss—is better. We’re going to do this quest together—that’s for sure. I couldn’t care less what Nashlazar thinks about it.
Hello again! As far as alignment is concerned, I don’t care. The players could be from Shadow for all it matters. Believe me, in comparison to some of my critters, the Kartossian race are real beauties. Enclosed, please find your favor. Don’t worry about the resources I used—you don’t have them anyway. By the way—if you show this robe to Rick, you can forget that we know each other. I can say the same thing about the castle. I watched the video of the Azures’ assault—I can fix your gates. But I’ll warn you right off that it’ll take more than one oak. And that blathering dimwit needs to be kept as far away from me as possible—he drives me nuts! Forgive my sincerity in the matter. I’ll be waiting for the warriors at the coordinates below, tomorrow around two.
What a day! What did I do to deserve all these intrigues with Kreel and Gnum?
Getting my amulet and clenching my fists in the hopes that Evolett was still online, I made a call:
“Greetings! Sorry for such a tardy question, but I need your help again—I need people…”
“Ahem, Master?” Viltrius politely reminded me of his presence. He could see the glimmering item of textile in my hands. Evolett agreed to send me some people at the indicated time, so I managed to accomplish at least something today. I opened the item properties for the robe and couldn’t help but grin—Gnum had really put in the effort. If he makes the gargoyles with the same spirit, I’ll have to admit that he is worth the money I spent on him. The only thing I didn’t understand was why he thought that I found out about him from Rick and why he disliked him so much…
Parade robe of Bargo-Khan. Class: Epic. Attractiveness +20. Restrictions: Only for goblins.
You should’ve seen Viltrius’s eyes when he took the robe in his hands. There was so much devotion in them and such a readiness to die for his master that I even shivered a little—I had become something like a father, brother and god all rolled into one for my majordomo. Gnum encrusted the robe with small gems, added a drawing on the back that was stylized to resemble a goblin’s face, cuff links, a collar and a fringe of fur. He also added a hood and some kind of tassels…He even dyed it into a different color!
Anastaria had not yet shown up and I was getting sick of writing all this correspondence, so I wrote one more letter to Gnum, enclosing in it an amulet of communication. If anything, he may as well just call me…
The people will be there tomorrow. Make sure to meet them. The player in charge is named Clutzer. As for Rick, don’t worry—he and I don’t speak much after I stole this belt from him (link to belt). As for the gates—I’m already curious how long you’ve been playing this game? You’re an Architect, a Tailor and a Carpenter. And all three of those professions allow you to work with high-level resources. That’s pretty impressive…As for the blathering dimwit—why would you speak so poorly of Svard? I have a good working relationship with him, and he found nothing shameful about sharing information about a player who like us has stepped on the path of craftsmanship.
That’s it! Now no one will make lift a finger until tomorrow morning! I’m sick of it all!
“Dan, what happened?” instantly, as if following Murphy’s Law, sounded Anastaria’s voice.
“I’m sending you the quest description along with a video clip. Stacey, I need to know everything there is to know about this guy…Can you do it?”
It took the girl several minutes to figure out what had happened, so I wasn’t surprised by her answer: “I’ll figure it out…You know, Dan, since I’m here, we may as well…Are you going to perform your spousal duties or what?”
At least there was something I managed to accomplish all the way that day…
“The Emperor has sent you the Sphere.” The Herald’s bell tinkled halfway through my dreams, tearing me from Morpheus’ embrace. Without opening an eye, I reached out my hand and felt as something large and heavy was placed into it. Then came the clap of the portal, informing me that the Herald had vanished, so I made an inhuman effort and opened my eyes. Anastaria was already gone—I guess she’d fled back to Nashlazar or signed out to reality. Or perhaps she’s off wandering around the castle—a large-scale operation was due to begin in an hour and it was unlikely that the girl would miss such an event.
“Master,” Viltrius appeared right beside me. “Twenty-two thousand, three hundred and five Free Paladins and Priests have been shuttled to Beatwick during the past day. According to the inimitable High Priestess, there are another three hundred and forty Priests left, as well as seven hundred and twenty-three Paladins. Their teleportation is currently underway. As per your orders, none of the visitors were allowed to leave the castle, although 32 Free Citizens began to demand that we respect their right to free movement throughout Barliona, wishing to leave the castle. Four even attempted to break through by force, but Rorg and his guards promptly sent them back to Anhurs. There were no other incidents…”
“Thank you.”
“Master…” The goblin shifted in place, as if wishing to say something but not finding the courage to do so.
“Yes Viltrius?” I prodded the goblin to get on with it.
“Master, I have had the pleasure of serving in seven castles, but this is the only one in which I am treated like an equal. I have nothing to repay you with, except that you may withhold the second half of my annual salary if you wish. I am happy to work in Altameda, and 50% of my current salary will suffice.”
The goblin bowed and instantly vanished—no doubt something new had happened demanding his attention. It looked like I’d need Spiteful Gnum to do some more work—I had Rorg and his crew dashing about my castle in expectation of the second half of their salary. It might be a good idea to gift them some new capes too.
“Dan, everyone’s in position,” came a message from Anastaria. “I can summon you.”
“Do it. It’s time to get this show on the road.”
The bas relief that Elsa had shown me, didn’t depict anything very complicated. The ritual for creating the Stone of Light required us to form three circles: The Paladins would stand shoulder to shoulder with their backs to the center. The circle of Priests facing the center would stand within the Paladin circle and the Craftsmen would do the main deed in the very center. Why we had to form circles and what their purpose was remained a riddle clad in darkness. I guess we were about to solve it…
“Bossa!” shouted the goblin ghosts as soon as I appeared in the forest. My ghosts came dashing out from the nearby trees. “Bossa the mine is brokena! There’s no more ore!”
I was forced to snarl when I realized what had happened. It looked like the Priests and Paladins hadn’t succeeded in killing my workers, so they decided to turn their attention to the mine and see who could do more damage and cause more ruin.
“Stacey you have to stop those idiots. Kick anyone who resists out of the raid party!” I said and turned to Svard: “Here, take the Sphere. Start bringing the players into the unity. I’ll join you last.”
“Okay,” replied the Mage and stepped over to a separate crowd of players among which I had already noticed Chirona and Rick. I have to admit that however I felt about Rick, I couldn’t deny his mastery as a craftsman, so I was happy to see him there. It remained to be seen how he would do…
“Stacey, you have the most important task—I’m going to enter the unity and manage the players from there through you. I don’t know how to make a mob of that size do what I tell them, but I trust you can. Keep in mind that I need two circles…”
Stacey made a call on her amulet and in literally a minute four High Priests and three Paladin Generals approached us. Odd, I figured that Stacey was the most senior officer in her order…I explained the objective of the two circles surrounding the craftsmen and, to my deepest astonishment, the players which I had figured for an unmanageable mob of bunglers began to take their positions as if they had spent their entire lives practicing for just this maneuver. In less than ten minutes, the Paladins formed the outside circle about a hundred meters in diameter. The Priests needed mo
re time, but they managed to do it in half an hour. I would’ve never imagined that players could be this orderly.
“Clutzer, Magdey,” I called my two Raid Leaders while the circles were forming. “You will have the main task—in about an hour, a pack of wolves should come running through this place. You need to freeze them and keep them frozen until we craft the Stone. Under no conditions should they be killed—that’s critical!”
My warriors nodded and left the circle, while I sighed deeply and looked around one more time—the gigantic army of players had arranged itself in the required pattern and was prepared to start acting in unison. They weren’t about to attack each other or kill some mobs—they were going to work together, an endeavor in which the actions of one individual would determine the success of his neighbor. It was simply impossible to compare the inspiration I felt at this moment with anything else. Even in reality nothing was ever so immense, epic, captivating and simultaneously impossible. I was anxiously rubbing my palms against my jacket, despite the fact that they were physically incapable of sweating—my brain had begun to perceive the current events not as a part of a game, but as a part of reality in which I was to live and do battle. A mesmerizing sensation.
You have entered the unity.
One hundred seventy-three versions of myself stood facing me, awaiting my orders. One hundred seventy-three players had united their consciousnesses into one whole in order to create the Stone of Light…I was a genius Scribe, Sculptor, Tanner, Carpenter, Glazier…I was at once everyone and myself, floating above the other consciousnesses.
The Karmadont Chess Set (The Way of the Shaman: Book #5) LitRPG series Page 16