by S. R. Witt
You have increased your mastery of the Hide in Shadows skill. (Rank 10)
“That’s your big plan?” The Key snarked. “You’re going to what? Just amble up to the city, climb over the walls, stay hidden all that time, find your way to the Burning Throne and claim the Dominion?”
You do what you’re good at. I sauntered across the open ground between my hiding place and the city walls. “Yep,” I whispered to the key, “that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
The guards didn’t notice me. I was 10 yards away from the walls when I realized why the Key had been so surly about my plan. The guards weren’t alone.
There were Templars on the walls, and they were a hell of a lot more perceptive than the doofuses manning the gates. They weren’t looking at me, not yet, but that wasn’t going to last. In just a few more seconds, one of them was going to turn his beady little eyes in my direction, and I’d more than likely be spotted.
“Told you,” the Key remarked.
“You’re so helpful,” I thought back at the Key. “Why didn’t you warn me about these assholes before we got this far?”
“What did you think I meant when I asked about your plan?”
If I didn’t need the Dominion so badly, I’d have chucked the egg as far away from me as I could throw it. Its annoying Brooklynite’s voice in the back of my head was more than I could handle. I did my best to ignore it and kept moving. When you don’t have any other options, it’s best to just plow ahead and hope things work out.
That’s actually terrible advice. Please don’t follow it.
The good news is, no one saw me.
The bad news is they didn’t see me because they were too busy paying attention to another intruder.
Shouts and alarms exploded from atop Frosthold’s wall, and I realized my fighting days were far from over.
A black shape darted up and over the wall, slashing a Templar’s throat as it vanished from sight.
Corvus. Fucking Corvus.
She knew where I was headed and had come to cut me off before I could get there. She was taking a terrible risk coming back here and making such a spectacle of herself, but I knew the aryx didn’t do anything without a plan. If she was raising a ruckus and attracting attention, she meant to do that.
I needed to figure out why, before it was too late.
If it wasn’t already too late.
Taking advantage of the distraction she’d created, I scurried forward and clambered up the wall before I lost my nerve. The guards had all shifted position to try and cut her off, which left the wall next to the gate wide open. I knew the guardhouse was inside that wall, which would make it a short drop from the wall to the shingles. From there, I could get to the storm sewers. Then it wasn’t all that far to the Burning Throne.
I crossed the top of the wall with a quick jump, landed on the roof, rolled forward, slipped off the shingles and onto the cobblestones, and ran for the open sewer grate in the alley.
I expected something terrible to happen at any moment. I expected arrows to rain down around me, or the priestess’ spell to freeze me in my tracks, so the Templars could come and collect me.
None of that happened.
The guards were shouting, and the Templars were chasing after Corvus, which left me free to do what I’d come to do.
I slipped through the open sewer grate and vanished. Just like that, I was off the streets and safe in my natural surroundings. I was shocked I’d made it.
All I had to do was get the key to the Burning Throne, and the Dominion was mine.
You really think it’s going to be that easy, kid?
“It never is,” I grumbled.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
There was something wrong. I didn’t know what it was, or when it was going to catch up to me, but there was something wrong in the tunnels. The sewers beneath Frosthold were both too big and too complicated. I recognized the twists and turns that would take me to the Burning Throne, but there were other passages, as well, changes I hadn’t expected. The little town was becoming a city, and as a result, its infrastructure was growing, too.
I’d only been gone a few days, I didn’t see how it was possible for so many changes to be taking place, which made me wonder exactly what I’d missed while I was out.
There wasn’t time to concern myself with that, though. I had bigger fish to fry.
When I passed under the open storm grates, the sounds of chaos fell down around me like hailstones. The city streets were filled with shouts, panicked cries, and outraged demands. Something was going on up there, but I didn’t know what. I did know Corvus was behind it because that bitch was behind everything bad in my life in Invernoth.
Well, her and Indira. And the priestess.
I wondered if Indira had figured out the fast travel, or if someone else had turned me in for the reward. It aggravated me to think my friends, people who’d followed me on such a dangerous quest, could so quickly turn their backs on me when the chips were down.
Boy, were they going to feel like idiots when I pulled this off.
If I pulled this off.
It took me most of an hour to reach the Burning Throne. When I arrived, I knew I was screwed. The door was wide open.
There were only a handful of people who knew where the Burning Throne was and how to get inside its chamber. None of those people were my friends anymore.
Watch yourself in there, the Key whispered. Something’s off.
“Thanks for the tip, Captain Obvious. I’ll try to remember that.” If the Key wasn’t going to offer me any useful advice, I didn’t see any reason to be polite.
When I entered the chamber of the Burning Throne, the channels in the floor flickered with faint green phosphorescence. They pulsed like LED lights on a runway, flashing on and off in a steady march from the perimeter in toward the Burning Throne.
All I had to do was put the Key on the throne, and I was done. I’d be the king of Frosthold.
Maybe not king. Whatever they called it. Mayor? Governor? President?
I’d make my own damned title when I took control of the Dominion.
Emperor sounded good. Emperor Saint, first of his name, ruler of Frosthold, Master of Shadows.
Corvus emerged from the shadows behind the Throne, and my thoughts turned darker.
She couldn’t smile, not with that beak of hers, but there was a twinkle of merriment in her eyes. She seemed playful, not at all the aggressive, domineering enemy I’d faced every step of the way to this point. I drew Mercy’s short sword from my belt and aimed it at Corvus’ heart.
“Step away from the throne, and no one gets hurt.”
Corvus laughed. It was a rough, cawing sound, but there was genuine humor in the sound. It was startling after our protracted conflict to hear her acting like a normal human. Or normal aryx. I don’t know, it was confusing. “You think I came here to fight? I came here to warn you.”
That was a twist. Paranoia kept me from accepting anything Corvus said at face value, but she wasn’t drawing weapons, and she wasn’t making any effort to get closer to me. If she wanted a fight, this was a weird way to start it. “Out of the goodness of your heart?”
She laughed again. “You could say that. I came here to stop you, but I can’t force you to deny the Dominion. Just hear me out, and then make your own decision.”
I didn’t trust her, but talking was always better than fighting. “All right, let’s hear what you have to say.”
Green light pulsed through the channels on the floor. The longer I stayed here, the more intense it became. In the few moments we’d been talking, the lights had gone from a runway flicker to a steady, pulsing throb. The lights were still dim, but they also grew brighter with every second.
Careful, kid. The Key warned. This one’s tricky, and she’s trying to get inside your head. Maybe you should just put me on the throne and call it good.
It’s amazing how when people try too hard to convince you to do something, they o
ften push your decision in the opposite direction. Hearing the Key admit it wanted to be on the Throne made me wonder if it should get its wish.
I held my ground and nodded to Corvus to get on with her explanation.
“You know there’s no coming back from this?” Corvus held her hands a few inches from the surface of the Burning Throne. Waves of heat poured off the obsidian and ruffled the feathers that remained on her hands. As pulses of power poured into the Throne, it was living up to its name. “Once you accept the Dominion, you can’t back away from it.”
“Then why were you so hot to get your hands on it?”
Corvus clucked her tongue at me. “You’re assuming I had a choice. You think I wanted this?”
That was a twist I hadn’t seen coming. Confused, I leaned back against the wall and did my best to keep my hand from hauling the key out of my backpack. The urge to hold it was so powerful, I knew it was in my best interest to resist it. “You trying to tell me someone was twisting your arm this whole time?”
Corvus gave me a brisk nod. She opened her hands, to show me she wasn’t holding any hidden weapons. Her skin was blackened and wrinkled with burns, the feathers scorched away. “This wasn’t my plan. I was sent here to do a job. You screwed it all up, but you don’t have to ruin your own life like you ruined mine.”
“A bit dramatic, aren’t you? It’s a game.” I felt a little guilty about throwing that in her face after all the times it’d been done to me.
This was my life. Maybe it was hers, too.
“You know better than that. I know some things about you, Adam. Things you probably don’t want anyone else to know, and things you might not even know yourself.”
Hearing my real name come from that beak was like a splash of cold water thrown in my eyes. A shiver ran down my spine, a visceral reaction that made my whole body tense. “Who told you that name?”
She steepled her fingers and lowered her head. “I tried to warn you. I told you to let this go. But you’re like a dog with a bone, aren’t you?”
Fear transformed into rage. “Who do you work for? Who sent you?”
“Now you’re beginning to see the picture. That question is more important than you know. We don’t have much time, so there’s no sense trying to explain it all to you, but I work for some people who want to see this world changed. They’ve invested a lot of money in Dragon Web Online, and they’d like to get some of that money back.”
My mouth felt like it was full of sand it was so dry. I could hardly swallow, much less speak. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m giving you a chance. Put the Key on the floor, and walk away.” She stepped away from the Throne, which had become so hot I could feel the temperature rising from the doorway. “Before it’s too late. Let someone else take over the Dominion before it destroys you.”
Exhaustion washed over me. I just wanted this to be over. “Even if I did, you couldn’t use it.”
Corvus paced the far side of the throne room. She watched me from the corner of her eye as if trying to decide how much to tell me. “We’ll have to perform the ritual again, that’s true. It will take more resources than my employers wished to expend on this endeavor, but we can undo the damage you’ve caused.”
“What’s the catch?” I wasn’t going to give up, but as long as she was talking, we weren’t fighting.
“This character will have to die, of course. It’s the only way to sever the threads that bind you to the Key. Once the pattern is no longer bound, we’ll perform the ritual again. It won’t be easy, but it’s doable.” She stopped and cocked her head to one side. “If you agree to do this, I am authorized to offer you a substantial sum of money for your trouble. You didn’t know what you were doing. You thought you were helping yourself. Helping the people of Frosthold. And your actions did keep the Hoaldites from gaining the Dominion. My employers are grateful for that.”
A faint crackle of static shot across my vision. It reminded me of a system message, but it wasn’t one I’d ever seen before.
Pending Balance Transfer: $150,000
That amount of money was insane. But if Corvus’ boss was willing to offer that much, there was a reason. “Why?”
Corvus clucked her tongue at me. “You know why. My employers want to get their money out of this system, and the only way to do that is to secure certain territories within the game world.”
None of this made any sense, but I didn’t know what else to do. “Forget it. I’m not going to let a bunch of Richie Rich goons come in here and take over the whole game.”
My words hit a nerve. Corvus recoiled from them, and her eyes went wide. “Who do you think made this? All my employers want is a return on their investment. If you believe that Dragon web Online is just a game for your amusement…”
I remembered Cringer’s words to me earlier. I thought about how this game had affected my life. “It isn’t just a game. Not to any of us. Which is why I’m not going to let you take control of this city. This is our place. If your bosses think they can waltz in here, wave some money under my nose and take it away, they’re insane. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
Corvus raised both hands and backed away from the Burning Throne. A hint of sadness seeped into her words. “They’ll never let you survive if you claim the Dominion. You don’t know who you’re dealing with. These are not friendly people.”
A deep, cleansing breath did little to calm my nerves. There was something wrong here, something I didn’t understand, but I couldn’t work it out.
The Key urged me to get on with it. You’re worrying too much about nothing, kid. Do what you came to do. Let’s get the show on the road.
Again, the Key’s words did nothing to assuage my guilt or lessen my concerns. If anything, I felt more conflicted than ever. There was no one I could trust. Everyone had their own motives, their own desires, and greedy wants.
But I had my needs, too. And the only way I could take care of my family was to claim the Dominion.
I pulled the Key from the pouch, walked to the Burning Throne, and nestled the egg into that massive chair’s seat. It clicked into position as if held by magnets. The narrow end pointed straight up, and the fatter end rested firmly on the Throne’s seat.
But nothing else happened. Corvus watched from the corner of the room. “Not quite what you expected? Thought there might be more fireworks? Something more spectacular?”
Her snide commentary was getting under my skin. The last thing I needed was some smart-ass monster mouthing off about my inadequacies. Things were tough enough without this kind of nonsense.
I closed my eyes and let my Thief’s Vision take over.
There was a thread binding the key to me. A thread binding the Throne to the room around it. A hundred threads, a thousand threads, led away from the room’s intricate pattern to other terminals scattered across the face of Invernoth. The Dragon Web was vaster than I’d imagined, and trying to follow those myriad threads made me dizzy and sick to my stomach.
But there was one thread I didn’t see.
Of course.
I’d forgotten the most important step. The Key’s pattern wasn’t tied to the Throne. I reached out and plucked a thread from the Key’s pattern, and eased it toward the. It shouldn’t take long, and once the connection was complete…
“Stop.” Corvus drew her hooked sword and brandished it. “Stop, or I’ll cut your fucking head right off your shoulders.
I couldn’t stop, not when I was so close to finishing this. The thread slipped through a hole in the Throne’s pattern, I just had to tie it off, and my work was done.
Corvus struck while I was distracted. Her sword plunged into my left side, punching through my leather armor as if it were tissue paper. The tip burst from my abdomen, exploding out of my flesh just to the left of my navel. My blood sprayed from the wound, boiling and spitting where it touched the Burning Throne.
A blast of agony turned my world red.
I str
uggled to maintain my grip on the thread and prayed I could finish one last knot before I died.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-THREE
I'd lost a lot of blood. It poured out of the wound Corvus had carved through my side and puddled around my feet.
Corvus ripped her blade out of me. A cold wind gusted through me, chilling me from the inside out. I was dying, and it was happening fast.
I’d expected a fight, but I hadn’t expected to come out on the losing end so quickly. I knelt before the Burning Throne, all of my remaining attention focused on tying off the thread. A numb dread at my impending demise made it difficult to manipulate magic on such a delicate level.
“Just die.” Corvus snapped. “Just die and let it go. This was never for you. This was our back door. Our way to regain control of the resources we’d invested in this stupid project. This isn’t for you.”
Her words enraged me. My whole life was filled with people telling me things weren’t for me. Telling me I was too poor. Telling me I didn’t deserve a world without fear and want.
I was done being told things weren’t for me.
This was mine.
I’d pulled it out of the shit and the blood with my own two hands, and I wasn’t going to be denied.
“Fuck.” I wrestled the thread into place, and the pattern snapped into focus. “You.”
Corvus screamed, throwing herself at me in a frenzy. “You idiot. You have no idea what you’ve done.”
A swarm of system messages flashed in front of my eyes, one after another. Dominion statuses whizzed by faster than I could comprehend. An entirely new menu bar snapped into place across the top of my UI, obscuring my vision for a moment before I could shove it out of the way. My experience points shot up like a rocket, flipping in and out of focus as the numbers escalated.
But Corvus’ attack kept me from focusing on any of that. Her hooked blade hissed and spun through the air, sparking where it hit the stone as I dodged out of the way. She struck again, knocking my short sword out of my hand. She sneered at me. “Kneel, and I will end this now. There’s no need to endure this pain. You have no weapon. No allies. You have nothing.”