Clapping his hands together, Jason rose from the boulder he had been using as a chair. “But no sense dwelling on the past. We may as well get back to work.”
Rex chuckled dryly at him from where he leaned against the stone wall. “You were always pragmatic to a fault. There’s something to be said for stopping to smell the corpses every once in a while,” Rex suggested, his jaw clacking together as he laughed at his own joke.
With a grin of his own, Jason’s hands darted through the movements of his Undead Devotion spell. Ever since he had cast the spell on the villagers in Peccavi, it had felt different somehow. He couldn’t place his finger on exactly what felt off about it, but he had a niggling suspicion that the spell wasn’t meant to be used in the type of mass-casting activity he was currently engaged in. He felt that it was meant to be more personal. On the other hand, that might have also been Alfred’s alien memory warping his perception of the spell.
Perhaps, long ago, the former undead leaders had the luxury of casting Undead Devotion on one individual at a time in some sort of ritualized ceremony. That wasn’t the case now. Jason was in a fight to ensure the survival of the undead race. He would do what he had to in order to accomplish that goal.
Dark mana pulsed and crawled up his arms as dark clouds hovered in the air above the pile of corpses. Guttural words poured from Jason’s lips in an unintelligible stream, and his hands darted and wove around each other. As he completed the spell, bolts of black lightning arced from the miniature storm cloud, striking the prone bodies.
Jason watched impassively as a new group of undead entered the world. Their milky white eyes and soulless black orbs surveyed the cave in confusion. Since they had been players previously, these NPCs woke with no memories of their former life. Interestingly, Jason had discovered over the past few hours in-game that some undead were reborn with the same skills as the former players. However, this was rare. Most were simply blank slates, waiting to be carved into a wholly new person.
“Hello,” Jason said as he approached the group. He had been through this speech several times. “I expect you are confused and uncertain why you are here.”
Jason pressed a hand to his chest. “Please give me a moment to explain. I have given you a new life. You have been born into this world as the members of a new race. You are the undead. You do not breathe, you do not sleep, and you do not eat.”
He took a deep breath before continuing, reminding himself to make eye contact with as many of the new undead as possible. “Most importantly, you are kin. We fight, die, and live for one another.”
“Aren’t we already dead?” one man asked in a snarky voice, eyeing his decaying white arms skeptically.
Jason laughed. “Fair point. However, you can still die in this new body. It’s best to remember that. You are immortal until fate or circumstance decides otherwise.”
“And who are you?” the same man retorted, jabbing a digit in Jason’s direction.
“My name is Jason,” he answered simply, his tone growing colder at the man’s rude tone. “Which brings me to my next point. You have a choice before you. You may either follow me or go your own way. With me, you will be provided a home, an education of your choosing, and a purpose in this new life. If you leave, I cannot guarantee your safety.
“The other races of this world most likely will not welcome you with open arms. You will almost certainly be reviled and treated as a monster, possibly even hunted and killed. Yet with me, you will have your freedom and my protection. That is my promise to you.”
One of Jason’s zombies drew a rough line in the dust that lay upon the cave floor, creating a boundary between Jason and the new group of zombies before rejoining the other minions that surrounded Jason. “You must choose now,” he continued. “This decision will be the most important one you will ever make. I will not tolerate traitors or dissension in my ranks. Choose wisely.”
The crowd of undead shifted uneasily. Yet a few voices shouted out. “We will follow you.” Several undead pushed their way forward through the group and crossed the line. The undecided soon followed their lead. Jason almost chuckled as he watched the man that had challenged him shuffling across the dusty line, casting wary glances in his direction.
As Jason observed the last of the undead walk across the threshold, his voice cascaded through the cave. “Welcome young ones. You are now citizens of the Twilight Throne. You are now kin!” he shouted.
“All hail the Twilight Throne!” Rex shouted from his side, raising his fist into the air. His chant was soon picked up by the newly-minted undead. The shouts of Jason’s new followers swiftly grew to a crescendo, filling the small cave.
Jason smiled as he watched the fledgling undead. A familiar, crackling voice echoed in his mind. “They will serve the darkness well,” it whispered. Jason ignored the fragmented memory, shaking his head gently.
He wasn’t surprised that all the undead had decided to join him. This had happened many times over the last few hours. Desperation and confusion were powerful motivators. He set to work giving instructions to the new group, explaining what waited for them outside the dungeon. Jason also assigned a few of his own zombies to assist Rex in guiding the new recruits to the surface. It was important to time the resurrection and travel of his new group with the players’ approaching respawn. The last thing he wanted was his fledgling citizens caught in the crossfire. As Jason completed his preparations, Frank and Riley entered the cave.
Frank called out as they approached. “New group, huh?”
“One of many,” Jason said, eyeing the new undead. His remaining zombies stood around him in a tight formation but parted as Frank and Riley walked toward him. Jason had grown more paranoid of late. Being hunted by most of the players in the game did that to a person.
Riley watched the reborn men and women as they began making their way up the narrow ramp that ran along the side of the cave and shuffling into the narrow tunnel leading up into the ruined city. Their eyes shone with hope despite their circumstances, and they spoke among themselves animatedly.
“It’s interesting to watch this ritual. They’re always reborn with such optimism,” she said.
Jason glanced at Alfred. “I expect that the game’s AI has something to do with that. It would be a pain to use this spell if none of the NPCs decided to join me, but I expect those high spirits may fade in time as the reality of their situation sets in.” Jason frowned, remembering the dissenters back in the Twilight Throne.
Their conversation was interrupted as a loud bang echoed through the cave. “Players Jason, Frank, and Riley, identify yourselves immediately,” a voice called out. As Jason turned to the source of the voice, he saw a man dressed in a nondescript brown robe. A plain wooden staff was held in his hand.
“Oh, shit,” Frank said softly. “The cavalry is here.” His hands had immediately dropped to the weapons slung at his waist, but Jason put a staying hand on his arm.
Jason could feel dread curl and coil in his stomach at the sight of the plainly-dressed man. His eyes darted to the dozens of newly-minted undead that remained in the cave, many staring at the game master in confusion. He needed to protect them and buy them time to escape the dungeon. There were also hundreds more on the surface that needed to be protected.
“You know what to do,” Jason said quietly. His group currently blended in with Jason’s summoned zombies, most of which were robed in heavy cloaks. As a result, the game master hadn’t detected them yet. “Stall him to give the others a chance to escape.”
Riley looked at the group of confused undead and then back at Jason. Her eyes swiftly turned dark, and her mouth pinched into a grim line. “We will do whatever it takes,” she agreed in a menacing voice before glaring daggers at the game master. Frank gave a curt nod as his hands clutched at his axes, causing the muscles in his biceps and forearms to ripple and flex.
Jason eyed Rex worriedly. “You need to get the NPCs out of here.”
Rex looked at him with dist
aste. “Do you think I’m some old timer? That all I can do is help herd the pups?” he asked in a sarcastic tone. Then his voice sobered as he watched Jason and his friends. “Joking aside, I can tell from your expression that this will not end well. I’ll do my best.”
Rex wouldn’t respawn if he died in this conflict, and Jason could only hope he would make it out in time. “Be careful,” Jason whispered. “We might come back from the dead, but you don’t.”
The former weapon master looked at him with a grin. “Don’t lecture me, boy. I’ve been fighting since before you were born. Besides, I’m too young and pretty to die.”
“Right,” Jason answered with a quiet laugh. Then he turned back to the gamer master. “Since we’re ready, let’s begin.”
A cowled zombie stepped forward toward the imperious brown-robed man. “I’m Jason,” he croaked. “What do you want?”
The game master smiled, his eyes carrying a glint of anticipation. His grin told Jason volumes about the man. There would be no reasoning with this person. He was looking forward to the coming fight.
“Finally, my name is Florius and I am a game master.” He thumped his wooden staff into the stone floor. “I’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.”
Chapter 33 - Desperate
“Huh. Well, I suppose this was to be expected,” Robert said. The technicians in the control room had frozen in place as soon as the game master appeared. Claire glared at them in irritation. Apparently, they weren’t going to accomplish anything today.
She stood up and began pacing the podium. “At least someone is actually intervening. Honestly, we shouldn’t have let it progress this far,” she griped.
Robert folded his arms across his chest as he watched Claire. “You know the CPSC’s new guidelines as well as I do. Technically, Jason hasn’t broken any rules. He isn’t torturing or intentionally harming other players, and he isn’t breaking any game rules. Arguably, he isn’t even responsible for camping the players since the NPCs are the ones killing them.”
Claire stopped her steady march across the stage. Her gaze bounced back and forth between Robert and the screen. She knew he was right. The game master didn’t have the authority to do anything in this situation. He certainly couldn’t threaten to ban Jason. It also didn’t help that the player he was confronting was driving a ton of traffic through the company’s new media channel. There would probably be a backlash against the CPSC if he acted inappropriately. She had certainly witnessed the devastation in other parts of the game world when a game master intervened. She cringed as she imagined what might happen here. Yet a part of her was still glad that someone was finally standing up to Jason.
“Speaking of which, I need to make a quick call to the CPSC,” Robert continued. “They’ve overstepped this time,” he groused, tapping the Core on his wrist.
“Stop,” Claire ordered. Robert looked up at her in surprise.
She raised her voice so that the other techs could hear her. “Since you’re so fond of gambling at work, how about we make a bet?” The men and women at their workstations looked at each other skeptically. Claire wasn’t exactly known for embracing Robert’s antics.
Robert looked at her quizzically, similarly confused. His hand was frozen above his Core. “What are you suggesting?” he asked cautiously. His eyes carried a hint of curiosity.
“You seem to think that Jason is some brilliant tactical mastermind. I propose that we prove whether that’s the case. Let’s not intervene. If Jason somehow comes out of this conflict the victor, I promise to look the other way when you use this control room as your personal playground. If he loses, you follow my rules while you’re in this room.”
The technicians around the room looked at Claire in shock and began murmuring between themselves. Robert was similarly stunned, his mouth slightly agape. Then his eyes darted to the screen that hung above the room, where Florius was confronting Jason. He seemed reluctant to make such a large wager on such a hopeless situation.
Claire snorted, eyeing Robert dismissively. “I knew you didn’t really have any confidence in Jason’s abilities. If he weren’t receiving special attention from the board, you, and Alfred, then he wouldn’t have made it this far.”
Robert snorted and looked back at Claire, a mischievous glint in his eye. “You know what? You’re on. When Jason wipes the floor with this game master, you better remember your bet. Just think of all the awesome content I’ll get to watch,” he added with a grin.
“I’m glad to see you’ve regained your confidence. It’ll be interesting to see how much work we can get done around here after you lose,” Claire taunted. She knew she was going out on a ledge, but there was no way that Jason could defeat a game master. She had seen their power during the trials for the new program. This was also a breaking point for her. She had put up with Robert’s antics and his constant attempts to undermine her authority for too long.
The technicians gave up any semblance of trying to work at that point. The group moved toward the stage, and a new round of betting began in earnest. Money quickly changed hands in a desperate attempt to get their bets placed before the fight commenced.
Robert looked back up at the screen, a grin on his lips. He could feel his heart pound as his hands clenched at the armrests of his chair. He didn’t particularly want to be ground under Claire’s authoritarian thumb, but the impish part of his soul couldn’t resist the bet - even when he knew his odds were terrible.
“I asked for epic footage. One way or another, I guess I’m about to get it,” he said quietly.
***
Jason’s zombie gave a hoarse laugh, mocking the simply dressed game master that stood before him. The sound rang out harshly across the cave, startling the NPCs that were watching the confrontation with puzzled eyes. It was clear that the game master was not a friend, and some of the undead had begun to slowly edge toward the exit of the cave.
“You’ve been waiting to meet me, huh?” the zombie rasped. “I didn’t realize I was so popular. You must be here for an autograph - and here I am without a pen!” The zombie made a show of looking around the room.
“Oh, I know! Would you like a zombie? I’ll just etch my name on one,” he said with a leer. He grabbed one of Jason’s nearby minions, drawing the dagger cinched to his waist. “Who should I make it out to again? Flowerface?”
The game master’s face turned red, and his eyes flashed. “It’s sick people like you that ruin something beautiful. This is a new world full of endless possibility and beauty. Yet you immediately become its first mass murderer. Look at what you’re doing to the players here!”
The game master could barely contain his rage, his free hand gesturing wildly through the air. “You need to be put away. I bet you’re the same sadistic bastard in real life. Perhaps we should be using this game to judge who should be locked up for good.”
Jason snorted softly as he listened to Florius. The man promptly launched into a full-fledged rant. He wasn’t certain why so many of his opponents were prone to lengthy speeches, but he wasn’t going to question it. The prolonged monologs gave him plenty of time to consider his next steps.
From everything he had heard, the game masters were nigh invincible. They had fast casting abilities, and their level was estimated to be well over six hundred. In a straight fight, Jason’s group was doomed. A quick glance also revealed that his new NPCs had stopped their march out of the cave and he knew that he had troops positioned in the throne room and entrance that needed to be evacuated. So not only was he confronted with an impossible fight, but he was further handicapped by his own forces. If possible, he needed to minimize the collateral damage, especially to the NPCs who wouldn’t respawn.
Yet it was odd that the game master hadn’t immediately attacked the group or declared that he planned to ban their accounts if they didn’t stop killing the players. Perhaps that meant he couldn’t? Jason supposed that made sense. He wasn’t actually harming the other players himself, and he w
asn’t cheating. As he watched the man’s heated, insulting monolog, a realization dawned on him.
Florius hoped Jason would strike first. He was trying to bait him. He could feel his dark mana pulse and throb in his veins, excited at the possibilities that revelation afforded him. Luckily for him, his mana numbed him to Florius’ inflammatory assault. The game master’s strategy was probably much more effective on other, more hot-tempered players.
“He wants us to attack him,” Jason whispered, his voice barely carrying to Frank, Riley, and Rex. The group moved in closer, staying out of sight behind Jason’s minions that surrounded them as Florius continued to rant at Jason’s decoy.
Frank looked at him in confusion. Jason sighed softly before adding, “He can’t attack us directly or ban us since we haven’t done anything wrong. That means he needs to be able to claim that he acted in self-defense.”
“So what do we do?” Riley asked, her fingers wrapped around her crimson bow.
Jason wasn’t certain he knew the answer. If the game master was waiting for a first strike, then Jason could simply order his zombies to scatter and push the new NPCs out of the room. Only one of his zombies needed to escape to order an evacuation of the other undead. Yet what would he do then? He also wasn’t certain what might be interpreted as an attack. Was a random elbow from a fleeing undead enough?
He needed to strike preemptively in a way that could hinder or delay the irritating man. Then he needed a way to put him out of commission for good. It was going to have to be something big. Riley nudged him, pointing to the ceiling. Jason’s eyes darted up, where he saw large cracks running through the stone and crystal. Water seeped through the fissures and dripped to the cave floor. Jason looked back at Riley, a large smile creeping across his face. Without thinking, he leaned forward and hugged her.
“You’re a genius!” he whispered, his face inches from hers. Riley gave him a faltering smile. As Jason turned away, she looked at him with a confused expression, her eyes starting to regain their natural appearance.
Awaken Online: Precipice Page 45