"Look, archer. He speaks of carnage. He's trying to sweet talk me! I like it."
And I was liking Bear more and more. He reminded me of my old thug friends. It didn't mean I trusted him, but well, I didn't even trust myself. Not with some alien voice in my mind.
"I told you to stop!" Ted crossed her arms.
"Ted, the first thing I need is from you." I put my hood up. "I'll remove my illusion ring, and I want you to record a few seconds of something I'll say. Tell me when you're ready."
She made a curious face but did as told. "Okay."
After making sure no one was looking and that I had my back to the door, I took the ring off.
"You were right, his vampire face is much better," Bear said.
I ignored him again. "When I finish speaking the first time, ask me if I'm sure. The second time, ask me if I'm in the Challenge. Three... Two... One... Shoot." I did my best to act twitchy and kept looking around. "I'm telling you I don't fear these noobs. I'm level ten already; I'm going to kill them all. They think they can kill me? I'll show them. Heh, a bunch of weaklings."
Ted took a few seconds to ask. "Are you sure?"
I looked straight at her. "Look at me. I'm inside the damn Slums, and no one caught me. I'm telling you, I'm the only Earthen in this whole Valia who has any worth. Day thirty of the Challenge I'll just start killing them all and claim my prize."
"Are you in the Challenge?"
"In the Challenge? Hah! I am the Challenge! My head is worth two hundred gold to Dakar, and I bet the drow would pay even more. But no one can claim the prize and stop me from getting free attribute points. Just look, woman. I'll hand all those noobs' asses to them."
Someone opened the tavern's door, and it was my cue. I extended my hand. "Give me my gold, interview is over."
She put a gold coin in my hand, I checked the hood and got up. Then I went to the door, discreetly putting on the illusion ring as I did. I exited the tavern and waited a few seconds before going back in and sitting at the table.
"How did I look?"
"Ugly!" Bear said between pints. I winked at him.
"Okay, I think," Ted said. "I'm guessing you want me to post this in the public boards?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure? This will make a lot of people angry."
"I'm counting on that. The more, the merrier."
"But what if you die?"
"Then you better take my items and find a way to survive, because they are worth a lot of money."
"Your plan has a big hole, pal," Bear said. Damn, his voice was too damn cool. Thank goodness his zombie face was a mess, or I might have some jealousy issues. "What if nobody shows up? Your acting was not as horrible as it could've been, but any sensible person could see through it."
"Yep. That's where the third part of the setup comes in."
"Third party? What was the second?" He asked.
"We just did the second. Movie on the internet. Well, it's not up yet, but let's act as if it is for the sake of this conversation."
"You lost me there, Jack," Ted said. "This was the first thing, wasn't it?"
"Nope. I haven't been idle in my time in the Slums. Call me James, by the way; no reason to make people look twice at my face when they hear my name. Here, let me tell you about my plans. And Bear, I bet you a gold coin that you're gonna love it."
"I'm game!" He threw a gold coin on the table and ordered more beer.
* * *
A few hours later we finally left the tavern. Ted went to the Catacombs to take care of her part of the plan, and I took Bear to do some shopping. I kept a fire and a death morb floating above my head at all times, just in case.
I could've shopped alone before, but I wanted first to make sure Ted and Bear were interested. I'd invest all my remaining money, and if they hadn't been with me, it would've been for nothing.
The bargaining went well, even though there was a kind of uneasy air to the Slums. I eventually got to the sorin who had helped me and spent an entire gold coin on the cheapest minerals he had.
"What are you going to use these for?" Bear asked.
"Nothing. This fella helped me before, so I'm helping him. Right, man?"
The ginger dwarf smiled at me. "I'm not saying I don't want your money, but what I did was hardly worth this much."
"See, honest to a fault. Tell you what, good man. If anyone asks you, let them know I always help those who help me."
"Alright. What's your name again?"
I winked at him and left without another word. I was winking too much at men recently; time to visit the ladies.
"Hey there, handsome," the vampire lady in the blue jacket said as soon as I got back to her.
Status effect resisted: Influence
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Again? You know this doesn't work with me."
"Hey! Don't disrespect the lady, man! Not cool!" Bear said. When I looked his direction, he had a confused expression in his face; she had got to him. I laughed.
"You told me the status effect only took over the body in critical moments," I said to the vampire.
She smiled beautifully. "Mostly. However, some men tend to use their lower heads more than others. Not that I don't like the attention." She adjusted her shirt to show more skin.
"Yes, man!" Bear suddenly got between the vampire woman and me. "You should move along if you don't appreciate the view!"
That made me laugh more. "Okay, oh most fair lady. Release my colleague now." I threw her a silver coin.
"You'll have to do better than that, handsome," she said.
"You heard her," Bear said. "You-"
83 damage dealt to Bear
I interrupted him by swiftly putting my sword through his face. Thanks to his helmet, there was no critical damage. Black blood splashed, and he screamed in pain. People around looked our direction, and two drow guards took their weapons out. Lots of morbs appeared above people's heads.
Sheathing my weapon, I raised my hands. "Just releasing him from a seduce status effect!" I yelled. "We are pals! I'll heal him!" I extended my arm to him, and my deathball flew.
You healed Bear for 113 HP
It mostly restored his face. He immediately took me by the collar. "You asshole! That hurt!"
"Sorry. Next time I'll let you be mind-controlled by some random chick."
"Yeah! Do that! Hell, I haven't received so much damage for a while now." He caressed his face after releasing me.
"I don't care if you're friends," a guard said. "Don't do it again! Things are tense enough without you clowns acting like that." He walked away.
"Well, that escalated quickly." I turned to the vampire woman, who was looking at me in shock. "Now that you know I'll not take your shit anymore, let's talk business."
Bear told her in kind words how much he had disliked being under the effect of her skill, suggesting a blood oath so they could go back to being friends. Only the oath involved only her losing blood. Lots of it.
I used my attack as an example of how sensitive I was about being bullshitted that day. Money exchanged hands, and I was reasonably confident that she would do as told.
Just to make sure, I paid a man right beside her, talking aloud – not in mind chat –, to confirm that my instructions had gone through.
"Let it be known that I help my friends, but I don't like to be played with," I said aloud.
"But what's your name?" The woman asked. I dramatically winked at her before leaving.
We were on our way back to the tavern when I saw Eternal.
He looked my way the same moment I looked his. Our eyes crossed, and he walked purposefully towards me.
His chubby face was gone, replaced by a thin one, but it was definitely him. He was wearing a tweed suit and exuded self-confidence.
"Bear, watch out, he's more dangerous than he seems," I whispered, preparing myself for any fun actions my ex-vampire pal might make.
Status effect resisted: Influence
Status effect r
esisted: Low Defenses
Status effect resisted: Openness
Status effect resisted: Inattentive
Status effect resisted: Talkative
Holy cow, that was a lot of skills. I wondered if any unknown one had passed through my resistances.
"Jack!" He said with a big smile. "You survived! I'm so happy!" His tone had no happiness whatsoever.
I bet the skills and his high charisma made up for his lack of acting before. Wait, does it mean he was always lean? Even my visual perception of him had been corrupted?
Those are some very useful skills to have, and charisma seems more useful than I expected. More importantly, doesn't he know the skills failed?
"Good to see you too!" I tried my best to act like I meant it. "How did you survive? I was so worried!"
"Oh, you know, lucky. Tell me, how did you do it?"
Status effect resisted: Deflection
Six different skills that affected my character's mind. I admit I began to feel a little alarmed. Who the hell was Eternal?
"Lucky, too. I tripped on one of those damn crystals and fell on the ground right when an arrow from a vampire guard would have killed me! Can you believe it? I think this Valia has a hidden luck attribute or something! I ran so hard after that! Do you know what happened to everybody? The quest Marbareus gave me was canceled. I'm so confused!"
He squinted his eyes for a few seconds. "Too talkative. You resisted, huh?"
Shit. He was smart. I shrugged. "Seems so. Did you kill him?"
"You aren't even trying, are you? I saw the spiders around. How did you get back to your natural body? I heard the transformation was final."
"Spiders? Listen, Tardas told me-"
"Just shut up," he cut me off angrily. "I saw his body too. I know you're a liar Jack. I'll-"
I sighed and stopped listening. He gave me empty threats. When he was done, I smiled at him. "Nice talking to you too. Have a nice day."
Believing anything he told me, either with his words or his body language, would be a mistake. He was clearly a manipulator, and even the emotions he showed on his face could be fake. The only way to deal with his type involved unilateral blood oaths.
'There are businessmen, and there are pathological liars,' father had taught me. 'You might negotiate with the former, but you must utterly crush the latter, or you will regret it later. They always find ways to get in your head, or of those around you. The less they have to lose, the more dangerous they are.'
"He is Jack Thorn!" He yelled from behind me as I walked. "He's using an illusion ring! Kill him! His head is worth-"
"You there, calm down!" A guard yelled. "There is no need in- You just tried to use Influence on me? Guys, give me a hand here!"
"No, wait! I swear he is Jack Thorn!"
"I don't care who he is! Shut up and come with us!"
My smile broadened. He had even helped my cause! I doubted anyone would act against me immediately, not after what had happened to the crazy dude.
The thing is, people aren't as impulsive as one typically assumes. Everyone who heard him and wanted my head would get curious and investigate, but I had at least a few hours before someone made a move. I'd be long gone by then.
"Who was he?" Bear asked.
"Old acquaintance. I was with him for more than seven days, and he lied to me every minute of it."
"You know he's coming back for you, right?"
"Of course I do. Who do you think I am, your mom? Oh, wait, she also keeps coming back."
"Bro, your plan to kill people is good, but you suck at shit talking. What you just said makes no sense at all."
"Shut up. Your face makes no sense."
One hour later, Ted met us at the tavern, and we left the Slums.
* * *
"I think we are being followed," Ted said.
"Look, ugly-face," Bear said. "My archer likes to speak the obvious. She's just like Uncle William!"
"I'm nothing like dad! And stopping calling me that!"
We were in the cave chamber right next to the Catacombs, the one with multiple drow cities. Bear had been leading us for half an hour. He claimed to know a cave in there where we could practice our team fighting.
There was some influx of people in the chamber, albeit much less than what I had seen in other places. It was pretty clear that at least ten people were following us in two separate groups. I wasn't so sure about another seven that were also walking the same direction we were.
"Heh, it's funny when you call me ugly face because you are a zombie," I replied.
"I wasn't being funny. You should stop deluding yourself."
"Yeah, whatever. So, guys, I think it's past time we party up." I invited them, and they joined.
"Bonus attribute and bonus damage, not bad," Bear commented on my strategist and tactician traits. "You should force the party members to show their level and their core traits."
"Huh?"
"You know, in the settings. No? Just think about opening the party settings, there are lots of cool things in there. I want us to come clean on level and traits. It's only fair."
I did as he instructed and there were a lot of options in there, even seeing the party members' attributes and traits levels. I only toggled on what he suggested, plus the ability to see party members' icons on the minimap.
Are you sure you want to change the party settings?
Any member who doesn't accept it will be automatically removed from the party.
I'm sure.
It would be really useful seeing their icons on the map. That gave me an idea, and after a quick search, I also found the option to see the party's "perceived enemies'" icons on the map. Basically, anyone that any of us saw as an enemy.
That would give me a tactical edge over those who didn't have a map.
Ted (level 9)
HP: 275 / 275
MP: 170 / 170
Stamina: 195 / 195
Bear (level 16)
HP: 1720 / 1720
MP: 110 / 110
Stamina: 475 / 475
"Holy shit! Seventeen hundred HP? What the hell?! How many points do you even have in constitution?"
"Twenty-five," he answered without hesitating.
"Wait, what? How?"
"I fought naked for a long time. Lots of pain and damage. Lots of levels to constitution, too."
"He didn't stop hunting since he died," Ted said. "The only reason he's here is because you promised he could blow the frustration of losing the Challenge on other Challengers."
"Fighting naked? How the hell didn't you die?" I asked.
"I ate a lot."
"What?"
"Zombies can regenerate health by eating fresh corpses."
"Super gross," Ted said.
"How do corpses taste?"
"Chicken. You should try."
"No, thanks. Ted, how the hell are you an adept archer? Weren't you going for daggers?"
"What do you mean? I just changed my core trait."
"I know. But the bonus ten levels only apply to the first trait you pick in each core slot, right? After you changed your core trait, the new one shouldn't have had time to get to adept level."
"Oh. You can change your first core and keep the bonus if your body's level is below ten." She meant 'character.' "It's supposed to help you make the right choice."
"Shit. I'll kill Zenhit next time I see the jackass. I could've tried different paths if I knew that."
"Kill who?"
"My destiny spirit. We had a breakdown."
"You can just summon him whenever you want and force him to help. You know that right?"
"Yes, yes. But I made a bet with him, that I'll survive the Challenge without his help."
"You're an idiot."
"He is a true man," Bear said. "Braving the wild unknown using only his own power."
He had almost quoted the words I had said to Eternal in t
he gabat's cave. "Right? Ted, I like this guy!"
"Men!"
"What about you?" Bear asked. "How are you level twenty?"
"Lots of anger issues; tried some therapeutic killing. Lots of it."
"How's your HP so shitty, then?"
"I'm not a masochist like you; I used some armor."
"Training in armor is for little girls."
"Right. Anyway, guys..." I changed the medium of communication. <...mind chat only from now on. Ted, do you have any trap skills?>
Unbound Deathlord: Challenge Page 45