The Most Dangerous Mitch in the Multiverse

by Paul Ormond

  “Allow me to lay it out in the simplest of terms. You are going to give me what I want and I will allow you to continue operating as you have.”

  “That sounds more like a threat than a negotiation.”

  “When I am threatening you, Madam President, it will be quite clear. I have built for you a bridge upon which you may retreat. If you take my offer, your people and your planet will grow and prosper as they never have. But if you think you are in the position to negotiate, I’m afraid you are sorely mistaken.”

  “And now the truth comes out.”

  “Indeed, it does. But consider yourselves lucky. The Emperor favors your planet and does not wish to spill blood on its surface. Rather, we are far more interested in what lies beneath. Deep within the core of your planet is an energy deposit greatly valued by the Emperor. If you allow us to access this deposit without interference, the Emperor will fully equip your planet to handle any exterior threats. Furthermore, we will open your system to the network and upgrade Earth to a full status trading partner.”

  “As pleasant as these terms are, you’ve made it quite clear that I don’t have a choice.”

  “That is an astute observation, Madam President.”

  “How can you ensure me that you will not change these terms when you see fit?”

  “I cannot, but that is the thing about arrangements of this nature. If you hold up your end of the bargain, I see no reason why the terms would change.”

  “What if you do not hold up your end of the bargain, Commander?”

  “The Emperor never breaks a promise. If we offer you assistance, we will see it done. If you agree to my terms here and now, we will begin immediately.”

  “I’m sorry, Commander. I am not prepared to accept your offer at this moment. I must discuss these matters with my staff and consult Earth’s leaders before we make a decision.”

  “Madam President, I believe I have made myself clear. Accept this generous offer or be shoved aside. I am certain I can find someone else to implement the Emperor’s will with you out of the picture. You have proven yourself to be an assertive leader, and the time has come for you to do what is right for your people and accept my terms. This is the only peaceful solution you will receive.”

  “May I have a moment, Commander? There is something I would like to discuss with my staff.”

  “Discuss away, but the Emperor doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

  “I understand. It won’t take more than a moment,” President Edwards said as her image was replaced by a screen displaying the Presidential Seal.

  Gripping the rail, Holrathu looked General Vargas in the eye. “You know how it is with these bureaucrats?”

  Vargas made a nervous laugh while he thought of something to say. Before he could respond, the President returned and smiled down upon Commander Holrathu.

  “Well, Commander, it appears you have backed us into a corner. We accept your terms, but we have some conditions you would like to consider.”

  “And what are these conditions?”

  “We want full autonomy regarding the security of the planet’s surface, and we request that our military be outfitted with the Emperor’s technology.”

  “These are reasonable demands. I accept on the condition that you accept my proposal immediately.”

  President Edwards smiled at the camera while several people could be heard scrambling off camera. As she glanced away, she made a face at one of her staff before returning her attention to Commander Holrathu.

  “Although it is rather sudden, we will accept these terms on behalf of the planet, but we will not allow your forces to make their presence known. Nothing changes for the civilian population.”

  “This is a term I fully agree with. With that I believe our negotiations have been brought to a conclusion.”

  “When will we expect the arrival of your forces?”

  “They are already here, Madam President. We will begin troop deployment immediately. Once we are properly stationed, we will disseminate our weapons to your troops and the training phase will begin.”

  “This is all rather sudden. I thought we would have some time to prepare.”

  “Don’t worry, Madam President. I have taken care of everything.”

  “That is what scares me.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  GALLOPING OVER A hilltop singed by fire on a set of twin raptrons, Sage and Candace ascended into a narrow valley and stopped at the edge of well rutted road.

  “I don’t like this,” Candace said while she glanced up at the jagged peaks rising into the twilight.

  “Me neither, but I don’t think we have much choice,” Sage said after he dropped off of his mount and inspected the road. “It’s either this road or find another pass, which, given the terrain, seems unlikely. Even if we are able to find a way over, I’m sure we’ll run into something big and hungry.”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard about what lurks in the Valley of the Damned. But that might mean there are some of those Easter eggs lying around.”

  “Maybe, but Easter eggs aren’t why we came here.”

  “I know, got to save Mitch.”

  “He’s our friend, and he’s in trouble.”

  “And you are chasing a whim, a rumor at best.”

  “The message boards are lighting up with Mitch sightings. If it isn’t him, then somebody is pretending to be him. I need to know what’s happening.”

  “If you ask me, the key to figuring all of this out is to get a hold of an Easter egg. From what I’ve heard once you find one, the real quest begins. And I’m guessing all of this is related. It can’t be a coincidence. Just as the Cell starts planting inReal packages around DeathWorld, rumors of Mitch Mythic start popping up.”

  “It does all seem a little too convenient.”

  “Charging into the Valley of the Damned without a plan, or an idea of what we should do is begging for trouble,” Candace said while she watched a pair of pteros glide across the sky. “I guarantee there is an army of modded up douche bags looking to gank our gold waiting along the way. I’m not afraid of shredding up some noobs, but I don’t want to waste my time hacking my way through a crowd.”

  “You’ve got a point there,” Sage said before he looked to the East. “Did you hear that? I think somebody is coming.”

  “You’re right. Let’s get some cover. I’m not in the mood for banter right now,” Candace said. Pulling the reins on her raptron, she kicked the bird-like creature in the ribs. It squawked in protest before leaping into a sprint.

  Sage climbed onto his mount as the sound of pounding hooves approached in the distance and chased after Candace. They pushed over a rise and dropped to the ground.

  Out of sight, Sage crawled after Candace to the lip of the hill and looked down to see a host of mounted warriors streaming down the path. Dressed in black leather, the riders shrieked as they pushed into the pass, raising their long spears into the air and driving their snarling mounts along the well-worn road.

  “Ok, forget the road then,” Sage said after the throng disappeared around the bend, their shrill cries echoing through the valley. “But how do you propose we scale those cliffs? I don’t think these chickens can fly.”

  “No, they can’t, but I happen to know a couple mods we could us,” Candace said while she pulled back from the top of the hill. “I know you are a purist, but I think the situation calls for a bit of rule bending.”

  “What kind of mod are you talking about? I don’t want to screw up my rank or get banned,” Sage said as he stood up. “I’ve pumped way too much time into this character to blow it now.”

  “Don’t worry. What I’ve got won’t affect your build,” Candace said. “You do recall I’m a member of the Beastling Guild? They’ve got a room filled with creature cheats. We’ll be over those cliffs in no time.”

  “Cheats are for noobs,” Sage said while he watched Candace draw a circle in the dirt and pull out a pouch from her pack.

  “I guess chea
t is the wrong word. Let’s call it a spell. A spell that can only be put into effect by a therianthrope,” Candace said, stepping away from the circle.

  “What the hell is a therianthrope?” Sage asked as he watched Candace draw another circle in the dirt.

  “You’ve spent way too much time working on your claymore build.” Candace said before she drew a series of lines within the circle. “A therianthrope is a shapeshifter. Someone that takes the form of an animal. I’ve been working on it for the past while, collecting and learning. It looks like the time has come to use something I’ve been saving up.”

  “I can’t stand that werewolf stuff. Alpha this and Alpha that, it makes me sick.”

  “I’m not talking about werewolves. That’s lycanthropy,” Candace said while she stuffed her cloak into her pack. “And wolf form won’t help us get over those cliffs. Step into the circle. You won’t suffer any damage.”

  “Don’t kill me. It took us forever to travel here. If we have to re-spawn we’ll wind up back in the Ridgeland,” Sage said before he stepped into the circle.

  “Stop being such a baby,” Candace said, reaching into her pouch. “How come guys are always so scared of a little magic.”

  “I’m not scared of anything. I just don’t want to have to go through this all over again,” Sage said as Candace pulled out a handful of glowing dust. “You still haven’t told me what this is.”

  “Don’t you like a surprise?” Candace said while she raised her hand and sprinkled the dust over Sage. “I wanted to make our date in the Valley of the Damned special.”

  “It will be special if I don’t die,” Sage said as the dust whirled around him.

  “You won’t die,” Candace said before she walked into the other circle and sprinkled a fistful of dust into her hair. “Don’t fight it. I’ll see you on the other side.”

  “What are you talking about?” Sage asked as he felt his body enter into a spin. A dizzying sensation overtook him and the dust cloud pulsed and swelled. Imbued with light, a rush of energy encompassed his form and he found himself screaming in agony.

  In a flash of light, the spinning ceased, and he fell to the ground. Scrambling to get up, he found himself floundering against the dirt. He looked to his right and saw a large winged figure hovering over him. In fear, he attempted to roll away, but something prevented him from moving.

  “I told you not to fight it,” Candace’s voice said from overhead. “You’ve got to stop resisting and let instinct kick in.”

  “What have you done to me?” Sage asked, struggling to focus on what he saw.

  “Just relax and look around. It will be a lot easier if you just go with it,” Candace said.

  “I’m trying, but just tell me what is going on,” Sage said before he took a deep breath.

  Looking at where his hands should have been, he saw a set of gray and brown feathers. He pushed away, and the feathers followed his movements. In a spasm he fell onto his back and looked up to see a large, beaked face peering down at him.

  “Just look at you flopping around like some fool,” Candace’s voice said from the bird's mouth. “Get on your feet before something shows up that we can’t fight off.”

  “Is this really happening?” Sage said as he glanced down and saw a set of bright plumage where his body armor should have been.

  “It is and get moving,” Candace said, stretching out her wings. “It’s going to be dark soon and you know who wanders these hills at night.”

  “Yeah, I know, but how do I get to my feet?”

  “You’ve got to stop thinking that you are in your old body,” Candace said, moving the air. “You’re an eagle now. Do as an eagle would do.”

  “Ah man, I wish I paid more attention in drama class,” Sage said before he rolled over and pushed up with his wings. “It’s hard to keep my balance.”

  “Be like a bird.”

  “I’m trying, just give me a second. Have you ever done this before?”

  “A couple times. To get into the guild, I had to do a lot of different quests.”

  “It looks like it paid off. I think I’m getting the hang of standing, but I’m not sure if I’m ready to get in the air.”

  “I didn’t turn you into an Eagle so we could walk there.”

  “You’ve got a point, but this is all a little overwhelming.”

  “You better figure it out quick, because my hud is showing bogeys approaching.”

  “What do you mean bogeys?”

  “Of the orcish fashion.”

  “Not orcs. Are they NPCs?”

  “It looks like it. Must be some kind of patrol.”

  “Well, let’s get out of here then. How do we get off the ground?”

  “It’s best to take a running start.”

  “If we’re birds now, what happened to all our stuff? I can’t go building a new weapon after this wears off.”

  “It’s only a spell. When the effects wear off everything will go back to normal. You’d better get your legs moving? Those orcs are closing in.”

  “No time like the present.”

  “Just go with it and everything will fall into place. If you fight against it, the mod will fail.”

  “I’ll do my best. Lead the way.”

  “Ok, here we go,” Candace said while she extended her wings and took several steps down the hill.

  With one smooth push she was airborne, and she circled over Sage in a smooth wide arc.

  “Don’t hesitate. Those orcs are coming fast,” she shouted from above.

  “You made that look easy,” Sage said while he looked downhill. Charging forward, he flapped his wings as hard as he could and felt his feet rising off the ground.

  “Hey, I think I’m doing it. I’m doing it,” he shouted.

  “Concentrate, you’ve got to get your balance,” Candace shouted from the distance.

  “What do you mean, balance?” Sage said, looking over his shoulder. As the words left his mouth, he felt his body tilt toward the ground. In an instant, he was spiraling out of control. Crashing to the earth in a cloud of dust, he righted himself and looked up to see Candace circling overhead.

  He was about to call out, but he spotted several shapes crest the hill where he started his journey.

  “Anybody feel like roast turkey?” A gruff voice called out with a roar.

  “Sounds scrumptious,” said another orc.

  “Last one down is rotten man flesh,” cried a plump orc before it pulled its weapon out and charged down the hill.

  Without looking back, Sage scrambled up the hill he had crashed into and spun around. He inhaled once and raced down the hill toward the attacking orcs. As they prepared to strike, he launched into the air and soared over their weapons. Rising into the sky, he joined Candace as she circled over the foothills.

  “Having fun?” Candace asked be fore she angled into a gust of wind.

  “You could say that,” Sage said while he copied her movements. “I learn faster when I’m under pressure.”

  “Is that right?” Candace said while they gained altitude. In the distance, the sun sat low against DeathWorld’s horizon, the last glowing embers of dusk. “Let’s hope you can keep it up. From now on out, it’s uncharted territory.”

  “How long does this spell last for?” Sage asked.

  “For as long as we can make it last,” Candace said before arcing toward the towering peaks.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  FROM ACROSS THE room, XiaoFan watched Ramon insert a long cylinder into a round hub he had assembled using the parts laid on the table.

  “That’s the secret to success, right there: a well-prepared team,” Ramon said before he slipped a housing case around the tube. “It’s all coming together thanks to everybody’s hard work. Even Sanchez committed something.”

  “How come you’ve always got to belittle me in front of everyone, Ramon? I’m sorry I’m not some kind of super genius like all your new friends.” Sanchez asked, slumping in his chair. “Just c
ause we haven’t run into any problems doesn’t mean we don’t need security.”

  “You have no idea how to take a compliment,” Ramon said while he inserted another component into the apparatus in his hand. “We haven’t run into any problems because of your top-notch securitying.”

  “That’s not even a word, Ramon,” Sanchez said. “And yes, I did my homework, and we haven’t run into any trouble yet because I’m doing my job.”

  “That’s what you are supposed to do,” Ramon said after Christine handed him another part. “And it is precisely why you are a valued member of this team.”

  “You sure don’t make it sound that way,” Sanchez said, lighting another cigarette.

  “How are we looking, Christine?” Ramon asked, inserting a handle into the base of the unit.

  “I think we’re just about there,” Christine said. “We’ll need to do a couple tests to make sure it’s operational, but so far so good.”

  “Excellent. How long until we’re ready?”

  “Shouldn’t take more than a few minutes.”

  “Ok, get to it. I need to talk with our new friend about her role in the plan,” Ramon said before he turned his attention to XiaoFan sitting in the corner. “It’s almost show time. Are you ready?”

  “I still don’t understand what it is you want me to do,” XiaoFan said after Yuan shot a nervous glance in her direction.

  “That’s completely understandable, but this is a unique situation, and you are perhaps the only person capable of pulling off what I am about to ask you to do,” Ramon said. “As you can tell we are working with some next level tech over there.”

  “That would appear to be the case,” XiaoFan said while she watched Christine connect the device to a laptop computer.

  “But that is not the only trick I’ve got up my sleeve,” Ramon said, reaching for his pack. “I know I said some stuff about you not being able to back out of this because of your dad and other things, but after you see what I’m offering I don’t think you will still be harboring any doubts about what side you are on.”