Cat's Quest

by Roman Prokofiev

  We attacked Tao, all at once, using everything that Liberty trainers had taught us. Still, that contest was far from even, despite us being six against one. Tao defended himself without leaving the spot or making any unnecessary moves. He was smiling. The rare flashes of his black sword deflected all our attempts to break through his guard. When our swords met, I felt a cosmic cold that chilled me to the bone. An icy jab pierced my hand gripping the hilt of the star sword. Yet when Tao’s weapon touched the fiery blade, it did not disappear or lose any durability!

  “Demonic weapons cannot be damaged,” an unfamiliar voice said right next to me. “It’s indestructible.”

  We were helpless before Tao, like pups who had ganged up against a war dog. A feeling of complete desperation came over me. We could not do anything to a fighter of this level. Nothing at all. All we could do was try—and fail.

  Nico and Lionel rained down sword strikes on Tao, pressing him from both sides. The PROJECT leader blocked their attacks, spun around, and counterattacked with such force that Lionel got thrown away, only to be left lying there for good. Nico froze and lowered his sword. A second later, I realized why: Tao took off his eyepatch, and a bright blue light emanated from his right eye socket. The same light enveloped Nico; it was some kind of stun effect. A second later, Tao chopped off his head.

  Valkyria was shooting non-stop, standing on one knee, but she did not hit him once. Some of her arrows missed Tao by tenths of an inch, and others got deflected by the swings of his sword. Then he threw something sparkling at her, and Maria stopped dead, before bursting into a pile of icy crumbs.

  Flame leapt at him with a cry of pain and fury, his axe raised high. With a sneer, Tao dodged his blow, then attacked himself, making short work of the dwarf, cutting him in half.

  Only two of us were left, Amour and I. We exchanged looks, then shouted and charged at Tao. We failed, of course, flaming sword or not. We did not stand a chance. Counter Parry pushed Amour back thirty feet, while my strikes went wide. Returning to the battle stance from a pirouette with incredible speed, he suddenly appeared right beside me. The Black Sword glowed with blue streaks of poison, eyes and birds engraved on its blade. But that attack was no more than a feint. I never saw the blow he used to reach me.

  Tao dealt you 447 damage! Your HP: 0/380.

  Tao dealt you 96 ice damage with Cosmic Hold!

  You were poisoned with Infernal Toxin! Each 3 seconds, you receive 1-50 damage. You are partially paralyzed: movement speed decreased by 30%.

  You are dying! 60 seconds left till final death!

  59...58...57...

  Amour’s portrait in the raid faded away. Tao finished him off as well.

  27...26...25...

  I heard soft steps. Tao stood above me, examining the star sword. I saw the PROJECT leader kneel over my body, his noble-looking face, with delicate fine features. He could have been called handsome if it were not for... If it were not for a demonic pentagram burning in his right pupil with a malevolent blue fire.

  “That’s an interesting sword you have there, Watcher,” Tao said, thoughtfully.

  3...2...1...

  You are dead.

  You lost 7,717 XP. Current XP: 69,453/100,000

  You lost Leather Breastplate. You lost 2 gold and 17 silver coins.

  You are under the effect of Death Penalty: -10% to all attributes. Duration: 10 minutes.

  Do you wish to respawn?

  I appeared at the resp point. All around, it was like a local chapter of the netherworld. Chaos reigned: hundreds, if not thousands of players were huddled together in a small space, respawning, fighting, and dying again. Everything was rumbling, sparkling, and blazing, making me shudder. The combatants were using spells of all elements, steel, and arrows. Players from dozens of opposing clans blended together in crowded horror.

  Aside from the Watchers’ raid, I saw the remains of Sworn Brothers and lots of players from various clans, who had joined the faction war on both sides. The members of Steel Guard surrounded the respawn point on the ground and in the air, bringing down all their might upon any player, who attempted to revive themself.

  * * *

  Tao: How are things at the resp point? Are they holding off the Watchers?

  Tentacle: Yep. It’s madness, judging by the fireworks!

  Tao: Who’s free of the group leaders?

  Svoy: I finished off the Errat. Should I help at the resp point?

  Tao: No. Svoy, your group should go with me. Here’s the location, pick me up! My birdie got shot down. We need to pursue the Err!

  Svoy: Got it.

  * * *

  Our epic quest was washed down the drain, cheerfully waving us goodbye. We had only slim hope that the Err and his posse would get to Eyre, but knowing Tao and his company, that was highly unlikely. We simply could not get away from the resp point.

  We had no chance. All our raid had died at least twice, trying to break through the cordon. Steel Guard and PROJECT HELL held the respawn circle hard, having surrounded it with their best fighters. The Pandorum members, dressed in unbelievable epic and legendary gear, surpassed us in both numbers and quality of equipment—and were at least equal to us in discipline.

  Olaf: (censored) Our kill rating just crashed and burned.

  Komtur: (censored) That’s so screwed up! To hell with Sphere, I’ll delete it.

  Hermione: Astral Juggernaut’s moving toward Eyre and Condor. Some Pandas are going there too!

  Komtur: As if that wasn’t enough...

  Damian: We won’t break through, Tikhon. We’ve all died here several times. Personally, I already have a three-hour debuff, and my equipment’s broken!

  Balian the Raccoon: (censored) We’ve lost all our pawns and lots of gear...

  Komtur: Yeah, you can’t chop wood with a penknife.

  Nobody was surprised to receive the “epic quest failed” message.

  Argentum: The Err’s dead, the quest’s failed.

  Komtur: (censored)

  Komtur: folks... Raid, whoever’s left—listen to me!

  Komtur: We’ve destroyed their stonejammer. Return to Condor via Soul Stones, Watchers!

  * * *

  When black spots appeared on the horizon, growing closer with each second, Endved Elyon realized that they wouldn’t get away unscathed. The thick woodland provided no cover. The damned players had managed to find him somehow.

  “Deeper into the forest!” the Err commanded. “Scatter! Get to Eyre, one by one!”

  He didn’t finish. One of the knights shouted a warning, drawing his sword. From the sky, breaking through a canopy of yellowing leaves, the players’ flying mounts were falling, squawking furiously. Piles of throwing nets flew toward the knights, enveloping them in tight cocoons; arrows and spears swooshed by, annihilating the Err’s defenders. It was a slaughter, a real massacre. Warriors of Eyre fell, one after another, fearlessly shielding the young Err with their bodies. They were shot point-blank, while their horses died alongside them, neighing wildly and kicking their hoofs.

  Endved cut through a net flung at him mid-air, then directed his horse to gallop deeper into the forest, but his mount stumbled and collapsed, two spears and a heap of arrows sticking out of its sides. The Err, clad in heavy armor, was thrown over his horse’s head and landed on the ground with a heavy thud. When he stood up, he was almost blinded by a crushing blow to the head. His helmet was pressed right into his face, and blood poured in, covering his eyes. He could hear the cries of dying knights, the whistle of arrows, and the pained screams of wounded horses.

  Two or three more nets ensnared him, his shoulders bound with a lasso. Endved strained and ripped the binds around him, then charged at the players in a final desperate attack. The blow that cleaved his head also hurled the Err on his back, and the golden cloak with the barley ears of Eyre swept up and fell, covering his body like a burial shroud.

  * * *

  “This one was easier than his daddy.”

  “Reall
y, Tao? Well, not surprising—he didn’t have time to level up to rank five. I wonder why.”

  “Who the hell knows? Maybe he didn’t get enough XP. Did you loot the crown, boss?”

  Tao was holding the Crown of the Eyre Nation, drenched in blood, but as coveted as ever. A contented smile appeared on his face: finally, he had achieved his goal. The Crown was his; now, all he had to do was to get the Keys. Still, with the Crown, it was just a matter of time.

  Tao: Group leaders, report. How are you doing?

  Illith: I’m finishing with Revern of Erda.

  Tentacle: Sirion Maign is dead and looted.

  Peacemaker: Lord of Ardat is also defeated.

  Tao: You’ve done a great job, guys.

  Tao: Now, to Eyre!

  * * *

  ATTENTION! BY EQUIPPING THIS ITEM, YOU BECOME THE LEADER OF AN NPC FACTION! ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS? YES/NO

  System messages were appearing in the log, updating reputation changes. A new interface opened up: faction control panel for the Eyre Nation. Thankfully, Tao already knew the various settings. He had complete control over the country: he could build new outposts, assign NPCs to positions, set taxes, and so much more. Still, he needed the Key, the faction artifact, the heart of every NPC settlement.

  They landed inside Eyre’s castle courtyard and dismounted their birdies, then looked around, confidently, as if they were the true masters of the place. NPC guards, who had started moving towards the strangers, came to a halt in confusion.

  The golden crown of the Eyre Nation was shining proudly on Tao’s head, still stained with the blood of its previous owner. Now he was the Err of Eyre, and the guards of the faction could not do him any harm.

  Calmly, Tao headed into the throne chamber. The broken doorway still wasn’t fixed, the shattered folds lying around the entrance. Inside, everything was in disarray: dented pillars, riddled with a web of cracks, shattered floor tiles. An empty throne stood at the far end of the hall. To its right, stood a closed chest decorated with a fine gold pattern.

  Tao sat down on the throne, the hard seat of the Old Kings, its back shaped in the form of rising barley ears. He beamed triumphantly. At last, he had achieved his purpose, despite all the hardships and ill fortune.

  Aside from the Crown, taking complete control of the city meant getting hold of the Key. The Crown allowed one to rule the kingdom in general, the Key, a specific settlement. A faction leader, who sat on the throne with both the Crown and the Key in his possession, had absolute power. He could build and destroy cities, recruit and dissolve armies, behead subjects and grant them pardon. Everything depended on the settings.

  Ruling also required several skills from the Strategy line, but the PROJECT leader already had those. Tao opened the chest and took out the golden Key of Dan-na-Eyre. It was huge, a forearm in length, and had an elaborate fantasy-style bit. It did not take him long to master the settings and activate the Crown and the Key.

  CAUTION! BY ACTIVATING THIS ITEM, YOU DISABLE AUTOMATIC CONTROL OVER THE SETTLEMENT! ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS? YES/NO

  Sphere offered its player the opportunity to do more than just hack and slash: you could also use your strategic talents. Via the Key, you could gain total control over a settlement and its resources: build and demolish buildings, lay roads, set guard posts and routes, place wall ballistae and designate spots for new districts. If you really wanted, nothing was to stop you from creating the city of your dreams. An extensive interface with tons of windows spread out before the PROJECT leader. Figuring it out could take several hours. Tao confidently selected “Advanced settings”.

  CAUTION, CHANGING THESE SETTINGS CAN LEAD TO IRREVERSIBLE CONSEQUENCES! ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS? YES/NO

  Inside, there were lots of different options, but Tao was only interested in a few of them. He decreased the number of city guards to the minimum, essentially removing them. Then, he unchecked non-admission of players with “bad” and “heinous” karma into the city, and finally, unassigned NPCs’ from the respawn point in Eyre. Each change was accompanied by a system warning,

  CAUTION! THIS CHANGE DECREASES FACTION SECURITY! ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DO THIS? YES/NO

  He was sure. After finishing with the settings, Tao contacted Pandorum’s mercenaries.

  Tao: Jerkhan, everything’s ready. The city is yours.

  CHAPTER 22 ENSLAVED

  After teleporting into the tavern room, where my Soul Stone was found, I felt like leaving the game. It was already eleven o’clock in the evening, and the day’s emotional stress was starting to take its toll. I could still feel the bitter aftertaste of defeat. We had lost everything we possibly could, and more. I was bitter, ashamed, and disappointed. I needed a distraction: leave Sphere, lie around on a couch with Alena, watch some stupid comedy. I had already laid down on the tavern bed, and was about to activate Rest, when screams from the ground floor drew my attention.

  A girl was crying, clearly asking for help, and her screams were accompanied by a strange noise, resembling sounds of combat. I changed my mind about exiting the game, and ran out of the room, quickly going down into the dining hall.

  The first thing I noticed was Karn, the innkeeper, who was lying on the bar in an awkward position. He could not fall because two thin black jerids were pinning his body to the counter. The alcohol cabinet was overturned, and shards of broken bottles crunched underfoot.

  The screams came from Kirana, his daughter, who was being dragged outside by two players. Actually, it was one player and his pawn, but I did not notice that at first. Kirana’s dress was torn from the waist up, her naked body visible under the tattered clothes. One of the men was dragging her by a rope used to tie her hands, while the other was busily preparing a weird reddish bracelet. The girl was crying and shouting, trying to escape and cover her nudity at the same time.

  What in hell’s name was going on? I felt a dark wave of anger rising from somewhere deep inside. All the day’s grief and resentment demanded immediate satisfaction. I could not think about money, the possible ban, or real life, anymore. All I wanted was to kill.

  I drew my sword and directed its tip at the players. The blade burned instantly, with furious blue fires. The Pandas (and it was them) turned to face me. The rest happened by itself. A ball of blue-white flame shot from the blade, for a second tying me and the Steel Guard player with a fiery line. A single flash, and all that was left of the player were a few charred fragments of his armor.

  You dealt Whiskey (Steel Guards) 2,560 damage with Fiery Lightning! Whiskey is dead!

  You receive 431 XP. Current XP: 62,939/100,000

  Remaining charges of Fiery Lightning: 11/12.

  Aelmaris received 147 XP! Current XP: 1,123/5,000

  The second Pandorum member pulled out his weapon, but I was too close, and even a well-timed block could not save him from my flaming sword.

  You dealt Ayello (NPC henchman, Steel Guards) 3,411 damage with Fiery Lightning! Ayello is dead! You receive 212 XP. Current XP: 63,151/100,000

  Aelmaris received 89 XP! Current XP: 1,212/5,000

  Sobbing, Kirana clutched at the fragments of her dress, while I cut the ropes at her wrists.

  “Thank you, Sir Cat! They... They tried to...” She stopped, and burst into tears.

  I picked up the strange bracelet, that the Pandorum had attempted to put on the girl. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be, not a bracelet, but a collar forged from polished red copper. On the outside, it was studded with rivets, an on the inside, with small triangular spikes. The eyelet was probably used to attach it to a chain or rope.

  You obtained an item: Enchanted Slave Collar.

  Quality: rare. Material: red copper. Durability: 27/30. Weight: 1 pound. 1 item binding slot (empty).

  Activates Slavery effect when equipped into an NPC’s neck slot.

  Using the item requires Pillaging 800/1,000 and unlocked Capture Slaves.

  I’ll be damned! Did they want to enslave her and
take her with them? I hadn’t even thought it possible. But who would have taken the place of the innkeeper and his daughter? Who would rent players rooms and give quests? And where were the city guards who defended NPCs? They should have arrived in seconds!

  “Kirana, where are the guards? Where’s the city watch?” I gave the girl a slight shake. “What the hell’s going on?”

  “I don’t know! Those...stormed in here...killed my father...grabbed me…” I realized that she was not going to be much use.

  “Hide!” I told her. “Is there a place? Hide there and lay low!”

  “Yes...there’s a cellar...”

  I rushed outside without waiting for her to finish. Eyre was in flames, pillars of smoke rising upwards. Pandorum’s dragon riders were flying through the air. All around me, I could hear screams, roaring, and weapons clanging. New fires sprang up before my eyes.

  I activated my mount and jumped into Snowflake’s hard saddle. She still had not regenerated all the hit points lost on the battlefield, and her movement speed was decreased due to the death penalty. Still, riding her was faster than walking.