Awaken Online: Dominion

by Travis Bagwell

  A plethora of corpses and bone had been piled beside the spire. Blood had pooled below the bodies and now spread across the ground, spilling into the cracks in a macabre waterfall. A deafening peal of thunder rocked the sky. Frank looked up and saw that the black clouds had begun to circle and spin around the spire, thickening quickly while flashes of bright lightning arced through the air.

  “What is this?” Vera shouted, suddenly standing beside him with her hand on the hilt of her sword.

  “I don’t know,” he shouted back. He was really hoping that this was Jason’s doing. Otherwise, they were probably in for one hell of a fight.

  The spire continued its ascent until it stood nearly forty feet in the air. Lightning struck the column, smashing against its surface again and again. The blast of heat and light pushed back the undead that filled the courtyard, many covering their faces and running for cover. As each bolt struck the pillar, it seemed to glow with unholy energy until bands of dark mana circled the structure in a chaotic pattern, and arcane symbols flashed in and out of existence.

  The energy funneled up the spire, accumulating into a dense globe at the apex – the miasma seeming to suck in the light and darken the entire area. Once the orb was nearly three feet across, the lightning and dark energy began to fade. The globe slowly broke apart, drifting into wisps of black, misty energy that collected and reformed erratically. A shape began to emerge from the energy, a ghastly visage – its features composed entirely of obsidian mist – with horns jutting from its forehead.

  Frank simply stared, vaguely recognizing the face before him. “Jason…?” he murmured.

  Turning, the creature faced the undead in the courtyard, its featureless black eyes seeming to look through them. “Hello, Kin,” the face spoke. “You have much to be proud of today. You have conquered Fastu in the name of the Twilight Throne. With this victory, we have expanded the reach of our kingdom.” A rumbling peal of thunder punctuated this statement.

  Jason’s gaze shifted to the bodies piled beside the pillar. “Do not mourn for the dead. Some of our own people and these villagers perished today, but death is only the beginning. The darkness gives us new life!”

  A staccato series of lightning bolts suddenly struck the pile, the energy framing the bodies of the fallen villagers. For some, their limbs reattached, their decaying bodies gaining their former resilience and their skin turning a sickly gray-green. For others, their skin drained away, revealing bleached bone. The newly-minted undead soon opened soulless white eyes and dark orbs of energy – their gaze searching and uncertain. Then they wrenched themselves to their feet, stumbling and crawling from the pile of dead as though compelled by some outside force.

  The soldiers in the courtyard moved to help them, urging their new brethren further away from the dark spire that now loomed over Fastu. Once most of the undead had fled, all that was left were the remains of the leeches, their skeletal bodies creating a heaping mound of bones beside the spire. Jason stared at the buildings next, his dark visage pulsing with unholy energy as arcane words spilled from his lips in a guttural language that Frank couldn’t identify.

  “The darkness is our home!” Jason’s voice intoned, his inflection harsh and reverberating through the small town.

  Another immense globe of dark energy began to form in front of the pillar, the tendrils streaming in from every direction and colliding in a roiling ball of dark mana. The miasma grew swiftly, growing ever larger. Frank heard the gasps of the Kin around them, many backpedaling quickly away from the enormous globe.

  Before Frank could question what Jason was about to do, the orb exploded. A wave of energy swept through the Kin and over the town. Frank flinched back involuntarily as the wave struck him – leaving no time for him to run. Yet it didn’t harm him. Instead, the energy swept through and around him and the other soldiers, racing through the streets and overtop the nearby buildings.

  As the Kin looked on, Jason transformed the humble town. The splitting boards that made up each house solidified into a dark obsidian crystal and melded together, the shiny substance reflecting the lightning that still arced erratically among the boiling black cloud cover. The streets smoothed out and the cracks disappeared as quickly as they had formed, leaving polished cobblestone in their wake.

  Then the energy struck the walls encircling the town. The wooden stakes of the palisade blended together, rippling and warping, growing and expanding. The new crystalline walls stretched even further into the sky, reaching nearly twenty feet before stopping. Ramps formed along the walls, granting easy access even as the crystal thickened to accommodate guard patrols.

  “And, finally, the darkness guards and protects!” Jason said as transformation completed, drawing the crowd’s attention back to the dark spire.

  His gaze shifted to the bones of the leeches that had been piled beside the pillar. The bones drifted up into the air as though held by a monstrous, invisible hand. Dark energy cascaded through the ivory substance, drenching the bones in the malevolent mana. Then they began to condense, knitting themselves to form hulking skeletons, horns framing their heads and each one holding a spiked tower shield formed entirely of bone.

  Within only moments, nearly two dozen Death Knights stood in the courtyard facing the Kin. As one, they turned to the dark spire, their dark, soulless eyes taking in Jason’s visage. They raised their weapons in salute, their spine-like tails lashing and snapping at the air behind them.

  Jason’s gaze swept across the Kin and the newly-resurrected villagers. “These are the blessings of the Twilight Throne. These are the boons given to the Kin. Immortality, a home, and the power to protect what is ours!”

  Without warning, one of the soldiers raised her weapon to the sky. Lightning illuminated her face, showing only avid devotion in her bleached-white eyes. “All hail the Twilight Throne!” she screamed harshly. Her cry was picked up by others, their voices filling the air and drowning out the thunder that still pealed in the skies. Strangely, tendrils of dark mana began to peel away from the Kin, filling the air with both their cries and the malignant energy.

  The chant continued until the mana seemed to hover around the group like a dense fog. “Fastu is only the beginning,” Jason said. “With your help, we will spread the darkness until our reach extends to the far corners of our domain.”

  The demon’s face turned to Frank, his featureless black eyes meeting Frank’s even as an evil grin split his misty lips. “Go, Frank. Lead them. Show the other towns what they gain by joining the Kin. If they refuse, then force them to accept the darkness into their hearts.”

  Frank’s eyes widened in surprise, yet he felt himself caught up in the surge of energy that had spread through the courtyard. The dark mana seemed to whisper to him, urging him to accept his desires. To give in. With this power, he could be stronger. No longer the runt of his family. No longer struggling with the choices he needed to make. The darkness offered him freedom and the strength to pursue his desires. The sensation was tantalizing.

  It was difficult for Frank to keep his thoughts clear as he stared at Jason’s face. Some small part of him wondered at his friend’s behavior. Was this really still Jason? This thing that could terraform parts of the game world? Who stared down at him like a dark god? He tried to tell himself that Jason was just doing his thing – getting into character. Still, it left him feeling unsettled. It felt like the line between the Regent of the Twilight Throne and his nerdy friend was breaking down, and he couldn’t decide if that was a good thing or not.

  Chapter 21 - Floating

  Alexion stood at the prow of the ship, his hands resting on the wooden railing, feeling the rough texture beneath his callused palms. Behind him, a foreman shouted orders at the yellow and red-robed mages bustling across the deck. A pair of mages always worked near the center of the vessel, channeling heated air into the balloons that rose above the ship to keep them afloat. Meanwhile, Alexion’s Nephilim either flapped lazily in the air beside the craft or stood on t
he ship’s deck, their weapons held at the ready.

  Alexion turned his attention to the ground below. Several thousand feet in the air, he had an uninterrupted view of the game world for miles around. Rolling hills spanned toward the western horizon in the direction of the Crystal Reach was located. The occasional cloud blotted out the sun, creating misshapen and irregular shadows across the green landscape. This happy scene immediately stopped when Alexion turned his attention to the east. A dark cloud formation loomed several miles ahead of them, frequent flashes of lightning arcing among the billowing dark vapor and obscuring the land beyond.

  Those lightning strikes were dangerous. They didn’t pose much risk to infantry on the ground, but they did present a problem for their airship. While safer, going overtop the cloud cover meant that they couldn’t see the ground below, forcing them to navigate by feel or tentative maps of the region – which were far from accurate. Landing wasn’t a great solution either. It put them at risk of discovery and progress on foot within the influence of the Twilight Throne was difficult. Without Night Vision or a map, it was easy to get lost amid the barren branches of the forest that ringed the dark city. Alexion had experienced those issues first hand, although he had never ventured far into Jason’s territory.

  That might need to change if they were to accomplish Evelyn’s goal.

  It was clear that the savvy woman wanted undead slaves. Such merchandise currently fetched an extraordinary price among the other NPC cities. Their enhanced endurance and the fact that they didn’t need to eat or sleep made them invaluable slaves. In some places, they were apparently seen as a novelty – an expensive toy for a city’s ruler.

  With few other options, Alexion had grudgingly agreed to help Evelyn procure slaves. In return, she had agreed to sign an ongoing trade agreement between her guild and his city. With their combined efforts, they were easily able to outfit the airship and assemble a crew. Within only a few days in-game, they were stationed on the western edge of the Twilight Throne’s zone of influence. What he hadn’t anticipated was that Evelyn would insist on accompanying him, claiming that she needed to protect her investment and her ship.

  As though his thoughts had summoned her, the enigmatic woman suddenly stepped up beside Alexion, following his gaze to the dark clouds. Forgoing any armor, she wore a leather jacket over a corset – her clothing acting more to accentuate her curves than to offer any real protection. “The scouts have reported back,” she said casually. “I’ll admit that it was a good idea to bring a few dark mages with us.”

  Alexion simply nodded. It had been difficult to find travelers who had chosen that magic school since many people opted not to start in the Twilight Throne and finding trainers could be difficult without a visit to the undead city. However, the few dark mages among the players typically had the Night Vision skill, which made them fantastic scouts.

  “This isn’t my first time here,” Alexion replied. “What did the mages find?” he asked, glancing at her and noting the excitement dancing in her eyes. After days spent together in-game, he had become more adept at reading her expression.

  “One of the towns along the border has come under the Twilight Throne’s influence,” Evelyn reported. “It seems that at least one division of Jason’s forces is making the rounds of the villages within his radius of influence – most likely picking them off one by one.”

  Her smile widened. “Even more interesting, our spies in the city reported that a full two divisions left the Twilight Throne originally. It seems that they may have encountered some… difficulty with the native undead that roam the area.”

  “You think the undead took out a full division?” Alexion asked in surprise. The creatures around the Twilight Throne had always been powerful, but he was shocked that they had grown in strength this quickly.

  Evelyn shrugged. “We can’t say for certain, but I also can’t think of any other reason for this group’s numbers to have dwindled so dramatically. Either way, this has worked out even better than we expected. We have an opportunity here,” she continued, turning to face Alexion.

  “How so?” he asked, as much to test her as to hear her thoughts on the matter. He already knew what he would do next – assuming he was acting on his own.

  “Our scouts to the south indicate that those villages haven’t been claimed yet and the area to the north is largely unoccupied,” Evelyn explained. Her eyes met his and her delicate mouth curved into a smirk. “Meaning that this is likely the first town that the Twilight Throne’s forces have conquered. If they start in the west and head counter-clockwise around the dark city, we will have an opportunity to strike this new town without meeting much resistance.”

  She arched an eyebrow, a smile gracing her lips. “Did my analysis meet with your approval?” Evelyn’s voice was taunting – calling him out for testing her.

  Alexion matched her smile. He had reached a similar conclusion already, although he had cheated. One of their scouts had messaged him a few minutes ago with the same advice. Yet he couldn’t help but admire Evelyn. She might take any opportunity to pick at his pride and challenge him, but he couldn’t ignore the fact that she was extremely intelligent and resourceful. Even more strangely, the ever-present voice in the back of his mind had gone silent when she made barbed comments.

  “Those were my thoughts as well,” Alexion finally replied. “I suppose we need only wait until the Twilight Throne’s forces leave and let them put some distance between us and them before we strike.”

  Evelyn nodded. “I will inform the crew, and then I need to attend to some things in the real world. We will keep the airship stationed here and use the clouds to stay out of sight while we’re offline.” She looked at him sharply. “Your dark mages will keep their mouths shut, yes?”

  “They have been well-paid, and they know not to cross me,” Alexion assured her.

  “Good,” Evelyn replied with a curt nod.

  Alexion opened his mouth to say something else but hesitated.

  “Is there something else on your mind?” she asked, her gaze meeting his.

  For some reason, Alexion felt his heart race as he looked into her eyes and he struggled to decide if he should follow through on his aborted question. He wasn’t certain whether this was a good idea or not. The voice in the back of his mind maintained its silence, not offering any guidance and neither his mother’s ghostly visage nor the Lady was present to weigh in on his actions. He would have to make his choice on his own.

  “Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask you what you’re going to be doing this Saturday,” Alexion said, finally making a decision.

  Evelyn tilted her head to the side, studying him. “Alex Lane, are you asking me out?”

  “Think of it as a networking opportunity,” he amended, surprised at how nervous he felt at the mention of a date. Evelyn was hardly the first woman he had asked out. “My father’s company hosts a rather large party around this time of year before the holiday season is in full swing. It’s an opportunity to wine and dine distributors and tech vendors and showcase our new product lines. I expect this year’s gala will likely be even more over the top with the CPSC hearing looming in the background.”

  “I have been following the proceeding with some interest,” Evelyn replied, although Alexion noted she had neither accepted nor declined his invitation. “It seems the CPSC is making Jason a significant part of their case.”

  Alexion grimaced slightly at the mention of Jason. The hearing had been draining nearly every moment of his father’s time, and he hadn’t come home for days. The event had also been widely televised, his nemesis’ face emblazoned on most business and tech news channels. Alexion felt conflicted about the entire ordeal. He relished the idea of watching Jason get crucified on live television, but he was also interested in preserving his family’s business. After the last disaster at Jason’s home, he had decided to call a temporary cease-fire – at least in the real world.

  “I’m confident my father will resolve
this disruption. Gloria seems to have some sort of vendetta against our family and Jason personally,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “But, back to the matter at hand, would you like to attend?”

  “I’ll think about it,” Evelyn said, a familiar smirk lingering on her lips. With that statement, she swiped at the air and abruptly disappeared in a flash of multi-colored light.

  Alexion stared at the spot where she had stood only a moment before, a frown plastered on his face. He didn’t know what it was about this woman. He had found himself intrigued by others, but more as casual amusements than anything serious. In each case he had held complete power, toying with them and twisting them to his will. This was why the fallout with Riley had been so grating. It was rare for one of his playthings to bite back.

  “Ahh, look at that dumbstruck look on your face,” an eloquent voice spoke up beside him, causing Alexion to wince involuntarily.

  He turned to find the Lady watching him with an amused expression on her face. She wore her typical white toga, the sunlight glinting off her golden hair. Alexion quickly glanced at the crew, concerned that they had noticed the goddess. Yet none of them looked up. He could only surmise that she was keeping her presence concealed from the others.

  “What are you doing here?” he hissed quietly, turning so that his back was to the crew.

  “Simply checking in on my poor knight. He requires some babysitting. Imagine my surprise when I found him falling for another woman’s charms.”

  Alexion could feel the voice stir in the back of his mind, angry whisperings clouding his thoughts. “I am not falling for her,” Alexion snapped. “We are business acquaintances, nothing more. This partnership will help stabilize the Crystal Reach and expand our economy.”