"As you command, You Majesty!" Elizabeth bowed her head.
"You hold no power over the Dark Forest and the gods of light had 'helped' me as much as those of darkness," said Ishni. "It doesn't matter what this sentient had done," a green wreath appeared above my head, "but he saved my forest, freeing me and helping me to survive. He will receive a reward from the Guardian and no Emperor would dare hinder us in this!"
"You know, I'm beginning to like the fact that we failed to become the deliverers of the throne. Looks like this new Emperor turned out to be one heck of a bastard!" Plinto summed up current developments. "Mahan, just make sure you get out of prison! The Free Lands have very many dukedoms and earldoms — we can be independent. From what we've just seen, Guardians are easier to deal with than the Emperor and the Dark Lord. I just don't get one thing: why come down on us with such extreme penalties?"
"It's simple," wrote Anastaria. "Remember the discovery of the Undermountain Kingdom?"
"You think that...?"
"I know it! That's it, don't get in the way of enjoying the show! I don't remember when I've been brought quite so low! The main thing now would be not to crack! Mahan, I love you! Ooops! I mean 'I'll kill you'!"
"The Dark Forest is under your power," replied the Emperor, having come to some decision. "If you believe them worthy of a reward, that is your choice."
"Anastaria, approach me," said Ishni. "It was only thanks to your advice that the Dark Forest had gained its freedom!"
The Guardian's branches began to move, descending towards Anastaria, and a shining bastard sword appeared in the girl's hands.
"Gleyvandir, the legendary sister of Naivandir, the sword of Karmadont," said Ishni. "Siren, you have done the impossible when you summoned Eluna, so you are worthy of the unbelievable. Barsina," the Unicorn turned to the Druid, "approach me..."
Calling up each member of the clan in turn, Ishni handed them their rewards — items that were in no way mentioned in the quest description. The Guardian handed everyone scabbards to go with the wooden daggers and the players glowed brightly as they received the additional ten levels, but when Plinto's turn came, for the first time I witnessed genuine surprise on his usually grinning face. Or rather it went something like this: ages ago I watched some anime cartoons, which always had girls with huge eyes running around. Now I realized that those girls had unremarkable narrow slits compared to Plinto. When two uniquely-named knives were lowered into his hands, the Rogue lost the power of speech. Looking in turn at the knives and at the Guardian, Plinto tried to thank him for such an impressive gift, but could only manage some hoarse grunting. If I got it right, some player got seriously lucky and my Rogue will be returning those looted Legendary daggers to him.
"Mahan, approach me," it was now finally my turn to take part in the 'Guardian bonus time'. As soon as I came up to the Unicorn, the system asked me to choose one of the main stats into which to dump the additional 40 points. I picked Intellect, waited for the light from the ten new levels to stop blazing around me and, waving away the message that I still had 390 unallocated stat points, looked at the silent Ishni. She started speaking to the other players straight away, but in my case... Or did it just seem that way if you were observing these things from outside?
"Shaman, who went against everyone and everything," began the Unicorn, but then again fell silent, carefully looking into my eyes. What was she trying to find in there? Signs of intelligence? "I had once known your ancestors and one of them was even my friend." Wow, this hoofed beastie is pretty ancient! If she remembers Dragons, she must be at least ten thousand years old. "Please give back the first earring. You are worthy of a better reward than this."
Now it was my turn to look like a cartoon character, in the sense of being a picture of wide-eyed surprise. Ishni is telling me to return the earring? This is entirely unheard of in terms of how quests and scenarios are supposed to go. NPCs had no right to just take the already given reward off you — that only happened in the event of direct intervention of the corporation representatives. Does this mean that everything that's been happening in the Dark Forest has been closely monitored by specially trained Administrators? Then I simply don't get why I'm being sent to the mines. The Administrators could have intervened at any point and told me that from now on the scenario will develop without a Shaman-shaped 'chief cook and bottle-washer'. It's not like they would set everything up just so that I went back to prison...
I took the earring off and handed it to the Unicorn. If I was being watched and certain actions were expected of me, there was little sense in digging in the heels. A small oak branch carefully lowered itself to my hand and absorbed the earring, and then slowly, as if it never sped away from me like a frightened little dog two weeks ago, returned to the Guardian.
"Shaman," Ishni continued, "by combining my horn with the tear and the ring of Eluna, you created an object capable of destroying Geranika's dagger and saving an Empire of your choice. I heard the Emperor's words and realize what kind of punishments await you and your people. You've saved me, so allow me to help you. Take my horn and give it to one of the Emperors. Whatever transgressions you may have committed in the past — everything would be forgiven to the deliverers of the throne! Touch my horn and it shall be yours!"
"I knew it!" immediately came a message from Anastaria. "Everything that Naahti was saying is part of the scenario! He wouldn't do anything bad to his saviors! And NPCs of his level don't keep grudges! Check and mate! Mahan — you did it!"
"If I take your horn, what will happen to you?" I decided to ask just in case, when my hand treacherously stretched to the coveted means of deliverance and glorification.
"Do you know what makes me different from the Emperor, the Dark Lord or the Lord of Shadow? I know the Truth. It is always apparent to me, instead of just being somewhere close by. I have no need to call on higher powers to find out some details of the past. Remember Yalininka and her decision. If you take the horn, you will destroy me, but I am ready for that. To go to my rest knowing that the Dark Forest would soon regain its former grandeur would be a fitting recompense for all my efforts and sufferings. The Guardian will find a new Heart, you will get the reward you deserve and I will finally meet my ancestors. Go on, Dragon! You deserve this prize!"
"Mahan? I don't like your hesitation! Take the horn! It's about time we became heroes!" As usual, Anastaria was in her element: rewards, glory and honor — that's our stuff!
"I agree," typed Plinto. "If this was real, I would've given it some further thought. But this is a game, don't forget that! Grab the horn and let's be off to Anhurs. The Dark Legion will still be in Malabar for a whole week and I'd like a stab at hunting my former buddies."
Clutzer, Eric and Leite wrote similar messages, effectively handing the Unicorn the death sentence. Only Barsina remained. I looked at her and saw that the Druid had tears in her eyes. As she met my gaze the girl very slightly shook her head, as if begging me not to do what everyone was expecting me to. Well, well! A mercenary, who plays in order to earn a living, is prepared to give it all up for some NPC. What is the world coming to?!
"Thanks for the offer," I replied to the Unicorn, achieving an incredible feat of willpower in pulling my hand away from the horn. "But, I don't like to destroy what I've worked so hard to achieve. It is, of course an appealing course of action — to free the Emperor's throne and become a hero of the Empire, but who would heal the Dark Forest? Ishni, this is your task and it's wrong to try and shift it onto the fragile branches of the Guardian. As soon as you restore everything to its former state, populate the forest with animals, destroy this cursed mist and clear out the brambles, you can come and hand in that horn to me. But until then — you've got the wrong guy for that here."
I didn't even look at the exploding clan chat, moving it to the periphery of my vision. Judging by the fact that Anastaria, who could keep her typing entirely unnoticeable before, is no longer trying to conceal the fact, that Plinto is laughing like a m
adman and my three Officers are staring at yours truly with dropped jaws and uncomprehending eyes, chat doesn't contain anything useful or interesting. It's just as well that Anastaria has enough self-control to be silent, pouring all her efforts into writing messages. After all, I just destroyed everything that she had worked so hard to achieve in the last twelve years of the Game: reputation, First Kills, Attractiveness... Just a few moments ago the Great Anastaria became an ordinary player within the Seathistles clan. Admittedly, this would be enough to push any player over the edge, because I didn't expect Anastaria to opt for destroying the Unicorn.
Ishni spent some time looking at me, or rather through me, as the Imitator came to terms with the fact that it wasn't quite 'game over' for it just yet. Finally, the NPC's gaze focused and a smile appeared — if a horse's head could even have such an expression — on Ishni's nose.
"I heard you, Dragon, and will honor your decision! I will restore the Dark Forest and then come to you and we will speak of the fate of the horn once again. But this will not happen earlier than in a few years' time, I will not be able to manage it any faster. Now I have nothing to offer you as a reward. The earrings aren't enough and the horn has turned out to be too much. I have nothing that would be of use to you. Except possibly..." Ishni uttered the last phrase in a thoughtful voice, breaking off mid-sentence.
"Except possibly what?" I repeated, lifting my eyebrows and moving slightly forward, inviting the Unicorn to finish her thought.
"You have two types of figures from the Karmadont Chess Set. This isn't a question, it's a statement. If after the trial to which the Emperor referred you shall not be destroyed (character deletion for normal players and mines until the end of the sentence for prisoners like myself), you must travel to one rather interesting place. It is being protected by powerful guardians, but should you be able to overcome them, at its very heart you will find a chest with Precious Stones. Although you shall receive them in a partly worked state, they would allow you to create the missing chess pieces."
Gameworld maps updated. Your maps have been updated with the mark of the Skrooj Dungeon. Mark No.3.
"Are you finished now?" asked the Emperor, when Ishni fell silent and stepped back a few paces. "In that case, if no-one else here wants to bestow gifts upon this sentient, I shall send him to the Pryke Mine, where he will stay until the trial, and the remaining Seathistles clan, present here in its entirety, to Anhurs to be kept under guard. Their fate will be decided later. That is all and my decision will be carried out immedia...."
"Stop!" there was a flash of dark lightning and we saw the head of the Reardalox clan standing before us. "I too have a couple of words for the Free Citizens present here."
"Patriarch?" asked the Emperor in surprise. "I always thought that you were just an embellished bedtime story... Now it's clear how Plinto became a Higher Vampire... So, you finally found yourself a son? Do you not fear the Prophesy?"
"I've lived for too long in this world to fear old wives' tales," smirked the Vampire, showing his fangs. "I'm sure that my son will walk this path with honor."
"Your son will be stripped of everything!" interjected the Dark Lord, now giving Plinto a somewhat appraising look. "Although Kartoss can ensure that part of his former glory will be preserved if he chooses to become one of us."
"You interrupted me," said the Emperor, switching the conversation back from the Plinto tangent. "You must have a very substantial reason, otherwise I..."
"Otherwise you what?" the Patriarch interrupted the Emperor again, pointedly raising his eyebrows. "Your Majesty will turn up with an armed host in the Dark Forest? Or send Free Citizens in for my head? We are of equal status, o short-lived one, your several centuries will fly past me like a brief moment and tomorrow I will no longer remember who Naahti was. What's the point of all this empty talk? I WANT to talk with my son and with Mahan! And not a single mortal will leave the Dark Forest until I do so!"
"How dare you!?" roared the Emperor, and immediately unleashed flashing lightning bolts from his hands. The Patriarch chuckled when the lightning struck his body and, instead of writhing in pain and begging for mercy, lightly waved his hand, interrupting the lightning and knocking the Emperor over.
"Father, you are overwhelmed with emotions and they've clouded your mind," said the Dark Lord as soon as the Emperor got back on his feet. "Regain your composure, as it befits a monarch, and you will see that the Patriarch is within his rights now. The Free Lands do not belong to us. Here Guardians and beings such as him hold power here. He cannot go against the will of the gods, so you will take Mahan and his clan, but you can't hinder their conversation.
The Emperor spent a few moments looking angrily at the pleased Vampire and then bowed courteously and said:
"I thank the Patriarch for this lesson! On behalf of the Malabar Empire, please accept my apologies and I hope that my ill-judged action will not affect your attitude to my subjects. Please, these sentients are now at your disposal," the Emperor politely waved in our direction and took a few steps backwards. Only now did it occur to me to look at the Attractiveness with each of those present, in view of the freshly-docked reputation. The Emperor was at 0, even the minimum 20 points necessary for an NPC to regard you as a person and not a bad-smelling pile of something, was gone. The Dark Lord — 0. Same story. The Patriarch — 50. Not bad, he may even hand give me a quest. Although, what am I on about? The Guardian- not available. Hm... All right, moving on. Ishni — 100. Oooh! The horsie likes me! At least someone isn't treating me like an enemy. Elizabeth — 100. What? Come again? The High Priestess's properties, Attractiveness ... 100 points ... Don't get it... Does this mean that if I manage to make it to Beth, she could give me a quest? Sweet... And most amazingly, I have no idea what I had to thank for such good fortune.
"Son," the Patriarch spoke to Plinto first, "now you will be taken for the judgement of the extent of your guilt of the death of Yalininka and Slate, but I know that the Emperor has no right to lock you up in prison. However, because you haven't yet been trained, the sun will kill you once you leave the Dark Forest. Take this cloak, wearing it with its hood over your head will enable you to survive. Remember that you have a lot to learn, so I shall be expecting you back. Also take this one-way portal scroll to my castle. Come back when you realize that there is nothing more to keep you in Anhurs."
"Thank you," was Plinto's brief reply, as he hid the scroll in his bag and put the cloak over himself. "I will be certain to come back."
"Siren," the Patriarch turned to Anastaria, who was perfectly calm now. "I would be glad to see you at my castle as soon as your fate is decided. "Here's a portal scroll," the Patriarch handed the scribbled means of instant transport to the girl, "If you feel you need to know more about your race than you can find out in the libraries of Malabar and Kartoss, come to me. Trust me, I will be able to surprise you."
Right now I was ready to give the Vampire one huge hug, fangs and all. My dull gaze of a finished man, who had withdrawn deeply within himself, had now changed to the inquisitive and lively look, ubiquitous throughout Barliona, indicating readiness to seek out an advantage even in apparently hopeless situations.
"Barsina..."
The Patriarch made a similar offer to visit his castle to my entire clan, leaving me, as usual, for the last.
"Mahan," the Vampire flashed a smile as he stood opposite me. "I will not be inviting you because I know that should the need arise you will find me. Here's your portal scroll. I don't like going back on my word, so the information about Geranika's power will now be sent to the Emperor and the Lord of Kartoss, but right now I think it would be worth recounting it out loud. It all began long ago, when Dragons still lived in Barliona and gods walked among mortals as if they were equals, teaching and mentoring them. The Dark Forest or, as it was called then, Lightswood was home to one extremely mysterious creature. The second son of Barliona's Creator lived here...
* * *
"Father!!!" the thunder-like shout
sent cracks through the walls on an enormous alabaster-white hall. The armor-clad guards gripped their pikes, hoping that today the god's tantrum would end as quickly as all the others. Stepping behind the massive pillars that held up a vaulted ceiling, the guards looked on in horror at the blood-drenched mosaic floor of the main hall of Lightswood. Being unlucky enough to catch the eye of Harrashess right now could easily mean joining those forty three unfortunates whose blood had covered the mosaic depicting the creation of the world. The terrible thing that set the teeth of battle-hardened nagas on edge, making their tails twitch in wild panic, was that the blood on the floor did not congeal, but was being gradually absorbed by the enormous throne, cut out of snow-white stone.
The kneeling man (if such a term could be used for this creature) was swaying from side to side, his hands covering his face, as if he just heard the news of the most devastating loss in his life. The wailing, mixed with hoarse growling and curses hurled at all living things, made the guards hide deeper and deeper behind the pillars. Today the lord's outburst had lasted particularly long. This could mean real trouble.
"Father!!!" What is all of this for?! Why did you leave this world to me?! I don't need it! I hate Barliona!"
"Brother!" A lightning flashed and next to the groaning lord of Barliona there appeared, shining like the morning sun, Eversquetor, the eldest son of the world's Founder. "Your speak sedition! How can you, having given life to an entire host of gods, hate what Father had created?!"
The Secret of the Dark Forest ( (The Way of the Shaman: Book #3) Page 42