by EA Hooper
Xan shook her head, listening to their discussion as they reached the next floor. “Here I am trying to grow and mature as a person, and you two old guys sound like teenagers.”
“Being mature is overrated,” Jim replied with a smirk. However, when he looked up, his smile disappeared in an instant. Jim grabbed Xan and pulled her to the floor.
An owler swooped over them, swinging a sword where Xan’s head had been. The monster landed on a perch across the cavern from them, swapping immediately to a bow and arrow.
Vincent aimed his finger across the chasm, lining up his shot as the owler did the same. He fired Void Gun first, and the owler collapsed and fell several stories below with a thud.
“Let’s quicken our pace,” Vincent said between sips of ether. “The longer we hang out in this chasm, the more we risk getting attacked."
They continued higher up the tree, scaling platform after platform. On two different floors, they found stairs that went up several floors before ending at large hallways. Xan had to stop twice to drink ether after continuously using mana to wall-walk and glide. As they neared the colorful platform, Vincent saw glowing plants hanging over the side. He Scanned a few of the plants, but didn’t recognize them as any he’d seen in the game so far.
I should collect those plants. They might be useful for an apothecary. I’m not too experienced with mixing potions, but that’s something I can improve while we’re on the Dead-World. I’ve heard barely any plants grow on Dead-Worlds, but the few that do are rare and useful for making potions.
Vincent noticed shapes from the corner of his vision. Xan and Jim must’ve seen them, too, because they readied themselves by the time the three unarmored owlers dove at them. Vincent shot the first out of the sky with Mana Magnum, and then he used Zero Field to throw the second into the third.
The two living owlers crashed into a lower platform, knocking out their Mana Shields, and then Xan and Jim fired their own Mana Magnums. Jim’s shot delivered a killing blow, but Xan’s only injured her target. The surviving owler stunned them both with a piercing hoot, then flew upward, preparing to Self-Destruct.
Vincent had only sipped a little of his ether when the owler exploded, blowing their platform to pieces. He cast Zero Field on his own body and used the gravitational energy to toss himself to the next closest platform.
He gazed down at his friends to find that Xan had caught herself on a wall with Wall-Walking. She rushed up toward the flower-covered platform at the top, but unfortunately Jim fell a few dozen stories, smashing through several platforms.
>Jim: You two better kick the boss’s a—
Vincent saw the speck at the bottom of the chasm where Jim had plummeted to his death. Rubble fell all around him, burying the Rogue’s item crystals. Vincent raised his eyes to Xan, who waved from across the chasm.
>Alexandria: Just us. I don’t know how we’ll get you acro—
>Vincent: Look out!
The massive shape of feathers had approached Xan without making a sound. Its massive claw grabbed her and dragged the young woman away from her friend’s sight.
“Xan!” Vincent screamed. He drank the rest of his ether, sprinted toward the edge of his platform, and jumped as far as he could. Vincent cast Zero Field on himself and hurled his body high into the air. He landed awkwardly and rolled across the flower-covered platform before climbing to his feet.
Vincent looked around at the gaps in the twisted, fused trees just before they combined at the top of the chasm. The gaps allowed beams of skybox light in from numerous angles, and many of the plants glowed when illuminated. The old man didn’t have time to admire the plant life as his attention fell on the monster at the center of the platform.
The massive owl creature slammed Xan into the ground. Vincent thought it might damage the arena, but the ground below flashed with magic, indicating it had a protective field. The owl slung Xan around and tossed her toward the balcony, but the Ranger caught her with Zero Field.
“You okay?” he asked, noticing her bloodied head and swollen lip.
“I’ll be fine when this jerk is dead,” Xan replied as she equipped her new sword.
The plump owl monster released a shrieking hoot that hurt the players’ ears. Unlike the owlers, he looked much more owl-like and not humanoid. However, he still had long, clawed arms and legs that he used to move around the arena. His wings looked too small for his body, and Vincent wouldn’t have thought the monster could fly if the boss hadn’t floated behind Xan.
Elmrot the Collector (Dungeon Boss) – Monster Class: B | Ageless | Sex: Male | Respawn Time: One In-Game Month | Personality: Irritable
Vincent tried to chug an ether, but Elmrot spread his wings and rushed forward. Magic rippled off the boss’s wings, letting him glide faster. The two players split from each other and circled around the arena. Elmrot shot past them, turned, and then floated back onto the platform.
>Alexandria: I think he can only glide in a straight line.
>Vincent: He’s B-Class, so be careful.
Vincent finished his ether and pointed two fingers, but the boss released a stunning hoot. The Dungeon Boss spreads his tiny wings and magic poured onto the ground. Four pools of mana appeared, and then each pool formed into an armored owler.
“Dang it!” Vincent shouted, feeling himself regain control of his body as the stun wore off. He tried to aim his fingers at Elmrot, but the other owlers moved between them.
>Vincent: They’re smart enough to protect Elmrot. I need an opening to get him with Void Gun.
>Alexandria: I’ll make one.
She held her new verasteel sword in one hand and equipped a hardened-oiron short sword in the other. The young woman charged all four of the owlers and attacked them before they could strike. Her blades clashed with two of the owlers, but she quickly found herself overwhelmed by the four enemies. She switched to a defensive sword style that her father had taught her years ago, dancing around the attacks.
Elmrot hooted, and the four owlers jumped out of his way. The boss opened his mouth, and Vincent saw a flash of light just like the Mana Cannon that Zhang had used. His eyes didn’t track the ball of mana, but he saw the blast rip through Xan’s armor. The attack left a gaping semi-circle missing from the woman’s left side, and she topped to the ground with a scream.
Xan cast Flash Heal, an ability she’d learned a few years ago. While not very mana-efficient, it allowed her to replace a small amount of missing body matter instantly. She cried while drinking an ether, and it took three consecutive Flash Heals just to repair most of the damage.
While Xan tried to recover, Vincent fired Void Gun through Elmrot’s large forehead. The black bolt split his two-layered Mana Shield and tore through the boss’s skull. Elmrot toppled to the ground without another hoot, but the four owlers turned to face his killer.
The nearest owler leapt at Vincent with a verasteel sword. The Ranger blocked the blade and gulped down some ether, but then two more owlers joined the fray. One monster slashed through his potion bottle, and the man used Zero Field to throw the attacker into its friends.
The fourth owler looked at Xan as she finished replacing the missing flesh and bone that the Mana Cannon had blown away. The newly grown flesh looked red and painful, and her Mana Shield hadn’t returned yet.
The owler dove at Xan, but Vincent put his remaining mana into a Mana Magnum that tore through the owler’s shield and dented its armor.
Xan reequipped her sword and drove it through the owler’s chest plate with all her strength. It hummed the Self-Destruct note, but the skillful young woman shoved it at its allies, releasing her sword in the process. The owler exploded, engulfing its friends in mana.
Vincent and Xan drank ethers as the flash of burning mana died down. They saw that two of the owlers had survived with moderate injuries, but the humans quickly gunned their enemies down with Mana Magnums.
The surviving teammates collapsed to the ground at the same time. Vincent panted for breath, a
nd Xan wiped sweat from her forehead. They both trembled from the adrenaline and the fear, but slowly the feeling of victory crept onto their faces.
Xan looked at Vincent and chuckled. “So, to hell with owl world, huh?”
“Yeah, I see why that innkeeper bad-mouthed this place.”
Xan stood and collected items before approaching Elmrot’s nesting spot. Vincent followed, and they found a chest sitting next to a large entrance where owlers could fly inside. Xan opened the chest, revealing a pile of gild and item crystals. The daiglass shard sat on top the items, and both players sighed in relief when they saw it.
“There’re some books in here that might come in handy,” Xan said, giving Vincent four items crystals.
Elmrot’s Rune Book
Elmrot’s Apothecary Book
Elmrot’s Spell Book
Elmrot’s Forge Guide
Vincent flipped through the pages of the spell book, which showed instructions on how to develop and upgrade certain spells. It also included runes on the pages that let players study the frequencies needed for them. He eyed the spells that might be useful to their team.
Mana Cannon’s in here. That’ll be good to learn in a couple decades. It has the Self-Destruct spell that the owlers use. That’d be useful on the Dead-World if we run out of Lotus Capsules—although, the Lotus Capsule is stronger since the explosion is based on your total mana capacity and not just the mana you have at that moment.
His eyes fell on one spell, and he showed the page to Xan. “Revive is in here. That’s probably the most important spell for you to learn while we’re on Eramar. Not to mention, your Class Quest requires you to Revive a player during a boss fight.”
Xan took the book and looked over the pages. “I’ll try to learn this. Might take a few years, since I have to attempt it on players that are actually dying. I’ve heard it only works if you time it after the light leaves their eyes, but before they turn to dust. Speaking of dust, I guess we should go retrieve Jim’s items.”
Vincent handed Xan the daiglass shard. “Let me collect these flowers first. I’ll use Elmrot’s Apothecary Book to learn how to make potions while we’re on Eramar. We’ll need to stock up to take on the Justiciars.”
Xan cradled the shard under one arm, but helped him pick flowers. She picked a rainbow-colored rose. “These are beautiful.”
“Yeah, this game never ceases to amaze me,” Vincent said, eyeing the flower.
But for everything beautiful in this game, ARKUS designs something just as horrible. I guess we should enjoy the sights on Ornrak, because once we reach Eramar, even this blasted owl world will be a happy memory.
Chapter 23
Player: Lucas the Just
Location: Valahym (World) | Midrun (City) | Council’s Tower (Area)
Class: Sheriff (Moderator)
Vitality*: Lv 100
Spirit*: Lv 109
Resolve*: Lv 106
Perception*: Lv 104
Agility*: Lv 100
Strength*: Lv 99
Lucas sat in the council chair and glared at the three Justiciars kneeling on the floor. They’d spent the last three days searching every building, basement, alleyway, and even the sewer system for any sign of the four players that had crossed him.
“Nothing?” Lucas spat. “You’ve found nothing?”
Wayward Charlie looked up with a pitiful stare. “I’m sorry, sir. They must’ve left the city.”
“Then search the entire world,” Lucas replied. “Search the canyons, the caverns, the dungeons—the monster nests if you must.”
“We don’t have the manpower for that yet,” Charlie replied. “At least not until the others respawn. Even then, it will take a long time. We might be better off camping the Daiglass Tower and hoping those four get themselves killed. Surely they’ll respawn in this city.”
“Not if they make it to another City-World. What if they reach a city outside of my reach and influence?”
“We’ve had a man watching the Jump Gate. Unless they went straight for the gate after killing our men, they couldn’t have made it off-world. However, if they did, then there’s no way we’d find them. That Jump Gate connects to half a dozen different worlds. We aren’t prepared with enough Jump Crystals to check them all.”
Lucas huffed. “Then let the city of Midrun know there’s a bounty on Crow-Foot Jim’s head. Anyone that captures his team will gain a high position in my new empire. Not to mention, they’ll be rewarded handsomely. Additionally, anyone that gives us Jump Crystals and supplies to search the nearby worlds will gain my favor. If they won’t offer you supplies, then force players to give them to you. They’ll be too afraid to cross me.”
Charlie nodded. “Yes, sir. I’ll organize scout parties from any volunteers in Midrun.”
The men stood to leave, but a thought crossed Lucas’s mind. “One more thing, Charlie. Did you ever find the man I banned on the street when we entered? I’m about to leave for Snowcrag to unfreeze Zhang.”
“He hasn’t turned up yet,” Charlie answered. “Perhaps someone relocated him.”
“Yes, maybe they did. Go on, then. I’ll return here in a few days. Try to find those four before I return.”
Lucas World Teleported to Sarfin, where Justiciars already awaited his arrival. They bowed to him and explained everything they’d set up for Zhang as they followed him into the city.
“So, the de-buffing bracers should prevent Zhang from tearing apart his cell,” one Justiciar finished explaining. “Without them, we’re worried he could pick at the runes over time. Even some of our lesser prisoners have almost escaped after decades of prodding the runes.”
“I’ll give Zhang one warning about that,” Lucas said. “If he crosses me, I’ll leave him frozen forever. That’d be a fitting end for the Ice Knight.”
The other Justiciars flashed nervous glances, but Lucas ignored them. It’s only a threat. I probably wouldn’t do that to even my most annoying enemy. It’d be a human rights violation to keep someone frozen—unable to breathe or move—for centuries. Luckily for my enemies, I’m an honorable man. But everywhere I turn, I face cheaters, liars, and egotists that stand on self-made ivory towers. I’m the only one that deserves power like this. The only one that deserves to rule the World-Tree.
Lucas glanced at bowing Justiciars as he stepped into the prison building. He didn’t even know most of their names. It seemed like all the people he’d been familiar with had been promoted to higher positions that sent them farther away.
Every day I have more followers and fewer friends. These people are almost like NPCs to me—just mindless automatons. They do what I tell them and speak when I allow it. Do they even exist when I’m gone? For all I know, ARKUS could’ve built them out of code. They don’t even act like real people.
His men led him to the private holding cells where he kept his personal enemies. Lucas smiled and waved at a few. He even stopped to talk to several. Lucas always enjoyed speaking to the ones that still had the willpower left to make snarky comments back at him.
In a strange way, I’m closer to my enemies than my followers. Those are real people. With real motivations. Real dreams. And I crushed them all. His lips curled into a smile, and he mocked a few prisoners with threats that he would find their friends and family.
“If you’re lucky, I’ll put your sister across the hall from you,” Lucas told Devilblade Neville. “You two can chat all about how your insurrection in Malas failed.”
“One day, I’ll get out of here,” Neville shouted. “Just you wait, you punk!”
Lucas forced a malicious chuckle and continued into the hall. Maybe when I get his sister, I’ll have my Justiciars fake a prison break. Deactivate the runes and pretend they failed. Then I can have the fun of catching them all over again.
His men took him down a massive spiral staircase that led to a verasteel door covered in runes. He raised his palm to the center rune, and the door opened. The men with Lucas remained behind as he ventur
ed into the chamber. His followers weren’t permitted beyond except under his direct order for repairs and modifications. He even kept a rune tablet in his inventory that showed him a display of his private prison in case someone got the idea to release a prisoner.
Lucas stopped between the two large chambers, and he glanced at the screens that showed him the occupants of both. Valery and Harper sat in one chamber, although the two were divided by a powerful barrier. He stared at the display, and his eyes fell on Harper. Lucas looked at her sunken eyes as she watched an arena fight being projected onto a screen.
She’s so miserable. I don’t understand why she’d rather be miserable than be with me? I could’ve given her anything the World-Tree could offer. In return, she would’ve brought a little light to this dim, boring universe I’ve conquered. Now, all I have to look forward to is playing games with these inferior creatures.
He reached for the button to allow communication with Harper’s room, but then his hand halted and clenched into a fist. Am I already forgetting what she said? That I disgust her. If it came from anyone else, I’d find it funny. As if I care what all these lesser beings think about me. But her—not her. I can’t bear to see that look in her eyes again.
Lucas sighed, stepped away from the screen, and approached the opposite chamber where Zhang stood frozen. The moderator touched the rune to open a small panel, then hit Zhang with Mod Gun.
Zhang collapsed to the floor and gasped for air. After a few seconds, he composed himself and glared at the rune-covered verasteel bracelets around his wrists and ankles. He tried to pry them off, but the bracers didn’t budge. Zhang equipped a hardened-verasteel longsword and slashed the wall, but a forcefield flashed and pushed back his attack. When he struck again, the barrier flashed with magic, and his sword shattered.
Lucas touched the communication panel. “Those forcefields turn your own magic against you. I was worried you’d have something stronger than hardened-verasteel, because then you might’ve broken it. Don’t you have basteel from the higher worlds?”