Quest ‘Deliver a Love Letter’ completed. +100 Reputation with the Cupid Faction.
Chapter 5. The First Dragon Dungeon
For a few moments, I stared at Frist considering whether I should kill him now or do it later. I had traveled to this town, spent a mountain of gold, earned an army of enemies in Kartoss for this guard and all of it was over 100 Reputation with the Cupids? What was the point?
“If you don’t have any further questions for me, I’m going to go,” said Frist and with broad steps left me alone with the ever-growing mound of loot from the raid.
“We’re finished here,” Magdey reported twenty minutes later. “2,047 items of clothing, 321 weapons, and 93,000 gold. The average item-level is 170+, but there’s also a single Level 220 Legendary Cape of Agility. What do you want me to do with all this gear?”
“Mr. Mayor?” I addressed the goblin, who had returned to the Mayor’s Residence along with Ehkiller and was currently peering in from the entry hall with a perplexed look on his face. The loot had all been gathered in a separate room, filling it from floor to ceiling. According to the rules, it belonged to Phoenix and us, and yet…What if there’s some rule that requires us to return all of it? It would be better to make sure of this now than try to prove to a Herald later on that dogs don’t climb trees. “That’s the stuff we picked up from the raid…”
“It’s your reward,” the goblin said, interrupting me. “You took it off the enemies who attacked the town, not off my soldiers. All the items and gold are yours. I have only an enormous favor to ask—take these things as quickly as possible so that I can have my bedroom back! Whose idea was it to dump this stuff in this room anyway?”
“Mine, but…”
“So take it with you!” the Mayor reiterated with more emphasis. “The sooner, the better.”
“I suggest you engage the services of the distribution Imitator.” Ehkiller approached me and glanced into the overflowing bedroom. “It might take us a long time to decide among ourselves.”
“Uh-huh,” I grunted in reply, trying to restrain my greed. How was I supposed to explain to my green monster that not everything in this bedroom was mine? He would never survive such news!
“Although, I have an even better suggestion,” Ehkiller suddenly went on. “Mahan, what do you think about amending one of our prior agreements?”
“The one you were unable to fulfill?” I immediately realized what Ehkiller was getting at.
“Precisely,” Magdey smiled. “I must admit that I did not expect you to be acquainted with Reptilis. When I found out that you already had the scroll, I was at a complete loss. I figured that you wouldn’t start blaring to the whole world that Phoenix wasn’t to be trusted. I still prefer to believe that our partnership persists, but a deal is a deal and must be fulfilled—so I propose that you keep all of this loot.”
“Huh, and thereby solve two of your problems at once: avoid difficulties with our agreement and shift the Kartossians’ attention (who’d like to see their stuff back) to my clan.”
“Well, and don’t forget the opportunity to make a profit from their attention, and no small profit at that.”
“While acquiring several avid enemies in the process—albeit from a hostile faction.”
“So you’re not interested?”
“Why? Of course I am. However, your proposed exchange is in no way equal to a Unique Karmadont scroll.”
“Do you have something else in mind?”
“Yes. My clan keeps all the loot from today’s battle. And I can summon Phoenix’s warriors three times to a similar event—that is, battles with players or with mobs. And that means battles with all players, including, just in case, your people too. And, furthermore, I get to keep all the loot from those future battles as well. It seems to me that such a trade will cover the unique scroll.”
“You can summon my people once,” Ehkiller instantly began to negotiate. “I have no problems with the other conditions, except the one about my warriors fighting each other. That won’t work. If you accept, three hundred fighters of Phoenix, all at least at Level 200, will be placed immediately at your disposal. All you have to do is give us 20 minutes to assemble.”
“Ehkiller, I hardly recognize you,” I threw up my hands dramatically. “Would Phoenix really refuse to help its dear partner—as you put it—if he is in terrible peril? After all, I’m not taking the levels that your players will earn. It’s just ordinary help, like you provided to Anastaria at her request. And again, in the course of helping out, Phoenix can earn many additional and unmentioned benefits, such as an Exalted reputation with this Province, while in the converse, I’d take any damage to reputation on myself. Let’s spell that out clearly in our agreement. Three hauls of loot from such calls for help is a fair price for one unique scroll. As for fighting against one another…Look, imagine I’m going on a raid against some bastards. I realize that I need your help, call your people and, suddenly, it turns out that there are several Phoenix fighters among whoever’s attacking me. Can you guarantee that not a single Phoenix player will participate in an ambush against my clan? I don’t mean the leadership, of course. But you have so many recruits and fighters. And then what? Our agreement goes right out the window and I have to pay something to Phoenix to boot? That won’t work either. Let’s write into the contract that the fighters I summon won’t be used to attack the Phoenix clan and its property. I agree—this point could be clarified. But if I’ll find myself having to protect something and the fighters I call in will have to fight against their own people…Come on, Ehkiller—this is a game after all, and I doubt you can answer for everyone.”
“In that case, let’s adjust the terms.” Ehkiller nodded after a little thought. “First, I propose a compromise. You get only two summons. It’s a good middle ground. Second, my people will not be asked to attack Phoenix property, nor to make premeditated attacks against Phoenix members. You can use my fighters only to protect the property of your own clan. Third, all the negative reputation goes to your clan, while the positive rep is split between us. What do you say?”
“I’m in complete agreement.” I offered my hand as signature.
“In that case, I’d like to sweeten the deal for you right this moment. You may have Krispa all to yourself for the next month. Phoenix won’t be here, despite its Exalted reputation with the Province.”
“It’s very nice doing business with you,” I smiled at the Mage, after which we got down to editing our agreement. A month-long monopoly in a Province, even a remote one, was worth quite a bit.
“Magdey, look through the items and determine whether any of them will be of use to our fighters. Leite, I need you here right this instant. We need to get as much access to resources from the Mayor as we can before he resets the scripts. Keep in mind that we’ll have the Province to ourselves for an entire month before Phoenix shows up here again. We have to use the time to its utmost!”
“I’m already on my way…”
“Barsa, whip up some Dungeons for Magdey’s boys. We need to level up the clan.”
“Okay.”
“Legends! My thanks to everyone for the excellent raid. I am grateful to you for the help and for the reputation we’ve earned with Lestran Province! I am pooling all the gold we’ve gathered today into a prize fund for the battle. The Imitators will distribute it with the next payroll. Everyone is free to go about their business now.”
“Has our date reached its end?” asked Anastaria when the town began to gradually return to its everyday hustle and bustle.
“It didn’t work out quite the way I had planned it, but it looks like this is it.” I smiled in reply, but Anastaria remained serious. “Has something happened?”
“Some friends invited me to a restaurant. It’s a holiday after all. I have to admit that I’ve never been on a more unique date. As I understand it, you’ve already given the card to the guard?”
“Yup,” I muttered, realizing that Stacey was about to leave. As reg
rettable as it was to have to admit it, the last thing I wanted was her departure, and yet I couldn’t come up with any compelling excuse to keep the girl with me.
“In that case, let’s meet in two days. We can go visit the Werebeasts.”
As the girl hugged me, she began to melt right there in my embrace, like a snowflake. At first her character became transparent, then she began to dissolve into the surrounding world, indicating that she was signing out into reality.
“Hold on! There’s this one thing!” I cried, before Stacey could vanish entirely. Damn, I’m behaving like a star-crossed lover, I swear…“I really don’t want to put it off for later!”
“…?” Regaining her presence and colors, the girl looked at me quizzically.
“The thing is that I…” I began, but cut myself off. I didn’t have anything to say to Stacey at the moment, but I had to say something!
“Mahan?” Stacey asked with a smile, arching one eyebrow.
“Listen, I don’t know what to say to make you stay with me, but I really don’t want you to go. I realize that you might have things to do in reality, but…Stacey, do you want to go on a stroll with me through Krispa?”
“You have another raid lined up?” Anastaria asked, as though savoring my helplessness.
“No, but…”
“I really do have to go, Mahan. I promised I’d be there. But tomorrow during the day, or in the evening, I can’t say exactly when—I’ll be entirely at your disposal, agreed? And another thing…” Anastaria began to think, staring at me for several seconds, and then said, “I really liked the way you expressed yourself…back there in the Mayor’s Residence. So for that reason…”
With two short steps, Anastaria stepped up to me. Adjusting her bangs with her hand, she lightly flicked me on my nose and, as I puzzled over this gesture, pressed her lips to mine, showing me the proper way one soars among the heavens.
It seemed to me that our kiss lasted an eternity, until I realized that the girl had dissolved right there in my arms. All that remained was a roaring in my ears and the trembling in my knees from my happiness. Plinto was shaking his head with approval, while several Phoenix players stood by in shock with their cameras turned on. It looked like by tomorrow, all of Malabar would know about our kiss.
Message for the player! A new location has been discovered: ‘Dungeon of the Dragon of the Blue Flame.’ The probability of finding a valuable item from an ordinary opponent has increased by 49.999%; Experience gained increased by 20%.
The first Dragons’ Dungeon had appeared…
* * *
“I wonder whether Renox miscalculated when he suggested I do this on my own,” I asked no one in particular, peering into the long corridor that vanished into the gloom ahead of me. Sparse and sparkling stones cast a little light along the corridor’s length and yet I could see nothing at all beyond 30 meters. It was like Dolma Mine all over again!
When I had teleported to the coordinates on my map, I expected anything but a craggy mountain with a small cave, covered with a shimmering film—the entrance to the Dungeon. From a design perspective, they could’ve at least added a castle somewhere nearby or scatter about some animals and monsters or at least some buildings. However, there was nothing at all around me. Only a humongous mountain, a forest and…For several minutes I stood before the entrance watching the edge of the forest and anticipating the attack of some mob, but nothing of the kind took place and I turned at last to enter the Dungeon. No one and nothing was about to attack me, meaning that there were no guards to the dungeon. Even back in Dolma Mine, where the prisoners were kept, there were at least rats. Here on the other hand…
Understanding that sitting in one place wouldn’t make me live longer, I moved into the corridor’s depths. I would have to take Renox at his word. If he said that I could complete the Dungeon on my own, then that’s the way I’d have to proceed.
I managed to pass about 50 meters into the corridor when I realized that I couldn’t go any further. At all. And that if I did keep going, I would lose everything that I had and that I had collected and earned, as well as everything that…But wait! What was this nonsense I was thinking?
“Come here, Draco!”
“Hello again. Do we need to heal someone?” asked my Totem and immediately stopped to peer into the corridor. “Whoa! What is this place you’ve wandered into? It feels familiar, even homey, but I can’t put my claw on it…May I go scout ahead?”
“Let’s do it together,” I agreed, getting to my feet. “I’ll follow behind you.” I couldn’t believe it—my panic just now had caused me to collapse! And yet, as soon as Draco had appeared, the panic and helplessness had vanished as though I’d never felt it. But now there was two of us! Had Renox lied to me?
We managed another 50 meters without any problems, and then Draco suddenly stopped:
“I think I’ve had enough…Let’s not keep going. There’s nothing to see here anyway—walls, floor, ceiling. It’s all so drab and boring!”
“Draco, are you all right?” I asked him with surprise, since it was very unlike this ever-inquisitive NPC to so abruptly back out of an adventure. Could it be that the cave was affecting him too?
“Of course! I’m fine. It’s just that I’ve seen enough,” said my Totem, trying to step back around behind me.
“Draco!”
“I can’t go on, brother!” blurted out my Totem, looking down. “It’s like I have a coven of black cats clawing at my soul. It’s so scary, I can’t even think. I’m afraid that if take another step, the terror will tear me apart. No…not even terror, but—well—I don’t even know what to call it.”
It was clear that whatever evil spirit had inhabited this place was affecting him too. Yet my own terror had released me as soon as Draco had taken the lead! What if we were to switch places again?
“Walk behind me,” I said, wishing to test my theory and squeezing ahead of Draco with difficulty. Wow! Turns out my Totem is no ballerina!
“How do you feel?” I asked after several meters. I was feeling fine and could go on without any problems, but I didn’t want to leave Draco alone in the tunnel.
“You know—much better once you took the lead. Like a great load had suddenly vanished from my back.”
“Let’s switch,” I said after another 50 meters—once the feelings of depression, worthlessness, panic and fear had again returned. “It’s all clear now! Each of us gets 50 meters and then whoever is in the lead is hit by a wave of panic. A concentrated panic. We’ll take turns leading and see what we get in response. I don’t understand how I was supposed to pass this Dungeon on my own. I think Renox might have made something up.”
“Renox?” Draco even stopped spinning in place and looked at me with curiosity. “Who is that? The name sounds familiar, like this place, but…Brother, tell me—who is Renox? Something tells me he’s very important!”
“Important?” I echoed, considering how I should respond. On the one hand, sooner or later Draco would learn the truth—once he reached Level 200. On the other hand, am I allowed to tell my Totem the truth about the Dragons? Well why not? “Let’s do it this way—we’ll keep going down this here hallway until we reach some decent place to have a chat, and there I’ll tell you lots of interesting things about Renox and how it is that you became my Totem. For now, I’ll just say this: Renox is your father. His true name—Eluna grant me the memory to remember—is Aarenoxitolikus and it just so happens that he is also…
Your Totem has gained a level.
Your Totem has gained a level.
Your Totem has gained a level.
Your Totem has gained a new ability: ‘Thunderclap’—all enemies in a radius of 40 meters are stunned for one minute. Ability cooldown time: 50 minutes.
The duration your Totem may spend in Barliona has increased to 5 hours per day.
“My father! That’s it! I remember now! An immense, green Dragon! Brother! So you’re not just my sworn brother, but my blood brother too!
My…our father is the head of the Dragons!” Draco muttered excitedly, rooted in place. In that one instant my Totem had leveled up three times, reaching Level 51 and earning his first combat ability. I must confess that I was astounded by his progress. It was clear now that far from avoiding conversation, I should initiate it every chance I got. Accordingly, I would tell Draco everything I knew about his past.
“Draco, let’s get this corridor over with and talk things over,” I tried to restore my Totem back to a working mindset. “I don’t understand the logic of this Dungeon and it may easily turn out that there’s some time limit to our progress in this ill-fated corridor. We’ll talk again when we know for sure that there’s nothing breathing down our necks.”
“Okay,” the Totem agreed with my reasoning. “In that case, it’s my turn to lead.”
After thirty switches, we began to realize that we were doing the wrong thing. The corridor did not look in the least like it was ending and was simply leading us further and further beaneath the mountain. It followed that perhaps it wasn’t going anywhere at all and that it was we who were standing in place. Several times, first Draco then I, tried to ignore the feelings and progress more than 50 meters. At 60 meters, however, I was forced to literally hold back my Totem who had turned suddenly and with wild and bulging eyes was about to flee. When it was my turn to test the corridor’s limit, I managed 73 meters…and collapsed, unable to get up for the next five minutes. Nonetheless, I did come to terms with the main thing—we were going about this entirely incorrectly.
“I just don’t understand!” I mumbled, sitting down on the stone floor. “What are we doing wrong?”
“Brother, could you repeat exactly what Reno…I mean, our father, told you?” the Totem asked, stepping before me and thereby releasing me from the wave of panic.
The Phantom Castle (The Way of the Shaman: Book #4) LitRPG series Page 13