The Phantom Castle (The Way of the Shaman: Book #4) LitRPG series

by Vasily Mahanenko

  “The third round has ended!” announced the announcer a minute later, once we had finished off the remaining Heroes. Dazed, as if not daring believe my own luck, I looked around and encountered Anastaria’s gaze. The girl smiled and gave me a thumbs up, after which she pointed to her ears and shook her head. Our players were celebrating and yelling something, but we couldn’t hear a single sound. The Arena remained impenetrable and the audience was made visible to us only during the breaks. Shrugging my shoulders and mirroring her gesture, I smiled sadly. We three were about to go up against the Chieftain, without a tank…“The Silver Hand clan has proven its right to sit on the Council!”

  “CONFIRMED!” Suddenly the earth shook as if from an earthquake. I turned in the direction of the Silver Hand’s camp and saw the Guardian emerge slowly from the forest. He swung his cords of rope and a giant tent appeared in the camp, crowned by a proud red-gold banner. “ACCORDING TO THE RIGHTS DUE TO THE NEW MEMBERS, I PROCLAIM A COMBAT FOR THE TITLE OF HEAD OF THE CLANS! THE CHIEFTAIN MUST PROVE HIS RIGHT TO THE THRONE!”

  “You know, Mahan, if they take us out right now and we lose the levels we’ve gained, I’ll kill you,” smirked Plinto taking up position to my right. “A gain of eight levels just like that! I’ll have a stroke if I find myself outside of the meadow back at Level 343! I’ll become depressed and the only remedy will be to raze this damned forest, as long as that might take!”

  “Is the Chieftain prepared to prove his right to the throne?” came the announcer’s voice, warning that the final battle was about to commence.

  The enormous Chieftain of the Werebeasts jumped up from his throne and ascended the dais with a springy step. As he did so, his level was halved—all the way to Level 175. How were we supposed to tackle him at Level 58? I have no idea! Casting a contemptuous glance at the remainder of our raid party, the Chieftain shouted:

  “I won’t defend my right to be the chief of the Werebeasts in a combat with free citizens! No one can compel me to condescend to these microbes! Only he who is worthy to battle me can do so—yet there is none like that here! The laws of the Werebeasts are inviolable!”

  “HE IS CORRECT!” the Guardian’s voice resounded in the air. “A FREE CITIZEN MAY NOT SIT ON THE THRONE OF THE CRAGGY FOREST, AND THEREFORE THE BLOOD RITUAL MUST BE DECLARED IN…”

  “Am I a worthy foe?” came a familiar voice, forcing everyone to look to the distant edge of the Arena. Surrounded by some strange foggy-white cloud, or even fog, stood Slate, transparent like some phantom.

  “You? But you’re dead!” Screamed the Chieftain hoarsely, choking with rage.

  “Mere death shall not impede the doing of justice!” replied the Prince of Malabar, approaching us. “The Blood Ritual has summoned me from the Gray Lands, as a bearer of the Seal of Death! Having betrayed me brother, you have brought too much misfortune to the Werebeasts. The time has come to answer for your crimes!”

  So the Chieftain also happens to be Slate’s brother, as well as a former member of the Silver Hand? But how?

  “Under my leadership, the Werebeasts became a force to be reckoned with!” bellowed the Chieftain, transforming into a mighty Bear. “Who are you to accuse me of anything? I helped our people survive!”

  “Thank you, Mahan!” Slate said to me, ignoring his brother’s metamorphosis. “Thank you and all your warriors who have stood up for my clan and allowed me—even if for one battle—to leave the Gray Lands. When I return, I will be sure to remember your assistance.”

  ‘Escorting the Prince’ quest completed.

  “Go on now. You have done everything you could. The destiny of my people is left in my hands now.”

  With a thunderous roar, the enraged Bear rushed at us. The current Chieftain had begun the battle without awaiting the announcer’s invitation.

  You have lost and have been removed from the Arena of Trials.

  I learned the happy news that a Level 59 player can’t do much against a rabid, Level 175 mob once I was already outside the Arena. I could now see the gist of the developers’ plan: The players, having received the quest, only had to hold out for three rounds of battle. After that, the Prince shows up, a duel takes place, justice triumphs and the Prince of Malabar retakes his triumphant post—the throne of the Werebeasts of Craggy Forest. Considering that there are no other Werebeasts anywhere in Malabar, this also makes Slate the leader of all Werecreatures, thus making him a worthy match for Tisha. I don’t even need to watch the duel to know the outcome—first the current Chieftain knocks Slate around, after which the exile gathers his powers and the last of his strength and in some epic attempt, ends the duel, having been wounded to the point of improbability. Then the dad runs in, embraces his son, and everyone lives happily ever after, awaiting Slate’s return from the Gray Lands.

  You have earned the ‘One hundred is no limit’ Achievement.

  You have 450 unallocated stat points.

  And that’s it—the battle is over and our levels have been fixed. It’s too bad that only we three received the promotions, and yet I can pat myself on the back—as a Hunter I didn’t manage to reach the hundred level mark in two years, while as a Shaman, I’m already at Level 101 in less than a year. Of course, it’s worth taking into account the sharp jump in Beatwick and the Dark Forest, as well as the gain of 8 levels now, which happened almost by accident…but the fact remains. And another thing—I need to allocate my free stat points somehow. In that crazy battle I had grown my Intellect only by several points, so I see no point in sitting on the free points. It’s time to grow and do so quickly.

  By the way, I really need to make a note to send Leite here to see if the forest has some useful resources for us. I’ll ask Slate about this…

  “You are weak, brother!” sounded the Chieftain’s happy voice, forcing me to look up from my points allocation and turn my attention to the arena. Phantom Slate was lying on the earth with his neck unnaturally twisted, while over him loomed the Werebeast Chieftain with his paw triumphantly on his fallen foe. “Go back to the Gray Lands and remember—the Craggy Forest no longer recognizes you as one of its own! You are no longer exiled physically. I exile you spiritually as well! Henceforth you will become an ordinary person, weak and powerless, like the rest of that tribe! By my right as a Chieftain who has proven his title, I address the Guardian of the Forest and call on him to do my bidding!”

  “As for you, oh weak semblances of sentience,” the chieftain addressed us, “You are exiled from the Craggy Forest! Forever! I recognize the Silver Hand clan. My father will regain his place in the Council, but you lot will never set foot in my forest! If a Werebeast sees any one of you, he shall know that you are the enemies! You have thirty minutes to get out of this forest! If you don’t, I will send you to the Gray Lands personally!”

  -2400 Reputation with all Werebeasts. Current level: Hatred.

  “I guess the party won’t be happening after all!” Plinto, now at Level 351, wrote in the chat. The Rogue went on writing some other witticisms, but I was no longer reading, for before me hung a notification which I simply could not grasp:

  Faction list updated—new faction added: ‘Princess of Malabar.’

  +12000 to Reputation with the Malabar Emperor. Current level: Esteem. Points remaining until Exalted: 12000. Speak to the Princess.

  “That’s impossible!” I muttered. “He lost!”

  Chapter 7. Narlak

  “Hmm, I can’t say I’ve journeyed to such distant places ever before,” Plinto remarked philosophically, closing the map. “In my opinion, the developers simply couldn’t find a way to place the castle further from Anhurs, so they plopped it down here. If the Emperor had the power to enrich the Free Lands with castles, I’d wager my head we’d get one in the furthest corner possible.”

  “Don’t grumble. No one’s in the mood as it is, and you’re making it worse,” I muttered, closing my map as well. As much as I wanted to believe the opposite, I could agree with Plinto, even if at the moment. There was no p
lace in Malabar further removed from Anhurs than Narlak.

  “The Emperor asked me to remind you that you only have three months to become the rightful owner of the castle,” announced the Herald’s bright voice, after which he opened a return portal and vanished, leaving me and my clan in perfect solitude. Although, you couldn’t exactly call our situation a solitude—a hundred steps from us stood the gates to Narlak and to my immense surprise there were players rushing to and fro all around us, suggesting that the city was quite popular. You could hear the cries of merchants, invitations to join groups, and various other babble. Narlak lived its own life, paying us absolutely no attention.

  “Where’d these guys come from?” I couldn’t help but exclaim when about twenty griffons mounted with players flew over our heads. Low-level players running around the city was one thing, but the owners of these flying cows suggested a much higher profile to the city’s status.

  “Narlak is the only city through which one may pass into Malabar, without resorting to a teleport,” Anastaria instantly explained. “Considering that the cost of an intercontinental teleport comes out to about three million, I don’t see anything surprising about the fact that so many players prefer to spend a few months to reach it by ship. It’s free of charge and full of adventures, especially if some pirates or sea monsters attack. This is a game, after all.”

  “All right, enough standing around, let’s get to work. Magdey,” I addressed our Raid Leader, “you’ve got three Dungeons ahead of you. You can start conquering them as soon as you like. Don’t forget to call me for the final boss of the ‘Bloody Scythe.’ As for you three,” I glanced over at Plinto, Anastaria and Barsina, “the sooner we figure out the registration issue, the quicker we’ll be able to go take a look at Altameda.”

  No sooner had we returned from the Werebeasts than I cornered Anastaria and forced her to tell me the full and detailed tale of what had happened in the Craggy Forest. Why had the Legends suddenly found themselves fighting for the cause of the Silver Hand, and how or on what grounds had she taken my (emphasis on this word) ritual disc. Also, why had no one predicted the appearance of the Mages and healers in the second and third waves?

  The questions came pouring out from me like a river. You could say I was gushing with them. Besides, I was extremely serious about receiving answers, so Anastaria had nothing else to do but answer me. What she did, however, was smile languidly, press herself up to me and say: “Thank you so much for the victory” and merged with me in a passionate kiss. Notifications began to flash past my eyes about using Love magic, but…I only came to at the Dating House, lying on my back with one arm embracing sleeping Stacey. It had turned out to be quite a chat…

  Ding! You have received a notification from an NPC. Do you wish to read it?

  “Greetings to the head of the Legends of Barliona clan, who furnished his fighters to defend the honor of my clan. My name is Classius—I am the father of Slate. It took me an entire night to grasp just how great of a favor you did for my son, by allowing him to appear beside his love. It is hard to admit that I will never see him again. From now on people are prohibited from entering the Craggy Forest, but I am happy to realize that he found his happiness with her whom he loved more than anyone else in this world. Thank you and thanks to your warriors.

  Don’t think that in this manner I am trying to shirk my responsibility for giving you false information—there were no Mages or healers among the Werebeasts when my clan was part of the Council. Who could have thought that while we were in exile, the Werebeasts would complement their forces in this manner? I wish to exculpate myself and begin to loathe your clan (as my leader compels me to) with a clean conscience. Accept from me this item. I believe that it will suffice as payment for the help and happiness you have provided to my non-existent son. From now on, you and your people are the enemies of the Werebeasts.

  Classius—Head of the Silver Hand.

  Acquired item: Playing Card (Ace of Diamonds). Item class: Unique set.

  I looked down to find in my hand a flat piece of plastic or cardboard bearing the image of an ace of diamonds. A unique set item…Unless I’m mistaken, each of the 52 fighters who came out in support of the Werebeasts received a similar prize. It followed that there was some kind of complete set of cards, which…which should grant us another quest! Good work, developers! You’ve taken the quest offer and split it into 52 parts and then scattered those around all the players. So if you want the quest, you’ll have to go around and collect them all. And if even one person digs his heels in, you may as well forget about the quest altogether.

  “Rise and shine, Stacey!”

  “What?” the girl muttered through her sleep. Players weren’t penalized for sleeping in Barliona, but the accepted custom was for players to sleep in reality.

  “Check the mail—you should have a letter from a Werebeast. I’d like to know what your reward was.”

  “You’re really actually interested in something?” muttered Anastaria, opening her eyes and reaching for her mailbox. “It’s typically the opposite. As a rule, everyone’s interested in what you have and how they can get their hands on it.”

  “Are you one of them?”

  “Why not? I’ve just gone further than the others—I don’t need a part of you. I’d rather have a unique item all to myself.”

  “Hmm…Can’t say I’ve ever been compared to an object before.”

  “Don’t get agro…I have an Ace of Hearts. By the way—that letter is a template, so you’ve already seen the answers to your questions. What did you get?”

  “Ace of Diamonds.”

  “Okaaay…there were 52 of us, and you and I received a unique card each. Have you sent out a message to the clan yet?”

  “Not yet. I wanted to make sure first.”

  To all members of the Craggy Forest campaign. Our successful completion of the quest has earned each of us a unique playing card. If we gather them all together, we’ll have a complete deck, which should unlock a quest. I request everyone to please send their card in to me.

  “I wouldn’t do it,” Anastaria instantly remarked, handing me her Ace of Hearts. “Why send you something that I could sell?”

  “That’s why I didn’t mention anything about buying them. Whoever asks for money, won’t be hanging around the clan much longer. I am proposing to unlock a quest for the entire clan, so if anyone decides to earn a buck for himself, I will gladly buy the card and say farewell to such a person.”

  “I agree. The card doesn’t actually provide anything other than information that it’s somehow important to someone. And not even to just anyone, but the clan specifically. To foolishly attempt to get rich of something like this…”

  And so we had to let go of three…Seven new raiders asked for 20 to 100 thousand gold for their cards. I spoke to each one and explained that this was not how we did things in this clan. Four of them saw my point. Three players insisted on their position, arguing that the playing card was their reward for their personal efforts, not for the clan’s work. All of my attempts to explain that without the clan they would never have received the quest—were shattered against a wall of incomprehension. And so goodbye 250,000 gold and three players. What I was most happy about was that Magdey fully supported me about testing players’ loyalty to the clan in this manner. He tried to speak to this trio as well and received the same response as I did—a refusal to hand over the card for free. Oh well, no use crying about it—if the people need a hundred thousand gold right this instant, it’s not in my power to say deny them.

  Do you wish to assemble the item: Deck of Cards?

  Yes!

  Item created: Deck of Cards. Description: You may now enjoy a game of solitaire as you recover from your labors. Item class: Unique.

  And that’s it?!

  “Ha ha ha,” Anastaria burst out laughing when she saw the outcome. “Dan, there has got to be someone who really doesn’t like you in the Corporation. Well played!”

 
“I have come to announce that the time has come for you to travel to the castle.” Not giving me a chance to think of a witty riposte, a Herald appeared beside us. “You shall be brought to the central gates of Narlak—a port city and a provincial capital. You must register in the city as warriors who have come to fight the phantoms in the castle, upon which you shall be granted the right to pass through the security cordon around the castle. If I deliver you straight to the castle, the guards may take you for phantoms and try to destroy you. Please follow me.”

  Suddenly I realized the truth of Stacey’s remark—not only had I wasted 250 thousand gold on an ordinary deck of cards and not only was the castle in the middle of nowhere, but we’d have to travel there on our own steam. If I recall the map correctly, the journey would take two days on horseback! It’s hard to even imagine, how we could be worse off…

  It’s worth admitting though that I have a very poor imagination…but I only discovered that later…

  “Stacey?! What are you doing here? An astonished exclamation forced me to start. The player’s voice was extremely familiar, but I could not remember from where.