VampQuest
Page 13
“The distance it takes to get there will be easy compared to the challenges you will face once you are there, son, but the rewards will be more than worth it. You will become a true VampGod. You would make Veruka proud.”
“How do you know…” I trailed off. Ari began tapping his temple with a knowing smile on his face.
Chapter 5: Ra
Aker’s Stats
Level 9
$305 RM
Health: 10 (+1 Necklace)
Speed: 13 (+3 Speed Shoes)
Strength: 23 (+5 Gold Bracelet)
Sneak: 12
Blood Bonus: 5
Bite: 7 (+3 Bite Ring)
Mesmerize: 4
Regeneration: 3
Sun Resistance: -50
Night Vision: 50
Special Vampire Moves: Time Warp (1), Blood Lust (+1 Necklace)
Inventory 55/200: Black Tee, Black Pants, Black Boots, Cape (+150 inventory space), Necklace (+1 Health, +1 Blood Lust), Gold Bracelet (+5 Strength), Silver Silenced Pistol, Sniper Rifle, 45 Bullets, 11 Stun Bullets, Speed Shoes (+3 Speed), Bite Ring (+3 Bite), Ax, Winter Hat, 1 ReelC Candy
Ari fed me well and even made some cold press coffee with a small amount of blood mixed in to give me a good start to my journey. I felt weird once I arrived back on land and started speeding southward down the road. I felt I was leaving something behind. I elected to take a few lesser-traveled roads to avoid running through Minnetonka. I won’t return there until I’m ready to take it back for the VampGods.
I ran and ran. Through fields, forests, and some desert. By the end of the night, I was in the hot and dry middle of Texas. My speed stat raised to 14 (+3), I now needed to run 1,600 more miles to raise that attribute, and had four more missions to go until I reached Level 10.
I dug a den as morning neared, after running ten minutes off the roadside to avoid any dangerous daytime travelers. The ground was hardened sand. I used my ax to help the digging process along. I really should get a shovel now that I have some money. But I kind of like using my ax for all different kinds of tasks. It’s truly my tool of choice. My first day of travel had been a success. I missed Ari and my late great friends, but I was well on my way to finding a new purpose.
I covered myself with the now slightly softer sand and slept until the next night came. Although sleeping in the ground was wretched, the ground here was so warm in comparison to the northern grounds I had slept in, I almost enjoyed it. It soothed my sore legs, and if I focused on the pleasant warm sensation, I found mental peace in the ground.
The next night I crawled out of the earth and ran back to the road. On the way I passed by five huge, thirty-foot-tall cactuses, standing together like guardians of some strange secret. They were beautiful and strong plants, but I missed the pines and maples that were native to my home. As I was admiring the cactuses in the moonlight, I heard voices not too far away and decided to venture over to check out the commotion. A few men were digging down in a fairly large crater. I went into sneak mode and got a view of what they were excavating. Even from a distance, I could recognize that lovely shiny metal anywhere. It was gold.
If I can get some of that, I can use it as my offering to Ra. I waited and watched the men work. They each had a shovel and broom, and were working quite quickly. All right, what is my angle here?
It was hard to distinguish the men from one another, since their clothes were nearly identical. Am I strong enough to take on three people at once? Probably not; these guys look tough. My sneak skill only needed another 60 minutes to level up. I took my time creeping around the edge of the crater.
I noticed every now and then, one of the men would carry a chip of gold to a bag a few feet away. I vowed to strike the next time one of the men made their way to the bag. Time marched on, with only 45 minutes left until my next sneak skill increase. Finally, one of the men exclaimed at his luck to find a large clump of gold in the dirt he was shoveling. He bent down and picked up a grapefruit-size lump of the precious metal. He held it up to his eyes, which began to gleam as they reflected the stone. He hardly took his eyes off his treasure as he stumbled to the large black bag in the middle of the crater.
I loaded my sniper rifle with the stun bullets, took aim, and activated my Time Warp ability. This is too easy. He was a very large, slow-moving target. I aimed at the left side of his chest, hoping to hit close to his heart, and pulled the trigger. He was knocked from his feet and flew backward, then landed hard on the ground completely motionless.
I was surprised to see the power the stun bullets packed on a human target, as they had hardly affected the bear. I hope the bear is enjoying its new home. I refocused. The other two men started yelling and ran to their friend, then started looking around. I tensed my entire body, hoping they wouldn’t discover me. One was rummaging through their large bag, and the other was checking the knocked-out man for signs of life.
I aimed again, and this target was even easier to shoot than the last. He was pressing two fingers to his friend's neck, checking for a pulse. I aimed at his back. Given he wasn’t moving at all, it was an easy shot. A small amount of blood spurted from his back where my stun bullet connected. He fell, and his friend’s limp body broke his fall.
The last man saw his two friends lying on the ground and began running toward the far edge of the crater. I put my sniper rifle into my cape and the chase was on. The man was fast and agile; he’d obviously put a few points into his speed stat, but he was nowhere near my level. He reached the opposite side of the crater and jumped incredibly high up it. He dug his feet into the dirt about halfway up the side of the pit and began clawing his way to the top.
I picked up an inhuman amount of speed as I pursued him. As I came to the steep dirt wall, I pounded the earth below me one final time with my left foot, and sprung into the air. My enhanced speed and strength skills combined and allowed me to fly, batlike, through the air. My cape billowed in the wind, and I was airborne for a full five seconds. I landed beside the man on the cliff face.
“You can run faster than that,” I said in a scarily quiet tone, my voice artificially lowered by the Time Warp.
The man yelled in fright, climbing even faster than before, and ran off into the night without looking back once he reached flat ground. I began laughing.
Good enough, I shouldn’t be seeing him again anytime soon. I jumped back to the bottom of the crater and strode over to the hole where the men had been working. In the center was a partially uncovered gold meteorite. It was large, nearly as big as a basketball. I wonder if I can carry this whole thing; it’s bound to be incredibly valuable. I picked up one of the discarded shovels and began to pry and excavate the huge rock. I almost feel bad for these guys, they’d almost gotten it out. After a few minutes of work, I had freed the golden boulder from the ground. I deposited the shovel into my cape. It took up 15 pounds of my inventory, bringing it to 70/200 pounds full.
Next, I hefted the basketball-size rock and it magically entered my cape’s inventory. It weighed 120 pounds, bringing my inventory to 190/200 pounds full. I searched the two knocked-out bodies but neither had anything particularly useful, so I resumed my course toward Chile.
I ran southward with a little spring in my step. Things seem to be working out for me at the moment. After a few miles passed by in silence, I had another thought. I don’t have any close friends alive in this world right now, so I can’t lose anyone else important to me.
I began laughing at this dark fact. I’m truly alone in this world, and in a place I don’t know at all. I felt a sense of adventure in the air. Now I can really recreate myself. I can leave the old weak me behind, sculpt an improved version of myself, and then once I perfect myself I can perfect this world.
On my journey, my speed leveled up to 15 (+3) when I was in the middle of Honduras. I needed to complete only three more missions until I reached Level 10.
I camped that night in Panama. The next night I made it to Peru; the night after that, to northern Chile. E
ach night I was utterly focused on reaching my destination. I avoided cities and other players when I could. The road was my home. I felt an amazing sense of accomplishment as I neared the location Ari had shared with me.
At the top of a mountain peak in Alto Huemul, I could finally rest. I had reached my journey’s end. I received a mission complete message for arriving at Ari’s given destination, and I had only two more missions to go before I became Level 10. This area was far more beautiful than anywhere else I had been thus far. Forests covered the surrounding hills and mountainsides. A cloud floated by slowly at eye level. The night was alive with animal calls and other sounds of the forest. I leaned back against a large rocky outcrop and took in the gorgeous view. I’ve made it.
I sat with satisfaction on this mountaintop for an hour, feeling triumphant. I hope this new land will be my home for quite some time. This is the place I will become the man I was meant to be. I eventually fished the huge gold boulder from my cape and carefully balanced it on the very top of the mountain. It seems a worthy gift to Ra. It’s certainly the most valuable thing I’ve ever had in VampQuest.
The golden stone seemed to emit its own light, shining brighter than it should have in the dim light from the crescent moon.
I waited, hoping Ra would take a shine to me and would accept my gift. The moon set, and I was left staring at the stars, pondering this strange game. A feeling of déjà vu came over me. This world seemed so familiar, yet was inexplicably different than what I felt it should be. My body was calm, yet my mind was working hard. I felt my pulse pounding in my head as my brain was trying to remember my old life, but couldn’t quite do it. I was overwhelmed. I don’t know who I am, and all my friends are dead. I should call it a night. I’m tired.
I jumped away from the mountaintop, and my trajectory took me halfway down the steep mountainside. My health dropped by 5%. I winced as pain coursed through my feet and legs, then bent low and sprung again to the bottom of the mountain. Needles of pain shot up through my shins, but it brought my mind back to the present. I took out my newly acquired shovel and began to dig.
I had a hole ten feet deep in no time. Without thinking I entered the ground, covered my body and waited for the next night to come. Perhaps Ra would be there when I woke up. Sleep brought a much-needed reprieve, and put one more day between me and the loss of my friends.
I awoke and remembered the hope I had been feeling during my journey here, and with that in mind, quickly climbed back to the top of the mountain. Working my legs felt good. I reached my old outpost easily. The golden top of the mountain was still exactly where I had planted it. I began waiting again, this time careful to control my mind. I focused on my breathing, and on the animals in the surrounding forest. I felt a deep connection to the world.
Time passed beautifully now, and my mind and body were both at ease and in harmony. The air at the top of the mountain was thin and cool, but a warm breeze came from below. Hours passed as I sat like a statue meditating, living peacefully. The night came to an end in what felt like only a moment. I entered the ground where I had slept during the past day, grateful to be in a much better place mentally.
I did this for a week straight, and the days went by incredibly fast. My racing thoughts slowed to a crawl. Hours would pass with nothing crossing my mind. My need to acquire power faded. My sad memories of losing my friends began to dull; I learned to be happy for the time I was able to spend with them. I became happy with my time in VampQuest as well. Although I had started out weak and was unable to save my friends, I was making good progress. I was happy being me.
After meditating and waiting for two weeks, something finally happened. It was a night like any other, with a minor difference. The moon had shrunk to the point where it reflected none of the sun’s light. The stars and galaxies shone brighter than I had seen them before. I wish I could visit those far-off worlds. I began imagining what could be happening out there, many millions of light-years away. Then I heard something. Something inside my own mind.
“Hello…Aker,” a low feline voice said. I looked around, frightened by the voice.
“Hello? Who's there?” I said and rose to my feet.
“You’ve come a long way to be here. Your gift brings me joy,” the voice said. This time I sensed it was behind me, and then I heard a low purring. A dark figure jumped over my head and landed in front of me, but I couldn’t see it clearly. It was cloaked in some form of invisibility. A spotted, golden, incredibly large cat face appeared before me, although the rest of its body was still invisible to me. “Are you ready to become more than you once were?”
My body tensed. I was scared, yet in awe of a jaguar’s head floating a few feet in front of me. I could see huge fangs within the cat's mouth, and the sight sent shivers down my spine. I gulped audibly and nodded.
“Ra? Ari sent me to see you. I am grateful to be in your presence,” I said and bowed low before the powerful creature.
“That is indeed what some call me, though I’ve had many names…and lived many lives,” Ra said and continued purring like an engine. “I’ve been watching you. I’m impressed by your dedication. Meditation is the first step in becoming truly enlightened. Are you ready for your first mission in my jungle? It is a test of intelligence and spirit.”
“I will do my best,” I said.
“A right mind will bring you far here.” Suddenly I could see Ra’s whole body, dangerously powerful and sleek. She was a beautiful spotted mix of gold, black, and white. Muscles flexed and rippled beneath her luxurious coat with each step she took. Her teeth and claws looked razor sharp, and I had a feeling she had other, more dangerous ways to harm her enemies. “I see you have two missions to go before you can learn your first spell. In completing these missions, you can prove you are truly worthy of what I will teach you.”
Ra’s long tail curled lightly against my leg, then flitted away a moment later as she circled me. I was nervous, but excited. I wanted to prove myself.
“See if you can catch my cub, Anuket. I noticed speed is one of your best stats, so let's put it to the test. She is only a year old, but I suspect this will be quite challenging for you,” Ra said then vanished before my eyes. She was only visible when she wanted to be seen. “Anuket,” she called in a commanding tone. I felt a small weight land on my right shoulder. I looked toward the pressure to see a miniature version of Ra.
“Hello, Gothy,” Anuket said. Her voice was high but hoarse. A small paw batted my cheek. I couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.
“Hi Anuket, are you ready for this?” I asked warmly.
“You won’t be able to catch me. But I’d love to see you try,” Anuket said then smacked me particularly hard with her paw and took off down the mountain. I looked around for a moment but Ra was nowhere to be found, so I took off after Anuket before I completely lost track of her. She dodged rocks and trees nimbly and was laughing until she reached flat ground.
I initiated my Time Warp ability in an attempt to make up the ground I had lost at the beginning of the chase. I started making a little progress, and soon I was only a few steps behind her, but then we entered the thick forest at the bottom of the mountain. Anuket was darting around trees and I lost track of her in the thick brush a moment later. I glanced all around and listened for anything that might point me in the right direction.
“Over here, slowpoke,” Anuket said from high up an enormous tree. I ran to the base of the tree, jumped to the first branch, and awkwardly swung my legs up. Anuket started laughing hysterically. She could run straight up the trunk nearly as fast as she could run on the ground. Finally, my feet were planted on the first thick branch and I sprung and grasped the next branch above me. Anuket was only a foot from my left hand. I lifted my body up as quickly as I could, but it was all in vain. Anuket breezily jumped from the branch, landed for a moment on the top of my head, then fled down the tree trunk. “You suck at climbing trees, so I’ll stay on the ground to make things more interesting,” she said, la
ughing while she ran.
I let myself fall to the ground. Anuket playfully pounded the ground with her tiny front paws as my feet touched the forest floor, and then she began running straight at me with a crazy look on her tiny face. I tried to dive on her as she neared me, but she dove as well. She squeaked between my legs, and I fell face first to the leafy jungle floor. I paused for a moment, ashamed. I felt Anuket’s tiny paws land on my back as my Time Warp ability ran out. Any edge I had was lost. I let out a sigh and got to my feet. Anuket gracefully sprung from my back and paused a few feet away.
My shoulders slumped. Maybe I’m not good enough, not fast enough, but maybe I can outsmart her. I slowly edged toward her. Anuket was licking her paw now, pretending to be unaware of me. I got close enough so that I could reach down and touch her but still, I waited. She looked out of the corner of her eyes at me and smiled wide, exposing deadly but oddly cute teeth. I tried the oldest trick in the book.
“Look, a unicorn,” I said and contorted my face to show how astounded I was.
“No way, there are no unicorns in this game,” Anuket gasped, staring intently at where my finger was pointing. I dove with outstretched arms, corralled the small jaguar, and held the small fluffy cat for just a moment before letting her jump back to the ground.
“You tricked me,” she said, sounding offended.
“I caught you,” I retorted and gave her a sly wink. She looked unhappy and let out an exasperated sigh. A mission complete message popped up, informing me I had one more mission to go until I reached Level 10. Ra appeared beside us out of thin air. I jumped back at the appearance of the huge cat.
“Let this be a valuable lesson to you, Anuket. You should never underestimate even the slowest of foes, because as soon as you stop playing your own game, you are playing theirs,” Ra said and chuckled in disbelief. “Aker, here are a few bonus points toward speed as a reward. Next time I doubt you’ll be able to fool young Anuket so easily.” Five more points were added to my speed stat, bringing it to 20 (+3).