by Alex Mulder
Luke felt his own neck and found that one had somehow bitten onto him without his notice. He grabbed onto it and started to pull, and felt his vision waver.
“Why?” Luke screamed. “What is this?”
He felt like he was about to throw up. He pulled at the leach again, but his hand was weak, and he felt so very light headed.
“You must receive the blessing,” the Huzuni chanted.
Luke could hear them approaching through the water. He squinted, forcing his eyes to make sense of what little sensory information they were still receiving.
CONJURE SWORD 4
He did his best to attack the approaching figures, but he felt confused, and uncoordinated.
“He will not receive the blessing,” said the Huzuni. A dozen of them raised their hands in unison, and synchronized spells hurtled toward him. Luke pulled his swords in to block and reflexively shielded his face as his blades smashed into shards of ether and something slammed into him hard.
The scene in front of him faded, and he lost consciousness.
CHAPTER 14
PROGENITOR’S SOUL
Luke coughed and struggled to breath. He was in the water, and he was moving.
“Wha-”
He flailed about, choking as he struggled to keep his head above the surface. All he could see in front of him was water, stretching far out into the distant horizon.
What the fuck is going on?
Luke forced himself to take a few deep, focusing breaths. He moved his arms through the water and tried to regain his composure. A faint memory of what had been happening before he’d passed out floated into his mind, and he snapped back to reality.
“Tess! Kaoru!”
Luke slapped his hand against his neck, feeling for where the leach had been. It was gone, and in its place was the upper collar shield of his Progenitor Armor.
Did it activate on its own? I don’t remember using it…
He treaded water and spun about, searching the empty ocean for any sign of his friends, or the shore. The only thing he could see nearby was a tiny, desolate looking island. Luke gritted his teeth and began pumping his arms through the water.
He’d made it halfway there when something brushed against his leg. Thinking that it was just vegetation, like he’d seen in the lake, Luke kept swimming. It happened again, and he forced himself to look down.
The water was deep, but crystal clear, illuminated by the afternoon sun hanging overhead. He could see something, or rather, several somethings moving in the depths beneath him.
GRIP SCOURGE: An oceanic creature in the shape of a large, long tube. It pulls its prey inside of it with the force of its suction, and encases it in digestive acid. Often hunts in packs, with each member of the group severing limbs with razor sharp rings of teeth and digesting the subject in small bites.
Luke kicked his legs wildly. It was impossible for him to pull out his sword, or do anything beyond swim further toward the island in the distance. His magicka bar was empty, and his stamina bar was dropping fast.
“God damn it!” Luke cursed. Even just that took effort, but having an outlet for his anger, however slight, kept him motivated.
A Grip Scourge nipped at his ankle. He kicked his leg hard and dove forward under the surface of the water. It was only after he’d submerged himself that he realized how much of a mistake it was.
Another one of the creatures moved its mouth into position around one of Luke’s fists. He punched it with his free hand, the water slowing his attack and making it ineffectual. Luke pushed his head back above the surface and swam as fast as he could.
“Fuck!”
Another Grip Scourge bit down on his ankle. It was painful, and he could feel the acid seeping into the wound immediately, doing damage to his health bar and psyche.
I’m going to die out here, and I deserve it. I couldn’t save them. I knew I wouldn’t be able to.
Luke bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. He thrashed forward through the water, letting out angry screams of frustration each time he lifted his head up for a breath. The Grip Scourges grew even bolder, nipping at his torso and chest. His health bar dropped down to a sliver as more of them joined in.
No! I can’t give up!
He kicked his foot, and instead of connecting with one of the gelatinous, disgusting bodies of the scourges, it struck sand. Luke pulled himself a few feet further forward, into water shallow enough for him to barely be able to stand in.
The Grip Scourges continued to attack, but now he could maneuver more effectively. Luke zig zagged forward, and finally managed to free his blade. His head pounded from the effects of Progenitor’s Soul, but he still used his sword as intended, cutting into the Scourges that came close enough to be within reach.
He walked further inshore. The water level dropped from his neck, to his chest, to his waist, and then down to his ankles and low enough to save him from his struggle. Luke kept walking forward, finally collapsing to his knees on the dry, sandy shore of the tiny island.
Unbelievable…
It took him a couple of seconds to gather the resolve needed just to sit up. Nothing had changed. The shore of the mainland was out of sight, too far over the horizon for him to see. His magicka bar was empty, and his stamina bar was down to a mere sliver.
If I had magicka, I could sword step back across. Swimming would get me killed by the Grip Scourges.
Luke’s Progenitor Soul ability had worn off, and even after using it only lightly, he was still exhausted. He sighed and slowly pulled himself to his feet.
The island was tiny. Luke started to take a lap around it on the shore, realizing almost immediately that it would only take him a minute, if even that. A small grove of tropical plants and trees had formed at the center, but there was little beyond that for him to take advantage of.
“Tess! Kaoru!” He shouted off into the distance, knowing that they wouldn’t respond, but still desperate to do something proactive.
They’re probably still back with the Huzuni. But why would they send me and only me down river?
Luke sighed, and slowly started walking into the trees. He didn’t have any food on him, or useful potions that he could restore his magicka or stamina with. Tess had been the one carrying that kind of stuff. Dividing up their items by type had seemed like such a good idea when they’d thought of it. This wasn’t something Luke ever could have anticipated.
If he could restore his fatigue by enough, his magicka would begin to regenerate automatically. Luke pushed through a thick bush and looked up into the tropical trees. He saw a variety of different plants and vegetables, and ended up climbing up a few branches to pick one of the fruits down.
It was a deep purple, and shaped a bit like a coconut, complete with a hard outer shell. Luke used his sword to knock it open, and immediately pulled out the soft inner fruit inside, shoving it into his mouth.
It tasted horrible, and both his stamina bar and his health bar lost another sliver.
“God damn it!” Luke slammed the fruit down in the sand and then sat down hard.
It took him a minute to regain his composure. He forced himself to consider his options, as dire and depressing as they were.
I can wait here to die, or I can log out. IF I log out, at the least I’ll be able to keep my avatar safe.
Luke chewed his lip, trying to keep his dour mood from getting any worse. He started to reach into his bag to grab his journal, and then stopped as his finger brushed across something he’d forgotten that he’d had.
The fire starting kit… I could give that a try, first.
The afternoon sun was slowly dipping lower on the horizon. Luke pulled out his sword and headed back into the small forested area. It didn’t take him long to find a dried, fallen tree. He hacked into it with his blade, feeling fatigue setting in with full force as his stamina bar bottomed out.
Luke carried chunks and slivers of wood back to the shore, and built himself a small firepit. He hesitated before atte
mpting to start it. What he really needed was food, and if the fruit on the island wasn’t edible, he’d need to find something else.
It was clear just from looking at the size of the island that there wouldn’t be any wildlife to find on it. That only left Luke with one option. Holding his sword in his hand like a spear, he waded out into the shallow water, squinting at the water and watching for fish.
Several Grip Scourges circled around in the deeper water ahead of him, as though intentionally taunting him and his situation. Luke ignored them. He watched the water, watched as a fish about the size of his hand swam into range, looping around one of his ankles. He stabbed his sword down, and…
Damn it!
The fish swam away. Luke sighed. His stamina bar was empty, and his health bar was slowly beginning to deplete in its place. If he moved too quickly or exerted himself too much, he would pass out.
He started walking back into shore, but then stopped. Something shifted underneath his foot, and it wasn’t a rock. Luke brushed aside wet sand in the shallow water and found a large clam, much bigger than any he’d ever seen in the real world. It was about the size of forearm, and took a bit of strength to dig out. He quickly carried it over to the fire pit and set it down next to it.
Luke’s first attempt at using the fire starter to bring sparks to the tinder failed. He dried his hands off on the sand, took a deep breath, and tried again. This time, he managed to get a small ember going. Blowing carefully on it, he encouraged a larger flame, until all of the wood he’d cut went up.
“Yes!” he cried. “Yes, yes, yes!”
Luke struggled for a moment at prying the clam shell open. He could feel something from the inside tugging to keep it closed. In a desperate maneuver, he slipped the tip of his sword in through the tiny crack he could manage to pull open. The clam shell gave way.
Sorry about this. I don’t have a choice, I have to eat.
He set the clam shell, its contents still mostly undisturbed, on top of two rocks bordering a small flame on the edge of his fire. Then, Luke waited, his anxiety beginning to snowball as he thought about how much time had already passed, and how long it would be before he could get back to Tess and Kaoru.
I hope it’s not too late…
The clam began to bubble from the inside. Luke assumed that it was a sign that it was done. He carefully scooped it off the fire with the flat of his blade, waited a moment for it to cool, and then broke into it.
It tasted surprisingly good. The texture was rubbery and a bit over cooked, but the flavor wasn’t bad. He ate all of it, and it was enough to restore his stamina bar by a little more than a third.
That’s enough.
He sat on the sand and waited, watching the setting sun in the distance. His magicka bar slowly began to tick up, able to refill again now that his stamina was high enough. Luke was ready.
CHAPTER 15
Sword stepping was a tricky enough meta-skill on its own. In the darkness of night, with the ocean underneath him and only a basic sense of the compass directions to go on, it was downright frustrating.
Luke could barely see the island behind him as he leaped from sword flat to sword flat, pushing forward out of reach of the Grip Scourges. He was worried that it would fade over the horizon behind him before the continent came into view, leaving him without any landmarks.
This is the direction that the sunset was in. I’ll be okay.
He didn’t rush, taking his time to find each new step. Urgency raced inside his heart. It had been half a day since Tess and Kaoru had entered the grasp of the Huzuni. He tried not to think about what that meant.
Several minutes went by, and then Luke saw it. The continent started out as little more than a smudge on the horizon, but as he moved closer, he could see the mouth of the river, and the Burning Coast to the south.
Luke slowly dropped in height, coming to be level with the ground just as his conjured blades ran out of energy. He landed in midstride, pulling out his physical sword as he charged west along the river.
His health, magicka, and stamina bars were all hovering between a third and half of their maximum length. Luke didn’t care. He had to save them.
A figure emerged from the forest, cloaked in darkness. Luke squinted and made out the familiar bald features of one of the Huzuni. He swung his blade first, slicing through the chest of the NPC and one shotting him. Blood dripped from the open wound, and then the Huzuni fell into the river without making a sound.
HOLY REGNERATION 2
Luke used the better portion of his remaining magicka to active his healing ability, and then continued onward. He didn’t encounter any other enemies on his way to the ridge, and quickly pulled his way up.
He made his way forward, coming to a stop within view of the village. The Huzuni and formed an impassable wall in front of him. The Huzuni Elder stood at the front of the group, and held her hand up as Luke approached.
“You don’t understand what you’re doing,” said the NPC. “This is bigger than what you see, bigger than you can understand.”
The other Huzuni echoed his voice. Luke raised his sword and pointed it at the Huzuni Elder.
“Get out of my way,” he said. “I’m getting my friends.”
“They will be happier in this form of existence. They will be one of us.”
Luke smiled and took a step forward.
“I’m giving you one last chance,” he said. “Get out of my fucking way.”
“If it wasn’t for your curse, we would have allowed you to join us along with them,” said the Huzuni Elder. “You do not see it. You don’t-”
Luke lunged forward, swatting Huzunis out of his way with his blade in an attempt to push his way through the group. Surprisingly, they offered little in the way of resistance. His blade cut into their bodies, and droplets of blood flew through the air.
He stabbed one of them through the stomach, and kicked it as he pulled his sword back. The Huzuni Elder stepped forward. Luke moved to attack, and then hesitated.
“You fight an enemy that you don’t understand,” said the elder. “Killing me won’t change that.”
Luke shook his head and took a deep breath, pushing air out of his lungs in frustration.
“Just let my friends go,” he said. “I don’t want to have to kill you.”
The Huzuni went silent for a moment. The elder stared at Luke, and then waved a hand. All of the remaining villagers moved to attack him.
I’ll do whatever it takes.
Luke hacked through bodies. He didn’t hesitate, stifling the emotional conflict raging within his chest. The Huzuni Elder didn’t flinch back as Luke swung his blade. It connected with the NPC’s neck, severing head from body in one easy, neat movement.
I’m killing again. I’m a killer.
He stepped over corpses as he moved deeper into the village. A few of the Huzuni had apparently not been with the main group that had met him on the outskirts. Some of them moved to intercept Luke, and he dispatched of them with the same ease that he’d afforded the rest. It felt like he was fighting children, almost.
Luke moved from hut to hut, sticking his head inside each one and checking for Kaoru and Tess. Most of them were empty, unadorned structures made of stick and mud, with little more than bedrolls inside.
The fifth one he checked had them inside. The two women were lying on the floor, unconscious. Luke rushed over and dropped down to a knee beside them.
“Tess!” He grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Kaoru!”
Neither of them responded. He felt along Tess’s body. There was nothing on her neck, but Luke noticed a lump against her stomach, underneath her armor. He stripped it back, ignoring her nudity and focusing instead on the grey leech attached to her abdomen.
I have to get it off!
He pulled out his sword and prodded it. Nothing happened.
ELEMENTAL INFUSION: FIRE
Flames danced around the edges of his blade. He slowly lowered it to the leach. It let o
ut a hiss, and then curled up, coming free from Tess’s skin. She let out a moan, but didn’t wake up.
Luke hurried over to Kaoru, repeating the procedure as carefully as he could. He sheathed his sword, and tried waking the two women again.
“Uhhh…” Tess was totally sapped of energy, but the noise gave Luke hope.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I’m going to get you out of here.”
PROGENITOR’S SOUL
With the last of his magicka, Luke activated the ability. The armor gave him the strength he needed to life both of the women at once. He put each one over a shoulder, and hurried out of the hut.
CHAPTER 16
Luke headed to the northeast, cutting into the forest. With his Progenitor’s Armor activated, it easy enough for him to carry the two women. The only issue was the toll it took on his head, which ached and pounded as he made his way forward.
He found a small clearing encircled with trees and stopped to rest. Part of him was horrified by what he’d just done.
I didn’t want to kill them. They made their choices, and forced my hand.
Luke felt guilt and disgust stab at his heart. He hadn’t even thought of the moral implications of what he was doing, of whether or not NPCs were conscious, or why the Huzuni were so dead set on doing what they’d done. He had slaughtered them, because it was easy and because he’d known that it would work.
He dismissed Progenitor’s Soul and rested a hand on his pounding head. Tess and Kaoru were still unconscious, but a bit of color had returned to their faces.
The only reason I was forced to kill them was because I messed up and let us get into that situation in the first place.
Luke gritted his teeth and forced himself to start setting up the tent. It took longer to get the campsite up and running on his own, but he managed to get Tess and Kaoru inside and a fire alight outside.
He sat next to the two of them on their bedrolls, wondering what would have happened if he’d left the leeches to their work. They were some of the only people he cared enough to protect anymore, and he’d almost failed at that.