“This goes against Sphere’s basic mechanics,” Fayana argued. “Nothing is invincible. There’s a key to everything.”
“A key! You and your theories!” Thrainul snorted. “And we live here... Cat, can you explain how you’re going to kill it? I’d love to hear it!”
“Nothing special. I just have a skill that can one-shot any target.”
“I’ve never heard about such imba stuff,” the zwerg said, looking at me with distrust.
“Some legendary archetypes have such abilities,” Fayana spoke up, nodding. “For example, Black Hole and Meteor Strike.”
“Yeah, something like that.” I grinned.
“Really? And how does your skill work?”
“I can’t give you the details; you must realize that. But one of the requirements is being close enough to the target to touch it.”
“You would have died ten seconds after leaving the hatch,” the captain said, shaking his head. “At least, without outside help. Even if you got a Breathe Underwater buff, the pressure would kill you.”
“You could wear a deepwater suit!” Rocky suggested. “We have one at hand.”
“Forgive me for interrupting, Captain. You have the experience, you live here and all that,” Fayana said calmly. “But I’ve explored underwater locations before. Air Bubble works well in the deep and protects from pressure and lack of air.”
“What rank of Air Magic is this, seventh?” Thrainul gave her a piercing look. “It’s a rare spell, and few people learn it. Do you know it? Can you craft each of us a scroll?”
“No problem.” She smiled.
“It would be nice; it could save us in a pinch... Fine, the monster’s gone, and we need to get out of here. Let’s get to work, people!”
* * *
The edge of the Sea of Terror. The Barracuda
Yota was emotionlessly staring at the shining black surface of the underground ocean, squinting and clutching the railing with his hands. He didn’t even flinch when Ran Dom and Pinprick appeared behind his back and stood by his side.
“It’s a wretched place,” Pinprick said, disgust on her face. “Why did you gather everyone? I was sleeping. Any news?”
“Yes. The oracle learned his coordinates,” Yota replied. “We’ve identified the vessel. It’s the same ship he used to get to the Stone Forest. He’s over there somewhere.”
The Panda warrior pointed at the greenish haze above the surface of the water pierced by the beams of the ship’s lights.
“So what’s the problem? Give Mancurt the coordinates, and let’s go!”
“It’s not that simple. Our captain’s too stubborn. He doesn’t want to go into this location, the Sea of Terror.”
“What do you mean, stubborn? Didn’t we pay him enough?” Ran Dom winced. “Maybe we should talk to him with our fists?”
“Mancurt boasted that the Barracuda is the fastest ship in all of the Hole,” Pinprick added. “Let’s chase them down and kill them! All of them!”
“No. We shouldn’t play on their board with their figures and by their rules. If they go to the bottom, we’ll lose our advantage,” Yota said slowly. “I don’t like this sea.”
“So what do you suggest?”
“Let’s wait and see. If they survive the Sea of Terror, I’ll make their captain an offer he can’t refuse.”
* * *
The Abyssal turned back. Thrainul was afraid to turn on the main engine, and we moved just below the surface using the handwheel powered by the Clay People’s muscle power. Actually, we barely crawled, as the area was a dangerous one, and the crew was on their guard. Many creatures of the Hole had inborn stealth abilities and camouflage, and the absence of signals around us didn’t mean anything. At any moment, a dangerous predator could appear out of nowhere. That said, the zwerg let slip that his ship was designed to combat large underwater monsters—it had powerful defenses and heavy armaments at the expense of speed and affordability. But even he didn’t want to challenge the creatures haunting the Sea of Terror.
“So, how did you like the safari?” Rocky asked us, grinning, after everyone had recovered from meeting the Guardian.
“Now that’s a prey!” Bonus said. “Too large to fit our clan hall!”
But as it turned out, the trouble was far from over. The ship’s seeker and Fayana constantly used Search to monitor the area and almost simultaneously reported a new signal, startled.
“A large inorganic object. Quickly moving underwater, intercepting course,” the Pioneer told us, biting her lip. “I’ll check with Mental Search... Yes, eleven...fourteen signals, all close together. It looks like a—”
“Ship!” Thrainul finished her phrase.
“That’s right,” he continued after a pause. “This is Mancurt’s Barracuda. I’ve contacted him. The Pandas are aboard, coming for our lives!”
“Well, mine,” I corrected him.
“Yeah. Their leader’s writing me something. The nerve! They’re asking me to sell you out for a nice sum!”
“Turn me in? Can it really be done? I could log out at any moment.”
“Easy. Who says I have to warn you? You could go to sleep in your ‘coffin,’ log out, and we could give it to the Pandas. When you return, you’d be in on their ship. Need I say more? In short, prepare for battle. I’ll give them one hell of a reply!”
“Wait!” I exclaimed, stopping him. A new idea had just dawned on me—a solution to this nasty situation that allowed me to keep the crew and the ship out of danger. Well, almost.
“How much are they offering, you say? Double the amount. You’ll share it with me later.”
Thrainul stared at me blankly, furrowing his grey bushy eyebrows.
“Sell me to Pandas,” I repeated emphatically.
Chapter 14
AS THE PANDAS SURELY tracked my logging into Sphere, I had to keep up appearances. We agreed to give them my “coffin” late that night so as to avoid any suspicion. I decided to spend my short break with my family. Lately, I had all but stopped dining with my wife. Alena was seemingly accustomed to my new routine. Had the latest sum withdrawn from the game reconciled her with my addict-like schedule, or was it the calm before the storm? In any case, she wasn’t nagging me or making scenes. However, during dinner, she started a weird conversation.
“Listen, Oleg,” she said. “Just don’t laugh, OK? I think we’re being watched!”
I chuckled ambiguously, perking my ears.
“A black Turbo’s always parked in the courtyard,” she continued. “It’s not from our apartment building or any of the surrounding ones. I asked Uncle Ramil, and he says it’s someone else’s!”
“Nonsense!” I brushed her off. “Paranoia!”
“No, you just rarely leave the house and don’t notice it! There are two guys there. I’ve memorized their faces and written down the license plates!”
“Why do you think they’re watching us?” I asked lazily.
“First, I noticed that car in the parking lot of Tataria Mall when we went there. The day before yesterday, remember? Then I saw it right across from our windows. This morning, I bumped into one of these guys on my way to the gym! They’re definitely watching me!”
“Maybe you have a secret admirer?” I joked.
“Oleg! I’m being serious!”
I considered this. Even an observant civilian would have a hard time noticing proper surveillance. It meant that these guys weren’t trying to hide. Were they Mr. Leo’s people? He had said that he would keep an eye on me, and the Magister mentioned something like that as well. They might be protecting me. There was also a small chance that the Pandas were trying to track me down in real life. Their alliance had really lost a lot of money, but... Pandorum mostly had Australians, Germans, and British players. The Confederacy’s immigration policy would make it hard for them to reach me. They did have a Russian branch, but I doubted that those guys would look for me. It was a bothersome business; Goggy was an exception rather than the rule.
> “I think it’s your imagination,” I said confidently. “If you want, I could go down and talk to the guys in the Turbo. Where did you say it was parked?”
True, a large black electric vehicle with the logo of a well-known Japanese corporation was waiting just under our windows in the outer parking lot—full of the other tenants’ cars, it encircled the four high-rises of our apartment complex. It had tinted windows and turned-off fog lamps. I recognized it.
I stepped out onto the balcony and dialed the number marked as M.L. Mr. Leo picked up the phone almost immediately.
“Good evening, Oleg.”
“Mr. Leo, forgive me for calling so late. Are your people spying on my family? Two guys in a black Turbo?”
“Spying is a big word.” He chuckled. “We’re just making sure that you’re doing fine. I have specific instructions to keep you safe.”
His tone was calm, even a little bit lazy, but had enough steel for me to realize that no amount of arguing would have an effect. I was being watched; the orders came from above and weren’t up for discussion. It was a red flag. Was it really just to keep me safe? They were making it clear: Cat, your life is under our control. I wondered what the Magister would do if I refused to work for him.
“Your boys were burned. Poor show,” I said.
“Got it. I did tell you we would keep tabs on you. Is your wife worried?”
“Yes. Could you be a touch more careful? It’s hard to explain such focused attention.”
“Will do. I don’t have too many people here, but I’ll think of something,” Mr. Leo said in a tired voice. “Is that all, Oleg?”
“No. I would also like to talk to you-know-who. Urgently, if possible.”
“Got it. I’ll pass it along. Go outside. Wait for a Courier call. Is that all? Take care, then.”
Unhurried, I went downstairs, greeted the concierge, and left the building. It was pretty late, but not dark yet. The air was cool and fresh. Our apartment complex had been designed as environmentally friendly, having no cars between the buildings—a square of greenery among the fortress walls of other high-rises. It was full of new trees, ivy-cloaked gazebos, playgrounds, and benches. I sat down on the closest one, pulled out my communicator, and waited.
Ten minutes later, I got a call from an unknown caller. I put the comm to my ear and heard the familiar dry voice of the Magister.
“Hello, Oleg.”
“Good evening. I hope I’m not bothering you.”
“No. But please, try to use this method of contact only in case of emergency. Courier’s protocols can’t be deciphered, but we might be overheard. It would be safer for you to find me in Sphere.”
“I can’t. I’m in Dagorrath. I need some advice.”
“Go on. I’m listening. What’s the problem?”
“Do you know what Dagorrath is? The Isle of Madness where your Svechkin is supposedly hiding is shielded so well that no player had ever visited it. It’s not even on any of the maps! Nobody knows how to find it! Deepwater monsters, max Dread—”
“Did you think it was going to be a walk in the park? I know what Dagorrath is. It’s a dump, a rejected product of the procedural generation. Back in the day, we didn’t destroy it only because this small remote world was the perfect place to hide the Keys. At least that’s what some of us said...” The Magister said, interrupting me. I thought I heard him sneering. “Listen, Cat. I could have easily found a team of professionals and sent them to fetch the Compass. Svechkin’s no fool, and the place he picked is anything but simple. Why do you think it was you who went there?”
“I don’t know.”
“The answer’s in your scabbard. You’re one of the Seven, a wielder of a unique weapon created to overcome any obstacle in Sphere. What are you waiting for? Use the sword as intended! We designed the weapons of the Seven so that nothing created by the procedural generator could stand against it.”
“That’s not true. The Black Weapons without durability—even True Fire can’t destroy them!”
“There are loopholes, yes,” the Magister said, his voice tired. “Unfortunately, players can be very resourceful. When we built the generation algorithm, we had to allow for the option to create items without durability—such as respawn circles or faction crowns. Otherwise, you lot would have smashed everything! The sword’s affixes aren’t limited to True Fire. Develop and use them!”
“In short, you can’t help me find the Isle of Madness,” I concluded.
“I can’t because I have no idea what kind of mess Svechkin made there!” Going by his tone, Balabanov was starting to get annoyed. “Use the Key! You have free rein. Just get me the Compass. We still have some time left but not much. Don’t take too long!”
“One last question,” I said. “What about Svechkin himself? My understanding is that this man was on your team, your second-in-command. What if he doesn’t want to give me the Compass?”
Silence fell. Eventually, the Magister said, “Svechkin’s Key wasn’t activated. He’s not answering any calls. I suspect that his digital copy didn’t wake up. He has the Compass. When you find him...contact me immediately. After that, we’ll see.”
* * *
“Why here?” Pinprick asked. “It’s a bad place. Mancurt’s on edge; he’s about to cry. Says there’s some kind of underwater chasm underneath us.”
“It’s Dread, seven points. Few would risk fighting in such conditions,” Yota explained. “Thrainul thinks it will guarantee their safety. They probably have Estel gear.”
“Do you think it’s a setup?”
“If so, we’ll just cut them all down.”
The Abyssal’s armored dome emerged from the depths, covered in foam. Muzzles of hull guns glared at the Pandas, and a harpoon platform turned around with a screech, its sharpened tip giving off an unfriendly gleam. Nobody there trusted anyone, and the open gun ports, ready to spew fire, made it clear.
Still leaving the armored plates up, Thrainul’s ship opened the side hatch, releasing the tongue-like metal gangplank. A lightweight rectangular box that suspiciously resembled a coffin came out of the depths of the Abyssal, exchanging a few pairs of hands.
“A coffin?” Yota grinned with the corner of his mouth. “A funny Rest Point. Is he really inside?”
“He is!” the white-bearded zwerg who was delivering the box puffed out. “Give me my money!”
“Look, if you’ve double-crossed us, you’ll become our next target!” Yota said through his teeth. “Do you want to say anything?”
“Yes. I have to warn you,” the zwerg said with a nasty chuckle. “Be careful. He has—”
“We know all of his tricks,” Pinprick replied. Thrainul stopped short, gave them a mocking bow, and disappeared into the rectangular opening of the hatch that closed behind him, hissing. The Abyssal immediately started submerging, and a minute later, only the ripples on the water remained of it.
“Why did you let them go?” Ran Dom asked. “We could have killed them all without paying anything.”
“No need. We don’t know their trump card. We only need Cat.”
“I want to see his face when he logs in,” Pinprick said, giggling.
“Prepare yourself. Are all spells on?” Yota asked, pulling out an odd greenish pyramid with elaborate runes on its facets. “Does everyone remember what we’re about to do?”
* * *
“Oleg, let’s take a walk before bed. It’s such a nice night out there...” Alena smiled at me seductively as she left the balcony.
A nice night? I hoped it would be just as nice to me. I looked at the communicator that showed Thrainul’s message “Log in in 15 minutes” and shook my head. Alena glared at the futuristic curves of the open capsule, huffed, and left the room.
Feeling like a complete idiot, I went inside, stretched in the cradle, and tried to relax, constantly glancing at the timer. If I carried on like that, I risked losing my wife. You couldn’t really have a family and play like an addict. I caught myself anticipa
ting logging into Sphere like a junkie waiting for a fix. It wasn’t even money or business. That world simply pulled me in with tremendous force. I wasn’t playing; I was living there. I didn’t like those thoughts, so I suppressed them. It wasn’t the time for introspection. I recounted my actions once again, looked at the timer, and slammed the capsule lid, activating the neural interface. To battle!
The first minutes after logging in were considered the most dangerous. Sphere didn’t really have any lags or timeouts due to network bandwidth or desynchronization issues (those were a thing of the past), but enemies could easily anticipate my movements. After all, response time was something the pros had perfected. In a second, I could be sent to the nearest resp point.
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