by Paul Bellow
“Good way to get killed,” Giblet said. “My father, also a shaman, died that way.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”
He shrugged then bit into a chunk of snake meat.
“Where did the hole lead?” I asked.
“Down,” the goblin said.
The others laughed. I rolled my eyes.
“You didn’t explore it, or see if it was a way out?”
“Give us a break, lady,” Giblet said. “We’ve been in here a while.”
“That’s it. I’m trying this.”
Worst case scenario, I’d die and respawn again. My entire twenty-year penalty wasn’t up, I had a few months left, but I wasn’t about to be stuck in a crazy dungeon with six goblins who would kill and eat me the first time I went to sleep around them. I moved my arms to cast the spell. After a bright flash, I disappeared.
Chapter 32
Healing the Quest Giver
Sarah
My first view wasn’t of dirt which was a good start. I found myself in yet another stone room, this one rectangular instead of square. A metal machine ran the length of the room, sputtering and spitting smoke. Where am I?
“Out of the way!” a familiar voice yelled. “Coming through!”
My jaw dropped as I saw Crusty the gnome in his white overalls.
“I knew it,” I said. “You’re connected to this place.”
“Give me a minute,” he hissed. “I need to concentrate.”
As I stepped back, he fiddled with a few knobs and levers on the machine.
“There we go,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Another room.”
“You’re adding rooms to the dungeon?”
“One an hour,” he said. “For a few weeks now. Or has it been months? Time flies when you’re down here.”
He smiled, showing the gap between his two front teeth, both different shades of yellow.
“Can you help me get out?” I asked.
“It’s no use,” another familiar voice behind me said.
Whipping around, I saw Thomas the Lich sitting on chair leaning against the wall.
“You,” I said. “You disappeared on me after trying to kill me.”
“I know,” he said. “Sorry.”
His tone didn’t match his words. Not by a longshot.
“Why did you try to kill me?” I asked.
“I’m a lich now,” he said. “That’s what I do.”
“You’re not attacking me now.”
“Do you want me to attack you now?” he asked, tipping the chair over onto four legs. “I can oblige.”
“Knock it off, you two,” Crusty said. “I think I might’ve made a mistake with that last room. When you appeared out of nowhere, it threw me for a loop.”
“I’m just trying to get out of this place,” I said.
“Aren’t we all,” Thomas said.
He picked at his face, pieces of it falling off.
“You two are trapped here too?” I asked.
“More like a vacation to me,” Crusty said. “I’ll be rewarded if I finish this task.”
“What’s the task?”
Thomas laughed. “Tell her.”
“What?” I asked, looking at Crusty.
“Keep creating rooms until the game runs out of memory,” Crusty said.
“Wait, you’re a player too? You didn’t say anything earlier.”
“I didn’t want to cause any problems on the penalty level. That’s how we’re running this place. It exists somewhere between the penalty level and the normal level one-three. Magi Inyontoo thinks something will happen if we create too many new rooms.”
“This is all crazy,” I said, sitting down in a nearby chair.
“You’re telling me,” Thomas said. “I’m stuck as a lich now.”
“Being a lich might not be that bad,” I offered.
Thomas laughed then shook his head.
“Are both of you working for Magi Inyontoo?”
“I didn’t want to work for him, but you know how he can be,” Thomas said.
“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “He can be convincing and sneaky, very clever. Can you tell me how to get out of here?”
The machine burped then groaned and belched thick, black smoke.
“Uh oh,” Crusty said. “I think we just hit the limit.”
Thomas stood. “Oh, really?”
I found it difficult to read his leathery face with red glowing orbs instead of eyes.
“Yeah,” Crusty said, fiddling with more knobs and levers on the infernal machine. “I think we should all go.”
“Good,” I said.
They both ignored me.
“Are you sure?” Thomas asked.
“Pretty sure,” Crusty snapped.
“I’m going back then,” Thomas said as he walked around the machine to the other side.
I took a few steps to the left and saw a glowing portal like the ones that led to the Tower of Gates. This one was smaller, though, and the color was a bit off. I watched Thomas duck then walk into it and disappeared.
“Come on,” Crusty said. “We don’t have much time. The whole thing might blow.”
“What about everything in the room?” I asked, thinking of the goblins.
“I’d hate to be them right now,” Crusty said then headed for the portal.
He walked into the shimmering magic. I went over, wondering if I should trust something Magi Inyontoo had obviously created himself. A whistle and a hissing sound behind me made up my mind. I stepped into the portal, appearing on the first floor of the Tower of Gates. Thomas and Crusty stood nearby, along with Giblet and the gamemaster.
“You made it out,” I said, smiling.
“No thanks to you,” he said. “I lost some good friends in there.”
“So, you are a player?” I asked.
The gamemaster cleared his throat.
“What are you four doing here?” he asked.
I turned to the small, balding man in red robes.
“Just passing through,” I said.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” the gamemaster said. “None of you are supposed to be here now. How did you get here?”
“They’ll tell you all about it,” Thomas said then high-tailed it down the hallway.
I saw him step into one of the other portals—maybe level one-nine? The gamemaster turned to Crusty, Giblet, and me, not looking amused.
“Come on, Giblet,” Crusty said, grabbing the goblin’s thin arm. “We’re getting out of here too. I’ve got some things to do on level one-nine where the gamemaster can’t mess with us so easily!”
The two of them walked down the hall toward the portal for level one-nine.
“And you?” the gamemaster asked. “Are you in a hurry too?”
“I can’t go to that level yet,” I said, trying to sound naive and innocent.
“Exactly,” he said. “Can you tell me why you left the penalty level early?”
“I need to find my friends,” I said.
“The other two without a prisoner number?” the gamemaster asked.
I nodded. “Yeah. Can I see them, please? I’m sorry I left early.”
The gamemaster tilted his head back slightly as he stared at my face.
“I’ve been trying to keep you three separated, but I see that’s just wishful thinking. You can join your friends by returning to level one-three and clearing it with them. I won’t penalize you further for leaving early.”
“Thank you,” I said, remembering back to the bratty teen I’d been when first encountering the gamemaster so many years earlier. “This means a lot.”
“You’ve grown,” he said. “My job here is done...for now.”
He smiled as he faded from view. I glanced at the stones of the rounded hallway. So much time had passed since I last saw them. I’d partially forgotten how Eric and Josh even looked in the real world, let alone their characters. Ugh. I forgot to ask the gamemaster if time moved diff
erently for them.
After beating myself up for a few moments, I walked to the glowing portal for level one-three. Staring into the shimmering almost liquid material, I reflected on the last twenty years of my life. I’d spent more time in the Tower of Gates than in the real world. What did that make me? I worried Eric and Josh wouldn’t even recognize my new character.
Would they believe me when I told them who I am? I hesitated, taking long, deep breaths to calm myself. Ruling a city had taught me a few lessons. Stress could be a killer if you worried too much. I’d almost run myself ragged a few times on the island. You got this, Sarah, I told myself. The sound of my real name comforted me. I would never forget it.
Or would I? I cursed my doubts and pushed them to the back of my mind as I stepped through the portal. On the other side, I appeared in a room with a rectangular table near a door. Several armed guards stood around while another sat at the table.
“Name? Occupation?” he asked.
“I’m looking for some people,” I said. “Who’s in charge here?”
The guard at the table looked up.
“I need your name and occupation,” he said.
The other guards near the door straightened up.
“My name and occupation is none of your concern. Let me pass.”
I stepped forward. The two guards by the door drew their swords.
“We don’t want to hurt you,” one said.
“I’m warning you,” I said. “Step aside. I’m in no mood to deal with you.”
“We’re working for Magi Inyontoo,” the man at the desk said. “You need to comply.”
I cast two lightning bolts at the guards by the door. They both screamed, shaking as they fell to the wooden planks of the floor. I pulled my spear out as the other stood. He didn’t stand a chance with my quick reflexes. I pushed the tip of spear into his throat before he managed to stand and defend himself. He clutched his neck as blood squirted out.
Combat is Over!
You get 1,500 xp
You have 1,025,300 xp
You need 724,700 xp for level 11 Valkyrie Skyrider
I glanced at the closed door, hoping nobody else came in. Maybe the guards would have some information? I checked their bodies. Finding nothing in their pockets, I looked at the notes on the table. A list of names and occupations ran down half of one piece of paper. I scanned it, looking for Drex or Yorg—Eric and Josh’s character names.
Neither of them were on the list which meant they hadn’t arrived on the level yet. Or so I hoped. With Magi Inyontoo’s men in charge, I couldn’t be entirely sure. As I wondered what to do next, the three bodies on the floor stirred. I glanced over at them, still holding my spear. As they struggled to stand, I pierced a hole in each of their heads.
Combat is Over!
You get 300 xp
You have 1,025,600 xp
You need 724,400 xp for level 11 Valkyrie Skyrider.
Wow. That’s low xp even for such an easy mob. How did they turn, anyway?
I heard screams on the other side of the door. Opening it, I saw people running up and down the street, chased by hordes of undead. A man in dark blue robes raised his arms, chanting nearby. Was he the necromancer causing all the undead?
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed from when I went into the crazy dungeon with all the rooms. Anything was possible in the Tower of Gates. I cast two more lightning bolts at the spellcaster. He dropped to the ground, showing up as a necromancer.
Combat is Over!
You get 500 xp
You have 1,026,100 xp
You need 723,900 xp for level 11 Valkyrie Skyrider
Wow. Nothing’s giving good xp. What’s going on?
I stopped a woman running past me.
“What’s happening?” I asked. “What city is this?”
“Let me go,” she said, struggling to free herself. “They’re coming. All the undead are coming for Talbot!”
I released her arm. She merged with the crowd running wild down the street. They stopped, screaming, and changed directions. I saw a massive wave of walking dead. Why is it getting worse? Talbot got so big in the future! I have to check the rest of the level and find Eric and Josh. The others can kill the undead on their own.
As the city descended into chaos, I borrowed a horse then rode toward what I hoped was the gates to get out. The undead stopped me a few times, but I rode around them, trying to ignore the cries for help from all the poor NPCs about to die. Why did they have to make the game so realistic? I spurred the dark brown horse.
Chapter 33
Love from a Distance
Sarah
Over the next few weeks, I traveled to Shockly Forest. Using my Shadow Servants spell, I constructed a home in the trees. I planned to hide out and kill the undead all over the place before retreating to my treehouse in the woods. The whole time, I asked around about a rogue, barbarian, and possibly a priest or others.
Nobody had word of them at first. On the day I heard something about them defeating a lich, I couldn’t believe it at first. The peasant assured me all the bard’s songs were true. I grinned as the old man walked away. They’d made a song about Eric and Josh? I had to hear it before we left the game.
My smile faded, as the feeling of being trapped weighed on me suddenly. Even after nearly twenty years in the game, I still had twinges of the reality I’d left behind. Occasionally, they would pop up. A smell would remind me of pizza or a person would remind me of a relative or old friend. With so many things I missed, I tried not to think about them too much.
Instead of rushing to the area they’d killed the lich and finding out more, I stayed in my treehouse, resting and reflecting on my new life. Another lich had set up shop in a tower of bones in the lands to the east, but I hadn’t cleared it out yet. Should I do it on my own before the others arrived? I wondered if I’d become more powerful than them.
Not asking the gamemaster about the time difference disturbed me, but I pushed the thought out of my mind and worked on finding the courage to go and locate the others. After so much time had passed for me, I wasn’t in a hurry to find them again. Was I afraid of what they would think of the new me? Had I become a different person?
All of the undead concerned me too. I’d only been on the level a few months, but Magi Inyontoo had managed to completely ravage pretty much everything with overwhelming hordes of undead. Every time I killed a few dozen, a few hundred new creatures appeared. It wasn’t only low-level undead, either. Some of the liches could use necromancy.
On one of my missions, I found a Ring of Mass Teleportation. Unlike my Blink spell, the ring would allow me to transport up to a dozen people up to a thousand miles away once per day. It would’ve been better without the limits, but I didn’t complain too much. Having the ring would help me save mana by not needing to cast Blink. I’d still have it as a backup option, though. You always wanted to have a back-up plan in the Tower of Gates.
I sat on the porch of my treehouse, high above the forest, and enjoyed the sights and sounds. A few birds flew, landing nearby to serenade me. The wide trunks of the trees rising in the distance appeared like pillars in a natural temple. I smiled and sipped from my cup of tea, not in too huge of a rush to find the others. When they weren’t accessible, I found myself wanting to be around them, but after finding out they were around—I’d changed my mind.
That also happened a lot in the Tower of Gates. I pondered just living my life inside the game without the others. They’d eventually find a way out then come and get me.
I’d become a little addicted to my powerful character. Even without my own city to run on the penalty level, I could achieve greatness in the main game. My future, even unknown, was bright.
* * * * *
One evening on the way back to my treehouse, I stopped, frozen in terror for a moment when I saw Magi Inyontoo hovering in the air outside my home. Lights high above also concerned me. Had someone broken in? Was it Magi Inyontoo’s men? Or had
he hunted me down to get revenge for attacking him at the Tower of Sherlock then running?
I stared at him floating, wondering if I could outright kill him. Forcing him to respawn would put him in his place, for sure. I raised my arms and cast, sending four Fire Lances through their air. He turned as they shot toward him. I ducked behind a tree, peeking out as he threw up some sort of protective shield. A brilliant light flashed.
When I could see again, I scanned the air around my treehouse. Did I scare him away again? I glanced up at my treehouse and saw a group of people standing on my porch. With Magi Inyontoo gone, they might not be with him, I reasoned. Then it hit me. Was it Eric, Josh, and the others? Had they found me at last? It had to be them.
After casting Blink, I appeared in my living room, staring at my open front door and the strangers on my porch. I cleared my throat, my heart beating a million times a minute. Eric and Josh both stepped into the living room. I saw a dead body on the floor, blood still spilling out.
“Sarah?” Eric asked.
I nodded, smiling as Josh rushed over.
“Is that you, babe?” he asked. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” I said. “Come inside, and I’ll explain.”
I noticed some new faces as they piled into my living room.
“Good to see you guys,” I said, smiling and self-conscious.
“Is it really you?” Eric asked from just inside the door.
“Are you going to let me join the party, Bernard?” I asked with a grin.
“Where have you been? How are you? What happened?” Eric asked, the questions falling out of him.
“Slow down,” I said then laughed nervously. “I’ve been thinking about this day for a long time.”
“Hold on,” Derringer said, raising his hand in the air. “I hate to interrupt, but what happened to Magi Inyontoo and his goons?”
“I ran him off,” I said. “We really need to kill him.”
“Wait a minute,” Eric said. “He told me some crazy stuff about being my half-brother.”