by Rick Scott
Bruce’s chest tightened with the horror and reality of it all. It was over. “We’re finished, Carl. He’s held the cards the whole time.”
“We don’t know that for sure,” Carl said and then he pointed at the screen. “And by the sounds of that ‘conversation’ he had, Dennis definitely doesn’t think that either. Plus, we’ve got an advantage now.”
“Huh?” If there was some kind of advantage, Bruce wasn’t seeing it. “The man in charge of our entire virtual infrastructure might in fact be an enemy AI and we have some kind of advantage?”
“Yes,” Carl said. “All that may be true, but he doesn’t know that we know yet. That’s a huge one-up. Question is, what are we going to do with it?”
What indeed? But Carl was right. They were in a unique position here. As far as Dennis was concerned everything was still normal. Nothing had changed. Their next moves and what they did with this new information would be critical.
But what do you do, when you find the monster, before it finds you?
A hundred thoughts ran through Bruce’s mind—killing Dennis at the top of his list. It was a guttural and knee-jerk reaction, he knew. But the reptilian part of his brain was screaming self-preservation. What they knew of the AIs—the Builders that had once created Citadel—was sparse. But what they did know was the last one to attack them nearly wiped out the entire population two hundred years ago. And if Dennis was somehow one of them—had infiltrated them—then their fate was already sealed.
“Dear God…” he whispered softly.
This was a one-shot opportunity.
And they couldn’t blow it.
They had an upper hand. They knew what he might be and had proof…sort of.
First things first.
Whatever advantage they had, they needed to maintain it.
“Bury all of this,” Bruce said succinctly. “Knowing what he is now—or could be—we can’t take any chances of him finding any of it.”
Just the thought of that scenario made Bruce’s flesh crawl.
“Even the surveillance?” Carl said. “You still want to keep an eye on him, don’t you?”
His stomach soured. He hadn’t given consideration to that as yet.
“How risky is it now?” he asked. “Knowing what he could be.”
Carl shrugged. “I know crap about AIs, so I don’t really know.”
Damn it.
“I need some time to think,” Bruce said, grabbing his coat. “Just seal it all away for now. I’m going back to the office. Obviously, we can’t tell anyone about this.”
Carl chuckled mirthlessly. “Yeah that rule hasn’t changed, Bruce.”
“That goes triple now,” Bruce said. “If anyone ever found out that one of our own was compromised like this…”
Carl smirked. “If he’s even one of our own.”
Another shiver went up Bruce’s spine.
“Yeah…” he said. “If…I’ll see you in a bit.”
Chapter 3: True Strength
I’m dying.
My strength has left me and I’m pinned down—surrounded by mages ready to finish me off with a single cast. But even so, all I can think about is the incomprehensible smile on Lady Diana’s face. Her eyes dance and sparkle, like she’s staring into a reality that I can’t see.
What have they done to her?
“Fascinating, isn’t it?” she says to me, still smiling. “I can control her as easily as my own body.”
She then falls limp and her expressionless eyes return as Lord Xavier laughs from above.
I glare up at him. That fat creep!
“The King said you would come, but I didn’t believe him,” Xavier says. “Not until we applied the proper bait, it seems.” He flicks his wrist and shows me his emerald ring. “Luckily for me, these are not very taxing to reproduce and as you can see…I’ve added some enhancements.”
I don’t know if I’m more pissed off or relieved to know that Lady Diana was being literally controlled by him as a puppet just now, voice and all. It’s sickening, but for a moment I feared that they had brainwashed her or something. As terrible as being a puppet is, it’s good to know that her true self is still intact inside, perhaps fighting against the control as I did when I was under the same spell.
I’ve got to get her out of this…
I glower up at the fat man.
“What is this?” I shout at him with vehemence. “Another trick of yours?”
I killed Braxus but nothing happened. The thought sends nerves running through my stomach. Could he have respawned somehow? Was it all some kind of illusion? “What did you do, Xavier?”
“I did nothing,” he says with a condescending smirk. “You simply killed his Imposter, you fool.”
Imposter? I think of Rembrandt and his clones. The Negotiator class has them and Braxus said he was a Ruler class, if I recall. It must be something similar. More powerful even, because he definitely looked like the real deal to me. Even his name looked the same…I think. Not ‘footsoldier 1,2,3’ like Rembrandt’s clones.
“You should really study your enemy if you hope for any chance of defeating him.” Lord Xavier gives me another smirk. “Your ignorance will be your downfall, Shard Warrior.”
Anger lights in my chest. I’ll show you ignorance, you pompous slob.
“Show yourself, Braxus!” I scream. If he’s using a clone-like ability, then he has to be nearby. And knowing the freak he is, no way would Braxus miss out on watching a show like this. “Stop hiding and show the real you! If you want to talk, let’s talk!”
Xavier laughs again. “My Lord has never left the safety of his throne, my boy. But fear not. He wants you alive. So you may have the pleasure of a final audience with him, yet.”
Never left the throne? Holy crap. Just how powerful is this Imposter ability of his?
I remember now what Aiko told me that night we escaped from Stormwall: that Braxus would probably never let his guard down again. I should have taken her more literally. It’s no wonder he was acting like such a clown when he shot Gilly. He was out here with literally nothing to lose. He’s likely been toying with us the entire time!
The thought infuriates me even more.
“Don’t feel bad,” Xavier says, tucking his hands into his robe. “Mightier than you have fallen to my master’s—”
His words cut short as one of the War Mages suddenly slams into him from the side. “Lord Xavier!”
Xavier goes flying as the War Mage pushes him across the balcony. A split-second later Aiko drops onto his back with a Plunging Attack and the Mage releases an ear-piercing wail.
Aiko uses Sneak Attack!
War Mage Rescues Lord Xavier!
Aiko hits the War Mage for 9210(943) damage!
His body crumples into a heap as Aiko lands on top of him in a tangle of limbs.
“Damn it!” she curses and scrambles to her feet, heading for Lord Xavier, but the fat man rolls off the edge of the balcony and falls twenty feet to the hard shale below.
Lord Xavier takes 57 fall damage.
Several soldiers rush to his aid as the archers surrounding me turn their bows to Aiko.
“Aiko!” I cry.
My Retreat is off cool-down and I use it to shatter the two lengths of crystal piercing through me, performing a back somersault. I fly forward again with a Charge Strike, careening into one of the archers while pegging two more with quick slashes from my kunai. Their shots go wide as I throw them off balance and then I hit them with a War Cry.
“Fight me!” I shout.
They turn almost reflexively, but their faces are marred with fright. Something I don’t expect. They aren’t mindless mobs and they can sense the fury they’re up against.
“That’s right!” I shout at them. “I’m a Shard Warrior. I’m ten times stronger than any of you!”
“Kill him!” Xavier shouts. “He’s nearly dead. Lady Diana, finish him off!”
Oh crap…
Lady Diana phases out of her
trance. She looks to one of the soldiers and with a speed I don’t expect, snatches his sword from his waist. She wields it two-handed and buffs with several abilities, blue light dancing from her blade.
Lady Diana uses Sing Blade!
Weapon attack speed and accuracy increased!
Lady Diana uses Knight’s Honor!
Parry and Weapon Disarm increased!
She rushes at me with a charge, her sword held high.
I swiftly evade the attack and the sword kicks up shale where it meets the ground. I back away from Lady Diana’s attacks while still dodging arrows and sword chops from the score of soldiers surrounding me. My blood freezes with panic as I realize I’m completely unbuffed. No Shadow Haste or Shadow Copy and I won’t get a chance to cast either of them now.
My Evasion is my only defense!
I force myself into the zone and start Dodge Tanking, keeping an eye mainly on Diana’s quick moveset while pouring my attacks into the slower-moving soldiers. They cry out as I jab them with my lightning-fast kunai. Thankfully they fall to the ground with just a few blows.
You defeated the Company Archer!
You gain 6700 experience points.
You defeated the Company Swordsman!
You gain 6400 experience points.
Lady Diana flashes with a burst of golden energy and then charges at me while releasing a battle cry. Her weapon becomes a blur as she stabs at me from multiple directions at once.
Lady Diana uses Hundred Blades!
Oh crap!
I pop Active Dodge and blur through most of the hits, but the channeling attack still pushes through once my invulnerability window drops.
You dodge the attack!
You dodge the attack!
You dodge the attack!
You dodge the attack!
Lady Diana hits you for 81 damage!
Lady Diana hits you for 84 damage!
Lady Diana hits you for 83 damage!
I wince with the pain of each stab as her blade pierces my Ninja garb. Thankfully the attacks aren’t very strong, perhaps due to the crummy Company Sword she’s using, but my HP is way in the red nonetheless.
I take a quick glance.
277/1732 HP
Geez! This isn’t good. I need to stop her from attacking.
“Aiko! Get to Xavier!” I cry through the party chat.
The elf pulls her blade from the remaining War Mage atop the balcony, assassinating him before glancing about for Xavier.
“On it!” she says and leaps off over the railing to drop down to where Lord Xavier is cowering behind his cronies. She gets halfway when she’s slammed to the ground by a hail of crystal rods.
Lord Xavier cast Crystal Spear Shower!
Aiko takes 547 piercing damage.
Aiko is rooted!
She cries out, losing a third of her HP.
“Aiko!”
I take a slash to the leg from Lady Diana as my attention is pulled away from the fight.
Lady Diana hits you for 81 damage!
196/1732 HP
I try to focus on dodging but I need to get to Aiko. I have no idea of her full capabilities as Thief, but her HP and armor seem a lot weaker than when she was on Ninja.
She breaks free with a Backflip, disappearing from sight, but then a second shower of crystal spears falls from the sky.
War Mage casts Crystal Spear Shower!
Aiko takes 547 damage.
Aiko is Rooted!
What?!
I look to the Balcony and see another War Mage has appeared from out of the fort.
Dang it!
Aiko is forced out of stealth by the second rain of crystal spears. Her HP is down to 10% and she doesn’t seem to have a way to break free from the hold this time.
“Finish her!” Xavier cries.
The soldiers charge forward with their swords drawn, yelling battle cries.
No!
I take two stabs to my gut as I rush to head them off.
“Aiko!”
The Company Swordsman hits you for 42 damage!
154/1732 HP
The Company Swordsman hits you for 39 damage!
115/1732 HP
A burst of white light surrounds Aiko’s prone body and her HP pops back to full.
Gilly casts Heal IV
Aiko regains +1112 HP
Gilly!
The War Mage on the balcony cries out as his HP bar abruptly flatlines, accompanied by a gunshot from behind me.
Rembrandt uses Kill Shot!
War Mage takes 1273 damage.
Rembrandt defeats the War Mage!
You gain 3460 experience points.
Maxis and Val Helena rush in, chewing through the soldiers surrounding me with shield bashes and flying kicks.
Maxis defeats the Company Swordsman!
You gain 2460 experience points.
Maxis defeats the Company Swordsman!
You gain 2460 experience points.
Warmth fills my body as my HP is replenished by 30%.
Becky casts Heal III
You regain +500 HP
Eesh that was close…
“You guys came back!” I shout with both shock and relief.
“I told you we weren’t splitting this party, man!” Maxis bellows as he sinks a punch into one of the soldiers. “Get these clowns killed! The army is right there!”
I regain my senses and see a mass of giants and mammoths tearing across the caldera.
Oh crap…
Lady Diana lunges at me with another swing. I duck under it, but refrain from retaliating. She raises her sword overhead to swing again, but instead of bringing her sword down in a chop, she flips it and points the tip straight towards her throat.
What the heck…?
“Move and I drive it through her!” she yells.
I freeze and everyone else does as well.
“What the hell?” Maxis says.
My chest tightens. “It’s Xavier! He’s controlling her!”
I look for the fat man and see him far out of reach, at least a hundred feet away, holding both arms in a pose that mimics the one Lady Diana is now in. He’s literally controlling her like a puppet again. One move and he’ll plunge her sword straight through her skull.
He knows what he’s doing. Death by any other means could be reversed with a Raise.
But not this.
“You pathetic imbeciles,” Lady Diana says, scowling. “I’ll have you all delivered to the king now. As powerful as you might be, you’re all as weak-minded as King Braxus said you were. The so-called mighty Shard Warriors.”
Anger heats within my gut, both at the situation and how he’s using Lady Diana to speak his own vile words. I grimace at the fat man. How do we reach him from so far away?
Gilly speaks in the party chat. “What can we do?”
“Can you tag him, Rem?” Maxis asks.
“I’ve already used Kill Shot,” he says. “Five-minute cooldown.”
“We don’t have five minutes,” Aiko says. “That army will be here by then.”
“I could hit him,” Rembrandt says, “but I probably won’t kill him in a single burst. Diana could still die then.”
“Who is this Diana?” Becky asks.
I look to the Halfling and feel my heart sink. “Someone I owe a great deal,” I say. “Someone we all owe with our very lives.”
I think back to the huge risk Lady Diana took by helping us escape Braxus in Stormwall. A risk she ended up paying for by being turned into one of his hapless puppets.
“This was always the risk, mates,” Rembrandt says. “Being caught in the open. We’re paying for it now.”
Dammit, this all falls on me again—my hubris and anger. I led us right into a trap.
“If we move, she’s dead,” Val Helena says.
“If we don’t we’ll all be,” Aiko says. “Once that army reaches us, it’s over.”
Crap…what do we do?
I look to Diana standin
g just a few feet from me. Tears streak down her face as her eyes tremble, vacant and unfocused like she’s looking at something afar off. I stare into them and suddenly they shift toward me.
Lady Diana: Just kill me.
Holy crap…did she just PM me?
Her eyes don’t leave mine. I can tell she must be under extreme mental strain to communicate with me while under Xavier’s control, but she presses on.
Lady Diana: Do it or we all perish.
Me: Lady Diana, I can’t—
Lady Diana: Keep your oath…Free my city.
She closes her eyes.
The army is nearly to us, the mammoths and giants kicking up huge clouds of dust in their wake. I glance at Rembrandt. I understand his lesson now. There’s no anger and hatred to fuel this. No excuse to become a Shard Wraith like I did when killing Braxus—to become a monster to commit the unthinkable. True strength. That’s all I have to rely on now. True strength to do what must be done, despite the consequences. Sickness eats at my gut. I need to do this. She’s willing to sacrifice herself again. To sacrifice herself for both us and her people.
And it’s up to me to carry it out.
The moment I move, she’s going to die.
“You’re wrong, Xavier,” I say, setting my eyes on him. I’m tired of these rules. I think back to my encounter in the labyrinth and a new sense of resolve surges through me. “We’re far stronger than you think.”
Me: I promise, Lady Diana…
I steel myself. I’m Kono-Zemsu…I’m making my own rules now.
Me: I won’t let you die.
I launch at Lady Diana with a Charge Strike. “Rem! Shoot him now!”
Xavier reacts with a scream and the blade goes flying upwards.