Exile

by Riley Morrison

  Shawn.

  Ajax hesitated. Should he open the door and let the man in? Or should he tell him to go away? He glanced at Lillus. So what if someone else knew she was sick. The only one that really mattered here was the Imperator, and she undoubtedly knew of Lillus’s condition already.

  He slid his sword back in its sheath and pulled the door open. A tall, black-skinned middle-aged man dressed in a chain vest with regal purple clothing underneath stood in the hallway outside. An Elite of the Imperial Guard. A beard covered the man’s jaw, and his black hair hung down to his shoulders.

  “Captain.” Ajax saluted the man.

  The man saluted back. “Call me Shawn.”

  Ajax stepped out of the doorway so Shawn could enter. The captain glanced over at the bed and saw Lillus, but then he quickly averted his eyes. “Can I sit?” he asked, nodding toward the wooden table and chairs in the corner of the room.

  Leading Shawn over to the table, Ajax took a seat across from him. Shawn licked his lips. “I heard a rumor that you have come north from the border city of York, and have brought dire news.”

  Ajax nodded once. He wasn’t sure how much he should divulge to the captain. It could be classified by now, for all he knew. He doubted the Imperator would want word of what happened between her and Lillus getting out, nor would she want to cause panic by having the threat of the void become common knowledge. At least not yet.

  “I have a message for you,” Ajax said.

  “From Cynthia?”

  Ajax nodded.

  Shawn took a deep breath. “We were lovers once.” He turned to stare vaguely at the wall. “Against military protocol. But we were young, and stupid, and in love.”

  “What happened between you? Cynthia wanted me to tell you she was sorry, and that she hopes you will see her again in her next life. Though, of course, she won’t remember you.”

  He sobbed and clutched the side of the table. “Serving in the military does things to you. It makes you hard, it makes you unyielding...”

  Ajax leaned back in his chair. “What do you mean?”

  “We were conducting a raid on a border village, nothing complex, just the normal cross-border terror missions we Sinjharians and the Dernese perform dozens of times a year. Go in, beat a few men up, make a lot of noise, steal some livestock, that sort of thing. Nothing deadly, just good fun, and nothing drastic enough to draw the attention of the Dernese army.” He paused a moment. “This specific raid didn’t go as well as the others. The NPC peasants had somehow gotten word we were in the area and had laid a trap for us. We walked right into it.”

  Ajax wanted to say that was brave of the NPC peasants, but thought the better of it. NPCs made up most of the peasantry of Visaria, for few players wanted to spend their years of exile laboring in some dusty wheat field.

  “They attacked us from three sides and took us completely off guard. We had forty veteran soldiers with us, and up until that point, we had encountered no resistance from the other NPC communities. We were all full of ourselves. Over confident. Brash.” He laughed bitterly. “Their attack came quick, and when half of us were dead, I ordered the retreat.” He started shaking. “But Cynthia countermanded my orders.”

  “How? You were both captains.”

  “I wasn’t a captain then, nor was she. Back then, she was a field major and had been sent to train me, to advise me on leadership, and to make sure I didn’t do anything stupid.”

  Ajax frowned. “Why would she countermand your order?”

  “You knew her.” Shawn grinned. “Do you think she would ever back down from a fight?”

  Thinking of how Cynthia had insisted on staying at York and holding the town, even though she knew it was a death sentence, he shook his head.

  “She made us regroup, and we managed to salvage the situation, but only barely. Most of us were dead by the time the peasants had fled. And after we had routed them... Cynthia had us find them and butcher them all, including their children. They were just NPCs after all.” He shuddered. “But their screams, their pleading for mercy... the cries of the children. Their faces. It all felt pretty damn real to me, and by the One God, I can hear their screams still. When we left, and I had washed off the blood, I could not look at her.” He wiped away tears. “I never laid eyes on her again.”

  Ajax imagined such a slaughter, the horrible screams, the blood, the wailing children. “Cynthia left the NPC peasants at York alone. We captured the town and dealt with the resistance, but anyone who didn’t put up a fight and wasn’t part of the Dernese army, we left unharmed.”

  Shawn sniffed. “It gladdens me to hear that. Perhaps her demotion after the slaughter, and her long career stagnation afterward, made her realize the error of her ways. That wasn’t the first time she’d taken things too far with peasant NPCs. The other times were many, though this instance was the worst. But I loved her in those days, as did all those who served under her, so we never reported any of her transgressions.” Shawn made a fist. “But perhaps we should have. When our side conducts a massacre of the peasantry, the Dernese feel obliged to return the favor. What she did sparked a season-long tit for tat of bloodshed that took three years to cool and caused many NPCs untold levels of suffering. So much, I’m surprised the NPCs haven’t risen up and tried to kill us all.”

  Ajax had heard the rumor of a group of NPCs stealing weapons from the army and heading north into the Fallen Empire of Pendrax. Could that be a sign they had decided to fight back against the players who had hurt them?

  Shawn grimaced. “Anyway, when we returned to barracks, I reported Cynthia to Marshal Tark, and she was quickly demoted and sidelined.”

  “Why did they give her the command of us conscripts? Why was she sent to take York?”

  “I think they wanted to get rid of her.” Shawn shook his head. “So they sent her out on a suicide mission, along with a bunch of others—like yourself—those in power care nothing about.”

  Ajax took no offense at being told no one in command cared anything about the likes of him. That had been obvious. They’d been cannon fodder for the Imperium’s diversion, after all. “I think she willingly went to her death,” Ajax said.

  Shawn studied Ajax for several beats. “Perhaps she did. She had no one in the end. I should have...” He pushed back his chair and stood. “I need to go.” His voice was taut. “Need to oversee... something.”

  Ajax escorted him to the door. “Cynthia is probably out there somewhere, a low-level struggling to make her way in the world.”

  He paused. “Yes.”

  “Are you—?”

  Shawn shook his head. “I’ll see you around. Of that, I’m sure. I have been sent to fight in the east.”

  Ajax glanced at Lillus. “I think I will be heading east too.”

  “Yes. I heard what happened.” Shawn gripped Ajax’s arm. “Don’t let the war change you. Stay true to who you are.”

  With that, Shawn opened the door and left.

  Quest Complete

  Pass on Captain Cynthia’s personal message to Captain Shawn.

  Rewards: 450xp. Do you feel like you did something good?

  XP: 4955/5500

  CHAPTER 18

  SPARKLE PONY

  It took nearly three days for Lillus to finally stir. Ajax was beside her as her eyes fluttered opened. “You’re awake!” Before he knew it, his lips were on hers. Then he quickly pulled back and glanced away, cheeks burning. “Sorry.”

  She let out a weak laugh. “There’s far worse ways to wake up than this.”

  Is that a good thing or a bad thing? He turned back to her and found her smiling. “I’m just happy to see you’ve woken. After what you did...”

  “That is the drawback of such power.”

  “What was it? How did you—?”

  “The Oracle granted me a small fraction of the power the game masters once had in this world. But even the computers running Visaria Online are governed by rules. The Oracle had to find a loophole in the code th
at allowed it to grant a player such abilities, but it could find no way around the drawback.” Lillus glanced beside the bed at the jug of water. “Pour me a glass, please.”

  Ajax let her drink her fill before pressing her for more. “What other powers do you have?”

  Putting down the cup, she thought a moment. “Other than Journeyman-level alchemy and herb gathering, and the power you witnessed... how many days ago was that?”

  “A bit over two.”

  “Well, other than that, I have nothing else but my brains, my link to the Oracle and my unmatched feminine charms.”

  He grinned sheepishly at that last bit. She truly was beautiful. “How long do you need to rest?” He shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t want to make you feel like I am pressuring you, but I fear what the Imperator will do to us if we stay much longer.”

  Lillus grimaced. “I’d like to stay in this comfy bed another week, but there is so much we must do. Give me a few hours, then I will get up and walk around. I need to quickly regain my strength so I can grind monsters with you to level up. When we leave to head east, we both need to be at least level 8.”

  “Why that level specifically?”

  “It would have been better for us to be higher, but level 8 will have to do.” Lillus took a long breath. “It is the minimum requirement for us to fulfill the Oracle’s vision. It has seen what we must do, played the future out millions of times, and decided on the course of action that will give us the highest probability of success in the coming war against the void.”

  “And what am I meant to do?”

  “You bring a message from the Imperator to her generals in the east, telling them to stop their war and to try to find a way to make peace with the Republic so both armies can unite as one.”

  Ajax shook his head. “How am I meant to make them do that? Even if the Imperator gives me a letter ordering her general to cease hostilities, why would the Republic stop their own invasion?”

  “You and I will need to deal with them after we have dealt with the Imperium forces in the east. As I doubt I’ll be allowed anywhere near Ithilda again, I will seek out one of the Imperator’s advisers and tell them what we need.”

  This all sounds insane. Impossible even.

  Lillus took his hand and gazed deep into his eyes. “I see the doubt in your eyes. Yes, it will be hard. There will be much pain, struggle and bloodshed ahead of us, of that you can be certain.”

  Visaria was full of bloodshed and conflict. Nothing new there.

  “We both need to gain in power and join forces with those who will be of use to us. Even though the Oracle has predicted the future, it is far from certain. Anything can happen; we can even die, so in the end—it will be up to us to find our own path to salvation using what the Oracle has told me as a guide.” She sounded so confident.

  “Who can we join forces with? We have no allies here. If anything, we are surrounded by enemies now that you... well, did what you did.”

  “Not everyone here likes the Imperator.” Lillus brought his hand to her lips and kissed it. “Even in her Dragon Roost, she has people who look upon her with disdain. When we leave here, one such man will be the one who will escort us east.”

  Ajax didn’t like the sound of that. “So we fly with traitors within the Imperator’s own Dragon Riders?”

  “Not traitors. Ithilda is not the Imperium, and the Imperium is not Ithilda. The Imperium is this land, its people, the players who live out their exile here. You can dislike your ruler without also disliking your country.”

  What she said didn’t sit right with Ajax, but he let it go. “You still need to choose your quest rewards for coming here and reporting to the Imperator.”

  “I will, soon. Once they give us the items I demanded of the Imperator, I will choose what I think works best for me.” She brightened. “It won’t be long until I will be able to resurrect Yana. She will be most happy to see you again. Expect lots of kisses and groping, and maybe even some kinky stuff.”

  “Joy...”

  LATER IN THE DAY, AJAX helped Lillus to the Dragon Keep’s armory. Two hard-faced guards escorted them inside. “Each of you can pick two pieces of Tier-3 equipment from over there,” the guard with the birth mark on his left cheek said, pointing at a cluttered table in the corner of the armory. “One piece of standard equipment and lastly, one Augment each.”

  “Is that it?” Lillus raised her eyebrows.

  The guard smirked at her. “What do you think we are? A charity? You’re lucky you are getting anything. Normally we only give out magical gear like this to people who actually serve in the Imperium.” He curled his lip as he looked Ajax and Lillus over. “Not low-level riffraff like you two.”

  Ajax let the insult slide and dragged the Demon Mage over to the table before she set the man on fire.

  Sorting the Tier-3 equipment out into separate piles (one for him, the other for Lillus) he went through each, checking out the stats. Lillus identified several pieces for him, as he lacked the Intellect to see what they were.

  “Hmm...” Lillus pursed her lips. “This stuff all looks so utilitarian and boring. I like glitz and glamour.” She picked up a belt.

  Divining Belt of the Bookworm

  A replica of the original Divining belt worn by Archmage Trancendus, who died in a forgotten battle during the war against the Dread Legions.

  +3 Intellect

  +2 Spirit

  +10hp

  +5def

  “I’ll take that, if you don’t want it,” Ajax said. The stats were useful to him, and the item sure beat his simple +5def girdle.

  She pointed at a chain belt. “You take that one; it’s better suited to a Spiritual Warrior.”

  He picked it up and brought up the item’s information in his mind’s eye.

  Pierced Girdle of the Lost Sun

  A superb item, if not for the unrepairable damaged chain links that reduce its potency.

  +3 Might

  +3 Spirit

  +15hp

  +5def

  Nice.

  Ajax removed his old belt and discarded it on the table like the piece of trash it truly was. Placing on the new belt, he felt much stronger, more virile and overall, more manly.

  Yana would be sure to love that.

  “Next.” He grinned and scanned the equipment. Near the bottom of the pile was a shiny chainmail vest. Picking it up, he checked it out.

  Sparkle Pony Chain Vest of the Unicorn

  It might sound like something a 9-year-old girl would wear, but don’t let the name fool you. This is an excellent armor piece for low-level riffraff like you. Just ignore the girly picture of the unicorn on it, and you will be fine.

  +5 Might

  +2 Spirit

  +30hp

  +30mp

  +25def

  * This item was a limited time cashshop DLC from the Cross Wind mini expansion and is clearly not pay to win.

  Ajax stroked his chin. Better suited to a Templar Spiritual Warrior, what with all that Might and low Spirit, but he would take it. As to the brightly colored unicorn on the front... To think grown men and women spent real-world money on crap like this. I guess I will cover it up with a Standard Cloak. Placing the new armor on, he discarded his old one just like he had his belt. Then he picked up the Standard Cloak (that held no properties whatsoever), slipped it on and made sure the girly picture was completely covered.

  Now to the Augment.

  Scanning the small, round, shiny-colored balls that represented the Augments in raw form, he chose one that granted him increased defense. He figured in the days ahead they would need him to act as a tank. His class wasn’t really suited to the task of being a front-line damage taker, but a Demon Mage and a succubus pet were far less able to withstand punishment. So, unless they had a Shield-spec’d Martial Warrior join up with them, they would have to do with a suboptimal Paladin tank.

  Tier-1 Augment

  +20def

  Ajax inserted the Augment into his c
hest armor.

  Overall, he couldn’t complain about the items. This stuff was far more powerful than simple quest rewards, and he couldn’t have hoped for better. Few players of his level would be as geared as he and Lillus were now. Well, not unless they had powerful friends who had found them after they respawned and handed them a bunch of level-specific top-tier items. The extra Might was great, and superior to a straight-up increase in AP like his weapon had, as it could be buffed higher if he had the appropriate buff active. One Might would increase his AP by 5, but could turn into an increase of 6 or 7 AP on the off chance Ajax ever partied with a high-level Martial Warrior with the Strength of Earth aura. A plain increase to AP would not be buffed by an increase in Might.

  There was a war going on out there, and soon he would be heading right into the midst of it. And in battle, there were buffs and auras aplenty. Admiring his new stuff on his 3D model in his character panel, he grinned. Nice.

  Ajax Stoneheart

  Race: Human

  Class: Spiritual Warrior

  Skill Focus: Warrior Paladin

  Level: 5

  Player Kills: 3

  Might: 16 (BASE: 7 +9 from equipment) (1 Might increases AP by 5)

  Dexterity: 1

  Intellect: 2

  Spirit: 10 (BASE: 3 +7 from equipment) (1 Spirit increases healing by 10% and improves mana regeneration by 2%)

  Luck: 1

  HP: 295 (BASE: 205 +10 BLS +80 equipment)

  MP: 190 (BASE: 150 +40 from equipment)

  AP: 195 (BASE: 135 +15 from weapon +45 from equipment)

  DEF: 145 (BASE: 20 +125 from equipment)

  XP: 4955/5500

  Lillus chose plain black undergarments as her second Tier-3 item. At least they looked like undergarments. Cloth-wearing classes had the most boring armor.

  “This will do,” Lillus said. “Some Intellect, some extra mana, some health and an extra layer of warmth.” He turned away as she put it on. “My two Augments, one from here, the other from my quest completion, will grant me +20 health and the other +20mp. As to my quest reward item, it’s a silver tiara, which grants me 4 Intellect, 1 Luck, and 10 defense. But more importantly, it looks nice!”