Solemn eyes gazed into Val's own. "The choice is yours, Valor Hunter. Already you have done so much, saving the life of my Ava, gifting her with life in turn, saving our tiny clan against the perils of starvation with the revivification of our arborium. And you were under no obligation to do any of this. You owe us nothing. Yet if you would do this for us..." The elder dwarf solemnly bowed his head. "Our city would be in your debt for all eternity."
Quest Line Will You Save my People? III! Arilius Battleborn has made it clear that saving his clan will be a perilous undertaking! You need to revive three more arboriums and make your way to the matrix itself, all while avoiding overzealous sentinels and possibly homicidal automatons! Do you have what it takes to save an entire race from the brink? No, don't respond this, Val, you'd look silly. Respond to the dwarf! You did just seduce his granddaughter, after all.
Val formally bowed his head. "Yes, Arilius. Let's see about reviving your clan and giving bitter fate the finger while we're at it!" Val turned, gazing into Ava's brilliant blue eyes. "Even when I had lost myself, following the darkest of paths, in my heart of hearts I had dreamed of one day being a hero." He swallowed, lowering his head. "Sentient machines scouring the corridors for intruders does terrify the crap out of me, Ava. But if it means bringing this dark, haunted city back to brilliant life once more, well, I can think of worse causes to die for."
Ava squeezed him close. "Don't you dare die on me, Valor Hunter."
He was humbled to see her tears as she smiled. "Go with Grandfather. His presence makes it clear that he will be the one to take you."
Arilius nodded. "You and Astmar will remain. If anything should happen, you will know what to do." Ava nodded solemnly, squeezing Val's hand before heading back to their barracks, Arilius gazing intently at Val once more. "Are you ready, child?"
Val swallowed. "I need to talk to my friends first. Most of the Silbion I carry is now theirs."
Arilius's gaze turned granite hard. "We are talking about the fate of my people, boy."
Val closed his eyes, nodding. "I know. And I doubt they'd want anything but your friendship. But I did give an oath, and I know that means something in this world."
Arilius blinked, nodding. "You are right, lad. Very well. Converse with them. Should they prove reluctant... summon me. I suspect that I will be able to entice them with a prize beyond their wildest reckoning."
Val blinked. "What would that be?"
Arilius flashed a cynical smile. "Valorium. The very substance those damned Highlords once used for their starship drives. At the time of our hibernation, the most precious and potent substance in the known universe."
Val swallowed and nodded. "Somehow, I'd be very surprised of Sten didn't find that a fine trade indeed."
The elder dwarf nodded, his gaze turning thoughtful. "And through all of this, saving my people, the city entire at your mercy, you ask for nothing."
Val swallowed, gazing at his feet. "I know, no matter what part of my subconscious mind thinks, that this is no game. I won't ask for a petty reward. I want to save your people because, well, it's the right thing to do." He flashed a rueful smile, daring to say more. "Besides. I think I just might be in love with your granddaughter."
Arilius grinned. "Then no greater gift can you give her than the resurrection of her home. Come, Val. Now that there is the shred of hope, my heart is heavy with dread. The matrix is closer to death than this arborium was, such a short time ago."
5
Sten's gaze hardened. "You wish to claim all the Silbion, Val?"
Swallowing, Val nodded. "By your own admission moments ago, A kilogram of Elementium is worth twenty liters of Silbion, and you had thought that my... knack of extraction had earned me at least a fourth of the Elementium haul."
Halvar grinned from where he stretched, doing his best to keep limber, despite their confinement. "He does have you there, Sten. He's the proud owner of a little over 65kg of Elementium. The Liquid Silbion we found, valuable as it is, is worth a bit under 2kg of Elementium." He chuckled softly. "With the haul we've made, I don't see how we could refuse Valor's request."
Sten frowned, rubbing his temples, glancing sideways at a coldly glaring Arilius. "Somehow, I don't think we really have a choice in the matter."
"No choice at all," a still smiling Halvar agreed. "But nothing says you can't put a good spin on it. Of course we're going to let Val supply them with all the Silbion they need. After all, we consider ourselves friends of the dwarven people, and we hope they feel the same."
Sten's tight frown widened to a wolf's grin. "With favored trading status, of course. After all, who else are they going to entrust with their secret?"
Halvar's smile widened. "Exactly what I was thinking, Captain. And a bonus to our stalwart Val, I think. Saving the life of the clan leader's kin was a brilliant move. I'm just glad seducing the girl hasn't blown up in our faces."
"Myself as well." Sten's coldly bemused smile inspired an apologetic grimace from Val.
He had sort of swept Ava off her feet right in front of Sten, and if anyone had taken that amiss... Val shuddered, glad things had not played out that way. There was so much he hadn't said, of course, and nothing about the arborium. As much as he cared about his friends, somehow he didn't feel the need to inform them of how precarious the dwarves' situation truly was. Far better to negotiate from a position of strength. He already trusted that Ava's clan would let his friends go free as promised, and if Elementium wasn't enough of a bribe... but there Sten was, nodding his head, his gaze almost one of admiration, which for some reason made Val feel guilty.
"Very well, Val. Trade our Silbion, but I'm not making you give up your own rewards for our venture." The captain clapped Val's shoulder. "Do you understand, Val? You're one of us. You took the risks, you're willing to negotiate with the dwarves on our behalf. You should profit beside us. Tell them the Silbion is our gift to them. We only hope that perhaps they will think kindly of us in the future, see us as the trustworthy trade partners that we are, and should they need an intermediary to secure them supplies from the world above, to sell technology or artifacts for goods and services in turn, we would be happy to serve."
Val swallowed and nodded, thinking Sten's offer a brilliant move. Not only was it a fantastic gesture that assured goodwill, it also paved the way for favored trading status with some of the most brilliant technicians alive today. The profit potential would no doubt be considerable, and the dwarves would have no reason not to be grateful. And in the most pragmatic sense, if the worth of their lives was still being measured, this should certainly tip the scales in their favor in terms of securing their freedom, the most priceless prize of all.
A smiling Val turned to Arilius and nodded. "I've secured the Silbion. The captain asks only for your friendship and the hopes that one day, should you wish to trade with the humans, you will allow him to profit as the intermediary. Of course, the greatest prize for him would simply be that you don't have a change of heart and kill him." Val bowed his head. Of course Sten would have wanted Val to word things differently, and though his brain had exploded with nuance since the first time he had felt Ava's lips against his own, the fundamental truth of the dwarven tongue was that one couldn't deliberately lie. Any sort of deception was almost physically painful, and the closer you felt to a fellow dwarf, the more you revealed your heart and soul to them.
Arilius grinned. "You may tell the captain that I keep my word. He and his companions shall be returned to the surface unharmed." His frown grew thoughtful. "Even should we be successful, food will be exceedingly tight for at least a short while. I suspect, Val, that so long as you use every gift you have to assure discretion, we might be able to make use of at least one exchange of treasure for sustenance." His gaze turned speculative. "So long as our foes are not actively hunting for us as they were with the same zeal as a thousand years ago, we need but secure sufficient resources to keep our city in flux, and we should be safe from mundane discovery, even if we
do make allowances for a valued trade partner."
Val nodded. "I will let the captain know."
"Do that, then get back to me. I will speak with my son. Should anything happen to either of us, he needs to know what we strive to do, the bargain we have made."
Val turned back to Sten. "Arilius accepts. No promises, but if the dwarves need trade supplies, they know they can trust us." Val gazed at the captain, swallowing. "I'm about to do something...dangerous. But I assured your safe departure, whatever happens to me."
Sten frowned. "I'm not happy to hear that, Val. Your safety matters."
Val shrugged. "It seems that purified Silbion evaporates damn quickly, this deep in the underdark."
"True."
"So I'm about the only person with access to a pocket dimension around here."
Sten chuckled. "There is that."
Val swallowed and nodded. "In case anything happens to me, it's been an honor, captain."
Sten blinked, handsome features quirking into a roguish smile. "Damn it, Val, now you're going to make me do something foolish." And within seconds, Val found himself holding Elise's mystical blade, Sten's own armored jacket upon his shoulders, their most reflective shield in his off hand. The captain gave an approving nod. "I can tell you've worn reinforced gear before. I know you're gifted, Val. Can you tune yourself to Elise's blade?"
Val took a deep breath, centering himself, gazing carefully at Elise's blade, balanced and shaped so very much like a migration era sword with a broad, shallow fuller running up the center of the blade, possessing a comparatively short pommel and a rounded tip. It looked like an exotic jeweled version of the viking blades seen in one of his favorite television programs. There was no distal taper, the blade needing the same thickness throughout to support the brilliant shimmering enchantments kissing the edges of the sword, so the point of balance was farther from the hilt than would be the case with a quick parry and slash fencing blade. This was a type of sword best used in concert with a shield to parry as the sword cleaved into his foes.
He smiled as he got a feel for the balance of the magical sword, his movements slow and sure, weaving a cautious dance of death just outside the barracks, Sten looking on, making sure he could swing it efficiently without it wrenching shoulder or wrist, Val's movements precise and coordinated as he mimed skipping out of range before lashing and out with angled strikes, taking into account the presence of his shield.
He would need some time to master it, but he had handled and sparred with similar blades before. It was exceedingly different compared to a longsword, but had evolved at least seven hundred years prior. He wouldn't dare spar against a master, not yet, but could he swing it quickly and accurately against roving automatons, blocking low and darting back before they could slice him in two? Yes, that he definitely could. At least, he hoped so.
Thanks to your careful hour spent rehearsing lessons learned a lifetime ago as Arilius waits impatiently on, Elise's unfamiliar blade is now comfortable in your grip! Critical failure penalty negated! You are no expert yet, but you won't fall on your face unless you're really lucky! Chopping blades are now fully attuned to Sword and Shield Rank 2.
Val grinned at what he knew in his gut to be true, prompt aside. And now that he knew the blade wouldn't fly out of his hands, he dared to embrace the strange enchantments within, gasping at how easy it was, his Psion and Arcane Perception working together synergistically to see the flow of energies within the ancient matrix of Elementium with just a trace of Silbion. The construction was extremely stable as the Elementium was solid and somehow anchored within the blade, it's fascinating design allowing Val to use his gifts to catalyze the enchantment. A gentle push and he felt a minuscule stream of his Psions setting the edges alive in a brilliant green glow, knowing it would scar even metal, cutting like an extremely powerful diamond-toothed chainsaw.
He swung it slowly, cautiously, seeing if the enchantment being activated had any effect on the smooth flow of his movements, checking for any risk of strain or the blade flying free. He was pleased to find the magics did not change the flow and feel of his feints and strikes in the least. He nodded once, grinning in solid satisfaction, catching Sten's approving gaze.
"Halvar's right, Val. Whatever your academic shortcomings, you are a natural soldier."
Val smirked. "Let's just hope I don't need to make use of this toy."
His friend nodded farewell, Val smiling and nodding at a now impatient looking Arilius, both of them making quick time into the city proper, Val sparing a final glance back, Ava's captivating gaze spearing his own.
"Be careful, my heart. I would not lose you so soon after finding you, if the fates are kind."
Val nodded and swallowed, still humbled by the way she gazed at him, waving once in farewell before turning around, preparing himself for what was to come.
Despite his trepidation, Val couldn't help gazing up in admiration at the fantastic structures they passed, like sleeping giants just needing the slightest push to be brought back to life, a city to marvel any back home, for all that it was a thousand years old. Now they were simply massive edifices glimmering coldly in the occasional flicker of light, dark and cold. All was silent, save for the occasional whine or tread of automatons forever patrolling or performing maintenance off in the distance.
Arilius sighed. "It feels like just yesterday our glorious empire was celebrating its golden age. And now we walk through what is little more than a tomb."
Val nodded, giving the powerful dwarf's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "This beautiful city of wonder is not dead. It only sleeps, and we are the princes who will awaken her once more."
Arilius flashed Val a tight grin. "May you warm her heart like you did my granddaughters, so that both may blossom anew."
Val blushed at that, the older dwarf quietly chuckling as he checked the draw of his own blade, surprisingly a mirror image of Val's own.
Arilius smirked, even as he adjusted the grip on his mirror polished shield. "Lasers will do no good against our automatons. We designed them too well. Fortunately, the same can be said for our shields. Our swords, on the other hand, should be able to handle any wayward automaton we find." He frowned. "So long as it is one of the smaller ones." He nodded approvingly at the sword Val held. "A fine blade indeed."
Val grinned. "It looks exactly like your own."
Arilius chuckled. "That's because your blade is dwarven-made."
Val blinked. "Really. And it has endured active use for over a thousand years?"
A solemn nod. "I recognize the craftsmanship. Though we may not have quite the knack for wielding elemental magics with the flare that some few humans possess, none are better at alchemy or artifice than we are."
Val grinned. "Just like in the tales."
The older dwarf gave Val a strange look. "What tales are these?"
Val shrugged. "Made up stories, mostly. Of elves, dwarves, orcs, and goblins, perhaps with a few wizards and dragons thrown in for good measure. All sorts of tales of mystery and wonder; epic wars, spells that could forge worlds, majestic castles soaring through the clouds. The books of Earth are filled with such stories. A delight to read, even if they don't have a shred of truth in them."
Arilius nodded. "A child's diversion. Escape from the toil of the real world."
Val grinned. "When I first dreamed of entering Endless, this world, that's just what I sought."
Arilius's snow-white brows widened, for all that he was as powerfully built as any man on Earth. "And why would that be, Val Hunter?"
"Hmm... a good question. Sometimes it's fun to be the hero, to embrace games where all missions and endings make sense and have a point to them. Very different from the 'real world' where I'm from, I can tell you that much. So many of our wars seem to be fought for no real purpose at all."
The dwarf grimaced and sighed. "I know all too well the horrors of battle. My kingdom devastated, my people taken away from me through deception, oathbreaking, and fear; a sudden u
nleashing of blackest devastation, nothing less than genocide the goal of our enemies as they did everything they could to put out the last flickering flames of my race, forever."
Val bowed his head. "I'm sorry, Arilius."
"Don't be, boy." A powerful hand squeezed his armored shoulder. "Thanks to you, we might actually have a chance of a new dawn. Let's not squander it." He pointed to the buildings ahead, these void of the flashes of light that had marked the quarter they had just passed through with an almost comforting rhythm. Reassuring to Val. Almost as if the city itself accepted him. Acknowledged him, for all that he knew the idea to be pure fancy.
"Stop!"
Val's focus snapped on the moment, frozen in place. The dwarf frowned at him. "This quarter does not know you."
Val swallowed. It was like a pronouncement of doom.
"We no longer cross this way any more than is necessary. You must be careful, Val. Do all you can to catch no stray attention as we make our way towards the arborium of this quarter."
Val took a deep breath, trying to center himself. Despite his increased level, he found embracing Shadowmind harder than he had before, his psyche not bleak with death, but rather blazing with the hope of bringing about new life, changing the face of an entire lost civilization. He took a second slow breath, then another, feeling himself at last sink into the shadows and darkness, his drive just as fierce as it had been the first time he sought vengeance for his savaged friends. Only now he fused that hot, fierce intensity into new purpose. His will was once more an extension of the night, only now it presaged a bright new dawn for people trapped in darkness far too long.
"Val?" Arilius frowned, furrowing his brows, before his smile went wide, hand reaching out to clasp Val's shoulder. That extension of himself Val allowed to be seen.
Endless Online: Oblivion's Promise Page 7