Endless Online: Oblivion's Promise

by M. H. Johnson

  "Ah, there you are, boy. Good trick, that. Come. It is one thing to fool an old, tired dwarf. I pray it works as well against automatons too long gone without proper supervision."

  And without another word, they made their way past buildings soaring overhead to either side, the tread and clank of sentient machines all around. Val could almost feel them scurrying through the vast cloak of darkness he wore, most with no more sentience than a highly complex mechanical computer, gears and levers twisting in strange ways with hideous degrees of complexity not seen in Earthly computers, however brilliantly miniaturized the latter were. Yet some few automatons glimmered with an odd, calculating intelligence.

  Even cloaked in darkness, body and mind, Val shivered to sense the strange crystalline madness shivering through the madly clittering and clacking forms of several automatons off in the distance.

  Yet the shadows hid their secrets well, at least for a time. Then Arilius squeezed Val's shoulder with odd intensity, and he instantly understood. There. in an odd patch of perfect darkness, Val could sense the presence of another of the vast, soaring wonders that was an arborium, capable of feeding thousands of dwarves presently trapped in cryo-sleep, even now counting down their final breaths.

  A marvel of bronze, gold, and exquisitely complex crystal tubing, Val and Arilius approached the arborium with solemn reverence, passing the shriveled husks that were all that remained of the rings of trees that had once stood sentinel around the vast structure, the elder dwarf near trembling as he pressed several nobs and vials with ever-growing fervor. No matter what he tried, the results were the same. Nothing. The ancient structure remained dark and still.

  Val gazed at the elder dwarf, saw the desperation behind his hard, granite stare.

  Val closed his own eyes, pressing his hands upon the arborium, sensing the thousands of trays, each with long dimmed tubes that would provide Silbion derived light and endless nourishment. He pressed on, sensing the complex crystalline matrix underneath, even the final drop of Silbion somehow keeping the last seeds in deepest hibernation.

  It lacked the power to catalyze its own awakening.

  Val swallowed, hit by memory of a strange dream, his gaze turning to meet the dwarf's. "I know that the technology of my friends is anathema to my arts. To dare use magic around them..."

  "Would near instantly render them useless, so fragile are the parts responsible for electro-mana conversions in human tech. A flaw in design that has lasted for well over a millennium, it seems." A bitter smile cut through the darkness. "You need fear no such limitation with these arboriums, Valor Hunter. Silbion, Elementium, the magic of nature and life nurtures them as well as our own technology. We are not handicapped by the finicky needs of electromagnetism with our marvels. Magic can be used freely here." He swallowed. "Can you do something, chosen of my Ava? Our people will be vulnerable to disease and discord, should even a quarter of our food supplies dwindle and die forever more."

  But Val had already closed his eyes, remembering the dream of a shaven-headed boy talking to a kindly eyed master, a thousand or more years ago. "Can you move the stone by your will alone, child? So smoothly that not a trace of mana reverberates with its passing?" Val frowned, his small, fragile body trembling with the effort of his will.

  The old man's eyes began to widen. The ground itself began to shake, a dozen quietly meditating children gazing at the old man in alarm, not a one seeing Val, still staring at the stone, it alone not trembling and cracking as did the ancient temple.

  But that was okay. The stone had never been Val's goal. "Please, whatever you are doing... stop!" Anxious for his charges, the old man's gentle gaze became one of alarm, potent will suddenly clenching magics fierce and terrible indeed.

  And all was still once more. Val took a deep breath and bowed as the old man relaxed his fierce will. "I am sorry," Val whispered in words that made no sense to him. And if the old man thought to comment it mattered not, for Val was already gone.

  Val blinked, in himself once more, feeling Arilius's powerful grip upon his arm, gazing at the crystalline tube tip now jutting from the ancient structure, Val gently placing his fingertip hovering just over the opening, accessing his priceless stores of Silbion, feeling the silvery blue liquid pouring away into the heart of a cause far more precious than the loss he felt as his wealth melted away.

  Brilliant lights and a gentle hum began to wash over them as the Silbion levels slowly rose, and Val and Arilius both roared a cry of elation and triumph as sacred lights of gold flashed on once more. The arborium would be self-sufficient, replenishing its own Silbion, perhaps for eternity.

  Val was surprised at the fierce hug he received from the openly beaming dwarf, gazing at the now brilliantly lit arborium in wonder.

  Val blinked, turning around. Noting near a hundred automatons of all different exotic shapes and sizes at the very edges of the earthy grounds. Some on treads, some on spider-like pointed limbs, others on powerfully built bronze feet. So many pairs of crimson eyes fastened upon Val's suddenly anxious form.

  Yet not a one stepped forward.

  "That's because you are now imprinted, Val. You are now recognized as one of us within this quarter. The city is not stupid, even if its mind has been quartered and left to rot for a thousand years. It recognizes a benefactor when one comes to our aid."

  Val nodded, turning again to the arborium, understanding already the tragedy within. "So many of the vital seed crops it had, long since turned to dust." He shook his head. "Even if allowed just to use its own remaining seeds to revitalize itself, it will take a very, very long time for it to feed a quarter of the city."

  Arilius nodded. "I reckon it will be many seasons, from what I was able to sense." His gaze was fierce. "But I will still count this a victory, Val. A great one! You have brought our Arborium online once more. Though we may suffer hardship for many seasons, our chances of survival have more than tripled with your feat!"

  Val nodded, swallowing, placing his hands on the arborium. He knew it was madness, but there was no reason not to try. No reason at all. He was no biologist. He had been forged in very different directions. But it didn't matter. He was of the night and felt its every nook and cranny, even as he had subtly positioned himself between the lights to be in shadow once more. And he knew this arborium, having felt its every groan and wheeze as he struggled to bring it back, careful not to read too deeply into what some needy part of him wanted to think was machine-like gratitude as well. But he could feel the gentle, fragile seeds hungering to blossom, to be renewed, to fill those sacred growing trays with fecund life once more.

  Feeling the flow of his own life force entering the vats, somehow carrying odd, tiny traces of the excess Silbion he had placed in that vat as well. He felt the gentle, mystical energies flow through the already blossoming seedlings, gently compelling them on to vital, wonderful growth. Allowing them to grow and blossom in what seemed an endless moment, but was somehow seasons as well, smiling with a pristine sense of happiness echoed in the faces of the ancient dwarves whose hands were linked with his own, before fading away like the ghosts of the past that they were, their shared ritual having transcended time itself. A sense of indescribable repletion and serenity came over Val, as well as exhaustion so great he fell to the ground and began to spasm and seize.

  "Val!" A distant, far off voice as Val surrendered to the blackness.

  Congratulations! You have brought yet another arborium online, one that by all rights should have been lost to the dwarves forever! You felt the flow of creation, control, earth, and plant life itself flow through your body and soul, so caught up in your grand druidic rite that you suffered a seizure as your mana crashed to zero! Be glad you stopped before losing control of your pocket realm, or the results would have been mighty indeed.

  Creation Rank 2 Achieved!

  Transformation Rank 1 Achieved!

  Herbam Rank 1 Achieved!

  Earth Rank 2 Achieved!

  Arcane Artificer Ra
nk 1 Achieved! Thanks to your Arcane Perception, you are beginning to sense the proper flows and alignments of arcane artifacts without any sophisticated tech or teacher!

  Psion Artificer Rank 1 Achieved! Thanks to your Psionic Perception, you are beginning to sense the proper flows and alignments of psionic artifacts without any sophisticated tech or teacher!

  Dwarven Catalyzation Learned! This Level 20 spell allows you to manipulate the matrices in dwarven artifacts. You can sense what's misaligned, and with time and patience, you can slip pieces back into place like a finger puzzle using your mind. Useful for twisting into place misaligned cogs, cords, and vials. Also vital for popping out crystalline tubing from long-dormant arboriums! - Note. Arcane Artifice dependent. Psion Artiface Dependent. It's a good thing you have these skills, or all you could manage is damaging priceless machinery! This is a Creation/Manipulation/Transformation + Earth dependent spell. Cost to cast at your skill level: 20 mana.

  Plentiful Bounty Learned! This Level 40 spell allows you to catalyze the growth of an entire forest or field or arborium from a few simple seeds! This ancient Rite is Creation/Manipulation/Transformation + Earth/Herbam dependent. Mana Cost to cast at your level of skill: 150! Major mana penalty. This spell is grossly beyond your capabilities! You have cast magics beyond your mana. Major fatigue penalties in effect. Critical failure save was made! You have taken only mild injuries as the echo and memories of an entire people helped guide your clumsy arcane footsteps in the reforging of a true dwarven marvel. Reduced critical failure chance for future castings within this positively aligned dwarven domain. Critical chance at your current skill levels at current location? 20-50%!

  Val swallowed, chilled to the bone, and not just from magically-induced exhaustion. He smiled gratefully as Arilius muttered over him, feeding Val dried bits of mushroom and water as if he were nurturing a beloved child back to health. Val flushed, seeing for a moment in the old dwarf's eyes the same love and care his father showed in unguarded moments, whenever Val would grimace with pain.

  "Sleep, boy. I will awaken you when it is time to move on."

  Val nodded, trying to move himself, wincing as trembling muscles cramped, forcing himself to relax in what he supposed was his grandfather's lap, sinking into soothing blackness as exhaustion claimed its due.

  6

  "How are you feeling?"

  Val blinked open his eyes, gazing into stern, grandfatherly features once more, cautiously rising, fearing a return of the terrible cramps that had lanced through him, feeling instead remarkably hale and whole. "Well," he said at last.

  Arilius Battleborn nodded, gazing at the arborium with undisguised awe. "I have no words, lad. But I am honored to call you kin."

  Val flushed at the intensity of the dwarf's gaze, looking instead at the arborium, left speechless himself. What before had been near sterile was now lush and green, filled with verdant crops and shimmering fruits and flowers for which he had no name, but sensed would be absolutely delicious. He swallowed, throat dry, gazing on in amazement. It almost made the pain and exhaustion after the casting worth it.

  Almost.

  But he had been foolish beyond words. So what if it had taken six months, even six years to recover? If he had damaged such a priceless artifact, if the price of casting such an uncontrolled powerful spell had affected anyone but him, he would never be able to forgive himself.

  And if he had died, what then?

  He grimaced, turning to the elder, now feeling as much shame as pride, bowing his head.

  "I took a risk, Grandfather." He swallowed at how easy the word came to him. "We were lucky. Luckier than we have any right to expect. I am grateful my mad intuition worked. I won't try it again."

  The older dwarf grinned. "Well said, Valor Hunter. My Ava's Chosen is impulsive, but it pleases me to see that he is no fool. Now that you know the cost, we can appreciate your marvel, and know that it will be many years of training under a proper greenmage before you dare attempt such a working again."

  Val nodded and they proceeded onward, though not before Val took a moment to marvel at the ring of trees that had grown out of seemingly nowhere. Apple, pear, yew, and pine, all of them bowing slightly inward, fed by the gentle glow of the arborium, like the kiss of a magical sun blessing those trees, even a mile underground. Val trembled even as he stroked the bark, gazing into Arilius's bright blue eyes, having no doubt that those trees were real, vital and whole, having quietly grown here for seasons, for all that he knew they had only been the husks of ancient stumps, a few short hours ago. Val finally sensed how truly dangerous a game he played, reveling in terrible magics he could barely fathom, having no doubt that it was only the desperate cries and memories of a dying race that had kept him from slipping into magical oblivion.

  "By Heaven's mercy, did I dip my psyche into the flows of time itself? Just how perilous was this ritual I cast on mad whim alone?"

  Arilius's hard features crinkled in a smile. "We dance with oblivion, rolling strange dice for the fate of our entire race. Only now do we dare pull back the fundaments of reality, dancing with mad folly for brilliance, for the sake of those we love." He dipped his head. "Your fortune is fitting, for you have given so much of yourself for a clan not your own, for no other reward than the love of a woman who lives only by your grace. May our luck hold, may our gods ever favor you, and may you never take it for granted."

  Val swallowed and nodded, taking a deep whiff of evergreen and loam, smiling despite himself, knowing that he had done something wondrous and profound. "But I will not play the fool," he whispered to himself, prudently sinking into meditation as soon as the grove hid the arborium's silver-gold light, closing his eyes, slowly sinking into the shadows once more.

  He would be cautious, he would be ready.

  And even now he could taste crystalline madness far off in the distance, getting closer with every footstep.

  He swallowed, turning to the preoccupied elder dwarf, his words but an echo in the dark as Val embraced Shadowmind to the fullest. Madness lurks. Be ever cautious, grandfather.

  The older dwarf blinked and frowned, nodding slightly, carefully checking the draw of his blade as they continued on. Now even Arilius stuck to the shadows, and Val noted their route became more circuitous, the pair avoiding more open main thoroughfares, just in case.

  Val exhaled a great sigh of relief as they approached the third arborium, a slow circuitous approach assuring no automaton skulked in ambush, and it was a glorious relief when a few furtive twisting of the dials and a scowl from Aurilius resulted in a crystalline tube smoothly extracted, the arborium lighting up in a happy tonal melody cresting in sonorous golden lights as Val solemnly poured a fortune into its Silbium tank. And where there had been pitch darkness and centuries long dormancy but moments before, there was now the promise of renewal, glorious life readying itself to blossom from the arborium once more.

  The powerful dwarf clapped Val on the shoulder, smiling with fierce pride, and Val felt his throat tighten up at a silver-blue tear trickling down Arilius's cheek.

  "You do me proud, boy. Come. One more to go, and my people, our people, will have all the food we could possibly need, even centuries from now. And once all four quarters of the city have marked you, we will make our final stop, and our race will be saved."

  Val blinked away a hot tear, the arm clasp they shared filled with all the fierce loyalty of brotherhood, of kin, before Val smiled and stepped back, taking deep breaths as they left the gently humming arborium behind, approaching the edge of the garden that though still devoid of trees, had been restored without risk or peril.

  And he was one with the darkness once more.

  Together they flowed through winding corridors and deepest shadow, the cold sentience that was Val now picking up definite traces of madness.

  Seething crystalline hate.

  He abruptly shoved Arilius into a too narrow alcove, earning an alarmed glare even as a chittering screeching thing raced by, silver-gold
axe head scraping against the sides of the buildings as it went, rolling away at a mad clip, and it was some seconds before the startled dwarf's rapid breathing steadied once more.

  The elder dwarf's brow furrowed, though he stayed still for some moments, saying not a word as they made sure no automatons waited nearby.

  Darkness squeezed the Arilius's wrist once. Fully entwined with Shadowmind, Val's Psi-Sense picked up no sentience, mad or otherwise, save their own. Only the buzz of the simplest of automatons could be heard, striving in its own simple way to buff streaks and scratches no doubt inflicted upon the walls by its mad brethren, the construction only barely kissing any sort of awareness. It did not sense the creatures of flesh and blood slipping past them, concerned only with smoothing and polishing the walls, as had been its sole purpose for a thousand years.

  The elder dwarf shook his head. "As soon as we revive the fourth arborium just ahead, you will tell me your Silbion stores. If it is enough, we will have one extra stop to make."

  They were able to proceed unhindered directly to the final arborium, Arilius chuckling softly at the sight. "Come, lad, our first task is almost complete!" He pivoted around then, crossing the final stretch of darkness before the long dead grove, both of them taking comfort in the thought of bringing it to life once more.

  "Look out!" The dwarf hissed and turned, but it was almost too late. Yet even as Val cried out he was charging forward, punching out with his shield as a streak of shrieking bronze slammed against him, nearly knocking Val over, so fast did the slender robot careen into him. Val hissed and lurched back, just dodging the sharp spike it had attempted to ram into Arilius's spine before Val had disrupted its charge. It was content to vent its fury on Val instead, a sudden flurry of whipping tendrils pummeling his armor and shield as the automaton shrieked its inhuman outrage.

  Before crashing to the ground, completely cleaved through by a furious swing from the older dwarf's blade, his companion having lashed out with all force and fury, Val completely occupying the furious construct. A few more savage swings and the sparking automaton was still as death.