Lair

by Carl Stubblefield

  Gus’ footsteps echoed down the long concrete tunnel. This level didn’t have finished flooring of any type. Gus activated Dash and sped down the long hallways that smelled of cement and dust. Each Dash kicked up plumes of grit and dust behind him and he soon reached the final destination marker on his minimap. Gus stood before a simple door with a keypad access code, instead of the usual hand scanners.

  “Nick, what is the password?”

  “040815162342,” came the reply.

  “Can I change it? I’m never going to remember that,” Gus asked.

  “Even if you typed it repeatedly for a while?” Nick teased.

  “Pretty sure that’s a no,” Gus said resolutely.

  “Alright. Just enter it and then give me the new numeric code.” Gus entered the code with Nick repeating the obscure numbers a couple times until Gus got them correct. The panel’s outline shifted to green.

  “Ok, hold the pound key for three seconds,” the green outline began to flash, “Now enter the new code.”

  Gus pushed in 8-6-7-5-3-0-9.

  “That’s not long enough, needs to be at least 12 digits,” Nick advised.

  Gus added 8-5-3-5-9-3-7 to the string of numbers. “Now hit the pound key again and it’s reset. Not just for this panel, but for any panel of this type on this floor.”

  Gus didn’t think there was anything else to see down here, so he opened the door, which revealed a small nine by nine foot room. There was a ladder leading upward, and he began to climb. Reaching the top, Gus encountered another of the circular submarine-style hatches. This lock was easy to spin loose, surprising him.

  He had to push hard with his one free hand, elbowing the side of the ladder to get enough leverage to pry the hatch open. Detritus and plant roots had grown over the hatch and had to be torn free or uprooted, bit by bit. Gus had to spit out bits of dirt that spilled in around the edges of the hatch, falling on his head and in his mouth and eyes.

  At last, the hatch flopped open, somewhere along the forest path, a hundred feet to one side if the map was accurate. Gus climbed out and shook himself like a wet dog, brushing his hair and face to remove the dirt and leaves there.

  Closing the hatch, Gus saw the small button release on the top that would read his fingerprint and unlock. Gus cleaned the sensor and checked that it worked before sealing the opening. He placed a marker on his minimap to save the location for the future.

  Looking upward, Gus saw on a nearby branch the top of a telltale blue blob facing away from him. Keeping quiet, Gus inched forward and readied his spear. He launched it before it could get sight of him and the poor little guy deflated on his branch, a bright blue cottage-cheese-like discharge dripping down the tree trunk. He examined the creature and his Wreck-ognize skill let him analyze the creatures’ remains:

  Level 3 Observer

  HP 0/10

  This creature is the result of a hacked Nth to maximize intelligence. The original host usually was a specialist in a field requiring a large intelligence stat, such as a researcher or engineer. Basic strength and constitution are bottomed out to boost the intelligence of this creature, resulting in the loss of any protective physical structures, including a skeleton. Observers do have increased stealth and mental misdirection abilities as a compensation. Observers can share information they accumulate with fellow Dark Nth to help them direct external activities of others and mobilize.

  Gus realized that this must have been how the creatures were able to coordinate their attacks against him when he was routed so badly. After scanning the remains, blue dots began to wink on in his minimap. Knowing what to look for, Gus began hunting for the other observers. He found three others, spaced roughly two hundred feet apart on the trail. Working backward, he cleared the path back to the manor.

  Before entering the field, Gus asked, “Any change in that shielding functionality, Nick?” Gus inquired.

  “I believe that the hybrid Nth can provide a small increase in resistance at the moment. We… I mean I am attempting to develop predictive shielding that would allow reallocation of the Nth to be more concentrated at the site of an attack, providing increased protection. By mapping your movements these last hours, it has improved the algorithm, but what would speed the process is to practice some battle maneuvers. Just don’t rely on them providing much protection yet, and you should be fine. This dual consciousness is totally messing with me. The Kroutonium aspect is super analytical and I really have to work to translate the concepts into something understandable.”

  “Sounds good. I think I can clean up the remainder of these Dark Nth and we’ll see where we end up.”

  Creeping up the incline to the manor, Gus saw the last group of zombies, which consisted of mostly Shamblers and some Mantids. If he targeted the Mantids, the Shamblers would be easy to finish with his naginata and ether leash.

  Staying hidden, Gus stabbed a Mantid facing the manor in the back of the head. It unfortunately screeched as it was hit and the battle was on. Gus dashed forward and used an ether leash to grab a Mantid and pull it closer as another leash propelled his spear forward.

  The creature met the weapon in flight which struck dead center in the chest, then flipped upward, slicing the neck and head into two neat slices which fell to either side. Gus pulled the spear back and settled into his katas, fending off the few Mantids who remained, staying on the lawn so they could not flee or climb to evade his attacks. They became wary and attempted to circle him, but Gus would grab one and attack it before he could be flanked. They were no longer safe with their usual tactics, as one by one they were snared by a limb and the spear killed them while immobile.

  Gus had been dodging Shamblers by instinct, their slow speed and lack of aggression making them practically a non-issue when it came to fighting. Ridiculous how these things had given him a run for his money less than half a month ago. He really had been a mess.

  For the next hour, Gus was on cleanup duty. The remaining Shamblers were easily taken down as Gus manipulated the naginata with Ether Leash. He gained a level and the exercise reminded him of Yondu’s telepathically-controlled arrow from Guardians of the Galaxy. He wasn’t that good yet, but he began to be able to use the leashes to guide the weapon to a specific target. Without the Juggernauts and Mantids to support the Shamblers, they posed no threat to Gus’ current skills. Finished at last, Gus let out an exhausted sigh. He could see no more enemies on the minimap, even at widest zoom. The silence was a relief in and of itself. He couldn’t resist a peek at his stats and he had gained 2600 XP and 5400 FP total from the cleanup.

  Gus fist pumped and made his way up to the lawn.

  “Nick, can you tell Stuart and manor A.I. to resume normal functions?”

  “Hold on,” Nick said distractedly, “Ok, they should be back online.”

  Gus summoned Stuart and a pylon slid out of the grass.

  “Yes, Master Gus?” Stuart purred.

  “Can you send some staff to clean up the remains of these zombies so I can feel comfortable in this area again? And are there any droids that could do maintenance on the front doors?”

  “Of course. Anything else you may need at this time?”

  “Lift the blast doors and that should be it. Thanks, Stuart,” Gus said.

  “My pleasure,” Stuart said and went quiet. Gus trotted to the remains of the bag of holding and severed the weave of the rim. While it was functional for his plan, he didn’t like the risk the large bag had and as soon as he had untied the knots, he watched as the rim unraveled, like fuses fizzling as they raced around the edge of the rim until they met and the whole construct evaporated. Gus watched entranced as the weave degraded. Gus wondered if there were zombie bodies floating through the void somewhere. Soon thereafter, the big brothers of the beach cleaners rolled out of a service door that was practically invisible halfway to the beach.

  The large robots functioned much the same way as their beach brethren and removed the black decaying corpses and body bits of the zombies. Eve
n the decaying smell was gone, replaced by the faint hint of ozone. Gus marveled that just a short time ago, the area was a zombie apocalypse and now the only evidence that anything had happened was the circular patch on the grass where the bag of holding had scooped up the zombies.

  Not long after the bag had totally disappeared, one of the large balls cleaned up the drone remnants, and evened out the trim of the grass, and the circle from his initial attack was barely visible.

  Gus headed inside to clean up and get ready to see what was beyond the forest. Thinking back, he realized that he hadn’t slept in a long time. He hadn’t felt the usual effects of exhaustion and fatigue that he had while pulling night shifts as a henchman.

  “It’s thanks to your Energy Absorption Nth ability. They can utilize energy that would be wasted, like heat, and absorb solar energy as the sun hits your skin and transfer that directly to your cells. They also have a greater capacity for constant cellular repair, so you need to sleep less. Your brain will need to recharge and dream, but typical fatigue for you is one less thing you have to worry about as long as you take care of yourself,” Nick answered before Gus could ask. “That was a freebie. You still haven’t answered the riddle.”

  Gus checked his watch and the countdown timer. 1:49 PM. Nine hours and change to fix the volcano. He looked over and saw that some lava was just beginning to seep down one side of the crater. The smoke and ash had increased noticeably. His body craved sleep but he knew he had to press on. He tried to focus on the riddle and ignore his weariness.

  Gus tried to guess. “An astronaut? An alien? The moon? A werewolf? A vampire? Frankenstein? A worm? The sun?”

  After each guess, Glitter Nick would shake his head.

  “I don’t know,” Gus finally admitted defeat.

  What loses its head in the morning and gains it again after it gets dark? Gus turned the question over and over in his head as he went back into the manor. He would grab some food to gain a final buff and then see what was at the end of the path. He had no doubts that Methiochos was probably there, waiting for him.

  “Keep at it,” was Nick’s only reply.

  Gus imagined his bed calling to him as he ate mechanically. Ah damn, it’s a pillow! He realized, sitting up and smiling. Nick was right, it did feel better to figure it out by yourself.

  +1 intelligence

  Gus’ grin grew even wider. Even better!

  Chapter Forty-Three

  The Final Countdown

  Methiochos finally had his answer, Basileus! He would have to exact his revenge if the boy still lived. Anger welled up the more he thought of it and planned the myriad ways he would get justice. In the midst of his plotting, he became aware that he was receiving nothing from his mental links. Absolutely nothing. His mind remembered the pains he felt during his reminiscence but couldn’t be distracted. He had left his troops without guidance! His anger surged again. Always someone trying to take what was his! Never again! Methiochos flexed his tentacles and rose to his full height. This would end now.

  ###!###

  Day 10 2:24 PM

  0:08:46 remaining

  Gus felt satiated by what would probably be his last meal. He was decidedly not excited about what the day had in store. It was time to reset whatever had happened with the lava flows and see if he could sort out this mess with the volcano. It was a good bet that Methiochos was there, along with the answer to what had happened to him way back when. Gus hoped he was done with Dark Nth, but he’d have to prepare some goodies just in case.

  “Gus, if you are going off to meet Methiochos, he’s got regeneration skills, and I can tell you, they’re super handy. Unless you’re fighting against someone who has them, then they suuuuck! He may have gained some other abilities too, so be on your guard. Just FYI.” Nick warned.

  “Nothing’s ever easy, right?” Gus replied as he got to finishing his preparations.

  “If it’s any consolation, the sync has been completed! The hybrid-Nth are interlaced over your existing armor, providing an adaptive shielding. They’re synced with your abilities as well, so as you level defensive skills, you will improve the armor as well. I would recommend a short training in the arena just to familiarize yourself with how it works.”

  “That’s a good idea, but I don’t think I have the time.”

  “Then make the time. It should only take thirty minutes or so if you hurry. It could mean the difference between life or death, but your call,” Nick urged.

  “Fine. Can you remotely queue things at the Foundry Nick?”

  “Of course.”

  Gus mentally kicked himself. How much time could I have saved if—No. No use in getting upset about it now. “Put some stealth mapping drones into the queue.”

  “They should be ready by the time you finish training.”

  “That’ll do, pig,” Gus mocked.

  “Insulting bacon? Just get to training before you pull down the wrath of The Beard on you.” Gus furrowed his brow in confusion. “Never mind. Just go!”

  As Gus entered the training arena, he stopped and looked at the quiet room. He was a total noob when he first started here, and now was getting pretty confident with fighting. He still felt like it may not be enough, but tried to not go down that rabbit-hole and the self-doubt that lurked there. Gus stood on the scanner, and waited. And then he waited some more. Just as he was about to step off the scanner, a quest dropped:

  Quest Granted: The Final Countdown

  Quest Conditions:

  1) Familiarize yourself with your new armor’s capabilities

  Quest Rewards: 300 XP, 100 FP

  Time Requirements: None

  Do you want to accept this quest? (Y/N)

  That was simple. Gus accepted and three pillow-Mantids assembled to battle him. Gus got in his usual stance to start fighting. The pillow-Mantids began attacking like they were berserkers. The fury of their attack had Gus retreating and misplacing his steps. He fended one or two off with his naginata, but one got in a swipe from the side. As the holographic claw scraped at his face, Gus saw the padded arm blade under the projection getting closer through his peripheral vision.

  Gus braced for the impact, when a surge of heat occurred, accompanied with a slight tickle on his skin. The final impact, if it could be called that, was like getting hit with a paddle shaped balloon, noticeable but harmless. Gus saw a crackling silver sheen flare at the site of impact as his eyes panned down by his cheek. A tiny bit of his MP and stamina were used in the process but to avoid getting slapped like Charlie Murphy, definitely worth it. Gus retreated out of the arena, and began to ask questions.

  Instead of simply answering, Gus’ vision suddenly went black. His point-of-view shifted, and he was seeing the world as if through an insect’s eye. Well, not exactly like an insect, but the effect reminded him of how their eyes worked. There were many tiny hexagonal areas that were stitched together to create a mosaic of the world around him.

  The motion in there was a discrepancy; he could feel more Nth moving to this area. The resolution of the view sharply increased as more Nth got in position and gave more feedback on the attack.

  Without knowing exactly how, Gus felt the Nth adopt a honeycomb arrangement of multiple layers around the projected site of impact. As the padded blade of the pillowbot began to make contact, the hybrid-Nth began converting the kinetic energy into other forms of energy, then dissipating the remainder as heat. Gus could understand as he shared this consciousness briefly that the full brunt of the attack was not only absorbed, but redirected as in Judo or Aikido, allowing a portion of the force to glance and pass over, causing the enemy to overshoot as this slip occurred and providing an exposed overextension. As quickly as it assembled, the honeycomb structure disassembled to reposition itself in a consistent lattice around his whole body.

  Gus’ vision winked black again and then he was back to normal. The experience was more than just seeing what was being done, he understood how and why it was being done. Just like a dream t
hough, aspects of the experience that made sense to him and that he knew on an intuitive level and didn’t question just seconds ago began to fade and leave his consciousness. He tried to grasp at them but gave up when they retreated.

  Gus strode back into the arena and the fighting resumed. Gus took a couple more risks, but was able to get more critical strikes as he expanded his style past the defensive style he had acquired to avoid getting scratched or infected by the Dark Nth. Occasionally, he found that he had the tendency to retreat and overprotect himself when he could have ended the fight.

  After a bit of sparring, he became freer with taking more chances when he was facing the last pillow-Mantid alone. Once they were all defeated, they would reset and he would start again. Before he realized it, a half hour had passed and he completed the quest. The arena went dark.

  Gus found he was hungry again and grabbed a snack to go so he would be buffed for the longest time possible. At his request this one delivered a five-point bonus to intelligence. As he began to eat, he saw that it stacked with his previous buff. Gus knew he was going to have to rely heavily on abilities and the increase to his MP pool, even if temporary, could get him out of a clutch situation when fighting Methiochos. The effects only lasted two hours, so it was time to grab his drones and get going.

  Gus sent the drones ahead of him to scout the cave, and began running down the path.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  Final Boss

  Day 10 3:54 PM

  0:07:16 remaining

  Gus arrived at the cave entrance. The drones had done a good job and mapped the inside of the cave. He entered the first chamber. The sulfurous scent of rotten eggs was more obnoxious the deeper he progressed into the chamber. As the light faded, yellow lines and textures illuminated the walls and areas ahead. Gus’ display also enhanced what he could see, but everything had a green tint as the display shifted to night-vision mode.