Contest (The Stork Tower Book 6)

by Tony Corden

  Leah had moved ahead another two levels, and her mana manipulation had jumped a number of levels to Master. She had nine hours but not much to do except make her way to the clearing Kurtlarin mentioned. She wanted a change of pace and summoning several spiders, she set them to guard the edges of the glade while she sat in the sun to read. First, she took out Lord Umut’s gift.

  You have opened Lord Umut’s gift:

  1 Pair of Celestial Boots*

  1 Spell - Ice Wall (Divine Magic)

  1 Spell - Shards of Light (Divine Magic)

  10000 Fame Points

  * These are part of a set (8 pieces) - Celestial Armour (Min Level 500)

  She learned both spells but decided not to practice them and possibly stir up the forest. Next Leah took out the two dragon spell books, Falsi’s book and the spells of the Blood Mage Queen Ikinci Nota. She began to skim through each of them, noting the different options and making notes about spells and what could be done. While some people would have found this a chore, Leah loved to read, and when she eventually put the last book down, more than four hours had passed. After a quick look through her notes, Leah put everything away, and after checking the map, she sent two spiders ahead of her and began moving through the dense forest toward the clearing. Two of the summoned spiders took guard behind.

  As she walked, she looked to harvest some of the plants, especially some which had been mentioned in both Falsi’s book and Lady A’lev Sevgilisi’s. Subvocalising she said, “Gèng, can you check if Peter is in Dunyanin? I’d like the name of one of his assistants. If I send them Lady Serseri’s Chest of Communication with a list of ingredients, then they can purchase what I need. No point in having the chest and not using it. I’ll fill it with some of the plants I’m harvesting.”

  “Give me the list of what you want, and I’ll have Peter pass it on. When it’s ready, I’ll let you know.”

  Leah listed off the things she wanted and then continued to make her way through the forest. She was a bit surprised that nothing had attacked, but was pleased with the opportunity to amble instead of rushing. Leah reached the clearing before Gèng reported that Peter’s assistant, a player whose player-name was Financial_Wizard_007, had found everything on Leah’s list. Leah filled the Chest of Communication with the harvested leaves, roots and seeds before closing the lid, placing her hand on the lid and saying the player’s name.

  While she waited, she looked around the clearing, and after setting the Spider guards, she settled herself beside a large rock and started to brew some potions. Both the Elven Sage Samarie, who was mentioned in Falsi’s book, and Lady A’lev Sevgilisi had mentioned brewing potions in magical containers, so Leah used the multitasking skill to direct Dragonfire at the base of a cauldron she formed from the Light shroud. She stirred the mixtures, using a small application of gravity. Leah started with a basic restore 100 Health potion and was thrilled when it not only added 100 Health but also added permanently added one to the total health and permanently increased the rate at which health was replenished by 0.1 per cent. Those increases wouldn’t do much for her, but she knew she would have paid extra to get such potions when she’d just started out.

  Leah asked Gèng to have Financial_Wizard_007 add several hundred empty vials to the chest. She filled the empty vials she already had and then quickly logged out to retrieve a selection of goods from her stores and then logged back in.

  Next, she began working on a basic explosive mixture from the Fire Dragon’s book. The compound was created using a variety of primary components which the Mage infused with fire mana as they were mixed together. Each of the spell books mentioned that it was possible to increase potency by adding ingredients harvested from magical creatures. Leah formed a cauldron using the Shadow shroud, and not only mixed the components as directed but added a small amount of the crystallised flame she’d harvested from the fire ants, a handful of Lord Y’ sam Ejderhasi’s scales and several drops of basilisk poison.

  As the dragon scales were added, Leah found it harder to hold the cauldron together and her mana use increased by a factor of five. She added the poison and almost lost control of the shroud. Gritting her teeth, she cast Changing Attraction to concentrate the potion. Sweat began to form on her brow, and her amount of available mana dropped below half. Very carefully, she cast Changing Attraction twice more and then used one of the spells from the Blood Mage’s book to change the mixture into small crimson crystals. As she finished the spell, the rest of her mana and half her Ki was used up, and a message appeared.

  Level 5 Named Personal Achievement

  Create a Master Level Potion - First 1000 (3, Sapphire)

  You have completed the achievement Create a Master Level Potion. You are one of the first 1000 players to gain this achievement. This is your first Level 5 NPA ‘First 1000’

  Reward 1: 500 x 414 = 969795 (+368.5%) Experience Points (4545988/47650000)

  Reward 2: 10 Gold x 3 = 30 Gold

  Reward 3: +1% to Experience Points

  Reward 4: 50 Fame Points (419625 FP)

  You have achieved the title: Master Alchemist

  You have created the Potion: Fiery Death

  A Commemorative Plaque has been placed in your bag.

  Looking down, Leah saw a pile of thumbnail-sized crystals on the ground. She carefully picked one up and saw it was a regular dodecahedron. It was as heavy as a cricket ball and when she counted found she’d made one hundred. Looking at the characteristics, Leah found it could only be used by those whose Level was over three hundred and it warned that the crystal’s destructive range was in a twenty-five-metre circle around where it landed. It was safe to handle, but if thrown or shot with intent, then it would explode on contact.

  Leah asked Gèng to check with Financial_Wizard_007 or Peter and ask what they might sell for. Leah wanted to try one but wasn’t keen on destroying part of the forest for no reason. As she waited for the response, the Chest of Communication arrived with empty vials and the ingredients Leah had requested. When she’d finished sorting through everything she had a message from Peter who said he could sell each for more than a platinum.

  Leah reread some of the spells as she waited for her mana to be restored. When she was back to full mana, she made a cauldron from the light shroud and brewed a restore potion. In addition to the usual list of ingredients, Leah added a handful of Life Dragon scales, some Royal Ant Jelly, some Manather blood, and a drop of Serseri’s Tears. This time when Leah finished condensing the potion she was out of Mana, Ki and her health was half gone.

  Atherleah, you have completed the Achievement - Create a Master Level Potion for the second time. You will not receive additional points for this potion, but when you have completed the achievement ten times, you will receive the Achievement - Grandmaster Alchemist.

  The crystals this time were a vibrant green with a silver swirl. It could be used by players above Level 350 and gave a full restore of all characteristics, including destroying all poisons. Additionally, it added 35 Strength and 35 Constitution permanently as well as permanently increasing the rate of recovery by five per cent. Leah sent a screenshot to Peter and looked through her notes again.

  When her mana and Ki had replenished, Leah shaped a crucible from the Shadow Shield and filled it with a combination of adamantine scales, crushed bone from the Dragon of Life and some mithryl. She applied dragon flame until it was molten then set it on the Anvil of Truth. She took one of the Basilisk fangs that she’d harvested and placed it in the crucible to steep.

  In a cauldron constructed with the Light Shroud, Leah mixed some Royal Green Jelly from the ants, and a variety of herbs and dried stalks which she’d pre-crushed in Sage Samarie’s mortar and pestle. The spell she was adapting was a blending of one of the Life Dragon’s growth spells and a Blood Mage growth spell. It needed about half a cup of fresh blood. Leah carefully formed a needle from the Light Shroud and took some blood from her arm. She added this to the cauldron.

  Next, she took an ass
ortment of seeds she’d prepared from what Financial_Wizard_007 had sent her and added it to the cauldron until the entire mixture had soaked into the seeds. She extended the light shield, willing it to form a horizontal surface with small circular indentations to hold the half the seeds. She did the same with the Shadow shroud to hold the rest of the seeds. She then formed a rune in her mind and had its mirror image be raised slightly at the base of each indentation. Instead of the mundane rune for Grow, Leah had used the Draconic form for each indentation on the Light Shroud. She also used the Draconic form of the rune for Sharp on each indentation in the Shadow shroud.

  Placing one seed in each indentation, Leah took the molten mixture, and after removing the basilisk fang, she carefully filled each of the indentations surrounding the seed with either a small shield of light or one of shadow. This was to protect the seed from the heat. When the hemispheres had cooled sufficiently, Leah took one of each type and brought them together to form a sphere. Forcing the two together using gravity, she sent a small bolt of lightning through each to weld them together.

  By the time she’d finished making one hundred balls, her time in Dunyanin was almost up. As she finished the final ball, a message said she had created another Master Level Potion as well as a Master Level Spell. Very carefully, she put everything away and then after checking the area for threats she logged out.

  56

  Chapter 56

  December 17, 2073 - Evening - Part 1

  STORK TOWER

  When Leah appeared in the Tower, Gèng said, “May I suggest you have a real-world break after you connect with Alan Hopper?”

  “That sounds best. I got a bit carried away with the potions, but it was fun, and I needed it.”

  “Peter got back to me on the Restore Potions. Financial_Wizard_007 asked for his input as you were concentrating on the runes, so I decided to wait. Peter said that with the description and with your current popularity, he thinks he could sell them for upwards of a Diamond.”

  “A Diamond? No way! Is he serious? It’s just a glorified restore potion.”

  “I suggested that would be your reaction and he responded by saying that some people have more money than brains. Most players move through the game without imagination and look for famous quests to do rather than finding their own. His example was Carson’s Formicary. People are spending days to try and complete one of Atherleah’s first quests. Several players are offering to lead what are known as ‘Atherleah’ tours. Level one tours begin at Golliher’s Store and take new players through Orumeck’s then travel to Carson’s Loop to conquer the anthill. One group did their research and they re-enact the battle with Jason as people relax at the pub in Carson’s Loop. Level four tours operate out of Göskel-Orman and travel through the Deep Forest. They only allow players over level 250 to participate. If you look at your financial statements, you will see your lands in the deep forest are filled with players trying to survive the forest. Even Lady Utsal and Lord Umut have thousands of new acolytes hoping to gain their favour.”

  “Peter’s right that some people are crazy. How long before Franklin arrives?”

  “He should be here in nine minutes. I checked with Dr Ellis, and Franklin prefers to be called simply Frank. His close friends in the SAS called him Curry or Tikka. Dr Ellis said it was a diminutive of his name that those who served under him called him, Khukuri, the ultimate blade. If you wish to be polite but not familiar, he suggested Major White or simply Major as you have already done.”

  They arrived near the arrival pavilion with five minutes to spare. As they’d been walking, Leah had begun working through the different messages with one part of her brain as she talked with Gèng. As they stopped, she said, “Is there some way to reduce the number of messages?”

  “I’ve already implemented a sub-routine which reviews each of your responses and applies this to messages similar in content. Another similar type of message is introduced between three and eight messages later. Your response is again reviewed, and a third message is introduced after fifteen to twenty messages. If your response is consistent, then I answer those messages in a similar fashion. I occasionally check by letting you interact a fourth and final time. You’ve responded to one hundred and nineteen messages, and I have been able to reduce the total by just under three thousand seven hundred and twelve.”

  “Fantastic! I’ll keep working then, and we can get rid of the whole lot sometime.”

  “I doubt that very much. More messages arrive every second.”

  Gèng warned Leah when Major White was due to arrive. Leah stepped forward to welcome the ex-SAS officer. He looked around before turning to Gèng and said, “This is very well done. Dr Ellis said you were the architect.”

  “Thank you, Major. Thomas is a good friend. May I suggest you and Atherleah get down to business?”

  Turning to Atherleah, Gèng said, “Reed said the Major here has already scoped out Mozzi’s. Two small trace programs followed him, and he lost one. Reed destroyed the other. Alan has covered every user pathway in and out of Mozzi’s site. There are an additional four cyber connections, and he placed small trace programs on each of those. The Major also left a small sensor under one of the tables. Reed says Alan has mirrored the sensor and is controlling the output.

  Alan is in control of the bar’s management AI and has inserted himself as the barkeep. A simulation AI is pretending to be Alan and is seated in the right-hand rear booth. Three of the other patrons are friends of Alan. One is wearing a green shirt and is at the far end of the bar. One is with a simulation girlfriend and has a baseball cap, he is at the third table on the left as you walk in. The third is in the booth next to Alan’s simulation, he is bald and has a large handlebar moustache. Tesfaye asked me to warn you that Virtual Security has a trace program on Major White, they placed an AI operative in the bar after he left. The AI was on a list Akia left me of AIs she had worked well with, in the past. Its designation is Security Agent 131-5B. It has taken the form of a male neo-rebel and is wearing denim and a biker jacket.”

  Before Major White could do anything except stare and open his mouth, Leah said, “Can you create a mock-up of the bar here and show us where everyone is?”

  Gèng nodded and the three of them appeared at the entrance to a large open format bar. It was night and it looked stormy outside. There were thirty or forty people in the room. Three or four were at the bar and the rest scattered around the room at tables or in some booths at the back of the room. There was a room accessible if you walked past the bar and Leah could see several people playing pool.

  Gèng said, “The Major’s sensor is here.” As she spoke a small red light flashed under a table near where she pointed.

  Gèng continued, “You can see the three friends and the AI from Virtual Security.”

  Major White had finally found his voice, he said, “It’s a bust, Atherleah. I’m sorry, I had no idea Virtual Security monitored my activity but even so it looks like its impossible to get in and out without being seen.”

  Leah said, “Let’s not be hasty. Gèng, where are the possible cyber entranceways?”

  “One is into the pool room. A small conduit which runs the pool tables, Mozzi’s subcontracts the management of the tables to a site called ‘All things billiards’. Although there are no toilets, Mozzi’s tries to be authentic. The owner’s brother has added several connections to make some extra money, Tesfaye says he doubts the owner is aware, although Alan apparently is. One of the stalls leads to an underground poker game. The other to one of the local pleasure worlds. The fourth cyber entrance is under the bar and is the conduit to their supplier of virtual drinks.”

  Leah looked around the room, trying to see where to go. The Major said, “Cyber entranceways? What are cyber entranceways?”

  Leah gave Gèng a small nod and walked off to look at the pool room. Gèng said, “Pathways through which different electromagnetic signals can access the world outside of the main connections.”

  �
�I gathered that, but how are they useful for us? Are you planning on going instead of Leah? Those connections have security to stop AI entering.”

  “Yes, I know. Leah will be the one using the access way. She will move slowly enough to avoid the security, and her signal should be undetectable to even the most diligent security system.”

  “How?”

  “That, Major White is something I do not yet trust you enough to know. Leah might tell you as she seems overly optimistic when it comes to people’s basic nature. I suggest you don’t ask because I don’t want to bring conflict just before she meets Alan. He is, as they say, a worthy adversary.”

  Major White was still stunned when Leah walked up. She said, “Major, do you have any rather disreputable friends who might not mind being questioned by Virtual Security?”

  Major White thought for a moment and said, “Several. I keep up with several colleagues who’d love having a go at V-Sec. Why? What did you have in mind?”

  “Two things, I’d like to get Virtual Security off your back, just in case they can trace you to me and I need a diversion to talk with Alan. If your friend arrives first and has a beer, after that he should head toward either of the two illegal connections. You can arrive to stop your friend. If you’re loud enough, it should attract Security Agent 131-5B. If your friend is up to it, he could take out one of Alan’s friends, although there is no real need. On the other hand, if he can get the agent to be looking at him with the agent’s back to the connections that would work better. You won’t see me, but he has much better data recognition.”

  Gèng said, “Where will you enter?”

  “My first thought was the bar but if the distraction works then maybe the poker world or the pleasure world would be better. The pool table entrance is too visible to the people playing. Can you check with Tesfaye if any of the traffic is two way, either from the poker game or the pleasure house?”