“Sounds like the quest board is the way to go.”
“Not even close. Occasionally something good comes along, but the best quests are all from the locals. Word of advice, turn those quests in here. If they have the rewards on hand, they’ll complete the quest right away. If not, visit them the next day. Few people will cross or try to bargain with [Quest Merchants] because an Archgod backs them. It is sometimes better to deal with the merchants than the quest givers. Then again, you may not get follow up requests.”
“Huh, thanks for the information. By the way, I’m Deuce.” I told him and stuck out my lower left hand. The man gripped it but stared unabashedly.
“I’m Dan. I—shit, gotta go. If anyone named Al comes looking for me, tell him you heard me say I was heading for the [Gamanges]. Good luck.” Dan left the inn before I could reply.
A small line had formed in front of the desk, and [Authors] handed over slips of paper and the occasional bundle of items. The merchant transferred items or gold in and out of the sphere as needed. A few times, he hopped up and removed a notice from the board. In this fashion, the line moved at a fast pace. [Authors] knew to step out of line as soon as they received their rewards.
The neatest thing was when the merchant picked up a mirror in one hand and wrote with the other. The paper glowed when he finished, and then he hung it on the board. After he stepped away, [Authors] crowded around to read it. Most of them turned away with sagging shoulders which made me more curious than not.
While all that was interesting, it was the [Author] who tried to reach into the sphere while everyone was distracted that intrigued me the most. His hand passed right through it, and he made several attempts to access it.
“It's an [Enchanted Loot Sphere], thief.” The merchant grinned and sat back down at his desk.
“What is that?” The would-be thief asked.
“Have you ever had a [Loot Sphere] drop when you killed something?”
“No.”
“A [Loot Sphere] will only drop if the creature drops over fifty gold or an uncommon item, and they are [Soulbound] to you or your group until it's released or the timer runs out. As long as you keep items inside, the sphere won’t dissipate. And you don’t have to bother picking them up because they’ll appear in your inventory. Depending on how you have your loot set.”
“Why bother with the sphere, why not just put the items in our inventory?”
“If you loot a [Soulbound] or [No-Drop] item, you are stuck with it, but if you keep it inside the sphere, you can still trade or sell it. Enchanters can do all kinds of things with the spheres, like extend the [Soulbound] timer on them indefinitely.
“A biometric safe,” The thief said with a frown. “Can you put that in your inventory?”
“It's still a [Loot Sphere], so yes.”
“How do you put items in it?” The would-be thief asked.
“Same way you take them out, open it and put it in. If you die, you drop any [Loot Spheres] on you. They are dangerous to carry around.”
“So what is stopping us from killing you and taking that one?” A dangerous gleam appeared in the thief’s eyes as he stared greedily at the sphere.
“First, you aren’t strong enough to kill me.” The merchant’s lips thinned, and even I could tell he did not like this line of questioning.
“And second?” The thief asked.
“It is enchanted,” the merchant growled, turning several heads in the common room.
Neither of them said anything until another [Author] coughed and dropped a quest notice on the desk. The merchant was the first to break eye contact, and the thief wandered off. The conversation was unsettling, but I also realized the merchant dodged the question. Claiming the item was enchanted didn’t answer the question, and I had my suspicions about the enchantments.
Did death negate the [Soulbound] claim on a [Loot Sphere]? Not that I planned on claiming it, but it was curious why he didn’t use a [Bag of Holding], which felt like a safer option. I didn’t dare ask, but it made me wonder if loot spheres would drop out of my [Bag of Holding]. Supposedly my items were safe, but I was not sure which rule superseded which.
“Hey, Deuce.” A handsome man in nice clothes addressed me. It was the same one that questioned the quest board guy. “I have a proposition for you.”
“Uh, I have a girlfriend.” Not sure why I kept saying that, but the man gave me a questioning look before he burst out laughing.
“You have a strange sense of humor; I like you. My name is Butter, and I’m a thief extraordinaire—”
“Unless it comes to [Loot Spheres],” I rejoined with a smile.
“Ah, yeah, that. No worries, it's the first time I’ve seen someone use a [Loot Sphere] in that manner.”
“You said you didn’t know what a sphere was.”
“I’m a thief, and I sometimes lie to gain more information. But, let me finish. I need help with a dungeon. Would you be willing to aid me? I need muscle—wait. You can take a hit, right? What class are you?”
“I’m a [Monk], but headed to Sharmon.”
“Excellent, so am I, that is where the dungeon is. How about it? I’m an expert with locks and traps. There isn’t a prison that can hold me, a trap that can stop me, and…” Butter’s eyes tracked the waitress dropping food off at the tables. “A locked chest I could not get into.”
I coughed uncomfortably.
“Right, so are you interested, yes?” Butter said with a magnanimous smile.
“I’m leaving now, but I need to stop by the [Monk] trainer.”
“Then I will follow your lead, my friend.”
This guy was something else, but he appeared knowledgeable about dungeons. It might be helpful to have him watching my back, but Earle’s betrayal made me question motives. Either way, we left the inn, and I headed east.
Outside, merchants bustled about, setting out signs and preparing for customers. I nodded to Dave and Delilah and walked towards them. Delilah looked exhausted and excited, but before we could talk, a heavily bearded dwarf bumped into me. He was pushed by an amalgamation that looked like a Siamese twin trying to separate itself.
“[Author], you hack. The gods have confused your Als and now look at us.”
“Oh look, Dan, you fucked up another storyline.” A merchant called out. He looked like the cross between a bread maker and a yeti. “Hey, you ever find that water-loving toad yet?”
“Sure I did,” Dan said getting back to his feet. “The same place I found your book, Raisin—or is it Rayson?” Dan used air quotes to emphasize book and then pointed at the Als. “At least my story manifested.”
“… oh shit, bet that stung…”
“… [Author] showdown…”
“… gnoks rule…”
“… Beefcake is on sale again…”
“… not again…”
“… donkey show at three…”
The crowd distracted me with its randomness, but it provided enlightenment. By the time I focused back on Dan, one Al had broken off the other, and their shared rib cage was left behind. While I watched, the ribs grew in and the flesh sealed over. Two Als stood up, one born from the other’s rib cage like a screwed up Adam and Eve story.
Ha! Adam and Steve. Yea, I wasn’t sorry for the bad joke, especially since I didn’t say it out loud.
“Oh yea, smooth move, hack,” the yeti baker said. “Your story creations are about to kill you.”
Dan didn’t bother arguing. Instead, he punched the baker in his white-bearded face before Zombie Hunter Al charged in. The baker was knocked out by the dwarf’s iron-like knuckles hitting him upside the head. Dan ducked as a black bolt of energy flew past, the warlock dissipated the spell before it could reach the crowd.
“Fucking hell, a hunter and a warlock out for blood. Next book I write, the character will be a pussy,” Dan muttered and did not move fast enough to dodge the Zombie Hunter’s knife. “Why are you trying to kill me?”
“My dick is broken becau
se of you. All that sex, and no fucking downtime,” Warlock Al said.
“What he said. I mean seriously, how are you going to spice it up next time? Have her gargling my load while I zap her with a cattle prod? Hmm actually, can you throw in a cattle prod next book?”
“You two are [Author] companions?” A random passerby asked. “I thought you sold shoes.”
“What fucking shoes—?” Zombie Hunter Al asked.
“Al, eyes on the target,” Warlock Al snapped, and fired another dark bolt of energy at Dan, this time striking his leg. The leg withered in front of us, leaving the bone and gnarled black flesh.
“Oh, that’s nasty,” I muttered, and Dave chuckled.
A red-haired woman came up behind Dan and stabbed him in the back. The dwarf collapsed, his good leg crumpling under him. I barely noticed the man dying because the red-haired beauty was stunning.
“See, I knew you sold shoes. Peg Bundee, I love you.”
“Get lost, peasant.” Warlock Al shooed the man away. “That’s my wife, and her name is not Peg nor is my surname Bundee.”
“No wonder your dick stopped working,” Dave called out. “You married a succubus, all they want to do is fuck and steal your sexual stamina. Come on over to Wil-Marth, we sell everything, including little blue pills that will fix your flaccid member.”
Both Al’s turned to look towards us.
“Stop staring, you four-armed freak.” Zombie Hunter Al growled at me.
“You just grew out of another man’s body, and I’m the freak?”
“Mutant, don’t mind my brother, he is a chubby chaser. Loves plump women, but receives no end of ridicule for it.”
“Yea, it's bullshit, he fucks demons, and I’m the asshole.”
“Uhnnn.” Zombie Dan said and stood up shambling towards the Als.
“Fucking zombies everywhere I go.” Zombie Hunter Al groused, but with one swift motion, he decapitated the creature. “Stay dead, fucker.”
“Ok, while this has been fun, I got stuff to do. Delilah, thanks for the training, I am leaving town today, but if I come back, I’ll drop by.”
The alchemist ran up to hug me and then went back to setting up shop. Now that the hubbub died down, everyone was getting back to their own business. The Als were still arguing when I left, but they were out there in the world, created by an [Author], which was both bizarre and amazing.
Butter shoved me towards the east again, but refused to enter the private garden. “I’ll wait here,” Butter said, but I saw his eyes glancing at the sign.
Arriving in the peaceful glade, I saw Kin working on a Kata. The two skills I could learn were of the [Monk] variety, so he gave me the skills and sent me away.
[Skill: Throw (C)
Skill Rank: Novice
Acclimation Points: 1 / 15 until next rank
Type: Passive
Effect: Improves thrown accuracy by 30% and allows you to throw things 5% faster and 20% farther.
Skill: Improved Movement (C)
Skill Rank: Novice
Acclimation: This ability has no Acclimation, see [Merging] or [Morphing]
Type: Passive
Effect: +5% Agility
Effect: +5% Movement]
[Query: Morphing………
Data Found: Advanced class skills use a morphed version of the base class skills. This is similar to [Merging] skills, but it gains power by adapting it to your new class. This does not consume the default ability, and [Merging] is still an option.]
The passive ability [Improved Movement] took effect immediately. My legs and arms moved more fluidly, and my body reacted faster. Five percent may not seem like much, but it was enough to throw off my gait, and I stumbled down the path towards the exit. It was crazy how fast the brain adapted, and before I crossed the threshold and joined up with Butter, it felt natural.
Butter and Daws of the Chapped Men were talking when I exited. She held a leash and at the other end a stocky man had a saddle strapped to his back. A spiked collar adorned his neck, and she was stroking his hair.
“Mistress, a man approaches.”
“Relax Emsee; I’ve been waiting for him.”
“Yes, mistress. This one apologizes.” The collared man knelt and kissed Daws’ feet.
I inspected the man and could not believe how many skill points he had. [Inspect] was not strong enough to see individual skills or attributes, but it combines them all into a number, which was 12,219. However, his level was only three.
“Stop it, Emsee. You know you are my favorite,” she said licking her lips.
“I have over 10,000 unassigned points; I can put some into [Abs] if this pleases you?”
Daws just laughed and used her whip to slap him gently on the ass.
Where the hell did the whip come from? Not that her men looked abused, but they all bent to her every whim. “That would please me. Also, build up your [Pert Backside] and [Shoulders].”
“Ma’am, Butter and I have business in Sharmon, is there something you wanted to discuss?” I asked as she climbed into the saddle strapped on the man’s back. Emsee stood up effortlessly and moved Daws closer to us.
“I heard you are going to visit Sonya, and I miss my dear little sister. Could you hand her this when you get there?” Daws handed me an item, and I turned it over in my hands. “Let’s go Emsee.” She said, slapping him on his leather covered ass, while her lizardmen loped alongside her.
[Received: Key to the city of Lewdus]
“Woah, she gave you a city key? She must really trust you,” Butter said, looking at the key. I saw an appraising glint in his eye that I did not like. The key disappeared from my hands and into my [Bag of Holding]. This was a better way to gain Sonya’s trust than Kin’s bloodthirsty method. Then again, I still owed those sons of bitches payback. After half a breath of contemplation, I decided I’d get revenge on my terms.
[Quest Received: Lewdus
Quest: Daws has asked you to deliver the key to a city to Sonya in the city of Sharmon.
OTM: A city key is a [Legendary] item that allows the holder to start a city. Once used an [Altar] is created, which is indestructible. Only the owner of the key can undo its magic.
Rewards: Unknown
Failure: You gain a city key, and your reputation with several factions will plummet. Failing may have long-term repercussions.]
“Let’s go, Butter. We’ve wasted enough time; we need to get moving. I’m on a deadline,” I told him, and Butter just nodded as we moved back through the town and out the north gate.
“BanHammer!”
[You have died.]
Stumbling down the altar, I felt four sharp stings inside my gut. A gnok dug his clawed hand into my stomach. Somehow I knew it was smiling as it curled its hand inside of me, crushing organs and—
[You have died.]
“Fire take you, asshole,” I growled and charged over my corpse to get at the gnok. The creature’s head snapped around, and I sensed its emotions again. This time its excitement turned to shock. I didn’t care, I struck him in the face with three fists and felt its skull break before it collapsed to the ground, dead. I looted before the other gnoks reacted.
[Loot: 30 Tokens of Acclimation. 103 Gold. 3 Skipping Rocks. Gnok Robes.]
More of the gnoks charged me, but I did not see the yellow belted one, nor the big guy from the alley. There were too many, and there was no way I could escape to the guards. They were rushing towards the fight, but I figured I’d die another ten times at this rate. A wave of coldness rushed towards me before I felt a thousand shards of ice shred my body apart.
Great! Gnoks had spells too.
[You have died.]
I was no longer at the altar.
Chapter 19
Location: Soulkeeper’s Realm
“Ah, the travails one must endure,” A voice called out.
“Who are you, and where am I?”
Darkness swirled around me, but it was not absolute. The shrouded terrain was hard to m
ake out, but I could sense the landscape. I heard a river nearby too, but could not sense it the way I could the environment. The wetness in the air was impossible to hide. I was afraid to move because falling into the river frightened the hell out of me.
“They call the Soulkeeper. I’m a bit of a seamstress. And you are right to fear the river.” The voice called out again. A female, I was sure of it, but sound carried strangely in this place. Her voice echoed in the cavern, but stranger still was the ability to see the sound as it traveled towards me.
“Not sure how a [Soulkeeper] and a [Seamstress] connect.”
“You [Authors] never bother to understand how the world works. Unlike the others, you are at least interesting. It is rare for the gods to mark an author’s soul, and yet here you are, an anomaly. You are even marked for priority rebirth. So every time you die, I have to stop sewing other souls back into their skin suits to take care of you. Normally, I don’t mind, but you have died so many times and so quickly that I figured we needed to talk.”
“I apologize.” The words carried outward on waves of power. “Other [Authors] have discovered I am reborn without delay, and they seek to exploit it.” The anger built up inside and the fire threatened to take over. Through grit teeth, I explained the rest. “One, in particular, this Devan prick keeps killing me. Even now him and his gnoks wait for me.”
“You speak truthfully and the blame is not yours to carry. I like your fire too. What to do?” She muttered; he words carrying through the air. The sound waves lapped against my ears with a soft touch, so gentle it was hard to be sure she spoke.
“Woah, the river is full of Ku, the power of creation runs throughout this place.” The thought vocalized before I realized I spoke. The epiphany struck like lightning.
“Not bad for a mortal, so you do know a little about how the world works. I have made a decision. First, you do not want to repeat this event, if you do, I will not be happy. Your fire should be focused on destruction and yet somehow I sense that you are a catalyst. Where you go, things will burn, but with the power of rebirth backing it.”
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