Azhar curled his lips in a feral smile and charged at the weakest, bringing his mace down on its head, dealing 4 hp of damage.
The large rat leader crumpled to the earth, blood flowing from its mouth.
His companions jumped at the demon, squeaking and gnashing their teeth. One tore into in a thick-muscled leg, while the other snapped its fangs around his arm, drawing blood from his deep bite.
Azhar's hp fell from 30, their bites sapping a combined 6 from him. This enraged the demon and he killed one with a critical slam with his shield.
He smacked the other against the wall. It slammed to the floor. Dazed, it staggered to its feet and shook its head.
Jinx blasted the sinister rat with Keylos and he bunched up on his haunches, preparing to leap in the air, ready to sink his fangs deep in her throat.
Demon Fire blasted the rat for 5 hp and chewed at his life force. A hit from Azhar turned the rat's attention back toward him.
He dealt 9 hp of damage as the rat staggered back. Her dot drained the last bit of life force he had and he crumpled to the cold stone floor.
Azhar whirled around, attacking the other rats. Jinx dotted them up and wished for a variety of spells she could select from. What would they be?
Maybe she'd find out when she returned to the warlock castle. Would there be different specs for her to choose from?
Demonic Fire flashed through the room along with the skull's powerful beams. Jinx stood back, picking them off, raining down damage on their heads.
Her dots ticked down, while his blows hammered them. They were only fifty xp each. Killing four, gave her four hundred xp (doubled from 200).
She checked the dead bodies and found two sp and forty cp.
Good. She clenched the small pouches in her hand, then slipped them in her pockets and looked at her demon.
"You're a great fighter. Stick with me and I'll give you more victims for your weapon." Jinx said, enjoying having a big, hulking bodyguard to put fear in her opponents' hearts.
He grinned malevolently, his eyes glowing with satisfaction.
She checked her coin purse in her backpack and found the crystal she'd forgotten and wondered how much it was worth.
"Come on, lets see what else we can kill." She motioned him ahead of her.
The sound of scratching claws tearing through wood and chattering teeth of the rats surrounded them. Jinx shivered as they strode down long corridors of earth under the rustic barn.
What else would they find down there?
She ran her hand over scratch marks on the hard earthen tunnels.
"Looks like they've dug these tunnels. They're entrenched here." Jinx surmised.
"Yes." He said, running his finger over his shield. "We need to root out their nests and kill the females."
She nodded as they continued on their way.
He held out his hand as she halted.
"Why did we stop?"
Azhar brought his weapon down as a snap vibrated though the dusty air. The trap lay broken beneath him.
There was an apple-sweet scent, mingled with the smell of earth. They rounded a corner and saw a heavy wooden door.
"Trap?" Jinx gave him a sideways look with a mischievous smile.
"Obviously. Watch." He led her back some as he pulled out some stars with power in them.
Throwing the stars at the door, he then cast a fire spell as the explosion splintered the door. Dying squeaks of the rats rang in their ears.
Fifty xp...fifty xp...fifty xp...fifty xp flashed across her eyes. Two hundred xp turned into four hundred.
Jinx chuckled, enjoying their tortured screams of pain. Azhar walked through the door as she followed.
Clearing out their treasure of twenty sp and fifty-six cp, she was pleased to find a twisted band of silver with gold. She couldn't tell if it was magical or just an ordinary ring.
This was turning out to be a good hunt! She was eager to find more of these vermin and destroy them. Jinx had destroyed eight so far and that left two more.
Searching through the room, she sought more treasure. Unfortunately, there was nothing more in this room. Leaning against the wall, she wiped away the sweat from her brow.
Without warning, the wall crumbled and she tumbled into another room. Surveying the new room, she spotted a chest.
"Azhar!"
The small room pulsed with crimson light, drawing Jinx through the doorway. A heavy heartbeat rang in her sensitive ears. Scattered bones of small animals crunched under her feet.
Gems, strewn over the floor like a mosaic painting created by a mad artist, glittered in the light. On a make-shift altar was a glowing red gem which drew her to it like a magnet.
Power's tempting call tempted her as she padded toward the crystal. She reached out and was about to grab it, before withdrawing her hand.
"What is it?" She inquired with a sideways glance to Azhar. It held so much power another question came to her mind.
Why hadn't she read about this large gem before? Was the knowledge forbidden to neophytes?
"Ishti." The demon said, staring into the flickering gem.
"You know of it?" Jinx arched an eyebrow.
"Legends. This demon stone draws power from weaker creatures and drains their life energy. It serves only the strongest and gives its energy to whom it serves."
She studied it, then her fingers clasped around the crystal.
Who do you think you are? A deep voice rang through her head. She'd never felt such power.
Its voice shook through her like a terrier shaking a rat. Weakness filled her. She gritted her teeth, digging in her heels as she mentally fought off this enemy who invaded her mind like an assaulting army.
Pushing back, Jinx knew she was stronger than this thing. They battled one each other in a mental display of strength. It didn't matter to her how strong this demonic gem was, she would win.
Ishti pushed back as she felt herself losing ground. Never had she felt so much power. Struggling against his power, Jinx felt she was losing this match of strength.
Her heart beat faster as his tendrils of power coiled around her. She felt the gem grow stronger than she believed was possible. It was then she realized that she was caught in its powerful grasp like a praying mantis and there was no where to go and his evil laugh echoed through her mind.
Chapter 7 ***
Azhar watched her struggle against the pulsing gem as they battled like two rams, neither willing to give in. When she trembled, he wondered if she'd bitten off more than she could chew.
With their connection through dark magic, he could feel her growing weaker. Fool!
He glared at the pulsing gem which was so much stronger than her. The demon could feel the power and realized he had to do something.
Some feeling deep inside him forced him to touch her shoulder and mentally join the fight. Together, they pushed back against the gem's attack.
Jinx was more than shocked. She'd thought he'd back Ishti and clearly trounce her. The gem would devour her inch by inch and there would be no escape from its malevolent victory.
The last thing Jinx expected was for him to jump into the mental fray and help her push its strength slowly back.
Working together, they defeated the thing. Both smiled, looking into each other's eyes.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome, mistress." He laid his heavy hand over her shoulder.
Jinx looked at the submissive gem.
"I can't believe it! Why?" The gem howled as it submitted to them.
Xp gained 500.
"I'm your master and you'll serve me." She said, trying to keep the tremble from her voice as the words dropped from her lips.
"Yes, mistress." Its voice flowed through her mind.
She'd have never tamed this thing without Azhar's help. For that, she was profoundly grateful.
Inspecting her new acquisition, she found it would grant her its power to drain energy and give it to her or her demon.
This was a powerful trinket.
According to the stats, it would work every thirty seconds and pull energy from her foe or mob, giving her the hp of her enemy so she could heal her demon. It was five hp every five seconds and it increased five hp every level.
She wondered if a Founder could increase the time or maybe the hp. Jinx brought up her HUD and searched for this gem and its abilities.
She whistled as she read what it was for, its history and realized this was or would be a powerful trinket. It was something that only Founders could find and would grow with her as she progressed in levels.
"That's ours!"
Jinx whirled around to confront a large humanoid rat, boring his beady eyes into hers. By his side, were two large rats the size of Great Danes. They stood, ready to attack at his command.
Over the lead wererat's head was 50 hp. It was an incredible amount to chew through. She was only second level! How could she take him on?
The other rats were 20 hp and didn't concern her.
"Attack!" She commanded, outstretching her fingers as dark energy poured from them like black lightning.
The wererat gave the command for his minions to tear them to shreds. They lunged toward her with their fangs gleaming in the blood-red light of the crystal.
With a rumbling roar, Azhar rushed to one, slamming his weapon down on the vicious rat's head, knocking him for 9 hp of damage. It shrieked as it staggered back, stunned. Azhar stamped his foot on the ground and suddenly there was a blinding flash of red lightning that streaked on the earth.
Her Demonic Fire blasted him for 4 hp and at the end of the turn, it'd had drained one more hp from him for a total of five.
With her skull's blast, he fell to the ground and moved no more.
"How could you do that to my pet?" The wererat screamed.
His other pet was biting and clawing at Azhar. The wererat leaped at the demon, fighting him with short swords with the fury of the damned.
"Good going." Jinx laughed as she flung her spells at him. Yet the wererat and his pet still attacked Azhar without seeming to recognize she was there.
Hp drained away through her spells while Azhar kept their attention on him. He dodged and slammed into them with his vicious snarl.
"You fight like a sissy." Azhar laughed, slammed his mace down and growled when his blow was blocked.
The rat dropped to the earth as the wererat was compelled to fight on with the demon. He didn't even notice the warlock burning him down with her Demon Fire and the dragon skull "Keylos."
When he died, Jinx gained four hundred xp, which turned to eight hundred because of the bonus. Plus the two rats, which were fifty a piece, which brought in another two hundred.
Jinx walked over to the dead bodies and rifled through them.
There was 32 cp 58 sp and one gold. There was also a cape which she needed. Its stats flashed before her.
Class - Warlock
Level 2 - 5
Increases spell power
She ran her fingers over the silky-smooth cape. It was purple and red with a golden streak of lightning.
There were figurines scattered on the floor. She was sure she could sell them at the market. Or maybe she'd keep them to decorate her castle. There was also some scratchy cloth she collected from the rat.
"I think we've done well. Now lets turn in this quest." She said, feeling good about this adventure.
Jinx gained three hundred xp which doubled to six hundred. Maybe she would do that blueberry quest. She was almost to level three.
She checked the map, found the area where the berries grew, quickly grabbed what she needed, then returned to the waiting elf.
Turning in the berries, Jinx received 5 silver and a hat that increased her spell power.
"Could you do me another favor?" The quest giver inquired with a fox-like smile.
"What is it?" Jinx felt this was more than just gathering blueberries.
"Could you get me some poison from the thieves guild in the forest by the stream. I'll mark it for you on your map. When they ask who wants it tell them "Rat Killer"
"What about money to get into the thieves guild?" Jinx was suspicious of this mission. Something whispered to her there was danger in this quest.
"Here." She pressed a small leather pouch into her hands.
Jinx set off, following her map, walking through a meadow outside town until she came to the brook. Turning, she followed it into the pine forest. Sunbeams danced and played on the forest floor.
Jinx was still amazed at the reality of the game. She could feel the soft breeze as it brushed against her cheek. The shadows that crossed over her were so real.
It was amazing to feel the five senses, too good to be believed. She couldn't tell the difference from the real world and the VR's. This was completely different than her old life in the "real world." No parents trying to meddle in her life, no endless, mindless studying of useless facts. Here, she was free! Free to live her life the way she chose.
Was Azhar as real as her or just another character in the game? Were the NPC's real or just fancy programs?
What was reality?
Jinx stopped at the cave's mouth. Looking inside the entrance of the thieves guild, she gathered her courage. This was something she needed in order to progress.
"Well?" Azhar said with narrowed eyes.
"We walk into the thieves guild, get what we came for and scram. I sense a trap."
"You're too paranoid." He gave an approving grunt.
"Maybe I am." Jinx said. Something wasn't right and she knew it.
With a confidence she didn't really feel, she entered the blackness of the cave and slowly walked through a tunnel, letting her eyes adjust to the darkness. Jinx felt eyes upon as she made her way through the darkness. Halting at a wooden door, she knocked and waited.
It creaked open and an eye appeared.
"Yes?" The man's voice was rough and the smell of ale permeated the air.
She said the code word and he cautiously opened the door, inviting her in.
It was a small room and she could only see a couple people. No doubt there were more hidden in the shadows.
She informed him of what she was here for.
"All right." The man agreed.
He walked across the small room and pounded his fist on the wall. Jinx watched warily as a hidden door opened and he pulled open a drawer. Pulling out a leather pouch, he handed it to her.
"This is it. Tell her I want the job done by tonight."
"I will." Jinx replied.
Jinx turned, thinking that she was being foolish. There was nothing wrong.
"I want you to come back here for a few quests." He said.
She nodded, knowing she needed to gain rep with them. Why had she felt so paranoid?
"Well you were right." She admitted to Azhar.
"No. You were."
She stopped and faced him.
"Explain. Nothing happened."
"I smelled demons. Tamed demons." He growled.
"Really?"
"I would tell you more when we were outside."
"Hmm..."
"What?" He cocked an eyebrow.
"We need to learn to have our own communications system. So we can talk to each other."
"Good idea, lets start. Do you think Cherkax's minions were there?"
"Can't say. But I need to do a little more spying on him." He clenched his fists by his side.
"I'll get Obsidian to spy on him. Does she hate him as much as you do?"
He shrugged.
"She was a slave in the guild and I stole her from them when I was defeated in the battle and kicked out."
"Here." She handed the note to the quest giver.
"Quest complete." She gained three hundred xp plus another three hundred, bringing it to six hundred.
"Wait! Do you have time for another quest?"
"Sure. What do you want me to do?"
The quest giver smiled, lifted up the crust of the
freshly baked blueberry pie and poured some poison in it.
"Deliver this to Mary Ann Bluebell." Her smile was so innocent, but her eyes weren't.
"Okay." Jinx agreed.
Quest accepted. "Give Mary Ann Bluebell Pie to Eat."
"She owns the bakery shop."
"Competition?"
"No. She owns my mom's shop. It should've been passed down to me. I'm the eldest, after all." She flung her head back.
Jinx smirked. The old tale of sisters competing against each other was just like the ones in her old world. Only sisters could attain the property of the mother once she died. If there were no daughters, it went to a sister or other female family member.
"Mom always favored her. So why not let her join her in the afterlife?"
"Sounds good." Jinx headed off to the bakery, planning to give her the pie.
Here she was in the game doing what she wished. This quest promised to be the best one yet.
What happened to the NPCs? Did they respawn and go on with their lives just like normal? Did the computer program them with memory? Did they have a past history they could recall? What were they? Surely they had to feel like they were real and in a living world.
A bell tinkled when she pushed aside the curtains. The fresh smell of baked bread filled her head and made her mouth water. Jinx needed to try some before the lady kicked the bucket. Maybe she would sample some after she died or when she respawned.
"Hello." Jinx smiled, setting the blueberry pie on the counter.
"Hello. How are you doing today?" The lady asked, a smile plastered on her face.
"Fine." Jinx replied.
"What's this?"
"I'm looking for a place to sell my pies. Would you like to sample some of this?" Jinx pushed it toward her.
"Of course!" The older lady clapped her hands together, a twinkle in her eye.
She carefully cut a piece of pie and put it on a plate. Then she bit into it, tasting its rich, juicy flavor.
"This is good. Very good!" She dug in for another bite.
"I'm glad you like it." Jinx smiled.
"Quest complete. One hundred xp plus extra."
As she polished off the pie and took the plate into the kitchen, Jinx relaxed. Moments later, a dish shattered on the floor. There was a painful cry, then a thud.
Demons of the Dark Online Part 1 Page 5