Oblivion's Crown

by M. H. Johnson

  Val nodded even as Snipe hissed and shook his head. Solemnly, he placed five Elementium coins into Jiu’s trembling hand. Her eyes widened. She gasped.

  “Oath given and received. I am honored to have you, Jiu. And I swear this in turn. You will not be used cheaply. Your life has value and meaning to our cause, and I would dearly love to see you blossom and grow, fighting for the world of our birth.”

  “Jiu!” Eric said, eyes hot with sudden wrath, looking ready to belt Val before Jiu squeezed his hand, shaking her head.

  “It’s, it’s okay," she said, eyes filled with awe as she gazed into faces filled with shock and alarm. “It… it doesn’t hurt a bit. It actually feels good.” She swallowed and nodded. “As if I just took an oath that meant something. As if I just swore to something that mattered!” She took a shuddering breath and smiled. “Now, I don’t feel quite so much like a fuckup. Now I feel like a girl who has the courage to fight for a cause that’s worth dying for. To fight for my home!”

  She flashed a haunted-looking Eric a beatific smile. “And now, now I get to learn magic we could only dream about!”

  “What the fuck, Jager?” Eric hissed. “You do know that if we die in game, our body goes into cardiac arrest back on Earth, right? And no one’s ever survived it! Even if they're put on life support, they’re done. I’ve seen the fucking autopsy videos before they were all pulled from the net. Their brains are mush. Just a bunch of disconnected brain cells with the consistency of fucking soup! All the neurons are fried, Jager. Every single fucking one! Your stupid guild war is going to get Jiu killed!”

  Val solemnly shook his head, gazing at a now frightened-looking Jiu. Frightened, but still fiercely determined. “No, it won’t.” He took a deep breath. “I won’t be putting her on the front lines. I won’t trade her life cheaply, Eric. If she wants to take a major role? That would be fantastic. If she wants to boost troops with enhancement spells from the rear? I’d prefer her there myself. Hell, as far as I’m concerned, she and everyone else interested in peacefully studying magic can spend the majority of their time exploring all that our arcane college has to offer.” He forced a tight smile. “Until shit really hits the fan. Because in the end, if our enemy’s advantages become overwhelming, we damn well want to do everything we can to keep in play. Because the minute we lose...”

  Bill scowled. “Wiping out that school will be fucking top priority.”

  Val flashed a cold grin. “There are steps I can take to level the playing field, should they dare strike the Southern Continent in force.”

  Eric’s eyes widened. “That’s where the school is?”

  Val nodded.

  “Then how the fuck do we get there?”

  Val smiled into Jiu’s awe-filled eyes. “We gate.” His stare hardened. “Those who fight under our banner, that is.”

  Eric gazed hopelessly at the girl he so obviously cared for. He swallowed, his face a mixture of hope, fear, anger, and determination. “All right,” he whispered. “I’m in.”

  “Eric!” Crystal hissed.

  Val did not hesitate to clasp a suddenly gasping Eric’s hand. “Done and done. Welcome to the rebels, buddy. Let’s go take out an empire together.”

  “Ha ha,” Eric winced, clasping tight the coins Val handed him. “You’re a fuckin’ riot.” He turned around, gazing into Jiu’s solemn eyes before wrapping his arms tightly around her. “You’re not going anywhere without me, Jiu. And I’m coming to your family’s house. And I’m taking you out of there. And if your uncles get in my way? I’ll fucking kill them. You hear me, Jiu? If they ever try to hurt you again, I’ll shoot them dead.”

  A trembling Jiu said nothing, tears streaming down her face as she held Eric close.

  “And there we have it. No more games,” Bill said. “Now things just got real.”

  Crystal reached over, clasping Jiu’s hand. “It’s going to be okay. You know how much I care about you. I always held your secrets close. But now it’s time for you to get the hell out of there. Go with Eric. You two were so obviously made for each other.”

  Mick’s handsome features hardened. He gave a firm nod. “We’ll pick you up when we’re done the mission. As soon as we log out. You’re 18, Jiu. You don’t even need to become emancipated. You have every right to leave home.”

  “But...but what about my sisters?” she whispered.

  Mick sighed. “You know who my dad is, right?”

  Her eyes widened. “But I don’t… I’m...”

  “Afraid? Don’t be. We’re friends, Jiu. We all go to the same school, except for the twins, and we’ve fought side by side for weeks. None of us are stupid. We can read between the lines. Look, we’ll get you out. We’ll get your sisters out. And if your mom or uncles give us any shit...”

  “You’ll testify and put those fuckers in jail,” snapped a suddenly glaring Crystal.

  Jiu wilted before her gaze.

  “They had no right to hurt you! And your mom being such a lush, getting so drunk she could fool herself into thinking nothing was wrong, that screaming at you about your fucking grades somehow made up for what she failed to do as a parent!” Crystal angrily shook her head. “No, Jiu. You’ve suffered enough. It’s time to free you and your sisters.”

  Crystal gently clasped Jiu’s hand. “And now you’re rich!” she teased. “Five million, you and your boyfriend both! You guys could move next to me! The Smiths just moved. I could come over, and we could all have popcorn and movie nights with your sisters. It will be awesome!”

  And Jiu started sobbing even as she laughed, Crystal hugging her and Eric both, before glaring at Val. “Alright, recruiter. Every army needs healers. Sign me up.”

  Val met her nervous gaze. He smiled, gently taking her soft hand in his own.

  Crystal shivered and gasped, eyes filled with soft wonder as Val held her hand, gently depositing five million dollars’ worth of Elementium coins, then stepping back and smiling. “Done and done, Crystal, and thank you. There are a lot of lives you can help make better with your gift.”

  Mick gazed at his friends for long moments before turning his intent gaze to Val. “Back before all the shit went down that changed everything, I had dreamed of one day joining the Marines.” He swallowed, standing tall, meeting Val’s gaze. “I had always dreamed of fighting for a cause greater than myself. Sadly, after what happened to our country and every other nation, that dream died. Our armies are a joke. Not one soldier fired a bullet in defense of our world.”

  His gaze turned fierce, a powerful hand jutting out to clasp Val’s own. “My father once told me that I’ll have to make choices that define me as a man one day, and I should never hesitate from doing what’s right. Because no matter what other people think, it’s our own reflection we have to look at every day. And yeah. I want to be able to look my kids in the eyes one day, and say I wasn’t afraid to fight for my country. My world. My home. So sign me the fuck up, Jager, because every army worth its salt needs a paladin fighting for the cause.”

  Val nodded in solemn respect. “Done and done, Mick. I’m proud to have you join our cause.”

  The young man grinned, clasping tight the bounty he had earned. “And a five million sign-up bonus that sticks with me even after I jump out is not a bad prize either.”

  “No it isn’t,” Val said, holding back his awe to find that Elementium could actually transfer between worlds, just like injuries and level-ups could. Then again, with a dimensional rift in his belly he had managed to access even back on Earth, maybe he shouldn't be so wonderstruck.

  Bill smirked. “And just how deep are your pockets, Jager?”

  Val grinned. “Pretty fucking deep, Bill. How’d you like five million of them?”

  Bill chuckled ruefully. “You’re one cocky motherfucker, aren’t you?” And Val didn’t hesitate for a moment to clasp the young man's extended hand, priceless coin exchanged for a priceless oath.

  Val then turned to the pair of brothers who had held back, gazing at Val wari
ly, tridents crackling.

  Reed gave an angry shake of his head. “And just like that, you break up our party. Fast as fuck, casting spells we’ve never seen, with more money than a damned Highlord.”

  Snipe frowned. “I saw the way you made that armor appear out of nowhere. Don’t think I don’t know what dwarven armor is really made of.” He smirked at Bill’s furrowed brow. “The armor you’re wearing now could net you even more than the coin in your hand, and you didn’t have to sell your soul to get it.”

  Bill scoffed. “What the fuck are you talkin’ about, Snipe? If you don’t want to sign up, man, that’s on you. Me? I’m happy to be up five million. And since we don’t have to fight on the front lines if we don’t want to, even though I’m built as a front-line fighter, I’m totally in the clear!” He flashed Val a cynical, challenging smile. “Isn’t that right, Jager?”

  Val winked. “Right on, Bill. You want to hang back and throw peanuts? That’s up to you. All that I ask is that any mission you sign up for, you give it 100%. Hell, you want to spend all your time at the mages’ college learning the fundaments of magic, whether or not you can cast it? Or learn how to make arcane potions and diversify your build as a warrior-alchemist? I support you all the way.”

  Bill smirked. “See, gentlemen? If anything, I played this kid beyond belief. Doesn’t mean I won’t fight for my country, do my fucking duty, help liberate Earth, but fuck it. I’m still in control. If I want to be a hero? I’ll take the missions offered. If not? I’ll sit back and fucking craft. When you think about it, it’s no fucking different than being offered a bounty to join some noob’s guild in Elerium.”

  Snipe gave a cold nod. “And that’s what makes so little sense, Bill. Why the hell are we all being offered five million dollars with no more obligation than to wear this guy's colors, eat his grub, hang out at his place? Where everything else any good guildleader needs from his officers is strictly fucking voluntary? It doesn’t make sense. Not economically, not tactically.”

  Reed smirked. “You sure you boys didn’t get played? You sure he can’t snap his fingers and make those pretty coins disappear just as readily as he gave you that armor?”

  The entire group stilled as Reed continued to smirk, gazing coldly at Val.

  Val quirked a brow. “Seriously? That’s your best counter?” He gazed intently at Mick. “You feel the oath that binds us, right?”

  Mick blinked, swallowed, and slowly nodded his head. “Yeah. Yeah, man, I do.”

  Val nodded. “Good. My giving you that Elementium, coins in exchange for service, is the cornerstone of that oath. Do you really think I’m going to risk breaking it, stealing back coins I gave you in good faith?”

  Bill’s brow furrowed. “And what happens if you do? If you break your own oath?”

  Val frowned. “Honestly? I’m not entirely sure. But I don’t think it would be good.”

  “And what happens if we break the oath?”

  Val’s expression turned pained. “Please, don’t even joke about that.”

  Crystal paled, seeing something in his eyes. “Oh god, what did you do to us, Jager? What did you do?”

  Val raised a placating hand. “I gave you a leash so loose, you can roam the world and ignore me utterly. The only things really binding you is the part of your oath related to not revealing what you know or suspect you know about me or anyone involved in the cause I fight for, not deliberately attacking us or stabbing us in the back, and deferring all territorial claims to me. Other than that? You can do whatever else you want. Honestly, though I hope you’ll fight by my side, and maybe check out my arcane academy, you’re free to decide your own fate.”

  Jiu paled, gazing at Val intently. “Your arcane academy.”

  Eric scowled. “Deferring all territorial claims… to you. Not to this Valor Hunter, but to you.”

  You have fumbled your social finesse skillcheck, Val! 2 out of 7 have resisted Persuasion + Mercantile. What will you do now?

  Val hissed, spun around, raising a warning hand. “Shh… I hear something from the cavern ahead, guys! Clearly we need to investigate.” He proceeded ahead at a slow enough pace for them to drag themselves along, pretending he wasn’t listening to every word they were saying.

  Bill snorted. “Is this cat serious?”

  Mick sighed and shook his head. “Does it even matter? We’re up five million, and he’s right. We got a dungeon to clear and ruins to explore.”

  Bill smirked. “Yeah, that’s true. At least now, if shit hits the fan, we can all yell P together and port out as rich motherfuckers either way.” He turned to Reed and Snipe. “You cats should join. Five million, no skin off your noses either way.”

  Snipe snorted. “He’s playing games out his ass.”

  “Yeah, we already figured that part out,” Jiu sniped. “But at least he’s stand-up about the coin. My Magesight pinged it as pure Elementium. As soon as I port...” She swallowed. “I’m starting my life over. I might never sign on again. And who cares? The coin’s still mine. At least now...”

  “Yeah, girl. We get it. You got your man, and your sisters will be safe. Sweet story. We’re still not buying what this dude is selling,” Reed said.

  “You see the kid’s skin? Flawless,” Snipe said. “And the way his eyes sparkle a fucking perfect blue, he looks more Jordian than human. For all we know, he’s one of those inquisitor motherfuckers himself!”

  Finesse check made!

  Val did his best not to stumble at those words. He knew he had taken on his mother’s features a bit more when he had catalyzed his own existence, assured he was now ageless and looking far younger than the world-weary twenty-something he had been, not that long ago. And his helm conveniently hid the once vicious scars that had slowly transformed to tattoo-like sigils that turned out to be Phoebe’s marks upon his brow…

  And that’s when the hissing whispers ahead turned to a cacophony in his mind.

  Val spied a quick glance to his right, where the revenants had fled.

  Catching the dull embers of their gazes reflecting off minute traces of Eric’s bobbing light, the legion of undead crowded into the tunnel beyond utterly still.

  He smiled and ignored them, continuing on as the tunnel opened up into a massive yawning cavern. Val couldn’t help but feel a surge of exhilaration as he gazed upwards, beholding the twinkling of a million brilliant crystalline stars of emerald hue and obsidian fire. An entire mine of Elementium, just as vast and grand as the one he had explored within hours of first coming to this world, what now seemed a lifetime ago.

  “Jeezus, this is incredible!” whistled Bill. “Look at this! An entire cave filled with crystal!”

  Val’s eyes widened. “Quiet!” he hissed, turning to face Mick, the nominal leader of their merry little band. “You guys need to stay here at the lip of the tunnel while I scout ahead.”

  “Who the fuck does this guy think he is, giving orders?” Bill snorted.

  Before being yanked off his feet with a scream.

  38

  “Bill!” Mick’s sudden cry washed over Val as time seemed to slow, finally catching sight of the telltale traces of a massive network of webbing that had been cloaked by natural camouflage as opposed to any sort of magic or Psionic barrier, completely looked over as he was momentarily caught up by the wonder before him.

  And he was a fool, he thought, even as he shouted for Mick and the others to get back, launching himself forward as thick strands of silken webbing slammed down to the rocky ground by his feet as he dodged frantically, seeking the icy calm he had too long pushed aside in favor of embracing his wrath and the caustic caress of boosted magics roaring through his form of late.

  Duck!

  Faster than thought, Val had rolled and spun around as a massive strand of spidersilk slammed down where his foot had been about to step, his split-second danger sense buying him a few more precious moments as the welcoming darkness he sought to embrace was pulled once more away by a high pitched scream that ch
illed him to the quick.

  Jiu. Captured and strung up along with Bill, Eric shooting off streams of fire at one of the many massive spiders Val now spotted covering the gigantic web overhead.

  And then the fire mage's high-pitched scream cut through the darkness as he too was yanked up in the webbing.

  Perception skillcheck made! Quickness skillcheck made!

  “There are too many of them!” Val shouted as he lurched to the side and pivoted, dodging yet more strands. “Get the fuck back! Back to where the wards are, or we’re all toast!”

  Duck!

  And Val tried, twisting to the side, tasting the glimmers of darkest shadow caress his mind, when he was suddenly jerked off his feet by a massive strand, feeling the hideous susurrations of arachnid sentiences clawing at his mind even as he was dragged upwards at dizzying speed.

  Caught between surprise, terror, and fury, his trump card frozen out of play, he laughed. Embracing the madness of the moment, exhilarating in the sheer rush of fighting for his life.

  Shadowmind was out.

  Explosives were out.

  So be it, magic all the way.

  You have activated Rank 4 Boosted Synergized Ward! 50 Mana spent!

  Careful not to cut the silken cord securing him to the massive spider dragging him up, gazing at him with hideously human eyes upon its arachnid face.

  “Celeritas!” Val shouted, feeling time start to slow, lips widening in a feral grin as he soared for the spider’s mandibles. “Dessico!” he roared, burning all thoughts of shadow and cloaking away as he embraced his wrath, a stream of crimson pouring out of the now agitated spider, sweet dark power like fine whiskey now flooding Val's soul.

  Your Boosted Reaver’s Kiss has struck Doomspider! Boosted damage (+50%), Potent Magus (+30%) Level 2 Arcane Reaver bonus (+40%) and embracing your wrath (+60%) has endowed your spell with a 180% damage bonus! Doomspider suffers and you gain 28 health and 14 mana and stamina per second for 20 seconds!