✽✽✽
Aveyad stared up at the countless stars dotting the sky. It was a beautiful night. These days, it was a rare that he got a chance to gaze upon the heavens. Not a cloud marred the sky, nor did any wind blow down from the mountains. It was still. Peaceful. A perfect night.
Behind him, he heard the portal master’s gate close, but did not turn around.
Instead, he stole what last few moments of solitude that he could and continued to bask in the glory of the night. Inevitably, the crunch of boots behind him heralded the approach of Tyeliss and the call of duty.
“They’re here,” said Tyeliss.
“Who did she send?” asked Aveyad, not turning around.
A pregnant pause. Then Tyeliss said, “She came herself.”
At that, Aveyad turned, his gaze flicking past the waiting death knight to the small party drawn up in the centre of the courtyard. He strode forward, gravel crunching underfoot as he made his way to the waiting delegation. Tyeliss trailed behind him.
Ignoring the two young men that hovered protectively over her, Aveyad stopped before the bent-over shape between them. He went down on one knee before the elven dowager and gripped her hand. “Lera, welcome.” He chided gently, “You did not have to come yourself.”
The crone—ancient, even for an elf—gazed impassively at him as she leaned heavily on her staff. Lera’s hair was dull grey and hung unkempt down her back.
Aveyad was surprised that she had answered Zarr’s summons herself instead of sending one of her followers. He knew that these days she was hardly mobile and almost never left her cabin.
Lera, sadly, was one of the very few survivors of Crotana’s fall over six hundred years ago. She had lived beyond what was normal, even for one of the long-lived elves, clinging to life by force of will alone and a fierce desire to protect the remnants of her people. Why did she come herself? he wondered.
Lera continued to study Aveyad in silence, her watery, pale-grey eyes scrutinising every aspect of his features, until she was satisfied.
She pulled her hand away. Aveyad, unresistingly, let it go, though inwardly he cringed at her withdrawal, recognising it for the symbolic gesture that it was.
“You haven’t aged a day in six hundred years, my lord,” she rasped. Only the slight emphasis she placed on his title let Aveyad recognise it for the sneer that it was.
She was still angry after all this time, he realised. As she had cause to be. He let it pass unremarked. “Why have you come?” he asked again.
“How could I not? When the king calls.” This time the bitterness was raw and undisguised in her voice. Her hands shook with the strength of her emotion, and the cane trembled in her grasp.
Behind Lera, her two young escorts shifted uncomfortably, and one moved forward to support her. She waved him off irritably. Ignoring the rangers, Aveyad gazed fixedly at Lera. “You are no longer Zarr’s subjects,” he reminded her mildly.
She turned to the side and spat. “Bah! Does it matter when we survive only by his good will? Do you think we are such fools, Aveyad, as to believe Zarr would let a refusal go unanswered?”
No longer able to remain silent, Tyeliss said, “The king would not—”
Aveyad forestalled Tyeliss with a raised hand. The death knight meant well, but he did not know the dowager as Aveyad did. “I understand why you feel so, Lera, but Zarr’s request was only that: a request. Nonetheless, on behalf of Crotana and the king, I thank you for responding to the kingdom’s need.”
Lera snorted. “Always the idealist and diplomat, Aveyad.” She shook her head. “When will you realise the kingdom is dead and gone? All your pretending otherwise will not change that. All that remains is for us to survive as we can.”
Aveyad opened his mouth to reply, but with an irritable wave of her hand, she cut him off. “It does not matter,” she snapped. “What does Zarr want?”
Aveyad closed his mouth and took a moment to compose his response. He wished he could convince Lera to believe again, but her cynicism was too deep, ingrained by decades of persecution and exile in the wilds. Perhaps, she will find hope again through this task.
“There is a wood elf,” he said, “in the Skarral range that Zarr wishes you to track.”
Lera looked at him blankly, plainly not understanding what Zarr would want with the elf. He realised he would have to reveal more. He added reluctantly, “The elf escaped the labyrinth through Durn Duruhl’s south gate.”
He could see the moment the realisation hit Lera. Involuntary surprise, anger, and fear flickered across her face before it returned to an impassive mask. “How?” she demanded.
Aveyad shook his head. “It is not what you think. The elf is not a champion.”
Gasps of fear escaped Lera’s two escorts. “Quiet!” she snapped. Her brows furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean he is not a champion? How else would he have opened the south gate?”
“I don’t know. All we know is that the elf—his name is Kyran—is a player. One who isn’t pledged to any of the gods.”
“Are you sure?” Curiosity, and perhaps something else, sparked to life in Lera’s eyes.
“Yes.” He studied her carefully. “Do you understand now why Zarr is interested in this elf? And what it could mean for the Game?”
The light in Lera’s eyes died. “Always the Game,” she murmured. Before Aveyad could say anything further, she added more loudly, “We will find and track this elf if he enters the Elder Forest. What does Zarr want us to do with him?”
“Only observe and report what he does.” He cautioned, “Do not approach him. There is at least one champion already pursuing him. For the safety of your own people, do not become entangled.”
Lera nodded. “Never fear. We have enough of our own troubles without unnecessarily borrowing more.” She pierced him with her gaze. “And what of our own request? Will Zarr help?”
Aveyad reluctantly shook his head. “You know we cannot. We are confined by the curse to Crota. I’m sorry, Lera. If we could—”
He broke off as Lera swung around and began hobbling away. With her back still turned to him, Lera said, “I don’t need your excuses, Aveyad. If Zarr won’t help, then send us back.”
“Lera—”
“Enough, Aveyad. Open the portal so we may go back home.”
Aveyad sighed. Turning to the silent vampire who waited in the shadows, he nodded. As the portal flickered into life, Tyeliss called out to the three elves, “You will still fulfil Zarr’s request?”
“Of course,” Lera said over her shoulder, in a voice riddled with irony. “We are ever Zarr’s loyal servants.”
Game Data
Deepholm’s Profile (Condensed)
Settlement name: Deepholm (capital). Type: Fort. Rank: Tower.
Sovereign domain: Labyrinth Deeps.
Population: 2 (2 essence constructs).
Current effects: Hidden veil.
Essence structures: Essence lighting system, secret door, essence chamber world portal.
Mundane structures: Stone doors x 6, primary guardroom x 2, secondary guardroom x 2, world portal chamber.
Deepholm Construction Status
Date: 11 Octu 2603 AB
Progress: 36% (4 of 11 items completed).
Build queue (cost, remaining)
Central guardroom: Marble, 7 days.
Main barracks: Marble, 3 days.
Final spoke (modifications): Marble, 2 days.
Mine guardroom: Marble, 3 days.
Mines: Marble, 21 days.
Third spoke: Marble, 7 days.
Craft halls: Marble, 14 days.
Adra’s Profile (Class Data)
Name: Adra Maeko. Race: Wolven.
Player type: Basic player, vassal to Kyran Seversan.
Level: 21. Health: 294/294.
Stamina: 700/700. Will: 500/500. Essence: 500/500.
Attacks: 26 (piercing).
Defences: 25.5 (physical), 21 (psi), 21 (spell).
Cl
ass: Scout (rank II, apprentice).
The scout is a hybrid exploration-ranged class that specialises in stealth and long-ranging solo missions. They are the forerunners, the eyes, and ears of an army. Scouts specialise in tracking enemies and remaining undetected themselves. While they possess some combat abilities and are effective in small skirmishes, they do not have the power of frontline combat troops.
Class traits
Camouflage: +20% to stealth when concealed within nature.
Fleet-of-foot: +20% movement speed.
Class skills (0 SP available)
Bows (30), light armour (30), stealth (33), nature lore (30), mapping (30).
Class abilities
Replenish: Scouts can use their pools of psi and essence to restore their stamina, allowing them to travel long distances without flagging.
PART TWO
Chapter 10
11 Octu 2603 AB
A god may assume corporeal form on Myelad by one of two mechanisms: a summoning or a manifestation. While both means provide a god with an anchor, they expose him to damage from the physical realm, manifestations more than summonings. It is only within a divine’s temple that this damage may be averted. —Dagzid, Brotherhood scholar.
Breakfast the next morning was an uncomfortable affair. Despite Mirien’s efforts to hold herself distant, the companionship between herself and the others had grown of its own accord in the short time since she had met the party.
Gaesin she almost considered a friend now, and Aiken was always a delight. Even Kyran, who had been so frigid and self-contained during their first meeting, seemed to have thawed a little.
Adra’s awakening upset all that. The delicate balance that had been forged between the whiesper and the party was broken, and Mirien felt an outsider once more. As much as she told herself it didn’t bother her, it did. Sitting apart from the others, she watched Adra, Gaesin, and Kyran telepathically communicate with each other.
She knew that Kyran did not fully trust her, and that there was much he kept hidden from her, but being excluded from the planning affected her more than she would have expected. A snort of displeasure drew her attention.
She glanced down at Aiken. He had joined her after the others huddled together to discuss the order of the party’s march today. The bear shoved his snout into her hand, demanding to be groomed again. She smiled crookedly at him. “What do I have to do to keep you out?” she whispered in pretended exasperation.
The jade bear should not have been able to sense her emotions. She had rebuilt her mental walls a hundred times over, but it seemed that Aiken had gotten through and picked up on her morose thoughts once again. “It is not polite to snoop,” she scolded Aiken softly.
He gazed silently back at her, eyes twinkling and completely unrepentant.
She choked back a laugh. Though she knew it was wrong to get more attached, she didn’t have the heart to resist the jade bear’s attempts to cheer her. “Thank you, Aiken,” she murmured softly, burying her hands in his coat. Already, she felt a little less alone.
The trio finished their conference and broke apart. Composing her face, Mirien rose to her feet and waited. Adra shouldered past her, only pausing to bark out a command of “follow” before she strode eastwards onto the trail Gaesin and Mirien had marked out two days ago. Mirien shifted her gaze from the fast disappearing wolven to Kyran.
The free agent shrugged apologetically for Adra’s behaviour. “You and Adra will take the lead and scout the path ahead. The rest of us will follow. Are you alright with that?”
Mirien hid a wince. She did not want to spend any more time with the wolven than necessary. Despite last night’s pact of peace, Adra made no attempt to disguise her animosity towards Mirien.
But given the party’s composition, Mirien saw the sense of sending the two of them ahead. She and Adra were the party’s most mobile members. I will just have to swallow my own dislike and bear up, she thought.
Nodding curtly to Kyran, she jogged after the wolven.
✽✽✽
The journey through the mountains began easily enough.
Adra was fully recovered, and despite the careful looks both Gaesin and Kyran cast the wolven’s way each time the party stopped to rest, it seemed to Mirien that Adra was moving freely and without pain.
The hours passed in silence as the group made their way steadily east. The two women, far ahead of the rest of the party, communicated in hand signs only. In spite of their obvious dislike for each other, the pair worked well together.
In fact, after only a few minutes of watching the wolven at work, Mirien grudgingly admitted to herself that Adra was a better scout than her. But then, Mirien was only a makeshift scout herself; her true talents lay elsewhere.
Given the mountain’s emptiness and the relative ease of the opening part of the journey, Mirien’s thoughts wandered as she reflected on the course of recent events. The mission into Crotana, which had begun so long ago, had already taken longer and cost more than any of the Brotherhood had expected. But finally, after months of travel and so many lost companions, it seemed the final leg of Mirien’s mission had begun.
She was on her way home. But what will I find there? she wondered. She had finished charging the communication crystal yesterday. It had been difficult pouring essence into the priceless artefact while keeping its presence hidden from the party, but she had managed. Last night, while on watch, she had delved into the crystal, eager to finally share all her news with Elasien—both good and bad.
But the Brotherhood leader had not responded. And that worried Mirien. For as long as Mirien had known the magister, she had never been one to ignore or abandon her people. What could have prevented Elasien from responding? Was she in trouble? At their last communication, Elasien had not appeared herself. Mirien had not thought much of it at the time, but now she worried.
Yet her focus had to remain on her mission. There would be enough time to worry about the Brotherhood once they reached Balkar’s domains.
Her thoughts turned to the happenings of yesterday. While she had missed most of the conversation between Kyran and the wolven woman, what she had read of their body language had been illuminating.
Kyran was no heavy-handed lord, and both his vassals, Adra and Gaesin, had no fear of expressing dissent. What she hadn’t yet figured out was if his vassals’ outspokenness signified poor, indecisive leadership on the free agent’s part or something else.
Whatever the case, it was clear the wolven woman had Kyran’s trust. Mirien would have to be careful around her. Adra, she knew, would look for any opportunity to discredit her with the free agent.
The morning’s journey passed by without incident, and just before noon, the two women reached the crevice that marked the crossing into the inner mountains.
✽✽✽
Kyran stared into the crevice. It was deeper and wider than it had appeared in his scrying. Nevertheless, he was sure they could manage the crossing. He looked at Mirien. “From where did you make the jump across?”
She pointed to a patch of darkness, a shadow beneath a huge rock. Kyran measured the distance. It looked to be eighty metres. The rope would span the distance easily. Retrieving the climbing cable from his inventory, he began unwinding it.
“Right, I will travel across,” Kyran said, “then Adra will fire an arrow, with one end of the rope fastened to it. Aiken will hold onto the other end in case Adra misses her shot and the cable falls into the crevice. Once the rope is across, I will attach—”
“Let me do it,” broke in Mirien.
Kyran stopped and looked at her.
“I have made the leap across before and know the terrain better.” She shrugged. “Besides, shadow step is quicker and less dangerous than your travel spell. It will be less risky if I do it.”
Kyran hesitated, then said, “Alright, but if you see anything amiss on that side, teleport back immediately, understood?”
Mirien stepped forward and nodded in agree
ment to Kyran’s instructions, a slight smile playing on her lips.
“And be careful—” began Kyran, then stopped short as Mirien took another step forward and blinked out of existence. Kyran swung his gaze across the crevice and saw her standing on the other side, waving back unconcernedly.
“Wow, that was fast,” said Gaesin admiringly.
Saying nothing, Adra set an arrow to her bow and aimed across the crevice. She had already fastened the rope to the arrow, Kyran saw. Watching Adra’s impassive face, Kyran felt a moment of apprehension. “Adra...” he warned.
It was too late.
Adra released, and her arrow shot across the crevice to bury itself into the rock less than a foot from a startled Mirien. Even from where he stood, Kyran could see the whiesper was less than pleased.
With a sigh, he turned back to Adra who was looking questioningly at him. “Nothing,” he said. “Let’s be about it.”
✽✽✽
An hour later, the party was safely across. The crossing went smoothly, with only Gaesin experiencing any sort of difficulty, and that was more from fear than any actual danger.
Kyran and Adra had tied Gaesin to the cable stretched across the crevice using a small piece of rope that had been cut-off for that purpose. With the cable anchored firmly on both ends, and himself affixed to it, Gaesin had never been in any danger of falling. The half-elf had pulled himself across, with his eyes tightly squeezed the entire time.
Adra had managed the crossing with no assistance. Disdaining the safety harness, she had pulled herself nimbly across. Aiken and Kyran themselves had teleported to the other side, Kyran with travel and Aiken with stone dive.
In the end, getting across the crevice had been much easier than Kyran expected. But, Kyran reminded himself, it was only the start of their journey across the Skarral range. It was likely to get more difficult soon. Turning to Mirien, he asked, “Which way?”
Sovereign Rising (The Gods' Game, Volume III): A LitRPG novel Page 14