by Paul Bellow
“Are you sleeping on the job?” I asked, annoyed at her.
She opened her eyes, barely able to see with the long, white fur in the way.
“I can’t see,” she said. “I’m blind.”
“You’re not blind. It’s your hair.”
I walked over and brushed it out of her eyes with my fingers.
“Stop that,” she said then stood up and arched her back.
“We’ve got to find a way to trim you up,” I said.
“You too.” She nodded her hair head at me then giggled. “You’re going to start tripping over that beard.”
“Maybe we’re cursed,” I said.
“You think?” she asked sarcastically.
“We’ll find something to help in The Graveyard.”
She shook her head, looking like a little cat-hippy.
“You hope we’ll find something. I don’t like the sound of a graveyard.”
“I think the Egyptians buried their animals with catnip,” I said, not sure if it was true or not.
Tabby took the bait, perking up.
“You think so? Are you messing with me? You wouldn’t mess with me about catnip, would you?”
“Only one way to find out,” I said. “We need to find the entrance. It’s around here somewhere.”
Tabby walked across the room and into a hallway. I shook my head to get the hair out of my own eyes then followed her. We searched two more rooms for three hours each. Near the end, I stopped to finally eat something so I didn’t pass out.
Roguelikes could be tough when it came to nourishment. I had a ring to help, but I still needed to eat occasionally. Tabby sat next to me, licking her long hair to groom herself. She’d already coughed up a couple nasty hairballs.
After eating, I stood and stretched. The walls of the room we were in looked solid and similar to many of the other walls in the dungeon.
What am I missing? I sighed.
“There’s only one room we haven’t checked, Alex.”
I nodded.
“The first one with the set of rusty chain mail,” I said.
We shuffled back to the first room of the level with the staircase leading up. Tabby went over to the chain mail. I half expected it to jump up and attack us. At least that would be something happening.
Should I give up the search for The Graveyard and try to keep leveling? I’d have to throw in the towel at some point. Better to do it now rather than another day from now? I couldn’t imagine searching so long.
“Alex, there’s something here!” she said in an excited voice. “Come look!”
I stepped over to her, still not seeing anything of significance.
“Rusty set of chain mail,” I said, shrugging my shoulder. “What about it?”
“Look closely,” she said. “The wall above it.”
I bent down and studied the stones above the garbage armor.
“Oh,” I said, noticing someone had carved “Elbereth” into the stone.
“Do you know what it means?” Tabby asked.
“It’s from an old roguelike from the 20th century,” I said. “People carved it into stone or wrote it in the dust to keep monsters from attacking them. Must not have worked for the person who had this armor.”
“There’s no body or bones, Alex. Should we be scared?”
I chuckled at her sudden paranoia and concern.
“No more worried than in any other part of this crazy dungeon.”
“Is that an arrow on the wall?” she asked.
“Where?”
“A foot above the word,” she said.
I looked up and saw an arrow pointing up carved into the stone.
“You’re right,” I said. “Good eyes. What’s it pointing at?”
I glanced up and noticed a section of stone sticking out from the wall around it. Could it be? I pressed the rock. A section of the wall pulled back, exposing a tunnel.
“We found it!” I said, excited and nervous at the same time.
I squeezed into the tunnel, anxious to see if it was the entrance to The Graveyard. At the end of the hidden passage, I saw a pit leading down into the darkness with no ladder.
“Come on Tabby,” I said. “We’ve got some ghosts to bust.”
“As long as they’ve got catnip,” she said, stopping at my feet and looking up.
I reached down and scooped her up.
“We’ll jump down,” I said. “The Ring of Feather Falling will help.”
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this…” Tabby said.
I stepped off the edge of the pit, slowly falling into the darkness.
()xxxx[:::: Chapter 12 ::::>
Victory is So Close!
You are on level 39 (-2000’)
You are a Level 36 Orc Samurai.
Your hair is growing quickly.
Hunger is not your concern.
This is a special zone.
You are in The Graveyard.
We went down two levels? Maybe I should go back up and level before coming down.
“I don’t think we’re ready,” I admitted.
“Don’t chicken out,” Tabby said. “I ain’t afraid of no ghosts.”
“You should be,” I said. “They won’t be easy to kill again.”
I glanced around the dark cavern where we’d landed. Rows of tombstones covered the floor in all directions. We stood in the middle of it all. Tabby leaped from my hands and onto the somehow moist ground on the cavern floor.
“None of this makes sense,” I said, stooping to read the closest tombstone.
Here lies Derkwood the Brave.
Death by Bugbear Brigade on level 12 (-600’)
“Poor guy,” I said.
“Some of these names are hilarious,” Tabby said, laughing. “Get a load of this one. Drimbledoorf!”
She hooted with laughter.
“Have some respect,” I said.
Tabby walked down a row between the ancient headstones, leaving a trail of cat prints behind her.
“Don’t wander off,” I said. “We need to get our bearings.”
A piercing scream followed by a long, monotonous moan rang out. I turned my head toward the sound but saw nothing. The wailing repeated, louder this time.
I hefted Thor’s Hammer. Maybe we should’ve thought of a way out of here before jumping down. Was my obsession with killing a ghost leading me astray?
“That’s not catnip I’m smelling,” Tabby said, still walking away.
Another moan, even closer, had me high-tailing it after the cat. Her long, white hair collected mud from the soft ground below us. The fear inside me grew.
I ran past the cat, unable to stop myself.
“Where are you going?” Tabby asked.
“I’m afraid,” I shouted as I continued running.
Had a ghost cast Fear on me? The wailing moan followed me as I ran between two rows of marble headstones. I kept running, hoping to find the edge of the graveyard, but the horizon stayed the same distance away no matter how far I ran.
“Where are we going?” Tabby asked, out of breath. “We’re going to get lost.”
“I’m already lost,” I said, stopped and turning around. “That sound.”
“Whatever it was, it’s gone,” she said. “Can we rest a moment?”
Everything looked the same. It was like we hadn’t even ran to a new location.
“Can you see the hole in the ceiling?” I asked, glancing up.
“No,” Tabby said. “It’s too dark.”
“Why did we come down here?” I muttered.
“Calm down,” Tabby said. “Deep breaths.”
“You’re not the boss of me,” I snapped.
“Whoa, Alex. You’re freaking out. I think it’s a spell, or the effects of fear.”
“I’m not afraid of no ghost!” I screamed.
A glowing white figure appeared nearby. It raised its unreal arms and stepped forward, moaning in a soft yet still frightening voice.
Eat lightning…I thought, as I evoked Thor’s Hammer.
Your chain lightning DISEMBOWELS the ghost for 120 damage.
The ghost appears unaffected.
Did it take damage or not? Unaffected? What am I dealing with?
I’d never run into a ghost in this roguelike before.
Why had I made such a dumb decision?
Nowhere to run. Might as well go down fighting.
I swung the mighty war hammer at the ghost.
You MUTILATE the ghost for 72 damage.
Critical Hit!
You EVISCERATE the ghost for 145 damage.
The ghost has noticed you.
It hissed then flew forward at lightning speed.
The ghost DISEMBOWELS you for 124 damage.
You have [687/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost MUTILATES you for 99 damage.
You have [588/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost MAIMS you for 56 damage.
You have [532/811] health remaining.
You come to your senses.
I attacked with two swings of the hammer.
You DECIMATE the ghost for 34 damage.
You MISS the ghost.
The ghost is getting stronger.
What? Regeneration? Between that and the fear effects, I might be in trouble.
Here comes another round. The ghost flew toward me again.
The ghost WOUNDS you for 19 damage.
You have [513/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost MAIMS you for 54 damage.
You have [459/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
Critical Hit!
The ghost EVISCERATES you for 146 damage.
You have [313/811] health remaining.
You come to your senses.
I backed up while reaching behind me for one of the two healing pastries I’d purchased. The ghost stopped, glowing brighter for a moment. I gobbled down the raspberry Danish.
Yum! You feel better!
You have [811/811] health remaining.
You gain five pounds.
Hah. Take that. Come at me now.
The ghost, recharged, obliged.
The ghost MAULS you for 23 damage.
You have [788/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost DECIMATES you for 35 damage.
You have [753/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost MAIMS you for 53 damage.
You have [700/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost MUTILATES you for 72 damage.
You have [628/811] health remaining.
This is not going well. I stood my ground, shooting off another ball of lightning.
You EVISCERATE the ghost for 134 damage.
The ghost has noticed you.
About damn time.
It wailed as it attacked again.
The ghost MAULS you for 29 damage.
You have [599/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost DEVASTATES you for 45 damage.
You have [554/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost MAIMS you for 59 damage.
You have [495/811] health remaining.
You come to your senses.
I turned and ran. One healing pastry remained, but I didn’t like how the battle was going.
“Are we fighting or running away?” Tabby asked, her long fur matted with mud.
I brushed my bangs out of my eyes.
“We’re doing both,” I said then stopped and turned.
The ghost continued forward, other spirits rising out of their graves behind it. I rushed forward and attacked twice.
You MUTILATE the ghost for 98 damage.
You MAIM the ghost for 54 damage.
The ghost has noticed you.
I braced for another ghostly assault.
The ghost MAULS you for 29 damage.
You have [466/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost DEVASTATES you for 42 damage.
You have [424/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost MUTILATES you for 73 damage.
You have [351/811] health remaining.
You are gripped with fear.
You cannot move.
The ghost DECIMATES you for 32 damage.
You have [319/811] health remaining.
“Run!” I yelled then took off between the rows of headstones.
I grabbed the last raspberry Danish then stuffed it into my mouth.
Yum! You feel better!
You have [519/811] health remaining.
You gain five pounds.
The ghost screamed behind me. As I continued running, an idea hit me.
“Stay with me, Tabby,” I said.
All I saw in every direction was more headstones.
How many players had died in the game?
After pushing ahead a bit, I stopped and reached into my backpack. I pulled out my only Scroll of Create Illusion. While not sure if it would work, I couldn’t think of any other way to get away and heal back up. I read the scroll, hoping to create a way for us to hide and heal for a bit. We needed a better plan.
I created the illusion of a crypt around us. Tabby shuddered as she sat on the cold, wet ground next to a headstone. Would the magic fool the ghost? My heart beat fast as I waited for it to approach. The ghost’s screams get louder then fainter as it floated by us. I took a deep breath. Without potions or pastries, it would take a while to heal all the way to maximum.
“Any other bright ideas on how to get us out of this?” Tabby asked.
“I’m thinking,” I whispered, not wanting to give away our position.
“Great,” she said. “That’s what I was worried about.”
“Be quiet,” I hissed.
I sat on the wet ground with my back pressed against a headstone.
We waited patiently, giving me enough time to heal.
* * * * *
“Tabby, get up,” I said. “Time to finish this ghost.”
“Maybe he’s gone,” Tabby moaned. “Let me sleep a bit longer.”
“The illusion is about to fade. We should go.”
She sighed. “Fine…”
I got to my feet just as the illusion flickered then disappeared. The entire cavern looked as eerie and dark as before, but I didn’t see any sign of the ghost we’d been fighting.
“What if you can’t find the same ghost?” Tabby asked.
“He’s probably regenerated by now anyway,” I said. “We only need to kill one of them. I bet there’s a lot more in here.”
“I hope not,” she said, standing then shaking. “This mud is getting on my nerves.”
Headstones stretched into the darkness in every direction.
“We need to find a wall,” I said.
“For what?”
“To get out of here.” I glanced around. “You don’t want to know about my backup plan.”
“I’m sure I don’t,” Tabby said.
We walked for quite a while without seeing an end to the vast graveyard. I wondered if I’d made a mistake coming to the special area of the dungeon.
“Another ghost,” Tabby said.
“Where? I don’t see anything.”
I turned around, searching.
“You can’t smell i
t?”
“No,” I said.
A few rows away, a ghostly form rose into the air. Several bloated corpses clawed their way out of the ground at the same time. I pulled out my Wand of Fire & Fury.
“Take cover!” I shouted then zapped.
Your Fire & Fury MAIMS the ghost of Richard for 56 damage.
The ghost is not concerned.
The Wand of Fire & Fury has [22/134] charges.
“It’s still coming,” Tabby said as she ducked behind a headstone.
“No kidding,” I muttered, raising the wand and firing repeatedly as fast as it would allow.
Your Fire & Fury MAULS the ghost of Richard for 29 damage.
Your Fire & Fury DECIMATES the bloated corpse for 35 damage.
The Wand of Fire & Fury has [21/134] charges.
The bloated corpse EXPLODES!
The bloated corpse EXPLODES!
I cleared twenty more of the same message as a massive mushroom cloud of smoke and ash filled the air around us. Tabby coughed from her hiding spot.
As the air cleared, I saw the ghost moving forward. More fire would increase the chance of ruining any loot it might be holding, so I changed tactics.
I raised Thor’s Hammer. Only two charges left, but it had to be enough.
Your chain lightning DISEMBOWELS the ghost of Richard for 112 damage.
Your chain lightning MUTILATES the bloated corpse for 95 damage.
The bloated corpse EXPLODES!
The bloated corpse EXPLODES!
The bloated corpse EXPLODES!
As the gaseous corpses crawling out of the ground exploded, damaging the ghost even more, I dove behind a headstone. Flames rushed by on either side, but I escape the main blast completely. Tabby sat nearby, long hair caked with mud and soot. She gave me a look that explained her mood without the need for words. I ignored her and stood as the ghost floated forward. One more shot. Make it count.
