It was now obvious that I had to direct my work forward rather than down. This way I would move deeper into the hill until I stumbled across a preserved room. It was likely that my coveted goal was close. I could probably dig another couple of meters today.
Glancing askance at the statue of the armored lizard, I shrugged and headed back down the slope.
* * *
The sun had not yet set when I lifted my pickaxe again, gently tapping along the wall of pressed slag at the far end of the excavation site.
I started at the left wall. A few loud ringing strikes, followed by a dull one. Fine, what if I shift more to the right? Another dull thud and then a loud one! Higher? The pickaxe struck stone again.
I imagined an arched doorway in front of me, filled with slag and ash. Let’s check!
Now that I knew where to strike, I drove the pickaxe hard into the compressed slag and then leaned on the handle, using it as a lever. The layer of soil soon cracked and then collapsed. I could now see the outline of the arch along the edges and at the top. Well, it meant that I’d keep moving in this direction.
Several more blows and my tool struck stone again.
Was it a piece of debris caught in the landslide?
Alas, it soon became clear that the archway was blocked by a monolithic stone slab, with a small recess in the center. I examined the cavity and couldn’t help but shiver. It looked like the Soul Crystal would perfectly fit into the space!
It worked! As soon as I placed the crystal into the recess, there came a dim flash. I was subconsciously waiting for the screech of the slab moving aside and the vibration of the counterweights, but nothing happened.
Why?
The Soul Crystal became completely transparent, so that I could see a flame trembling in its depths. Maybe the ancient mechanisms had jammed?
I had to try again. Take the key out and insert it one more time. Or should I try to turn it?
The hill shuddered suddenly. Cracks appeared in the walls of the excavation site from the powerful jolt and rivulets of black sand poured down from above. The slab didn’t move an inch but I sensed a measured, heavy tread in the earth’s trembling.
I dropped the pickaxe and grasped my sword before I turned around.
There was nobody behind me but the steps, like the aftershocks of an earthquake, were clearly coming towards me.
I climbed out of my excavation site and saw the colossal figure of the armor-clad lizard warrior in the light of the setting sun.
The creature was heading right at me!
…
Havl. Shadow Warrior. A creature from the Abyss. Cursed guard. Level ???
…
His roar made the leaves tremble. His heavy, confident footfall shook the earth. He noticed me and stopped, slightly tilting his head and examining me as if I was a bug.
There was nowhere to retreat to, so I rushed at him, but only managed to take a couple of steps.
There came an eerie guttural growl. Darkness descended rapidly.
I couldn’t move! The system messages window flashed with scrolling lines of text:
You have been affected by the Aura of Petrifaction. Effect: immobilization for 30 seconds.
You have been affected by the Aura of Fear. Effect: you cannot attack creatures whose level exceeds yours for 30 seconds.
You have been affected by the Aura of the Abyss. Effect: random damage to all living things.
You have been affected by Crushing Roar. Effect: all types of armor is reduced by 50 hit points.
…
The earth stirred. Shaking off the black sand, the remains of long-dead beings began to arise around me.
The eyes of the lizard glowed with an otherworldly flame.
“The Guardians have been destroyed!” it growled. “So it is and so it shall be!”
In the next moment, the giant sword swung through the air and one-shotted me.
A second of unbearable pain and my mind went dark.
…
YOU HAVE DIED.
Lost: 2,753 Exp.
Items lost:
Rusty pickaxe.
Torn leather jacket.
Outfit hit points: 0.
* * *
I regained my senses, crouching in the respawn circle.
For the past fifteen minutes, my mind had been in a terrifying emptiness, lacking thoughts, emotions or a will.
A painful wheeze came out of my mouth with the first exhale.
The town guard standing nearby glanced in my direction but didn’t say anything. Perhaps they were used to players appearing in such a state?
I still hurt. My thoughts were jumbled. My body continued to convulse but the warm light of the respawn circle gradually stripped away the remaining debuffs.
I stood up, swaying and leaning on my sword, took a few unsteady steps and slumped against the battlement merlon.
I couldn’t stop shivering.
The first thing I did was open my inventory. The Soul Crystal and Guardian’s Amulet were still there. They were the type of items that couldn’t be lost.
…
You have one new event.
…
I opened the tab.
…
Your information lot ‘Farming creatures from the Abyss’ has sold for 37,000 gold coins.
…
Not bad! Almost twice the starting price. I was glad, of course, but the emotions were dim, the thoughts tumbling around in my head like boulders. I had to get back to the tavern...
* * *
I didn’t go out into the real world that evening. I lay in our room, rambled about what had happened to the concerned Jeb, ate and fell asleep.
We held a council of war the next day.
“That wasn’t supposed to happen!” Jeb insisted. “If the system gave you a task, it must be doable!”
“Did you see the video?”
“Yes.”
“What are my chances? The lizard didn’t even need to lift its sword. Did you see how much damage was inflicted by the Aura of the Abyss?”
“You clearly missed something important!” Jeb replied stubbornly.
“Jeb, I did everything right! Everything was fine until I tried to open the ‘door’ with the crystal. Could it be a glitch of some kind? Or is the quest intended for high-level players?”
“Then you wouldn’t have been let into the instance. You wouldn’t have noticed it or you would have received a warning that the location is designed for players with Level 100+, for example.”
“Fine. I’ll go there again and take a closer look. Maybe I need to destroy the statue so that the lizard can’t come alive?”
“It’s an option.” Jeb nodded. “Oh, it’s such a pity that I can’t go there with you!” he looked upset. “I’m tired of sitting indoors.”
“Well then, take a walk around the town, check out outfits and skill books, if you can find them.”
He cheered up visibly. “What about you, Dan?”
“Business first, then I’ll go and buy some kind of sledgehammer and head over to the hill to try to smash up that statue.”
“All right. Then I’ll go to the library. There must be suitable spells that destroy stone. Perhaps you could buy a scroll and use that?”
“Sure, have a look.”
“Dan, aren’t you going to change your gear?”
“Not yet. What’s the point of spending money on it? If the lizard attacks me again, it’ll wipe out my armor with its growl. I’ll just walk around in what I have for now.”
“You should still visit a craftsman, let them restore ten percent of the durability at least,” Jeb advised. “You never know whom you’ll meet in the forest. Dark players, for example.”
“Yes, I think I’ll do that.”
Jeb and I went down to the common room, had breakfast, and went about our business.
It was a five-minute stroll from the tavern to the Main Square, where the local branch of the World Bank (they didn’t even change the
name) was located. There were a lot of people on the street but nobody paid me any attention, not players nor NPCs. I didn’t stand out from the crowd, except perhaps for my tattered clothes.
I did look quite unpresentable and might not have been allowed into the bank. I thus heeded Jeb’s advice and went into a workshop where I was, frankly, dumbfounded by the variety of goods for sale.
Wooden mannequins were dressed in sets of armor made completely from leather. Nobody came out to greet me but I could see the workshop yard through the open door, the craftspeople busy at work beneath the awning.
I looked around and studied the details in surprise. The design of the leather creations seemed limited only by the master’s imagination. I had expected to find simple, cookie-cutter products but instead saw works of art.
They must cost a lot and offer poor protection.
I was drawn to one particular set and wanted to touch it, but my hand encountered a viscous resistance.
“Good day. I will remove the security in a moment,” said a voice behind me. “We have to set it to discourage thieves.”
I turned around.
“André, at your service,” a lean old craftsman shook my hand. His frame immediately appeared.
André_Ilgard, famous master leatherworker. Level 135. Profession Level 30.
“A good choice, Dan. Leather armor is light, comfortable, does not restrict movement and at the same time protects from arrows, chopping and stabbing blows, although it fails against crushing damage, but this can be corrected.”
“Leather against a sword?” I gestured to my pitiful and tattered outfit.
“Peasant copies and real armor are completely different things. I use several layers of leather crafted from the skins of rare creatures. Believe me, leather is my passion. I know all about it. Arrows get stuck in my armor. Sword strikes ruin its appearance but this is easily fixable with a special enchanted repair kit. Until you reach Level 100 and obtain sufficiently high Strength, my armor is the best choice. I could talk about its advantages for hours but I won’t. Realism is everything. Many people think that metal will make them invincible. But it looks like you have already been in some skirmishes and know how important mobility is?”
I nodded in agreement.
“Several layers of carefully selected leather, taken from different creatures, will provide protection to equal steel.”
“How expensive is this set?” I indicated the armor that I had been considering.
“A hundred gold. But it won’t wear out. I will give you the repair kit for ten gold. It is a powder based on magical techniques, a pinch of which completely restores the appearance and strength of the armor.”
I thought hard.
The price was steep. Yesterday I would have just sighed and walked away, hoping to someday farm enough for such a purchase, but now, thanks to the information sold at auction, I had money. I wasn’t planning to splash it around but the master’s words inspired trust. He wouldn’t have reached such a level in the profession without his products having the proper quality.
“What about protection against magic, poisons, acids and toxins?” I asked.
“Plus twenty to your resistance,” André responded proudly. “The armor can also be further enchanted. If you buy it, I will give you recommendations for whom to contact.”
“Can my armor be repaired?”
Surprisingly, he reacted normally. He didn’t grimace disdainfully but smiled slyly instead, “A second set?”
I nodded.
“I can give you light and unassuming armor made by my apprentices for 15 gold. It doesn’t have the same level of protection but it will serve as a replacement.”
“Can I try it on?” I turned back to the armor set that I liked best.
“There’s no point. These are display samples. Your armor will be made to order according to your measurements. Any requests for the finish?”
“I’m happy with this model.”
“Excellent. That’ll be one hundred and ten gold. You can pick up the completed set and repair kit tomorrow. A day’s wait is worth the comfort that an individually tailored suit of armor provides. I have already taken your measurements.”
I counted out the required amount and gave the master a heavy pouch. Incredibly, the gold weighed nothing in the inventory but instantly acquired all its physical properties in my hand.
“Do you have anything suitable for a mage?”
“Certainly. Bring your friend and we’ll talk. And now, a small bonus from me,” he took a small box out of his pocket and threw a pinch of sparkling powder over me.
…
Master André_Ilgard has restored the durability of your leather armor.
…
“Thank you, master,” I thanked him sincerely, appreciating the quality and convenience of the enchanted powder. I should keep several such repair kits on me.
“The enchanted powder cannot restore armor that wasn’t made by me,” André said as if he had read my mind.
“But you just...”
“I can. Someone else can’t. The repair kit works only on my own creations.”
I see. It was just business.
“Until tomorrow. I’ll come with a friend.”
“Always happy to meet new clients,” the craftsman smiled warmly.
* * *
The Main Square was bustling with people. There were tents, stalls and counters everywhere I looked. Only the center of the square, with a fountain and a huge sundial, had space for a guard patrol and players resting on the benches when they got tired of shopping.
I looked at the time. It was almost noon. The gnomon’s[10] short shadow lay between the markings for 11 and 12.
I didn’t stop and continued toward the bank. I still had to reach the forest hill.
I told the clerk in the lobby the nickname of the employee I needed, and I was immediately taken to a separate room, where I was soon joined by a dwarf.
Frugal_Tibul, Merchant, Level 73.
It was the first time that I saw a player who had picked a race other than human or elf.
He got straight to the point, “Donation or withdrawal?”
“I need to withdraw 30,000 gold to the real world,” I replied.
“No problem. Tell me your statcard number and get 3,000 gold ready. I charge 10% for withdrawal.”
Well, that was something! But I had no choice. I suspected that the other ‘bankers’ charged even more, otherwise Sasha wouldn’t have recommended Frugal_Tibul.
The transaction was complete in a matter of minutes. My balance increased by 3,000 credits (with a conversion rate of 10:1 for in-game gold).
“Thank you,” I said and gave the dwarf his interest.
I had a little less than 4,000 gold left. I hadn’t received any new messages from the auction but I was hoping that the ‘Hunt for the Ifrit’ and ‘First Passage’ of the treasure-filled dungeon would interest someone.
Right, now I had to buy a sledgehammer, pop into the tavern, grab something to eat and head over to the forest hill! I had to deal with this statue somehow, otherwise, I would never get inside the mysterious structure.
With everything that had happened, I didn’t even remember that I had spent more than two days in the VR capsule. This must be how reality was replaced?
I’d have to log out, eat some real food and sleep, otherwise, I’d turn into Jeb...
Passing by a pile of weapons, I noticed a sledgehammer of impressive size. The description read:
Warhammer. A crushing weapon. 15-20 damage with scaling according to Strength.
When placed in an equipment slot, gives the owner the skill ‘Shield Crusher’.
Minimum requirements: Strength 15, Stamina 15.
…
I currently had Strength 13, Stamina 12.
Fine. I’d have to take a look at the jewelry. In any case, I was going to buy rings with stats for the main characteristics, to switch them around as required.
It might have l
ooked like I had made some easy money, thanks to Sasha’s help and some lucky coincidences, which I was now in a hurry to spend.
Edge of the Abyss (Respawn Trials Book #1) LitRPG Series Page 26
