I hurled the bead of volatile energy upward, straight at the suspended Ettin.
The bead shot up, and this time there was no dodging it.
It impacted Bonecruncher at his exact center then got sucked into the vortex before it could explode.
I had just enough time to blink once in surprise before the Singularity lost cohesion and exploded with a force much greater than any direball I’d ever thrown.
The Ettin’s body was torn to shreds, and I found myself flung backward along with a storm of disintegrated pillars. My vision blurred as I nearly blacked out from the impact of my back hitting the arena wall, and several notifications popped up alerting me that I was severely injured.
Thankfully, the arena’s wards proved strong enough to contain the explosion, and the awed spectators were mostly unharmed.
A long moment of silence passed as I stumbled back to my feet and looked around.
“Now that …” Glaive’s voice was full of awe. “… was truly spectacular. People of Akzar, we have a winner! All hail our glorious chief, the Shadow Lord, and Akzar’s new champion!”
The crowd erupted in cheers, and the spectators shot to their feet, clapping. I even thought I heard a few familiar voices shouting my name among the cacophony.
Vic’s voice came into my mind.
I passed a trembling, bleeding arm through my feathered headdress. I had no idea. That was a little more than I expected. The bleeding wasn’t too bad; my heightened boss health regeneration was already stymying the flow and restoring my health. I cast a few healing spells to rush it along.
I got the message, I said. This thing can be useful in blowing up walls and maybe even armies – provided their spellcasters can’t dispel it before it gathers enough mass.
I stumbled back to the exit to find a few familiar faces in the waiting room.
“Father!” Lirian’s eyes shone as she looked at me proudly. “I knew you’d win.”
“Nice one, Chief.” Malkyr stood next to her and flashed me his boyish smile.
The Mob Squad, Sullivan, and a few other players also congratulated me as I took a seat. A couple of goblin adepts hurried up to me and started casting their healing spells.
“What are you guys doing here?” I asked.
“We heard about the match and came to watch,” Hoshisu said with a rare grin. “Looks like the days of me challenging you to a one-on-one are over.”
“You have fought well,” Nero said. “We will need your might before our war ends.”
“Thanks, guys,” I said, looking over their beaming faces. “And thanks for cheering for me, I heard you through all the noise.”
“Your fighting abilities seem to have increased,” Sullivan observed. “That black hole thing was a new spell, right?”
“Yeah. It’s called Singularity. It’s very good at obliterating non-enchanted material, and as you just saw, if detonated while holding enough mass, it can cause a significant amount of damage.”
The army strategist nodded. “Good to know. I’ll add it to the list of tools in my arsenal when we plan the attack on Everance. It won’t be useful against their enchanted walls, but if used in the right spot, it can do a lot of damage.”
“Begin preparations for the attack,” I said. “In about a week, I’ll be able to summon another thousand soldiers. And once our vassals’ forces are fully restored, we should have just over ten thousand troops.”
Sullivan sighed. “I can’t believe we’re actually going to do this. Even without their walls, Everance’s forces are superior to ours. We’re relying on our ability to recover from whatever they throw at us by resurrecting our soldiers.”
“I don’t like it either,” I admitted. “But it might not be that bad. I’ve got a meeting soon that will hopefully help pave the way for us.”
“I wish you luck with that. For all our sakes.”
6 - First Blow
“Father.” Lirian pulled me aside after we bid the other players goodbye. “Mother wishes to see us.”
“Oh?” That was unusual; night had just fallen, heralding the start of a new workday.
My daughter nodded. “Yes. She said she wanted to meet us in Woodhaven.”
I raised an eyebrow at that. To my knowledge, Tika had never set foot in any of our vassal settlements before. “Let’s go then.” I adjusted the portal to connect it to Woodhaven, and we stepped through, appearing on the small rise overlooking the hamlet.
The place had been fixed up since the battle.
The wooden palisade around the hamlet was repaired, though not as high as before, revealing the picturesque view of the rolling grassland to the east and the budding forest to the north.
The converted residents of the hamlet, now Shadow-Touched members of my clan, were filtering out of their homes, getting ready for a new workday of logging.
“Oren!” Tika came toward us with a loving smile that reflected in her huge eyes. “You got here quicker than I thought.”
We greeted each other with a kiss as Lirian watched us with a smile.
“I’m glad to see you,” I said to Tika. “But why are we here. The clan—”
“Can make do without the chief for one day,” she finished my sentence.
I chuckled. “I was going to say that the clan wouldn’t make it through the day without its primary forager and hunt leader.”
Tika shook her head. “My hunters are well-trained. I arranged it so they can manage one day without me.” She gave me a pointed look. “This is more important.”
I sensed her tone and tensed up. “What is it?”
“Tomorrow you will go into Everance, and soon thereafter, the clan will be faced with the biggest battle we’ve ever had.”
“Yes …”
“It might be our last chance for a while to take some time off – together as a family.” Her grave expression softened. “I wanted the three of us to spend some time together. I’ve already made arrangements.” She pointed at a couple of goblins carrying a giant picnic basket.
I blinked at the unexpected development. Tika’s initiative was uncannily human. I didn’t know ‘normal’ goblin behavior very well, but I doubted it involved family picnics. I figured it was probably down to her heightened Social attribute, coupled with the example I’d set in the past. Still, she was full of surprises.
“But Tika, I still have a lot to do …” I trailed off as I looked at her adamant face. “Why this place, anyway?”
“As the hunters’ leader it’s my responsibility to scout out new hunting grounds,” she said. “While touring Woodhaven, I found a spot for our picnic. It’s this way”
“But, the war, the preparations—” I began.
“I need to train, and Tenragan said—” Lirian spoke at the same time I did.
Tika rolled her eyes. “You two are so alike. We are going to take the day off together as a family, and that’s final.”
Lirian’s eyes met mine. Tika was rarely so assertive, but we both knew that when she was, there was no arguing.
“Yes dear,” I sighed.
Lirian pouted, but after I had submitted, she acquiesced. “Yes, Mother.”
With a flick of my finger
s, I snapped Vicloak off my shoulders and hung him on a branch. “You can stay here. Look for interesting trade deals or something while you’re at it.”
“Hey!” my discarded cloak shouted behind me as I turned and walked toward the awaiting goblinettes.
I actively blocked his attempts at mental communication. “See you later, Vic.”
***
“Wow,” I said as I looked around. “You weren’t kidding. This place is perfect.”
The trees had given way to a gentle, grassy slope that rolled down toward a wide river. It looked straight out of a fairy tale, with rabbits and squirrels hopping peacefully through the meadow. The river was clear and inviting, and a gentle breeze caressed our skin.
With a yelp of joy, Lirian dove into a forward roll, tumbling down the meadow toward the river. Tika and I laughed, looked at each other, then did the same. We soon found ourselves at the river’s shore, laughing.
The scene was so … normal … that for a moment, I wondered how we got here. Monsters didn’t normally enjoy picnics and vacations. My clan was unique.
As I mulled over the concept, I had to wonder – were we really the monsters in this situation? Looking at my family, it seemed almost absurd. Images of my people, monsters and players alike, working together, battling hardships and struggling to survive … the comradery we’d achieved in this cruel, unforgiving world all flashed through my mind. Like us, the VIs were only trying to survive – but did it justify their cruelty? The pain they’d inflicted on thousands of players?
The roles had reversed somewhere along the way. We were the scarce and the weak struggling to survive against the real monsters – gaming definition be damned.
My resolve to save my fellow players, while safeguarding my clan and family, strengthened. But there was a time and a place for everything, and now was the time for my family.
The two goblin haulers that followed us carefully laid down the picnic basket and spread the food over a flat-topped boulder. There were fruits and pastries I hadn’t seen before, probably taken from our new settlements.
I lay, content, on the deep grass with Tika nestled in my arm and took in the view before me. Lirian splashed in the water below. I’d spent so much time fighting that I’d forgotten the natural beauty NEO had created. We’d found our own Eden, enjoying the simple pleasure of being in the company of those we loved. I’d never known greater happiness.
We rested, talked, swam, and ate. We juggled bones, the goblin version of catch. Lirian always won. After a pleasant rest, the girls coerced me into a game of tag. Without Mana Infusion, I didn’t have a chance against their speed and dexterity. I fell to the ground, laughing, when they caught me. The two exchanged pleased looks at cornering their catch.
“Mother, Father, I love you,” Lirian said as she beamed at us.
I felt a pang in the depths of my stomach which mirrored that simple statement. I loved my virtual daughter. There was no hesitation in my heart. This was my family, real or virtual, and I’d do anything for them. We spent the rest of the night having fun and made it back to the valley around sunrise.
We’d spent the entire day doing nothing, and it was wonderful.
My heart and mind were clear. I’d found my center. I was focused, ready to take on the challenges ahead of us.
I knew what I was fighting for. And it wasn’t just for the other players.
***
I woke up earlier than usual the next day. The sunlight was gradually giving way to dusk outside the valley, and with it, my meeting at Everance.
I didn’t wake up the sleeping goblin beauty next to me. We’d said enough goodbyes yesterday to last us for a good while.
Lirian was waiting for me downstairs wearing her worn, enchanted leather armor. Fate Stealer hung behind her back.
“You’re up early,” I noted.
“I’m coming with you, Father,” she said, her tone almost identical to the one her mother used the day before.
I realized the futility of arguing with her. I could try to order her to stay behind, but my wild daughter had already defied me once – following me into Akzar when it was still a hostile city. “Alright. But you will not leave the temple for any reason, is that clear?” I gave her a stern look.
She smiled at me, and it took all my discipline to hold my ground. She was so damn cute. “I will do as you say, Father.”
“Good.”
The cathedral wasn’t far from the house, and I decided to walk instead of teleporting. I stopped beside the purple cloak hanging next to the door. “Are you going to behave?”
“Yeah, yeah. Come on, Boss, let’s hang.” The purple cloak swung toward my shoulders and dropped behind me. “Ah, that’s better. It feels great to let them hang loose.” He paused. “On your back.”
“I think you’re starting to run out of material. You’re repeating jokes.”
Vic sighed. “I know. I need a golem around to supply me with new material.”
“Sure, which one do you want to bring along? The one that torments you with badly written songs or the one that just wants to torment everyone?”
“I see your point.”
I motioned to Lirian, and we made our way toward the west side of the valley to the towering cathedral built against the cliffs.
“Hey, Chief,” Riley greeted me. He was also walking toward the cathedral. “Where you headed?”
“Back to Everance,” I said. “You?”
“I got a quest reward from Nihilator for establishing a new temple. I have some new spells I can unlock at the cathedral. The Dark Temple in Everance wasn’t advanced enough to grant me access to them.”
“Good for you! Why so early, though?”
He shrugged. “Just wanted to get it done first. The rest of the Mob Squad and I are planning to spend that gold you gave us.” He winced. “The women wanted to take us all shopping.”
I chuckled. “I feel your pain. If you’d like, you can come with me to Everance. I need a priest to maintain the shrine anyway, and I can’t exactly send a goblin in there.”
“Not that I’m not excited about spending time alone in that dark, gloomy place, but the others wouldn’t let me hear the end of it if I bailed on them.”
“What if I offer a reward?” I suggested. “Spend an hour a day in the temple to make sure all the faith is flowing in the right direction, and I’ll give you … 500 XP per day?”
His eyes lit up. “Deal.”
I liked the half-goblin player. He was a fellow priest, but like me, didn’t take his priestly duties too seriously. In a world where NPCs revered their deities, it was nice to find a kindred spirit. “Let’s go.”
We entered the cathedral to find Bek performing a routine ceremony. Kuzai and 12 goblin adepts were spread in a circle around the altar while the new head priest seemed to pull ribbons of tangible darkness from the altar as he muttered ritualistic incantations.
I drew immense satisfaction from the pained expression on Kuzai’s face. Nihilator’s displeasure had left the ex high-priest looking haggard and blotchy, not to mention that finding himself among the common adepts was no doubt a humiliating experience for him.
Getting closer to the shimmering portal and the altar next to it reminded me of Riley. I couldn’t get any more divine powers. The clan’s Faith Rank was 5, and I had a long way to earn the 10,000 faith points required to attain the next rank. But I could still strengthen the ones I already had. When I’d increased Dark Mana to the Master rank, I opted not to increase the other two disciplines because I wanted to fully control my new power first. With the gladiator match behind me, I felt ready for more. The Shadow Hound spell, for example, would have been much more helpful if it had been more powerful.
“Give me a moment,” I said to Lirian and Riley, accessing the Energy Options menu.
Skill Increase: Faith discipline 41
→ 51, Cost: 12,280 EP (X 10 for spell school skill)
(546,778 EP available)
Confirm: Yes/No
I could afford it. My clan’s energy reserves had regenerated in the two days since I’d leveled myself up. It was a good deal, especially considering the many useful spells the Faith discipline governed: Heal Followers, Shadow Web, Shadow Hound, Shadow Teleport, and Dark Protection.
Yes.
I felt a rush of energy well up in my center as Faith reached the Expert rank.
Heal Followers
Expert rank: Radius of effect increased to 15 meters.
Shadow Web
Expert rank: Leeches mana out of trapped targets.
Shadow Hound
Expert rank: New option – combine into a single powerful hound. Hound level = skill level (each empowering multiplier add +5).
Shadow Teleport
Expert rank: Increase the number of individuals you can teleport to 1 per 10 skill levels.
Dark Protection
Expert rank: Base defense value doubled to 10 (10 + 0.2/skill level).
The new effects were interesting. I was especially eager to try out the new Shadow Hound option.
I turned back to the Settlement Interface and repeated the upgrade for the Soul discipline as well.
Skill Increase: Soul discipline 29 → 51, Cost: 21,800 EP (X 10 for spell school skill)
(534,498 EP available)
Confirm: Yes/No
I only had two spells under that discipline: Blood Wrath and Touch of Decrepitude. I didn’t need the upgrade for the second spell, but Blood Wrath had saved my life several times already. I approved the cost and looked over the new changes.
Blood Wrath
Expert rank: Concussive blast can be directed against specific targets instead of impacting everyone in the area of effect.
Life Reset: Salvation (Life Reset - Neo Book 6) Page 12
