by Rick Scar
“I will regret it? Don’t be ridiculous.” The witch snorted loudly, but still changed the subject. “Where are we going?”
“To a meeting spot.”
While he was fighting his way out, Will had had time to answer Mollie’s messages that could be summarized as: Where the hell are you, and what the hell are you up to? He had other messages were from Pak, Crimson Berserker, and Zarnitsa.
That’s why once Will came out of the dungeon, he spotted the familiar four nearby: Mollie the RD leader, Perdition the Arachnofite, Stitch the hulk, and Koshie the Everyman. The rogue couldn’t help but smile when he saw them and his spirits lifted immediately.
“Come,” he commanded Hades, who had the vampire in his teeth, to follow him towards the RD members.
“Hi, troublemaker,” Mollie greeted him. Shifting her gaze towards the body in the pet’s jaws, she asked, “Is that your girlfriend? Did she make your dog angry?”
“Watch it. That’s Ulfmar.” The rogue winced at the vampire’s now female voice promising to kick the shit out of anyone who says anything like that ever again.
“Wait…Ulfmar?!” Mollie stared at the false girl with her eyes wide open. “Is that another one of your superpowers?”
“Hi guys.” Ignoring her questions, Raven shook both men’s hands and nodded to the spider-like creature. “Can we continue our talk somewhere a little more comfortable?”
“Wow, your pet is truly something.” Perdition patted the giant dog, who froze like a formidable statue.
“You’ve made quite a wave,” Koshie said softly. “Anything we should worry about?”
“Seconded. What are you up to? And who’s that?” Stitch stared at Rako, who glared back at him with a weird blaze in her eyes.
“A witch. I’ll tell you later why she’s glaring like that.” Passing by the four players, Raven continued: “I expect this enemy to be Level 150, or maybe higher. Are your guesses any different?”
“No. Everyone has arrived at the same conclusion. If that thing can sweep off half of the continent it must have some nuclear powers.”
“I think Ulfmar can tell us more.”
***
The five players took a table at a small inn in the trading town closest to Damila’s Dungeon and ordered some food: for Will to restore his health and for the others to either satisfy their hunger or to keep him company. The other tables were occupied by a few other players and a small company of local drunks.
“So that’s it.” Chewing on the local dessert named Crunch Dragon, Mollie thought about what she had just heard.
Raven had omitted the part about him accidentally triggering a global event. No one really needed to know that.
“Do you have a plan?” Mollie asked.
“Honestly, I haven’t had time to make one. I can’t do it alone, you know. To plan a good strategy, I need to know the strengths and abilities of those who can fight this monster.”
“As you can probably guess, this boss is wanted by the whole floor. Even by the small fries like…Damn. I can’t even remember the name of a small clan to give an example, but you get it, don’t you?” Perdition snorted.
“Yeah. I have no doubt even the total noobs will want a piece of this bloody pie. Honestly, I won’t object.”
“I agree.” Koshie took another sip from his large mug of beer. “We’ll need some cannon fodder. They might provoke the enemy into spending more mana, energy, or skills. If they knock off even a fraction of its health, that would be just great. But…”
“Yes.” Finishing his meal and wiping his lips with a napkin, Raven slid his gaze over everyone present. “A crowd like that needs to be managed.”
“We have a solution, actually. But it’s not free.”
“Sure.” The rogue smirked. “Everyone wants their bit. What’s the solution?”
Smiling and coughing gently, Kingmaker started to tell him about the plan based on the vampire’s knowledge that stood a high chance of success.
***
Will stopped next to a shop. It was small but popular with locals and players alike for the Master-level skills that were often sold there. Prices started at 100 gold coins and could reach up to five-figures depending on the skill’s value and rarity.
Oh yeah. That’s a plan. Breathing out, he shook his head and arranged his thoughts.
Four TOP clans fighting together? That could be a disaster, unless you decided on the drop distribution beforehand. Mollie agreed to bring this up at the upcoming clan leader meeting, but her price was really high.
A boss of that level was sure to drop at least two epic items. Raven would rather have all of those to himself in order not to make his potential enemies stronger. He considered all TOP clans, including RD, as people he might have to confront in the future.
Seriously, I should’ve started my own clan.
With a bitter smirk, Will scratched his head and said aloud: “But I’m a total noob at this. Maybe in a year or two.”
“What are you talking about?” Ulfmar, who was finally able to stand unsupported, stretched himself and yawned widely.
“Nothing at all. Will you tell me why we’re here?”
“I need a skill from this shop. What about the witch? Will your friends be fine with her around?”
“It’s okay.”
Rako had been thrilled with Mollie’s plan the day before and had promised to follow Kingmaker to the battle. Mollie had responded with a wary nod and had stared at Raven in astonishment. It was probably Rako’s strong appreciation of the concept of a woman bossing men around; it made her fascinated with the RD leader.
“I would’ve just subdued her if she had kept annoying me,” Will explained.
“Oh, I understand. Honestly, if I’m ever left alone with her, I won’t be able to contain my urge to kill her,” Ulfmar hissed. “You can’t imagine the things she was doing to me. Every minute she would kick or hit me. Me! ARGH!”
“I see, man.” Curving his lips into a smile that screamed understanding, the rogue clapped the vampire on the shoulder. “Now, let’s go in.”
***
Ten minutes later, Will and Ulfmar left the shop called Adventurer’s Den, and headed for the hotel.
While the vampire was talking to the shop owner, Will had discovered and purchased several books and upgraded his skills to the Master level. Dodge. Picklock. Ambush. And – perhaps his best deal – Leap. Who would’ve thought this shop would have a Master upgrade for a rare skill?
LEAP
Rank: Rare
Active skill: Master
Enables you to tear the space apart and teleport instantly in the chosen direction.
Range: 40 feet
Energy required: 80
Cooldown: 1 min 40 s
He spent 2,325 gold and 7 silver coins in total. He had planned his shopping list so meticulously that he had memorized this amount even before paying it.
“Can you give me the cup fragment now?” Closing the door of the hotel room behind him, Raven turned to the vampire impatiently.
“Yes. As promised.”
During their whole journey together, Will had been wondering where (and how) the vampire had hidden the fragment. Now he was about to get the answer.
Ulfmar sat down on the floor as though he was about to meditate. After a few minutes a blue energy appeared around his body. It became denser and denser until the air above the girl’s body unexpectedly started to shake. What happened next made Will’s mouth fall open in astonishment.
The vampire’s skull cracked as though it was breaking, and a familiar-looking piece of clay started to come out. The whole process lasted about five minutes until the fully formed cup fragment dropped to Ulfmar’s feet.
“What was that?” Will blurted out.
Scowling at him, Ulfmar started to explain: “The wizards. The Helltir tribe. The witches. And now you. Chasing the cup, neither of you took any interest in its history. It’s not even a cup, actually.”
“Then tell
me.”
“The Cup of Mind is a helmet crafted by Sak’Harel from the skull of Lazamistes, the Spiritual Dragon, and it was used to open the gate to the afterworld. According to the legends, Sak’Harel made it to find his beloved wife, who had passed away. But he hadn’t realized that the afterworld was only for the dead, and not for mortal eyes. Once he crossed the threshold, his eyes were burned to ashes. He was blinded, but he also came to know the true wisdom and power of souls and learned spiritual techniques that no other mortal had ever learned before.”
“Eh? But what about the necromancers? They can talk to the dead, can’t they?”
“They can talk to them. But they can’t see their world.”
“Oh, I see.” Will closed his eyes, playing the story over in his mind. “It’s an interesting legend. Now, please…”
He bent down to pick up the fragment, but it jumped into Ulfmar’s hands before he could bat an eyelid.
“The box. Please.” Ulfmar held out his hand, staring suspiciously as he reminded Will of his side of the deal.
“Sure. Here.” Retrieving the box, Will passed it to the vampire. “I had no intention of deceiving you. I need you alive, not dead.”
“I can’t be upset by your kindness.” Relaxing, Ulfmar gave him the cup fragment.
Will’s heart pounded as he remembered the first time he held a heroic-rank item. Let’s see what it’s made of. Identification.
Chapter 202. Everything Comes with a Price
Sak’Harel’s Cup of Mind
Rank: Heroic Item
Usage requirements:
1) 1,500,000 influence points
2) All cup fragments collected.
Fragments collected: 1/3
D escription: Long ago, the world was tormented by incessant wars. Hundreds and hundreds of civilians were perishing every single day. Sak’Harel’s wife was one of those casualties. Back then still a decorated soldier he returned home to this grave news, which devastated his soul. He retired and took to wandering the earth for many years in search of a way to bring her back to life. Just as he was about to give up, having lost all hope, he found someone, who would eventually provide him with a clue. Lazamistes, a Spiritual Dragon whom Sak’Harel sacrificed for his cause.
A hero’s path is not made of pure light. It is a road covered in blood, violence, and malice, which eventually leads to an epiphany. The hero then stands at a crossroads where they must decide: will they become a great force of good, or a great force of evil? Lazamistes’s soul, which had caught a brief glimpse of a sacred world, forgave Sak’Harel and transferred his knowledge to him. And thus, a new hero was born, whose goal was to atone for his sins, as well as those of his war-torn world.
Characteristics:
+1,000 to all stats
+6,000 Physical resistance
+6,000 Magic resistance
Mana: 0/1,000,000
Skill: Soul Weaver
Manage thousands of living creatures as if all of you were a single whole. “Be my eyes and my ears; an extension of myself.”
Limitations:
1) No more than 50,000 creatures can be managed at once;
2) Cannot be imposed against a creature’s will.
Energy required: 0
Duration: 30 min
Cooldown: 9 months
Skill: Amplifier
Create a sphere that absorbs 75% of energy from all creatures and magic items within it, and which then transforms this energy into mana, which you can use or transfer to allies.
Range: 2 miles
Energy required: 0
Cooldown: 6 months
Skill: Apparition of Lazamistes
You can take the spiritual dragon’s form and use all of his kills.
Duration: 5 min
Energy required: 0
Cooldown: 13 months
Features: Cannot be stolen, lost or sold.
The great thing about these heroic items was that their elaborate descriptions gave a clear picture of each hero’s personality. Apparently, Sak’Harel was a leader and a man who craved peace. But this story also raised more questions. What had he seen in the afterworld? Why did the dragon forgive Sak’Harel, and what knowledge did he give him? Did Sak’Harel meet his wife in the afterworld? Had he avenged her death?
“Awesome as ever.” This item’s attributes and skills were not just out of this world; they could make you into a real god. But this thing still needed to be assembled and getting the other two fragments would probably require a lot more work.
“Are you going to keep staring at it forever?” After putting the piece into his inventory, Will turned to the vampire, who was sitting on the floor and shivering all over. “Ulfmar?”
The vampire gave no reply, keeping the same pose, his eyes closed.
Five minutes passed.
Ulfmar’s female body was twitching badly. Tiny beads of blood started seeping out of her pores, growing increasingly larger and brighter. Crimson streaks trickled down from beneath her closed eyelids, accentuating the bluish-whiteness of the vampire’s face. Then the room was shaken by a scream of terror and a peal of laughter. A dark, mind and heart-stopping laugh, which burst out of the tiny box.
“AAAAH!” Ulfmar shuddered all over, again and again, as if he were having an epileptic fit. His body glowed with bluish-red energy – and then exploded, coating Raven’s face in blood.
For a few seconds, nothing happened. Will was about to stand up, but then froze. The drops of blood on his clothes and body, the red pools that had formed on the floor following the explosion, as well as the scattered pieces of flesh, were all coming together in the middle of the room to form a male figure.
“I have granted your wish, Ulfmar XII. Ahahaha.”
Ulfmar XII approval up
+150
Current attitude status:
Ulfmar XII: 150/400 (trust)
“Hey, man. How are you?”
“I h-h-h-hate th-th-this s-s-scum.” The vampire’s teeth chattered as if he had just returned from… but wait, why “as if?” He actually had just been in the icy embraces of death. Only, who was he talking about? It took him about ten minutes to recover and return to his usual calm, vampiric self.
“Can you tell me what just happened?”
“No. But I can give you some advice. The advice I got from that thing inside the box.”
“What thing?”
“You’ll see it when you try to use it. I don’t know what it is. It’s not from this world, that’s for sure. My advice is: The stronger the desire, the higher the price.”
“Death? No problem for me.”
“For messengers, it can be even worse than death. If I had known in advance…I’d have stayed in the female body. My power…I’ve only got a few drops left. I’ve got to go through all of this. Beware of this item, young messenger. Or rather, beware of your desires.”
Ulfmar sat down on the floor and wrapped himself up in a blanket as nothing remained of his clothes. His eyes were completely empty.
He’s been leveling up for so many years, and now he’s lost everything. The witches have made a powerful enemy. But who knows, maybe he had understood this all along.
“What are you going to do now?”
Ulfmar laughed sadly. “Hope that you can destroy Evil-In. And after that…maybe I’ll start doing what the other members of my family have always done: heal human souls.”
Raven said nothing. What was there to say? What had happened to the vampire had revealed a lot of information about the strength of the box of wishes. What will he lose in exchange for power? Will it be worth the risk?
“And one more thing,” Ulfmar’s voice interrupted his reflections, “if you decide to use it, take care to word your wish very, very precisely.”
“Thank you. I will. Can you answer one question for me? Is there any chance of restoring your breed?”
“Yes. There is. It’s complicated but possible. I’ll definitely give it a try if I survive. I’ve been
too busy with other things, you know. And now, all I’ve been working for has crumbled to dust.”
“What about moving to another floor?”
“To another floor? Is that even possible?”
“It is.”
***
“Oh. I agree then, if you kill the ifrit. You have my trust. I will gladly do a service to your kingdom.”
Attention! Due to your current relationship with Ulfmar XII, you, as a king, can recruit an ancient line of energy vampires to your service.
Requirement: Kill Evil-In, the Bloody Ifrit.
Note: Failure to kill the ifrit will bring your relationship with Ulfmar XII down to Neutral.
***
After having sorted out this vampire-and-cup business, Raven could finally return to his home floor to prevent his people from losing trust in their ever-absent king.
Nanel met him with a face darker than a thundercloud. Giving a snort instead of a proper greeting, she turned and walked away, followed by the maid.
Bad. Not the welcome I expected.
After hearing the captain’s report and discussing the next steps in Adamarona’s development with him, Will was about to open the state management menu when Emin reminded him of the planned visit to the Holy Empire.
“I remember. But in light of recent events, I’m afraid I won’t be able to make it. Prepare a letter explaining my reasons, just in case. But no apologies. Don’t even think about apologizing. This visit is not one of my responsibilities. Don’t let them think I have even the slightest regret about not visiting.”
“I get it.”
“Good. Then we’re done for today.”
Standing up, Raven went to his office and, after sitting down behind his desk and cringing as he approached his most complicated and tedious task, opened the state menu.
***
After two hours of poring over and checking the notes left by his sister, Curtis and, most recently, Zarnitsa, Will leaned back in his armchair, which had been upholstered with some beast’s skin, yawned and closed the menu. “The treasury is disappearing right before my eyes. Alright, I’m done with this.” He could already see some improvements; they were happening slowly, but they still filled his heart with joy.
