Awaken Online- Flame

by Travis Bagwell

  The mechanical arms came to rest overtop six positions on the woman’s body: her arms, chest, abdomen, and each leg. At the tip of each metallic limb, Finn could make out a sharp neutral-colored crystal mounted to the steel.

  That was the only warning he received.

  The mechanical arms darted forward without ceremony, stabbing into the woman’s body simultaneously. She convulsed, the muscles in her arms and legs going rigid and blood bubbling around the wounds. No scream escaped her throat, only a soft, choked gurgle. The green-robed mages hovered around the prone woman, observing the injuries but making no move to heal the wounds.

  A few seconds later, the limbs retracted. Blood dripped from crystals that now glowed with a vibrant blue light. The earth mages moved then, ribbons of green energy dancing around their hands and spreading out across the woman’s body until they hovered around each of the six wounds. Yet the injuries didn’t close. The mages only slowed the bleeding, leaving gaping open flesh.

  “What are they doing to her?” Finn asked in a choked voice, resisting the urge to summon his fire mana.

  “The purge,” Abbad answered simply. Julia flinched at the librarian’s words, and her hands gripped the stone railing tighter.

  The librarian looked on without reaction as the merchant began collecting the glowing crystals. The man wiped the blood from their surface with a cloth, examined them carefully with his eyepiece, and then placed them in a small box.

  Abbad spoke then, so softly that his voice didn’t carry to the room below, “I assume you have read some of Bilel’s writings in the novice spellbooks?” he asked Finn.

  Finn gave a curt nod.

  “Then you perhaps understand that mana by itself is just raw, neutral energy. Everything in this world then absorbs and converts that ambient mana into a specific affinity – rocks, trees, water… even humans. In fact, the human body is an extremely efficient and high-capacity mana converter. The energy is primarily absorbed and processed at six points across our bodies. We call these points Najima.” He waved at the six puncture wounds to emphasize his point.

  “I don’t understand. So, the crystals were used to what? Drain her mana?” Finn asked. “That might have a temporary effect, but won’t she simply heal and then be able to regenerate her mana?”

  “Indeed,” Abbad answered. “Our body’s natural healing and regeneration make it nearly impossible to destroy the Najima.

  “Nearly,” the librarian repeated quietly.

  Finn followed his gaze back to the room. The fire mage now approached the woman, pulling a bundle of metal bars from a bag at his waist. They were slender scraps of iron, the length of a finger and the width of a nail. With a few quick gestures, a bar was soon engulfed in flame, drifting up into the air. Finn knew that spell well. The other mage was casting Imbue Fire – or at least a variant of it. As he watched, the flames grew brighter and brighter until they took on a blue-ish hue.

  In a flash, the heat receded, leaving a glowing glob of molten metal. With a jerk of his hands, the fire mage set the glob to spinning, the rotation causing it to form a perfect sphere the size of a small marble.

  While the metal still glowed red-hot, the fire mage’s fingers then directed it to the prone woman’s body. The molten globe darted forward, passing the tendrils of green energy channeled by the earth mages and entering an open wound in the woman’s arm. The sphere caused the surrounding blood and flesh to sizzle, sending off small streamers of smoke.

  The woman convulsed again, more violently this time, her muscles straining involuntarily against her bindings and her eyes wide and wild. With one final choked-off scream, she collapsed, finally losing consciousness. The fire mage barely noticed as he lifted the next bar and proceeded to repeat the process again.

  And again.

  And again.

  When the six metal spheres had all been inserted, the earth mages closed the wounds, their healing energies swiftly mending the broken flesh. Dark dried blood marred otherwise-intact skin. The only evidence of the surgery was six white star-shaped scars where the crystals had initially punctured the woman’s skin. The guards then lifted her unconscious body from the slab and headed for the door with the mages and merchant in tow.

  Finn could only stare in shocked horror as he watched the procedure, his thoughts flailing. “They embedded molten metal into the Najima to prevent them from healing,” he muttered.

  “Precisely,” Abbad answered.

  “This is…” Finn trailed off. He didn’t really have any words. Inhumane? Sadistic? Cruel? They all felt like they fell short of describing the pain and fear reflected in that woman’s eyes or the clinical detachment with which the other mages had administered the procedure. It was like watching a magical lobotomy.

  The worst part? Finn had to admit that the procedure was clever. It took advantage of this world’s systems, effectively neutralizing the natural regeneration that everyone enjoyed. Yet even as this thought occurred to him, he felt guilt weigh on his shoulders. Should he be impressed by the mages’ creative cruelty?

  “This is necessary,” the librarian finished for him. As Finn’s eyes met Abbad’s, he thought he detected a hint of remorse there. “People are driven by two forces. Their own passion tugs them forward – their ambition fueling their dedication and loyalty.”

  Abbad’s eyes drifted back to the room, his words echoing faintly in the now-empty room. “But that alone isn’t enough. No, you need both a carrot and a stick. A person also needs to be afraid of failure – desperately afraid. That fear pushes them forward even when the carrot is taken away or success seems impossible.”

  Finn felt the wavering thoughts bouncing through the back of his head begin to crystalize. There must be a point in forcing Finn to watch this spectacle, and Abbad had started to reveal a possible purpose.

  “Nefreet wants me to be afraid then?”

  Abbad nodded. “You have completed the first stage of the Emir’s competition and become our guild’s champion. The carrot is your promotion within the guild and, ultimately, potential rulership of Lahab.” The librarian nodded toward the slab. “Yet the stakes are still real. Failure will result in what you just witnessed. Your mana will be purged, and just like that woman, you will be dumped in the desert – letting the sands administer your final judgment.”

  Finn grimaced, but he didn’t falter. Abbad didn’t know – couldn’t know – why he was really participating in this challenge. The Seer’s promise overshadowed any possible reward or threat of failure that the mages could offer.

  In his case, the carrot was more than enough.

  Finn met Abbad’s eyes, his expression hardening as he tamped down on the muted anger that simmered in his veins. “Fine, then consider the threat delivered. What now?”

  The librarian watched him for a moment as though studying Finn and his reaction. Then he gave a curt nod. “The next step is for you to meet with the Emir. Yet before we do that, you must gather your team.” At Finn’s questioning glance, Abbad continued, “We were informed this morning that you are permitted to select two companions for the next stage of the competition. They must be no higher than journeyman rank – by guild rank or level.”

  Abbad’s eyes flitted to Julia, where she stood silently beside them, still clutching at the railing and staring at the room below. “I assume you will be taking the thief – she is a suitable match. However, you will need to find a second companion. You have an hour, and then we are to meet with the Emir.”

  For her part, Julia didn’t react to the thief comment this time – almost as though she hadn’t heard Abbad. Not that he blamed her. Despite what they had gone through, the purge of that woman’s mana had been traumatic.

  Finn rubbed at his chin in thought. He hadn’t realized he would get teammates for this next part. As Abbad had suggested, Julia was a given. He also had an idea for their third, but he would need to speak with him first.

  “Ahh, and before I forget, I couldn’t help but notice that your equi
pment is rather lacking,” Abbad added, sparing a glance at the novice tunic that Finn now sported – his upgraded robes having been destroyed in the encounter with Lamia. “Given our time constraints, I took the liberty of spending your remaining points.”

  As he finished speaking, Abbad handed Finn a wrapped parcel. A single plain tome was placed on top, although Finn noted that the book didn’t have the telltale glow that he now associated with a spellbook.

  “You’ll find new robes and blades inside, as well as some other supplies – healing items and miscellaneous tools,” the librarian explained.

  “And this? It doesn’t look like a spellbook,” Finn said, running his fingers across the book.

  A rare smile pulled at the corners of the librarian’s mouth. “As I’m sure you are aware, knowledge is often more dangerous than a blade… or some spectacular new spell. Consider this a gift from me. I thought you would find its contents intriguing.”

  Before Finn could reply, Abbad turned on his heel and tapped at the wall beside the door and the metal portal swung open. “With that, I’ll leave you to it. I have other obligations to attend to before we leave,” Abbad explained.

  A curt glance back at Finn and Julia. “I assume you two can find your way out?”

  “Of course,” Finn grunted distractedly, still staring at the rather ordinary-looking book and wondering what sort of information could possibly rival new spells.

  “Fantastic. I will meet you in the courtyard in an hour. Do not be late.” With that, Abbad stepped out of the room and swiftly disappeared.

  “Well, what do you think?” Finn asked, turning back to Julia.

  She winced, stepping away from the edge of the terrace. “About what? This new mystery competition? The fact that I get to be directly involved in the crazy-ass magical bullshit this time around? The threat of some sort of forced surgery? Oh, or maybe Abbad’s super thoughtful parting present? Because who doesn’t love a ton of reading with their videogames?” she added in a dry tone.

  She hesitated, eyeing the book cautiously and inching away. “Wait, you don’t think that’s the one he keeps nestled up his ass, do you?”

  Finn let out a chuckle. “Probably not. Besides, wasn’t that a scroll?” This earned him an amused snort from Julia.

  “Joking aside, we’ve got a decision to make.” Finn sighed, glancing at Julia. “Let me refine my question. Who should our third person be?”

  Julia shot him an incredulous look. “Really? We both know who you’re going to pick. And there’s probably only one person insane enough to go with us anyway.”

  Finn stepped out of the room, Julia in tow. “Am I really that predictable?”

  “Yep. 100%,” his daughter replied instantly. “I’m pretty sure if Daniel didn’t change your menu on occasion, you’d eat the same thing for every meal.”

  “I don’t think I’m that bad, and besides, you haven’t tasted my homemade ramen in ages. The tricky part is the broth…”

  As the pair exited the room and continued bickering, Finn didn’t have a chance to check the spot where Julia had been standing along the edge of the terrace. If he had, he might have noticed the way the worn stone had crumbled and cracked. Except this wasn’t the usual wear and tear of age – instead, small indentations had been ground into the surface with incredible force, as though the stone had momentarily turned to putty.

  The marks resembled the impression of someone’s fingers.

  Chapter 4 - Recruiting

  “Here we are,” Julia declared.

  Which was apparently standing outside a classroom located deep within the nearly endless maze of hallways that made up the Mage Guild. Unlike the other rooms that lined the hall, this one had been blocked off by a solid wall of stone where the entryway should have been. Finn rapped his knuckles against the rock, and it let out a dull thud.

  Probably a few feet thick, at least. Finn assumed the instructor had warded the room during their lesson to avoid damage to the guild hall. It was refreshing to see that some of the guild’s faculty were more conscientious.

  “So Kyyle is in here?” Finn asked, glancing back at Julia. She was leaning against a nearby wall, picking at her nails with a small knife.

  “Should be,” she answered without looking up.

  Finn cocked his head. Something felt off here – his “dad sense” tingling – and he couldn’t help the inadvertent grin that tugged at his lips. “And you just happen to know where he is? That seems awfully… convenient.”

  That earned him a sharp look before Julia turned her attention back to the knife. “What are you implying, old man?”

  He raised his hands defensively. “Nothing. Nothing at all. Well, except that you must have been keeping tabs on him.”

  A slight wince.

  “Which is totally understandable. He could be a potential… threat, after all.”

  She nodded tentatively.

  “He was one of the few novices that made it into the A-listers, and he also managed to guess at what Lamia was up to,” Finn remarked, rubbing at his chin. “Hell, he could have been conspiring with them.”

  Another nod, this one slightly more enthusiastic although Julia’s eyes never wavered from the blade.

  “He’s also kind of cute,” Finn said.

  Julia began to nod but froze, her knife jerking slightly, slicing through the skin of her thumb, and leaving a thin trail of blood. When her glaring eyes met Finn’s, he couldn’t suppress the knowing smile painted across his face.

  “You… you suck,” she muttered.

  “That’s actually my fatherly privilege,” he replied, his smile widening. A brief pause and then, “He’s a nice kid. I can see why you like him.”

  This was met with an exasperated snort, the blade disappearing as Julia whirled away from Finn. “I’m not really interested in dating right now, but whatever,” she snapped over her shoulder. “I’m going to go keep watch.”

  Finn chuckled under his breath as he watched her stalk away. She disappeared a moment later as she entered Sneak. Ahh, the joys of being young. He could remember that same nervous, indecisive flutter in his chest when he had first asked Rachael to dinner. It had taken him weeks to work up the nerve.

  Although, his smile faded at that thought.

  Secrets seemed to be something they had in common lately. He hadn’t told Julia the entire story – not yet, anyway. He had revealed the ambush by Lamia and the other mages, but he had downplayed how many there had been as well as how he had managed to defeat them. Both of those facts would have led to the giant flaming elephant in the room.

  The Seer’s bargain.

  Finn felt conflicted. On the one hand, he had only started playing because Julia had mentioned there was something unusual going on inside AO. A fire god offering to resurrect his wife seemed like a damn good example. At the same time… what would Julia do if he told her about Rachael? Would she tell him to stop? Try to undermine him? She had a history of flying off the handle, especially where family was concerned.

  Hell, he wouldn’t be here if she hadn’t blackmailed him into playing.

  Finn grimaced. He couldn’t be sure how that conversation would shake out, but after a few decades of being a parent, he had decided that some things were best kept close to the chest. This wasn’t quite the same as letting her believe Santa Claus was real, but until he knew for sure that the Seer could deliver on her promise, she might as well be wearing a fake white beard and a cheap red suit. Better to wait.

  Or at least that’s how he rationalized it to himself.

  With a sigh, Finn abruptly decided he needed a distraction. He rummaged in his pack and soon pulled out the bundle that Abbad had given him. The librarian had packed some useful supplies – mostly healing potions and bandages. Although, Finn soon found an odd-looking stylus similar to the one that Abbad used to inscribe his tattoos. His forehead wrinkled in confusion.

  What could I possibly use this for? Maybe he plans for me to draw my own tattoos if I ge
t bored?

  Although, that didn’t seem terribly likely.

  Without an immediate answer, he stowed the supplies back in the bag and turned his attention to the new equipment.

  Lightweight Serrated Throwing Knife

  While unenchanted, this blade was clearly forged by a master blacksmith. The knife is perfectly balanced, extremely lightweight yet durable, and the blade has been designed to be thrown easily – the metal serrated to cause bleeding damage.

  Quality: D

  Damage: 20-35 (Slash)

  Durability: 60/60

  Fire Zealot Robes (Full Set)

  These robes were designed with a fire mage in mind. The cloth is a natural fire retardant, crafted from the skin of a young Fire Belcher. The design and fit are also intended to encourage close-range combat. There’s no flowing, useless fabric here!

  Quality: C

  Defense: 35

  Durability: 75/75

  +40 Intelligence

  +25 Dexterity

  +20 Fire Resistance

  The blades were a minor upgrade in terms of damage. The primary benefit was the lighter weight – which meant that Finn had greater speed and control while using Imbue Fire. The serrated edge was also interesting, possibly increasing his chance to inflict bleeding damage in addition to the direct damage of his strikes.

  The robes were another matter entirely. The material was extremely high quality – almost as thick as leather, although as pliable and loose as cloth. The natural fire resistance was also a nice touch. Finn had begun to notice that his abilities tended to wreak havoc on his wardrobe. All in all, he was surprised. He expected this piece of equipment alone had likely cost a small fortune.

  It appeared that the Mage Guild was invested in Finn’s success – even if Abbad had gone out of his way to make the price of failure clear.

  Glancing at the hallway, Finn didn’t see anyone in eyeshot, so he proceeded to tug off his novice equipment and pull on the new robes. They fit snugly, wrapping around his chest and arms like a second skin. He then strapped on the sheaths for his new knives, although he attached them to his thighs, keeping his original blades at his waist. As that last duel in the courtyard had emphasized, it was possible he might lose a blade mid-fight. It would be nice to carry a few spares.