Awaken Online: Inferno (Tarot #3)

by Travis Bagwell

  “You know, the Forge is starting to look rather pleasant,” Kyyle muttered, staring wistfully back at the ruined entrance to the facility.

  “You’re right. At least the corrupted always attacked us head-on instead of trying to stab us in the back,” Julia offered in agreement.

  Finn just grunted noncommittally as his companions set off after Thorn. They weren’t even back at the Hive yet, and already they were neck-deep in infighting and political intrigue. And it would likely only get worse from here. Despite how far they had come, it seemed they still had a long way to go. But they had no choice but to keep moving forward.

  His gaze shifted back to the ruined entrance to the Forge behind him – the stone and crystal now warped beyond recognition. He hadn’t forgotten what they were fighting for or the price they had paid to make it this far.

  He wasn’t going to let anything – or anyone – stand in his way.

  “I’m coming for you, Rachael,” Finn said softly.

  Then he followed his companions, ashen rain drifting down around him.

  Chapter 30 - Handy

  The beetle rocked and swayed below Finn as it coasted up one dune and back down another, leaving behind a shallow wake of sand. Now outside the forest that coated the southern mountain range, there was no longer anything to block the harsh sunlight that beat down upon the sand – bringing with it a blistering heat. Finn hadn’t thought he’d miss either the beetles or the harsh sun, and yet here he was. After the wet and cold of the mountain slopes and dusty darkness of the Forge, it was – almost – a welcome relief.

  A relief that was undermined somewhat by the group of dark insects that clustered around Finn and his companions. Thorn and this fringe faction of Khamsin – the Order they called themselves – had kept a watchful eye on their team since they left the facility. In Thorn’s case, that hidden yellow gem gleamed, constantly focused on the group and his attention never wavering. Finn had been testing his abilities as they rode – occasionally reaching for a weapon or his bag and noting Thorn’s reaction. He always seemed to know when Finn was making a hostile move… which lent some credibility to Finn’s earlier guess.

  And now he desperately wanted to examine that eye.

  While Mana Sight was useful, Finn’s mind was already working through the possibilities of being able to glimpse a few seconds into the future. Although, he suspected it would be a cold day in Lahab before Thorn permitted him to inspect the gem. He had only grudgingly allowed them to live, and after that little demonstration outside the Forge, Finn had no doubt that Thorn could follow through on his threats.

  Brock and Daniel floated along beside the group, unperturbed by their rapid speed. Finn had initially been skeptical that Brock could keep up with the beetles. But it seemed that whatever gravitational spell that kept the rocks of his body aloft was more powerful than Finn had anticipated.

  Or perhaps there was another explanation.

  Even now, Finn could see a thin line of emerald energy flowing between Brock and Kyyle, connecting them by way of the Najima that was now embedded in the elemental’s core. Perhaps the earth elemental’s mana had been bolstered by the Forging, or he was slowly draining mana along the tether that connected him to Kyyle – much like how Bilel’s staff drained energy from the hellhounds. Although, if that was the case, then the drain wasn’t obvious. Kyyle’s mana pool didn’t seem to be depleting, and the mage was busy tapping away at his in-game console, occasionally glancing at Brock’s burly form. Finn could only guess that he was examining his newfound bond and taking notes.

  As that thought crossed his mind, he glanced down at his new hand. The surface was translucent, fire curling within the depths of his hand and fingers – a mesmerizing and slightly disturbing sight to behold, but one that came with a merciful absence of pain. The aching burn that had lingered in the stump since his encounter with Bilel had vanished, and his Mana Sight showed no trace of infection – not even the telltale spiral of fiery energy that once drifted off toward the northeast – toward Lahab.

  He stretched his newfound fingers experimentally. He expected he would be casting that same strange spell – the Forging – and creating hundreds of new bonds once he returned to the Hive. He could already anticipate pushback from the merchants, fighters, and mages when he explained that they would be bonding part of their soul to an inorganic object.

  His lips curled into a frown. Not that he could really blame them.

  Finn wasn’t even certain that he fully understood that bond himself. There hadn’t been time to ponder on it or ask questions when they had confronted the fire elemental, and he had discovered that while he could remember how to cast the spell – the gestures and words – the why and the how were more unclear.

  How had Nar Aljahim known that spell? What exactly had it done? Sever and remove his Najima, that was clear. But were there rules to this bond? What happened if he damaged his hand? Did it repair using his natural health regeneration? A portion of the mana regeneration that he had lost? The ancient fire elemental had spoken about the bond growing and evolving over time, but those were vague words. What did that mean exactly?

  Even as those questions circled his mind, Finn saw the fires in his new hand surge, rippling and expanding within the crystal as they echoed his simmering curiosity. Finn was accustomed to feeling his mana pulse and throb through his body in these moments, but seeing it felt different somehow.

  A grimace tugged at his lips. The bottom line was that while he might be content with his decision – especially given the time constraints, the loss of his arm, and the magical infection caused by Bilel’s staff – Finn suspected the guildsmen would be more circumspect about undergoing the Forging. They would likely pose many of these questions.

  And Finn would need to be able to supply answers.

  Which meant he needed to learn as much as he could before they arrived at the Hive.

  As a starting point, he needed to check his notifications. With a swipe of his hand, a long list of notices suddenly popped up before him, creating a tumbling cascade of semi-translucent windows.

  x8 Level Up!

  You have (130) undistributed stat points.

  x2 Spell Rank Up: Mana Absorption

  Skill Level: Intermediate Level 7

  Cost: 65% of mana drained as health damage.

  Effect 1: The caster can absorb ambient fire mana, adding the energy to their total mana pool.

  Effect 2: Increased absorption range, sensitivity, and area of effect.

  x2 Spell Rank Up: Molten Beam

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 6

  Cost: 125 Mana/second. Must be channeled.

  Effect 1: Fires a beam of molten energy dealing damage equal to 150 + (INT x 30%).

  x3 Skill Rank Up: Mana Sight

  Skill Level: Intermediate Level 8

  Cost: Permanently reduces your mana regeneration by 20 mana/second. You are now blind to regular spectrums of light.

  Effect 1: Ability to view ambient mana. Current vision is [good].

  Effect 2: Ability to isolate mana types. Currently limited to [fire/earth/air/light].

  x2 Skill Rank Up: Concentration

  Skill Level: Intermediate Level 2

  Effect 1: Ability to split your focus between [2] tasks.

  Effect 2: Improved ability to ignore pain or disruptions.

  x1 Skill Rank Up: Multi-Casting

  Skill Level: Intermediate Level 4

  Effect 1: -43.0% casting speed on the second spell.

  Effect 2: -14% reduced channeling cost.

  Quest Completed: Forging Ahead

  You’ve been busy!

  You and your companions have explored the ancient facility known as the Forge, recovered an attendant, destroyed a former Supervisor, and met the ancient fire elemental that resides at the heart of the Forge.

  However, your arrival in the Forge unleashed the corrupted that lingered within its halls, threatening the other sections of the facility. To quell the corrupt
ion, Nar Aljahim was forced to initiate the facility’s self-destruct… but not before he granted you one last parting gift – a spell capable of fusing a person’s Najima with another object, which offers protection against the effects of Bilel’s relic.

  In the process, the ancient fire elemental forged a bond between you and a new hand that he created with the neurogem material, curing the magical infection that Bilel’s relic created in the process. You are now insulated against the draining effect of Bilel’s relic. The infection has been excised. And the full use of your hand has been restored. Now you must work to better understand this bond that has been forged, and quickly.

  Who knows… it might even come in handy!

  P.S. – We’re extremely sorry for the bad pun. The subroutine responsible for generating these prompts has been deleted. You could even say we have a “handle” on the situation. Okay, that was the last one… we promise.

  Finn’s skimmed the quest notification. The text confirmed much of what he already knew. The infection had been cured, and their escape from the facility had showcased that his new limb was capable of Multi-Casting. Although, that made him recall the stat loss from the infection, and he quickly pulled up his Character Status, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw that his stats were no longer being artificially suppressed.

  Although, it was also clear that the hand had taken a large toll. His total mana pool and mana regeneration had both been reduced by a sixth – reducing his mana from roughly 3,200 to 2,700 and his regeneration per second from roughly 58 to 49. It also appeared that the effect scaled to his total mana – at least when he double-checked the math by removing and then replacing some of the jewelry that increased his Intelligence.

  Although, that begged another question.

  Like how the hell was he going to spend his stockpile of stat points?

  He rubbed at his chin for a moment and then began allocating points. He placed 35 points into Vitality to bring himself up to an even 200. 20 points went into each of Dexterity and Endurance – because he’d found agility, balance, and stamina to be quite useful in the middle of a fight. And the remainder of his points went toward Intelligence, which had better synergy and scaling than Willpower given that it increased his mana, regeneration, and scaled with many of his damage-oriented spells.

  Then Finn checked his stats once more.

  Character Status

  Name:

  Finn

  Gender:

  Male

  Level:

  118

  Class:

  Fire Mage

  Race:

  Human

  Alignment:

  Lawful-Neutral

  Fame:

  1800

  Infamy:

  0

  Health:

  2585

  H-Regen/Sec:

  9.80

  Mana:

  3280

  M-Regen/Sec:

  58.85

  Stamina

  1785

  S-Regen/Sec:

  12.00

  Str:

  47

  Dex:

  120

  Vit:

  200

  End:

  120

  Int:

  489

  Will:

  30

  Affinities

  Dark:

  4%

  Light:

  11%

  Fire:

  53%

  Water:

  5%

  Air:

  3%

  Earth:

  13%

  Despite the loss of some mana and regeneration from the augmentation of his eyes and the bond with his new hand, his stats were looking respectable. The additional points in Intelligence had also brought him back to roughly the same mana regeneration.

  Which just left his new hand.

  Finn’s gaze drifted down the limb once more. With a thought, he inspected it.

  Translucent Flame (Crafted by Nar Aljahim)

  This hand has been built entirely of the so-called neurogem material that you discovered within the depths of the Forge and was crafted by an ancient fire elemental. A Focusing Prism has been set in the base of the hand, although its use is currently unknown. Experimentation may be required to unlock its ability.

  Quality: A

  Level: 1

  Health: 500

  (Soulbound)

  Adaptable Limb

  This limb is composed of a crystal that exhibits organic properties, allowing the security mechs of the Forge to self-repair and incorporate additional parts or devices. The material’s original properties have been preserved in their new form, allowing the user to alter the limb’s structure at will. Practice will be required to master this ability.

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 1

  Cost: 500 Mana

  Effect: Allows the caster to make [simple] modifications to the limb.

  Soulforged Item (Bonded by Nar Aljahim)

  This item has been imbued with the Najima of the traveler named Finn. The limb’s health is counted separately from the traveler’s regular health pool and will scale as the item levels. Damage is repaired using the 1/6 of the user’s mana regeneration (currently 9.81 per second). Destruction of the limb will result in the user’s death. However, the limb will regenerate upon respawn.

  Holy shit, Finn thought to himself.

  He wasn’t certain what he had been expecting, but it hadn’t been this. It was clear that the game considered the limb to be an item from the prompt, but it was unlike any other weapon or piece of armor that Finn had encountered. For one, it had its own level and health. The prompt also seemed to imply that the limb could gain experience and level up, likely improving its health – and possibly providing other bonuses? He guessed that the limb was also leeching a portion of his experience now – although, he’d need to test that eventually.

  In short, the hand would continue to scale in power along with Finn, which was good, since it was sort of fused to his left arm.

  The reference to the Focusing Prism in the item description was also unusual. His gaze centered on that gem. The crystal was embedded on the back of the hand, the surface almost indistinguishable from the translucent material around it. The prompt implied that the gem was capable of doing something. Although its purpose wasn’t obvious.

  With a wary glance at Thorn, Finn decided to put a pin in that. He didn’t want to give the man an excuse to kill him by flinging spells around. Perhaps once he was back inside the Hive and safely out of reach of a trigger-happy band of Khamsin zealots, he could learn more.

  His attention shifted to the description for Adaptable Limb. The hand provided a new spell, replete with its own levels and ranking. That was a first. Other item-based skills like his crown or Julia’s new shield typically had a one-off skill – meaning that it wouldn’t continue to scale up in damage or strength. But this was different. Presumably, Finn could become more adept at modifying the hand over time.

  Speaking of which, how exactly did he alter the hand? Like most things he’d encountered inside of AO, the description hadn’t come with an instruction manual.

  Could I turn the crystal into a short sword, much like the blade I fused to my stump? Finn was visualizing that blade in his head – the way it joined his arm at the base of his elbow before tapering down into a needle-like point.

  As that image appeared in his mind’s eye, Finn felt a strange tickling sensation along the joint between his tanned skin and the new limb – the first telltale sign of feeling since Nar Aljahim had fused the hand to his arm. He looked down to see the crystal flare brightly, his fire surging through the limb until it shone with a brilliant orange light. His eyes widened, and Finn pulled the sleeve of his robe further up his arm – sparing a tentative look at the nearby Khamsin to see if they had noticed the flash of energy. However, their eyes were still on the desert around them, and Thorn didn’t appear to have noticed the brief flicker of mana.

  Fi
nn breathed a sigh of relief, then gingerly pulled back on his sleeve.

  A translucent crystal blade now speared from his arm, a near-perfect replica of the former dark metal sword. “Okay, now that’s cool,” he murmured.

  He pictured the image of a normal hand, and the crystal flashed again. Except Finn was prepared this time, and he draped his sleeve back across the crystal. A few seconds later, his hand had returned to normal, and he wiggled his fingers experimentally.

  Already, a dozen ideas were drifting through his head. What sort of instruments could he create with this new limb? Tools for any task? Could he lengthen the limb? How durable was the crystal? For example, it had health, but would it deplete that health if he stabbed something with the crystal blade? Much like the durability on a standard item? It was filled with fire mana, so did that mean it was resistant to heat?

  He immediately resolved to practice with the limb as much as possible – the ride back to the underground Khamsin city would give him ample opportunity to do so. Once he found some downtime and privacy, maybe he could run a few more complex experiments to discover the answers to his many, many questions. Meanwhile, the fire within the limb had flared to a bright glow as his curiosity and excitement grew.

  Although, that enthusiasm was short-lived.

  Finn’s mount pulled up sharply, rotating and skidding to a halt in a shower of sand. He could see that the others around him had also stopped, Thorn’s fist raised high in the air. They were clumped up at the top of a towering dune, the shifting hillside providing a decent vantage of the surrounding plains of yellow and beige.

  “What is it? Why are we stopping?” Kyyle asked, looking a bit shaken – having nearly fallen from his beetle. He had likely been more focused on examining his bond with Brock than on their journey.