Awaken Online: Inferno (Tarot #3)

by Travis Bagwell

  Eldawin stared back, unfazed. “This would seem to benefit you alone, increasing your power among the other avatars.”

  “It protects your own people as well,” Finn retorted. “If you strike against me, this region will descend into chaos and anarchy. If you strike at these others, you protect your own and allow me to continue to endear myself to the Seer. Most importantly, it buys us time.”

  “Time for what exactly? What would you offer the Order in return?”

  “The Seer has something that I want – that I need. Once I’ve obtained that from her… well, I’ll have more options,” Finn said calmly. “I foresee an outcome where we could both benefit – where I obtain what I want, and you accomplish your own goals.”

  Eldawin chewed on that thought, his eyes going distant.

  Then he abruptly rose, his feet padding across the sands.

  Damn it, Finn thought, closing his eyes.

  He had melted down some of his orbs into thick bracelets that now encircled his ankles and wrists. He’d grown tired of needing to reach into his pack each time they were needed, and the jewelry looked innocuous – at least to those unaware of his abilities. If need be, he could light up the metal and melt it down in an instant. Although, he doubted it would be enough to allow him to face Thorn.

  Then he heard those footsteps stop…

  “It will be done.”

  When Finn glanced up, no one lingered upon the sands of the courtyard. He detected no telltale energy amid the shadows that lapped and danced across the terraces around him. There was only the faint whistle of wind and the whisper of sand blowing across the courtyard.

  It seemed he had succeeded – delaying the executioner’s axe a moment longer.

  But that was all he needed.

  Time to gather more energy.

  Time to build up his forces and his own power.

  Time to develop and create new servers – a home for Rachael’s consciousness.

  And now he had it…

  Epilogue

  November 11, 2076: 41 days after the release of Awaken Online.

  Finn sat atop his throne, eyes focused on an object in the distance and brow furrowed in thought. An airship rested upon the sands just outside of Sandscrit, the vessel built of hard wood and balloons filled with heated air rising above the deck. Even from this distance, he could make out the crew walking across the deck and the telltale surge of amber energy signaling the presence of air mages.

  And ringing the vessel was a group of the Infernal Guard, their forms illuminated in the glowing green that signaled their heavy plate. Just behind them stood their fire mage partners. Those orange-robed men and women channeled a steady stream of fiery energy toward the guard, igniting their armor and keeping them at the ready.

  The ship had touched down only an hour ago, arriving out of the blue skies without any fanfare. It had landed outside the city, and Finn’s troops had swiftly encircled it. Yet that wasn’t what was bothering him. In the short few weeks that had followed Bilel’s death and the conversion of the city, there had been many new travelers who had started in Sandscrit – lured by the promise of rolling their avatar as an Efreet. Several caravans of residents had even managed to make it to the city through an overland route by way of the mountains to the south.

  No, what was worrying him was how the ship’s captain had requested an audience with him – by name. A name that shouldn’t have been known outside the desert sands.

  It seemed that his anonymity was already beginning to fade. He had known it wouldn’t last forever. He’d just hoped it would last a touch longer.

  “What’s our play here?” Julia asked from his side.

  Finn shook his head. “We see what they have to say.” He waved at the guards that ringed the throne room. “They pose little immediate threat.”

  Julia shot him a sharp glance. “You and I both know that isn’t the problem. We haven’t had much success in identifying the locations of the gate pieces, and the Twilight Throne has already begun to recover in the aftermath of the Order’s attack.”

  Finn frowned. There was truth to her words.

  “The source of their information is also troubling,” Julia muttered. “They might just be guessing, and by speaking with them, we only risk confirming our presence and abilities.”

  “They must have discovered a forum post or video that you missed,” Finn offered, waving a hand. “You can’t reasonably expect to catch everything.”

  This earned him a snort. “Uh, who do you think you’re talking to? I’ve got every bit of information regarding this place locked down hard – and our enforcement of the recording ban within Sandscrit has been quite successful… at least, after we made an example of several of the more stubborn travelers,” she amended grudgingly.

  “It only takes one,” Finn replied with a sigh. “Either way, we knew this peace was only temporary…”

  His daughter didn’t bother to respond, her mouth curling into a frown. Then she shot Daniel a look. “Stay on your toes. I want a scan of their faces as soon as they enter the room. Search the net to find anything you can and then push that information to Finn.”

  “Technically, I don’t have any toes,” Daniel chirped from beside Finn’s shoulder, weaving through the air.

  At Julia’s sour look, his dance slowed. “But I understand your point…” the AI muttered more sedately.

  “Don’t mind her. She’s just on edge. How do I look?” Finn asked Daniel.

  Daniel rotated toward him and hesitated for a moment. Finn sat upon a throne of molten glass, fires curling within its depths. His left hand rested upon the armrest, the crystal gleaming in the sun that shone down on the tower. Those flames were matched by the crown that hovered just above his head, helping to pull focus from the plain white bandage that still covered his eyes. That thin piece of cloth had come in handy. Many would-be opponents over the last few weeks had greatly underestimated him.

  It was difficult to see a blind man as a threat.

  “Suitably intimidating,” Daniel chirped. “Although, I still say a few travelers’ heads on pikes would help set the mood…”

  “Bloodthirsty little nightlight, aren’t you?” Julia said with a soft chuckle.

  “I’ve just come to understand the importance of a certain… ambiance,” the AI retorted.

  They were soon interrupted as a heavy rhythmic thumping came from the entrance to the throne room, one of the Infernal Guard pounding a mailed fist against the door. “Visitors for the Emir,” he spoke loudly, his voice carrying across the tower.

  This is it, Finn thought to himself. Time to put on my game face.

  The doors leading up to the dais opened, and two strangers stepped forward – a man and a woman. They had been stripped of their weapons and armor, the Khamsin having searched them carefully long before they had been permitted within the palace grounds. Even so, Finn inspected them with his Mana Sight. He saw no telltale glimmer of mana that would indicate the presence of weapons – mundane or otherwise. Although, the man’s energy was unusual. He had a much stronger concentration of light mana than Finn had ever seen before, his body practically glowing. That energy also seemed to condense across his back.

  He switched back to Short-Sighted, taking in their appearance.

  The pair both wore masks that covered most of their faces, likely fire-resistant, which helped ward off the heat and sand of the city. The rest of their clothing was fashioned from fine cloths and silks, a glimmer of azure energy denoting cooling crystals embroidered into the fabric. Not a trace of dust marred their clothing despite how long they must have traveled to reach this place.

  That indicated that they were aware of the city’s heat aura and had planned accordingly. Not a great sign. The woman also didn’t walk with the air of a fighter, her steps strident and unconcerned. In contrast, muscle rippled beneath the man’s luxurious clothing, and he eyed the guards out of the corner of his eye – marking their number and position.

  A m
erchant or politician and a warrior then.

  And they were clearly travelers. Residents were typically far more timid in approaching Finn. Possibly having something to do with their mortality. Although, a few of the travelers that graced his city had come to learn that immortality came with its own downsides. Finn had been forced to improvise a suitable punishment for their transgressions.

  Dealing with some travelers felt like herding cats, and he could almost sympathize with the more rigid system that Bilel had designed to keep them in check. Almost.

  A small icon appeared in Finn’s peripheral vision, counting down from 10 seconds as Daniel discreetly scanned their visitors and began to compile profiles on them. Even with only a partial scan of their faces, he could match their retinal patterns to a few not-so-public databases.

  Julia stepped forward. “You are addressing the Prophet of the Flame, the Stormbringer, the Najmat Alhidad, and the Emir and ruler of this city. State your names and business in Sandscrit.”

  The woman stepped forward first. “My name is Evelyn,” she said, pulling away her mask. Her voice was even and relaxed, either a natural sign of confidence or a very convincing façade. “I am the proprietor of a trade guild based out of Barrow – to the west of the Crystal Reach. I am here to explore a possible business relationship with your fine city.” As she finished speaking, she bowed her head, although her eyes never left Finn’s face.

  Finn’s attention shifted to the man beside her, although he made sure not to tilt his head, maintaining the illusion that he was blind. “And your companion?” he asked quietly.

  The man eyed the bandage across Finn’s eyes, his brow furrowing. He spared an uncertain glance at Evelyn before stepping forward and removing his own mask.

  “My name is Alexion…”

  As soon as the words left his lips, Daniel’s tooltip struck zero, complete profiles on the pair scrolling down the corner of Finn’s vision.

  Finn barely moved – just a twitch of his fingers – yet the Infernal Guard leapt into action immediately. Their plate armor flared to life within a matter of seconds, their flesh and bone melting away into living flame as they thudded forward in an orange blur. Lances were soon leveled at both Evelyn’s and Alexion’s necks – their eyes widening.

  An ominous silence now lingered above the throne room, the guard and their guests frozen in place – the flames wrapping the guard the only thing moving.

  “Evelyn St. Clair and Alex Lane,” Finn murmured.

  They were now staring at him in surprise.

  As he casually skimmed the profiles now floating in the air beside him, he could start to understand how these two had discovered his city – despite Julia’s efforts. This was George Lane’s son standing in front of him. And he was starting to suspect that Alexion had used some of his daddy’s access and sway to uncover the location of Finn’s city.

  He shook his head. “This was foolish. Incredibly foolish.”

  Finn leaned forward upon his throne. “Tell me, why should I let either of you walk away from my city – much less sign a trade deal? It seems I have something much, much more valuable standing before me – the light avatar himself.”

  Alexion swallowed hard, some of his swagger having disappeared with a weapon at his throat. “Then kill us if you must. We’ll simply respawn.”

  Finn barked out a laugh. “Kill you? You must truly think me an idiot. Oh no, we have a much better way of dealing with travelers here.” He waved at the guards to remove them, and the Infernal Guard pressed forward.

  “Wait!” Alexion barked. “We came with an offer… something even more valuable than taking an avatar out of play.”

  Finn held up a staying hand, and the guard hesitated. “Which is what exactly?”

  “A gate piece,” Alexion choked out around the tip of a lance.

  Now that gave him pause.

  The guards were mostly for show. He could have handled these two himself – much less with Julia standing beside him. But he had to admit he was intrigued. This man had the stones to track him down – likely even violating his daddy’s own rules. The profile that Daniel had pulled together also indicated that Alex here was rather estranged from his father – the occasional public appearance aside. And the woman beside him was hardly a vapid beauty. Her eyes shone with intelligence and her profile indicated that she had high-profile connections of her own back in the real world.

  The profile also didn’t indicate that Alex was stupid. In fact, quite the opposite. And he had to have known what Finn was and his allegiance to the fire goddess. If not before they landed, then certainly once they’d entered Sandscrit.

  That confidence lent some credibility to his claim...

  “Hmm…” Finn murmured. Then he waved the guards away, the heavily armored men and women settling back into their positions around the throne room.

  “Well, go on,” Finn urged Alexion. “You have sixty seconds to make your case… or you will be making a short trip to a dungeon cell.”

  Alexion coughed to clear his throat, eyeing the Infernal Guard with a wary expression and attempting to regain some semblance of composure. Finn’s immediate and violent response had clearly thrown him off guard. “Well, as I was about to say, my name is Alexion, and I’m the leader of the Crystal Reach and the light goddess’…”

  “We’re well aware, Alex,” Finn drawled. “There are plenty of videos of you preening for the camera, and Vermillion Live makes a habit of plastering your pictures about.”

  He paused, noticing the flash of white light surge through Alexion’s mana. Pride.

  “Although, perhaps not quite as frequently as your rival… What is his name? Jason?” Finn observed, feigning ignorance.

  As soon as he spoke that name, he could see anger coil through Alexion’s energy.

  He’d clearly touched a nerve. Interesting.

  “That’s actually why we’re here,” Alexion ground out, maintaining his composure despite Finn’s baiting. He wasn’t quite as hot-headed as Daniel’s profile would have led him to believe. Perhaps he had learned to cool his temper. “After the attack on the Twilight Throne, Jason was able to recover a gate piece – a piece that we managed to steal from him in the aftermath of that battle.”

  Finn raised an eyebrow. He knew that as well. It had been captured on video.

  “I’m assuming you’re going to arrive at a point eventually?”

  Alexion frowned, anger flashing through his energy again. Ahh, the kid was arrogant. Unaccustomed to being challenged. That was another weakness Finn could exploit.

  “The point is that we would like to offer you a deal. We propose giving you the gate piece that we recovered from Jason,” Alexion said finally.

  Finn snorted. “Out of the kindness of your heart, hmm? What do you wish in return?”

  Alexion glanced at Evelyn and then back to Finn. “We would propose a temporary partnership. The enemy of my enemy is my friend – isn’t that the expression?”

  Finn remained silent – although the irony of Alexion’s statement was not lost on him. It hadn’t been so long ago that he had spoken the same words to Eldawin.

  “You could use the gate piece to create a trap,” Alexion continued, uncertainty flitting across his face. It seemed he was having trouble reading Finn’s reaction. “Announce to the world that you’ve claimed a gate piece and reveal the location of your city—”

  “And lure Jason here,” Finn interjected, putting the pieces together. “Is that what you’re proposing?” Alexion simply nodded, visibly tamping down on his irritation.

  Finn shook his head. While this kid in front of him might have discovered the location of his city, he doubted Alex truly understood what was at stake for Finn. Or what he would do to secure even one of those gate pieces.

  “And why should I take that risk?” Finn dissembled. “One gate piece in exchange for revealing the presence of my city and inviting arguably the most dangerous man in this world to come retrieve it? The last time you fought
him, I believe he destroyed your entire army and destabilized your kingdom. That hardly seems like a fair trade – even for one of the gate pieces.”

  Alexion’s expression faltered, suddenly uncertain how to respond. Then he squared his shoulders, golden wings snapping away from his back and causing the guards to shift uneasily. He must have kept his wings folded up across his back – which explained the unusual energy signature Finn had observed.

  Alexion took a single step forward, his eyes flashing with white light. “There’s also the alternative,” he said, an ominous quality entering his voice. “Or did you think we would just waltz in here with no backup plan? If we don’t stop it within the next four hours in-game, the location of your city and our entire dossier on you will be published on every single gaming forum and news network out there.”

  A sudden silence lingered across the throne room, and Finn saw Julia’s hand clench around her lance. Yet he made a discreet gesture. She needed to stay calm.

  “And then there’s the issue of why this place has tried to maintain its secrets for so long… as well as the how of it all,” Alexion continued. He paused briefly, letting his words sink in. “It’s almost as though someone has been illegally accessing other websites and servers and deleting information…”

  Finn watched him, keeping his expression perfectly impassive, even while his thoughts raced.

  Alexion’s poorly concealed threat didn’t fluster Finn – but better to let this child think he had Finn between a rock and a hard place. He’d already known that Sandscrit would be revealed to the public eventually.

  No, he was mulling on Alexion’s offer. It was actually rather tempting. Jason may have begun to recover in the aftermath of the Order’s attack on his city, but Finn hadn’t been idle during that time. If there were an ideal time and an opportunity to take the dark avatar out of play, then this might be it. And the offer of the gate piece was appealing as well – allowing him to funnel greater energy toward Rachael. But it wasn’t the in-game advantage that Finn was considering… it was who this Alexion was in the real world.