by Rick Scar
“Congratulations! You are the first to visit Latakhorgh.
+25 Influence points
+2% skill
+1% Speed.”
His first opinion on the tribe changed as soon as he entered inside. He had imagined tents, huts or dwellings from clay. The town turned to be a full-fledged one with stores, the central square and even some educational institution. To the left of the gates there was a barracks, in the yard of which young horghs comprehended military art. Shouts of their veterans reached even him.
“White Raven,” Lekhor knocked Will on his shoulder. “Go to take hot drinks and also fill in to yourself. Me and Gikhor to go the shaman.”
“You’d better tell me where I can rent a room.”
“Of course, yes! “Pick and mountains" steps hundred directly.”
“Thanks. See you later.” And the guy walked there.
While he was walking he concluded that other races besides the horghs lived also there. Without understanding why so, he decided to ask about it some translucent being standing behind one of the counters. His body reminded a human being, but instead of hairs there were small snakes, and his pupils reminded those of a snake. So did his lower jaw.
“Excuse me…”
“To buy anything or to sell?”
The voice of that being was phlegmatic, and his unemotional face suggested an idea that the dealer was there against his will.
“No, thanks. I’d like to know why other races also live here besides the horghs.”
“Well, that’s-s it. S-so, they aren’t proh-hibited. S-s-so, if you aren’t gonna buy nor s-sell, leave us-s, don’t dis-sturb.
“Thank you for this information. But do not consider my question to be roughness what race you belong?”
The dealer punched himself in the face, shaking his head.“I'm just s-so s-sick of this-s. I am a Nag. Is-s it all? And I as-sk you to go away.”
Will understood this being nevertheless-s-s can experience emotions-s. “Oh, yea. I’m very obliged to you.”
The hotel Lekhor had told about was seen nearby. He entered, rented a room, went upstairs and opened the chest.
“Your money was sent from the account to your storage. For further use of the storage, it is not obligatory to visit the same room. Any rooms you rent or buy will provide automatically you access to it. It is possible to look through more detailed information on the website, in the section: "Personal storages and their use".”
Having thrown off all the reagents in the chest, he laid down on a bed and clicked "output".
Chapter 27. Hidden in the depth
Having left the capsule, Will auctioned off the gloves and, making some noodles, went on the forum.
“The continent in the North (the 1st floor)"
“Prompt where can I find the hermit Nort?"
“I saw the guard! (The second floor)"
Will immediately clicked on the last one.
“We were leveling up near Vataskoriya's ruins yesterday (where there are different udeads - for people from the other floors, ours know what I mean=)), so we were leveling up, suddenly a neighing horse came up from the air, sitting on which a headless type was dashing through the walls somewhere forward! I managed to scan him!
“Dullakhan (Guard): Level 42.
Health: 7100.”
That’s it!! Remembering that wild dragon from the first floor, I think that they are constantly travelling around the map to kill them, it is necessary to be given a task from someone. It’s impossible to catch them other way. The floors, you know, incredibly big huge.”
“As always it's tremendous fun…”
After reading some more of those, Will was engaged in exercises, dispersing blood and putting thoughts in order, and hour later returned to the game.
….
Coming out the hotel, he saw Lekhor waiting for him.
“Who are waiting for, the strongest warrior?” smiled RAVen.
“To wait for yours the shaman, to call to himself. To go, I to see off White raven.”
“The shaman? What does he want?” The young man, following the horgh, tried to find out the reason of the shaman’s interest.
“The shaman also strong is wise. To protect ours the tribe hundred years many times. He not to speak about the decisions with someone.”
…
Lekhor brought him to a low building surrounded with the fence, at the gates some horghs, equipped from the head to toe, were standing.
“White raven?” barked one of them.
“Yes, I am,” nodded Will.
“Yours to be being waited. To go!
RAVen passed by them, leaving Lekhor behind. The doors were open, and there was multi-colored light from within. The shaman looked young, but something in his shape reminded a sadder and a wiser old man. And the most important was that he did not belong to the tribe of the horghs. Will did not know what race the sitting in front of him was. The guy was going neither to ask about it directly nor to scan his name and level. After that time he tried to use this skill only for identification of monsters.
There were several candles around the shaman; each candle was burning in a different color. In air it smelt of a mix of herbs and aromas. The shaman was sitting on his knees in the center of the room, holding a book in the right hand, and a bottle with bright red liquid in his left hand.
“Are you That RAVen?” His eyes, being a clue to recognizing a blind, opened looking at the guy. Lekhor and Gikhor have already told about you. Thank you for saving them. They are good warriors, and our general force would fall without them. What do you want for their rescue?”
Will frowned. Of course, he was not sacred; his purpose was not to allow the horghs to die just for raising the level at the expense of their force. But that oath they had taken could not be sold for the shaman's gifts. Perhaps, he expressed his gratitude, but RAVen decided to take nothing.
“I need nothing, but if you want to thank me, answer my questions.”
“Oh, answers. All of you begin to look for them someday. … I see confusion in your soul…no, it’s something different … Desire? No, something bigger … Thirst? Yes, thirst. What are you so starved for, my friend?”
The words of the shaman touched unpleasantly the young man. He vaguely realized what that one was speaking about, but he did not like the stranger stepping on his toes.
“Stop it!” His face become similar to a mask, and the voice showed his hidden rage. “It seems, I was gonna ask questions, but not you!”
“Well … if you want answers … then drink it.” The shaman stretched the bottle with red liquid and smiled crookedly. “It is not poison, don’t be afraid, but I do not promise also tranquility to you.”
“What is it?”
“Drink and you will receive even those answers you aren’t looking for. You have chosen the award …”
“Thanks to the saved lives the shaman gives you the chosen award. It’s only you who can decide what to do with it.”
The RAVEN did not understand what was going on, but the words of the blind man caused some unclear feeling. What would be after he drank it and what answers the shaman had talked about?
“Well. Give it here!” Will took the bottle away sharply and, without thinking any more, drank all its contents.
He was rocked, then got dizzy... and then dizzier, and the last he saw was the shaman's hands which picked him up in falling.
“You have drunk: "Truth potion".
The unique potion prepared only by the shaman Grrakhkat.
Everyone, who drinks his potion, is shown only that best suit. Pulling out his or her hidden desires, purposes and motives.
Duration: 4 hours.”
Will opened his eyes and recognized he was sitting at the desk of his school. He looked around and saw himself, the little and badly dressed boy with the same schoolmates around.
Nevertheless some of them were dressed better than the others. They had new books costing a lot, fashionable backpacks and notebook
s. They were strongly different. Since his boyhood he had been envying them, who was born much richer, than he and his sister were.
No. He did not blame his father and even mother who had left when Leia was three years old. He cursed the fate, blaming it for such injustice. And this envy, this hatred to poverty gradually expanded in thirst.
Then his school was replaced by his first job. A JJJanitor. After shots went one after another, showing all new and new jobs he grabbed to escape from that vicious circle of lack of money.
Will was looking at all this, and his jaw cramped a spasm. The flame of that offense he had hidden so carefully was burning in his heart. He had tears in his eyes. He DID not want to see this!
“Ra-a-a!!! Stop! Enough! Why are you showing it to me?!” He had already forgotten that he was in the game. His dreadful memoirs which were pulled out from the secret corners of his soul overflowed him.
He curled up in empty space and covered his head with his hands. “Enough! Enough! Enough! Enough! Enough!!!”
There is something in each of us that we try to hide deeply. Either desire, aspiration, or hope to have one more chance. Will had always had a burning desire to find the answer to that question: what is it the view from the mountain of money?
Being eternally poor, he did not wish such future to his sister... So Will tried to clear himself. And, as it was told, there was something in everyone that we were afraid to show even to ourselves.
And while he was being shown what he had hidden, Will was reliving his childhood when running away from the house; he had hidden somewhere and had cried silently. His sister should not have seen her brother in such condition, as well as their father.
Will did not want to live for the sake of money, understanding that family, friendship, something moral had to be his ideals, but the worm of the idea had lodged in him gnawed his essence, looking for a way out. And this way out was found after the conversation of those two visitors.
He was always able to advance towards the set goal. So when, at last, his target presented itself, he could not nip it in the bud.
The top!!!
He wanted to know what view could be seen from that top of the wealth!
Chapter 28. The curst trace
As soon as he accepted his thirst, he was thrown out it from this state. Being covered with his sweat he was laying on the floor. The relived days knocked down even him. There were two debuffs in his status.
“"Demoralization"
Your will is weak, and you will cause for 21% less damage. Energy is lowered for 15%.
Duration: 10 minutes
"Weakness"
Health is reduced by 10%,
Speed is reduced by 30%.
Duration: 10 minutes.”
“Have you found what you were looking for, Envoy?” The voice of the shaman has brought him out of prostration.
“I … probably, can’t tell what I was looking for, but now it seems to me I'm relieved, actually. As if what has been prevailing over me for all these years has disappeared so far. Well, probably I should thank you? Though you did not warned me about what would happen.”
“Very few people will decide voluntarily to face their internal demons, those who win acquire something valuable. Don’t you, RAVen?”
“What are you?” It bugged Will that the system could have got his memoirs from his private life and interweave into the game. It could have influenced mentality of the user …
“Me? I am just an old shaman of the horghs tribe. Nothing more.” His quiet smile confirmed his words, and RAVen understood that he should not try to obtain the answer.
“Well, it is time to go, see you, maybe.”
Will really was going to leave when he was stopped.
“Wait! While you were being under the influence of potion, I felt an old trace of damnation on you. Did you struggle with someone obsessed with certain violet aura not long ago?”
“Right you are! It was a big rat. In Skiavra that in several yards from here. Why are you asking?”
“You see, sometimes fortune favours the bold, and you, undoubtedly, are brave. You can't argue with that you are weak, but brave. Perhaps, your emergence was foreordained, wasn’t it?”
“Sure. It was foreordained by directly game mechanics,” poorly smiled Will.
“Cut to the chase, Shaman!”
“Well. In our wood the damned animal has appeared recently. More likely, it is no animal longer, but monster. He hunts at night and never attacks big groups. So we cannot kill him.”
“Send somebody as bait and ambush until the monster falls into trap. What’s the problem?”
“We’ve already tried, but he avoids skillfully all this. We’ve even sent the captain Dreyrok. He’s one of the strongest warrior among the horghs. But the monster as if felt his aura of power and avoided fighting with him.
Dreyrok has been travelling around the wood for a week, but he hasn’t been attacked by the monster.”
“How can I help? A-and …There is a curst trace on me, which is able to attract this beast, isn’t it?”
“Right you are!”
“There is one point. And how will I cope with him? I am not the captain Dreyrok, and am not rather strong for fight against the damned animal so far.”
“I see… you are really not enough, but how did you manage to kill one of them?”
“With the help of cunning …” sighed Will. “Cunning and good luck.”
“It is clear … So, you need to become stronger.”
“It is obvious, Shaman. By the way, and why cannot you kill him?”
“I am tied to this land. Also I can't get far. So the only chance is you, Envoy. Become stronger and kill this beast, infecting the wood.
“The task is offered to you: «Monster at night".
Kill the cursed animal and bring his head as a confirmation.
Task for level 65+
Awards:
+15000 XP;
+90 gold;
+47 points of Grrakhkat’s ;
Opportunity to choose jewelry of your range.
Note: In case of murder of the monster with lower level that is required, you will earn a bonus.
Accept? Yes/No.”
“No way in hell am I getting in that thing without having prepared.”
When he was reading the message from the system, he was notified of a new letter. The letter was from Light Terror.
Chapter 29. Follow Cursed Aura
“Hi RAVEN,
Sorry, that so long, you see, affairs of the clan and others. In addition, the problem was with the guard. On the web-site you’ve, probably, seen the information about it, and so, it is our idiot shared. He, damned him, decided to draw attention! Well, it isn’t important, we'll sort it out. Now Books are in great demand, especially with rare skills. But as we can farm them, my leader reciprocated after had learned that you would give a higher price, than in the market. (A considerable role has played the fact that I have put in a good word for you;)). So don't let me down. All in all, eight gold, look at the name and the description, maybe, you’ve already got something from this.
Light Terror”
Will had a look at the titles of the books. There were five of them.
A Book of The skill "Theft", - well, everything was clear with it, the skill allowed to rob the victim.
A Book of The skill "Shock", - one of many skills stunning an enemy. It gave a three-second "stun" for good timing, forced magicians’ cast down.
A Book of the skill "Dirty dodge ", - the skill allowed to throw some sand into eyes of an enemy to blind him for two seconds.
A Book of the skill «Poisoning", - allowed to apply concentrated poison on weapon and arrows with bolts. The higher poison level, the more additional damage is.
The latest book was the rarest one, and the rogue did not understand why Pak had decided to sell it. Especially, why the leader had allowed doing it.
A Book of the skill: "The double attack", an attack caused damage
as two attacks with probability of 9%, without including critical damage.
He had slightly more than hundred fifty gold coins, and Will, without postponing, sent the companion ten gold. Such help should be appreciated.He was planning to ask him for a help more and more. It is good as to have friends from not the latest guild as to have support of the horghs tribe.
…
Dey-Ghard did not follow strange soldiers that afternoon. His mood had been spoiled, and he abandoned the game, waiting for the moment when he would be moved back on his floor.
When he entered the game next day, he was standing near that grotto of slugs. He knew that the dungeon had been occupied by his clan. After writing back to Alteya and learning where they were, he went to meet them.
The elf received more than a splendid award from the leader. Though did not understand why … Mollie had already watched the received video four times. She was trying to understand if the player was that she was looking for or he was just a NPC. She again and again damned the elf for the fact that he had chickened out and had not found it out. But now it was possible to put the nickname "White RAVen" on the list of suspects.
“The list consisting of one name, hmm, was not even ridiculous.
…
Will left the house of the shaman and breathed the free air again. The clock said 12:30.
“Foo-ooh, it’s high time to have a bite,” saying these words he disappeared.
…
Half an hour later, he was standing in front of the shaman’s house again. He was eager to leave when he realized that the shaman was more suitable for reading that piece of paper which he had found at the dead adept of shadow.
Intending to visit him again, Will stiffened on the highway.
"Dang me! He’s blind!" Will turned around, headed to the gate and stiffened again. “Why did he need the book he was holding when I entered? Aha ". And turning round again, he rushed to the old man.
That one was sitting in the pose he had been before.
“Shaman, can you read the book you're holding in your hand?”
