by Tony Corden
“Now those who are interested in such a facility are prepared to pay for the privilege. I think the demand is sufficient to pay any yearly costs plus insurance and they would provide their own equipment. You would have to front the setup and pay for your own equipment. It is a losing proposition unless one of them discovers something that can be taken to market. If that happens, then depending on the contract you have with them you could expect between twenty-five and eighty per cent of the royalties.”
“Can I get a walk through with any of these?”
“The power station and the meat works have virtual walkthroughs but not the warehouses. There is one from twenty years ago but apparently the insides have been gutted by the squatters.”
“Fair enough. Please arrange a time with Gèng for me to look through the power station and the meat works. I’d like to meet with the leaders of the two focus groups if it can be arranged. The offer from Dunyanin is good and it could make this possible. My preference at the moment is to take over the lease of the power station. Could you begin discussions with the Historical Society and with AWE and find out what they want? You’ve done a great job so far Leon and I know it hasn’t been easy. I’m glad to have you working for me.”
“So far it has been exciting and a real eye opener. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Leon stood, understanding that the meeting was over, and said goodbye. When he had gone Leah considered all she’d heard and made a list of all she needed to think about. Finally, she logged out for an early breakfast in preparation for her assault on the Darkness Diamond mine.
11
December 15, 2073 - Part 3
DUNYANIN
It wasn’t long before Leah was back in the Tower, and after making sure Gèng had put the climbing gear in her backpack, she headed for the Dunyanin portal. On the way, she sent a quick message to Wisp to check if Wisp was still OK to meet in Cosmos Online later that day. Wisp replied immediately that she was looking forward to it.
Leah arrived in her hotel, and after making sure she looked like a Dark Elf, she stepped outside and headed out of the city. As soon as she was hidden, she teleported to the top of the cliff and looked around, checking for the Eeline. If K’calama was correct then it had respawned, and Leah needed to watch out for it. She moved close to the edge of the cliff, and after hammering in several pitons, she tossed two lengths of rope over the cliff. Leah released Mĕi and after giving her a huge hug, climbed on, and they flew down the cliff face making sure the ropes reached the bottom and weren’t tangled.
Nine players were gathered at the base of the cliff and watched carefully as Leah brought Mĕi to land near them. Leah dismounted and sent Mĕi away to forage while she approached the players. Jack stepped forward and said, “Good morning, Atherleah. I like people who are on time. What should we expect at the top of the cliff?”
“Good morning Jack. At the top is a small cleared section of rock. It soon becomes covered in snow. There is a Feeline who hunts in the area so you should watch out for that. I’ll head back soon and will deal with it if it arrives before you get there. Is now a good time to introduce me to the rest of the team?”
Jack didn’t respond verbally but headed back to the group. Leah tagged along behind him. He didn’t need to get their attention as they were already quiet and watching. Jack said, “You already know Granite.”
Leah nodded to the immense Gargoyle in greeting. Granite just grunted.
Jack pointed to the Orc she’d seen before and said, “That’s Peter underscore something, but we call him ‘Smash’. He’s handy with swords and his battle hammer. He’s tough as nails and hard to put down. What surprises most people is his speed. He put a lot of points into agility.”
Pointing to an elf from the Solgun clan Jack said, “That’s Blue. His player name is Rusty underscore something. He’s our other basic tank.”
The whole right half of Blue’s scalp was clean shaven and the remainder braided to lie along his left shoulder. He wore armour made from heavy plate and was holding a large triangular shield with a Darkness Diamond at its centre, he also carried a battle axe.
Jack pointed to four of the remaining elves and named them as he went along. “These are our mages, each of them has a different focus. I won’t give you their player names as I never remember them. First is Brim, which is short for Brimstone. Her focus is mixing Shadow and Fire, but she works with most mana forms. Next is Phil, which I think is his actual name. In real life he’s a bit of a nerd. His focus is using air and earth with shadow to create shields. He doubles as a superb archer. Next to Phil is his sister Megan. She’s kinda all purpose but is a wizard with electricity. It literally stands up and begs for her. Finally, there’s Nemo. Don’t ask because I have no idea why he’s called Nemo, he just is. Nemo is a practitioner of blood magic. It is his focus so he can be weird at times. Occasionally he asks us for some blood, and he can create some amazing spells with it. He never uses it to attack us, so if he asks, I suggest you help him out. He works his magic close in rather than from a distance. He uses blood from both his wounds and the wounds of his enemies to fuel his spells.”
Leah worked to remember everything that Jack was saying. She wanted to know these people and to retain their skills and specialities. Brim was a Siyah like Jack and was wearing a dark red cloak which was covered in runes and enchantments. Red was from the Yarim Clan, and he had a mottled brown cloak which looked to have pieces of mud and different types of leaves stuck all over it. If Megan was his sister, then it must have been in real life, because she was one of those elves Leah had seen in the city. She had olive skin and bright purple hair. She had a stocky build and wore a bright yellow cloak with runes and jagged stitching which resembled lightning. Nemo was a Siyah like Jack but wore only a loin cloth which was held up by a leather belt, and he had a dark leather harness. The harness had small loops which held over twenty small vials of blood. Two knives were hanging from the belt as were more of the vials.
Leah acknowledged each of the mages and then reached into her backpack and took out a vial of Feeline, and a vial of Eeline blood. Without a word, she handed them to Nemo and then turned to look at Jack. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Nemo examine the vials. When he looked up she could see the grin on his face.
The final player was another elf from the Solgun clan. She was tall and thin. Her head was shaved on both sides, leaving her with hair that would have been a long dark mohawk if it had been styled sticking up. Instead, it had been braided into maybe twenty or more small braids which hung down on both sides of the head in an alternating pattern. She wore dark olive green leathers and had a longbow and quiver slung across her back. At her waist she had a pair of tomahawks and a steel-tipped whip. Jack said, “This is Mist. She is one of the best scouts I’ve ever seen.”
While they’d been talking Granite had begun the climb, as had Blue. Leah said, “I’ll meet you all at the top, and we can form a group then. Does anyone want to fly with me to the top?”
Before anyone else could move, Mist had stepped forward and began walking toward Mĕi. Leah followed her. As Mist approached Mĕi, all of Mĕi’s heads began to growl, and Mist slowed to a stop. Leah walked past Mist and gave Mĕi a big hug. She said, “Stop that Mĕi. This is Mist. Mist is going to be our friend today. Do you think you can carry both of us to the top?”
Whether or not Mĕi understood Leah’s words, it was clear that she didn’t like the thought that Leah might doubt her at all. She folded her legs in invitation, and both Leah and Mist climbed aboard with Leah in front and Mist holding on, arms around Leah’s waist. Mĕi leapt for the sky and within moments was circling higher and higher. She was soon above the cliff top and circled the top of the mountain before spiralling down to land at the top of the cliff near where the ropes were tethered.
Leah reduced Mĕi to a statue, and after looking around, she looked over the edge and saw Granite about half way up. Mist had said nothing, not even in acknowledging the ride, and was
looking toward the mountain and obviously keeping a lookout. Leah moved away and said in a soft voice but still with a force of will and command, “By Darkness bring an Orumeck’s Warrior Drone to serve me.”
Slowly one of the Warrior Drones coalesced from the shadow that had risen from the ground. It was Level 15. Leah pointed toward where she expected the Eeline to come from and said, “Go guard over there.”
As the Warrior Drone headed down the path, Mist finally spoke. “What do you know of Orumeck?”
Leah hadn’t thought about it much over the last few weeks but after a moment said, “I defeated his spider queen. I have some of his spells and a clue to the whereabouts of his keep. I have the key to his keep somewhere, so I suppose I’ll try and find it one of these days. He looks arrogant and I think he was an evil creep.”
Mist was still facing toward the mountain, but she’d become still as if she was frozen. Slowly she turned toward Leah, and it seemed as if she pushed everything else out of her mind. Mist’s voice was pleading as she said, “When you go, may I come with you?”
Leah said, “I don’t know, Mist. I’m not sure when it will be and whenever I think I have a free moment to plan my own journey something seems to happen. Let’s work together today. If we can get along then if I can I’ll let you know my plans. If we can make it work then under those conditions, it would be good to have your company.”
Mist nodded and turned back to look at the mountain. In a soft voice she said, “When I started playing, Orumeck was the big prize. My brother and I were convinced we would be the ones to find his keep and reap the rewards. We spent months searching for clues. It became an obsession for both of us, but it was so much fun. Jim lived in Perth with my dad, and I live in Sydney with Mum. Playing together was the happiest I’d ever been. Then one day I got distracted. I met another player who was really cute. Jim and I had a big fight. I went off on a quest with Andy, and my brother went off with his brother Ernst.
“By the time I’d finished the day, I’d realised that Andy was a jerk and ignored his attempts to hook up. I tried to reconnect with Jim, but he wouldn’t respond. Andy and Ernst wouldn’t discuss what happened unless I agreed to meet them at Andy’s place but I could never bring myself to agree. I keep playing and I keep looking for Orumeck. I keep looking for Jim because I think if I finally find Orumeck’s Keep and I finish what we started, Jim and I, then I’ll find Jim, and we can work out whatever drove him away. Jim’s name is still next to mine on the quest we found.”
Leah had been very still while Mist was talking. Even though her eyes continued to look for evidence of something coming to attack, she wasn’t taking anything in except Mist’s story. She was almost certain she knew who Andy and Ernst were and so she had a good idea about what had happened to Jim. She was trying to decide what to say when a shriek split the air. She focused on the mountain again and saw her spider pulled under the snow.
She cast a beachball shaped spell of Dragonfire at the place where the spider had been pulled under and was rewarded with the hiss of steam and the cry of the Eeline. It was visible for just a moment and then she could see the marks in the snow as it tunnelled toward them. Leah dropped another similar sized ball of Dragonfire just in front of the Eeline, and as it became visible, three arrows from Mist exploded against its face. The Eeline recovered enough to move back under the snow and Leah could see it was moving off on an angle but still headed toward them.
Although she’d been expecting him, she was still surprised when she heard Granite say, “I’ve never fought an Eeline. Are you OK to let it get closer and let me deal with it?”
“Sure. When it gets low on health, it transitions into a huge Feeline that stands as tall as you at its shoulder. The transition also sets it back to full health.”
“Sounds like fun.”
Granite moved past Leah and headed for the area where the Eeline would exit the snow. Mist said, “Granite loves new things. The bigger and more dangerous the better. Jack’ll never let him fight on his own if we’re all together. Jack’s all about teamwork. If anything happens to Granite Jack’ll be pissed.”
Leah chuckled softly and said, “Then we’d better go closer and be ready just in case Granite gets in trouble.” She started walking slowly toward Granite who’d stopped just short of the snow.
Mist wasn’t sure how to take Leah’s nonchalance, but after a brief hesitation she quickly caught up and walked with Leah. They were about twenty metres from Granite when the Eeline propelled itself from under the snow and straight at Granite. Granite was ready, however, and had already begun bringing one of his massive arms around in an arc. He’d extended his claws and the slammed into the side of the Eeline’s head, pushing to one side and destroying an eye. The Eeline wasn’t finished though, and even though the head missed Granite, the body didn’t. It slammed into his shoulder and sent him flying at the same time as his claws ripped half of Eeline’s face off.
Granite came to a stop near Leah’s feet. He slowly lifted his head in time to see the beginning of the Eeline’s transformation. Before he could say anything, Leah bent down and said, “Up you get. Stop lying down on the job, Big Fella. Are you sure you’re up to this or would you like a hand?”
Granite got to his feet as the Feeline finished its transformation. He said, “I got this. You two stay out of it.”
Before Leah could respond, Granite leapt in the air and with a snap of his wings was driven forward toward the large cat. Another flick of his wings and he turned in the air and came down astride the Feeline. Granite kicked his feet forward and dug his lower claws into the area just behind the Feeline’s front legs and then equipping his great sword he slammed it down between the animal’s shoulder blades. At the same time as he was doing this, the Feeline’s split tail had reacted to Granite being on its back. They speared forward straight at his back.
Mist had started to move toward the Feeline when Leah stopped her. Leah was reasonably confident that Granite was aware of the danger and wondered what he was going to do. As the tail speared toward Granite’s back, his wings suddenly opened to shield his back and pushed backwards at an angle. Together they worked like an impenetrable snow plough. The twin tails ricocheted off the wings and extended past Granite’s body. He’d left his sword buried in the Feeline’s spine and using both hands, he grasped the end of each tail and then with a flick of his wings he sliced them off the monster cat. Granite leant forward and plunged his claws into the flesh on either side of the Feeline and tore its neck to shreds.
As the creature crumpled to the ground, Granite sprung from its back and looking toward Leah and Mist and said, “And that, my friends, is how you kill a Feeline.”
Leah gave him a slight nod of the head and said, “A bit messy, but passable I suppose. I’d give maybe seven out of ten for difficulty and six-and-a-half for style. What do you think, Mist?”
Before Mist could answer, Granite had stepped toward Leah and his wings had snapped out on either side of his body. His body seemed to quiver, and he almost shouted as he said, “Thirteen and a half out of twenty! Are you nuts? That creature was thirty levels more than me, and I lost no health killing it.”
Leah stepped past him without a care and looked back over her shoulder at him and said with just a hint of dismissiveness in her voice, “Granite. Granite. Granite. If I remember correctly, you got slapped silly by the fishy part. You were slow to get up, and there was a lack of focus in your eyes until Mist and I showed up to offer support. If we hadn’t been here I imagine you’d have been kitty litter by morning. I’m tempted to lower your score, but I’m waiting for Mist.”
Granite was about to say something when Mist said, “Atherleah’s right Granite. That was sloppy work at the beginning. I liked the finish and thought your wing work was well done, although it could use a little polish. I think a six-and-a-half for difficulty and an eight for style because I like the way you used your wings. Overall, a fourteen-and-a-half.”
As Mist had been talki
ng Granite had slowly turned around to look at her. All the anger and bluster had disappeared, and a look of incredulity had appeared on his face. He stepped forward and said, “Mist, that’s the most I’ve heard you say in the year I’ve known you. I thank you for that gift, and I’ll treasure the fourteen-and-a-half for a long time.”
Mist was staring at Granite as he talked and seemed quite flustered by the end. The silence threatened to become uncomfortable when he finished, until Leah stepped forward and slammed him on the back and said, “Personally, I think the other judge is blind. I hope you can do better than that next time, Big Fella. Now let’s get back and make sure everyone else is safe.”
Leah kept moving and left two very confused players following behind her slowly. It wasn’t long though before everyone else arrived at the top of the cliff and after recovering the ropes and pitons, Leah led the team into the mountain and down to the mine entrance. Everyone took a few moments to look at the murals. Then they logged out, agreeing to return in fifteen minutes, ready for nine virtual hours in the mine.
REAL WORLD
Leah had recently had a break, but she took one anyway. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to stay in the Pod for the full nine hours. While Leah was out of the Pod, she talked with Gèng and got an update on Survival. Leah asked Gèng to see if look into ways that she could wrangle an invitation to Thad’s family’s Christmas Party. She said, “Seeing the tension between Granite and Mist reminded me how much I miss Thad. I’m hoping I’ll see him in Pneumatic. I may have to kill him, but I still hope I see him. If I can’t, maybe I can gatecrash a party.”
DUNYANIN
