With nothing else to do, we finally had the opportunity to simply relax for a while and took full advantage of every precious moment. Together, we decided to wait until morning before finding out where my Amulet would be sending us next. Even though we still had to find the final Token and meet the mysterious elf King, we chose to savor our victory this night, holding off any thought of what lay ahead of us until the following day. The retainers that the King had assigned to us brought food and drink to the shared dining area, and we happily consumed our fill of both. Stuffed, and having consumed more than a few mugs of the strong dwarven ale, we eventually walked, or in some cases stumbled, back to our separate rooms for the night.
Tási got ready for bed and beckoned me to join her. I sat down in one of the room’s many chairs instead and put her off.
“I need to clear my head,” I demurred. “I’m sure I have some notifications to deal with after all that happened.”
Tási simply pulled the covers tightly around her and curled herself into a warm ball, leaving me to take care of my Deathless affairs.
Quest Completed – Uniter IV. You have located and joined the next part of the Ancient Symbol, adding significantly to its power. You have been rewarded 17,431 XP.
Quest Assigned – Uniter V. Use the four joined pieces to help you locate the final part of the Ancient Symbol. Once you find it, join it with the others.
The Quest completion and new Quest were exactly what I suspected I would see, but the XP reward seemed ridiculously high. A sense of dread came over me as I realized what had probably happened. Pulling up my personal sheet confirmed my suspicions.
Dreya Dae
Sintári Female
Title: Sintári
Level - 19
161199/161200
Health 250/250 Aura 590/590 Endurance 250/250
Sintári – Sintári interact with their surroundings in unusual ways. The effects of these interactions can be unpredictable
Class – Warden – Wardens gain a 10% bonus to skills associated with nature or which have natural effects
Specialization – Protector
Mastery –
STR - 29
CON - 23 (+2)
DEX- 23 (+2)
INT - 21 (+2)
WIS- 20 (+2)
CHA - 34 (+3)
Abilities
Ignore Armor – Your next arrow will ignore a portion of the target’s armor. Cost – 20 Aura. – 35%
Stun – Your next arrow has a chance to stun its target on hit. Cost – 20 Aura. – 33%
Block – You may attempt to use your bow to parry a single melee attack. Cost – 20 Endurance. – 20%
Swarm – Your next arrow duplicates itself in flight. Cost – 20 Endurance and 20 Aura. – 43%
Flurry – Perform three rapid strikes with a bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 24%
Parry – Chance for your blades to block next melee attack targeted at you. Cost – 20 Endurance.– 23%
Hamstring – The next arrow fired has a chance to cripple your opponent. Cost – 20 Aura. – 30%
Hilt Bash – Stun your opponent with a successful hilt strike from your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 22%
Blood Price – Your arrow inflicts a damage-over-time bleed effect. Cost – 30 Aura. – 34%
Blind – Your next arrow has a chance to inflict blindness on a successful hit. Cost – 30 Aura. – 33%
Achilles Strike – Cripple your target with a slash of your bladed weapon. Cost – 30 Endurance. – 24%
Penetrator – Advanced Ability -Your arrow pierces through armor easily. With increased proficiency, it may penetrate through even greater barriers. Modifier – Strength. Cost – 60 Aura. – 7%
Sintári Abilities
Natural Affinity – The Sintári’s unique connection with the natural world may manifest itself in random ways at times. While these effects are generally beneficial, they are also typically outside the direct control of the Sintári. Modifier – Charisma.
Control – Effect varies, applies to all Sintári Abilities – 6%
Protector Abilities
See Truth – Once per day, the spoken words of your target become visible to you, allowing you to see the truth held within them. Strength and duration of this effect increase with proficiency. Cost – 60 Aura. Modifier – Wisdom. – 16%
Spells
Enhanced Sight – May be cast on self or ally. Improves visual acuity of the recipient in dark or obscured conditions. Cost – 20 Aura. – 43%
Create Trap – Place a magical trap upon an area. Size, type, and trigger of traps is determined by your proficiency. Cost – 40 Aura. – 41%
Elemental Arrow -Your next arrow is imbued with elemental energy and causes additional elemental damage accordingly. Cost – 30 Aura. – 26%
Bolt – Release a Bolt of pure Lightning at your target(s). Cost – 40 Aura. – 22%
Skills
Bow – 45%
Critical Hit – 37%
Blades – 31%
Long Sword – 31%
Short Sword – 28%
Dagger – 26%
Critical Hit – 25%
Two-Handed – 28%
Pole Arms – 14%
Spear – 23%
Armor – 28%
Medium Armor – 32%
Perception – 41%
Environmental – 42%
Identify Enemy – 36%
Identify Person – 39%
Combat Dodge – 23%
Subterfuge – 28%
Stealth – 29%
Find Trap – 11%
Disarm Trap – 8%
Set Trap – 10%
Manipulation – 29%
Persuade – 41%
Barter – 27%
Survival – 23%
Tracking – 25%
Identify Creature (Beasts) – 15%
Skinning – 13%
Field Dress – 12%
Alchemy – 17%
Herbalism – 25%
Potion Craft – 21%
Lore – 3%
Identify Magical Item – 5%
It was exactly as I had feared. The XP reward left me a single point shy of level twenty. The only reason I could think of for such an XP boon was that I didn’t meet the minimum level requirement for my upcoming encounter with the elf King—it was a common enough issue in the world of gaming—if a specific encounter was too difficult to undertake, the game might level you up to the minimum level required to allow you a chance of success. The problem with that was that those encounters were typically among the most difficult; being at just the minimum level required for them meant that you were almost assured to fail—spectacularly. Not a big deal in a game, but this was the real world for me now, and death was not something I looked forward to. And even with our supply of resurrection scrolls, not a fate my friends were certain to return from.
I closed the window with a sigh. Even with my doubts, I was left with no other choice—the only path I had was forward, and that path was leading me straight towards a confrontation with the long-dead elf King. We had barely managed to get past the dwarven apparition, and I couldn’t help but believe that the elf King, as guardian of the final Token, would be a much more difficult foe to defeat. Hopefully my companion’s new weapons might help us in the upcoming battle. I didn’t like our chances very much if that was not the case, but shoving my disturbing thoughts aside, I closed the UI and rose from my chair to get ready for bed.
Despite my unpleasant thoughts, I couldn’t help but smile when I heard the sound of Tási snoring softly. It was not like her to let one of our encounters pass—she was quite insistent that we remain dedicated to freeing both of us from the bonds that were holding us back, but the combination of the difficult fight and the strong dwarven ale had gotten the better of her. She slept soundly, wrapped up in the warm blankets with the faint trace of a smile on her face. Since it wasn’t one of Tási’s treatment nights, I let her sleep since it wouldn’t cause her t
o suffer the ill-effects of a missed session.
Slipping into bed beside her, I was careful not to wake the sleeping halfling. I lay down in the soft bed, and despite the comfortable pillows and soft blankets, I feared that my foreboding thoughts would make sleep difficult. Instead, I soon found that the warm bed and Tási’s soft snoring lulled me into relaxation, and I drifted off to sleep after only a few short minutes.
When morning came, we were awakened by a knock on our door, letting us know breakfast had been brought for us. Tási cast a sideways glance at me as we got ready. I knew exactly what her accusing glare meant, and I was having none of it.
“Not my fault you got drunk and fell asleep,” I said flatly. “Besides, despite all our efforts, I haven’t even gained a single point in proficiency since the last time I checked.”
“Really?” Tási replied, genuinely surprised.
“Yes, really,” I confirmed. “I’m not giving up. I know it’s helping, but the progress is just so slow.”
Tási did not reply, and we finished getting ready, gathering our equipment in silence. Leaving our room, we joined our companions in the common area for breakfast.
The food was excellent, and we again enjoyed the luxury of a hot meal, an all too uncommon event for us lately. As everyone finished washing down the last few bites, our attention turned to our next step.
“Where to next, Dreya?” Stel inquired as he laid out the map for me.
With a resigned sigh, I took out my Amulet and began probing it for the answer. The pull of the Amulet guided my finger along the map, nearly due south of the dwarven capitol city, Rhoboth. Reaching the location indicated by my Amulet, I stopped and looked at our next destination.
“That’s right in the middle of nowhere,” Venna said, clearly perplexed.
I couldn’t disagree—my finger rested on a spot outside the declared borders of any of the realms. Even the nearest marked road was many miles away, and although our map didn’t indicate all the minor paths and byways, it seemed unlikely that any settlements existed in the vicinity of our isolated destination.
“There’s even more bad news,” I added, before telling them my apprehension regarding the most recent XP reward from the Uniter quest.
“So,” Khorim summarized. “You’re dragging us into untamed forests with no refuge or safety nearby to confront a dead elf King we have little hope of defeating?”
“Seems that way, master dwarf,” I replied bluntly.
We discussed different options for a while. I even suggested that we hold off on completing my quest until we got a little stronger, but my friends refused to wait, as any delay risked someone else recovering the last Token. Despite the remoteness of that possibility, I had to agree that the consequences were too dire to risk. We would simply have to push on and hope for the best, knowing that we were likely to face our steepest obstacle yet. Turning back to the map, we traced the path we would follow to reach the remote location of the final Token.
From Rhoboth, we would travel to the southeastern outpost city of Khenton, exiting on the opposite side of the dwarven Kingdom from where we had entered at Dhagboro in the northwest. Leaving Khenton, we would then follow the trade road towards the elven Kingdom of Olóra for a few days before having to set off into the wilds. Our plans ended there, and at that point, our course would be dictated by geography and circumstances. Even the best maps available were notoriously unreliable when it came to the unclaimed wild lands, and we had no way of knowing exactly what we would encounter once we left the well-traveled road.
“Well, I guess that settles that,” Stel sighed as our planning came to an end. “I do have at least one bit of good news before we head back on the road.”
“The King’s retainers managed to sell all of our loot,” he added with a smile as he began tossing little coin purses to everyone.
“Just so you all know, there was a good deal more than there should have been,” Stel added as the pouches began flying through the air. “I figured the extra was intended as a gift to Broda from her uncle. She refused to take the coin when I offered it to her, insisting that I add it to our general funds.”
Broda only grumbled awkwardly as Stel revealed her generosity.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I stood next to her, loud enough for only her to hear.
She favored me with a quick nod, acknowledging my words without drawing any additional attention to herself.
“Time to go!” Khorim shouted, rescuing his wife from any additional discomfort.
The stewards led us from our rooms and out a seldom-used palace exit. Clearly, the King had other visitors in need of discretion, and the palace had made contingencies for such occasions. We left by the clandestine door and were soon back on one of the city’s side streets, melding seamlessly into the busy flow of traffic.
Khorim led the way through the great dwarven capitol, guiding us with expertise across its many byways and avenues. Reaching the city gates, he paused for only a moment before marching us straight through.
The roadway beyond Rhoboth was much like the one we had traveled to reach the capitol. Sporadic collections of structures and even small towns sprang up periodically, offering a resting place for the road’s many travelers. With nearly all making the journey on foot, the frequent inns and taverns would see much use from the footsore and weary dwarves trekking across the Kingdom.
Although the journey took almost four days, it passed uneventfully. We were able to travel safely along the dwarven roads under the mountain and stayed in whatever hospitable place was nearest when our feet finally became tired at the end of the day. Reaching Khenton on the fourth day marked the end of our underground travels.
Luck was with us yet again, and a caravan had gathered just outside the mountain, preparing to leave the next morning. Stel spoke with the caravan master, making sure we would be welcome to travel alongside them before Khorim led us to the inn where we would be spending our last night beneath a dry roof for some time.
To commemorate our final night in comfort, Khorim insisted on ordering a feast for us, including copious amounts of the powerful dwarven ale he was so fond of. The food and spirits flowed freely, and we all enjoyed the night, relishing the comforts that would soon be denied to us on the road ahead. Even in our revelries, we knew we had to be off to an early start, so while the night was a happy one, it ended all too soon as we reluctantly headed to our rooms.
Entering our chambers, I sloughed off my gear and changed for bed. Tási did the same, but I could hear her giggling the entire time. I turned around to see what she found so amusing and was greeted by her outstretched hand offering me a final mug of dwarven ale she had snuck upstairs. I smiled at her as I grabbed hold of the mug and we took turns taking deep sips of the frothy ale until we both became a little lightheaded. Getting off our unstable feet, we fell softly onto the bed.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said,” Tási began as we lay down.
“What did I say?”
“That you don’t seem to be making any progress,” Tási explained.
“Oh,” I replied. “And what have you come up with?”
Tási didn’t reply right away. She simply looked at me with one of her odd expressions that I could never interpret. Then the corner of her mouth curled up in a wry smile before she suddenly burst into motion. Quicker than I would have imagined possible Tási rolled towards me in a blur and I found myself looking up at her face as she sat astride me, and her wry smile turned into a broad grin.
“What are you doing?” I asked nervously.
“I told you I have been thinking about what you said,” she repeated.
“Tási,” I pled. “Whatever it is you think you’ve come up with I—”
“Shhh,” she stopped me cold, waving a hand in front of me in warning.
Tási’s fingers hovered just above my chest, clearly threatened me with her touch. I tried to back away, but the mattress against my back offered no option for retreat.
/> “No more talking until I’m done,” she taunted me.
“Please, Tási, you don’t understand how frightening—”
She arched an eyebrow and her hand crept ominously closer to the low neck of my nightdress as I spoke, only ceasing its advance when I fell silent.
“That’s better,” she said when I cut myself off.
“When you told me that you had made no progress, I couldn’t help but wonder why. Then it came to me,” she said. “You never tried to push your limits. You refuse to challenge yourself, never trying for more, and only allow yourself to stay within your narrow little boundaries. You’re so scared of what might happen, so frightened of the consequences. It’s ironic—it is your fear of losing control that is preventing you from taking control.”
Tási’s hair draped down as she leaned in closer, framing her face in golden-brown tresses.
“This is the last night we will spend in safety for a long time,” she whispered, as her almond-shaped eyes peered at me through the stray locks of her hair.
“Tonight, there will be no limits,” she continued, placing one hand on either side of me as she leaned in even closer.
“Tási, please don’t. You promised you wouldn’t ask this of me!” I begged her.
I was in a state of near terror. The mere thought of what might happen if Tási made good on her promise made me sick with fear. I understood her argument; that in order to achieve mastery over my own body and emotions, I would have to stretch my limits, but the idea of losing control petrified me.
“I’m not asking,” Tási replied definitively.
With those words, Tási reached back and pulled her dress up over her head before tossing it aside carelessly. Completely naked, she stared down at me intently, still straddling my body. I froze in place, terrified that I might brush against her bare skin if I moved even the slightest bit.
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