Are these other players?
“That was certainly interesting,” a feminine voice said from farther down the alley. “I didn’t know what to expect when I heard someone had taken up Lily’s quest.”
The woman soon walked into view. Her hair was a brilliant red and tied in a tight ponytail that cascaded down her back. She was robed in dark leather, daggers and throwing knives riddling her person. Riley suspected there were more blades hidden out of sight.
“Who are you?” Riley asked.
“The name is Melissa. Before you ask, Cecil and I have what you would call a ‘working’ relationship. He sent word that you were planning to meet with Marie shortly after you left his shop. We were planning to meet you at the orphanage.”
A scream sounded from a nearby building, and, a moment later, one of Melissa’s rogues dumped the body of a light mage on the street. The man’s formerly pristine white robe was stained a rich crimson red. The red-haired rogue glanced down at the corpse of the fallen player, a sly smile creeping across her lips. “However, we weren’t expecting to have so much fun.”
The woman’s eyes flashed with mischief. She circled Riley, inspecting her carefully. “I have no idea who you are or what you’re planning to do, but I expect it’s going to be interesting. It has been rather dull around here lately.”
Chapter 19- Devised
Riley slammed Emma’s back against the wall of a nearby building, causing the crumbling boards to crack under her weight. Her hand clenched around the light mage’s neck as the girl’s eyes widened in panic. Dark mana pulsed through Riley’s veins while she watched Emma struggle in her grasp, the creeping chill seeming to feed her anger. An image of Carrie’s smirking face flashed through her mind.
“You idiot. You sold us out to bounty hunters?” Riley hissed.
She glanced at Lucas who was lying on the ground nearby. He was slowly recovering from his wounds, blood staining his torn robes. Meanwhile, Ethan had slumped against a nearby wall, his skin returning to a normal hue and his hand slowly re-growing as he sipped at a healing potion. The bodies of the other players riddled the street, their blood running in small rivulets down the gutters of the low streets.
“You see this? What the hell did you think would happen?” Before she could stop herself, Riley pulled her dagger and pressed the blade to the girl’s ribs. A faint whimper escaped the light mage’s lips. “I should just kill you right now and be done with you.” Melissa and her rogues watched with impassive expressions.
“Riley, please let her go,” Lucas croaked from the ground, resting a feeble hand on her foot. “She just made a mistake.”
“I understand how you feel, but you need to calm down,” Ethan said in a subdued voice as he watched the scene. “You need to release your mana…”
Fuck Emma. She should just run the bitch through. The icy sensation in Riley’s brain was running rampant, urging her to act on her desires. Then she hesitated. Those thoughts didn’t sound like her. She shook her head to try to clear it. With an enormous effort of will, she withdrew her blade even as she slowly released her dark mana. Emma looked at her with fear in her eyes, her body still pressed against the building.
“I… I’m sorry,” the girl sobbed, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
The two young men and Riley ignored Emma as she slumped to the ground, murmuring to herself. Without her mana, a sense of fatigue washed over Riley. With it came the memories of the recent battle and the painful events at Richmond. She hadn’t realized how long she had been channeling her mana – escaping into its cool embrace to suppress away her unwanted emotions.
Riley slowly reclaimed her other dagger and her bow from the street as the others recovered from their wounds. She used this time to clear her head a bit. Once her teammates were all back on their feet, Melissa addressed Riley, “Well, that was all very dramatic. Are we ready to go now?”
The group answered with subdued nods.
“Fantastic!” the woman clapped her hands together, the sound ringing through the heavy silence that hung over the ally. “If you all will follow me…” The red-haired woman promptly threw up her hood and walked out of the alley, her rogues following closely behind her.
As the group walked down the decrepit streets on their way to the orphanage, Riley glanced at Ethan. The warrior’s face was set in a grimace, and he wouldn’t look at the light mage. Even Lucas looked angry. This might just be a game, but Emma’s betrayal still stung. She was certain that the arrows embedded in Lucas’ stomach and the loss of Ethan’s hand must have felt and looked pretty damn real.
As they reached the orphanage, and the rogues stepped inside, Emma said softly, “You all don’t have any reason to forgive me.” She glanced at Lucas and continued, “I didn’t think about what this would mean. Or what it would look like to watch you bleed out in my arms…”
“That’s right; you didn’t think,” Ethan growled. Then he hesitated, observing the girl’s red-ringed eyes. “This might be a game, but it’s not like anything we’ve played before. Vivian’s challenge made that clear to me. You need to stop acting like there are no consequences. You put everyone at risk – including Lucas and me.” With that, the warrior marched inside the orphanage.
Emma’s gaze turned to Lucas, her eyes pleading. The young man shook his head slowly. “Do you want to continue with us?” he asked quietly.
The light mage nodded slowly. “I do. I just… I was jealous of the attention Riley was getting. I know it sounds stupid now.” Tears bloomed in the girl’s eyes again.
Lucas didn’t look entirely sympathetic. “I like you, Emma. That should be enough – that should have been enough.”
The young man hesitated, his hand fingering something in the pocket of his robe. “If you really want to stay with us, then we will let the coin decide. Call it.” Without any fanfare, the silver coin appeared in his hand and then immediately launched into the air. It flipped end over end, briefly reflecting the light of the nearby street lamps.
Emma’s eyes widened in shock as the coin tumbled through the air. “Heads,” she croaked out just as the coin landed back in Lucas’ hand. This time, Riley didn’t see the mage’s free hand move under his robe – his gaze resting calmly on the coin. Emma watched his closed fist as though it were her last lifeline, her hands clenching around her staff.
Lucas slowly unfurled his fingers, revealing the coin. Emma sobbed slightly in relief and leaned against the side of the run down building as Lucas pocketed the coin and stepped inside. Riley moved to walk past the girl.
“I-I’m…,” she began.
“Stop,” Riley replied. “If it were my choice, I’d have killed you in the alley.” She hesitated for a moment, her eyes clouding. “I put up with enough in the real world. Here – in this place – I don’t have to swallow any bullshit. We need a healer, and I will let your friends decide. But if you betray me again, I will kill you.” Emma nodded numbly, dropping her eyes to the ground and suppressing a quiet sob.
Then Riley stepped inside the orphanage, her thoughts troubled. Despite the anger that still bubbled in her chest, she was shocked by the transformation she had seen in the other three. When she had first met them, they were carefree and bantered constantly. Now each one of them seemed older somehow. And it wasn’t just Emma’s betrayal. She had noticed this change even before the light mage had ratted them out. She couldn’t help but wonder if she had caused that or if it was somehow the game itself.
As Riley stepped through the labyrinth-like hallways of the orphanage, children peered around the door frames and holes in the wall, likely curious to see Marie’s new visitors. She saw Rose’s face peeking around a door frame, the girl waving at her. Riley bit down on her anger and ruffled the girl’s hair as she passed. She had more important things than Emma’s betrayal to deal with right now.
Riley found the rest of the group in Marie’s kitchen sitting around the same worn table. Marie pulled a kettle from the stove and poured a mug of
tea, handing it to Lucas. Meanwhile, Emma slunk in behind Riley, standing meekly in the back of the room.
“What’s all this commotion?” Marie asked as she caught sight of Riley. She gestured at Melissa, eyeing her sourly. “You brought this group of ne’er do wells into my orphanage, so the reason better be good.”
The red-haired woman grinned in response. “Oh, Marie. I’ve truly missed your judgmental comments.”
The older woman snorted, eyeing the rogues silently lounging around her kitchen, their faces shrouded by their hoods. “Really? I would have imagined you get plenty of entertainment from your friends. They have such sparkling personalities after all,” she added in a dry tone.
“We’re here because I think we have a lead on the source of the plague that’s afflicting the children of the low streets,” Riley interjected, forestalling yet another fight.
“Thank heavens,” Marie replied. “Over the last couple days, the sickness has spread further. There have been multiple accounts amongst our neighbors, and more cases are springing up on the higher levels.”
“Actually, there have been a total of two hundred and seventeen new cases reported within the last twenty-four hours,” a rough voice said from the doorway.
Cecil entered the kitchen, his boots causing the floorboards to creak with each step. “At least twelve of those reports include an adult victim, which means the plague isn’t limited to children. They may just be more susceptible. The infection rate is escalating quickly. Even the City Council is beginning to take notice.”
He coughed harshly and took a seat at the table. “To make matters worse, the vultures have begun to realize the value of the tears. Liquid mana fetches a premium in a city like this. The tears are especially potent – nearly equivalent drop-for-drop to the purified mana stored in the guild wells. I expect that riots may break out soon at the rate we’re going.”
“I’ve always enjoyed your rampant optimism, Cecil,” Melissa said with a chuckle. “Although, I guess there will always be those that profit from the misery of others. Not that I can blame them, of course. Unfortunately, I have been hired by a rather influential client to figure out a solution to this predicament, or I might be inclined to take advantage myself.”
Riley’s brow furrowed in thought as the group kept talking. Melissa’s comment made her recall the conversation with Vivian in the earth guild and the guild well filled with emerald liquid. The Master had been concerned about collecting sufficient mana to maintain the city’s energy supply. Maybe they had been looking at this the wrong way. What was the cultists’ motivation was for creating a magical disease?
What if they weren’t just trying to destroy a city but were instead intending to gather more mana? In the dungeon, they had been trying to create some sort of demi-god. Forming that creature would have required a massive amount of energy – perhaps on par with the magic that kept Vaerwald running. Except that, unlike the city, a band of psychopathic cultists probably didn’t have thousands of people paying daily mana tolls.
“I believe a band of cultists may be responsible for this plague,” Riley said, interrupting the group’s banter. “I encountered this group in the north. They were trying to create a new god – as crazy as that sounds. What if they have manufactured this plague to harvest mana?”
All eyes in the room were now focused on Riley. “That would assume that these cultists are actually involved,” Cecil said, grunting as he took a seat at the table. “What if this is nothing more than a naturally-occurring illness?”
Riley nodded. “It’s possible, but I don’t think so. Why did it suddenly emerge right now – at the same time that the Twilight Throne came into existence and guilds began purchasing undead slaves? The fact that the first group of children to contract the disease were all running books and scrolls for the library is also suspicious. Also, I wouldn’t be here if a friend hadn’t tipped me off to the possible connection between the plague and the cultists.”
“Really, what kind of ‘friend’ would know of this illness before the city officials?” Cecil demanded irritably.
“His name is Jerry,” Riley replied. He is a member of the Shadow Council of the Twilight Throne.”
“Jerry,” Melissa hissed. Before Riley could react, the woman had made it across the room, and a dagger was leveled at her throat. “Big floppy hat? Stupid mustache? That Jerry?”
“That sounds like him,” Riley replied coolly, matching the woman’s stare. “Like I said, he mentioned the plague in passing.”
“Back off, Melissa,” Marie said. “The girl isn’t involved in your little spat.”
The rogue woman moved away slowly, still glaring. Riley rubbed at her throat as the blade withdrew. “What’s the deal between you and Jerry?” she asked.
Before Melissa could launch into a tirade, Marie interjected. “Jerry used to be the leader of a band of rogues here in the low streets. In fact, he led the top group for years. He also disappeared a few years ago – shortly after Lily vanished in fact.” Marie’s face clouded, her gaze resting on the mug cradled between her hands.
“He left with no warning, and our damn company fell to shambles!” Melissa barked. She whirled on Riley. “Do you know what happens when you leave a band of outlaws without a leader? No? They immediately go wild.” Her gaze moved to the rogues around the room, more than one flinching away from her. “It took me years to rebuild what we had and whip these cowards into line. Years!”
Melissa glanced at Riley. “You can tell that floppy-hatted bastard that we have some unsettled business.”
“Noted,” Riley said with a frown. “But let’s get back to the immediate problem. I believe there is some compelling evidence that this disease was manufactured. If that’s the case, the question is who created it? If it’s the same group of cultists, they might be hiding inside one of the guilds or in plain sight. The ones we encountered before were capable of shapeshifting.”
Cecil groaned softly. “Great. This better explains your group’s bickering in my shop. If that’s the case, then where do you think these cultists are hiding?”
“I’m not exactly sure,” Riley replied, putting up a hand to forestall Cecil’s next question. “However, I suspect that it is one of the guilds. The fire guild looks like a prime suspect at the moment.”
She glanced at her group. “I think there will be a lead in the library. Cecil’s records indicated that the librarians were purchasing the undead to make them available in their labs. If we can find out who has used those labs, we might discover where the cultists are hiding.”
“Wait. So, you’re proposing to break into the Great Library,” Melissa said, a grin creeping across her face. “Forget what I said before. This sounds entertaining. I’ve been meaning to stick it to those uptight mages for a while.”
Cecil ignored the rogue. “I think I follow your reasoning. Only the guilds have access to those labs, and these cultists might have used their status within the guilds to access to the library and manufacture this plague.”
“Exactly,” Riley replied with a curt nod.
He hesitated, running his hand through his beard. “But getting inside the library is no small feat. The security is extraordinary. I assume you will not be entering during the day since it is actively staffed and guarded. As much as some would likely prefer to cut their way in, a little stealth would be wiser,” he added, glancing meaningfully at Melissa.
“Then how do you suggest we get inside?” Lucas asked, finally speaking up. He and Ethan had stayed quiet during most of the encounter, watching the other people in the room carefully.
Cecil glanced at the air mage. “We would need to slip inside at night, of course,” he answered matter-of-factly.
“We?” Melissa asked in confusion. “Since when does the bad-tempered enchanter get off his work bench? Have you finally removed that wand from your ass?”
“Since his student was killed by a band of crazy cultists and his city was being overtaken by a magical plague. And I
keep that wand there in case of emergencies thank you very much,” Cecil retorted with an irritated scowl.
“I will be coming too,” Marie said, rising from the table. She glanced at Melissa with a small smile. “Consider this me formally coming out of retirement.”
The red-haired woman’s excited grin widened even further, her eyes scanning the group around the kitchen. They each wore serious expressions, many fingering their weapons. “Oh, this is going to be a blast,” she murmured.
Chapter 20- Strategic
Cecil laid out a parchment on the kitchen table. The paper was yellowed with age and tears marred its edges. An elaborate series of images had been drawn on the parchment, small handwritten notes dotting the margins. The drawings looked remarkably similar to a modern floor plan. Riley could make out distinct rooms, and several pictures were shown in succession, possibly indicating multiple levels.
“This is one of the few existing maps of the Great Library,” Cecil explained, his calloused fingers tracing the outline of the massive structure. “I anticipated that you all might be planning something crazy, so I came prepared. As you can see, the library is actually composed of several floors. The lower levels were carved into the disc, serving as both storage areas and as dormitories for the librarians.”
His fingers moved to the second set of drawings. “The ground floor is where the stacks are located. The librarians refer to it as the ‘Great Hall.’ This is the section that general visitors see. In contrast, the upper levels are reserved for private studies and the laboratories. As you might imagine, these areas are off limits to most guests.”
“How do you know all of this?” Lucas asked, shaking his head as he looked at the detailed drawings. “And how do you have a copy of this map?”
The wrinkles around Cecil’s eyes scrunched as he squinted at the young air mage. “Because I helped build the library.”
Everyone in the room glanced at him in surprise. “You what?” Melissa asked. “Just how old are you?”
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