Awaken Online: Ember (Tarot #1)

by Bagwell, Travis

  It was part of what had gotten him into programming in the first place.

  A small grin crept across Finn’s face as he looked at the displays. Now he had a chance to build something similar. Although this challenge was on an entirely different level. Lucky for him, he had come a long way since the days of a ramen-only diet and all-nighters.

  He could already visualize what he needed to create. The game world came with a default UI – although it was quite barebones. Finn’s health, mana, and stamina gauges all hovered in the top left corner of his vision and tended to bleed away and become transparent unless he focused on them. The chat and system menus were similar and had clearly been designed with minimalism in mind. There was really no heads-up display, and there was no targeting reticle at all.

  What if he wanted to change that? Would the game’s AI permit him to mod the in-game UI and possibly create a custom HUD?

  There was only one way to find out. He cracked his knuckles, and a translucent keyboard appeared in front of him. He felt his doubt and hesitation bleed away, replaced by excitement at the programming challenge in front of him and a grin lingering on his lips.

  Then his fingers began to dance across the keys, and Finn lost himself in his work.

  ***

  System Warning

  You have been playing for quite some time. You should log out to eat and care for your body.

  If you ignore this warning, you will be automatically logged out in thirty minutes and a mandatory one-hour waiting period will apply before you will be able to log back in.

  Finn let out a frustrated growl, swiping away the irritating notification.

  However, the flashing notice had already knocked him out of his programming fugue. He glanced at the in-game clock in the corner of his vision, letting out a low whistle. Hours had passed in an instant. His attention had been focused solely on the flickering screens before him.

  His eyes flitted back to the code that streamed across a nearby screen. He almost had something he could work with. Daniel had done much of the time-consuming part of this project already – creating a database for the new language and compiling a new iteration of the language training software. Finn had been able to build on that as a foundation. And now he had created version 1.0 of a new in-game mod.

  “It’s time to give you a little test run,” Finn murmured. He needed to move quickly before the game kicked him out.

  His fingers danced across the keyboard as he uploaded his new program into the game world – much as he had tried to do with Daniel. The screens shimmered briefly, and then a notification appeared.

  System Message

  All modifications to the game world or the player UI must be reviewed and approved by System Controller XC239.90 to ensure that the modification does not unduly interfere with the operation of the game world or affect the experience of other players.

  You have submitted a player-made mod for administrator approval, code-named “Icarus Incantations V1.0.” Please wait…

  Finn rubbed at his neck, watching the screen.

  He hadn’t realized he had been holding his breath until another notice popped up.

  System Message

  Icarus Incantations V1.0 has been approved.

  Your in-game mods are now accessible through the system menu.

  “Hot damn,” Finn muttered aloud, an excited smile creeping across his face.

  However, this was the moment of truth.

  Finn swiped away the various screens and then pulled up his system menu. Indeed, there was now a new menu option, which opened into a submenu showing his single mod.

  His fingers shook slightly as he tapped the icon.

  A series of semi-translucent guidelines suddenly overlaid Finn’s vision.

  “Language training,” he said aloud.

  Immediately the lines shifted, forming a series of panes that spread out in front of Finn. There was a rough Veridian dictionary and grammar rulebook. He also had a basic set of workbooks and reading materials – although he still only had the children’s books Abbad had given him. He’d have to remedy that at some point.

  This feature, however, had been the easy part.

  “Spellbook,” Finn ordered next.

  The language training display immediately disappeared, and the translucent guidelines popped back up. His two spells were listed in a nearby pane. Finn had taken the liberty of uploading the incantations and hand gestures for both Magma Armor and Fire Nova. Finn glanced at the defensive spell for a moment, and the program immediately acknowledged his selection. Casting instructions appeared on the left-hand side of his vision that showed the spell’s full incantation, the phonetic pronunciations of each word, and highlighted the word he was on. The right-hand side of his screen provided a rough English translation. At the same time, his fingers twisted through a series of gestures as he summoned his mana.

  His pronunciation was awkward, and his movements were slow.

  However, only a few seconds later, a shield of molten energy slid along Finn’s right arm from his wrist up to his shoulder. The surface of the armor soon solidified in the cool air, forming a rough armor, but the substance below stayed fluid and malleable so that it didn’t hinder his movements. The air above the shield shimmered from the heat. Yet, he only felt a tingling warmth where the armor touched his skin.

  At the same time, a notification popped up.

  New Spell: Magma Armor

  You have summoned a barrier of molten energy, the mana condensing into a hardened shield. This spell can be used to deflect incoming attacks. It is less effective against ice or water-based magical effects but can be used to absorb kinetic energy as well as other elemental attacks. Higher ranks of this spell make the shield more resilient and increase the coverage.

  Skill Level: Beginner Level 1

  Cost: 50 Mana

  Effect 1: Creates a damage shield capable of absorbing 100 damage (50 damage if water/ice).

  “Well, hello there,” Finn murmured.

  He had only been able to cast the spell because of the assistance provided by the mod and because he had memorized the requisite gestures ahead of time. He had found it difficult to create an easy visualization for the hand gestures, and he suspected he was simply going to have to learn to handle that part by “feel” or rely on a number system similar to what Lamia had provided.

  However, this still wasn’t the feature he was excited about. One was basically a simple language training program, and the spellcasting module was little more than magical training wheels until Finn got his feet under him. These two features weren’t that novel.

  He had left the best for last.

  “Icarus,” Finn said, initiating the mod’s final mode.

  The casting directions for Magma Armor abruptly disappeared.

  Then Finn spoke the Veridian word for “Flame.”

  The UI elements shifted. The symbol representing “flame” now hovered in the air in the left-hand side of Finn’s vision, blank spaces indicating a projected length for the incantation. To his right, a word cluster formed in the air, showing various symbols in Veridian. As Finn focused on a specific word, it shifted in the air, growing larger and more prominent. These were connecting words supplied by the mod. He chose another word, and it was added to the incantation. At the same time, the word cloud shifted, new options cropping up.

  Finn had analyzed the structure of Fire Nova and Magma Armor and had noticed a similar syntax. It was the same pattern he had picked up when he had intuitively cast Fire Nova. However, he didn’t want to rely on instinct alone. He needed to understand the underlying system so that he could reliably create new spells. His theory was that all spells created in-game had a pattern. They were almost like magical haikus – each spell comprised of a rhyming couplet with a certain number of brush strokes per line.

  The mod was designed to meet these basic requirements.

  Finn doubted he had caught all of the relevant rules by applying a pattern analysis to o
nly two spells. That sample size was pretty small. There might also be different types of spells that used a different pattern. For example, Lamia had already alluded to higher-level incantations that were more challenging to master. Either way, he expected there would be a lot of trial and error – with particular emphasis on the error part. If he could eventually get his hands on a real spellbook that would help immensely.

  However, the two spells he knew were at least enough for him to realize that there was a formal spellcasting system at work here. And this mod was a first stab at developing software that would allow him to dynamically create spells. The software was then designed to store a successful incantation for future practice, adding it to his digital spellbook. For now, it would work best as a way to experiment in private. The process would likely be far too slow to pull off reliably mid-battle.

  Finn stared at the mod’s UI, a warm feeling drifting through his chest. He had effectively created a testing environment to build new spells. In many ways, it was similar to developing a new programming language – a spell bounded by certain syntax and commands. Although, that thought made him chuckle. Was he becoming some sort of programming wizard?

  “At least Julia will be jealous,” he commented dryly. Daniel just flashed slightly in response from where he hovered nearby.

  Joking aside, Finn doubted many other players had yet noticed the intricacies of the game’s magic system, much less figured out a way to manipulate them. Honestly, he wasn’t sure he would have noticed if he hadn’t been actively learning Veridian. This new mod might be the sort of thing that would give him an edge in the coming duels.

  Finn moved to start experimenting but was interrupted by another notice.

  System Warning

  Your thirty minutes has expired. You are now being logged out.

  You will be unable to log back in for a real-world hour.

  Before Finn could react, the world around him bled away, darkness creeping across his vision until he floated in an endless black void. He struggled to tamp down on his irritation. He had little desire to return to his crippled aged body that was entirely incapable of hurling magical spells. What he wanted was to keep going – to continue his studies and tinker with his new mod.

  He could only hope the hour passed quickly.

  Chapter 14 - Physical

  Finn blinked blearily, holding up a hand to block out the harsh light that speared down into his eyes. His poor pupils were struggling to transition after the hours he had spent in the dreary library.

  After logging out the night before, he had taken care of his real-world body and tried to lie down for a few hours. Yet no matter how hard he tried to sleep, it eluded him. The only thing he could think about was logging back in.

  Eventually, he had given up on sleep entirely, wheeling himself back to his workroom and donning the heavy plastic headset. He wanted to create new spells, but Finn had quickly discovered that his limited vocabulary seemed to be holding him back. The mod could only assist him so much. So, with a sigh, he had switched gears, moving back to his language training. The hours had flown by. Before he knew it, it was already time to attend his next class.

  He now stood in the sandy area that rested in the Mage Guild’s inner courtyard. Sunlight reflected off the sands, and the occasional gust of wind caused the particles to dance in the air. At ground level, the field felt even larger, spanning at least a hundred yards.

  “About time you showed up,” Kyyle said as he approached, smacking Finn on the back. “I almost thought you were going to bail since you’re too cool for Lamia’s class now.”

  Kyyle stared at him expectantly. “Get it? Too cool? Because she shoots ice…” He noted Finn’s sober expression. “You know what, it’s not funny if I have to explain it.”

  “I’m not sure it was that funny to begin with,” Finn replied dryly, although he felt an inadvertent smile tug at his lips.

  Kyyle placed a hand to his heart. “You really know how to hurt a guy?” Then his eyes darted back to the rest of the crowd of students that filled the field. There were a few dozen of them milling about the sands.

  Finn picked out Zane and his crew immediately. The man gave him a curt nod as their eyes met. It was also clear that the others had grouped up as well, only a few stragglers standing alone in the center of the courtyard.

  “So, what do you think this is going to involve?” Kyyle asked. “Some pushups? Maybe a few laps around the sand courtyard.”

  Finn glanced at him skeptically. “You think this is going to be some sort of mundane P.E. class? Lamia tried to kill me yesterday,” he replied.

  “I mean, you’re right. But I can hope,” Kyyle offered with a shrug. “Although, the audience does poke a few holes in my theory,” he added, gesturing at the multi-story terraces that ringed the inner courtyard.

  As Finn followed his gaze, he saw that other students lingered along the railings, watching the group of novices. The crowd continued to grow even as he looked on, as though some spectacle was about to take place on the sands.

  What do they know that we don’t?

  Finn grimaced. He had been so focused on his studies that he hadn’t given a lot of thought to what this class might entail. He suddenly remembered the sensation of the icy shard impaling his thigh and the feel of his own blood dripping down his skin. The injury hadn’t been permanent since his in-game body’s natural health regeneration had eventually healed the wound. But he wasn’t looking forward to getting hit again.

  He could only imagine what it would feel like to die in-game.

  “Alright, whelps, group up!”

  Finn turned to find a hulking man striding across the sands. In lieu of the typical robes, he wore a light tunic and trousers. This only served to highlight the intricate pattern of tattoos that spiraled up his forearms and twisted around his neck. His hair was shortly cropped, and a faint shadow of stubble lingered on his chin. Even more strangely, Finn noted that a longsword hung from the man’s waist. This was actually the first weapon he had seen a mage wear.

  A master mage maybe? Finn thought as the students formed a group in front of the man. The tattoos pointed in that direction, but the weapon was an odd touch. Could this physical training involve combat?

  The man’s eyes lingered on them, skimming across each novice as though weighing and measuring them. As his gaze drifted to Finn, he felt his eyes linger for a hair longer, although it may have been his imagination. Their instructor let the silence lengthen and stretch until the students began to shuffle nervously in the sand.

  “My name is Brutus, and I’ve been charged with whipping you lot into shape,” he finally barked. “Although, what I see before me is going to need some work. Most of you look soft – like you will fold at the bite of a single arrow or sword. That won’t do at all.

  “But first, let’s cover some essential information. I’ve been told my teaching style isn’t sufficiently educational… What can I say? I prefer a more hands-on approach!”

  “Wait, so are there teacher surveys?” Kyyle murmured, a grin creeping across his face. Finn started to whisper something back but stopped as he saw Brutus’ eyes sweep across them.

  “Let’s start with the basics. You’re probably asking yourselves why you need any sort of physical training,” Brutus continued, crossing his massive arms as he spoke. “You can hurl devastating balls of magical fury, after all. Who could possibly stand against your might?” He posed this clearly rhetorical question in a voice just as dry as the sand they were standing upon.

  “Right now, you can barely waggle your fingers in sequence, but in just a little over a week, you are going to be facing real combat. You are going to learn the hard way that a caster rarely gets a chance to sit in one place and cast freely. In the heat of battle, there are spells, arrows, swords – an endless tide of distractions that will force you to move, dodge, and reposition. Or simply drop the spell and reach for a real weapon.” He said this last part while patting the longsword that hung fro
m his waist.

  “To make matters worse, our lot tend to place all of their stat points into Intelligence and Willpower,” Brutus spat distastefully.

  Finn had already started raising his hand before he realized it. Too late, he realized he was just drawing more unnecessary attention to himself. However, he saw Brutus’ gaze flit to him and jerk his chin to acknowledge Finn’s question.

  Oh, well. Might as well ask now.

  “What exactly does each stat do?” Finn asked.

  “Not the worst question,” Brutus replied grudgingly. “In total there are six attributes, which you’ve likely noticed if you’ve bothered to pull up your Character Status.”

  The mage rubbed at the stubble on his chin. “Most are intuitive. Strength increases just that – physical power. This allows you to swing harder, run faster, and carry more. Dexterity is more about finesse. This stat affects things like accuracy and balance.

  “Vitality improves your total health as well as your resilience to certain physical conditions. It helps with things like broken bones, blindness, poisons, and illness. Endurance increases your stamina. In short, it allows you to keep moving for longer and is vital for the use of certain martial combat skills.”

  Brutus’ eyes skimmed across the group of students, many of whom gestured at the air as they surveyed their Character Status. “Which brings us to Intelligence and Willpower. Both stats increase your total mana, although Intelligence to a lesser extent. The primary difference is that Intelligence increases spell damage as well as learning speed. Willpower, on the other hand, provides a much more substantial increase to mana and makes the caster harder to sway. It can provide resistances to mind-altering effects, and you will find it easier to focus.