by Pavel Kornev
Behind it, I could see a dark staircase leading to the lower level. It was almost within reach.
Bummer! There was no way I could open such a complex lock. I might have to spend some of the power pin’s energy to open it. But what if I came across them at every turn? This way, I might not even make it to the treasury. No, I had to look for some alternative ways first.
I returned to the fork in the tunnel and waited for some grimy characters to fill their handbarrows with coal. Once they were gone, I turned round a corner and sniffed the air. It smelled of burnt leather. Could it be some wizard bladesmiths branding runes into the armor?
I wasn’t at all looking forward to meeting them. Still, I pressed on a bit further. To my surprise, fate had brought me to some of my own colleagues.
Not Liches, no. Executioners.
Burly guys clad in pants and high boots had put some unfortunate bastard on the rack. A fat important-looking dude in a velvet justicoat was pressing a red-hot rod to his chest to determine whether he was dead or just unconscious.
The prisoner groaned and struggled in his fetters. The fat man stepped closer to him, grinning,
“That’ll teach you not to steal from the master!”
Still, he didn’t torture the thief anymore. He flung the rod which went hissing into a pail of water. “Take him back to his cell! We’ll carry on tomorrow.”
The burly guys began to unshackle the prisoner. I ran down the tunnel, trying to clear out of the way of the local big wig. I secreted myself behind a corner, took a cautious peek out and froze in disbelief.
A heavy bunch of keys swung around the fat man’s neck. Who was he — a quartermaster?
You’re exactly what I need, mister!
The fat guy walked unhurriedly, then stepped next to one of the closets, unlocked the door and began filling a clay jug with wine.
Immediately a plan formed in my head. I channeled the energy of the Touch of Death into my left hand, used my right one to draw the bone hook from my belt and stepped into the closet.
The black infernal flames singed my fingers. Never mind. The most important thing was, the quartermaster hadn’t noticed anything.
In a flash, I stepped behind his back, grabbed him by the neck, paralyzing him, and sank the bone blade into his throat, then moved my hand sideways to open the wound up.
Blood gushed everywhere. The fat man began to shake. He turned black, burned from inside out like a piece of charred wood.
I dragged his dead body behind some barrels, wiped the crimson splashes with some rags and locked the closet — but not before relieving him of his keys. That had been the whole purpose of my exercise.
The bars blocking the descent to the lower levels were still surging with flashes of protective magic. I didn’t try to find the right key to open them; instead, I stood against the wall waiting for our storming to begin. Time went by but nothing happened, except that the guards started running around the basement in alarm.
I was beginning to seriously start worrying that they might discover the quartermaster’s body any minute when the rock finally shuddered. The surges of defensive magic flared up, then expired.
I promptly shoved the fanciest key into the lock. It turned with remarkable ease.
Yes! It worked!
I didn’t lock the bars behind me. I ran down to the lower level and froze with my back to the wall.
A giant creature stomped toward me, the sounds of its gait echoing through the passage. A golem, cut out of a solid chunk of granite. His head almost reached the ceiling, his eyes glowed with menace. I really didn’t look forward to crossing paths with him.
Luckily, this particular level served as the arsenal. Its walls were hung with weapons; more of them were stacked along my way. The corridor was lined with full-height mannequins clad in chainmail and suits of armor.
I promptly dove behind one of them.
The golem didn’t notice anything and continued on his way. I headed deeper into the dungeon until I came across some locked doors on my way. Every time I had to waste time trying different keys. If I used the power pin to break in, that was bound to attract the golem guards’ attention. Any way you looked at it, I’d been incredibly lucky with the quartermaster.
The further down the arsenal I moved, the more intricate the engravings on the sword blades became and the more gold decorated the armor. Here, the swords glittered with combat magic, their runes glowing with molten silver. A common thief wouldn’t have resisted the temptation to pilfer something as a memento of being here.
Still, I was only interested in the lowest level. The treasury had to be somewhere close by.
Another stone guard loomed out of the darkness. I ducked behind some halberds hanging on a spear rack. Their fancy blades glinted with the noble dark hue of mithril. My hands seemed to be drawn to them on their own accord but I resisted the temptation and ran on.
The stairway to the lowest level was barred too. One of the keys fitted the lock. I darted down the stairs, taking the footworn stone steps two and three at a time.
Once I’d reached the lower tunnel, I stopped and breathed a sigh of relief. The castle owners had never gotten around to posting guards here. The magic lamps under the ceiling weren’t burning — but still the corridor wasn’t completely dark, illuminated by the weak glow of the trophies lining the walls.
The things they had there! The kinds of rarities they’d amassed!
There was the fiery Sword of the Archangel; the Pride of the Astrologer sash laden with gemstones; the glittering Breastplate of the Nine Kings glowing with amber; the silver Poleaxe of the Gods Under the Mountain; and even the Wall of the Titans full-length shield.
The Seraphim’s Necklace, the Whip of Hell, the Claw of the Chasm, the Greaves of Darkness, the Pipes of Pan...
I didn’t know where to look first. Each one of these articles cost a fortune, and they were just hanging there! How could I not help myself?
The force shield blocking the entrance to the treasury kept blinking but it hadn’t yet deactivated. In theory, I could have indulged in a bit of freebooting but I forced myself away and headed for the treasury. All these toys were nothing but decoys. The moment the alarm went off, I could forget ever entering the treasury.
The magic shield blinked stronger. I stood opposite the entrance and produced the power pin. Cast of some silvery metal, the baton felt unpleasantly cold to the touch. I changed my grip on it, holding it with both hands, and pointed it directly at the center of the armored door. I didn’t dare approach it too closely for fear of activating some secret traps or setting the alarm off.
Come on now! Quick!
Two statues of winged angels towered on both sides of the passage. Their reproachful marble eyes watched my every preparation. Both giant figures were equipped from head to toe, wearing charmed cuirasses and magic swords. And their crowns-
Crowns?
I froze in disbelief. One of them was wearing the Crown of Chaos! The bone golems’ captain had been wearing it too, hadn’t he? I’d managed to get a good look at it then.
I was itching to jump up and grab it for Isabella — but just then the floor quaked underfoot. Immediately the protection shield expired. The light in the statues’ eyes died and the angels themselves stopped looking like works of art, turning back into chunks of carved rock. Not that I cared.
I activated the artifact. A beam of blinding light escaped the baton and pierced the thick sheet of metal. The pin shook in my hands so hard that I struggled to control it as I drew an uneven circle on the treasury door.
The smoking chunk of metal rattled to the floor. I dove into the hole. Smoke billowed from the storeroom heaped with glittering treasures; the glass showcases had been sliced in two by the beam, their contents scattered all over the floor. Diamonds crunched underfoot like broken glass.
I darted for the shelf on the far wall and grabbed a clot of pallid light, then dashed back to the exit, scooping up everything within my reach into my bag.
Come on, quick! Faster!
The dungeon shuddered. The moment I shot out of the treasury, the power shield popped back on behind my back. I’d made it!
The Find a Shard of the Sphere of Souls interim quest is complete!
Experience: +2500 [45 029/49 500]; +2500 [45 073/49 500]
Undead, the level is raised! Rogue, the level is increased!
I very nearly screamed with joy. Overwhelmed by emotion, I jumped up and tugged the Crown of Chaos off the left-hand statue’s head.
Bad idea.
The crackle of electricity spread through the corridor. All the weapons and armor hanging on the walls dissipated, leaving only their hooks. All these riches had been only an illusion, a bait for reckless idiots.
The Crown of Chaos? I clenched its metal rim in my hand until it hurt. The crown was real all right.
Unfortunately, so were the angels.
The stone statues jerked to life. They jumped off their pedestals and went for me, revealing themselves to be camouflaged golems.
At the very last moment I managed to dodge an icy blade lunged at my head and immediately recoiled, avoiding a swing from a fiery sword. I wasn’t even thinking; my body was controlled by instincts and reflexes alone.
With a series of twists, vaults and somersaults, I leapt and rolled out of their reach. As it turned out, a Disciple of the Dance of the Darkness school of combat wasn’t that easy to catch! Still, as far as golems went, the two angels had proven remarkably quick. If they cornered me, that would be the end of me. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t shake them off.
I tried to counterattack but the flamberge rebounded off the marble, only leaving a tiny chip on the angel’s chest.
Dammit! With these two, you might need a pick or a sledgehammer!
The fiery sword flashed before my face; the icy blade clanged against my steel pauldron, scratching my phantom armor. I leapt out of their reach and swung round, raising the power pin. Almost discharged, the artifact emitted a short flash, throwing one of the angels to the floor with a hole in his stony chest. He collapsed right at the other golem’s feet, tripping him. I seized the moment, turned round and ran like hell.
I had to get out of here! Time was slipping through my fingers!
5
IT PROVED QUITE EASY for me to fool the clumsy golems guarding the arsenal’s next level. The problems started on the level above. Unfortunately for me, by the time I’d ripped the golem’s crown off, the magic alarm system had already kicked back in, prompting all the guards to scurry around searching for the intruder.
We’d clashed in the food stores. It would have been okay but the sorcerer’s apprentice was there too, supporting the ten guards who’d attacked me. This time, his search magic had proved stronger than my Stealth level.
The shadows concealing me quivered, dissipating. The guards raised their swords and lunged at me in unison, trying to immobilize the intruder and expose him to the magic attack.
As if! I threw my left hand in front of me, lassoing the wretched sorcerer and pulling him from behind their backs. There! The cursed hook sank into his neck, breaking his spine and practically beheading him.
Take that, you bastard!
The guards went for me all at once but I’d already drawn the flamberge from behind my back and met them with a powerful swing of its frosty blade. The Scythe of Death scattered them, leaving only their commander standing albeit immobilized. I skewered him with my sword, then dashed along the corridor toward a second wave of sentries. As I ran, I wrapped myself in the Mantle of Death and rammed their ranks like a cannonball.
Their movements slowed down. Some of them froze; a few collapsed to the floor. All I had to do was dodge their halberds, dishing out short well-calculated blows.
You would have never been able to pull this trick off with players. But the garrison’s NPC warriors had proven to be a pushover for my undead Executioner. They hadn’t even scratched me, just made me lose time.
And time was what I didn’t have in the end. As I exited the basement, I got caught in another scuffle with more guards. As soon as I was done with them, I hurried into the inner court, planning to climb one of the watchtowers.
That’s when I heard the sound of a breaking window.
I barely managed to jump out of the way of a fiery Ifrit who’d dropped onto the cobblestones. He was armed with two scimitars which he brandished with a terrifying speed.
I stood my ground: at first, with the help of my lightning reflexes and then thanks to Dodge. Ducking out of his way, I delivered a powerful blow to his shoulder. My blade sliced through his steel armor, releasing a long tongue of flame from the gap.
Oblivious to his injury, the Ifrit attacked again. I parried his left scimitar with my steel sleeve but the right one pierced my hip, charring the flesh and very nearly breaking the bone.
I recoiled. Damn you!
Immediately another Ifrit jumped out into the courtyard. This fight threatened to become a protracted struggle and I had no time for such luxuries.
I didn’t even try to stealth up from these infernal creatures clad in armor from head to toe; I just turned round and ran toward the watchtower. Their steel boots clattered along the cobblestones behind me with a terrifying speed. Still, I managed to win just a little bit of leeway. I rushed over to the stairs and slammed the door shut behind me. The next moment it exploded in a cascade of smoking splinters.
I ducked and darted up the footworn stone steps. The flamberge was still clutched in my hand, supplying me with universal knowledge, so I had no need to turn round to know that the Ifrits were a mere few paces behind me.
That’s when a third fiery knight stepped in my way.
His scimitars whistled through the air. But just before they came down on me, I activated the Leap, miniporting behind his back. I then kicked hard, hitting him in the small of his back.
The Ifrit lost his balance and tumbled down the stairs. As he fell, his head hit the wall, ripping the helmet off and releasing the imprisoned spirit. Like a tongue of fire, it darted after me, licking my back and singeing my cloak. The liberated Ifrit had almost frazzled me — but then the flame roared up, setting everything on fire.
I ran for all I was worth until I came to the firing platform. With a swipe of my arm, I bundled a crossbowman off the parapet, looked down and cussed. The chasm was on the other side of the fortress!
I jumped onto the parapet and leapt onto the roof. Immediately a spear released from a scorpio ballista breezed past me a hair’s breadth away. The ballista crew on the neighboring tower hurried to crank up the mechanism again.
A wisp of murky air tried to block my way. I took a swing with my flamberge but it went right through the Air Elemental without harming it. The Elemental knocked me off my feet and swept me up into its vortex, drawing me toward the roof’s edge. The courtyard below meant certain death.
I wriggled out of its grip and whipped out the Soul Killer, slashing out at the Elemental with its bone blade. The air exploded in a black flame, with little effect: all it did was repulse my attacker.
In the blink of an eye, I’d jumped to my feet, run to the edge of the roof and dived down into the chasm.
ONCE AGAIN the surf foaming over the reefs came up to meet me. I glimpsed the outline of a flying carpet banking into a steep turn as it caught up with me.
Mr. Lloyd’s demonic lips opened in a silent scream, “Catch!”
A bundle of rope uncoiled toward me.
The reefs approached with threatening speed. I really didn’t want to die. Respawning on the sea bottom was the last thing I wanted.
I grabbed at the rope and desperately began hoisting myself up. The alchemist moved at the same speed as myself, so this temporary absence of gravity had served me well.
Yes! The flying carpet was almost within my reach. But the cliffs were a mere thirty feet away now!
Straining every sinew, I hauled myself up onto the carpet. Immediately Lloyd starte
d to come out of his dive, jerking the front of the carpet up. The pressure of G-forces caused the carpet to dip until it almost collided with the crest of a wave but it immediately leveled up and began gaining height.
We’d made it!
A beam of fire sliced through the air a mere few feet from us. The carpet banked into another sharp turn, missing it by a hair’s breadth. The beam hit the water below, raising a cloud of steam. We flew right though it, getting soaked to the skin, but it didn’t prevent Lloyd from banking again, escaping a new attack. The carpet shook and nearly capsized due to the shock wave. Another beam of fire flashed behind out backs as we disappeared around a nearby cliff.
The flying carpet soared upwards, its speed dropping. Still, the alchemist’s calculations proved correct: the power of the carpet’s magic motor was just enough to see us over the cliff and toward a portal glittering with an abundance of energy.
Yes! In the blink of an eye, it had transported us far far away.
“We did it!” Lloyd yelled at the top of his voice as he ripped off his large colored goggles. “We did it!”
Almost touching the roofs, the carpet flew over the capital city. Finally, it turned and floated softly down into the back yard of the alchemist’s shop.
I lay sprawled on my back and stared up at the blue sky still swimming before my eyes — or my eye, rather. “Won’t they track us to here?”
“No, they won’t,” Lloyd replied confidently.
The Count appeared as if out of nowhere. “Have you got it?”
I was tempted to lie to him but in the end, I chose not to. “I have.”
The vampires started hugging and catcalling. Isabella breathed a sigh of relief but immediately gave them a sharp, penetrating stare. Goar was the only one who didn’t show any emotion at the news because he wasn’t gaining anything from the sale of the fragment of the Sphere of Souls, anyway.
The alchemist, however, proved quite insightful. “Was it only the fragment you took?” he asked, wiping his little demonic horns with a piece of velvet. “Nothing else?”
