Riley quickly inspected the worms, discovering that they were over level 300. Holy shit, she thought. What chance did she have against something like that? Much less a dozen of the worms.
Before she could react, Marie was already darting forward toward the Crawlers. Shaking herself out of her stupor, Riley swung her bow from her shoulder as she simultaneously summoned her dark mana. The chill energy crawled up her spine, its tendrils creeping into her skull. Even as she readied herself to fire, Lucas released a bolt of lightning and the energy arced down through the tunnel. The bolt splashed against the oncoming worms, scarring their skin but not causing any lasting damage.
Maybe she would have better luck. Riley drew back an arrow, sighting along the shaft and carefully avoiding Marie’s nimble form as dark energy began to accumulate along the tip. Her Void Arrow quickly grew in power as she channeled her meager mana pool into the spell, the arrow dipping and weaving as a ball of black energy accumulated. Once she couldn’t control the mana any longer, Riley released, and the bolt raced forward.
The Void Arrow slammed into the mass of worms, momentarily stunning them as tendrils of dark energy lashed at their skin. Their pale flesh peeled away in layers, yet she watched in shock as the dark energy didn’t quite penetrate the worms’ tough skin. The Crawlers recovered a few seconds later, continuing their mad rush toward the party.
How the hell are we supposed to kill these things?
“Marie,” Cecil shouted from the other side of the walkway, hurling a package toward her. The woman spun, grabbing the satchel and then tumbled forward into a roll before swiftly regaining her footing. Without stopping, she darted toward the oncoming horde of creatures. Riley could see that Melissa was already moving on the other side of the platform, carrying a similar package.
As she ran, Marie opened the satchel, pulling out a handful of red crystals and tossing them ahead of her at the worms. Melissa mirrored her actions on the other side of the tunnel, and both women raised a hand to shield their eyes.
The horde in front of them suddenly exploded in a blaze of flame. The inferno raged outward in an expanding ring from the point of impact, flames licking at the walls as the Crawlers let out tortured screams. Their shrill cries rang through the narrow tunnel and sent a shiver up Riley’s spine. Then, as fast it appeared, the fire began to sputter out, revealing the burnt husks of nearly a dozen pale worms. Only a couple in back remained, and Melissa and Marie were already moving to engage them.
Riley watched in amazement as the older woman darted forward, her daggers instantly appearing in her hands. Dark energy collected along the metal as she stabbed forward, her blades slicing cleanly through the worm’s thick flesh. Bright green blood jetted from the wounds, sizzling where it struck the walls of the tunnel. Yet the woman didn’t stop moving and nimbly rolled forward to avoid the acid, striking again and again in rapid-fire succession. As the last strike landed, the worm’s head was severed from its body and dropped limply to the floor in a pool of its own acidic blood.
Meanwhile, Melissa sprinted down the other end of the tunnel. She suddenly sprang against the wall beside her, launching herself airborne. As she glided over the remaining worm, she stabbed downward with both her daggers, cutting through its skin near the base of its mouth. The worm’s vicious teeth were visible as it tried to snap at the rogue. A spray of acid splattered against the roof of the tunnel in a line as the woman landed lightly on the other platform. A few seconds later, the worm’s decapitated corpse dropped to the floor.
Wow, Riley thought. A quick inspection of the two women revealed only a series of question marks next to their names. That wasn’t surprising, especially after her own attacks hadn’t even phased the worms. She had a long way to go.
“You’ve still got it!” Melissa said, patting Marie on the shoulder as the two women wiped off their blades and sheathed them.
“I never lost it,” Marie replied with an arched eyebrow.
“That’s all nice, but why the hell is this tunnel filled with those worms?” Ethan called out, interrupting their banter.
“The sewers are riddled with Crawlers,” Cecil explained with a shrug as he readjusted the pouches at his waist. “They eat and digest the waste and prevent blockages. Normally, they are quite resilient and are only susceptible to fire and magic weapons.” He eyed Melissa. “Apparently raw strength and a healthy dose of crazy works just as well.”
The rogue shrugged. “That combination has always worked for me.”
“So there are more?” Riley asked cautiously.
“Of course,” Cecil replied.
“Don’t worry,” Marie interjected. “We have been here before. Melissa and I can use Cecil’s crystals to clear out the packs and then pick off any stragglers. It’s slow going, but relatively safe once you get the hang of it.”
Ethan snorted softly, looking at Riley with an expression that clearly said that these people were crazy. She nodded slightly, her eyes on Marie and Melissa as the group collected themselves. Her expression was somber. They had barely begun to infiltrate the library, and it was already clear that she and the other players were grossly outmatched. She needed to keep her wits about her. Riley was going to have to use her head rather than pure brawn if she was going to complete this quest.
Chapter 22- Sneaky
Nearly an hour later, Cecil stopped and turned to the group. “And here we are,” he said while gesturing at a thick metal grate ahead of them. “According to my maps, this should be the entrance into the lower levels of the library.”
“Thank god,” Ethan grunted. He inspected the metal grate and tugged at it experimentally. “Except how do we get through?” he asked. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he eyed the metal dubiously. The grate wasn’t designed to act as a doorway and appeared to have been welded into the stone walls of the sewer.
“A little bit of faith,” Cecil replied as he rummaged in his pack.
Ethan looked at the little man skeptically as he pulled out a vial that glowed a vibrant yellow and a small brush. Cecil handled the vial delicately, carefully unscrewing the lid and gently dabbing the brush into the substance. As the group watched in confusion, he set to work painting the metal around the edges of the door.
Once he was finished, he screwed the bottle shut before placing it back in his bag. He then pulled out a bag of blue powder and a pair of goggles. Eyeing the group behind him, he strapped on his new eyewear. “You all should stand back for this.”
The group moved back swiftly. “What’s he doing?” Riley asked Marie.
“There are several fields of enchanting. Cecil specializes in enchanting crystals and other stones by imbuing them with mana. He has little magic himself, but his creations can be quite powerful. The shards you saw us throw at the Crawlers are a good example. He managed to convince a fire mage to channel raw mana into them. Those particular crystals are quite fragile. When they are crushed, they release the fire mana and explode.”
Marie gestured at the grate a few dozen feet away, where Cecil was moving industriously. “There are also numerous other applications. Mana crystals can be ground fine and turned into pastes and powders. Different types can also be combined…”
She trailed off as bright flashes of emerald light blossomed from the grate, momentarily blinding the group. As Riley’s vision began to clear, she could see that the metal had completely dissolved, and a pool of acid now rested where the grate had once stood.
“…they can be combined to create interesting effects,” Marie finished, gesturing at the liquefied substance.
“I imagine that would be useful for a number of completely legal things,” Lucas said sarcastically, eyeing Melissa and Marie as the group moved back toward the grate.
Marie chuckled. “Cecil certainly isn’t above making some coin – even when he suspects that his crystals will be used for less than noble purposes.”
“That’s why we keep our grumpy little buddy around,” Melissa said, putting her arm around Cecil. The
small man’s eyes closed, a pained expression flitting across his face.
“If you’re done, can you please go inside? You need to scout the floor and clear a path,” Cecil said to the red-haired rogue.
“Anything for you sugar lumps,” Melissa replied with a laugh, sprinting into the corridor behind the grate as she pulled her hood over her hair and activated Sneak. Soon she vanished from view.
“And remember not to kill anyone,” Marie called behind her before turning back to the group. “Let’s proceed a bit more slowly. The bottom levels should be storage rooms and dormitories. Hopefully, most of the librarians are asleep by now.”
Taking her advice, the group tread softly down the winding hallway. It soon became apparent that this level of the library was devoted to storage. Each room off the main hallway contained barrels and crates filled with clothing and food. Riley also noticed that more than one room held paper and printing materials. The packages were carefully wrapped in wax paper and magically sealed to prevent moisture damage.
At the end of the hallway, they reached a set of stairs leading farther up into the library. The group stopped short at the top of the stairs, and Marie peered around the corner. “This looks like the dormitory level.”
“How observant of you,” Melissa said dryly, appearing nearby as she dropped Sneak. “I’ve already scouted and mapped the floor.” She waved her hand, and a projected map of the library appeared in front of her.
Melissa glanced at the enchanter with a frown. “This floor’s layout doesn’t match your maps, Cecil.”
The small man grunted. “Those maps are older than you. What did you expect? I’m sure the librarians have undertaken several renovation projects over the years.”
A grin drifted across the rogue’s face as she eyed the enchanter. “Uh huh. So I guess that means you need me, right? That I’m super useful? Some might even say essential…”
She laughed at his irritated expression as her fingers traced a path from their location to a nearby hallway. “We are currently in a side corridor leading to the lower levels. There is a single main hallway that runs the length of the floor, and most of the branching halls contain private rooms for the librarians.
“Based on Cecil’s maps, my guess is that we are just below the Great Hall right now.” The rogue sighed before continuing. “The bad news is that we need to pass through what looks like the dining hall to make it to the service entrance up to the next level.”
“Why is that a problem?” Ethan asked.
The red-haired woman looked at him as though he had hit his head. “The problem is that some of us are less stealthy than others, Muscles. We run a risk of being caught passing through that room. I’ve also noticed that several of the beds are vacant. Perhaps late-night assignments? Hard to say, but it increases the risk of detection.”
Riley was impressed with the rogue’s efficiency. Despite her joking tone, the woman was no-nonsense when it came to infiltrating the library. Melissa was amazingly fast, and her Sneak skill must be maxed if she had managed to check the individual bedrooms without alerting anyone.
“So, we stay quiet and try to make it to the stairs up to the stacks. I don’t see any other options,” Riley said as she studied the map.
“Basically,” Melissa said. Her finger traced a winding path to the dining hall. “You all should take this route. I’ll move ahead and take out any librarians who might decide to go for a midnight snack.”
With that, the rogue raced back down the hall, quickly disappearing from view. The group made their way forward carefully, Cecil grumbling under his breath. Riley could have sworn she heard him mention something about irritating thieves and some choice locations he’d prefer she stored her daggers.
The hallways on this level were illuminated by crystals mounted into wooden latticework that ran the length of the ceiling. The light from the crystalline lamps pulsed softly, casting long shadows as the group passed. Branching hallways broke off from their route, leading deeper into the dormitories. They took care to step quietly past the solid oak doors that lined the hall, following the route Melissa had plotted.
Well, they tried to be quiet. Ethan failed spectacularly at this goal, his armor jostling against walls and the clink of metal echoing down the silent hallway with each step. Riley was just about to tell him to simply un-equip his armor when they mercifully made it to the dining hall.
The enormous room was deserted, long wooden tables resting in neat rows. Crystalline orbs drifted through the air, faintly illuminating the space. Riley couldn’t help but think of the cafeteria at Richmond. Her fists clenched as the painful images flooded her mind again and her dark mana surged – the icy chill driving back the memories. She tugged at the edge of her hood to hide her eyes from the rest of the group.
“Good,” Melissa said, appearing beside the group abruptly. “I only had to take care of two of the librarians who decided to investigate what sounded like a full guard patrol marching through the halls,” she added this last part while staring pointedly at Ethan.
“I can’t help that I’m wearing mail armor,” he muttered.
The group made their way across the open expanse to the service entrance on the other side of the dining hall. Just as Riley was about to open the door that led to the stairwell, it slid open on its own, and a brown-robed librarian ran smack into her. She recovered quickly, grabbing the man and pushing him against the wall. A dagger rested against his throat in an instant.
A familiar, placid pair of eyes met hers. “Clarence?” Riley asked in confusion.
“You know this guy?” Melissa asked, looking at the librarian skeptically.
“I guess you could say that,” Lucas interjected with a puzzled expression. “This is the same librarian that we met when we first came to the library. He told us about the books on dark magic that were being delivered to the fire guild.”
Meanwhile, Melissa tapped her lips with the tip of her dagger thoughtfully. “Well, we can’t exactly let him go now. What should we do with him?” Melissa’s eyes moved to the counters along the side of the dining hall – which Riley assumed was used as some sort of medieval equivalent of a buffet. “We could knock him out and hide him behind a counter.”
The librarian’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t seem nearly as fearful or as surprised as Riley would have expected. She watched the man carefully. Once they were upstairs, they would need to navigate the labyrinth of bookshelves that lined the Great Hall. From her limited experience walking through the stacks, Riley suspected that the books and shelves might actually move on their own. Melissa was an exceptional scout, but she wasn’t certain whether that would be enough in a magical library. They were also running against the clock. She would really prefer to avoid blowing up the tubing on level eleven.
“What if we use him instead?” Riley suggested, pulling back her blade. “I doubt we will get through the stacks easily without him.” She turned back to the librarian. “Do you remember us, Clarence?”
The man nodded slightly as he massaged his neck, yet he made no move to escape or fight back. “I do indeed, ma’am. You were the travelers asking for information regarding our runners. I believe you mentioned something about a missing child.”
“Well, that wasn’t exactly true,” Riley replied. “We’re actually investigating the outbreak of a plague within the city. It seems to have first affected the children that were running books for the library. We now suspect that someone accessing the library’s laboratories is involved.”
The man nodded his head in understanding. “We have heard rumors regarding this magical plague from our visitors. While I understand your urgency, the laboratories above the great hall are unfortunately off limits to most guests. The library is also closed at the moment.”
“Obviously, we know that. We aren’t exactly asking for permission,” Melissa added, giving the man a toothy smile. “But we would be ever so appreciative if you would show us to those rooms.” As she added this last par
t, she began picking at her nails with the tip of her dagger.
“I am duty bound to prevent access from visitors that lack the necessary credentials,” he replied, as though reciting a passage from a manual.
Riley bit her lip. Maybe she could try to reason with the man. If anything, these librarians seemed hyper-logical and emotionless – likely a product of their low affinities. “What do your rules say about granting us access to restricted areas in the case of an emergency?”
The man cocked his head slightly. “In the event of fire, flood, mass transmogrification, or explosions, we are authorized to provide access to other areas of the library in order to protect the guests.”
“What a weird set of emergencies,” Ethan chuckled softly. “How often do things explode here?”
Clarence’s expression sobered. “More often than you might expect. The books can be mischievous at times. This is also why the laboratories upstairs are strictly off limits.”
A thoughtful expression crept across Melissa’s face. “So, are we still technically guests? Even if we broke in through the sewers.”
Clarence’s brow furrowed in thought for a moment and he stumbled in his reply. “Well, intruders are not subject to our rules. However, the headmaster did explain that the emergency protocols supersede everything else.”
Melissa’s lips curled into a broad smile, a mischievous glint in her eye. “Oh, really? Then I suppose we just need an emergency, huh? That’s not a problem at all!” Before anyone could react, the rogue swiped a pouch dangling at Cecil’s hip, unlatched the cover and promptly tossed the whole package at the wooden tables filling the room.
Time seemed to slow for a moment as Riley watched familiar red crystals tumble out of the bag and float through the air. The stones eventually bounced off the wooden tables. As the crystals crumpled under the impact, a massive explosion blossomed in the center of the room, and a whirlwind of flames swept through the hall. The blast was so intense that it threw most of the group into the nearby wall. Riley slammed into the hard surface, and the wind was knocked from her lungs as she struggled to stay on her feet.
Awaken Online: Retribution (Side Quest) Page 17
