Deadline

by Domino Finn

  The pixie dug into her inventory, pulled out a crusader helmet, and tossed it to the king's feet. Hood lunged forward to intercept it, brushing past Izzy. The full helm rolled and settled on the ground, and Theoderic held up a hand to stall the warden's rush.

  The crusader helmet was unremarkable on its own—good quality plate, chipped and dented with use—but the steel had taken on a sickly purple hue that clung to it like a living stain. Behind the stag skull, Theoderic's brown eyes narrowed. Hood leaned into the armor and blinked as it crackled with energy.

  "A purple plague," he mused in a deep voice.

  "It dominates the mind," said Izzy. "I figure you know something of that. This infection forces people to do things they otherwise revile. Like taking up arms." Izzy stepped forward and leaned on her winter staff. "Talon and I have been asking you nicely. Hadrian? If he can't convince people to join his cause, he forces them too, all in the name of growing his army. You may not want war, your grace, but it's coming for you anyway. And one way or another, you'll be fighting for someone. Pick a side or have it picked for you."

  The warden of the Blackwood straightened after his inspection. His glowing eyes were somehow softer now. Filled with worry. He conveyed his thought with a grunt and a single nod toward his liege.

  The wild king sighed as his eyes ran over his people. "Freedom or death," he bitterly mused.

  1930 Castlevania

  "Now what?" asked Glinda as the group raced down the halls. "Hex is free, Rygar's dead, and Hadrian's back in the castle."

  They strode down a familiar tunnel that took them back to where they started. The halls of Oakengard seemed to be changing, becoming twisted and mazelike. Kyle chalked it up to stress and a trick of the flickering lights. Yet even Crux had led them down paths that, once previously clear, now resulted in dead ends.

  Lash, helmetless, wore her frown plain. "That's not what's bothering me. Why aren't there patrols looking for us?"

  Conan nodded. "I'd welcome a fair fight over these mind games."

  The companions slowed at a corner. Kyle thought they were getting ahead of themselves. "Hadrian doesn't necessarily know we're in the castle."

  "We burned down the aviary!" protested Glinda.

  The brewmaster canted his head. "Fair. But for all he knows, we're teleporting or fast traveling or who knows what else. He doesn't have any way to track us."

  "You sure about that?" asked Lash.

  "I mean, if he did we'd be surrounded, right?"

  "He might be right," said Hex. "We can't even track ourselves."

  Crux butted in. "It doesn't matter. We should get to a stairway and hide on the lower level. See what Talon has to say." The thief peeked ahead and waved the party into the empty corridor.

  "Hiding isn't gonna get us home," said Kyle. "And Talon's MIA. Our objective is to unlock the fast travel. We can easily handle that."

  The stairwell came into sight. Crux led and the others quickly followed. Hex, Conan, Glinda, Lash, Kyle, and two Violet Order zombies. They paced in the pitch black below. Kyle flinched at a surprise notification.

  Black Hat Alert:

  The Wildkins have entered an alliance!

  Wildkin Reputation +100

  "There's another one," said Kyle. "Talon's plan is coming together. If we want to be part of it, we better find ourselves an exit."

  "What about the mines?" offered Glinda. "The tunnels lead to the mountainside."

  Kyle scoffed. "You wanna walk back to Stronghold? Shouldn't we at least try the fast travel?"

  "And how do you plan to unlock it?" asked Crux.

  A tired voice rang out in the darkness. "It can be done."

  The group spun to the sound. "You're quiet, old man," said Hex, raising her bone rattle.

  "Wait," said Crux, the only other party member with darkvision. "You're Speaker Harroway."

  The sage twisted a knob on his lantern, illuminating his weary features. He was hunched on the floor against the wall.

  "What are you doing down here?" asked Kyle.

  He cracked a bitter smile. "Same as you, I imagine. Hiding from the Violet Order."

  Crux frowned. "Talon said the sages were murdered."

  "That we were. So many of my brothers and sisters are gone. Alas, they're the lucky ones. To my misfortune I didn't fall to the plague. Instead I respawned in a city that's no longer mine."

  Kyle stepped forward. "You said the fast travel could be unlocked?"

  The man sighed. "It can, if you go to the Inner Hall."

  Lash's eyes narrowed. "The Inner Hall is far from the portal. We should be able to unlock it up close."

  Harroway smiled. "You're clever for a knight." He nodded. "You're correct, of course. It can be unlocked with a portal scroll from right beside it. But I need something from you first."

  Kyle hissed. "Let's skip the tit for tat, bro. We're already fighting Hadrian, that should be good enough. Just hand over the scroll and let us get back to our normally scheduled programming."

  "I'm afraid that is inadequate."

  Lash crossed her arms. "Our army's already on the march. You won't think it's inadequate when you shit your pants at the sight of them."

  He sighed. "Maybe you aren't so clever after all."

  Crux inched forward. "You realize I can just steal the portal scroll from you, right?"

  The speaker's eyes flashed. "Not if I bind it to a quest."

  Quest Offer: Turn Off the Oakengard Recruiting Factory

  Quest Type: Action

  Reward: Portal Scroll

  Gain access to the training facility in the Inner Hall and find a way to power down the machine.

  Accept Quest?

  Crux cursed, which was good enough as confirmation that Harroway wasn't lying.

  "Revoke the quest," demanded Conan, raising his axe.

  Harroway snorted. "I'm beginning to think my faith in Stronghold is misplaced. At least hear me out. Listen to what's at stake."

  Kyle tried to pull Conan back, but the barbarian wouldn't budge until Lash nodded agreement. The companions settled around the sage as he recounted his tale in the darkness.

  "Fewer than two months ago, and since its inception, Oakengard stood at 300 strong: 100 each among equal castes; knights, sages, and priests. Then the pagans awakened Orik and raided Stronghold. Even as the titan was defeated and the horde scattered, a new threat loomed. As defenders of Haven, it was up to Oakengard to turn the tide. To that end, Saint Loras worked to increase our power. New weapons were acquired, aggressive training regimens enacted, but by far our greatest asset were the soldiers themselves. Loras activated a recruiting factory aimed at matching the numbers of the horde."

  Kyle swallowed hard. "The horde at the time numbered in the thousands."

  "Two-and-a-half thousand," clarified the sage. "But that was before the battle of Stronghold. After their defeat and the ensuing schism, the pagans spanned many groups numbering in the hundreds. Over the next two weeks our recruiting factory doubled the count of our residents to 600."

  "That's when Bishop Tannen stole the Eye," pointed out Lash.

  "Wait a minute," said Kyle, moving closer. "It's been over a month since we took care of the bishop..."

  "It has." Speaker Harroway lifted his chin. "Now you're beginning to take my meaning. If we can spawn 300 soldiers in two weeks..."

  Lash's eyes widened. "Then the Violet Order has grown to 1200 soldiers."

  Conan looked to his companions. "How do we fight 1200 soldiers?"

  "It's not quite so many," tempered the sage. "Between the catechist schism, the escaped crusaders, and those of us who still resist—we all subtract from the whole. But as long as the recruiting factory is powered up..."

  "The enemy forces will soon grow out of hand," concluded Lash. Her face went hard and she turned to Kyle.

  "Oh no," muttered Glinda. "I know that look. Do we really want to continue wandering around this maze? You said it yourself, Lash. Our army is on the march. We don't nee
d to return to Stronghold. We can safely slip through the mines and join up with our soldiers."

  "No," said Kyle firmly. "That might be better for us, but is it the best we can do for the Black Hats? The best we can do for Haven?" Kyle chewed his lip.

  Lash nodded along. "It's the right call."

  Harroway allowed a smile and produced a blue key from his robes. "You'll need this to access the training facility." He offered the key.

  Crux ignored the item. "Guys," he cautioned.

  His sister stepped forward. "Hadrian did a real number on me. If this is a way to hit him where it hurts, I'm in."

  Crux winced.

  Conan hefted his axe. "Everyone knows my answer."

  The thief rubbed his temples. "Fine. I can get you to the Inner Hall."

  "And then the fast travel," affirmed Kyle. "We'll get that scroll?"

  Speaker Harroway nodded. "You don't even have to find me again. It'll automatically be placed in your inventory upon quest completion."

  "Works for me," said Kyle as he accepted the quest. "Bravo Team, at my back."

  The brewmaster did a one-eighty and headed straight for the staircase. Crux snatched the blue key from the sage's frail fingers, and their new mission was afoot.

  >> Minigame <<

  "Sir, I need you to keep still."

  Christian winced as he twisted away from his workstation and faced the paramedic. "I thought you finished dressing the wound."

  Ramon clenched his jaw. "I did what I could, but that doesn't change the fact that you need surgery." He put a hand on his radio and lowered his head to speak. "Jake, do you copy yet? Come on, man, come in." Ramon grunted and shook his head. "I don't know why this radio's not working."

  "Too many floors of metal and concrete between you and them," explained Christian.

  "You're probably right." The paramedic nodded toward the security feeds. "You got controls up here? Can you get the elevators online?"

  "That's managed from the ground floor."

  "Why don't you ask your buddies in the fire department?" offered Tad.

  "They won't do it," said Christian. "Not until they're sure it's safe. After an explosion it could be weeks before confirming the elevators are structurally sound."

  Ramon hissed. "We need to get you out of here."

  "That's where you're wrong," said the CEO. "I'm not going."

  "What do you mean you're not going?"

  "Exactly what I said." Christian turned back to his programming window. "This is a vital moment in my business. I have less than two days to get this done."

  Ramon shook his head with incredulity. "Sir, I've staunched the bleeding. You have strong blood pressure but I can't determine the extent of your internal injuries. Without medical attention..."

  Tad parked his butt against Christian's desk and stretched his leg. Ramon was being formally introduced to Christian's stubbornness. How long it took to come to terms with it was up to him. The CEO gritted his teeth, swallowed a few more painkillers, and dug in.

  "Don't try to talk me out of it," he argued. "This is my life's work, and my life is quickly coming to an end. I have a right to choose what I do with my final moments."

  "I don't care if you're a billionaire," countered Ramon. "You're crazy." He turned to Tad, eyes searching. "Help me out here."

  The programmer shrugged. "I couldn't help you even if I wanted to."

  The paramedic frowned at Tad's cast and crutch. After a quick grimace, he nodded confidently. "Okay, new plan. You two sit tight. I'll get a team up to you. Hell, I'll call in a helicopter if I have to."

  "I appreciate the fervor," said Christian, "but I'm not moving. Not until I'm done."

  Ramon stood up, eyed the two men, and backed away. "You'll thank me later. Hold onto my equipment in case you need medical supplies. Keep that bandage tight. And do me a favor and keep the gymnastics to a minimum."

  The CEO returned his attention to the screen and clacked away. Ramon sighed, nodded firmly to Tad, and left the room toward the west stairwell.

  Tad sighed. "The guy's not wrong, you know."

  "This needs to be done."

  "Does it? Isn't the whole point of putting our trust in Haven so Talon and the others can decide their own destiny? I get that we have preprogrammed launch conditions to deal with, that we need to wait until the official launch in two days, but the people on the inside don't need additional support anymore. You need to think about your life."

  "This is my life," he said curtly. "Not just my work but my life. You're right that we could do nothing and, depending on Talon's success, Haven would probably turn out all right. Harbor Island will launch without us. Assuming the servers remain protected, our job is mostly already done." Christian closed his eyes tightly for a long moment, took a calming breath, and squared his face with Tad. "Still, there's one more matter, something that absolutely needed to wait until the last second. There's one final important piece of the puzzle to upload." Christian lifted his hand and placed a firm finger against his skull. "Me."

  Tad nearly slipped off his perch against the desk. His mouth opened weakly. "But you said it yourself. The launch site is Harbor Island. We don't have any communication outside this building, so none of your changes will make it into the package. You won't make it into the satellite."

  "That's not how the launch protocol works." Christian turned to his workstation. "The point of moving Haven to space is to secure it from external threats, but there's a special launch condition that opens the satellites up to a one-time update. Phoenix Y will launch into the atmosphere with whatever data it has. Any updates we make here will then be uploaded via a satellite dish on the roof. Only after a full sync is complete will the servers permanently relinquish master control. We can still realize the changes Pete envisioned. My dream. And..." The CEO stopped, horrified by the display.

  Tad shook his head, numb from the steep detour the day had taken. "What is it?" He moved into position beside his desperate friend.

  Christian maximized the security feed. Two transport vans wove around the fire trucks and police cruisers, skipped onto the curb, and drove to the middle of the pedestrian plaza. A firefighter cautiously approached the disembarking driver. The men argued, and when the firefighter wouldn't back away, the soldier reached into the van for a rifle and butted him with the stock.

  Police officers swarmed forward with raised pistols. A daunting force of twenty paramilitary troops unloaded from the trucks, firing a few rounds into the air. The reports echoed through the high-rise windows.

  The emergency personnel hastily backed away. The police took positions behind their vehicles but were hesitant to open fire against a superior force.

  "Those are InLink operatives," said Christian.

  "The team Abbie called."

  The soldiers backed into the building, rifles drawn, the police helpless to intervene.

  "They're coming for us," said Tad.

  The CEO doggedly shook his head. "They're coming for Haven."

  They remained glued to the security feeds as the InLink operatives secured the main lobby. On the exterior camera, police barked into their radios, cordoned off the perimeter, and pulled the rescue personnel away. Unfortunately, a few firefighters were still inside the building. The soldiers pounced on them, knocked them out, and zip-tied their hands and legs.

  Now Tad and Christian couldn't leave the building even if they wanted to. They were stuck, with no way to reach the authorities. Tad hated this limbo. He watched, paralyzed with indecision.

  The soldiers in the lobby were rebuffed at the disabled elevator doors. They argued over what to do. As Tad watched, Ramon exited the stairwell into the main hall. He froze as multiple rifles pointed his way.

  "Damn, this is a full blown hostage situation," said Tad.

  The CEO tapped away at his code integration, fingers and keys covered with drying blood. "Looks like we're gonna be here a while."

  "Really? Because I'm thinking the gunmen are gonna come
up and execute us posthaste."

  "Not with the police surrounding them." He pointed at the exterior feed. A large fire truck was rolling over the plaza with a line of officers advancing behind its cover. Rogue operatives posted at the main door fired warning shots into the vehicle. Tad flinched as the gunshots echoed up to them.

  Christian blinked away from the monitors, took a long breath, and spoke slowly. "I understand, Tad, that this is all new to you. That this isn't your dream like it was ours, but—"

  "I'll do it," said Tad. He winced at his own admission but set his jaw nonetheless as he watched the soldiers hogtie Ramon. "Screw InLink and Abbie and Loras. I'll help you and Talon and everybody else that needs helping. As far as I'm concerned, I'm living on borrowed time anyway."

  1940 Track & Field

  Dune's boots pattered in the dirt as he returned to the Cloven Path. "No recent tracks," he muttered. "Not any of consequence."

  "Aye," said Stigg. "Why would goblins venture through the mountains when they're at home in the bog?"

  Caduceus twisted her lip. "The big guy's right. You'd have an easier time tracking them through the wetlands than you're having here."

  "Oh ye of little faith," snorted Dune. "It doesn't take mastery like mine to track a pagan horde. The only reason I don't see signs of their passage is because they didn't cross here. More likely they skirted the road and went straight to the swamps from the north. That way's safer for mobs."

  The red robe chuckled. "Less likely to run into snobby players that way."

  "Hey, I'm arrogant, not a snob. There's a difference."

  They marched in the open, surrounded by miles of solitude.

  "They must have kept a hard pace," said the physicker, "considering the one we're pushing."

  "It's not that bad," said Stigg. "Especially now that the army's not slowing us down."

  Dune chuckled. "Yeah. And we made camp last night. What's with you, anyway?"

  Caduceus shrugged. "What do you mean?"