Nascent (The Stork Tower Book 1)

by Tony Corden

  Forager Treasure Egg

  The ant dropped the egg about thirty metres from the entrance and kept moving. Leah had five traps left in her ring. She discussed it with Wisp, and they decided that this time Wisp would run and get the egg while Leah stood guard to deal with any ants. As soon as there was only one ant on the other side of the cavern Wisp kept forward to grab the egg. The ant rushed at her, but she was almost back before another ant entered the room. After dealing with the two ants, Leah touched the treasure egg. A message appeared:

  This is a Forager Treasure Egg.

  Do you wish to open this now?

  [Yes] [No]

  She said, “The egg might have something we need. I suggest we leave it until the end. If there are other eggs, then I’ll use a Luck Potion and open them all at the end. Is that ok with you?”

  “Absolutely, except I think if we need something like a key then we open it.”

  This decided, Leah declined to open it and put it in her bag. They stayed and watched the room for a while but no other eggs appeared, and neither of them could see another place where they might find treasure. They moved down the tunnel which continued straight before it opened into another large cavern. This time the cavern was shaped like a boomerang, and an additional ant added to the mix. They followed the same plan and were fortunate to have only one extra ant to fight. Instead of using the Disc of Death Leah used the Circle of Sloth to slow the ants down. They waited for a while, but no more eggs appeared.

  The third room was shaped like a letter ’S’, and they couldn’t see the last part of the room where they expected a tunnel to be. They had to guess and run when the number of ants was least in the area which they could see. They almost pulled more than they could handle with a total of seven ants coming after them in the tunnel, each of the ants was at Level 16. Leah ran out of traps towards the end of the fight and Wisp had only eight percent of her HP left. They sat for quite some time meditating before deciding to move forward.

  The final room at this level was spherical like the first, and they could see the whole room. It was empty except for a larger and more powerful ant slowly circling the middle of the room. The walls had the smaller tunnels, but there was no exit.

  Forager Worker Ant (Level 18) 2000HP 1700EP

  Leah stepped into the room and was surprised when the ant turned to face her. This was a mini-boss. Wisp stepped into the room, and they slowly spread apart as they moved toward the ant. When they were about ten meters from the ant, it suddenly rushed Leah. She had a spear taken from one of the worker ants, and she thrust this at the ant’s head. The ant was quick and grabbed the spear with its mandibles and ripped it out of Leah’s hands. As the spear was pulled left, Leah dived forward under the right-hand legs of the ant and used the scythe to sever the middle leg at the centre joint. Meanwhile, Wisp stood back and fired a constant barrage of fire-bolts at the ant’s head. A bar appeared above the boss and showed that it still had about eighty percent of its health. As the ant turned toward Leah, she kept it turning clockwise to put the most force on the side with only two legs. She wanted to get it on the ground where it would be easiest to kill. As it followed Leah, Wisp grabbed her sword and darted in to hack at the middle leg joint on the left-hand side. While she didn’t succeed in cutting it off the ant was no longer able to put much weight on the leg, making it turn even more slowly.

  Leah had grabbed one of her stick spears, and when the ant turned toward Wisp, she drove this deep into the abdomen. The bar dropped to sixty percent, and the ant screamed. Neither Leah nor Wisp were expecting this, and they both reeled back, both surprised and stunned. If Leah had allowed messages, she would have noticed a 'Stunned' debuff. It was almost ten-seconds before Leah was able to pull herself together, in this time the ant had closed the distance and it bit down on her left arm, severing it at the elbow. As she dropped to the ground, she swung the scythe with her right arm and buried it in the ant’s right eye which exploded covering her with fluid. The ant reared back, dropping her arm. In agony, Leah reached into her bag and took one of the Restore Health Potions. Meanwhile, Wisp was attacking the ant with everything she had. The Potion slowly regrew Leah’s arm, but even after it healed, she could still feel the pain. She grabbed the staff and swung with both hands to completely shatter the left rear leg of the ant. Its health dropped thirty percent as it moved slowly, dragging its abdomen along the ground. Again it screamed.

  This time, as well as the stun debuff two Level 16 Forager Ants crawled out of the tunnels. Leah tried to trap one but realised her rings were on the hand that had been cut off. Calling Wisp to attack the same ant as her she ran to the nearest ant and brought the Morningstar down on its head. As Wisp brought her sword down on the trapped ant's neck, Leah headed towards the second ant only to see two more crawling from the tunnels. She looked over and saw her severed arm several meters away. In desperation, she dove for it while casting Disc of Death. By the time she had pried the ring off her old index finger and onto her new, the ant was at the gate having had to run all the way around. She gave room for the ant to fully enter the spiked enclosure before trapping it with her web. She left it and rushed outside to trap another ant before attacking the fourth with her staff. Wisp joined her, having dispatched the first ant. Together they killed the rest before returning to the mini-boss and finishing it off.

  Wisp statistics were all in the red; except her Ki, which was full and untouched. Leah was below a quarter everywhere except her health which was sitting at ninety-one percent. They stared at each other and then lay on the floor to recuperate. After a few minutes, Leah assumed her Quarter Lotus Pose and began breathing slowly. She found this calming. After about twenty minutes she stood and searched the room. Finally, she found what she was looking for. In the place where the mini-boss had been standing was a circle of different coloured soil. Carefully using her knife, she began scraping away until she had uncovered a copper coloured egg and the message appeared:

  This is a Forager Treasure Egg.

  Do you wish to open this now?

  [Y] [N]

  She said no then walked over to the dead boss and placed the copper egg and the white egg next to it. Turning to Wisp, she said, “I’m going to take a potion to raise my luck by ten. We already have an extra seven and a half on top of my four points. This’ll give the ‘Luck’ characteristic a score of over twenty, added to this is the fifty percent chance of a drop included. I’ll harvest the boss, open both eggs and then harvest the ants. Are you ok with this?”

  Wisp was still sitting, and she just nodded. Leah said, “Gèng, could you put a timer up so I can see how long I have?”

  Leah then took the potion from her bag and quickly drank. The timer appeared as she harvested the boss, she then opened the eggs and went to each ant and harvested them. She was amazed that thirty-seconds seemed a long time when your life wasn’t in danger.

  Returning to Wisp, she read out the various messages she received from the Boss and two eggs.

  You have harvested:

  2 Vials of Forager Ant Blood*

  2 Vials of Forager Ant Crystallised Muscle Tissue*

  6 Forager Ant Claws**

  6 Forager Ant Leg Tendons***

  2 Portal Pebbles to Carson’s Formicary Level 2****

  * Note: These are highly prized ingredients used to make Strength Potions.

  ** Note: A skilled Smith may be able to use these items.

  *** Note: These are highly prized by archers.

  **** When you are ready to complete Level 2 swallow these pebbles.

  You have opened a Copper Forager Treasure Egg:

  20 Copper Coins minted with an image of Carson’s Formicary

  2 Vials of Forager Worker Ant Saliva*

  1 Copper Key to the Queen’s Treasure Room

  1 Spell of Stunning

  1 Book of Foraging

  * This can be used to stick any two substances or items together. This join will never break.

  You have opened a W
hite Forager Treasure Egg:

  10 Copper Coins minted with an image of Carson’s Formicary

  1 Ring of Ant Strength (+10)

  1 Spell of Ant Direction

  Leah passed over fifteen of the copper coins and was pleased to see Wisp smile. They read through the various messages and decided that Wisp would get Ring of Ant Strength and Spell of Stunning. Leah took the Book of Foraging and the Spell of Direction. The book was a companion to the Diary from Falsi and described the plants which were useful for food. The spell allowed the caster to find the quickest path through a forest or woodland.

  It had taken them all day to get to the end of the first level. They decided to use the portal stones to enter Level Two and then to log-out until the following day. Fortunately, the pebbles were small and not difficult to swallow. They appeared in a small cavern with a tunnel leading off into the distance. Both were weary, so after arranging to meet at eight the following morning, they logged out.

  Leah staggered onto the sofa and logged out. She crawled out of the Pod and had a long hot shower. Occasionally she would reach over and hold her left forearm. No matter how unreal the injury was, she couldn’t forget having her arm snapped off. She had a quick lunch and spent some time meditating and practising Thai Chi. Feeling refreshed and relaxed she had three hours real-time before heading back to Level 2. She decided to do her research in the Pod to make use of the time dilation. When she logged in, she immediately noticed that Gèng had rearranged everything.

  The floors were wooden and red like a dark cherry. The walls were white but further away. Gèng had enlarged the space twenty-fold. Throughout the room pillars made from the trunks of trees reached up to hold up the roof. The roof was at over two stories high, a balcony surrounded the room with a wide staircase leading up to it, and the floors were covered with a dark red carpet. The sofa had been changed and was covered now in a deep red leather and had dark wooden legs.

  She walked over and sat down then said, “Gèng, what is this?”

  “I have done some research, and I plan to recreate the Stork tower from your poem. I am currently working the outside space, and plan to put this building at the head of a long valley and eventually have each level represent an achievement or world that you have experienced. The tower will be on various levels. I’ve some ideas from pictures of Pagodas and Chinese mountain monasteries. I understand it is a work in progress, but I have already put the various subjects from Academia on the next level. Tomorrow when you walk up there you’ll be able to view different pictures or memories. I have a picture of you bowing to Master Ning. I thought we could call this space ‘The Stork Tower’ Or simply ‘The Tower’.”

  “It’s amazing Gèng, I’ll need to let it sink in before commenting, but I love the idea. But for now I have three hours before I head back to Dunyanin, do you have any ideas on how to improve our chances?”

  “I have one idea. You are performing above your game level. I noticed this when you easily defeated those players who were trying to kill you. I’ve analysed the data and suggest that you are applying your natural fighting skills and not relying on the game mechanics. It is a similar situation when encouraged Wisp not to use the game presets but to train herself to use the sword correctly. My idea is for you to enter a world which teaches you the skills you need. For example, you have yet to use your bow. This would have been great against the flying ants. There is a game called Sherwood which is designed with the correct use of the bow in mind. You could enter the game and spend your time practising the bow. Alternatively, there are archery courses you can buy which are similar to the Tai Chi course you had this morning. The AI they have as tutors are designed to teach the correct way to hold and shoot a bow. I have other suggestions regarding your use of the sword, but think the bow comes first.”

  “How much does the Archery Course cost?”

  “The one with the best reviews is called ‘Master Archery’ and costs the same as Dunyanin, twenty Gold for the initial setup and then another twenty Gold each month or one Gold for a three-hour lesson; teaching is one on one. When you reach a particular competency, they issue a certificate which is valid in many virtual worlds and the real world.”

  “Do they provide gear and equipment?”

  “They do, although they have an agreement with many worlds that allow you to use bows that you bring across. You have two bows in your inventory, ‘The Long Bow of Guzeltuya’ and the ‘Yew Longbow’. I suggest you take them both and start with a single lesson and see if it helps.”

  “All right, arrange the initial setup and book me in for a lesson. If it is good, I may even have time for a second lesson. I’ll grab the bows. Where are they by the way? Put the portal on the balcony level; I’ll head up there.”

  “I’ll move the bows to a table outside the portal.”

  Leah ran up the stairs and saw the row of doorways all edged in gold and red. One now had a golden bow as the lintel. In front of the door was a low table with both bows and two quivers on it. She grabbed the bows and quivers and stepped into the portal.

  She appeared on an endless flat lawn. She could see targets spaced out at a distance and a lady dressed in green with thigh length boots and a bow in her hands. Leah looked down; she wore similar garb. She had fingerless gloves, a bracer and a leather chest guard covering her left breast. The lady drew close and said, “Welcome Atherleah, my name is Lady Flèche, and I am here to instruct you in the use of the bow. Have you had any experience before?”

  “No!”

  “So, we will start at the Beginner Level, and I will assume nothing. I see you have brought two bows with you. They are both serviceable, one is beyond you at the moment but is one of the finest I have ever seen. Do you mind if I give it a try?”

  “No, please use it I would love to have it used. I look forward to the day I am ready for it.”

  Lady Flèche took Guzeltuya’s Long Bow and one of the arrows. She aimed and then watched as the arrow soared to the furthest target where it landed near the bullseye. She handed it back and said, “When you're ready for that I’ll give you a lesson for free. Whoever did the code for that knew their weapons. Now the lesson!”

  Leah learnt how to hold the bow and aim. She learned to use her back muscles to draw the bow and how to breathe to gain accuracy. After the first lesson, Leah took a second. By the end, she was tired but confident that she could at least hit what she aimed at within a twenty-meter radius. She grabbed both bows and thanking Lady Flèche walked back into the Tower. She thanked Gèng for the advice and logged out to have a shower and something to eat. She discovered that her arms and back were sore. She did some stretches to loosen the muscles. She was amazed at how the Pod enabled her to develop real-world skills. Finally, after sitting for a while, she was ready for Level 2.

  Leah arrived moments before Wisp. After checking her bow, she led the way cautiously down the tunnel. It became hotter the further they travelled. After several hundred metres the shaft opened onto the top of a volcanic crater. Wisp and Leah stood there looking over the lava. Steps were running from their vantage point down the wall to the lava where a path continued across the lava to the other side of the volcano. At regular intervals along the route, there were large circular patches of cooled magma. It looked like a string of six black pearls strung across the lava.

  As they approached the first pearl, they saw a bright red ant waiting. Its colour wasn’t solid, rather it swirled and changed just like the lava that surrounded them.

  Fire Worker Ant (Level 16) 1800HP 1400 EP

  “I don’t think your Fire magic will do much good here,” Leah said. “I think your better off using the Stun spell.”

  Leah took one of the worker ant spears and walked toward the ant. As she stepped onto the arena, the ant headed in her direction. It didn’t rush but walked carefully. She held the spear in front of her. When it was two meters from Leah it suddenly coughed, a small fireball shot out of its mouth and hit her on the chest. The leather cuirass began
to smoke, and her health dipped. She stabbed forward and only just clipped its mandible as it dodged. It stepped back and made the coughing motion again. This time she was ready, she dropped under the fireball and drove the spear into its mouth. It shuddered, and its health dipped, but when Leah pulled the spear out it was missing the first twenty centimetres; it had burnt off, soot covered the end. Wisp cast Stun rocking the ant back. While it was dazed, Leah brought the scythe down to take off the head. The blow was ineffective and brought the fire ant to its senses, it turned rapidly and knocked Leah over. Where it touched her, she felt as though her skin was on fire. The pain was excruciating. She hurriedly back away as it made another coughing sound. This time she wasn’t quite fast enough, and the fireball flared over her arm. As she rolled out of the way she muttered, “I need the bow”. Suddenly the bow appeared in her hand, and she felt the weight of the quiver on her back. She reached back, grabbed an arrow, nocked it and fired. At the range of just two meters, the arrow point travelled through the eye and out the back of the head. The Fire Ant shuddered and died. Leah healed herself then harvested the Fire Ant.

  You have harvested:

  2 Vials of Elemental Flame*

  4 Claws of Flame**

  1 Minor Fireball Spell

  * Note: These are highly prized for use by Alchemists, Enchanters and Master Smiths.

  ** Note: The material is prized by Master Smiths in the making of elemental weapons.

  “Gèng, how did the bow appear in my hand?”

  “I am here to assist you; I perceived your statement as a desire to equip the bow. You don’t have to reach into the bag each time you want something. It works the same way as when equipping the armour.”

  “So, I can change weapons at a word, or thought?”

  “Certainly!”

  “Why didn’t you tell me before this?”