Cray was walking with his pet behind Kira and Bom, his face calm— but his eyes were impressed. If not in a state of shock, the warrior was affected, in one way or another. I myself wasn’t completely calm— we had just witnessed something unearthly. What did the Eye say? A depth of three hundred meters? A hell of a crater…
Be that as it may, but the Architects have done a good thing— they cleared the way for us. The opposite bank was approaching fast. We had almost arrived at the next segment of the steel bridge. And we went on quietly, without fighting and without tensions, without wasting valuable resources like arrows, bombs, or scrolls. Thank you, Architects, for scaring away and destroying all living creatures with your strike!
“Eye over! Observation confirmed— the black and yellow energy has enveloped all members of the Architects squad, including their animals. This aura spreads ten meters around each member of their team. We strongly advise that you do not engage…”
“Thank you Eye. A personal clan aura. Keep watch. Try to understand its effects.”
“Yes.”
A clan aura… the “aftermath” of the deadly strike that killed the river guardian now envelops the Architects.
I have absolutely no idea what this means. I was never in a clan, and never received the benefits of an aura. In any case, the clan leader establishes the effects of it when they agree on the clan symbol at the creation of the citadel. And I understand the Baroness’ desire to find out the properties of this black and yellow, sizzling energy that now surrounds the Architects. But, given the “murkiness” of this dark energy, it’s clearly not very nice and fluffy…
The same dark energy, by the way, says a lot about their God. A clan with such a dark, almost demonic CLOUD cannot have a god of light as patron. I was itching to say something but kept silent, preferring to absorb all of the information like a sponge.
“Aura or not,” grumbled Ul, and I heard his words clearly in a long time, devoid of the accompanying roar of battle. “But what the hell did they hit a common woodlouse with a CLOUD for?! Can somebody explain this to me?”
“To make death a certainty?” Doc suggested. “Hit him once, and…”
“Oh, sure!” Ul waved him away, peering towards the rumble of the waterfall in the distance. “As if the Architects simply did it out of fright. Traitors in the ranks, an attack from the back, and then a river guardian… and they just happened to use the most powerful thing in the arsenal. Not a bad waterfall, though…”
Following Ul’s gaze, I finally became fully aware of the scale of what had happened.
The CLOUD can, of course, be used as a mass combat spell. It can. But, as for the scale of it…
For example, a meteor of the highest level, even if used by a mage covered in auras of the highest rank, who drinks a dozen special elixirs, and wears the best possible equipment… the damage will be colossal, certainly, from the point of view of an ordinary player. That’s how it was in Ravendark, and the siege of the city of Akelrome, and that’s how it was here. An ordinary player would certainly be impressed.
And what if we look at it without the awe? What’s left of the meteor? Well…
A crater, thirty meters in width, and as much in depth, probably. Plus or minus ten meters. There are tough battle mages in Valdira. What else happens after this spell? Massive fire extermination of small and medium sized monsters. That’s all. A decent spell. Great special effects, good damage. The meteor.
Now, the CLOUD of the Architects.
Just now, right before my eyes, the world of Valdira endured a huge amount of damage. Not even just a hole. What kind of hole could it be, if it was the size of a satellite? This is a real crater! What is it that the Eye blurted out?
Depth of three hundred meters?
Three HUNDRED meters! And the width, if less, only less by very little. A hit by such a weapon in the port town of Akelrome at night, and it would have been completely cleared of Krabbers, “locals,” monsters, and even buildings… there it is! The CLOUD was a force capable of wiping entire villages off of the map. And they hit a river, evaporating the water in it, making a three hundred meter hole…
Damn you… that was real power. That was the power of clans in Valdira.
But was it wise to have used the shining light of Excalibur against insignificant river insects? It’s almost funny…
The Black Baroness seemed to be thinking the same thing. And, speak of the devil, she appeared, materializing behind me. Leaning forward, she put her hand on my shoulder and addressed her brother, who was still sitting at the mammoth’s head:
“And what are you laughing about?”
“Hmm?” Orbit said, sitting down with difficulty and taking a big breath. “Who?”
“You!” Barked the Black Baroness. “Eye!”
“Listening!”
“Rewind recorded observations of the Architects back!”
“Ok. By how much?”
“Before the beginning! Until the moment when we killed the forest guardian, took a rest, and moved forward. Then accelerate towards the moment you see the Architects reach the water. Baron!”
“Yes!”
“Ready for the third bridge! Prepare it when you are ready. Everyone! Head count! Eye! What’s going on then?!”
Orbit began to cackle again, and then murmured:
“Dad was right when he said… if it’s a son— then he’s like me, if a daughter— nothing to do with me. Ha!”
“I’ll give you a one-way ticket back home right now!” Hissed the Baroness. “Want one, bro?!”
“Nah!” The elf shook his head hurriedly. “I do not! It’s inter-e-e-esting here! Don’t…”
“Guki-guki!” Confirmed the two headed parrot.
Snorting, the Baroness straightened and stared upstream with intensity. Ahead of us, the Architects cheerfully stomped to the shore.
There was a long rumble and the same flickering haze, and the “dwarven miracle” fell into the river, which was no longer as shallow. It seemed that the river had again begun to gain momentum. The raid squad was already on the third bridge. At that moment of crossing sounded the surprised voice of the “Eye”:
“Eye speaking!”
“Listening! What is it?”
“After the break the Architects walked in a straight line. When the river was about three hundred meters away, they abruptly changed course, but made it no more than forty steps. Then they turned back to the river— and, without reducing speed, they created a bridge. Why did they change their course?”
“You’re asking me?” Said the Baroness in a mock polite voice.
“No, I … this… it’s… eh… We missed something, didn’t we?”
According to the bald elf, who was bursting into laughter, they certainly had.
Rather, the Sleepless did. And I personally hoped that this would not affect acquiring the legendary armor.
“Did you see the deaths of the achilots?” Said the Baroness toughly. “The ones who turned out to be traitors. Did you specifically see them be destroyed?”
“No. The tsunami rose so sharply that it hid our outlook onto the bridge. The pterodactyls could only catch some kind of stir on the bridge, some bright short flashes. A bunch of small attacks, and all was quiet.”
“He-e-eh,” the grinning elf writhed in happiness. “Busia is slow-w-w… Achilots, river, CLOUD, strike, cleansing area of monsters, a crater three hundred meters deep at the bottom of the water— they’ll all go to the beach now. Once they get there, they’ll get into positions. The detachment will wait for the miners.”
“I don’t understand,” admitted the avidly listening Doc.
“I also do not understand!” Whimpered Kaylen. “Orbit! Repeat in English please!”
“I get it,” I smiled, not without pride. “It seems that… ohhh…”
The Black Baroness, truly, was falling into a rage. Her beautiful face was turning red. Her narrowed brown eyes looked so menacing that the river water seemed to hiss when she
looked at it…
“Uhm…” Said the voice of the Eye. “Nothing is confirmed yet! But… ugh. Baroness, you know yourself that Orbit has been wrong only twice before. This is the Architects’ penetration. We missed it. They didn’t panic when they set off the strike, they knew what they were doing when they sent the tsunami. The CLOUD itself was proof. If they decided to use the trump card meant for the trip to the lost continent…”
“You don’t say!” Muttered the Black Baroness. “Everyone! Get ready! We’re going to kill the architects! Baron! Go forwards! Begin the battle formation! As soon as we get onto shore-- a sharp turn together! All begin assault! Prepare Nyusha! Eye! Watch the Architects and report each minute. Joker! Prepare the cards “Loca” and “Azra!””
“Will someone tell me what’s happening?!” Kaylen cried.
“Hand over Nyusha,” muttered Ul, taking the divine bazooka from the girl.
“Here,” said Doc, giving me a similar cylinder weapon.
“And for me?” Orbit asked eagerly.
“No!” Ul and I barked in unison.
While we took up arms, the Baroness quietly vanished— though her brisk commands continued to echo in the ether. The Baroness obviously didn’t like the fact that she had been so badly cheated.
“Will someone tell me what’s going on?!” Said Kaylen. “Tell me, Ros! You understand something of Orbit’s nonsense, don’t you?”
“It isn’t nons-s-sense!” Sighed Orbit with a deep regret.
“Better if it was, right?” I chuckled. “Correct me if I’m wrong. Overall, Orbit believes that the Architects planned this from the get-go. They knew in advance what position they needed to have on the river, and adjusted their course, created a bridge at the desired point, simulated betrayal in their ranks, and killed a few achilots, losing a few soldiers. Then they publicly apologized and set off the CLOUD to kill the river guard, as though in panic. But he they were not there by chance. The monster was clearly guarding something.”
“What?!”
“I don’t know,” I threw up my hands. “Something. Something very heavily buried— about three hundred meters below river level! And guarded by many river monsters…that kind of trophy.”
“And what could that trophy be?”
“I don’t know,” I repeated. “But it is something for sure. You can deduce yourself— something worth using up the CLOUD strike. Something very valuable… some kind of valuable ancient knowledge or magic. Perhaps the legendary equipment for pets. Worth more than good relations with another clan. And probably not some magic— more like something tangible.”
“Right,” nodded Ul. “Some kind of physical thing. Heavy or light, I don’t know, but a material thing in any case.”
“Why?”
“Because knowledge can be learned, such as Malice learned the spell earlier,” I explained patiently. “And there would have been no sense, if it were so, in the spectacle with traitors and the tsunami. They simply would have learned the spell and that would be that. Before the tsunami, their relations with the Sleepless were fine. It was only after the tsunami that the Baroness gave them an ultimatum and demanded they pass along any ancient knowledge they find.”
“Yes,” Kira confirmed, putting a few vials of ruby red liquid into her bag.
“Material things— plants, fungi, and other things, cannot be sent by mass teleport. There are CAPS here, conditions are harsh. On the other side of the Outland, we will find a mass teleport and leave through it, taking everything we have gathered. If we manage to make it there. So the Architects are doing all they can to get to this artifact.”
“Yeah,” grinned Ul. “And so are we! All for the sake of the clan! Viva la Sleepless!” His fist shot up, and there was silence…
“Hmm… but that’s not our style,” I smiled gently. “We aren’t the Sleepless.”
“Not our sty-y-yle,” Orbit agreed with me. “And not the Kolyvan’s t-too!”
“It is the Kolyvan’s style!” Ul muttered, taking some ammo from his assistant.
“Ros, are we retreating or helping?” Asked Kira, not worrying about lowering her voice.
Ugh… I should’ve told her to write a message.
“Undecided,” I confessed. “I doubt that this is the hidden equipment for Tyrant, or for a dragon or worm… but withdrawal isn’t really an option.”
“Got it,” said Trouble, and nodded.
The girl jumped down heavily, and I shook my head in amazement— she was a damn terminator.
“Astra seven!” Roared the Baron. Instantly, the front ranks of the soldiers, stepping on the sandy river bank, turned sharply and began to head upstream.
We were on the attack again… but this time, not against monsters, but against other players. If we deliver the first blow, we will become ‘red’— the aggressors.
“Eye, over! The Archs noticed the maneuver! They are reorganizing their ranks!”
“Clear! Malice! Destroy enemy observers! Drass! Smokescreen! Eye! End the truce! Begin the destruction of the Architects! Immediately!”
“Accepted!”
“Well, this is war,” Ul grinned happily. “At last…”
With a furious squeal, the Pterodactyls clashed above us. Leaving behind a trail of smoke, the Phoenix was already on the fly, burning the enemy eagle.
The melee was already beginning.
The Sleepless against the Architects.
MMC— Mass Mortal Combat. Let’s begin…
Stop, stop… why did I make the decision for everyone?
The Sleepless were about to grapple with the Architects for the sake of a delicious morsel of… What?
Fur will fly in tatters. It will be at once a terrible insult and an act of revenge. No matter the outcome.
“Ul!” I cried. “Come out of the battle high for just a minute…”
“Hm?”
“I don’t understand one thing. Let’s say we defeat the Architects, break their drawing compasses and pencils. And then what? For us, I mean? Not only will your clan become enemies of the Archs, but so will we, if we stand on your side. Our nicknames will forever be etched into their blacklist. Forever. And what for? I’m not eager to become an enemy of the Architects when exiting the Outland. Do the Sleepless guarantee my friends immunity, or now? We don’t want war with an ancient clan.”
“Well…” Thought Ul for a moment. “Well… hell knows. That’s for you to mull over. But I think we can do it, somehow, Ros! We can break through.”
“Somehow. Got it,” I nodded and, rising, waved to the familiar faces in the crowd.
Satisfied that they noticed me, I loudly cried:
“Let’s go, guys! It’s time! Turn to the right. This is not our fight. Kaylen, pack your things! Doc! Come on, time to dip. We are leaving!”
“Good!” Snapped Bom. “I came here for the money, not for war!”
The detachment continued to stomp forwards along the river bank, the aura weaving over their heads. There was the rhythmic rumble of a drum.
How interesting everything was…
Against this background, the preparations for battle were playing out.
As we separated from the group, of course, some of the Sleepless couldn’t keep their mouths shut.
“Going, huh?”
“Afraid?”
“The rats are running away…”
“Shut up!” Said the Red Baron, hearing the talkative clan member call us rats. He threw Bom some large objects, looked at me and said: “Correct decision! Don’t forget Murohrom!”
“I would’ve stayed!” Kaylen looked terribly upset.
“Not int-t-teresting,” shrugged the bald elf, and then turned around to look at Ul.
“What do you want?” Growled he, without taking his hands from the crossbow.
“You passed your stop,” informed Orbit, shoving his foot into the Kolyvan. “Get off. The plane is turning.”
“What?!” Bellowed Ul.
“The mammoth is ours! We want h-him!
” Insisted the bald elf, slapping the right ear of the Kolyvan with his bare heel. “Time to go!”
The beast shuddered and began to slowly turn, not at all wary of players and animals under his feet. Abusive language poured at Orbit as he smiled happily, as though he was being praised for some great achievement. The mammoth’s feet slapped heavily into the mud and sand. The tusks waved dangerously from side to side.
“Bring the mammoth back on course, you bastard!” Yelled Ul. “How’d you get to steer him, anyway? He’s not attached to you! Take him back!”
“Ros, let’s stay!” Said Kaylen from behind me. “This will be terribly interesting!”
“You will die,” I shook my head. “Just fly back right away. Better to look from afar. Kira! Did you get stuck or something?”
“What the hell did you light me up for, and then put me out?” Cried the offended, armor-clad girl. “I was so ready to fight them!”
“Lit, and then extinguished! This isn’t an erotic drama with Lizanna the Luxurious!” I grunted peevishly. “I changed my mind! Since there are no guarantees. And mind you, there are none.”
“Don’t remember Lizanna!” Pouted Kira, leaving her position and catching up with the Kolyvan.
“A wise decision. Activate your gifts and wait. BB. With love to the great Navigator. PS. Take my brother with you! PLEASE! And the Kolyvan!”
“Damn it all!” Cursed Ul, and straightened his armor. “See you!”
A sharp movement and Ul, like a humanoid grasshopper, transferred himself to the back of another mammoth. And a girl joined us— also a shooter, as could be deduced by the two crossbows on her back. What was the point of this exchange? No idea…
Out mammoth already broke through the ranks and into the open. At once, I sent an invitation for a new group. Kira, Cray and Bom hurried behind us. On the back of the Kolyvan sat Kaylen, Doc and Orbit. That was all of us. Behind us all slowly walked Murohrom the gnome, looking at the ground at his feet, where his pet burrowed through the moist layer of soil.
The Way of the Clan 6: World of Valdira Page 7
