by Adam Drake
Around us, the chasm was now a sea of lava, the path we'd traveled completely covered. Only the occasional outcropping of rock could be seen poking out of the molten lake.
I was at death's door. Fortunately, there were no more burned men to fight because there was no place else for them to appear from. Just lava as far as you could see. I needed healing, and quick.
I staggered toward Chak, my body screaming with pain all over. My health had dropped to 12%, and I was bleeding from my wounds. I didn't have long left.
The priest didn't notice my approach, so enthralled with the gyrating maggot. Within its opaque flesh, I could see the various parts of the corpses had now congealed into on giant lumpy form at its center. The form appeared to be moving, pulsating.
The slaves cowered at the edge of the bridge with nowhere else to go. Pullman stared at me, wide-eyed, waiting for my signal to help, but I shook my head. There was nothing he could do.
“It's time!” Chak said, his eyes wide and feverish. “The culmination of all my work! My doing! Oh, how the Blood God will reward me!”
I could barely hear him through the ringing in my ears. “I need healing.” Apparently, the obvious needed to be stated.
Chak blinked and turned to look me over. “You dare to interrupt at a time like this? Stupid bitch!”
Before I knew it, he slapped me hard across the face. I rocked back, but kept my footing. Pullman took a few steps toward me, but I waved at him to stop. He reluctantly obeyed.
The Blood Priest raged at me. “Do you not see what is happening? It is time for his return! He shall walk the Realm again and all shall tremble at his power. And I was the one who made it happen. Chak! The world shall fear my name!”
I had enough of this twit, and said, “We did it.”
This brought him up short, “What? We did it? No, we did not. I did it. Me. You were but a tool to be used to aid on the journey. A tool I crafted to be used. And like all tools, they are thrown away when no longer of use.” He glared at me, challenging me to speak.
Of course I willing took the bait. “I'm not a tool, I'm a weapon. The Blood God's weapon. You said so yourself.”
“Bah! I only told you what you needed to hear. How else could I make such an insolent wench do my bidding? And you did it all! Ha! I expected nothing less from such a stupid bitch.”
My anger flared. When I spoke, I made a point of keeping my voice even. “Don't call me that, again.”
The fat man laughed, his sweaty belly jiggling. “I knew it! Such weakness! Such insolence! Well, no matter. The Blood God knows it was me. I guided us to this point. I was the one who masterminded it all. It is I who will become his Herald. Not you.”
Behind him, the maggot's body shivered and quaked. A reddish bio-luminescence glowed from within, darkening its interior. Its outer flesh boiled and rippled, like it was being cooked alive. The large dark form inside moved.
But Chak didn't notice, so wrapped up in castigating me. “And as his Herald, it will be my task to create more tools, like you. But ones who are more obedient. I shall create hundreds! We will march across the Realm and do the Blood God's bidding!”
I said nothing during this tirade, only staring at him, waiting.
He seemed to realize he was screaming, and toned it down. His piggish eyes looked me over. “Look at you. A broken tool. No matter, you have served your purpose.” He hefted his staff and grinned when I flinched.
“Think of the hell you shall endure,” he said. “I will kill you and you shall respawn back at the life crystal which is deep within that lake of lava. An instant after your rebirth, you will be burned alive in seconds! Then you will respawn again, and again you will die in delicious agony. Over and over the process will continue. For how long? Millennia perhaps? Only the gods know.”
I didn't react, not wanting him to give him any satisfaction.
Seeing my inaction, he leaned forward so close, when he spoke, I felt his hot, putrid breath on my face. “Good bye, you stupid bi-.”
I decapitated him.
It was simple enough; a solid backhand swing from left to right. I felt the satisfying snick of the blade easily cutting through his spinal cord just above his slumped shoulders.
His fat head spun away and bounced along the ground where it then rolled over the edge of the bridge. It landed in the boiling lava below, facing up, his lips still contorted with his final word. Then it sank beneath and was gone.
Chak's body gushed blood from the stump of its neck and collapsed heavily to the ground. The staff fell from its hand, clattered along the stone ground, then slid into a crevasse.
I looked down at my handy work. “Told you not to call me that,” I said.
Pullman ran up beside me. “Captain! Are... are you okay?”
“Just great, Pullman,” I said, then carefully knelt next to the body, hissing at my various pains. It took only a couple of minutes to slice the Mark from Chak's body, a task I'd become quite experienced with.
Pullman watched in horrified silence. Part of me wished he was stronger. But I knew he didn't have the stomach for this place, and never would.
With the Mark in hand, I eased up to my feet, waving Pullman's offer of help. “I can do this on my own,” I said. There was a slab of obsidian perched at the edge of the bridge and I hobbled over to it, Pullman in my wake.
“What's going to happen now?” he said, looking back at the headless body. “Didn't we need him to finish this?”
“No, we didn't need him,” I said, and dropped the Mark onto the table with a bloody splat. “I'll finish this.”
A message appeared.
Mark of Healing
This Mark grants the wearer the ability to recover health points on themselves or others via touch.
Maximum 5 health points every 5 seconds.
Cost: 10 Blood Points per health point.
Claim Mark for 500 Blood Points – Yes/No?
“Damn right, yes,” I said.
The slab of skin sizzled away, then reappeared across my left shoulder and down my chest. I then spent another 480 Blood Points to fully heal. The sensation was wonderful, almost addicting.
Through all of this, Pullman remained silent. Part of me wondered if it was our differing strengths that placed us in our roles in this sim; me as a fighter, he as a slave. Could it be that simple?
The cluster of slaves suddenly gasped, and I turned to see what it was.
The maggot was expanding, its middle banded segments splitting like old tire treads. Blood spilled from the wounds; first a series of trickles, then a gushing flood. It was as if the massive thing was emptying out of everything inside.
Despite myself, I moved closer, mindful of the rivers of blood gushing along the ground. This was what Chak had been waiting for – died for. To him, it was something wonderful to behold. To me it was a grotesque nightmare.
Then, something reached out from the gaping wound. Hands. They gripped the thick flaps of maggot flesh and pulled them wider, making room. Suddenly, a man stepped out of the dead creature to stand on the ground.
I gazed in awe. He was huge; a giant easily three times my height. Blood flowed over his body, and as it cleared, I could see exposed tendons and muscles. He had not skin.
Lidless eyes rotated within sockets to gaze about, and, despite lacking lips, his mouth morphed into a skeletal smile.
“I live,” he said, his voice deep and booming.
This was him. The big guy. The one all this crap I'd gone through was about.
The Blood God.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
For a few moments I found myself at a loss for words. Real or not, what did one say to a god, anyways?
What was I suppose to do next? Was this the end? Could I go home now?
Turned out, I didn't have to say anything at all.
The goliath looked in my direction, and spoke one word.
“Herald.”
I felt a sudden rush of euphoria, like a cool, gentle breeze wash
ing over my soul. A peace fell upon me, then. I can't explain it, but I knew standing there, that it was exactly where I was meant to be.
Standing before my god.
I drunkenly smiled. He was looking at me. So beautiful, so powerful, so perfect. It was such an honor to be in his presence I wanted to cry. Tears fell down my blood-stained cheeks.
He was here. Finally.
The Blood God turned his magnificent gaze to the panicking slaves, who clung to each other in fear.
“Herald,” he said, his voice making my knees quiver in ecstasy. “I am in need of blood.”
Suddenly, my talent-tree appeared. A new tab was created next to the others, this one marked Herald. At the center was an icon for a new talent. It was the picture of a naked woman, armed with twin daggers, leaping into a group of enemies. She looked just like me.
Blood Harvest (No Talent Point Required)
Cost: 15 Power
Cooldown: 8 hours
Sends a Herald into a savage rage, attacking nearby enemies. All Blood Points earned from kills during it's use go directly to the Blood God.
Duration: 45 seconds
+80% success to hit targets
+50% all physical damage dealt
2 x Reflex Attribute
-40% Armor Rating
-40% to all defensive abilities and skills
-100% Blood Points gained
“What is-,” I started to say, my mind in a strange haze.
The Blood God pointed at the slaves. “Harvest for me.”
Use Blood Harvest
I ran screaming at the slaves.
In the span of a heart beat, I crossed the distance and fell upon them. None resisted me, even if they could. I hacked and bashed and kicked and bit and tore through them all. Before thirty seconds had even passed they were all dead, but I kept attacking, screeching and yelling like a blood-crazed maniac.
Finally, forty-five seconds passed, and the ability went into cool down.
The moment it did, I collapsed to my knees, covered in fresh blood and gore. I looked around at what I'd done. Butchery. Pure savage butchery.
I spotted Pullman's severed head next to me, bloody face upturned. His expression was one of surprise.
What did I just do? I had no control over myself. It was like someone else controlled my body.
“Good,” the Blood God said.
I looked at him and I knew then that what I'd done was right. His will had been fulfilled and that was all that mattered.
He raised a hand to me. “Come. Because of your gift, we can leave this place.”
I stood and quickly moved to his side. Being close to him gave me a warmth to my spirit I'd never experienced before, and didn't want to end.
Around us, the lava roiled and hissed, threatening to surge upward and overtake the bridge we stood on.
But the Blood God didn't care. He raised a hand toward the chasm wall before us. A glowing red beam burst from his upraised palm and struck the rocky wall. The light quickly crept over its surface and enveloped a wide section all the way to the top edge.
Then he closed his hand and the light winked out.
The chasm wall was gone. Beyond was a vast open desert, covered in orange haze.
We walked forward, up and over the bridge and through the huge gap.
Behind us, I could hear a rumbling and hissing. I worried something may attack my God, and I started to turn.
“Do not look back, Herald,” the Blood God said. “The Molten God rages at a missed opportunity. Do not give him any satisfaction.”
I did as he said, but ignoring the cataclysmic sounds was difficult.
We stopped a short distance away from the edge of the chasm. The orange haze was everywhere, and I could see a series of massive pyramids poking through in the distance.
The Blood God stopped and looked down at me. Even though he lacked expression, I could feel his love. “You have done well, Herald. But you must do more.”
“I will,” I murmured.
“With my rebirth, a new dawn breaks upon the Realm. A blood dawn.”
His words were melodic to my ears, like a listening to a lover.
“My enemies will know of my arrival, and they conspire against me.”
Hearing this made me angry, creating red hot rage that I could barely contain.
“They must be kept at bay, and weakened, while my strength returns. Go out unto the Realm and slay any that you find.”
“I will,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. He wanted me to do his will. He trusted no one else. Just me!
He said, “I will send you tasks as they are required. For now, I must go. I am exposed here.”
With a wave of a hand, the ground suddenly swelled next to us. It cracked open and a red membrane ballooned outward forming a huge pustule of blood.
He walked to it and I felt my heart sink at the thought of him leaving.
Stopping, he turned and looked at me. “Remember Herald, we are one.” And with that he walked into the pustule which moved to envelop him. With a rumble, the giant membrane shrank back into the ground and was gone.
My knees gave out and I crumpled to the ground, exhausted. It was like I'd been propped up by strings since the moment the Blood God emerged.
My head swam. What the hell just happened?
I recalled the massacre I'd just committed and the butchering of Pullman. I retched until my stomach couldn't produce anything more. He was gone. No respawn for him. So was he really dead? Or removed from the game and was now sitting in a comfy chair somewhere, drinking a cocktail and laughing at me?
“Captain, can you hear me?”
It was Otto!
“Yes! I can hear you!” I said, relieved to be speaking with him again. “Gimme a sitrep.” Give me something else to think about other than being a crazed murderer.
“I have good news!”
“You found a way out of this nightmare?” I said, hopeful.
“Negative. Well, not yet. But I may have something which could make that happen. I found the Corena.”
“What?” I was stunned. Hope against hope, I'd wondered if I'd ever learn its fate. “Where is it?” And, more importantly, was my real body still inside?
“It is on the other side of the planet. Almost exactly opposite of where you are now.”
My hope faded a little. “Is it damaged?”
“I can't say for certain. That section of the world has not been rendered, but it appears to be one kilometer below the surface. I can detect its outline, and it appears to me intact.”
“Any life signs?”
“Unclear, Captain. But we can assume that it is possible you and the others are sequestered inside.”
“Maybe,” I said. We really didn't know anything. Our bodies could be at the core of the planet, or somewhere else entirely. But this was something I could hold onto, work with. “Okay, so what do you think, I have to walk all the way there to investigate?”
“I'm afraid so, Captain. We have no other means of inspecting the site where the ship is, so we won't know until the area is rendered. And for that to happen, you need to be present.”
“How far are we talking here?” The planet had expanded from its original two thousand kilometers in diameter. How worse could it get?
“A direct line would cover roughly 28,000 kilometers.
So far! I blanched, taking in the vast orange desert before me. The distance to the pyramids was maybe three or four kilometers. Past them, who knew what was out there yet to be created for my unending enjoyment. Tens of thousands of kilometers of fun to be had.
“Damn!” I said, and paced around in agitation. Such a journey was going to be further complicated by whatever tasks the Blood God gave me, not including other quests that would be thrown in my path.
“Captain, are you okay? I'm about to move out of range. The storm clouds are also becoming more troublesome with our communication.”
“Yeah, I'm good. Just peachy.” Right.
> “Captain, there is one other thing I've found.”
A teleporter to the other side of the planet? “And that is?”
“I've detected an unusual life sign a short distance from your current location.”
“What kind of life sign?”
“Unknown. It's located within the pyramid structures to the east.”
I looked in their direction again, half-expecting to see someone there waving at me. “Who? A crew member?”
“Unknown. But it may be worth investigating. Captain, I will try and contact you soon. I'm worried -.”
A cavalcade of lightning shattered the sky above, and Otto's voice went quiet.
I stared at the pyramids, and the vast desert beyond them. Well, every journey must start with a single step.
I walked forward a short distance until I reached the spot where the chasm rocks ended and the desert began. The two biomes pressed against each other to form a distinct line. Further ahead, maybe thirty paces, was a tall glowing crystal, sticking out of the dry desert ground.
A Life Crystal.
As I stepped over the line and onto the desert sand, a message appeared.
You have left the tutorial zone.
Additional abilities have been made available for unlocking in your talent-trees.
Whoa. Really? All that crap I'd just suffered through was only a tutorial? It made me worry about what more challenging aspects of this sim I've yet to encounter. What was out there waiting for me?
I reached the glowing monolith and stared up at it. It was identical to the one back in the clearing, buried under lava.
I touched its surface.
Broken Desert Life Crystal
Bind yourself to this Crystal – Yes/No?
“Yes,” I said, and sighed. How many times would I be respawning here?
You are now bound to the Broken Desert Life Crystal.
I looked off at the pyramids, they were a long ways away. But having little choice in the matter, I kept going. At some point I'd get there, I wasn't in any hurry.
Several steps from the Life Crystal another message appeared, and this one brought me chills.
It said:
Welcome to the Realm of Carnage
