The Phantom Castle (The Way of the Shaman: Book #4) LitRPG series

by Vasily Mahanenko

  Update of the ‘Inevitable Evil’ quest. The true name of the castle is Altameda, the Phantom Castle. Do you agree to fulfill this quest?

  And two shining buttons: ‘Accept’ and ‘Decline.’ So it turns out that the quests can be constantly changed and updated, as though the developers themselves have no idea what yarn they want to spin next? And now they’ve cooked up the next step and let me know by changing the quest? Or was this all planned beforehand, along with my chance meeting with the Duke? No wonder he approached me first! So I am supposed to deal with a mob of ghosts all on my own? A happy little venture, what can I say.

  “No one besides me may enter the castle?” I asked to make sure, still hesitating to push the ‘Accept’ button. There would be no penalty if I declined. My clan would still receive the castle near Sintana—either now or in three months. So I would not be risking anything by pressing the ‘Decline’ button. However (there is always a ‘however’), my inner zoo, my personal menagerie, would never forgive me for passing up this chance to acquire Altameda or at least discover what the devs cooked up in there. After all, it’s interesting, damn it. Which is to say that ‘Accept’ was the only option that appealed to me, despite the potential respawns it could entail.

  “Not at all,” the Emperor said after some thought. “Only the owner may enter the castle. However, there may be more than one owner. So I assure you that if you were to have a spouse, she too could enter Altameda. She has the same rights as the owner. It is too bad that you do not have a bride. According to Malabar law, an Earl may not get married on short notice. Neither a week nor a month will do. First there must be an engagement, after that six months of waiting and only then a wedding. I must therefore concede that at the moment you are the only one who can enter the castle.”

  “In that case I don’t have much of a choice,” I smirked and pushed the ‘Accept’ button. “Urusai, Altameda, the Phantom Castle—how many names can one place have? I will discover the castle’s one true name, whatever the cost!”

  Chapter 4. Preparations for the Journey

  “Brother, will you look at this beauty! No, I’m being serious. I’m afraid to imagine how much work went into creating this thing! I can’t sense any magic at all!”

  Wheeling above one of Anhurs’ crystal bridges, Draco gushed with adoration for the city’s beauty. Smiling, I found a moment to muss the back of his neck. I had not yet seen my Totem in such a state of excitement. If he had such an appreciation for the beautiful, I should take him to the palace. If there is anything worth looking at in Anhurs, that was it.

  When I had left the palace, I had no desire to regale my clan with the coming battle for the castle. I understood very well that Anastaria could by next morning concoct several viable options for completing the quest, but, nevertheless, I decided against ruining the remainder of my day. Summoning Draco and giving him the chance to fly around Anhurs, I was simply wandering around the capital, taking in its sights. I must confess that the architects who planned the city really did a fine job. The façade of every building, except from perhaps that of the Golden Horseshoe, was designed to increase the general appeal of the city. There were arches, balustrades, caryatids, statues, and crystal bridges everywhere. Draco flapped from masterpiece to masterpiece, drawing gleeful exclamations from the child NPCs, as well as envious looks from the players.

  “H-hello!” I was approached by a girl player—Rastilana the Beautiful, a Level 24 elf from the Unbreakable Clan.

  “Hi,” I replied perplexed, unsure what the girl wanted with me.

  “Ma-may I take a hologram? The Dragon…” said Rastilana, turning several times back in the direction of a small group of players standing to the side.

  “Draco, fly over here. There’s some work to do,” I shouted, trying to stifle my grin. Judging by the several small scars on Rastilana’s face, I was sure that she was underage. One of the basic rules of Barliona held that players younger than 18 could not adjust their character’s appearance. About ten years ago, psychologists had found that attaining the ‘perfect’ image in the game negatively affected the player in reality. He or she would begin to hate his or her too-skinny body, too-long legs or too-large nose. As I recall it, the rule that forced an underage player’s game appearance match his or her real appearance was part of the acting legislation and therefore, it was more than likely that Rastilana was an adolescent. I doubt that a grown woman would choose to keep such blemishes on her character.

  “What’d you want?” Draco asked and only then noticed the girl. “Oh, pardon me! Good day!”

  “This lovely girl wishes to take a hologram with us. You don’t mind, do you?”

  “Me? You having a laugh? What pose shall we strike?” replied my Totem, still enchanted by the city’s beauties. “Hey listen! Let’s both pose as Dragons. You can take Rastilana for a spin around Anhurs on your neck. That would be way more interesting than an ordinary picture!”

  “Hmm, that’s an idea! What do you think? Do you want to go for a ride?” I asked the girl who seemed paralyzed with shyness.

  “I…my mom…I’ll ask,” the Elf stuttered, her face paling and blushing in turn.

  “I’ll assume that’s a yes,” Draco concluded. “Brother, transform into a Dragon!”

  Attention! You have entered the personal space of an underage player. Pursuant to Item 1372 of the Laws of Barliona, a permission form has been sent to the player’s parents. Please standby for their decision. A decision has been received. You may have access to this character for a duration of 60 minutes. Limitation: You may not leave the limits of Anhurs.

  Now it was my time to freeze in place. I had never encountered such a text before. I probably should have stopped and considered the situation, but my mind had already undergone the transformation to its Dragon Form and yearned to fly.

  “Oh!” the elf couldn’t help but exclaim when I turned into a Dragon. Alighting on the ground and offering my neck to Rastilana, I was hoping only that the girl would not squirm about on me like Clutzer had, trying his best to return to firm ground. Otherwise, I’d have some trouble keeping her secure as I flew.

  “Let’s catch him! Come on, fly faster—he’s getting away!” cried Rastilana, forgetting entirely her stutter and pointing with her arm at Draco, who was outpacing us. Spurring me on eagerly with her heels, like some petting zoo pony, the girl gave herself entirely over to the flight. Biting my lip, I tucked in my paws and, forgetting my rider entirely, darted after my Totem. At first the elf clutched my neck, afraid to fall off. But as she grew comfortable, she grew courageous and began to ask me to fly forward instead of just rising up and down. Just a little more…Draco, who was zigzagging before us, kept sticking out his tongue at her as if mocking her and gradually the girl’s fear dissolved and was replaced with eagerness. With every minute, I was flying faster and faster, until it became abundantly clear that Rastilana wasn’t about to fall off anywhere and, moreover, her flashing eyes suggested that she desired only to go faster.

  “That’s it. I can’t stay in Dragon Form much longer.” Returning to earth, I carefully removed the girl from my neck and turned back into human form. “Wasn’t that better than taking an ordinary hologram?”

  Instead of replying, Rastilana threw herself onto my neck, embracing me with unvarnished gratitude.

  “Thank you, Mister Mahan,” said another female voice. Another elf, only this time Level 114. Considering that she was in the same clan as the girl, who was still clinging to me, I could safely assume that I was being thanked by one of the girl’s relatives.

  “It’s nothing,” I replied magnanimously, dispelling Draco, as his time had come as well.

  “Let’s go, Lana,” the Level 114 woman squatted down in front of Rastilana. Only now did I notice just how small my rider had been. “Go and run to your sister. She wants to hear about what it’s like to ride a Dragon very much. You wouldn’t want to keep your little sister waiting, would you?”

  “Okay mommy! Kati!” The g
irl’s piercing cry resounded throughout all of Anhurs. Rastilana dashed off, yelling, “You won’t believe the ride I just got!”

  “It’s not just nothing,” said Nargalina, following her daughter with a loving gaze and then turning to face me again. “You are the first person she has allowed to touch her in the past several months, even if only in this game. A year ago, when she was nine, a horrible thing happened that caused her deep mental anguish. The doctors advised me to re-socialize her through the game, so the Corporation allowed Lana to enter Barliona before she was fourteen. Not even so much to play as to become a person again. She spent a year walking around in silence, like a shut-in, until she saw a film by the Corporation announcing the new Empire. She was so struck by the Dragon that for the first time in many months she spoke a word. The word was ‘dragon.’ Since then, Dragons are everything to her—books, movies, fairy tales, pictures. We did not expect to encounter you, much less imagine you would be so generous. I don’t have much money but still, I would like to…”

  “Stop!” I interrupted the woman as soon as I understood what she was getting at. “There can be no talk of money! I don’t know how much longer I will remain in Anhurs, but I will be happy to give your daughter a ride tomorrow morning. I am staying at the Wings of Galahart hotel, so if in the morning, let’s say around nine, I see Lana, I will be happy to give her another ride. We never did manage to overtake Draco after all. Deal?”

  “Thank you!” The woman’s eyes welled up with tears and she hugged me, touching her lips to my cheek, after which she turned and hurried after her daughters. As far as I could see, Lana was gesturing wildly, relating something to her sister and constantly yelping out the word “Dragon.” Good! The important thing was that she had come out of her shell.

  That evening, returning from the Jewelry workshop to my hotel, I fell wearily onto my bed. Twenty-three Golden rings, each granting +31 to Intellect, had not come easy. I was out of practice. I needed to rid myself of this doomed venture of growing my clan and really commit myself to crafting. Opening the list of active clan members, I discovered that only those players who could not leave the game due to religious considerations were still in the game—that is, Eric, Leite and Clutzer. Everyone else had signed out into reality and could not hear my tale of Altameda. No big deal. Tomorrow would bring a new day (and new meals). I needed only to remember to set my alarm for 8:30. I had to perform my functions as pet Dragon after all.

  As I was falling asleep, a question occurred to me that would not leave me alone. What had so ‘immured’ this child’s psyche that the typically intransigent Corporation had allowed the ten-year-old girl to enter Barliona? Was it something related to men? Unlikely—she approached me quite calmly and struck up the conversation first. Fear then? Quite possible, but also doubtful. A perplexing situation. It was lucky that she had spied Draco. While I was in my Dragon Form, I did not catch any hesitance or apprehension from the girl, but that was when she was nearby. What would happen to her when I went off on my travels and she would be left with her family? Should I be giving her rides every day? It’s not hard for me, of course, but I’m no social worker either. This issue would have to be solved in some other way.

  As if stung, I jumped up from my bed—that was it! Some other way! My excitement was so extreme that I began to pace nervously from one corner of my room to the other. Back in Beatwick village I had crafted a statuette of a dog for Clouter. That statuette had come to life at the critical moment and protected that key NPC. If Lana was obsessed with Dragons, then why not do her a similar favor?

  Sitting down at my desk, I got out my Jeweler’s tools and a piece of Malachite. It was going to be a long night. Hello again, design mode.

  * * *

  “This is for you,” I said to Lana, emerging from my hotel the next morning. She had come running up to me holding a pink piece of paper. “Dragon, could my sister ride with us too?”

  “Yes but only one at a time,” I replied, unfolding the piece of paper which turned out to be a greeting card. Reading the inscription, I couldn’t keep from smiling: “Happy Valentine’s Day, dear coolest of all Dragons that I know!” The clumsy handwriting indicated that the message had been written in Barliona, and by hand, while the card itself suggested quite clearly that the girl was becoming her old self again.

  “I have a little present for you too, dear,” I said after accepting another hug or two from both the girls and their mother. “Here, this is for you.”

  Squatting before the little girl, I handed her a Malachite Dragon—the statuette I had carved that night.

  “How wonderful!” Lana squealed. Taking the Dragon, she ran across the square waving the statuette from side to side before her. “I have a Dragon! I have a Dragon!”

  “Excuse me, but I have to…” said the mother, wishing to run after her daughter, whose happy cries were already beginning to fade.

  “Go on,” I said, smiling, “before she hides somewhere and we end up having to call the Heralds to help us find the little lass.”

  “Seeking a group willing to do a quest to deliver some flowers! Need players who have a flying mount!”

  “Seeking an elven Druid to help make a present! Will pay 300 gold.”

  “Seeking several players to help grind reputation with the Cupids. Have letters that need to be delivered.”

  Having been left in relative solitude, I opened the city chat and smiled once more. It was the Valentine’s Day scenario! The gist of the event was pretty basic: Valentine’s Day had entered Barliona from reality, bringing with it red hearts, flower petals, pink lips and purple words declaiming eternal love. Every year, the cities of Barliona would play out the ‘United Hearts’ scenario, in which the players would send their better halves various messages. And not necessarily amorous ones. They could be whatever: from a simple ‘I love you!’ to ‘Nice haircut!’ The content didn’t matter too much as long as it fit the spirit of the festival. Every letter written and sent would increase the player’s reputation with the Cupids. The winged angels only appeared in the cities on this day to watch over the hubbub with a paternal smile. Naturally, the price of stationary was adjusted accordingly: The Corporation sought to make a profit anywhere it could, including among the caprices of people wishing to express their feelings.

  The letters written by the players (and several NPCs) would have to be delivered to their recipients. To this end, separate delivery quests were created, much to the satisfaction of the various players. No money was involved—only reputation. I must confess that the Cupids have very attractive pets on offer—fluffy kittens and bunnies—for the sake of which the players were happy to spend an entire day completing stupid quests and blotting good stationary with their feelings. Well, what can I say? It was Valentine’s Day. Hmm…Should I maybe write a letter too? Put it into the mail, have some player bring it to Anastaria and earn some reputation…

  “Mahan, do you have a moment?” asked a female NPC with a large smile. She was about twenty, if not less, and fairly cute. A red ribbon was tied around her hair, while the dress she wore was a casual one like that worn by ordinary Anhursians.

  “I’m in no rush,” I replied, understanding that I was about to deliver a letter.

  “How nice!” the girl flourished her hands and chirped on happily: “Today’s a big holiday, and I simply have no time to deliver this letter. I want to confess to a very handsome, upright, masculine and all-but-perfect man that I love him with all my soul. Could you help me with this?”

  Quest available: ‘Deliver a Love Letter.’ Description: Deliver Dominica El’s missive to her love. Quest type: ‘United Hearts’ scenario. Reward: +100 Reputation with the Cupid faction. Penalty for failing or refusing the quest: None.

  “Hand it over,” I replied to the smiling girl, accepting the quest. Ten minutes wouldn’t kill me! And I’ll be able to acquire a little reputation in the process. Before you know it, I’ll have my own fluffy kitten to give to Anastaria—she can take care of it. “Wh
ere do I need to take it?”

  “To the town of Krispa,” the girl replied, still looking at me with a large and open smile. “It’s a bit far of course, but a couple weeks should suffice!”

  A couple weeks? The map of Malabar instantly popped up in front of me, causing me to utter several unprintable words which, in turn, made the damsel before me blush. It was no joke! This deal was so rotten that it smelled like the rotting filet of some immense and already smelly rotting beast! This wasn’t just a set-up, it was one of the greatest set-ups of all time! This…I had no words to express the despair that washed over me at that moment. Krispa was situated on the very border of Kartoss; the town was effectively a border outpost. I was afraid to even imagine how much money I would spend on teleporting there and back if I wanted to complete this quest.

  “Oh thank you! When I mentioned the letter’s destination, every other Free Citizen instantly refused to help me,” the girl went on with no regard for the state she had put me in. Since I wasn’t moving or saying anything, I guess she assumed I was on board. Makes sense. “Frist is a town guard stationed in Krispa. You won’t have trouble finding him. Please tell him that his beloved Dominica misses him and awaits the return of her hero! Thank you so much!”

  The girl stepped forward quickly, kissed my cheek and flitted away like a dandelion caught by a bluster of wind—poof and it’s gone. Krispa…I opened my map once again and regarded the distance mournfully. Ten thousand gold in one direction for nothing, and that’s even if I manage to get a deal from the Mage. What a lovely social quest! And my reward would be +100 reputation with a faction that I didn’t even care about, at the price of 20,000 gold, if I factor in the return trip. Naturally, I began thinking hard about reneging on my offer.

  Leaving the map open, I opened the quests list and selected the entry I had just received. I was about to push the ‘Delete’ button when I noticed something odd. Not far from Krispa, basically two days’ journey away, there was a small dot labeled ‘Marker 1.’ This was the location that Renox, my dragon-father, had advised me to go to on my own. Well, well. So I am to naively believe that Dominica had approached me entirely fortuitously without anyone having anything to do with it. In other words, I have just received a gentle reminder that I needed to visit this Dungeon. And by myself at that. All right, we shall see about all this.