The Vale of Three Wolves: A LitRPG Adventure (Elements of Wrath Online Book 2)

by J. A. Cipriano

  From the Primal Darkness Speculation page, EO internal wiki

  12

  I had no idea how much time had passed in the black, silent limbo that followed the Eater’s death. Sensory deprivation is funny like that. It’s amazing how much the human mind craves input and, without it, it gets confused and sulky. Still, the quiet time helped put this whole experience into perspective, gave my mind a little time to congeal around the decisions I had made and the realizations I had come to.

  What that unknown amount of soul searching and navel gazing reinforced in me was that I was, in fact, going all the way here. Finding out that Kayla wasn’t perfect and she had flaws, foibles, and people in her life that were as hard on her as anyone was on me (and worse, I was pretty sure) made the final conversion between a nascent, almost adolescent crush into the real start of a love for her. In my mind and my heart, I could only love a real person, one with flaws as well as strengths, and now, that’s what Kayla was to me.

  The real problem that was starting to dawn on me was what Kayla had seen and learned on her own out-of-body experience. I might have found those first embers of real love for her but what if she saw the things about me I feared most about sharing?

  Quest segment complete! Your normal neural input/output channels have been safely restored and biodynamic readings have returned to standard parameters. Your normal NSAF functionality has been restored. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this atypical experience!

  That’s the first thing I saw and heard as my senses came back to me. That sensory drop-out was likely a result of my brain being disconnected, misconnected, and hopefully properly connected again in such a short period of time. At least my neurons weren’t fried in the process.

  Another moment after the system message, light dawned as my eyes (well, Shale’s) eyes opened and my familiar UI shimmered to life. I was on my back, that much was obvious, and warm sunlight and blue skies were all I could see. Sound though, there was plenty of that!

  Honestly, it sounded like someone was having a combination celebration party and war council all around me. Cheers, laughter, and singing mingled freely with the sounds of sharpening blades, tightening leather, and instructors drilling troops.

  Probably the most important things to me were the blinking quest tracker message and the party status screen. What made me immediately smile about the party UI was its blissfully normal configuration. Kayla and I were both there and both of us were at full Health and in the same zone. Sometimes, a return to the norm is the greatest gift. As for the quest tracker: Quest ‘The Trials of the Lykos’ completed!

  You and your chosen have passed the trials of the Eastern and Western packs, restoring the bonds of love and family!

  Report to Alizhard Forshan for your reward!

  I didn’t move for a moment, lying still and soaking in the sights, the sounds, as well as the feeling of triumph in my heart. Seriously, part of me wanted to believe this had been far harder than the insanity of getting through the Crystalfire quests, not because of the danger of the battles but because of the raw emotion brought to bear. We weren’t even through to the end but already I knew for sure why I saw so few Promised people in the game.

  There are a lot of people who simply can’t stand up to the truth about the world or about the people they care about. Having it bared and thrown in their face or, heck, just having their gaming life inconvenienced by the stringent requirements of the quest line would cause most folks to back away and never come back to the Vale.

  The sound of movement just to the right of me interrupted my philosophizing. Turning my head towards the noise, I found myself staring right into Kayla’s eyes as she rolled to face me. It looked like she had been out the same as me. There was a soft smile on her lips, one I think I shared, and her watery eyes practically shone as she began to speak.

  “I won’t pretend to know exactly what the things I saw meant,” she said, every word uttered with careful thought, “but I know what they showed was the truth.”

  “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” The Filter had done its job, after all, shrouding enough of the specifics that no one could say for sure who the Shades I saw actually were. Trying to keep the worry that was trying to eat its way to the surface at bay, I asked, “So, uh, what truth did they show you?”

  Her brow knit together, putting a deep furrow in her pale skin. “I should rightly make you spill the beans first but fine.” Her smile quirked into a near-smirk. “I know you have more problems in your life than I knew, than I imagined. I know you have responsibilities that go beyond anything I’ve had to bear myself.” She let out a faint sigh. “I know that if we get involved, really get involved, I’ll be going into something that exceeds anything I ever would have asked for before.”

  All those things were true or at least it sounded true coming out of her lips and every one of those things made my insecurities grow. My heart was thumping and not in a good way as I nodded, hoping I didn’t look as stricken as I felt.

  “The big truth that I found out from all of those little truths is that despite all that baggage you have and all those things I didn’t think I wanted, there's something deeper in you, more than just the super-professional tank guy.” Her brow furrowed in thought as she searched for the right words. "The fact that you're still going with all the problems and you spend so much of … of, well, you to take care of the people in your life, it showed me that you really are the good-hearted, sweet guy I thought I felt under the rocky skin."

  Part of me screamed in my head, trying to deny what she was saying, while the rest of me was overwhelmed by joy. Somehow, Kayla had seen some part of the truth about my life and she still wanted to do this, she still found that same spark of love that I had. My mind whirled and I tried to figure out what to say back for what had to be minutes.

  Kayla just smiled and waited patiently for me to put my brain back together.

  Finally, things fell into place, my heart still thumping but this time for joy. Not surprisingly, what I said next was a stream of consciousness, throwing out what I had learned in my part of our quest.

  “Well, for my part, I discovered that you’re not the perfect icon I had turned you into in my mind. You’re not the flawless player and infallible human being behind the avatar.” There was one thing I did need to know and maybe now that I had seen those Shades from her memories, the Filter would let me get a straight answer. “But that doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, it makes me feel better about this than ever before. This may sound stupid but seeing those flaws, well, they make you more real to me. I do need to know one thing, though.”

  One of those delicate blue eyebrows arched but she had a smile on her face now. “You can ask me anything. I just hope the Filter lets me answer.”

  “Do you want to get together more now because you see my life as something to fix, something to make you feel good about yourself or because you care about me?” Ouch, that sounded harsher than I intended so I added on the other thing that was burbling in my head. “Because I care about you and while I won’t turn away help, I don’t want to be anyone’s charity project.”

  With her free right hand, Kayla caressed my shoulder. “I really think I'm starting to love you, warts and all, and I want to be there for you … not for me but for you. I don’t know what you saw but you were right to ask.” Guilt was plain on her face as she looked sidelong towards the sky. “I’ve done that before, gotten involved in people’s lives to fix them up for my own self-esteem but this” – she turned her gaze back to me with conviction – “is not like that, Shale.”

  “I believe you,” I answered with a big, stupid smile. Unable to contain my joy, I put my arms around her and pulled her closer, thankful for the strength Shale had that I didn’t, reveling in her cool, smooth skin and the contrasting warmth of her closeness. “And I never wanted to start a relationship with you simply because you could help me and my family. I’m not some, well, gold-digger or something!” I b
linked with surprise. “I’m really surprised the Filter let us say all that.”

  “Well –” Kayla began to reply but she was cut off by someone loudly clearing their throat along with a man’s shadow cast down over us.

  “I do not wish to interrupt your happy moment,” Alizhard said, an honest-to-God happy smile plastered across his face. “However, we have much, much to do and time is no longer on our side.”

  We both glanced up at the Ember then back to each other with a mutual smile. Neither one of us said it but I was sure we were both thinking the same thing as we defied Alizhard, namely that this happy moment wasn’t going to be interrupted. So, we kissed, nothing so chaste as the few brief pecks we had shared before. This was a real, passionate kiss, sparked by the flames of what could be true love, and it pretty much took my breath away. I had kissed women before and none of those kisses held a candle to that moment.

  Despite the Ember’s disgruntled murmurs, we took our time before finishing, eventually getting to our feet with smiles on our lips.

  Somehow, we had ended up back in the central plaza of the Vale, exactly where we had left Alizhard on our individual trials. The rowdy, mingling Lykos that had moved into the square was the cause of all the hustle and bustle. By the numbers I saw, it couldn’t simply be the Eastern pack I had seen. It was both packs, now indistinguishable as they talked, celebrated, and made ready for war. An odd juxtaposition but it felt strangely proper at that moment.

  Fortunately, somehow, we weren’t out of time yet but it was getting close. My logout timer still showed a half-hour on the clock. If we were about to fight a war, we might not have the time to do it.

  With that thought foremost in my mind, the world shifted immediately into the NPC dialogue interface, the cacophony turning into a dull roar as Alizhard took center stage. “I do not know how you did it, my dear friends. I only know that you have. The Eastern and Western packs came here not long ago, bearing your unconscious forms.” He took a breath before continuing his frenzied storytelling. “Originally, I feared the worst, that you had failed and in the process insulted the honor of the packs. Shun me if you wish for my cowardice but I hid behind the Life Crystal fearing that true war was about to come to the Vale!”

  He shook his head, stroking his beard in agitation. “But this was not the case, as you can plainly see.” With a sweep of his arm, he gestured to the base of the dais on which the Life Crystal stood. Two of the three wolf’s head cornerstones looked pristine now, the once-dull gems in the head sockets now blazing with piercing white light. “And look, look at the Rings of Promise now!”

  I did immediately, raising my right hand up as I temporarily sent my gauntlets back into my inventory. As with the pedestal before us, the Ring had mended itself significantly. Most of the cracks and gouges were gone, though the silver was still tarnished. Two of the three sculpted wolves had been restored in synch with the cornerstones while two of the three Gem sockets were intact (if empty) once more. That very faint feeling of power that had resided in the metal surged as I stared, turning what had been a tearing thread between the two Rings into a strong, woven bond. It didn’t feel complete, not yet, but it was a real force now.

  Quest ‘The Trials of the Lykos’ concluded!

  Quest successful!

  150,000 Experience awarded!

  Grade S Role Fusion Gem awarded!

  Grade C Broken Ring of Promise upgraded to Grade A Tarnished Ring of Promise!

  Congratulations! You have gained a level and are now a level 43 Warlord!

  Strength increases by 1 to 183!

  Infusion increases by 2 to 346!

  Vitality increases by 2 to 344!

  Health increases by 20 to 3680!

  Elemental Power increases by 20 to 2780!

  The beautiful surge of endorphins from the level up mingled with the swell of power in the Ring of Promise to an almost scary level. Frankly, I almost fell to my knees from the heady rush and Kayla was practically glowing as she swayed on her feet as she leveled up at the same time. EO patiently waited for us to get our heads together, the dialogue focus had shifted towards me.

  “I understand the celebration, then,” I began as I shook my head to keep my mind clear and focused, “but what is with the war council? You mentioned restoring the ring to stop the Northern tribe but are they joining the charge too?”

  Alizhard gazed around the Plaza. “Well, young Warlord, from what I have gathered from the pack Alphas, they would be remiss in their duties and the devotion to their cause if they let you face the danger alone.” He scratched his cheek. “The Northern pack was the most numerous before the splitting of the Vale. Add to that the terrible strength you know first-hand that the Primal Darkness can lend through its corruption and you will realize you may very well need the help of the Lykos to make it through.”

  It was Kayla’s turn at bat and she was ready. “I don’t know about Shale’s experience but the wolf spirit that appeared during my trial was already corrupted by the Darkness. Do you think our trials purified those spirits or are they still corrupted?”

  I hadn’t even considered that myself. Was the Eater of Hearts more than some conjured beast? Was it the pack’s spirit of love corrupted? How much further gone was the Northern pack’s spirit?

  “I cannot say,” Alizhard mumbled with a frown. “Again, my knowledge comes from fragmented lore and what little the Alphas told me upon their arrival here but we can rest assured that the Northern pack has been overwhelmed by the Darkness. Their spirit will certainly take the field and its power will be immense and terrifying. To be honest, from a strategic view, the plan of attack may be best if you two, wielding the power of the Rings, take the fight to the spirit and let your new Lykos friends hold off their former pack mates.”

  I snapped my fingers, an impressive feat with gauntlets made from hardened slate. “If defeating the spirits in the trials restored the East and West to power, it stands to reason that if we defeat the Northern spirit and cleanse the Darkness from it, we can save the Northern Lykos as well.”

  Alizhard smiled thinly and nodded. “And restore the full power of the Rings of Promise in the process, joining your spirits in an unbreakable bond.” With a sad shake of his head, he sighed. “To say I am envious would be to understate my feelings … but I think Sharaze would be happy to know that our long quest is coming to an end, even if we are not the ones to finish it.” That happy smile crept back to his lips. “And if she would be happy, I can do her no greater honor than to be as well.”

  I glanced over at Kayla, and she gave me a simple nod. That was all I needed to proceed on with the obvious course of action. “Then it sounds like we have a job to do, don’t we?”

  “Indeed, champions,” the ex-philosopher nodded. “The tribes are still preparing for war so there is time for you to gather your strength and prepare but do not delay longer than a cycle. When the time comes, though, we cannot risk a battle here at the plaza, not with it seeming to be a focal point for the Vale’s power.” He hefted his staff. “I do not doubt the Darkness would destroy the Vale before it would acquiesce its magic to the Light.”

  Quest ‘Three Wolves Howling’ accepted!

  Objective: Speak to Alizhard Forshan on your next play session to initiate the assault on the Northern Lykos pack and their totem spirit!

  Reward: Full Level Up, Ring of Promise upgrade to Grade S Restored, Grade S Skill Fusion Gem, System Unlock: Trust

  With that, we had control again as the bustling plaza came back into focus. There was a lot to take in and a lot coming around the bend but what we had time to figure things out. Of course, that also meant we were here in the Vale for another half a day at least. As much of an annoyance as that should have been, I was a bit surprised when I realized I wasn’t really all that annoyed.

  “I think we better take a look at the Ring and this Gem we just got,” I said as I looked over to Kayla to see she was already raising up her right hand, gazing at her Ring’s tooltip. With a
laugh, I did the same thing, Tarnished Ring of Promise

  Grade A Ring

  Absolute Resistance +3%

  +16 Vitality

  +16 Infusion

  Passive: Power of Family: All Defensive and Support Abilities are 20% more effective on your Promised.

  Active: Power of Love: Invoking the power of your bond, instantly heal 1,000 Health Points to your Promised. This Active Ability does not have a casting time and does not interfere with channeled Abilities or Abilities already been cast. 5 minute cooldown

  ‘This silver ring is tarnished but has been partially restored to its former glory. Ancient engravings and markings are now made whole, causing it to pulse with a palpable power. One engraving on the interior of the band looks fresh and reads simply ‘Kayla’.’

  Add to that the two active sockets I didn’t have in my old ring (it was rare for ring items to have one socket, yet alone two) and the Ring was impressive as it was. I could only imagine how much better it would be at full power.

  Speaking of sockets, I conjured up the Role Fusion Gem in my left hand. I had never heard of this kind of Gem before and it certainly wasn’t in any of the internal wikis. It was small, just the right size to fit in the Ring’s sockets and was a simple, clear crystal sphere. A quick look and I realized this thing was the furthest thing from simple.

  Grade S Role Fusion (Currently Defensive/Support) 200 Elemental Power to activate

  30 minute cooldown, Neutral Element

  Can only be socketed into a Ring of Promise

  Can only be activated if Role Fusion Gems are socketed into both Rings of Promise in a matched set

  Calling upon the bond created between you and your Promised, an elemental part of your souls are fused together, granting great power based on the orientation of said souls. For 30 seconds, you both gain large passive bonuses based on each avatar’s currently selected Role. When either Promised activates Role Fusion, the matching Gem of the other partner immediately goes on cooldown as well.