The Citadel (Mirror World Book #2)

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The Citadel (Mirror World Book #2) Page 19

by Alexey Osadchuk


  Finally, the Rocky Desert was over too. We approached a body of water that the map identified as the River Quiet. The night before, I'd imagined it might be a sleepy little stream. As if! The sight of this mighty body of water, as wide as the eye could see, took my breath away. When you reached its middle, you couldn't make out the ancient pine trees lining its banks anymore: they looked like a brown stubble covering gray cliff sides. The cliffs themselves, black and gloomy, loomed over the river's mirrored surface, threatening to squash any humble intruder.

  This place was an angler's dream. I dreaded to even conceive all the kinds of fish you could catch here.

  Just as I was thinking this, a jet of water rose a good hundred feet above the surface. Some beast that was! Judging by the size of its broad back, Kosma was a kitten compared to this little fishie. Oh no, any angler might be in for a very nasty surprise.

  After I'd left the mammoth fish far behind, I noticed several outlines in the water that looked suspiciously shark-like. Oh. The local mobs would make quick work of Boris and myself. If these were river monsters, I dreaded to think what upcoming surprises the developers had in store for any submarine pioneer.

  The satnav pinged, prompting us it was time to turn right. Obeying its directions, Boris banked a simple turn, changing course. That was it. All we had left to do now was cross the Ardean Range.

  A few minutes later, the black mountains topped with white snow appeared on the horizon. I was getting cold. My nose and ears tingled with frost. Had it been happening in the real world, I might have already turned into an ice statue.

  "I think we should climb a bit higher, kiddo. We don't need no unpleasant encounters."

  In one powerful wingbeat we left the snowy peaks far below.

  Suddenly I glimpsed a tiny light glowing on a mountain top. The sight made me jerk my head, so out of place it was. How interesting.

  Obeying my command, Boris banked, diving toward the speck of light. Could any of the players had already gotten this far? I decided to get closer and investigate. Whoever it was, they were unlikely to notice me from below. All they might see was Boris' belly — and No-Man's Lands were crawling with all sorts of critters.

  The light came from a bonfire. But whoever was sitting around it weren't players — even though they might have passed for such from a distance.

  Boris soared above them like a silent shadow. We descended some more. I took in the surroundings. Aha! I could see a small rock ledge just above the fire.

  Boris didn't need words. After one last wingbeat, he sank his talons into the black rock. No one could see or hear us from there.

  "Great job," I whispered into his ear.

  We were about the height of a three-story building. I could easily see the creatures sitting around the fire. There were five of them. Same size as myself, only burlier with slightly broader shoulders. What a strange race. Well-built midgets, they did have something in common with dwarves and gnomes. Thick beards. Large noses. Clad in furs and armed with long spears. Each had a short wide knife dangling from his belt.

  Even in the fire's failing light, I could clearly see their dark skin which distinguished them from both gnomes and dwarves.

  They sat there in silence, casting an occasional wary look around as they listened in to the night's sounds. No one had bothered to look up. Apparently, they didn't expect any danger to come from the sky. Which was good news, I suppose.

  I'd love to know what they were doing up here. Who were they?

  The answer to the first question I might never know. But as for the second one, the game promptly informed me,

  A Caltean advance team

  Well, well, well. Fancy seeing you here. So that's what you look like, then. How very interesting.

  All five had rather high levels, especially the team leader: level 230. The others were only twenty levels below him. They looked like nothing special but you wouldn't like to bump into a group like this!

  What had Marcus told me about them? They were NPCs, not mobs. Mirror Souls, hostile to the players of both Light and Dark. Now what might they be doing here? Wait a sec... Yes! Hadn't Marcus said that "hedgehogs" lived in the mountains?

  Mechanically I cast a wary look around me. Being attacked by one of those spiky monsters was the last thing I needed. A few dozen of those had completely demolished the Citadel's West side in less than an hour. Still, admittedly I was curious. I'd love to see the Calteans trap these gargantuan beasts.

  A powerful growl from below made me jump. Goosebumps erupted all over my spine. Talk about the devil.

  Boris strained his muscular back. Strangely enough, this brought me out of my stupor.

  "It's all right, kiddo," I said, stroking the nape of his neck. "We're too high. They can't get to us here."

  Previously impassive, the Calteans jumped to their feet — admittedly without any fuss. This was a well-choreographed group. Each team member seemed to know what he was doing.

  The repeated growl sounded even closer. The Calteans formed a semicircle bristling with spears. Their leader produced something out of his bag. Now only their tiny bonfire stood between their flimsy ranks and the monster-harboring darkness.

  Somehow I doubted they'd make it, even despite their levels. Then again, I still seemed to be thinking in real-world categories. Everything was different in Mirror World. Earth's laws weren't applicable here.

  Yet another growl rose to a roar. The darkness parted, disgorging a leaping beast. Oh wow. This was big. Either I was too scared or this hedgehog was twice as large as all the others. Level 300+, it was much darker than those that had ravaged the streets of the Citadel. His elongated muzzle was covered in old scars. This was an animal tempered in battle.

  The Calteans seemed to have noticed it too. Their ranks stirred, anxious. They couldn't have expected a visitor of this caliber.

  The ginormous Komodo dragon peered shortsightedly at his opponents. He didn't seem too impressed. He must have sensed their fear but wasn't in a hurry to attack. Slowly he turned his head from side to side which only seemed to unnerve the dark-skinned dwarves further.

  Their leader snapped a few brief commands, making even me jump. The Calteans' attitude transformed. Their stance gained confidence. Who was is that said, A commander's spirit is his soldiers' courage? He was dead right there.

  Finally the beast decided it was time to quit the staring game and get himself a bite to eat. His enormous bulk shifted. He advanced. Much to my surprise, instead of walking around the fire, the hedgehog headed directly for it.

  The Calteans didn't seem to have expected this, either. A few more commands, and their semicircle widened. The five squat figures froze, awaiting the beast's attack.

  His growl made me jump. I might never get used to the sound. Boris, however, was cool as a cucumber.

  The beast was about to step into the fire when the leader took a big swing and hurled something right under the creature's feet.

  Aha! This was the famous trap! The tiny rolled-up ball unraveled into a large net. The Calteans began shouting as if on cue, teasing the beast into taking just another step: one more step, then it would be over.

  Unfortunately, the hedgehog had other ideas. He ignored the trap, clearing it in one long leap. I wouldn't be surprised if he was already familiar with these kinds of surprises.

  The Calteans, however, didn't seem to like it. And seeing as their leader wasn't in a hurry to use another net, I realized he'd only had one.

  In a few more snapped commands, the Calteans' ranks broke. Without awaiting the monster's next leap — which was bound to be his last — they charged at him themselves. Were they raving mad? This was like attacking an elephant with a feather!

  The hedgehog took his time to strike back. It assumed a combat stance. Oh, yes. I'd seen it before. I knew what was going to happen.

  His long spiky tail swished through the air like a giant sickle. Still, the Calteans weren't stupid. Some of them ducked while others leaped high, foiling his
attempt to destroy all his enemies in one clean sweep.

  Then it was their turn to assault the giant. He seemed to be taken aback by such brazenness. Using his tail to parry their blows, the hedgehog began to back off. A few more feet, then he'd trigger the steel net.

  The Calteans doubled their effort. Then they made a mistake. Even I could see they'd underestimated their opponent. Seemingly awkward, the beast lunged forward, scooping a squat NPC up into his large clawed paw. The next moment his jaws ripped through the poor Caltean's chest, showering the rocks with blood. One down, four to go.

  The Calteans screamed but didn't budge. I had to give their leader his due. Those were some well-trained fighters.

  In the meantime, the tables had turned. Now the hedgehog was on the offensive, forcing the Calteans back, cornering them. They could still flee but I had a feeling that they wouldn't do that.

  I was right. The Calteans charged.

  Almost immediately their leader found himself alone. The bodies of his men lay listlessly like broken dolls. The hedgehog hadn't had it easy, either. His left eye socket oozed blood. A spear shaft protruded from his right side. Remarkably, the Calteans' leader was still unharmed. You couldn't really count the shallow scratch on his shoulder. But I could already see that the beast's wounds wouldn't prevent him from finishing the brave NPC off. Unless a miracle happened.

  No idea what made me do it. It could be the sight of the warrior frozen in an en-guard position. The expression in his eyes. His spirit. His willingness to stand to the last. I don't know. It could have been my situation too, of course. Cowering in the safety of the cliff while smugly watching someone die... never mind. It wasn't the right moment for soul searching. I had to act fast.

  I snapped a brief command. Noiselessly Boris dove. His wings flapped open directly above the monster's head. The Caltean's eyes were like two saucers. He'd been ready to die and there we were, a bearded guy astride a flying monster.

  I gave him a wink. Which was a big mistake.

  The hedgehog swung round, glaring its remaining eye in search of the new opponent. Then he froze. Admittedly it looked weird, as if the image lagged due to a slow internet connection.

  It only lasted a few seconds but the Caltean leader jumped at his chance.

  He somersaulted toward the trap, deactivated it, then threw it again right under the awakening mob's very feet. It all happened simultaneously: the creature stepped forward while the Caltean reactivated the trap.

  The hedgehog disappeared in a bright flash of light, leaving behind a huge glowing lump of flesh. I watched the Caltean move it into his bag. This was virtual reality for you: something the size of a whale fitting into a shabby backpack. Having said that, it had probably taken at least twenty slots in his inventory.

  Boris and I prudently returned to the safety of our perch, curious about what he'd do next. The Caltean seemed to ignore me entirely but I knew he was watching me out of the corner of his eye.

  First he moved his men's bodies away from the fire. He knelt on one knee before each of them, whispering something. Having finished, he turned round and headed for me.

  I thought against descending. You never know what kind of thoughts were brewing in his boisterous head. It was probably safer to sit it out. He might have looked worse for wear but he was still an almost level-300 NPC.

  "These aren't your lands, Lightie!" the Calteans' leader shouted. "They belong to us! The fact that you helped me is the only reason you're still alive!"

  Hadn't I been right keeping a safe distance? But before it sank in, I received a very interesting system message,

  Congratulations! You've completed a hidden quest: Helping Hand!

  Reward: +100 to your Reputation with the Red Owls clan.

  Warning! You need to watch out! Now the clan's enemies will double their efforts in pursuing you wherever you go!

  There you had it. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What kind of enemies did it mean? On the other hand, I was in the very heart of No-Man's Lands where every rock underfoot was supposed to be an enemy.

  As I reread the message, I realized that the Caltean was still speaking to me.

  "You, Lightie! You deaf or something?"

  "Oh. No, I'm not. I'm very sorry. I'm just a little bit confused," I finished in a small voice.

  "You gotta fly the fuck outta here, Lightie. My kinsmen will be here in a minute. They might not like your company."

  "I'm happy to oblige."

  Effortlessly Boris took off the cliff, spreading his wings nice and wide. The Caltean's eyes gleamed with admiration. Good.

  "Fare thee well!" I shouted. "Hope to never see you again!"

  He crossed his arms and gave a curt nod. I cast a parting glance at the ground below. The Caltean's name glowed bright over his head.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The place which my satnav identified as the North Mine was located in one of the numerous crevices of the Ardean Range. Had it not been for my useful little app, we'd surely have flown past it. How many such discreet locations were there in No-Man's Lands? The game developers must have done their best to ensure that a pioneer's life was anything but boring.

  Before landing, I thoroughly studied the area. It would be little fun becoming some mob's lunch with my objective already in sight.

  The place seemed to be quiet. Down we go, then!

  I jumped off Boris' back, sinking up to my knees in snow. Had it not been for my elemental protection, my boots would surely have lost a few points Durability. Here it was noticeably colder than above the clouds.

  I had no problem finding the entrance to the mine. Or rather, whatever was left of it. The upper beam had been shattered. The caved-in entrance was blocked with huge jagged fragments of rock, leaving only a small crevice just the right size for someone like myself to squeeze through.

  When the entrance was within arm's reach, the system sent me another message,

  Congratulations! You've just discovered the North Mine! Be careful! The mine is so old it can collapse at any moment. The resource deposits are long gone. You won't find anything but piles of slag inside!

  Would you like to unseal the cave?

  Excuse me? What did they mean, I won't find anything? What kind of trick was this? Had Boris and I made this journey for nothing? We couldn't have. I needed to check.

  I stepped back and entered Blue Ice into the search box. The search engine unhesitantly offered my current location, pointing directly at the collapsed entry. What a bunch of jokers!

  Never mind. It wouldn't hurt me to "unseal" the mine, would it?

  I pressed Confirm.

  Immediately a new message sprang up,

  Congratulations! You've just unsealed an ancient mine! No one farms resources here anymore. The resource deposits are exhausted. The resource itself is depleted.

  The Lord of the Underworld must have felt ignored and grown angry with the miners' greed, shaking the rock and burying the decayed remains of the Dwarven cohort which used to develop the mine.

  Only high-level Diggers are granted entry here!

  But hurry! The old God's curse is still active! The rock walls can close in on you at any moment!

  Start countdown:

  02:59:59...

  02:59:58...

  02:59:57...

  They had the cheek to congratulate me? First, there was no Blue Ice here. Second, I could expect to be buried alive at any moment. Nice little excursion, thank you very much.

  "So what do you think, kiddo? Do you agree with me? Or should we go down and investigate?"

  Boris moved his shoulders which could be understood either way. He looked calm, staring curiously into the cave's dark mouth. For some reason, his behavior gave me an added boost of confidence. And having said that...

  "Prankster? Come out, buddy, have a bit of a run around! And while you're at it, check out the premises, will ya? Three pairs of eyes are better than two."

  The Grison materialized in a flash and disappeared
down a snow bank. Immediately he re-emerged, screaming indignantly, and sprang onto Boris' back with one long leap.

  "All right, all right! Stop it already! You'd better keep an eye on where we're going."

  With a heavy heart I stepped into the darkness. My Ennan eyes adjusted promptly. What can I say? I was quite pleased with my racial peculiarities. The darkness wasn't so dark anymore. It felt comfortable, cozy even. I wondered if this ability of mine — this positive feeling that underground tunnels seemed to give me — stretched to my real-life body too. In any case, I'd have to try it and then I'd know.

  As I scrambled over the piled-up masses of rocks, sand and wood debris — apparently the remains of the support frame — I came across my first pile of rocks. Aha! This was getting interesting!

  Name: Old Pile of Rubble

  Type: Advanced

  Name of casualty: Thorgryr

  Expires in: 2 hours

  Unhesitantly I produced my pick out of the bag and took a swing.

  You've tried to clear an Old Pile of Rubble.

  -3 to the item's durability.

  Durability: 97/100

  Oh wow. Some piles they had here!

  Let's do it again.

  You've tried to clear an Old Pile of Rubble.

  -6 to the item's durability.

  Durability: 91/100

  In total, it took me twenty swings to clear it. Finally, a new system message popped up. My arms shook as I leant against my pick handle, peering excitedly at the words,

 

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