by Paul Bellow
As he cast the spell, the pile of bones from the two mammoths and the two-headed giant all rose into the air, forming an entirely new creature even larger and more ominous. I heard screams from further inside the city.
Flames and smoke filled the air as the headless riders and other mammoth skeleton penetrated and pillaged. Boki ran forward, only to be paralyzed. He fell to the ground, rabid zombies on top of him almost immediately.
I glanced at Derringer, Josh and Leena. They all looked ready to give up. Hope fled my body as the battle turned in favor of the army of darkness. I remembered the Everlast potion and grabbed it. As I stared at the tiny vial, I wondered if I should take the risk or not.
Leena screamed in pain as a lightning bolt hit her. As Derringer rushed over to heal her, I flipped the cork out with my thumb then poured the entire contents into my mouth. The potion tasted like black licorice. Power flooded through my body.
**) EVERLAST (**
STR + 89
DEX + 98
CON + 87
INT +45
WIS +98
CHA +76
Health Double (+146)
To-Hit: +75%
Damage: Double
2x attacks per weapon
2x experience points
* effects not permanent
With my raised wisdom, I instantly knew taking the potion would turn out to be a bad idea in the end. Still, the rush of power overwhelmed me. I knew just what to do.
Both weapons out, I ran toward the lich, intent on taking him down before he could raise or summon any other nasty creatures. He turned as I approached.
Too slow!
I attacked with both weapons.
Your slash WOUNDS the lich for 17 damage.
Your slash MAULS the lich for 21 damage.
Your pierce INJURES the lich for 11 damage.
Your pierce INJURES the lich for 14 damage.
Critical Hit!
Your pierce DECIMATES the lich for 31 damage.
Your pierce WOUNDS the lich for 17 damage.
The lich is badly damaged.
How’s he still up after taking so much damage? Magic?
I ran around him for another round of attacks.
He stepped away, but it was too late.
Your slash MAULS the lich for 21 damage.
Your slash MAULS the lich for 21 damage.
Critical Hit!
Your pierce DEVASTATES the lich for 42 damage.
Your pierce DECIMATES the lich for 31 damage.
Critical Hit!
Your pierce DECIMATES the lich for 32 damage.
Your pierce MAULS the lich for 24 damage.
The lich is dead.
Adrenaline pumped through my body as Aquarius the Lich fell to the ground, no longer moving. I glanced over and saw Derringer helping Josh and Leena. The giant skeletal beast the lich had created lumbered toward them. Still pumped up from the Everlast potion, I screamed and ran forward.
Critical Hit!
Your slash MAULS the giant skeletal beast for 21 damage.
Your slash MAULS the giant skeletal beast for 21 damage.
Critical Hit!
Your pierce DEVASTATES the giant skeletal beast for 42 damage.
Your pierce DECIMATES the giant skeletal beast for 31 damage.
Critical Hit!
Your pierce DECIMATES the giant skeletal beast for 32 damage.
Your pierce MAULS the giant skeletal beast for 24 damage.
The giant skeletal beast is dead.
A triple critical? That’s what I’m talking about! Why didn’t I take the Everlast potion sooner?
The warnings of it being addictive were the last thing on my mind as the pile of bones fell. I whirled around as several headless riders rode into the courtyard.
I ran through them with both blades whirling and twirling. They fell quickly, followed by two tiger zombies that had survived up until that point. I stopped, heart racing, and glanced around for something else to kill.
The other mammoth skeleton returned to the courtyard, charging through the piles of bodies and bones littering the ground. I pounced like a human-cheetah, taking off after my prey.
Before it reached the missing gate and escaped, I dove beside it and attacked with both of my weapons slashing and piercing in harmony.
Your slash MAULS the mammoth skeleton for 21 damage.
Your slash MAULS the mammoth skeleton for 21 damage.
Critical Hit!
Your pierce DEVASTATES the mammoth skeleton for 42 damage.
Your pierce DECIMATES the mammoth skeleton for 31 damage.
Critical Hit!
Your pierce DECIMATES the mammoth skeleton for 32 damage.
Your pierce MAULS the mammoth skeleton for 24 damage.
The mammoth skeleton is dead!
Combat is Over!
You get 76,950 xp
You have 4 party members.
You get 19,238 xp
Everlast xp Bonus: x2
You get 38,475 xp
You have 142,808 xp
Level Up!
Welcome to Level 10 Rogue -> Bounty Hunter
+18 Health (146)
You need 12,192 xp for Level 11 Rogue -> Bounty Hunter
You gain: 2 skill points
You gain: 5 stat points
Stat points? Four party members? Who died?
The leveling and new game mechanics intrigued me, but I worried more about the rest of the group. I glanced around, not seeing the red-haired dwarf.
“Where’s Boki?” I yelled.
Josh looked over and shrugged.
“The zombies got him,” Derringer said. “I had to take him out. He’ll respawn.”
I approached the dark knight, energy still coursing through my veins.
“How long does this Everlast potion last?” I asked. “Forever?”
Derringer shook his head.
“Not quite,” he said. “Ten minutes if you’re under level twenty.”
“I’ve got two more potions,” I said. “That’s good to know.”
“Next time, the effects will only last nine minutes,” Leena said as she walked over. “Even less if you foolishly take it a third time.”
“I’ve only got two left, and I doubt we find any more on level one-three,” I said. “I bet Magi Inyontoo left them down here for some reason.”
“To get you addicted to them,” Leena said.
“We need to find Raxmao,” I said. “His father died trying to protect the city.”
“I bet you he won’t care,” Josh said.
“Probably not, but we still need to tell him.” I looked over at the destroyed gate and walls. “They’ll need to shore up defenses quickly so nothing else gets into the city.”
“We’re not staying to help?” Derringer asked.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “We need to find Sarah.”
I saw Raxmao walk up behind Josh.
“You’re not welcome here,” he said as he approached.
A group of men in Magictology robes stood behind him.
“Your father’s dead,” I said, still hopped up on the Everlast potion.
“Pity, but it was to be expected.” Raxmao stepped forward. “You’ve killed Aquarius, I see. That wasn’t a good idea.”
“He upset me,” I said, gripping both swords.
They felt like extensions of my arms.
“You can attempt to kill me, but we’ve positioned spellcasters on the walls around you,” Raxmao said. “One motion of my hand, and you’re all dead.”
“Why are you doing this?” Leena asked. “He was your father.”
Raxmao grinned. “How else are you supposed to get ahead in this life?”
“You’re sick,” I said, shaking my head.
Rexmao laughed without a care in the world.
“Magi Inyontoo ordered me to let you leave, but you need to go now,” he said then turned to the robed men around him. “Escort these walking dead outside the city
walls.”
“Yes, sir,” several men said in unison.
As they stepped toward us, I raised my swords. All the beneficial effects of the Everlast potion wore off at the same time. My knees buckled underneath me, and I fell to the ground. Raxmao laughed as the cultists surrounded us.
The entire world spun as I struggled to my feet.
Leena walked over and put a hand on my arm.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
I nodded.
“Yeah, but we should go,” I said. “I’ve got no fight left in me.”
“Not going to say I told you so about the potion,” Derringer said. “Not going to do it.”
I rolled my eyes as Leena helped me walk toward the broken gate. Did Magi Inyontoo want to kill us on his own? Was that why they were allowing us to leave?
As I hobbled toward the road leading out of the city, Josh ran up holding the shrunken floating platform.
“I managed to grab this from Boki’s bag,” he said. “You sure we can’t fight our way out of this one?”
“No,” I said. “We should go. That potion has me feeling woozy.”
Outside what was left of the city walls, Josh activated the floating platform. We floated out of Harrisburg and headed east toward Shockly Forest with only the supplies we had on us.
The battle had been won, but I felt like we’d lost.
A few hours later, the sun rose on the horizon as we followed the road east. I laid back on the platform and stared up at the sky as it lit up.
Everything else gradually filtered away as only one thought consumed me – the ecstatic feeling the Everlast potion had given me. The desire to take it again and feel powerful grew deep inside me.
Maybe I can find more of the potions on this level. In the Tower of Sherlock, maybe? Did it even exist on level one-three? The questions faded as I remembered the new stat points.
I looked up information in the help files and found a note explaining that it happened for everyone at level ten. Very interesting. My buffs from the Everlast potion had worn off, but I thought carefully about what stats and skills to increase.
Most importantly, I needed to quit making stupid decisions.
Chapter 12
The Path Diverges
Eric
Later that evening, after stopping twice to eat and take care of other necessities during the day, we arrived at the edge of Shockly Forest. I remembered first coming into the game on level one-one.
While the area had the same basic landscape, everything looked different. Josh took the floating platform down a few hundred feet away from the road leading to Fishguard.
“Some help, please?” Derringer asked.
I wandered back over to the others.
Josh had found more than enough kindling to get a fire started with help from Leena. As I stared at the fire, I heard screams coming from the forest. Two short figures emerged and ran toward our encampment.
“Be ready,” I said, drawing my swords.
As the two approached, I noticed fear on their faces.
“Help!” one of the two young boys shouted as they got closer. “We need your help!”
The others gathered around me as the boys stopped a dozen feet away.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, still holding my weapons.
“They’re chasing us,” the boy said, sobbing. “We just want to go home.”
“Who’s after you?” Josh asked. “More undead?”
The slightly older boy who’d done all the talking so far looked up at the half-orc, fighting back his fear.
“No, sir. It’s Magictology. They’ve invaded the whole of Shockly Forest.”
“It’s the two short guys,” the other boy said, stepping forward. “I know they’re behind it.”
“Are they always smiling?” I asked.
Both boys shook their head.
“No, sir,” the older boy said. “They never smile.”
“Okay, we’ll check it out,” I said.
“Do you have food to spare?” the younger boy asked. “Please?”
Both had gaunt, skinny faces.
“We were slaves,” the taller boy admitted. “We escaped.”
“That’s fine,” I said. “Can you find your way home?”
“With all the undead around?” Leena asked.
“Aquarius the Lich is dead. They should be okay.” I turned to the boys. “Where’s your home? Can you make it on your own?”
“In Fishguard, sir. We can make it if we had more supplies.”
“Give them some food,” I said.
Snow started to fall from the sky.
“Maybe we should escort them,” Bernard said.
Is he trying to get back on Leena’s good side?
“We need to check out this menace taking over the forest,” I said. “Maybe it will lead to us solving our side-quest.”
“And what if we encounter something we can’t handle?” Leena asked.
“I’ll have Who check it out,” I said.
She cocked her head to the side, squinting her eyes.
“Who?”
“Exactly.” I grinned and pulled out the owl figurine. “We can make a final decision after a bit of recon. They’ll never notice another bird in the woods.”
Leena frowned.
“We should escort the boys to Fishguard and gather more information,” she said.
“If we’re here already, we should at least scout,” Derringer said.
“We can vote on it if you like, but I think we tackle Shockly Forest now,” I said. “Sarah might need our help.”
“I’m with him,” Josh said.
Leena looked over at Bernard.
“If only you cared that much about me,” she said.
He turned away, avoiding eye contact.
“I’ll take another potion if we run into trouble,” I said casually. “We’ll be able to win this and find out more information on Sarah.”
“No,” Leena insisted. “We should go south to Fishguard.”
“Do you have food now?” the younger boy asked. “Please?”
“Come with me,” Bernard said, walking to our supplies.
“Where are your horses?” the older boy asked.
“Don’t worry about it,” Josh snapped.
The boys scampered to Bernard.
“It’s the classic open-world dilemma,” I said.
“What do you mean?” Leena asked.
“The game isn’t giving us a clear-cut path to victory in our quest. It’s very much a sandbox adventure so far.” I turned to Derringer for support. “Don’t you think?”
He nodded.
“Whatever,” Josh said. “This is all nerd talk. I’m going for a walk.”
As the barbarian walked away, I turned to Leena. “You disagree with my theory on the game?”
“No, but I think you’re wrong on what to take care of first.” She tilted her head back. “We should head south to Fishguard.”
“You can if you want, but we’re exploring the forest after Who reports back.”
My activated figurine transformed into an owl and swooped up into the air.
“How are you, Who?”
“Good, Eric. What do you need?”
“Scout the forest. Be discreet. Come back as soon as you find out what’s going on.”
“Will do, Eric. Back soon.”
Leena shook her head.
“The game’s giving you quite a few good magic items,” she said.
“I thought you didn’t like to talk out of character,” Derringer said.
“You guys just bring it out of me,” she said.
“What about your healing device?” I asked the dark knight. “Will it help with my withdrawal on the Everlast potions?”
“I think it might,” he said. “We can try.”
“Don’t encourage him,” Leena said. “Those potions are dangerous on this level.”
She stared into the flickering flames of our campfire as snow cont
inued to fall around us. The immensity of the game hit me. We were only on level one-three of many more levels, and we still had no idea of how to get out.
“The gamemaster AI is going to get mad at you,” Leena said cryptically.
“How can the game get angry with a player character?” Derringer asked.
“Yeah,” I added, backing him up.
The bond between us had been growing since we picked him up in the Mines of Oriam.
Leena sighed, still looking at the fire.
I walked over, trying to make eye contact. “What aren’t you telling us?”
“I wasn’t a prisoner on the outside,” she said.
My eyes widened. Bernard walked up with the two boys.
“They’re staying the night,” he said as they bit into trail rations like ravenous wolves.
“Fine,” I said. “Leena has some information for us.”
“Oh?” His smile faded. “What’s that, dear?”
“I wasn’t a prisoner,” she said, looking up and into my eyes “I helped develop the game, and I worked with your father, Eric. We were close.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, stunned by the news.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said. “I helped build the foundations of the neural networks that run the Tower of Gates—”
“What do you mean by close to him?” I repeated.
She sighed then said, “We dated, okay?”
My stomach suddenly turned sour.
“Your father asked me to plug-in,” she continued. “Once I did, I wasn’t able to get back out. That’s not how I originally designed the game. They fired me near the end, so I don’t know what they’ve added since then.”
“We met another developer,” I said. “Sheldon. Did you know him?”
“No,” she said. “Creating the game took thousands and thousands of people countless hours. You don’t understand the immensity of it all. Each of us worked on our own little piece of the puzzle separately.”
“Any other secrets you’re not telling us?” Bernard asked in a bitter tone.
Had he not known she helped develop the game?
“I’m telling you everything I know,” she said.
“And we’re supposed to believe you now?” He shook his head. “You lied to me.”
