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The wraith is dead.
Not bad, I thought, pleased with myself. Then the other three wraiths hit me.
The wraith HITS you for 8 damage.
You lose 4 constitution points.
The wraith GRAZES you for 4 damage.
You lose 2 constitution points.
The wraith GRAZES you for 5 damage.
You lose 5 constitution points.
You have [110/170] health remaining.
What happened if I went down to zero constitution? Death?
I heard more screams outside as I attacked the closest wraith. My swords struck true, taking another one out. The remaining two attacked again, losing me another twenty health and five constitution points. The Everlast potions in my pouch called to me, but I ignored them and swung my steel.
Another wraith went down quietly, leaving only one, until three more rushed through the open doorway. I grabbed an Everlast potion and quaffed it.
**) EVERLAST (**
STR + 89
DEX + 88
CON + 97
INT +75
WIS +38
CHA +76
Health Double (+170)
To-Hit: +75%
Damage: Double
2x attacks per weapon
2x experience points
(effects not permanent)
You feel refreshed!
You have 340/340 health remaining.
7 Minutes Remaining.
I stabbed the nearest wraith twice with the Scimitar of Speed then knelt to pick up my secondary weapon. As it fell, the others floated into the room. Five more followed them. Fearing death by a swarm of mid-level undead, I dropped the Scimitar of Speed again and took out another Everlast potion. Would a second affect me the same?
Only one way to find out. I uncorked and gulped a second Everlast potion, hoping to stack the benefits and gain more time. The licorice-tasting liquid warmed my entire body as the buffs hit the moment I finished the last of it.
**) EVERLAST (**
STR + 98
DEX + 68
CON + 57
INT +45
WIS +88
CHA +46
Health Double (+340)
To-Hit: +150%
Damage: TRIPLE
3x attacks per weapon
3x experience points
(effects not permanent)
You feel refreshed!
You have 680/680 health remaining.
EVERLAST: 13 Minutes Remaining.
**WARNING**
I had no time for warning messages, so I closed the notification. The wraiths, sensing my power, turned and fled the room. I followed, both swords singing songs of death and destruction. They headed down the bone-lined hall toward a spiral staircase leading up. I took them out one after another from behind, three fell before we reached the stairs.
As we ascended the tower, I killed another four. The last one made it to the top. I leaped up three stairs at a time, rushing into an open room. The lich, standing next to an opening on the far wall, didn’t turn to face me. He moved his gaunt arms, casting a spell down below. I killed the last wraith then turned my attention to the lich.
My swords couldn’t stop a spell, so when the lich turned to cast, I sheathed my weapons and ran forward at an inhuman speed. His ancient facial features showed surprise as I plowed into him at full force, knocking him through the opening. We both fell toward the battle below. I reached into my pouch and pulled out my Feather of Falling from the Mines of Oriam.
The lich continued plummeting to the ground as I gently and slowly floated down. The nearby vampire noticed the screaming lich and flew toward me. I deactivated the Feather of Falling and plummeted to the ground, activating it again to land at the last moment. Several bolts from the vampire screamed at me, but with my dexterity buff, I nimbly dodged them.
I kept running, seeing six swirling bone swarms the lich had raised before I pushed him out of the tower. An arc of electricity shot into the air nearby. The vampire fell, tumbling then standing up after a rough landing. While Derringer rushed toward him, I went to help Bernard, Josh, and Razzo. They look like they could use a bit of Everlast, I thought as I ran.
My swords slashed as if I’d been playing the game for a couple decades.
Critical Hit!
You slash DEMOLISHES the bone swarm for 315 damage.
The bone swarm is dead!
Critical Hit!
You slash DEMOLISHES the bone swarm for 389 damage.
The bone swarm is dead!
Your slash DISMEMBERS the bone swarm for 165 damage.
The bone swarm is dead.
Your slash MUTILATES the bone swarm for 99 damage.
Your slash DISEMBOWELS the bone swarm for 115 damage.
The bone swarm is dead.
Your slash MUTILATES the bone swarm for 89 damage.
Critical Hit!
You slash MANGLES the bone swarm for 276 damage.
Critical Hit!
You slash DEMOLISHES the bone swarm for 389 damage.
You slash MASSACRES the bone swarm for 221 damage.
The bone swarm is dead!
I jumped up and around, still waving both swords. Josh raised a hand defensively and stepped back.
“I’m in control, don’t worry.” I grinned.
“The lich is getting up!” Leena shouted. “The vampire did something.”
“Get the scraps,” I said. “Leave the lich and vamp to me.”
As the others concentrated on the marching hordes of skeletons and zombies, I ran forward with swords in my hands, ready to take out the boss creature and his pal. Before I reached them, the lich cast a spell. A blast of freezing cold shot from his palms and hit me.
The Blast of Frost DISMEMBERS you for 154 damage.
You have [530/680] health remaining.
EVERLAST: 9 Minutes Remaining.
Chilled to the bone, I shrugged it off and continued forward, determined to wipe the smug smirk off the vampire’s face. His expression changed when I didn’t die from the blast. I stopped and braced myself as he ran forward with fury and bloodlust in his eyes. He held a longsword in his right hand, but I wasn’t worried. I won initiative and attacked first.
The poor vampire had no chance. My nine attacks sliced him from top to bottom then back again. He fell apart. Over a dozen pieces of him fell to the ground. Miraculously, I saw his body parts crawling toward each other. With the lich alive, I didn’t have time to take care of him properly, but I’d slowed him down.
I looked up at the lich with determination etched on my face. Not wanting to waste the Everlast effects, I charged forward and leaped into the air with my swords up. As the lich cast, I prepared myself for another blast of cold. To my surprise, a shimmering portal opened to the left of the lich. He stepped into it and disappeared. I came down right after the magical door faded away, landing on my feet.
Where is he? Thanks to my heightened intelligence and wisdom, I guessed the tower. When I peered up, I saw him looking down from where we’d fallen minutes earlier.
Eight minutes remaining.
How to get the lich? The vampire’s ring of flying! I ran to the body pieces and saw the hand crawling toward the arm.
Snatching it up, I pulled off the silver band and slipped it on my finger. Wind rushed past my face as I leaped into the air and blasted toward the top of the tower. The lich retreated away from the window. I prepared myself for anything as I approached.
Seven minutes.
A dozen plans ran through my mind as I slipped through the hole between the massive femur bones of a giant. The lich stood on the opposite side of the room. I noticed a magic mirror like the others we’d run into on previous levels. Was he a player character working with Magi Inyontoo? The game notification never lied. I checked it. He was a PC.
“You’ve got no chance,” he hissed.
“Join us,” I said. “You’re on the wrong side.”
“This is so much more than a game,”
the lich said. “You need to wake up.”
He stood up straight and cast a spell, waving his arms then pushing them out. A rush of air threw me against the bone walls, and I took the twenty damage like it was nothing. I landed in a crouch, ready to pounce.
He waved his arms again. “You don’t want to attack me anymore,” he said in a deep, throaty voice.
I drew my swords as I pounced up toward him in one fluid motion. His suggestive spell flew right over my head—figuratively. I grinned. The entire world made so much sense.
Six minutes.
The lich cast yet another spell. Had he hastened himself? A wall of ice formed from the ceiling to the floor, surrounding and protecting the undead abomination.
How had a player character become a lich? Was it intentional? Magi Inyontoo needed to be stopped. The thought left my mind as I carved up the ice. I pierced and slashed at the wall, barely making any difference.
Five minutes remaining.
My heart pounded as I thought of a way to get the lich.
“Give it up, Eric,” he hissed.
He might know my name, but he had no idea how bad I wanted to defeat him and Magi Inyontoo. I stepped back then flew toward the wall of ice at top speed, swords out. Both my blades pierced the ice like two picks. Cracks spread out from where they both hit.
Four minutes.
I hated not being able to take another Everlast potion and the fact they stopped so soon.
Oh, well. Use what I got. I struck with the swords, cracking more ice. They slid out easily. I breathed deeply, stepped back then rushed toward the wall one more time. When I hit it with my armored shoulder, the ice crumbled under my enhanced strength.
I barreled through the hole, ready to attack the lich. Where is he? I glanced around and saw a hidden door partially open. Kicking it open, I saw the lich cowered in a corner and holding a scepter in his hand. Bookshelves lined the walls of the hidden room.
“Let me live, okay?” he begged. “There’s something in it for you.”
Two minutes.
I stared at the lich, who’s another player. How had the Tower of Gates trapped him? Could he have more information about getting out of the game? Or how to find Magi Inyontoo and defeat him? As I paused, he grinned and moved his hands to cast a spell. I dove across the room, swords ready. They landed in his chest, sinking in deep.
His glowing, red eyes flickered then went out.
One-minute remaining.
I noticed two chests in the hidden room, but I turned and left. Without a notification of the battle being over, we still had more to do. The Everlast potion wore off as I reached the room at the top of the tower. Even with all my health, a wave of fatigue and exhaustion hit me.
The game warning notification flashed again. I read the message.
WARNING: If you take another Everlast potion in the next 30 days, your character will die. If you do not take an Everlast potion in the next 14 days, you will permanently lose 5d20 in each stat, including health. (Note: This may cause death of your character…)
That’s not good.
I walked over to the window and peered down at the ground a few hundred feet below. Two bone swarms still swirled around the battlefield, taking opportunistic hits on the other party members. Even without the Everlast potion, the Ring of Flying would help. I squeezed through the bones then dove.
After falling a good twenty feet, I soared around to find the best place to attack. The craving for another Everlast potion crawled from the back of my mind to the front. I pushed it down again as I flew toward the ground at high speed. Bernard screamed and fell as I landed next to one of the swarms of tiny bones and swung both swords.
Your slash INJURES the bone swarm for 12 damage.
Your pierce WOUNDS the bone swarm for 18 damage.
Your slash WOUNDS the bone swarm for 20 damage.
The bone swarm is dead!
As the bones fell, I turned to face the other one. The swarm lurched forward, surrounding me with whirling, razor sharp projectiles.
The bone swarm DEVASTATES you for 49 damage.
You have 121/170 health remaining.
Instead of flying away, the swirling mass of deadly bones stayed in the same place. I couldn’t raise my arms or use my weapons as my armor got torn to shreds.
The bone swarm MAIMS you for 52 damage.
You have [69/170] health remaining.
I screamed in pain as the health drained from my body. The bones fell to the ground. I saw Josh gripping his weapon and flexing, a look of satisfaction on his face.
Combat is Over!
You get 125,100 xp
You have 6 party members.
You get 20,850 xp
You have 208,670 xp
You need 11,330 xp for
Level 12 Rogue -> Bounty Hunter
“Thanks,” I said.
He nodded.
“Nice ring,” he said.
“Spoils of the battle,” I said. “Which reminds me. The vampire needs to be…”
“Already done,” Derringer said. “Burned ‘em good.”
I nodded, thinking about the results of the battle.
So close to leveling yet so far away. The grind is real. Wait, no triple xp? Did I have to win the battle while under the effects of the potion? What a lousy deal.
“Everyone else okay?” I asked as I looked around.
Bernard stood, rubbing the back of his head.
“I’ll be fine, but nothing else better come soon,” he said.
“What about the tower?” Raven asked. “I saw you come out, Eric.”
I grinned. “Didn’t you see me flying out the window with the lich?”
“I’ve got to admit, that was pretty cool,” Josh said.
“Everyone done congratulating themselves?” Leena snapped. “We’ve got to clear the tower. This is far from over. Magi Inyontoo is still out there somewhere.”
“The battle’s over,” Josh said. “I say we celebrate.”
Leena sighed. “Do you guys ever want to make it to the upper levels?”
She peered up at the impressive skeletal structure.
“I don’t know,” she continued. “Something seems off with the tower.”
“The lich had a magic mirror and was talking to Magi Inyontoo,” I said.
“We should use it,” Leena said too quickly for my taste.
“Clearing the tower is a good idea,” Raven said. “We’ll heal up before we go.”
I glanced over at Derringer.
“Hey, good buddy, how’s your gem collection looking?” I asked.
“You took another Everlast potion, didn’t you?” he asked.
I raised two fingers. His eyes widened.
“You’re kidding me,” he said, shaking his head.
“I can’t take another for thirty days or I’ll straight up die, but if I don’t take one in two weeks, I’ll permanently lose stats and might die if my constitution drops too low. Anyone level up?”
“I did,” Derringer said. “Barely.”
“Great,” I said. “We need all the strength we can get.”
After everyone healed with the last of our potions and Derringer’s gem-gadget, we walked around and entered the wide opening in front of the tower of bones.
“Keep your guard up,” Raven said.
We all entered with our weapons drawn. Razzo cast a light spell, his dagger illuminating our way through the round, open room that made up the first floor.
“Over there,” Bernard said, pointing. “Stairs.”
I noticed the spiral staircase in the center of the tower. We walked over and walked up hesitantly, listening and looking for anything out of the ordinary. The second floor contained several metal tables with corpses in various states of decomposition laying on them. None of them moved as we searched the rest of the room.
Finding nothing, we continued to the third floor where I’d battled the lich. The ice wall had melted, leaving some of the bones covered in water. I walke
d over to the mirror.
“Just like the others,” I said, staring into the clouds in the reflection.
The others joined me around the mirror. Magi Inyontoo appeared.
“You guys again?” He shook his head. “I’ve had it with all of you.”
“Don’t be this way,” Leena said in a soft, caring voice.
“Shut up,” Magi Inyontoo said then turned his attention to me. “You killed my father, Eric. Prepare to die.”
“Try,” I said, staring at him with narrowed eyes.
He turned and walked into the cloud of smoke, disappearing from view. I took a deep breath as anger burned through my mind like a raging forest fire.
“Don’t let him get to you,” Bernard said, patting me on the back. “He’s an idiot.”
“An idiot that’s the most powerful player in the game,” Leena said.
“What’s your deal?” I asked, turned toward her. “Why are you always defending him?”
“Maybe he deserves defending,” she said.
“Didn’t you just hear him threaten my life?” I asked.
“It’s just a game, Eric. None of this matters,” she said.
My eyes widened at the shock of her statement.
“You really believe that?” I asked. “How’s that working out?”
“Great,” she said.
I shook my head then turned and walked toward the hidden door still partially open.
“Over here,” I said. “There’s a couple chests.”
“I’ll check for traps.” Bernard stepped toward me. “I need the practice.”
The room would only hold Bernard, Raven, Leena and myself comfortably. We searched the bookshelves for any clues, coming up with nothing.
“No traps on the chests,” Bernard said. “I’m opening the first one.”
I glanced over, always anxious to see inside a treasure chest. Several items caught my eye after he pushed the top open, including a book and a pair of boots.
“That ring should be in the general treasure pool,” Josh said from the other room.
“Fine,” I said. “We need to identify everything.”
“Give me room,” Leena said, waving us away.