Boost

by Paul Bellow

  We need to draw Todd out. I enjoyed knowing his real-world name, the slight sense of power it gave me. He had hordes protecting him, but that wouldn’t be enough. I still didn’t understand Captain Skid’s plan with the bracelet I wore on my wrist, but I’d been dreaming of killing Magi Inyontoo a while. His first death would be painful.

  “What do you think?” Axelrod asked.

  “I’m not sure,” I said.

  “We’re outnumbered and low on spellcasters,” Raven said. “It’s not looking good.”

  “I’ll be able to help with spells,” Sarah said.

  “Yeah?” Axelrod scoffed. “What can you do?”

  “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve,” she replied.

  “Are we ready to kick this off?” I asked.

  “We’ve given Magi Inyontoo enough time to prepare,” Josh said. “Let’s do this.”

  He rolled his shoulders then flexed his arms, readying himself for the battle ahead.

  “I’m ready too,” Derringer said.

  “Watch this,” Sarah said.

  Graceful as ever, she tossed the ball of energy into the air then pointed both her palms at it. The magic shot toward the mass of undead surrounding the Tower of Sherlock. I shielded my eyes with the back of my hand as an explosion of light filled the sky above the undead creatures. Screams filled the air as Axelrod and Josh moved our platforms forward.

  After the flash, I saw mounds of skeletons and zombies resting on the ground. Only a few extraordinary undead remained standing. I spotted three blade wights and a lich. Two other dark figures scampered away, into the Tower of Sherlock. I braced myself as the floating platform landed atop a pile of lifeless bones. Everyone jumped off.

  I ran toward the lich, not wanting him to cast or raise the undead again. As I ran, I noticed Magi Inyontoo step out of the tower’s entrance a few hundred feet away.

  “This will not do!” he shouted then waved his hands.

  Skeletons and zombies struggled to their feet all around us. I stopped running, swinging both swords to take out the ones around me. Some plan we had.

  Another bright flash brought the skeletons and zombies to their feet. Three blade wights and the lich were the only ones standing other than Magi Inyontoo. He crouched near the open entrance to his tower lair, waiting and watching. Axelrod, Bernard, and Derringer ran toward the group of blade wights.

  Josh ran past me, shouting, “Let’s go, rogue…”

  I followed him, swords ready to take out the lich.

  Magi Inyontoo—Todd—stayed near the entrance, not making any moves until an arrow whizzed by his head. He fled indoors as I ran forward. Half-a-dozen acolyte necromancers in black robes rushed out of the tower, forming a semi-circle to protect the entrance. The lich cast a spell.

  As he blinked out of existence in front of me, I stopped, looking around the battlefield. Josh kept running toward the acolytes at the tower’s entrance. I saw him appear on the other side of the plateau carved out of the side of the mountain. He cast another spell while standing near the edge of the cliff.

  “Uh oh,” I muttered as a fireball shot from his hands.

  Missing my Ring of Flying, I turned and ran toward the tower and away from the blast radius of the incoming fireball. The acolytes were peppering Josh with spells.

  An explosion knocked me off my feet as I took my first damage from the encounter.

  The fireball INJURES you for 12 damage.

  You have [170/182] health remaining.

  Thankfully, I’d managed to evade the brunt of the blast. Axelrod, Bernard, and Derringer weren’t as lucky. I saw them scrambling to their feet as I stood.

  Sarah turned toward the lich and let loose a fury from her outstretched palms. Bright white energy shot through the air, striking the undead creature.

  “Help over here,” Josh yelled. “There’s too many.”

  I left Sarah and the others to do their thing and ran over to Josh. Three of the acolytes raised their hands to cast, but I made quick work of two of them.

  Your slash INJURES the acolyte for 15 damage.

  The acolyte is dead.

  Your pierce HITS the acolyte for 9 damage.

  Your slash WOUNDS the acolyte for 18 damage.

  The acolyte is dead!

  As two of the six acolytes dropped to the ground, Josh unleashed his barbarian rage. He attacked with his sword, cutting one of the acolytes in half. With only three remaining, I felt confident Josh could handle them on his own. I stepped back then turned and jogged toward Axelrod, Bernard, and Derringer.

  Only one blade wight remained, so I slowed down and shifted my focus to the lich. Where is he? I glanced around, not seeing the undead spellcaster anywhere.

  Sarah’s gone too. My heart beat faster as I struggled to control my emotions. As I breathed deeply, wondering who to help, she shimmered into view with the lich.

  Her hands were around its neck. When I saw the lich pull a dagger, I pounced forward. He stuck her with the silver weapon, but she kept choking the creature.

  The lich stopped stabbing and dropped the dagger as I reached them. I watched as Sarah drained the life force from the lich’s beleaguered body. It died.

  She turned, an aura of white energy surrounding her. We made eye contact. I couldn’t look away. Her beauty and ferocity combined in spectacular ways.

  “We should help the others,” she said.

  I nodded.

  “Yeah, of course,” I muttered.

  She smiled.

  “Get in the game, Eric.”

  I watched as she turned and strode across the plateau full of bones and corpses.

  “The top of the tower,” Raven yelled.

  I glanced up and saw Magi Inyontoo in a window moving his arms. All the bones scattered across the battlefield floated into the sky. Bernard and the others ran over.

  “One fool left,” Derringer said.

  “What’s he doing?” Bernard asked.

  “It’s not good,” I said.

  Sarah walked toward the entrance of the tower where Josh had killed the rest of the acolytes. I followed her with the others behind me doing the same.

  “We should go in the tower after him,” Josh said as we approached.

  “Don’t you see what’s going on?” Bernard asked. “The battle’s forming out here.”

  “I’ll take the Everlast potion and go after him on my own,” I said. “He’s probably forming a couple bone swarms. We’ve taken care of those before.”

  “This isn’t a bone swarm,” Raven said as she stared up.

  I glanced into the sky. The bones came together in a definite shape—something huge with wings.

  “Bone dragon!” Axelrod yelled. “We’re in for a fight.”

  “More undead over here!” Josh added.

  Dozens of skeletons swarmed out of the tower. Magi Inyontoo climbed out the window and mounted the skeletal dragon. It flapped its wings and somehow flew without skin.

  “Take care of the skellies,” I said, pulling out my two Everlast potions. “Time to take a stand and kill this clown once and for all.”

  “No!” Sarah shouted, running over. “Don’t do it!”

  The other fighters joined Josh in battling the skeletons rushing out of the tower.

  “It’ll work out for the best,” I said. “Heroes know when to sacrifice to help others.”

  “This isn’t that time.” She put her hand on my arm. “Please? I don’t want to lose you again. Being stuck in here without you wasn’t fun.”

  A black bolt of energy fell from the sky, hitting Josh. He tumbled to the ground, writhing in pain.

  The skeletons continued to swarm.

  “We don’t have a choice,” I said.

  She frowned as I drank one potion quickly followed by the other.

  **) EVERLAST (**

  STR + 98

  DEX + 68

  CON + 57

  INT +45

  WIS +88

  CHA +46

  Health
Double (+340)

  To-Hit: +150%

  Damage: TRIPLE

  2x attacks per weapon

  2x experience points

  (effects not permanent)

  You feel refreshed!

  You have 680/680 health remaining.

  EVERLAST: 6 Minutes Remaining.

  **) EVERLAST (**

  STR + 78

  DEX + 88

  CON + 76

  INT +85

  WIS +98

  CHA +76

  Health Double (+680)

  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: +5 Minutes

  11 Minutes Remaining.

  **WARNING** You will die when the potion effects wear off.

  As skeletons swarmed out of the tower and Magi Inyontoo rode the bone dragon through the sky, I jumped onto the wall of the tower. My Ring of Spider Climbing came in handy. I ran up the nearly smooth side toward the top, my mind focused on the task at hand. The smell of death hung thick in the air. I heard the dragon screech behind me.

  Ten minutes.

  Heroes weren’t always given things they needed, like more time, but I climbed on as if I were a spider or an ant. The normal rules of physics no longer applied to me. At the highest window, I climbed into the tower and glanced around the room for anything helpful for my final mission as Drex in the game. Nothing jumped out at me.

  Nine minutes.

  I heard another screech outside and turned to the window. Below, the rest of the group were battling the skeletons while dealing with Magi Inyontoo casting at them.

  “Come and get me!” I shouted, hands on each side of the windowless opening.

  The bone dragon changed its course and came at the tower full speed. I climbed onto the window ledge, waiting for the perfect moment. My half-brother flew closer.

  Hold on…now!

  With my vastly improved strength and dexterity, I easily leaped several dozen feet forward. The dragon lurched to the left, but I grabbed onto a massive rib bone and didn’t let go.

  My half-brother twisted around to see me. His eyes widened in surprise.

  “Oh, hey, Todd. What’s up?” I asked, grinning.

  I climbed onto the back of the dragon.

  “Where’d you come from?” Magi Inyontoo asked, then added. “Never mind. You killed my father…”

  “Stop!” I shouted then leaped forward, not caring if I fell because of my Feather of Falling.

  He tried to cast a spell from his seated position but failed as my blades struck.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your slash MAIMS Magi Inyontoo for 54 damage.

  Your pierce MUTILATES Magi Inyontoo for 64 damage.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your pierce DISEMBOWELS Magi Inyontoo for 112 damage.

  Your pierce MUTILATES Magi Inyontoo for 60 damage.

  Your pierce DECIMATES Magi Inyontoo for 31 damage.

  Magi Inyontoo is well protected.

  Armor that heals on every missed attack? I want that!

  “Be gone,” Magi Inyontoo said while pulling out a wand.

  Seven minutes.

  A burst of air hit me. I sailed off the bone dragon, falling rapidly toward the ground until I activated the Feather of Falling. Floating gently down, I scanned the battlefield. The dragon had flown off to turn around. I saw Bernard, Derringer, Josh, Raven, and Sarah on the plateau, all bunched in a group. They were in terrible condition.

  “Come on, guys,” I muttered.

  Six minutes.

  I floated down to the cold, hard ground as the bone dragon landed on the edge of the plateau. Magi Inyontoo hopped off, holding a rod in his right hand. The beast beside stretched its neck upward and screamed. An unearthly screech filled the air, terrifying the rest of the group. They all froze in terror.

  My Everlast potions kept me immune, but I needed to work fast. The dragon turned its skull toward me. I braced myself as it opened its mouth.

  Five minutes.

  A stream of tiny bones shot out instead of fire, ice, or something else, surprising me completely. Hundreds of them slammed into my armor.

  The bone dragon DECIMATES you for 40 damage.

  I cringed but fought through the pain and ran forward. Magi Inyontoo raised his hands to cast, but he wasn’t fast enough for me in my heightened state.

  Four minutes.

  Both my blades sliced him up one side and down the other. Even with his magical protection, the damage added up. Would it be enough?

  Three minutes.

  I attacked again.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your slash DECIMATES Magi Inyontoo for 38 damage.

  Your pierce MAIMS Magi Inyontoo for 57 damage.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your slash MISSES Magi Inyontoo.

  Magi Inyontoo is healed.

  Your pierce MUTILATES Magi Inyontoo for 67 damage.

  Critical Hit!

  Your pierce DISMEMBERS Magi Inyontoo for 152 damage.

  Your pierce DECIMATES Magi Inyontoo for 32 damage.

  Magi Inyontoo is near death.

  The dragon turned the bleached white skull at the end of its neck toward me. If it hit me with its boney breath weapon as I killed Magi Inyontoo, the timing might work out. I wished the rest of the party my best then ran toward Magi Inyontoo. Anger flashed over his face in slow motion as I sped forward, swords pointed toward him.

  Two minutes.

  “Eric, watch out!” Sarah yelled somewhere in the distance.

  A stream of tiny, sharp bones hit my armor as both swords slid into Magi Inyontoo’s chest. His eyes squinted in confusion before closing. I yelled as we both died. The bone dragon’s breath continued relentlessly. I fell to the ground.

  Everything around me went black.

  You are dead.

  I hated that notification more than anything else in the game. Well, except for my half-brother Todd. My hatred of him only grew as I floated through a black nothingness.

  * * *

  Gradually, the darkness faded. I looked around, seeing a simple stone room with no apparent means of entry or exit. The game master, smiling smugly, stood a few feet away.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “This is your first death. Because it’s on level one-three, you don’t have anything to worry about. You’ll be turned into an NPC on level one-three and be able to rejoin a party. It’s not until level one-four and above that you can only change into an NPC seven times.”

  He stopped, an even bigger smile on his face.

  “Don’t I travel to level one-four with the rest of my companions?” I asked.

  “No,” he said. “Because you drank the Everlast potion, a magical item for higher-level characters.”

  “It wasn’t my fault Magi Inyontoo put them on level one-three,” I said.

  “No, of course not,” the gamemaster said. “But you decided to quaff the potion.”

  I took a deep breath as a sense of rage built up in my mind. Then I remembered the bracelet.

  “Hold on,” I said, lifting my arm. “What about this?”

  The gamemaster’s eyes widened in shock.

  “How did you get that in here?” he asked.

  I suddenly noticed I had nothing on except for the bracelet.

  “Doesn’
t matter,” I said then bluffed. “Honor this item, or else…”

  The gamemaster laughed.

  “Or else what?” he asked.

  “You’ll find out.”

  He continued laughing.

  “You don’t know what it does, do you?” the gamemaster asked.

  “I know I want out of this game. Or to be with my friends at least.”

  “You can’t always get what you want, Eric.” The gamemaster stepped forward, hand held out. “Give me the bracelet.”

  Captain Skids hadn’t told me what to do if the gamemaster asked for the item. Should I give it to him? Maybe it was nothing more than a bluff?

  “What do I get out of it?”

  The gamemaster stopped.

  “You’re learning the game,” he said. “Interesting.”

  “It’s not a game when it’s not fair.” I tilted my head back, looking down my nose at him. “You need to cut me a break and let me respawn on level one-four with the rest of my party.”

  “That’s not how it works,” the game master said. “It’s not how any of it works.”

  “Can you tell me how it should go?” I asked.

  He sighed then stroked his long, white beard as he stared.

  “No, I can’t, but I can do this…”

  His voice drifted off.

  “What?” I asked.

  “You want fair, right?”

  I nodded.

  “How about this? You give me the bracelet, and I’ll let you create your own class like your friend. She’s become powerful. You can be as powerful if not more.”

  “And I’ll respawn on level one-four to join up with them?”

  “That’s not possible,” he said.

  “Is it because the first three levels were designed by humans?”

  His inner eyebrows lowered in anger as his brow furrowed.

  “I’m the gamemaster, and I can do anything!” he shouted.

  “Anything but that…I get it,” I said.

  I stepped back, raising my arms as he stomped forward.

  “Okay,” I said. “You have a deal.”

  Can I trust him? Is he an extension of the game?