Rogue Online_The Devil's Gate

by E K Baxter

  “Damn it!” he muttered. “Need to stick that knife-thrower!”

  The remaining guards formed themselves into a formation not unlike the one Max and the other’s used. The knife-thrower hung back, hurling his seemingly endless supply of knives at Terra and Sam, keeping them pinned behind Sam’s shield and unable to advance.

  Max had to take out the knife-thrower somehow. He crawled under the table. From this vantage point he could see a tangle of legs and feet. He equipped his bow and nocked an arrow. The knife-thrower was on the other side of the room. Now that Max was under the table he seemed to have moved out of the man’s attack range as no more of the projectiles came in his direction.

  Max flipped onto his back still clutching his bow. He sighted along the arrow-shaft—no mean feat when he was upside down, and used the bow more like a crossbow, keeping it flat against his body. He aimed his arrow at the knife-thrower’s legs. It was a crazy shot and Max was pretty sure he’d never make it but right now he couldn’t think of any alternative. Luckily the knife-thrower remained still whilst he threw his knives —there was no way Max would be able to hit a moving target.

  Max pulled the string back and released. The arrow shot through the air only a few inches above the floor and cannoned into the meat of the knife-thrower’s calf. There was a cry of pain and he crashed onto his back, his knives clattering to the floor all around him. Max seized his chance. He burst from his hiding place, equipped his sword, and drove it through the knife-thrower’s chest with all his strength.

  Straightening, he looked around. The remaining guards, he noticed, had moved to block the corridor to their left.

  “Arlena must be down there!” Max cried. “We have to get into that corridor!”

  Terra gave him a tight nod before deftly sidestepping her opponent, a big hulking brute who moved with all the lumbering grace of a bear. Max guessed that a hit from him would cause serious HP damage but he was slow and Terra was able to bring her greater speed and dexterity to bear. She dived under a swing, hamstringing her opponent as she stepped behind him. Then, as he crashed to his knees with a bellow of pain, she brought her swords down in an X against his neck, sending his head flying from his shoulders.

  Sam gave a wild roar that echoed through the room and charged his opponent, throwing all his weight into a reckless charge of which any dwarven berserker would have been proud. It worked. The guard wasn’t expecting such a headlong charge and was caught by surprise. Max got a quick look at his eyes widening in shock before he disappeared under the weight of Sam’s charge. Sam caved the man’s head in with his new war hammer.

  Seeing his comrades down, the captain growled in fury and pulled out a second sword, holding one high and one low. He was small and wiry and had the look of a rogue fighter about him. Max suspected he’d be fast. He’d have to have his wits about him for this one.

  He was proven right when the captain came hurtling at him, twin blades whirling. Max parried the first sword with his spear but the second blade came in lower, chopping at his legs. A line of fire erupted across Max’s shins. His vision went red at the edges and his HP took a hit.

  Cursing, Max staggered back. He suspected it was only his new boots that had saved him from having his feet chopped clean off.

  The captain came right after him, swords moving so fast they became a blur and Max found himself desperately parrying, each blow quicker than the last. It was only a matter of time before another blow got through.

  Sam and Terra tried to come to his aid but they were trapped behind Max and the passage was too narrow for more than one of them to fight the captain at once.

  Max thought quickly. How to beat a fighter like this? The man’s attacks were furious, all-out, relying on speed and agility. This meant there was little given over to defense. If Max could get close, inside the man’s reach, it was likely he could score a critical hit.

  Sometimes, he thought, you have to take a hit to score a hit.

  He equipped his ax, holding it two-handed like a staff. As the man came at him again, swords singing through the air, he caught the first one on his ax-shaft. Next, instead of stepping away to avoid the second blade, he stepped closer, allowing the second sword to slice his shoulder. A sharp pain ripped through him and his HP dipped again but the action had the desired effect. Max was inside the man’s guard now, too close for him to use his weapons effectively.

  Max thrust his ax upwards, dislodging the sword caught on it, and then swung the ax with all his might. It sliced into the man’s neck where it met his shoulder, sending a gout of blood fountaining into the air like a geyser. The man toppled back, clutching at his throat but it was no use. His swords clanged onto the floor and the man crashed to the ground, his life leaving him in a wordless gurgle.

  A quick glance showed Max that all of the guards were dead. Terra and Sam stumbled over. Sam had a cut above his temple that was leaking blood into his face and Terra was limping slightly. Even so, they were grinning.

  “Got the bastards,” Terra said. “You don’t know how good it feels to be killing Lord Mespar’s lackeys.”

  “And right under his nose,” Sam added. “Now all we have to do is find Arlena and this will be a grand day!”

  Max clapped them both on the shoulders. “That was great work, team. Now, let’s get this quest finished. I’ve a feeling we’re in for some awesome loot!”

  Chapter 10

  They took some potions to restore their health and then made their way to the corridor the guards had been so keen to defend. The torches had been knocked from their brackets during the fight so the only light that reached into the corridor was that from the tiny window in the guard room. It wasn’t much and so the corridor was more like a long, dark tunnel full of shadows.

  As they crept carefully along, Max looked around. Barred cells marched down either side of the central corridor but even though Max peered into each one, he found nobody inside. Old piles of dirty straw showed that they’d recently been occupied but now they were home only to rats and lice. Max dreaded to think what had happened to the prisoners—and to Arlena.

  No, he thought. Arlena has to be here. Why would those guards protect an empty corridor?

  The sound of movement came from ahead. They all froze, hands hovering on weapons. Max strained to hear. There it came again—the unmistakable sound of someone slowly moving.

  “Who’s there?” Terra called. “Show yourself!”

  There was a hacking laugh like the rattle of a dying man. “That would be easier if I wasn’t shackled to this damned wall.”

  Terra gave a yell and then she was sprinting down the corridor and skidding to her knees outside one of the cells. Max and Sam pelted after her, both drawing weapons in case this was some trap.

  Something moved within the depths of the cell and in the gloom it took Max a moment to realize it was a woman. Her hair was coated in grime and her clothes were little more than rags but beneath the grime Max saw a woman of middling years with plaited chestnut hair and a determined set to her jaw. She dragged herself as close to the bars as her chains would allow and peered up at the three of them with a piercing gaze.

  “Arlena!” Terra cried, her voice choked with emotion. “Thank the fates we’ve found you!” She reached through the bars and clasped Arlena’s hand.

  “I knew you’d come” Arlena said, her voice dry and cracked. “That bastard Mespar tried to convince me he’d hunted you all down, that I was the last of the resistance but I knew he was lying. I knew you’d come for me.” She curled her fingers around Terra’s. “Who are your friends?”

  “Maxwell, an outlander and Sam, of the Hopwood family,” Terra replied. “They can be trusted, Arlena. I wouldn’t have made it here without them.”

  Arlena nodded. “What about the others? Our people?”

  “Safe,” Terra replied. “But anxious. They will be overjoyed when they learn of your freedom.”

  Arlena laughed but it soon turned into a fit of coughing. When it pass
ed she smiled grimly. “My freedom? Lord Mespar holds the only key to this cell so unless you have a grappling hook and an ox to pull it, I think we might be stuck.”

  Terra grinned. “Who needs an ox? We’ve got something better than that—we have a master lock-picker with us.”

  Terra nodded at Max. Arlena looked up at him and her forehead furrowed into a frown. “Step closer so I can see you.”

  Max knelt beside Terra and Arlena’s eyes suddenly went wide. “True Worlder,” she whispered. “So the prophecy spoke true? You’ve come to free us?”

  Max glanced at his companions awkwardly. He wished people would stop going on about this bloody ‘True Worlder’ thing. What did they all expect from him? Didn’t they realize he was just trying to get home?

  “I...um...I don’t know about that,” he said. “But we’ve come to get you out of here.” He equipped his brooch-pin lock pick and inserted it into the lock on Arlena’s door. In only moments he found the mechanism and the lock sprang open with a metallic screech. Max entered the cell, crouched in front of Arlena, and picked the lock on her manacles. They fell to the floor with a clatter. Sam and Terra helped the rebel leader to stand.

  “Free,” Arlena muttered. “I can hardly believe it. I’m free.”

  A wave of satisfaction flooded through Max. That familiar buzz was back, the one that made his heart beat a little faster and his blood flow a little quicker: the thrill of winning. Any minute now he’d get a message congratulating him on completing his quest and leveling him up. But no message came.

  He glanced around the cell, turning in a circle and searching for loot. Surely completing this quest was worth some awesome goodies? Maybe some better range weapons? Hell, maybe even a stronger spell book so he could improve his magic?

  But the cell was empty, not a gold coin or a dropped weapon or a mangy spell book anywhere. Max scratched his head.

  Ok, he thought. Maybe I get the loot after I’ve uncovered the next part of the quest.

  Sam and Terra supported Arlena to limp out of the cell and they shuffled back to the main room, the rebel leader wincing and gasping as she shuffled along. From the state of her battered body, it was obvious she’d not been treated kindly whilst in Lord Mespar’s care. Terra helped her to slump into a chair and then fetched her a cup of water which she gulped greedily.

  Max slid into a chair opposite and leaned on the table with his hands clasped in front of him. “Arlena, we need your help. What do you know of Lord Mespar’s plans? Sam’s father mentioned that he’d commissioned their mining gear and that Mespar needed it for his research. Do you know what this research is? What he’s planning?”

  Arlena finished the cup of water and slammed it down on the table, wiping the back of her mouth. “I’ve no idea. The resistance was trying to discover the same thing when I was caught.”

  Max frowned. “But you must know something. Lord Mespar must have told you his plans, or dropped hints?”

  Arlena shook her head. “I’m sorry. He never told me anything. Didn’t even come to gloat. He would just come in, beat me black and blue, and then ask questions. I learned nothing of the bastard’s plans.”

  Max sat back, frowning. This couldn’t be right. There had to be something here, something he was missing. If Arlena knew nothing of Lord Mespar’s plans then why the quest to free her? Why send him on a quest that wouldn’t lead to anything? It didn’t make sense.

  Then he remembered the guard captain he’d fought who’d shown such skill. Enough skill to be a level boss, if a minor one. Max had beaten him and again it had led to no loot. Unless...

  Unless the loot is something I can’t see, Max thought. Unless it’s something I must find.

  He thought suddenly of Stealth. Its secondary function, Find, allowed the user to find things that were hidden: traps, secret doors, hidden artifacts. It would be perfect for this situation but he didn’t have the required level of Wisdom. He might be able to buy an artifact that would boost his intellect enough to allow him to use it but the nearest market was a long way from here. There was nothing else in his inventory that might help him.

  Wait. He suddenly remembered Max’s father handing him something—a jewel. One that allowed the user to increase an attribute of their choice by two levels. He was currently level 10 in Wisdom. If he used the gemstone of infinity that meant...

  “Ha!” he cried suddenly. “That’s it! How could I be so stupid?”

  He quickly took out the scroll that contained Stealth. It had a small round indentation in the seal that was exactly the same size and shape for a gemstone.

  “I’m an idiot!” he cried, slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand.

  “You’ve only just realized that?” Terra asked, raising an eyebrow. “It’s hardly the revelation of the century.”

  “You don’t understand. If I use the stone to temporarily increase my Wisdom, it will go to level 12!” When Terra looked at him blankly, he continued, “The level needed to use magic! I’ll be able to use Stealth!”

  When she still stared at him as if he’d lost his mind he rolled his eyes and then took the Stone of Infinity from his inventory. This would work. It had to—he was out of options.

  Max took hold of the Stone of Infinity and gently slotted it into the indentation on the scroll’s seal and willed the extra levels into Wisdom, temporarily taking him to level 12. Nothing happened for a few seconds and Max began to wonder if he’d made a mistake after all. But all of a sudden the seal began to glow.

  Skill unlocked: Stealth. Effect: This will render you invisible to all. Cost: 100 mana Cooldown: 10 seconds

  Secondary ability: Find. Whilst Stealth is cast, this will enable you to find what is hidden and see the true nature of reality. Cost: +10 mana

  Quest complete. You have freed the rebel leader.

  Congratulations! You have freed Arlena and in doing so dealt Lord Mespar a mighty blow! He will not be pleased his prize prisoner has been freed. Hope has been restored to the resistance and the people of Myrlind.

  x4 level up! Level: 15

  You have earned four stat points to be distributed as you choose.

  You may allocate your stat points at any time. Any unallocated stat points will be lost in the event of death.

  Keep on leveling!

  A surge of adrenaline went through him. Yes! His hunch had been right and he’d gone up four whole levels! And that meant he could become level 12 in Wisdom permanently. Placing the Stone of Infinity back into his inventory, he allocated his stats points into Wisdom [level 12], Strength [level 4], Ingenuity [Level 3]. As a result of his new Wisdom level his mana pool grew and, just as he’d hoped, another message popped up in his UI.

  Congratulations! You have reached the first level of magical ability. You are now: novice. You are able to cast novice level spells for which you hold enough mana. Keep on leveling!

  That meant he could now use Stealth without the aid of the Stone of Infinity.

  “Yes!” Max whooped, punching the air with his fist. “I’m a mage again! I’m back, baby!”

  “Great,” Terra said. “I’m happy for you. Now let’s quit standing around and get out of here!”

  “Does this mean we have to go back into the sewers?” Sam asked, gulping. “Where there are those big rats?”

  “Aww, are you scared of a few little rodents?” Terra asked.

  “Little? Little? Did you see the size of those damned things? They could have carried me off they were that big!”

  “We can’t leave yet,” Max told them. “We don’t have what we came for.”

  “Um...yes we do,” Terra said, nodding at Arlena who was leaning back in her chair with her eyes closed. “We got the commander, didn’t we?”

  “But now what?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “What do we do next? Our goal is to defeat Lord Mespar and free Myrlind, remember? So how do we do that? I was hoping Arlena would be able to give us the next quest but she doesn’t know anything m
ore than we do.”

  Terra shrugged. “We’ll figure something out. I say we get Arlena back to resistance HQ and go from there.”

  Max shook his head. “No, there has to be something here. Something we’ve missed. I’m going to cast Stealth now. Don’t go freaking out or anything.”

  Without waiting for their reply he selected the scroll from his inventory and cast Stealth. Warm air washed over him and his vision suddenly altered. Everything in the room took on an odd, otherworldly glow, as though he was seeing the spirit-side of everything.

  “Hey!” Sam cried. “Where’d you go?”

  Max grinned. An invisibility spell was just about perfect if he wanted to become an assassin mage. He noticed his mana was already starting to deplete so he couldn’t hold it for long but he couldn’t resist. He snuck up on Sam and then whispered, right by his ear.

  “I’m here. I’ve always been here.”

  Sam jumped like he’d been stung. Letting out a yelp, he dived behind Terra.

  “That is so not funny, Max!” he shouted.

  Max burst out laughing. “Oh it is. Stealth is now officially my favorite spell.”

  Terra raised an eyebrow. “Max, it’s your only spell.”

  “Yeah, there is that.”

  He turned around and concentrated on the room then activated Stealth’s secondary function, Find. He crept around, eyes scanning the room looking for hidden doors or alcoves where something might have been stashed. He found nothing.

  Then his eyes alighted on the body of the captain and he remembered again how fiercely the captain had fought. As if he was guarding more than just the jail.

  Max crouched by the captain’s body and ran his eyes over him. In his altered vision the captain’s body was dark, with no silvery gleam that would indicate life. His clothes had become see-through, as though Max had X ray vision and he saw some bits of junk in the man’s pockets: a broken dagger hilt, a moldy bit of pie.