by N H Paxton
“But you won’t,” Ken said.
“No, but I’ll finally be free.” Mathias smiled as he turned in a quick circle, then struck a strange pose that reminded me of a fighting group from my childhood, the Mighty Rangers.
“Good enough.” Garret had a sinister smile on his face as he brought his axe off his shoulder and gripped it with both hands.
“Wait, you’re going into battle with that?” Mathias asked, pointing at Garret’s axe.
“Uh, yeah. It’s been pretty brutal so far,” Garret replied.
“No, here. Take this.” Mathias pulled the bone axe from his inventory and handed it to Garret.
“Beast.” Garret smiled broadly as he weighed the axe in his hands.
“You’re welcome.” Mathias nodded.
“Plan is to destroy Dark Collector, acquire Heart of Darkness, create guild. Is good, da?” I said, hoping our plan would come together and we wouldn’t all die horrible deaths.
Give me a moment to correct this fatal flaw. Compiling data from subject: Mathias. Gamma spoke firmly, his voice a shot of light in the darkness that had been building in my mind.
“Gamma has idea about fight,” I announced, without thinking.
Ken and Garret both looked at me like I was crazy. I’d forgotten that I had never mentioned to them that Gamma spoke.
Manipulating availability of resources, Gamma said.
What in the hell was Gamma doing?
Correction in progress. A blast of light fired from Gamma, rocketing toward Mathias.
“That feels... weird.” There was a beam of light that snaked through the air and tethered itself to Mathias.
“Gamma, what is light?” I must have looked like a total lunatic, calling out to my crossbow in front of the three warriors.
Modulating data, assimilating Shade Mathias as Regulating Body, Gamma replied.
“I’m... disappearing?” Mathias looked down as his hands and noticed, as we all did, that he was beginning to fade.
“What the hell, Vlad!?” Ken’s face was confused.
“Do not know, Gamma is operating on own!” I looked down at the weapon, which was no longer in my hands, but was instead floating in the air.
The tether from Gamma to Mathias was gradually changing color from white to black as more of the shade was consumed.
“Guess I get to die sooner rather than later,” Mathias sighed as only his head remained.
“Gamma, give back Mathias.” I spoke the command as firmly as I could, hoping that the Living Weapon would respect my authority over it.
Impossible. Mathias is now an integrated part of the protocol Gamma. Undergoing metamorphic processes. Please wait while the upload completes, Gamma retorted.
Mathias vanished completely, the tether snapping.
“Okay, what just happened?” Ken asked, his eyes wide.
“Gamma made decision, integrated Mathias. Do not know what is going on.” I held out my hands in a way that I figured would show confusion.
“Correction.” Mathias’ voice spoke from everywhere at once, echoing off the walls. “I am now complete.” There was a sudden flash of light from within Gamma, blindingly brilliant as it engulfed the tunnel we were in.
“Why is everything you do so damn flashy and bright, Lord Vlad?” Ken stumbled as though the light were physically pushing him back.
I stood there unaffected, unable to take my eyes off the transformation going on before me.
Gamma changed. Not like it had when I created it, but instead it physically altered itself. In place of the absurdly powerful crossbow, there was a writhing miasma of shadow and light fighting to take control. Eventually, the shadow overpowered the blinding light, but what that could mean I didn’t know.
A figure began to form from the shadow. At first it was small, like that of a baby rat. Then more of the shadow from the surrounding areas came to it, pushing themselves together, forging the figure of a person.
After another moment, it turned and shifted, its feet touching the floor, arms outstretched as though it was preparing to jump. The face of a familiar shade appeared as the inky darkness that had taken place of the light receded into it. It blinked a handful of times before turning to me.
“Father, I am complete. I have taken this form temporarily, but I can now function within the real world.” Gamma, or Mathias, or whatever the hell it was, stared long at its hands as it opened and closed them. Then it picked up its feet as though testing its stability.
Ken stepped around it in circles, staring at the fully formed humanoid before all of us.
“Wow, it looks like Mathias. But it isn’t...” Ken poked at the side of its head, firmly pushing as Gamma tilted its head in response.
“Ken, that’s enough. I don’t know what the hell just happened, but now we’re down a fighter, and Lord Vlad’s main weapon just became a... a person.” Garret held out his hand, gesturing to the enigma.
“Inaccurate. I remain Father’s main source of damage output. Please visualize.” Gamma folded his hands and closed his eyes. There was a quick vibration in the air, then my weapon was back in my hands.
“Must collect more data on transfiguration of Gamma and Mathias.” I held Gamma in my hands; it didn’t seem to weigh anything extra. If anything, it felt lighter.
“I am also able to formulate language in this form, which may be off-putting for some. I will refrain.” Mathias’ voice came from the crossbow form of Gamma. I nodded.
“Is major change.” I furrowed my brow as I considered the implications of what had just happened in front of us.
“Is Mathias still there? Or is he free, like he wanted to be?” Ken asked.
“Mathias’ soul is free to bathe in the eternal shadow of the Shadelands. I retain his memories here, as a duplication. Eventually, his personality will override my own, and I will cease to be Gamma.” An intense silence fell over the room as a whole.
“Mathias wished you all to know that he was happy for the first time since his slavery to the Dark Collector. He did not pass on in pain.” There was a sadness to Gamma’s statement. We’d had a friend for a moment, and now he was gone.
“We can figure out all of this later, but we have a boss battle to finish.” Garret released a heavy sigh as he closed his eyes and made a series of strange gestures in the air. They looked like prayer gestures.
“It seemed to be the most efficacious way to spare his life and retain his information.” Gamma’s previous voice now had the unusual sound of Mathias’, but with the cold and calculating personality of a weapon.
I seem to have displeased them. Was this wrong? Evidently, Gamma could still speak to me in my mind.
I didn’t necessarily think it was wrong, but it wasn’t the best way to go about the entire thing. I struggled with my emotions on the situation. On one hand, Gamma had saved the knowledge, and potentially power, of a friend we had made quickly.
On the other hand, he had absorbed the physical manifestation of life that was as real as Ken, Garret, or me. Or at least that was how I had seen it happen.
As a calculating weaponeer, I could see how the decision would have been appropriate. But as Vlad, the hero of justice I was struggling to become, it was a poor decision, potentially even to the extent of being evil.
“We can mourn Mathias later. The longer we wait, the more prepared the Dark Collector is going to be for us.” Ken’s voice was impatient, his daggers were in his hands, and he was pacing the floor.
“Yes, sorry. Ready to go now.” I slung Gamma over my shoulder, considering all of the things that had happened.
The moral implications of my weapon absorbing another life were a mental conundrum I didn’t have time for. Certainly there would be time later for this train of thought.
I steeled myself for the upcoming battle, knowing full well that we were woefully underprepared. We had no healing items, no sorcery, and were without a Cleric.
“It’s going to be fine.” Ken tossed me a reassuring smile as w
e stepped out of the mouth of the tunnel.
The entire room was lit with what appeared to be blue LED lights. Objects carved into the pillars that supported the cavern roof overhead shone a crystalline blue. Azure hues danced across a floor of carved tiles that appeared to be made from glass. The circumference of the circular room, enormously large and unbelievably tall, had runes etched into the stone that pulsed to different rhythms and emitted different colors.
“Wow.” There was a whistle of appreciation on Garret’s lips as he turned his head slowly, taking in the entire structure.
There were small mounds of items in random places throughout, scattered in a haphazard fashion. Racks, some old, some new, were overflowing with weapons, armor, and items that varied in their form. On a nearby edge of the room stood a humanoid-shaped object, but roughly one and one-half the size of any of us, covered in a cloth. I was very curious as to what could be hidden there.
In the center of the room sat a platform, carved of stone, raised perhaps a half-meter from the floor. Short steps snaked their way up to the dais, also carved with the pulsing runes. Upon the dais was a chair, mostly unadorned, upon which sat the robed figure of the Dark Collector.
“It’s about time.” He squeaked and wheezed as he stood up from his seat.
He threw the robe off and we saw the Dark Collector’s body first-hand for the first time. He was pudgy, with lizard-like scaly skin. His legs were that of a goat’s, but turned in on themselves, his knees working backwards. There were claws at the ends of his arms, both different. His right was a terrible bird’s claw, his left that of a drake.
“That’s one ugly sumbitch.” Garret gripped his axe in both hands, his eyes narrow as he stared at the Dark Collector.
“Yes, I’m ugly. You’re a muscle-bound moron. We all have our flaws.” The Dark Collector waved a hand lazily in the air as he stepped down from his dais, his hooves clopping on the smooth stone.
“Killer hearing.” Ken nodded in appreciation as the monstrosity continued his path toward us.
“It’s the wolf ears. Not my choice, but they do a great job of keeping me alive.” He pointed to the slanted, fur-covered ears that constantly twitched on the top of his head.
“So,” he continued, “you’ve come to kill me, take the dungeon core, and create something from it. What are you after, a Keep?” The Dark Collector raised his hands and pointed to the ceiling, then to the walls. “I have one.” A strange expression fell upon his snout, almost like the smile of a dog or wolf. “If you join me, Vlad, it could be yours too.”
“No.” I didn’t even have to think about the response.
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, the snout and teeth shifted and became angry.
“He’d never join you. Look at you, look at this mess.” Ken pointed a dagger at the room as a whole.
“Lord Vlad doesn’t do the terrible things you do. He doesn’t enslave souls to do his bidding!” Garret slashed the air with his hand.
“Vlad is Keeper, having responsibility. Cannot merely horde objects of power when work is to be doing.” I gave a smirk as I pointed at a nearby pile of artifacts.
“This isn’t my fault. My key was stolen.” The Dark Collector narrowed his eyes at me, and I could almost feel the heat from his gaze. “Like that one.”
There was a rustling beneath my shirt before the key I carried around my neck began to float in the air. Had it not been attached to my neck with a chain, I fear it would have floated directly to the ublyudok.
“Where did you get it?” The Dark Collector moved so fast he was a blur.
A blink of an eye later, he was standing in front of me, his hand reaching out to take the key from the chain holding it around my neck.
I slapped his clawed hand down, and his face shifted first to shock, then to outright offense. The key fell from the air and dangled on the chain.
“How dare you? I am an emissary of the one who cannot fail, you pathetic Keeper.” The anger in his words sent a shiver down my spine.
“No matter.” He rose into the air and flew back to where he had started, standing on the floor at the edge of the dais.
A tag popped up above his head as he landed, denoting him as [Valstrine the Fallen, Dark Collector of Eldgard].
“Don’t touch him, you filthy demon.” Garret rushed at the Dark Collector without warning.
Ken looked confused for a moment, then he followed, taking off at a sprint.
“Oh, good, no plan,” I said as I raised Gamma and snapped my fingers, triggering Power Overwhelming.
A buff splashed my vision as I felt my body become lighter, my muscles become firmer, and my mind begin to move faster.
<<<>>>
Buff Added
Power Overwhelming: Infuse your body with the power of chaos, improving all of your combat stats by 50% for 30 seconds. There is a cost to this, however, as pushing your limits will rapidly drain your Spirit, Stamina, and Health after its use.
Effect 1: Increase Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Spirit, and Vitality by 50%. Duration, 30 seconds.
Effect 2: Damage Spirit, Stamina, and Health by 25% at end of ability.
Effect 3: Spirit, Stamina, and Health regeneration rate reduced by 50% at end of ability. Duration, 30 seconds.
Be careful what you wish for. There are consequences for every action.
<<<>>>
“Am tired of dungeon,” I yelled as I was engulfed in the shadow fire aura of the ability. I had a Collector to kill and thirty seconds to do it in, or I was going to be in major trouble.
Karma Still Angry at Vlad
“JUST STAND STILL!” Garret swung his axe in a harsh overhead arc.
The Dark Collector stepped back, his legs leaving the ground as he dodged the attack. There was a slight flash of light as the axe passed very close to Valstrine’s skin.
My timer started moving as soon as the flames abated. My time to do absurd amounts of damage was coming to a close very quickly.
“Distract and demolish.” My words echoed hollow in the chamber against the slam of Garret’s axe against the stone.
I pointed Gamma at Valstrine and fired off Damnation Corruptor.
The charged sphere of green-and-black light arced through the space in an instant, slamming into the shield around Valstrine. Tiny little cracks rocketed along the orb of light. The sound of glass shattering filled the air as Valstrine’s defensive aura collapsed to the ground, dissolving like the light of a dying sun on a Russian winter evening.
The debuff connected, and a sickly green coloration tinged the Collector’s skin.
“You obnoxious people!” The Collector’s eyes filled with rage as he went on the attack against Garret.
Sparks flew as Garret threw his hand up, a translucent green wall appearing before him, catching Valstrine’s claw.
Squelching followed as the claw punched through the shield, ramming into Garret’s chest. The force of the blow had been mostly mitigated, but the impact was still enough to push Garret back several steps.
“Nope.” Ken appeared behind Valstrine, his blades sinking into the Dark Collector’s shoulders up to their hilts.
“That hurts!” Valstrine shook his body violently, then reached over his shoulder to grab at Ken.
The blades Ken had jammed into his shoulders vanished in a puff of smoke, and the Collector grabbed at the air.
“Covering fire.” I triggered Magical Augmentation, recreating the Firestorm spell I had used against the zombies. I let Gamma hang on the sling and used both of my hands to cast the spell, activating Simultaneous Casting.
My hands came together, altering the entire casting. My fingers came together in a pyramid shape before flattening out, intertwining with one another and ultimately slapping my palms together. Both of my hands shot out, palms flat toward the Dark Collector.
An enormous ball of flame, easily the size of my entire body, formed at the center of my hands. A sound like thunder ripped through the cavern as the flame e
xploded, millions of tiny flaming missiles launching themselves into the air and arcing toward Valstrine with murderous speed.
“Ah damn.” Valstrine threw up a clawed hand, smashing a small object as he did.
A sudden silence fell over the chamber as a solid wall of light appeared between him and the volley of flames. It split the chamber in two; I was on one side, and the rest of the party was on the other.
The flaming bolts pelted the wall, sizzling uselessly against the shield. Clearly that wasn’t going to be so easy.
“Eat steel, shitface.” Garret carved his axe through the air with effortless efficiency, the blades of the weapon biting deep into the side of the Dark Collector’s torso.
Garret followed up the attack with a swift kick to Valstrine’s legs, knocking him down on the ground. The axe gouged the beast’s body as Garret ripped it back and raised it high above his head.
“Now!” Garret shouted as he brought the axe down.
Ken appeared next to him, launching a fan of hard steel knives coursing through the air at an opposing angle to Garret’s axe.
The axe fell hard against the Collector’s body just as Ken’s blades punched through the bulbous and scaly flesh of its body. The sickening sound of meat being ripped carried over the battle din. Valstrine’s Health bar was down to eighty-five percent. It looked like we were going to win the fight.
I pulled Gamma back up and fired off a volley of Shatter Spikes. The wickedly sharp darts rocketed through the air, connecting with the downed Emissary in an explosion of powdered chaos. It ignited in a black-and-red flash, burning the air. The smell of ozone filtered through the room.
“Blood and darkness!” Garret was engulfed in a red aura. It looked like colored steam coming from his body.
He lifted his axe again to slam it down on the Dark Collector, but a sudden upheaval of stone shoved him backwards. Garret slid across the stone floor on his feet, his body staying upright as he was carried by the intense attack.
Ken had vanished immediately after his blades struck the Collector and was nowhere to be seen. A green box in the corner of my vision spiraled down quickly, now sitting at five seconds. I was running out of time.
