by Edwin McRae
The inquisitor tumbled backwards, hands clutching her face, her curses reduced to slurred, incomprehensible squeals and grunts.
You have neutralized a Level 9 Inquisitor!
Your XP reward per party member = 45 XP
A jolt of agony shot through Vari, so violently that the world around her narrowed to a small, white pinprick. She took in a deep breath, despite the further pain it caused her, and willed herself to remain conscious. As the blackness receded, she whispered “Mend Flesh”. Spasms gave way to mere aches and Vari was able to bend enough to pick up Blood of the Lost from where Karina had dropped it in the dirt.
You have interrupted the Breaking Dawn ritual!
Your XP reward per party member = 150 XP
Warning!
If the Breaking Dawn ritual is not continued and completed within the next 300 seconds, the ritual will be abandoned and the altars will go into a one week cooldown period.
She looked up to see other reiver soldiers now closing in fast. She grabbed Karina by the hair, hauled her to her feet, and pressed the dagger to the inquisitor’s throat. The approaching soldiers stopped in their tracks.
Holding Karina close, Vari made her way over to Mark. So sharp was Blood of the Lost that it cut through Mark’s bonds like they were cobwebs. Then the dagger was back where it belonged, hovering over Karina’s jugular like a vulture over a fresh corpse. The reiver soldiers continued to watch her, their hands on their weapons, but they dared not make a move.
Mark shook off the ropes and pulled the gag from his mouth with trembling hands. “Vari, I-”
She shook her head. “Take one of the essence potions from my belt, get the book, and finish the ritual.”
He smiled, pride glinting in his bloodshot eyes, and drank the potion down in one go. Then he pronounced “Cunning Linguist”, slowly and clearly, as he walked to where Karina had laid down Ishka’s tome, its pages open to the last rites. He placed a bloodied finger on the yellowed parchment, finding the place where Karina had left off, and spoke the words, lilting and arcane.
Congratulations!
You have reached Level 9 as a Figurist!
Progress to Level 10 = 3024/5000
You gain 2 Attribute Points and may upgrade two spells and/or skills by one tier each.
Please note that the spell upgrade may not be applied to spells or skills of Tier 5 or over.
You have gained one new spell!
Grow Afresh
The caster may regrow body parts that have been lost.
Tier 1: Applies to a single body part no larger than a human middle finger. The part will regrow within one day. The part must have been lost within the hour.
Tier 2: Applies to a single body part no larger than a human hand. The part will regrow within one day. The part must have been lost within the hour.
Vari didn’t need to think about it. She upgraded Grow Afresh to Tier 2 and Alchemy to Tier 4. Then she dropped both attribute points into Spirit, took a deep breath, and then channeled her flush of excitement into a whisper of unadulterated menace.
“I love that man,” Vari hissed into Karina’s ear. “You made him watch me die. Now you’re going to watch him destroy everything you’ve worked for.”
The inquisitor whimpered. Whether it was from the pain of her broken bones or the agony of watching her life’s work destroyed before her eyes, Vari really didn’t care. Pain was pain. It didn’t matter where it came from. It hurt just the same, and the woman in her arms had dealt out more than her fair share of it.
Mark recited the final line and closed Ishka’s tome with a satisfying thump. His eyes took on the faraway look of someone reading a notification and Vari let out a sigh of relief. It was almost done.
29
[Mark]
You have successfully deciphered and completed the Breaking Dawn ritual.
Your Cunning Linguist spell has reached Tier 2.
The Breaking Dawn awaits you!
The Chasms of Corruption are yours to command.
A map filled Mark’s vision, a bird’s eye view of the lands affected by the corruption. Each and every chasm was shown as a slash of glowing red against the brown of the Barrens, the greenery of Garland and the mottled shades of the Reiver Empire all the way to Credence.
The latter came as a shock to Mark. Not once had he thought about the effect the corruption was having on the reivers. After all he had said to Arix, after everything he claimed to be real about this world, not once had he considered that these reiver soldiers could have family and friends back home. They too might be hiding in their lords’ keeps for fear of Cave Ghasts and Mist Wraiths. They too may have seen their people dragged by lurking horrors into those fetid depths. Karina was here to take control of the altars, to wield corruption as a weapon. But perhaps most soldiers were simply here to stop bad things from happening to the people they love.
He tried to calm the churning emotions in his belly, stave off the bewilderment that threatened to paralyze him. His mind was a honky, stinking traffic jam of thought. His heart beat a ferocious tattoo against his ribs. Not because he was afraid of the ritual, the altars, the corruption or the Breaking Dawn. Because Vari was alive.
He’d seen Karina cut her throat. He’d seen that bitch bleed Vari out into a fucking bucket. He’d seen the soldiers discard Vari’s exsanguinated body like it was just another sack of rubbish. He’d seen the inquisitor pour Vari’s lifeblood across these altars with the calm of a gardener watering her plants.
Yet Vari was alive. More than just alive. She was saving his ass. She was the reason he was now standing here, his fingers poised to heal the first bleeding wound on this magical map. Had she been a player all this time? She couldn’t keep that a secret from him, could she?
Mark shook his head. He had a quest to complete. He reached out and touched the closest chasm. It rose up before him, pulling close so that he could make out the fetid, writhing life within. Mist Wraiths beyond count, undulating gently as they lay there, dormant, ripe for the awakening. A few had risen of their own accord to circle the chasm, to protect it. The forest around them had withered at their presence.
Do you wish to unleash the contents of this chasm?
Y/N
There was a foresters’ settlement nearby. A half dozen huts clustered together in a clearing. He could see them going about their daily chores, children, women and men, oblivious to the annihilation that awaited them only a few kilometers away.
“No,” he whispered.
Do you wish to close this chasm?
Y/N
“Yes.”
If you do this, the chasm’s contents will be destroyed. Are you sure you want to close this chasm?
Y/N
“Yes.”
The lips of the chasm drew together like the seams of a ziplock bag, pulverizing the mist wraith swarm in a vice of earth and stone. A few wraith scouts flitted away and Mark quietly hoped that the foresters would be able to handle them on their own. He looked to the village and saw that the people had paused in their daily chores. They were gazing in the direction of the rift. Some had knelt down, others had taken hold of a post or a wall for support as the earth trembled beneath their feet.
A tall man hurried out of one of the huts, his grey hair tied back into a ponytail. His leather armor was old but well cared for. As were the bow in his hands and the quiver of arrows on his back. A retired ranger. Mark gave a sigh of relief. The village would be alright. An experienced ranger like that would be more than a match for the few surviving mist wraiths.
“Close the chasms,” he told the map.
Please indicate the chasms you would like to close.
“All of-”
The wardog’s limp body crashed out of the marquee and landed next to him. It was followed by a swearing executioner.
“Fuck me! You bastards are really pissing me off now!” When he saw Karina, cradling her arm, her broken jaw set off-kilter, he went an even darker shade of red. “Oh that’s jus
t fucking terrific! How’s she supposed to send me home if she can’t even fucking talk?”
In his peripheral vision, Mark saw Greta rise to her feet, her teeth bared.
“Fuck’s sake,” whined Arix, sounding more like a tantruming teenager every second. “Learn when to lie down, doggy!” The executioner shouted in Vari’s direction this time. “And you, Figurist! Fix that woman’s jaw. If you fuck up my ride home then I’m going to introduce you to a whole world of hurt. Even better now that you can resurrect. I don’t know how you did it. You’re sure as shit not a player. But you’re going to wish you could just die by the time I’m finished griefing you!”
“No, Arix the Damned,” Mark calmly assured him, “you’re not going to do anything of the sort. Mind over Matter.”
EP: 6/144
The Amulet of the Citadel unclasped itself and flew into Mark’s hand. Then he turned his attention back to the Breaking Dawn map, zoomed in on the Barrens and tapped on the appropriate spot. He took a quick look at the list of monsters on offer and added a Siren for good measure.
He then lay the amulet down on the Altar of Solmora and gripped the bloodstained stone with both hands. “Vari! Brace yourself!” As if in answer, the earth rumbled and gave a jolt that threw Greta and Arix to the ground. The reivers around them followed suit, tumbling over with a series of startled yells and colorful curses.
Over the sounds of panic came the roar of sundering turf and an “Aaaarrgghh!” as Arix tumbled into the resulting rift. Mark winced as he turned to see a pair of silver gauntlets clutching the hole’s edge. Of course. The executioner had preternatural reflexes. Arix’s twisted and reddened face appeared and soon the rest of him would follow. Greta moved in to attack but Mark stopped her with a barked command.
“Greta! Wait!”
The wardog turned to him, eyes narrowed with anger. “I may look like a dog, warlock, but that doesn’t mean you can...”
Her voice trailed off as she noticed the thick tentacle rising up behind Arix. It was joined by a second, and then two more. The siren was awake and looking for breakfast. The executioner only just got a leg up onto the surface when a tentacle lashed itself around his thigh. The others struck just as quickly, wrapping around his arms and face. Arix’s scream was muffled by slimy sinew as he was dragged down into the abyss.
“Fuck,” huffed the werewolf. “That was unsettling.”
Mark looked over at Vari. The figurist had reacted immediately to his warning, grabbing onto the pole that Mark had been tied to. Her free hand still held the dagger to Karina’s throat. She said something that he didn’t quite catch, then the soothing warmth of Mend Flesh spell swept over him. He smiled his thanks and turned back to the Breaking Dawn UI.
“Close all chasms,” he told the UI.
Closing all chasms is irreversible. You will not be able to reopen them.
Please note: you can still open new chasms as long as you possess the three altars and can fulfill the requirements of the Breaking Dawn ritual.
Are you sure you want to close all Chasms of Corruption?
Y/N
“Fuck, yes!”
The earth shook again, more violently this time. Stones and mortar cascaded from the ruins around them as chasms right across the Barrens closed in on themselves. The land was healing, just as Mark’s own cuts had healed moments before under the influence of Vari’s Mend Flesh spell.
Mark watched with grim satisfaction as a geyser of blood erupted from Arix’s rift as it shuddered shut. Siren blood, mixed with a healthy dose of executioner blood. Around them, the surviving reivers either huddled together, scrambled for cover, or simply held onto something for dear life.
Then it was over. Almost.
Congratulations!
You have completed the Mountains of Corruption Quest!
You have sealed the Source of Corruption and the Chasms of Corruption in The Barrens, Garland and the Reiver Territories. Monsters of Corruption still roam but their numbers will not be replenished.
Your reward per party member = 1500 XP
Please note that you currently have 3 party members.
Congratulations!
You have achieved Level 10 as a Warlock.
Progress to next level = 5297/8000
You have been awarded 2 Attribute Points.
Spell Selection
You have 7 magical spells available for selection.
You have 2 spell slots remaining.
Brain Leash (Cast cost = 7 EP)
Crippling Lethargy (Cast cost = 9 EP)
Contagious Fervor (Cast cost = 9 EP)
War Cry (Cast cost = 10 EP)
Wave of Despair (Cast cost = 11 EP)
Fortress of Fire (Cast cost = 12 EP)
Rift of Corruption (Cast cost = 12 EP)
Please note: Rift of Corruption has been unlocked because you have completed the Mountains of Corruption Quest.
His eyes met Vari’s. “That was quite some XP payload.”
That got something between a pant and a chuckle from Greta. “Yeah, thanks for the level-up, Warlock.”
He shrugged. “I think you earned it, don’t you?”
Karina slurred something bitter yet incomprehensible through her broken mouth. Mark ignored her as he donned his armor and picked up Volcanic Bastard. The other reivers had recovered their collective nerve and were closing in.
He dropped both attribute points into Spirit, bringing it up to 18, then slotted Rift of Corruption along with Fortress of Fire to continue with his general fire theme. Then he let out a sigh as he eyed the approaching soldiers. “I’ve got two fire traps out there I could set off but I really don’t feel like killing anyone else today.”
“Don’t think you’ll have to.” The wardog pointed at Karina with a long and wicked claw. “With her out of action, I’m the ranking officer around here.”
“What?!”
Then he realized where he’d seen those cold, blue eyes before. His sword was halfway drawn before Vari’s shout stopped him dead.
“Mark! No!”
He looked to Vari, incredulous. “You knew about her?”
“As soon as I saw her, yes.”
His next question was cut off by a savage howl. He drew his sword the rest of the way, expecting the murderess to be on him in moments. There was no need. The wardog was on her knees, her face a mask of agony. As he watched, a bizarre and disturbing transfiguration took place. Her teeth withdrew and flattened. Her claws retracted. Her fingers shortened. The thick wolven fur sank back into her flesh, leaving pale skin and tattoos behind in its wake. In under a minute, a platinum-haired reiver knelt before him, naked as the day she’d been born.
She stood and flashed him a grin. “Maribella of Credence, at your fucking service, warlock.” Then she vaulted onto the Altar of Khorlvah to address her troops.
“Right you asswipes! Party’s over! Gather your shit and let’s get the fuck out of this shithole before any other poor bastard has to die.”
“Begging your pardon, miss,” growled a deep voice from the marquee’s entrance. Gunder had recovered and was watching the proceedings with open suspicion. “It was you doing most of the killing of late.”
Maribella shrugged. “You were following that crazy bitch’s orders. And I know you, Gunder. You wouldn’t have liked that one bit but still you sucked those commands down like a good little soldier.” She turned back to the reivers. “The way I see it, you’ve all got a choice. On one hand, you can fuck off back to Credence and sign up with the next inquisitor nutter you come across. Of course, they’ll torture the shit out of you first to make sure you’re telling them the truth about what happened here. And they might hang you as a deserter since Karina isn’t going anywhere without me and my dagger at her back. Or you follow me, the Wardog of the Barrens, and help me gut every fucking inquisitor we can find.”
Perhaps it was the stirring speech, or perhaps they were just afraid of being slaughtered by a savage wolf woman, but they cheered like some
one had just announced it was free beer o’clock. Whatever the reason, Mark was glad to see them all sheath their weapons and set to salvaging what remained of their camp.
Mark looked at the naked reiver woman and tried to summon the hatred he needed to avenge Dayna. Whether due to time or exhaustion, it just wasn’t there.
“One day, sergeant-”
“Captain,” the reiver interrupted.
“One day, captain,” he corrected through gritted teeth, “we’re going to meet again. And when we do, I’m going to cut your head off.”
“For the ranger?”
“Yup.”
“Fair enough, but don’t expect me to hand it to you on a fucking platter. I’m a bit attached to it.”
Mark couldn’t help but smile. Dayna would be calling him every name under the sun right now, if she were here. Perhaps she was watching him now from some other instance, doing exactly that. She would just have to deal with it. He was done killing for today.
The captain saluted and hopped down off the altar. “Before I go find something to cover this bare ass of mine, what are you planning to do with that piece of shit?” She was looking at Karina, murder in her eyes.
