“Here, in the Stronghold. It’s safe. Gather all of us, you say? I guess even with five Keys, we could dictate our terms. Let’s use this plan as the basis. We have the Compass, so finding the Keys won’t be a problem. I propose we wake up Rubtsov next.”
“It figures,” the Gravekeeper chuckled. “Actually, one problem’s sitting right in front of you.”
He nodded at me.
“Cat. The Magister has him by the short hairs, even in real life. We need to figure something out, or helping us will prove costly for him.”
“The easiest is to unbind the key and return it to its real owner,” Lena said. “That would be the most efficient solution.”
I gave her a wry smile. It might be the best option for them, but for me, it was deadly. I only held value for all of this clique as long as I possessed the Key. The Magister was determined to use me and wouldn’t let me off the hook easily. Even if I wanted to leave the game in peace, I clearly knew too much. Abandoning the sword without ensuring a getaway route was not an option. However, the twisted road of serving Balabanov would only lead me into an abyss.
My father loved old musicals. I remembered one play with a trickster servant who managed to serve two masters at once with both none the wiser, also getting double the pay. I guess I was about to take on this role.
“I see you’ve decided everything for me,” I said after a pause. “Should I go then? The Magister’s waiting for my report, and I have my hands full, anyway.”
“This isn’t your war, HotCat,” Romanova said, staring right at me. “You shouldn’t stick your nose here, do you understand? I will tell you how to unbind the sword. Do you agree?”
“I need to think. For starters, I’d like you to confirm your commitment,” I said with a tired sigh. “I was promised something for my help with the Crown. Let’s do it in order—first the reward, then everything else.”
“What did you promise him?” The First Maiden turned to the Gravekeeper, and he started nervously fidgeting. Actually, when next to Romanova, Rocky behaved like a schoolboy guilty of playing pranks. Lena was clearly used to pushing her weight around, and I really didn’t like the controlling vibes emanating from her.
“I know you won’t like it... Three items from the Stronghold’s treasury. I had no other options; I couldn’t have gotten here by myself!”
“Any items?” Romanova asked. “You’re out of your mind. Svechkin, do you have any idea about what’s kept there? It’s unacceptable. And who told you, Dmitry, that you have the right to make decisions about the Stronghold’s assets?”
“Fine, I get it. You don’t want to pay me, and I’ll have to give you the sword,” I concluded. “Honestly, working with the Magister is easier. At least, he doesn’t go back on his word.”
An uncomfortable silence fell. Lena drilled me with her eyes, her gaze fiery enough to light a match. Be my guest. I wasn’t born yesterday; something like that had no chance of putting me off. Still, I had to acknowledge—the First Maiden and I really didn’t get off to a great start. Svechkin coughed.
“I think it’s not the time to be uncompromising. Cat really helped us, and he’ll keep helping in the future...”
“Well, I’m not sure that he won’t turn us in to the Magister in an hour!” Romanova blurted out.
A loud knock interrupted our conversation. The familiar tall blonde in a dark blue surcoat on top of mithril scale mail came into the chambers, holding her helmet in the crook of her elbow.
“What’s wrong, Stella?” Lena asked her, frowning.
“Sorry to disturb you, First One!” The Maiden bowed. “Alarm! Players are approaching the island!”
Chapter 21
THE SILVER STRONGHOLD was a weird place. The shieldmaidens mostly resembled pseudo medieval space Amazons who wielded blasters disguised as magic weapons. Whose fevered imagination had created this faction? Over my time there, I hadn’t seen a single man among their ranks. Was it supposed to be this way? Is this why they were Maidens?
“We’re here. Take your places,” Romanova said with a chuckle.
The place where she had led us looked like a space station control center or a top-class conference room. Everything was shining, pleasing to the eye with sleek shapes and elegant outlines. The entrance immediately disappeared behind us, blending into the wall. The oval table was built from a white stone-like lustrous material. A blue star with seven points was drawn in its center—the symbol of the Seven Brothers. A comfortable armchair stood next to each of the seven beams. The star metal images on the curved chairbacks showed weapons: a sword, an axe, a bow, a spear, shuriken... It finally dawned on me that this place was designed for the wielders of the Keys; that’s why it had only seven armchairs. So this is where the developers were supposed to decide the fate of the Sphere of Worlds?
The First Maiden silently fell into the chair marked with bow and arrows and put her hand on the table. My seat was next to her. Svechkin sat a little farther away.
A bright stereoscopic image similar to a 3D hologram appeared just above the star. Spinning, it grew in size, and we recognized the Crown of Ice, surrounded by dark waters. The iridescent Glowing, the Stronghold’s shield, had faded, and the sharp white spires looked dead, drowned in the darkness of the Hole.
“The Glowing can’t be restored without resources,” Lena said. “You’ve completely destroyed the citadel’s magic shield. The overcharge incinerated the reactor, detonating all ellurite reserves. Fortunately, the other systems are still working. Let’s see who’s curious enough to come here...”
The image stirred as the camera zoomed in. I saw a round armored dome resembling a giant turtle that plowed the waves with its bluff bow, illuminating the walls of the Crown with a yellow cone of light as curious faces were glued to the portholes—I thought I recognized them.
The Abyssal! For some reason, Thrainul had turned the ship back and returned to the Crown of Ice, even if his original route was different, and I could swear that the curious Fayana Fly was the reason for that!
“There are two options,” the First Maiden said thoughtfully. “We could either destroy the ship before they find the hole you’ve made or—”
“Wait! Zoom in! I think they’re being chased!” the Gravekeeper interrupted her, intently peering into the image. I could also see the Abyssal’s searchlight darting back and forth as the ship slowly turned, volleys of fire blooming portside. Thrainul was aiming at something beyond the displayed area.
Lena winced and gestured sharply, turning the hologram. Ripples of scanning, similar to the animation of Search skill, ran over the picture, highlighting all objects above and below the surface of the underground ocean. We saw a long fishlike skeleton, coiling like an eel and pale as a tapeworm. Its outline was blurry and distorted by an aura, but the creature was clearly much larger and faster than the Abyssal.
“This monster’s not local. I can’t identify it; the bestiary’s too old,” Romanova said. “It’s a demonologist’s handiwork. I’d say, Supreme Summoning from the Netherworlds. Water element, epic-level. I think I can see a tether...wait a second...”
The hologram zoomed out, making the displayed figures tiny and toy like. Another ship came into view—a sharp metallic spindle that somewhat resembled the late Barracuda. It was sailing above the water, players crowded on its deck. One of them was connected to the monster chasing the Abyssal by a twisting thread.
“Lena, the first ship is our friends; they got us here,” the Gravekeeper spoke up. “I’d like to save them.”
“They must have really crossed someone,” the First Maiden said. “The question is, what do we do? Keep incognito or enter the game? I suppose you want to help them?”
“That’s what I’m trying to do,” I said, standing up. “This ship has valuable cargo, my cargo, and I think I know who’s on the second vessel. Right now, Thrainul’s under fire instead of me.”
“The Pandas,” Svechkin said, agreeing with me. “They’re quick on the draw, finding a
key against us. They even paid for an epic summoning...although they have deep pockets.”
“The Pandas!” Romanova glared daggers, spitting out the alliance name like a profanity. “I can’t stand them! Taerland started with them. Those self-proclaimed masters of Sphere are still at it?”
“Sit down!” she ordered me. “I’ve made a decision. There’s no point in cocooning the Stronghold, especially since I’ve...”
She let out a vicious smile and stretched her hands, cracking joints.
“...always wanted to do it!”
She stood up. Following her gesture, the hologram shrunk and moved toward her. Giving her hands one more shake, like a piano player before a concert, Romanova slowly put her palms into the projection, and I saw a giant spectral copy of them appear above the model of the Crown of Ice. They went past the maneuvering Abyssal into the depths of the underground ocean. Unerringly closing in on the target, her translucent fingers wrapped around the coiling silhouette of Pandorum’s monster. In a few seconds, it was all over, and the wretched remains of the creature slipped out of her fist, now unclenched, as if in disgust, and fell on the bottom. Romanova slowly pulled out of the projection, while I kept staring at the giant wave that she had roused as it almost overturned Thrainul’s submarine. Now that was some power!
“The Pandas won’t back away,” the Gravekeeper reminded her.
“I know, but I can’t reach them; they’re too far. But don’t worry, I’ve already sent a landing force there. Let’s see how efficient my Maidens are!”
Once again, she zoomed in on the enemy ship, tiny figures scurrying around the deck. The vessel was preparing to submerge—the armor plates started moving, shielding the hull into impenetrable scales.
“They won’t make it,” the First Maiden coldly remarked. “Stella’s almost there.”
As if confirming her words, a battle broke out onboard, blades flashing in the dark. White-winged mounts coming out of nowhere circled the air around it, carrying female riders in futuristic armor, and a dozen shieldmaidens appeared across the deck. As they emerged from invisibility, their shining blades struck true. Those who survived or evaded their blows were quickly felled by arrows and spells from valkyries on flying mounts. They weren’t just efficient—they were super-efficient, even if surprise played a big role in their success. The ship was cleared in just a few minutes.
“Zero losses,” Romanova said after the slaughter was over, clearly content. “We don’t need the loot, but the fuel will come in handy. Ellurite is finite.”
“Do all your NPCs have stealth archetypes?” the Gravekeeper asked. “It’s as if it doesn’t have a cooldown.”
“It’s not stealth; it’s Veil,” the First Maiden snorted. “A unique ability of the Maiden Order thanks to the affix on their faction amulets.”
“Does it work on birdies as well?”
“Yes, but not always. There are different versions. Some even work on astral ships.”
“That’s just cheating. Constant invisibility for objects?”
“No more than the Keys, legendary archetypes, or Divine Blood!” Lena objected. “Let alone the Forged and the secrets of the Forgeworlds!”
I pricked my ears, absorbing the information. A unique affix, faction items, astral ships... I finally knew what reward I wanted for my help.
“There’s no way back now!” Romanova said harshly, watching her subjects eviscerate and sink the captured ship. “I’m reactivating the citadel! We need to raise the Stronghold in the air and identify the jump point. Any ideas?”
“What are our priorities?”
“Find a place inaccessible to players. The Stronghold is vulnerable now. Without the Glowing, I feel defenseless. It has to be restored—that’s our first goal. To do this, we need ellurite, lots of ellurite, as well as reactor components—they could be crafted from Ancient artifacts. Do you have any idea where to get all of it?”
“The Bazaar. It has everything,” the Gravekeeper said, nodding. “We’ll have to think some more about the place. What then?”
“Our next step will be the official reveal of the Stronghold and the release of a new interdimensional faction. We’ll need to be as vocal as possible, attracting as many players as we can. Let’s explain it as a new power emerging in response to the shifts in the Balance. Then we’ll look for the Keys and wake up the rest of the crew. We’ll discuss the third step after we get at least five Keys.”
“I wouldn’t be so quick with going to the Bazaar; it’s very expensive,” I spoke up, smiling. “Am I right to understand that this Stronghold of yours can travel to any point in Sphere? Then I have a great proposal. How about a secret hideout in Helt Akor?”
“A nice idea. I’ve thought about the Endless Paths myself,” Romanova replied, surprising me. “We could hole up there for a while, plus distant layers often generate Ancient instances and ellurite deposits. It fits the bill. Do you have specific coordinates, HotCat? What is that place? Keep in mind that we’ll need a beacon to jump there, similar to a spelljumper transportation.”
“I have the coordinates and can teleport there,” I replied. “We can go right now. However, I don’t work for free. What about my reward?”
Romanova and Svechkin exchanged a long, meaningful look. In moments like this, silence spoke more than words. I patiently waited, chuckling inwardly. I already knew what I wanted from those pretentious bigheads.
“I’m not sure...three items...” the First Maiden said, hesitant. “What would you like, for example?”
I didn’t answer, watching the Abyssal through the hologram. Thrainul’s ship rapidly submerged, turned around, and took to its heels at full speed. The spectral hands that had destroyed the pursuers and the slaughter on the Panda vessel caused the captain to make the only right call—get the hell out of there. Knowing Romanova’s unpredictable temper, I was happy with that, especially since the Crown started undergoing an incredible metamorphosis.
The island came alive as the icy ridges swelled, covering the ground with a web of cracks. Fragments broke off one after another, plopping into the black water and turning into floating icebergs. The frozen facets reverberated, fracturing and crumbling down one after another, uncovering the elegant spires, towers, and bastions of the true Silver Stronghold, softly gleaming with crystal and dull silver. It was a giant citadel inspiring awe and dread as it soared above the ocean surface, rising above the field of icebergs, the remains of its former shell, until it was enveloped in a spectral glow, flashed, and disappeared.
* * *
The appointed time had come.
The lines of a Great Pentagram glimmered on the white snow. The assigned troops passed through it, and instead of a chilly northern wind, a warm breeze blew into their black two-pronged banners. Green hills came alive with black hordes of Irchi. Swarms of winged silhouettes cut through the sunrise sky.
The House of Darkness finally reached the Golden Fairs.
First to climb the crest of the hill, Ananizarte looked down. There, on the horizon, surrounded by the hazy morning mist, lay a great coastal city defended by a half-circle of battlements. People stirred inside—portals flashed into being, sails were raised on the even rows of masts in the harbor, and groups of defenders ran through the streets among clouds of dust. The enemies weren’t going to give up without a fight. They had superior numbers and counted the majority of players in their ranks.
Too bad for them.
* * *
I was woken up by the annoying beep of the communicator. Raising my head from the pillow, I barely managed to unglue my eyes. Behind the window, dawn was breaking. Who wanted me at this hour? I fumbled for the comm bracelet on the nightstand; it was nestled between the stems of wine glasses. Yes, after logging out of Sphere, I had spent the night passionately fighting with Alena and then reconciling, just as passionately.
Needless to say, the message came from the game. It was a mass announcement on the alliance channel, significant enough to be forwarded to my pe
rsonal number—something important and urgent, going by the flashing red text.
TO CLANS ENEMY, WATCHERS, HEROES, BRETHREN, VARANGIANS, UNITY
CALL FOR ACTION!
ALL MAIN CLAN MEMBERS, LOG IN IMMEDIATELY!
MAXIMUM ATTENDANCE!
RAID ASSEMBLED AT 5:30-6:00, CONDOR
P.S. EXPECT EPIC ACTION!
I was about to fall back asleep if not for the fine print at the end of the announcement that said that frequent absentees might start looking for new clans. With a deep sigh, I carefully removed Alena’s hand lying on top of me and sat down on the bed, yawning and rubbing my eyes. It was just after five in the morning. My better half would likely sleep until ten; just the opportunity to pay my dues to the clan. The Watchers probably had already forgotten what I looked like.
Shadow Seer (Rogue Merchant Book #3): LitRPG Series Page 27
