World Tree Online: The Order of Epic Grinders: 4th Dive

by M. A. Carlson

Penelope snorted a laugh. “So greedy.”

  “See, you’re already acting all pious and stuff. I think you’ll be a great Paladin,” Bell said.

  Penelope matched Bell’s grin, then looked back at the Goddess and happily replied, “I accept.”

  “Good, that is good,” the Goddess Pasiphae said, her form solidifying once more. “Then your first task, build an altar to me in this place. Next to Aphrodite if you can manage it. Now I must go.” Her form shimmered then dispersed into golden lights, the pressure vanishing with her, leaving the temple in awed silence.

  Trinico broke that silence with a soft laughter. Eventually, she spoke, “Well, I see Bye-bye has well and truly rubbed off on you, Micaela. Your daughter as well, apparently. I have met more Gods and Goddesses since I met your group than most Priests and Priestesses do in their lives.”

  Micaela grinned. “I’m so proud of you right now, hon. You haven’t even met Bye-bye and you’re doing things like he would. I can’t wait to tell the others. They are going to be so jealous they missed out on this.”

  “Mum, stop, you’re embarrassing me,” Penelope pleaded.

  Micaela just wrapped her daughter in a big hug.

  “Alright, enough of that,” Bell interrupted, her little Fairy hands trying to split the pair apart. “I still have more shopping to do.”

  “I don’t,” Penelope said, reluctantly breaking free of her mother.

  Bell stuck her tongue out at Penelope.

  “Okay, okay,” Micaela said. “Why don’t you two go on ahead to Malcolm’s? I’ll catch up with you both there. Take a left when you exit the temple, it’s a few blocks down from here.”

  “Yes, perfect. Thanks Mrs. Crushhammer,” Bell said, tugging uselessly on Penelope’s arm to get her moving.

  Trinico giggled. “Go, be with your friend. I will work on opening a space for you to build your altar in the Grecian alcove. Return tomorrow and I will help you.”

  “I’ll be here,” Penelope promised, her eyes once again focused on something in front of her that only she could see. Micaela guessed she was accepting a quest. With that, Penelope and Bell skipped out of the temple, giggling like little girls.

  “They grow up so fast,” Micaela said with a sigh of happiness.

  “Hmm, indeed they do,” Trinico said. “Now, Micaela Crushhammer, it is so good to see you again.” This time Micaela was the one surprised by a hug from the Priestess. “What do you say we walk and talk? I am sure you do not want your daughter to just run off if she gets bored waiting on you.”

  Micaela grinned and nodded, walking with Trinico and ignoring the sounds of protest from a couple of players that were waiting to see the Priestess Trinico.

  As they walked, Micaela filled Trinico in on how she became a Minotaur.

  “So, can you tell me more about this undead mess?” Micaela requested.

  Trinico took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “A mess is right. I’m sure you know, the undead started showing up a couple of weeks ago and have been increasing in numbers. We’ve sent runners to Root City to plead for assistance from the King. Our messages have yet to even be received by the court. No doubt, David’s treacherous brother is behind this. Not that we will ever be able to prove it.”

  “Want us to kill him?” Micaela asked jokingly.

  “It is nice of you to offer, but I do not want you and your friends to get in trouble with King Leopold,” Trinico replied sadly. “For now, the only thing we can do is try our best to reinforce the town and weather the storm.”

  “I’ll also be working on that. The reason I came back, other than to help my daughter get started, was to build an Order House,” Micaela said. “While I get that built and gain access to really help the town, Olaf and the others should be here tonight or tomorrow morning. I’m sure they will be more than happy to tackle the Hurlig Flatlands and put an end to whatever caused all this.”

  “That is good to hear,” Trinico replied. “Be sure to tell the others to stop by to see me at some point. It will be nice to see them again.”

  “I’d be happy to. At some point, can I send my daughter and Bell to use the Puzzle Room?” Micaela asked.

  Trinico smiled and nodded, “Of course. They are very welcome to use it. But alas, it seems we have arrived. I wish you luck.”

  Micaela looked up and realized they were outside of Malcom’s shop.

  “Mum, you need to stop her,” Penelope said, running out of the shop. “Malcom is trying to trick her into spending all her money on one spell.”

  Micaela followed her daughter inside where Bell was staring hard at a book in Malcom’s outstretched arms.

  “Malcolm,” Micaela snapped at the wiry bespectacled man. “What are you doing?”

  “I am selling a spell,” Malcolm answered as if it should be obvious.

  “And what spell are you trying to sell?” Micaela asked.

  “Water Prison, why?” Malcolm asked. “And if I might ask, just who are you?”

  “Right, I’m Micaela Crushhammer, I know I look different, but it’s me. But back to the important matter, just how much are you charging the nice level 2 Fairy?” Micaela asked.

  “Only the appropriate price, 375-Gold is a steal for this spell,” Malcolm answered.

  Micaela didn’t react outwardly. Inwardly, she was cursing the man. “Can she even use the spell?”

  “Of course,” Malcolm replied.

  “What does it do, and how much mana does the level 1 spell cost?” Micaela asked.

  Malcolm sighed. “It will imprison a single target in an orb of water. It cost 200-Mana to cast.”

  Micaela turned to the Fairy and asked, “Bell, how much mana capacity do you have?”

  “Eighty,” Bell grumbled.

  “Malcolm, you have no business trying to sell her that spell. If she still wants it, once she has the mana capacity, she’ll come back and buy it. Not before then,” Micaela ordered.

  “But-” Malcolm tried to protest but was cut off with a glare from Micaela. “Yes, Mrs. Crushhammer, my apologies Ms. Bell. It would be irresponsible of me to sell you this spell. I suggest you start with the initiate spells located below the front window.”

  Bell looked at the tome one more time. “Don’t worry my precious, I will return for you.”

  Micaela just shook her head. “Bell, over here,” she said, waving the Fairy over to the neatly stacked shelves of books that lined the bottom of the stores front window. “Now, let’s be smart about this. You want to be a spell caster, right? You have bonuses to Water and Nature spells. I would get one attack spell from both, a buff from both and a defensive spell from both. You are welcome to get a weapon buff spell but as a Fairy who has said you want to remain at range, I don’t think one is necessary. Once you’ve got those, we’ll look at Illusion spells and see if there is one you can use. Sound good?”

  “Yes, Mrs. Crushhammer,” Bell replied sullenly.

  “Thanks mum,” Penelope whispered. “That would have blown her entire stipend in one go.”

  Micaela wanted to ask just what kind of stipend Bell was being given but thought better of it. She didn’t want to know, or she feared her daughter might expect a similar stipend herself. “That’s what I’m here for,” she said.

  Bell ended up buying ‘Lesser Water Spray’, a water elemental attack that sprayed water with enough force to knock someone over, ‘Lesser Knowledge’, a buff spell that increased Intellect and Wisdom, and ‘Lesser Water Shield’, which created a thin barrier of water around someone to reduce physical damage and provided additional fire resistance. On the Nature side, she purchased ‘Lesser Thorns’, an attack spell that conjured thorns to fly at an opponent, ‘Lesser Leaf Armor’, which formed actual armor over her clothes, something Micaela made a note of for Baby as Fairies were not allowed to where actual armor. And finally, she learned ‘Lesser Growth’, another buff that increased Strength and Stamina, the idea being that she could use it on Penelope or any other physical damage dealer she partied wit
h.

  Bell also bought two illusion spells, mighty expensive illusion spells at 100-Gold and 150-Gold each. Still, it was better than the 375-Gold Malcolm tried to get out of her for a single spell. Illusory Clones, the more expensive of the pair, could create a double of her that would confuse the enemy’s senses, basically giving her a fifty-fifty chance that the clone would be attacked instead of her. At higher levels it could create more than one illusion. The other illusion she got was ‘Disappear’ which allowed her to vanish from view for a few seconds. According to Malcolm, the enemy would forget about attacking her, which sounded like an aggro dropping spell, something that was probably a good thing to have. It made her wonder if she should suggest everyone picking up the spell or something similar as well.

  “Okay, let’s get checked-in at the Inn and then I’ll leave you both in Sergeant Butter’s capable hands,” Micaela said. “When you finish with him, if it’s not too late, I would suggest you stop at the townhall and see what they have for quests. If Homer’s up for it, see if he’ll help you with some books. You’ll both need the skills they can teach. Once I drop you off, I need to get back to work on my Order House.”

  “Thanks for all the help, Mrs. Crushhammer,” Bell said.

  “Yeah, thanks, mum,” Penelope added.

  “I’m happy to help,” Micaela replied. “Now, just one last thing. Before you step outside the gates to start questing or hunting or whatever else, you promise you will both learn to use your weapons. Even you Bell. That wand can be used for fighting, and if you ever run low on MP, you’re going to need it.”

  “Yes, mum,” Penelope and Bell said together.

  “Good, let’s go,” Micaela said. Leading them to the Doghouse Inn. Dogson was the same as ever. Micaela thought he might have been polishing the same glass as the first time she saw him. After re-introducing herself to the Dogman, she rented rooms for herself and Olaf, Bye-bye and Rose, Heath, Baby, Nahid, Marie, and Loral and Sooty. Then finally a room for her daughter and her friend after the pair decided to share a room.

  A quick stop by the training area to leave the girls with Sergeant Butters and she was back to work.

  “You took a long time,” Mover complained before Micaela could even sit down.

  Micaela quickly entered the spirit realm. “Sorry, sorry everyone. Have you made much progress?”

  “No,” Mover said. “I am bound to your armor and can only move so far from you. Once you moved too far from here, my work was halted.”

  “Oh, should I have left my armor here?” Micaela asked.

  “No, I need your Spirit to act. Your armor does not possess its own Spirit nor one of the Shaman spirits to maintain my presence,” Mover answered, sounding unhappy. “Also, you need more Spirit, or we will not grow.”

  “Right, on it,” Micaela said, sitting back and closing her eyes. Trying once again to sink further into the spirit plane. Trying to reach further and to level up her ‘Spiritwalk’.

  Skill: Spiritwalk

  Rank: II

  Level: 7

  Experience: 1.47%

  Description: A spell granting access to the spiritual planes.

  Spell Cast Speed: Instant

  Range: Self

  Required Materials: Spirit Totem

  Spell Effect (Active): Enter the spirit plane. Communing with your spirit and those of another plane of existence. Access to the third astral plane. Increases your Spirit by 3 per hour.

  Mana Cost: -100-MP per hour

  The more that she leveled the skill, the faster she would recover her Spirit stat.

  “This is so boring!” Micaela complained, resigned to her fate of doing nothing but watching her Totems work.

  Chapter 6

  After reading the portal description, Hurlig Ridge was about what I expected after I stepped through the portal. Looking out over the forest from the dais, it was gloomy and gave off a very haunted feeling. The once lush and vibrant forest now seemed dark and dangerous. The amount of spider webs that coated the trees suggested that the spider population mentioned in the new description was a far larger problem than originally indicated. I shuddered to think about the zombie problem.

  “Wow,” Rose said from next to me. She had her shields out and ready as she moved ahead of us.

  “And Micaela really intends to build an Order House here?” Marie questioned, looking at the surroundings incredulously. “Truly?”

  “Yes, she does,” Olaf said. “I just hope we can deal with whatever is causing the undead problem.”

  “I do not like it here,” Sooty complained. “This place is cursed.”

  “Do not worry my love,” Loral soothed her husband. “I am sure our friends will be able to set things to right again. There will be plenty of animals for you to skin in no time at all.”

  Sooty grumbled but didn’t say anything else. He chose instead to flick at the reigns to urge his wagon train forward down the road.

  “I’ll take the trailing position,” Olaf volunteered. “Heath to the left, Bye-bye to the right.”

  “Vision, scout around, warn us if anything is coming,” Olaf added, looking to put the wolf to work.

  The trip to town was eerily quiet. I remember last time we were here, there was always the sounds of nature. Insects, small animals, even the occasional wolf howling, they all used to be heard. Currently, there was nothing. I half expected to hear an owl hooting or a scream of terror from somewhere in the distance. But nothing. Just . . . eerie silence.

  It wasn’t too long before the main gates of Hurligville came into sight. I could see a new watch tower had been constructed and surprisingly, the bridge that covered the moat was now a drawbridge. I don’t know if I was more surprised that there was a drawbridge, or the bridge was raised up, not allowing people in or out of the village.

  As we approached the raised drawbridge, I heard someone shout, “Halt! Identify yourselves!” At the top of the watch tower I saw a few guards with bows drawn taught, their arrows trained on Rose.

  Then I heard Rose shout back, “You identify yourself!” I half expected to hear the twang of bowstrings as they loosed their arrows on my girlfriend. Thankfully, no such sound was heard. Instead, the guards at the top of the tower looked more confused by her response than anything. Knowing this might cause an issue, I moved toward the front of the wagon train.

  “I . . . I am Corporal Heine,” the guard replied.

  “Great, now lower the drawbridge and let us in,” Rose said.

  “But you still have not identified yourself . . . or the others,” Corporal Heine replied.

  Rose sighed, then listed off our names, “Rose Thorns, Bye-bye Jacko, Olaf Crushhammer, Marie Tuesday, Sooty Wednesday, and Loral Wednesday,” she finished, then looked to the rest of us and asked, “There, happy?”

  I noted she didn’t mention Heath or Nahid who were both around and hiding with their ‘Stealth’ skills.

  “You forgot me,” Vision pouted as he appeared next to Rose.

  “Sorry, Vision,” Rose said apologetically to the pup. Then she shouted back, “And Vision. Now let us in already.”

  Corporal Heine nodded from the other side of the moat. “Sorry, ma’am. We have been expecting you.”

  A moment later the drawbridge was lowered, and we were moving into Hurligville proper.

  “Might you be able to tell me where I can find my wife?” Olaf asked.

  “Mrs. Crushhammer should be at the Order House build site, sir,” Heine replied.

  “And where is that?” Olaf prompted.

  Heine looked slightly abashed, not that I could blame him after dealing with Rose’s rough attitude, and now being forced to face down a very threatening looking Minotaur. “Sorry, sir, the build site is next to the town hall.”

  “Thank you,” Olaf said, waving everyone to move out.

  We found Micaela sitting down in front of a pit that appeared to be digging itself. It was maybe two feet deep and I could see something bulldozing the dirt toward one end of
the hole, then up the short wall and through the grass behind it until it disappeared. I wanted to watch further and possibly follow the dirt, but Olaf put a hand on Micaela’s shoulder and a moment later, her eyes fluttered open, but the dirt kept moving.

  “You’re here,” Micaela cheered, almost jumping back up to her feet. “I wasn’t sure when you were going to show up, but you’re here.”

  I couldn’t stop the smile that crept onto my face. Micaela was really good at that. The pixyish woman’s energy was contagious at times.

  Olaf had his own smile as he hugged his wife. As the hug broke, Vision appeared and nearly tackled Micaela, licking her face excitedly.

  Olaf let the pair have their reunion. Still, we had work to do, and Olaf knew that. Not waiting for the reunion between Vision and Micaela to come to a natural end, he said, “We’re here. Bye-bye got a warning from his Goddess. Said we should head here urgently.”

  “Oh, the undead invasion thing. Sergeant Butters has a quest for you guys for that,” Micaela said, but before we could reply, she added, “I got offered a different quest to defend the town from attacks. I think it is going to be a wave event. Anyway, I can’t do anything until I finish the Order House.”

  Olaf nodded along and when it seemed Micaela ran out of breath, he spoke, “We’ll go see Sergeant Butters next. Did you get rooms for us at the Doghouse Inn?”

  “I did,” Micaela said, sounding excited as she doled out keys, pausing when she realized she had an extra. “Where’s Baby?”

  “Fairy Tree,” Rose answered. “She’ll join us in a few days. It couldn’t be helped. We didn’t know about this before she left.”

  “Hmm, that’s too bad,” Micaela said. “Well, other than the rooms, I got Penelope Crushhammer and her friend, Lady Bell all squared away, they should both be with Sergeant Butters now.”

  Olaf rolled his eyes. “I should have known she would take that name. And Crushhammer? Minotaur?”

  “Minotaur Maiden,” Micaela corrected. “She is so cute! And she’s a Paladin of the Goddess Pasiphae.”