Endless Online: Oblivion's Promise

by M. H. Johnson

  "Val?" A frustrated, curious voice.

  But Val had already slipped away.

  It wasn't until the next day that they were off. But at least Val had the distinct satisfaction of being both conscious and in full possession of his faculties by the time they did so, with a sincere promise from Sten that Elise wouldn't attempt to touch his mind again, unless it was something they both agreed to. Since Elise wasn't speaking to him beyond muttering arrogant fool loud enough for everyone to hear, Val was okay with this.

  The Velimobile was certainly smoother than anything Val had ever driven himself. He smiled despite the trials of the past week, savoring the thrill of just being alive and well in a body free of pain, taking a deep breath of the fresh prairie air, alive with the scents of wildflowers and grass. Were his eyes not caught by gigantic floating balloons sporting dozens of tentacles that Val was assured were actually a type of herbivore, its eerie haunting cries echoing across the plains, or the sight of exotic sapphire eyed cat-like creatures that gazed at them so intelligently, Val would almost think he was taking a road trip across the countryside back home.

  Of course the road was comprised of flash-heated compact earth, and he rode upon an open domed chrome disc with dozens of frictionless circular coasters in a vehicle that glided upon mana fields like a sailboat catching the wind, riding past lonely fields filled with rich green grass and the most exotic blooms he had ever seen, enjoying the company of companions who looked like they had been pulled straight from his favorite sci-fi action flicks, but other than that, it was a perfect match.

  Val took another breath of sweet, untainted air, glancing Halvar's way. "I haven't seen another soul since, well, we left the Underdark."

  Halvar shrugged. "Unlikely that you would. There are no major production centers or trade routes hereabouts. All of that's on the other side of Nyferd, near the coast. Back the way we came, it's mostly just ruins and mountains the farther east you go. Most farmers choose to set up their properties nearer to the coast as well, where the land isn't quite so arid, and irrigation is close at hand. Sure, local administrators would love some added revenue, but so far it hasn't been worth it to build up the land. Besides, like as not, higher tariffs to the Overlord would be the only real reward for their trouble."

  The mercenary chuckled. "All you'll find out here are prospectors and outlaws, and we tend to keep a respectful distance from one another. And the hungry ones... they never know when an innocent-seeming group of green explorers is made up of misfits or ex-mercs, and they know they can only afford one mistake."

  Val couldn't help grinning at that.

  "By and large, people around here are pretty decent, but tend to keep themselves to themselves, so to speak."

  Val nodded. "Tell me about Nyferd."

  "Capital city of the continent," Gregor chimed in, bleary eyes gazing curiously into Val's as he rubbed his head. "It grew up all around the spaceport. Not surprising. It's the key lifeline of the continent, and is where all the action happens. Exotic goods and every luxury item you can think of, it all goes through the spaceport and by extension Nyferd before percolating to the rest of the continent. The rest of the world, even."

  Val whistled. "Sounds impressive."

  "Oh, it is." At which point he imbibed one of his own restoratives, sighing contentedly. "Now if you gentlemen will excuse me, I think I'll take a little nap." Within seconds the slight man was snoring away, leaning against a bemused Halvar.

  Halvar grinned. "That was a neat trick you pulled, yesterday."

  Val smiled, pointedly not saying anything at all, instead taking a cue from Gregor, leaning back, letting the smooth ride lull him to sleep, knowing he'd need his full wits about him soon enough when they reached the capital.

  The softest touch upon his arm. "Val? We're here."

  But he was already awake. A quick scan around as he mimed an exaggerated yawn spotted no trouble, only a luxurious villa filled with the sounds of harp, lute, other exotic instruments, and laughter. The area around them was lush with strange green foliage and gorgeous flowers, a grove of what looked like oranges or something similar to the left of the grand manor, and a view of windswept plains interspersed with the occasional patch of green marking irrigated lands to be seen on the right. Far off in the distance, he could make out glimmering reflections of chrome and silver that made him think of a futuristic high tech city which, considering where he was, was probably the case.

  A massive gate of shimmering alloy slowly opened as several voluptuous young ladies slipped out of the villa with a wave of music and laughter in their wake, wearing only the most diaphanous of uniforms and welcoming smiles. One winked at Val as soon as Sten had parked beside several near identical looking Velimobiles, motioning for them all to step out, and Val was struck by an Irish dream of pale, lightly freckled skin, fiery red hair that shimmered in the sun, and piercing green eyes. The other girl was darker complected, her almond eyes twinkling as she smiled at Halvar and nodded, as if liking what she saw.

  Sten dipped his head, Elise flowing gently to his side. "Good afternoon, ladies. We're here to speak with Arnar and Emil."

  The mocha skinned girl flowed into a curtsy. "Of course, honored Sten and friends. Right this way." Her demure voice was at odds with the sensual strut both girls flowed into as they headed back to the villa proper, and Val turned all his senses on full, as he thought of it, entering the exotic residence that seemed in the midst of a grand celebration. Music and laughter washed over them, as did scents suspiciously like hashish and poppy.

  A number of individuals could be seen wearing tight-fitting silks that ballooned at the calves and tightened at the waist which seemed to be the standard attire, almost all the mustachioed men accompanied by a young woman keeping them in animated conversation even as they fed their partners treats and sips of wine before flashing devilish smiles and leading them up one of the numerous marble staircases Val noted as they continued along the bottom floor of the massive villa.

  Though near everyone looked to be entirely human, the who's who of Hollywood and Bollywood's most beautiful men and women, Val did note the occasional sleek, willowy builds of several graceful young women dancing upon a stage to the accompaniment of flute and drum that curiously did not clash with the slower melodies being played in adjoining rooms, and he did not stare at the slender pointed ears all four of them had, no matter what Halvar's grumble implied.

  What froze Val for an instant was the way one of them suddenly stared Val's way, opening eyes of pure silver. She flashed her hands with strange urgency. Val frowned, feeling like he should understand, that she had just conveyed a message of vital import.

  Cypher check failed. Whether she was flirting with you or had something important to say, a split second across a crowded room is not an ideal environment for deciphering an entirely new language. Val shook his head, but before he could think to approach, Halvar's iron grip reigned him in, and the elfin girl had flowed back into her dreamy dance, eyes glazed over, staring at no one.

  "Come on, boy," Halvar said with a soft chuckle, "No time for that. At least, not right now. Besides, I thought you had found your sweetheart already?"

  Val frowned, shaking his head. "Just for a second, I had thought..."

  But Halvar was already leading him on, demeanor friendly, strength beyond impressive. Val grimaced but moved on, the two young women leading them to a polished door of what looked to be finest hardwood, the redhead knocking politely, entering to whatever murmur Val could just hear, and a few seconds later emerged with a brilliant smile, bowing low and holding open the door. "Arnar will be more than happy to see all of you. Please come in and follow me."

  Val breathed slow and deep, feeling a building tension as he prepared himself for anything, sensing something ahead. And there was indeed something in the form of two powerfully built dark complected men also wearing the standard silken attire, though Val thought he saw telltale glimmers of reflective mesh here and there, seeing the bulge
s of blasters of some type on each of them even as the rightmost one waved toward a set of marble stairs. "Right this way, honored guests. Arnar is taking his repast and would delight in your company."

  Sten nodded at that, heading toward the stairs. Potential threats identified, Val noted that the room was a grandly appointed study with numerous tools and what looked like writing apparatuses or perhaps a laptop computer if they even had such things, Val still wasn't sure, or if they took shorthand notes and did calculations like Earthbound humans, only using the extremely complex tomes of a thousand interlocking meanings in a single picture when trying to master a subject or other large body of information. Whatever the case, Val couldn't begin to make heads or tales of it in the two second glance he gave to the polished hardwood desk covered with miscellaneous equipment and the comfortable leather chair beside it.

  The door they approached was thick and looked sturdy enough for a vault, though the only person in the room was a smiling, rotund man dressed just like his guests, silk of burgundy and violet somehow not clashing nearly as badly as Val thought it should, even as he beamed at them from underneath a cap of brilliant white silk, waving his hand at numerous plush looking seats that looked and felt for all the world like beanbags to Val, though his friends settled themselves readily enough, drinks of what looked and smelled like fine brandy soon in hand.

  "Welcome, welcome my friends! It is so good, so very good to have you with us today." He beamed at them all, handing them honeyed sweets from a silver platter. "Sten! I did not expect to see you back so soon. Some doubted you would return at all!" He chuckled and waved away the words. "I told them they were being foolish, for I know Sten to be an honorable man of his word. Worth every credit invested in him."

  Sten bowed his head. "You had the grace to invest in me. May that trust pay you back ten-fold." Almost ceremoniously, he plucked free of his satchel a crystalline flask of pure Elementium, one of several containers Val had prepared for Sten earlier that morning, the two of them working out a plan in the wee hours regarding how best to handle retrieving and storing Silbion and Elementium alike in ways both discrete and secure.

  Arnar blinked, seeming almost to tremble. He discretely moved aside the silver plates and decanters of wine from the finely polished desk he sat behind, quickly pulling out a crystal slab and an exotic looking monocle.

  "If you would be so good, friend Sten?" The merchant's voice was both soft and solemn. Sten nodded, handing Arnar the crystal flask. With a pair of tweezers the man plucked out a single grain, frowning as he peered at it before placing it in a vial of purple bubbling liquid within a small obsidian box suddenly flashing a number of symbols.

  Some seconds later the man slowly lowered his monocle, Elementium filled flask quickly stoppered once more.

  "Friend Sten, this is indeed Elementium, and at a degree of purity exceeding 99%. Remarkable. Most remarkable!"

  Sten grinned. "It is indeed. I am grateful that fortune has come my way, and generous enough to share the opportunities such a fortune might bring with my friends."

  Arnar positively beamed at that. "Dear Sten. Dear, dear Sten. How it pleases me to hear you speak such kind words! Of course I would be more than happy to represent you in this matter, and give you more than generous rates. How does five below standard sound?"

  Val blinked. From what Sten had told him, 'standard' was the going buy/sell rate at the Nyferd central exchange. Those hyper-efficient rates tended to favor major suppliers or Highlord favored factors alone. The average citizen would be lucky to find a broker willing to sell it for better than twenty percent below standard; ten percent, perhaps, if he was moving bulk or otherwise well connected. A five percent commission sounded generous indeed.

  Sten grinned. "It does sound quite generous, Arnar. I take it the rumors are true, then? The Highlords are gearing up for another campaign, and need all the resources they can gather?"

  The short, rotund man paled, gazing at Sten like a deer caught in the headlights before abruptly breaking out in laughter, even as his fingers flashed a dizzying array of signs. "How you jest, my friend. You are wasted in trade! Truly, you should be telling tales with the bards downstairs. Everything is just as it should be, dear Sten, just as it should be! And you are doubly fortunate that the fates have deigned Elementium to be in strong demand. Strong demand indeed. A situation we can both profit from mightily."

  Val frowned. The trader had been flashing oblique signs alien to the emotions and intensity he wished to convey, making it very difficult to understand with no previous reference points, but Val suspected, was certain, that the man had flashed the equivalent of 'discretion at all costs.' Of course, Val had picked that much up just be the shifts in body language and posture.

  Sten nodded, turning to Elise, who dipped her head imperceptibly. "Five percent sounds very generous. I do believe we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement."

  Arnar's grin grew all the wider. "Wonderful! And how much of this stupendously pure ore were you able to recover, dear Sten?"

  Sten's eyes positively twinkled. "That depends, friend Arnar. Just how much Silbion might you have on hand?"

  Arnor held Sten's gaze for some long moments. When next he spoke, his voice carried an odd weight. "Enough to secure 10 kilograms worth of Elementium. And that's selling the Silbion to you at prime rate. No markup. Can you truly match this?"

  Val felt his heart start to race. He closed his eyes for only an instant, numbers flashing upon his mind's eye, sensing the roughly 265kg of Elementium in storage, and approximately a quarter of that would be his share. Just by the intensity of Arnor's gaze, Val could tell that even 10kg was an incredible fortune. And it just scratched the surface of their wealth. Val knew that they wanted to sell as much as they could off-world, but there was much to be said about locking away a 25th of their profits, at least, so that no matter what happened on Phoebe, they would still have access to a fortune. Besides, the Silbion was not quite as dear on Jordia as it was on Phoebe, for all that Elementium was dearer by far.

  Sten slowly nodded his head as the tension grew. "It just so happens that I can."

  Arnor blinked, breaking into the widest of smiles, warmth and laughter suddenly filling the chamber once more. "Then this calls for a celebration! Let me get the real drink!" A bell was pulled, quiet words whispered to one of the hulking guardsmen as Arnor lifted a fresh blue crystal chalice in toast, matching the ones he handed them each in turn.

  A discrete glance Elise's way. Her gaze was cool but professional, the slightest of nods. Good. To the best of her knowledge, Arnor intended no foul play.

  Val took a careful sniff and a delicate sip, sensing nothing untoward, feeling almost as if senses beyond the five he relied upon were drinking it in as well.

  Congratulations! You have synergized your Arcane and Psionic Perception to better sense untoward ingredients. In a world saturated with this much mana, it's almost certain that traces of antipathy could be found lingering in most poisons. You're pretty confident that no poisons were introduced to this drink. Of course, you could always be wrong. Enjoy!

  Val blinked, always thrown off when reminded anew that this universe had as much in common with MMORPGs as it did his own world. Still, the drink that tasted for all the world like double distilled brandy flavored with slices of peach, pear, and cinnamon was nothing short of superb.

  Arnor tilted his head. "I don't suppose I could take a look at the Elementium?"

  Sten dipped his head, turning to Val, who discretely pulled free two of the five kilogram flasks of Elementium flakes that Gregor had helped him seal in the numerous crystal beakers at his fingertips the day before, though careful not to use any piece from Ava's priceless set, a sentiment Val wholeheartedly agreed with. He did this bit of sleight-of-hand as he lifted the reinforced case Sten had handed him, as if he were Sten's assistant and pulling the flasks straight from the case, not from the odd dimensional portal he alone had access to.

  Arnar's gaze was one o
f awe. Trembling hands he did not allow to shake took a single grain from each, examining it carefully with optic and purple liquid medium again, shaking his head in what seemed amazement. Nothing if not prudent, with a nod from Sten he poured the entirety of each flask into what looked almost like a sieve, save for the flashing lasers coruscating amongst the poured grains. Val surmised it was a light-check of some sort, assuring that the mineral present was the mineral the user was expecting.

  The merchant gave a satisfied nod, face beaming with pleasure. "Remarkable, Sten. Truly remarkable! As far as even my lasers can determine, it is 100% Elementium! No further refinement needed for even the most exacting of industrial applications or arcane forgings. I must admit, friend Sten, I am dying to know how you managed to obtain any Elementium this pure." He raised a teasing finger. "But I shall refrain. A factor is nothing if not discrete."

  He then carefully poured the flakes back into their original sturdy containers. "I trust your find has been achieved legally?" he said, careful not to look their way as Sten blinked and nodded.

  "Absolutely."

  "Good, good!" Arnor beamed. "That is, legally speaking, all I needed to hear. But give me a moment," he said, turning his back and opening what looked like a thick chrome panel in the rear of his room, liquid steel teeth seeming to spin open to reveal a chrome safe filled with the sparkle of valuables Val glimpsed over the man's shoulder as he deposited the Elementium within before turning back around. Val grinned, having seen what he could only surmise was a holdout blaster as well, perfectly reasonable if one wanted a final card in the deck to thwart would-be robbers.

  "Well then, gentlemen, I do believe that it is time for us to claim your Silbion!"

  A smiling Arnar waited until they had finished their fine brandy and snacks before leading them at last to their prize, spending just a few moments chatting up a few well-to-do guests before slipping away at last to the rear of the vast manor. They took a flight of stairs guarded by two more of the imposing guards, continuing along an underground passage as Arnar chatted about current events in the capital.