Raid Slayer 2

by Riley Morrison

  Twin red eyes shone from their mouths, revealing broken teeth and gray, pallid flesh. The damn things really were mummified corpses.

  Thankfully, Anita obeyed him. Zack backed toward the door, shield raised. The infected tried to leap on top of him, but he jumped back, and they fell to the ground before him. He slashed at their faces, inflicting almost no damage. The red eyes on two of the infected disappeared down their throats, but the third looked up at him and let out a ghastly keening wail.

  Zack took the opportunity to attack, and thrust his sword right into the infected’s mouth. Its body jerked around, like it was having an epileptic fit. He tore his sword out then backed away as the other two got to their feet. They came after him again, their arms reaching for him.

  Something grabbed Zack from behind and pulled him into the doorway.

  Next thing he knew, the door slammed shut in his face. A moment later, he heard something crash against it. The infected.

  Heart racing, breath coming fast, he turned and found Anita. “We need to move,” she said, pulling him deeper into the room.

  He let her lead him away and soon found Missy and Holly standing over a hole in the ground. The entrance to the sewer.

  The spirits who had sung to Missy had been right.

  Missy’s eyes widened and she pointed at Zack’s sword. “Kill it!”

  Zack looked down and gasped. Impaled on the end of his sword was a fist-sized dark green and black mottled beetle with glowing red eyes. Its six legs kicked wildly, yellow blood dripping from the tip of his sword.

  Anita knocked it off with her gauntleted hand, then crushed the creature underfoot with a sickening crunch.

  Deep One has died

  +1000xp

  She flicked the gooey carapace away. “Too easy.”

  Holly climbed into the long dormant sewer. “Let’s get out of here.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Cured

  A day and a half later (and 8 less meals), they entered the lift that led up to the Bottomless Well. As the gears spun, the chains heaving them up, Zack put his arm around Missy. Soon, he would be cured and could get back to saving Amy and Betsy.

  Missy covered her mouth with her hand and yawned. Well, he would save Amy and Betsy after they got some sleep. They were all tired as hell.

  After they had emerged from the sewer and out into the area beyond the city, they had quickly fled. They could hear the distant cries of the infected, as well as the sound of hundreds of feet moving through Dead Azinore’s streets.

  The whole city must have been alerted to their presence. Thousands of infected and the Deep Ones controlling them.

  On the return journey, they had handed in the Platinum Devi quest and Zack had chosen for himself…

  Shield Ring of Dead Ifphoral

  Worn by those who were the unbroken shieldwall of Ifphoral. They were the last to fall before the scourge of the Black Veil.

  +1 Strength

  +2 Dexterity

  +1 Endurance

  +25hp

  Physical Damage reduction 2%

  Magical Damage reduction 2%

  For Missy, he had chosen…

  Platinum Chain Amulet

  The shining platinum neck piece once worn by the high priestess of a long forgotten goddess.

  +2 Intellect

  +3 Spirit

  +25 Inspiration

  He had let Anita choose her own reward.

  Nameday Ring

  Worn by the noble sons of the ruling class of Ifphoral. These rings were given to them on their sixteenth birthday, the day they would begin to serve in the great empire’s army.

  +3 Strength

  +1 Endurance

  +25hp

  +20ap

  Not bad.

  On the long journey back, they had seen groups of infected roaming the darkness in packs, their bestial cries echoing off the silent stone. The enemies had forced them to hide twice, wasting even more of Zack’s precious life that drew ever closer to his final demise.

  3 Hours until death!

  Talk about cutting it thin!

  The lift jolted as it entered the final stretch up to the Bottomless Well. Anita stared into the light shining down on them. “I’m never going back into the Deep ever again. That place can go fuck itself with a giant brick.”

  “Do you have to always swear?” Holly asked, clasping the Golden Tome in her hands. She’d barely put the thing away since she had found it.

  Anita looked down at the apprentice, her face hidden behind her faceguard. “Do you always have to open your mouth and ask stupid questions?”

  “Hey, calm down,” Zack said, letting go of Missy in case the two women started at one another again.

  On the way back, both had nearly come to blows. Everyone was tired and on edge after the horrors they had seen.

  The lift reached the Bottomless Well and they stepped out into Middle Underworld. Zack’s heart skipped a beat. Gathered before the house of Malghana was a small army.

  Rising above them were the banners of Sulfurion.

  The dragon’s minions were here. And a group of them were hurrying toward the lift.

  “Shit.” Zack turned to Missy. “We have to port out of here. Get us to Gwynn.”

  Wide eyed, Missy took out the Jade stone. “I can’t teleport Holly.”

  “What’s going on here?” Holly started toward Malghana’s house. “What are they doing?”

  There was nothing Zack could do to help the apprentice. Maybe the sisterhood was here to speak to the Black Witch and had seen Zack and the others and were coming to investigate.

  Whatever the case, once they recognized him and Missy, they would all die.

  “We have to leave her here. She can handle herself.” Zack grabbed Anita to make sure she didn’t run off and do something stupid.

  Missy had already begun the spell to port them out of there, but it would still take another fifty seconds to go off.

  Holly met the first of the sisterhood. Zack watched the exchange, wishing he could hear what was being said.

  Suddenly, Holly raised her hand and fire erupted around her in a great wall. She had just used Inferno, a Fire Mage spell to drive back enemies.

  “Oh, crap.” Zack drew his sword. Once that spell wore off, Holly would be a dead woman, and then the army of man hating cultists would descend on them.

  Holly raced back toward them, screaming for them to run. Her spell faded and the sisterhood spilled forward, heavy armor clanking on the rocky ground. Some of them rode giant lizards and they raced ahead of the others.

  The apprentice would never outrun them.

  There was only ten seconds to go before they were out of there. Zack called out to Holly. “Go down the lift. Get out of here. We can’t help you. I’m sorry.”

  The last thing he saw before his field of view went dark, was her turning in the direction of the lift.

  Then he stood before Gwynn the Scaleless.

  “You want me to eat this?” Zack peered at the dripping Mummy Wrapping wound around the dead Mistletoe. Gwynn had ordered Servitor Granus to cook it in a pot full of a brown sludge that stank so bad, Zack dared not ask what it was.

  The Mummy Wrapping still reeked of the stuff and a pool of it had formed on the ground in front of Zack.

  A long jet of flame exploded out of the dragon’s rear end, setting fire to a newly made tapestry that had been hung only a few hours before to replace the ones the dragon had set fire to when Zack first arrived. “I don’t care if you eat it or not. That is completely up to you, mortal. I have better things to worry about, like my never ending flatulence and my sister.”

  His stomach gurgled and a another jet of flame shot out, setting fire to a shelf of books one level above them.

  Missy put her arms around Zack from behind, and rested her chin on his shoulder. “Eat it my love, my sweet song, for my soft, tender heart shall cease its rhythmic beating without you.”

  Her voice was so full of passion
, Zack put the disgusting cure to his lips, then hesitated.

  Anita stomped up to him. “I can hold you down while she rams it down your throat.”

  Zack grimaced. “No, thank you.”

  Slowly he moved his lips around the cooked Mummy Wrappings. “The things I do to live.” Thank god this is only a game…

  In ten indescribably foul mouthfuls, he swallowed it all down. Then he started to gag, and Anita eased him to the ground and onto his back then shoved her hand over his mouth so he couldn’t bring it all up.

  After several long excruciating minutes of retching, then swallowing, retching, then swallowing, he managed to keep it down.

  CORE QUEST COMPLETE

  Objective: You have escaped the Deep and returned to Lord Gwynn the Scaleless with the second part of your cure. Now you are finally cured! Just make sure you wash your mouth out with soap.

  Rewards

  +8000xp

  She removed her hand from his mouth. He grinned up at her, the terrible weight of having a countdown timer marking down the hour until his death lifted from his shoulders. “I’m cured. I’m F’ing cured!”

  “Now that’s a shit eating grin if I’ve ever seen one,” Anita said, shaking her head.

  “Gee, thanks.” Zack spat a brown gob onto Gwynn’s pristine floor. “Come here and let me kiss you.”

  She backed away. “Not on your dumb male life. That mouth isn’t coming anywhere near me ever again!”

  “Before you go, humans, I have a task for you.” The dragon stood. “My sister and her minions must be stopped.”

  Zack wiped his mouth on his cloak and got to his feet. “Sorry, we’re busy. I have a harem to save.”

  The dragon glared at him. “You don’t have a choice in the matter. The only way you will ever get out of the Underworld will be by working with me.”

  Another jet of flame exploded out his hindquarters. “My Servitor will give you the details.”

  Gwynn dropped back onto his belly and promptly fell asleep.

  Outside the room, they met Servitor Granus. The man nodded in greetings, then wrinkled his nose. “I see you managed to keep the cure down. Brave man you are, I must say.”

  Zack’s stomach cramped. “Can we talk about something else? Gwynn said you had something for us.”

  “Indeed. Things in Middle Underworld are grim indeed.”

  Anita sighed. “Every moment of my life is grim.”

  The Servitor looked her up and down. “A beautiful young orc woman like yourself should not view the world that way. Why, I—”

  “Just tell us what you want,” Zack said. The last thing he needed was for Anita to rage at the old man for trying to give her some friendly advice.

  “We are holding back Sulfurion’s minions here in Lower Underworld, but in Middle, they have overwhelmed us.” He shook his head. “They have taken Malghana prisoner, killed her female apprentices and last our spies told us, enslaved the male apprentices.”

  Zack had figured the cultists being at the Bottomless Well was a bad sign. “We need her to tell us how to get to Upper Underworld.”

  “Indeed.” Granus grinned. “And that is why you will help us.”

  Zack and Anita both growled under their breaths. She was likely thinking the same thing as him—don’t get involved in some petty factional squabble between NPC factions. But if they ever wanted to reach the surface, it looked like they had to.

  “There better be some nice XP and rewards,” Zack said, crossing his arms.

  “Oh, there will be.” Granus paused. “We will need allies in this coming war. Allies we at present, lack.”

  “Go on.”

  “The goblin tribes hate the sisterhood nearly as much as we do.”

  “Goblins.” Zack frowned. “We killed a bunch of them a while back, and we have a quest to collect their ears.”

  “It matters not. The goblin tribes are in uproar since their king died. They hunger for a new leader, someone who will unify them.” His eyes settled on Zack.

  Zack’s mouth fell open. “I hope you’re not expecting me to become their king. I’m a human, remember. Plus, goblin women aren’t my thing.”

  “You like orc women just fine,” Anita said. “Or at least what is between our legs and hanging from our chests.”

  “Only you, my sweet.” He smacked her armored ass. She shoved him away in what could only be feigned disgust, as he caught her grinning under her faceguard.

  Granus bared his teeth. “Bah. If you two would have shut your mouths, I would have said that one of King Osmos’s sons yet lives. He left home many decades ago, and journeyed out into the vast regions of Western Middle Underworld, near where the Qui’irl, the ratpeople, live. He lives there as a hermit, having nothing to do with his kind.”

  “Interesting.” Zack stroked his chin. “I have Osmos’s shield back in Vanamoor.

  “Most excellent.” Granus grinned. “Then take the shield with you and go in search of this living son and help him unify the goblin tribes. But that will not be all you must do. I have received word the goblins are under attack by the Deep Ones.”

  “Yes, we heard,” Zack said, remembering what Stout Jon had told them.

  “After you have installed the king, help him drive back the Deep Ones and destroy whatever entrance they are coming from. Only then will we have the allies we need to drive back Sulfurion’s minions and restore balance to Middle Underworld.”

  QUEST

  Objective: Step one. Find the lost goblin heir, give him his father’s shield and convince him to help you reunite the goblin tribes.

  REWARDS

  +8000xp

  +200 food

  An item each for you and your harem

  “And what about Malghana?” Zack asked.

  “Once you have united the tribes and the war against Sulfurion is in our favor, we will set about trying to save the witch. Don’t worry, they will not be able to kill her. No one can.”

  That was good to know.

  “It might be a while before we can go in search of this son. I have important business to attend to first.”

  The servitor lowered his head. “Then get to it, young man. But when you are done, seek out this wayward son and put him on the goblin throne.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Sweet Cream

  Zack entered Missy’s room and almost had a digital heart attack. An incredibly loud gong rang right in his ear. “What is it?” Missy asked.

  “I… don’t know.”

  Suddenly, a notification popped up in his field of view.

  Message from the Janitor: Glad you’re cured. Now you need to get back onto task. At least if you want your women back. You have tonight off, but come morning, you have work to do. A new target has presented itself and you must kill it.

  You will hear from me soon. Have fun, then get some rest. You’re going to need it!

  Once Zack had read the last word, the message disappeared. He found Missy still looking at him, Anita only just now coming up to them.

  Zack forced a grin. “I’m alright. Let’s go check on Amy and Betsy.”

  They raced over to the bed and found both sleeping women snuggled up with one another, Amy laying behind Betsy, her arm draped over her. The two of them looked so damn cute, too bad they’d been asleep for days. Missy knelt beside them, brushing back their hair, humming softly.

  Had Margery put them that way or had they shifted in their sleep?

  Anita came up beside him. “I got a message. It said I will have to help you kill someone.”

  He grimaced then led Anita away from the bed. “Did it say anything else?” Maybe they had gotten different messages.

  The orc woman frowned. “No. I’ve never had one of those messages before. I assume that Janitor you told me about sent it.”

  “Yes, he’s going to have us assassinate someone like we did with those forum trolls. I think we get to rest up tonight, then he’ll wake us in the morning.” He studied her. “What are you goi
ng to do? You’re not being forced to help me.”

  Anita took off her helmet and removed her nose ring and put them into his Inventory. “Yes, I am.” To his surprise she began to sob. She quickly looked away, covering her mouth with her hand, trying to hide her pain.

  Putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, he asked, “What is it? How is he threatening you?”

  It took her almost a minute to gather herself. She spun around and knocked his hand away. “I don’t want to talk about it. Not with you. Not with anyone.”

  He backed away a step. “Fine. But I’m going to be honest with you right now, so I hope you will be honest with me when you do feel like talking.” He took a deep breath. “My mother leads the resistance or a least a resistance group with informants inside the center of the City.”

  Anita’s eyes widened. “Bull shit. The resistance groups were all crushed years ago.”

  “Let me explain.” Zack quickly told her about the G man and his mother, what he knew of the resistance and how the Oligarchy had possession of his real world body. He assumed that if the developers didn’t know half the stuff happening out there in the Underworld, they likely wouldn’t hear him now.

  “I should want nothing to do with you then,” Anita said. “And yet…” She lowered her eyes. “Why the fuck did I join your harem. It’s like I actually have feelings for you and don’t hate you like I hate everyone else.”

  She looked up as Zack laughed. “Blow it out your ass, male pig. It’s not my fault.”

  “Fault? You’re human, at least out there in the real world. No one will hold it against you if you like someone, me least of all. And hey, I am growing to like you too I reckon.”

  She glared at him, then her features softened and she finally chuckled. Only for a few seconds, then she stormed toward the bathroom, her armored boots clomping over the floor. “I expect you in the bath with me soon, male. You stink like shit breath.”