by C. M. Carney
He focused more intently on her and triggered Know Desires. His face calmed, and he gave her a sympathetic look. “She desires nothing more than to protect Ferrancia. Though she knows it is foolish to feel this way, she has a very potent parental instinct towards the goddess. If we can convince her we are here to help Ferrancia and not harm her, Milly will help us in any way she is able.”
“Just like that,” Ovrym said. “She’d risk the High God’s wrath by helping us?" The xydai stared at Milly. "You know nothing about us.”
“She knows we're a bunch of badasses,” Lex countered.
“We are nothing compared to Aluran,” Ovrym said.
Gryph knelt in front of the woman. “You will help us.” It was more command than question.
“If you prove you mean the goddess no harm,” Milly said. “Something you have not done, yet.”
“Why do you care for her?” Gryph asked.
She stared into his eyes for several long moments and then spoke. “Because deep underneath the veneer of divinity Aluran has laid upon her, lies the heart and soul of a good woman. I fear that power has made her forget her true self. The Realms need her to remember.”
A rush of nervous warmth flowed through Gryph. You do not understand how right you are. Another thought occurred to him. Or do you? He stared at her, wanting to put faith in Lex’s Analyze skill, but there was something about the woman, a confidence that unnerved him. Gryph found that he believed her. That alone made her suspicious, but he’d taken much greater risks since entering the Realms. He decided if he couldn’t trust a woman vetted by a Master of Analyze, then he could trust nobody.
“You sure she’s not lying Lex?” Gryph asked, without taking his eyes from the woman.
“As sure as sure can be,” Lex said. “Unless Ol’ Milly here is a Master of Analyze too, she means what she says.
Gryph breathed in and decided. “I will trust you. How can I convince you to trust me?”
“Tell me why you’re here?”
“To save Ferrancia.”
“Why? Who is she to you?”
“Let’s just say I consider her family,” Gryph said, staring intensely at the elderly woman. “And where I come from, we don’t abandon family.”
An odd, yet warm, smile crossed Milly’s face and Gryph had the distinct impression he’d passed a test he hadn’t even known he’d been taking. “Fair enough. Tell me how I can help.”
66
“Come and get it you chrome dome dummies,” Lex roared as he triggered Avoidance. He shifted to the right as the paladin’s heavy mace passed through the spot he’d just vacated. Splinters of stone exploded from the impact point in a wide fan, reminding Lex of impact craters from bad sci-fi movies.
“Those maces pack a wallop. Do not let them hit you with one,“ he roared, cursing the Crag’s ability to block their Telepathic Link.
“Thanks for that bit of useless advice,” Vonn Prime said, as he thrust his new sword towards the other paladin. The bone white blade found a gap in the man’s armor and he triggered the blades Vorpal ability. The paladin grunted and lowered his tower shield just enough for Vonn Two to strike, sinking his blade into the brute’s shoulder.
The paladin roared and bashed upward with his shield, slamming with bone breaking force into Vonn Two’s face. The summoned duplicate flew backwards past Vonn Three and smashed against the wall. Vonn Four rolled and stabbed upwards, using the opening provided by his brethren’s unfortunate situation to his best advantage. He triggered Vorpal and thrust the blade up and under the paladin’s armor and into his armpit.
While the four Vonns battled the first paladin, Errat, Ovrym, Lex, and Gryph tackled the other. Out of the four of them Ovrym had so far been the most effective. His bleed metal saber was a blur of crimson, his mana enhanced attacks were whittling away at the paladin’s health.
Errat had landed a blow that should have decapitated the giant armored warrior, but the paladin had triggered a perk called Refract that turned much of the damage back onto Errat. The warborn was lucky the near decapitation was not part of the refraction, or they’d already be down one member. Nevertheless, Errat was not doing well and had retreated behind their battle line. The warborn looked warily over his shoulder at the Port Circle.
"Are we sure there will be no more guards?"
"Looks like Milly came through with that Master Port Key," Lex said. "Hopefully the guards don't find a way around."
"I suggest we focus on the current adversaries instead of worrying about hypothetical ones," Gryph said.
Lex returned to the fray, concentrating on Order Bolts and Crushing Blow, but tossing in unenhanced hammer attacks and even a few kicks when his cooldown periods demanded. None had proven overly effective against the paladin's overpowered armor that blocked and healed incoming damage. The man still had well over 1,000 health.
Gryph was holding his own. He ducked under a mace swing, spun and stabbed up and behind the paladin’s shield. Several inches of his spear punctured into the paladin’s forearm and blue-white energy exploded from the tip. The paladin grimaced in pain and his muscles seized. He fell to one knee and lost his grip on the monstrous tower shield. It crashed to the floor with a loud thung.
The paladin still clutched his mace and it launched upward as if propelled by a rocket engine. The deadly sphere crushed into Gryph’s right shoulder and sent him flying. He crunched to the ground and grabbed at the damaged limb.
The grin of pure joy on the paladin’s face sent Lex into a fury. He roared as the prime directive for his very existence surged within him. “I must protect Gryph.” He dropped his hammer and grabbed the paladin by the helmet with both meaty hands, twining his fingers into the man’s eyes. With a manic chuckle he unleashed Flames.
Dual blasts of fire exploded into the paladin’s eyes and he howled in agony. Lex poured all the mana he could into the fiery jets, knowing the damage dealt would be but a fraction of the paladin’s remaining health. A manic sneer pulled Lex’s lips back over his teeth as the smell of cooking flesh reached his nostrils. A moment later Lex heard the man’s eyeballs pop and the shock sent the paladin into convulsions.
But Lex refused to stop. The surging flames surrounded him, and an ecstasy unlike any he’d ever known thrummed though him. The paladin punched blindly, hoping to land a blow that would make the agony cease. Lex grunted through the pain, feeling nothing beyond a desire to char this man’s head to ash.
Somewhere outside the warmth and the joy Lex heard a voice yelling, but he paid it no heed. His mana reserves were bottoming out and the fire sputtered, but still Lex raged. Then a pair of rough hands pulled him back. Lex’s eyes snapped up in a rage to see Gryph staring down on him.
“I said move,” Gryph roared. Behind him Errat rushed forward, his axe held high over his head. The warborn brought the double-bladed weapon down hard onto the blind paladin’s neck. The prone man offered no resistance and Errat’s Critical Hit removed his head.
Lex roared in fury. A part of him knew he suffered from Fire Magic psychosis, but he didn’t care. “Let’s go get the other one!” he screamed, but no Flames came. He looked down at his traitor hands, willing them to flow with fire, when Ovrym grabbed his head.
Soothing waves of calm, like the gentle lap of ocean waves on a tropical beach, filled Lex’s mind and he felt at peace. He lowered his hands and smiled at the xydai. “Hi, you make my brain feel nice.”
Ovrym sneered at the odd comment but turned to Gryph. “I've curbed the worst of the madness, but he bottomed out his mana pool, so he’ll have a massive headache any…”
“Owww…” Lex yelped, grabbing his head.
“… moment.” Ovrym finished.
The pain was skull splitting, but Lex knew he had no time to stand around. “How’re the Vonns doing?”
The group turned to see the other paladin crash to his knees as three of the four Vonn’s removed their swords from his side and thrust back down in a choreographed whirlwind of death. The pa
ladin lurched forward and crashed to the ground with a clang of metal. Vonn Prime rushed to Vonn Two’s side, but the double shook him off.
“So, we won?” Lex asked, his eyes passing over the rest of the group. Despite the cuts, bruises and fractures, a part of Lex felt it had been too easy. Something tickled the edge of Lex’s perception and drew his gaze to the doors of Ferrancia’s quarters. He opened his mouth, but before a warning could pass through his lips, the doors exploded in a cascade of splinters.
Errat cast Aether Shield, absorbing the shower of jagged wood, but the true threat stood amidst the rubble of the ruined doors.
The High God Aluran, Arche of the Pantheon, Prime Mover of the Realms, Father to All, had arrived.
The man wore resplendent golden armor and the hilt of a two-handed sword crested the pauldron of his left shoulder. Furious eyes glared at the group from within a massive horned helmet and widened in shock upon seeing Lex and Gryph. Then the High God smirked and raised a hand. He closed it into a fist and the doors reformed behind him, becoming solid wood once more.
“Hello Gryph. Didn't you tell me you were the solo kinda guy?” His gaze passed over the group. “But, here you are with this ragtag group of …” The High God’s gaze fell on Errat and he stopped, clearly bewildered by the warborn. “… companions. I feel lied to, and this hurts me deeply.” It was clear by the man’s tone that hurt was not the emotion he felt.
“I am a man of discriminating taste,” Gryph said. “You simply did not meet my requirements.”
Aluran chuckled and looked at the force arrayed against him with no more concern than a lion shows a mouse. “I offer you one more chance. Join me, learn from me and I will allow your companions to live.”
Lex tugged at Gryph’s shoulder. “What do we do?” he hissed.
Gryph’s glare turned for the briefest of moments from Aluran to the door behind him, and back to the High God. Lex felt the player bury his fears. “We have to go,” Gryph said, glaring back at Aluran.
“But, what about…?” Lex began, but a harsh look of rebuke from Gryph silenced him.
“Our presence endangers her,” Gryph said in a low voice. Lex nodded and Gryph turned his attention back to the High God. “I thank you for your generous offer, but I must refuse.”
Aluran scowled and stepped forward, raising both hands.
“Run!” Lex yelled, ignoring the pain the volume sent through his skull. As one the group turned and rushed towards the Port Circle.
Two volleys of blackened-silver Soul Bolts erupted from the High God’s palms and screamed towards the group. Vonn Three and Four jumped into the bolts’ path and both men flared with light. The twin volleys of Soul Bolts reversed direction and slammed into the High God, the surprise of the attack knocking him to one knee.
“Yes!” Lex yelled, pumping a fist at the Vonn’s spectacular use of their Rings of Spell Turning.
“Don’t get too excited,” Vonn Prime said, sprinting past Lex. “They can’t do that again.”
“And they did less damage to the High God than a mosquito bite,” Vonn Two added also sprinting by the NPC.
“But mosquito bites can be real annoying,” Lex said, hoping to cheer the Vonns up.
“I don’t think making him angrier is our wisest course of action,” Ovrym said.
“He needs no motivation,” Gryph said. “Keep silent and conserve your energy.” The player sped by Lex, who doubled his pace to keep up.
“What about them two?” Lex asked, nodding back at Vonn Three and Four who’d launched themselves at the High God. “We can’t just leave them.”
“They’re doomed already,“ Vonn Prime said, his voice heavy.
Lex glanced over his shoulder as Aluran launched himself at the two duplicates. Vonn Three landed a light blow, but the High God didn’t even flinch as his hand snapped out and grabbed the man by the neck. He whipped his arm and flung the half-elf into a column, breaking his back with a sickening crunch.
Vonn Prime and Vonn Two stumbled and fell, but Ovrym and Errat bent down and dragged them onto the Port Circle. Gryph pressed a small jeweled pendant at his neck. The device clicked and the Port Circle activated. The last thing all of them saw was Aluran slowly easing his blade through Vonn Four’s chest.
They reappeared in a matching Port Circle at the bottom of the Crag a moment later. “Move!” Gryph yelled, grabbing the underside of Vonn Two’s arm and heaving the man to his feet. Both Vonns were pale and sweating, like men in the throes of heroin withdrawal.
“I thought nobody could follow us,” Lex asked. “Did Milly screw us?”
“She said the guards could not follow,” Ovrym said. “She made no claims about the High God.”
“Shit,” Lex said, and put an arm under Vonn Prime’s shoulder. They ran down the curving tunnel towards the distant Port Gate and their only hope of escape.
“You okay buddy?” Lex asked. Vonn shook his head lamely. “So, are those guys dead?”
“What do you think?” Vonn Prime raged. “Did it look like they survived that?”
“I meant since they weren’t really you, maybe it would be okay.”
“We are all me,” Vonn Two said. “And now those two are dead, here and in their reality.”
“Damn,” Lex said.
They ran. Behind them a cacophonous boom of thunder billowed down the tunnel and an ozone stench rushed over them. They ran harder, rounding the last corner and the Port Gate lay ahead of them. Gryph ordered Lex to power up the gate while he and the others stood guard.
Lex slapped the Icon into the gate and dialed the runic code for the Nimmerian ruins. Energy moved through the gate. “Come on, come on.” He glanced behind him as Vonn Two pulled himself away from the others and rushed up the incline.
“Don’t,” Vonn Prime begged.
The other Vonn turned to him, his face still pale after suffering through the death of the two other Vonns. “This is my choice. Go.” He turned back to face the coming storm and drew his blade just as Aluran arrived in a halo of electrical energy. Vonn Two lashed out, moving like a blur, overloading on a dozen perks Lex could barely follow.
Against most opponents, Vonn Two would have held his own, but Aluran was the High God, and Vonn Two’s assault did nothing more than buy his friends a few seconds. For Vonn Two it was a worthwhile sacrifice.
The pinpoint singularity appeared, and the gate pulsed, expanding into a doorway. Lex felt a light breeze fall across his face. Through the arch was a green swath of grass, surrounded by mountains.
“Go!” Lex yelled and the group retreated to the gate. Errat was first helping an anguished Vonn through. Ovrym was next. “You’re turn Lex,” Gryph said in a calm focused voice.
“Like hell it is. One of us has to stay behind and destroy the Port Icon, or His High Douchiness will just redial once we’re gone. And that someone is going to be me.”
“You are correct about the danger, but wrong about who stays,” the player said. He spun, grabbed Lex by the scruff of his robes and dragged him towards the gate. Lex fought back, but Gryph was far stronger than he looked and soon Lex was tossed through the shimmering doorway. He tumbled onto his back, the soft grass breaking his fall.
“No, no, no,” Lex roared. “You are not doing this to me again.” On arriving in the Realms Gryph had unwittingly attracted the attention of the High God. That had resulted in Gryph tossing Lex through a portal and into the dusty streets of Harlan’s Watch. He’d lost Gryph that day. He would be damned if he would lose him again.
He jumped to his feet to see Gryph smiling oddly at him. A dozen feet behind him the High God dropped Vonn Two’s body and advanced on Gryph. “Goodbye,” Gryph said and smashed upwards with the butt of his spear, crushing the active Port Icon.
The stored energies in the Icon exploded and the last thing Lex saw before the doorway destabilized was Gryph’s body flying backwards.
67
As the High God looked down on Gryph’s ravaged body, conflicting feelings
of anger and triumph raged inside him. How dare he come into my city, my home. He wanted nothing more than to beat the man to death with his bare hands, but he tamed that need. I will bind his respawn point to the Pit and then I’ll beat the answers to every question from him, one life at a time.
And there were many questions. Who was he? Where did his Prime Godhead come from? Why had he come here? What did he want from Ferrancia? Where had his companions fled? How did they gain access to the ancient Port Gate system? There would be plenty of time to answer these questions.
Aluran reached down and lifted Gryph by the edge of his armor and drew him close. The man was beaten to hell. The explosion of the Port Icon had shredded the man’s body, leaving him with little more than a hundred health. Healthy enough to get you to the Pit.
The player moaned, spat up a gobbet of blood and opened one eye. The other was bloodied and swollen, but soon Gryph’s vision focused on Aluran and recognition turned to fear. “Good, you are awake. Better yet, you are afraid.”
“I am,” Gryph said calmly and cocked his head to the side. “I did not expect to feel fear. It is a curious experience.”
He studied Aluran with an unnerving clinical detachment, and a seed of doubt, of worry, of fear, began to grow in Aluran’s stomach. Something is wrong. The High God triggered Analyze.
GRYPH (El’Edryn) – Level: 19
Health
Stamina
Mana
Spirit
100/476
76/469
576
385
Gryph is an El’Edryn male player.
Strengths
Immunities
Weaknesses
