by Rick Scott
She covers her mouth with both hands and looks like she’s about to cry.
Oh crap . . . did I just say something wrong?
“I’m sorry,” I say. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told you. That’s why I didn’t mention it in my letter. I didn’t want to upset you.”
Gilly shakes her head quickly, and then pulls me into a hug. “No, no . . . I’m just happy you’re still here.” She sniffs back a tear. “That’s so scary . . . that place . . . what do you think it was?”
I shrug. “I don’t know, but it must be connected to what I saw down in the mines.”
“Do you think we should tell everyone else about this now?”
I look back to the campfire, where the four “adults” are now dancing like little kids around the flames—Aiko with Rembrandt, and Maxis with Val Helena, the giantess’s half-giant’s big laugh echoing across the distance as she and Aiko sing some chant-like song. I shake my head. “Nah, not right now. I don’t want to spoil tonight.”
Gilly nods.
“After we save Val and Aiko’s sister,” I say. “That’s still top priority. I don’t want to detract from that. Speaking of which, what level are you now?”
I could have just checked her character, but it was way better to see Gilly’s eyes light up with pride as she tells me: “78!”
“Awesome! You can almost use that bow now.”
“Yup! And, whoa!” She pauses as her eyes light up again, but literally this time, as she scans me with her HUD. “You’re 84!?”
“One more to go,” I say with a grin. “You’re going to have to show me those catfish tomorrow.”
“You betcha,” she says. “But I’ve got something to ask you first.”
I furrow my brow at the oddly timed question. “What’s that?”
She then grins. “May I have this dance?”
I burst out laughing.
“Gilly, you’re too much,” I say, and hook my arm in hers as we stand together. We head back toward the campfire and join our friends in their crazy little song and dance. It feels so good to be together again, laughing and playing—almost like a family. After what I’ve been through these last few days, it feels like an almost perfect night.
And if not for my mom and Citadel, it probably would be.
Chapter 35: Level Up
I stab the giant catfish with my kunai, my heart racing with anticipation. Its HP bar drops to zero, and the dolphin-sized fish rolls belly up in the muddy water as a wall of text scrolls onto my HUD.
You defeated the Giant Goonch!
You gain 35000 experience points.
Congratulations! You have gained a Level!
You are now Level 85!
You gained 2 attribute points.
Congratulations! You have unlocked Veteran Points!
Congratulations! You have unlocked Ability Enhancement!
Congratulations! You have unlocked Ability Slots!
Congratulations! You have unlocked a new ability: Perfect Dodge
Hollers and cheers arise from my friends on the lake shore. The whole gang is gathered together, clapping and cheering for me as I obtain my final level. It feels great. Like a massive journey is finally completed, though I know there’s still a long way to go in regards to the actual journey that lies ahead of us.
Gilly, now Level 80, raises her new bow in triumph. “Gratz, Reece! You did it, babe!”
“Well done, mate!” Rembrandt claps.
“Not bad, little bro.” Maxis gives me a nod.
“Indeed,” Aiko says coolly with a smile. “But now, the real leveling begins.”
“Huh?” I say, looking at her from across the water.
“She means the end game,” Val Helena says, taking a seat on the trunk of an overturned tree near the edge of the lake. “Specialization and VET points.”
I saw the unlocks, but I have no idea what they mean, or how to navigate the new system. I check them out and see a new screen appear on my HUD.
At Level 85, all Experience Points gained will be used toward the awarding of Veteran Points. Veteran Points can be spent to further enhance and customize your character.
You have earned 0/20 Veteran Points.
You have 0 Veteran Points to allocate.
You are 11,245/250,000 XP from your next Veteran Point.
Veteran Awards:
Attribute Point 2 VP
Ability Upgrade 3 VP
Cross-Class Ability Slot [0/4]5 VP
Non-Class Ability Slot [0/2]10 VP
“Guess I’ve got a lot to learn still,” I say, trying to make heads and tails of it all. “What are cross-class and non-class ability slots?”
“Remember how I told you that you can unlock new abilities at 85?” Rembrandt says. “That’s how you do it.”
I think back and do recall Rem saying that, right after we cleared the mines of the Goblin Queen. “Oh, right! So if I unlock a slot, I could use Power Attack as a Ninja, right?”
Aiko nods. “Right. That’s a cross-class ability, since you need Warrior to unlock Ninja. Non-class slots would be for . . . I dunno . . . slotting in a mage ability if you have it. Like Celestial Magic.”
“Wait, so I could learn healing spells as a Ninja?”
“Wouldn’t recommend it, since you’d suck and it’d be a total waste of your points,” Aiko says, “but technically, yes.”
“Wow . . .” I say. “That’s pretty cool.”
“Yeah, I’m totally jealous,” Gilly says. “I’ve still got five more levels to go before I can get all that stuff. But I’m sick of killing fish!”
That gives us all a laugh.
I trudge through the muddy water back to the lake shore and get slaps on the back from the guys and hugs from the girls. All save for Aiko, who gives me a trade request instead.
“Here,” Aiko says. “Time to give you these.”
I expect to see the lightning and poison katana blades appear in the trade, but instead, I see something else.
Aiko wishes to trade with you.
Aiko offers you:
Anju: +80 AGL +50 TP +50 Katana Skill
Zushio: +80 DEX +50 STAM +50 Enmity
Holy crap! “Legendary weapons?”
“If you’re going to be the main tank, then you better have the right tools for the job.” She flicks the ornate silver kunai over in her palms. “These are my tanking blades. Even if you can’t land too many hits, these will definitely make you hold hate. And the added Katana skill will help you land hits on monsters way higher level than your accuracy cap will allow.”
“Aiko . . . wow . . . are you sure?”
She shrugs. “The lightning and poison set is for damage, so I might as well us them instead, since I’ll be DPSing most of the time.”
“I guess you have a point there.”
“Of course, I do. Now come on. Make the trade, pretty boy.” She grins at me. “Or do I need to kiss you again?”
She bursts out laughing, and I go beet red as my ears burn.
I inadvertently glace at Gilly, who has a look of confusion on her face. “What did she just say?”
Oh crap!
“Easy, Gilly.” Aiko smiles at her with a wink. “Just a joke.”
I then get a PM.
Aiko: Our private little joke ;) <3
Eesh.
My heart is thundering in my chest as I make the trade and I pray that Gilly doesn’t notice my discomfort. I laugh it off as best I can as Aiko enjoys another cackle-laugh, tickled pink by my reaction.
Just when I start think Aiko’s okay, she goes and does something completely off the wall again. I’m beginning to wonder if maybe she’s bipolar or something.
“Thanks, Aiko,” I say as I equip the weapons. “I really appreciate this.”
I spend my last points on Vitality and take a look at my brand new Level 85 character sheet.
Name: Reece
Class: Ninja
Level: 85
Strength: 6+25
Dexterity: 80+85
Agility: 80+85
Intelligence: 4
Mind: 6
Vitality: 31 +20
HP: 1282/1282
Stamina: 357/357 (+50)
TP: 231/231 (+50)
Holy cow! I just doubled my Dexterity and Agility stats with these weapons! Level 85 legendary gear is no joke.
“Trust me. You’ll appreciate it even more when you’re tanking the Shadow King,” she says. “You’re going to need every stat you got.”
I have no doubt she’s correct, but seeing my new stat totals, I can’t help but feel a little invincible. If I was a Dodge Tank before, I must be like a Super Dodge Tank now!
“Speaking of the Shadow King,” I say. “Now that I’m 85 and Gilly is 80, you think that’s good enough to head to the Vale?”
Aiko considers it a moment. “Maybe.” She then looks to Gilly. “You have Great Heal IV and Life Syphon, right?”
Gilly nods.
“That’s pretty much all we need from her to heal this fight,” Aiko says. “So it’s possible.”
“What’s Life Siphon?” I ask.
“My Level 80 ability,” Gilly says. “I can use it to convert my HP into TP when I run out. I’ve been putting most of my points into TP and Mind, too, so I have over 1000 TP now.”
“That’s really good, Gilly,” Val Helena says, stretching out on the log. “What’s your Celestial Magic skill at now?”
“312,” Gilly says, and then she grins. “I got tons of skill ups on those catfish.”
I chuckle at that.
Maxis folds his arms and shrugs. “Well, a few more levels probably wouldn’t hurt, but the XP grind doubles after 80. She won’t be able to gain levels as quickly as before.”
“True,” Rembrandt says. “It’ll probably take Gilly a good three days or more to hit 85 killing just those fish.”
Gilly frowns. “Yeah, that’s a long time.”
“You know what?” Aiko says. “With two Dodge Tanks, plus Maxis and Rembrandt, I say we’re better equipped now than when we fought the Shadow King the first time. We could be ready. What do you think, Val?”
We all look to Val Helena, who sits up on the tree trunk and lets out a sigh. “Well, since I’m the one responsible for this whole mess, I guess it falls to me to make the call.” She looks to Maxis and Rembrandt. “First, though, I want to thank you two for helping us with this. I know this is a sidetrack for you, but it means the world to us.”
“Hey,” Maxis says with a smile, “your priority is my priority.”
“Aye, no worries,” Rembrandt says. “Besides, all this suspense about this Becky is killing me. I’m dying to meet the girl now.”
Everyone chuckles, but we go quiet again as Val Helena mulls it over. I know she’d rather leave as soon as possible—I do, as well—but she probably doesn’t want us to fail, either. It’s a tough call to make, and given the history, perhaps it’s one she can’t.
Not again.
Not when so much is riding on it this time.
“I say we’re ready,” I state boldly.
All eyes turn to me, and my heart beats with adrenaline. “Since I’m the main tank, I think it should be up to me, too. And I say we should go.”
Val Helena looks up at me. “Reece, are you sure?”
“We can’t forget that Becky’s suffering in there,” I say. “Time may move slower, but we have no idea for sure. Every second still counts.” I look around at my teammates, at the people I’ve come to trust with my life. With them by my side, I feel stronger than ever. “I think we’re in good shape, like Aiko said. I’m ready to do it. And besides, the sooner we save Becky, the sooner we can get back on track with saving Citadel.”
And my mom . . .
I give Val Helena a final nod. “The Shadow King needs to go down. Now.”
Val Helena smiles. “Well, if you’re confident, then that’s all I need to hear. We go on your say so, Reece. Thank you.”
“Agreed,” Gilly says. “And I promise I won’t be a gimp, you guys!”
We all laugh.
“Okay, then it’s decided,” Maxis says. “We head for the Vale. Now comes the hard part.”
I look at my brother with a squint. “What’s that?”
“Getting through the wild.”
Chapter 36: Into the Wild
The noonday sun darkens as we near the edge of the safe zone. It’s as if a cloud has passed overhead, but looking up, there are no clouds, only a strange dark haze that exudes across the invisible barrier where the safe zone stops and the wild begins. Even the ground too, denotes the demarcation; the grass transitions abruptly to gray sand, as if it were a rug cut with a carpet knife.
A feeling a dread bubbles up within me as I look beyond the grass to the rolling dunes and darkness. I glance at my comrades. They appear equally struck by trepidation as they peer into the wild.
All save my brother, that is.
He looks pumped and ready to go, like a boxer before a prize fight.
“Does anyone know where we’re actually going?” Gilly asks.
It’s a good question. I recall the map Blacktop showed us, but I have no clue how to follow it within a place that has few, if any, landmarks. Rembrandt steps forward and glances up at the sky, then out onto the darkened dunes ahead.
“I can navigate,” he says. “I’ll take point.” He then looks to me and Aiko. “You two can keep us invisible, yeah?”
“Just invisible,” I pipe up, remembering my initial blunder when we first arrived. “We won’t have Sneak for those dogs.”
“Let’s hope that’s all we encounter,” Maxis says, tapping his fist into his palm. “Okay, listen up. I’m not sure of everyone’s experience in the wild, but for me, it’s where I spend most of my time when I come here.”
Everyone, save Rembrandt, looks at him cross-eyed.
Gilly, however, goes a step further and blurs out, “Er . . . why?”
“Because the things in there drop the most shards,” he says. “As much as a boss in the safe zones. Anyway, that’s wasn’t the main point of me mentioning that. I’m saying this because most people, even those who have been on the surface for years, only ever experience the wild when they first arrive. Even then, it’s usually only for a few minutes as they run to a safe zone.”
I expect Aiko to say something smart-alecky about that, but even she seems to curb her normally flippant attitude in favor of paying attention to what my brother’s saying. I have to admit I do, as well. It gives me a whole new respect for him. Knowing what I do now, if he goes adventuring and looting in the wild on a regular basis, then to him, the safe zones must be just another version of the Shards.
“Being able to survive for longer than a few minutes takes a bit of know-how,” Maxis continues. “So I’m going to tell you what to do to stay alive, in case we get separated, or something goes wrong.”
I shudder inwardly at that thought.
“First thing, direction,” Maxis says. He stoops down and grabs a handful of sand, then releases it in a cloud that gets carried off in the wind. “If you noticed, the wind is blowing toward the wild. For some reason, the wind always blows from safe zones and into the wild zone. So if you get lost, always head against the wind. It’ll lead you to a safe zone eventually.”
“Good to know,” Val Helena says. “What else?”
“The dogs,” Maxis says. “They’re pretty easy to avoid when they’re in a pack because they make a bunch of noise, but there are lone wolf scouts that can really get the drop on you. If you encounter one, it’s best to try and take it out right away. Go for the throat first. It won’t be able to call the rest of the pack, then.”
I think back to our arrival and dealing with those terrible dogs. The fear and horror I felt when I saw Val Helena get bit and experience pain for the first time, rears back up in my gut. It was a shock to my system in more ways than one. But I’m stronger now—a lot stronger. Maybe they won’t s
eem so bad to me now.
I hope.
“This one’s for the two youngsters,” Maxis says, looking to me and Gilly. “Abilities work differently in there, and the feedback does, too. You’ll have to adjust.”
“Yeah, I remember,” I say. “No special effects from casting spells and stuff, right?”
“It’s more than that,” Maxis says. “Think of the safe zones like having powered steering, or training wheels. The AI is always fine-tuning actions to keep outputs within certain specs and limits. In the wild, it’s all free style.”
“What do you mean?” Gilly asks.
“It means that when you do something like a charge attack, you won’t automatically track and hit your target like you do in the Shards or safe zone. You can miss, or hit something else. Same thing if you cast a healing spell. Stuff like that.”
I nod. “I’ll be careful.”
“Hopefully, we won’t need to fight at all, but if we run into Guardians we may have to.”
“What’s a Guardian?” I ask, almost afraid of the answer.
“It’s like a suit of armor with guns,” Rembrandt says. “Nasty things. Usually only see stuff like that in the Shards I’m from.”
“Are they like Omegas?” Gilly asks.
Maxis lets out a guffaw. “No. If we find an Omega, we run. Period.” He then looks to Rembrandt. “How long d’you figure we got in there?”
Rembrandt’s eyes light up with his HUD as he checks what looks to be Blacktop’s map. “If we stay at a sprint, I give us three hours till we make it to the Vale.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Gilly says.
“Aye,” Rembrandt says. “Let’s hope it won’t be, Gills.”
* * *
As I pass through the invisible barrier separating the safe zone from the wild, I immediately begin to feel different. I’m not sure if it’s an over-exaggerated reaction due to the information my brother just gave us, but I feel heavier, off-balance. My clothes tug at my skin funny, and the blades hanging on my hips pull me to one side more than the other as I step into the soft sand.
