Login Accepted: Incipere Online Book One

by R J Triveri

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: Well, why don’t you think about something else?

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: Something like more potions because right now, that’s about the only thing keeping me safe. Avalon promised me experience and protection. I guess I’m getting experience since I did rank up yesterday, but I’m more than just a potion brewer.

  As the signal on his machine triggered, he emptied and refilled its inventory. He vaguely imagined his clothing and hair on a self-measured coffee machine then shook the thought away. You couldn’t trust a coffee maker like that to do something itself.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: Well, isn’t the Starlight Festival coming up in Oenus soon?

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: Avalon said something about wanting to have all this taken care of by then. So, I think it is.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: I’ll be in town for it with Mom and Dad. I think I could sneak away if you want to spend some time together.

  For the first time in nearly a month, Athos genuinely felt like smiling.

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: As long as everything’s taken care of. Otherwise, I might need a bodyguard.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: I wasn’t bad with an arm tied behind my back, I’m still good to go for that.

  A pang of guilt welled up, but he did his best to push it aside as the inventory filled again and needed to be emptied. The next brew called for a few more ingredients including Sol Arums, so the set up too a bit longer and more concentration as another message flashed back.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: Too soon?

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: No, just needed to get the brew right, or I’d have lost a night’s work is all.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: Okay. Sounds good to me. Shit, Dad’s coming to check up on me. Last time he caught me up, he almost grounded me. Good Night!

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: Good night, Sally.

  And she was gone again.

  Athos had grown fond of their midnight chats. The whole experience had almost made things bearable. With the potions brewing and his mind wide awake, he figured it would be about time to check on a few things. Opening his inventory screen, he sat back and examined his abilities and status.

  He had become familiar with his critical shot, scatter shot, and all the passive skills the gunner class had given him. All that reaction time, all that focus he had been able to use were apparently modifications from his skills. Programs and macros set within himself to modify his reactions and increase his chances of survival as Sammi had put it, but that didn’t make it any less strange. To think that in this world, all someone had to do was learn a new piece of code and their bodies would react accordingly. Then again, was it really that different from the tweakers and body modders on Earth? His thoughts didn’t have much time to explore it deeper as a knock interrupted his thought processes.

  “Come in.”

  The knocking stopped and an irate voice echoed from the other side. “What have I told you about opening the door without checking who is there.”

  Athos sighed to himself. “How many people would Sammi allow up in the middle of the night without warning me, Trina?”

  As the door opened, Trina didn’t bother to answer the question. She already knew that Sammi had been given direct orders not to allow Athos visitors that weren’t vented first, but that didn’t stop her from being a bit more than irritated at him. “What if I had convinced her that I needed to see you?”

  “And what need would someone have to see a rank five alchemical arm with a simple rank three in said alchemy.” He lowered his screen with a bit of a coy grin on his face as he continued. “Besides, if you were a problem, I could use the jump disk Avalon gave me to escape to your guild house.”

  The bald woman seemed a little more surprised than disappointed at him by this point. “Been planning a grand escape then?”

  Shaking his head, he ignored how ridiculous it would have been for him to even try. “How’s the front?”

  Trina took a seat on his bed, relaxed, and sighed as her feet reached over the edge of it. “Why did I ever think being tall was a good thing?”

  He shrugged. “Were you short before you got here?”

  Her hands moved behind her head to give her a bit more support. “Try dwarfish. I was 4’9 and not going to get any taller.” She seemed about ready to drive into a story before she stopped herself. “The front, right. Not good for the most part. With the tax they have in place, the Suits are getting ninety-percent of each kill, so the more we kill, the richer they get. The longer we defend the city, the longer than can continue their siege.”

  Another ding from his machines, another reset inventory, and another groan. “I really hate those bastards.”

  She nodded. “We all do, but legally, they aren’t doing anything wrong.”

  “Doesn’t mean they aren’t bastards.”

  Trina grinned looking his way. “Avalon sent me with a message by the way.”

  “She could just send me a message.”

  “That would show a connection to her now, wouldn’t it?” the bald woman added with a smug grin. “Not that the guild tag would give anything away. Still, she wants you to focus your efforts on making this.” Out of the nothingness of her inventory, Trina created a new scroll and handed it to him. “It’s supposed to be quite useful.”

  With a nod, he touched the scroll, and it vanished into his data with a message:

  New Potion Recipe Acquired: Pluvias Noxia. See your Alchemist’s skills book for more details.

  “Pluvias Noxia?” With a flip of his wrist and some shifting in his inventory, he brought his skill book to life and flipped to his first of the rank three brews.

  Pluvias Noxia is a rather destructive brew. Like its cousin, Venefirous, P. Noxia is a poison. However, this poison is fast acting. Taking seconds rather than minutes to burn through its entire duration. This is most effective against plant based life forms and is least effective against humanoids outside of this designation.

  Looking up from his book, Athos felt sick. “This sounds dangerous.”

  “Of course, it’s dangerous!” Trina simply returned his look. “It’s war, Athos. We have to defend our homes. If we don’t, we all lose.”

  He understood but that didn’t mean he wanted to understand it. “It isn’t like they have a choice either. They were forced to do this.”

  She nodded. “And this is why you’re a Child of the Forest, Athos. You have a soft heart. They’re just data, monsters made to hunt down criminals. They don’t have any other purpose than to be hunted.” Before he could open his mouth, she held up her hand to stop his words from forming. “That doesn’t mean I don’t agree with you. Here, we’re no different than they are, but at least we get a choice.”

  He sighed as another set of potions finished. This time though, he added the finished pots of Venefirous to the list and a few odds and ends before starting the process for making Pluvia Noxia. “I know how they feel. It isn’t like I’ve got much to do besides whatever Avalon says. I’m going stir crazy.”

  Rank up! 1 Alchemy rank gained.

  A grin spread across Trina’s face. “That brings me to my other business here. The Moon’s Aura is going to be on patrol tomorrow night.” She seemed to look somewhere else before shaking her head. “Make that tonight. You should join us. It won’t be all of us, just Torrent, myself, Allen, and Diz. The rest will be in other groups around the outside.”

  “Diz?”

  Trina nodded. “I don’t think you two have met yet, she’s one of our newest members and a good friend.”

  Athos nodded, thought for a moment, ran the numbers, and then put his thoughts against Trina’s sounding board of a skull. “Won’t Avalon get upset if I leave?”

  “Upset at who? A guild member going out with their guild for a hunt? Just double up your work tonight and that way you won’t have to worry about it.”

  Double it up? Looking at the list in his message window that
Avalon had sent him, he sighed. “Doubling up sounds easy, but I don’t have everything I need to do it. She only sends what she needs for the night.”

  “I know you want to get out and do something,” Trina prodded. “Come on. It’s only for a few hours. She can’t miss you. You’ll be gone and back before you know it.”

  As another batch finished with an audible ping, Athos studied the newly formed Pluvias Noxia. The black brew was splotched with clouds of toxic looking purple. Even holding it made him feel uneasy as he looked back at Trina. “You sure she won’t miss me?”

  The smile almost gave off as much light as her shaved head. “If she does, you can just blame it on me.”

  The thoughts of combat again crossed his mind before he shook his head. “I just don’t think I could pull the trigger. They were the reason I survived here in the first place.”

  Trina seemed to be studying him, her eyes going from the ears, to his face, to his form before her thoughts began to take shape. “Think of it this way, Athos. The dryads are being forced to attack our city. Their free will is gone, their master is gone, and their home is being thrown to the wind by the high spawn rates. They are beyond their own control and know nothing but anger and rage. Is it really going to be so hard to put down something so pained as that?”

  “Not when you put it like that.” Damn, she’s convincing. “Did you do debate back on Earth?”

  “No, but I was a mother. With two little ones, you get pretty good at presenting your arguments.”

  “Fair enough, but how’d you end up here?”

  Still laying on the bed, Trina shook her head. “Are you ready to share how you did?”

  To his surprise, in that small room with Trina, the story began to flow. “There isn’t much to tell really. I’m just self-conscious about it. I was mugged and stabbed. My spinal cord was severed, and they couldn’t replace it. Some fragments were floating around inside it, and it was only going to be a matter of time before I died. So, it was either come here or meet the reaper.”

  “That actually explains a lot.”

  “Huh?”

  She shook her head. “Never mind. My choice wasn’t as easy, but…” she sighed and started her story over. “It’s been a long time since I’ve even thought about it, Athos. There was a gas leak in the apartment next door to mine that caught. My husband and my daughters were in the living room at the time, and I was at work.” She got quiet for a moment, then continued. “I came back to an inferno of an apartment building and the news. When the dust settled, I donated everything to charity and put in my application to start over.”

  “I’m sorry,” Athos managed after a moment.

  “Don’t be,” she said getting up and wiping a tear from her eye while Athos pretended not to notice. “Just be ready for tomorrow. We’ve got a lot to do, and you don’t have much time to do it in.”

  The young alchemical arm nodded. “Time’s all I have, Trina.”

  “Then quit wasting it. You never know when it’ll run out.”

  With those words, Trina left Athos to his thoughts and tasks. If he wanted to get away with the escapade, he’d have a lot more on his plate tonight.

  Moon Hunters

  When all was said and done, the day passed quickly for Athos. When he thought back on it before stepping out the door, a nap had robbed him of a few hours, studying up on his different brews took another, and the rest was spent making as many different brews as his supplies would allow before putting them in the usual box, sealing it, and giving it to Sammi to deliver to Avalon’s front lines. With the task done, it felt as though a weight was lifted off his shoulders, and he began to feel anxious. Not that he was particularly excited about another hunt after the last time, Athos was more excited to just get back outside. The smells of dried leaves, flower petals, and unspeakable other things just had gotten to him. At one point, Athos had worried that the scent of the concentrated shadow oil was forever stuck in his nose. Thankfully, it had just been a rogue drop that had found a home under his nose.

  With all his digital ducks in a row, Athos closed the door, checked his supplies, and walked back out into the world. The night was young with the sun still setting on the horizon with little more than a shadow of darkness fading into existence with the stationary stars just starting to become visible. As soon as the inn was behind him, a private message from a familiar user blinked into being.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: Are you sure about this?

  Looking over his shoulder, Athos double checked that she wasn’t just watching from a dark corner. She must have had her friends list up and saw his location update. He shrugged, kept walking, and thought up, in his opinion, a pretty good response.

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: In the two months you’ve known me, what do you think?

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: I think your heart’s in the right place, but that you’re more than likely going to do something that you may regret.

  Athos thought for a moment as he continued he walk and smiled to himself. She really knew him well after all those midnight conversations and stolen moments.

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: I think that’s a fair assessment.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: You shouldn’t have gotten involved. Nothing goods going to come from this.

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: I’ve got nowhere else to go right now.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: That doesn’t mean you have to fight.

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: It doesn’t mean I can sit back and wait either.

  There was a pause as Athos walked before she responded. Not too long, but long enough to give Athos time to think about what he had said. Either wait and possibly die or run into danger and die. Really, he didn’t have many options.

  Sally Queen => Athos Aramis: Just don’t die, Athos.

  Athos Aramis => Sally Queen: I don’t plan on it. Take care, Sally.

  With that, he turned a familiar corner and knocked on the dilapidated door of the Moon Aura’s guild house. A few seconds later, the stout Allen opened the door and pulled out a rather sharp looking spear. Dressed in his usual robes, the man looked him over and gave Athos a piece of his mind. “Didn’t think you’d make it tonight. You sure you’re up to the task, pot jockey?”

  Pot Jockey? That was a new one. Pulling Magus from his side, Athos smiled. “Just try to keep up, Mr. Magic.”

  His face contorted into the most unfounded, offended face he could make before almost sheepishly responding with. “Ooh, Mr. Magic. Give the man a prize. If you’d ask anyone, I’d tell you why I am Mister Magic, ya twit.” Looking back into the house, Allen yelled. “Athos is here, get your asses out here so we can start this god-forsaken patrol.”

  A little crestfallen, the young alchemical arm stepped back from the door as familiar faces emerged. Unlike Allen, each of those in line were dressed more appropriately for the occasion. Trina wore chain mail woven into the fashion of a set of martial artist’s clothing complete with a metal tinted yellow uwagi, belt, and long flowing white pants. Torrent wore a plate armor set, emblazoned with glowing blue, red, and yellow runic symbols. The last member he didn’t recognize. The newcomer was a rather mature young lady wearing a pair of dark-tinted goggles, some heavy looking, bejeweled metal gloves, had what looked like spires on her back, and to wrap everything up, sported a set of chained needles at her belt. Whatever she was, Athos wasn’t sure whether to question it, run from it, or just be in awe.

  Once the door shut behind them, Trina simply smiled. “Good evening, Athos.”

  He returned the smile and holstered Magus. “A great night to be alive, Trina.”

  She nodded then turned to address the rest of the group. “The hunt is on tonight, boys and girls.” Looking from the spire woman to Athos, she continued. “Athos, this is Diz. She’s going to work with you and Allen as support tonight. Don’t stand too close to her, don’t touch any of her grounding stakes, and for God’s sake, don’t touch the rods on her back.” He would do
all those things and give her a wide berth. With a nod from Athos, she continued. “Now, we only have a few hours on shift tonight in the back of the market district beyond the bridge.”

  “Isn’t that near the front lines?” the one called Diz interjected before a grin grew on her face like a Cheshire cat.

  Trina's face seemed to harden a bit as her gaze focused on Diz for just a moment longer before turning back to the rest. The woman seemed to shrink back at her gaze before the martial artist spoke again. “We are. At Avalon’s request, we need to be near the front in case anything comes up. If the line falls, we’re all that’s left between the city and the horde of whatever decides to spawn tonight until the rest of the guild can arrive.”

  So, this was how a guild operated. To Athos, it seemed a little questionable, but at least it was organized. The group listened intently, the party formed, and things went rather smoothly.

  “When do I get to zap ‘em?” Diz asked. Her words punctuated by a rather intimidating spark of lightning between the spires on her back.

  It wasn’t quite her words, but the half-crazed way she said it that shattered Athos’s illusion about things going smoothly.

  Athos Aramis => Torrent Lase: Is she okay?

  Torrent Lase => Athos Aramis: Diz is a serious hunter, but would you be if you were struck by lightning on a daily basis?

  Well, that answered that question but raised so many others.

  “Almost forgot,” Trina said almost smacking herself in the forehead.

  Trina Rorna [Moon’s Aura] has sent you a party request. Accept/Deny?

  With a practiced hand, Athos accepted the request and saw the corner of his vision populated with names and status bars. From his time with the Queens, he knew well what they meant and what the bar completely turning red would entail.

  “First thing’s first, we need to get heading to the bridge. Once we arrive, we’re to provide support for the members of Auxilium’s Guardians. Pick off any stray wild ones you see, and, if you need support, message Allen. He’s on life watch.”

  Grumbling under his breath, Allen wasn’t the most pleased with his situation, but he didn’t outright complain. With a nod, Athos equipped himself with his pistol. “Lead the way, fearless leader.”