“The upgrades don’t really speak to me, and Winged Terror is kind of redundant now,” Alburet sighed. “Guess I go back and look at my old choices.”
“A number of them have potential,” Stewart said, sitting back.
Alburet flipped through the book, eventually picking Fire Burst Ranged, which gave his Fire Burst a range of one hundred feet. Once he had selected it, he turned to the back of the book and looked at the choices he would have at level one hundred.
“It’s unusual for you to look ahead,” Stewart said, surprised that Alburet had not handed the book back right away.
“I’m interested in what the end looks like,” Alburet said.
Infernal Casting would let him summon a copy of any spell to his other hand at only twenty-five percent of the mana cost for the spell. The other choice was Copy Master, which would give him the ability to summon two Copies each time he used Copy, instead of one.
Laughing, Alburet handed the book back, “I’m going to have a small army soon.”
“Thinking of Copy Master, are you?”
“Yeah, it makes the most sense for me.”
“It does, indeed,” Stewart agreed and took the book, locking it away. “How long are you likely to be?” Stewart asked as they left the back room.
“Not long. Grim and Almira know we’re coming,” he replied.
“I’ll make sure everything is ready,” Stewart said, parting with him in the tap room.
“Let’s go,” Alburet said, collecting his wives as he crossed the room.
Alburet told them about his options for this level and what he had to choose from next as they went to Grimgar’s shop. They agreed with his choices, knowing it would help out even more with groups if he placed the spell carefully.
“I know the last Ability is supposed to be good, but three minions of each type…” Karen trailed off with a raised eyebrow.
“It only makes sense if you’re heavily invested in your minions,” Fluff said. “I was thinking, Al, if you used Demonic Inspiration and then Copied them, would the Copies keep the inflated stats when the spell ends?”
His brow furrowing, Alburet thought about it, “I don’t know. Let’s find out.”
Casting Demonic Inspiration, all three Infernals seemed to swell with power. Copying each of them, each Copy came into being with the higher stats. “So far, it looks promising,” Alburet said.
“Guess we’ll find out in… he’s closed?” Karen said, looking at the closed sign on the door.
“He probably just closed the shop,” Alburet said, reaching past to knock on the door.
The door popped open and revealed Grimgar’s smiling face. “Good to see ye all. Come on in. Gerald and Marysue be here already.”
“Took you longer than normal,” Gerald said.
“We went together instead of separately,” Alburet replied.
“We don’t have much for you, and we collected what scale and plate we could get from the others,” Almira said, coming over to collect hugs.
“Aye, let me show ye so we can go eat sooner,” Grimgar laughed as he started pulling items from his bag.
“He’s so eager to hear what’s been happening,” Almira snickered.
Once all the gear was laid out, they each took the items best suited for them. Karen found a new dagger enchanted to add twenty-five percent of its damage on again as ice damage, along with an entire new set of jewelry. Fluff didn’t get new weapons, but did get most of an armor set. Marysue took all of the white leather and two rings, while Gerald got a new set of boots and gloves. Alburet took the few pieces of black leather along with a ring and a necklace.
The new armor and items were donned, and Grimgar and Almira refused to take any money from any of them. Grimgar locked up the shop as they all left together, headed for the inn. Grimgar was bursting to know what had been happening to let them level up so much over the last few days.
Alburet
Demon Lord Summoner
Ambassador for the Dark Lord
Level 96
Strength: 389 (0)
Agility: 389 (0)
Constitution: 844 (430)
Intelligence: 444 (30)
Wisdom: 1,799 (1,060)
Charisma: 419 (0)
Health: 13,240
Mana: 22,790
Spells:
Demon Skin-Rank 10
Demonic Retribution- Rank 9
Summon Greater Imp
Fire Blast- Rank 9
Sap Strength- Rank 9
Demonic Haze- Rank 9
Summon Greater Destroyer
Demonic Vitality- Rank 9
Fire Burst- Rank 9
Summon Greater Succubus
Abilities:
Personal Spells
Flame Weapon
Copy
Infernal Upgrade: (Succubus- Ally)
Infernal Upgrade: (Imp- Big Boom)
Infernal Upgrade: (Destroyer- Demonic Shell)
Infernal Upgrade: (Succubus- Comforting Touch)
Copy
Infernal Upgrade: (Succubus- Essence Drain)
Still Caster
Infernal Upgrade: (Imp- Burning Cleanse)
Infernal Upgrade: (Destroyer- Savage Roar)
Infernal Upgrade: (Destroyer- Bash)
Imp Storm
Infernal Upgrade: (Imp- Infernal Flames)
Demonic Inspiration
Infernal Upgrade: (Destroyer- Thunderous Stomp)
Ranged Fire Burst
Racial Abilities:
Cast spells without verbal components
Physical damage reduction 25%
Magical damage reduction 10%
Influence emotions
Fire resistance 125%
Reputation gains at tenth value
All stats increase by 4 points per level
Can use any weapon regardless of strength required
Double movement speed when minion present
Maxed reputation with all Infernals and Worshippers of the Dark Lord
All Debuffs last half as long
Immune to movement impairing effects
Immune to mind altering effects
Chapter Seventeen
Alburet and his wives all woke together, indulging in another round of sex before bathing and getting ready for the day. Loralee and her helpers had a full breakfast and coffee ready for them when they finally came to the dining room.
“Which of them is going to max out first?” Karen asked.
Alburet blinked as his brain shifted into gear. “Oh. Bob. He’ll become an Imp Lord as soon as we level again. Tiny will be right behind him, and then our darling wife will join us at max level when we get there.”
“I be lookin’ forward to it,” Stacia grinned.
“I’m sure they are, too,” Alburet chuckled.
“Bob’s head will explode,” Karen snickered.
“He’s been looking forward to it,” Fluff commented.
“It nay be often the weakest Imp climbs to such heights,” Stacia added. “He be stackin’ up accolades as ya Imp, Asthore. Bob will be one of the most celebrated Imps ever to exist.”
“Is it the same for Tiny?” Fluff asked.
“Aye, he was nay one of the stronger Destroyers, either,” Stacia nodded. “When the Overlord made all Infernals equal, it was a boon to those who had languished, nay bein’ chosen because of their perceived weakness.”
“I wouldn’t give up any of them,” Alburet said.
“Aye, we all be knowin’ tha’,” Stacia smiled, taking the first bite of her meal.
“I wonder what the King will want from us today?” Fluff said.
“That’s the million-dollar question,” Karen mumbled around a bite of food.
Conversation faded as they turned their attention to the fantastic food. When they eventually pushed their plates away, they were sated.
“I was wondering if my cooking wasn’t as good as normal, but I see it was,” Loralee said when she came back to check on th
em. “With all the talk this morning, I had doubts.”
“As if your cooking could be anything other than wonderful,” Alburet said.
“It might one day not be to your liking,” Loralee replied with a small smile, “though that is unlikely.”
“Right?” Karen chuckled as she got up. “Anything is possible, but that’s about as likely as this family getting upset with each other.”
“Very unlikely,” Fluff smiled as she took Karen’s hand.
“Let’s get going and see what Gerald knows,” Alburet said, helping Stacia to her feet. “I’ll let him know we’re ready and see where he wants to meet up.”
“As ya wish,” Stacia murmured as she took his arm.
“We’re going to the Portal Guild,” Alburet told Knitoc. They had heard back from Gerald and were just leaving the house.
“What are we doing today?” Bob asked.
“We don’t know yet. We’re still waiting around to see what the King wants us to do. Gerald thinks waiting at the Portal Guild is the best idea right now.”
“Do you think you’ll level again?” Bob asked, his eyes wide and hopeful.
“We’ll see,” Alburet chuckled. “I’m just as eager to see you reach the next level, Bob.”
“We’re all eager to see that,” Karen said as she waited to get into the carriage.
“Aye, ya upgrade, Tiny’s, and mine,” Stacia said. “Iffin nay today, then mayhap tomorrow.”
“Right, right,” Bob said, going to the back of the carriage and climbing into place.
“Master,” Tiny rumbled, “there are no more dungeons for you to assault?”
“No,” Alburet sighed. “If there were, it would be easy to manage the last few levels.”
Nodding, Tiny climbed up next to Knitoc on the driver’s bench.
Alburet was last into the carriage. Astov closed the door behind him and the carriage started moving. Lips pursed and brow furrowed, he thought about what Tiny had asked.
“Why didn’t we get an achievement or something, right?” Karen asked.
“Yeah,” Alburet nodded. “It might just be an overlooked point, but that was my thought.”
“We haven’t seen any besides the claiming of the Keeps,” Fluff chimed in. “Maybe they wanted to minimize them so people wouldn’t try rushing?”
“Possibly,” Alburet admitted.
“What be ya all talkin’ about this time?” Stacia asked.
They spent the rest of the trip explaining how achievement systems usually worked in other games, trying to do it in a way that would make sense to her.
“It would encourage some of ya to rush about to get them done first for the bonuses ya could get?” Stacia asked as the carriage came to a stop at the Portal Guild.
“Close enough,” Alburet said as he got out. “It all depends on what the particular world is like.”
“Aye, that be makin’ sense,” Stacia nodded. “Mayhap it will be somethin’ tha’ can be done here, or mayhap it just be the rewards be waitin’ on ya other world.”
“Could be,” Karen agreed with a smile.
“Thank you, Astov,” Fluff said as she got out.
“Do you wish us to wait, Lord?” Knitoc asked.
“Yeah, give us a bit to see if the King summons us to the castle,” Alburet said. “If we’re not back out in about thirty minutes, head on home.”
“As you command, Lord,” Knitoc bowed his head.
“Let’s head on in. Gerald and Marysue should already be here,” Alburet said, extending his arms to Fluff and Stacia.
When they entered the building, they found the couple off to the side in the waiting area. Neither looked up as the group entered, lost in their own whispered conversation.
“Hope we’re not intruding,” Alburet said when they approached.
“Huh?” Gerald said, looking up and shaking his head. “No. We were discussing things that won’t matter for a few more months.”
Marysue frowned briefly at his wording, but her smile came back. “Now that you’re all here, we can discuss other things.”
“Oh? What did you—”
Attention: The forces of Stein have made their move.
All Graveyards not inside a city are now spawn points for undead invasions.
Fight off the invasions to gain appropriate rewards.
“What the?” Gerald said as the message appeared.
“Gerald, there’s word from the Guild that Glacial Lake is being attacked,” Marysue said a moment later as the others all read the message.
“Aye, and the Webbed Woods,” Stacia said.
“Glacial Lake first?” Alburet asked.
“Yes,” Gerald said, starting for the stairs. “We’ll do this and see if the King calls for us during it.”
“Now it’s feeling like a raid event kick off,” Fluff said as they moved quickly for the stairs.
“Right?” Karen agreed.
When they stepped through the portal, they were immediately surrounded by undead. Bob was the first to realize that the mobs were level appropriate to the zone.
“Master, the undead are easy, but they’re attacking the Langistors, too,” Bob called down to them.
Launching himself into the air, Alburet looked down to see what Bob was talking about. “Gerald, when an undead kills a mob, that mob becomes undead, too. I think we have to kill all the undead to stop it from snowballing.”
“Mary,” Gerald called out to her, “post that into the Guild chat so they know. The Defenders should rally to kill the undead quickly.”
“I’m already telling them,” she said calmly, knowing the creatures posed no real danger to Gerald.
It took them half an hour to clear the last of undead; when the final one fell over, a message popped up in front of everyone in the zone.
This zone has been purified by your efforts.
Your reward has been placed into your bags.
For the next five hours, this zone will not be targeted by the undead scourge.
“Well, that explains that,” Gerald said.
“We barely got any experience,” Karen said.
“They were well under our level,” Alburet pointed out.
“I think this is for those who won’t be assaulting the prison,” Fluff suggested.
“That would be my guess, as well,” Marysue said.
“Ya thinkin’ we are nay meant to be here?” Stacia asked puzzled.
“More like we should let those who would gain the most do it without our aid. We’ve seen similar events in the past. Plus, we’re likely going to be busy over the next few days with whatever the King requires.”
King’s Quest: All Two-souled level 80 or higher report to Stormguard castle.
“I guess that’s what we were waiting for,” Alburet said, pulling out his Homestone. “See you there.”
“Indeed,” Gerald said.
~*~*~
Alburet was surprised to see the courtyard packed with players when they reached the castle. “Damn, I didn’t realize how many people were here.”
“More than I thought there would be,” Karen admitted, getting out of the carriage once it was stopped at the second gate.
“That’s a couple of thousand people, easily,” Fluff said slowly, suddenly nervous.
“It be fine, we be here with ya,” Stacia told Fluff, placing her hand on the nervous Lunari’s shoulder.
“Don’t worry, Fluff. We’re here for you,” Alburet agreed, taking her hand.
“Damned right,” Karen added.
Nodding, Fluff took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay.”
Stepping into the throng, the family moved to the side and waited. Gerald and Marysue arrived a minute later and joined them.
“Any ideas?” Gerald asked.
“Speculation is running wild,” Alburet replied. “Some of these folks think we’re going right for the prison. I’ve heard one or two guessing that this is a mini-raid to see who’s ready and who isn’t. When was the
last time you saw a gathering like this?”
“Personally, never,” Gerald admitted. “We’ve played other…” he trailed off with a look at Stacia, choosing his words with care. “Our time in other worlds never involved us with anything like this.”
“It’s classic expac or raid build up,” Karen said. “I wonder how long before—”
Trumpets rang out, cutting off conversations across the courtyard. The doors at the balcony that overlooked the courtyard opened, revealing the King and the two High Priests that normally accompanied him. Once everyone had turned to see him and the conversation died off, the King spoke.
Gamer for Love (Alpha World Book 8) Page 16
