Grand Game 80-88 (Patreon)

Chapter 80: Bait and Switch

Finding a quiet spot, I sat down cross-legged and read three of the ability tomes.

You have acquired the basic ability: lesser trap detect. This ability consumes stamina, and can be upgraded. Its activation time is average. You have 6 of 8 Perception ability slots remaining.

You have acquired the basic ability: basic trap disarm. This ability consumes stamina, and can be upgraded. Its activation time is very slow. You have 8 of 11 Dexterity ability slots remaining.

You have acquired the basic ability: simple lockpicking. This ability consumes stamina, and can be upgraded. Its activation time is slow. You have 7 of 11 Dexterity ability slots remaining.

I gave my mind a moment to adapt to the new knowledge I had just absorbed before turning to next book I intended on reading: the master tier skillbook, deception.

I exhaled a soft breath before opening the tome. This was a momentous occasion in my player growth. I was about to complete the configuration of my second Class and find out if my first two Classes would meld together.

I disliked that I had to rush into this, but time was passing, and the Game wasn’t going to wait for me. Onwards, Michael, I thought and opened the skillbook.

You have acquired the master skill: deception. Deception is the art of deceit, disguise, distraction, and trickery. With it, a player can use his intuition offensively to fool others. In addition, this skill allows you to conceal your own actions and abilities, and to resist or detect the scrying and analyze attempts of other players. You have 0 of 6 psionic Class skill slots remaining.

You have fully configured your second Class. Congratulations, Michael! Synergies exist between your chosen paths of a nightstalker and psionic. You now have the option to combine the two into a blended Class.

Do you wish to meld your original Classes into the bi-blend Class: mindstalker? Note, none of your existing skills, or characteristics will be lost through your Class melding.

This was no time to hesitate, and with little deliberation, I willed my choice to the Game.

Your Classes have melded! You are now a mindstalker!

The mindstalker is a path for those who lurk in the dark, and can kill not only with their blades, but with their minds too. The mindstalker is said to live as much in the consciousness of others as in the world itself. Infiltrator. Assassin. Hunter. Deceiver. The mindstalker is all that and more. Only a handful have ventured on this path before and in time, it will deepen your Wolf Mark.

Your Class base traits have melded together to form the new trait: psi wolf heritage. In ages gone past, wolves were renowned not only for their physical prowess, but for their psicasting too. You share the legacy of those venerated ancients and in time may acquire more of their gifts. Your Dexterity is increased by: +2 ranks, your Strength by: +2 ranks, and your Mind by: +4 ranks.

You have gained the ability: simple mindsight. Mindsight is the foundation upon which all other mindstalker abilities are built.

Simple mindsight is an activated ability that allows you to sense the unshielded consciousness of other entities within a 10-yard radius of yourself. Minds detected in this manner can be targeted by your telepathic abilities without direct line of sight. This ability consumes psi, and can be upgraded with Class points. Its activation time is fast. This is a Class ability and does not occupy any attribute slots.

“Well,” I murmured, studying my new Class. Other than my new ability, I hadn’t gained any new bonuses from the melding, but that was all right. I suspected that when I eventually spent my Class point, I would be quite pleased by the options the Game offered me.

I turned to the last book in my hands. Opening it, I began to read.

You have acquired the basic ability: conceal small weapon. This ability allows you to disguise the presence of a weapon on your person. This ability consumes stamina, and can be upgraded. Its activation time is average. You have 5 of 8 Perception ability slots remaining.

My latest ability was not one I had originally shortlisted for purchase, mostly because I had been strapped for cash then, but now that my pockets were full—figuratively speaking—I decided to splurge a little and get the ability.

I didn’t have any direct need for the conceal weapon ability, but it would speed up the training of my deception skill and that in itself made conceal weapon worth the five golds I had spent on it. I rose to my feet. With my Class configured and my new abilities acquired, I was ready to proceed.

It was finally time to kill Saben and Sigmar.

~~~

I returned to the same spot where I had scaled the crater hours ago, but this time I made no attempt to hide as I hurled myself at the wall. My telekinesis skill had improved sufficiently that I managed the feat on the first try, and shortly I was dragging myself out of the crater.

You have left a safe zone.

The first cry of alarm was sounded as I stood erect on the cavern floor. With a small smile, I glanced in the direction of the shout. The thugs at the western ramp were gazing my way and gesturing frantically to one another. Sigmar and Saben were amongst those staring.

I waved.

Then I took off running southwards towards the door of the goblin complex. Pursuit was instantaneous, from both the western and eastern ramps. Excellent, I thought. I only hoped Sigmar and Saben were amongst those chasing me.

I ran a twisted path, turning left then right, and one-stepping up then down to further muddle my pursuers’ aim.

You have evaded an unknown assailant’s silken shot.

I smiled grimly as strands of white sailed past me to bury into the ground a few feet to my right. I didn’t turn around to see who had fired the projectile, but given the spell’s description, I suspected it was Saben. He was also the only enemy spellcaster who I was certain could see well enough in the dark to target me from that far out.

Two more projectiles splashed nearby, and the darkness behind me began to brighten as half a dozen arctic-white magelights rose in the air, making me easier to target. But I was already at the metal door, and I ducked inside the tunnel before the magical attacks could escalate further.

I didn’t slow down. Racing flat-out, I made for the second door. Only when I was safely beyond it, did I slip into the shadows.

You and your familiar are hidden.

Hands on knees, I took a moment to regain my breath. Stage one was complete. The gang had taken the bait, and had pursued me into the goblin complex. Some, I was sure, had remained behind to watch the ramps, but I wasn’t concerned about them as long as my primary targets had followed on my heels.

Time for stage two, I thought. Staying alive. At a quick walk, I turned left and padded through the darkness, making for the small cavern where I had hidden my gear.

~~~

I reached the empty chamber with my equipment before the gang found me. The tunnel to my rear remained dark and unlit, from which I concluded my pursuers had slowed down.

Saben and Sigmar were being cautious.

Given the size of the tunnel complex, even with magelights to assist them, I was confident the gang would not easily find me. They would have to disperse into smaller groups and hunt me down. But well before that, I expected Bornholm’s people to arrive and blockade the north metal door.

Once that happened, we would have the gang imprisoned. When I had hidden my gear, I’d also made certain to remove the rope ladder leading down from the maze and to lock the gate to the sector’s exit portal. The only way out now for Saben and his people was through the north metal door.

We had them trapped. Like rats in a barrel.

I grinned to myself. Reversing the situation on the gang had a certain irony to it and I relished the idea. I finished dressing and took a moment to check that my gear was in order. Both my swords rested in their sheaths, and my potions were close to hand on my belt. I was ready to begin my own hunt. “Time?” I asked softly.

“Eight hours, forty minutes remaining,” Gnat replied.

I nodded in response, and slipped back into the tunnel. The passageway was still dark. Tilting my head to the side, I listened.

From the south, I detected no whisper of sound. From the north, I heard the tramp of many feet and shouted orders. That had to be my allies arriving. Straining my ears, I thought I heard the clash of weapons too.

Saben and Sigmar were trying to break out.

Turning north, I hurried to join the fight.

Chapter 81: Rats in a Barrel

A battle was raging in the tunnel between the two doors.

I wasn’t sure what had happened, but something must have caused the gang to suspect a trap, and they had turned around sooner than I expected.

Concealed in the darkness shrouding the first door, I peeked cautiously around the threshold. The tunnel beyond was brightly lit by magelights. A hundred yards into the passage, I made out a dozen gang members, with Saben, Sigmar, and a handful of summoned undead at their fore, facing off against the packed ranks of Bornholm’s people. In their midst, I spotted Tantor and Morin too.

But despite the disparity in numbers, the gang was winning.

Step by step, they were pushing back the candidates who were attempting to hold them at bay. In the tight confines of the tunnel, Saben’s spells were especially devastating. As I watched his bouncing black orb—the same one that had felled Decalthiya—cut another swath through the defenders, leaving dead bodies in its wake.

My allies were trying their best to reach the gang leader, but with Sigmar, and the undead shielding him, they were making little headway.

My face hardened. Saben had to die fast, or singlehandedly, he might just turn the tide. I crept forward, drawing psi as I went. I needed to be closer before I acted. Ten yards into my approach, my spell was ready, and I reached out to my chosen target.

A glint of steel distracted me.

My head whipped around to the right. A dagger was hurtling through the air towards me. Reacting instantly, I threw myself out of the way.

You have evaded an unknown assailant’s attack. Spellcasting interrupted!

I bounced off the hard stone wall and regained my balance. Where had the dagger come from? Ignoring my bruises, I scanned the tunnel.

You have detected a hidden entity. Goral is no longer hidden!

Twenty yards ahead of me, Goral emerged into sight. His face was twisted in rage and his eyes seethed with hate as he glared at me. “The bastard is here!” the thug yelled. “He’s found me!”

“Damnit,” I growled. Saben had anticipated me and prepared accordingly. Drawing my blades, I charged towards Goral. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sigmar leave Saben’s side and head my way. I had to kill Goral fast. I would have company soon. But Goral didn’t wait for Sigmar. Drawing his daggers, the thug rushed to meet me.

It was a mistake.

I waited for him to strike first. Goral slashed at me simultaneously from the left and right. Sidestepping the first attack, I parried away the second, before ducking inside his guard and plunging my sword under his chin and upwards.

You have killed Goral.

The blow was instantly fatal. Withdrawing my blade, I let the corpse fall to my feet. I lifted my head and saw that Sigmar was closing fast, but still thirty yards away. I risked a glance beyond him. Saben had stopped hurling magical projectiles and was chanting again, seemingly in the midst of a more intricate spell.

I swore unhappily. I had to try stopping whatever the gang leader was up to, which didn’t leave me much time to deal with Sigmar. My gaze darted back to the inquisitor, only to see his form suddenly blur.

What the—?

Like an angry streak of red, Sigmar blitzed through the air. One second, he was over twenty yards away, the next he was crashing into me. I barely had time to bring my swords up in time.

Not that it made any difference.

The inquisitor struck me with the force of a bull’s charge, and I flew backwards.

You have failed a physical resistance check! Sigmar has knocked you down. You have been stunned for 2 seconds.

I landed on my back, staring at the ceiling. My eyes were frozen open in shock. I couldn’t move my hands or feet, or so much as twitch a finger. I had been snared by a spell.

I was helpless.

Feet hurried towards me. Sigmar. “I wish I had more time to enjoy this,” the inquisitor hissed. Pointing his longsword downwards, he wrapped both his hands around the hilt. “But you are too dangerous to let live any longer,” he finished and brought the blade crashing downwards.

A heartbeat before the sword bit into me, Sigmar’s spell lapsed and I shifted desperately.

It was not enough. Not nearly enough.

I managed to foil the inquisitor’s aim slightly, but still bore the brunt of the blow. The sword point tore through my leather armor and sank deep into my chest, piercing my heart.

Sigmar has critically injured you. Warning! Your health is dangerously low at 5% and falling. Death imminent.

Pain engulfed me and my world turned white with agony. Blood gurgled from my mouth and pumped out of my chest in copious amounts as Sigmar withdrew his blade.

“Die, you filth,” I heard the inquisitor snarl as he walked away.

Death beckoned, and I felt myself fading. “No,” I croaked. Not like this. Straining to remain focused, I blindly felt for one of the potions on my belt and unstoppered it. With a trembling hand, I brought the flask to my mouth. Just as it touched my lips, a wave of dizziness passed over me and I dropped the potion. Still, some of the contents made it into me.

You have consumed 10% of a moderate healing potion and restored 3% of your lost health. Your health is now at 6%.

A sliver of new energy coursed through me, far short of what I needed, but enough to reinvigorate me for a second attempt. With more care, I popped open a second flask and downed its contents.

You have restored yourself with a full healing potion. Your health is now at 100%.

I gasped and my back arched, the sudden shift from agony to pain-free leaving me momentarily disorientated. But I had no time to revel in my restoration.

Move Michael.

Rolling onto my knees, I pulled the shadows around me.

You and your familiar are hidden.

Sigmar was still hurrying away from me, oblivious to my revived state. I dashed forward with only one blade in hand. My footfalls were muffled and my presence was unnoticed as I drew up behind the inquisitor. Reaching upwards, I yanked Sigmar’s head around, activating stunning slap as I did.

You have stunned your target for 1 second.

Before the larger man could recover, I buried my sword in his throat.

You have killed Sigmar. You have slain a priest of Ishita, increasing her ire towards you!

You have dealt final death to Sigmar and fulfilled 1 of 2 objectives of the task: Vengeance for the Fallen!

So, the inquisitor was another of Ishita’s creatures, I thought absently. Flinging away the corpse, I surveyed the battle.

With Sigmar’s absence, and with Saben no longer actively throwing spells, our forces were doing much better, and now it was the gang members who were dying. A second later, Saben spun around to stare my way. Our gazes met. Somehow the gang leader had sensed his fellow priest’s death.

He has stopped chanting too, I noted. Why has he stopped chanting?

A moment later, I had my answer. The gang leader’s limbs began to bulge, and new appendages grew out from his torso. Four more to be precise. I swallowed. He is transforming.

In a handful of heartbeats, Saben morphed from a slim human male to an enormous black hairy spider that towered over even the half-giants amongst the candidates. The spider’s gaze fixed on me. Dancing forward on his eight legs, Saben scurried towards me.

Uh-oh.

I threw myself sideways, barely dodging the spiked legs that reached out to skewer me. Bouncing back to my feet, I watched the creature skid to a halt. Saben’s own momentum had carried him a few yards beyond me, but now he was pivoting around.

How the hell am I going to defeat that? I wondered, drawing my second blade. I had known Saben was overpowered for his level, but this was ridiculous. Saben-spider flew back towards me. Tightening my grip on my swords, I waited. Perhaps if I cripple him as he rushes by…

But this time around, the spider slowed his approach when he got within striking range. Standing up tall, Saben raised his forelegs until they touched the ceiling. Then he stabbed down. Once. Twice.

I dodged, left then right, nimbly avoiding the descending appendages before lunging forward in counterattack. The only parts of Saben-spider within range of my blades were his legs, and I slashed hard against the closest. To my surprise, my swords clanged off.

What the hell? The spider’s legs were armored.

What now? I wondered, momentarily nonplussed. At movement from above, my gaze whipped upwards. The spider’s mandibles were turning in my direction. Sensing danger and not waiting to see what attack was forthcoming, I leaped backwards.

A torrent of violet energy spewed out of Saben’s mouth to splash the ground, but my own maneuver had carried me to safety, and I avoided the spell.

I grinned at my oversized foe. “Missed me this time, you ugly bastard,” I mocked.

A silk strand shot out from one of the spider’s spinnerets. I rolled left. Another followed as I got to my feet. I slashed downwards with my sword, and severed the sticky web before it could reach me. Saben fired again.

Staggering back, I twisted out of the way. “God damn,” I muttered. How many bloody different attacks does he have? Changing tactics, the spider charged forward. Thinking Saben meant to run me over, I threw myself at the nearest wall and out of the way.

It was a mistake.

The charge had been a ruse. Two steps into his maneuver, Saben spun to a halt and fired another volley of webbed shots. The first missed. The second too. The third wrapped its clinging tentacles around me just as I collided with the wall.

You have been immobilized.

The webs clung to me, trapping my arms and pinning me to the wall. The scariest aspect though was the attack was not magical in nature. It had no spell duration. I was trapped indefinitely unless I could free myself. Saben-spider tiptoed slowly towards me, his multi-faceted eyes glinting evilly.

I imagined he must be chuckling right now.

I had managed to retain hold of my swords, but they, too, were ensnared inside my silk prison. Straining desperately against my bindings, I turned the blades, until their sharpened edges rubbed up against the strands. Working frantically, I sawed at the webs.

Ever so slowly, they began to loosen. But far too gradually for me to get free before Saben reached striking range. Refusing to look at the spider, I kept at my task.

I am not going to die here, I told myself adamantly. I’m not.

But no matter how I wracked my mind, I could see no way out of my predicament.

Chapter 82: Spider Stomping

Saben was only a few yards away from me when the complexion of our encounter changed again.

The ground shuddered.

Saben paused, forelimbs raised questioningly.

Before he could react, thorn vines burst out of the ground. The spider attempted to dance away from the sudden surge of magical growth, but they encircled him completely.

A vine lashed out. The gang leader skittered back, reflexively warding off the attack with a forelimb, but his movement only triggered more attacks from the vines behind him.

My foe was trapped.

“Thank you, Morin,” I whispered.

The vines were well-matched against the spider. Neither Saben’s size, nor his many-limbs seemed to be helping him escape the magical growth. More of the vegetation wrapped itself around the spider’s limbs. But while Saben appeared unable to escape the vines, the thorns were no more able to penetrate his armored skin than my blades had been.

Saben might be trapped, I thought, but he isn’t taking damage.

I glanced up the tunnel. The last gang member was dead, and the rest of my allies were rushing towards our skirmish. Saben saw the same thing and his efforts to extricate himself grew more frantic.

I picked out Tantor from the approaching candidates. Meeting the battlemage’s gaze, I jerked my chin downwards to the webs binding me. “Burn it,” I shouted.

“But-but—” He stopped. “I won’t be able to protect you from the spell’s damage,” Tantor warned.

“Doesn’t matter,” I yelled, quelling my spurt of fear. “I have to get back in the fight. We have to kill the bastard quickly.”

Tantor’s eyes darted towards the trapped spider. Our mages had begun lobbing magical projectiles, and our fighters were moving cautiously to form a second perimeter around the circle of vines, but despite the storm of spells being hurled at him, Saben did not appear unduly bothered.

In fact, the spider was ignoring the assault altogether. Facing southwards, and with his back to me and the mages, Saben was launching webbed shot after webbed shot at the ceiling. Realizing he could not go through the thorn vines, Saben was trying to go over them. He is spinning a web to escape.

Morin and Tantor came to the same conclusion. “Destroy those webs!” Morin shouted, redirecting her people’s attacks from Saben to his silk strands.

Tantor reached my side. “You sure about this?”

I nodded. “Do it.”

The high elf nodded. Muttering the words of his spell under his breath, the battlemage pointed his hands towards me.

I closed my eyes, waiting.

Droplets of fire splashed against my lower body. I held in my scream. But the web strands holding me captive were tougher than I expected, and resisted the burning heat. Still, they began to weaken, and I sawed harder against them. I heard the whisper of steel as Tantor drew his own blade and added its edge to my efforts.

“Again,” I muttered.

Tantor’s sawing paused. He didn’t question my request though, and sent more globs of flames dashing against me.

The pain was gut-wrenching. I ignored it. My skin blackened under the heat, but so too, did the web. My hands came free, then my arms, and finally my legs.

Opening my eyes, I staggered out of the webs, and sheathed my blades. Without pause, I pulled out a potion and downed its contents. My gaze flew to Saben. Despite the efforts of Morin and the others, the gang leader looked little worse for wear. There were splotches of damage on his abdomen and thorax, but other than that, he was remarkably undamaged.

Saben’s tether to the ceiling appeared complete too. He will free himself soon. All that was holding the spider back were the vines wrapped around two of his forelegs. Vines, that he was biting through with his mandibles.

I swung back to Tantor. “Tell Morin to be ready to release the vines. She will know when. And prepare the fighters. They must attack on my order.”

The elf nodded. “What are you going to—”

“You’ll see,” I replied and took off running towards the still-trapped spider.

There was no use in me attacking Saben’s legs again. They were too well-armored for my attacks to harm them in any meaningful way. His torso though… with it already weakened in places by our mages, perhaps I could punch through the armored shell there and do real damage. But the challenge was getting to it. Taller than even a half-giant, the spider’s height alone put its central body out of my reach, and the way the creature was moving, scaling him would be near-impossible.

But I had a plan.

I ducked through the vines. With most of their attention focused on Saben, only one of the vines lashed out at me, and I evaded its thrashing grasp easily. The spider hadn’t seen me yet. Distracted by his own attempts to escape, Saben did not have attention to spare for the lone figure at his rear.

I slapped a hand to one of the spider’s hindlegs, and channeled stamina. Energy gushed out of me and through the appendage in my grasp.

You have crippled your target’s leg for 3 seconds.

The limb went slack, temporarily crippled. The spider’s other legs shuddered slightly before firming as they took up the added burden of the creature’s weight.

I wasn’t done yet though. I disabled another leg. Then another, channeling stamina in quick succession from one to the other.

You have crippled your target’s leg for 3 seconds. You have crippled your target’s leg for 3 seconds.

With three of his legs crippled, and another two trapped aloft by the vines, the weight of his own torso suddenly became too much for Saben’s remaining three legs to bear.

Saben has been knocked down.

My own vision had gone blurry from draining a hefty portion of my stamina, but I had been expecting it. Fighting off my dizziness, I leapt upwards and onto the downed spider. Saben would not stay down for long.

I flew across the creature’s torso, making for the weakened spot near its head. One step. Two. I felt the spider shudder beneath me. His crippling had worn off. I was only midway across Saben’s abdomen and was not yet where I wanted to be. But I had no choice. It has to be now.

I crashed a closed fist down onto Saben’s armored shell, channeling psi simultaneously.

You have stunned your target for 1 second.

I flung up my head. The vines were retracting back into the earth. Good. Morin had caught onto my plan. “Now Bornholm!” I ordered. Not waiting for his response, I slapped my other hand down onto Saben.

You have stunned your target for 1 second.

I heard the fighters roar as they charged forward, but I didn’t let them distract me. I had only one task now: timing my blows and keeping Saben stun-locked. I waited a heartbeat, then lashed downwards again.

You have stunned your target for 1 second.

Another heartbeat later, I repeated the attack with my other hand. Around me, I sensed the fighters close in and get to work, hacking at every limb they could get to.

It was only a matter of time now.

Soon Saben would be dead. I smiled to myself, imagining what this must feel like to the gang leader. He had to be in agony—and fuming at his helplessness.

I chuckled. It couldn’t be happening to a nicer person.

Chapter 83: Picking up the Pieces

A little while later, the gang-leader met his end.

I hadn’t been able to keep the spider stun-locked the entire time of course, but I managed to do so long enough for the fighters to bring their own disables in play.

When the spider finally met his demise, the oversized body disappeared, leaving behind only a slim human corpse that looked as if it had been pummeled to death.

Saben has died. You have slain a priest of Ishita!

The cheering was deafening. The candidates were elated. Their nemesis had been slain—again. I, though, had another concern. “Time?” I croaked to Gnat.

The familiar looked at me curiously. “Why are so concerned about the time? You have plenty remaining and you’ve already accomplished what you set out to do.”

“Time,” I repeated insistently.

Gnat sighed. “Eight hours, twenty minutes.”

I nodded. Good enough. I sheathed my blades and wiped the sweat off my brow. Towards the end, I had joined the fighters in hacking at the spider and was both sore and tired from my exertions.

Popping a ration cube into my mouth, I looked inwards and perused the most important of the waiting Game messages.

You have reached level 22!

Your sneaking has reached rank 4.

Your chi has reached rank 2.

Most of my skills had advanced again, and two of them had even ranked up. I was especially pleased about the increase to my chi. From what I recalled reading in Hamish’s catalog, I knew that there were a few other chi basic abilities I could now learn.

“Michael!” Morin called. “Come here, please.”

I turned around to see that the painted woman and her companions were gathered around Saben’s corpse, while the other candidates were busy stripping the gang members’ bodies.

I walked up to join them. Bornholm grasped my hand and pumped it vigorously. “Nice job there, lad. I don’t know if we would have managed to bring down the big bastard without you.”

I smiled tiredly. “All in a day’s work.”

Morin was holding something out to me. I looked at her questioningly.

“It’s your share of the loot. Take it.”

You have acquired the rank 1 shortsword: spider’s bite.

You have acquired a rank 1 set of enchanted leather armor. This item decreases the damage you sustain by: 20%. This item requires a minimum Constitution of 4 to equip and has been enchanted to reduce your armor penalties by 15%.

I took the items. It was Sigmar’s armor and Saben’s sword. “Thank you,” I murmured. Both items complemented my own skills nicely. I hesitated before adding, “You should know I’ve already looted Saben’s stash. What I retrieved from there was more than ample compensation.”

Morin shrugged. “Whatever you’ve found, you’ve earned.” She gestured to the items in my hands. “This too, you’ve earned.”

I inclined my head in thanks, and stored the items in my pack without further protest. Morin was being generous in the spoils she’d awarded me. I doubted any of the other gang members carried anything as valuable as the equipment I now bore.

“There is something else we wanted to show you,” Tantor added.

I looked at him curiously.

“These,” he said, holding out his hand. There were two rings and a medallion resting on his palm.

This is a rank 1 spider acolyte’s ring. This item has been enchanted to allows its user to communicate through the aether with other ring bearers in the same sector. Its enchantment can be replenished with mana. This item may only be worn by a priest of Ishita and requires a minimum Faith of 4 to use.

This is a rank 2 spider disciple medallion. This item has been enchanted to allow its user to transform into a steel-skinned giant spider, a replica of one of Ishita’s own clutch. Its enchantment can be replenished with mana. This item may only be worn by a priest of Ishita and requires a minimum Faith of 8 to use.

“Well, well,” I murmured. “That explains a few things.”

Morin nodded. “It does. That spider-form was much stronger than it had any right to be. Now we know why.”

“What will you do with the items?” I asked.

“Sell them and split the proceeds amongst the rest of the candidates,” the painted woman said. “Hamish should be able to get a tidy sum for the lot at the Nexus, the medallion especially.”

“Well, then it looks like we are done here,” I said.

“We are.” Morin ran a tired hand through her hair. “What will you do now?”

I shrugged. “For starters, explore the tunnel with the trolls.” I glanced at the other candidates. “And your people?”

“A few want to wait and see if the any of the gang resurrects.” Morin grimaced. “And kill them again. “Many, though, have had enough of this dungeon, and only wish to leave. With the proceeds from the gang’s loot—both here and in their camp—there should be more than enough for all the survivors to buy a Dark Class and leave.” She sighed. “It is not what most want, but it’s better than being stuck here.”

I nodded, understanding what she meant. “And what about you three? What are your own plans?”

Morin exchanged glances with Tantor and Bornholm. Both nodded in response to her unspoken question and she turned back to me. “We will join you in exploring the troll tunnel—if you will have us. Some of the others too.”

“Of course,” I said with a smile. “I must visit Hamish first. Then we can get going. I’ll meet you in the safe zone.”

~~~

I cleaned up, equipped my new gear and also took the time to invest my new attribute point.

Your Dexterity has increased to rank 12.

Then I headed back to the safe zone, pondering my next move as I did. I hadn’t been completely honest with Morin and the others about my own plans. I had eight hours to wait before I could further my own agenda. During that time, I certainly wanted to explore the troll tunnel, but once we were done, I intended on returning to the safe zone.

To kill Saben again, and send him to his final death.

I hadn’t mention this to Morin, because I was wary of discussing the matter outside the safe zone. The walls of the dungeon had ears, and despite our Pact, I would not put it past the Master to try to foil my plans if he knew what I intended. As it was, the Power knew about the siphon Class stone, so I suspected I was being watched closely. I wasn’t sure if he would attempt to stop me if I assumed the Class and left, but I was certain the Master would not simply let me go if I tried escaping without a Dark Class.

There were other things I had to discuss with Morin too, not least being the issue of the familiars. But they would all have to wait until we could talk safely.

You have entered a safe zone.

The crater was mostly deserted with most of the candidates out looting the camp or the gang members, and I made my way directly to Hamish.

“Michael, you’re back!” he greeted me.

I nodded in response.

“How did everything go?” he asked.

I smiled. “We won.”

“Excellent,” the merchant said, beaming. “Now what can I do for you?”

“I’ve come to retrieve my pouch.”

“Ah,” Hamish said, pressing his hands together. “About that…”

Dread curled in me. What now? I hope Hamish hasn’t stolen my goods. Was I a fool to trust him?

“No, no, it’s nothing like that! Your money and item are still safe,” Hamish assured me, seeing my expression and correctly interpreting my fear. The merchant uncurled his hands. “It’s just… I took the liberty of storing your gold in the Albion Bank. It seemed like a good idea then. Now I’m wondering if perhaps I had been overly hasty. It was not my decision to make after all.”

I stared at Hamish; my mind momentarily stuck on the first part of what he’d said. Then the sense of the rest of his words penetrated, and relief warred with confusion on my face. I glanced around. “There is a bank in the safe zone?”

Hamish laughed. “No. This little corner of the world is too remote to attract the interest of any of those illustrious organizations.”

My brows furrowed. “Then how did—”

“My partner opened the account on your behalf,” Hamish said in a rush. “At the bank’s head office.” He paused. “You’re not angry?”

“No, I’m not,” I said But I was still perplexed. “How do I get the money out?”

Hamish held out a hand. A rectangular stone lay in his palm. Elaborate sigils that pulsed a dull blue had been carved onto its surface. “This is a keystone. Every reputable merchant will carry one. It has the ability to record transactions and read the identity of players. This particular stone is linked through the aether to every major bank of Shadow, and the only major non-aligned bank in the Forever Kingdom: Albion.”

“Non-aligned?” I asked.

Hamish shrugged, looking apologetic. “I’m sorry, Michael, but I didn’t know which of the Forces you intended on joining and thought it safest to deposit your money in a bank that serves players of all Forces. You can move the money to another bank as soon you have a chance.”

I waved aside his apology. “No, you did the right thing. In fact, I already feel more relieved knowing I don’t have to lug around all that gold. What can you tell me about the Albion Bank?”

“The institute is one of the oldest of its kind in the Game. They have no affiliation to any particular Force or faction, and their branches can be found in every major settlement.” The merchant made a face. “Their fees are a touch expensive though.”

I smiled. “I knew there had to be catch,” I murmured. “How much?”

“Five hundred gold. Payable annually, with the first installment due at the end of this year. The account comes with free storage for three items as well.”

My eyes widened. At that sort of fees, the storage space certainly didn’t sound ‘free’ at all. “Five hundred?”

Hamish nodded. “It’s a lot, I know, especially for a new player like you, but I assure you, your money and items couldn’t be safer and I’ve managed to get them to waive the registration fee.” He paused. “You can cancel at no cost to yourself anytime during the first month, but thereafter you will be indebted to the bank for the full year.”

I sighed. I didn’t even want to ask what the registration fee was, but I hadn’t misspoke earlier. I was relieved at not having to carry around all my wealth. “So how does it work?”

“Place you hand on the keystone. It will record your identity and link the account to you.”

I did as he bade.

Identity confirmed. Albion Bank account 42,247,212 has been registered in your name.

“That’s it,” Hamish said, beaming.

“That’s it?”

The dark elf nodded. “Your profile has been registered with the bank. The next time you visit a merchant with a keystone linked to the Albion Bank, you can transfer money directly from your account to his, and even withdraw your items through the merchant. Although, its best to deal directly with the bank when you have the opportunity. Most merchants will charge you a fee for acting as an intermediary.”

“I see,” I said. Assuming I got out alive from the dungeon, the bank would make things much easier for me in the future. “Thank you, Hamish. I appreciate this.”

Chapter 84: Wanted

I didn’t buy any equipment from Hamish. Given my new gear, I didn’t feel the need. But I did retrieve the blood siphon Class stone. If things didn’t go as planned, I would have need of it soon. Hamish refused to charge me a handling fee for removing the item and I gladly made two additional deposits to my bank account.

You have stored a stack of full healing potions (2), and 2 x basic steel shortswords. You have acquired a blood siphon Class stone.

With my wealth secured, I had no reason to rush my future purchases. I could afford to be more conservative in my spending. For that reason, I bought only one additional ability.

Minor reaction buff spellbook. Governing attribute: Mind. Tier: basic. Cost: 5 gold. Requirement: rank 2 chi.

You have acquired the basic spell: minor reaction buff. This is a self-use ability that increases your Dexterity by +2 ranks for 10 minutes. This ability consumes psi, and can be upgraded. Its activation time is slow. You have 1 of 5 Mind ability slots remaining.

Bidding the dark elf farewell, I went in search of the others. The safe zone was filling up again as candidates returned loaded with loot. Walking away from Hamish’s wagon, I felt a prickling on the back of my neck, as if I was being watched. I glanced over my shoulder.

Four candidates were staring at me, their faces impassive. I recognized two of them. They were Morin’s followers. I nodded politely. They didn’t nod back.

I frowned. Now what’s got into them?

“There he is!”

I turned around at the shout. It was Bornholm. He and Tantor were hurrying my way. I began to greet the pair, but Tantor shushed me.

“Not here,” the elf hissed. I closed my mouth with a snap, realizing from his tone that something was wrong.

We hurried to Morin’s tent. “Inside,” Tantor said, as soon we got there. “She’s waiting for you.” I ducked within. The dwarf and elf didn’t follow, and instead turned around to stand watch.

Morin rose to her feet at my entrance. “Good they found you.”

“What’s going on?”

“It’s Ishita,” she said.

“Ishita?” I frowned. “The Power?”

Morin nodded. “She’s posted a bounty.” She paused. “On you.”

I blinked, startled. “What?” I didn’t ask why she would do that though. That part was obvious. I had killed two of her priests after all, one of them twice. What I wasn’t sure about was whether that was her only reason for the bounty. Has the Master prompted this move? But would he risk her interference? Ishita was another Power and not bound by our Pact. “How much?”

“One thousand gold.”

My eyes widened. “You’re joking.”

Morin shook her head. “I wish I were.”

I rubbed at my chin, understanding now the looks the candidates had been casting me, and the reason for Tantor and Bornholm’s behavior. One thousand is a lot of gold. And more than enough to tempt even the most loyal.

I was not afraid of the other candidates, but I was not so foolish as to believe I could take them all on, especially not when many of my own capabilities were now common knowledge. “You’re not considering claiming it?” I asked, half-jokingly.

“Of course not!” she snapped with the first real display of anger I had seen from her.

I waved apologetically, then bowed my head thinking through the implications. “I’m not sure I understand,” I said finally. “If I’ve angered the Power this much, why isn’t she acting against me directly.”

Morin snorted. “I doubt you’ve gone so far as to anger her. Mildly annoyed, perhaps. As to your question… under normal circumstances, a Power can’t act directly against a player. Only a Pact grants them the leeway to do so. Hence, they usually work through intermediaries.”

“I see,” I said, understanding now why the Master himself had not acted against me. So I am safe from Ishita herself, but likely not from her minions. “It’s time I left then. If I am not here, perhaps the others will feel less tempted by the bounty.” I grimaced. “After so recently fighting by their side, I have no desire to slay any of them.” I met Morin’s gaze squarely. “I guess this is where we part ways. I’ll slip away—”

“No,” Morin cut in.

I paused. “No?”

“Tantor, Bornholm, and I will still join you,” she said. “But none of the others. I won’t trust any of them that far, not with the bounty in play. Will you have us?”

I nodded slowly. The trio had proven themselves trustworthy, and I could use the help clearing the tunnel network beyond the trolls. Eight hours seemed like a lot of time, but I had no idea how extensive the remainder of the dungeon was, and it would be foolish to die in an encounter with some random creature now.

Morin smiled. “Thank you. When do we leave then?”

“In a moment,” I said. “There is something I must tell you first.” Morin needed to understand what she and the others were risking before they joined me.

~~~

Morin, Tantor, and Bornholm left the safe zone the normal way, and I slipped out using my ‘backdoor.’ The three exited the cavern, walking openly through the passages while I travelled in the shadows.

We took the shorter router to the trolls, heading straight through the gang’s camp, then back to the final chamber of the third leg, and finally down the left fork. The journey passed without incident and with little talking. Like me, I assumed the others were preoccupied by thoughts of the future.

When we neared the troll cavern, I slowed and allowed the others to catch up.

“We’re here?” Morin asked.

I nodded. “Their cave is just up ahead.”

Morin’s brows crinkled. “How do you want to do this?”

I rubbed at my chin. “I’ll sneak ahead and analyze the creatures. Once we know what we’re up against, we can decide how to tackle them. Sounds good?”

“Just be careful,” she warned.

I nodded in return and crept forward into the darkness. I navigated the winding tunnels much quicker than I remembered doing the first time around. I have grown, I thought. No tremor marred my steps, and no fear gnawed at my mind. I felt confident, eager almost for the challenge ahead.

I paused when the field of glowing mushrooms came into sight. Candidate corpses still decorated the cavern. I couldn’t see the trolls though, but that didn’t mean anything. They could be hiding, or even sleeping.

I took a second longer look at the cavern, scanning every inch of its interior. Nothing stood out. But I was still not satisfied. Funneling stamina to my senses, I sharpened my focus and rechecked the area.

You have failed to detect any traps.

Hmm, I mused. To all intents, the cavern was safe. So where had the trolls gone? Rising from my half-crouch, I tiptoed into the cave. Avoiding the field of mushrooms, I kept to the shadows and skirted the cavern’s edges.

A quarter of my way across the room, I froze. I had found the trolls.

They were dead.

~~~

“What’s happened to them?” Bornholm asked.

The four of us were gathered around the bodies of the two trolls. The corpses lay concealed by the surrounding mushrooms, which explained why I hadn’t spotted them at first. The pair were quite obviously dead, yet the how of it remained a mystery.

“I don’t know,” Tantor murmured. “There are no wounds on their bodies—magical or otherwise.”

I nodded in agreement. I had inspected the bodies earlier, and hadn’t perceived anything either.

“The mystery will have to wait,” Morin said. “Bornholm, did you find anything on the dead candidates?”

The dwarf grunted. “Junk mostly, nothing of use to us.”

Morin turned my way. “Let’s move on then. Some of the other candidates knew we planned on heading this way, and if they are serious about claiming your bounty, they will follow after us sooner or later.”

I nodded. The troll cavern had only one other exit. I had peeked inside earlier and seen nothing but empty tunnel. With the others following behind me, I slipped into the passage.

A few hundred yards later, the tunnel came to an abrupt end, terminating in a door. I drew to a halt in front of it. It was a most unusual door.

The door was wooden and painted in muted shades of grey. There was no lock, only a polished golden handle. The strangest thing about the door though was the image sketched on its center.

It looked for all the world like a jester—one who appeared to be laughing at me.

I studied the figure intently. The jester was dressed in a tight-fitting white costume patterned with black diamonds. A grey cape, many-times too long was draped across his shoulders, and on his head was a black and white stripped cap with grey bells dangling at the ends. He wore pointed black shoes, and his face was a mask of white paint. His lips and eyes, though, were painted black in sharp contrast to the whites of his eyes and grinning teeth.

In the tunnel, the door and its logo looked altogether incongruous. I sighed. Another mystery? I couldn’t even begin to imagine what this one heralded. Settling down, I began the laborious task of inspecting the area for traps.

~~~

“I have no idea what to make of it,” I admitted a short while later. I turned to the others crowding behind me. “Anyone else?”

They all shook their heads, looking just as puzzled.

“Do we open it?” Bornholm asked, tugging at his beard.

Morin shook her head. “I don’t know.” Her eyes darted to me.

I shrugged. “What else can we do?” There was nowhere else for us to go, except back to the safe zone. We had explored the rest of the dungeon already.

The painted woman glanced at Tantor. “Michael’s right,” he said. “We don’t have any choice but to go on.”

Morin nodded to me. “Alright, open it.”

I turned back to the door and reached out to the handle with a tentative hand. Every test I had run on the door had come back negative, suggesting that it was nothing more than an ordinary door, yet not for a second did I believe that.

My hand closed on the handle. I paused, waiting for a reaction. Nothing.

Slowly I turned the golden knob. Still nothing.

Finally, I swung back the door, my every sense alert and my other hand gripping the hilt of my sword.

The door creaked open.

No ambush or trap lay waiting for us. In fact, there was nothing beyond the door’s threshold.

Nothing but solid rock.

“What in the world?” I whispered.

“Is this the Master’s idea of a blasted joke?” Bornholm growled. “It’s a bloody dead-end!”

Even Gnat snickered. “Well, I guess you have no choice now, Michael, but to—”

The world flashed white.

Gnat has been frozen.

Txal has been frozen.

Mazi has been frozen.

Hurn has been frozen.

Chapter 85: Old Friends, New Faces

My head whipped sideways to see the skeletal bat topple off my shoulder and clatter against the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the familiars of the other four do the same.

What the hell is going on?

Whatever trap I had triggered it had not affected me or the other candidates. Only the familiars. This couldn’t be the Master’s doing. But if not him, who? Ishita? And what—

A merry chuckle floated out of the darkness.

I spun about, drawing my blades. The others followed a hairsbreadth after. Standing ten yards behind us, was the jester’s spitting image. This just keeps getting stranger and stranger.

“Who in blasted hells are you?” Bornholm bellowed.

The figure blinked out. Then reappeared much closer. One moment, he was yards away, the next he was bent over Bornholm, his painted face inches from the dwarf’s own. “I, you rude fellow, am the Harlequin.” He paused theatrically.

No one responded.

“Ah, you don’t recognize me. How disappointing.” The stranger pouted. “Very well, I see introductions are in order.”

The jester blinked out and back in, appearing at Morin’s side. “By the by, I like your colors, my dear. Very lovely,” he murmured. Before she could respond, he vanished again, only to reappear ten yards away again. “I am Loken, Power of Shadow, member of the Shadow Coalition, connoisseur of the jest, master of disguises, ruler of the emerald sea, and so on, and so on…”

My eyes widened. Another Power? I recognized this one’s name though. The Power before me was the same one whose notice I had attracted after freeing the wolves.

Loken’s gaze met mine across the distance. “Finally, it seems I am known!” he exclaimed. His eyes twinkled. There was something about them… something familiar…

Wait a goddamn minute!

My mouth dropped open. “Hamish?!” I blurted. “It couldn’t be, yet it was. The mannerisms, the build, it all fit. The grey merchant was Loken!

The Power bowed with a flourish. “You’ve seen through my disguise. I had a bet with myself about that, you know. And I’ve won!” He clapped his hands together in delight.

The others were shocked. I was too. I stared dumbfounded at the Power. “What? Why?” I finally managed to get out. I wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted explained, but I knew I needed some sort of answer.

“All in good time,” Loken said. He waved his hand delicately. “But come away from those ugly things. We can talk by the mushrooms. I so love their color.”

I frowned, thinking at first the Power meant my companions, but then realizing he was actually pointing to the familiars. “What’s happened to them?” I asked, prodding Gnat’s body with my toe.

“I’ve frozen the foul creatures. They can neither see nor hear. And they will stay that way until we are done,” Loken said. “Still, I dislike the sight of the things. Now enough questions. Follow me!” Pivoting on his heel, the Power skipped down the tunnel, back to the trolls’ cavern.

I glanced at the others. Bornholm’s jaw worked soundlessly, Tantor was rubbing his lips nervously, and even Morin, tugging at her hair, appeared distressed. “Do we follow him?” Bornholm finally asked in a loud whisper.

“I can hear you, you know!” Loken called out, his voice floating through the darkness.

Morin and Tantor looked at me, waiting for me to take the lead.

I had no idea what the right course was. My mind was still struggling to come to terms with the Power’s revelation. Unbelievably, Loken was Hamish—the person whom I had grown to trust most in this world.

But if Loken is Hamish, Hamish isn’t real—and never was. He was just a role played by the Power. Which meant… I shook my head. I had no idea what it meant. I glanced at the frozen familiars, wondering at the repercussions when they woke up.

I sighed. Matters were growing complicated. “Let’s go hear what he has to say.” At this stage, I didn’t see how any of us had anything to lose.

~~~

Loken was tapping his foot impatiently by the time the four of us stole into the troll cavern. “Quickly now,” he said. “I don’t have much time.”

“What’s the hurry?” I asked cautiously.

“I’ve blown my disguise,” he harrumphed. “Every minute longer that I spend here, increases the chance of Erebus detecting my presence.”

Morin’s brows drew down. “Erebus?”

Loken slapped his palm to his forehead. “I forgot. You people know him as the Master.”

Ah. I had a name now for my nemesis.

“How are you even here?” Tantor asked quietly. “This sector belongs to the Mas— err… I mean Erebus. I thought the Powers couldn’t enter each other’s realms uninvited?”

“Oh, I was invited alright.” The jester grinned. “Or at least, Hamish was. Even other Powers struggle to see through my guises when I don’t want them to.”

“Was anything about Hamish even real?” I asked. I was slowly coming to terms with the Power’s deception, but still I couldn’t help but be hurt by the betrayal.

“Hamish was real, my friend!” Loken said. “As real as you and me.” He paused. “Or you, anyway. When I play a role, I assume the part fully.” He bowed his head. “Alas, the poor merchant must be retired now. His cover is blown, and the others will be hunting him.” He met my gaze. “Hamish wishes you to know he enjoyed your company and regrets that you had to part ways. You have my word that he never lied to you.”

I didn’t know which disturbed me more, the fact that Loken was speaking of himself in the third person, or that I believed him.

“Now, I’m sure you are all wondering—” the Power began.

“Did you do that?” I asked abruptly, pointing to the trolls.

Loken frowned at me. “It’s rude to interrupt, you know,” he said primly. “I’ve killed players for less.”

I just stared at him, not sure if he was joking.

He sighed. “Yes, if you must know, it was me. I did it so we might have this little chat. Now, can I continue?”

I nodded.

“Excellent,” he said. He held up a gold marble. “Now I’m here because of this.”

My face drained of color as I began to suspect what he held. Frantically, I felt my pockets, searching for the stone I had retrieved from Hamish so recently.

“What Class stone is that?” Bornholm asked, unaware of my sudden panic.

“A blood siphon,” Loken said at the same time as I withdrew the gold marble from my pocket. In front of my eyes, the stone in my hands turned to dust.

I lifted my eyes slowly to the Power’s.

He shrugged contritely. “The one I gave you was a fake. I apologize for the deception, but I needed to buy some time to speak to you first. I couldn’t let you assume a Dark Class until we had a chance to talk.”

The others turned around to stare at me. “The stone is yours?” Morin asked.

I nodded curtly. “I looted it from Saben.” My gaze darted to Loken. “Before he stole it.”

“I did not!” the jester declared. “I’m no thief. I will give it back to you.”

“When?” I demanded.

“After we’re done speaking.”

I studied him suspiciously for a moment, before letting go of my anger. It was useless against a Power anyway. But is he one? We only had his word for it after all. Reaching out with my will, I cast analyze on the jester.

You cannot analyze your target! This entity is a Power and immune to this ability!

Huh. Well, that answers that.

“That was rude,” Loken said. “But given that you are upset, I will forgive you.” His mask of affability slipped and his expression turned cold. “This time. Do we understand each other?”

I lowered my gaze. Calmly, Michael, I told myself and bobbed my head meekly.

“Good!” the jester said, his tone light again. “Now I see that perhaps I erred in my choice of mask. Perhaps a serious face will be more conducive for this conversation.”

Loken blinked out.

Chapter 86: The Two Stones

“Huh, where’d he go?” Bornholm asked scratching his head.

“I don’t know,” Tantor said, shaking his head. He stepped forward to tentatively run his hand across the space the Power had so recently occupied.

Morin stepped up to my side. “What’s going on Michael?” she whispered. “Why is a Shadow Power interested in you as well?”

I bit my lip, not sure how much to tell her. I hadn’t told Morin about my Class evolution, or about the wolves, but she knew that both Ishita and Erebus were after me. “I think—”

“Greetings, children.”

The four of us spun about. Standing behind us was a figure dressed in a cowled robe of charcoal grey and leaning on an oversized white ash staff.

This time, I resisted the urge to cast analyze on our visitor. “Loken?” I asked uncertainly.

The stranger drew back her hood, revealing a human face seamed with age, silver hair, and pale colorless eyes. The old woman smiled. “In this aspect, I prefer the name Gestala.”

Alright, so he is a woman too.

“Come sit,” Gestala said, seating herself unceremoniously and patting the ground besides her. “Let us begin. I have much to tell you.”

The four of us did as she bade, forming a half circle around the old woman.

“I shall start at the beginning,” Gestala said gravely. “Erebus lied to you.” Her old eyes twinkled. “I realize you must have figured out this much already, but perhaps what you’ve not realized is the extent of his deception.” She raised an aged hand and began ticking off points. “You are, all of you, players already. You were so the moment you set foot in the Forever Kingdom. You were never candidates.

“Two, neither Erebus, nor any other Power knows who you were in your past life. Some of you certainly have no predisposition to violence. Others, perhaps. But your destiny is your own to forge.

“Three, you have all been trapped in a game of Erebus’s own making. Every so often, the cosmos introduces new blood into the Grand Game. From where players come, no one knows.” She smiled ruefully. “Not even the Powers. Players usually begin their journey in one of the central counties of the Kingdom—neutral territory unclaimed by any faction or Force. This time, however, Erebus managed to divert a group of you to his own domain.”

Gestala looked over the four of us carefully. “Are you all following?”

We nodded.

“Good,” she said approvingly. “Now here is the most important part. The essence of the Game is choice. The Game, while oftentimes brutal and unpredictable, is fair. Erebus has come perilously close to revoking your choice, but he has not done so completely. What he did in this sector is frowned upon by all the Powers, but it is not against the rules.” Gestala leaned forward. “Do you know what he has done?”

We shook our heads mutely.

“Erebus has manipulated events to force the outcome he desires, robbing you of many of your choices and leaving you with only two options: death or becoming Darksworn.” She leaned back. “There is only a single exit from this area, the sector portal, and none of you may use it without taking upon a Dark Class and forsaking the other Forces.”

The old woman’s gaze flitted to me briefly, but she didn’t add anything further. She knew of course that unlike the others I was Marked, but did she know that the Adjudicator had awarded me two more tasks? I hadn’t told anyone about them.

How far does a Power’s knowledge extend? I wondered.

“And is that why you are here?” Morin asked in the pause that followed. “To offer us a different path?”

Gestala eyed Morin shrewdly. “Smart girl. You are quite correct. It is because the Game prizes choice that my intervention here is allowed. The Adjudicator is not best pleased with the Crow at the moment, and because of that, it has acceded to my petition to intervene more directly. I am here to offer you four another choice.”

The old woman closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them again, a gold marble rested on the floor before each of the others. In front of me, there were two. I picked up both and examined them carefully.

You have acquired a master Class stone. This stone contains the path of: a blood siphon. It confers a player with four skills: dark magic, light resistance, scimitars, and leech. This Class also permanently boosts your Faith attribute by: +2, your Strength by: +2, and your Magic attribute by: +2. This is a Dark Class.

You have acquired a master Class stone. This stone contains the path of: a shadow operative. It confers a player with four skills: shadow magic, light resistance, regeneration, and dark resistance. This Class also permanently boosts your Faith attribute by: +3, and your Constitution attribute by: +3. This a Shadow Class.

My eyes widened at the description of the shadow operative Class. It was as tempting as the blood siphon one, which Loken had returned as promised. I looked up to find the disguised Power smiling at me.

“I told you I would return your stone,” she said.

“I don’t understand,” Tantor said slowly.

I glanced at him. He and the others were staring in fascination at their own Class stones. I assumed the stones Loken had given them were different from my own, but if trio’s expressions were anything to go by, what the Power had offered them was just as good.

“How do these Class stones help us escape the sector?” the elf asked. “It is a magnanimous gift, no doubt, but I don’t see how it will let us pass through the sector portal. With this we will become Shadowsworn, not Darksworn.”

Gestala cackled. “Oh, it’s not a gift. It’s a requirement.”

Silence.

“A requirement?” Morin asked finally.

The old woman nodded. “For me to open a portal to the outside world for each of you.” On the tail end of Gestala’s words, a message unfurled in my mind.

Your task: Find your own way out! has been updated. You have discovered another way out of the sector. Revised objective: Adopt a Shadow Class and use the portal provided by Loken. This task and the task: Escape the Dungeon, are mutually exclusive.

The others gasped, which I took to mean they have been given tasks of their own.

“Now,” the disguised Power said with a smile. “You have another path before you. How will you choose?”

~~~

I placed the golden marbles gently back on the ground and stared at them for a drawn-out moment while I pondered my choices.

Two Class stones. Two tasks. Two means of exiting the sector.

Yet I was not sure I favored either.

“I must have your answers now,” Gestala said, intruding on my musings. “I don’t know for how much longer I can shield my presence in the sector from Erebus.”

I glanced up to find the old woman looking at me. “I’m not sure yet,” I admitted.

Wordlessly, the disguised Power turned her stare from me to Morin. The painted woman bit her lip, and glanced at me. I kept my face expressionless. This was her decision to make.

“I need your answer, girl,” Gestala prompted.

Morin’s eyes flitted between me and the old woman, the struggle on her face clear. I could see that she was drawn to the gift Loken offered, and I couldn’t blame her. Her own choices were more limited than mine.

The druid sighed. “I accept.” The marble in her hand dissolved, fading into her skin as she absorbed the master Class it contained.

“Excellent,” Gestala said, a pleased smile on her face. She turned to Bornholm and Tantor.

Tantor’s eyes lighted briefly on me before he followed Morin’s lead. “I accept.”

Bornholm bobbed his. “Aye. I do, too.”

“Wonderful,” Gestala said. “Welcome to the Shadow Coalition, recruits.” She waved her arm negligently over her head. In response to her gesture, the air was rent apart and a glowing door of light appeared. “Step through the portal and enter the domain of Shadow.”

Morin, Bornholm, and Tantor rose to their feet. I did too. The painted woman approached me and mutely clasped my hands.

“I guess this is goodbye,” I said.

“It doesn’t have to be,” Morin replied, her eyes resting on the Shadow Class stone at my feet.

I shook my head. “I have something that still needs doing. I’m not ready to leave.”

She smiled sadly. “I thought that might be the case.” She exhaled a breath. “Michael, I hope you understand why we had to make this choice. We don’t—”

“I understand,” I said, cutting her off. I raised my gaze to take in Tantor and Bornholm. “And besides, this may not be goodbye forever. I may see you three again.” I didn’t believe that though. And from their unhappy gazes, neither did they.

Tantor clamped a hand to my shoulder, and Bornholm swallowed me in a bearhug. Then as one, the three entered the portal and disappeared from the dungeon. The glowing doorway closed and I swung back to the old woman.

She was gone, and in her place sat Hamish.

He was staring at me. “Sit down, Michael. Let’s talk. It’s past time we had a franker discussion.”

Chapter 87: The Teachings of a Wise Old Merchant

I stared at the dark elf. I could not deny that I was put as ease by Loken’s latest persona, even though I realized the Power had only assumed Hamish’s guise to manipulate me.

“Why have you rejected my proposal?” he began. “It is a good one. Better than most would offer.”

“I haven’t,” I replied, sitting down cross-legged from across him. “Not yet, anyway.”

The dark elf studied me carefully. “You want more information before deciding, is that it?”

I shifted. “Partly,” I admitted.

“Ask your questions then.”

“Why did you come here?”

“For you, obviously,” Hamish replied. “The others were a bonus.”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t mean this cavern. I mean why did you come to this sector.”

“Ah,” the dark elf said. “That’s simple enough to answer: I was spying. I came to see what Erebus was up to and to frustrate his plans if I could.” He smiled. “And in you, I found the perfect opportunity.”

I frowned. “I don’t understand that part. What is your interest in me? Or Erebus’ and Ishita’s for that matter.”

“Your evolution,” Hamish answered promptly.

I had suspected as much, but I still didn’t know why. Seeing my confusion, Hamish added, “It’s my role to maintain the balance.”

My brows drew down. “That’s awfully cryptic, Hamish,” I replied irritably.

He chuckled. “I know. Nevertheless, it’s all I am prepared to say on the matter. Now is there anything else you wish to ask?”

I chewed over the question for a moment. This was an opportune moment, I realized, to finally get an answer about something I had been wondering for a while. “What are the Forces?” There was more to my question than I was letting on. Understanding their nature was integral to my escape plan.

Hamish smiled. “A complex question, and one with no easy answer. If I recall, you’ve asked about them before.”

“And you refused to answer.”

The disguised Power laughed. “Well, I shall answer you this time. Let’s see, where to begin,” he mused and fell silent. “The Forces are the building blocks of the cosmos,” he said a moment later. “Energy in its rawest form and oftentimes in conflict with one another.

“Light seeks to perpetuate itself and shine on all. Dark is less intent in spreading and more focused on deepening its own nature. Shadow lies in the middle, and attempts to bridge the gap between the other two.”

I bit my lip, chewing over Loken’s words. What he described was not at all how I had been thinking of the Forces—and did not bode well for my plans. Something else struck me about what he had said. “You talk of them as if they are alive. Are they?”

Hamish smiled. “That is something philosophers are fond of pondering, my young friend. But no, the Forces are not alive in the manner you mean. They cannot be slain, defeated or even contained, nor do they possess sentience.”

“Then the Dark is not evil?” I asked, voicing the question that concerned me the most. If my assumptions are wrong…

“Bah!” Hamish said dismissively. “That’s superstitious drivel. The Forces have no morality. Many—including some Powers sadly—assign motives to them, labelling Light good and Dark evil, but those are misconceptions. The Forces simply are.”

My face troubled, I stared at Hamish. Is he being honest with me? “But—” I began.

The dark elf held up a hand, stilling my protest. “I know where you are going with this, Michael. But remember you are new to this world and your experiences thus far have been skewed. As much as Erebus may want you to believe otherwise, the Dark of itself is not evil.” Hamish’s grey eyes burned into mine, driving in his next words. “The Awakened Dead Faction is, but there are factions amongst the Light that are arguably just as evil.”

“And amongst the Shadow too?”

Hamish’s look turned wry. “And amongst the Shadow too,” he agreed.

I bowed my head, pondering the elf’s words while I tried to come to terms with the concepts he explained and its implications for me. “If all you’ve said is true,” I said, articulating my thoughts slowly, “if the Forces have no morality, what does it matter which Force I follow?”

Hamish made a face. “That’s another difficult question to answer. In their purest forms, the Forces are simply different types of energy and in a world devoid of life that is all they would be.

The elf sighed. “But the Forces don’t exist in isolation. They coexist in a cosmos filled with people. People with their own ideologies and beliefs. Over time the natures of the Forces have become… tainted with their followers’ beliefs.

“Light’s propensity for spreading has become synonymous with life and favoring the welfare of the many over the one. Today, Light embodies unity and order, and its adherents primarily wield mass buffs and area-wide effects. Light factions, rarely if ever, compete amongst themselves. It is not in their nature. To be Lightsworn means championing the cause of the many, even unto the detriment of the individual.

“Dark’s inwards focus has become tantamount to individuality and conquering death in all its forms. Darksworn value the self over the collective. An individual Darksworn is usually stronger than a single Lightsworn, but in a group, the Light often triumphs over the Dark. The Dark and its factions favor chaos, and indeed they actively pursue it, both amongst their own numbers and in their conflicts with other Forces.”

Hamish held my gaze, his face unwontedly serious. “To Erebus, you are a commodity, one whose worth is measured by how much stronger you can make him. If he feels threatened by you, he will have no compunction about destroying you, regardless of whether you become Darksworn or not. Do you understand?”

I nodded slowly, accepting the warning for what it was.

“Lastly we come to Shadow,” the dark elf continued. “Shadow tries to balance Light and Dark and can draw from either, yet at the same time it is weaker than both in direct confrontation. Where Shadows excels is in misdirection and containment. We of the Shadow pursue balance, seeking to hold the Dark at bay while also preventing the Light from spreading unchecked.”

I narrowed my eyes. “By your description, Shadow sounds to be the best of the three.”

Hamish shook his head ruefully. “I only wish that were the case, but there are many amongst Shadow who believe that both Light and Dark should be subordinate to Shadow, that Shadow’s true place is to rule over both, not so much maintaining the balance, as enforcing it.”

“I see,” I said. “And I take it your faction’s approach is different.”

Hamish chuckled. “You could say we prefer to work unseen.” He smiled. “We try to guide events to their proper course, while always seeking to keep our hand hidden.” He met my gaze. “You will be well suited to our work, Michael.”

“So is that what this is? A recruitment pitch?”

The dark elf shrugged. “If you wish to perceive it as such.”

I thought for a second before asking another question. “Who is Artem?”

“You’ve attracted her notice too?” the disguised Power asked. “How did you manage that?”

So the Powers don’t know everything. Well, that or Loken’s surprise was faked, which could very well be the case. I ignored the question, not willing to reveal more of myself than necessary.

“Ah, still secretive, I see,” Hamish replied. “But despite your mistrust, I will deign to answer. She is the goddess of nature. Far be it for me to speak ill of a fellow Power of Shadow, but I must warn you, she can be a trifle… stiff at times. Best you stick with me,” he finished with a grin.

I pursed my lips. “She is a goddess? And you’re what? A god?” I asked disbelievingly. “Is that what you Powers are? Deities?”

“That’s exactly what most of my kin have deluded themselves into believing.” Hamish sighed. “My colleagues would not appreciate me revealing this, but we are not in fact gods. Consider us… highly evolved players, if you will.”

I frowned. Had Hamish used the words he just did by happenstance? Or was further meaning hidden beneath? The implications were both scary… and intriguing.

“But enough small talk,” Hamish said. “Time is passing. I cannot stay here longer, and once I leave my offer expires. Do you accept my bargain?”

I rubbed my chin, thinking hard.

On the face of it, Loken’s deal sounded a good one. I glanced down at the two Class stones on the ground.

Do I want to bind myself to Shadow?

Not particularly, I answered myself truthfully, at least no more than I want to become Darksworn. I liked Hamish—I suppose that meant I liked Loken too—and though the bait he offered me was sweeter than Erebus’, it boiled down to the same thing: forswear the other Forces and follow the path I set for you.

So if it came down to choosing between two unpalatable options, why pick Shadow over the Dark?

If Hamish’s explanation on the Forces could be trusted, the Dark was no worse than the Shadow. And I had made a promise to our dead. One that I still intended on keeping. If I took up the Shadow Class and left now, I could not honor my vow. Loken, I was certain would not wait eight hours for me to wrap up matters here.

There was something else that made me hesitant to accept his offer as well: achieving a tri-blend. I didn’t know if the Shadow Class Loken offered would synergize with my existing paths. Until I had a chance to learn more of my lupine heritage, I did not want to blindly pick my Master Class—be it Dark or Shadow. I had to speak to the dire wolves first. And that meant rejecting Loken’s offer and possibly the siphon Class too.

I picked up the Shadow Class stone, and rolled it back to Hamish.

“No,” I said at last. “I do not.”

~~~

Hamish’s perpetual half-smile faded. “Why?”

I sighed. “I have unfinished business here,” I said, deciding to be truthful. “I intend on returning to the safe zone and killing Saben again once he is reborn.”

The dark elf’s eyes flitted over my face. “I believe you would do that,” he said softly. “Do you understand the consequence though?” he asked, his gaze dropping to the Dark Class stone.

“I do,” I replied. “Will you stop me?”

Hamish shook his head ruefully. “Even if I wished that, the Game would not allow me to interfere so blatantly.” He rose to his feet. “Besides, I am not in the business of forcing myself on anyone.” Turning around, he called over his shoulder. “It’s been a pleasure. Goodbye, Michael.”

“Wait!” I shouted.

The dark elf paused and swung around, one eyebrow raised questioningly.

“About the familiars,” I asked, then hesitated. “Are they still frozen?”

“Why, I believe they are,” Hamish said. He tilted his head to the side and studied me curiously as he seemed to divine my intent. “You have five minutes. Good luck, my friend.”

Not waiting for a response, the Power vanished.

Chapter 88: What Comes Next

I rose to my feet and raced back up to the tunnel with the painted door, counting down the seconds as I went.

Reaching the downed skeletal bats, I ground to a halt. The four undead remained frozen and motionless. Hands on knees, I took a moment to regain my breath. There is still time, I told myself. Better to do this carefully. I drew my blades and knelt over the nearest familiar.

Then I slashed downwards.

You have injured Txal! Warning, you have taken hostile action against a friendly entity. Txal is no longer bound by your Pact with Erebus and is now your foe!

Ignoring the Game message, I kept hacking. With every hit, my blades dug deeper into the frozen body, sending bits of ice flying. Eventually, the notice, I had been waiting for appeared.

You have killed Txal.

Without pause, I moved onto the next familiar. Loken’s intervention had given me a priceless opportunity, one I could not ignore. With the familiars senseless, I could attack them with impunity, and without fear of the creatures alerting Erebus through the aether. I could finally rid myself of the Power’s observers.

You have killed Mazi.

You have killed Hurn.

Only one skeletal bat remained. I had deliberately left him for last. “I’m sorry, Gnat,” I breathed. “But I have to do this.” Plunging my swords downwards, I struck at the undead.

You have injured Gnat! Warning, you have taken hostile action against your familiar, voiding your Pact. You have lost the trait: undead familiar. Gnat is now your foe!

…

…

You have killed Gnat. You have reached level 23!

I rolled away from the corpses and lay on my back, chest heaving. It was done. I was free of Erebus’ spy. Now there was no turning back. One way or the other my path was set.

And I had to finish what I set out to do.

~~~

Nearly eight hours later, I was back in the safe zone cavern.

I’d spent four of those hours sleeping in a small, out of the way cave. The other four, I’d spent sneaking around the crater and observing those within.

Players moved freely in and out of the safe zone. Most, I recognized. Some were former followers of Morin. Others were gang members. And without fail, they all sported Marks of the Dark.

I didn’t act against any of them, or do anything to reveal my presence, even when some passed only a few feet away from me on their way into or out of their safe zone. Instead, I stayed hidden and trained those skills that I could: sneaking, meditation, insight, and deception.

I was biding my time.

When Saben was finally resurrected, I wanted him stupid and unconcerned. I had less than twenty minutes to kill the gang leader after his rebirth, and I couldn’t risk him delaying his departure from the safe zone. After that, anything could happen. I shivered. Including Stayne showing up. If I could help it, I wanted to be long gone from the dungeon before that occurred.

Without Gnat, I had no exact measure of the passing hours, but from sitting on the crater’s edge and observing the players that emerged from the resurrection tent, I knew when the time drew close for Saben’s rebirth.

Three elites emerged from the tent together. All had been with Saben in the goblin complex tunnel and if I recalled correctly, they had died not long before him. I loosened my swords in their sheaths and cast minor enhance reflex.

Your Dexterity has increased to 15.

I had invested the attribute point I had earned from my last level in Dexterity once more. For this encounter, speed would be my ally.

I checked the latest Game messages waiting for me.

Your sneaking has increased to level 42. Your meditation has increased to level 31. Your insight has increased to level 32. Your deception has increased to level 9.

Good, I thought. Now only to wait.

~~~

Saben emerged from the resurrection tent a few minutes later.

I saw players turn and whisper at his appearance, but surprisingly no one approached the gang leader. Former gang leader, I thought as I observed one of the elites turn his back on Ishita’s priest.

I smiled. That has to hurt. Poor Saben. I guess defeat isn’t looked on too kindly by the Dark.

Even from where I sat on the crater’s edge, I could see Saben’s face turn purple with rage as he realized he was being ignored. The priest took a step towards the player in question before seeming to rein in his anger. Muttering something under his breath, Saben made for one of the crater’s exits.

I noted the direction and tiptoed that way. When Saben reached the west ramp, I was concealed ten yards away and out of his direct line of sight. The priest didn’t even glance towards me.

A hostile entity has failed to detect you!

I let Saben get a few yards ahead before I crept after him, stalking him patiently. Only when he reached the north tunnel mouth did I draw closer. He is probably planning on returning to his chambers for his stash, I thought.

I closed rapidly. Ten steps separated us. Still Saben didn’t sense me. Then six.

Two steps. One.

I struck.

You have backstabbed your target for 50% more damage! You have critically injured Saben. A hostile entity has detected you! You are no longer hidden.

My blade slipped easily through the former gang leader’s back. Saben gasped and his back stiffened. Withdrawing my blade, I slapped my left hand to his shoulder before plunging my blade into my target again.

You have stunned your target for 1 second.

You have killed Saben. You have slain a priest of Ishita, increasing her ire!

Saben’s lifeless eyes stared uncomprehendingly at me as his corpse fell to my feet. “Now we are even,” I whispered softly.

More Game messages scrolled through my mind. I closed my eyes and swallowed nervously. The moment of truth had come. Now I would find out if my plans had come to fruition. After what Hamish had told me, I worried that I had gone about things all wrong and that everything I had done since resurrecting was for naught.

Turning my focus inwards, I scanned through the messages.

You have dealt final death to Saben and fulfilled 2 of 2 objectives of the task: Vengeance for the Fallen.

You have completed a task! Your deeds have attracted the enmity of Ishita and furthered the interest of Loken. The Marks on your spirit signature have grown.

Your actions have redressed the imbalance in the sector and have met with the approval of Shadow, deepening your Mark therein.

You have punished the killers of those who you claimed as pack. This is true path of the wolf. The pack is all. It is your duty to protect the ones you’ve claimed for your own, and avenge them when necessary. Your Wolf Mark has deepened.

Your true motives in fulfilling this task have not gone unnoticed. You sacrificed your familiar and abandoned your companions for personal benefit. The Dark approves. You have acquired the Mark: Lesser Dark, and have begun to tread the ways of Dark.

Despite forsaking your companions, you acted for the betterment of all allied players in the sector at great personal risk. Light is satisfied. Your Light Mark remains unchanged.

Your task: Escape the Dungeon has been updated. You have been Marked by the Dark, and have been granted access to the sector’s exit portal. Revised objective: Use the sector 14,913 exit portal within 10 minutes.

If you fail to complete this task before then, your Pact with the Master’s minions will be enforced.

I read through the Game messages with a sense of stunned shock. My plan to gain a Dark Mark had worked, yet not in the manner I had anticipated.

I thought of Jorin. What I had done to him had been as much as to earn the Mark as it was to extract information. Yet the Adjudicator’s messages made clear that my preconceived notions of the Dark were wrong. The Dark was not evil.

Loken had been truthful it seemed. The knowledge the Power had provided was invaluable, and in the future would let me navigate the ways of the Forces more clearly. I had rejected his offer, but the Power was still my most reliable source of information in the Game.

Perhaps I should seek him out. Assuming, he didn’t find me first, of course. But all of this were matters for future consideration. I still had to get out of the sector. And I had only ten minutes to do it. I sheathed my blade.

Time to leave.

A white shape descended steeply out of the cavern’s darkness and hovered before me. “Where is your familiar?” he demanded.

I turned around. It was a skeletal bat. “Who are you?”

The undead creatures scowled. “Answer the question.”

I folded my arms, affecting a nonchalance I didn’t feel. Where had the bloody creature come from? It could ruin everything. Play it cool, Michael. “You first,” I insisted.

The bat descended onto the corpse at my feet. “I’m Saben’s familiar.”

Aargh. Of course. “Well, your master is dead,” I said, mustering all the scorn I could. “Best you get out of here.”

“Where is Gnat?” the familiar demanded.

“Busy,” I said curtly. “Now go.”

“You’re lying,” the bat screeched.

I turned my back on the creature. This was no use. And I was wasting time. I took off running. Behind me, I heard the familiar squawk in protest and take off after me. Putting my head down, I ran flat out, trying to open the distance between us. The familiar pursued.

I reached the metal door ahead of the undead and tried dropping into stealth.

You have failed to conceal yourself from the nearby entities.

I bit off a curse and resumed my running. The familiar kept up easily. “Where are you going?” he called.

I didn’t answer. Feet pounding against the ground, I hurtled down the passages of the goblin complex.

“You’re heading to the exit portal, aren’t you?” the bat asked, gliding effortlessly by my side. “Why?”

I didn’t look at the creature.

“You don’t have a Dark Mark, so why go there?” the bat asked suspiciously. It paused. “Or do you?”

The bat winged in silence by my side for a drawn-out moment. “The Master must be told,” he declared before flying away.

Bloody hells! I swore. Exhorting myself to greater effort, I ran even harder. There was nothing I could do now but escape before the Master or his minions figured out a way to stop me.

~~~

Less than a minute later, I was hurtling down the passage with the sector portal and presently the exit’s shimmering curtain of bright white came into sight.

But so too, did the figure standing before it.

Stayne.

I skidded to a halt. “What are you doing here?” I gasped. My lungs were on fire and my chest heaved uncontrollably.

The undead player’s eyes sparked ominously. “You are reneging on your deal with the Master.”

“What? Of course not.”

“Don’t lie to me, boy.”

“I’m not,” I insisted, and began walking forward again. I was ten yards away from the portal.

“Stop,” Stayne barked.

“No,” I replied.

The undead appeared momentarily flummoxed by my response, and I closed another two yards to my destination. “Are you crazy? If you refuse, I will cut you down where you stand!”

I laughed shakily, my breath still not fully under control. “Do that, and you will be the one breaking the Pact Erebus forged with me. And the Adjudicator, I suspect, will not look kindly upon that.” I was six yards away now.

Stayne’s eyes narrowed. “You will address him as the Master.”

I snorted, but didn’t say anything. Four yards.

The undead drew his blade.

I stiffened, but made no move to draw my own weapons. Fighting Stayne would be beyond stupid. There was no way I could win. I kept walking.

Now, let’s see how much the Game’s vaunted rules actually mean.

I was two yards away. Stayne raised his blade to strike. Unflinchingly, I kept walking.

One yard to the portal. I was beneath his weapon. Stayne’s arm flashed downwards.

My heart skipped a beat, but I didn’t let my fear show. I lowered my gaze. The undead’s open hand had stopped inches from my chest. His weapon had disappeared, but he was still barring my way. I lifted my gaze to his own. “Well, Stayne?” I asked mildly. “Are you going to risk the Game’s wrath?”

“You will regret this, Michael,” he growled.

“Perhaps.” I smiled and stepped forward. “Or perhaps not.”

Before I could bump into his hand, the undead player whipped his arm out of the way.

I exhaled a careful breath.

I am free.

“Goodbye Stayne,” I called over my shoulder and entered the portal.

Transfer through portal commencing…

…

…

Passage granted!

Leaving sector 14,913. Entering the Forever Kingdom.

Your Pact with Erebus has been fulfilled.

You have completed the task: Escape the Dungeon.

You have failed the task: Find your own way out.

~~~

The End.

I hope you enjoyed the story! If you did, please leave a review and let other readers know what you think.

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Happy reading!

Tom Elliot.

Michael at the End of Book 1

Player Profile: Michael

Level: 23. Rank: 2. Current Health: 100%.

Stamina: 100%. Mana: 100%. Psi: 100%.

Species: Human. Lives Remaining: 2.

Marks: Wolf-friend, Lesser Shadow, Lesser Light, Lesser Dark.

Attributes

Available: 0 points.

Strength: 2. Constitution: 5. Dexterity: 13. Perception: 8. Mind: 5. Magic: 0. and Faith: 0.

Classes

Available: 1 point.

Primary-Secondary Bi-blend: Mindstalker.

Tertiary Class: None.

Traits

Psi wolf heritage: +2 Dexterity, +2 Strength, +4 Mind.

Beast tongue: can speak to beastkin.

Marked: can see spirit signatures.

Nocturnal: perfect night vision.

Skills

Available skill slots: 0.

Dodging (current: 31. max: 130. Dexterity, basic).

Sneaking (current: 42. max: 130. Dexterity, basic).

Shortswords (current: 38. max: 130. Dexterity, basic).

Two weapon fighting (current: 33. max: 130. Dexterity, advanced).

Light armor (current: 22. max: 50. Constitution, basic).

Thieving (current: 1. max: 130. Dexterity, basic).

Chi (current: 20. max: 50. Mind, advanced).

Meditation (current: 31. max: 50. Mind, basic).

Telekinesis (current: 13. max: 50. Mind, advanced).

Telepathy (current: 16. max: 50. Mind, advanced).

Insight (current: 32. max: 80. Perception, basic).

Deception (current: 9. max: 80. Perception, master).

Abilities

Crippling blow (Dexterity, basic).

Simple charm (Mind, basic).

Stunning slap (Mind, basic).

Basic analyze (Perception, basic).

Minor backstab (Dexterity, basic).

One-step (Mind, basic).

Lesser trap detect (Perception, basic).

Basic trap disarm (Dexterity, basic).

Simple lockpicking (Dexterity, basic).

Conceal small weapon (Perception, basic).

Minor reaction buff (Mind, basic).

Simple mindsight (Class, basic).

Known Key Points

Sector 14,913 exit portal and safe zone.

Equipped

common thief’s cloak (+3 sneaking).

spider’s bite shortsword (+15% damage, webbed).

shortsword,+1 (+15% damage, +10 shortswords).

common fighter’s sash (+3 shortswords).

enchanted leather armor set (+20% damage reduction, -4 Dexterity).

Backpack Contents

26 x field rations.

2 x flask of water.

3 x minor healing potions.

2 x iron daggers.

1 x bedroll.

7 x moderate healing potions.

1 x coin pouch.

1 x keyring.

3 x full healing potions.

1 x basic fire-starting kit.

1 x Catalog of Skills and Abilities.

1 x rank 1 priest’s robe.

1 x blood siphon master Class stone.

Bank Contents

Money: 46 gold, 4 silvers, and 9 coppers.

2 x full healing potions.

2 x basic steel shortswords.