Apocalypse game, p.41
Apocalypse Game, page 41
Men and women stood around them, but these weren’t the starving, scared faces of refugees. They were lean, hardened—those who’d seen Hell and come out alive.
They must be questers.
Over twenty of them stood around the vendors, staring off into space, likely looking at the vendor screen.
“Well, I’ll let you guys shop for a little while. I’ve got a few things I need to check up on, but I’ll be back in about ten minutes or so. Sound good?”
“Sounds perfect, thank you, Julia.” I smiled at her and turned back to the vendor, tapping the screen.
All-purpose Vendor: Level 5
Available Shops
Food
Ammo
Medical
Weapons
Armor
Specialty
Unique
Huh, this is a lot different from the one back at Fort Alexander. There’re more options here.
I, of course, clicked on unique first, anxious to see what was inside.
Mantle Scanned!
Class: Demon Lord
Demon Lord Shop Opened!
Wait, what? A shop for my specific class?
I opened it with trembling nerves, excitement building before it immediately plummeted.
Everything is so unbelievably expensive.
Armor: Demon Lord’s Armor
Armor truly fitting of the Harbinger of the Apocalypse. Provides unparalleled resistance to both physical and magical damage. Especially hardened against Holy damage.
Conforms appearance to user’s desires.
(Torso Only)
Soulbound
Cost: 45,000 Coins
Armor: Demon Lord’s Gauntlets
Armor truly fitting of the Harbinger of the Apocalypse. Provides unparalleled resistance to both physical and magical damage. Especially hardened against Holy damage.
Conforms appearance to user’s desires.
(Hands and Arms)
Soulbound
Cost: 20,000 Coins
Armor: Demon Lord’s Greaves
Armor truly fitting of the Harbinger of the Apocalypse. Provides unparalleled resistance to both physical and magical damage. Especially hardened against Holy damage.
Conforms appearance to user’s desires.
(Legs)
Soulbound
Cost: 20,000 Coins
Armor: Demon Lord’s Crown
Armor truly fitting of the Harbinger of the Apocalypse. Provides unparalleled resistance to both physical and magical damage. Especially hardened against Holy damage.
Conforms appearance to user’s desires.
(Head and Neck)
Soulbound
Cost: 10,000 Coins
There were also Demon Lord’s boots and shoulder pauldrons, giving my entire body protection, but I blanched at the price of it all.
Over a hundred thousand coins for all of it!
I sighed, my hopes dashed. “Guess I found my end game gear, though.”
There was even a section of weapons in the unique tab and several locked sections that I couldn’t open.
I selected weapons, hoping for some more moderate prices, but again, I was disappointed.
Weapon: Demon Lord’s Sword
Forged in the 9th Hell by the Demon King of Misery’s blacksmith. This sword is sharp enough to sever reality itself. Will never dull or break.
Conforms appearance to user’s desire.
Soulbound
Cost: 15,000 Coins
There were the same exact descriptions for an axe, staff, bow, and more. Nearly every fantasy weapon I’d ever heard of, all priced the same.
Huh? I have been saying that I need to upgrade my weapons. But damn, that would eat up most of my coins.
Though I couldn’t deny that having a weapon that could go toe-to-toe with the monsters we were coming up against would be incredibly beneficial.
But before I went crazy, I really needed to know how many coins I had now.
Resources
Apocalypse Currency: 28,154 Coins
Food: 21 Day’s Supply
Water: 21 Day’s Supply
Status Effects
[Well-Fed] +10% Constitution!
[Well-Rested] +5% Exp!
[Flush (Max)] -25% Vendor Prices
Ammo
.45 ACP: 154 Rounds
Additional Items
Field Trauma Kit (High Grade): 3/10 Uses
I could afford it, but I didn’t know if I should. As powerful as it was, there was one glaring issue.
The only time I’ve ever held a sword was at Ren Faire. I wouldn’t even know how to wield the damn thing.
But I needed a better weapon. Had to have a better weapon.
Well, the best time to learn would’ve been before the apocalypse. The second best time would be now.
With a sigh, I selected the sword.
Thank you for your selection, Demon Lord. It appears you do not have the required proficiency to wield your new weapon. Would you like to purchase the requisite knowledge?
Knowledge: Swordsmanship (Novice-Grade): 200 AC
Wait. I can purchase knowledge? I chuckled. I thought that’s what college was for?
It seemed that there were different levels of understanding, from Novice to Grandmaster, which was a whopping ten thousand coins.
I sighed and selected intermediate, which was above apprentice but below expert. Besides, at a thousand coins, it was the highest I could afford.
I closed out of the unique shop with regret, promising that I would earn enough coins for the armor someday.
Though my spending spree didn’t stop there, thankfully, the specialty shop was much more accommodating. I immediately found a bunch of items I had to have, especially one singular item that would prove utterly invaluable.
Item: Spatial Storage Ring
Can store nonliving items in alternate dimension storage. Weight will not affect the user while inside the storage ring.
Weight Limit: 300 Pounds (Scales with Strength)
Soulbound
Cost: 1,500 Coins
Sold!
Having a storage ring or bag of holding was basic practice in RPGs, but more importantly, it would mean not having to lug around fifty pounds of equipment on our backs.
It was a must purchase, but I was really eating through my money. But with the Flush bonus, I was saving a good chunk on everything. I guess it was the Mantle's way of saying I was carrying too much money around, and it wanted me to spend more of it.
I would lose the bonus when I paid for everything, so I just added the ring to my cart alongside the sword while I shopped around some more.
There was also something incredibly unexpected in the specialty shop.
Item: Skill Point
Instantly gives Skill point. Can only be purchased 10 times.
Cost: 1,500 Coins
0/10 Purchased
I bought three right then and there.
I found a section in the armor tab that could modify existing clothes rather than buy new ones. I could instead enhance the ones I already owned. There were several options, including adding bullet resistance, magic resistance, even anti-tearing, and anti-fouling to keep them clean and looking new permanently.
All the options were a bit pricy, and I wasn’t as attached to my current clothes enough to purchase any of them.
I ended up buying another Kevlar armored coat, but this time it was a long double-breasted black pea coat like the one I wore, but this had higher resistances, so it was far superior.
After some deliberation, I went ahead and bought the anti-fouling and anti-tearing, so I wouldn’t have to keep buying coats.
For the coat and upgrades, it totaled over five hundred coins.
My vest was still serviceable, so I left it alone.
When my clothes were situated, I opened medical and found something surprising.
In addition to the numerous medical and field kits, there were potions available too.
A lot of them.
From stat boosters to health and mana potions to poisons and permanent effect potions like enhanced Strength or Perception. Those were thousands of coins each, so I stayed away from them, but I did select the health and mana potions.
Medical: Health Potion (Low-Tier)
Heals user for 500 health. Also removes any non-fatal ailments.
Consumes entire vial.
Cost: 100 Coins
Medical: Mana Potion (Low-Tier)
Heals user for 500 mana. Cures minor curses or mana poisons.
Consumes entire vial.
Cost: 100 Coins
There was also one for stamina, too, having the same effects. I snagged ten of each.
With all my other items taken care of, I just had to sort out ammo, and I’d be good to go.
But I also wanted a new gun.
The UMP45 was amazing, but at long distances, it left me at a disadvantage, and I wanted something that could bridge close, medium, and long-range all at once.
And in the upgraded weapons vendor, I found something that seemed to check every box I wanted.
Short-barreled rifles.
A few dozen of them were in all makes and varieties, but my gaze landed on one and stopped.
Weapon: Daniel Defense Mk18 (Military Issue)
A whole lot of bang in a small package. Kind of like you. Modified for military use. Very much unlike you.
You’ve proven halfway decent with a rifle, so you’re unlikely to shoot yourself on accident. Congratulations, you’re now barely qualified to operate a firearm. What do you want? A cookie?
Ammo: 5.56×45mm NATO Rounds
Condition: New (2% Firearm Failure)
Cost: 800 AC
It had been a while, so I’d forgotten how sarcastic Callisto’s little prompts could be. I ignored it and focused on the weapon.
The first rifle I’d owned was a Daniel Defense, and it had served me well until I’d gotten the M4. I liked everything about the rifles except the length. They just didn’t sit right in my arms. But it seemed like this one bridged the gap between submachine gun and rifle.
This one even had a full auto function.
I bought it along with the necessary attachments. Suppressor, foregrip with a flashlight and a red dot sight, costing another two hundred coins.
Then I opened the ammo section and bought a variety for the rifle, including some tracer rounds, but most prominently, I bought a load of green tip rounds which toed the line on armor-piercing.
All in all, the cost totaled over twenty-five thousand, but that was before my Flush buff took effect.
In the end, it cost just over twenty thousand coins, and having made my purchases, my stockpile of coins plummeted.
It put a serious dent in my wallet, and it was looking rather meager at the moment.
Resources
Apocalypse Currency: 8,064 Coins
Food: 21 Day’s Supply
Water: 21 Day’s Supply
Status Effects
[Well-Fed] +10% Constitution!
[Well-Rested] +5% Exp!
[Flush] –10% Vendor Prices!
[Locked and Loaded] +10% Ballistic Damage!
[Medic] +10% Healing from Items!
Ammo
5.56×45mm (Tracer): 300 Rounds
5.56×45mm (Green Tip): 400 Rounds
.45 ACP: 200 Rounds
Additional Items
Field Trauma Kit (High Grade): 3/10 Uses
Health Potions: 10
Mana Potions: 10
Stamina Potions: 10
When I finished, a weight settled on my hip. I glanced down to find a sword attached to my belt. The sheath was black leather, engraved with elegant lines and swirls.
I drew the blade.
The sword itself was steel that had been blackened to a midnight finish that matched the ornate pommel and guard. The handle was wrapped in black leather that matched the sheath exactly, providing the hand-and-a-half sword with a sure grip. Engraved into the recessed fuller were brilliant runes in a language I didn’t speak that lit up a bright orange when I wielded the blade.
It was a marvelous design, and with the knowledge I’d been given, it sat perfectly in my hand, almost an extension of myself.
So this is what my subconscious desires in a sword?
Weapon: Demon Lord’s Sword (Legendary)
Forged in the 9th Hell by the Demon King of Misery’s blacksmith. This sword is sharp enough to cut through reality itself. Will never dull or break.
Conforms appearance to user’s desire.
Legendary Effect: Unrestricted Growth: Grows exponentially alongside its owner
Damage: 75 (Scales with Strength)
Special Attack: (Locked)
It seemed the blade had more secrets that I had yet to unlock.
Something to look forward to, at least.
In any case, I sheathed it and heaved a sigh of relief when I was finished shopping. It had taken a toll on me, but by the time I was done, Salvatore, Finn, and Adeline had finished as well.
They’d also bought new clothes, though they kept it in the same vein as I did, warm coats in muted blacks and grays, and dark shirts and button-ups under their new armor. Salvatore didn’t bother with a vest since it would get in the way of his new shoulder holsters, but his jacket was definitely armored.
“All finished?” Julia asked as she padded over to us.
“Yes, thankfully. I hate shopping.” I heaved a sigh and leaned back on the silver vending machine.
She chuckled. “Can’t say the same, but it’s a girl thing.” She peered down at my hand, at the spatial ring now there. “Good call on the ring, but did you see an item called a teleport bracelet?”
I shook my head. “Nope. Why?”
“They’re extremely useful. The low-tier one lets you teleport yourself or your party back to any of your registered homes once a day. The higher tier ones can let you do it multiple times a day or even as much as you want.”
I gaped. “So, we can teleport, even hundreds of miles, as long as we have a home set up?”
“Only permanent homes, not temporary ones, but it’s still pretty amazing. For how awful the world is now, there are some pretty cool little gadgets.” Julia lit up and tapped her own spatial ring and pulled out a small silver bracelet. “I have a higher tier one. Ray gave us all one. So, you can have my old one.”
I held my hands up quickly. “I couldn’t just take it from you.”
“Nonsense, it’s a gift. Consider it a token of friendship.” She held her hand out to me. “We really could use your help in trying to better the lives of everyone here, and if you can help even the tiniest bit, it will make a huge difference.”
Her earnest and heartfelt attitude was endearing, and I couldn’t say no, so with a slightly red face, I took the bracelet from her. “Thank you very much. I hope we can help in any way we can.”
She beamed as I put the bracelet on, and it lit up.
Item: Teleport Bracelet
Would you like to travel to: Fort Alexander Room 103
Y/N
No.
As I stopped focusing on it, the bracelet stopped glowing.
So, I can travel back to Grissom or any place I designate as a permanent home in an instant. I’ll have to set one up here, but hopefully, that shouldn’t be too hard to find.
I turned to Julia. “Is there somewhere I can set as a home here?”
Julia nodded, motioning us to follow her. “Right this way.”
We walked around the concourse, taking a right and heading through a long hallway. We didn’t speak again until we reached a set of stairs and climbed them until we entered what looked like a press box overlooking the field.
All the technical equipment had been removed and replaced with a few chairs and a solid table with a map stretched over it. Pieces and details were written on it, but I was too far away to see what they said.
Julia led us to the glass and pointed out to the field.
I stared down at the stadium in shock.
Thousands of tents sat cloistered together, scattered all over the field. Huge white and blue tarps were attached to large poles overhead to stop rain and snow from falling on the field, but from the way the tarps sagged, heavy with icicles, water sloshing over the sides, it wasn’t very effective.
Tens of thousands of people were sitting in the stands or moving around on the field carrying food or supplies, but most just sat and stared lifelessly at the sky.
Holy hell, look at them all. I didn’t think it would be this bad.
The people down there looked like they’d given up. My jaw went slack, and I tilted my gaze away from the scene in front of me.
Julia stared down at the mess of people with pain and distress in her eyes, but her jaw was set. “Take your pick of tents.”
“Why are you showing me this?”
She inhaled deeply through her nose and out her mouth, long and slow, before turning to me. “Because I wanted to see your face when you took it in. It told me more about you than any words could. It warms my heart to see the same look in your eyes that’s in mine. Too many questers are jaded, uncaring when we show them what’s become of the city.
“But I’m afraid this isn’t a fitting place for questers to stay. You’d be much better off turning any of the nearby apartments into a permanent home than to stay down there with the refugees.”
I rubbed my chin, trying to take my eyes from the field, but it kept drawing my gaze. After some time, I sighed as my heartbeat rose.
The sight below burned in my chest. I didn’t want to stay here. To be surrounded by such misery and hopelessness. Even out on the streets, fighting had to be better than staying here to witness the last dregs of what was once one of the greatest cities in America, as it crumbled before my eyes.
“This place is so broken it can only cut us if we try to pick up the pieces,” I muttered.
“Yes,” Julia said. “But the important question is if you’re still going to try?”
I nodded. “I don’t know whether it will matter, but we’re willing to help.”
“That’s the spirit!” someone shouted.
I turned as Ray strolled through the doors in his leather armor, but he’d added a large caliber revolver to his hip. He walked past us and to the table next to the military man.
“I told Julia that you’d be excellent allies. I have a nose for this kind of thing.” He turned to her. “Did they pass your little test?”
