Shackled, p.19
Shackled, page 19
His fingers tingled as the blue field sprang into existence around the gutted automaton wrapped around the bird's torso. Its single, red eye locked onto him, and its head thrashed as if seeking to bite him; without a lower jaw, however, the gesture was futile. He felt cool metal beneath his hand.
"Golmos. Ramm. Zoza…" The first part of the Primordial spell encapsulated the elements that would be affected—metal and lightning—and the action that would be taken, in this case, negation. Gritting his teeth, he pushed through the rising pressure as he poured mana into the spell.
"Em'lae. Legeth. Ro. Ha!" That pressure fluctuated as he first limited the magic to a touched object, then expanded the duration and power of the effect. With the last syllable, he felt the spell itself stutter as the mechanical thing's strange resistance came into play (Primordial Vocabulary 10 critical success; Primordial Magic Theory 10 critically succeeded, but became a standard success due to a combination of Tier differences and other factors). The ruby light in the thing's eye flickered once, then roared back to life before going dark. An invisible tension fled the construct as its head flopped onto its symbiote's shoulder, lifeless for the duration of his spell.
The Brood Parasite stumbled backwards, its huge beak flapping as it sought to make a sound with a mechanical syrinx that no longer functioned. The sword dropped from the behemoth’s claws as its unnatural strength fled. It stared at Korrash, but the gaze lacked focus, as if it had forgotten how to use its large, black eyes.
Korrash hopped backwards, taking in the situation and rapidly planning his next steps. The spell had worked, which had by no means been a certainty. That mechanical thing was draining the mana from his spells. Any effect that touched it would be either reduced in potency or negated altogether. He needed to move fast, as he could not count on the increased duration of his spell. There was no way of knowing if that effect had been eroded by the thing’s apparent magic resistance.
That spell had been expensive as well, and he did not have the mana for another. Even activating his enhancement or using Aetheric Projection was off the table. He couldn't risk closing with the monster, either. Even weakened as it was, it was still far beyond his spaghetti-like strength.
His hand found the hilt of his sword, and he tore it free from its scabbard. The Deft Rapier of Channeling burned with colorless flames in his grasp as raw magic flowed through it, a force that was independent of his mana in ways he didn't quite understand.
He raised his weapon, intent on splitting that gaping beak in half with a well-placed blow, but something made him hesitate. His heart burned in his chest, and a cruel smile overtook his face as a faint, green glow flowed across the reflective surface of his blade (Conviction 2 failure).
He fell into a fencing stance, then lunged forward, the staff in his off hand braced against the ground to spur his advance, in an attack he called “Shadowfax Charge.” The point of his sword dug into the monstrous avian's massive eye (Blades 5 success). He felt a debuff wrap itself around the Cuculiform.
This creature is being devoured by subtle magics, making it Ravenous. It now requires food equal to its body weight each hour in order to survive. Should it receive this sustenance, it will experience rapidly accelerated growth and increased strength. If it cannot eat, it loses strength, Health, and biomass equal to fifty percent of its total instead.
The bird, already reeling from the loss of its eye, fell backward and curled up into a ball, its legs withdrawn beneath its feathery paunch and its wings folded at its sides. Throwing its head back, it opened its beak wide to the night sky. Its throat shook as if it were trying to cry out. No sound came.
What was it doing? Was this some sort of special attack? Korrash glanced around, wary that this might be some trick (Perception 5 success).
There, across the clearing, one of the surviving Lesser Nestmothers was dragging herself across the ground toward the monster, her legs severed by his previous attack. The metal tank on her shoulder was making a noise like a boiling kettle, and something brown dripped from its spigot.
Korrash was dumbstruck for just a moment. This monstrous bird had almost cut him in half only moments ago! Now it was huddled in on itself, demanding food, and it was being obeyed! He didn't know whether to feel pity or disgust.
He speared the slowly-advancing Nestmother with a bolt of mana, ending her crawling advance, then stowed his sword as he approached the massive Cuculiform. He would give it the mercy of a quick death, at least.
The monster's right wing twitched into motion as he grew close, slicing his cheek open with its outstretched claw (Defense 4 failure). The robotic panther stirred, light returning to its eye, but it seemed to be unable to force its starving host fully into battle. The creature was already losing feathers as its body consumed itself, the skin on its face now flapping loosely as the symbiote fought for control over its avian instincts.
Korrash could pay no mind to the stinging pain as he darted forward, drawing his dagger as he leaped into the air, and plunged the magic blade into the Brood Parasite's eye (Blades 5 failed, but became a critical success due to other factors; 4500 gold coins have been added to your Wallet). He felt the fight go out of the monster and the wealth enter his hoard.
He smiled as he felt the gnawing in his own stomach fade away even as his eyes lost their emerald glow. Panting, he regarded the carnage he had caused, and he felt a twinge of guilt for the annihilation of the creatures. Then he remembered that they were monsters, and that monsters invariably deserved to die. The guilt faded, replaced by a feeling of righteousness at the revenge he'd taken for what these beasts had done to Arielle (Conviction 2 failure).
"Aurrie? You okay?"
"Na, na, na!" came the tinny reply. Korrash rescued his little friend from the bush he had become lodged in, then strode into the forest, ready for his next conquest.
Chapter Forty
The Road to Krakensport, Kingdom of Eastmere
The first light of day washed over Korrash just as he broke free from the underbrush at the edge of the forest. He was weary, and even the sweet embrace of experience and levels earned could not erase that. Still, it felt great.
You have defeated a group of bandits, a village of Industrialized Crowbolds, a Mechanized Cuculiform Brood Parasite, eight Scarecrow Spiders, and a litter of Helpless Furrow Piglets. Increased Experience gained (Rested Bonus, Challenge Bonus).
LEVEL UP! You have reached Level 12. New skill points are available.
Fortune: Crowbold and Brave
You have made it clear to the world that you hate crowbolds. All damage dealt to these creatures or their known allies is doubled. Crowbolds will attack you over all other targets. Gain increased spoils when attacking crowbolds.
Fortune: Brooding
Your mind has turned to a dark place, dwelling on past failures more than some might say is healthy. You gain massive bonuses to Willpower and Conviction when acting to avenge past wrongs or when driven by your pain, but suffer equivalent penalties when attempting to act against such motivations.
Fortune: Wisdom of the Dawn
You have had time to reflect on your brutality and regret some of your more ruthless actions. +3 Conviction.
Fortunes Remaining: 1 / 1. Each new day leaves room for a Fortune. All that’s required is the blessing of the True God. You have pushed yourself to the limit physically, magically, and emotionally.
This was an easy choice! Korrash selected Wisdom of the Dawn, eager to shore up what had become a surprising weak point for him. He shivered as his choice slid away from his mind's grasp.
You may not select this option, as your Class prevents you from voluntarily increasing this attribute.
Drat! The other two options were good, though they both had significant flaws. If he selected Brooding, he'd be embracing the very traits he was seeking to mitigate. Crowbold and Brave, on the other hand, was all but useless. He did hate the bird-people, although even without such a Fortune, they were no match for him. He had torn their village apart almost without breaking a sweat, and it had taken something that specifically preyed on the crowbolds to provide him a challenge. It felt like a waste of a Fortune.
He thought of Sarah in that moment, tears streaming down her face as she'd fled his cruelty. He thought of Arielle, and the change that had come over her ghostly form as they'd adventured together. He wanted to blame the Necromancer for turning her into the dark apparition she'd become, twisting her until no trace remained of the happy girl he'd grown up with, but he knew that wasn't entirely true. He hadn't been the friend to her that he should have been. He had told himself over and over again that he would pay more attention to her, and yet had never followed through.
There was only one way to go forward, and that was to actually change. To sacrifice something, for once. He'd do better next time. He'd hurry straight back to Sunblade after he saw Gnorma and speak to Actinos, learn where Nicodemus had taken his friend, and mend what was broken.
He turned away from the allure of that darkness and selected Crowbold and Brave.
You have 2 skill points available. Assign now?
He mentally agreed, and assigned one point each to Barter and Counseling. He'd wanted to increase his Defense, but felt like he needed to be as prepared as possible if he met another merchant intent on taking advantage of him. He prepared to get moving once more, his now-shorter leveling process complete, when another prompt entered his mind's eye.
A new day has dawned. Secondary Skills have increased.
Staff: You are now more adept at parries and blocks with this weapon. You can perform crushing blows on joints if you strike with precision.
Strider's Focus: Your knowledge of woodcraft has improved, as has your ability to surprise your enemies in a natural environment.
Darkness Lore: You have witnessed the secret lives of creatures dedicated to the Dark, and are now better able to apply such knowledge in combat.
Aetheric Channeling: Your capacity to manipulate the energy within yourself approaches that of the greatest masters. Continue to experiment, for it will take a significant discovery to propel you further.
Aetheric Meditation: You may now ignore certain distractions while gaining the benefits of focused meditation, or you may gain smaller bonuses and act normally while in a lesser meditative state.
Aetheric Projection: You now deal increased damage when using this skill to attack, and can use aspected mana to cause weak status effects.
Korrash smiled as he reviewed his growth. He had been right to challenge himself, and the feeling of stagnation that had been plaguing him was now greatly diminished. His smile grew even wider as the next notification entered his mind.
Your proficiency in the Ancient Master class has increased from I to III! Continue to pursue new ways of utilizing the magic of the world and push your understanding to new heights to gain additional levels! You have gained:
II: Talent increased by 2.
III: Mana Nova. Release the power of a Manabolt in a ring around you, striking all targets within three meters. May be charged like Manabolt. Base damage of Manabolt is doubled.
He felt the magic within him surge as the increase of his Talent pushed him into a new Tier. Mana leaked from his body, exploding into the surrounding air and scorching the grass around him for meters. The force of it lifted him off of the ground, then set him back down gently. He felt different. Stronger, yes, but also…
Warning: Your highest Attribute is now more than three Tiers above your lowest Attribute(s). You will suffer a penalty to all rolls for these weak Attributes until the disparity is remedied. Your immense mental acuity and force of thought eclipses your ability to apply an ethical lens to your ideas and to express your genius effectively to others.
Oh, this was bad! He was having enough trouble dealing with his new greed without needing to deal with this!
What was done was done, he supposed. He set off down the road, weary from lack of sleep but determined to keep going. As the sun climbed higher, he nibbled at a bit of trail ration, but the greasy nut-and-fruit-bar did little to improve his mood. His head was starting to buzz.
As he crested another small hill, it appeared before him like a vision. The trees here were older and larger than the previous few kilometers, and one particularly large specimen had perished decades ago, leaving only a hollow stump taller than most inns. The front of the trunk was split open, and the soft, cool moss inside seemed to call to him.
Rest, it said. The road is long, and I will shelter you from danger.
It really did seem like a good idea. He'd been up all night, and even with his elven asomnia, he felt like a nap would do him a great deal of good. He slipped inside the fallen forest giant, and the moss was soft against his feet. It smelled wet, but not like rotten wood. Ferns grew in the sparse sunlight, and he sank down with his back against the curved timber. This was perfect.
"Wake me up if there's danger, Aurrie," he mumbled.
"Na!" the tiny gold golem replied. Korrash was already asleep.
As he slept, he dreamed strange dreams—an oddity for an elf. In his dream, he floated in a strange metal tub filled with blue slime. He could move neither his arms nor legs, and a piece of metal was digging into his arm like a blade. His mouth was filled with a strange taste like bitter herbs, and someone was speaking nearby. He felt like they were talking about his mother, who was safe back in the village. Right?
More sounds, more words, and then the taste in his mouth increased. The dream faded, and he slept in truth.
Chapter Forty-One
Dreamland Facility, Oneirosoft HQ
"I don't think we have to worry about her," replied Doctor Quartermaine. "We got the lawyers involved, and she's stopped calling twenty times a day. Let her keep worrying. She's just a buzzing fly."
Dave wasn't so sure. He'd never met a more determined woman. He looked into Twenty-Nine's pod one more time before turning away, leaning against the viewing portal as he got back to the real reason the two had come down here.
"It's the damnedest thing," he said. "Immersion's kicked up all the way to ninety-nine-point-eight-nine-three, and that's an average over an eight hour window. Peak is ninety-nine-point-nine-nine-two." He saw that strange look flash across Doc's face again. Why did she want complete immersion so badly, anyway?
"Part of me thinks he's doing it on purpose," she muttered. "No matter. I've got a couple of ideas planned for how to really get him in gear. What about the other Beta participants?" She looked at him over the rims of her glasses and gave him the smile that was supposed to say "reassuring boss" but instead said "tell me, or I fire you."
"They're both scheduled for new verbal debriefs today," Dave replied. "As for the raw numbers, things are actually pretty interesting. Twelve's serotonin shot up so far that we had to check it three times to make sure it wasn't a bad sensor, and Fifty's immersion is higher than it's ever been by a full ten percent." He was proud of that. The protocol that had initiated the beta sequence had been his code, after all.
"What about Eighty-Eight's brain map?"
Dave sighed. Doc sure knew how to send a man's mood plunging out of a fifteenth story window. She knew it wasn't good news; she just wanted to remind him that he wasn't perfect.
"Still almost totally unchanged from first immersion. Sensor blips and hot spots happen just regularly enough that we know he's seeing something in there, but the program isn't inducing the reaction we'd hoped."
"Maybe it is, and he just isn't built for the response to that reaction," Doc countered. "It would verify quite a few theories about how people like that see the world."
"I suppose you're right," Dave replied, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I just don't know what's worse; the fact that we developed a program that's basically psychic torture, or the fact that part of me thinks he deserves what he gets."
After what that guy had done, who wouldn't think he deserved it? Dave kept that thought to himself.
"How long has he been under?" Doc refused to be drawn into his attempt to ascertain what she thought of the whole Eighty-Eight situation.
"Eight hundred sixty-seven hours and change," he replied. "No breaks, no voluntary logouts. No logout attempts. The last voluntary movement he made was to hit the activation switch after the Feds strapped him into the pod."
Doc nodded.
"Let's go," she said. "I want one of us observing Fifty and the other watching Twelve. I bet the interviews are going to be unique."
Dave agreed.
"I'll take Twelve," he said.
Chapter Forty-Two
Corporate Apartment, Oneirosoft HQ
Rachel pulled off the headset and stepped out of the pod, blue biogel dripping onto the mat as she reached for a towel. Her room seemed like a foreign place, so at odds with her experiences in the game. She usually didn't feel like this, even after an extended session.
Thoughts of session length reminded her that she had logged out so she could get cleaned up for the weekly rap session with the admins. She wiped a bit of slime off of her wearable and blanched; she was already five minutes late! She tossed the stained towel to one side and charged toward the bathroom, eager to get the quickly-solidifying gel out of her hair.
Pain shot up her legs, and she pitched forward as her knee buckled. She caught herself adroitly, having learned the trick of falling both on the kendo floor and… after. Had she just forgotten that she couldn't walk? The doctors constantly reminded her that she needed to stay immersed if the nerve damage was going to heal, but she didn’t want to lose her grip on reality.
Maybe she really was playing too much. She chuckled as she pulled herself into a chair and strapped her braces onto her bare legs, careful to slide the guide-slots onto the screws that protruded from either side of each knee. Her mother would have been so mad at the idea that video games could ever make you better at something.
