《Dustspire》


 Prologue

    In the ancient annals of the world, Dustspire stood as a mysterious and awe-inspiring monument, an enigma that has shaped the course of civilization since the dawn of the first age. Rising like a colossal sentinel from the very heart of the earth, Dustspire emerged with an almost supernatural grace, defying the laws of nature and captivating the minds of mortals. Its surface, adorned with intricate glyphs of an otherworldly language, became the cradle of the world''s first written words, birthing the genesis of communication and understanding among the disparate races.


    As nations waxed and waned, Dustspire stood immutable, an enduring testament to an ancient force that defied comprehension. Its surface, despite the passage of countless eons, remained as pristine as the day it manifested. The glyphs inscribed upon its towering form held the keys to forgotten knowledge, and only the most learned scholars dared to unravel the secrets within.


    Legend has it that when Dustspire first rose, only a handful of beings witnessed its ascent, and even fewer grasped the meaning behind the cryptic glyphs. The fortunate few who claimed to have understood even a fraction of Dustspire''s secrets became revered as keepers of wisdom, their words echoing through the ages. Their knowledge, passed down through generations, formed the backbone of mystic traditions, arcane studies, and scholarly pursuits.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Yet, Dustspire was not a solitary phenomenon. As the clockwork cadence of ages marched forward, on the first day of each new era, another spire emerged from the depths of the earth. These subsequent spires mirrored the original in form but varied in height, marking the progression of time like an ancient hourglass. The first, Dustspire, pierced the very heavens, disappearing beyond the mortal realm, while the eleventh, a mere fraction of its predecessor, barely grazed the sky, resembling a humble tree in stature.


    As the world approaches the dawn of a new age, whispers of uncertainty pervade the air. Scholars pore over ancient texts, prophecies, and signs, attempting to fathom the enigma that are the spires. The prevailing fear is that the imminent twelfth spire may not ascend towards the heavens at all. Instead, it is said that it will remain rooted to the world''s surface, foretelling an unsettling end to the cyclical rise of these celestial monoliths.


    The people of the world, gripped by a mix of awe and trepidation, watch the horizon with bated breath. Some see the spires as benevolent guides, others as harbingers of doom. Whatever the truth may be, Dustspire and its kin remain shrouded in mystery, their secrets waiting to be unveiled by those daring enough to seek the profound truths etched upon their ancient surfaces.

 Chapter 1

    Lucas sat in his darkened room with both of his knees hugging his chest and pressed against the desk. He chewed on the nail of his left thumb while he continued to scroll with his right. In the reflection of his eyes you could see the sole source of light; a web forum.


    Tens of posts rose to the top of the glowing screen until finally Lucas had found the one he was looking for. He shuffled the mouse across his desk and a soft click echoed as he expanded the old post. His eyes trailed over the words, and a frown etched itself onto his face.


    Biobyte¡¯s news release ¡®Dustspire¡¯ to be released exclusively for the Astral Dive gaming pod. Hundreds of corporations prepare for the launch.


    It was not long before the soft sound of another click closed the web browser entirely and the sound of a chair¡¯s creaking echoed. Lucas briefly glanced down at the time and swallowed hard.


    4:32AM


    He noted that six hours had passed since he began his foray on the web forums and scrunched his face. His hands came up and removed his glasses so he could rub his temples. Countless hours wasted, and he was no closer to an answer.


    Will it work?


    Lucas took a moment to relax his shoulders as he exhaled, attempting to release with his breath all of his frustrations. It did not help. Before he knew it, his left foot was on the ground bouncing up and down.


    A sudden urge hit him and he threw himself up, attempting to move across his room as quickly as possible. In his rush, his left foot found itself trapped between the desk and his chair¡¯s leg. The sudden arrest of his forward motion brought Lucas tumbling down.


    His elbow cracked against the floor with a dull thud, a jolt of pain spreading through his arm like static. He sucked in a sharp breath, cursing under his breath before he picked himself up off the ground. Lucas stepped over the piles of clean laundry that littered the floor of his room and slipped through his half opened door into the void that was the hallway.


    With one hand trailing along the wall, Lucas made his way to the repurposed guest room. Once his fingers felt the door frame, he stopped and reached inside. He fumbled briefly before a soft click of the lightswitch brought about a blinding flash.


    One hand attempted to fend off the harsh blue light while Lucas entered the room. Unlike his own, this room was clean and empty save for what looked like a spaceship escape pod that took up the center of the space. Hooked up to its back were dozens of tubes all for the express purpose of keeping the occupant of said space pod alive.


    It hummed slightly, and faint blue LEDs let Lucas know it was still running. As he stepped to the right, an open panel revealed itself. It was a mass of cables and poorly soldered electronics that made Lucas swallow hard.


    It¡¯ll work. It has to.


    He was taking a huge risk tampering with what was probably the most expensive piece of equipment in his home, but Lucas had exhausted all of his options already. It was doubtlessly worth more than any Astral Dive pod but the fact that it was used, and he couldn¡¯t move it himself added to the dwindling amount he would have received for it.


    After a deep breath, Lucas pressed the release on the pod¡¯s lid which brought about a faint hissing before the pod opened. Without hesitation, and with practiced movements, Lucas stripped his clothes and sat in the pod.


    He eyed the various needles and closed his eyes while he tried to relax. Slowly the lid descended and the pod began to seal. Once all of the diagnostic checks had finished running, Lucas felt a familiar sharp pain as multiple needles poked him. He tried not to squirm as the multitude of liquids began to enter his body; slowly a feeling of drowsiness overtook him.


    Instead of the comforting lull of sleep, Lucas found himself in the pod¡¯s ¡®therapeutic environment.¡¯ He looked down at his feet and wiggled his toes through the simulated grass, making sure he had not messed up one of the more important features of the hybrid pod.


    Now or never.


    With a thought, Lucas opened the command line for the virtual environment and began to type on the floating keyboard that appeared before him.


    admin# conf t


    admin(config)# repository AstralDive


    % Warning: Repositories configured from CLI cannot be used from the MedTech web UI and are not replicated to other MedTech nodes.


    If this repository is not created in the MedTech web UI, it will be deleted when MedTech services restart.


    admin(config-Repository)# url disk:


    Repository AstralDive now points to local storage.


    admin(config-Repository)# exit


    admin(config)# exit


    admin# application upgrade prepare astraldive3v5.tlu AstralDive


    Upgrade package astraldive3v5.tlu prepared in repository AstralDive.


    admin# application upgrade proceed


    Application upgrade in progress¡­


    [#-------------------] 5% Complete


    [##------------------] 10% Complete


    [#####---------------] 25% Complete


    [###########---------] 55% Complete


    [####################] 100% Complete


    Upgrade successful.


    Rebooting¡­


    Now it was time for the moment of truth. Lucas waited patiently as he was pulled mentally away from the bright field of grass into the dark void of his dreamless mind. After five or so minutes, Lucas noticed specks of light breaking through the emptiness of his consciousness like the stars in the sky. He felt his feet on solid ground and he looked around.


    Instead of the grassy plains of the MedTech pod, he was now in the landing zone for the Astral Dive gaming pods.


    It worked?


    Remembering the dozens of posts he read, Lucas grasped towards the stars above and was greeted with a library of games. All were greyed out except one. The art for this particular game was a lone monolith towered towards the heavens themself. At the bottom, looking like it was carved from some, the name ¡®Dustspire¡¯ sat.


    Without hesitation, Lucas selected it and watched in wonder as the area around him transformed. A wooden cabin sprung up around him, and Lucas could hear the crackling and feel the heat of a fireplace behind him.


    A mirror rose from the ground showing off his appearance. Then a floating window of gold manifested with tabs and tabs of options for him to customize his appearance. If it had been a few years prior, Lucas surely would have spent hours upon hours just customizing his avatar and debating his race and starting location based on what kind of character he was trying to roleplay.


    Unfortunately he had to be a bit more pragmatic than that. He had already spent months planning out his build; which started with him selecting the Inimicus race. They were a race of fiends that looked similar to elves but with a much wider variety of skin tones. The main reason Lucas selected Inimicus was less for its appearance and more for their bloodline talents that could be unlocked in the game.


    It also helped that they had one of the starting locations that Lucas desperately needed to enact his plans. After selecting his race and skipping through the customization options, he was left with a reflection in the mirror that showed him exactly what he would look like with elvish ears, red eyes, and an ashen lavender colored skin.


    Character name: Zariah (Available)


    Lucas entered his usual gamer tag and once he was told it was available, he pressed enter. Once more, the scene around him changed from the idyllic log cabin to a city square. Instantly, Lucas was assaulted with the smell, sight, and sounds of a bustling renaissance era city.


    One hand moved to shield his nose from the stench of unwashed players and NPCs while he squinted and took in his surroundings. A large orc with gleaming silver plate armor had his hands cupped around his mouth as he shouted, ¡°Looking for a healer! We have one tank, two dps and a utility.¡± Off in a dark alleyway, Lucas could faintly makeout the sight of a ratfolk in a heavy trench coat trying to peddle his wares, ¡°Stanley has wares if you have coin.¡±


    The sounds of a hammer on metal echoed over the crowds and the buzz of conversations flowed past Lucas as tried to orient himself. It was amazing, truly, and he could feel the start of a smile tugging at his lips before he shook his head.


    Remember your goal.


    Lucas took stock of his belongings, his hands running down his body as he pat anywhere he thought there would be a pocket. As he did so, he noted the white tunic and brown pants he wore. His toes wiggled in their leather prison, electing a nod from Lucas. They were well worn and tied tight. Affixed to his hip via a small string tied through a hole in his waistband, he found a small coin pouch with 10 silver coins.


    Thankfully, he started with the average amount of capital¡ªthe minimum being three silver. Weary of losing his small fortune, Lucas undid the knot holding the pouch to his waist and retied it so the pouch rested on the inside of his pocketless pants. He then mentally checked it off his todo list and took a step in the direction he believed his first destination to be.


    Snowraith wants to add you as a friend. Accept? (Y/N)


    Before he could even take a second step, a popup filled his vision. Without hesitation, Lucas accepted the request and decided to wait for the message he knew was coming. Sure enough, in the corner of his vision he saw he had a few messages from his new friend.


    Snowraith: Lucas? Holy cow! I haven¡¯t seen you online in forever! Why didn¡¯t you text me?


    Zariah: How did you know I started playing?


    Snowraith: When I started playing I sent a request to all of your usual usernames! Smart huh? Only you would immediately accept without sending me a whisper like ¡®reason for add?¡¯


    Zariah: . . .


    Snowraith: What city did you start in? I¡¯ll remake my character so we can start fresh together. What build are you going for?


    Zariah: Healer. I¡¯ll wait for you in Arvedell.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Snowraith: Cool! Give me 10 min.


    <hr>


    Within the confines of Evelyn¡¯s Astral Dive gaming pod¡ªwhere her unconscious body lay¡ªher lips twisted into a soft smile. Inside Dustspire the sound of metal clinking echoed out, each sound bouncing off the small cave walls that surrounded a group of four individuals positioned in a diamond formation. Startled, a small woman holding up the rear and peering into the darkness behind dropped the dagger she had held up.


    The woman, wearing naught but a thin robe and sandals, lunged forward trying to pluck the falling dagger. In her haste, she grabbed the blade and sliced her finger. Crimson drops turned into a miniature river as blood began to trail down her index to her wrist. ¡°Ouch!¡± She gasped in pain and her grip loosened on the dagger, allowing it to tumble to the ground with a thud.


    At the sound of rattling metal, an exclamation of pain, and subsequent thud, the three members in the front of the formation turned around; two of which had their eyes narrowed. Evelyn, garbed in a full set of scale mail, winced and sucked in a breath upon seeing the smaller woman¡¯s injury. She whispered, ¡°Sorry, GaleW1ng! I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡±


    Behind Evelyn, a man covered head to toe in ebony plate mail shook his head and lifted his visor. ¡°What¡¯s going on? We¡¯ve only just started this dungeon.¡± He then muttered something under his breath that Evelyn could not quite hear. The last member of their group, another man wearing a simple gambeson and holding a long walking stick, shrugged and tilted his head in the direction of the other two in the group as he propped himself up with his walking stick.


    Now at the forefront of everyone¡¯s attention, the bleeding woman¡ªwhose other hand was wrapped tightly around the wound¡ªglared at Evelyn, ¡°The rattling of her armor scared me! I wasn¡¯t ready for it since we were trying to be stealthy.¡± She pointed her wrapped finger accusingly.


    Evelyn spoke up, her tone a bit soft as heat began to rise to her cheeks and flush them red, ¡°I got a little too excited and I was trying to contain myself.¡± Her hand moved up to her face and tried to move an errant strand of hair behind her ear as she struggled to find a reasonable explanation. Failing, she offered an awkward smile, ¡°I¡¯m sooo sorry guys but my boyfriend just started playing so I¡¯m going to go remake my character and join him.¡±


    Nothing was said as a multitude of expressions found their way onto the faces of Evelyn¡¯s companions. GaleW1ng had craned her neck forward and tilted her head, her mouth slightly agape, and the man wielding the walking stick had to catch himself as he lost the support of the stick he was leaning against momentarily. Finally, the man in ebony pinched his nose and let out a heavy breath, ¡°Now? Right after we started? Can we at least get to the first mini-boss?¡±


    Once again the echoes of metal rang out as Evelyn began taking off her armor, fumbling with the straps and buckles, ¡°I¡¯m sooo sorry, I¡¯ll make it up to you guys later okay? You guys can sell my gear to make up for the losses since I¡¯ll be using a new build to match Lucas.¡±


    One by one, Evelyn tossed her weapons and armor onto the ground until she was only dressed simply in a tunic and pants. She fanned herself with her hand and let out a breath. ¡°Wooh! It was so hot in that thing. Anyways take care guys!¡± Leaving behind her stunned companions, Evelyn selected the ¡®return to menu¡¯ button and disappeared from sight in a flash of white.


    The dark and humid cave around her rippled as her surroundings were replaced with the main menu¡¯s landing screen. Instead of the default log cabin new players had, she was situated in a lavish room that reflected her character¡¯s total wealth. Positioned in the center of the far wall, stood a golden framed crystal mirror. From where Evelyn stood, she could perfectly see her full body.


    She lacked her usual drakescale armor and arsenal of daggers, swords and spears, and was clothed exactly as she was when she left the dungeon. For a moment, Evelyn admired her emerald green skin and rippling muscles for probably the last time. As usual, a golden menu floated beside the mirror and she pulled her attention away from her impressive shoulders to the bottom right corner where a little trash can icon sat.


    Without hesitation, Evelyn pressed on the icon then, after a pop-up, confirmed her decision to delete her character. The once clear reflection dimmed as the crystal mirror was replaced by the polished silver mirror everyone started with. The next time Evelyn glanced at her reflection, blonde hair and green eyes peered back. Beneath her bare feet, Evelyn felt the absence of her fur rug replaced by warm rough wood. She noticed the soft glow of the fireplace behind her before she felt its heat and she watched as the golden menu was populated with dozens of tabs.


    Evelyn knew this day would have come, and amply prepared for it. She lifted her hand towards the double arrow at the far right side of the tabs and clicked it. The row of tabs changed to the last page and upon finding the preset tab, Evelyn selected it. Greeting her was a large list of randomly generated appearance presets the game had created; sorted by race.


    Evelyn moved all the way to the bottom where the locally saved presets were and selected the third portrait. Subtly, her appearance in the mirror changed. She looked almost exactly as she normally did, with the exception of her now pointed ears that poked through her hair and her blue eyes.


    Briefly, Evelyn went back and checked over each tab to make sure nothing was out of place before going to the bottom of the character creator window and entering a name.


    Character name: Vaelith (Available)


    It was one of the many character names she used in games to match Lucas and upon seeing it was available she ended the character creation. Before she was transported, she danced in place a little before finding herself in Arvedell. Her heart thudded in her chest as she took a single step, her eyes wide open and eager. As she had hoped, a pop-up filled her vision.


    Zariah wants to add you as a friend. Accept? (Y/N)


    Not needing to think, her finger found the ¡®Yes¡¯ button. Her other hand reached towards the minimalistic HUD and pulled up the social window. Gone were the hundreds of friends she previously had, replaced with a single name. Evelyn clicked on Lucas¡¯s character name and sent him a party invite¡ªwhich he instantly accepted. The moment the party was created, Evelyn gained a faint presence at the back of her mind, gently informing her where her party member was.


    Spinning on her heels, Evelyn jumped with her arms spread wide.


    <hr>


    Half expecting it, Lucas braced himself as Evelyn jumped into his embrace. His usual scowl softened into a smile as he wrapped his arms around the blonde elf draped in the same white tunic and brown pants he was. She squeezed him tight and locked her fingers behind him. Her head bumped against his and she showed him her pearly whites as she stared into his eyes, ¡°I missed you dummy.¡±


    The words dropped a weight on his chest and his smile tightened, ¡°I know. I missed you too, Ev. Got in my own head again.¡± Lucas strained his neck and kissed Evelyn on the forehead. His lips parted to speak when someone cleared their throat behind the couple, ¡°Eh-hem. Could you guys take the PDA somewhere else? Some of us are trying to enjoy our fantasy. Not see people living it.¡±


    Lucas loosened his embrace with Evelyn¡ªwho took his hand in hers and locked their fingers¡ªand turned to face the speaker. His previous expression hardened into a comfortable scowl as he eyed a much taller figure. Evelyn¡¯s hand gently squeezed his own and he pulled his eyes away from the stranger. ¡°Sorry about that!¡± Evelyn apologized, slightly bowing to the stranger. She tugged Lucas in the opposite direction, pulling him through and past people until they left the city square.


    ¡°Where to first?¡± Evelyn asked over the surrounding conversations as she led Lucas through the cobbled streets of Arvedell. ¡°Alchemist Guild,¡± Lucas quickly responded, his whole day more or less having been planned before Evelyn¡¯s appearance. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you already researched everything beforehand?¡± his girlfriend asked without turning.


    ¡°I memorized and practiced enough in a few sims.¡± Lucas mentally shoved his urgency down, ¡°Where do you need to go?¡± He looked over at Evelyn, his eyes watching as her ice blue eyes trailed over each building before turning towards his own. ¡°Same place! I wonder if you¡¯ll score higher than me.¡± She pursed her lips and tapped her chin, ¡°I was an adept member before I deleted my character.¡±


    Pressure threatened to strangle Lucas as he swallowed. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try and apologize!¡± Evelyn raised both of their arms in the air and opened her mouth wide. Her teeth clamped down on Lucas¡¯s forearm before she released him, ¡°If I hear you apologize to me I¡¯m going to bite you. I did it to play with you. I only started playing these games because of you anyways, dummy.¡±


    His chest felt lighter and he even managed to grin as he provoked Evelyn, ¡°Sorry.¡± Unsurprisingly, she responded by chomping down on his arm. ¡°A treat for the lovely couple?¡± An aged voice asked from Lucas¡¯s right and he looked over to find a young man with bright pink hair holding up what looked like candied fruits.


    Remembering Evelyn¡¯s sweet tooth, Lucas pulled her closer to the food stall. Adorning a crudely assembled stand was a large wooden sign that read ¡®W1iiyWanlCa¡¯s Candy Stand.¡¯ The poor table did nothing to detract from the overflowing amount of different candies put up for sale. Behind the pink haired man, who wore a mint green chef¡¯s hat and double-breasted jacket, was a sign listing the prices.


    Looking at Evelyn¡¯s enlarged eyes, Lucas did not hesitate to pull a silver coin from his pouch and held it up to the man, ¡°Two candied strawberries.¡± The man smartly placed both into Evelyn¡¯s waiting free hand and he bowed slightly before taking the offered silver, ¡°Thank you kindly for your patronage! Please remember dear ol¡¯ ¡®WakyW1ll¡¯ the next time you crave sweets. We have branches in every starter city.¡±


    From his pocket he pulled out a sky blue handkerchief and dabbed at the corners of his eyes before dramatically blowing his nose, ¡°It¡¯s so rare to see players enjoying¡ªhey! Wait! Where are you going!?¡± The pink haired man called after Lucas and Evelyn but the former, not interested in conversation, and the latter, engrossed in her treats, simply carried on down the cobbled road towards the Alchemist Guild.


    The surrounding merchants laughed and Evelyn looked up after emptying one of her skewers of its fruit, ¡°I¡¯ve been playing this game for a year and I still can¡¯t get over how tasty the food is. And no weight gain!¡± Lucas chuckled as he viewed the mix of players and NPCs around interacting. The attention to detail from the smells to the sights made Lucas briefly forget that this was just a game.


    One I need to exploit.


    His mind did not manage to wander far as they stepped onto a new, much larger street. In stark contrast to the previous street, the buildings here were twice the size and instead of brick, they looked like they were carved from large quarried stones and other unknown materials. Crowded before each of the guilds Lucas could spot, were thousands of people.


    ¡°I bet none of your research mentioned how packed the guilds are in the starter cities.¡± Evelyn nudged him, her last skewer bare and the sweets they once held now stored in the veritable pit that was her stomach. Lucas closed his eyes and tried to remember any possible alternatives. There were other things he could do in the meantime, but without visiting the Alchemist Guild first he wouldn¡¯t have a reason to visit most of the places.


    Lucas jerked forward as Evelyn tugged on his arm, he glanced at his girlfriend as she gestured behind her with her head, ¡°Come on, newbie. I¡¯ll show you how it¡¯s done.¡± Eyes rolled in response to her taunts and Lucas reached out to take the empty skewers from her hand. Due to the intense crowding, he tightened his grip on Evelyn¡¯s hands as they zigzagged through and over others.


    Despite this not being the starter city for many of the races people could play in Dustspire, Lucas noticed many said races lined up in front of each of the guilds. As they made it closer to the entrance of the Alchemist Guild, Lucas overheard players complaining.


    ¡°Damn corp players! It¡¯s bad enough everyone wants to be an adept for the passive, but a three hour long queue?¡± The high pitched squeaking that was their voice did nothing to detract from the frustration in the speaker¡¯s words. In response, an equally high voice chirped, ¡°I guess we¡¯ll take the L and TP to another city. Man! I had so many quests around this area too.¡±


    Instead of continuing straight, Evelyn moved towards the right and past the crowds waiting to just enter the guilds. They followed along the side of the guild through the alley between the Alchemist Guild and the Merchant Guild. Once the passageway opened up into a backstreet, Evelyn stopped and spun around, ¡°help me look for a discarded glass bottle.¡±


    Evelyn released her hold on Lucas and began to sift through some of the litter dotting the backstreet. He refrained from voicing his confusion and released it with a long exhale. Following her lead, his eyes began to study what he thought was player refuse. Gently prodding each pile with his leather shoes, Lucas managed to find a few copper coins which he pocketed despite the grime that covered them.


    ¡°Over here!¡± It wasn¡¯t too long before Evelyn called Lucas over, and he jogged over to where she was. He bent down to get even with her squat and peered at the empty potion bottle on the ground. Lucas raised a single eyebrow and made a show of looking down at the bottle up at his girlfriend then back again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be such a drama queen, newbie. You¡¯ll bow down to my majesty soon once I save us hours waiting in line.¡± She flashed him a toothed grin and picked up the potion bottle. She then waved her arms in the air, drawing shapes in the air as she chanted, ¡°Abra Kadabra!¡± Her arm blurred forward and Lucas winced as he heard glass shatter against the Alchemist Guild¡¯s back wall.


    Briefly, runes flashed over the surface of the wall before fading from view. ¡°There it is!¡± Evelyn shot up from her squat and skipped over to what Lucas had initially guessed was a random spot along the wall. She raised a finger and began to trace what Lucas could only assume was some sort of glyph. Glass cracked underfoot as he moved closer and when he finally reached Evelyn, she had finished drawing.


    Glowing lines began to etch themselves in the stone, the pattern matching exactly what she had traced out. Once the glowing sigil was complete, Lucas felt faint vibrations and watched in awe as a hidden entrance revealed itself. Out of the corner of his eye, Lucas noticed Evelyn stand up straighter, trying to make herself seem taller despite their similar height. With his right foot, he stepped backwards into a deep bow, ¡°One thousand apologies, Your Majesty! I was but a fool to question your vast knowledge. Might you explain to this dullard what exactly you did?¡±


    A snort of laughter drew Lucas¡¯s attention and he straightened from his dramatic bow to see Evelyn covering her mouth and holding her stomach as she giggled. The sight and sounds of joy seemed to erase the lingering pain in his chest, and for the first time in months Lucas felt some of his exhaustion fade.


    He smiled and waited patiently as Evelyn regained her composure enough to explain. ¡°One of my previous guildies managed to make it all the way to Master Alchemist and learned that each of the branches have hidden entrances. Lots of the bigger guilds know about it, but we try to keep it under wraps.¡±


    Finished with her incomplete explanation, Evelyn felt around and grasped something invisible and tugged it towards herself. The hidden door, now much more visible that it was opened, looked like it was just an extension of the wall. It did not look to move on any visible hinges, leading Lucas to believe it worked entirely on magic.


    ¡°Newbies first,¡± His girlfriend gestured towards a veil of darkness that prevented Lucas from peering into the guild. Taking a deep breath, Lucas took a step forward while he mentally tried to recall everything he needed to get done here. He felt hands pressing against his back before he was shoved head first into darkness, his girlfriend taunting him from behind, ¡°No need to be so dramatic, dummy.¡±

 Chapter 2

    As Lucas passed through the veil of darkness that shrouded the interior of the Alchemist Guild, he felt the hairs on his neck stand on end and his stomach twist. Halted at the foyer, Lucas¡¯s eyes widened as he took in the reception area of the guild. From the outside, the building had been large¡ªbigger than it needed to be, sure, but it was at least in line with the other guilds around it.


    What he had stepped into was something else entirely. The chamber before him was vast¡ªimpossibly so. A high, vaulted ceiling stretched upwards like the inside of a cathedral, disappearing into a soft amber mist and sea of spectral motes. The walls curved away in smooth arcs of alabaster stone veined with shimmering runes, each pulsing as if a beating heart. There was no question in Lucas¡¯s mind that this was a feat of incredible magic.


    ¡°Lucas.¡±


    The guild before him was so intricate that for the first time since he entered Dustspire, Lucas actually focused wholly on its details. As his eyes began to trace the mosaic etched into the very floor he stood upon, he saw a dainty hand wave in front of his face. ¡°Hello? Earth to Lucas?¡± Evelyn¡¯s voice finally seemed to reach his ears and he slowly turned to look at his girlfriend¡ªhis eyes lagging behind as he spotted the scant few alchemical formulas he knew on the tiled ground.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡­ didn¡¯t quite expect this level of detail. It¡ª¡± He gestured to a wrought-iron staircase off to the left then to the floating orbs of light, ¡°¡ªmakes it hard to believe this isn¡¯t real.¡±  More than that, Lucas felt something in his gut that told him Dustspire was different. ¡°That, my dear guest. Is because this is, in fact, the prime materia. No illusions here!¡± Both Lucas and Evelyn snapped towards the newcomer they had not previously noticed.


    The voice drifted over from a man who stood behind a semicircular desk carved from a darkened wood. One which had a surface inlaid with a spiraling array of glyphs that changed when Lucas stopped focusing on it. The man was tall and reed-thin, with the kind of posture that suggested he spent most of his life hunched over a tome or a laboratory table.


    His bone white hair looked like it had been frozen in time during a particularly large gust of wind. His eyes, one deep green as an emerald and the other a telescopic monocle that looked like it had been fused to his socket, stood out the most. In contrast, his attire was quite simple¡ªan oddly modern looking white lab coat. He looked human, but Lucas was unsure just how many races could pass for such.


    The man¡¯s voice, like polished obsidian¡ªsmooth, cold, and clear¡ªcontinued, ¡°Allow me to welcome you both, to the Alchemist Guild. I, Quintrell, am at your service! I do not believe either of you have graced our meager halls before. What can I do for you today?¡± Lucas felt a hand wrapped around his own, and he stepped closer; Evelyn keeping abreast.


    Evelyn, ever the social butterfly, flashed a radiant smile, ¡°Thank you for the warm greeting, Quintrell! My partner and I were quite interested in testing to become an Apprentice Alchemist.¡± Quintrell nodded, and reached down. The sound of a drawer sliding open sounded and without looking, the clerk retrieved something. ¡°It warms my heart that young scions such as yourselves would allow Everhollow¡¯s Alchemist Guild to administer your first trial. It has been quite some time since we¡¯ve hosted newcomers who know of our exclusive entrance.¡±


    Lucas tilted his head, then looked around in surprise as he finally realized the clerk had said ¡®Everhollow¡¯ and not ¡®Arvedell.¡¯


    <hr>


    Evelyn enjoyed watching as Lucas¡¯s expression continued to shift as he realised they were no longer in Arvedell. While he never was a man of many words, she had been around him long enough that she could tell what he was thinking most of the time from his expression and body language alone. When she had first seen him today she could tell that the reason for his distance had been more than simply ¡®getting in his own head.¡¯


    From their hug, she could feel the tension. In the almost two decades she had known Lucas, he had never before been so distracted. Even in Dustspire¡ªa game that checked every box her boyfriend had when it came to his interests and hobbies¡ªhe did not seem to take things in farther than skin-deep.


    It worried her greatly that something was troubling him so thoroughly; so she resolved herself to help him. She knew that in time, he would share his troubles with her, and until then she would be by his side offering her support. Quickly, Evelyn rationalized that if she led Lucas headfirst into wonder after wonder he might pull himself out of the fog that kept him from enjoying Dustspire.


    The easiest way she could think of doing so had been to take him here, to the first Alchemist Guild¡ªlocated in Eveternavale¡¯s capital Everhollow.


    I¡¯ll have to thank Old Froggy later for sharing this shortcut.


    Thankfully, it seemed to do the trick, as temporary as it might be. Evelyn watched as the last remnants of tension were replaced with excitement, and the resting scowl transformed into a look of wonder. Lucas snapped his head in her direction, ¡°Was that a portal we stepped through?¡±


    Quintrell straightened slightly as he placed two documents on the counter. ¡°Nothing quite that mundane, sir. What brought you to us today was an artifact¡ªone created by the great Archibald the Enchanter.¡± The man seemed to take pride in that particular fact as he animatedly waved two pens before setting them down parallel to the documents. ¡°Now if you both could please fill out this form.¡± He pointed as he spoke, ¡°Boxes one, three, seven, nine, and sign 16 after you have read our brief disclaimer.¡±


    Having already done it once before, Evelyn gently palmed the pen and thumbed the cap. It softly clattered on the wooden counter and with a small habitual spin, she had the pen settled nicely in her grip. Skimming over the contents once to ensure nothing had changed, Evelyn finalized her signature.


    Lucas softly tapped the counter with his right hand as he twirled the pen between the fingers of his left, his eyes flitting across the page over and over again. The pen stopped spinning and her boyfriend looked up at the clerk, ¡°I have some concerns about section five, ¡®Clause of Reconstitution. In the unlikely event of bodily obliteration, the Guild reserves the right to attempt reconstitution at its discretion. Success is not guaranteed, and memory integrity may be compromised.¡¯¡±


    He tapped the pen on the counter five times as emphasis, ¡°Specifically, the ¡®bodily obliteration¡¯ and ¡®Success is not guaranteed¡¯ bit.¡± Amusement danced across Quintrell¡¯s face, as if he was never tired of getting asked this question over and over. Evelyn had in fact witnessed many of her former guildmates ask similar questions.


    ¡°Unfortunately for those less mentally inclined, Alchemy is an exact science. Sometimes we have an applicant who uses one or 20 too many drops of basilisk urine in their fertility potions causing an interesting spectacle that involves accidentally summoning an elder Wyrm during a brief mating season.¡± Quintrell waved his hand dismissively, ¡°It¡¯s only happened four times in my tenure. I can assure you, not officially of course, that you will be fine. So long as you make no mistakes.¡±


    Evelyn raised her hand to cover her mouth as she tried to stifle her laughter. Lucas¡¯s brows were furrowed and his right eye twitched, ¡°Right¡­ And the last part?¡± He sounded pained, and Evelyn felt heat rise to her cheeks as she struggled to contain herself. Without missing a beat, the clerk turned it around on her boyfriend, ¡°Well you try ensuring you got every every bit of an applicant scrapped off a dragon in heat. I will not suffer that again.¡±


    Lucas scratched the back of his head and muttered, ¡°Fuck it.¡± After penning his signature, he slid the completed form towards Quintrell who collected the two sheets of paper and deposited them back into the drawer he originally retrieved them from. With his knee, he slid it shut and motioned for the couple to follow as he walked out from behind the counter. ¡°Sir Zariah, Lady Vaelith, if you would please follow me to the testing room.¡±


    Evelyn gave her boyfriend a reassuring pat on the shoulder before holding out her hand. Once he took it, she led him after Quintrell. The clerk walked with his hands behind his back, and at a pace that was slow enough for Lucas to once again get lost in the formulas that decorated the floor. Together, they approached the wrought-iron staircase and descended towards the testing room.


    Known to the initiated, the Verdant Crucible Chamber was a vast circular space that could only exist thanks to the spatial enchantments woven into the very foundation of the guildhall. Alchemical workstations followed along the circular room and each was equipped with floating lights, an adjustable flame, and an expanded drawer that contained just about every instrument or container someone would need. In the center was a dias that projected an image of the guild¡¯s greenhouse.


    As they stood firmly within the domain of the testing room, Evelyn breathed in the faint scent of herbs, reagents and ash. Quintrell moved farther into the room and stood in front of the dais, ¡°Welcome to the Verdant Crucible Chamber, where we separate the alchemists from the chaff. Please pick a station.¡± Lucas and Evelyn both chose the station closest to them and once they stood behind it Quintrell continued, ¡°Before we can change the world, we must understand it. Thus the first part of our trial is one of knowledge. On both of your stations you will find embedded ruby. Upon placing your hand on it, you will be placed under an illusion. To break free, all you need to do is find and consume an ingredient that can grant you truesight.¡±


    Evelyn glanced over at Lucas and could tell he wanted to ask what would happen if they failed, but thought better of it. The tension in him seemed to return as she watched him take a deep breath and touch the ruby.


    <hr>


    After his finger brushed against the gem, a bright light stole Lucas¡¯s vision. He rapidly began to blink and slowly the spots faded from view. Gone was the testing room, and in its place a gargantuan table.


    What is it with this place and large spaces?


    Covering the surface of the table were herbs and other ingredients an alchemist would use to craft potions. Lucas¡ªthanks to his months of study and practice¡ªrecognized most. Unfortunately there were many ingredients that looked to be duplicates. Anyone who aimed to complete the trail quickly would certainly fail. He couldn¡¯t afford to unless he wanted to waste time remaking his character to avoid the wait he would have to endure if he failed.


    Focus, Lucas.


    He was getting distracted too often. A clap echoed out as Lucas slapped his cheeks, ¡°Truesight, truesight, truesight.¡± Lucas began to walk along the table, his eyes intently scanning everything on the table as he mentally identified everything he could remember. When he eyed a flower with black petals and silver vein-like lines he picked it up and continued down the table.


    By the time he reached the end, he had gathered five similar flowers. ¡°Which one of you is the Eyebright Bloom?¡± One by one, Lucas sniffed each flower. The first held the faint scent of copper, electing him to discard it. The rest smelled like mint with an undertone of lavender, requiring Lucas to search for more details to differentiate the four.


    ¡°One, two, three, four-¡± Lucas began to count the amount of petals on each flower, and when he found one that did not have five, he dropped them on the ground. Now left with two, Lucas tapped his foot as he dug deeper into his mental catalog. ¡°Eye..bright¡­bloom. When it blooms¡­¡± Recalling that the key was in the name, Lucas cupped his hands around each flower and sure enough, one softly glowed.


    Slowly, Lucas raised the remaining flower to his mouth and opened wide. He closed his eyes as he bit down and prepared for the worst. ¡°I had higher hopes, Sir Zariah.¡± Lucas opened his eyes to a frowning Quintrell. His heart sank and he let out a heavy breath. ¡°Honestly, it shan''t have taken you more than a single breath to identify the correct flower, but a success your attempt still was.¡±


    Lucas felt heat rise in his chest and he bit his lip, his eyes narrowing at Quintrell who simply smiled in response. ¡°Your partner has already completed the remaining parts of the trial and is waiting for you upstairs.¡± The man moved away from the dias and towards Lucas¡¯s workstation, he gestured down and Lucas noticed the materials for the next part were already neatly placed before him.


    ¡°It is not enough to simply know. One must do. Prove to me that you can brew a Clarity Draught. Do know, a few of your materials will do you more harm than good.¡± With that said, Quintrell retreated towards the dias and left Lucas alone with his thoughts. Just like the outrageous lines in front of the Alchemist Guild in Arvedell, Lucas had never seen a single mention of a Clarity Draught needing to be crafted for the Apprentice Alchemist trial.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The inconsistencies in what he thought he knew gnawed at his insides. If he had marched forward as he had originally planned without Evelyn, he most likely would have never made it inside even a single branch of the Alchemist Guild. In hours, his girlfriend had done more for him than he had done for her in months. If he failed here, he would be throwing all of that away.


    He shook his head, and tried to center himself. Large breath in, hold, exhale. While he did not study or practice how to make a Clarity Draught, he did know how to make a potion a player had created to replace their ADHD medication. Coincedently, he recognized most of the same ingredients that potion would need.


    Liquid Meth required gold gossamer extract, crushed frost mint, ground sunrose petals, distilled rainwater from a spring storm, ground silverleaf bark and a drop of focused intent.


    Looking at what he had available to him, Lucas was able to find everything except gold gossamer extract, leading him to believe one of the other ingredients could potentially be used to make the Clarity Draught. As he picked through what remained he recalled Quintrell had said, ¡®Alchemy is an exact science.¡¯


    I¡¯m going to fail. And Quintrell will have to scrape me off a Wym.


    As thoughts threatened to overwhelm him, Lucas began to tap his fingers on the counter. He looked down and noted that there were enough materials to brew two potions. Upon realizing there were extras, Lucas remembered an old game¡ªsomething rim¡ªwhere ingredient effects were discovered by eating them.


    Well, at least if this kills me I won¡¯t have to waste time deleting my character.


    Without hesitation, Lucas began to eat the spare materials one by one, pausing between each to try and determine the effects he was subjecting himself to.


    <hr>


    Almost two hours had passed since Lucas had begun the trial for becoming an Apprentice Alchemist. In that time, Evelyn had logged off, done a few chores and eaten an early lunch. When she had first left her Astral Dive pod and went to check the notifications on her holo-phone, she had mentally prepared herself for the flood of messages she would have received from her guild. Instead of the texts from her friends, she had an email from the corporation that supposedly sponsored the guild, which was news to her.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Aetherion Dynamics Entertainment Division Corporate Sponsor of Guild X-199: Emberwake Accord


    4th Spire Plaza, Sector 7-C, New Liora Meganet


    <hr>


    To: Evelyn Park


    Username: @Snowraith


    Subject: Contract Violation ¨C Character Deletion During Dungeon Instance


    Date: [06.12.2085]


    Reference ID: AX-99-GV-2025-1347


    <hr>


    Dear Evelyn,


    We hope this message finds you well.


    It has come to our attention that on June 12th, 2085 during an active dungeon run, you initiated a permanent deletion of your player-character, Snowraith, while occupying a key role in the party formation for Guild X-199: Emberwake Accord, a corporate-sponsored entity under contract with Aetherion Dynamics.


    Per the Participant Compliance Agreement (Clause 7-B), all contracted or sponsored players agree upon guild entry to maintain active character continuity through the remainder of their duration in Dustspire. Early withdrawal by deletion is considered a Tier II Violation¡ªCharacter Destruction During Dustspire Lifecycle. After internal log review and consultation with Aevum Technologies¡¯s automated conflict logs for their digital property ¡®Dustspire,¡¯ we have confirmed no external coercion or technical anomaly.


    Penalty Enforcement:


    As a result of this violation, the following measures will be implemented:


    48-hour suspension from Dustspire-related activities


    Demerit flag on your profile, viewable by future sponsor partners for 60 years.


    Guild standing penalty: Emberwake Accord will receive a compensation equal to 3% of the current yearly estimated earnings.


    We acknowledge that mental fatigue, emotional strain, or spontaneous decisions can occur in high-stress scenarios. However, deletion during synchronized content significantly impacts not only cooperative experience but also corporate analytics and sponsorship models. As such, we request a short written response (250 words or less) explaining your choice and a formal apology to each member of Emberwake Accord.


    Should you wish to appeal this determination, a formal arbitration form is available via your Player Portal under Disputes & Disciplinary Review.


    We value your contributions to the company via the game ¡®Dustspire¡¯ and sincerely hope to see your return¡ªunder your new avatar, or otherwise¡ªonce the suspension has elapsed.


    With regards,


    Anari Vexholm Lead Coordinator, Competitive Sponsorship Oversight


    Aetherion Dynamics ¨C Reality Beyond Real


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Attached to the email was also an invoice for 141,602.47 credits. The farther Evelyn got into her reading of the email the angrier she had felt. Enough that she wrote them a lengthy response and CC''d her father and his team of lawyers.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    To: Sponsorship Relations Department, Aetherion Dynamics


    CC: Elijah Park (Head of R&D, MedTech), MedTech Legal Division


    Subject: Re: Contract Violation ¨C Character Deletion During Dungeon Instance


    To whom it may concern,


    I am writing in direct response to your recent correspondence dated [06.12.2085], in which you claim I violated a contract by deleting my character mid-dungeon, allegedly incurring a penalty on the Emberwake Accord''s standing with your corporation, Aetherion Dynamics.


    Let me be unequivocally clear: at no point was I informed, explicitly or implicitly, that joining the Emberwake Accord meant I was entering into a legal or financial agreement with any external corporate sponsor. I was never presented with a contract, a terms of service addendum, or any onboarding materials that detailed the nature of this sponsorship or the liabilities involved.


    As such, any attempt to levy penalties against me personally¡ªfinancial or reputational¡ªis not only baseless, but potentially actionable under digital contract transparency statutes. If Aetherion Dynamics, or any affiliated parties, continue to pursue this matter, I will have no choice but to take formal legal action.


    I have CC¡¯d my father, Dr. Elijah Park, Head of R&D at MedTech, as well as his in-house legal team. They are now fully apprised of this situation and will be monitoring all future correspondence.


    Let this serve as formal notice that I will not be accepting any penalties, nor will I engage further unless addressed through proper legal channels.


    Sincerely,


    Evelyn Park


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    She had also attempted to contact her friends in the guild, but none of her messages on any platform would reach them. ¡°Really? Over me leaving to play with my boyfriend?!¡± She had shouted before screaming into her pillow. It was not her best moment, but she had just lost all of the friends she had made in Emberwake Accord over the year she had spent playing Dustspire.


    Did she regret what she did?


    I could have chosen a better moment.


    If her friendship with her guildies had meant so little to them that they would choose to block her on every platform, then they did not deserve her attention. It was not like she only interacted with the people in her guild.


    Oh! I should tell Sarah and Tyler that Lucas is playing. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d want to see him.


    Before today, Lucas had been offline for months and even before then the only time he came online was to spend time with Evelyn. She had not even been able to see Lucas in person¡ªor anyone other than her family for that matter¡ªsince the Crash.


    As Evelyn waited in the lobby of the Alchemist Guild, she remembered laying eyes on Lucas for the first time in a while just hours prior. Even in this game, he smelled the same. When she had jumped into his embrace, the scent of his mother¡¯s homemade fabric softener hit her. She missed that smell. A smile etched itself on her face as she imagined all of the things she would do with Lucas now that he was playing. Lost in her thoughts, she was off in her own world until she felt someone tap her on the shoulder.


    Slowly, Evelyn spun around, and furrowed her brows as she was unable to see who tried to get her attention.


    Huh, maybe I imagined it.


    Once again, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Much quicker this time, she turned¡ªonly to come face to face with an empty lobby. ¡°Hello? Anyone there?¡± She looked around and frowned.


    This is totally how people die in horror movies.


    Her ears twitched as she picked up the faint sound of footsteps¡ªthanks to her improved hearing her elven ears provided. Focusing on that sound she listened as something or someone walked around her in slow circles.


    ¡°I can hear you walking, you know.¡± Evelyn stated, her tone even. Three paces from her, the air rippled and revealed a purple-skinned dwarf. The man was squat, with broad shoulders twice her width, a braided black beard streaked with silver, and bright red handprint stamped on his bald head. He licked his lips and Evelyn shivered; a chill climbing up her spine.


    ¡°Not oft¡¯n we ¡¯ave a tree ¡¯ugger in ¡¯ere.¡± The duergar began to pick at his teeth with a dagger and finishing with a sucking sound once he finished. "Ye should come ''round more oft¡¯n. Khorvek Blackvein ¡¯ere¡¯ll take real good care o¡¯ ye, he will." Evelyn took a step backwards towards the staircase, but Khorvek pursued.


    "Jus¡¯ finished brewin¡¯ meself a mighty fine vintage, I did. We oughta share a glass¡ªput some hair on yer chin!" He reached into a pouch on his hip, right next to an enchanted axe, and made to pull something out. Footsteps, reverberating off the metal stairs, prompted Evelyn to move closer. By the time she reached the stairs, she felt her tension bleed away as she saw Quintrell.


    Not far behind him was Lucas¡ªwho for some reason looked like he had been set on fire. She quickly ran to her boyfriend, when he saw the fright on her face his expression hardened and his eyes settled on Khorvek. Quintrell¡¯s smooth voice cut through the tension, ¡°Ah. Hello there, Khorvek. I see you are once again¡ªone way or another¡ªterrorizing my guests.¡± The clerk took a step between Lucas and Khorvek, ¡°I¡¯m going to have to ask you to stop. This is your second infraction. Do. Not. Have a third. Begon from our presence before I call the Radiant Guard.¡±


    Khorvek snarled, "Tsk. Watch yerself, Quintrell. Homunculi don¡¯t last long once their master¡¯s magic runs dry, they don¡¯t." The duergar removed his hand from the pouch on his hip and showed his open palm. Then, air around him began to warp and he faded from view. Once he was gone, Lucas stepped around to face Quintrell; with Evelyn still firmly in his embrace.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Her boyfriend¡¯s tone was even, but she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Quintrell let out a sigh, ¡°An unfortunate event, one in which Lady Evelyn will be compensated for. The duergar¡¯s name is Khorvek Blackvein, a Grandmaster Alchemist from the Obsidian Dominion.¡±


    ¡°This day has been a roller coaster so far hasn¡¯t it, dummy?¡± Evelyn hugged Lucas tight and whispered into his ear. He nodded slowly before addressing Quintrell, ¡°What sort of compensation will Vaelith be receiving? I hope it¡¯s enough to offset the target painted on our backs now.¡±


    For the first time, Quintrell seemed to take a moment before he responded, ¡°She will be well compensated, you as well sir. I believe his reason for targeting Lady Vaelith to be his grudge against my creator. Through no fault of your own you both will have to bear the consequence of being acquainted with someone as lowly as I.¡± He bowed deeply, ¡°I sincerely apologize for any harm¡ªpast, present, or future¡ªthat may come from our brief association.¡±


    Lucas stood still, flustered and clearly not having expected such a response. Evelyn pulled her head from her boyfriend¡¯s chest and looked at Quintrell, ¡°Please, raise your head. There is no way you could have known this would happen.¡±


    Thankfully, the man relented and stood facing her, ¡°Thank you for your understanding, but it doesn¡¯t change what happened. I know the material could never replace the immaterial, but I hope these will suffice as compensation.¡± Quintrell reached into his lab coat and retrieved two coins. He held one in each hand, offering them to Evelyn and Lucas.


    Lucas looked at Evelyn, searching her eyes and when she gave him a soft nod they both reached out and took a coin. Evelyn''s more experienced eye was able to discern that the coin she held in her hand was crafted from moon silver; its surface shimmering with a bluish glow. One side bore a crescent moon etched with runes, serene and ancient. The other showed a swirling globe of liquid metal, orbited by uneven rings and distorted droplets as if suspended in space. It pulsed faintly, hinting at its magical nature.


    ¡°What..is it?¡± Lucas hesitantly asked, unsure if he was supposed to recognize it. Evelyn shrugged, and seeing how neither knew the answer, Quintrell enlightened them, ¡°That is essentially an I-Owe-You from THE Archibald The Enchanter. Each good for one artifact.¡±


    ¡°You mean the guy who made the door?¡± Lucas cocked his head and asked at the same time she shouted, ¡°An ARTIFACT!?¡±