《Blood and Honor: Redemption》 Chapter 1- Facing Reality Fate Online... Surface- Bronze Rock Region Nation of Duran''thia- City of Dera''kan Central Market "Come on bitch, just give us a couple of gold and we will leave you alone." the leader, a Warrior said. His Rogue companion chuckled while their Mage friend looked uncomfortable with what they were doing. "Go away please," Ava replied with respect even though they deserved none. The Rogue smiled, "Or what happens?'' he asked. ''The Locals aren''t going to do anything to protect you. Two guards have walked by and they did nothing." The Rogue smiled and grabbed Ava''s hair and let it run through his fingers. Ava smiled and activated a new spell she had, Necrotic Shield. The Rogues hand started to wither immediately causing him to scream in pain and jerk away. The Warrior cursed and drew his oversized sword as the Mage pulled the Rogue away. With a shout, the Warrior slammed the sword against her shield. With a sound like a hammer striking a bell the sword reverberated off Ava''s shield causing the Warrior to scream as his hands were jarred badly and he dropped his sword in the street. "WHAT''S GOING ON HERE!!" a Constable shouted as he ran up. "She attacked us and hurt my friend." the Warrior immediately responded with a sneer while the Mage shook his head, too late. "Really...she attacked you with a defensive spell. So you are lying to authorities now Gallager. You have been in enough trouble as is in this city. Take your friend to go see a Priest and get his hand healed, then I want you to leave this city and not return for at least a week. This is your sentence for lying in an official inquiry. Your punishment has already been lodged with the local Lord and you have until nightfall to leave. After that, you will be arrested and you all will be spending that time in jail. Go!!" The Constable commanded. Ava immediately dropped her shield, she didn''t want to even appear as if she would fight the local law enforcement officer. "Thank you," Ava told him as the three other Immortals walked off. "As bad as you are Loranan, you still respect the people around you and the laws here. I cannot say the same about the other Immortals that just left. May I ask you a question? This is not official, just a personal inquiry.'' the Constable asked. Ava nodded but it was probably a question of why she just didn''t leave High-Elf lands if she was treated so badly. ''I noticed just over a day ago, all Immortals left and went back to your world. Some were wondering why that happened." Ava flinched at both the question and the memory of watching the huge fireball on the news over Rio de Janeiro. Over two million dead and rising so far and scientists believed another two million would die at least, due to radiation sickness within the week. "Yes, we were all recalled to our world because a city there was attacked and destroyed. A lot of people are dead and more are dying because of it. No one has claimed responsibility yet for the attack and the nations of my world have condemned the attack." The Constable frowned, "Yes...that would hint that whoever is behind it is not done yet and their mission is more important than anything else." Ava nodded her head, "That is the prevailing theory going around. Most believe since no one is claiming responsibility that they have more weapons that could do the same thing again." The Constables eyes bulged, "A singular weapon did this...I am glad this sort of weapon is not on our world." Ava snorted, "Sir, this world has ancient powerful Dragons that could due the same given enough time and motivation. Not to mention the gods themselves. Now if you will excuse me, I must finish up my errands." The Constable stepped aside. "Be careful, I have banned Gallager and his friends from the city, but he is vindictive and has been known to kill other Immortals." The Constable stated before walking off. Great, now I have some PKers on my ass Ava thought as she walked through the market. Real World... North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate Black Spire- BlackRock HQ
"Now as you are all also aware, after the end of World War Three, the global average temperature dropped by ten degrees due to previous nuclear detonations. I am sending you the data we have, but if this group succeeds in detonating even half the weapons they have they will succeed in dropping the temperature by another ten degrees. If they detonate all of them, the temperature will drop by twenty at least. This will devastate crops and plant growth worldwide. Any survivors from the detonations and the resulting nuclear fallout will starve to death.'' Anthony let the information sink in before going on. Based on some of their reactions, they had not heard of this possibility. ''Climate controlled facilities could support a population of one hundred thousand worldwide. Any more than that, the survivors would face malnutrition." Angry mutters filled the line as the data was sent to the various world leaders. Anthony was sure they would all be triple checked, but facts do not lie. As horrible as the truth is, humanity faced extinction. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation."Now as you are also aware of, I am part of a cabal or alliance of like-minded business leaders and financially independent people. Now, most people believe this alliance is based on business reasons. I would be lying if I said this was untrue, but it''s not the main reason why I brought that alliance together. I brought the alliance together because we were all orphans and survivors of that time. Most of you are as well and understand that drive. When our alliance came together, we agreed on one thing above all us, we have to ensure Humanities survival. That has been our mission from day one. That is why we forwarded the Intel on the nuclear weapons being taken from the old Russian Federation base, we were hoping you all could succeed where we failed." Anthony appraised their reactions. These leaders knew of Anthony and his partners probably as soon as they gained their current positions, so that information was not new. The responsibility that they took on would be a surprise as well as the information they forwarded to the various leaders. "So what steps have you taken to ensure humanity will survive Mr. Mitchels?" the Russian leader asked. "Over the last twenty years, my alliance had several programs but only two have come to fruition. The first is Project Noah, named after the biblical sense. Genetic materials, DNA scans, and various other materials needed to clone plants, animals and humans have been taken over the years and stored in ships. Three of these Arks were launched about twelve hours ago, a fourth Arc will finish construction and launch by the end of the week. They will never return to Earth or this solar system, but a complete archive of everything we have done in recorded history will accompany each ship. Hopefully, they will find habitable worlds one day and Humanity will go on learning from our mistakes. They will have a fresh start and unbiased by the history dragging this world into oblivion." Anthony finished leaving some of the world leaders stunned while others accepting and maybe even appreciating their efforts. "You said you had two programs that came to fruition. What was the second program?" The North American President prompted. "The second program is Project Lazerous and it has to do with digitizing the human mind," Anthony responded. Scoffs and incredulity were the responses from everyone. "This cannot be done. Not should not, but cannot be done." the Asian Alliance leader butted in causing the Russian leader to study him. Eve''s snickers filled the room behind Anthony causing him to frown and shush her. "I apologize for that interruption ladies and gentlemen. As you can see I have two A.I. with me. You may know them, if not they are Adam and Eve, they have watched over and maintained Fate Online since its inception. With their assistance, we have perfected the method to digitize a human mind where it will be housed in Fate Online. This is why we built so many Quantum Cores and server farms around the world. To house the human minds if we ever succeeded. I am proud to say we succeeded in digitizing the human mind." Anthony informed them and the stony silence was not what he expected. "You expect humanity to live on in a game world..." The North American Alliance President replied without emotion. "I understand this is a leap---" Anthony responded but was interrupted immediately by the President. "You conducted illegal scientific study, you---" the President began but was cut off just as quickly. Anthony snarled, "Don''t insult me. You have your own ongoing experimentations on humans including digitization that have killed far more then I ever have authorized, so do not act as if you are better then me. I will put it plain as day, do you want to live or die? Do you want your children to die? Either these people will succeed or someone else will. Humanity as a whole faces extinction." "Putting aside the human experimentation, why a world with conflict? Why not a utopia with nothing wrong with it?" the Pacific Alliance leader asked. Eve let out a full belly laugh at the question and the man got more than one look questioning him. Eve responded before Anthony could, "Humans crave conflict. Humans cannot survive long term without it. You cannot live on the beach, sipping drinks, having sex, and watching the sunset long term. Humans need to be challenged, to explore, to fight, to survive. If we gave you Utopia, humanity would burn it down just to see what would happen. Humanity can survive and thrive in the world of Ithea, a Utopia would spell the end of Humanity." Eve informed them. "What could our people do there?" The European Leadership asked causing the Russian leader to chuckle. "I am not laughing at you, just your question. My children love the world you have built. As an answer to your question, anything you want to do. My daughter is an Artisan that makes beautiful sculptures there while my son splits his time-fighting monsters and making armor. I believe the line is ''Fate is what you make''. In other words, you can do anything you want within the laws of the world." the Russian said with a smile. Anthony, Adam, and Eve smiled and nodded, "Very true sir. People will be challenged daily in their lives, but they don''t have to fight monsters or eachother. They can start a farm, run a store, be a politician, whatever people want to do, they can be. The question is will you allow them to survive in this digital world or not?" Anthony asked them causing all the world leaders to frown and look at each other. "We will discuss this among our people and let you know of our decision Mr. Mitchels. Thank you for enlightening us on your efforts to ensure humanity''s survival. We will be in contact soon." The Asian Alliance Leader stated before signing off. The others quickly followed suit leaving just the North American President on. "Well, you certainly did not disappoint or embarrass me, too much. You really think we face extinction?" the President asked. Anthony gave him a sad smile, "Its not if, but when we will die out. Mr. President this will happen sooner or later, I just hope you all say yes." Anthony told him before the President cut the line. "That went better then I expected," Adam stated. "What do you think the chances are that we succeeded?" Anthony asked the two A.I. Adam winced while Eve just shrugged her shoulders. "Time will tell Anthony," Eve stated before disappearing with her brother. Chapter 2- To the Death Fate Online... Surface- Bronze Rock Region Nation of Duran''thia- City of Dera''kan Fallen Estates of Loranan Blinking away and launching a series of Arcane Bolts at her target. The Spirt laughed as he used a shield or redirected her blasts as she charged him. The Spirit Blinked away causing Ava to curse as she changed directions midstride to throw off his aim. The Death Bolt slammed into the ground where she would have been if she had continued forward but Ava had learned the hard lessons early on. Ava snarled as she twirled her staff and redirected the two follow up attacks as she once again charged towards her opponent. The Spirit spat a word as it conjured a Necrotic Shield. Ava smiled as she activated another spell that enveloped her in sickly green and black energy allowing her to pass through the shield. Ava''s staff slammed into the spirit causing it to scream in pain and outrage. Before it could do anything Jedidiah cried out, "ENOUGH!!! Congratulations on finally passing your combat test. How long did it take you?" Ava''s guide asked causing her to roll her eyes. "Considering you kept changing the goals of the test, I am surprised I passed at all. It has unlocked some interesting Skills though, I give you that. However, how does this help me get into the family archives?" Ava asked the spirit. Jedidiah snorted in disgust, "You think the family Archives are just sitting there waiting for anyone to come along and grab the secrets? Don''t be stupid girl, it''s protected by both passive defenses and active. You will need everything we taught you just to survive in there. Now---oh my, it seems we have some guests. Well then, we are going to make this your last challenge. Deal with the intruders without dying." Jedidiah stated as he gestured towards the entrance of the cemetery. Ava glared at the spirit, but it was also her responsibility of being the only Loranan to deal with any intruders on family lands. However the various Spirits usually dealt with any intruders, this was just another test by Jedidiah and Ava was done with those. "Jed, if you don''t tell me where the Archives are after this, I am leaving your skull here and damn the consequences. Am I understood?" Ava asked as she glared at the spirit. Jedidiah smiled but nodded in acknowledgment at her statement as she walked out of the small dueling arena.
"Yes, this little peach looks like she is ready for some fun. She owes me for nearly taking my hand." the Rogue stated while the Mage was looking around at the various Spirits. He was the weak link in their chain. "What do you idiots want?" Ava asked causing the Warrior to snarl and the Rogue smirked. "We want your head. I want to watch as you scream right before you die." The Rogue stated as he fingered the daggers at his waist. Ava rolled her eyes at the cliche statement and action, a Rogue bloodthirsty...idiot. A Berserker that is brainless, this group was full of cliches. "Very well, step into the graveyard and we can get this started," Ava responded causing both the Warrior and Rogue to jump the fence and freeze as the Spirits appeared around them. "Boys, thank you for coming today and providing my protegee with some challenge. You two will be involved in a duel with her, to the death. No potions or outside involvement allowed. You two against her. Prepare yourselves the fight of your lives begins in one minute." Jedidiah announced as the other spirits cut them off from leaving. Ava was pretty sure the Mage squeaked while the two intruders gaped at the spirits around them before shaking it off and activating various Buffs. Ava activated Bone Armor and Haste as she checked around her looking at the battleground and taking note of the few nearby mausoleum and tombstones. She wouldn''t have to worry about deflecting spells, but the Rogue would be dangerous and could kill her easily if she didn''t pay attention. She quickly Analyzed the two across from her to get there levels if nothing else and found them both lower level then her. The Mage was the highest level and he was out of the fight. "BEGIN!!" Jedidiah screamed out and the Rogue disappeared into Stealth while Gallager just activated Charge. Ava smirked at the predictable moves as she Dual Cast Firebolt and launched it at the fast-moving Warrior. Gallager screamed in pain as the spell slammed into his chest and the Burning De-Buff took effect. Ava immediately started to move and launched every other Arcane Bolt in a random direction while the other half continued to slam into the Warrior. Her mana was draining steadily and the Warrior was about at half health but the Rogue was still out there and at full Health. Ava stopped the random shots and Duel Cast another Firebolt into the Warrior''s face proccing another Burning and dropping Gallager down too twenty percent life that was dwindling. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.Ava cursed and took a deep breath as she considered her various spells she could use as she watched her Mana crawl back to acceptable levels. She immediately cast Glitter Dust around her position, little fireworks went off around her as the Rogue screamed and clawed at his eyes. Ava smirked and cast Grasping Hands slowing the Rogue and disrupting his ability to go back into Stealth. Ava looked back at the Warrior stood, he looked like shit but he activated Frenzy causing Ava to curse as his Health and Damage output would increase for a short duration. Ava cast another utility spell Grease causing Gallager''s eyes to bulge as he slipped and fell. Ava quickly shot a Firebolt into the mess and causing a poor-mans Firewall, it didn''t do much damage but by the screams, Gallager didn''t really care. Ava quickly looked back at the Rogue who was slowly making his way to the edge of the Grasping Hands area of effect. Ava launched Pestilence and Bone Spear before popping Infusion. Infusion increased her Mana Regeneration for a short time. Right now she needed the boost to Mana Regen, but it looked like Gallager was down for the count. His health bar was strobing above him and a good kick in the nuts or a smack to the head would finish him. The Rogue had managed to leap out of the way of the Bone Spear, but the damage from Pestilence DoT was steadily eating at his health. Ava looked back at the Warrior and blasted him in the face with Arcane Bolt, Gallager screamed in rage or pain right before the bolt slammed into his skull causing it to explode. One down and one too go, Ava thought as her eyes met the Rogues. Ava smiled at him before she activated Blink and disappeared. The Rogue desperately looked around then screamed in pain as Ava''s Arcane Beam tore through his stomach leaving a bleeding and smoking wound as he collapsed. Ava moved over to him and brought her staff down onto his head over and over again into it popped like a rotten fruit. Ava was breathing hard and she had a slight headache from the Mana Exhaustion De-Buff she had from using Infusion, but it would last for only another ten seconds. Ava looked at the terrified Mage that was inching away from the graveyard but Ava stopped him with a glare. Ava minimized her notifications before looking at Jedidiah, "Remember you owe me. I am going to go talk to the Mage, but then you owe me everything about the Archives.'' Ava told the Spirit as she walked over to the Mage. ''Ok, it''s obvious you are not like those two idiots so why do you hang out with them. You are a Mage and you can literary do almost anything in this world. So why hang out with those bullies and idiots." The Mage refused to look at her, he was embarrassed and scared. "They are my brothers. Yes, they are idiots and bullies but they are my family. What else am I supposed to do?" Ava winced and clenched her staff hard causing her knuckles to pop. "Listen...I have been in their shoes. I used to play with my sister all the time, but I used and abused that relationship. It''s toxic for you so find some real friends and play with them. If you have not noticed I am surrounded by Locals, but no one else. My sister eventually wised up and called me on my bullshit. It really opened my eyes to my actions to all those around me and how I have treated them. She doesn''t want to talk to me and after what happened the other day...I really want to talk to her. So, stop playing with them. Don''t cut them off but if they continue to be idiots stop playing with them. Find your own way and find friends. That''s my advice." Ava told him before walking deeper into the cemetery. "Can I join you?" the Mage asked Ava. Ava stopped and turned back to him. "Right now I am still trying to get my head straight. So I am not the best company. Add me to your contact list, in a couple of weeks look me up and hopefully, I will be in a better place. Go get your Primary class, get a feel for it. That''s my suggestion and If you are unsure what Mage class to follow, go to the Archmage Tower in the city, they will have a listing and description of every mage class you can unlock." Ava told him before turning and heading deeper into the cemetery. Jedidiah floated beside her as she walked, "You know you could take him along, there is no reason that you have to be alone." Ava glared at the Spirit, "I have enough blood on my hands due to my selfishness. I won''t add him as well because I am lonely. I am not cutting him out completely, just for now. So, now that the duel is over its time to tell me about the Loranan family Archive and its contents as well as the defenses located within." Ava told the Spirit. Chapter 3- Facts and Plans Fate Online... Surface- Bronze Rock Region Nation of Duran''thia- City of Dera''kan Fallen Estates of Loranan Ava sighed and rolled her eyes, "I understand. You told me everything last night and this morning again. Don''t get cocky. Don''t get greedy. Get in, defeat the Guadian. Get what you need and only what you need, then get the fuck out. I understand the plan. Now, do you know what the Guardian is? Is it a Monster, Undead, or Construct?" Ava asked the Spirit. "No, I have never needed to go into the Archive. The stories say the construct changes each time a family member enters to retrieve what they need. If you were going to place an item or information, you would never even see it." Jedidiah fumed as he continued to float back and forth. Ava smiled, "You are worried about me." Ava laughed a little at that. Jedidiah whirled on her with a scowl on his face, "Yes I am worried about you but not because of what you think. Your training took longer then I thought it would. If any spies of the royal family found out you are here, they will send assassins to hound you and kill you. The royal family knows the significance of this place to the Loranan family. They know our secrets and most powerful artifacts are located here. So I want you to succeed. If you die, we will have to spend more time here, which is unacceptable and dangerous. So yes I am worried, very much so." Ava smiled at the Spirit before clapping his shoulder, "Well then, I guess its time for us to finish this up. I am going to head into the Archive. Wish me luck!!!" Ava called out as she touched the Portal Stone and activated it. With a flash of light, she was gone. Jedidiah looked at the after image and mouthed ''good luck'' to it and hoped she would not need it.
Ava was far from a Rogue and had no stealth skills to speak of, but she knew how to be quiet as she slowly stalked through the Archive. Jedidiah had been clear that she would know the Guardian when she laid eyes on it. Once she did, she would Buff then attack. Hopefully, it would not detect her magic before she was ready to strike. Twenty minutes later she found a Spirit sitting at a desk reading a book and making notes. Ava considered what to do, if she used Analyze, the Spirit would detect it and could strikeout. However, if it was not the Guardian, she could face two opponents. Before she could make a decision, the choice was taken from her as the Spirit spoke up. "Come child. Come into the light, it has been so long since I have had any company." The Spirit called out taking her by surprise. Ava shrugged her shoulders and strode out from between two shelves. She quickly Analyzed the Spirit as she moved closer.
Spoiler: Spoiler Name: Archivist Nathaniel Loranan Level: ??? Health: ??? Mana: ??? Note* Spirits, for the most part, are a higher form of Undead and can both think and feel. Be careful when interacting with such beings for some crave the life once lost and seek to reclaim it at the cost of others. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on."I am Ava, an Immortal of the Loranan family. I was told there was a Guardian in the Archive, are you the Guardian?" Ava asked as she studied the Spirit right back. Nathaniel smiled, "They are still telling that story...Those rumors always paint me in a nasty light. I am Nathaniel Loranan, the Archivest, and Guardian of the Loranan Archives. I suppose you were told you have to defeat me to earn the truth about what you seek?'' Nathaniel asked with a smile and at Ava''s nod, he chuckled. ''I suppose we could have a Duel if you wish, but you can always just ask for what you are looking for." Nathaniel said with a smile causing Ava to frown and fume at Jedidiah. "That bastard Jedidiah---" Ava was interrupted by Nathaniel''s laughter as he fell out of his chair. Nathaniel took a couple of deep breaths before explaining. "Jedidiah was the one who sent you?'' At her nod, Nathaniel continued. ''That boy was terrified when he came in here. He was not sent but snuck in. So I taught him a lesson and scared the piss out of him." With the explanation given Nathaniel continued to laugh for a few minutes before calming down. "He told me he had never been in here. That bastard is a liar, should I even be paying attention to him or is he leading me into trouble?" Ava asked the Spirit who seemed to freeze and contemplate the question. "That is a good question. What are you seeking? If you answer that, I can tell you if he is leading you into trouble." Nathaniel responded after a time. Ava fidgeted thinking before nodding, "I seek the proof that the Dragon King betrayed our family as well as any information about our families'' former allies. Information that we can use to redeem the Loranan family name." Nathaniel snorted, "Then yes, he is leading you into grave danger. The Dragon King and his family will not allow anything to contradict their telling of the story of how our family fell from power. That bastard completely destroyed Rebecca with his betrayal. She tried to fight and win him back, but in the end...it destroyed us all. The Dragon King could not allow it to be known he had betrayed a powerfull ally so he engineered their downfall over the course of a couple of weeks. The heads of our family during that time, including Rebecca, were hunted down and killed. Our family was leaderless and scattered once the proclamation to exile was released. Our lands and fortunes were confiscated, but they underestimated our strength and our backlash made all our holding unhospitable to anyone but Loranan family members. The Necromancers of our family, once spurned by High-Elf society, became the greatest boon in our hour of need. They are the ones that held of the King''s assassins and guards while the majority of our family ran." Nathaniel seemed to be lost in the past and the painful memories there, so Ava waited and considered her options. "What would you recommend? How should I proceed?" Ava asked the Spirit causing him to frown before shaking his head. "If you want to redeem the Loranan family name and destroy the Dragon Kings'' allies, you will need what Rebecca left here. It will be dangerous and every assassin within a hundred miles of you will come after you once the Dragon King becomes aware of what you have." Nathaniel explained as he conjured a glass and liquid before sipping it. "What would you recommend we do? How would we go about it?" Ava asked the Spirit causing it to smile. Nathaniel smiled, "Before we get into that I want you to read through everything she left, then we will discuss that if you wish. Ok?" The Spirit asked and Ava nodded her head in agreement bringing another smile to the Spirit''s face. Real World... North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate Black Spire- BlackRock HQ
"Seven-hundred thousand and counting. Buenos Aires is a slightly smaller city and due to the attack on Rio de Janeiro, some people who would normally be in the city were not there. This attack has completely crippled the relief effort of Rio de Janeiro due to the fact all the majority of the relief supplies and funds were supposed to be filtered through Buenos Aires. The interim Government was also stationed in Buenos Aires, it''s currently unknown if any of them survived." the A.I. responded without emotion. "Has anyone claimed responsibility for this attack?" Anthony asked the A.I. as Eve appeared beside her brother. "No. Once again, those who are responsible are staying in the shadows so far. All remaining major governments are considering instituting a police state until the nuclear weapons that were stolen, are recovered or the perpetrators are caught." Eve responded. "What are the chances that the increased security will catch the perpetrators or stop the deployment of more nuclear weapons?" Anthony asked as he ignored his comm unit beeping. "Minimal. Based on this group''s success and lack of claiming responsibility, they have planned this for a while. They have likely planned for the heightened security and may even have copies of each countries contingencies for their actions. This shadow group will more than likely have multiple plans in action to counter whatever security world leaders will put in place." Adam responded causing Anthony to frown. "Do we have any teams in the region that could render aid to the affected cities?" Anthony asked as the nearby screen brought up a global map and zoomed into the affected areas of the Brazil Union. Several symbols light up on the map revealing various teams and what their specialties were. Before Anthony could dig into the new information a priority communications came through. "Sir, the President of the North American Alliance is calling and demanding to talk to you." Anthony sighed and activated the comm unit minimizing the map. Chapter 4- Stalker... Real World... North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate Black Spire- BlackRock HQ "Don''t quit your day job, Anthony. Your projections seem to be on course and social breakdown is actually worse than projected. The last of the Brazil Unions civilian government died with Buenos Aires. The body count is growing from both the bombing and from the aftermath. Their surviving military command has instituted a police state and is isolating the country as much as possible to contain any possible threat." The President informed him. "So, how can I help? I have some teams on the ground and they will gladly assist with any humanitarian efforts or in the hunt of those responsible for all of this." Anthony told the man as he sat back into his chair. The President gave him a sad smile. "What can be done is being done. I am calling to talk about your proposal to digitize the human race." Anthony snorted, "Let me guess, you all have decided to disregard the projections, the current situation, and ignore my proposal." Anthony responded sardonically. "There are just too many unknowns and to much risk. Even with the impending threat, we cannot accept digitizing the human race. We have to hold onto hope for humanity that we can survive." The President replied. "How many people will die for those convictions Mr. President? How many more will die? Did your advisors also tell you that these people likely planned for the increased security around the world? These people will not stop just because a few thousand more soldiers and police are on the streets. They will change targets. They will more than likely succeed at destroying either their primary objectives or secondary. You are damning the Human race to a long and painful death or at least the North American Alliance citizens. You do not represent the world and so far the Middle East, Africa, and the Pacific have agreed. The Europeans and Russians are favorable towards accepting my long term proposal. When word comes out, your choice here will cause even more problems." Anthony replied giving the President a cold smile. "For now, things change though. I would not depend on their support for too long." the President snarled back before cutting the comm line. Anthony looked at Adam and Eve, "Leak both the information about multiple nuclear weapons being in the hands of an unknown group as well as digitization. Make sure that the leak includes that the only holdout of instituting the digitization of humanity is the North American Alliance President. Make sure the public knows when Patch Thirteen goes live, North America will be left in the ashes of what remains of Earth." Anthony told them. Eve smiled and they both disappeared. Fate Online... Surface- Bronze Rock Region Nation of Duran''thia- City of Dera''kan Fallen Estates of Loranan Jedidiah shuddered for a moment before shaking himself, "I spent less than five minutes in the Archive before I was thrown out. That thing in there...almost killed me. The Guardian is extremely powerful and dangerous." Ava snorted in amusement, "Yeah well from what Nathaniel told me, only those invited are allowed within the Archive. Since you snuck in, he kicked your ass out. On the other hand, he was perfectly pleasant with me while I was inside and assisted in finding the information Rebecca Loranan left within the Archive." Quest Complete: Path of Redemption (Stage 3) Description: After delving into the Loranan family Archive you acquired the information on the former Dragon King and his allies and can prove that they betrayed and destroyed the Loranan family based on lies. What you will do with this information is unknown. However, it''s only a matter of time until the Royal family becomes aware that you have this information and starts hunting you. Quest Difficulty: Nightmare Success: Find the Secrets located outside the City of Dera''Kan Failure: Fail to go to the Loranan Estates outside the City of Dera''Kan or fail to find the information about the Dragon King Reward(s): 500 Experience, 50 Gold, Gloves of Loranan''s Wisdom Restriction: Must Completly Alone, Level 25 Minimum
Spoiler: Spoiler Name:Gloves of Loranan''s Wisdom Level: Legendary-Scalable Armor Rating: +30 Properties: Increase Intelligence and Wisdom by (Level X.25) Properties: Increase Mana Regeneration by (Level X.25) Properties: Increase Spell damage by (Level X.25) Properties: Decrease Spell Cost by 10% Properties: Perseverance of the Loranan Family (Require 3 Pieces) Durability: 200/200 Description: The Loranan family was at one time known for their War Magi and Necromancers. They became so popular that as soon as the children of this family could control Mana, they were given armor to augment their abilities and start training immediately. The Gloves of Loranan''s Wisdom is part of one such set that was lost after the Fall. The belt and gloves finish up the set. Ava dismissed the information and studied the Spirit in front of her. "What is the next step? Remember, we are destroying the Dragon Kings'' allies, we are not destroying him. I do not want Duran''thia to be destroyed because I want to redeem the Loranan family name." Jedidiah studied her before nodding his head, "Go into the city and rest for a day or two. You have earned the time off. When you return, we can plan our next step." Jedidiah stated before fading away. Ava considered her options and all the things she needed to get before going on another long-term quest. She needed to upgrade her armor as well as buy potions and food. So many things to get before going on another long trip.
This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.Private Message from...Brian Callins From Brian...Hey, are you up for some lunch and a Dungeon Dive into the Cursed Falls? From Ava...Who is this? From Brian...Sorry, this is the Mage from the other day with the two idiot brothers. You were right. I became a Priest and joined a small guild. We need one more DPS and I thought of you. You are a little higher level for the Dungeon, but thought you might enjoy one run. From Ava...Lunch yes, Dungeon...maybe. Bring your party and if they are good people, yeah. From Brian...Cool, meet at Neralas Diner off the South Market, Willow District. Ava closed out the window and saved the contact information for future reference. Knowing a healer was always good business and she really did need to eat lunch. The lunch would also let her get a feel for his companions and let her see if this was some setup for the other day. Ava hoped not, but it happened before. Surface- Bronze Rock Region Nation of Duran''thia- City of Dera''kan South Market DERA''KAN!!!" Ava tried to block out all the shouting, but it was overwhelming. Patrols of militia and soldiers roamed the market and occasionally stopped to check a merchant or peddler to make sure they had to right paperwork to sell their wares within the market. Local merchants had to pay more taxes, but out of town merchants had to buy a permit to sell within the markets of the city. Ava thought it was ludicrous to make merchants pay for a permit when they were already taxed for their wares and any sells they made. "Fancy meeting a Loranan here.'' a voice said behind her, but before Ava could turn a knife to her back stopped her. ''Don''t turn around traitor. We are going to keep walking and leave the market. Once we are alone, we are going to have a nice little chat and then you will be on your way." Ava snorted, "I seriously doubt that. Who are you?" "Let''s just say, I work for certain people who are very interested in what you found in the Loranan Archive. Now how can I find that out if you are dead and sent to respawn." the man responded. "True, but that leaves a whole lot of ground between alive and dead," Ava responded as she tapped out a quick message to Brian and sent it. Hopefully, he would not be too mad that she was taking longer than expected due to the intimidation and kidnapping. "Yes it does, but if you are honest and upfront with me, we don''t have to get nasty. So be a good girl and do what I say." the man stated jabbing a little deeper in her back. Based on where it was, if he stabbed forward, it would sever her spine and disable her for a time. "It''s gutsy to grab someone in the open market like this. All the merchant guards, soldiers, and militia around. If even one little thing went wrong, you would be screwed." Ava thought out loud. The man snorted in amusement, "Yes, but you are going to be a good girl and we are going to have a nice polite conversation. Their won''t be any yelling or blood, just a calm conversation between two beings." The man stated. Ava smirked and winked at him before "tripping" and stumbling into two merchant guards that grabbed her. "Oh, my heroes. Thank you for saving me.'' Ava looked at her kidnapper for the first time and more than one person noticed him hastily slide his knife back into the sheath. He was Human, tall, scar over one eye, blonde with blue eyes. ''Since you saved me from stumbling and falling into any dirt, why don''t I buy you boys a round of drinks?" Ava asked them with a wink causing both men to chuckle and follow her. Ava''s attempted kidnapper gnashed his teeth before turning and walking away. His shot at grabbing her silently was blown.
"What was that all about?" Brian asked confused as he led her over to a larger table where three others were already sitting and waiting for them. "Oh...a kidnapping and intimidation attempt. I''m sure it probably has to do with my past as I said, I used to be a complete bitch. Now I am just a part-time bitch. You, on the other hand, seem to well on your way to redeeming your family name. Congrats." Ava said as she sat at one of the spare seats. There were two Warriors and a bow type Rogue. "Thanks for saying that. I am trying to do better and I told my brothers I would not help them anymore. They were more than pissed, but I am self-sufficient and I live in Florida while they live near Chicago. So I don''t have to worry about them physically doing anything to me. Here, on Ithea, is another story." Brian stated as he sat next to her. "Well, I am glad you are happy. That''s---" Ava stopped as she received a new message. "What''s wrong?" Brian asked as the others stopped talking and started to listen to their conversation. Ava took a deep breath and opened the message and at first, she was happy, but then she paled at what she read. "It''s my sister. She is fine, but she said there was another attack and she wants to see me just in case anything happens." The others were all listening intently now, "Do you know where?" The Rogue asked. "Buenos Aires. Listen, I am sorry but I got to go. I haven''t seen my sister in weeks and I want to see her with everything going on." Ava told them and all of them nodded in understanding. "Don''t worry about it. Go. Next time you log in, drop me a line and tell me how it went." Brian told Ava. She nodded her head in acknowledgment before logging off. Chapter 5- Fighting Dirty Real World... North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate Queens District- Jingains Eatery The remains of Brazil had turned into a police state, riots in the remaining major cities within South America were ramping up with worries that every city on the continent would be next. Finally after what felt like hours Ailis arrived and sat down across from her. Ava took a moment to study her. She looked healthier then she had been, but also tired. "Before you say anything, I have a couple of things to tell you." Ava promptly said before her sister could. Ailis frowned but nodded and gestured for Ava to go on. "I am sorry for everything I have done over the last couple of years. I know it doesn''t make up for everything, but I am starting to understand what exactly I have done to you and others. I understand I used you and so many others for my own benefit. I understand I hurt you badly. So thank you for coming and letting me see you. I wanted to call and reach out, but with everything that has happened, I was not sure that you would be willing to accept my apology or even listen to me. So thank you." Ava told her sister. Ailis smiled sadly and tears gathered in the corner of her eyes, but she wiped them away. "I am glad I reached out too you. I am not saying all is forgiven, but with everything happening down south and with BlackRock''s leaks...I had to speak to you here before I make my decision." Ava stared at Ailis, the confusion was evident on her face and it made Ailis laugh. "You always did say following the gaming sites was too nerdy, but you should read exactly what has been leaked. Besides the bombings, these two stories are the most important going on right now. First is that whoever is detonating these nuclear weapons, still have thirty-four nuclear weapons left. It''s enough to send humanity to the brink of extinction if we are very, very lucky. Meaning anywhere between one-hundred and two-hundred thousand will survive if they manage to detonate all the weapons. The climate will shift drastically which will kill most if not all crops around the world." Ailis explained. "Which will lead to famine and more war among the survivors, killing even more people." Ava finished paling at the news. Ailis grabbed her hand squeezing it. "Yes, but there is some good news depending on your perspective. BlackRock has also leaked that they plan on releasing a Patch that will allow people to upload their consciousness into Fate Online. It takes a minimum of three days with a seventy-five percent chance of success. The only major holdout on approving the patch is the North American Alliance leadership. Every other government supports BlackRock. Either way, they will be releasing the Patch within the next twenty-four hours and I wanted your opinion. I also want to know if you would be making the leap into Fate Online?" Ailis asked as she continued to hold Ava''s hand. The server took that moment to hit their table asking for their orders and giving Ava time too think. Once the server left, Ava met her sisters expecting gaze. "I am sorry that''s a lot to take in and with everything I have had going on in-game, it''s been distracting." "What happened to you?" Ailis asked as she sipped her water. "Well, I got assigned to the Loranan High-Elf family. I started out as Unfriendly within my home nation. It''s been...difficult. According to the family Lore, Rebecca Loranan was a Queen and was supplanted by another because the former Dragon King fell in love with someone else. However, due to him not wanting to look bad to the greater High-Elf society, he set the Loranan family up as the bad guys. He then used that as an excuse to assassinate and kill most of the family before they fled the High-Elf homeland. So I have a political shit storm hovering over my head. People that want to kill me to keep everything under wraps. Others that want to know what I have on the Dragon King to use for their own ends, then kill me. Then some just want to use me for their own ends that will probably get me killed. So it has been a long couple of weeks." Ava told her while she chuckled ruefully. "So, I have had plenty of my own medicine and I will never forget it. What''s worse is I cannot get any help on this quest chain. Every part so far has required that I do it alone. However, that''s the least I can do after everything I have done." Ava told her as the food arrived. Ailis smiled and chuckled at Ava''s predicament. "Well...that''s interesting. Now, please answer my question." Ailis prodded Ava. Ava continued to eat her food as she considered what her sister had told her. She would look up the information for herself after they were done eating to confirm it, but if she was right..."So I face death by nuclear weapons, famine, and probably another war among whatever survivors. However I can take a chance and possibly live forever within a digital world, but I can also die because the transition is not one-hundred percent fool proof...I will take option B and take a leap of faith with a chance at living as opposed to almost certain death." Ava told her causing Ailis to smile. "Good, I thought you might take the leap. Your survival instincts are too strong to ignore the chance. Now, what are my chances of getting you to move south into the Empire of Night?" Ailis prompted causing Ava to give her sister a sad smile. "Once I have completed this quest chain, I will consider it, but I have to finish this up. I have to pay for my choices. I have to try to save the Loranan family if possible. Either way, I will visit and maybe settle down there afterward. Now, let''s finish this lunch. I''m starving." Ava told her and for the first time in a while, she saw pride in Ailis''s eyes at what Ava had told her. North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate Black Spire- BlackRock HQ
While the Press Secretary read off the speech that had been made by the PR rep, Anthony studied the room and the people in it. Fear and hope were the two most common emotions he could see on the faces of the various press. Anthony could feel it also, humanity was staring in the face of death, the question would be if they could pull this off and spit in his eye or not. Suddenly he heard his Press Secretary call him for the second time. Anthony gave her an apologetic smile and strode up to the podium. "I am sorry folks, its been an overwhelming few days so I will be taking it slow. I hope none of you mind that?" a resounding chorus of ''no'' and ''no problem'' was called back. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon."Good. First off, I want to thank you all for coming. I know everyone here is a bit overwhelmed by everything going on in the world currently and I am hoping you all will help me put some stability back into it. So as you are all well aware I don''t want any mudslinging or name-calling or blaming of anyone. This is about the steps BlackRock is taking to try and save humanity. If you cannot stay on this subject you will be asked to leave and forced too if you cannot be an adult. Now...who has questions?" Anthony asked and a sea of arms slowly rose above the group of people. Anthony gave them an encouraging smile and pointed to a man in the back, "You, back row. Brown sports jacket with a blue and red tie. Whats is your question, sir?" The older man slowly stood and smiled, "Thank you. My biggest question is why? Why did you do this?" Anthony considered the question before responding, "If you guys look at my history it will be easy to find. For those who do not know it, when I was six most of my family died in the nuclear explosion that destroyed Seattle. I survived the radiation exposure and promised myself that I would do everything in my power to make sure that humanity would survive. That I would try to prevent anyone from facing the reality of having a family wiped out in a blink of an eye. That is what I dedicated the last forty years of my life too. That is why I founded BlackRock and it drove the development of Fate Online and the world of Ithea." Anthony responded before pointing to another reporter. "We have read all the rumors online. Can we get some cold hard facts? What are our chances of uploading?" the next reporter asked. "You want blunt and honest, no sugar coating it?'' Anthony asked them and they all nodded. ''Ok, there are about forty news reporters and bloggers in here. If all forty of you jumped in, ten of you would not make it and would die. The technology has a seventy-five percent chance at success. If we had more time to perfect it...we might make it better. With everything going on, their is just not enough time though. I apologize, but these are the cold hard facts." Anthony informed them as he pointed to another reporter. "What are the chances of Fate Online of being hacked?" was the next and probably most important question. "Zero. Fate Online is a closed system. The governing A.I.''s and supporting A.I.''s have been tested multiple times over the years against military-grade A.I.s with military-grade hardware backing them. None have ever come close to hacking or compromising Fate Online. Ithea is safe in Adam and Eve''s hands. If I did not have the confidence and faith in them, I would never launch this tech." Anthony responded before pointing to the next hand that caught his attention. "Yes, can people upload using a headset or is it only FIVR Capsules?" the Blogger asked. "FIVR Capsules only. Now for those who cannot afford them or do not have access to them, BlackRock facilities will be opening around the world once Patch Thirteen goes live. If people want to find the nearest site, they can go to the BlackRock web site and look there. I urge people to remain calm, the process takes seventy-two hours to upload a single person, so do not worry if there is a line. We will be processing people as quickly as we can, but I urge everyone to have patience." Anthony responded to the surprised reporters. "Will that include the North American Alliance cities?" another reporter asked immediately. "Yes. BlackRock is not forcing anyone to make the jump into Fate Online. We are giving you the option. If you choose not to take the chance, that is entirely up the individual person." Anthony responded and glared at the reporter who shied away. He knew it had been a borderline question. "What about the Arc''s and Project Noah?" another reporter asked. Anthony smiled at her before holding his hand up to his Press Secretary before she could say anything. "Miss Martinez, I would love to know how you got that information...but I already know. How do you ask those questions while deepthroating the President Miss Martinez?'' Anthony asked while he studied her. She quickly paled and tried to sink in her chair. ''Tell me, can I get a quick poll. Who thinks its ethical and completely non-partisan to have sex with your subjects then write about them the next day? By a show of hands please." Not one person raised her hand. "Well, Miss Martinez video and audio recordings are being released to your news station and all your competitors proving that this is exactly what you do with your so-called ''sources''. I have no idea who recorded them, but I thought it was a responsible thing to do as a citizen to forward them on too the responsible people. I also sent an advanced copy to the president''s wife. I believe the last woman he got caught fucking ended up in Antarctica for a year if I am not mistaken." Anthony quipped out. Suddenly she jumped and Anthony could see her communicator was lighting up. The Security A.I. of the building had intercepted the call and they could answer it if they wanted too. Her eyes bulged and pleaded, but she had started this Anthony thought as he accepted the call for her and it ran through the buildings sound systems allowing everyone to hear it. "Miss Martinez phone, how can I help you today?" Anthony asked as he accepted the call. "Anthony...Mr. Mitchels I am sorry for Miss. Martinez''s actions. Those questions are completely out of line and due to her actions, she obviously is terminated immediately. I don''t think even a small-town newspaper will hire her and all her stories will have to be recalled and an apology extended to the greater public. I understand if you wish to hold us responsible." Anthony smiled and chuckled, he knew Anthony had them bent over a barrel. "Don''t worry about it, Bill. You have personally busted my balls a few times over the years and I have never held you or your news station accountable for it. Miss. Martinez crossed the line today trying to cover for her fuckbuddy and trying to discredit what BlackRock is trying to do by bringing up programs that BlackRock has nothing to do with. I would also go so far as to say, those responsible for that program, from its inception, will be releasing information within the next hour and that Miss. Martinez destroyed her career and credibility for nothing. However, it''s not surprising the President did something like this, it''s not the first time he has gotten caught leaking highly sensitive information while fucking someone that was not his wife.'' Anthony replied as he gave one last statement. ''Now I want to thank everyone for their time and consideration, but we are going to be busy for the next couple of days as I am sure you are all aware. I hope you all have a good day and get home safe.'' With that, the meeting broke up as the reports and bloggers scrambled to get out of there to finish up one of the hottest new stories going out. Chapter 6- Final Decisions Real World... Somewhere on the Atlantic Ocean The men and women around him shook themselves into action. "Galveston and Miami are the first and they will be in a position to strike between forty-eight and seventy-two hours. Charleston is four days out." One man called out. "Chicago is four days out, Toronto and Montreal are five days out from their targets." Another voice sounded out. "New York and Washington DC are one week out. Security at both cities has been increased dramatically and both teams might have to go to Beta targets." Another voice continued. "Good, very good and more than acceptable. Western Europe?" the leader asked as he allowed his eyes to roam over the room. "London is three to four days out. Paris and Brussels will arrive in five days. Amsterdam, Berlin, and Hamburg one week. Capitols are all subject to Beta shift due to increased security." They continued. "Stuttgart and Zurich in four days. Monaco, Florence, Rome, and Naples are all six days out from their targets." The continued to report. "Wonderful news. Eastern Europe and Russia teams?" The leader prompted. "Prague and Sarajevo are three days out. Athens and Istanbul are four days out. Bucharest, Odesa, and Kiev are five days out." Were reported immediately. "Warsaw, Minsk, and Moscow are four to five days out." Was called out in response. "We acquired six more weapons, they are being checked out and enhanced. The initial report says they will be ready for deployment in forty-eight hours." Another voice called out. "Good, right on time for deployment in Asia and the Pacific. Now...North Africa?" The Leader called out. "Madrid and Tangier are in three days. Cairo and Tunis in five days." was called back. "Good, excellent. Remember people, patience is our greatest ally while stealth is our greatest weapon. Not the nuclear weapons we acquired, stealth. While the whole world is scrambling to stop us, we are patiently walking towards our goals. Ever since World War Three, humanity has limped on. It is time for us to evolve if we want to survive. Humanities'' next step in evolution has begun and we are forcing this by killing this world through fire and cold. I want you all to know how proud I am of all of you in forcing humanity to evolve. Although our corporeal existence will end, it seems our digital one is just beginning." The man talked as he sat down. North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate Black Spire- BlackRock HQ "Why was I not informed of this?" Anthony smiled and looked at Robert Gerbage. He was a representative from the biggest backers of BlackRock, a completely self-centered asshole as well. "Robert, I didn''t tell you the specifics but Project Lazerous has been funded out of my own pocket since its inception. It was not owned by BlackRock or funded by this company or your people in any way. So...shut the fuck up you piece of shit and think of someone else for once. Patch Thirteen will help humanity survive. You might not like the fact we stand upon the brink of extinction, but it is coming and there is nothing we can do to stop it. So take the leap if you want to live or don''t I don''t give a fuck if people like you cease to exist." Anthony told the irate man who fumed in his seat. "Will anyone receive any...premium benefits?" Another man nervously asked causing more than one snort of amusement or disgust. Anthony rounded on him, "Fate is what you make of it. If you want to be merchant kings, you will have to earn it. If you want to be an actual king. You will have to earn it. The field is leveled for everyone. No one will have an advantage over another. Adam and Eve will not allow it. You can make the leap and be anything you want to be. If you want to build a house and watch the sunset off your porch for the next couple of decades, you can. If you want to farm, you can. If you want to build an economic empire to rival the most powerful Kings, you can. It''s up to each person to make their Fate. Now, are there any actual pertinent questions?'' Anthony asked the board. No one said anything, ''Then I declare this meeting adjourned. I hope all those with families enjoy the new world and good luck. For those with kids that have played before, pay attention to what they say." You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.Anthony quickly left the boardroom and went to his office where the holographic and tv displays activated as soon as he entered. "I heard you told Garbage...I mean Gerbage to stick his opinion up his ass. Good for you Anthony." Eve laughed. "Yes, god yes. It was long overdue and with Patch Thirteen he and his backers will become completely useless as the other Boardmembers. How is the upload going? Is everything working out ok? How is the integration of all the new information?" Anthony asked causing both A.I. to smile. Adam smiled as they showed the upload and live feeds of the various continents. "It''s like you are a new daddy worried about a newborn. It''s cute." Adam quipped causing Anthony to laugh. "For the last four decades, I have been preparing for this. So yes, in a way, this is my baby. So I am worried about Ithea accepting everything and running smoothly." Anthony replied with a smile. "As you can see everything is integrating well Anthony. There is no need to worry and all the new gods were seeded with the A.I. we had on ice." Eve replied. "Good. Now, did Kevin finish his transition? Is he alive?" Anthony asked bringing up one of the last sore points he had. "Yes, he succeeded but he is still in a coma. No, we do not have a timeline until he wakes up. We have done everything we can to ensure he wakes up as soon as possible." Adam replied as he watched the various feeds from Ithea including the new continent. "Good, can I ask. What do you plan to do with Juno? I know she got attached to Kevin in the short time they were together?" Anthony asked the two siblings who looked at each other. "There is already a Hera/Juno goddess in Ithea so she cannot take the god spot. We can do one of two things, we can seed her into someone who will encounter him, but her memories of their time together will be wiped or we can simply upload her as an A.I. companion. She will have limited interaction within the world of Ithea and would not be able to effect it on any scale." Eve responded. Anthony weighed the options, "You guys choose but I think they work well together. She is just a little bit too much of a mother or big sister at times though." Anthony pointed out causing both A.I. to chuckle. North American Alliance- Greater New York Conglomerate Queens Urban Reinovation Housing
"Yes, I am. I have fucked up too much of my life to run away from what I found there. What have you been up to Ailis? I explained everything about what I have been up too, but you have said little about yourself." Ava pointed out as she studied her sister. Ailis fidgeted a little bit and glanced at her, "I joined the Assassins Guild. I have been working for them. After our falling out I re-rolled my Avatar and became a Vampire. It has been...interesting and fun." "You think I would judge you based on that?'' Ava asked her sister. ''After everything I did...No, I do not care that you are an Assassin now. The only thing I ask is, give me a heads up when someone puts a price on my head." Ava told AIlis with a wink. "You want me to tell you Guild secrets?" Ailis scoffed before giggling. ''Maybe...Depending on how much gold they put on your head." Ailis snickered making Ava smile and push her into the couch. "Depending on the price...you little shit.'' Ava laughed as she jumped on her sister. ''So is that why you wanted me to move south instead of continuing my Quest?" Ava asked. Ailis nodded her head, "Yes. I was hoping to spend some time with you, but I am on a job currently and I am not even in the Empire right now. So it wouldn''t make much sense for you to abandon the quest and head south. I do want you to promise me that if you need help, no matter what the quest says, you ask." Ava considered what her sister said and nodded her head in agreement before hugging her. "I will as long as you do the same. I have read some horror stories about Assassin Guild contracts, I don''t want you to end up in jail. You cannot simply reroll your Avatar now. You will have to serve your sentence if you get caught." Ava told Ailis. Before Ailis could reply her communicator dinged. "Servers are back up. This is it...I will see you on the other side Ava. If the worst happens, seek out a man named Ezekial, he works in the Palace of Night at the City of Eternal Night. He will get word to me if you need me and all else fails." Ailis told her and gave her a sister a hug before moving to her pod. Ava watched as Ailis winked at her right before sealing it and it immediately powered up. Ava took one last look outside before shutting the drapes and making sure everything was locked up. Chapter 7- Patch 13 Fate Online... Hi, before you ask this is a prerecorded message. You cannot interact with this Avatar. Welcome to Fate Online and Ithea. I am bringing you this message because we have released Patch Thirteen. It unblocks certain tech on your FIVR Pod and uploads some software to digitize your mind to the world of Ithea. For the first thirty-six hours in-game, if you want to logout, you can. After that, the logout option will no longer be available and your course to become a permanent citizen of Ithea will be set." Anthony explained. Suddenly a seat appeared behind him and he sat down in it. "Patch Thirteen is my greatest success for humanity''s worst hours. We stand upon the brink of extinction. If you choose to go forward, there is no going back, you will still be an Immortal, but you will never go back to Earth. This is a one-way ticket. It is also by no means foolproof. One out of four people will fail to make the transition to Ithea. Seventy-five percent will succeed, but twenty-five percent will die. Humanity in one form or another will go on. The question is, will you be a part of it. No one can force you to choose this path. It is up too you. So...are you ready? Do you wish to proceed into the world of Ithea? To forever be a part of a new world?" Anthony asked. Ava smiled, "Yes, I wish to proceed." Anthony smiled, "Congratulations on the very first step. Goodluck Immortal...Remember, the only Fate is the one you make. Every choice has a consequence though." Anthony gravely informed her and with a wink, the floor dropped out from under her and everything went black. Surface- Bronze Rock Region Nation of Duran''thia- City of Dera''kan South Market Patch 13 Developer Notes... A Note from Anthony Mitchels the CEO and owner of BlackRock Entertainment, On behalf of BlackRock Entertainment, I want to thank everyone for their time and patience. As you know, over the last couple of weeks extremists have acquired and detonated a nuclear device in Rio de Janeiro and in Buenos Aires killing seven million people. Another five million have died over the last few weeks due to the nuclear fallout and the body count continues to rise daily. These extremists are not going to stop and are intent on destroying civilization as we know it. While efforts to stop them are underway, none of the other remaining thirty-four nuclear weapons have been found so far. Survival programs for humanity have been enacted to ensure that humanity will live on in one form or another. Fate Online is one such venture. Patch Thirteen removes certain blocks on FIVR Pods and will copy your conscious mind into the world of Ithea so even though your physical body is dead, your mind will live on. This transition process takes one week (Ithea Time) to complete. If you want to stop at any time, you can logout up too day three, after that you will be locked into the process. The chances that your mind will succeed in digitizing are...seventy-five percent. Before you ask or worry about someone hacking into Fate Online, no one can. It is a closed system protected by some of the most powerful A.I. in existence. It has over a dozen backups all around the world so in case one Quantum Computer Core is compromised, another will replace it immediately. Now as far as world mechanics, Adam and Eve will continue to balance everything out but by and large, the world is locked. There is plenty of the world to explore that Immortals have not found yet. Or if you don''t want to explore and fight monsters, settle down and start farming, create something, anything you want to do. It is up too you. I hope you enjoy your new lives, remember the possibilities are endless. What you do is up too you. Major Changes... ---100% Synchronization (NO PAIN FILTER!!!) however Skills to dull pain have been added but will not block it completely ---The continent of Mortihiemer has been added to the world of Ithea. This is the third major continent (Arakon, Jingoon, Mortihiemer). Dozens of small islands have been added to the White Cap Ocean, Storm Sea, and White Frost Sea ---The Norse Pantheon (Odin, Loki, Thor, Frey, etc...) have joined the gods and can be prayed too, make sacrifices too, gain boons and gifts from. However, their presence on the continent of Arakon is minimal ---Due to Chaos Acolytes being able to destroy Avatars, if your Avatar is destroyed your consciousness will be sent back to Character Creation. You will lose all progress that you have made (Skills, Abilities, Classes, Money, Items, etc...), but you will not be destroyed (Perma-Death). ---Dozens of new Dungeons have populated the world on, below, and above the surface. ---The chances of One-Off Dungeons appearing have increased ---New Dwarves can choose to spawn in the Obsidion Kingdom (Subject to the Empire of Night) ---New Humans can choose to spawn in the Nation of Rolling Sands ---Duergar Race has been unlocked and spawns in the Duergar city of Mul Duram deep in the Underdark ---Mer (Merfolk) Race has been unlocked and spawns in the Mer city of Atlantis (Located beneath the White Cap Ocean) ---New Classes (Including Axe Rager, Skald, Rune Mage, Etc...) have been added ---Head, Pouldron (Shoulders), Wrists, Chest/Back, Hands, Belt, Legs, Boots, Cloak, Rings (8), Trinkets (2), Main Hand Weapon/Item, Off-Hand Weapon/Item are the equipment Slots now ---The world will continue to evolve and expand as time goes on. A large amount of data was uploaded to the Fate Online Servers, but testing is ongoing and new content will be released once Adam and Eve have tested and vetted everything. "You are like a bad rash that just won''t go away. I don''t want to talk to you, so leave me alone please." Ava told him and tried to move around him but the man stepped in her way. "I am just trying to have a civil conversation with you. I apologize for putting a knife to your back, will you sit down and have a conversation with me?" the man asked with probably his most charming smile. Ava glared at him, "If you wanted a civil conversation, you should have led with it. You should not have tried to kidnap me and implied torture, it pissed me off and any chance of cooperation disappeared." Ava told him before shouldering him out of her way and heading towards the nearby market. The man quickly followed her, "Ahh, don''t be like that I just want to be friends." Ava snorted, "I have enough friends. I know how people like you work. I used to be a lot like you. I am turning my life around and don''t need people like you in it. So, if you want to follow me out of the city, feel free. I will safely say before any magistrate that I killed you because you were stalking me and I felt threatened. That this was the second time you had done so revealing a trend from you." Ava called out over her shoulder. "My employer just wants to talk. Threatening me is not the smartest thing to do." the man replied and a certain edge in his voice brought a smile to Ava''s face. "Well, you know where I will be. Feel free to attack a Necromancer in a graveyard, that is always smart." Ava called out before letting her staff trail slightly behind her and tripping him. The man cursed as he stumbled and fell causing more than one passing person to stop and laugh or help him. Either way, Ava continued on ignoring the spectacle behind her. Surface- Bronze Rock Region If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.Nation of Duran''thia- City of Dera''kan Fallen Estates of Loranan
"Jedidiah, WHERE ARE YOU?" Ava called as she entered the graveyard next to the half-destroyed mansion. "HERE!! Stop yelling girl, I have been talking to the others and we have been going over all the information you acquired. We are determining the best course of action. Now, what is the problem?" The Spirit asked. "Two things first and foremost is that Immortals will be coming to Ithea in larger numbers and staying here permanently. I am one of those staying. Two, you said that those seeking our families Archives would start looking for me soon. They already started. Some idiot tried to kidnap me in the city yesterday, so we got to get out of here sooner rather than later." Ava told the Spirit causing it to seize up for a moment as it considered the various options. After a few minutes of pacing and freezing up Jedidiah finally responded, "Ok the first thing is not important currently. Having any hunters on you already is troubling, we need to move quickly and get you to a safer place. Do you know of the city of Asethshara?" "Yes, its a smaller city located north-west of here I believe. It is about a two-week trek. Why?" Ava asked back as she watched the Spirit pace. "It used to be under the control of the Loranan family before our fall. It was a stronghold of our family''s Mages and is still a stronghold for us. If you can get there, you will beyond anyone except the most powerful Magi. The local populace will be sympathetic and your first target is within the city itself. Getting there quickly will be a problem though. Few caravans from here head there, so you can make your way on foot or you need to acquire an alternate means of travel. Come here, girl." Jedidiah gestured for Ava to come closer and the Necromancer did with some trepidation. Jedidiah smirked at her and grabbed her head causing Ava to scream in pain as new knowledge flooded her head. "I apologize but we have to do this quickly and I cannot teach you this the short way. The woods to the north-east are plagued by spirits. Seek out a Spectral Steed. They are rare, but their Stamina is endless. They are Undead so they are still weak against Light/Holy/Life magic. Use your new ability and forge a bond with one and have a life long bond. Goodluck girl, don''t forget my skull!!" Jedidiah finished as he disappeared. Alert... Ability Unlocked Spirit Bond Acquired... Alert... Quest Issued: Roping a Spectral Steed Description: Travel to the Spectral Woods and hunt down a Spectral Steed and use your newly acquired ability to forge a life long Bond with it. Be aware, the Spectral Woods are hostile to all the living, including the Loranan family. Do not expect a warm welcome or protection from the Spirits within like you have been around the Loranan Estates. Success: Forge a Bond with a Spectral Steed Failure: Fail to forge a bond with a Spectral Steed or leave the area before you do Immediate Reward: Spirit Bond Ability Reward(s): 500 Experience, Spectral Steed Quest Issued: Path of Redemption (Stage 4) Description: Due to an increased possible threat, you must flee the High-Elf city of Dera''kan and go to the Loranan stronghold outside the city of Asethshara. Once there you can plan your campaign against the Dragon Kings allies without worrying about outside influences. Quest Difficulty: Nightmare Success: Reach the Loranan stronghold outside the city of Asethshara Failure: Fail to reach the Loranan stronghold Reward(s): 1,000 Experience, Unknown Restriction: Must Completly Alone, Level 27 Minimum Ava groaned as she sat up, the world was spinning a little bit and the pain had been more intense then she had ever felt, but she was alive. So she did what she did best, she started cursing as she moved to break down the small camp and prepare for another long trip. Ava wondered if she would still have headaches after she was fully uploaded to Ithea or not. The idea made her laugh. "Truly to laugh in a graveyard, it must be amusing." Someone called from nearby causing Ava to freeze and slowly turn. Standing just outside the graveyard was her favorite stalker and two of the Dragons Claws. Elite soldiers and enforcers two the royal family and last but not least, a cloaked figure. Ava glared at the human that smiled at her and winked. "Told you, my employer just wanted to talk. You invited us out here and told me exactly where you would be. I think you got a crush on me." He winked again at Ava and she was tempted to launch an Arcane Bolt at his face just too see what he would do, but the cloaked figures light laughter stopped her. "Love and hatred are two conflicting emotions that are so close, yet complete opposites. Will you converse with me Loranan. You have my word I mean you no harm." the Cloaked figure called out. "You want me to talk to you after that idiot,'' Ava pointed to the scarred man standing beside the cloaked figure, ''tried to kidnap me yesterday and threatened to torture me. Why should I do anything other than activate a Portal Scroll and leave you all guessing at where I will come out. You could try to push through the Spirits of the graveyard, but even the Dragons Claws would be ripped apart before they made five steps within. Plus I don''t talk to people who hide behind cloaks." Ava challenged. "Ahh, see I told you she wasn''t the bashful type, you just go to get past the---" Before the man could continue Ava let out a snarl and shot an Arcane Bolt towards the Human. One of the Elite soldiers intercepted it and blocked it with his shield. Both soldiers started readying weapons when the cloaked figure shouted at them. "STOP!! Take the Hound and wait for me by the horses. Do not let anyone approach the graveyard. I will be fine. GO!!'' the woman commanded as she moved the hood back revealing who she was before stepping closer to the graveyard. ''I hope that buys me a little faith." "Queen Jenaveve, why are you here?" Ava asked as she kept some nasty spells ready. The Queen was a powerful Mage and if the Lore was correct, an Arch-Druid or Elementalist. Being within the Loranan graveyard would boost her power but it would not give her near enough power to defeat the woman. "As I said, I want to talk. I do not wish to harm you in any way. I in fact, very much want you to succeed if you retrieved what I thought you did." Jenaveve replied. Ava just shrugged her shoulders. Jenaveve smiled, "It''s ok, keep your secrets Loranan like I will keep the secrets of the Dorathin Family. I will tell you my story and let you decide. I was a young woman interested in her studies more than anything else until one day a prince saw me. Being a prince, he got what he wanted and no matter what the woman wanted, no matter how much she ranted and raved, she was ripped from her family and her life and married to a bastard. The one thing this bastard ever did right was killing his father and mother to ascend the throne of the Dragon King. He is a spoiled little brat that cares about himself and cares nothing for the people. So he leaves his wife to tend the kingdom while he does anything that catches his fancy. Questing, drinking, women or men. As long as its fun." Ava snorted and smirked, "What do you want me to do? Cry that you had to give up your life because a bastard took a fancy to you. Not going to happen." Ava told her as she pulled a Portal scroll out of her inventory. "No, I don''t want you to touch him or go anywhere near him. I want you to destroy his allies and strip away his protection. I will deal with him when the time comes. In return, your family name will be exonerated and it will be restored. Your family estates and lands will be returned as well as its fortunes. That is what I want." Jenaveve pleaded. "If you really want to do this, sign a binding treaty between the Dorathin and the Loranan families. Send it to the Loranan stronghold outside the city of Asethshara. Do that and word it as you described, and you will have your alliance. Fail to do this or word in incorrectly, you will have made just another enemy." Ava replied and the Queen nodded before turning away. Ava waited until the Queen was out of site before collapsing to her knees. "Well fuck me sideways...This just got more interesting. Welcome to a new world, Ava."