《Universe ICS: Keymaster》 Chapter 25 ¡°Tinnie, get back.¡± The Fairy returned with a displeased expression on her pretty face and perched herself on my left shoulder, not reaching the end of the tunnel. Another half-hour was spent on tiresome skirmishes, and we finally reached it ¡ª the next hall. At first glance it was no different from the previous one; the same diffused yellowish light softened the twilight, and it had the same chest in its center. We didn¡¯t enter at once; I decided to take a breather and sat down a few steps away from the entrance. Destroying a dozen Head-Eye nests, each one with eight, level 14 occupants, takes a lot out of a man. Despite still having stamina, I was ready to topple over from exhaustion. I knew that an organism exhausted to the limit needed food, but I no longer felt hunger. But thirst was driving me crazy. My lips were chipped, my tongue felt like a grater each time it¡¯d touch the roof of my mouth, and the skin on my face had tightened, as if sunburned. Meanwhile the system rewarded me with a few more endurance points, but this didn¡¯t console the anger and despair that were gnawing at my soul. If this hall was no different from the first, then the ¡°heart¡± wasn¡¯t here, which meant this was not the end of our adventure. ¡°Fury, come here,¡± I ordered the Direcat that was, together with Tinnie who was hovering next to her, cautiously studying the hall, without stepping over the invisible line that separated it from the tunnel. My throat was sore and my voice sounded hoarse. My pets had grown noticeably smarter and it made me happy; I didn¡¯t have to worry anymore. ¡°Rest while you have the opportunity. Tinnie, same goes for you.¡± Noticing my gloomy mood, Fury turned away and obediently approached me, treading softly and almost silently. She lay down beside me and leaned on me. I pat her neck, and she sniffed dismissively; a fighter doesn¡¯t need such tenderness. I somehow felt calmer when I was around her, as if she was sucking the negative energy out of me. Maybe that was Spiritual Link at work. Before the wording changed, its description said something about ¡°stimulating positive emotions¡±. Perhaps it alone was keeping us from completely losing heart. During our last ¡°hallway¡± run, Fury had grown significantly and was now about three and a half feet at the withers, and weighed, perhaps, no less than I did. She was now level six, after all. Her stats had risen substantially and she accumulated six skill points. Looking at her and Tinnie, I felt warm around my heart. The Fairy and I also had something to be proud of. She had long reached level 8 and was confidently approaching level 9, while I had less than a quarter left till level 13. However, Fury had suffered a lot as well. Her skin was dotted with bald spots on the places where the acid managed to hit her. The burns had already healed, but fur didn¡¯t grow as quickly. She was now much stronger than her childish version, but since the way she moved had also changed, she was now having a hard time dodging. Our best bet was her strength and high damage rate. I had already invested a couple of skill points into Mortal Sting and Burst Attack and unlocked their rank 2. The remaining points I decided to save up for Metamorph as I had a sneaking suspicion that this one might be crucial for surviving this ordeal. Mortal Sting hadn¡¯t yet been tested as we were saving it for an extreme case, and Burst Attack, which was learned at level 3, greatly helped Fury preserve her skin. It was a shame that we couldn¡¯t use it more often as it required quite a bit of energy. Fury had already lost a couple of pounds during the half-hour run, and her ribs were now visible. Also, her continued growth drained her energy, tiring out the body too quickly. We were, again, having issues with feeding her. Honestly, I was afraid to face another Demon, as the previous one had almost broken my back. Of course, my assistants had become much stronger; however, the mobs had grown in levels and power, and the increasing fatigue will inevitably lead to errors. I was afraid to tempt fate once again. I hadn¡¯t yet used up my saved up stats. Right now I had four and a half dozen free points ¡ª the reward for gaining two levels and unlocking Soulcatcher¡¯s rank 3. Surviving the lair wasn¡¯t becoming any easier and it was time to get things done. There were no noticeable problems with HP or energy and their recovery rates, and my damage output was decent as well... It remained to deal with intelligence and dexterity. Intelligence seemed a more complicated stat to deal with as it increased both magic damage and magic based crits. I hadn¡¯t yet noticed it affect my ability to think faster, but I was certain that the two were connected; it was no wonder that it got increased as a reward for improving cunning, which was, in turn, connected to inventiveness. I was therefore tempted to invest in intelligence and see where that takes me. However, I was already lacking in dexterity; I missed more often or failed to dodge. Sure, this could¡¯ve been attributed to fatigue, but... In general, I needed to make a decision. And yet, I got distracted, further delaying the inevitable. I wanted to check if there really was a bonus for every third and subsequent ranks. Only two abilities were close to reaching rank 3, everything else that had reached rank 2 did so recently and this still had a long way to go till rank 3. Two-handed Weapons (sword) Rank 2 (161/200; 4/5 SP) Searing Flash Rank 2 (97/200; 2/5 SP) It was clear that I would achieve what I wanted with Two-handed way before with Flash; all that remained was to land two hundred strikes on living targets. I could spend a skill point to level Two-handed even faster, I had enough in the reserve to do so. On one hand, that¡¯d be a waste of a skill point, but on the other, 25 stat points could come in handy... Tempting, so tempting... The light in the tunnel flashed, and I felt the familiar, unpleasant feeling of invisible fingers gripping my throat. The hourglass image reappeared, but half of the sand had already poured into the bottom compartment somehow. Realizing what this might mean made me sweat. The timer didn¡¯t refer to a specific room, but to the entire den! Judging by the speed with which the grains fell, I had... How much? An hour or two left?! I jumped up, quickly checking my equipment and weapons. Tinnie flew off my shoulder. Pale and horror stricken, I beckoned her with my finger. ¡°Tinnie, remember what happened last time? No more surprises. We tiptoe by. No chests. No Imps.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. She folded her arms and puffed her cheeks. She was being stubborn so I had to be more severe. ¡°I said ¡ª we¡¯ll do without it! Otherwise, your little butt will be slapped hard...¡± Hearing the familiar, ominous rustling and crackling behind my back, I swore, but didn¡¯t look back. It was clear that the lair no longer wanted to give us a break, the burrow would grow faster and faster with every passing minute. ¡°Forward!¡± We rushed through the hall, aiming for the opening on the other side. The plan failed. We had to overcome only a dozen more steps, but the passage got shut, instantly covered by a blanket no different in color and texture from the surrounding walls. Halting, I turned around, and raised my sword. Tinnie, damn you! A single moment of distraction and the Fairy disappeared from my sight. She was now standing on the chest, the culprit behind the triggered trap and a slave to her nature, pretending that she had nothing to do with it. She was simply unable to pass up a chance to miss some loot. Followed by the sound of paper being torn, six opponents jumped out holes in the wall and into the hall. Imp Bully Level 15 HP: 550 Creature of Chaos Horns, hooves, tails and fireballs ¡ª the whole package! This time I didn¡¯t wait to see how things would turn out and immediately used Soulcatcher on the nearest creature on my left. Without looking at it, I rushed to the right, ordering Fury to attack my next target. Flying over the colliding fireballs in the same manner, Tinnie hung in the air and sent me a bird¡¯s eye view image of the battlefield so that nothing could sneak up on me. Time was of the essence; the fight had to be finished as quickly as possible, with minimal losses. I had to try to get them to gather in one place so that Tinnie could bewitch them with Enchantress and so that I could finish them off before they woke up. One of the Imps laughed mockingly. But instead of rushing forward, as the one in the first hall did, it quickly waved its clawed paw and threw something at me. An intuitive jump to the side came a second too late, and a blow to my shins knocked me onto the ground. Having landed on my face, I pushed off with my hands and, already rolling away, saw the Imp leap behind me, and wave its paw, grinning malevolently with a mouthful of small, sharp fangs. Nearing my face, the claws flashed with a red glow... ¡°Burst Attack!¡± Fury flew over me as if carried by a gust of deadly wind. The Imp disappeared with a desperate screech, carried away by a furious onslaught. Before getting up I had to cut the bola that had bound my legs. Fury had already raced over to her next target, and all I could do was finish off the creature that was twitching in agony, black liquid gushing from its torn throat. All of the other Imps turned their attention to Fury, which turned the battlefield into a hellish landscape. Before my eyes, another Imp flew to the center of the hall, slammed its head against the chest and froze, stunned. The next flew up into the air like a rocket; I managed to get close enough to hit it with Uniq. I shook the lifeless body off the blade. Unable to keep up with Fury¡¯s speed, the two whirling bolas hit the wall behind her, showering her with debris. The fight felt completely different now that my little helper had turned from a helpless kitten into a mighty warrior; the Imps no longer looked like formidable opponents. But I relaxed too early. The fifth Imp turned out to be quicker than its fellows, or maybe it just adapted to the situation. Its bola reached its target and Fury tumbled over. Snarling indignantly, she tried to leap up, but fell back on her side. Her front paws were tightly tied and the two Imps that still remained on their hooves ran toward her, triumphantly waving their clawed paws. You wish! Upon my order, Tinnie released her pollen over the Imps. And just in time, too, as they were about to chop Fury into tiny little pieces. Synergy effect has been interrupted. Energy required... Later! As soon as the creatures froze, enchanted, the Uniq finished them off and the enemies¡¯ heads rolled across the floor. I instantly found myself near the Direcat, but she had already shook off the bola and jumped up on all fours, furious and ready to continue the fight. But there was no one to fight with. When I looked around, the last Imp, having recovered from the knockdown, jumped up and ran for its life. Its blurred figure disappeared in the, now open, exit. I know from past experiences that a fleeing enemy, in most cases, ran to get help. ¡°Fury, get it!¡± Picking up a trophy bolo and fastening it to the belt, I rushed after the enemy, hoping to get it before Soulcatcher¡¯s backlash reached me. Rushing ahead of me, fast as the wind, Fury plunged into the tunnel first. When I flew in after her, the Imp had been taken care of. Fury caught it some twenty steps from the entrance, knocked it off its hooves and bit its neck with her powerful jaws, crushing the spine and reaching level 6. I approached her and stopped nearby. She was breathing heavily, flanks swelling and fur bristling. Her mouth opened in a grin, and bloodlust slowly subsided from her eyes. What a beauty! But I would rather admire her later, as dull tiredness enveloped my whole body, taking away any desire to move, speak, or think unless needed. Of course, the den wasn¡¯t about to let us rest ¡ª the Imp had managed to do his dirty work and the soil under the soles of my boots began to tremble familiarly. The guard smelled us. Normally, one should run into the hall and deal with the enemy there as it was more spacious, but I had no strength left in me for another race. When the Demon appeared in the twilight of the tunnel, I gave the command: ¡°Burst Attack!¡± Dodging to the side, Fury pushed off the wall with all fours, and charged at the Demon from the side. She was two times smaller than the enemy, but her mass and strength were enough to knock down even such a powerful creature. However, the Demon¡¯s neck was much thicker than that of an Imp. Fury¡¯s fangs ripped the skin and sank deep into the muscles, without slowing it down at all. Foul blood gushed out of the wound, the Demon jerked upward, throwing off the Direcat as if it were an annoying bug, and turned around, clearly intending to bite the brazen cat¡¯s head off... I stepped forth with the intention to get closer. I moved like a robot with neither fear nor rage in my step, but with a single desire burning in my soul ¡ª to remove the obstacle standing between me and freedom. Half-crouching, I sharply straightened myself up and, with all the remaining strength, thrust the blade straight into the wide open, monstrous mouth. Piercing the palate, the blade reached the brain. Hitting a vulnerable spot activated Assassin¡¯s Gambit, and the Demon collapsed onto the floor. The heavy carcass pulled the blade stuck in its bones and muscles, and I had to let go of it to stay on my feet. However, I still lost my balance and landed on my ass. Fury fell on the floor beside me; flames of rage died out and were replaced with exhaustion. Congratulations! You have reached level 13! Current XP: 470/66,430 You are exhausted. You require rest and food. Synergy effect has been interrupted. Energy required... I know, damn it! The pets had 40 out of 100 stamina, and mine was even worse. I couldn¡¯t see myself, but I was sure that I looked like a corpse. We sat there, breathing heavily and looking at each other, regaining strength, but not feeling the slightest influx of it as there was nowhere to get any. After using Enchantress, Tinnie was as exhausted as we were. She landed on my left shoulder. Spiritual Link, which she had to constantly maintain, took a lot out of her. Chapter 26 Feeling sluggish, I fumbled through the backpack, took out an esc and gave it to Tinnie. The XP from the Crystal was just enough for her to reach level 9. Ignoring the flash of light that followed a level-up, I realized that the backlash from Soulcatcher had less of an impact this time. As there was no severe physical damage, there was no exhausting regeneration either. Another note for the future. How many of these notes have I already taken in this endless solo-dungeon? We were all sick and tired of it, but damn it, there was no time to rest just yet. I needed to feed Fury and return to the hall to pick up the loot from the chest and the corpses. I stifled a sigh. Sheer force of will helped me get up, pull out the Bone Slayer and thrust it into the Demon¡¯s carcass. A ringing ¡°ting!¡± followed. The handle remained in my hands; the worn out blade broke at the base. I looked at it in confusion, and then I threw it away. To hell with it all. ¡°Fury, it¡¯s all yours. Screw the skin, tear it up if you want. Tinnie, follow me, we¡¯ll talk about your behavior later...¡± Ignoring the embarrassed squeak behind my back, I walked to the hall, but had to stop at the entrance. But I was too late. The entrance to the hall was being overgrown right before our eyes; the chest had already disappeared in the growth of black and red shoots. The walls and floor stirred, enveloping the Imps¡¯ corpses. I had only five escs left. No emotions. No curses. I was too tired. I just turned around and went back to the... A new hall had appeared. I had no clue how long it took us to break through. At some point, I realized that I was no longer aware of the passing of time and was just trying to survive. And there it was, the final battleground. I observed it without leaving the tunnel, paying extra attention to the thing that stood where a chest usually would have been. I think I expected to see something resembling a real heart, only gigantic, red and pumping blood. But instead of that was a giant egg, about seven feet tall, with a translucent shell and the same translucent content. Inside the egg was a huge ¡°yolk¡± that looked like a miniature scarlet sun, wrapped in a dense network of small blood vessels that shone and vibrated. This ¡°yolk¡± would regularly flare up, dispersing the darkness for a second or two, and then vanish almost completely. It was my ticket out of this damned place. Heart of the Den Level 20 HP 666 It was extremely important not to hurry and fully use every given moment of respite. I needed to think, weigh my options and take another look at my matured pets¡¯ abilities. This den wasn¡¯t intended to be soloed, but to be done with the help of a party. The fact that I was still alive and so close to its Heart was nothing more than coincidence and dumb luck. It was better not to think about it, as not to undermine my faith in the already slim chances. Tossing my bag and Flame to the side, I sat on the ground and lay on my back. To a passerby that would¡¯ve looked pretty brazen, but I wasn¡¯t afraid of a premature attack. The hall was empty and the guards would appear only after I had entered their territory. I was so tired that any flat surface on which I could stretch and relax was as good as a comfy bed. I wanted to close my eyes and float away into the realm of sleep for a year or so... Alas, I couldn¡¯t afford sleep yet. Where was I? Oh, right... Tinnie¡¯s XP was steadily reaching level 10. If I used her accumulated skill points right now to get Spiritual Link¡¯s rank 3 that would surely boost the energy exchange between the three of us... However, something told me that there was no need to hurry. At this stage, any gain would increase the cost of it, and we couldn¡¯t afford that right now. Fury had already caught up with Tinnie and had learned Metamorph a long time ago. I picked it without much hesitation, as she would gain 150% defense and damage during the transformation at rank 3, but... Fool me twice¡­ As the skill cost 75% of all available reserves, I couldn¡¯t experiment recklessly, especially considering our general state of chronic exhaustion. So we managed without it. At level 15, Head-Eyes became more dangerous and strove to entangle our legs with roots shooting from the dirt floor within their AoE zone. Luckily, they were still pretty slow. Demons attacked three more times, but didn¡¯t even get a chance to cause us any real harm; our team had worked out its elimination tactic to perfection. I felt like a doll, an automaton fit for murder and nothing else. The burrow behind us kept growing, not allowing us to linger in one place for more than two or three minutes. Fury had to tear pieces of meat of the fallen enemies and eat on the move. It was easy for such a beast to tear off a chunk of thigh with one move of its powerful jaws. Still, as she didn¡¯t have time to eat properly and fill her Hunger bar completely, she now looked almost like a skeleton. Her skin was full of holes. She had taken all of the damage but didn¡¯t manage to heal properly. I, too, had to forget about fixing or replacing my banged-up upgrades.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Funnily enough, I myself totally missed the moment when I reached level 14. The flash that follows a level up went unnoticed in one of the many grueling fights. I deliberately hadn¡¯t invested the accumulated ninety stat points. The reason was simple and had nothing to do with saving. The moment when it could have still been done painlessly had long passed. Additional body restructuring would require new energy expenses, and I was already at my limit. I¡¯ll figure it out once we survive this mess. The five skill points could also wait. I was thinking slowly and didn¡¯t want to screw up something. Also, my theory about ranks was confirmed. Two-handed Weapons had reached rank 3 and, as with Soulcatcher, the system offered a similar reward. Speaking of weapons... I stirred and took my sword and backpack. Flame had completely stopped shining. I needed to replace the Crystal. Thanks to the Demons, I had some in stock. I inserted a new Crystal. Fumbling through backpack, I noticed that I had managed to drop the pipe. Grinning, I picked up and examining it as if I was seeing it for the first time. Silent Girlfriend Artifact, magic pipe Unique item Built-in Ability: Divine Patronage (inactive) The item is soulbound to [Wisecracker]. I never tried it out. Another missed opportunity, missed initially deliberately, and now... It was too late for experiments with the patron. I had no room for error. If it required any sort of ritual or anything that would make me vulnerable instead of helping me, then I was fucked. I should have sorted things out with Alan the Dark earlier. Why didn¡¯t I? What was I so afraid of that I kept avoiding having any contact with this deity? Back in the sandbox, I managed to find out that before reaching level 50 I had no right to change my patron and that I would just have to learn to get along with the one that I had. Alan the Dark chose Pops to be his neophyte for his predisposition to calculated cruelty. He made me a neophyte for the sake of revenge in order to compensate for the loss of his previous adherent. At least that was what Ears had told me. But I hadn¡¯t changed. Ears said that interacting with a patron depended on whether the player had a backbone or not. So what prevented me from doing it in time? Stubbornness? Fear? Or something else? People say that a person¡¯s soul is a dark place, but sometimes it¡¯s impossible to understand your very own soul. If I were a smart man, I would have, as Alan¡¯s follower, used his help. But I was a stubborn and prideful man, and I didn¡¯t want the help of someone that that asshole Pops used to serve. Circumstances had changed a long time ago and it was time for me to get my head out of the sand. Any sort of advantage would help me in this location. Maybe I was acting like this out of vain pride thinking that I can do this on my own, without some patron¡¯s help? But this reality hadn¡¯t been invented by me, and it was not for me to change its laws. All one could do was to try to use those laws to their advantage, and not ignore any opportunity for survival that presented itself. Any opportunity. Even a dark one. My enemy also reasoned this way ¡ª the end justifies the means. This way of thinking led him to his doom, both literally and figuratively. On the other hand, what the hell were even dark and light? Those are just labels. What becomes of yourself and your soul depends solely on you and your actions, not on the color of your patron¡¯s aura! And then my eyes fell on the hand in which the pipe lay. The silvery web, the Sign of Alan the Dark... ...was gone. Neophyte of the void. Ridiculous. I finally understood it. He was either so fed up with my stubbornness that he left me to my own devices, or... I froze in amazement. Hell! It just occurred to me that Alan the Dark couldn¡¯t have followed me to Lunar Rainbow. After all, according to the legend of Phoenix Shriek, the local and foreign deities fought so hard, that they knocked each other out of this world. Were there taboos about divine patrons then? Once in a while the most ridiculous and unusual of thoughts would swim up to the surface from the deepest depths of one¡¯s mind. Sometimes, too, the most obvious of things would become hard to see. Did Alan the Dark ever manage to gain access to this world? It is possible that he didn¡¯t. So much doubt and mental agony, and for what? The pipe remained useless. However¡­ I filled it with tobacco from the pouch and lit it with the lighter. Doing this wasn¡¯t easy for someone without a smoking habit; the process required skill and experience, but it was still doable. The fragrant smoke almost immediately presented its beneficial effects. Muscle tension began to subside, my consciousness cleared, and my soul felt at ease and became filled with calming emptiness. Back in the sandbox, Ears, may he live a long player¡¯s life with endless saves, provided me with excellent tobacco. Maybe it was for the better that the pipe was now more fit for daily use? The silence began to feel suspicious. Two minutes had passed without anyone trying to kick my ass. I looked around and shuddered. Just a step behind me, the tunnel was blocked by a dense wall of weakly stirring shoots that have crept up unnoticed and halted. Had the smoke scared them off? I then heard a languid, sensual sigh which made me abruptly turn my head. Fury cautiously raised her head, searching for new danger with a fierce glare. The fragrant smell of smoke not only stopped the shoots, but it also made the guard appear earlier than I had planned. From behind the Heart she came out. The woman of my dreams. Chapter 27 A waterfall of dark, silky hair framed the inexpressibly beautiful face, falling in luxurious waves over her fragile shoulders and voluptuous breasts, not so much hiding as revealing everything attractive to a shameless stare. Hair reached the aspen waist and silky waves flowed further down and past her thighs, down the slender legs to the toes of her small feet. She was so adorable that it caught me breathless. A blast of adrenaline struck my nerves; waves of heat and cold splashed over my body... Stepping forth gracefully, she slowly moved in my direction. I began to rise, stepping towards her, as if in a dream, and... The insidious charm of the moment was destroyed by vigilant Tinnie. With a furious squeak, taking off from my shoulder, she hit me in the eye with her heel with all the strength she had ¡ª a technique she had perfected on the Head-Eyes. Crying out in pain, I recoiled. When I looked again in front of myself, intending to yell at Tinnie, I suddenly realized that my obsession with the fair maiden had vanished. Completely. Instead of the unearthly beautiful creature appeared something much different and not so beautiful. It was still a completely naked woman, and even though her hair remained the black and silky and figure perfect, her skin was now covered with crimson-red scales. Twisted, blue-black horns grew sprouted out of her skull and her feet turned into hooves; wrapped around the goat-like legs was a long tail. Keeper of the Heart, Succubus Level 20 HP: 6,666 Creature of Chaos She beckoned me forth with a finger adorned with a sharp, black claw. She then smiled at me, parting her full, beautifully contoured lips, revealing a row of small, sharp fangs. For some reason, this unpretentious pantomime made me shiver internally. Thanks to Tinnie¡¯s timely intervention, the Succubus¡¯s attempt to bewitch me didn¡¯t succeed. Her appearance no longer inspired unrestrained desire, but unconscious horror, which made the muscles convulse with shudders. A wave of air hit my back; the shoots had begun to move. Picking up my bag and sword, I stepped into the hall, not waiting to be forcibly rushed in. Fury followed me with a soft leap. The Succubus smiled promisingly again. I unwittingly smiled back, feverishly remembering everything I knew about those creatures of dark and chaos. She was in no hurry to attack and didn¡¯t even demonstrate aggression. She stood beside her beloved Heart, swaying her hips ¡°seductively¡±, and waiting for something. The Heart flashed, erasing the outlines of her body with a bright light, and then faded. Twilight embraced the Keeper¡¯s figure; the reddish light in her narrow eyes flared up and faded in unison with the beating of the Heart. Her uncertainty was betrayed only by the tip of her tail, which nervously patted the hooves. Unless, of course, I had incorrectly interpreted the gesture. Different race, different body language; I could¡¯ve been wrong. Why is she hesitating? Why would she be afraid of me? Maybe she¡¯s confused by Fury and Tinnie? Are they unusual opponents for her? Maybe it¡¯s unusual for her to see only one player going against the final boss? Something cracked between my teeth. The pipe! Lost in thought, I had bitten it so hard that I was about to break it in half. Without taking my eyes off the Keeper, I took the pipe out of my mouth. I couldn¡¯t put it in my backpack; I needed to knock tobacco out first so that I don¡¯t end up burning everything in it... The Keeper¡¯s gaze moved from my face to Silent Girlfriend, as if hypnotized. Why is she attracted to it? Let¡¯s check it out. Trying not to make any rash movements, I put the pipe and the backpack down. They would only hinder me during the fight. Her gaze moved lower. Instead of guessing about why she liked the pipe, I wanted to focus on the Keeper herself while I still had the chance. Succubi were demons of sleep; supernatural beings from beyond the Edge, from the inhuman world, which skillfully used their victim¡¯s unconscious state to control their will, impose unusual desires, and enslave their soul. Not so much warriors, as treacherous temptresses, they gained people¡¯s trust, playing the friendship and intimate attraction card. What was she capable of? Tempting me hadn¡¯t succeeded. Tinnie, not sensitive to mind-affecting magic, protected me from it. The first round was mine. However, that meant nothing. Trying to seduce for this creature was the same as breathing for me. What else? I vaguely remembered something about darkness which the Keeper could use, blinding the enemy. One should also be wary of a kiss, otherwise something bad might happen. Imagining that toothy getting close to your lips... Brrrr! No, better to stay a virgin than to know such dubious ¡°happiness¡±. As she was the ¡°final boss¡± there was a possibility that she could call her Demon minions to help her during the battle. Hell, my brain was refusing to draw any definite conclusions. Fatigue made the gears spin sluggishly in my mind, and my concentration was everything but present. All we could do was fight for our lives. The longer I hesitated before attacking, the worse it could turn out for me. Wait a second... The Heart¡¯s HP was ten times smaller than that of the Keeper. All one needed to do was strike the Heart right away. Soulcatcher... Taking into account the link between the ability and weapon damage and level 14 Flame, I could drain about 1,500 HP with Soulcatcher¡¯s rank 3. That wouldn¡¯t be enough to defeat the Keeper, but it would be more than enough to take care of the Heart. But there had to be some catch. Such a problem couldn¡¯t possibly be solved so simply. Will I get a second chance if I make a mistake and the spell fails? Cooldown is a minute, I might not last that long; exhaustion could knock me out before the Keeper does.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Damn, her level twenty confused me too much! Could I even scratch her, let alone win? Her 6,666 HP was a monstrous amount compared to my 700 HP... Well, one can¡¯t know until one checks. I any case, the time for thinking was over. Resolutely shaking my head and driving away the doubts, I stepped forward, distracting her from looking at the artifact. Catching my stare, her eyes flashed red. My consciousness blurred only for a second, but then everything returned to normal. Tinnie mockingly squeaked something near my ear; she could somehow nullify the Keeper¡¯s attempts to bewitch me. ¡°Maybe we could talk it out?¡± My own voice, hoarse and cracking, seemed foreign. ¡°I just want to get out of here. I don¡¯t need your Heart.¡± It sounded ambiguous as neither of us knew if I was referring to her heart or the lair¡¯s, but I saw from the glint in her eye that she had understood me. She hissed quietly and a forked, flexible tongue flashed between her fangs. Regret seemed to have appeared on her demonic face for a moment. So, no talking it over, huh? Not like I expected that to work anyway; she was the lair¡¯s slave, she couldn¡¯t do otherwise. Protecting the Heart and exterminating outsiders were the only things she knew. But still, I felt sorry for her, since she, unlike the Demons and Imps, seemed much more reasonable. A mental order sent Fury moving slightly to the right, along the hall¡¯s wall. As soon as the Keeper¡¯s attention shifted to the new threat, and she took a step toward the Direcat, I rushed headlong into the attack. It was either sink or swim. Ranged spells were left in the reserve as I would have to fight back somehow if my hastily designed plan goes down the drain. Slipping past the Keeper, I turned abruptly and, holding it with both hands, brought the blade down on the Heart, putting both Searing Flash and all the strength that was available into one blow. I was all in. The recoil almost killed me. The blade bounced off the Heart¡¯s surface like a ping-pong ball off a table. The blow forced my head back and made me stumble backwards to keep balance. The blunt rear edge of the blade crushed my nose bridge and slit aslant my forehead, all the way to the bone. I felt the pain all the way to my toes. Blood gushed from the wound and obscured my vision, but a part of my consciousness somehow managed to catch a glimpse of the log. [Wisecracker] attacks [Keeper of the Heart]. 0 Physical damage. 203 damage absorbed! [Wisecracker] attacks [Keeper of the Heart]. 0 damage of Fire damage. 247 damage absorbed! Damn it, while the Keeper was alive, absolute protection was cast on the Heart! I had only one attempt to correct the situation... I shook my head, spraying a fan of blood drops. I had to give an order even though I couldn¡¯t see my target. ¡°Burst Attack!¡± Interrupting her diversion maneuver, Fury turned around and threw herself into battle with a roar, providing me with the precious seconds needed to come to my senses. But the Keeper was faster. Demonstrating what her level 20 was capable of, she let out a furious scream that rang in my ears and numbed my body. I was Stunned. Her long tail, flashed through the air at breakneck speed. It was impossible to rebound or avoid it. My legs crackled, and I was thrown at the wall like a ragdoll. A moment of oblivion snatched me away from the fight. As soon as my consciousness returned, slowly, as if after a heavy hangover, I found myself lying on the ground. Not waiting to fully recover, I immediately started fumbling around, trying to find my sword. The Keeper slowly walked toward me, gently swaying her hips and tail. Anger and contempt burned in her eyes, as well as the desire to finish off the uninvited guest and consume his soul. The sound of hooves was getting clearer, but my mind was still swimming in contusion, and I couldn¡¯t figure out what to do next... Where was Fury...? Why was she not fighting...? Squealing in fear and desperation, Tinnie hovered above the Keeper¡¯s head and applied her favorite trick ¡ª magic dust. The Keeper only frowned and Tinnie barely managed to fly away and avoid being snatched, like a sparrow in a cat¡¯s claws. She wasn¡¯t successful. Synergy effect has been interrupted. Energy required. I tried to jump up to meet the enemy face to face, even unarmed, but my left leg gave in and I sank back to the ground again. Not believing my own eyes, I stared at the mutilated shin that like it had been smashed in with a crowbar. A tangled mess of bone and flesh peered from under the tattered and blooded leggings; a fragment of my leg bone protruded from it. Where the hell is Fury...? I finally caught sight of her. Staggering and limping, the Direcat emerged from behind the Heart. She was breathing heavily, and squinting in pain. She was also having a hard time, and not even the Burst Attack helped. Her stamina was in the red and Metamorph was now impossible. Somehow, only I could save the situation. Without knowing what I was doing, I threw up my hand, aiming it at the approaching Keeper. But the hand froze in the backswing at the last moment. Soulcatcher... If the enemy is a member of the Forces of Chaos... It ignores any defense. Which means... Holy Mother of God! I¡¯ve hit the jackpot! Flying past the Keeper, the ghostly dagger went straight to the Heart. Breaking through the shell without the slightest resistance, it plunged into it until the hilt. Sensing that something was wrong, the Keeper turned sharply. She gasped at the sight of the ghostly thread, through which vital energy flowed from the Heart and into her enemy. With the same jerk, her fiery anger glanced back at me and her fearsome tail set in motion again. Breathing heavily, I threw up my hand again... The flame died away almost immediately. Flamespear misfired; my HP was running out and, despite Soulcatcher¡¯s help, purple murk appeared before my eyes. Too slow. The Heart was reluctant to part with its HP and thus gave far less than I expected. I instinctively curled up, anticipating the inevitable blow, and hoping that I would have time to roll away... I think she would have finished me off with that blow if Fury hadn¡¯t reached her at that moment. Charging forward with the power of an arbalest shot, the sting on the tip of the Direcat¡¯s tail pierced the Keeper¡¯s back. Hit by the Mortal Sting, she screamed shrilly, arching from the pain. Her cry grew louder; the force of the sound wave picked up and threw me against the wall. I lost my sight again... Chapter 28 It was much harder to come to for the second time. Rows of lines about the battle¡¯s results and unlocked achievements unlocked blinked green against the background of reigning darkness, but I had no strength, desire, or opportunity to study that information. Something was happening. The sound of deafening crashes echoed throughout the hall. Something collapsed. There was chaos all around me. A large, strong body flashed before my eyes, followed by an alarming roar, and fangs sank into my forearm. The Direcat. I felt her fear and ardent desire to get out of here. As soon as I grabbed her neck, Fury rushed somewhere upward. I immediately hugged her neck harder, leaning on her with my whole body. She scaled the crumbling wall in a desperate attempt to escape from something terrible that was behind her. Tinnie hung like a beacon a step ahead, illuminating Fury¡¯s path. When she pulled us both out of the deathtrap into which the collapsing den had turned after the Heart¡¯s death, my fingers slipped from the dirty, felted fur. I buried my face in the snow. Jumping to my knees, I looked back and tried to locate the exit through the blizzard that was raging around us with a frenzied howl. Despite it being night outside and the raging bad weather, I saw enough. On the snow-covered ground was a gaping breach, about sixty feet in diameter. In the depths of the black hole thousands of black-and-red shoots stirred furiously, pulling in snow, stones and soil and slowly filling it in. Something flashed inside this giant, worm-infested cesspit ¡ª another movement. I thought I saw a waving hand and a pair of red eyes. I think I heard a groan, too. Was that the Keeper? I probably imagined it all. No creature would be able to get out of there. Crushed by the realization of what had just happened, I swore in regret. Fury saved my life, but all of my possessions remained down there: the sword, the backpack, the pipe, the escs... Fury grabbed my shoulder with her teeth and pulled me almost demandingly. She was right, it was better to get away. There would be time to grieve, as well as enjoy the achievements. Trying to ignore the icy wind that was whipping my face, I examined my shin. It wasn¡¯t clear how the fracture healed itself, the bone seemingly glued itself together and was already covered with flesh, but the wound was still fresh and I could barely stand. Hopeful, I looked around, but besides Fury and Tinnie who was hiding in her fur, there was not a single living soul around. No one rushed to help me. It was time to bury wishful thinking. The Lowlings had long left me behind and excluded me from their group. I would have to rely on my own strength. Actually, from now on, it would be for the best to always rely on myself. This was the only way to avoid unwarranted expectations from others. In the end, I was no one to them, as they were to me. In the meantime, the fissure continued to grow. The process would probably stop only once the surface is completely leveled and has taken on its original appearance. I was sure that it would be hard to even find traces of it in a few hours as everything would be covered with snow. Fury¡­ I looked at her stats and smiled weakly, having no strength left for brighter emotions. Level twelve. Using her newly acquired strength, she managed to pull me out of the hole. I¡¯ll find out how it happened later. For now, I needed to find a shelter. I opened my stats window, almost indifferently invested free points into Mount, raising it to rank 3, and somehow rose to my feet, grimacing from the sharp pain in my shin. Sensing my intentions, Fury turned her head to face me and looked at me almost intimidated. ¡°Be patient,¡± I could barely be heard through the howling wind. ¡°A bit more and we will all rest. Okay?¡± She sighed sorrowfully. I had taken hold of her nape to crawl on her back when I heard a muffled tromp. Turning around anxiously, I looked for the source of the sound. In the distance, horse figures emerged from the whirlwind. They were quickly approaching us. Guttural cries sounded; the riders had clearly noticed me. Wait, riders? Centaurs! Those things were really patient! They had been waiting for me despite the bad weather! That¡¯s why the Lowlings left! Something hit my thigh with terrible force, knocking me down. The sky was spinning in front of my eyes, and my face was covered in snow. Wheezing from pain, I tried to get up as quickly as possible, realizing that every second of delay could be the last for me. But something was hindering me, pulling the disobedient foot to the ground, forcing me to stay, as if paralyzed. A spear. A heavy spear with a black, seven feet long shaft and an elongated jagged tip made out of some black metal. Roaring in rage, I yanked the spear out of my thigh. Weapon in hand and almost losing consciousness, I struggled to mount Fury. She didn¡¯t disappoint me. Sighing noisily, she took off and we rushed through the blizzard in abrupt jumps, trying to outrun the chase.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Few minutes of frenzied jumping turned to be grueling torture, which was interrupted when one of the leaps over a snowdrift ended in a tumble and a fall into a ravine that we hadn¡¯t seen in time. Having fallen off the Direcat and dropped the spear, I rolled over and burrowed my head into the snow. I immediately rose to my knees, anxiously looking out for my pet through the snow gusts. Weak, I trembled like a leaf in the wind ¡ª it was a lousy feeling and made me want to howl dreary. With a growl, Fury rose on all fours and shook her head in shock. Good! Tinnie shot out of a snowdrift, squealed and, like a shooting star, landed on my shoulder. Ignoring the dirt, she hastily climbed under my jacket and pressed herself against the skin near the collarbone, and calmed down. Hearing the sound of hooves, I collapsed into the snow again, trying not to crush Tinnie and mentally ordering Fury to copy my maneuver. We had nothing to lose; in the state we were currently in, the Dions would defeat us in direct confrontation, so it was worth a try. And it worked. I heard no less than five individuals passing by the edge of the ravine and disappearing into the blizzard. This meant that the raid party had been divided to cover as much territory as possible and not miss us. After waiting a few more seconds, I got on my knees and cautiously looked around. The steep slopes of the deep ravine stretched in both directions, as far as the eye could see. The terrain was familiar to me. I used to hunt with the Lowlings here. The camp couldn¡¯t be far away then; a few hundred steps maybe, and a half of this distance could be covered by walking along the bottom of the ravine, hidden from the Dions¡¯ prying eyes. The wind wasn¡¯t blowing as hard down here, too. With such awfully limited visibility it was surprising that we hadn¡¯t fallen into some hole even earlier. But that fall saved us. However, the Dions were an arrogant bunch, I had to give them that. Hanging so closely around the hunting camp... Was no one going to teach them a lesson? Thinking about it, I mechanically licked the snow off my lips; my tongue was rough like sandpaper. Snow... Water. Thirst. And then I broke. I scooped up the snow and shoved it in my mouth, stopping only when I realized that I was starting to freeze; the snow wasn¡¯t even melting on my fingers that had turned blue from the cold. Looking at my auras, I discovered that something new had appeared. New, but not all that helpful. Snow Sustenance HP and energy recovery increased by 5%. Bleeding You lose 0.5% HP every minute. Hypothermia Cold resistance reduced by 30% Exhaustion Reaction rate, HP and energy recovery reduced by 20%. Exhaustion had been present in the lair already, but I was too occupied with other things to notice. A quick visual inspection of the damage didn¡¯t improve my already sour mood. The wound on my hip no longer caused tearing pain, but was in no hurry to close; blood was still oozing out of it, soaking the leather rags and diminishing my already battered HP. Torn muscles would heal for a long time in this state, not to mention the fact that the bones hadn¡¯t stuck together completely and ached painfully with the slightest movement, I felt like a rusty nail had been screwed in my hip. I was really not going anywhere on my own. And I was certainly not running. I had to put all of my hope into Fury. But I still had something. I hurriedly took a flask from my belt and allowed myself a tiny, refreshing sip to ¡°fix¡± my frozen throat. I smeared the wound on both sides of the thigh with the remaining potion, fingers crawling through the holes in my clothes. The flask was now empty. The pain began to subside after a few seconds. I could at least stand on my own now. After the lair¡¯s acid infested air, the fresh air of the outside invigorated almost as well as a sip of the potion. ¡°Fury, come here.¡± The Direcat moved closer, licking snow off her muzzle; misbehavior was contagious, it seems. She had the same auras as me. I fastened the rope from the trophy bola under her front paws, tying it at the withers to make something akin to reins. I then awkwardly climbed onto her back, clutching the improvised reins with my left and the spear with my right hand, which was dragging at my arm as if it weighed a ton. There was nothing surprising about that though as the Lance of the Convert was meant to be used at level 16. Equipping it, I immediately received Imbalance, a debuff that reduced dexterity and strength by 20%. It took a lot of effort just to keep the damn spear in my hand, but one couldn¡¯t remain completely unarmed. So I had to endure. We trotted along the bottom of the ravine. I wasn¡¯t worried about the achievements or the bonuses received for having cleared the lair; I was driven only by one desire ¨C to get to safety as quickly as possible. Alive, preferably. The next ten minutes turned into a new torture session. Rain had eroded the bottom of the ravine, exposing sharp stones, now deceptively sprinkled with snow, which we were sometimes able to go around, and sometimes had to jump over, with the risk of breaking Fury¡¯s legs. Although Mount was at rank 3 one could never ride without practice; it needed to be driven into the muscles and subconscious, mine as well as Fury¡¯s. An artificially developed skill still required practice, and practice required grinding. It was becoming more and more difficult to resist the exhaustion, but I decided not to stop, to endure until I collapse. We would soon be out of the ravine. Judging by the map, there was still about a hundred steps till the hunting camp. Once the ravine turns west, we would go east. But as soon as Fury, with a convulsive jerk, overcame ten feet of the steep slope and climbed out into the icy embrace of a blizzard, I heard the approaching tramp of hooves yet again. These things were really stubborn! ¡°C¡¯mon, Fury! Full speed ahead!¡± Snarling, more exhausted than I was, Fury charged forward. Her legs, adapted to this terrain, made it possible to walk across the snowy blanket without falling deeply into it. Still, the snow hindered us; devouring the already insignificant remnants of strength. Looking around, I couldn¡¯t see our pursuers, but I had no doubt that we had been discovered. However, the mountains were getting closer. The familiar outlines of the rocky slopes emerged from the gusts of snow, and then the dark entrance of the cave appeared. Just a little more. I hoped that I would get to see the Lowlings before a Dion makes a shish-kebab out of me. After all, the camp was never left unattended... Damn, I forgot that it was the night shift, and that I would meet the Okhtans instead! But I had no other choice. I could only hope that the Dalrokt¡¯s influence wouldn¡¯t allow them to finish me off. The Dions, on the contrary, had no such moral obligations. ¡°Come on, Fury, dear, almost there!¡± Chapter 29 Answering my mental plea, the Direcat wheezed. Even though she was using whatever remained of her strength, she didn¡¯t slow down. And yet, the tramping of hooves behind our backs was growing louder. I could already feel the enemies swinging their damn spears to thrust them between my shoulder blades... Fortunately, we flew into the safety of the tunnel before any of that could¡¯ve happened. I ducked sharply so as not to hit my head against the low arch, and then I had to jump off of Fury. Limping, I ran on right after her. A spike of excruciating pain pierced my thigh, and my left shin ached in protest. Swearing silently, I pushed on; the tramping of the hooves was already echoing throughout the cave. The stubborn freaks refused to go away and were at my heels. Finally, we reached the camp. I felt my heart go right through my feet. One glance was enough to understand that my worst fears became reality. At the hearth, lined with stones that burned in the middle of the cave, water gurgled in the cauldron on the tripod. A carcass of a dead animal was lying next to it. Not a single living soul was in the hall! I had to die only because these damn idiots weren¡¯t good at performing their duties?! Or did they just run away cowardly, having heard the noise in the tunnel?! Roaring in despair like a wild beast pursued by hunters, I jumped over the hearth and turned to face my pursuers. I had no strength left in me and I saw no point in trying to run. Breathing heavily, Fury stood beside me. My beast was shaking with fatigue; ribs, visible through the furless skin, looked as if they were about to burst free. With a trembling palm, I gratefully stroked her head, barely feeling my cold fingers. There was no time to grab a bolo, which was unlikely to help me without the appropriate skill anyway. Feeling the danger, Tinnie stirred under the jacket, looked out and soared over my shoulder, her wings buzzing weakly. The look she had was not at all battle-ready; she looked exhausted. She was not on, but well past the threshold of her ability to keep herself in the air. While alive, my pets would never betray me or let me down, but I had no more Crystals left to feed them with... And, unlike me, they wouldn¡¯t be able to respawn. I should die alone. ¡°Fury, Tinnie.¡± Heavy spear in hand, I almost toppled over as I weakly moved in their direction. ¡°Run for the Fortress. Wait there for my return...¡± But I was too late with giving that order. A Dion charged into the hall. The fur clothing and leather armor made it seem larger than it was, but even without that, our physical conditions were worlds apart. Huge and muscular, the top of its head almost touched the ceiling of the cave. How did something that big manage to chase me through the tunnel?! The Dion let out a guttural shout and swung its short sword threateningly. The distance was too big for a strike, but it seemed to be in no hurry to cross the ten feet that separated us. It just glared at me through the eye slits on the leather mask, eyes burning with angry excitement... A sword? So this was the same malicious individual that had pierced my leg with a spear? And now they arrived to get their weapon back and rid themselves of the disgrace among their kin?! In all cultures, a warrior who had lost their weapon is not worthy of respect. Intuition forced me to restrain Fury, who had almost rushed forward, and throw my unarmed hand up. ¡°Stop! I¡¯m not your enemy! We can talk it th-...¡± The Dion stopped yelling, but didn¡¯t lower its sword, although it was obvious that my remark had confused it. Do they even understand the language of the outcasts? I didn¡¯t have time to find out. Shadows emerged seemingly out of nowhere, rushing at the Dion from both sides and soaring into the air. Everything happened so fast that I had no way time to intervene and stop the attackers. Short blades flashed. Blood splattered. Gently landing onto their feet from opposite sides after a synchronized jump, two Okhtans turned around gracefully and assumed their battle stances. However, that wasn¡¯t necessary. The Dion dropped the sword, clutched the cut throat, wheezed, staggered and fell. The weight of its carcass shook the stone floor and raised a cloud of dust. Involuntarily taking a couple of steps forth, I froze. Numb fingers squeezed the heavy spear, the pursuit of which got the previous owner killed... I had to admit, the yellow-faced assholes had excellent camouflage. Caraster¡¯s four were in the camp. Hearing the noise, they didn¡¯t run away, they just turned invisible... I still couldn¡¯t understand how that worked. How did they make others look away? Was it hypnosis or something? Mashta could do something similar, but she couldn¡¯t explain how it worked. Or maybe she didn¡¯t want to explain. Screpis and Otex, the ones who killed the Dion, grabbed the carcass by the hand and dragged it away from the fire. Its head landed into the fire and nearly knocked the pot over; the horned leather helmet was already smoking and had almost caught fire. The other two, Caraster and Molek, who didn¡¯t take part in the fight, were sitting on the stones, looking relaxed as if nothing special had happened. This was, most likely, an ordinary occurrence for them. Finishing off a Dion wasn¡¯t that big of a deal... While they looted anything that had at least some value off the corpse, I stood there, waiting for them to finish and decide what to do with me. For some reason they pretended that no one else was around. Did they think me lesser then them? Was that why they looked at me with contempt and were giving me the cold shoulder? Was I, too, a corpse for them? Oh, fuck you all. Spitting on conventions, I tossed myself onto a stone bed covered with worn out skins that was just a step away from me. With a sorrowful sigh, Fury lay down on the dusty floor near my feet. Tinnie landed onto my shoulder, fell back and stretched, closing her eyes and surrendering herself to exhaustion. Their reactions suggested that there was no immediate threat from the Okhtans, but I still couldn¡¯t take my wary stare away off them. I¡¯ll fall into a coma like state the moment I do so. It was not yet the right time to sleep. Things were still up in the air at the moment. I didn¡¯t believe that the rest of the Dions would break in, since the camp was an ideal place for defense. More than one enemy couldn¡¯t squeeze through the passage, and the guards had just spectacularly demonstrated how to get rid of intruders. It wasn¡¯t a battle, but a cold-blooded, well-worked out murder. The rest of the Dions had the sense to abandon the chase. So, the Okhtans saved my skin. But I was in no hurry to express my gratitude. If they decide to use the same trick on me, then nothing would help me. These were not some stupid mobs from some stupid lair... My arsenal was empty, I was almost out of both stamina and energy, and they were much higher level than me. I stood no chance against them. But I could try at least. To run away, that is. I was fed up with heroic fights.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°The armor is rubbish,¡± hissed Caraster, finally breaking the tense silence. Looking up from the Dion, he picked up the pre-cooked pieces of meat from a flat stone and threw them into the gurgling pot; he then poured something into the water from a bag that was hanging on his belt. I smelled mushrooms. Strange. The Lowlings had assured me that the Okhtans would eat anything and that they didn¡¯t have any cooks. This somewhat peaceful picture somehow didn¡¯t fit in with the image that I had previously had of them. ¡°Of course it¡¯s rubbish,¡± Molek said lazily with a phlegmatic look on his face, cleaning his nails with the tip of his dagger. ¡°Who would entrust good armor to a youngling? Venturous. Stupid. The Dions don¡¯t protect their young well.¡± Caraster finally turned his ugly, and too narrow by human standards, face to look at me. His irises were colorless. Despite the pale twilight light that had snuck into the cave, dispersed only by the light from the hearth, Okhtan pupils didn¡¯t dilate in the dark like those of humans, retaining the shape of tiny dots, black as a pinprick. God almighty, their facial expressions differed tremendously from the human ones that I was used to. I couldn¡¯t figure out what feelings they were expressing. They blinked their empty and lifeless eyeballs, their faces like frozen masks. The muscles of their cheekbones and lips moved only when they were conversing. Alien character was an even darker place. But I couldn¡¯t just stand up and leave now. For some reason I felt that that would be a wrong thing to do and that it would end up badly for my already bad health. ¡°Look, he doesn¡¯t know what to say,¡± Caraster said impassively, continuing to stare at me as if he was examining a rickety stool and wondering whether to throw it away immediately, or let it serve for now. ¡°The shorties intimidated him,¡± said Molek in the same flat tone, using his dagger to clean yet another nail, gray and shiny, like a polished metal scale. ¡°We¡¯re terrible,¡± Screpis added, stripping a piece of cloth off the horse part of the Dion¡¯s body and throwing it near me. The gift wasn¡¯t for me, but for the bedding. I sluggishly put it next to me. I hadn¡¯t had the slightest desire to rise. The slightest of movements made me feel like a wreck. At least the tension was slowly disappearing. ¡°He listened to the lying morons,¡± Otex agreed calmly, looking at the earring he held between his fingers, which he had torn off the ear of the defeated enemy. What were they on about? What do they have against the Lowlings? ¡°A youngling only because it¡¯s level seventeen?¡± I cautiously asked for clarification. Being silent was unbearable. My own voice seemed as raspy as theirs. ¡°Behold, he speaks!¡± Caraster exchanged glances with the others and all four started hissing silently. Chills ran down my spine. Is that...? Is that how they laugh?! Creepy. I felt much closer to the Lowlings than these... creatures. ¡°Look at his face, human. Yes, it¡¯s a male of its species,¡± Screpis advised and lectured, interrupting the ¡°laughter¡± and abruptly pulling the leather helmet off the Dion¡¯s head. The head was one and a half times larger than a human one, corresponding to the creature¡¯s overall large build. The facial features caused a lasting sensation of d¨¦j¨¤ vu... It wasn¡¯t as weird as Okhtan faces. But the bulging superciliary arches, the broad nose bridge, the copper-colored skin with stripes of dark red pigmentation, and some kind of childish surprise, frozen in those large, wide-open eyes with a yellow iris reminded me of something... It couldn¡¯t be. I remembered the creatures from James Cameron¡¯s Avatar. Switch the copper for blue skin with dark blue stripes and you¡¯ll get the exact appearance of Pandora¡¯s native dwellers. The humanoid part of them, at least. What an odd coincidence. ¡°So, what¡¯s wrong with his face?¡± I asked, looking at Screpis, and trying to cope with amazement. ¡°He doesn¡¯t get it.¡± Another wave of hissing was followed by an exchange of glances between the four. ¡°Tell me, Screpis, did you understand a lot during your first days in this location?¡± I snapped tiredly, unable to resist. Hell, I wasn¡¯t here to amuse them. ¡°I suppose that you had issues distinguishing your ass from your head. But now, of course, you are clever and experienced. Unlike lil¡¯ ol¡¯ me.¡± ¡°Would you look at that? The pup knows how to bite,¡± Screpis¡¯s thin lips curved into a cold grin. ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Caraster intervened. ¡°Human, this Dion is young. Not by level, but by age. Therefore, the armor is crappy. And there¡¯s nothing but wind in his head. The only thing he has of value is... Screpis, you finish it.¡± Caraster sprung to his feet and approached me, partially blocking the fire and the carcass, enveloped in a haze of dissolution. I tensed up, but remained seated as I didn¡¯t feel a direct threat. ¡°Where were you, human?¡± the Okhtan inquired, looking at me with his creepy eyes. ¡°The Lowlings assured us that the Dions had killed you. I see that this was a lie. I¡¯m not surprised. You... Smell strongly.¡± ¡°Smell¡± was an understatement. In fact, it reeked from me like from a trash can. The self-made armor, placed over dirty and bloody rags that once were my clothes, was torn and burned with acid splashes; scars and scabs covered my body on places where claws and acid had reached me. My hands and face suffered the most damage. I could participate in a contest for the title of the best beggar in the location. Of course, one man¡¯s trash is another man¡¯s treasure, but still¡­ ¡°What are you wearing? Where did you get that?¡± The sword that had been hanging on the Okhtan¡¯s belt seemed to have jumped out of its shabby sheath and into his hand. The movement was faster than a bullet; the blade¡¯s tip unceremoniously scratched my DIY chest-plate, which was now worn out from all the fighting. The blade then touched both the armband and the greave and darted back into the sheath. I wanted to answer, but couldn¡¯t. My body was literally numb from fatigue. Thoughts sluggishly stirred in my head, which felt as if it weighed a ton. My glance involuntarily shifted to the carcass of an animal by the fire. It was one of the very Sleepy Porks that my group had been hunting during the day, which resembled a crossbreed between a tailed squirrel and a mole the size of a fat sheep. These creatures had adapted to a life in the snow and spent most of their life in hibernation so that they could escape the cold. However, it was enough to frighten them to have them leave their holes. A well-aimed shot from a sling would be enough to hit the animal before it runs far, far away from the hunters. This carcass was left for the night shift; the Kobi had dragged away the rest of the prey to the Fortress to feed the other dwellers. ¡°That¡¯s the smell of a den,¡± Molek approached me and sniffed, wrinkling his flat nose. ¡°He smells of a den! How¡­?¡± It seemed that everyone had come to the same conclusion simultaneously. The Okhtans silently glanced at me. Their slit pupils trembled strangely. Were they¡­ surprised? ¡°Not bad for a rookie,¡± Caraster broke the silence that was hanging in the air. ¡°You look miserable, but the newly gained four levels and grown-up pets speak for themselves. Humans are an amusing race. It won¡¯t be dull with you around. You are always up to something.¡± He prodded my greave with his boot. ¡°Where¡¯s your Uniq? Did you stash your gear or lose it? And what did you try to do with the Dion? Talk him to death? Remember, they are our enemies. You¡¯ve no option, if you don¡¯t strike, they will.¡± Something in his words seemed wrong to me, almost contradictory to what I had just seen. But that thought flashed and disappeared, dissolving in the fatigue. ¡°Leave him, he¡¯s out of it,¡± Molek intervened impassively, interrupting the leader¡¯s barrage of questions. ¡°Those deceitful shorties left him to die, and went to join the evening entertainment.¡± My glance wandered through the hall and I spotted a pattern on the wall, drawn with coal. Chula had drawn it in her spare time, I was sure. It was a picture of a dancing Fairy. The fine lines and strokes were skillfully painted with coal on an uneven stone surface... Chula had talent. Shadows cast by the flame that was dancing in the hearth made the drawing almost seem alive, a little more and the Fairy would flap her painted wings and take off... All of a sudden, I felt absolutely indifferent about anything the Okhtans might say. I made a mistake deciding to sit down. Exhaustion and fatigue finally caught up with me and broke whatever willpower I had left; my eyelids grew heavy, like lead plates, the light began to fade, and my consciousness drifted into darkness¡­ From the author Hello, friends! The book is ready! Thank you very much for your support at the beginning! The date of release is 17.October. So, in three days you will be able to read the end of the 2nd book on Amazon. Thank you very much for your comments! I hope you will continue reading on Amazon and leave a short review and good ratings. Thanks ahead! Here are the Links for those who missed: READ "UNIVERSE ICS" on Amazon. It''s Kindle Unlimited! https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/author/ref=dbs_P_W_.. Zaytsev&searchAlias=digital-text&asin=B07NVF2QG7 This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Follow me on Facebook Leave short feedback on Good Reads Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/Zuboskales Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Zuboskales I wish you more interesting books! Have a good day! Chapter 30 abruptly thrown back into reality. Before I could rebel, Caraster pressed a flask to my lips and made me take a sip. The refreshing taste partially drove the drowsiness away; a warm, invigorating wave spread through my guts. I automatically reached for the flask, but Caraster immediately retreated, returning the flask to his belt. He clearly fulfilled his Good Samaritan deed for the day. There was no point in asking for a second, gratuitous sip. I would just lose what little respect, or rather, tolerance that they graced me with when they had found out about the den. Neutrality was better than enmity, after all. Neutrality... This word sparked something in the back of my mind, but the thought didn¡¯t go further. The bleeding stopped. The heat from the fire and the sip of the potion did their job; the wound on my thigh finally stopped bleeding, though it continued to ache. ¡°You can feed your beast, we have already taken our cut of the carcass,¡± Caraster said, losing interest in me and returned to sitting on his stone. Fury didn¡¯t even bother waiting and assaulted the Pork¡¯s carcass with the same fury with which she had fought Demons in the den, tearing at it. Her HP and energy bars crawled from the yellow to the green zone, but the exhaustion debuff wasn¡¯t in a hurry to do so. Full recovery wouldn¡¯t be possible without a full rest, for her or for me. In my mind I knew that I should follow her example, but for some reason I didn¡¯t feel hunger. It was as if something really left only a ringing void in me. My endurance had seemingly improved; maybe my suffering wasn¡¯t in vain after all... Oh, if I could only trade this suffering for pleasure. ¡°By the way, the shift has started.¡± Otex picked up the Soul Crystal left after dispelling the Dion, threw it to Caraster, grabbed all the trophies and dumped it near the wall. He then came up to me and threw the Dion¡¯s sword and an earring next to me on the bed. ¡°For you. Don¡¯t count on anything else. You can leave the spear here, we will hand it over to the Vault. Get up and go to the Fortress. You aren¡¯t needed here in the state you¡¯re in.¡± An obvious hint that was to let me know that no one was eager to nurse a weakling. Not to mention that there was only one bed. I picked up the sword and took a look at its stats. It was for level 14, which was perfect for me. However, due to the latest update, my Uniq dealt 135-150 damage, and the Dion¡¯s one-hander, appropriately named Blood Brother, dealt just under a hundred and had no additional bonuses, which wasn¡¯t surprising. The forging was rough, the blade was chipped, and it had half of its durability left. There was no scabbard either. This sword was just a toy, most likely a tool for fixing equipment and cutting down game. Still, the Dion¡¯s main weapons were spears, which is why their stats were more impressive. They were no worse than my Uniq¡¯s, but the mere thought of taking up a Dion weapon again and burdening myself with Imbalance made me sick. I threw a grateful glance at Otex, who had returned to the campfire. I held up the second trophy. Two Moons Earring Level 13 Strength: +3 Endurance: +3 My doubtful stare returned to the Okhtans. They weren¡¯t such ruthless killers as Mashta described them to be. They weren¡¯t even misers. Giving me a sip of the potion, sharing loot... But why did she feel the need to exaggerate? Maybe, I had passed some kind of a test, getting out of the den on my own, and earning their favor? Catching Caraster¡¯s indifferent gaze, I pierced my earlobe with the earring, feeling a trickle of blood run through my fingers. After in the den, this felt like a mosquito bite. Besides, I had no pockets or anything to carry it in. Well, the sword will have to stay on the belt as it obviously didn¡¯t fit into my dagger¡¯s sheath that was still dangling there. I could have put the earring in the sheath, or under the flask¡¯s cover, or in the flask itself. There were a lot of options. No, I needed to urgently do something about making some pockets. ¡°Some of you said something about entertainment,¡± I said hoarsely, finishing up with my inventory. What the¡­? ¡°Look, he¡¯s no longer afraid.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not scary now.¡± ¡°We helped him save his skin. He thinks us his friends.¡± ¡°Take it up a notch. Relatives.¡± ¡°Caraster, maybe we should put him as our commander instead of you? Our five is incomplete.¡± Damn, that was obvious! Part of the shared loot was just a compensation for the Soul Crystal, which was the most valuable thing here! Thanks to that soc, they will be able to restore their five. What¡¯s low-level junk compared to that?! Nothing! And they behaved as if nothing special had happened, damn their impassive asses... You owe me, damn it! Owe me much more than this crappy gear! ¡°I asked you a question,¡± I reminded as calmly as I could, interrupting. ¡°Did you, really? Do you have problems sitting down with such a huge pair of balls?¡± Otex moved his hand toward the sword, as if wondering if he could teach me some manners. ¡°Enough,¡± Caraster intervened, interrupting the parade of goosebumps marching down my back and neck. I was again prepared to run for my life, having decided that I had gone too far in demonstrating my independence. ¡°Hurry up, human, and you will see with your own eyes how our fighters finish off the Raksh.¡± Sweet mother of...! As if burned, I jumped to my feet. Drowsiness disappeared in a flash, and I suddenly felt invigorated. The quest... They would ruin my quest with a premature fight! Why couldn¡¯t they have waited another day?! Someone was too anxious! ¡°Maybe you still have time to place a bet. Hm, you¡¯ll need something to do that... Here you go,¡± Otex caught a piece of meat which Caraster had fished out of the cauldron and thrown at him, stepped closer and handed it to me. The meat was burning hot, and the Okhtan, knowing this very well, grinned thinly. If this was another toughness test, then he failed to impress and intimidated me; all of my senses were still numb. I didn¡¯t even twitch. ¡°Move it, human. Leave the pet, we won¡¯t touch her. Let her eat, she¡¯ll catch up.¡± You bet she will... I don¡¯t trust you so much as to risk my pets after getting them out of the den. Naturally, I didn¡¯t say it out loud. I had no reason to spoil the established neutrality. Mentally ordering Fury to break away from the grub, which she reluctantly did, I limped into the darkness of the tunnel. I didn¡¯t want my departure to look like an escape.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. On the other hand... Ah, screw that! The quest was more important than far-fetched propriety and false pride! I jogged away. My feet ached, but I had to be patient. Again. Recalling the piece of meat in my hand, I sank my teeth into it. It tasted half-cooked but, more importantly, it was edible. ¡°Told you; deceitful morons,¡± Someone said behind me, before the campfire¡¯s light faded and the darkness finally closed around. I barely remember running through the tunnels. All I thought about was not breaking my legs in the dark and getting to the Fortress before the Raksh gets killed. Unaccompanied, I looped through the winding passages for the first time, but the map helped me navigate and find my way. Tinnie refused to work as a flashlight; she couldn¡¯t even fly. She sat on my shoulder, looking miserable; my poor baby was obviously overstrained. I had left the lighter in the lair along with my other possessions. Fortunately, however, the darkness wasn¡¯t as thick and I managed to see even without a light. Night vision was seemingly evolving somehow, which meant that I would have to look at the changes in the skill set later. If there were any changes, that is. I didn¡¯t want to do it while running as I didn¡¯t want to stumble and lose precious time. Fury helped me navigate; her acute animal vision led her forward surely, pointing the way. I go there just in time. Well, almost. Voices grew louder and louder with each step, until I jumped out of the tunnel into the open and stopped, trying to catch my breath and assess the situation. Ah, for fuck¡¯s sake! I saw a familiar picture ¡ª the entire population of the Fortress had gathered to observe the Duel of Valor. There was a wild, deafening hubbub in the air; about fifty outcasts were shouting excitedly and waving swords. Luckily, they didn¡¯t hurt one another. During my stay here, I managed to understand that when a fight concerned the Okhtans directly they would turn them into examples of composure. But as spectators, they unleashed their feelings without regard for propriety. Even after seeing the crowd, I still hoped that they were having fun not with the Raksh, but among themselves. Unfortunately, I noticed the Raksh whose shaggy, four-armed figure circled in the middle of the crowd, fighting one of the Okhtans. Rawrk¡¯s enemy was level 20, although he himself was level 16. It was a custom to select equally strong fighters, but apparently, they hadn¡¯t found anyone with a lower level. I understood the need for these kinds of entertainments. In addition to repairing equipment, primitive dice games and competing for things admitted to the auction, there was nothing else to be done in the evenings. Therefore, the combat auction enjoyed a special love among the people. But I needed the Raksh alive! What could I do about it? It sucks when you don¡¯t know what to do, and when mistakes can be fatal... How could you take away entertainment from such a crowd and hope that you won¡¯t have your bones broken, at the very least? I had hoped that I would have time to come up with something on my wave to here and, as they say, have my cake and eat it too. And now, looking at the screaming outcasts and the glimmering swords, I understood that I was not prepared for this turn of events, and that my weary head had not a worthy thought in it. The Raksh was given back his four blades, allowing him to fight in his usual style, while the Okhtan fought with two swords. Things were that bad then. But it was clear that the Raksh was the inferior one and that the difference in levels would play a significant role in the fight. Rawrk jumped, spun, attacked from positions unthinkable for a human, but his attacks were powerless against the blades of the Okhtan who seemed to move only at the last moment to repel the blow. In addition, Rawrk¡¯s ¡°clothes¡± consisted only of a wide belt of tanned leather with a bunch of scabbards and a loincloth, in which he had appeared in the Fortress. The Okhtan, one the other hand, was clad in leather and metal. Rawrk fought desperately and bravely, but the fur on his chest and paws had already been bloodied, while his opponent looked unharmed. Is this what they call an equal fight? Is this how they perceive justice here?! Fury growled slightly, feeling my lousy mood and growing anger. I saw none of the Lowlings in the crowd. It would¡¯ve been possible to somehow influence the situation through them; after all they were well known and had some kind of authority. It was doubtful that they were in their room. I¡¯d only lose precious time looking for them. My gaze singled out a Dalrokt which towered above the crowd on the far side from me, like an icebreaker among icebergs ¡ª Chzher, the one who managed the Service Center in the armory. Apparently, it was he who kept the order while the rest of his fellow tribesmen were resting. It was time to decide whether I would spit on a hopeless cause and get out, go to my room, collapse on the floor and fall asleep; or intervene somehow. It was scary, damn it! Mashta had obviously exaggerated about the nature of the Okhtans, but... I looked inquisitively at Fury. On the surface, her looks almost hadn¡¯t improved; her ribs could still be seen through the torn fur, but the grub from the camp and jogging through the tunnels did her some good. Her stamina was at 80%. I could count on her... But it¡¯d be best that I don¡¯t. It was better to take this risk alone, lest she be torn to shreds too. If anything, I could give her the command to escape from the Fortress without fighting and wait outside until I return from the respawn point. She would find something to do without me; hunt, for example. So long as she doesn¡¯t run into any of the outcasts... While I was cowardly wasting my time, the situation instantaneously turned from nasty to catastrophic. Rawrk¡¯s howl broke through the ringing of blades, imbued with unbearable pain. I apparently lost control of my nerves. Embodying my latent desire, Fury rushed forward like lightning, through the chain of fans, taking her fighting form while in the air. With the sound akin to the cracking of bones, the fur on her body literally exploded and reared up with long needles from neck to tail, turning into barbed armor. Some of the Okhtans managed to jump out of her way, but others, hit by her charging body, flew off to the sides, barely remaining on their feet. Having landed in the center of the arena between the two fighters, Fury began to spin like a dervish, baring her long, curved fangs. Her fur was now as black as coal, and her face covered with triangular scales with sharp edges that curved outward. Her entire head looked as if covered by some sort of a helmet made of bone. There were no more skinny ribs, no bald patches, eaten by acid or healing scars; the combat form shed the damage, like a snake sheds its skin. A mighty dangerous beast appeared in the arena; emerald-green eyes flashing threateningly, looking for anyone who¡¯d dare attack first. It no longer mattered that she was only level 12; she looked like a level 20. I didn¡¯t notice when I got near her; I couldn¡¯t abandon my pet in trouble. The crowd was wary and quiet, not understanding what was happening. Puzzled, Rawrk lowered his swords, blood dripping from the blades. He rose from his knees with notable effort. His upper pair of hands still squeezed the swords, but the second pair he had to throw in order to hold the bleeding stump of the lower left limb with his free hand. The hand had been cut off with a part of the arm an inch above the wrist. Surprisingly, his health bar had so far remained in the green zone, his wound was not at all fatal, but his defeat was now inevitable. The sudden pause which electrified the surrounding air with tension, threatened to end. The first indignant cry would sweep away the silence and events would start to unfold at an insane pace. My gaze darted into the distance again. Since Chzher was in charge, I had to act through him. Immediately. Unfortunately, fatigue still had its grip on me and I missed out on the right moment to intervene. All I could do now was try to somehow smooth out the situation. ¡°Chzher, I have important information about the survival of the Fortress.¡± I wanted to say it loudly and clearly, but my voice crackled like a broken radio. ¡°The Rakshasa must survive. The duel must be postponed.¡± It wasn¡¯t without reason that the Dalrokts were considered born commanders, Mashta hadn¡¯t lied about that. It took Chzher just a couple of seconds to make a decision. He imperatively waved his hand and roared out an order. ¡°Throw the Rakshasa back into his cage. Follow me, human.¡±