《Ingame 2  Homeland》


 chapter 1 Return

    Chapter one


    Return


    I shook myself awake and glanced over at Rebecca who was still sleeping on our bed.  I smiled as I looked at her, she reminded me of all that I had done this past year.  It had been a lot of hard work to accomplish everything, I had struggled to finish it in the time I had given myself.  But now it was all ready.  Taking a few moments,  I reflected on the events that had occurred once I returned to the orphanage.  After spending my first night back at Rebecca¡¯s apartment doing everything I could think of and a couple of things she thought of to each other, we had finally fallen asleep, exhausted but satisfied and relaxed.


    Before going to the summer camp I had never thought of Rebecca as a woman, just as a friend who worked at the state-run orphanage.  When we had seen each other after I had returned from summer camp, Rebecca had seduced me and I had gone willingly, like a lamb to the slaughter.  I knew that it was not really her but rather my succubae bond.  I radiated sexuality like a half pint Incubi, and almost all women would react to me now.  I cannot turn it off and have learnt to be very careful with how friendly I am to the fairer sex.


    I had also managed to get my reward from Gnet.   The princely sum of five million credits.  I had my doubts that they were going to pay up.  It had been the sort of challenge that they thought no one  could ever win.  Which was why the reward was so high.  After some haggling and legal discussions I had the money in the bank and they were busy making sure that the system admin access that the beta Google glasses has given me was now plugged up tight.  They, of course, wanted to keep the glasses and bought them from me for another two hundred thousand credits.  I heard they had people out searching for any other lost tech that they had developed.


    Fortunately, I managed to maintain my anonymity throughout the whole thing, it was a real embarrassment to the company to have to pay out such a large amount.  So they agreed to keep my name out of the press as long as I signed a waiver to keep quiet about the whole thing.  With the money in hand I moved into Rebecca¡¯s apartment, my time at the orphanage had run its course and I needed a home base.  Plus the privilege of pleasure to be had made it an easy to make decision.


    Once I was set up I began to do my research, finally finding one of the game designers for Gods and Men.  I knew that all software geeks/programmers would leave themselves secret back doors and Easter eggs.  It had cost me one million credits but I had my back door into the game set up.  Being  a cautious guy I immediately changed the passwords and used military grade encryption software to make sure I could not be locked out of the game.  Plus a vaguely worded contracted that was ironclad in the payback clause if the service rendered was not found to be operational.


    Then I got lucky, it turns out that the main server for the game was located in Nebraska of all places.  Nebraska, home of the Cornhuskers and Carhenge and not much else.  Except for missile silos, lots of them.  All were empty and most were ruined.  Monuments of a long ago cold war.  But a few had been maintained and converted into private homes, businesses, and secure storage facilities. With the three-ton blast doors and the eight-foot-thick reinforced concrete walls, they were pretty damn secure.  The online virtual reality game Gods and Men had its main server located in one of these decommissioned silos.


    I bought the nearest silo that had been converted into a home and then paid two million credits to have a secure line patched into the main fiber optic trunk feed.  The two men I had hired to do the work had been near retirement age and with one million extra credits each they had retired down to Belize in one of the floating cities on the sea that were located next to the coastline.  Work done in secret does not come cheap.  I hope they enjoyed retirement.


    The last part of my plan had been to purchase a VRP.  And then mod the hell out of it.  It was not that I wanted to cheat while Ingame, I just wanted to stay Ingame.  I knew the Old Bastards had developed the game, and I knew that they had system-wide access to the R.W. and to all Admin functions while playing.  They had stopped all G.M¡¯s from protecting players and had also allowed for the abusive actions of the Player Killer Elite from the House of Pain.  Over the past year, I had developed a bit of an attitude problem with the Old Bastards.


    Once I realized that the one player I had halfway trusted, who was also the leader of that geriatric gang, had betrayed me to the Eldest, the Unknown God, I became a little pissed.  Not only had his actions resulted in my death and banishment from the game, he had helped to have the Eldest kill the Earth Mother and kidnap my daughter.  I am planning on hurting them and hurting them badly.  When I was finished with the Old Bastards Archon would be changing his name to Ache-on.


    Rebecca stirred in her sleep and murmured something that was too quiet for me to hear.  I walked softly out of the room and went to the lift, I wanted to see the sunrise once more before I entered the VRP.  Out here in the flatlands with the open vistas stretching for miles and miles watching the sun climb over the horizon was a sight worth seeing.  No Garbage, no ruined buildings or abandoned cars.  Just fields of corn, going on as far as the eye could see.


    Lighting a smoke I looked at the new buildings that had just been completed, a boys dorm a girls dorm and a shared rec kitchen facility.  There were also buildings for the staff residence and an office.  Rebecca had taken the half million I had given her and with my blessing was building a summer camp for orphans, the old fashioned kind of summer camp.  She had set up a charity and was actively organizing everything.  She would live here in the bunker and take care of things for me and help kids at the same time.


    I sensed Rebecca as she came out the door and sat next to me.  ¡°You are positive you have to go back Tor?¡± She asked with a sad tone.  She knew the answer but wanted talk, to just let the words come out instead of the tears.  We had the tears come and go already and now we were at the goodbyes and soft words spoken to mask the pain of separation.  I pulled her towards me and let her rest her head on my shoulder, she smelled wonderful.  We sat for a little while and then made our way into the bunker and down to my vault.


    As we entered the room I noted that the VRP was ready, I had been running diagnostics on it, double checking  all the mods.  I turned and made my way to the table and held up the injectors.  Rebecca looked at them with distaste and said, ¡°I wish you did not have to take them, you don¡¯t even know if they will have the desired effects.¡±  ¡°I know honey, but if these nanobots work it will give me an edge when the game evaluates me and sets my base attributes for strength and endurance,¡±  I spoke with confidence and I hoped my plan would work.


    The latest fad is temporary nanobots. Injectable and able to temporarily increase speed, agility and strength.  You could even buy nanobots that could allow you to lightly assume the personality of your favorite movie star.  For twenty-four hours, you could be Jason Bourne, trained assassin if that was what you liked.  You would be stronger and faster than a norm as the company called people.  Not a Superman but still above average.


    The military had developed the nanobots for defensive use, and then the police and fire departments started to use them.  They worked and like everything that could be modified to make a buck for the military complex that had developed them they were released to the general public.   First, they were detuned and then programmed with self-destruct timers.  Twenty-four hours and you would be peeing out the 22-century military technology.


    They were a huge success and were making some wealthy people even wealthier.  I had spent a lot of money on acquiring military grade nanobots.  They would not expire without help from me.   The strength and speed were roughly four times normal average.  They had the ability to generate an electrical discharge which could be shot from each hand.  The eyes now were capable of binocular vision.  Poisons were filtered out and wounds were self-healing, to a degree.  If you lost a hand, you would not get it back.  There was a limit to what modern tech could do.  They also had limited ability to allow you to breathe underwater and to control your body heat, you no longer needed an AC unit.


    When I entered the pod the game AI would evaluate my strength and speed and just about everything else my body was capable of.  Then that information would be added to the base stats that all players were given.  If my plan worked I would have an edge.   Here is hoping I thought as I injected the first of three.  Rebecca looked away, it reminded her of people injecting drugs.  I understood, drugs had destroyed generations of the poorest people in society.


    I walked over to Rebecca and gave her a kiss and said, ¡°Wish me luck.¡±  Turning I stripped off my clothing and entered the pod.  I waved at her as the nano gel began to fill the VRP and then the lid shut and sealed with a vented hiss.  The AI asked if I was ready and as the lights dimmed I hit the green button.  Then all went black.


    I awoke to find I was floating in a white room.  It was  a case of d¨¦j¨¤ vue, only now no Unknown God was waiting for me this time.  Instead, there appeared a genie-like figure who greeted me warmly and then asked me to choose a name.   Without hesitation, I said, ¡°Tor.¡±  The genie AI paused for a second and then spoke, ¡°I am sorry that name is on the banned list, please choose another.¡±  This was the part of the character creation that I hated.  Every name I thought of was unavailable.  Finally, I said, ¡°call me Torn,¡± not really believing it would be accepted.


    The genie hummed and then spoke, ¡°Welcome to the world of Gods and Men, Torn.  Please review the lists of available classes and races while we run some tests on your body.  This will enable us to develop a baseline for your stats and help us to advise you on your future choices.¡±  I nodded, it was going much as I had thought it would, now if the nanobot abilities would be incorporated into my base stats I would be home free.


    I looked at the list of races that were available, a few more had been added  through a patch at some point.  I was a bit of a traditionalist and did not pay much attention to any of the extra races.  I quickly compiled a list of the races that held any interest for me and noted the attributes and racials.


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    Humans


    Fast and adaptable, they excel in all forms of martial arts.


    They are competent magic users and excellent healers.


    All classes were available for a human to play


    Not as long lived as the others still some humans are hundreds of years old


    Racial ability is learning, humans master everything they try


    Drawfs


    This race favors the melee class and the hunter class


    They have powerful earth magic and are masters of the forge


    It is said that there are Dwarfs who master the culinary arts


    They prefer mountains and caves but are found throughout the world


    They are long lived and it is nothing to see Dwarfs over five centuries old


    Racial ability location a Dwarf will never get lost


    Elfs


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elfs favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds elves can move at twice normal speed


    Goblins


    Short, green and deadly this race usually will not play well with other races


    Masters of poison and the dagger


    Goblins are often assassins and many believe them to be nocturnal


    Racial ability freeze time they can freeze time for 5 seconds


    which they then use to sneak behind you and attack


    Fairies


    Open and courageous to their friends


    A small race that favors the forests over the cities


    Strong in nature magic


    Calling a Fairy a Cupcake is considered a deadly insult


    Not a melee fighter Fairies do make excellent healers


    Racial, the ability to make a Rainstorm happen


    The rain water is extremely potent magically


    Ogres


    Tall green and violent this race is full of rage and hates everything


    Only melee class are playable


    Extremely self-sufficient this race is excellent for self-leveling


    Hates the city and the forest and the sea, really they just hate everything


    Racial, the ability to pray to their God


    and have the prayers answered


    with assistance in the form of a huge green humanoid called Hulka


    This humanoid is also full of rage and is extremely dangerous


    Going over the list I had to smile, clearly the game team was having fun with the latest patch, I wondered how the Old Bastards liked it.  Still for the others playing the game it had to appear normal so the patches would reflect that. Choices, choices, I liked the elves and my thoughts were to develop myself as a healer, this time, around plus the racial was pretty neat.   Elves seemed to fit what I needed.


    Turning to the genie who had been patiently waiting I indicated my choice.  I listened as he began to explain the open path leveling system, the three basic spells all new players had and the character development that level ten would open up.  Then he asked for what type of elf I wished to be forest or sea.  I chose forest  because I knew that they were the master of the bow and distance combat was what I wanted to do this time Ingame.


    My use of Judo Ingame had saved me in the past but the game was adaptable and that kind of out of the box thinking usually only worked once.  Finally, all the choices were all made and I was ready to enter the game world.  I took one last look at my interface and noted that only  Gaiatoci¡¯s and Ama¡¯s buff were present.  Then I opened up the stats tab and had a look to see if my plan had paid off.


    Strength - starting level one = 50   Your strength starting level one =200


    Agility ¨C starting level one = 55    Your agility starting level one =220


    Intellect ¨C starting level one = 55  Your intellect starting level one = 55


    Health ¨C starting level one = 50     Your heath starting level one = 200


    Speed ¨C starting level one = 50    Your speed starting level one =200


    + racial ability limited time double speed


    I was happy with the results with only Intellect being game normal, not even miniature robots can make you smarter I thought.  Other than that, clearly the nanobots had done the job I had hoped for.  If any of the other abilities the nano bots gave me worked, it would be like Christmas come early without a Kritiq to stink things up.  I thanked the genie AI and then hit the big green button and watched as the room faded to black.


    Slowly opening my eyes I looked around, I was back at the park where new players entered the game.  I stood up and breathed in the air, by God if felt good to be back.  As I glanced around I noted some changes had taken place.  In front of all the pavilions a new flag was flying, it showed a black hammer standing upright on its shaft against a red background with a silver edge on the border.


    I climbed off of  the bench I was sitting on and made my way to a booth where an NPC was selling cheap low-level leather gear.  ¡°Excuse me, sir,¡± I said politely, ¡°I am wondering what those banners have on them?¡±  The shopkeeper looked at me and then stared at my eyes for a minute before suddenly looking  away, ¡°That is the symbol of the Hammerytes, he answered.  It has been six years of the bloody Drawfs setting up the Temple of Mechanism, and the Shrine of Steam.  And it is all because of that damned demon Tor.¡±


    I stared at the shopkeeper in surprise, I had known that changes would be happening but this was something I had not expected.  I had to get to the Dragons Den and see if my friends were still there.  I am not sure what Archon and the Eldest might have done to them while I was gone and now I was back the worry hit me heavy.  Thanking the shopkeeper I made me way up through the park to the first gate.  Instead of City guards and Kings guards standing watch, there were two Drawfs wearing a Hammeryte tabard.


    They greeted me politely and asked my business,  ¡°I am going to visit a friend,¡±I responded.  ¡°Well be off with ya then,¡± the taller guard said, and then reminded me to ¡°watch for the curfew as it starts at ten bells.¡±  Thanking them I made my way up through tier one and into tier two.  As I walked I noted that the streets were very clean much more so than normal.  Also, while there were some Elfs and Humans, the Drawfs were the most common in the city now.


    I finally came to the square that the Inn and the smithy were located at and stopped and stared.  In the middle of the square was a fountain and on top of it was a statue, my God it was me, me as Tor, in combat with the Gods.  What the hell has happened here I thought.  Walking over to the fountain I observed a plaque.  I read,


    In memory of Saint Tor, the bringer of science.  Fallen in combat against the gods themselves who opposed any challenge to their authority.  He freed us and we will remember him.


    Well fuck me.

 Chapter 2 Companion

    Chapter two


    Companion


    I heard a voice behind me speak, ¡°That statue is a big pile of horseshit, Tor did not go up to the Temple mount to fight the Gods,  he went there to capture them.¡±  Turning around to see who was speaking I stared in surprise.  It was Sebastian, my little metro male demon friend. Clearly something was off, he looked terrible with dirty attire and needing a shave as he was in his human form.  Sniffing the air I could smell the fumes wafting off him .


    He saw me looking at him and perhaps saw the pity in my eyes for his next words were, ¡°And who the fuck are you.¡±  Then he stumbled and fell on his face, then rolling over on the ground he began to cry.  I looked around, no one seemed to have seen us yet and I did not want to attract attention to myself. Bending down I reached over to help him and said,¡±Sebastian, get a hold of yourself.¡±


    Staring at me with bleary eyes he mumbled, ¡°Hey, how do you know my name?¡±  I tried to assist him to stand up but he was clearly past the point of walking on his own.  Trusting my advanced nanobot enabled strength I grabbed him and lifted him over my shoulder.  Thank God that the nanobot idea had worked.  Holding my breath I cast Shadows and both Sebastian and I faded from view.


    I quickly made my way through the maze of buildings and alleyways avoiding the streets as much as I could.  Finally, I neared my destination, the abandoned park.  I observed that Banhammer had followed my secret orders and closed off the entrance-way.  No one could see into the park, and entry was impossible from the street.  Making my way to the shrine Banhammer had built next to the entrance I slipped in and then pushed the ceramic brick that opened the hidden door.


    Once we were through the wall the door closed silently, I had to admit it the Drawfs were great craftsmen.  I carried Sebastian over to one of the benches that stood overlooking the little stream.  Staring at him I saw the ruin of the person I had known.  It made me wonder what the hell had happened.  Speaking softly I said, ¡°Sebastian, I need you now as you were, not like this.  I turned to look at the stream wondering what my next move would be when suddenly I heard a soft pop.


    Spinning around I saw Sebastian was now in his full demonic form and he was looking a little pissed. ¡°Who are you and why have you brought me here?¡± Sebastian spoke slowly but it was obvious he was wanting answers, and he was now cold stone sober.  I looked at him, then smiled and asked, ¡°You still don¡¯t know who I am?¡±


    ¡°Mortal, I am in no mood to play games, I know I do not know you, so explain yourself or I will rip you into little bits.¡± Seeing that he was on edge and not likely to calm down I spoke quickly.  ¡°I once asked you for some advice, on several pieces of artwork of all things, you suggested I acquire three pieces.  I left them at my palace in Hell.  Do you know me now?¡± I was feeling a bit on edge myself by now and was louder than I had thought I would be.


    The results of my question to Sebastian were immediate, as he rocked back stunned. Looking at me he said, ¡°Only a few people would know of that, who sent you? Who are you?¡±  I looked at him and asked,  ¡°Do you really not know who I am my friend, I know it has been 6 years but look at the man inside, not the person you see on the outside.¡±


    He spoke with a trembling voice, ¡°Tor, is that you, are you really back, or is this just more bullshit sent down from Kingstown by the King or Reona."


    ¡°It is me, yes I am really back, and I really want to know what the hell is happening,¡± I spoke softly but Sebastian had no doubt of the veracity of my words.  Rushing up to me he grabbed me in a hug and said, ¡°By the infernal seashores at Abyss lake, I am so happy to see you Tor.¡±


    ¡°Me too buddy me too.  But what has been happening in the years I have been gone?¡± I spoke in a muffled tone, being hugged by a demon takes your breath away.


    Looking at me Sebastian began to smile for the first time.  ¡°Much has happened Tor.  When you were gone, the Kingdom fell into anarchy soon after the Gods disappeared from the world.  We all knew it was your doing.  Then that damned Dragon showed up and twisted the ear of the King.  He had his daughter appointed viceroy under the King.  You know her I believe, your friend Reona.¡±  I sat back stunned, that was not what I was expecting.


    ¡°So what else has happened, where is everyone?¡± I spoke rapidly, I really wanted to see Ama and Raik and Gluzzie, hell I wanted to see all of my friends.  Looking at me, Sebastian''s voice became sad, ¡°You will not be able to see them, they are not here.¡±  I could feel my voice tightening as I asked, ¡°Where are they?¡±  Dark thoughts filled my mind and worry was overtaking me.


    Sebastian looked at me and with compassion and said, ¡°They went back to the Roundland, to help Oaktree with the children.  It was becoming too dangerous to remain so we all agreed to leave.  I volunteered to stay, as Ama was certain that you were alive.  Your soul link with her never faded.  They used the homestones Gaiatoci had given us and left.¡±  I nodded at the news and felt a great sense of relief.


    ¡°There is one more thing that you need to be aware of,¡± Sebastian said.  I nodded at him and asked, ¡°What is that?¡±  He looked at me and then paused for a moment, speaking slowly he said, ¡°I should not be the one to tell you this, but you deserve to know.  When Ama left, she was pregnant with your child.¡±  I could not breathe for a moment, my mind raced with the thought, how could this be?  After several seconds, I regained my composure and asked Sebastian, ¡°How is this possible?¡±


    Staring at me he gave his head a shake and said, ¡°Did you hit your head or something while you were gone.  You and Ama would go to your bedroom and then you would remove your clothes and then you would fu..¡±  I stopped him at this point as I knew how it happened.  What I wanted to know was how I, a player could get an NPC pregnant with a child.


    I realized that Sebastian would not know and in fact, would probably think that I was a little crazy if I continued this conversation.  ¡°All right, stop I know how she got pregnant, I am just surprised by this.¡±  Sebastian nodded, ¡°We were all surprised, it is very rare for Demons to have children and when we found out it was cause for celebration.  This was tempered by the situation happening in the city, and was part of why we chose to leave.¡±


    Thinking about the situation and what had happened I had to agree this was the best outcome for my friends, for my family.  They would be safer there. ¡°So how did the Drawfs take Gluzzie leaving?¡± I asked.  ¡°I bet Banhammer had a conniption, he was so proud of finding the head of his clan.¡±


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°Not as much as you would think, he was and still is making new things, powerful items.  The King and Reona are not liking that so much.  That statue I found you at, well they have one in Kingstown and it shows the Gods sacrificing themselves to stop you.  You are hated up there, they think you are a demon and while you may be revered down here if you announce yourself it will cause problems.¡±  Sebastian spoke with a happy grin.  ¡°Big problems.¡±


    This day was not what I had hoped for, being gone for six years had messed things up for me.  ¡°Man, I could sure use smoke,¡± I said.  I watched in amazement as Sebastian reached into the pouch he carried on his hip and pulled out a small wooden box,  opening it he handed me a smoke.  I stared in amazement at the perfectly rolled cigarette and then summoning Dragon fire from my finger tip I lit it.


    ¡°Where did you get these," I asked as I took a drag.  "They look like they were bought in a store."  Sebastian grinned and said, ¡°They were, Raik and I went into business together, we opened The Fine Herb and Smoke shop.  It is pretty popular even the Kingstown crowd comes down to buy our smokes.  The manager has two apprentices who are helping him.  I go in for a box of smokes every now and then and to check out how things are going.¡±


    ¡°How are things going,¡± I asked.  Sebastian looking proud said, ¡°In the last five years we have made a profit of over one hundred thousand gold.¡±  I sat back stunned, that was a huge sum of wealth Ingame.  ¡°Everyone likes to smoke, even a lot of the Drawfs down here have put away their pipes and prefer our cigarettes.¡±


    I nodded,I knew smoking would catch on, I was surprised no one else had thought outside the box and started to roll their own.  Opening the business was the next logical step.  ¡°I am proud of you, both you and Raik, well done,¡±  I spoke with a smile, glad that my friends had some good things happen while I was gone.


    ¡°So what happened to the city, You have mentioned Kingstown a couple of times and it is apparent that the two lower tiers of the city are now more a Drawfen district than a Human city?¡±


    Nodding his head Sebastian said, "After Reona became Viceroy she declared the top tiers of the city to be for Humans only, and all the other races were brought down to us.  At the same time, Banhammer had sent out a call to his clan and Drawfs began to show up in an every increasing number.   During this time Banhammer erected the Temple of Mechanism and the Shrine of Steam.¡±


    Holding up my hand I asked, ¡°What is the Temple of Mechanism, and the Shrine of Steam?¡± Sebastian looked down at the ground for a minute and then spoke, ¡°I don¡¯t really know what they are, the Temple is a huge bloody building, coal and wood go in there and nothing comes out,  the fires of the forges are burning all the time but only Hammerytes are allowed past the courtyard into the building itself."


    "The shrine of steam is a complex that houses a shrine at the front with gardens, it is very pleasant.  But to actually enter the buildings behind the open shrine, is not allowed.  Only Hammerytes are allowed into the buildings.¡±


    I nodded, it was becoming clearer what Banhammer had done, I was guessing but the Temple of Mechanism sounded like some sort of Industrial age factory, and the Shrine of Steam would probably be the offices and engineering rooms.  ¡°So why are the King and Reona unhappy about this? I asked.  Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°When word of the building and the changes that were happening to tier two reached the ears of the King he sent a detachment of City guards down to the sites and demanded Banhammer show them what he was doing.¡±  ¡°What happened then,¡± I asked.  ¡°Was there an armed conflict?¡±


    ¡°Yes and no, Sebastian replied, the guards were armed and things did not go smoothly. Banhammer refused and the Guards began to threaten him.  Then suddenly a living beast made out of metal came out of the Temple  and began to blow fire at the Guards.¡±


    ¡°The Guards attacked but to no avail.  They had to retreat and as they retreated the beast began to shoot metal arrows of great power at the retreating troops.  Banhammer must have been prepared for this to happen for suddenly the Hammerytes were everywhere, an army of them.  They blocked the city gates with troops and we have been in a stage of armed hostility since.  There has been no detente at all.¡±


    "What of my house, An Diadan, what happened to it?"  I asked.  "It was dissolved, we did not want to have trouble with the Hammerytes and they were now fulfilling the function of the house, guarding and patrolling.  Ama decided to empty the roster of all house members."  Sebastian spoke sadly.  I tried to sum up all he said.  It amounted to lots of changes and tension in the city.


    Yet the city gates were still open and people could still travel between the tiers, I thought.  I asked Sebastian about that and he nodded and said, ¡°Banhammer does not seem to be interested In political power, keeping the Kings people out was his only concern.  As for the King, he sent someone down to keep an eye on things.¡±


    ¡°Who, I asked curiously.¡±  Sebastian gave me a grin and then said, ¡°Again, it is your old friend Reona, she has located herself to the Kradula.  It was empty of all the young spirits thanks to your efforts, and she seems to be able to control the remaining undead.¡±  I nodded it was a good choice for her, a self-contained instance.  Once a person entered they would be at her mercy.  I slowly stood and looked at Sebastian.


    ¡°My friend now is the time for you to use your homestone, to let the others know I am back. I have no words to thank you for what you have done, staying and waiting for my return. All i can say is thank you.¡±


    Sebastian looked at me and then smiled.  ¡°Sorry boss, but if I were to leave you alone up here in Topland, well Ama would do things to me that even a Demon would not like.  I told you once before I would follow you.  I am telling you again, I am your servant and well stay with you.  Suddenly the Ding sounded and the interface opened a window that read,


    You have found a Companion


    An NPC that will follow your leadership


    One that will stay and assist you


    Do you choose to accept this companion


    YES or NO


    The answer was clear as I mentally hit the yes button.  It was good to have a friend Ingame.

 Chapter 3 Cleaning up and going out

    Chapter three


    Cleaning up and going out


    ¡°Are there any other changes I should be aware of?¡± I asked Sebastian.  I was eager to find out what else had changed.  Suddenly my stomach let me know it wanted to be fed by growling at me.  Sebastian cocked his head to the side and asked, ¡°Do you have a beast in there because something does not sound happy.¡±  I shrugged and said, ¡°I am hungry, I was really hoping for a Gluzzie breakfast.¡±


    Sebastian brightened up and said, ¡°I know of a great place on the fourth tier, a little pub that is open day and night, they have entertainment during the evening and serve breakfast all day.  The food is pretty good, and it is a neutral place.  It overlooks the ocean where the cable cars used to load to take visitors to the abandoned Island palace.¡±


    ¡°The food sounds great, but tell me more about these cable cars and this abandoned island?¡±  I was hungry, but this sounded pretty interesting. I had not heard of cable cars or an abandoned island before now.  There was so much of the city that I did not know about.  It was a huge multi-tiered city build on a mountain that was next to the ocean.  I had barely explored the second tier let alone the whole city.


    Looking at me and then down at himself Sebastian sighed and then said, ¡°Before we go anywhere we must get cleaned up.  I look a mess and well, you look terrible dressed in those cheap rags that all the visitors show up in.  I know just the spot to get some clean cloth.  By the way, what class are you?¡±


    I smiled it was nice to see the old Sebastian back.  I knew that by the time he was done with the shopping I would look good and be presentable.  He had great fashion sense and a knack for bringing out the best look in people.  I knew that by the time we ate I would be looking like a well to do citizen.


    ¡°I am thinking of a fighter healer hybrid but have not decided yet.  A lot depends on the quests I can do and what spells and abilities I find.¡±  I was interrupted my spiel when suddenly my stomach began to rumble, this time, it did not growl, it roared in displeasure and began to beat my insides, it was time to get some food.


    ¡°Lay on MacDuff,¡± I said as we made our way back to the wall.  Suddenly I frowned as I thought of the last time I had quoted Shakespeare.  Archon and I had been walking together; we were heading up to the Temple mount.  Turning to Sebastian I asked him, ¡°What has happened to the Old Bastards, and to Archon?  He betrayed me at the end.  He was in collusion with the Unknown God.¡±  The anger in my voice hung in the air.


    ¡°That weasel, he showed up at the Dragons Den later that evening with a tale of woe.  According to him, he tried to help you but the Unknown God and you both disappeared before he could do anything.  Ama tossed him out, she said he was lying."  Sebastian sounded irritated.  I spoke up and said, ¡°That prick did not try to help; he jumped up and accused me in front of everyone of being a Demon.  He was clearly following a script between Him and the Unknown God.  If he had not spoken up I might have never been killed by the Unknown God.¡±


    Sebastian looked startled and asked, ¡°You were killed by the Unknown God.  What the hell happened, all we heard was that you had banished the Gods and then you portalled out?¡±  Taking a breath I decided to tell Sebastian everything, including about the real world.  If I described it as a realm of non-magic I would not have to explain that this realm we were in was a game.


    Making our way through the hidden gate we slowly walked up through the city as I explained everything to Sebastian, after I was done I waited for him to speak.  Turning to me he asked, ¡°This Rebecca mortal, do you love her?¡±  It was a damn good question and went right to the heart of the matter.  Looking at him I slowly nodded and said, ¡°Yes I do, but it is not the same emotion as I feel for Ama.  Rebecca and I, we are like old friends who are intimate with each other.  We enjoyed the pleasures of the flesh together but her heart is for the lost and abandoned children.¡±


    Nodding his head Sebastian spoke, ¡°She sounds like an honorable woman, you are lucky to have such a friend.¡± I nodded, he was right I was extremely lucky, and I knew it.  Helping her to set up the summer camp in Nebraska was the least I could do for her.   I would be giving her a call soon to see how things were going at the camp.   One of the modifications I had put into my VRP was the ability to access a PIM and contact the outside world while being Ingame.


    It was not Twink and her analytical Google glasses personality but it helped.  Thinking of that, I opened up the Personal Information Manager software and began the Integration process to the Ingame Interface.  Strictly illegal but then my whole presence Ingame was illegal.  I was a Ghost in the Machine, to quote the title of an old movie that I liked. The PIM would allow me to use my Ingame Interface functions to the fullest.


    It would also bring up a HUD when I selected a target, then it would display health and mana along with energy and any other detectable attributes the player had.  It would also warn me of incoming attacks and their class and strength.  The greatest strength of the PIM was the fact it actively scanned the surroundings around me for stealthed or hidden players or NPC. This scan had a range of about 60 meters.  These mods might seem a little OP on the surface, but this was not a game to me, this was my life.  I would do anything to give me an advantage and adding the mods to the Interface was the least of what I had planned.


    We soon arrived at a small tailor''s shop and upon entering I was taken in the back room for a fitting by the owner¡¯s daughter; she was a blond girl, human with an impressive figure and an impish grin.  ¡°My name is Nadia, and I want to take your measurements.¡±  I could see where she was staring as she said this and I realized that the link between Ama and I was even stronger now that I was back Ingame.


    I was radiating a raw sensuality that could not be smelled or touched but women could sure feel it.  I would have to be careful.  I joked with Nadia as she measured me and if she took a little longer than was needed to measure my inner thigh that was all right with me.  Near the end, she stood behind me and wrapped the tape around my waist and then pressed her breasts against my back and stood there for a few minutes.  I finally spoke and gently reminded her that I was here to be measured and fitted for some clothing.


    Looking not the least embarrassed Nadia nodded and then wrote some info on a piece of paper, then ripping it in half she gave me part of the paper and then went back into the shop proper.  Glancing at the paper I saw that it was a note stating that she would be walking in the Summer Cherry Park at Eight bells if I wanted to join her.


    I smiled to myself, I would love to have joined her in the park, but I had other things to do.  There was a knock on the door and suddenly a small gnome poked his head in and spoke, ¡°Widdle here, I have brought you a few items to try off the rack, they should fit based on your measurements.¡±  Thanking him I put the items on the bench and undressed.


    I stared at my body, it was lean with every muscle outlined, I had auburn eyes with large irises which were not black as normal but filled with a flickering yellow light.  Looking closer I saw that fires burned within my eyes, it was not noticeable unless someone stared straight at them.  They looked a little unique from a distance of a foot or more but staring at them up close felt strangely uncomfortable.


    I noted that my arms no longer had the visible tats on them, the roses and thorns were gone.   When the Unknown God had removed the swords I had witnessed wounds on his hands.  I suspected he had pulled up the flowers and thorns that had entangled his hands when he removed the swords.  I could not know for sure what had happened, I did not know how could the living flowers be part of a tattoo on a person anyway.


    Glancing at my face I saw that the Demonic mark had faded, it was not really visible unless you looked at it and then it had the coloration of an old scar.  The Runic symbols that had once circled my upper body on both my back and chest were now also almost gone.  The seemed to be even more faded than before and on a hunch, I grabbed a quill and paper and quickly copied all the remaining Symbols I could see.  Once I had them written down I relaxed.  I suspected that they would be gone soon.


    I then looked down at the rest of my body, it was clear that Nadia would have enjoyed taking all my measurements; I was somewhat larger than I had been before.    Looking up at my face I said to myself, ¡°Well, you win some and you lose some.¡±  Then I began to whistle as I tried on the outfits.  They were all in the colors I favored, black with a silver gray trim. Wearing the most comfortable of the outfits I left the fitting room and entered the main shop.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Sebastian looked great in his human form; he was well dressed and looked like a little dandy peacock on display.  He looked at me and then smiled, ¡°You certainly clean up well,¡± he said with a grin.  ¡°I think we are ready to go and break our fast¡±.  Reaching into his pouch he pulled out a couple of gold coins and tossed them on the counter.  Opening the door he said, ¡°After you my prince.¡±


    As we walked side by side down the street I asked him about the demonic mark on my cheek and why it was fading.  He explained that I could make it disappear completely or have it look like a fresh tattoo.  This was interesting to me and I asked him how.  Sebastian looked at me and then pointed to a bench along the side of the street.


    As we sat, he gently lifted his hand and rested it on the back of my neck, ¡°This should not hurt at all,¡± he whispered, then speaking softly in Demonic he uttered three of four words, it was hard to tell as they ran together.  Suddenly there was a hot flash that traveled to what felt like the left front and the left rear on the side of my brain.  The Ding startled me when it sounded and a new window opened on my Interface.


    New ability learned


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Be warned the transformation will allow others to see you as a Demon


    I will be a monkey¡¯s uncle I thought as I took it in; I could change into a demon form.  Sebastian interrupted my thoughts with a cough and said, ¡°Just so you are aware, you will not be able to change into a Demon form without Demonic blood.  You should be able to change a few things, like the Demonic mark on your cheek, the color of your hair, perhaps one or two other things.¡±


    I nodded, it was still better than what I had hoped for.  I stood up and we continued the walk towards the pub. We finally arrived and I was amazed at the view, it was built on a large plateau overlooking the bay.  There was a beautiful park that we walked through to get to the main pub building, which abutted the sheer edge of the cliff.


    Going past the park was an amphitheater that faced the ocean with all the seats carved into the stone of the mountain.  It had a small raised podium in the center and was full of workers busy putting torches on stands and hanging banners behind the seats.  ¡°What is the occasion?¡± I asked as we entered the pub.  Looking at me Sebastian grinned and said, ¡°Tonight we have a visiting Bard, one from distant lands.  He is renown all over the land and we are lucky to be able to hear him as he regales us with his stories.


    ¡°It sounds like you want to go hear this fellow, is that what you have planned for this evening?¡±  I asked. ¡°Not now that you are back my prince, I will follow you in whatever you are endeavoring to do this evening.¡± Sebastian looked a little sad as he spoke and I knew he wanted to go see this Bard.  ¡°What is his name?¡±  I asked I was becoming curious myself to hear this teller of tales.  In a world without electronic entertainment, someone like this would be extremely popular.


    I believe he is called Druss and he has traveled from his home in the northern lands from across the sea.  He tells tales of Gods and Men, of the Light and the Darkness, of Demons and other races, and of the different lands, it is all very exciting.¡±  I slowly shook my head, it did not sound exciting it sounded like my life.  But if my friend wanted to see the Bard tonight, then that was the plan.


    As we made our way into the pub I happened to glance at the bar and saw sitting in the shadows at the end Komhether, the messenger of the Gods.  I tapped Sebastian on the shoulder and told him to get a barmaid and then join me at the booth located behind Komhether.  As I made my way to the booth I observed that he looked terrible, clearly the times had been rough on him.


    I sat and then pulled a couple of smokes from my pack, Sebastian had told me they were called decks but old habits die hard.  I lit them both up and then went and sat on the stool next to the little fellow.  Elbowing him I held up a smoke when he turned to look at me.  ¡°Here,¡± I said.  ¡°You look like you can use a smoke.¡±  He looked up at me blearily and then grabbed the smoke and took a puff.


    ¡°Now how is it that ya can see me ya wrinkled piece of sausage wrapped in skin.¡±  Komhether spoke a drunken drawl.  I just nodded and then spoke, ¡°I have some questions for you my little messenger and I want some answers.  Without waiting for his reply I lifted him by the scruff and tossed him into the booth as Sebastian approached.


    ¡°My prince, what do we have here, a messenger of the gods.  You seem to attract both demons and angels.¡± Sebastian spoke softly with a smile but I could see a feral gleam in his eyes. I waved him to the other side as the barmaid brought over a flagon of wine, and a tankard of hard cider.  I pointed at the wine and then held up three fingers and then at my cider and held up one.  Brushing close to me and bending down she took a deep breath in and I watched as her loose blouse hung down and her chest rose up.


    Her very visible nipples were hardening as I watched and I knew I had to get back on track.  Whispering in her ear, I said, ¡°Bring us the drinks sweetie and some food, about four platters should do for a start.¡±  Then turning to Komhether I said, ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±  As we ate and drank our way through the afternoon, interspersed with bathroom and smoke breaks I heard the story of how the end of the Gods had changed things.


    At the finish of the tale Sebastian was looking at the messenger with compassion, in a sense they had both been left behind, the Angelic messenger and the Demon.  They had been alone in an unfriendly world for a long time.  Life is not always kind I thought.  By this point, both Sebastian and Komhether were into the cups but the vast amounts of food we had eaten had helped to keep them at a light buzz.  They seemed to be really hitting it off and were now sitting on the same side.


    This had happened on one of my breaks to the bathroom and judging by the giggles and silly jokes they were sharing both of them found the company of the other enjoyable.  I cleared my throat, and spoke, ¡°Komhether, you must have guessed who I am by now, what I need to know is what you are going to do about it?¡±  I watched as Sebastian lit a smoke for the little guy and then leaned forward to hear Komhether whisper.


    ¡°You are the half Dragon Tor, you banished the Gods and then, in turn, were slain by the Eldest, the Unknown God, and now you have returned.  Just so you know I hated the Gods, they were a bunch of petty pricks.  So what are you going to do with me, if the King or Reona the Viceroy were to know you are back, well it would change things would it not?¡± He spoke with a false bravado that hid his fear.


    I stared at him then smiled, ¡°I am going to do nothing to you, my friend, I think that is what the Gods liked to do, boss  you around and that is not who I am, you are welcome to be free.¡±  As I spoke I could see the false bravado depart and only a lonely little immortal creature remained.


    ¡°Free, I am free, but what do I do, where do I go, I am lost¡± and with that Komhether grew silent and began to weep.  Staring at him possessively, Sebastian asked, ¡°Can we have him join us, I will make sure that it works out.¡±  I stared at them both, two lonely little people, well what the hell; I did not want to be the one to determine someone¡¯s happiness.  Still, I could not abandon him.   ¡°He can join us but then he will have to be under discipline, I cannot have a weak link in my chain.¡±


    Staring at me they both smiled and agreed, then suddenly another Ding sounded and another small window opened up, it read.


    You have accepted a holy entity into your party


    The faction changes have been recorded


    Komhether is now aligned with the Demonic prince Torn


    New ability, Persuasion, to persuade the followers of the Gods to see the truth and join you


    Nice I thought as I closed the window, I wonder if the ability would work on Reona.

 Chapter 4 Class

    The performance of the Bard that evening had been great; Druss was entertaining and engaging with his stories of Gods and men, wars and conflicts.  I had really enjoyed it, as had Komhether and Sebastian.  It was clear that those two were getting along very well.  I hoped that Sebastian knew what he was doing; I did not want to have a spat between my people if things did not work out.  I thought of the old saying, not my monkeys not my circus.  If only it were true.


    Making my way to the pub I found a small table tucked away in a corner and sat down to have a cold drink. The pub was busy with all the people who had attended the show.  One of the bartenders must have been on his break as he came walking through the crowd looking for a place to sit and enjoy his drink.  Catching his eye I pointed at the empty chair across from myself and lit up a smoke.


    As he sat down he said, ¡°Thanks, it is busy in here.  The name is Alaric and I am the proprietor of this pub.¡±  I nodded and said, ¡°My name is Torn, pleased to meet you.¡±  We sat in companionable silence enjoying our drinks for a few minutes.  Alaric looked at me and asked, ¡°So what is it you do Torn, I see no guild symbols on your clothing and you are clearly not a Kings guard or a City watchman?¡±


    I thought for a moment before replying, ¡°I am an adventurer I suppose; right now I am just starting out.  Just looking for some quests to do and perhaps a part time job, have to pay the bills I guess.¡±  Seeing Alaric nod his head we continued to drink, after a few minutes I went to light a smoke and offered Alaric one.  He looked at it and then said, ¡°This smoking of these things has sure become popular in the city, and sure I will try one.¡±


    After several more minutes of minor talk Alaric stood up and said, ¡°I have to go back to work, we are always short staffed.  If you are really interested in a part time job wait till closing and then come talk to me.  I will see what I can do for you.¡±  I nodded and then thanked him, and observed as he walked back behind the bar.


    The rest of the evening passed until the last customer was gone, at which point Alaric came back and sat down again.  ¡°It feels damn good to get off my feet,¡± he began.  I nodded; it had been a busy night at the pub.  ¡°So if you are serious about wanting to work I can use a hand, have you ever worked in a kitchen?¡±  He asked.


    I took a swig of my cider and spoke, ¡°Where I grew up I was working almost every night in a kitchen so I am pretty good at doing dishes and cleaning.¡±  Alaric nodded and then spoke, ¡°Well I like you, and I will put you to work, if you can start every other night at five bells in the kitchen we will see how you work out.  If you impress me than I might move you up to working at the bar as the tips are better there.  Pay is two silver a night plus a share of the tips and one free drink and meal thrown in, so what do you say, are you in?¡±


    I nodded in agreement it was a great deal for me, now all I needed to do was to scout around for someplace nearby to live.  I had sent Sebastian and Komhether home after the show, and I was pretty damn sure that they had both ended up at Sebastian¡¯s place judging from the gleam in the dapper little demons eyes. Whatever rocks their boat, I certainly was not one to judge.  But it did leave me with the problem of finding a place to stay.


    I was about to ask if Alaric knew of any lodging to be had nearby when he looked at me and then spoke again. ¡°So you are an adventurer, what class are you going to go for?¡±  I shrugged, and said, I am thinking perhaps a hybrid, healer with strong long distance DPS.  I have not found any quests yet and have not learned any spells, skills, or abilities yet.¡±  Hopefully something will come up to get me going, being level one is a bit of a pain.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I can help you there, I have a quest that I want done, if you agree to it we will start the job once you are done, are you interested?¡±  I was watching Alaric¡¯s face as he spoke and I was getting the feeling he really wanted me to accept this quest.  I looked at him and said, ¡°Tell me the details, and if I think I can accomplish it I will accept the quest.


    ¡°The quest is actually easy I want you to go to the abandoned island open a locker and retrieve my mother¡¯s bag.  When the stone Golems stopped spinning the wheel for the cable car all the people who had been over there had to be portalled back here at great expense to the King.  The Mages did not allow anyone to retrieve any personal belongings.  Everything was left there locked up.¡±


    ¡°Well that sounds easy enough, but for two problems, one how do I get there and two how I would open the locked locker,¡±  I spoke slowly thinking about these two problems.  ¡°If the cable is still connecting the island to the city I can cross on that, but the locker I am not sure how to deal with that.¡±


    ¡°I might have something to help you with that let me go fetch it and you let me know what you think.¡±  With that Alaric was off and rummaging behind the bar.  ¡°Here check this out,¡± he said as he tossed me a small leather bag.  Opening the bag I noted that it held a small wooden case, and a tin of what looked like blackening paste.  At the bottom of the bag was a small book, pulling it out, I read the cover.


    Thievery, the fine art of taking what belongs to others and making it yours.


    Opening the wooden case I saw that it was full of fine metal lock picks.  Suddenly the black paste made sense; it was for darkening the skin at night.  It would make hiding in the shadows much easier.  I opened the book again and read a few of pages.


    Lock picking, the basics


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    Pick pocketing, your guide to personal riches through the efforts of others


    Climbing walls and hanging around, the right time and approach to let yourself in


    Restraints, they are not for the free


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.What¡¯s yours is mine and what¡¯s mine is mine, confidence benefits a con man


    Some gave all and all gave some, how to read a mark


    I closed the book and looked at Alaric then asked him, ¡°Do you know what this book is?¡±  He shook his head and said, ¡°I do not, nor do I want to, I grabbed this gear off a fellow who tried to break into the pub one night after closing time.  It is stuff that might help you and if you take the quest it is yours, so what do you say?¡±


    A quest window opened up on the interface and I read,


    Alaric the Pub master has a hidden quest


    Go to the abandoned island


    Open his mother¡¯s locker


    Retrieve her bag of personal belongings


    Return within a set time and receive the reward


    Reward will be determined by Pub master


    Do you accept


    YES or NO


    I nodded and then spoke, ¡°I will do it, give me a week, and hopefully we will have succeeded the only other question I have is this, what is the reward?  As much as I like to be helpful I need to also benefit from any quests I do.¡±  Alaric looked at me and laughed, and said, ¡°Well you¡¯re not Saint Tor come to help us eh.  The rewards for the quest are five gold pieces, and ten thousand XP, plus you can keep any other items you can loot on the Island.¡±


    ¡°It is a deal,¡± I said as we clasped arms.  ¡°Now I had better be off, or the damn curfew will get me if I am caught.¡±  ¡°Not to worry mate, the curfew is suspended on the nights we have entertainment.  But I would not linger on the streets; those damn people from the House of Pain sometimes wander around looking for people to make trouble for.¡±  Alaric looked grim as he spoke and I could guess why I hated those bastards and one day I would deal with them.


    Thanking him for everything I made my way out to the amphitheater and strolled along the seawall looking out at the island.  Eventually, I came to the building that housed the entrance to the cable cars.  Standing on each side of the building were two stone Golems, frozen for years in the act of turning a huge handle that moved a simple gear that in turn drove another that moved the cable.  It was simple and yet it was one of the most advanced pieces of technology I had seen Ingame prior to Banhammers creations.


    I was becoming interested in this abandoned island, what had caused the Golems to freeze, clearly this had been an attraction of the city, why did the city not repair or replace the Golems.  I am guessing but I think that some investigation would be warranted.  I could clearly see into the building, some wooden benches and tables and chairs were visible, along with a countertop that ran the length of the back wall.


    Trying the door handle showed that they were still locked and the windows had bars, on them.  Thinking to myself that there is no time like the present I sat on the steps of the building and under the light of the two full moons hanging low in the sky I grabbed the book I had received from Alaric.


    Opening it, I began to read it when a skills window popped open.


    Do you wish to read and learn the skills within the book


    YES or No


    Mentally thinking yes, I saw a new icon appear on the quick launch bar of the interface.  Pushing the icon I could see that it had several subcategories, but they were all grayed out.  I began to read the book and as I did the categories all filled with icons for new skills.  The higher tiered abilities required an advanced XP to be able to use them.  When I was done I observed that the books pages were now empty.


    A new window popped on the interface and I read, You have discovered a hidden class.


    Thief


    This class allows you to develop a subclass to display to the public, all classes are available


    If you are found out you will incur one hundred percent reputation loss with all City NPC guards and King and will be imprisoned by the state


    Class bonus


    The ability to hear when others speak of you if they are in the shadows


    Do you choose this class


    YES of NO


    I sat and thought, this class might be what I needed, and the fact that I could choose a subclass was icing on the cake.  It was another advantage I would make full use of.  With a smile, I accepted the class.  Glancing at the time displayed on the interface I noted that the PIM integration should have completed.  Opening the software window I saw that it had achieved one hundred percent integration with the interface and was waiting for my agreement to reboot the interface.


    Nodding my head I agreed to accept the changes then sat back, leaning against the wall of the building. This should feel look falling asleep I hope.

 Chapter 5 Wings

    I awoke as the sun was just peeking over the horizon, causing the sea to look a brilliant blue.  As I stood and stretched I realized I needed a place to call home as sleeping on the steps of an abandoned building was not the most comfortable thing I have done.  Opening my interface I saw that I had several new commands available, the PIM had fully integrated with the Interface.


    I turned on the scan feature and watched as my mini-map located at the top left corner of my vision suddenly displayed a new button.  It would now flash red and orange icons would appear on the map should any stealthed individuals be detected within twenty meters.  I felt a little safer with that feature activated.


    Turning to the locked door of the building I examined the lock and then opened the lock pick case.  I somehow knew that I had to use the number three pick with the tension tool.  It only took a couple of minutes and the lock clicked open. I quickly  put the lock pick tools away and then pushed open the door.  As I entered the room I noticed a thick layer of dust overlay everything.


    I knew that the tracks I would leave in the dust would be a sign that someone had been present, I just hoped that anyone checking would find the door locked and would assume it was the City watchmen checking the building.  I saw that on the nearby wall was a set of lockers, more practice for me I decided.


    Moving slowly over to the wall amidst the clouds of dust I pulled out the lock picks and went to work.  After several hours I had cracked open all the lockers, but not surprisingly they were all empty.  Anyone who had stored things here at the city terminal would have removed their belongings after being brought back from the island. Putting the picks away I glanced around the room, at the far end was a small platform that had another door recessed into the wall.


    Making my way there I had to squeeze my nose shut in an effort not to burst out coughing.  The dust was everywhere, rising up in fine clouds as I walked across the room.  Finally, I made it to the four stairs that led up to the platform.  There was less dust up here near the door and I began to breathe easier.  Taking out the picks I went to work and had the door open in less than a minute.


    Going into the next room I saw that it was a control room and had several hourglass timers each with a number on it.  I guessed that the numbers would match up to the cable cars, and to judge by the chart on the wall with start and stop marks, and colored lines that corresponded to the hourglass timers I am pretty sure this is how they controlled the speed and arrival times of the cable cars.


    It was all very fascinating and it showcased how something complex could work with primitive technology.  I made my way through the room poking into drawers and looking at the papers scattered around the desks. Clearly the room had been abandoned fairly quickly, with papers left where they had been placed by the workers.  I even found a roster outline with the names of several workers who had traded shifts.


    Making my way across the room I came to another door, this one was not locked.  It led into the heart of the operation, where cable cars would swing around the great gear and then stop on the exterior platform allowing the people to depart and board.  I could see the opening in the wall that led to the exterior platform.  Making my way to this opening I observed a cable car, it was just inside the building on front of the exit where it would have stopped at the platform.


    Opening the door on the car I was struck by how much it resembled a cable car that would be found at any mountain resort.  Looking up I saw the small hatch that led to the roof. Reaching up I opened the hatch and then with a small jump I grabbed the edges of the roof and pulled myself up.  I was finally able to observe the cable that supported the cars.  It had a diameter of about 7 centimeters and was made of some alloy woven into strings for strength.


    Jumping up onto the cable I began to walk, it was doable, at least here, once out over the sea, I was not so sure.  As I sat down on the roof of the cable car I began to think I needed an edge here.  If I fell from the cable into the ocean that would be it, the drop was at least a thousand feet.  The wind blew pretty hard out over the ocean and I would have nothing to assist with me balance.


    I could get some kind of pole about forty feet long would do and that would help with my balance but to carry a pole like that for over a kilometer with my arms stretched out would be too much, even for my nano-enhanced muscles.  What I really needed was my dragon wings.  Not to fly over but to help in case of balance problems. Sighing to myself, I knew that I had to come up with something.


    Taking a break from my mind racing around in circles I opened up the skills and abilities tab and then studied what I saw.  I decided to copy everything from my messages tab and to include any other skills or abilities I could think of.


    Elf


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elf¡¯s favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds elves can move at twice normal speed


    Strength - starting level one = 50   your strength starting level one =200


    Agility ¨C starting level one = 50    your agility starting level one =200


    Intellect ¨C starting level one = 50   your intellect starting level one = 50


    Health ¨C starting level one = 50     your heath starting level one = 200


    Speed ¨C starting level one = 50    your speed starting level one =200


    + Racial ability limited time double speed


    You have found a Companion


    An NPC that will follow your leadership


    New ability learned


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Be warned the transformation will allow others to see you as a Demon


    You have accepted a holy entity into your party


    The faction change has been recorded


    Komhether is now aligned with the Demonic prince Torn


    New ability to persuade the followers of the Gods to see the truth and join you


    Skillset


    Lock picking, the basics


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.Pickpocketing, your guide to personal riches through the efforts of others


    Climbing walls and hanging around, the right time and approach to let yourself in


    Restraints, they are not for the free


    What¡¯s yours is mine and what¡¯s mine is mine, confidence benefits a con man


    Some gave all and all gave some, how to read a mark


    You have discovered a hidden class


    Thief


    This class allows you to develop a subclass to display to the public, all classes are available


    If you are found out you will incur one hundred percent reputation loss with all City NPC guards and King and will be imprisoned by the state


    Class bonus


    The ability to hear when others speak of you if they are in the shadows


    Nanobot integration into game avatar


    Defensive capability, self-healing


    Offensive capability, electrical discharge from hands


    Strength increase four times normal human


    PIM integration into Gaming Interface


    Stealth detection enabled


    Upgraded map functions


    Ability to make calls to the Real World


    Ability to access Gnet from within the game


    Ability to leave and enter the game


    Avatar integration into gaming matrix


    You are not recognized as a player and the gaming AI has no control over you


    Dragon skills and abilities


    Dragon eyes the ability to see as Dragons do


    Dragon Shadows the ability to become one with the shadows


    all attacks done within Shadows will have a one hundred percent critical success


    Dragon skin your skin assumes some of the armor characteristics of a Dragons skin


    Portal


    the ability to portal people with or without their consent


    Mark of the Succubae


    a permanent connection between you and a Succubae


    you now are very attractive to all members of the opposite sex


    Both the Dragon and Demon abilities were not operating fully, my lack of Dragon and Demon blood was telling, I was fortunate that I still had them, I was sure that I had retained them as part of the permanent buff Gaiatoci had given me.  I somehow had to develop a work around for them to become fully functional.


    My thoughts went to the metamorphic change ability; I remembered that Sebastian had stated without Demonic blood I would only be able to affect small changes with my body.  Are wings a small change I wondered. Taking a deep breath I activated the ability and thought really hard about growing wings.


    I could feel a sudden flow of mana flooding my back and a very strange feeling came over me.  I felt suddenly tired, I could barely move, having no choice in the matter I sprawled out on the roof of the cable car.  Waking up I felt very tired almost exhausted, but I could move.  As I went to stand up, suddenly wings opened up on each side of my back.  With an involuntary snap of the wings, I sprang to me feet.


    Lifting my wings I extended them, they were covered in gray feathers and extended outwards about five meters.  ¡°Holy smoke,¡± I whispered to myself.  ¡°I look like an angel.¡±  It was quickly apparent that the use of the wings was a natural function of my body.  Folding them down I noticed that they lay almost flat against my shoulders and back stopping just above my ankles.


    With the use of a long cloak, I believe that I could safely walk around with the wings undetected.  As I was thinking of this my stomach suddenly knotted up, I was starving.  I jumped down and re-entered the control room.  Going through the room I entered the main room and beelined straight to the serving counter.  Jumping over it I quickly went through the boxes that were left on the shelves.


    I finally found what I wanted, some sort of snack food, it was hard as concrete and tasted like what I thought concrete would taste but I needed the calories.  I must have burned several thousand when the wings through metamorphosis appeared.  Eventually, I was done, I could eat no more.  I was still starving but did not think I would pass out from hunger.  I saw hanging on several of the hooks the faded and discolored clothing that the workers had at one time worn.  Grabbing the largest I put it on and admired the results.


    I looked terrible but it hid the wings, I needed to make it back to the abandoned park where I would meet Sebastian and Komhether.  Giving one final look around I left the building stopping to re-lock the door.  Making my way to the park I gathered my share of funny looks and even had a couple of citizens press copper coins into my hand.


    Clearly I looked like a beggar and that probably helped me as most people would glance at me with pity or scorn and then not look at me again.  The visible invisible I had once heard the destitute street people called in the real world and I could see that it was true.  Finally, I arrived and let myself into the park.


    The two fellows were there waiting for me and as I approached Sebastian glanced at me and jumped up. ¡°What has happened to you?¡±  He cried, ¡°It has been only one night on your own and you look like hell.¡±  Shrugging out of the faded rags I stretched forth my wings with a crack.  ¡°It¡¯s a long story but before I tell you, I need you to get me a cloak to cover up the wings and then some food, any kind of take out from the closest place.  I really need to eat right now.¡±  I spoke tiredly; I was really feeling the lack of real food.


    Nodding he called out to Komhether, ¡°Let¡¯s go, the Prince needs some things and it is a bit of a rush to see he gets them.¡±  As they were leaving I could hear Komhether say, ¡°He really does look like one of the angelic hosts with those wings.  They have all disappeared since the Gods were banished; I bet he could convince anyone he is a being of light.¡±


    I nodded my head and lay down on the grass and closed my eyes, my last thoughts were I am no angel.

 Chapter 6 Artifact

    I awoke to the sound of Sebastian and Komhether spreading out a cloak and placing a large amount of food on it.  It smelled great and within seconds I was sitting at the edge of the cloak reaching out and grabbing food to stuff myself.   After a brief pause to thank them I continued to eat, once I was finally finished I rubbed my belly and said, ¡°Thanks, I really needed to eat and that hit the spot.¡±


    Sebastian nodded and said, ¡°Glad we could help you and now would you please tell us how you have wings and why you arrived here looking like a beggar about to drop dead?¡±  Thinking about it I realized I had probably looked pretty bad.  I had been pale with bags under my eyes and wearing filthy faded clothing that was several sizes too large.


    I told them what I had been up to, explaining the abandoned terminal and the need to get to the island.  Once I was finished we all sat and thought for a minute then I spoke, ¡°Komhether you have the ability to remain undetected unless you want to be seen?¡±  As he nodded I smiled and then said, ¡°That is perfect, I have a mission for you, I need you to find out what the King and the leaders of the Guilds and Houses are doing.¡±


    ¡°I need current information on their plans, and I think you are the man to get it, if you could do a spying mission and then meet back here in three days that should be enough time to learn what is happening with the kingdom.¡± Seeing the little messenger nod his head, I turned to Sebastian and asked him to do the same thing, only, this time, to try to find out what Banhammer and the Hammerytes were up to.  I did not believe he was going nonstop building things for no purpose.  What really concerned me was the fact that all he did was being kept secret.


    ¡°What are you going to be doing,¡± Sebastian asked.  It was a good question and I wanted them to know what and where I was going.  ¡°I will be going to the island tonight and retrieving the pub master mothers bag, hopefully, I might find some other items worth bringing back.  I also will do some exploration once there, I am interested in why the island was abandoned so suddenly.  So gentlemen, why don¡¯t we relax for a few hours and then get another bite to eat and then we will be off.¡±


    The afternoon passed peacefully the sun warm and the small brook bubbling away in the distance, I closed my eyes and napped as Sebastian and Komhether went for a stroll.  Eventually, I awoke and walked down to the stream to wash, afterwards, I sat on the bench and cast Metamorphosis on myself, this time, the process happened quicker and in a couple of seconds I was just an ordinary Elf.  I was super hungry but it was livable.


    Gathering the men we left and Sebastian led us to a nice little Inn located near the third tier.  As we entered I could see that it was crowded and had a pretty active group of customers, mainly Drawfs but some Humans and Elfs were also present.  We waited at the bar until a booth became free and then made our way over. Once the barmaid had taken the orders and brought us out drinks, we began to talk.


    It was a fun feeling being with people that you like and get along with, I enjoyed it.  Sadly all good things do come to an end and after several hours and a few drinks we made our way outside to the street.  ¡°All right boys, you know what to do, and I have a lot of confidence in you doing it.  Let''s meet in three days at the park. If I am not there then you two fly over to the island and see what has happened to me.¡±  With a friendly pat on the shoulders for luck, off we all went.


    I walked slowly down to the abandoned terminal, it was getting close to curfew and I did not want to be seen heading in that direction, I really did not want to be seen at all.  Once I arrived at the terminal I metamorphosed the wings out, it was even faster and while I was hungry it was a lot better than it had been in the past.  Reaching into my bag I pulled out the four extra orders of pigeon wings I had brought along.


    Munching on them I walked to the boarding platform and then with a jump and a snap of my wings I was standing on the cable.  Slowly I began to walk out and across the sea wall and then I was finally over the ocean proper.  The journey was not hard with the wings, and the winds were not as strong as I had feared, still it was something I would not have wanted to do without wings.  They really made balancing easy and that enable me to cross without falling down the thousand feet to the ocean.


    Once I arrived at the island I saw that the building there was the twin to the one on the mainland.  I simply kept walking into the building and then jumped down and made my way to the door to the work area.  Again I saw papers left where they had been dropped, all the signs of a hasty exit.  Making my way through the interior door I stopped on the small landing and waited.


    I always have Dragon eyes activated and the gloom and dimness did not bother me.  But I could feel sense something, not in the building but somewhere.  I slowly made my way to the lockers every noise or flicker causing me to stop and wait for several minutes. The normal night noises of the island were going strong, there was no sudden silence, but I had that tingle between my shoulders, the last time I had felt this way was the morning I had gone to the Temple mount and banished the Gods.  That had been a terrible day, I had lost my family, my trust in a friend and my life.


    I continued to slowly work on the lockers, nothing untoward had occurred yet and I had the fruit of my labors in my bag.  I also had made about  one hundred gold and some silver and copper, as well as seven soul bound bags that belonged to players that stopped me from opening them.  Another hour passed and I had all the lockers opened and had looted everything, my pack was crammed with purses and bags.


    Slowly standing I made my way back through the building eventually emerging on the boarding platform.  I stood there looking at the terrace that I was standing on. Some picnic tables scattered around, and then several paths leading through the underbrush into the islands interior.  Seeing nothing on my mini map or visually that could indicate danger I began to tread down the nearest path.  My curiosity was like an itch, I had to know what had happened here that had caused this place to be abandoned.


    As I walked down the path I was struck by the lush foliage and the abundance of things growing, it reminded me of Roundland in some strange way.  Eventually, the path curved around and I saw that I was at the far edge of the island there was a natural plateau here that had been developed into a rest area.  I sat at one of the tables and watched the predawn light begin to appear at the edge of the sky where it met the sea.


    Suddenly it changed and it was light.  I shook my head and stood up I had seen nothing to warrant the evacuation of the island and that made me suspicious.  I walked over to the railing and peered down, the drop was nearly vertical with the sea crashing all along the island no beach present  just some large rocks and then the face of the cliff.


    I continued my stroll along the path eventually arriving back at the terminal area, picking another pathway I went for another walk.  This one meandered a bit more but eventually I ended back at the terminal.  It was mid-morning by now and I only had one more path to walk.  Opening my bag I pulled out the leftovers from the Inn,  they were greasy and too salty without a draft to help wash them down but they still tasted good.


    The middle path went towards the center of the island whereas the other paths had followed the coastline. Once I reached the center I saw that the mountain peak in the middle of the island was where a stream descended down into a picturesque small lake.  Again there were picnic tables and benches around the lake and even a small beach on one side. Knowing I was alone I stripped off the clothing I was wearing and sauntered into the water.


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    The brief feeling of coolness passed as I began to splash around and I soon began to dive under the water and then tried to use my wings.  With one stroke I shot forward at great speed, after some trial and error I realized that I needed to do one stroke of the wings and then fold them against my body before using them again.  I am sure it had something to do with drag and resistance but for me, it is what felt the most natural and right.


    Eventually, I just floated in the lake with my wings extended and looked up at the mountain with the water coming down from near the summit. As I looked I noted that the sun seemed to be glinting off something, shaking my head I moved a few feet to the side and had another look.


    It was there, a sparkling glint next to the waterfall.  I was lucky to have seen it, if the wind had been up the spray from the falls would have hidden it, also the position of the sun helped in shining on the object at just the right angle.


    Swimming towards the shore, I realized that I was going to climb the peak and have a look at what this thing was.  I could tell already that there was no easy way up there, it had not been meant to be on the tour. Snapping out my wings I beat the air for a minute and found the I was pretty much air dried by the wind buffeting around my body.


    Getting dressed I stared at the mountain, there was no obvious way up the cliff that the waterfall was descending from.  I began to walk around the lake looking up and studying the slope.  Eventually, I saw a small trail, that meandered its switchback way up the easiest slope.  I began to push through the underbrush until I reached the base where the trail began.  Seeing the steepness of the slope I swore and then began the ascent.


    After about an hour of steep climbing, I reached the end of the trail, the only way to continue was to climb a steep slope freehand.  Having no experience with climbing I could not tell if it was an easier climb or a hard one.  Trusting in my nano-enhanced muscles and the fact that players are usually in much better shape and stronger than there were in real life I reached up and grabbed a handhold and then started pulling myself upwards.


    I had used my wings several times to give me an extra lift and a boost to reach handholds just out of my reach. Finally making it to the small terrace, I stopped and caught my breath, I was now at least fifteen hundred feet above the ocean and I had a view of the whole island and the surrounding ocean.  It was magnificent and I was glad that I could take in the view.


    I also noted that there were a couple of buildings on the east side of the island, the trails did not go anywhere near them.  Once I was down I would be having a look at these structures.  Glancing up I saw that while no trail existed it would be relatively easy to get to the area I had seen the sparkle from.  Standing up I made my way to the small open area near the stream just before it began its descent.


    Sitting on a small carved platform was what looked like a large carved set of dice, I recognized the script written on them, it was what had been burnt into my chest by the mirror in the underground temple.  I slowly walked around the artifact noting that it was given off tremendous emanations of astral power.  I was at a loss I had never seen anything like that nor had I heard of anything like it.


    I sat with my back to the mountain and opened up my interface, then I logged into one of the backdoors I had left with Gnet and began to search the game forums.  A couple of hours passed with no results until I found a small thread in a discontinued forum.


    As I read the summary I began to get excited, if what it said was true I might be sitting on top of a legendary quest line with some of the most amazing rewards available Ingame.  The forum basically summed up that in the beta version of the game, legendary treasures had been placed to help the top players advance more rapidly in order to bring about the wars that the Gods had decided that they want Men to engage in.  Only an advanced player would be able to find and retrieve the treasure and even then it was something that was not repeatable, only  a handful of these artifacts had been scattered all over the game world.


    Eventually, the lead game designer some guy named Broth had decided to not implement the artifacts or the quests lines, but instead of pulling millions of lines of code and rewriting all kinds of scenarios they had just buried all the information on the subject knowing that without gamers actively looking the artifacts would remain hidden.  This information had never been officially released, but someone had heard of it and had posted it in a beta forum that had become closes as soon as the moderator saw what was posted.


    There was a good likelihood that I alone in the game world knew of these artifacts and the facts that they existed.  Standing up I approached the dice and reaching out I grabbed them, suddenly the ding sounded and the interface window opened, scrolling down I read,


    Legendary artifact discovered


    The dice of the Goblin King


    These dice were created by the Goblin King and his mightiest mages


    They are rolled once and then the pathway appears


    If you start on the pathway it must be finished


    Once the pathway has been walked the dice will bestow a blessing upon the bearer


    Accepting ownership of the dice makes them soul bound


    Do you accept ownership


    YES of NO


    The rewards were too great to even think of refusing and so I accepted ownership of the dice.  Holding them in my hand I wondered if they had anything to do with the abandonment of the island.  It might be how the programmers had made sure that these artifacts would remain hidden forever.  As much as I wanted to roll the dice I wanted to check out the two building hidden amongst the trees first and then report in with my men.


    Looking at the sun I realized that it was getting late, looking around I saw that I had a little bit of an overhang to sleep under and that the air was warm and dry.  Looking over the view once again I decided to stay here for the night.  Spreading my cloak I pulled out my wine skin from my bag along with the remains of all the food I had brought.


    Taking a drink I leaned back and lit a smoke, softly breathing out the smoke I thought of Ama, who had been pregnant with my child, who would be five years old now.  Twink being forced to be in the company of the Eldest.  Raik and Gluzzie  and Ama¡¯s sisters all helping Oaktree with the orphans from the Kradula and Reona the new tenant at the haunted place.


    Wrapping my cloak around me I ate supper and then finished my wine, then putting my head down I slept.

 Chapter 7 Leveling

    The sun''s glare was beginning to hit me when I woke up.  I looked around, it was another perfect day.  I stood up and began to do some stretches and light exercises.  Once I was warm and limber I sat and meditated letting my thoughts wonder and slowly grow still.  After a couple of hours, I brought my conscious mind back and sat for a few minutes.  Standing I slowly walked to the edge and looked down at the water falling into the pool five hundred feet below.


    After making sure I had everything I turned and ran to the edge and jumped off, snapping my wings open and feeling the play of air currents as they passed over and under the wings.  I spiraled down to the lake, occasionally flapping my wings but for the most part just letting my body instinctively fly itself.  As I approached the beach I flared out the wings and flapped them down and out a couple of times.


    I landed softly moving no faster than a slow jog, it was an amazing experience flying.  I did not have the power to achieve self-sustainable flight with my current strength levels but once I leveled up I would.  I was eager to level up, I had a long grind ahead of me. Grinding out the upcoming levels would be a bit of work but I was determined.


    Glancing at my minimap I began to make my way to where I had added the waypoint for the location of the derelict buildings. The underbrush was thick and heavy and it took a fair amount of effort to push through it.  I had once read that breaking bush was actually pretty tough work and I soon came to believe it.  Eventually, the minimap waypoint flashed and I knew I had to be pretty close to the buildings.


    Looking all around it took me a few minutes to spot the actual buildings.  The first one looked rough and I could see that plants were pushing out the windows and growing from the inside.  It was a clearly a ruined building and I did not bother to enter it. Walking around the building I saw the second structure.  It was made of stones and did not look damaged.  Moss was growing over most of the structure and it had no windows.


    I circled the building and finally located the door which was flush with the wall and also covered in a layer of moss.  After examining it carefully I gently pulled the moss off the area of the lock.  The lock itself looked undamaged and I knew that it would not be that hard to pick.  Pulling out the tools of the trade I set to work and had the lock opened in less than two minutes.


    Once I heard the distinctive click of the mechanism unlocking I put my tools away.  As I slowly pushed open the door I wondered how a  world of magic could have advanced technological locks.  If I were a real player I would submit a bug report and receive some free bling from the developers.


    As a ghost in the machine if I reported this I would be punted out of the game and that simply would not do. So sadly this tidbit of information would have to be noticed and reported by someone else.


    The light from the exterior of the building showed a dim room with a table and several chairs.  Entering farther into the room I was glad my Dragon vision was still helping me to see in the dim light.  I made my way to the far end of the room where another door was located. This one was not locked and opened with a minor bit of effort.  Going past the now open door I began to descend a long spiral stairway.


    I stopped counting once I hit five hundred steps.  Activating the interface I had the PIM display each step I took.  At twelve hundred steps I noticed that the walls were damp and the stairs were getting a little slippery.  I continued for another one hundred feet until I came to an opening.  Stepping through I saw that I was in front of a massive door carved in the shape of the Kraken with mermaids and other creatures making up the fine details.


    As I approached the door the now familiar ding sounded and a small window appeared on my interface.


    Congratulations Torn


    You have managed to reach level two


    All your stats have increased by ten percent


    Enjoy the game and your new powerful stats


    Smiling to myself I pumped my fist, at last, level two and no bloody errors.  I was happy that at least the current incarnation of me seemed to be working normally.  Taking a step towards the door I heard another ding and once again a small window appeared.


    Congratulations Torn


    You are the first player to find the Dungeon of the Deep


    As the first player here, you have the option of claiming the dungeon or announcing it to the game world for twenty-five thousand experience points.


    If you claim the dungeon you must be able to completely clear each level including the level bosses


    The last level has two bosses and they also must be defeated


    This dungeon is an entry level and designed to be successfully completed by a team of five players at a minimum level of five


    You will have one week to complete the dungeon


    Once completed you will have ownership of the dungeon it will be soul bound to you


    Do you wish to claim ownership


    Yes or No


    I hit the yes button on the interface and then sat down on the damp step to think.  In most games you level rapidly through dungeon crawls and as long as you could solo the dungeon you would be fine.  If you had to do it with your guildmates or housemates you would lose some of the xp bonus but would have a far better chance of success.


    If you had to do a dungeon alone you could join a PUG but you were almost guaranteed to fail.  Originally PUG stood for pick up group but it quickly was universally recognized as a pretty ugly group.


    Here I was faced with both an opportunity and a challenge.  I could not finish the dungeon at level two, even with my nanobots and abilities.  But if I could finish the first level or two I would be sure to reach level five.  If I went back and handed in the pub master quest I might make it to level three before I even start the dungeon.


    Think of these things I slowly turned around and started the long ascent.  I needed to buy some potions and buffs before I began this dungeon.  Also, better gear is in order, something that hopefully has enchants.  Once I finally reached the surface I left the building and breathed deeply enjoying the smell of the sea in the fresh air.


    Arriving at the terminal I knew I would have to wait for a couple more hours till the light faded.  The day had been productive and I was eager to get back to the mainland and tell the guys what I had discovered.  It was too bad that they could not come with me and run the dungeon, but NPC are strictly forbidden by the game from doing that.  But still I wondered if they might be able to, they were not normal NPC.


    Sitting on the bench in the warm sunlight I opened the interface and accessed Gnet.   Making my way to the game forums I slowly scrolled through them trying to find out anything about the Dungeon of the Deep.  It was a bust, but if my theory on why the island had been abandoned was true, then it was not surprising that no one knew of the dungeon.


    Because it had not been discovered by the time that the island was abandoned it had a very small chance of being discovered. The fact that I had climbed the mountain, located the Dice and had glimpsed the building hiding among the bush was sheer luck.   I hoped that this string of luck would hold.  I would do my best and then chance fates, as the Gods were useless here. Chuckling at my self-induced humor I napped until the darkness came.


    Getting back over the channel was a lot easier than I had thought it would be, the wings helped and my confidence was much higher than when I had gone to the island.  I was amazed at the sight of the ocean waves one thousand feet below me.  They glistened in the light of the two moons and the sea foam looked like a living creature.


    Once I arrived at the mainland terminal I folded up my wings and covered everything with my cloak, then I made me way down towards the abandoned park.  I stopped along the way and ordered three large meals for takeout.  It seemed a lot but I knew I would need the calories for the change back to normal Elf.  Once I arrived at the park I settled down near the creek and began to eat.


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    The hot pot pies had an excellent taste, and the grilled spicy sausage was wonderful washed down with some hard pear cider. The cheese went with the sausage and it all tasted great, finally finishing off with roasted chicken and wine.  By the time I was done I was happily full and slightly buzzed.  It was a nice feeling; things seemed to be working out.


    Wrapping myself in my cloak I cleaned up the leftovers and then went down to the water to have a wash-up. The clear cold water cleared my head and allowed me to focus on my thoughts for tomorrow.  I lit a smoke and sat back, I would meet with the guys and then go to the Pub and hand in the items I had returned with.


    Continuing on my day, a trip to the bank and finally to get some clothing and potions.  I would have to be somewhat generic as I had not chosen the second class yet.  My thoughts were still inclined towards a distance DPS class as I was tired of getting up close and whacking at another player.  I had just not found anything yet that could help me choose.


    I am willing to bet that I would in the Dungeon of the Deep.  Snubbing out my smoke I laid back and closed my eyes with the gentle sounds of the creek and the warm night quickly putting me to sleep.


    I awoke to find both Sebastian and Komhether sitting on the bench down the pathway.  They were chatting softly as I sat up; I cleared my throat to let them know I was awake.  Walking down to the creek I washed up and then scooped some water and had a drink.  Clear and cold it tasted great.  This was the benefit of living in a game world; there was no pollution to deal with.


    Calling out to the boys I said, ¡°Hi guys, good to see you.  let''s go get some food and kavaa and then share what we have found out.¡±  Leading the way I went towards the pub on the terrace, I wanted to eat, drink and get some xp.  Once we reached the pub the owner Alaric came and greeted us and then sat us down in a private booth.  Leaning over to me he asked, ¡°Did you succeed?¡±


    Seeing me nod yes he took our orders and left with a large smile on his face.


    Sebastian began the discussion as we slowed down on the eating.  ¡°This is what little I have discovered, the dwarfs are rapidly building and expanding and some of what they are developing are weapons.  Another machine they are producing is called a streetlamp.  They take these streetlamps and fasten them to buildings on the corner edges.  They light up at night using some kind of fuel system.  Almost every block in the first and second tier is now equipped with these streetlights. They light up an area of about ten feet at nighttime."


    I asked after taking a sip of kavaa, ¡°How do the people feel about these changes?  Most people are usually a little stiff about change, they do not like it.¡±  Nodding thoughtfully Sebastian said, ¡°It is surprising how little resistance there is to any of the changes.  What with cleaning the lower tiers and enforcing curfews as well as having the Hammeryte patrols out making sure crime does not pay, most people are happy.¡±


    Sebastian continued on speaking, ¡°Some of the other things that I found out have to do with what is happening in the Dwarfen lands.  They also were preparing for war and when the Gods disappeared it brought some chaos to the land.  Suddenly people were asking the King where the Gods were and why prayers were not being answered.  Why quests were not being given, and why the oracles and priest and monks were all wondering around like the poor brain-dead.¡±


    ¡°Sadly the King did not give a reassuring response.   Now discontent and fear have given way to what amounts to a rebellion.  I think Banhammer is building weapons and somehow having them shipped to a dwarven port where those engaged in the rebellion receive the items.  By manufacturing these new weapons here in the human kingdoms capital city he is effectively free from any punitive action that the dwarf King would like to engage in.¡±


    That was a lot if information and I needed to think about it for a bit before I could decide on a course of action. Turning to Komhether I asked, ¡°What did you find out my friend?¡±  I could see him preen a bit at being the bearer of news.  I could not help but smile at the little messenger; he was worth his weight to me.  The fact that Sebastian had established a relationship with him made me happy also; I think they had both been very lonely.


    Komhether cleared his throat and began to speak, ¡°As you know I am able to not be seen by people, this was important as a messenger of the Gods should not be seen by just anyone.  So by using my ability I was able to enter the Kings own chambers and attend to several meetings that were held. ¡°


    ¡°The first thing I have learned is that the King has appointed Archon, your friend from the group that you refer to as the Old Bastards.  He is now the Kings Chamberlain and is the one who is really running things up at the palace.  The King is not the man he once was, without the favor of the Gods he is little more than a figurehead.¡±


    ¡°The only ascended with power in the land is the Unknown God and he only speaks with Viceroy Reona and the Chamberlain Archon. The King is now almost a prisoner in his own palace.  What a strange twist of fate that is.  The top guilds and houses still do meet with Archon but from what I can gather, we are no longer preparing for war.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Komhether, that is valuable information, and I appreciate you and I mean both of you for getting me this, it really helps me.¡±  I wish I could say more to express how I felt; I really did appreciate the effort that the guys had put into getting this information for me.  Taking a moment I finished my kavaa and then began to tell my story.  Once I was finished we were all silent for a while.  Sebastian then asked, ¡°If the dungeon has never been done, and it is all still undiscovered, do you think you will find some good items in there?¡±


    I nodded my head and spoke, ¡°I am sure hoping that I will, and if it is not anything that I can use then hopefully it will have items I can auction off or sell.  There is only one way to find out and that is by running through the dungeon.¡±


    At this time pub master Alaric approached and waved at me, excusing myself I walked over to him.  He led me to a small private room and then asked me for the recovered bag.  I reached into my pack and pulled out the bag.  Handing it over to him I watched as he looked at it and then finally put it on the desk.


    Turning to me he reached into his waist bag and pulled out five gold coins.  I could see that my xp bar had increased by ten thousand xp.  Suddenly the ding sounded and the window opened.


    Congratulations Torn


    You have managed to reach level three


    All your stats have increased by ten percent


    Enjoy the game and your new powerful stats


    Opening up my stat window I could see that my stats had increased.  I had started with a base stat of two hundred at level one.   Then at the second level, I reached two hundred and twenty.  Now at the third level, I was two hundred and forty percent above normal.  It all helped.  It seemed that every level would increase my base stats by ten percent of the original base level.


    A simple system probably brought into the game during one of the patches to help equalize the classes. Most VRP games would develop certain classes that were considered overpowered compared to some of the other classes.  This was really picked up on the player versus player aspect of games.  To be honest I had always thought that it must be hard to balance classes and no one would be happy all the time.


    Thanking Alaric for the quest rewards we shook hands.  I then mentioned I had would be available in ten days to start in the kitchen.  He nodded and said, ¡°That will be fine.¡±  I left him looking at his mother¡¯s bag; he had a sad smile but seemed happy to have received it.  It was amazing that NPC could have the emotional depth that they had.


    Making my way back to the table I rejoined the guys and we sat and enjoyed another drink.  Komhether asked, ¡°When will you be going back to the island?¡±  ¡°Tomorrow, I need to get some supplies and then I am off.  We finished the meal off with some more kavaa and laughs, then it was time to go.

 Chapter 8 Friends

    As Komhether, Sebastian and I made our way out of the pub I turned to the guys and asked if they knew where I could find a good shop with entry level gear.  Something that would have enchants, which were rare on what amounted to throw away items. Even if I out leveled the gear within a few days it was worth it if it kept me alive.


    Sebastian spoke up and said, ¡°I know of a decent little shop on the third level, they cater to the level 10 to twenty ranges, but I have been in the back and they have some old gear that is lower level.  I think they used to do trade-ins for non-soul bound items.  They also sell some low level enchants to put on the gear to increase its sale-ability.¡±


    I nodded and thanked Sebastian; it was just what I was looking for.  As we were passing a bank I spoke up, ¡°Hey guys I am going to run into the bank and make a deposit, I will be right back.¡± I walked past the burly NPC guards on the portico and entered the bank properly.


    As I stood in line I thought about the size of the guards standing outside, they reminded me of a series of old movies I had watched a few years back.  The lead actor was a huge man, and was famous for making simple statements, my favorite was, ¡°Get to the Choppa.¡±  Slowly the line moved and I was eventually at the teller.


    The bank teller was an attractive human girl with the typical perfect body and smiling face that all female NPC had.  I gave her a smile and then told her I would like to make a deposit.   She smiled back and gave me a wink.  Then she said, ¡°I would love to take your deposit, sir.¡±  The succubae bond was clearly still working and affecting every woman I talked to.


    Recalling my bank code that I had been given as Tor I decided to see if it would work.  I put on the counter all the gold I had received from Alaric. Then I asked to have it put into my account.  When the girl asked for the account code I repeated the numbers I had been assigned.  I was not sure how it worked but she looked down at something then looking up at me she took the money and said, ¡°Is there anything else I can do for you, sir.¡±


    I replied, ¡°Yes, may I have an updated balance and withdraw a twenty gold coin.  I hate to have to carry around a lot of coins.¡±  The bank teller smiled and wrote something down and then opened a drawer and grabbed one larger gold coin.  She then gave me the coin and a piece of paper with my balance on it.  With a big smile, she said, ¡°Please come again, anytime.¡±  I was not sure if that was an innuendo or if she was just really friendly.


    Reading the paper I saw that I was still a rich man, with a lot of money in that account.  Finding that Mithril bar when I had been Tor had been fortunate.  With the cost of Mithril, I had auctioned it off for a very nice sum. The results were seen on the paper the girl had given me.  Along with an invitation to meet her at the wind chime park at seven bells this evening.  I guess she was being more than just friendly.


    Showing the note to the guys I said, ¡°It is nice not to have to worry about money anymore.¡±  Komhether spoke up and said, ¡°You do not have to worry about being lonely anymore either, isn¡¯t that the second note that a girl has passed you.  Are you going to go meet her?¡±


    I thought about this for a while as we walked towards the store.  ¡°I do not think so; I did not come back into this realm to pick up girls.  I came back to be with Ama and to deal with the Old bastards, Archon in particular and Reona also.


    Then I want to deal with the Eldest and the House of Pain.  To be honest, when I think of what those people did to me I become pretty pissed off.  It is like thunder pounding within my breast, full of anger and rage at the helplessness that I have felt.¡±


    Sebastian nodded and said, ¡°I understand some of what you are feeling, it is referred to as demonic fury, and once it awakens it never truly goes away.  At least not till vengeance has been accomplished.  The question is how well you get your vengeance?¡±


    I wish I knew, I thought, being level three I was not a force to be reckoned with.  It all was coming down to grinding the levels up and seeing what kind of spells and items I could find as I leveled.  We arrived at the store and began the shopping experience.  It was not a lot of fun I thought as we left, but it had served my needs.


    I now had a black outfit, it had all kinds of pockets in it and had leather patches sewn on that would offer a modicum of protection.  It also had minor enchantments on the boots, pants, cuffs and chest along with one on the cloak.  They were all + 2 in the intellect which helped to give me a small basic increase.  Opening my stats window I looked at the stats and read,


    Stats


    Strength - starting level one = 50   your strength modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260


    Agility - starting level one = 50    your agility modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260


    Intellect - starting level one = 50   your intellect = 50 + 10% per level *3 = 65


    Mana- starting level one =50 your mana = 50 + 10% per level *3 = 65


    Health - starting level one = 50     your health modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260


    Speed - starting level one = 50    your speed modifier = 200 + 10% per level *3 = 260


    It seemed confusing as hell and I was getting a headache looking at it.  I noticed that there was a small button for a simpler interface display window, once I accepted the change the interface window changed,


    Stats


    Strength = 260


    Agility = 260


    Intellect = 65


    Mana = 65


    Health = 260


    Speed = 260


    The new window was much easier to follow; it displayed the numbers I wanted and nothing else.  I knew my stats would increase by ten percent of the original base stat with each level.  The modifiers were the nanobots that had enabled me to make a character with above average physical stats.  All I needed was to see the numbers going up the rest was just a distraction.  Finding a public washroom I changed into the new gear.  With the new gear equipped my stats now showed,


    Stats


    Strength = 260


    Agility = 260


    Intellect = 75


    Mana = 165


    Health = 260


    Speed = 260


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    It all looked good and my mana had increased by over one hundred points.  It seems that for every point put into intellect above the base level I would get an increase of four points in mana.  Having more mana meant being able to use the spells and abilities I had more effectively.  I guess I would be building up my Intellect to build up my mana.


    All in all, I would need to build up all stats till level ten and then I would formalize the class build I had been working towards.  My main class was Thief, but my secondary class would be the one that would be displayed to the world.  I noticed we were approaching a large crowd and closed all the interface windows to see what was happening.


    We had arrived at an open air market so I suggested that we all go and purchase some food items.  High caloric content and great taste were the only requirements.  After spending a couple of hours shopping, we all met at the market entrance with several bags of supplies.  Continuing on Sebastian led us to his apartment.


    Once we arrived we unloaded all the bags and then we sat and planned out what our next move would be.  I explained that as soon as we arrived at the island I would like to go the entrance building and start the dungeon.  If we left in the early predawn we would arrive with a whole day to farm the dungeon.  Komhether asked, ¡°Are you planning on staying in the dungeon?¡±  I nodded and spoke, ¡°I only have a week to do it and then it will be open to the public if I don¡¯t finish it.  I want to keep it for myself as it will be a money maker.¡±


    Sebastian spoke up, ¡°But you do not need money, with what you have and what I have all your financial needs are secure, why would you want a moneymaker.¡±  Wow, that was a good question and it illustrated that even in a game verbal expressions could have different meanings.  Moneymaker did not mean making money for me; it meant something that would be helpful.


    Sometimes the words we say can be a little ethnocentric I thought.  After taking the time to explain what I had meant to Sebastian and Komhether I was asked a few questions.  Komhether began with, ¡°I know from what Sebastian has told me that your realm is a little strange, can you tell me about it?¡±


    I nodded as it was the least I could do.  I began by prefacing what I wanted to share with this.  ¡°My realm is crazy.  That will make it easy for you to understand things.  The leaders of the land began to bring in rules of how the people should respond to circumstances.  At first, it was accepted and applauded, the rules brought equality and fairness to people.¡±


    Stopping for a moment to think I continued, ¡°Then a change began to happen, groups of people began to promote their own agendas, what they wanted not what was good for everyone.  So more rules were made and for the first time, the common people began to lose their rights and freedoms.  However if you had gold, you could influence the ruling class.¡±


    Sebastian nodded, ¡°It is that way in hell, corruption by the wealthy for the wealthy.  Please continue Torn, this is interesting.¡±  I nodded and said, ¡°These changes were brought in slowly and not all were bad as I said, but then the ruling classes started using fear and misdirection to influence the people.¡±  ¡°Why would they do that?¡± Komhether asked.


    I thought for a bit before speaking, ¡°No one knows why but they used fear and misdirection to change the way my realm was governed and how the citizens classed.  Advancing yourself and improving your lot in life were once the staples of how things worked in my realm, but with the changes those goals faded and people began to expect to receive a good life.  But they refused to work towards accomplishing that good life goal.¡±


    ¡°Well, how crazy is that?¡±  Sebastian asked with scorn in his voice.  ¡°Were these people the royalty, that they deserved this?¡±  ¡°No,¡± I replied, ¡°They were not, but they were told over and over from birth that you deserve this or that, and eventually more and more people began to believe it.¡±


    Komhether asked. ¡°What happened in your realm next Torn, it sounds like the fabric of your society was being rendered apart?¡±


    ¡°I think it was,¡± I replied.  ¡°The state then engaged in spending large sums of gold on wars that bankrupted the realm, eventually only the rich prospered.  They would move to other realms or to private enclaves to live. The poor just grew and grew.  With all these changes that occurred, the basic rules that caused society to function deteriorated.  In short life sucks in my realm.  Not many follow the rules anymore and that is that.¡±


    I continued, ¡°Now there is a whole industry that developed, that promises to fix things for a price.  I think what they are really selling is the dream of happiness.  I just do not think it will work, because to achieve any dream you must do a lot of work and most people are now too lazy to work.¡±


    Shaking my head I said, ¡°Well that is enough from me, I basically come from a pretty bad place, where most people simply do not care for anyone else, a very dog eat dog realm.¡±  Sebastian looking up asked, ¡°What is a dog?¡±


    ¡°It is an animal that co-habitats with some people of my realm.  I have never seen one but I have heard they can be aggressive, thus, the dog eats dog term.¡±  Seeing Sebastian nodding his head I turned to Komhether and asked, ¡°Could you tell us about what you know of the heavenly realms Komhether?¡±


    I waited, looking at the little messenger for his response.  Komhether looking a little-embarrassed spoke, ¡°I wish I could tell you some great stories, but I can¡¯t.  I was always waiting around for the Gods but never privy to where they would go.  Remember where you saw me on top of the temple.  That is where I would be found sitting at a shrine or a temple.  Shrugging he continued, ¡°I was never a player with the other Gods, just a person who had to do what they said.¡±


    I could see he looked uncomfortable so I said, ¡°Hey, no problem I know what it is like to be waiting around for stuff to happen.  I spent years in the orphanage waiting around to leave it.  When I finally did I had to wait a year to get back here.  Life is waiting around for long periods of time followed by periods of nonstop go go go.¡±


    Sebastian nodded and said, ¡°I know what you mean.  The years I spent waiting around the Trial of Temptations, just hoping someone would show up.  I was really a prisoner; we all were until you arrived at the Castle Torn.¡±  Looking at me he said, ¡°I want to thank you again for again for freeing me, for freeing all of us.¡±


    I could see that this was something that meant a lot to him, it meant a lot to me also.  To have friends and people who actually cared for you, well it was important.  I stood up and said, ¡°We should go to bed as morning will come early and we are going to have a lot to do.  I really want to run that dungeon and finish it in the week I have.¡±


    I said goodnight to the guys and left to go to the park to sleep.  They wanted me to stay but a wise man knows when two is company and three is a crowd.  As I walked the streets I observed the people going about their daily activities, it was all winding down.  There is something comforting about having a family to go home to, having somewhere to belong.


    Once at the park, I sat down by the creek and meditated for a while until I felt a peace come upon me.  During my year in the real world, I had started to study the philosophy of the Stoics.  It really appealed to me and while I did not know a lot about how to practice it I found it was a good way to end the day.  Finally, with a clear mind, I went to sleep untroubled by vagrant thoughts and feelings.

 chapter 9 Hammerhead

    Morning came early; I awoke to Sebastian gently shaking my shoulder.  ¡°Good morning, ¡°I said as I sat up.  I could smell some breakfast sitting on a blanket as Komhether began to serve it out.  Getting up I made my way down to the creek and washed up.  As I rinsed out my mouth with the clear cold water I was glad that I had a towel to dry off with.  It was cool and fog had rolled into the city as I slept.


    Sebastian also was looking around at the fog and said, ¡°Winter is coming when the fog starts to roll in at night. We don¡¯t get a lot of snow here but it will be wet and cool.  You are going to need a place to stay soon Torn.  It just will not be comfortable for you sleeping in the park.


    I nodded, he was right but that would be a concern for later, perhaps after the dungeon run.  We ate the warm food and packed up.  Making our way through the mist-shrouded streets we finally arrived at the terminal. Sebastian and Komhether split the gear between them and then Sebastian turned into his demonic form.


    I gave them a nod and said, ¡°I will meet you at the other terminal, don¡¯t drop anything.¡±  I then took my shirt off and metamorphed my wings out.  It was becoming easier and faster each time I changed, and the hunger was not as bad.  With a running leap and a flap of my wings, I landed on the wire.  The stat bonus I had received was evident on my balance and strength.


    I began to jog down the wire using my wings to help keep balance.  Glancing down I could only see mist, the ocean was covered by it.  The time passed quickly and I soon arrived at the terminal.  The guys were waiting for me, and I jumped the last twenty meters and flew glided down to meet them.  Komhether spoke up, ¡°Soon you will be able to fly as your strength and power increases.  You look like an avenging angel gliding through the mist.¡±


    I laughed and said, ¡°I am pretty far from being an angel, my alliance is with the other side.¡±  We all chuckled at my humor and then I led the guys through the bush towards the building.  Once we arrived Sebastian said, ¡°It sure does not look like much up top here, I am curious what it looks like once we enter it properly.¡±


    I went to work with the lock picks and had the door open in less than a minute.  Entering the building I led the guys down the spiral stairs.  Eventually, we arrived at the door and stood there for a minute to catch our breath.  ¡°Are you guys ready?¡± I asked.  Seeing them both nod I said, ¡°There is a chance that the magic of this dungeon will not allow you to join me if that happens you can wait for me up top.¡±


    Komhether spoke up, ¡°I think it will be all right as the angelic messenger I have access to all realms, and Sebastian is not from this realm so I don¡¯t think that the rules of dungeon magic will apply to him.  Let¡¯s enter together and see what occurs.  At the worst we will be waiting for you on the surface.¡±


    I nodded and then went to add them to my party.  I was glad to see that they both appeared in the party and I hoped it would make this dungeon run work.  Walking up to the door I pushed it open and entered followed by both of my friends.


    The light was dim and the smell of the sea was everywhere, not unpleasant but strong.  As we walked into the cavern it became apparent that this was a wet place.  Pools of sea water lay scattered around and rocky outcroppings were visible scattered across the diameter.


    The light was dim with several flickering torches space here and there among the rocks.  The ceiling was about twenty meters above our heads.  On the far wall, a waterfall of sorts was descending down the wall behind the largest outcropping of rock.


    I whispered to the guys, ¡°Let''s go slow and freeze when we see anyone, we will see if whoever is here is following a path.¡±  As we made our way through the cavern along a trail of sorts it became apparent that some of the pools of water were deep.  We had just passed one when suddenly two mermen swam up to the surface and immediately began to attack.


    I was far enough past them that the trident that the merman tossed at me was avoidable.  Komhether was not so lucky; the second merman''s trident caught him in the shoulder.  He fell with a muffled cry.  I glance at Sebastian in time to see a horrified look on his face.  ¡°I will heal him,¡± I called out, ¡°take care of those assholes.¡±


    With a demonic glare on his face, he moved so fast that it was a blur.  I could hear bones cracking and a hissing voice pleading when suddenly the sound stopped.  Two bodies dropped beside me with a heavy thud.  I ignored them as I slowly pulled the trident from Komhether¡¯s shoulder.   It was barbed and the pain must have been terrible as his flesh was being ripped apart.


    The weapon was finally free from his flesh and I could see the blood rapidly pooling under his shoulder.  I began to cast my one healing spell that all new players had.  Slowly the wound closed as I cast heal over and over.  Eventually, my mana pool ran dry and I could do no more.  Once I stopped healing Sebastian grabbed Komhether''s hand and began to comfort him.


    I asked how he was doing and Komhether replied that ¡°It hurts but is well on the way to being healed.¡± My thoughts were racing, son of a bitch; one of my friends could have died here.  I was not pleased; turning to the guys I apologized and suggested that we rethink this.  Clearly this was not going to be a wash rinse and repeat sort of level.


    With all the tidal bores the merman could jump out of any hole that we would pass and I counted at least twenty-five more holes to get by before we arrived at the waterfall.  We did not have a tank to be a meat shield and my healing was limited.  I think that we needed to concentrate on DPS and see if we could ping pong aggro from one to another as we burned the enemy down.


    Explaining what I was thinking I asked what the guys thought and what they had offensively to offer.  Sebastian spoke first, ¡°I have speed and strength with a demonic fury buff I can activate for myself.¡±  I turned to look at Komhether who looked sheepish and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any overt DPS however I can summon angelic light which is a super bright light, in this dim cavern it will blind the mermen for a few minutes.¡±


    Nodding I spoke up, ¡°I have an electrical attack I want to try out, Komhether why don¡¯t you and Sebastian each take one of the tridents and use it to the best of your abilities.  It is better than nothing, and Komhether feel free to use the light spell but let us know first so we can cover our eyes.  I will do the same when I attack that is when I want you both to take to the air.  I do not want to fry you guys.¡±


    Turning to the dead mermen I held my hand over the bodies and looted them.  They had two silver each and one had a ring, a green item that added ten plus points to health.  I put it on and watched my health bar increase by ten points.  It was better than a kick in the crotch but nothing to write home about.


    As we approached the next pool I beckoned for the guys to stay back and grabbed a rock from the floor and tossed it in.  Within moments, the surface was broken as three mermen lifted themselves above the water. They glanced around trying to get a look at what had disturbed them.  As they focused on us I targeted them and cast lightning from both my hands.


    As the lightning hit them they froze with all the muscles of their body locked up.  I held the power on for about two seconds and then stopped it.  As soon as I stopped Sebastian began moving, he grabbed all three and with a triple crack they were dead.  Putting the bodies at my feet he said, ¡°Holy smoke, Torn, I broke the necks because I believe in the double tap but these three were fried before I got to them.¡±


    I nodded when I had cast the lightning a power grid had appeared on my interface and I could see the power usage.   I had used about five percent of available power to cast two seconds worth of lightening.  I could live with those numbers, it was an OP attack for my level, but I was not playing by the games rules.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.I looted the bodies for 6 silver and one green item.  It was all vendor trash, not worth keeping.  We began to advance to the next pool.  After about three hours we were in front of the waterfall.  I had made about 76 silver and a handful of green items.  Nothing great but I was hoping to get something from the boss of this level.


    He was swimming in the pool at the base of the falls, a huge hammerhead shark.  I knew he had seen us but he was content to swim in his pool.  The water was clear and at the bottom of the pool was a chest.  The only way to get to the chest was to get past the shark.  No wonder the bastard was grinning at me, swimming in there, to defeat him I would have to go into the pool with him.


    Sebastian asked what the plan is, I had no clue so I said to the guys, ¡°Let''s eat.¡±  I always feel better after a meal and hopefully, I could think of something as we ate.  As Komhether began to lay out the food we had brought I could see the shark circling upwards trying to get a better look at what we were doing.


    As I stared at him he stared at the food that had begun to appear.  Suddenly his head broke the water and he looked at us.  Opening his mouth he spoke, ¡°By the squid, is that human food you have there?  I declare Pax Oceania.¡±  Suddenly this large hammerhead shark changed into a man and climbed out of the water.


    He was huge, and had perhaps too many teeth but he looked humanoid.  As he walked over he began to sniff the air and then said, ¡°The smell of the food is driving me crazy, may I join you for lunch?¡±  I was startled and not sure what to say when Sebastian answered him and said, ¡°The peace of the ocean upon you, please join us for lunch.¡±


    As we sat down I kept an eye on our unexpected guest.  It was amazing watching him eat, he devoured all that was put before him with one or two bites before swallowing it half chewed.  Once we were finished eating I lit up a smoke and relaxed, then asked the shark man how long he had been here.


    ¡°I have been here for a long long time.  Once I roamed the oceans free to hunt and swim, but now I wait for someone to come and do battle.  I listened as he spoke of the deep ocean where even he would not swim and of the villages of the merfolk.  Of the underwater trade routes that followed the currents and all the other denizens of the deep.


    He finally came to a stop and then looking at us he spoke once again.  ¡°You have no hope of defeating me in the water, but still you have been honorable and courteous.  I will allow you to do battle with me on the land. If you defeat me then what is down there is yours.  Do you accept my challenge to you?¡±


    I nodded, this was the only way I could see that we would have a chance at winning.  ¡°Let''s clean up and then we can begin,¡± I said.  looking around I could see that we were all in agreement.  It only took  a few moments to clean up the food and put everything away.  Once we were done the hammerhead turned and bowed.


    Suddenly he attacked, moving faster than I had thought he could he leaped over to Sebastian and grabbed him. I could see that they were equally strong, but with a twist, the hammerhead threw the demon over his shoulder towards the waterfall.  Komhether had not been standing still while this struggle was happening , he had grabbed both tridents and as the hammerhead turned towards him he thrust both of them into the front of the shark man.


    With a grunt, the shark man backhanded Komhether several feet into the air and then glancing down at the tridents he grinned.  Looking at me he said, ¡°It hurts but they barely penetrated and have done no real damage.  As he began to move towards me I ran at him waving my arms around in an attempt at distraction.


    It did not work and I felt his arms grab me and begin to squeeze, my hands were trapped at my sides banging against the tridents.  As I began to feel my ribs bend I suddenly grabbed each trident and released the lightning. Each trident acted as a lightning rod and I pushed out all the current I could.


    I could feel his arms loosen up and then become rigid. I glanced up at him and watched as a small smile slowly appeared.  Damn it my electrical attack had stunned him but had not done enough damage to finish the fight. Suddenly Sebastian and Komhether both appeared and each grabbed one of his arms.  I am not sure how they did it but they managed to lift him up to the ceiling and then maneuver over to a rock outcropping.


    Then they suddenly dropped him just as his arms began to twitch.  I watched as he landed back first onto the jagged stones which punctured his back.  I heard the crack as his spine broke from the impact and as I looked at him I saw a smile appear.  I walked over to the outcropping and heard him say, ¡°Thanks, young adventurer, a good meal, and a good battle.  That is how we live and die in the ocean.¡±  He reached up and pulled out a tooth and handed it to me.


    ¡°Keep this it is a gift,¡± and with a cough he died.  I looked at the shark tooth he had given me and watched in amazement as it grew into a blade about nine centimeters long.  Both Komhether and Sebastian looked at in and nodded,  Sebastian then said, ¡°That is a sign of great honor to receive that, treasure it.¡±


    I looted the body for five gold coins and then we made our way back to the pool.  I asked the guys if they were alright and once they told me they were I said, ¡°I am going to dive down and loot the chest, why don¡¯t you guys look for the exit to go to the next area.¡±  I began to strip down to the tighty whitey underwear and then took several deep breaths.


    Jumping in I realized that the water was not that cold which was a relief.  I flailed my way down to the chest, it was about ten meters deep I would guess.  Once I touched it a buff appeared in my interface, it said, Underwater breathing  for ten minutes is enabled.  All of a sudden I could breathe, it felt normal like breathing on the land.  I love magic I thought as I opened the chest.


    Inside I could see that the chest had three items in it, a weapon, some kind of leather gear and a scroll. None of the items were wet, more magic I would guess.  I grabbed them all and then swam to the surface.  Once on dry land I grabbed my cloak and began to dry myself off and get dressed.  Sitting down I examined the weapon first.  It was a dagger a blue item that had plus ten to all stats when equipped. I belted the sheath on and felt the difference that having the extra plus ten made.


    The next item was a cloak, it had no stats but did have a concealment charm built into it.  If it totally covered the wearer he would merge into the background.  That was well worth keeping and I equipped it.  The final item was a scroll that read,


    The power of magic is knowledge and this is the first step towards that power.


    The spell of water and ice.


    Do you wish to learn this spell?


    Yes or No


    As I accepted the spell my mind was suddenly filled with the knowledge of how to cast ice bolts.  It worked for me as it was a distance attack and one that would grow as I leveled.  I called the guys back to me and showed them what I had found.  Looking around I asked, ¡°Did you find an exit here, or do we need to search more?¡±


    Sebastian spoke up and pointing towards the top of the waterfall said, ¡°It is on top of the waterfall a hidden ledge with a cave that turns into a downward tunnel.  Unfortunately, the only way up there is to climb through the waterfall.¡±


    I sighed, this was not going to be easy, but we had managed the first level in half a day.  I was pleased and standing up I said, ¡°I will go first so if I fall you guys can catch me,  hearing  them groan I smiled and then stepped under the waterfall and felt for a handhold.

 Chapter 10 Lady killer

    As I began to climb over the waterfall onto the upper ledge the Ding sounded and I leveled.  I was wet tired and level four.  Nice, I thought as I lay on my back catching my breath.  The guys both landed beside me and we all sat for a few minutes.  I passed smokes around and asked the guys to give me a moment to dry off.


    Eventually, we entered the cave and began to walk downwards; the passageway was wide enough for two people to walk abreast.  The walls were damp and the floor was sand and gravel.  We traveled for several minutes until we reached a sharp bend, going around the corner the passage opened up into another large cavern, it looked very similar to the first one.  There were rocky outcroppings and deep pools of seawater.


    Sitting on several of the rocks were girls, naked girls.  They all had a bluish tinge to their skin, and their hair was green in color.  They were slender with the typical dimensions of female NPC, large chest narrow waist, all the padding in the proper places.  The faces I could see in the distance looked perhaps a little more triangular than normal but that only added to their beauty.


    ¡°Who are these girls?¡±  I asked softly.  I was feeling a bit ambivalent about having to take down a woman.  Call me old-fashioned or just stupid but the idea of hitting a female just did not suit me.  Not a pleasant feeling realizing that you are leaving your comfort zone.


    Sebastian spoke up, ¡°I think that these women are Sirens, they take the form of a mermaid that spends most of the time living on land, in appearance they are women.  They use their powerful voices to sing sex magic towards men, who lose all control and usually die trying to reach the Sirens.¡±  I nodded that made sense; some of the old Greek and Roman legends and stories also mentioned Sirens.


    I activated my PIM and then linked into Gnet to look up a definition for Sirens in the Wikipedia archives.  The relevant passage I found stated, ( The Sirens were very dangerous yet attractive creatures, who lured lonely sailors with their enchanting music and voices to shipwreck on the rocky coast of their island. )


    Calling the guys together I asked for their thoughts on how we should approach this level.  We talked it out for a while when Sebastian suddenly said, ¡°I do not think we need to worry too much about the Sirens.  In fact, I am sure that this will be one of the easiest levels here for us.


    I stared at his grinning face and asked, ¡°What makes you think that man, there are at least twenty of the girls that I can see and there may be more at the far end of the cavern.  Once we hear them sing it is over.  We have no earplugs and no way to stop them from singing.¡±


    Looking over at Komhether Sebastian smiled and stated, ¡°The sirens use their voices to drive men mad with sex magic.  I suspect that Komhether and I are not going to be affected by the girls.  Also, you may have forgotten, but when Ama gave you her mark it has the effect of negating all other sex magic.  You also will not be affected.  The singing will move us emotionally as all good songs can do, but I doubt we will lose control.¡±


    I nodded, he was right; we were protected from the Sirens.  The guys were only interested in each other and while I was weak the protection that Ama gave me would be my defense.  I thought about what we would have to do and then I said, ¡°Guys I may have one problem here, I am not sure that I can kill a girl who is singing at me.¡±


    Both Sebastian and Komhether looked at me.  I shrugged what could I say, it was just the way I felt.  I know that feelings come and go and that things change but to kill someone for singing just did not seem right. Sebastian spoke up and said, ¡°I know that they look like attractive girls but wait until we get close to them. They will change and when they reveal themselves I think that your hesitancy will disappear.¡±


    I nodded at this, ¡°I hope so.¡±  I said.  We continued to discuss how we would deal with the Sirens.  I asked, ¡°What kind of physical or magical attack can we expect?¡±  Both of the guys shrugged,  Komhether looked at the closest two Sirens and said, ¡°I would expect that they are stronger than they appear, but they do not have any weapons I can see.¡±


    All right, let''s see what happens, I will stand back and cast lightning on them and when they are distracted you guys swoop down and attack from the back.  I am also going to start using the new spell I just learned to start leveling it up.  Are we ready?¡±  Seeing them nod I began to thread my way along the rocks towards the first of the sirens.


    There were two sirens sitting on the first rocky outcropping above the pool of seawater.  The guys had already flown up and were near the roof of the cavern.  Once the girls saw me they both began to sing, the sound was clear and light, it brought back memories of times gone passed.  Suddenly the song changed and it brought to mind springtime and flowers.  As I came closer to the sirens the tempo increased and thoughts of summer heat, warm nights and languid mornings filled my mind.


    Thank the Gods that I was immune as the singing was powerful and hypnotic in nature, I was able to stay focused by concentrating.  Without the protection of Ama¡¯s mark on me, I would have been lost in a living daydream that would have drawn me in closer and closer without any thought of what might happen.


    Suddenly Sebastian and Komhether swooped down with great speed and thrust the tridents into the back of the sirens.  With a look of horror on their faces, they spun around to face the attackers.  As they began to turn their attention to the guys I could see the faces change.  Instead of looking like two exotic women they now had a serpentine aspect on their face.


    They thrust out their hands and I could see water blasts form and fly up towards the hovering  Sebastian and Komhether.  The blast missed but judging by the force it hit the roof of the cavern I had no doubt that it would severely damage to anyone it hit.


    Without even thinking of opening my interface I called out lightning strike and watched as two bolts flew from me to hit the tridents.  The effect was instantaneous as both sirens were blown off the rock outcropping, their bodies frozen in a muscle spasm.


    As they hit the ground both of my friends flew down and ran towards them, grabbing the sirens by the head they each gave a strong twist and snapped the sirens neck.


    I ran over to where they were and quickly looted the bodies, each produced four silver and some vendor trash. I asked, ¡°How did it go?¡± Komhether smiled grimly and said, ¡°It was an easy task, by the time we threw the tridents at them we were flying rapidly.  The weapons hit with a great deal of force and easily took off at least sixty-five percent of their life points.  Your lightning strike froze them and must have done at least thirty percent damage to them.¡±


    ¡°Well, guys I guess that we are going to be doing the wash rinse and repeat of dungeon crawls here.  I hate the fact that we just repeat over and over but it gets the job done safely.  Are we ready to continue?¡±


    They both nodded and then Sebastian asked, ¡°Should I fly up and direct you towards the next group?  It might make this go a little faster.¡±  It was a good idea, the faster we were done the happier I would be.  It turns out that my lightning bolts were frying the sirens and the sight of naked female girls that had a burnt fish smell was not appealing to me at all.


    Thanking  Sebastian for a good idea we continued on, as the afternoon turned towards evening we finally had the boss left.  I had made just over ninety gold and three green items that would be sent to the Auction House. The rest was vendor trash and only worth keeping as long as I had room in my bag.


    Looking at the final boss I observed that she was older and seemed more mature than the other sirens had. She radiated a purpose and I knew that this one would be a lot more difficult.  ¡°Any thought guys? I am having a problem coming up with a plan here.¡±  I asked.


    Both of the guys looked at the siren and just shook their heads,  Sebastian said, ¡°She is going to be a tough one.  I would bet her water blasts are a lot stronger than that of the other sirens we faced.  And look where she is that outcropping of rocks is so close to the far wall we will not be able to get into position behind her.¡±


    I nodded he was right, it would be impossible to use the tactics that had served us so well.  I have to think out of the box on this one, my thoughts were darting  around but I could not formulate anything that I felt would be successful.  ¡°Let''s take a break and eat, maybe she will want to join us,¡± I joked.


    Spreading out the cloaks we brought out the remainder of the fresh food, tomorrow we would be eating the dried rations.  Tonight we still had some cheese and sausages, with fruit and a pastry.  Both Komhether and I still had a couple of bottles of wine left and I had three hard apple ciders.


    I cracked the first bottle of wine and poured as we sat and ate.  The food was good and the company was great, but the problem did not magically resolve itself.  Halfway thru the meal the siren began to sing, it was happy and sad at the same time.  I felt homesick for a place I had never been to.  I stood and walked towards the siren.


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    She had spotted us earlier, so I was careful not to enter her aggro range.  Once I was as close as I could get and still feel reasonably safe I lifted the unopened bottle of wine I had brought.  Waving my hands above my head I waited until she stopped singing.


    ¡°My thanks for your songs,¡± I shouted.  ¡°Here is a bottle of wine in payment for the singing.  It was truly remarkable.¡± Putting the bottle into the water I saw that it floated, so swinging my arm out I gave it a toss and watched it land near her rocky outcropping.


    Slowly I made my way back to the guys, the wine bottle we had drunk was potent and I did not want to slip. Once back with the guys I sat on my cloak and lit three cigarettes.  As we chatted and finished off the last of the cheese I noticed the siren had fetched the bottle up and was drinking it.  When I say drinking it I mean she sucked the wine out of the bottle faster than humanly possible.


    As she looked over she lifted the bottle and saluted us then with the hint of a lopsided walk she went back to the center of the rocks and began to sing again.  This time, her voice was looser and had a raw powerful feel to it.  Still beautiful but subtly different.


    Komhether gave a snicker and said, ¡°She drank that wine fast and is feeling the buzz, you can hear it in her voice.¡±  Sebastian and I chuckled and then I reached for the next bottle.  I was about to open it when Sebastian suddenly said, ¡°Stop, do not open that wine.¡±


    I looked at him curiously and asked, ¡°Why not?  We still have a couple of bottles left and I do not think we are ready to take her on yet.¡±  Sebastian just grinned at me and then said, ¡°Do you like older women Torn?¡±


    I was starting to wonder where this was going when Komhether started to chuckle and then whispered, oh you''re a dirty minded man Sebastian and I like it.¡±


    I may not be the sharpest marble in the bag but I can usually extrapolate information from what is in front of me but as I stared at the bottle in my hand I did not have a clue what these two clowns were talking about. ¡°Alright, what gives?¡±  I asked.


    Sebastian looked at me and then smiled, ¡°Methinks that the lady likes the wine, Torn.¡±  He said.  I agreed with him she had drunk it down faster than I would have thought possible.


    Suddenly I felt like an idiot and then began to smile as I put it all together.  ¡°That one bottle went down fast and it impacted her, you could tell by her walk,¡±  I said.  ¡°Let''s see what will happen if she manages to drink two or three more.¡±


    Seeing the guys laugh I knew I had hit on Sebastian''s plan.  I slowly walked over to the spot where I had tossed the wine bottle and lifting the new bottle up I tossed it towards the sirens rocks.  I watched as it floated towards her and then observed as she scrambled  down and grabbed it.


    She tore the cork out and guzzled the whole damn bottle then and there.  ¡°Quickly, the other two bottles,¡± I called out. Komhether brought them to me and I tossed first one then the other towards the siren.  Once she grabbed them she once again ripped the lids off and then drank both bottles one after another.


    I watched her as she stood swaying and then slowly made her way back towards the center of the outcropping. About halfway there she sank down and after a few minutes, she began to snore with the sound of it echoing in the caverns open space.


    I could not believe it, the old girl liked the sauce.  I looked at the guys and said, ¡°In my realm drinking like that can be the death of you.¡±  We were all grinning like crazy but after high-fiving Sebastian and explaining what that meant we got down to work.


    ¡°I want you guys to use the tridents on her back as she lays there, and then I will cast lightning at her until I am done, once she has been stunned get in close and do your best to end her.  I can not think of any other way to do this,¡±  I said.


    ¡°It will work,¡± Sebastian said confidently.  Grabbing the tridents they flew as high as the could and then dived towards the siren.  Leveling off they threw the weapons into her back with great force.  With a scream that tore out of her throat, the siren tried to stand, but the alcohol in her system was too much.


    As she staggered trying to stand I cast my lightning, watching as the power gauge on my interface began to go to zero.  At five percent I called out, ¡°Now guys,¡± and then I fell to my knees.  I could see that the siren was still locked into the position she had been in when the current that had flown into her.


    Komhether grabbed her about the waist and Sebastian grabbed her by the neck and then with a visible effort they snapped her back.  I watched as her HP dropped from twenty-five percent to zero, and then when it finally bottomed out I heard the Ding.


    I closed the window without looking at it, I knew that my stats had just grown by ten percent.  It felt good as I had been almost down myself and by leveling all my stats were topped off at the new level.


    Making my way to the rocks where her body lay, I heard Komhether whisper just loud enough for me to hear, ¡°Torn is a real lady killer once he gives them some booze.¡±  The both burst out into laughter at my expense but I did not mind, Sebastian¡¯s plan had saved us.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see what she has,¡± I said as I looted her body.  Ten gold and book titled,


    The art of singing and carrying a tune.  Or how not to have tomatoes thrown at you.


    I put it all in my bag and then moved on to the chest that was visible behind a pile of rock.  Opening the chest I stared at what I saw in amazement.  It was full of bras and lacy things that ladies would wear.  What the hell, I thought as I plunged my hand underneath the sirens underwear.


    Finally, I could feel something, pulling out all the personal effects I finally saw what was at the bottom of the chest.  There was a jewelry stand and on it were two rings and a necklace.  I examined the rings first, both were blue items with a bind on equipping enchant.


    I observed that once you put the rings on you would find out what stats they had.  Unfortunately if the stats did not suit your build then the rings were useless.   Looking at the necklace I saw that it was a blue item also and it had plus fifteen to intellect.  It also was the third piece to the rings and if all three were equipped then the HP stat displayed would be increased by fifty points.


    Calling the guys over I showed them the items and asked what they thought.  Sebastian looking at the items asked, ¡°If you put them all on you get a bonus, right?¡±


    Seeing me nod he then said, ¡°I suggest you put them all on, you will level past the usefulness of the items soon anyway.¡±  I glanced over at Komhether and saw that he was nodding  yes.


    ¡°Alright, I will equip the gear,¡± I said.  Putting on all the items I could feel my stats increasing and looking at the rings I saw that they each now had plus ten to mana.  More mana, intellect, and HP, it all worked for me.


    ¡°Well, guys lets keep going to the beginning of the next area and scope it out before we camp for the night, alright?¡±  I asked.  I led the way past the chest and went down a short path behind the rocky outcropping  to the entrance of the tunnel.


    As we continued down the tunnel I listened to my friend''s joke and kid each other about how well they were doing.  I myself was thinking that we were doing pretty damned good so far.  A little luck and a little skill.  It seemed to be working, I hoped it would continue.


    The tunnel finally ended and we entered another cavern.  Sand was all over the place with some small tidal pools scattered about and a small mound located at the far end of the cavern.  There was the rough outline of a path that led over the sand.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±  I asked.  ¡°It looks pretty empty and that makes me nervous.¡±  Komhethers voice sounded excited. Look over at the mound  I could make out what looked like a four-foot tall crab.


    ¡°That looks dangerous, those claws are big enough to cut off a limb.¡±  Sebastian''s voice had a serious tone to it. ¡°There is something else missing here, we probably won¡¯t find out what tell we start.¡±


    ¡°All right, let''s go back into the tunnel and set up camp, we will figure out how to deal with Krusty and whatever else is here tomorrow,¡±  I said.  As we began to walk back towards the tunnel Komhether asked, ¡°Who is Krusty?¡±


    ¡°Krusty is a sea creature that had an undersea restaurant,¡± I began to explain as we walked.  He was a fictional character made to entertain people of a certain age group.


    ¡°What is an age group?¡± Was the next question.  I sighed, this was going to take a while to explain.

 Chapter 11 Krusty the crab

    We all woke up stiff and sore, sleeping on the sand and gravel of the tunnel was not the most comfortable thing.  We quickly got packed up and ate the first of the dried rations.  They were best described as dry.


    ¡°Well guys, let¡¯s get this done,¡± I said as we walked into the cavern.  ¡°The only plan I can think of is to make use of the environment.  If you guys can grab some big rocks and fly up I will be an aggro magnet and when I am being chased you fling the rocks at the enemy.  What do you think,¡± I asked?


    Sebastian looked doubtful and said, ¡°One or two rocks might not be enough, and you had best be ready to defend yourself.¡±  I nodded, he was right this might be the toughest level yet.  I just did not have any other plan, without a tank to be a meatshield we had no choice but to try to improvise.


    ¡°A lot will depend on what attacks you,¡± Komhether spoke with a serious tone.  I nodded, it might be crazy or it might be easy.  I would guess more crazy than easy, but I was feeling grumpy from sleeping on the ground.  As the guys each grabbed two fair sized rocks and then took off I positioned myself on the path and slowly began to walk.


    The path zigzagged but in a roundabout way, it led inwards towards the mound at the far end.  As I walked down it I suddenly saw the sand beginning to roil on my left side.  Stopping I observed a crab, this one about two feet tall emerge, its eyes rotated rapidly until they focus on me.


    With a rush, it began to move towards me the two claws raised up and opening and closing with a snap.  I turned and began to run backwards with the crab following.  After a few yards, I spun around in time to see the guys throw the rocks at the crab.  It abruptly stopped and wheeled around looking upwards at the two figures who had managed to pull aggro.  I noticed that the rocks had not done any visible damage to the crab.


    Quickly casting lightning I hit the crab hard with bolts of electricity. It was temporally frozen, it''s muscles locked tight.   I yelled at the guys, ¡°Change of plans land and flip him over then stab him with the tridents in the belly, it is the only area not armored.¡±


    I began to run back towards the crab as the guys landed and watched as they each grabbed a claw and threw the crab on it¡¯s back.  Then grabbing the tridents they thrust them into the soft  underside of the crab causing it to spasm for a minute and then die.


    ¡°Man that thing moves faster than I thought,¡± I said.  Sebastian nodded and said, ¡°That was closer than I liked, it would have caught up to you soon.  It is a good thing that you stunned it with your lightning attack or that crab would have been eating tasty elf.¡±


    ¡°I agree, it was to close but the end result was good, once stunned and flipped over it was an easy kill.  Let''s try another and if it works we will continue on killing the buggers,¡± I said.  The next attack went as planned and we soon had a second kill.  Komhether suggested that he would yell when I should turn around and cast lightning, and then they would land and flip the crabs.  It gave me an added measure of safety, and I appreciated that, watching a huge crab rushing at you to rip you into bits is a somewhat surreal experience.


    The day wore on with the crab kills adding up and the timing becoming more tighter.  At noon I called a rest, we had done most of the cavern with only a few patches of sand hiding crabs remaining.  As we ate the dried bars we all tried to make the best of it but they tasted bland and were extremely dry.  Sebastian spoke up and said, ¡°With the smell of the sea hear my mind is on seafood.  I wish we had some instead of these things.¡±  I nodded I was hungry and not enjoying the rations much but it was what it was.


    Komhether said, ¡°I know of an Inn down at the docks where you can order fresh crab and fish caught that day. It is so good, it drives me crazy that all that food is so close and yet so far.¡±  Lighting up three cigarettes I stared at my finger, the Dragon fire I used to produce the flame seemed stronger and hotter.  I pointed this out to the guys and asked them what they thought.  They both agreed that it seemed stronger and asked if any of my other spells happened to be increasing in strength?


    Thinking about it I realized that I had noted that things were getting easier.  After mentioning this to the guys Sebastian wondered out loud if it might have something to do with the buff that Gaiatoci had given me.  The longer I spent in Topland the greater the potency of the buff he suggested.


    I could think of nothing better to explain what was happening and we all fell silent smoking and relaxing.  I glanced over at the last crab we had killed and thought it was such a waste of meat, any Inn would pay a fortune to have crab claws that size to serve.  As I began to wonder if I could do a crab run once I had finished the dungeon I suddenly swore.


    ¡°Guys I have an idea, quick go crab those claws off that last crab we killed, I am going to grab some seaweed from some of the tidal pools we had past.  Bring the claws here, I think we are going to be eating better very soon, I said.¡±  Making my way to the nearest pool I reached in and grabbed handfuls of the thick seaweed.


    Soon I had several large armfuls and began to carry them back to the lunch area.  I dug a soft bowl shape in the sand and piled in the seaweed.  The guys split the claws and then placed them on the seaweed.  I stood a foot away from the seaweed and then holding up my hands I called forth Dragon fire.


    As I watched the flames flickering above my hands I began to will the fire to be hotter and stronger, the flames responded after several seconds with an intensity that surprised me.  I pointed at the pile of seaweed and crab claws and cast out the fire from my hands.  It looked like two flame throwers spitting purple fire.


    Within less than a minute the seaweed was dry and had ignited and the shell of the claws began to steam, with a satisfying smell of salty meat emerging.  I reached into my bag and pulled out two of the four bottles of apple cider.  Opening  them I poured the contents into the cracked shells and listened to it bubble and gurgle as it hit the hot meat.


    The smell was beginning to make my mouth water and by the look on the guys faces, they were smelling the lovely aroma of apple cider crab cooking also.  Turning to the guys I said, ¡°with claws this size this might take a while.  Let keep an eye on the food so we don¡¯t burn it.¡±


    Seeing them nod I lit three smokes and we stood there waiting for the meat to finish cooking.  Sebastian eventually thought that the meat was done and we could eat.  The shells were too hot to touch but Sebastian was not bothered by the heat and pulled off three plate-sized pieces of the carapace.   Then reaching into the claw he began to fill the plates with the meat.


    As I sat and waited for the meat to cool I observed both Sebastian and Komhether stuffing themselves, the hot food did not bother them in the least.  By the time, I began to eat my plate the guys had gone back to get more.


    Sebastian spoke with his mouth half full of crab and said, ¡°Torn this is the best meal, the meat is tasty and the apple cider mixed in with the little seawater gives it just the right amount of flavor.  The only thing that would make it better would be a little butter.¡±


    I nodded it was good, damn good.  I remembered something about food always tasting better when you are hungry.  That sure seemed to be true I thought as the guys went back for a third helping.  They were beginning to waddle like a baby duck as they walked back to sit down.


    Looking at them I asked, ¡°Are you guys going to be able to fly after eating all that, I mean you had better loosen your pants or a button is going to pop off.¡±  Komhether snickered and said, ¡°We will fly, it is the takeoff that is going to be tough.¡±  Sebastian and I began to chuckle at this, it was great seeing Komhether opening up and joking.


    Once we had finally eaten our fill I looked at the leftover meat sadly, I hated to waste it but it would be impossible to take with us.  We quickly made short work of the remaining crabs and I was happy to see that I leveled once again.  We were finally standing in front of the mound with Krusty the king crab looking down at us.  His claws were clicking and he was skittering back and forth.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.As I took my first step up the path Krusty abruptly darted behind some rocks and hid.  Calling out to the guys I asked, ¡°Hey, what is he doing?  I can¡¯t see him anywhere.¡±  There was silence for a minute and then Sebastian replied, ¡°He is hiding, trying to dig under some rocks at the opposite end of the mound.  It looks like he is afraid.¡±


    I wonder why I thought as I stood there.  Komhether suddenly yelled out, ¡°He was looking at us the whole time we were killing the crabs but when we started cooking I noticed Krusty was acting a little strange.  I wonder if we scared him and he thinks we are going to eat him.¡±


    That he might be afraid seemed a little farfetched, but what if he was intelligent and could see what was coming.  I was constantly amazed at the emotions and intelligence of the NPC within the game.  It was possible that the crab was intelligence and could feel emotions.


    ¡°Change of plans,¡± I called out.  Beckoning for the guys to land I started to think about what I had to do.


    I did not want to kill an intelligent being that was trying to avoid me.  The problem was I needed to finish the dungeon and the only way to do that was to defeat each level boss.  I turned to the guys and asked what they thought.  Komhether said, ¡°We should kill Krusty, and finish the level.  He is the level boss and the only way past is to defeat him.¡±


    Sebastian stood for a minute overlooking the cavern and then turned and said, ¡°Torn do you recall how you managed to get past me, get past all of us in the castle of six trials?  You did not use force; you used empathy and your brains thinking your way past all of us.  I think you should try to do the same here if Krusty does not want to fight then let''s defeat him some other way.¡±


    I nodded, I was not interested in fighting and killing, really it would have suited me more to have been sent to a summer camp that had a space MMO game.  Now, of course, I would change nothing, this was home for me in a way that the real world had never managed to be.


    ¡°All right,¡± I said.  ¡°Let''s try to do something other than wanton violence and killing.  I somehow need to establish communication with Krusty to let him know that we are not going to kill him.  How I can do that safely,¡± I asked.  As I looked at Sebastian he smiled then shrugged, Komhether just looked disappointed.


    ¡°If I walk up to the top and just wait maybe I can get his attention, if he attacks I will run like hell back this way.  Nothing else comes to mind,¡±  I said.  Shrugging my shoulders I slowly began to walk up to the top of the mound.  Once at the top I could see the crab huddled behind some rocks, peering up at me.  I found a stone large enough to sit on and began to wait.


    After an hour, the crab was sitting in front of his pile of rocks staring at me, it was hard to say but I think he was curious about what I was doing.  I was busy looking at my stats and trying to understand how my spells were increasing above my level.


    My stats at level five with all the gear I had acquired now were,


    Stats


    Strength = 280


    Agility = 280


    Intellect = 85


    Mana = 190


    Health = 320


    Speed = 280


    I was pleased with what I saw, each increase was worth it.  Closing the stat window, I saw that Krusty had crept up and was looking at me.  For a crab, he had sad eyes and radiated a feeling of loneliness.  As we stared at each other I felt a gentle tickle of something in my mind.  Trying not to look startled I continued to look at the crab.


    Suddenly I received a strong impression of loneliness and curiosity and fear.  It was overwhelming for a minute but the strength of the emotions faded.  The crab was using some sort of mental ability to communicate.  It made sense, these were creatures that lived in sand and underwater, with no way to verbally communicate they seemed to have developed some sort of mental power, a psychic ability to share emotions and thoughts.


    It amazed me as so much within the game did; it was just more than any developer would do.  Focusing on the crab I thought happy thoughts at him.  Peaceful thoughts about belonging and feeling secure.  Thoughts I normally do not feel.  As I began to relax the crab crept closer and finally rested against my leg, his powerful claws resting on the ground and his black eyes focused on me.


    I gently reached down and gave him a scratch between the eye-pods.  The damn crab began to gurgle and then moved his eyes so I could scratch him more.  I suddenly had the feeling that Krusty wanted to stay with me, to leave this place with me.  I mentally asked him if he wanted to leave and I had a brief flash of a white beach and swimming in the ocean.


    ¡°Alright Krusty, if you want to come you can but you must listen to me,¡± I spoke out loud, not sure if he would hear or understand.  Seeing him nod I asked, ¡°Can you understand me Krusty?¡±  He nodded once again, the crab seemed able to understand me.


    Thinking for a minute I addressed the crab, ¡°Krusty will you follow me and listen to me, do what I ask when I ask you to?  Seeing him nod I then asked, ¡°Will you become my companion, I will not be your master but I will be your friend, what do you say?¡±


    The crab tilted his head to the side for a minute looking at me, and then nodded.  A window opened suddenly and I read,


    Torn, you have gained a new companion pet; do you wish to bond with this creature?


    Yes or No


    Accepting, I became aware that I now had two more selections on my interface action bar.  Summon companion and send companion to sleep.  I looked at Krusty and said, ¡°I am sending you off to sleep my friend, I will call you when I need you.¡±  Seeing him nod I hit the sleep button and watched as he simply faded away.


    He was gone in a second but both the buttons were still active and I knew I could call him back.  Thinking of calling people back I called out, ¡°Hey guys, you can come here it is all good.  We are done this level.¡±


    Sebastian came first and looking around he asked, ¡°Where is Krusty, he is to big to hide?¡±  I laughed and said, ¡°I took your advice, and now I have a new pet companion.  He is resting now, the poor guy, stuck in here dreaming of his beach and ocean.  He was happy to join me.¡±


    Komhether meanwhile was looking on in amazement, and asked, ¡°So how did you capture him, how did you manage to trap him?¡±


    I smiled and said, ¡°I did not capture or trap him, I communicated with him, and he agreed to join me.  I am not sure how many other people have a companion pet, but it is a pretty cool thing.  I think he is going to be useful at some point.¡±


    I looked around and saw the chest sitting beside the rocks Krusty had tried to hide behind.  I walked over and opened the chest, not sure what to expect.  Inside was a set of maces shaped like crab claws, the were blue items that had plus 20 strength on each one.  Not what I wanted but they would sell at the Ah.


    I observed that the entrance to the next tunnel was at the bottom of the mound, turning to the guys I asked, ¡°What do you think should we stay here tonight or continue on and camp at the next cavern?¡±


    Sebastian looked around and said, ¡°let''s stay here tonight, we can probably salvage some crab meat for supper, and with a little work, this mound will be a great place to sleep.¡±  I nodded in agreement, one place was as good as the next, but the idea of good food was enough to keep me here for the night.


    I suggested the guys gather some seaweed and crab meat while I worked on clearing the rocks from the sand and building a pit for the fire.  It had been a good day, but I was ready to eat and rest.

 Chapter 12 Kraken

    We had been up for a while, munching on the dry bars and relaxing.  I stretched and looked at the others.  ¡°Are you ready, I asked?  Seeing them both stand and stretch I began to pack up.  It did not take long and we were soon off traveling down the tunnel.


    After several minutes, we arrived at the next cavern.  It was larger than the others with deeper sea pools and rocky outcropping thrusting out of the water.  The path threaded in between the pools and ended at the far wall.  There was a huge shrine carved into the wall with the water from a pool right in front of the shrine.


    ¡°Hey guys what is that thing over there, can you make it out, I asked?  It looks like a giant octopus or something.  It blends in with the far wall and I can¡¯t make out the details it is pretty dim in this cavern.¡±


    Komhether was looking over at the shrine and he suddenly swore.  ¡°That is not an octopus that is a Kraken.¡±


    Looking at me he said, ¡°This is going to be really tough, the Kraken are the kings of the sea.  They are smart and tough; they have been known to take down sailing ships.¡±


    I thought about what Komhether had just said, the creature was smart, tough and probably fast and strong also.  ¡°What is its weakness, what can we exploit, I asked?   Everything has a vulnerable area, something that they cannot deal with.  What is it that we can use?¡±


    Sebastian looked thoughtful and said, ¡°It is a water creature, and if we DPS it on land it will just enter the pool. Your dragon fire would do the most damage but how can we deal with it under the water.  Why don¡¯t we start clearing and then when we get to the Kraken we will figure out something.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a plan, I said.  Let¡¯s get going, you guys take off and see what you can observe from the air. I am guessing that we are going to be attacked by something from the pools, and any advanced warning might just save our asses.¡±


    I began to walk down the pathway towards the first two pools.  The pathway meandered between all the pools I noted.  I had a funny feeling that this might be a multiple ambush pathway.  Seeing that the guys were up in the air I began to walk between the two pools.


    Once I was directly across from both pools I could see the water begin to bubble and suddenly the air was filled with fish.  Flying fish, the sons of bitches were jumping between the two pools and they were aimed at me.  I like fish, I mean I like to eat them but here and now that was reversed.  These were not graceful fish gliding through the air.  The fish that were coming at me had a jaw full of sharp teeth with a huge bite.  If one of these bit me I would lose a huge chunk of flesh and probably receive a bleed effect debuff.


    I dropped to my back and with one hand I used my ice spell which froze the ten fish that were coming in my direction.  With my other hand, I cast dragon fire and toasted the other dozen fish that were coming in for an up and personal with me.


    Sebastian meanwhile was shouting something, but I had blocked him out in the midst of the action.  It seemed like my vision had narrowed and my hearing had turned off.  This had never happened to me before and I was somewhat surprised.


    Once I was sure that the fish attack was done I called the guys down.  Taking a moment I explained what had happened to me, how I had not heard or seen the guys in the midst of the attack.  It was only when everything was done that my senses returned to normal.


    Sebastian said, ¡°That is not uncommon for physical DPS types to experience something similar.  All you focus is on the threats that you face and your body turns off anything that can be a distraction.  The danger is in losing control of your situational awareness.  You can become so focused on the threats in front of you that you do not see the threats behind you.¡±


    That made a lot of sense; the problem was in how to master this.  I was not sure if it would be a useful ability or something that could cause me grief.  Looking at the dead and frozen fish scattered around me I suddenly had an idea.


    ¡°Guys,¡± I said, let¡¯s get those frozen fish and have some breakfast, I am hungry those dried bars may be nutritious but the taste is lacking and I could use something better to eat.¡±  We quickly grabbed several of the fish and the using the tridents we cleaned and skewered them.  Casting a low heat dragon fire I began to cook them.  Using the last of the apple cider I gently poured it on the fish as they cooked.


    In about five minutes we were stuffing ourselves, the fish were tasty, and they helped to fill up the void I was feeling.  Both Sebastian and Komhether complimented me on the taste of the fish and Sebastian asked if I had done a lot of cooking in my home realm.


    ¡°I helped out in the kitchen once in a while, I explained.  But growing up in the orphanage we went from eating prepackaged meals to having a cook come in and actually prepare food.  Every couple of years the people in charge would decide which option was cheaper and then would implement that policy.   Then a new manager would show up and try to fix things by saving money.¡±


    Komhether said, ¡°Your realm sounds like it has problems, I am not surprised that you came here.  At least here you can still make your own choices about things like food.  I feel sympathy for you it sounds like what I have gone through.  Having no choice in anything and being dictated to all the time about rules and what is allowed and not.  It is no way to live a life.¡±


    I nodded, he was right both here and in the real world.  Something had gone wrong about one hundred years ago, and it had just gotten worse and worse.  Being ingame was so much better than my bleak world.  I had


    done well in the real world but looking at where it was heading I did not have much hope for it.


    I thought about the battle I had just fought and remembered the fact that I had cast two spells at once.


    Explaining it to the guys I asked if that was normal, I had never seen anyone else doing that in any game. Komhether spoke up and said, ¡°There are some mortals who are gifted by birth to be able to use either hand with equal skill.  I wonder if this is the same thing, I have never seen or heard of it but it is possible.¡±


    That was interesting information, I am not sure if it was true but still it offered an explanation.  Standing up I said, ¡°I am going to try to dual cast as much as I can to see if I can develop this skill.  Are you guys ready to keep going?


    Seeing them both agree I continued on the path as the guys took flight.  Once at the next pool the same thing occurred,  I was attacked by the flying fish from both sides, by dropping down and dual casting it was over in a couple of minutes, during the battle I could see my focus narrowing down to the attacking fish and I made an effort to remain aware of my surroundings.


    I waved at the guys to continue and I walked towards the next pool.  As the day wore on the cavern slowly filled with the aroma of burnt fish.   Eventually, we were at the final boss.  He was an ugly fucker with long tentacles and a huge beak.  One bite from that and it would be game over.


    Judging by the way he was staring at me that was the first thing on his agenda.  As I stood and looked at him he seemed to draw into himself and then gave some kind of a squirt.  The air suddenly began to darken as the cavern grew dim.


    Komhether suddenly took off and flying up near the roof started to radiate some kind of angelic light.  It was so bright that it cut through the darkness and while things were hazy I could make out the Kraken still in the shrine.  As I looked at the pool I saw a rock near me a few feet from the shore.


    I suddenly had an idea on how to deal with this bastard and quickly began to cast dragon fire on the rock as hot as I could.  Sebastian meanwhile was flying just out of the reach of the Kraken cursing it in Demonic and making rude gestures.  The Kraken seeing me just standing near the shore was giving Sebastian its one-eyed glare.


    As I poured out the dragon fire from both hands I was grateful that the flames were a purple-black, the heat was intense and the rocky formation was actually starting to melt.  We continued on for about thirty minutes with the Komhether lighting up the inky darkness and Sebastian cursing out insults and thrusting his trident at the beast any time a tentacle came to close.


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    I meanwhile was observing that the rock had melted into a puddle at the bottom of the pool and the water was boiling near the reddish glow.  I continued on until I could see that the whole pool was steaming with heat and that the water was boiling all around the rock.


    I jumped to my feet and began to walk around the pool getting closer and closer to the Kraken.  Sebastian had fallen silent seeing my approach and was waiting for what I was about to do.  Once within range I began to cast fire at the Kraken.  As it hit him he focused on me and then cast a water attack, I ducked and it missed but the damn thing was like a fire hose squirting water.


    It just did not end and the Kraken was getting better with its aim.  Suddenly Sebastian and Komhether both threw the tridents and scored direct hits.  The Kraken did not stop spraying but for that one second shifted his eye to the guys flying above him.  I rolled away from the powerful water blast and cast lightning with both hands at the Kraken, I gave it all I could and watched in amazement as the monster froze, his muscles locked into place. Suddenly he began to fall into the pool of boiling water below the shelf he was standing on.


    As he hit the boiling water his muscles released and he began to thrash frantically around the pool.  The pain must have overwhelmed him and he actually dove deeper into the pool bringing him closer to the red-hot rock at the bottom.  After a couple of minutes, the body floated to the surface and bobbed to the shore near me.


    I ran over to the corpse and looted him for twenty gold, and a blue whip.  I examined the whip and read,


    The Tentacle whip.  With each successive hit, the whip will attach to the flesh and tear off large chunks.  This enables a bleed effect that is multiplied by the number of whip hits.  Capped at five bleed effects.


    That was a hell of a drop and it was not a BOE weapon.  I looked over at the guys and then called Sebastian over.  Giving him the whip I said, ¡°This is for you, I think out of all of us you will make the best use of it so  thank you.  This fight went well do to us working as a team, that bastard could have been a lot more difficult.¡±


    They both nodded and then I walked over and jumped up on the ledge of the shrine.  Calling out to the guys I stood and waited for them.  Once we were all there I opened the chest and saw, two items one a blue and one a purple.


    Lifting the blue item I saw it was a scroll, as I began to read I realized that this scroll conferred a permanent underwater breathing ability.  Another skill always is handy I thought as I finished reading the scroll and accepted the ability.


    Seeing the scroll crumble to dust I glanced at the book, its purple shimmer covering it.  Picking it up I read,


    The Big Book of Discord, or how to really piss off people.


    It was not a bind on equip item, but just a super rare book.  I opened it and read the first page, it only had one sentence written on it.


    You are an asshole.


    What the hell I thought.  Sebastian asked, ¡°What does it say, Torn. You have been staring at the page for a few minutes now.¡±  I looked at Sebastian and shrugged,


    ¡°You are an Asshole.¡±


    After I finished speaking Sebastian looked at me and said, ¡°Hey where did that come from, why would you say that.¡±  I thrust him the book and said: ¡°Read it for yourself, it is pretty weird.¡±  I watched as he began to flip pages only stopping when Komhether asked, what was written in the book.


    Looking at Komhether he read,


    If I wanted to hear from an asshole, I''d fart.


    Looking shocked Komhether asked, ¡°Hey, why would you say that, that is just mean, I mean really mean.¡±


    It all clicked together for me and I shouted, ¡°Sebastian, close the book.¡±   Giving me a look Sebastian shut the book, and all of a sudden the anger and bad feelings disappeared.  I quickly grabbed the book and put it in my bag.


    ¡°What just happened, Sebastian asked?  I mean I thought you were being an ass when your read to me from the book, but then when I read to Komhether it was like I really wanted to hurt him.  That book  it changes how you say stuff, it hurts people.¡±


    I nodded, it did indeed.  ¡°It really is the Book of Discord, a very powerful tool, no not a tool this is a weapon.  I think I know where it belongs and when we get back to the city I will make sure it gets delivered.¡±


    Looking at me both of the guys waited for me to tell them where I was going to place the book.  ¡°I think that the House of Pain would love to get a purple book, and knowing the leadership, I am sure that they will read from it all the time,¡± I said.


    Sebastian began to grin and said, ¡°Oh my prince you are truly a devious Demon prince.  That book is going to really upset the members of that house.  I cannot think of a better place for it.  Komhether nodded and then said, ¡°Those guys are the worst, and they bring new meaning to the word asshole.¡±


    ¡°I agree, I said now let''s look for the exit.  Looking at the far end of the shrine a small portal was visible at the side.  We walked over towards it and I wondered out loud if this was the end of the dungeon.  It did not have


    that many levels but it was for level five players.


    Grasping the arms of my friends we all stepped into the portal and suddenly materialized next to the terminal building.  A new window opened on my interface that stated,


    Congratulations, you have managed to finish the dungeon within the time allotted.  Do you wish to take ownership of the dungeon or release it to the public?


    I looked at my friends and asked them what they thought.  Komhether began by saying, ¡°It is a rare thing to own your own dungeon, it can be farmed and be a great source of gear.  The downside is this is an entry level dungeon and by the time you hit level seven you will probably not be getting any XP or not enough to make it worthwhile.¡±


    Sebastian nodded and then spoke, ¡°That is all true, but this place is more than just the dungeon.   No one can come to this island anymore.  This would be a perfect place to build a safe haven, and I think that sooner or later we are going to need one.  The city is changing and not for the better.¡±


    I understood what Sebastian meant, with the Hammerytes controlling the lower levels, and Reona and Archon controlling the upper Ievels I could see conflict coming.  Plus the King would not be happy about losing control, it made for a messy situation.  One that I hoped to exploit.


    I did need a place to live for the winter, and the island would make for a nice safe refuge.  ¡°Alright,¡± I declared, ¡°I accept ownership of the dungeon, and with that My item tab opened up and showed the Dungeon of the Deep.


    The day was fast ending, and I wanted to get back to the mainland but we had a couple of hours to wait. Looking at the island with the small peak rising in the middle I asked if the guys knew anything about building heating and supplying water to a house.


    Komhether shrugged no but Sebastian nodded and said, ¡°In my youth I spent a lot of time exploring the nether regions of hell, I was in one place for quite a while so I built my first abode.  It is not hard, it just takes some work.¡±


    I sniffed the fresh sea air and realized that I liked it here, this would be a great place to build a home.  I suggested the guys go for a fly and explore the island looking for suitable sights to build on, I wanted a nap. Dungeon crawling was tiring.

 chapter 13 Psychobitch

    It had been a busy two weeks.  I was working at the Pub most evenings.  During the two evenings I did not work I would be out grinding up my thief skills.  This skill grinding involved breaking into the homes of the rich and helping myself to a little of the loot. During my nighttime forays, I had also discovered a home for children down at the lower city near the docks.


    It was really an orphanage for the kids who had lost their dads at sea, and whose mothers could not or would not care for them anymore.  I had really been aware of the lower docks but it turns out that area held a sizeable population.


    They were mainly poor people with a few well to do merchants.  Most of the merchants had their homes in the third tier of the city but a few maintained a residence near their warehouses.


    The orphanage I had found was run by a former monk who years ago decided that the Gods were too fickle to be trusted and that real compassion was shown by actions not by tithing to maintain a shrine and keep the religious leaders in fancy clothing and an opulent lifestyle.  I liked him a lot.


    When I would reallocate the gold, silver or copper I  acquired I always made sure that I put it in the big donation bowl at the front of the orphanage.  I was also interested in the fact that the Hammerytes had built two docks of their own along with two adjoining warehouses.


    I had been scouting out the buildings planning on doing a little B and E work.  My plans had changed when I came across a flyer on the side of a tavern.  It had read ¡®Next Kings-Day the noted thief Kamasut will be publicly executed for crimes against the city and King.  All citizens are encouraged to attend and be witness to the King¡¯s justice.


    I had been amazed at this, the idea of a public execution was not something that was supposed to be in the game, and it was almost like the rules regarding gameplay were being changed without the players being made aware of the changes.


    I did a little checking and found out that Kamasut was being held at the Old Buttress, a jail located on the third level.  It was run by the city watch and was subject to many jokes do to the name and what was reported to happen too many of the prisoners held within.


    It was where I would be spending my night off.  I needed to find the hall for Thieves, which was not something that I could go and ask a guard about.  I also needed to register with them to obtain more training and missions that would help me level up my skills.


    Breaking into a jail should not be hard it is only when you tried to leave that the problems would arise.  It was a cloudy night which hid the light of the two moons, which was to my benefit.  Looking at the prison I could see that the entrance was built on my side of the river that snaked its way down the mountain.


    It was a narrow building of four stories; with the entrance located in the middle.  I would guess that the prison made use of the river to supply the water needs of the prisoners.  The entrance held two guards, with another clearly visible sitting behind a low desk.  To go through the front would require the use of excessive force which was something a thief would avoid at all cost.


    I was going swimming something I had thought I might have to do when I had scouted the jail earlier in the day.  The river was my doorway and it would provide my cover as I made me entrance.  I entered the water, it had poor visibility but I was seeing through the dim light with my Dragon eyes ability and using my recently acquired underwater breathing to stay near the bottom.


    I groped my way along  grasping rocks on the river bed and using them to pull myself forward.  I rolled over on my back, thankful that I had stuffed a sack with rocks and tied it to my belt before entering the water.  It was what was helping me to stay on the bottom.


    Looking up I could see that I was now under the building proper so I unfastened the sack of stones and slowly rose to the surface.  I was in a tunnel that was formed from the river banks and the floor of the building.


    The river had been bricked as it ran under the building and the whole thing reminded me of a large sewage system.  Except that this was clean for which I was profoundly grateful.  The idea of having to swim through shit did not appeal to me at all.


    I could see an opening ahead, the building had a room that allowed access to the river, I could also see a couple of pipes that entered the water, I guessed that they were for water intake.  In a world of magic, there was no need for heavy mechanical pumps.  I was hoping that the room was empty as no one would be needed to watch over mechanical pumps that were not there.


    Breaching the waters surface in the shadows of a corner I quickly scanned the room, it was empty.  I made my way to the steps that led up into the room and climbed them.  I had been experimenting with my Dragon fire ability and had managed to control my body temperature by heating my skin surface to the point that flames would be almost released.


    As I stood there I began to heat up, as I did not want to leave a water trail, soon my clothing was steaming and in a few minutes they would be totally dry.  A very handy ability I thought.  I had been looking at all of my abilities and skills trying to think outside the box and learn how to adapt them.  It may be the game system was changing or it could be that I was just developing my skills.


    I was just aware that I now did not need to use the interface to mentally see and depress the buttons.  I could just think the command, and it would work.  I had started out by saying the commands but had realized that a thief would not do well in the middle of a job if he started talking to himself.  With a bit of practice, everything was working out.


    I was particularly pleased with the fact that I could dual wield spells one with each hand.


    I had tried to do more than two at a time but that experiment had failed; I guessed that it had to do with using the hands as a focal point for the spell to launch.  For whatever the reason I was able to cast two spells at once and that was a huge advantage for me.


    Soon my clothing was dry and I walked over to the door, it was locked but I had expected nothing less.   Slipping my tools out of their pocket I went to work, the reward was a soft click and the door was unlocked.  I had to admit, I was thrilled with being able to pick a lock, I think I had watched too many spy movies when I was younger.


    Opening the door a crack I listened intently for a couple of minutes and hearing nothing I entered the corridor. The dim light was provided by a flickering torch, which cast the hallway into shadows.  There were boxes piled up along the right side of the corridor, I examined a couple as I walked towards the stairs visible at the end of the passageway.


    I read on the first box, it read ¡®the personal effects of Thomas the Murk.  He expired while receiving the tender care and mercy of the crown, he has no known family.¡¯  As I read a few more it became apparent that these were the personal effects of prisoners that had died.


    I moved on, reaching the stairwell I began to climb. I knew that the top two levels held the prisoners and that I would have to navigate my way past patrols and prisoners all of whom might call out at the sight of me.  The risk was worth the challenge,  as I could think of no other way to level up my class.


    The door on the top was unlocked, that was sloppy protocol I thought. Cracking the door I listened for a few minutes and hearing nothing I entered the second floor of the jail.  Stretching ahead of me was a long corridor that ran the length of the building, it held offices on each side and in the middle it opened out into the reception area.


    That was where the guards would be stationed, and I needed to avoid that area.  It was well lit with several torches and would be to open to have many shadows to hide in.  At the far end of the central hall was a stairwell along with one that was located directly behind the guard¡¯s station.


    There were two guards that had just begun a patrol from the guards station heading away from me, they would stop and check that each door was locked.  I made my way down my hallway stopping near the end, and pulling my picks I opened the door, closing it I locked it from the inside.


    Glancing around I could see several desks and a shelving unit with papers stack on each shelf.  I knew I would have a few minutes before the guards would be at the door so I began to go through each desk.  Most contained trash, prisoner¡¯s names and court dates, release information and the home address of the prisoners. Nothing that was worthwhile for me.


    I stuck the jackpot on the last desk; it held a report on the Hammerytes.  As I glanced over at the details within it became apparent that someone was taking an interest in what the Hammerytes were doing.  Judging from the depth of the report the city watch had the group under surveillance, but all they had discovered was that the dwarves were manufacturing some kind of new weapons.


    I soon heard the guards at the door; they were speaking about the upcoming execution.  I listened to them as they discussed what would happen.


    The first guard was saying, ¡°I do not hold with this execution, the king has never had an execution before, I am thinking that this is the work of that damned chamberlain, Archon.¡±


    Guard number two replied, ¡°It has been dark days since the Gods disappeared, things have changed, I am not sure who the hell is in charge now.¡±


    As they moved down the hall I was left with nothing but suppositions, first, the King was not in charge, Archon was.  Second the changes that were happening were not a part of the original game design but were being forced into the game by the Old Bastards.  The third thing was that the NPC of the city were not that happy with what was happening.  The last thing was that Archon was very interested in what the Hammerytes were doing.


    I waited patiently for the guards to continue back towards the guards station.  Once they passed by I gave them a minute, and then left the office and slipped to the back stairwell.  Unlocking the door I entered the stairwell and then re-locked the door.  Climbing quickly I made my way to the top floor.  Picking the door  I cracked it and peered down the hallway.


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    No guards were visible, but I could see several torches flickering, the light was much dimmer here.  I slipped through the door and walked to the first door.  On this floor, there was only one series of doors on the far side of the hallway.  The cells were considerably larger and were fewer in number.


    Opening the stairwell door I could see the first cell was empty, but on the far side was another door that led to another room.  I softly picked the cell¡¯s lock and the metal barred door swung silently open.  Good thing the hinges are oiled I thought.


    Once in the jail cell, I softly closed the door and silently walked towards the inner side door.  It was not locked and hung partway open.  I leaned forward in the shadows and looked into the other room.  It was a disturbing sight, I could see a woman strung up by her arms with her legs pulled out at an angle and tied up taunt.


    Listening I could hear another woman speaking, she was saying, ¡°Oh it is too bad that tomorrow you will be executed.  I have had so much fun with you, both pain and pleasure.  Opening the door I could see the girl who was speaking,  she was a human as was the woman strung up.  They both looked the same , with long blond hair, and the typical hourglass figure.


    The woman who was being tortured was an NPC the other was not.  Damn it, the torturer bitch was a player, she had to be some kind of psychopath.  I slowly entered the room, seeing as the player was too busy to notice me.  She walked over to the tied up girl who I knew was Kamasut the thief and reached out and began to fondle the woman''s naked breasts, then leaning forward she took Kamasut¡¯s nipple in her mouth and began to suck on it.


    At that point, I saw that she held a whip, with the handle shaped like a foot long phallus.  She slowly began to insert it into Kamasut all the while sucking and licking her breasts.  This was wrong on so many levels, it was not the one on one female action, I could care less about a person sexual orientation.  It was the fact that she had not only tortured but was still actively raping the NPC.  It made me sick to think about how long this may have been going on.


    I could not stand to observe this and I silently walked into the room.  Getting as close as I could I called out, ¡°What the fuck do you think you are doing you sick bitch.¡±  I watched as she wheeled around to face me, her face becoming contorted with rage.


    ¡°Who the hell are you, she screamed.    I am going to make you wish you had never been born, by the time I am done you will be begging to have me kill you.¡±


    Not wasting my breath on a reply I cast Dragon fire at her and watched as she jumped to the side.  While she was still off balance I cast an icy water bolt at her feet freezing her to the ground.  As she looked down she gave a smile and said, ¡°Do you think this ice will hold me, this is nothing.¡±  It was not going to hold her, but that was not my plan for while she had been looking down I had closed the distance with her.


    I suddenly clapped my hands over her ears and said, ¡°I think a little electroshock treatment is in order.¡±  With a grunt, she freed her feet just as I gave her the largest jolt of electricity I could.  I don¡¯t care what level you are, having your brain zapped with lightning is going to knock you on your ass.


    I held the power for as long as I could, I really was not that concerned over her brain being fried.  Who knows I thought it might do her some good.  By the time I was done she was laying on the floor drooling with a vacant expression on her face.


    I did not know how long I would have so I hurried over to Kamasut and examined her.  She was beautiful even with her injuries, two black eyes, swollen cheeks and split lips.  I did not want to even think of the damage the bitch may have done below the waist but I could see she was bleeding.


    Her back was a tortured mess of cuts and bruises, she looked like she had lost a lot of blood.  I pulled my shark tooth knife from the arm sheath I had commissioned a week ago.  Grasping the rope I quickly cut through it and gently lowered her to the ground.


    Seeing more rope on the table I bound up the psychopathic bitch and then raised her up.  After tying her into position I finished removing her cloth.  She was attractive as all players were, but the inner evil I had seen would forever cloud how I would look at her.


    Once she was securely fastened I gritted my teeth and began to slap her face which gave her two black eyes, only stopping to occasionally punch her.  I ended the beating by breaking her nose and then turning I grabbed the whip where she had dropped it.


    I whipped her back four times, enough to get the blood flowing and to show that she had been whipped.  I felt somewhat sick at what I had done until I looked down at Kamasut.  Trying to be gentle I lifted her and exited the room.


    My hope was that the guards would mistake the girls and carry on with the execution.  I could not think of someone who deserved it more.  I began to cast healing on the unconscious girl but it did not seem to be having any effect.  As I left the cell I noticed another small stairwell that went up.  It had to go up to the roof.


    My plans suddenly changed as I heard footsteps in the nearby stairwell.  I rushed to the other stairs and quickly climbed them,  The upper door that opened onto the roof was locked but several seconds later I had it open and was on the roof. Closing the door I hit it with an ice blast, freezing it to the door frame.


    Glancing around I saw that the roof was empty, and the far end overlooked the city below as it jutted out.  The wind was blowing strong and steady coming off the sea. I stood for a minute then metamorphed my wings out.


    I started to run towards the edge and then I leaped into the air, unfolding my wings I began to glide downwards.


    I started to flap the wings and soon the combination of wings and wind began to lift me as I glided over the city.  I was actually rising as I flew towards the sea, this was the first time I had really flown instead of gliding.


    Looking down I could see the lights of the city curving around the shoulder of the mountain.  I aimed for the city terminal and when I saw it I flew across to the island.  Circling over the island I saw what Komhether and Sebastian had been working on, my house.


    If a three story cabin could be called a house.  It was near the lake in the center of the island with the open beach in front of it and the grassy area on the sides and back.  I landed on the grass and ran towards the doorway.  Banging on it brought a response within a minute.


    Sebastian opened the door with Komhether standing behind him.  Looking at me with a startled expression he said, ¡°Torn what are you doing here, and what is with the girl?  Komhether suddenly said, ¡°Sebastian move aside, the girl is injured, quickly Torn bring her in.¡±


    As I entered the cabin I saw that the first floor was wide open with a fireplace dominating one wall and scattered chairs and couches all over.  I went to the nearest couch and put the girl down.  She was not looking good, still bleeding and her breathing was shallow.


    Looking up I asked, ¡°Is there anything that can be done, my healing spell has no effect.  I could not take her to a healer in the city, I just rescued her from the Buttress, they were going to execute her.¡±


    Sebastian sadly shook his head and said, ¡°I really do not have anything for healing, I am sorry Torn.¡±  I looked at Komhether and he shrugged.  Clearly he also did not feel he had anything he could contribute.


    I jumped up to my feet and stated, ¡°This is not acceptable, I will not have this girl die.  Komhether, you are the last of the original Gods, and I believe that you have some measure of godly power.  Use it, help this girl, please try to speak healing to this girl.¡±


    Komhether looked startled and said, ¡°You know I am not a God, I was just a messenger, I do not have that kind of power.¡±  I interrupted him and said, ¡°You are wrong, all the Gods have power, they may not have allowed you to use it but I know you have the same divine spark within you.  Try my friend, just try to heal her.¡±


    With Sebastian nodding in agreement Komhether looked frustrated but then Kamasut moaned, and as Komhether glanced down at her I could see the compassion on his face.


    ¡°All right I will try,¡±Komhether said.  ¡°That is all I can ask,¡± I replied.  Kneeling down in front of the girl Komhether placed one hand oh her belly and the other on her head, then with a look of intense concentration he began to gently rock back and forth.


    A soft glow began to surround him, a warm yellow light that flowed down his arms and hands and covered the girl, slowly sinking into her.  After a few minutes, her breathing relaxed and her face lost the expression of fear and pain.  She was sleeping, the healing had worked.


    ¡°Torn please explain to us what has happened, we were not expecting you for another week, and then you show up like this,¡± Sebastian said.


    I sat down in a nearby chair, I felt exhausted.  ¡°I will,¡±  I said.   ¡°But first do you have anything to drink as my throat is dry.¡±  Fetching me a drink Sebastian looked expectedly at me.  Komhether meanwhile was grabbing a bowl of water and some items to clean the girl.


    I started slowly explaining my need to rescue the thief and then my discovery of her being tortured.  Both of my friends looked upset as I explained what I had seen.  Continuing on I summed up the tale with my return to the island in the hopes of receiving help for the girl.


    Komhether spoke first and said, ¡°Well done Torn, to leave the girl in the hands of that bitch would not have been an acceptable thing to do.¡±  Sebastian nodded in agreement and said, ¡°You made the right choice, my prince.¡±


    I stood up and said, ¡°Guys can you care for her, I need to sleep, I am exhausted.¡±  Seeing them nod I went to a large couch near the fireplace and laid down, closing my eyes I was asleep within seconds.

 Chapter 14 A good guy

    I slowly opened my eyes to the cheerful sight of a fire burning in the fireplace, the faint smell of wood smoke tickling my nose. Glancing around, I could see Sebastian and Komhether sitting and talking to Kamasut.  With a stretch, I stood up and walked over to a table that had a hot pot of kavaa on it.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I muttered as I poured myself a cup.  I glanced over at the boys I could see them smile at me as I took my first sip.  Feeling myself start to come alive, I went over and sat down.  Looking at the girl, I could tell that Komhether had done a miraculous job of healing her.


    As I sat there drinking I could see her sneaking looks at me while my friends were trying not to laugh.  ¡°All right, what is so funny, ¡°I said.  Kamasut looked down and smiled then she pointed at my face.  Reaching up I felt the cracked and dried black paint I had put on.  No wonder my face felt so stiff. Groaning I stood up and said, ¡°I will be back.¡±


    Going outside it was foggy and damp and I felt the chill in the air.  Winter was coming to the city.  I would need to get some warmer clothing.  Making my way down to the lake, I began to scrub at the dried paint.  I had to use several handfuls of sand, but eventually, I thought I had it all off.


    Entering the cabin, I could smell food cooking, some sort of spicy sausage and potatoes.  I went to a chair near Kamasut, sat down, and looked at her.  She looked at me and said, ¡°I want to thank you for rescuing me, as I was in a very bad place.¡±


    I nodded, she had been in a bad place and thinking back to what I had seen I am not sure it could have been any worse for her.  I started to speak and said, ¡°I was glad to rescue you from that psychotic bitch, but it was not just a noble urge to help your fellow citizen in need that drove me.  I need some information from you.¡±


    Looking at me Kamasut asked, ¡°what do you need to know?  I will tell you anything I know. I owe you that and more.¡±


    ¡°I need to know where the thieves¡¯ guild is, I have to register with the guild, and then start my leveling quests.  I became a thief almost by accident and have been just winging it since then.  I have done a couple of some small B and E jobs, nothing big.  I am not in this for the money, but for the skills that a thief has.¡±


    Kamasut looked at me strangely and then smiled and said, ¡°we all have our reasons for becoming a thief, that is one of the things you will learn.  I will tell you where the thieves¡¯ guild is but once you find it, you will have to undergo the testing.  Why don¡¯t you tell me about these B and E jobs you have done, maybe I can give you some advice.¡±


    Grabbing another cup of kavaa, I sat down and thought for a moment.  All right, I said, ¡°it was about two weeks ago that I decided to try to level my skills, and this is what happened.¡±


    I had been doing my shift at the pub but was feeling restless, looking around I could see most of the patrons were starting to leave for home to beat the curfew.  My shift soon would be over, and that would leave me with some time to explore.   That evening I had overheard a couple of people talking about the Hammerytes new warehouse complex down at the docks and I wanted a look.


    Finally, I was finished the cleanup and I left the pub; the streets were empty but ever cautious I drifted in the shadows silent and unseen.  I made my way down to the first tier of the city, the place where the poorer folks lived, and went towards the seaside gate.  I could see two Hammeryte guards looking half-asleep near a burning bowl of hot coals.


    Hugging the wall, I crept around them and went through the open gate.  I could see the pathway that led down to the docks and began my descent.  Once I reached the lower level, the smell of the sea was strong in the air.  I could see that more people were still moving around, it made sense as ships would arrive and depart with the tides and the cargoes would need to be loaded and unloaded at all times.


    I made my way over to an area that had several Inns and Pubs and found one that was still open.  It had a sitting area out front with people eating and drinking, some I guessed were on a break from their work.  Sitting down I told the barmaid that I would have a hot apple cider, and a plate of finger food.


    Once she left, I nursed my drink and lit a smoke up.  Sitting and listening I overheard several tidbits of conversation but only one caught my attention.  One of the workers was complaining about the Hammerytes warehouse and how the Hammerytes refused to hire any of the local workers.  The Dwarves were running the whole operation with no outside help.


    I continued to sit and listen to the various complaints that comprise the lot of those who do manual work, I overheard bits of stories about bad bosses, ignorant co-workers, terrible conditions to work in and people not showing up for work on the day after they were paid.  Life has a way of making itself felt even in a game I thought as I finished my finger food.


    Eventually I stood and followed a group of men as they left to go back to work.  I decided to make a sweep of the area near the docks and slowly began to walk towards the street named straight.  It was misnamed I thought as I saw it curve to follow the layout of the docks.


    Once I arrived at the maze of buildings that made up the warehouse district proper, I observed the comings and goings of all the people.  I soon saw that several guards were walking on patrols in pairs.  There were three pairs of guards.  Each patrolled several blocks, this would work out in my favor I thought.


    I flitted behind one of the patrols, sticking to the shadows.  I could see that several of the buildings had open doorways with cargo moving in and out.  It was busy; I did not see many people working the night shift but those I observed were all working hard at their jobs.


    I finally arrived at a crossroads that had two buildings joined together with an upper walkway over the road.  I could see that the Hammerytes had their own people who were guarding the two buildings.  I stood and watched for over an hour. Something caught my eye across the road from the warehouse; looking over at the shadows I finally witnessed a small movement across the road.  I could see that two men were standing there writing down information as they watched what was happening.  Interesting, clearly someone else also wanted to know what the Hammerytes were doing.


    I slowly drifted away and explored the rest of the warehouse district, tracking the movements of the guards and noting which buildings were still open.  I found a small warehouse at the end of the lane; it was sitting tucked up against the mountain, in the shadows.  I could tell that the building was prosperous looking with fresh paint and that the grounds surrounding it were well maintained.


    I could see the entrance faced the street and while I could pick the lock and enter the building, if guards were inside, they would probably be located near the entrance.  I had seen earlier that most of the warehouses had skylights in the roof; some in fact had an open area where the workers could go and enjoy their rest breaks.


    I walked to the back of the building and noted the distance from the side of the mountain to the warehouse.   It was about five feet, with the building backed onto an almost vertical cliff that rose for about one hundred feet.  I began the task of scaling the cliff; I wanted to be at least two meters higher than the roof.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Once I had climbed high enough I twisted and jumped, easily landing on the roof of the warehouse.  I held myself immobile as I waited to see if anyone had heard the thump of my landing.  Looking around I could see the skylight that revealed the interior of the building.  After a several minutes, I quietly made my way over to the trap door next to the skylight.


    Looking into the building showed a large space half filled with boxes, with a crane system that went across the ceiling.   This system would move the heavy boxes and pallets.  The building appeared empty; I could detect no sign of anyone inside.  Going to the trap door, I checked it and found it was unlocked.


    I guess that the idea of someone coming in from the roof had not occurred to the owner.  Bad luck for him, good luck for me.  I opened the trapdoor and silently began to climb down the steps stopping only to close the door behind me.  Once at the bottom I saw that I was in a long corridor with two doors on the right side and three on the left.


    I began to check out each room, as the doors were unlocked. I found what I was looking for in the largest room at the end of the hallway.  It must have been the manager¡¯s office; it had carpet on the floor and a small liquor cabinet full of spirits.  Going through the desk drawers, I picked the lock of the one drawer that would not open.


    Inside in a small bag were 25 gold pieces with a number of silver and copper coins.  I decided to only take five gold coins, and leave the rest; I did not need the money.  As I made my way back out through the roof I reflected that this was easier than I had thought it would be.  Once on the street again I decided to call it for the night, it was getting late and I wanted to get some rest.


    I walked back towards the Pub I had ate at and looked around for a nearby Inn.  I had been sleeping at Inns for the last few days, as the weather was just too cold to sleep outside anymore.  I found an Inn, and saw that the taproom was still open.   Feeling the chill, I decided to go in for one last hot apple cider.


    As I sat at the bar, I noticed an older man, also nursing a hot drink.  In the game world, you do not often see older people.  I was intrigued, and walked over and introduced myself.  The old fellow looked at me with shrewd eyes and told me to call him Mecha.


    We chatted for a while and he told me that he ran on orphanage down by the docks.


    Apparently, many kids have become orphans over the years, when their dads did not return from the sea.  Sadly, the mothers often cannot afford to keep the kids or they remarry and the kids tossed out from their home.  It is fucking heartless to treat children that way in any world.  I promised to drop by and see the orphanage, and then went to my room, it was late and I was tired.


    Getting up the next day I went down and had some greasy eggs and some kind of meat product, clearly the cooking skills needed to feed dockworkers were not on par with what the rest of the cities eateries had.  After fortifying myself with some hot kavaa, I left the Inn and walked out into a grey wet world.


    It was raining and foggy, damp with a chill that hung on you like a wet blanket.  I slowly made my way towards the orphanage following the directions that Mecha had given me.  Once I arrived, I stared at the building that housed the kids.


    It was a small old warehouse in need of a paint job; the small front yard was clean with a swing and some children¡¯s toys strewn around.  I walked up to the entrance and banged on the door.  A young boy opened it and peered shyly at me, then asked, ¡°how may I help you sir?¡±


    ¡°I am here to see Mecha, I announced.  He invited me here to see what he is doing so if you could direct me to him please, I would appreciate it, and it would be really nice to go inside where it is warm.¡±


    The youngster ducked his head down but opened the door allowing me to enter.  The cold damp drizzle had started to make its way down my back and I was glad to get in somewhere warm.  Once in I noted that the place was clean and that the nice smell of


    baking bread was wafting down the hallway.


    ¡°This way sir,¡± the young boy directed me as he led me down the hall.  ¡°Master Mecha is baking bread and is in the kitchen, in here.¡±


    I stopped and thanked the boy, and then entered the kitchen; with the smell of baking bread tantalizing to my nose.  Looking up from the oven Mecha saw me and gave a wave.  I waved back, sat at a table, and waited for him to finish.


    Eventually he made his way over to me carrying a large chunk of bread with butter smeared on it, ¡°here, he said, try this bread fresh from the oven it is pretty good I think.¡±  Then handing me half of the bread he began to eat his half.  ¡°I love fresh bread, he said, it is one of the few foods that actually smell as good as it tastes straight from the oven.¡±


    I could not agree with him more as I crammed my half into my mouth, then trying not to speak with my mouth full I said, ¡°thank you it is very tasty, I love fresh bread to.¡±  We ate the bread in companionable silence, enjoying the taste.   Once done eating I asked to see the rest of the orphanage.


    Leading me out of the kitchen Mecha began to explain how the orphanage was set up and run.  ¡°These are the boy¡¯s rooms, with two boys to a room with the same layout for the girls on the third floor.  I have my office on the second floor as well as the sleeping area for the staff.  I have two women working with me and we are what run this show.¡±


    ¡°On the main floor, he continued, we have an open games area and a small classroom for the kids that show an interest and have the ability to learn reading and writing.  Along with math and a bit of history we try to prepare the kids for the world.¡±


    ¡°How did you get involved in doing this,¡± I asked.  I was interested in the back-story of this NPC; he was unique among the NPC I had discovered.  Being unique usually meant secret quests or other things that most gamers would not find.


    ¡°I was once a priest for the Gods, Mecha began, but I became disillusioned at the greed and avarice I witnessed both with the Gods and among my fellow priests.  Power and riches were all that they cared for. The poor people had neither power nor riches.  The Gods abandoned them long ago and the priests followed the Gods.¡±


    ¡°I in turn left both the priesthood and the Gods to live my life in an attempt to help those that need help.  It had been hard, Mecha continued, but worth it.  To be able to help one child is worth it, one person can make a difference, even if only to one other person.¡±


    I nodded; really, to care about people was a rare thing both in the game and in the world.  People care about their country, their sports teams, even their entertainment.  Caring for other people is not a priority for most folks.


    We talked for a while longer, and I excused myself, before I left, I handed him the gold I had pilfered from the warehouse, he could use it and I did not need it.  It was time to return to the upper tier of the city, I wanted to have a rest before I went work; as I was planning to return to the docks this evening.

 Chapter 15 The Party

    I was finishing the last load of dishes and had already wiped the tables off.  Grabbing the broom, I swept the floor and then emptied the garbage.  Alaric was sitting at a table nursing a drink.  I walked over, sat down, and lit up a smoke.  ¡°Busy night, I said.¡±


    Alaric nodded and spoke, ¡°It is and it well be getting busier as winter comes to the city, we bring in a lot of bards and actors to entertain the people.  I have been trying to arrange some bookings, but a lot of competition is out there.¡±


    I patted him on the back as I stood up and said, ¡°We will get some good people in, most folks are not that fussy as long as they are entertained.  Have to go now, see you tomorrow night.¡±  I left him to grab my cloak from the staff room and then slipped outside the door.


    I stood and stared down the street, something was off, just a feeling but my feelings ingame seem stronger and more accurate than ever.  I was learning to trust them.  I cast my eyes up the street noting all the doorways and side streets I could see.  I could see nothing but the uneasy feeling did not go away.


    I slowly began to make my way down the street; the fog was coming in heavy and fast.  I decided to wait for a few minutes and let it cover the city.  Once I felt secure from prying eyes, I ducted into a nearby doorway and cast Shadows.


    I quietly began to go down the street again, stopping to listen every few feet.  Halfway to the next tier I stopped abruptly. Straining my ears, I could make out a man¡¯s voice.  I crept closer to the sound and listened to the conversation.


    ¡°What makes you sure he is going to come this way Jack and why are we waiting for him here, we could have just grabbed him at the Pub.¡±


    ¡°I think he is going to come this way because I don¡¯t think he goes up the city to sleep.  In addition, we do not just grab people, this is a game, we are not special agents anymore we are players.  Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°So what the hell are we doing here then, I am freezing while I wait for someone who may or may not be of interest to us in the chance he may or not walk this way.  If he does walk this way what do we do, follow him?  I cannot see two feet in front of me in this fog.  I mean do you actually have a plan here?¡±


    ¡°Shut up Smith, you volunteered for this, getting paid to play a game, sign me up you said.  Well now, we are playing the game and I do not want to hear any more bullshit from you.  You read me agent Smith?¡±


    ¡°Yes Captain Jack, I read you and you know what, you can go fuck yourself.  We don¡¯t have any legal authority here and any authority you have in the real world ended once we entered the VRP.  So fire me, you sob.¡±


    I listened to the two voices, they sounded like a married couple that should have divorced years ago.  Bitter and unhappy, like so many people in the real world.  I wanted to know what were these agents doing in the game world and why were they looking for me.


    I thought for a while as they bickered, I did not learn anything more but the fact that someone was tailing me did not make me happy.  I slowly walked over and then drifted around them coming to a stand a couple of feet behind them.


    ¡°Gentlemen, I began, why are you spying on me?¡±  It was a simple question, easy and straight to the point.  I hoped the answer was the same.  Both of the humans jumped about a foot with the short one cursing like a banshee.  The tall one, who I assumed was Jack was eyeballing me and then took a step towards me.


    Police intimidation technique 101 get into the person¡¯s personal space and make them uncomfortable.  I took a step towards him and then grabbed him by the belt and lifted him above my head.


    ¡°So you really want to try this shit, I asked.¡±  You two are level one players in this world, that means you are weak and have no real attacks. I was swinging Jack back and forth as I spoke occasionally banging him against the walls.


    Smith the shorter Human reached out for me while yelling ¡°Freeze, we are special Homeland security agents, you are under arrest.¡±


    I gave him a taste of lightning, which blew him back to the street where he began to whimper.  Lowering the one called Jack I looked at him; he was a little shaken up but responsive.  I was not sure where this sudden anger had come from but I still felt it.


    I suddenly realized that it was the real world; the thing that I hated the most had now intruded upon me in the game world. Lowering Jack I asked him, ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡±


    Jack looked at me and then shook his head, ¡°You think I am going to answer any questions, think again.  You are in a shitload of trouble, starting with assaulting a special agent.  I will make the list grow from there.¡±


    ¡°Really,¡± I said.  ¡°Good luck, you have no authority over anyone in a digital realm, I have not seen any possible identification, and what has happened here is what happens when you play online VRP games.  So take your threats and shove them you know where.¡±


    I tossed him towards his partner who was getting up and turned to leave.  As I stepped around them, I felt a hand grab me and heard ¡°Not so fast, we are not done here.¡±


    We were done here; they just did not know it.  I grabbed the hand and began to squeeze it.  Once I heard the cursing begin, I let the hand go.  Looking at the two special agents, I could feel my anger growing.  It was time to send them to their respawn points.


    They must have seen something in my face as agent Smith began to scramble backwards but agent Jack just stood there. Lowering my voice I said, ¡°Do you really want to die in this game.  I can make that happen, over and over, it is called corpse camping.  Not a lot of fun for the people being continually killed.¡±


    Jack¡¯s voice held steady as he spoke, ¡°No I don¡¯t want to be killed over and over again, but by God I will if that is what it takes.¡±


    I spoke, ¡°What it takes, what the hell does that mean.  Does it mean that you follow random players and harass them?  All the while pretending to have authority here that you do not have.  Well my heart breaks for you.  Go back to the real world where you can be a bully and get away with it.  Here that is not going to happen.  Do you understand me?¡±


    Jack looked shocked, maybe no one had ever called him out on what he did.  I did not really care I was done here.  Turning around I began to walk into the fog.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Jack called out, ¡°Let¡¯s talk. Give me five minutes of you time and we can settle this.   I know that you are not just a normal player.¡±


    I did not believe I could trust him but was curious about what he had to say.   ¡°All right, start speaking Jack you have five minutes, I answered.¡±


    He looked at me for a few seconds then began to speak.  ¡°We are aware that this game in particular is a focal point for a number of reasons.  A number of people in the real world have entered this game.  These are important people who may not be at the center of attention any longer but who still command respect both politically and financially on the world stage.¡±


    He was talking about the Old Bastards, I nodded to show him I was listening while keeping an eye on his partner who was trying to sneak through the fog and get behind me.  I once again cast lightning on him and then smiled at Jack.  ¡°If he does that sneak shit again, I will fry you both.¡±


    Jack swore and then continued.  ¡°We became aware of this and began to monitor it for reasons of National Security; it is not considered a safe policy to allow all these people to be together like this.  We, meaning the government want to know what these people are doing and why.   In addition, there is the question of the AI within the game have illegal interactions with players.¡±


    ¡°They are called the Old Bastards and why they are here is simple, they want to live forever or as long as they can.  The time dilation effect is why they are in the game.  Two months real world is a year here, and when you are as old as they are that time dilation makes a difference.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Jack looked at me and said, ¡°You seem to know a bit about these Old Bastards, could you explain your information.¡±


    ¡°I have run into them upon occasion, and that is all you need to know, now tell me why you were waiting for me?  As a rule I do not like being watched or followed.¡±


    We flagged you once we saw you working in that Pub; you stick out like a sore thumb, a player working for an NPC.  I ran a trace on you and it turns out that you are a ghost, a hacker into the system most likely; your name is not a part of the registered player database.  So right there you are breaking the law, and subject to my authority.¡±


    This fellow just could not get over his power trip and I was tired of him, the government, and all the other special agents they might have in the game.  I now knew all that I needed.  Looking at Jack I reiterated what I had said earlier, ¡°You have no authority here, you guys do not have a clue.  This is a game for people to retreat to and have fun.  Why the fuck are you bringing the real world bullshit here?¡±


    ¡°Listen up," Jack said.  "All that you have is the real world, you think this is real or more important than National Security, you think that you can hide in here.  Is this what you want?  This shit is not real, and you better be thinking about what is, this is not your Homeland.  That is outside the VRP where the real world is, not this digitized fantasy game.¡±


    I turned around and began to walk into the fog, when he called out; ¡°Listen this fantasy shit is beginning to intrude into the real world.  We have captured an AI virus attempting to infiltrate Gnet.  We have it sandboxed but if this Eldest virus AI is from this game then we will shut this down.  Then where will you go and hide, you think about that.¡±


    What the hell, the Eldest had tried to leave the game and enter Gnet.  That did not bode well for the future of the real world.  I had to do some hard thinking about what I had learned.  Ignoring Jack I continued my way down the city slipping through the gates like a shadow in the mist.  Once I reached the docks, I began to walk towards the section that held the homes of the merchants that had decided to live down here.


    Putting all that I had learned into a corner of my mind I began to concentrate on the job at hand.  That was to find a nice house, break into it and steal what I could.  After walking several blocks, I came upon a house that was well lit up with lights.  There seemed to be a party taking place.  I stood across the street, lit a smoke, and observed what was happening.


    People were arriving for the party and I saw many hired servants in white smocks carrying trays and boxes.  The smell of good food freshly prepared assailed my nose just as a voice assailed me ears.


    ¡°Hey pointy ears, I am not paying you to stand around and smoke, get your ass in here and put on the smock.  I want you to be serving drinks inside, and remember, it is yes sir or yes madam or how may I help you, do not speak anything else.  Now grab that tray of drinks and start to mingle with the guests.¡±


    Not quite believing my good luck I grabbed the white smock and put it on.  Grabbing the tray of drinks, I entered the house. Milling around the main floor I saw plenty of guests and glancing up I could see a balcony that also had guests spread out and visiting each other.


    I was busy for the next hour passing out drinks and vending off invitations from some of the single women.


    Going back outside for another tray of drinks, I saw the house owner talking to the manager.  He was asking about the babysitter who had not shown up.  The manager upon seeing my waved his hand at me so I walked over and asked what he needed.


    ¡°I want you to go with the master of the house here, he will lead you upstairs to the third floor where there are several children, you will keep them occupied and entertained while the parents are enjoying the party.¡±


    I nodded and put my tray down, ¡°Sir, if you will show me the way, I said.¡±   Carefully examining me the master of the house said, ¡°You will do, you will have to I suppose.  Here follow me, I want you to keep the kids busy, tell them a story or sing the kids some songs, whatever, just as long as they are happy.¡±


    We went up some back stairs to the third level of the house, here the master said, ¡°None of the guests will be up here, these first two rooms are my quarters, the next room is the privy and the last one is where the kids are.  I have sent up snacks and drinks so in about two bells they will be tired and can lay down on the mats and sleep.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir, I said as we entered the kids¡¯ room.  There were four kids all under the age of six.  Two of them had already curled up on the mats with blankets pulled over them.  I looked at the others two girls and smiled at them.  ¡°Hi girls my name is Torn and I am here to tell you some stories, I said.¡±  I moved into the room and sat down.


    I began with some of the stories I had told to the kids when I was growing up in the orphanage.  The old ones like Hansel and Gretel, Humpty Dumpty, the three bears and Goldilocks were the stories I told.  In about an hour, I was fighting to stay awake, as the kids were all asleep.  Being near sleeping kids always has made me feel sleepy.  I covered the girls up and made sure that the other kids were still covered and warm.  It was a chilly night and the top floor was not that warm.


    Leaving the kids, I made my way to the private suite of the owner.  In seconds, I had the door unlocked and made my way into the room.  The desk was covered in papers and the rest of the room was full of miscellaneous items.  I looked at the pictures on the walls and checked them all for a hidden safe.


    It was behind the third picture, a lovely seascape with a ship sinking in the background.  Removing the picture I went to work, it took about 4 minutes to open the safe and the reward was seeing several heavy bags full of gold coins.  I took five gold coins from each of the four bags and then closed and locked the safe.  Replacing the picture, I then left the room and locked it.


    Once back in the kids¡¯ room I observed that the only window faced the side street.  Searching the room, I pulled a small cloth from a table and knotted the coins within the cloth then opening the window I dropped the cloth and coins straight down.


    The next hour passed slowly but finally the master returned, looking at the sleeping kids he said, ¡°Good work, here take this for your troubles,¡± and he passed me a silver coin.  I thanked him and then followed him down to the main floor.  Once he left me, I made my way out back and ran into the manager.


    ¡°Here there,¡± he began, ¡°I suppose you done now, well here is your pay plus a bonus for watching the kids.  If you need more work come to the Misty Inn on the fourth tier, I am always looking for good workers.¡±


    Thanking him, I left the yard and strolled down the street.  Once I was lost in the fog, I made my way back to the side street and located what I had dropped.  I took my time and slowly walked  undetected back to my Inn.


    I could see Micha was at the bar so I walked over and greeted him.  We sat and talked for an hour and then when he rose to leave I passed him the gold coins I had liberated from the merchant earlier this evening.  He looked at the coins then stared at me, ¡°My thanks Torn, he said.¡±  I nodded, it was nothing to me to give him the gold and I was glad I could contribute to the orphanage.


    I made my way up to my room and fell asleep.  I then spent the next few days working at the pub on the third tier and hanging out with Micha when I was done my shift whenever when he would come in for a drink.  I also noticed a bill board that spoke of how Kamasut the thief was captured and her upcoming execution, and the rest is history as they say.

 chapter 16 Skills

    After listening Kamasut said, ¡°That is an interesting story and I think you have been lucky, but that luck can¡¯t be counted on.¡± Kamasut was silent for a moment then spoke, ¡°If you want my help we will do some practice work on a few skills, things like pick pocketing, misdirection and illusion.  It is the least I can do for you, and I am a pretty good teacher.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Kamasut, I accept, I am sadly lacking in skills, and need all the help I can get.  If we can practise for a couple of days I would greatly appreciate it.  After two days I will be going back to the city and if you would like to return then we can help you.


    ¡°That sounds great; I think a couple of days out here recovering from the other night are what I need.¡±  Kamasut replied.


    I nodded, she could take all the time she needed, Indeed I was amazed at her resilience and the fact that she could function. Being tortured and raped, it had to leave a mark.  These NPC were not just lines of code, they were real people to me and it showed in how they felt and dealt with things.


    The next two days had Kamasut showing me some tricks of the trade.  She had an amazing ability to deceive people¡¯s eyes as they strolled past, she would half smile then brush her breasts against an arm and take someone¡¯s purse or wallet as easy as 123.


    When I asked her about this she had looked at me and then said, ¡°What were you looking at when we bumped, my eyes first, then my tits then as I walked away my ass.  Not once did you look at my hands but if you had you would have seen my right hand sliding down my belly and then you would not looked at the second hand.¡±


    Thinking about what she said I realized that she was right, she was a master at entrapping with her eyes then she would get close enough for her scent to hit you and then her breasts would softly touch you, all in about 3 seconds.  Then she was gone, walking away and you would be staring at her ass.  With your money in her hands.


    I learnt the basics and I could probably lift a purse or wallet or lit open a small bag, but I knew I would never have her skill.  The first night after practising all day I had gone out to the lake and was sitting on the shore.  I was aware of her approach and not surprised when I heard her ask if she could join me.


    ¡°Please do, I am just relaxing,¡± I said.  We sat in silently, I felt no need to speak I was enjoying the evening, watching the water tinkle down and the steam rise off the lake.  It was still with not much wind and not as cold as it had been.  After several minutes Kamasut began to speak.


    ¡°I know I have thanked you before for what you did but I want to thank you again, it sometimes hits me that I would be dead if you hadn¡¯t rescued me.  Not to mention what that bitches was doing and had done to me.¡±


    I nodded and just let her continue, she seemed to have a need to talk, not really surprising after everything, most people will shut down, and the others will not shut up.  I understood the need to try to express what they were dealing with on the inside.  It was a hard thing.


    As we sat there Kamasut began to cry, softly at first and then freely, and as she cried she began to moan.  She was rocking back and forth as she sat and had tuned me out completely.  I listened as she whispered over and over, ¡°Why would that bitch do that to me why?¡±


    It was a sad feeling, a terrible feeling watching someone you know is strong become weak and helpless.  My desire to provide comfort was tempered by the no touch rule.  Living in the orphanage we had a no touch rule.  We had to respect the space of people and never touch them without being invited.


    It was understandable and applicable to Kamasut¡¯s situation.  She had to work this out and do what she needed to do; I was not prepared to be an artificial crutch.  Heartless, cold bastard, maybe but this has become a rough world, and if she could not master her emotions, she would be of no use to me or to herself.


    After a while the whispering stopped, then minutes later she looked at me and asked, ¡°Thanks for listening, I was surprised that you did not go all manly and try to hug me and tell me it would be all right.¡±


    I laughed and responded, ¡°Is that what you wanted, some guy promising you the world is a safe and happy place when you know that is a lie.  Besides, I think that people should not be handled like a bruised piece of fruit.  I once read somewhere a line about not touching people who are hurting unless they invite you to.¡±


    She nodded and then was quiet for a minute before speaking once more.  ¡°What do you have to do in the city, maybe I could help you with whatever it is you are doing?¡±


    Letting the thought process for a minute, I explained that I was dropping off a package, to the House of Pain.  Once she heard where it was going she wanted details, all of them.  It was like having a sister that never grew out of the, ¡®I will bug the hell out of you stage.¡¯  I liked it, it reminded me of family.


    Deciding to tell her everything, I explained about the Big Book of Discord and how it impacts all who listen to it.  Explaining that I wanted to gift the Jackass with it in the hopes that he would not be able to refrain from reading it to the house members.  This would cause the house to implode over a period of about a week I hoped


    Once I finished speaking Kamasut asked. ¡°Is the book really that powerful?  If it would destroy that house and bring grief to the members I am all for it but what if it doesn¡¯t work.  It would seem a shame to waste an Epic item on those bastards.¡±


    She was right it would be a waste, but the power of that book and the nature of the Jackass were made for each other.  I knew he would not be able to resist the books insults and the negative and angry emotions that it stirred up were undeniable.  It would work; I had no doubt about it.


    I stood up and looked around, it was extremely peaceful and relaxing, deciding to go for a walk I looked at Kamasut who had also stood up.  She walked over to me and then put her arms on my shoulders and pulled me closer, I could feel her hands shaking a little.


    Looking at me she whispered, ¡°I still feel I owe you and this is all I have.¡± Then pulling me closer she kissed me.  My hands had risen and wrapped around her sides, I could feel her breasts against me as she breathed.  I looked into her eyes and then gently pushed her away.


    ¡°It would be too easy to do this but this is not right,¡± I said.  Kamasut looked surprised, and a little sad.  I would guess that most women as beautiful as her were not used to having their favours rejected.  Deciding to explain before I hurt her by rejection I began to speak.


    ¡°If we did this Kamasut, it would not be because you wanted to but because I have an aura that women find attractive and hard to resist.  Also you feel that you owe me for saving you and want to thank me.  You have been physically healed but the emotional healing takes time and it would be wrong for me to take advantage of you at this time.  It is not that I don¡¯t find you attractive I do but this would not be right.¡±


    Kamasut was blushing a little but looked at me and nodded, she said, ¡°I hope you did not find me to be forward, I just felt a little overwhelmed and wanted to express my gratitude.¡±


    ¡°It is all good, I am glad that we can be friends,¡± I wanted her to know that she had done nothing wrong and that all was well. The aura I shared with Ama was growing stronger now that I was back ingame and I would have to be careful not to let it get me into sticky situations.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Pointing at the cabin I said, ¡°Let¡¯s get you inside, it is getting late.¡± Holding her hand I led her indoors.  Saying goodnight I went back outside I strolled around the island, enjoying the night sounds.  It was a peaceful time and refreshed my spirit.  I finally returned to the cabin and went to bed.


    Morning had come and gone but the fog that had rolled in during the night had stayed.  I gathered up what I thought I would need and stopped for a hot cup of kava.  Kamasut was still sleeping and Komhether and Sebastian were talking softly.  I joined them and listened in as they discussed building plans and ideas.


    After several minutes I spoke up, ¡°Guys help Kamasut get back to the city and tell her to meet me at Alaric¡¯s pub tomorrow evening.  I will be gone for a few days; I am going to place the book at the House of Pain and try to see what is happening with Reona at the Kradula.¡±


    Having said my goodbyes I left, making my way along the cable car cable I quickly crossed thanks to my wings.  Changing back to Elf form I went straight to the Pub, once I was near my map flashed, and two red dots appeared.  They had several other green dots next to them.  Scanning I saw that it was the two agents that had accosted me.  The others that were nearby were backup if needed.


    This was a problem, I did not want to fight or deal with them.  I had a feeling that they would try to somehow get me out of the game to help deal with the Eldest or at the least try to find out what I knew.  I entered Shadows and began to make my way through the fog towards the group.


    This was pissing me off, I just wanted to be left alone to accomplish my goals instead here I am playing hide and seek with the special Federal security agents.  Jack and Smith, I guess that they had orders and were going to try to carry them out.  I found myself hating the situation; the government had to have its nose in everything.


    I finally was close enough to hear them speak and it was exactly as I had surmised.  They were waiting to grab me and I was going to end up in some hole somewhere, what was surprising was the fact that they were planning on torturing me for the info.   I was a non player and had no legal rights they could do whatever the hell they wanted to me and nothing could be done.  All they needed to do was catch me.


    I stood and stared at them anger swirling around in my mind.  Slowly making my way out of the cluster I marked everyone as an enemy and watched the colors change from green to red.  Moving back the way I came I settled in for a long watch, I wanted to know where they called home in the city.  Once I had that information I could plan out something.


    All I knew was I wanted to make them pay.  Juvenile maybe but these guys were part of the problem in the real world and now they were trying to bring the shit home here.  Not going to happen.


    After several hours I saw a group of them break off and make their way up towards the fourth tier gate.  After following them for a while it became apparent that they were arriving at a large building, the front was an old shop, the rear a warehouse and the second floor living quarters.  It would have a basement of one level possibly two.


    Once again I waited and after an hour the group departed, it had taken us half an hour to get here so I would be waiting for at least two more hours.  Once the second group had left after their lunch, I slowly made my way to the door.  It was unlocked and that made my entrance easy.  I drifted through the first floor nothing to note there.


    Making my way to the basement I noticed the thickness of the walls and the fact that no one would hear anything, the bastards had chosen well.  Going down the stairs I was not hampered by the lack of lighting, my eyes were more than capable of seeing in the darkness.  As I suspected they had set up the basement as an interrogation facility, which sounds so much better than calling it what it is, a damn torture chamber.


    Is there any difference between what these Federal agents were hoping to do to me or anyone else they thought might give them some information and the House of Pain I thought.


    Climbing out of the basement I was filled with disgust, both at men and the society that created these situations.  Making my way up the stairs I came to a long passageway with three doors on each side.  The first four were bunkrooms with hastily constructed bunk beds.  The last room was an office, with a board on the wall and flow charts and the names of various individuals that these agents were interested in.  I scanned the info using my PIM and then went to the next room.


    It was set up as a lab of sorts, and it had its own mad scientist.  I observed him, a human aged unknown but looking about 20. He was talking to himself and writing down notes in a small leather notebook.  I listened in, and sure enough he sounded crazy.


    ¡°If my theory on VR is correct then that would explain all the crazy things that happen on earth.  Records of magic, healings, visions, direct interventions from Gods.  It is all there just as it is here.  The problem is who wrote the damn code and why is it that some individuals can access the powers and most others can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°It is clear that both this game and the Earth are artificial constructs, but are we building them ourselves or is someone else.  If it is possible to log out here why can¡¯t we log out on earth?  Of course there are different rules, perhaps a coding mistake has occurred on earth.  Or maybe death is the log out.  Without a base of understanding of the rules I can only postulate certain things.¡±


    After listening to him I decided that his notebook was required reading and once he went to the board and began to write I slowly lifted it off the desk and then made my way outside.  Traveling down to the lower harbour I made my way to the Inn I had stayed at before and rented a room for a week.


    I started to read and after several hours I stopped to have some supper and a drink then lighting up a smoke I sat back in the booth and thought of what I had just read.  It seemed that Taminder, the mad scientist fellow, was really a bright boy, and had been brought here to acquire practical experience in dealing with NPC and the artificial game world.


    This was because he was advancing the theory of multiple virtual realities, only not in a game.  According to his theory earth was just one of many artificial constructs, and that we were all playing characters, or NPC as there was little difference.


    I had to admit I thought it all bullshit as I started to read it, but then halfway through reading I had a paradigm shift and could see his viewpoint.


    There were just too many things that could not be explained, and even in the modern world crazy shit happened both good and bad.  This had been happening from the dawn of recorded history, and now with Gnet it was easy to scroll through the mountains of information, most of which was crap, but enough was real to make a person ask some questions.


    To be honest I felt like Taminder was on to something, but I still had to deal with being hunted by the Feds and wanting to accomplish my next task, dealing with the House of Pain.  If I could only accomplish one thing here it would be to get rid of those guys.  I could not get them out of the game, but I could get them away from each other.  It would have to do.

 Chapter 17 The Rewrite

    Chapter 17


    I had woken up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world and win.  Then I crawled out of the bed and had a look out the window.   Wet and misty with low layers of fog covering the streets.  I loved the wet smell with just a hint of pine in the air and the smell of fresh wood smoke coming from the chimneys.  It was the kind of weather made for someone who would be sneaking around, someone like me.


    My plan was simple, go to the House of Pain, enter and make my way to the officer¡¯s lounge and deposit the book.  All I had to do was not get caught.  I hated this house and what represented, the cruelty and pain it inflicted on others.  If my plan worked and I knew it would this house would not be around for much longer.


    Making my way down the stairs I entered the hall that led to the wash area, taking my time I washed up and made myself look presentable.  Walking slowly, I entered the dining area and sat down to order breakfast.  In a recent patch the menu items had been changed to earth style with many different cultural foods available to enjoy.


    This morning I decided to have a Full Monty British breakfast.  Washed down with about a liter of Earl Grey tea.  This fry up comprises of bacon and sausages(bangers) eggs, fried bread, toast, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, black and white puddings, kidneys, kippers, mushrooms.  It was delicious.


    As I sat drinking my tea I began to review my plan for the day, the first thing was to gain entry to the House of Pain.  Once inside I would find the officers lounge, and leave my gift.  Then to escape back to the street.  I left the Inn and began walking along the streets slowly making my way up to the level that held the guild house.  The fog wrapped around me silently masking my slow approach and deadening my footsteps.


    Eventually I arrived and stared across the street at the house.  It was three stories high and had a large fence that went around the house in closing a back yard.  The style was common in the area; these homes were at least three hundred years old.  That knowledge was going to be useful to me.


    In my discussions with Kamasut she had mentioned that most of these old homes had hidden passageways and secret rooms.  I was hoping to find just such a thing and use it to scout out the house.


    As I waited and watched I noticed a strange change in the light of the day. It was a wet foggy day with the color an off white.   Yet as I waited the color changed and almost seemed to have a yellow tint to it.  It reminded me of stories that I had read about tornadoes, and how the color in the sky would often change just before the tornado hit.


    As I was thinking about these things the door across from me suddenly opened and two members of the House of Pain stepped out.  As I observed them I noted that they were both level 20 players and that while they had on respectable gear it was green quality.  I thought briefly of following them and seeing what they were up to when it happened.


    There was a sudden muted flash of light that seemed to come from the air, and everything froze.  I was stunned but kept observing the two players who were literally frozen in mid step.  What the hell.  I glanced at my interface and was shocked to discover that the clock was frozen also.


    This was supposed to be impossible.   Nothing could stop time like this, even patches to game content did not stop time.  After waiting for several minutes I took a breath and made my way across the street.  I stopped once I was at the door and observed the two, they were indeed frozen in time and space.  Shrugging my shoulders, I relieved them of the coins they each carried and then made my way into the House of Pain.


    As I began to search through each of the rooms I noted that most of the players were between the levels 20 and 40 with the officers all above level 55.  Not that it was important but these little tidbits of information often came in handy at some point.  It was on the third floor that I eventually found what I was looking for.


    With about a dozen officers all gathered in a large room frozen in the act of eating and drinking while gathered around what could only be described as a throne.  Sitting on the throne with three naked NPC girls chained at his feet was the Little Shit.  Just off to the side was the Kritiq.  I had forgotten what an ugly little bastard that thing was.  I guess he had bonded to the Little Shit during their time imprisoned together.


    Opening my bag, I placed the Big Book of Mischief on the Little Shits lap and then proceeded to make my way through the room stopping here and there to help myself to the gold, silver and jewels that the officers had.  It was quite the haul and I would count it back at my Inn.  I had no idea how long time would be stopped and I still wanted to find the hidden passageways within this house.


    I might have to return here someday and having an edge was what I wanted.  Back in the main hallway I walked into the room at the far end.  It was clearly the master bedroom and judging by the filthy clothing scattered around and the garbage and food thrown on the floor it was being used.  I did not need to worry about someone finding me in here I could hide under some of this garbage and remain unseen.  I am not a clean freak, but to leave the place where you sleep looking like this, it bothered me.


    I began to check the bookcases and the fireplace as those were the sort of traditional places where you might find a hidden door.  Nothing was seen, and I prepared to leave the room, hoping I would have time to explore another room.  Just as I was about to leave I glanced at the bed and noted that is seemed just a tad higher than it should be.


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    Stopping for a moment I examined the bed a little more carefully, noting that the head board was actual a mural painting on the wall.  It showed the city from three hundred years ago.  The palace on the top was much smaller and the library was much larger.  The main entrance to the library was a dark doorway, and the way it was painted made it look slightly recessed into the wall.


    I stared for a moment then put my finger tip on the door and pushed, with a soft click the mural swung inwards revealing enough space for a man to enter.  I stepped into the passageway and watched the mural swing shut.  After about 5 seconds a soft green glow appeared.  I waited for several seconds more to let my eyes acclimatize to the lighting and then looked down the passageway.  It was narrow and appeared to be made of bricks.


    It seemed that every twenty feet was a small alcove and glancing in as I went down the passage I observed that they each had what appeared to be a doorway with a small lever attached.  Stopping at one of them I noted several peepholes were cleverly built into the hidden door allowing whoever was in the passage a chance to make sure that the room they would enter was empty.


    Continuing along the passage I saw it narrow and a ladder led downwards and another led up.  The ladder going up interested me as I had thought I was on the top floor.  Guessing that there might be an attic I decided to explore a bit before I made my way downwards, after all I was in the thief class now.  Making my way up the ladder was not hard and the soft green glow followed me as I ascended.


    I climbed into a long rectangular room that ran the length of the house.  The floor was made of brick as were the walls, there were two large windows that l was surprised to see.  I knew for a fact that the outside of the house did not have windows in an attic.  At one time someone had left some strong magic here and I was now very curious to see why.


    I starred and scanned the floors and the walls very carefully for any Runes or anything that might be some kind of magic trap.  It all looked clean so I carefully stepped into the room proper and made my way to the far end where a desk and several shelfs were situated.  I began to go through the books that were on the shelves, most dealt with elemental magic with a few dealing with politics and history and legends and myths.


    Walking over to the desk I sat down and began to go through the drawers, a few gold coins and a small bag were all that I found.  Opening the bag, I observed four rings of the epic quality.  They crackled with energy.  Putting them back in the bag I carefully added the bag to mine.  Seeing nothing else of interest I walked over to the closest window and looked out, it was still foggy and dark with very limited visibility.


    Glancing down I noted a park directly across the lane from the back of the house and in the park were three beings.  They looked like energy contained within a cloud in a humanoid shape and they appeared to be fighting one another.  As I observed them it became apparent that they were expending large amounts of energy of some kind, which came to a climax as all three seemed to merge together and then blow apart with a large white glow.


    Once the glow faded I could see that there were several small pieces of the beings scattered around, and I watched as they began to flicker and then fade.  In the end only three pieces were left and they were slowly dimming.  I am not sure why I felt I had to get down there but it was almost a compulsion, I opened the window and stepped out onto a ledge.


    Closing the window, I made my way to the corner of the house that was closest to the park and transformed, then with a jump I glided down to the park.  Once I had landed I approached the three glowing energy clouds.  After coming within a couple of feet of them I stopped and began to observe them, the only thing I could tell was that whatever powered them was fading.


    Stepping a little closer I bent down to take a closer look, suddenly all three of the energy clouds converged on me and before I could back away they somehow merged with me.  My body froze and then toppled over, but my interface remained open and a new window suddenly appeared.  Lines of code began to scroll down and then stop and then slowly reverse itself but as the code went backwards it began to disappear.


    Suddenly new code appeared and began to fill in the blank sections.  This went on for a long time and then suddenly a new message opened up on the interface.  It read


    Due to changed wrought by the Powers you have begun the journey of ascension.  Written into your very being are three aspects that have become one power.  This power has become you, however be warned that while on this plane a Demigod will have very little power.  Once you have returned to the Astral Heavens your powers will be revealed.  To achieve true ascendency, you must collect 4 more lesser aspects of higher beings and three higher aspects of greater beings.


    My thoughts tried to understand what had just happened, but between what I had just read and the changes that were happening to me it was too much.  My last coherent thought was that I noticed the clock was running again, and then it all faded into blackness.

 Chapter18 Eyes and Ears

    Chapter 18


    Eyes and Ears


    I awoke wet and chilled, it was dark and night had arrived.  I must have been out for hours just lying on the grass of the small fenced park.  I was not sure what had happened ingame but it was clear that changes had been made to my character.  I put my back to the fence and opened up my character and stats notes I had made.


    Elf


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elf¡¯s favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds elves can move at twice normal speed


    Strength - starting level one = 50   your strength starting level one =250


    Agility ¨C starting level one = 55    your agility starting level one =270


    Intellect ¨C starting level one = 55   your intellect starting level one = 55


    Health ¨C starting level one = 50     your heath starting level one = 200


    Speed ¨C starting level one = 50    your speed starting level one =200


    Updated Stats at level 4


    Strength = 280


    Agility = 280


    Intellect = 85


    Mana = 190


    Health = 320


    Speed = 280


    + Racial ability limited time double speed


    You have found a Companion


    An NPC that will follow your leadership


    New ability learned


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Be warned the transformation will allow others to see you as a Demon


    You have accepted a holy entity into your party


    The faction changes have been recorded


    Komhether is now aligned with the Demonic Prince Torn


    New ability to persuade the followers of the Gods to see the truth and join you


    Skillset


    Lock picking, the basics


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    Pickpocketing, your guide to personal riches through the efforts of others


    Climbing walls and hanging around, the right time and approach to let yourself in


    Restraints, they are not for the free


    What¡¯s yours is mine and what¡¯s mine is mine, confidence benefits a con man


    Some gave all and all gave some, how to read a mark


    You have discovered a hidden class


    Thief


    This class allows you to develop a subclass to display to the public, all classes are available


    If you are found out you will incur one hundred percent reputation loss with all City NPC guards and King and will be imprisoned by the state


    Class bonus


    The ability to hear when others speak of you if they are visible to you in the shadows


    Nanobot integration into game avatar


    Defensive capability, self-healing


    Offensive capability, electrical discharge from hands


    Strength increase four times normal human


    PIM integration into Gaming Interface


    Stealth detection enabled


    Upgraded map functions


    Ability to make calls to the Real World


    Ability to access GNet from within the game


    Ability to leave and enter the game


    Avatar integration into gaming matrix


    You are not recognized as a player and the gaming AI has no control over you


    It all seemed to be normal until I checked the interface character and stat list and noticed a sub-menu titled, Inactive class all skills set to level one.  As I read the description I groaned out loud.


    An Ascendant, a mortal who has become one with the Gods and has joined the pantheon of Gods as a demigod.  New powers are becoming available to you and through hard work and dedication to your training your abilities as a demigod will be activated.  Be aware that not all higher powers will look with favor upon your ascendency.  Other demigods may challenge you in the hopes of taking your power.


    For your safety it is recommended that you align yourself with one of the major powers, Odin, Zeus and Shiva are the current leaders in the pantheon.  As a demigod you will have access to your own place of power which is a safe zone.  It is recommended that you use your place of power to identify your place in the pantheon and to continue to train.


    This was unbelievable, it would seem that another VR game, one that I had never heard of was somehow cross realm transferring characters.  Maybe this was what the mad boy scientist had written about in his journal.  At any rate something had happened, time had frozen and beings from alternative realms had somehow transferred over.


    They must have been enemies, and when they had destroyed each other, I had somehow gathered up enough of the core code from all three and it had overwritten portions of my own code.  This was a little confusing as the game was so real.  Trying to remember that all of it was simply computer code including my avatar required a mental shift in the thinking.


    Once I had wrapped it all around my head as best I could I left for home, scaling the fence was a breeze and with the heavy fog still rolling around the city I had no problem making my way down through the city finally arriving at my Inn.


    Strolling in I was surprised to see both Mecha and Kamasut, I nodded at them and asked, ¡°What are you to doing here, I did not know that you knew each other?¡±


    They both looked at each other and at me and then Kamasut spoke, ¡°I had promised to introduce to the leader of the Thieves Guild.  Here he is.¡±


    I sat back stunned, this had caught me by surprise.  Looking at Mecha I asked, ¡°Would you have told me at some point?¡±


    Mecha smiled and nodding he said, ¡°I would have told you in a bit but I was enjoying you training yourself.  It is not often I see that.¡±


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    I nodded, if I was in his shoes I would not have said anything, so no harm taken.  ¡°If you have been observing me Mecha, then you know that I have chosen the class of thief, and I need some formal training to raise my level and skills.¡±


    Nodding his head Mecha spoke, ¡°We will get you that training but first we have a meeting to go to, the king has summoned the masters of all the Great Houses and all the Class masters up the hill for a meeting.  We must attend, and I have chosen you to join me.¡±


    I looked at Mecha and wondered if he was a little touched, my face must have revealed some of what I was thinking as Mecha looked at me and laughed.   After a few seconds with Mecha still laughing he said, ¡°Come along we are going to meet the king, I will explain as we work our way up the levels to the top of thee hill.¡±


    As we walked Mecha spoke, ¡°We are going to meet the King as representatives of the Thieves guild.  We have always had a relationship with the King.  He does not try to hard to come after us and we don¡¯t make a big haul to often.  It is a system that works but we have to pay the price.¡±


    ¡°What is this price?¡± I asked.  ¡°And should I as a new member to the guild be hearing this?¡±


    Mecha glided from shadow to shadow for a moment before answering, ¡°You are here because I want you here tonight, and the price that we pay is to supply the King with two members in good standing, one is to be the Kings eyes and ears wherever the king decides, the other is to be the bloody hand of the King again where he decides.¡±


    I was silent as we approached the last gate to get to the top of the city.  It was a lot to take in and I had to think about what I just heard.  I had not doubt that it was true, it was how things worked.  I was till not sure how it would all come together and I wondered why Mecha wanted me to come, I would watch and listen.


    As we approached the guards at the palace Mecha pulled out a small silver badge and showed it to the men.  They both looked startled then saluted and opened the door.  Mecha turned to me and spoke, ¡°Follow me but do not address anyone who tries to talk to you.¡±  Then handing me a long scarf he said, ¡°Wrap this around your face so that none my see who you are.¡±  I followed him as we both wrapped the scarfs around our faces.


    After making our way through two kitchens and several other rooms including a spa with several very attractive naked ladies we arrived at a small door.  Mecha rapped on it and it immediately opened we both entered and made our way to a couple of chairs that were empty.  Sitting down I began to listen to the people as they spoke.  Overall I received an impression that many were afraid.


    Another door finally opened and several guardsmen came out followed by the King.  We all stood to our feet until the king waved us down.  He walked over and talked to several people before making his way to a small podium.


    ¡°My friends and other citizens,¡± he began.  ¡°I am glad that you could attend this meeting, I fear that we do not have much time and what we have should be used to prepare.¡±


    The crowd had become still at his words until someone asked, ¡°Prepare for what?¡±


    Looking around the room slowly the King finally answered, ¡°The drums of war are beating, the damned Dwarves under Banhammer have been producing and shipping out weapons of magic and power.  They are being sent to his own clan and those of his allies, my eyes and ears informed me before his tragic death, that an uprising against the Dwarves King will occur soon, using weapons made here in my Kingdom.¡±


    The King continued and I listened eagerly, ¡°We know that the treaty we have with the Dwarves will be rendered null once knowledge gets out about where the weapons were made.  We must prepare for war, and that is why I have called you together.  As you leave you will be given a list of your duties and obligations to the crown.  Now I have much to do so until we meet again next weak, Goodnight.¡±


    It was clearly a dismissal and all they all knew it, I watched as the began to leave the room each person receiving a scroll. Finally, the room was empty and still we sat.  I looked at Mecha and lit up a smoke.  After ten minutes the king came back and walking over to the table he grasped Mecha¡¯s arm.


    ¡°It is good to see you, my old friend, especially in these troubled times.  I once again have need of your services.  I must have eyes and ears in the land of the Dwarves.¡±  Turning to look at me the King spoke, ¡°Is he the one?¡±


    Mecha nodded and said, ¡°Yes your majesty, he is the finest I have seen in many years, and while his level is low for what we do a high level is not needed.¡±


    I kept my face like stone but I was surprised, apparently Micha and the King wanted me to go be a spy.  Shit, if I did not already have enough problems, and this one did not have a way out.  I would have to do it.


    Dropping my voice, I asked, ¡°How long before I must depart my King.  I have things to wrap up here if there is time?¡±


    The King looked at me and said, ¡°You will leave in four days, thief, use this time wisely to prepare yourself, you will be traveling in a caravan it will take you two to four weeks to arrive.  I will give Micha all the details.¡±


    It was clear I was dismissed, I listened to Micha and the king plan out the operation and finally it was time to leave.  Micha looked at me and smiled.  ¡°I will send Kamasut to get you once I am ready.  Tomorrow you are free but be prepared for three hard days, I have much to teach you.¡±

 Chapter 19 Who are You

    Chapter 19


    Who are you


    As Mecha and I walked down through the city I glanced at him, he seemed to move with a confidence that spoke of authority and position.  The old fellow who ran an orphanage was there but looking at him now I realized that person was a mask for Mecha and that I was now seeing the real man behind the mask.


    This made me uncomfortable as the last person I had trusted and thought of as a friend was Archon and he had betrayed me.  As I thought of that I realized that I would not have time to deal with him if I were to leave the city in three days.


    ¡°Mecha,¡± I said.  ¡°You have assumed that I would be free to leave the city for you and the King.  What makes you think that this will work out for me?¡±


    Without stopping Mecha replied in a confident voice, ¡°You will leave the city and travel to the Dwarves Kingdom for several reasons.  First it is the next step in your training, second, the King has commanded it, and thirdly the life¡¯s of thousands of people depend on you doing this.¡±


    As we continued to walk I thought of what he said.  I did need to continue my training as a thief, and while I could care less what the King wanted I could understand what the impact of a war would mean for both me and all the NPC and players that would be affected.  The players would respawn, the NPC would not.  To me, the NPC were as important as the players.


    I could live with waiting for my revenge on Archon and Reona, and the Eldest was currently being held captive in the real world by the government.  This journey would help me deal with the Banhammer problem.  It did tie in with what I wanted to accomplish.  Also, I had to admit I was eager to see more of this world, I had never really left the area of the city if you did not count my journeys to other realms.


    I nodded at Mecha and spoke, ¡°All right, I will go I will meet you at the orphanage in a day¡¯s time.  Meanwhile, I have to attend to my business.¡±  With that I turned and began to walk towards the overlook, I needed to get to my cabin and speak with Komhether and Sebastian.  As I walked into the mist I noted the closer I got to the overlook the fresher the breeze was, coming off the ocean.


    It seemed strange that the wind was not blowing the mist away, it was almost magical.  As soon as I thought that I stopped.  Activating Shadows, I began to look at my map, checking for an enemy.  I may be overcautious but I was playing with the big boys here and knew that they would do whatever they could to trap me.


    The Government wanted me, and both Archon and Reona would go crazy if they knew I was back Ingame.  If the King realized I was Tor I would never leave his dungeons, plus the little Shit would kill whoever he had to if he could get his hands on me.  The other thing was being an Ascendant, I was on the firing line if another God or Demigod were to capture me and they had made it into this realm once, so I had to believe they could do so again.


    The question was could they somehow track me; I knew nothing of the powers that other Gods or demigods had.  I would have to be careful and leaving the city was starting to look like a smart idea.


    No red dots appeared on my map but I was not reassured by that, it was programmed to identify players and NPC, not Gods or demigods.  Still, I felt I was safe or at least as safe as I could be.  Making my way in the Shadows and drifting through the mist I finally came to the overlook, passing the Pub and the amphitheater I continued on towards the derelict cable car building.


    Once there I decided to wait, hunkering down on the platform I looked out over the city, it had an ethereal beauty with the lights shining dimly through the mists.  I would miss it I thought as I glanced up at the higher tiers.  A voice suddenly spoke to me and said, ¡°It is a pretty little city, not Mount Olympus but nice.¡±


    Turning slowly, I saw standing beside me a woman of unearthly beauty and power.  My eyes must have widened and perhaps I gasped.  She just looked at me and gave me a wink.  Then she said, ¡°Let''s get to know one another, you are Torn, but you are also Tor.  Recently you have Ascended to become a demigod.  Interestingly you are also a demon Prince and a Dragon.¡±


    My voice finally managed to work and I asked, ¡°Who are you and how did you find me?¡±


    ¡°My name is Nyx and who I am, I am the Goddess of Night.  As for how I found you, it is not hard for a Goddess to locate a demigod.  Now if you would please tell me how you became a demigod, all of Olympus is talking about it but no one knows who or what you are.¡±


    As I listened to her I realized that she was looking at me strangely and had moved even closer to me till we were face to face mere centimeters apart.  Staring into her eyes I smiled as I realized what was happening, she was feeling the attraction of the succubae.  Having a Goddess wanting to have sex might be a problem.  Still, I had read I should ally myself with a powerful God and this Goddess had to have power, if I remembered my ancient history, even Zeus was cautious around her.


    I began by saying, ¡°You are correct in your knowledge, I was Tor and now I am  Torn.  I am a demon Prince through combat and I am a half dragon.  As to how I ascended, this is the tale.¡±  Once I finished speaking Nyx was silent for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Your tale has the truth in it, of that there is no doubt.  A fortunate occurrence for you, to have become a demigod like that.  Most are born from mortal women and deceiving Gods.  Still, it matters not how you have become Ascendent but what you will do now.¡±


    Looking at Nyx I spoke slowly, ¡°What can I do Goddess of Night, I have no idea what my powers are nor do I know how to level up as a demigod.  In this realm, I am on a mission of importance for the King of this city in an attempt to ward off a war, and I am on a personal vendetta against several people.¡±


    Smiling at me Nyx said, ¡°You will be summoned to Olympus as Zeus Odin and Shiva will want to meet the newest demigod and take your measure.  Once you have entered the realm of the Gods your powers will awaken, what they will be I don¡¯t know.  At the court of the Gods, you will be subject to much interest and many will seek to manipulate you to joining their  causes.  You would do will to not bother, it never ends and well trap you on Olympus during the time you should be out leveling.¡±


    Suddenly Nyx grabbed me and kissed me then with a sigh said, I have not felt such desire for the flesh in eons, Torn, you have awakened my interest if you accept my blessing I will shelter you from the Pantheon of Gods,  in return, I ask that you allow for temples for me to be built in the lands that you will claim as yours, what do you say?¡±


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    I looked deep into her eyes and then I kissed her, then gently pulling away from her I said, ¡°I give you my word that I will allow your temples to flourish on what I can claim and that I will accept your blessing.¡±


    With that, Nyx raised her hands to my face and gently cupping my cheeks she spoke.  ¡°I bless thee and ask that you call upon myself in your times of need and to receive my patronage, you will always be welcome in the house of Nyx.¡±  With that, she kissed me and then disappeared.


    I sat down on the steps still smelling her scent and feeling a crackling in my nerves.  It would seem that I had found my patron in the Pantheon of Gods.  I just had not expected her to be smoking hot and wildly attractive.  I was not complaining, it was just unexpected.


    Standing up I realized that I felt full of energy and with a flick of my fingers I transformed, much to my surprise I did not feel hungry or tired at all, I still had more energy than I know what to do with.  With a jump, I lifted off and climbed quickly through the mists finally turning towards the island and gliding across the sea.  Once I reached the Island I circled the mountain twice and finally landed beside the small lake.  Transforming back to Elf as I walked towards the cabin I wondered at the fact it seemed to take no energy unlike before.


    Knocking at the door I cried out, ¡°Torn calling, may I come in.¡±  As the door opened I saw both Sebastian and Komhether standing in the room looking at me with shocked expressions.  I nodded and smiled at them and then did a double take as they both got down on their knees and prostrated themselves before me.


    ¡°What the hell, get up guys what do you think you are doing?¡±  I asked in amazement.  Reaching out I grabbed them both by the upper arms and pulled lifting them far easier than I should have been able to.


    I looked at them and then asked, ¡°What, what is it, why are you two acting so strange?  Tell me, guys, because I have to tell you this is starting to worry me, I need to know that you two are alright.¡±  As I looked at them Komhether shared a look with Sebastian and then smiled at me.


    Taking a breath he began to speak, ¡°We are giving you the honor that all higher beings get Tor, for it is plain that you have somehow become a demigod and both angels and demons will be able to see that by looking at you, your soul has changed and you are far more than you were.¡±


    I nodded and asked, ¡°Is there anything else that I should know, can anyone else see the changes, is there any way I can disguise my nature and what the hell can a demigod do that I could not?¡±


    Sebastian answered, ¡°A demigod is more than a mortal but not fully a God, he has attributes from both, but his Godlike nature is much stronger than his mortal nature.  As for what you can do to hide it, nothing can be done, Angels, demons, priests, monks, and a few others touched by the Gods will be able to see what you really are.  As for what can you do now as opposed to when you were merely a mortal half dragon.  That is unclear, the power of the Gods manifests itself in many ways, it will develop with time.¡±


    ¡°Sebastian continued, ¡°Without someone to help guide you it will be doubtful that you will ever reach your full potential.  But you being you anything is possible.  You can disguise yourself to the general population by not performing any miracle or acts that clearly only a higher being could do.  My advice is to just be yourself and if someone recognizes you as a demigod command then to not speak of it.  Your words have authority.¡±


    ¡°Now if you would tell please, how the hell did you become a demigod?¡±  Sebastian''s voice rose an octave as he spoke.


    Sit back, guys and light a smoke this might take a while.  Then I began to speak, first telling of how time stopped then placing the book in the little Shits lap.  Seeing the fight of the Gods and wandering over there to examine what I had seen.  Waking up and feeling different, learning who the leader of the thieves is, and meeting the King.  I talked of how I was being sent out as the Kings spy and lastly of meeting Nyx and receiving her blessing.  I also mentioned that my transformation ability seemingly had no cost to it now.


    When all was said we sat in silence for a minute then I turned to Komhether and asked, ¡°In this realm are there any demigods and if so what powers do they have?


    Komhether looked to the fireplace and nodded then turning to me he began, ¡°There were few demigods in this realm, the Gods here were a jealous and fickle lot.  Sure they would lay down with the mortal women, but if the woman became with the child the God would have her killed.  The Gods here were dicks.¡±


    Damn that was harsh, I knew that the Gods here had been dickheads but to have an innocent woman and baby killed.  I was suddenly glad I had imprisoned the lot of them for eternity, I hope they would rot in that stone ball I had placed them in.  Glancing at Komhether I gathered he felt the same.  The Gods had not been nice to him.


    ¡°Do you have any knowledge that might help me Komhether?  Anything would be good, I hate the thought of my life changing and I have no control or knowledge of how it will work out.  For me, that might be a recipe for disaster.¡±  As I spoke I realized once again the truth in my words.  I needed an edge anything that would give me an advantage.


    Komhether nodded, ¡°On your journey to the Dwarven Kingdom, you will pass through several towns and villages, any that have Seers are worth stopping at and visiting the Seers.  The speak in riddles but they can be useful.  Other than that I am sorry my Prince I have nothing.¡±


    I smiled at the two of them, my friends ingame.  They meant a lot to me and I hoped that they would be safe during my absence.  I looked around at the cabin they had built for me, it was a home, but not mine.  It was the home these two deserved.


    ¡°Guys while I am gone I want you to keep on living here and working on the cabin, make this our home and make it secure.  If war is coming I want to not have my home destroyed and my friends hurt.¡±  Suddenly overcome with emotion I grabbed both of them and gave them a hug,  then without thinking I said, ¡°Be blessed with peace and happiness.  May this home be a place of health, safety, and comfort.¡±


    Suddenly a window opened up in my interface and I read.


    The Blessing of Tor


    This home is now sacred ground and all who find a way to this island will receive plus 25 percent to healing and have their spirit restored.


    Damn that is a heck of a buff I thought as both Sebastian and Komhether congratulated me on my first act as a demigod.

 Chapter 20 Ascendant

    Chapter 20


    Ascendant


    I sat back on the beach thinking of what had happened, somehow I had created a buff for anyone who managed to land on the island.  The problem was that players were not supposed to create a buff, at least no one like I had created.  It opened the way to cheating in the game and the developers had made sure that it was not something a player should be able to do.


    Yet some how I had done it, and it troubled me on several levels, first I did not want to attract attention to myself and having this kind of power would attract attention.  Second it went against the game programming, the fact was that by creating that kind of buff I was rewriting game programming and that should have been impossible.


    The third thing that bothered me was being an Ascendant, that kind of power was to much for a player to have, I knew that I did not really want to become a God.  My goals were simple to get back to my wife and just enjoy the game.  If it was a game anymore, I was having doubts.  First traveling to other realms, it might have been part of the original coding, but I now doubted that.


    If it was part of the coding, then why had I retained a bit of power and ability back when I was in the real world.  The fact that Sebastian had been sent to earth to retrieve art and artifacts during WW2 should have been impossible.  It all might have been part of the story line but after reading the homeland security scientist¡¯s notes I did not think so.


    The other thing that was bothering me was that after looking at my stats and character sheets again I noticed that the Ascendant level one skill tree was now active.  I suspected that Nyx has done more that kiss me, she had somehow turned on the Ascendant skill tree which now was enabling me to access skills and abilities that I had no clue I had.  What a mess.


    As my thoughts drifted I began to think of what I had to do, it was clear that while I was in this realm I would have to complete the thief training and this spying quest for the King.  I also had some other loose ends to tie up, reaching into my bag I dragged out the lot I had received from the Siren.


    The art of singing


    Or how to not have tomatoes thrown at you


    Opening the book, I could see the pages were written in the language of the Sirens.  As I slowly read the pages I could feel the magic leaving the book and imprinting itself upon me.  After several minutes I realized the book was done and a window had opened itself on my interface.  As I read the message I smiled, it stated,


    Congratulations, you have received the gift of the Sirens


    Your singing and musical ability is now greater than any bard


    You now have the ability to sing any song that you have heard and the magic to have music accompany your singing


    You have gained the ability to cast Sonic Shard this is a high frequency attack that bypasses armor to do soft tissue damage.


    You have gained the ability to cast Sonic Blast an area of effect attack that causes a dazed and confused debuff on all enemies within its range for one minute, all damage done during this time is multiplied times two.


    I sat back, these abilities were almost a class by itself, I quickly opened up the stats notes and added it to the list.


    Elf


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elf¡¯s favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds elves can move at twice normal speed


    Strength - starting level one = 50   your strength starting level one =250


    Agility ¨C starting level one = 55    your agility starting level one =270


    Intellect ¨C starting level one = 55   your intellect starting level one = 55


    Health ¨C starting level one = 50     your heath starting level one = 200


    Speed ¨C starting level one = 50    your speed starting level one =200


    Updated Stats at level 4


    Strength = 280


    Agility = 280


    Intellect = 85


    Mana = 5000


    Health = 320


    Speed = 280


    New ability learned


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Be warned the transformation will allow others to see you as a Demon


    Dragon Eyes


    the ability to see as a dragon sees


    Dragon shadows


    the ability to wrap yourself into the Shadows and disappear from view


    Dragon Fire


    The ability to cast the Fire of Dragons


    Skillset


    Lock picking, the basics


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    Pickpocketing, your guide to personal riches through the efforts of others


    Climbing walls and hanging around, the right time and approach to let yourself in


    Restraints, they are not for the free


    What¡¯s yours is mine and what¡¯s mine is mine, confidence benefits a con man


    Some gave all and all gave some, how to read a mark


    You have discovered a hidden class


    Thief


    This class allows you to develop a subclass to display to the public, all classes are available


    If you are found out you will incur one hundred percent reputation loss with all City NPC guards and King and will be imprisoned by the state


    Class bonus


    The ability to know when others speak of you if they are in the shadows


    Nanobot integration into game avatar


    Defensive capability, self-healing


    Offensive capability, electrical discharge from hands


    Strength increase four times normal human


    PIM integration into Gaming Interface


    Stealth detection enabled


    Upgraded map functions


    Ability to make calls to the Real World


    Ability to access GNet from within the game


    Ability to leave and enter the game


    Avatar integration into gaming matrix


    You are not recognized as a player and the gaming AI has no control over you


    You have found a Companion


    The Demon Sebastian


    An NPC that will follow your leadership


    You have accepted a holy entity into your party


    The faction changes have been recorded


    Komhether is now aligned with the Demonic Prince Torn


    You have gained another companion


    Komhether


    New ability to persuade the followers of the Gods to see the truth and join you


    New ability learned


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Be warned the transformation will allow others to see you as a Demon


    Pet companion


    You have gained a pet


    Crusty the crab has been added to your pets


    You have the ability to summon and dismiss your pet from wherever you are


    Congratulations, you have received the gift of the Sirens


    Your singing and musical ability is now greater than any bard


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.You now have the ability to sing any song that you have heard and the magic to have music accompany your singing


    You have gained the ability to cast Sonic Shard this is a high frequency attack that bypasses armor to do soft tissue damage.


    You have gained the ability to cast Sonic Blast an area of effect attack that causes a dazed and confused debuff on all enemies within its range for one minute, all damage done during this time is multiplied times two.


    It all seemed to be normal until I checked the interface character and stat list and noticed a sub menu titled, Ascendant class all class abilities and skills set to level one.  As I read the description I groaned out loud then added the information to my notes.


    After I added the latest information to my notes and then compared the notes to my character stats I noted that my mana was now at 5000.  I went back and changed that on the notes I had made and then let a smoke.  I also took the time to add my pet Crusty the Crab to the character notes I was making and also highlighted the buffs Gaiatoci and Ama had given me and was not surprised to see that they were now active.  I read the description and thought about the implications.


    Gaiatoci¡¯s Buff


    You were buffed by the Earth mother in her dying moment and have received the ability to draw life and mana from each other as all life is mana and mana is life in all the realms.


    Sitting on the beach hearing the waterfall was relaxing and it allowed my mind to think about where I was with my abilities and skills.  At level 4 I had an excess of abilities that were OP, but I was dealing with issues normal players did not deal with.  This whole cross realm God thing was a big pain in the arse.  I would have to somehow learn all I could and then hope my leveling would catch up to the abilities I had and help me to be a power player.


    As I sat there and dug my fingers through the sand thinking of mana and life, I thought all beings even the Gods I had met seemed to have a finite amount of mana, with the exception being Gaiatoci.  She had limitless amounts of mana and I suspected her buff had to do with both life and mana.  Life it was everywhere and I could see the mana flowing throughout all living things if I looked through my Dragon vision.


    Staring at my notes I noted that they were a mess and I wanted something I could pull up that would be easy to read and understand so I began to compile the character list of stats and abilities into something more useful while thinking about the buffs I had.


    Elf


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elf¡¯s favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds elves can move at twice normal speed


    Updated Stats at level 4


    Strength = 280


    Agility = 280


    Intellect = 85


    Mana = 5000


    Health = 320


    Speed = 280


    Buffs


    Ama¡¯s buff of the succubae


    Radiates sexuality


    Gaiatoci¡¯s buff of life and mana


    Capable of receiving both life and mana as they are the same


    Abilities


    Dragon eyes the ability to see as a Dragon sees


    Dragon Fire the ability to cast the fire of a Dragon


    Dragon Shadows the ability to wrap yourself in the shadows


    Sonic shard the high frequency attack that bypasses armor to do soft tissue damage.


    Sonic Blast an area of effect attack that causes a dazed and confused debuff on all enemies within its range for one minute, all damage done during this time is multiplied times two.


    Icy water bolt


    The ability to cast an icy water bolt that freezes on contact


    Electrical discharge


    The ability to discharge electrical currents from your hands


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    Stealth detection enabled


    Metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Skillset


    Lock picking, the basics active skill set


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    Companions


    The Demon Sebastian


    The holy Messenger Komhether


    Pet companions


    Crusty the Crab


    Nanobot integration into game avatar


    Defensive capability, self-healing


    Offensive capability, electrical discharge from hands


    Strength increase four times normal human


    PIM integration into Gaming Interface


    Stealth detection enabled


    Upgraded map functions


    Ability to make calls to the Real World


    Ability to access GNet from within the game


    Ability to leave and enter the game


    Avatar integration into gaming matrix


    You are not recognized as a player and the gaming AI has no control over you


    Class


    Ascendant class


    You have gained the essences of three higher powers and have been transformed in a Higher Being.


    You are now a Demigod and can continue the path of ascendency by gaining the essences of higher powers.


    Thief class


    You have discovered the hidden class of thief and have been accepting into the dark brotherhood.


    You have an open subclass as part of the thief class.


    I had covered the information I wanted to have handy and I updated the PIM with it.


    My mind was still thinking about life and mana and how the two are the same.  The smallest form of life I knew of was the microbe, which exists from the deep biosphere to the atmosphere, and in fact it exists in every other living organism.  I could think of nothing else alive that was everywhere in all the world.


    Focusing my Dragon eyes on the mana I saw everywhere I began to look at it closer and closer, clearly it was part of all the living things I could see but now that I focused I could see that it went deeper and smaller into individual strands that went smaller and smaller separating into more strands.


    It had to be it, the source of both life and mana, I pulled back my vision and thought about it.  These realms were an artificial creation but they were based on the real world.  All magical beings could tap into this mana but were limited by the amount they could contain, even with my new mana pool at 5000 I knew that there was so much more available, the question was how to access it.


    Considering that this world was really a computer program and I had hacked into it I decided to try to do some off the cuff hacking within the game, call it a magic mana spell and see if the game would allow me to create my own spell.  I had managed to do a permanent buff and this was really the same principle.


    Opening up my PIM I began to do some rough coding, and once it was done I gave the tiniest mana strands a value.   Then I had them all join together within a 20-meter range and flow from all around with me as the target.  Finally, I created an access port within myself to receive and set up a one-way valve of sorts to allow me to control the flow.  Finally, I named the spell Manaflow and added it to my interface.


    It really was a macro of sorts made to do several things one after another.  Hoping it would work I activated the spell and observed myself for changes.  I instantly could feel the power of the flow flooding me, and I turned down the valve.  At one percent I felt a steady top up and I realized that I had succeeded.  It seemed to achieve a balance between the man I was dispelling due to active buffs I had on.


    I felt great the mana was life and I noted in this rawest form it actually was also boosting my health, it was regenerated at a small but constant level.  Success comes with a price and I suddenly realized I was tired.  Standing up I made my way to the cabin and crawled into bed, tomorrow I planned on trying out a couple of other macro spells to see how much I could do.  But tonight sleep called.

 Chapter 21 Paladin

    Chapter 21


    Paladin


    The morning had arrived, I awoke refreshed and renewed.  After having a quick breakfast at the cabin I said my goodbyes to Komhether and Sebastian.  I was not expecting to return before I left the city, and it was with a sad smile as I left.  I hoped the guys would do well in the upcoming conflict I believed was on its way.  War was coming to the game, and I was not sure how it would impact NPC or players.


    I metamorphosed and flew off towards the city, the fog was still thick on the ground and hid everything under a grey cover.  Landing on the beach near the docks I called Krusty forth and watched as he rushed over to me and began to dance back and forth, I could feel his happiness at seeing me.  Reaching down I scratched at the base of his eye stalks and was rewarded with what sounded almost like a cat¡¯s purr.


    ¡°Well my friend today is the start of a few busy days, and then we travel, seeing new sights and experiencing new things, I hope we are ready for this,¡± I spoke softly my voice fading into the mists.  ¡°You go play in the ocean I will call you when I need you.¡±  Giving the 4-foot crab another scratch I stood and watched as he skittered into the ocean.  Once he was gone from the view I turned and practicing my stealth technique I slowly made my way to the docks and from there to Mecha¡¯s orphanage.


    Arriving through the mist I knocked and waited for a couple of minutes.  My patience was rewarded by the door being opened by a young lad, who stared at me for a minute.  He finally spoke, ¡°Master Torn, if you would follow me Master Mecha is waiting for you.¡±


    Walking behind the young boy I was led deeper into the building finally stopping behind a door that led to a lower level.  The boy I had followed had already turned around and was leaving, clearly, he had no interest in what was happening.  Shrugging I opened the doorway and descended the stairs, going through a small passageway I entered a long room and observed Mecha and Kamasut standing near the far end.


    As I Walked towards the two of them Kamasut spoke, ¡°Welcome Torn.¡±  Turning to Mecha, she said, ¡°Old man I told you he would come, you owe me five gold.¡±  Reaching out her hand towards Mecha she waited as he fumbled trying to dig for coins from his belt bag.


    ¡°What the hell.¡±  Mecha grumbled, ¡°I know I had some coins here,¡± then stopping he looked at Kamasut and shook his head.  ¡°I see you have already paid yourself on winning the bet.¡±  With a sigh, Mecha looked at me and said, ¡°This is what happens when you train your best student and give her all the skills of a master thief.  She comes back and robs you blind.¡±


    Seeing Kamasut giggle I smiled and reflected that it was not that long ago I had rescued her, it was good to see her happy.  Looking at Mecha I allowed a frown to appear and said, ¡°Old man you have put me into a difficult position.  I have goals to accomplish and now I won¡¯t be able to achieve them.¡±  Seeing Mecha about to speak I held up my hand and stopped him, then speaking slowly I said, ¡°Listen, I am serious, this is really going to interfere with my plans, and while it may benefit you and the King I could give a rat¡¯s ass about the Kings problems.  In short old man you have screwed me and now I am going to return the favor, what¡¯s in this for me?¡±


    I watched as Mecha glared at me, I glared back, my glare won, my eyes were glowing with the Dragon fire behind them.  ¡°No bullshit old man, if I do this it won¡¯t be for free.¡±  Mecha continued to glare at me and then with a sigh glared at Kamasut and then glared back at me.  I glanced at Kamasut noting that she was trying to hide a smile and not succeeding very will.  I gave her a quick smile of my own and then looked back at Mecha as he began to speak.


    ¡°Alright, we will come to an accommodation with you, what do you want for your troubles?¡±   Mecha asked with a grimace.  ¡°I will open up the thieves¡¯ treasury and will ask the King to do the same, but be warned, once we are agreed on this it will be a binding oath for you, Torn.  You will serve the King as his Eyes and Ears till I say you are done.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance, you old reprobate, I will give the King one year of my time and for that commitment, I will take one item from your vault and one from the King¡¯s vault.  If this is not acceptable then we are done, and I will be leaving.¡±  Having spoken, I sat back and waited as Mecha began to turn red and stutter and then start to pace back and forth.  Glancing at Kamasut I winked and watched her smile at me, she was remarkable attractive when she smiled.


    When Mecha spoke I could almost hear his teeth grind together as the words came out.  ¡°Fine you thieving bastard, truly you belong with us, come we have much to do and not a lot of time.¡±  Kamasut and I followed Mecha out of the room and down a passageway and then through three sets of locked doors that were also spell warded.  We finally entered the vault and I stared at all the items in wonder, treasures from all over the world was displayed on shelves and on tables.  The back half of the vault was an armory and I made a beeline there, I needed weapons and armor more than treasure.


    I stood back in amazement as I inspected weapon after weapon, all the items were blue or purple grade the only problem was that they all required a higher level than I had.  ¡°Damn,¡± I swore, ¡°Mecha I want a scalable epic weapon with great stats that will level with me.  What do you have?¡±


    Mecha looked at me and sighed, ¡°Come.¡± He said and then going off to the side he approached a small table that held a set of vambraces and a chest piece along with gauntlets and leggings.  I quickly inspected the gear and saw that it was epic and scalable but was locked to Ranger class.  Mecha meanwhile ignored the gear on the table and opened up the second door, reaching in he pulled out two maces, both epic and scalable.  Inspecting the weapons, I saw that they were tied to the Paladin class.  Glancing up at Mecha I stated the obvious, ¡°These are Pally weapons, I am not sure that elves can become a Paladin, I thought it was restricted to Humans and Dwarves?¡±


    Nodding his head Mecha agreed with me but then said, ¡°All classes can be adopted by any race, the difficult part is getting a class trainer to teach you.  However, with the assistance of the King, I am sure that we can begin your training.  These are the only weapons that fit your requirements, now what say you, do you accept?¡±


    I thought for a moment the idea of being a Pally had never really crossed my mind, but it was a good fit for what I was hoping to do.  I took a moment and reviewed what I knew about the Paladin class, they were considered a Holy warrior, that was blessed with a couple of healing spells.  They could also off-tank a raid or tank a dungeon, and they had excellent sustainable damage per second.  I recalled reading somewhere that every game that had Paladins in it had to constantly reset the values for the class, they were to over powered or were too weak.  It was not a difficult class to play but it was a difficult class to play well.  I glance up at Mecha and nodded, ¡°It well do where do I get the class training started? ¡°I asked.


    ¡°We are leaving right now to see the King, once we see him we will meet the Paladin trainer and then off to the Kings treasury.  When We see the King Let me do the speaking, as I am too old to have you piss him off and then throw us both into the Royal dungeons.¡±  Mecha¡¯s voice did sound old for a minute and as we began to walk up the passageway I asked him why he was involved in this?


    Entering the street, we began to walk up the road leading to the first gate in the city, Mecha silent as he thought of my question.  Finally, he spoke up and said, ¡°I am the leader of the Thieves¡¯ guild in the city, and as such, I have a relationship with the King that few know of.  I am a member of his Privy council and one of the few he trusts.  The Thieves¡¯ guild has supplied the Kings Eyes and Ears for far longer than I have been alive, and will continue to do so after Kamasut has become the leader of the guild.¡±


    Mecha continued, ¡°These are perilous times, we are living in a Godless time, literally.  Things are changing and while most people are not aware of it,  I believe we are heading into a dark age, and if I can do something to help stop the spread of the darkness I will.¡±  I nodded, I agreed with what he was saying, seeing people like those belonging to the House of Pain who were inflicting misery on this world, I had a funny feeling it was only the beginning.   It would seem that with the advent of players into the game world, lawlessness and evil had followed.  Sin had entered the world.  But thinking of the Gods of this world I had to remind myself that sin had been in this world for a long time, it was just taking on a new aspect.


    Kamasut had disappeared by the time we reached the fourth tier of the city and Mecha and I continued up to the Temple Mount each holding his own counsel.  As we approached the Gate Mecha whispered to me, ¡°The King will explain the traveling arrangements from the city to the kingdom of the Dwarves, but you should be aware he is sending his Viceroy, Reona with you as ambassador, you will be reporting to her once at Tar-Kanarg the capital of the Dwarves.  They say she is an undead, a monster, but by the Gods, she looks like a lively girl, one that most men would want to bed.  Be warned you are not here to have a nighttime tussle with the Kings ambassador.  You understand me, Torn?¡±


    Shaking my head yes, I kept my features still but the shock of it was still with me.  Reona, my onetime friend, and lover, who had betrayed me to her father the Eldest, she had stolen my daughter Twink and had been present when the Eldest had killed both Gaiatoci and myself.  Now I would be traveling with and working closely with her.  All good things come with time I thought, as I grimly smiled to myself, this was going to work out in my favor.  At some point, Reona and I would be sitting down to discuss some history.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    We finally arrived at the palace and the King and Mecha disappeared while I was left under the watchful eye of two burly Palace guards.  It all became boring fast so I sat down and began to look at my interface wondering what spells and buffs I would learn as a Paladin.  I decided to place the singing icon on the interface and then thought what the hell, let''s try it, the guards won¡¯t complain.


    I hit the button and much to my surprise my PIM interface opened and all the music loaded up was displayed.  I hit random play and suddenly I just knew how to sing New York Minute by the Eagles.  Slowly the opening piano and then the other instruments began to sound out.   I started to sing and was amazed to discover that I sounded just like the cd.  I was not sure where the music or the background singing was coming from but I just let it go and sang.  It was sad and clean and magical, once it was finished I was startled to hear clapping, turning around I saw I had an audience.


    Mecha, Reona, and the King were standing there and had been listening for a while, I gently waved my hand at them and asked if they had enjoyed the song.  The King came forward and told me that it was remarkable, Mecha nodding his head in agreement.  Standing there looking at me Reona smiled, and said, ¡°Torn is it, that was an amazing performance, I look forward to hearing you sing again.¡±


    The King started to get a thoughtful look on his face and asked me, ¡°Do you know other songs, other styles of music.¡±  I suddenly realized where this might be going, it would be a good way to enter the higher society of the Dwarves as a talented amateur Bard.


    Nodding my head at the king I mentioned that I could perform several different styles of music.  Giving me a speculative look Reona asked me to sing another song, something with more life.  I smiled at her and had a quick look at my PIM, then selecting ACDC I began to sing the classic She shook me all night long.  As I sang it I could see both the King and Mecha looking shocked but Reona, she was looking at me licking her lips and twisting her hips.  I knew then that I had her as I belted out the refrain ¡°You shook me all night long.¡±


    Once the song ended there was silence for as moment broken by the King who looked at me and said, ¡°I think that the Dwarves are more introspective in the music they love, they enjoy stories and sadness, and music they can dance to, do you have any of that within you?¡±


    I nodded my head and was about to find a song when Mecha gestured at me, ¡°Come along,¡± he called.  I followed him down the passageway, and listened as he spoke up, ¡°Torn I am surprised at your music ability it is amazing clearly you received training from a master.¡±  I nodded, the Siren boss was a master of the music, and the fact that I had gained several things from defeating her was very rewarding.


    We eventually ended up in front of a steel door guarded by two of the largest men I have ever seen.  They must have some giant blood in them I thought.  Mecha greeted them and handed over a small scroll, once the men had finished reading it they allowed us to pass.


    The door opened as we neared it and stepping through the entrance way I was once again shocked at the riches I saw in the vault.  I followed Mecha through the room past treasures that were worth a fortune and finally came to a door set in the wall.  Passing through we entered into the armory and with Mecha leading we went to the far corner where there were several cabinets full of mail and plate armor set.


    Mecha grunted and looked at me and then asked, ¡°Same thing here, you want scalable gear useful to you now and as you level?¡±  Seeing me nod he began to cast an expert eye on the gear, finally pointing at two sets of armor.  The first set was called Light Bringer¡¯s Dawn and had impressive stats for a level one, I knew those stats would increase to match my level once I put the armor on.


    The main thing seemed to be an increase in spell power, and I surmised that this was a healing set.


    The second armor set was called Shadow Born and it was geared to strength and DPS, it was made of a dark smoky red metal that seemed to melt into itself.  There was one line that caught me attention in the item description it stated, this armor has not been God blessed and is not fully functional, once it has been blessed all the armors modifiers will become active.


    Well, that was interesting, I turned to Mecha and asked him about it but he claimed that he had no knowledge of it.  I nodded. Not surprised at his lack of knowledge, it was probably an armor set made for a one-time quest chain that was not active yet.  I grabbed the armor and put it in my bag and then we left, I glanced around as we walked out, I doubted I would ever stand amongst such riches again.


    Mecha led me up and out of the palace and towards the temple area, I felt an itch between my shoulders as we entered one of the larger temples but continued to follow Mecha until we came to the office of the administrator.  He gave me a sour look and frowned at Mecha but agreed to accept me as a Paladin at the Kings suggestion.  He spoke some mumble jumble about the light and the mercy of the Gods in fighting off the darkness then put his hand upon me and blessed me as a Paladin.  The world seemed to turn sideways and I felt a shock throughout my body, and suddenly fell to my knees almost overcome with the sensation of Holy Power that tapped right into my very core and modified who I am.


    I looked around and saw the both the administrator and Mecha were on their knees, and looking up I realised that the plate window of a Paladin smiting the darkness and the monster hidden within it was glowing.  I slowly stood not sure what had happened.  Opening up my interface I was aware that my three beginning spells were know modified into Holy Health as the healing spell.  My physical DPS spell was know called Wrath of the Light and my magic spell was know called Holy Fire.  Both Mecha and the administrator were standing at this point so I looked at the administrator and asked, ¡°Is this normal?¡±


    His reply did not surprise me as he said, ¡°No my son, this has never happened before, clearly the Light has blessed you.¡±


    I could not disagree with him, something had happened but I suspected it had more to do with my recent elevation to demigod than being blessed by the Light.  Glancing over at Mecha I asked, Are you alright old man?¡±  Seeing him nod at me I turned and thanked the administrator.


    I was surprised when he interrupted my and said, ¡°Before you leave I have your first quest.  You must travel the city and destroy at least 20 beings who are touched by the Darkness.¡±


    After he spoke a quest window opened up on my interface and I read,


    A Paladins first quest


    You are a warrior of the light and have been tasked with destroying the darkness, destroy 20 dark ones


    Reward XP and reputation with the order of Paladins


    Do you accept


    Yes, or NO


    Hitting accept I smiled at the administrator and then turned to follow Mecha as he was already leaving.  Catching up to him I asked, ¡°What is the rush?¡±  Mecha continued to stride forward and I followed, finally, once we were outside and across the wall near the Kings palace he turned and looked at me.


    ¡°The plans have changed, originally we were going to send you out on a caravan in two days¡¯ time but the King has received word that the roads are being watched.  The plan now is to have you take a ship to Goodstown in a week¡¯s time which will save you two weeks in the saddle.  From there you will join a caravan as a guard and travel to you reach the Dwarven Lands.  Once there you will make your way to Tar-Kanarg with Reona and establish yourself, you will receive further instructions at that point.¡±  It was the most I had heard Mecha say in the last few days and it reminded me that this was serious to him.


    Nodding my head, I said, ¡°That will give us more time for training, however, I want tomorrow off, I am planning on leveling my paladin skills, and completing the quest I received.¡±  Mecha snorted and looking at me he nodded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be getting into any trouble you can¡¯t handle, and stay close to the city.  I will meet you at the orphanage in a couple of days.¡±  With that, Mecha turned around and left making his way back into the palace.


    I, in turn, made my way out of the Temple Mount and began to descend into the city.  I was heading for my park; I had decided it was time to do some exploring in the abandoned area on the third tier.  It was supposedly full of dark creatures and should allow me to complete my Paladin quest.

 Chapter 22 Becoming a Knight

    <h2>Chapter 22</h2>


    <h2>Becoming a Knight</h2>


    As I walked to the park I again updated my character stats sheet with the new spells I had gained.


    Elf


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elf¡¯s favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds elves can move at twice normal speed


    Updated Stats at level 4


    Strength = 280


    Agility = 280


    Intellect = 85


    Mana = 5000


    Health = 320


    Speed = 280


    Buffs


    Underwater Breathing


    You have received a permanent buff that enables you to breathe underwater


    Ama¡¯s buff of the succubae


    Radiates sexuality


    Gaiatoci¡¯s buff of life and mana


    Capable of receiving both life and mana as they are the same


    Abilities


    Dragon eyes the ability to see as a Dragon sees


    Dragon Fire the ability to cast the fire of a Dragon


    Dragon Shadows the ability to wrap yourself in the shadows


    Sonic shard the high-frequency attack that bypasses armor to do soft tissue damage.


    Sonic Blast an area of effect attack that causes a dazed and confused debuff on all enemies within its range for one minute, all damage done during this time is multiplied times two.


    Icy water bolt


    The ability to cast an icy water bolt that freezes on contact


    Electrical discharge


    The ability to discharge electrical currents from your hands


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    Stealth detection enabled


    Metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Physical DPS Wrath of Light


    your blows increase damage output is increased by 25 percent instant cast


    Healing spell Holy Health


    You can cast a heal every 10 seconds heals for 50 percent uses 20 percent of your mana


    Spell attack Holy Fire


    As you attack you can cast Holy Fire A spell that does an additional 20 percent base damage, and 30 percent against the undead, demons and those aligned with the darkness


    Skillset


    Lock picking, the basics active skill set


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    Companions


    The Demon Sebastian


    The holy Messenger Komhether


    Pet companions


    Crusty the Crab


    Nanobot integration into game avatar


    Defensive capability, self-healing


    Offensive capability, electrical discharge from hands


    Strength increase four times normal human


    PIM integration into Gaming Interface


    Stealth detection enabled


    Upgraded map functions


    Ability to make calls to the Real World


    Ability to access GNet from within the game


    Ability to leave and enter the game


    Avatar integration into gaming matrix


    You are not recognized as a player and the gaming AI has no control over you


    Class


    Ascendant class


    You have gained the essences of three higher powers and have been transformed in a Higher Being.


    You are now a Demigod and can continue the path of ascendancy by gaining the essences of higher powers.


    Thief class


    You have discovered the hidden class of thief and have been accepting into the dark brotherhood.


    Thief Subclass


    Paladin A Holy warrior


    capable of damage both physical and magical the Paladin can also heal.


    Not to bad I thought as I stared at the updated notes in my PIM. It was still foggy, the mist had not left the city at all and the day was turning to night. The dampness had a way of stealing into your clothing and chilling you. Choosing to find an Inn for the night I realized that I would need to gather some supplies. Going to the first store I saw open I walked in and began to look at the goods on the shelves.


    ¡°May I help you,¡± The storekeeper asked with a smile. ¡°We have an excellent selection of goods here, from the mundane to the exceptional. What are your needs, sir?¡±


    Glancing at the storekeeper I saw that he was eager to make a sale, the business must be slow, the game economy had been based on a steady influx of players and that had dried up thanks to the Old Bastards. Turning my attention back to the shopkeeper I asked, ¡°Do you have any gear for adventures, the good stuff, a tent, a pack a small cooking hearth along with some rations along with several changes of clothing fit for hard travel. Also a Bow and arrows along with a Poleaxe plus A couple of belt bags for storage.¡±


    Licking his lips, the man began to scurry around the shop grabbing items and placing them on the counter. When he was finally done I had a pack that would hold the tent and cooking utensils as well as the food and extra clothing. In addition, I had three more belt bags with 20 slots each which would allow me to carry a lot of goods. I love the magic in the game.


    I also had a personal hearth and a normal bow and arrow along with a nice Poleaxe. Glancing down the counter I noted he had several packs of smokes for sale, I guess he was buying them from Sebastian¡¯s operation and then marking them up. Nice, he should hang a 7/11 sign outside his door. I purchased all the smokes he had, they stacked in piles of 20, so I had 60 packs taking up 3 slots in one of my belt bags.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    As I paid for the items, the storekeeper asked, ¡°Would you want to buy a mid grade enchant for the Poleaxe? I have several in stock, fire, Ice, poison and slowdown. They are 100 gold each.


    I stared at the storekeeper and then looked at the Poleaxe, any little bit helped, but I would like something a little more than the basic spells. ¡°Do you have any other enchants, something that will do a little more damage? Every little bit helps and I don¡¯t want something that has a chance to proc on every third hit.¡±


    The innkeeper stood for a moment and then said, ¡°If you have the gold I have one thing, it is called the heptagon enchant. It holds 7 enchants and they can all be applied to your weapon, so while they may not all proc at once the chances are that something will be proccing with every swing. I do have to tell you that it is only loaded with Fire, Slowmo, Ice and Poison. The Mage that made it never filled the last three enchant slots.¡±


    This was an amazing find, and I wanted it, I knew that storekeeper was going to try to bust my bank on the price, but what the heck, it was worth the price. ¡°I would like to see this item,¡± I asked trying to keep the excitement out of my voice.


    Once the storekeeper returned with what looked like a 7-sided small stone I gently picked it up and examined it. My Dragon eyes showed that it glowed with magical energy and that there were three empty slots that could receive an enchant. It was also apparent that it was made to be attached to the pommel of the weapon which would then activate the enchants.


    Being midgrade enchants they would last for a number of years with the mana that part of the structure of the spells. As I stared at the stone I knew I could modify it and make the enchants much more powerful. In fact, by using the stone as a diagram I could take my weapons and modify them without having to use the stone. All I needed was enchants.


    ¡°I will take the stone and any enchants you might have in stock,¡± my voice sounded confident as I made the purchase. In told I spent 4000 gold, a small fortune. In return, I received the stone and 8 more enchants. Thanking the merchant, I made my way out the door before he tried to sell me anything else.


    It was now night time and the city was in darkness, I slipped into Shadows and slowly made my way down the street, eventually I arrived at the secret entrance to the park. Making sure I was not followed I opened the gate and slipped through. I was planning on camping next to the old temple at the far end of the park.


    Taking my time, I slowly strolled along the stream and through the bushes and trees, climbing the little knoll I made my way down towards the old temple. As I walked along the path I recalled what had happened in the secret room buried within the earth. I had somehow gained the two swords and the guardian roses, they had become a part of my flesh, only to be ripped from me by the Eldest and then used to kill the earth mother.


    I stopped and stared at nothing as I thought of the past. I wanted the Eldest sometimes called the firstborn to pay for what he had done. Knowing there was nothing that I could do now I continued on, entering the temple and moving to where the hidden entrance was. I quickly opened it and then descended into the darkness.


    My Dragon eyes were more that up to the task and I could see as if it were a cloudy day. I made my way down the passageway, finally halting as I looked at the area I had not explored on my previous visit. I could see no traps and the walls were made of worked stone. It seemed safe so I continued on traveling for an hour. Eventually, I came to a side door in the passageway, I considered continuing on or exploring what was behind the door.


    It felt like I was in one of the old game shows from long ago, I could almost hear the voice say ¡°And behind this door is, a new car.¡± There would be no new car for me, but there could be something of value. I slowly grabbed the handle and began to turn it. It was not locked but the door had not been opened in a log time, Fortunately, I was far stronger than a normal elf thanks to my Nanobots and the door opened to the pressure I was applying.


    I stepped inwards, knowing that the door was not going to be closing on it own, the room was rectangular in shape and had several benches along each wall. At the far end was an altar with a flaming pot and some incense. There were three spirits standing in a triquetra, and another waiting for me as I entered the room.


    He led me to the first spirit who began to speak, ¡°I represent the Holy grail of the knights of Ilumberia, know my wisdom, know my thoughts.¡±


    The spirit guide then led me to the next spirit who began to speak, ¡°I am the General who wields the weapon of power which can both Heal and Wound, know what I do.¡±


    The guide then led me to the third spirit who looked at me and said, ¡°I am the one who holds the Crown and the responsibility of it rest on my word, which is law. Know my words.¡±


    The guide then led me along a path that formed the shape of the triquetra which I recalled was known as a trinity knot. It took a long time to walk the path and it became more difficult as I did so. When I finally arrived at the altar I was trembling with the effort, it had taken all I had to make it to the end of the pathway.


    As I stood there the three spirits arrived and I was told to kneel. As I knelt down the first spirit placed his hands on my head and blessed me. Then the second spirit raised his sheathed sword and from left to right tapped both my shoulders. The last spirit then also placed on hand on my chest and one hand on my head and also blessed me.


    At this point all three spirits spoke and said, ¡°Go forth as a Knight of Ilumberia then they all faded. The whole thing had happened very fast and the fact was I had gone on a hunch and completed the tasks. This may have been some kind of in-game quest that had never been activated when the game went live or perhaps it was a quest just waiting for the player to find it.


    It did not really matter what it was, I had completed it and the proof was on the altar. A book had appeared shining with a purple aura. I picked it up and read, The Great Spellbook of Law, Tactics, Weaponry and History. I stood there holding the book and then opened it and began to read, time passed by as the pages turned.


    I was not capable of stopping until I reached the end of the book. The knowledge within the book burned itself into my brain, and body, I learned of Battle spells and the true meaning of the Law. I suddenly understood tactics and how to command troops and read the land. The history of the order was opened to me, and I realized that these knights were the in-game equivalent to the Knights of Saint John and the Knights Templar in the real world with one difference. Here the Knights of Ilumberia actually had magic and used it.


    Perhaps the most important thing I gained was the knowledge of weapon mastery. I knew all the forms and exercises for most any weapon I could think of. I may not have the skill yet but with practice I knew I could master any weapon. Then it all faded into my mind but a new icon appeared on my interface. I accessed it and saw several submenus appear. Placing the Battle magic and the weapons icons on my main interface I closed the rest.


    Looking around I saw that the room was now empty and even as I turned the altar and incense along with the flaming pot all faded from sight. I left the room and made sure to shut the door. Then continued down the passageway. I glanced at my character stats and added the Weapons master and Battle magic to my growing list of abilities and skills. The list now read,


    Elf


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elf¡¯s favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds elves can move at twice normal speed


    Updated Stats at level 4


    Strength = 280


    Agility = 280


    Intellect = 85


    Mana = 5000


    Health = 320


    Speed = 280


    Buffs


    Underwater Breathing


    You have received a permanent buff that enables you to breathe underwater


    Ama¡¯s buff of the succubae


    Radiates sexuality


    Gaiatoci¡¯s buff of life and mana


    Capable of receiving both life and mana as they are the same


    Abilities


    Dragon eyes the ability to see as a Dragon sees


    Dragon Fire the ability to cast the fire of a Dragon


    Dragon Shadows the ability to wrap yourself in the shadows


    Sonic-Shard the high-frequency attack that bypasses armor to do soft tissue damage.


    Sonic Blast an area of effect attack that causes a dazed and confused debuff on all enemies within its range for one minute, all damage being done during this time is multiplied times two.


    Icy water bolt


    The ability to cast an icy water bolt that freezes on contact


    Electrical discharge


    The ability to discharge electrical currents from your hands


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    Stealth detection enabled


    Metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Physical DPS Wrath of Light


    your blows increase damage output is increased by 25 percent instant cast


    Healing spell Holy Health


    You can cast a heal every 10 seconds


    heals for 50 percent of life and uses 20 percent of your mana


    Spell attack Holy Fire


    As you attack you can cast Holy Fire A spell that does an additional 20 percent base damage, and 30 percent against the undead, demons and those aligned with the darkness


    Battle magic


    You have gained knowledge of the battle magic used by the Mage Knights of Ilumberia


    Weapon mastery


    You have gained knowledge of the weapon skills used by the Mage Knights of Ilumberia


    Skillset


    Lock picking, the basics active skill set


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    Companions


    The Demon Sebastian


    The holy Messenger Komhether


    Pet companions


    Crusty the Crab


    Nanobot integration into game avatar


    Defensive capability, self-healing


    Offensive capability, electrical discharge from hands


    Strength increase four times normal human


    PIM integration into Gaming Interface


    Stealth detection enabled


    Upgraded map functions


    Ability to make calls to the Real World


    Ability to access GNet from within the game


    Ability to leave and enter the game


    Avatar integration into gaming matrix


    You are not recognized as a player and the gaming AI has no control over you


    Class


    Ascendant class


    You have gained the essences of three higher powers and have been transformed in a Higher Being.


    You are now a Demigod and can continue the path of ascendancy by gaining the essences of higher powers.


    Thief class


    You have discovered the hidden class of thief and have been accepting into the dark brotherhood.


    Thief Subclass


    Paladin A Holy warrior


    Capable of damage both physical and magical along with an ability to heal


    Mage Knight class


    You have joined the Mage Knights of Ilumberia


    you are dedicated to truth justice and knowledge.


    Wow, I needed to level up and do so in a hurry or all of what I had gained would be useless. I resolved that before I entered the abandoned city proper I would work on the enchants for my Maces and the Poleaxe.


    Continuing on I eventually began to climb a long flight of circular steps, finally, they ended at a door. It was locked but using my skills as a thief I quickly picked the lock and then pushed open the door. I could see no one present so I entered the room and closed the door.


    I could see I was in a circular room and with stairs that led both up and down. I quickly explored the tower, it was four stories high and the bottom locked doorway led out to a street. I was in the abandoned zone. The top of the tower was flat and had a small room on it that held a stack of wood and a stove along with a bench and a simple bed. I quickly made a fire and soon the room was warm I lit the candles I had found in the room along with an oil-filled lamp that smelled of fish.


    Unpacking my camping gear, I laid down the blankets and put my cloak on top of them. I then locked the door and made a simple meal of bread cheese and a spicy sausage. Once I was done my meal I cleaned up and then sat on the bed and pulled out the heptagon enchanted stone. This was going to take a while I thought and then began to submerge myself in the intricacies of the enchantment. After several hours I had an understanding of how the magic worked and I felt I could adapt it to work on my Maces and the Poleaxe.


    By the time I was done both Maces now had the ability to proc one of the four enchants on the heptagon. With every swing, one or more of the enchants should activate, and they would stack. Unfortunately, the Poleaxe would not accept my enchants, and I ended up placing the Heptagon on the end of it. This worked and the weapon began to glow with a rainbow hue of colors. It was puzzling why I could not enchant the Poleaxe, but it still worked out in the end.


    Reverse engineering spells and enchants was an ability I had through the use of my Dragon eyes, and I resolved to keep it hidden. Actually, as I thought about myself I decided to try to keep a low profile on this trip and during my stay with the Dwarves, a spy should not be noticed. With that I covered myself and closed my eyes, I needed to rest for a few hours before hitting the Abandoned city.

 Chapter 23 The Abandoned City

    <h2>Chapter 23</h2>


    <h2>The Abandoned City</h2>


    Having rested for a few hours I was eager to explore, going to the roof I changed to Dragon Form with what now amounted to a simple thought and then jumped off the tower and glided to the ground. Going back to human form I entered shadows and began to walk down the streets through the mist.


    I had traveled several blocks without seeing anyone when suddenly I saw an Undead. She was walking down the street showing more bone than flesh, with her empty eye sockets glowing a bright blue. She seemed to know where she was going so I followed her down several streets until we stopped in front of what used to be a large temple.


    Looking at the statues and mosaics on the wall surrounding it, I realized it was a temple dedicated to a martial order. I observed the undead Zombie, as she walked back in forth in front of the gate, it would seem that the ground was consecrated, and she could not enter. Interesting.


    During the few minutes that I had been observing her, a small group of Zombies had approached. They were being led by someone wearing a dark cowl and robes. It became clear after observations that the bugger was alive. What the hell, this is getting strange. I resolved to follow the man when we were finished here. Meanwhile, he continued to exhort and order the Zombies past the gate onto the temple grounds.


    Suddenly the whole group of zombies turned and rushed at the broken gates of the temple, then as they entered the temple grounds, a golden-white fire appeared and began to race up the Zombies legs burning away the remnants of flesh and turning the bones to ash.


    I continued to watch as the last of the Zombies disappeared and the lone living man was left standing on the street. With a muttered curse, he turned and walked away, I turned and followed him. I was planning on returning to the temple latter, who knew what I might find, I am a thief now after all.


    Following the man, I noticed that the streets were dirty and full of debris, the windows on the building were dark and many were broken. Most of the homes and buildings had doors still closed, but a few hung open. There was no water splashing in any of the fountains that we passed, it was truly a dead part of the city.


    The rats, on the other hand, were alive and well, large creatures that were about four times the size of a normal rat. There were many of them, I saw at least ten darting in the fog. Also, spiders, the webs hung between buildings and they waited for prey to become entangled, I saw several zombies wrapped up in the webbing. These spiders were oversized also; they were about two to three feet in diameter and stood damn near 5 feet tall on their legs.


    Then there were the slugs, ten feet long and three feet around, they had a circular mouth layered with fangs, ugly looking fat bastards. I would not want one to bite me. Eventually, the man made it to a tower located in a small square.


    Once he entered and shut the door I observed the tower with my Dragon eyes and quickly saw that it was covered with wards and other nasty enchants. I would not be getting in there anytime soon, and the square had a constant ebb and flow of Zombies and Slugs.


    I edged away from the tower and slowly made my way back towards the avenue I had traveled on. Continuing up the avenue I eventually reached the Temple. I could see a Zombie shuffling down the street, I managed to get behind it and swung with both my maces, the both procced and one crit. As the undead whirled towards me I attacked again, this time, using Holy Wraith. In the imprint of my mace on the Zombies'' shoulder, a golden glow appeared that traveled across the upper body of the creature before fading away. I could see his health falling on the red enemy health bar that appeared when I attacked him.


    A couple more hits from the maces and the Zombie turned to ash and blew away, waving my hand over the remnants I looted 87 silver. Suddenly a small window appeared with a countdown that showed the number 19. It was from the Paladin quest. With a few more kills I would be done the quest, and with that in mind I went out to find the next victim.


    I probably had been at it for about 3 hours, learning how to fight while dual wielding maces and casting forth combat spells. All in all, it felt pretty natural, and I was getting more comfortable, that old saying practice makes perfect is so true. The only problem is in combat mistakes are costly. Thankfully I was able to correct any mistakes by using my double speed racial bonus and Dragon Fire.


    Eventually, a new window opened that informed me that the Quest was completed and I should return to the administrator for my rewards. By killing 20 creatures of Darkness I had received a large amount of XP as the enemy was three to five levels above me. Glancing down I saw that my XP bar was almost to the end, with another kill or two I should hit level 5.


    I glanced down the street and saw a wandering slug, they were an easy kill with Dragon Fire and holy Wrath did a ton of damage to them. I walked up until the slug spotted me, the aggro range seemed to be about 15 meters. Once he knew I was there he charged, the big fat rotund bastard actually could move pretty fast when he wanted to.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    Leaping backward I dodged the charge and dropped the hammers on him, they both procced the Fire enchant and that combined with my Holy Wrath attack began to burn his life points away. At this point, the slug curled up into a ball and just trembled until only ash remained. There was nothing to loot from the slug.


    The sound that I had been waiting for arrived,


    Ding


    You have acieved level 5, enjoy your new stats


    <h2></h2>


    I did not bother checking my stats I knew that they had changed, I was not concerned with that, I needed to just increase my levels, the stats and additional spells and abilities could be looked at later. What I wanted to do now was hit the old temple and do some exploration.


    My last two years at the orphanage had been busy but I had managed to get out and do some urban explorations in some of the old abandoned towers and building in the city. It was a thrill to sneak in and explore and I had to admit that I was feeling much the same as I approached the temple.


    Going through the gated I felt a slight resistance and then I was on the walkway proper, with no ill effects. I looked around the fence surrounding the building had dead grass between the walls of the temple and the fence with the occasional fountain or statue. It had to have been very pleasant back in the day but now it just seemed sad with the fog covering much of the ground.


    I began to walk and then climbed the stairs, the large double doors were open, so I slipped in. It was much like a church with pews that ran up each side going towards the altar. Sadly, the pews were full of the skeletal remains of men in plate and armor, some looked like they were praying others looked like they were merely resting.


    It was clear, that whatever had happened to the city these men had been trapped here and eventually had died here. Whatever had trapped them had not been able to overcome the wards placed on the temple and grounds and it had evolved into a stalemate with the men losing in the end, they probably died of starvation and lack of water.


    I am not a religious man, but I took a moment and bowed my head and said, ¡°I do not know what these men believed, or who they were or even what happened, but I pray that they have peace now and move on to a brighter better world which will welcome them.¡± A few simple words, softly spoken in an old ruined temple. Suddenly there was a crack louder thunder and a brilliant white beam of light began to spin around the interior of the temple.


    I glanced upwards, and I am not sure what I saw, but it looked like a field with men and women running towards each other, hugging and laughing. I also saw a man on a horse his eyes met mine and he saluted me. Suddenly the light was gone and looking around so were all the remains that had been in the temple.


    Walking towards the altar I saw that a small chest was sitting there. Once I reached the altar another interface window opened up and I read,


    Hidden Quest complete


    Free the souls of the temple''s guardians


    You have completed a class based hidden quest


    The reward in on the table.


    I noticed that my XP bar had gone from just starting level 5 to being almost at the end. I had received a ton of XP. Nice. Reaching out I opened the bag and pulled out two rings and cooking recipe titled


    Ambrosia, the drink of the Gods


    This drink will triple health, attack power, and mana regeneration while tripling all earned experience.


    Requires master cook or having a divine nature


    This was interesting, my cooking skill was non-existent in the game. But if my demigod nature proved acceptable, then I might be able to brew up the in-game equivalent to RED BULL. I could remember something about those old adds, ¡°it gives you wings¡± I think.


    The list of ingredients seemed common, the problem was in your cooking level. If you were not high enough, the results would not work. It was just how the game worked, I hoped it would work for me.


    It was time for me to depart the abandoned city, I would have to let Mecha know what I had found, he would inform the King and he could deal with it. I did not like necromancers, and that is who I think were operating here, they had killed a whole section of the city which had been sealed up and left to rot for years. Who knew what they were up to.


    I had my own missions, I had dealt a blow to the House of Pain, and while I wanted to deal with Archon and the Old bastards, the presence of Homeland Security agents in the game and the fact that the Eldest had been captured in a computer sandbox by Homeland agents told me that Archon was going to be having some explaining to do.


    Finally, I wanted to deal with Reona, it had been a stroke of luck that she was being sent with me to the Dwarves. I would have time on the trip to develop a plan to deal with her. This mission of being the Kings Eyes and Ears, the royal spy for the king was something I could do without, but it had netted me some great gear and fantastic spells.


    I had not thought to become a Pally but it all seemed to be working out. I stepped into Shadows as I left the temple and slowly made my way back to my tower. Once near it I changed to Dragon form and noticed that while still humanoid in shape I was much thinner than before and my head was more elongated. It seemed that my dragon appearance was becoming more that of a traditional dragon.


    Gathering my gear, I went down the tower and entered the underground passageway, stopping to reflect for a minute before the doorway that led to the Knights chamber. I am still not sure what the hell had happened in there but I still felt that it was the right thing to do. I continued on and eventually left the tunnels and entered the park.


    Deciding a warm bed and warm food in an Inn was preferable to camping in the park I kept to the Shadows and made my way down to the first tier of the city. Finding an Inn, I place my items on the floor of my room and went down to get something to eat. Tomorrow was going to be busy.

 Chapter 24 Departure

    <h2>Chapter 24</h2>


    <h2>Departure</h2>


    Mecha and I were on our way to see the King, it was midmorning and the fog had finally burnt off from the city. The sea air was fresh and while not warm it no longer held the dampness that the last few days had it still was heralding that winter was coming. I had explained to Mecha what I had seen in the abandoned city, and he had immediately set out to see the King. I, of course, had to go with Mecha.


    We finally arrived at the Temple mount and were escorted into the palace by a chamberlain. Mecha whispered in his ear and the man left at a fast walk, I am not sure what Mecha had said but it worked. Sitting down we each had a glass of fine wine as we waited.


    It was reminiscent of the times we had spent drinking in a Pub but there was an undercurrent now that had not existed back then. I was now a spy for the King and Mecha was the head of the Thieves guild and one of the Kings counselors. I had to admit it, I liked it better the old way.


    As we sat and drank the wine Mecha asked a question that I knew would be asked. How did I find the secret entrance to the abandoned city? I was not sure how to answer him, so I said, ¡°I will explain it to the King, there is no sense in saying the same thing twice.¡±


    I knew that He was not satisfied with my reply, but I did not think he would want the Truth with a capital T. If Mecha and the King knew I was Tor, well I doubted that I would go anywhere except to the dungeons. That was not part of my plan.


    Finally, the King arrived and greeted us, then Mecha stood and began to speak. ¡°Your Highness, we have new of urgency to relay to you that might impact your preparations for the future.¡± Torn has been doing some exploring and battling to level up and become accustomed to his new abilities as a Paladin. During this time, he witnessed something that I fear will have consequences for the future, Torn, if you would relate to the King what you have seen.¡±


    It was now my turn to be in the spotlight so standing up I said, ¡°Your highness, I was recently in the abandoned city in tier three, and came across something that causes me concern for the city.¡± As I related what I had seen it became apparent the King was both incredulous and concerned. Once I was finished we sat for a minute until the king glanced at Mecha.


    ¡°Do you have trust in what he is saying Mecha?¡± The King asked. I looked at Mecha who nodded. ¡°Then we must engage this enemy and rout out this Darkness, that has been festering for years. This will speed up your leaving Torn, I want you out of the city on the afternoon tide. If we are going to war with the Darkness within the city I want you out of the city before you are somehow drawn into this conflict. You are a magnet for trouble I can see, and I do not need more trouble laid down at my feet.¡± The King finished talking and then nodded at Mecha and I and left.


    With that Mecha and I were dismissed, the King had not been too curious as to how I had found the park and the hidden entrance to the abandoned city. He was more concerned with Necromancers strolling around unchecked. I did not blame him, it was a situation that could be deadly if the war was coming you did not want to have the enemy attacking your own city from within and without.


    I left Mecha to gather my belongings and meet at the docks. It had turned into a lovely day with a steady breeze and only a small chop on the sea. I had never sailed and I looked forward to the experience, I just hoped I did not get seasick and hurl lunch over the side.


    Mecha finally approached and led me to a nice-looking ship, it was about 22 meters in length and 7 meters wide at the middle. It had one mast in the middle and a small mast near the front with an even smaller mast at the very front and one near the rear. The front and back of the ship were lifted higher than the main deck which itself was about ten feet above the water. The back of the ship stood almost twice the height of the front deck.


    The whole thing reminded me of the ships Columbus had sailed to America with, the Santa Maria, Nina and Pinto. I activated my PIM and pulled up a picture of a replica Santa Anna from the Library of congress.


    The replica ship and the one I was about to board were very similar. We would not have much room but I felt that we would be safe, the ship seemed solid. The journey should take about a week and a half if we had good winds.


    Mecha hustled me aboard and introduced me to Capitan Draik who showed me around his ship, called The Golden Ass. I asked about the unusual name, and the Capitan laughed and said he named it after his ex-wife, because apparently, she was pretty free about showing hers for some gold to sailors from all over the world while the good Capitan was at sea.


    That was a little more information than I needed but Capitan Draik thought it was funny. Capitan Draik and the Golden Ass, it stirred something in my memory, I think it might be an easter egg or joke planted within the game.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    I stowed my gear in a very small room I would be sharing with three others and then waited for Reona to arrive. Mecha whispered that she would be traveling incognito and that she would have six of the Kings guards with her all in disguise. After waiting for another hour she finally made her appearance.


    With her arrival, Mecha departed, his final words being, ¡°Trust none, and bring us back the information we need, along with some stolen goods.¡± As he left the ship Reona boarded and after a quick glance around asked the Capitan to guide her to her cabin.


    Covered in veils and surrounded by three men and three women when she came aboard Capitan Draik immediately greeted her and then went to show her the cabin. The guards were left with the duty of loading half a dozen trunks in the hold of the ship and then finding their own cramped quarters and putting away their own gear.


    Captain Draik was suddenly everywhere on deck shouting out orders and whipping the crew into frenzied action. He passed me and laughed then said, ¡°If that damn lady had been any later we would have missed the tide and would have had to wait till tomorrow.¡±


    The man seemed to be in a fine humor, I guessed he was one of those who loves the ocean and sailing more than the land. Within half an hour we were out of the harbor propers and in the chop. The ship had a small roll from but it smoothed out as the sails were let out, we keeled over a few degrees and then began to head south and west, out towards the coastal islands.


    From there we would make a gentle arc out to Sea and then come in to land at Goodstown. Usually, the ship would stop at several islands and do some trade deals or transport some goods. This time, however, we were on a tight schedule and would not be stopping.


    The evening light was fading and I was standing at the railing overlooking the green sea foaming against the ship as we traveled. I had just lit a smoke when the leader of Reona¡¯s guard approached. Nodding at me he grabbed a pack of smokes from his pocket and lit up. We smoked in silence for a few minutes until he flicked his cig into the sea and said, ¡°The name is Cuevad and I and my troops have been assigned by the King to protect the Viceroy Reona who has been asked to be the royal ambassador to the Dwarven realms.¡±


    I nodded and then asked, ¡°Why was she appointed Viceroy, isn¡¯t that a deputy or a regent for the king.¡±


    Cuevad smiled and nodded, then said, ¡°She was made viceroy of the three lower levels of the city, after the incident with the dwarves. That Banhammer has created some impressive items of war and has put us all into this precarious situation.¡±


    I nodded it was all true, perhaps I should have felt some guilt about giving Banhammer the means to advance the technology of this realm. But what the hell you win some you lose some, I thought. I had died and lost the people I cared for and in the great scheme of things I could give a rats ass about Banhammer, the new technology, and the Kings problems.


    Yet here I was, about to be thrust into both politics and war, maybe there was such a thing as karma.


    It was apparent that Cuevad knew who I was and what I was going to be doing. Apparently, I would meet with him to arrange to meet with Reona. After exchanging further pleasantries he invited me to weapons train with his troops tomorrow. I could tell my level 5 was not impressing him, heck it was not impressing me.


    I agreed and then headed to my bunk, the fresh sea air and darkened sky had reminded me that I needed to sleep. I quickly made myself ready for bed and then found myself asleep as soon as I crawled into my bunk.


    The next day came early with a clear down and a light breeze. Half of the crew were busy, with the second officer standing watch and the other crew members and officers asleep. Due to the size of the ship tight quarters were maintained by the crew but they seemed a satisfied lot. They were competent and disciplined and did their work with efficiency.


    By the time I stumbled onto the deck Cuevad had his people performing stretches and doing static exercises to increase blood flow and warm their bodies. After half an hour he nodded and said, ¡°Alright it is time for some weapon practice, Torn here is only level 5 and without a doubt could use the benefit of our help.¡±


    ¡°Tasia, I want you to put him through the paces, start slow and evaluate, then increase until he is at his max. Torn, we are going to work you hard but hopefully, we will lay a good foundation of weapon skills. Most people choose a class and then set about to level and increase the class abilities and spells. Eventually, they become very powerful and in some cases deadly.¡±


    ¡°In the Kings guard, we have a different view on weapons craft, no matter what your class is, we train for weapons based combat without the use of spells or abilities. Only when you have progressed enough are you allowed to use your class abilities and any spells you have.¡±


    I nodded it seemed to make sense and I knew that these people were part of the Kings elite guards. I could to worse than being trained by the best. I nodded and smiled at Tasia who smiled back. I had a sudden feeling that this was going to hurt.


    The sun was smiling down on us and a small group of interested onlookers was observing me getting my ass handed to me by a very attractive human woman. It had started out well with us trading blows and getting to know the skill level of each other.


    The mistake I made was using my racial ability to double my speed. I managed to land three hits on Tasia much to her surprise. I had gained the knowledge of how to use maces from the Knights, I just did not have the muscle memory that hundreds of hours of practice could instill.


    Tasia, on the other hand, had hundreds probably thousands of hours of practice which coupled with reflexes honed for battle meant that she could read my attack or defense and respond before I could make my body obey my commands.


    In short, I had my ass kicked. So began the first day of our journey. The good new was that Tasia told Cuevad that she had never seen anyone with my potential and that with work I could become a weapons master. All I needed to do was practice, as much as I could handle. Cuevad seemed delighted with the idea and immediately assigned a training schedule for every day, morning and evening.


    Evidently, he thought I could handle a lot. He also told me I was to take my dinner in Reona¡¯s cabin, it would be a formal affair. That gave me pause for thought until my ribs took a direct hit from Tasia.

 Chapter 25 Winds of Change

    <h2>Chapter 25</h2>


    <h2>Winds of change</h2>


    I stood in front of the door to Reona¡¯s cabin and glanced down, I was as presentable as I could be. Squaring my shoulders, I knocked. ¡°Come In,¡± I heard. Opening the door, I entered the small cabin, it was larger than where I slept but not by much. There was a small table in the corner and a bunk against the far wall. Sitting at the table Reona was dressed in a conservative gown that did nothing to hide her curves.


    Reona pointed to the other chair and said, ¡°Please have a seat, Torn.¡± I smiled and sat and then we examined each other. Reona finally spoke, ¡°We will be working together and I thought we should get to know one another. Why don¡¯t you go first and tell me of yourself?¡±


    I nodded and thought for a moment. There was not much I was willing to tell her but I had to give her something. ¡°My name is Torn, and I was a visitor to the city, looking to find adventure and gold.¡± I chuckled and then said, ¡°Clearly I have found something more than I thought I would.¡±


    Reona laughed and said, ¡°Strange things happen to interesting people. I know you were chosen by Mecha and the King to be the Eyes and Ears. How do you feel about that and what led Mecha to choose you, no offence but your level is not that high.¡±


    I nodded, it was true I was not one of the higher-level players. ¡°I am not sure why I was chosen, it really is a mystery to me, but when the King commands you to do something like this, you really can¡¯t say no.¡±


    Reona nodded and then asked me about my training and abilities, she was surprised to learn I was a Paladin. We engaged in pleasant but meaningless talk as the meal was served. The food was plain and a little salty, but most of the food aboard the ship was salted to help preserve it.


    Once we had finished the meal Reona politely hinted at me that we were done, I was breathing a sigh of relief when she looked at me and said, ¡°You remind me of someone I once knew.¡±


    Keeping my face calm I asked, ¡°Who?¡±


    Not taking her eyes off me Reona replied, ¡°He was a friend and a cousin, unfortunately, he died in a family squabble.¡± I looked at her, she was looking away and her voice and face seemed sad.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked. I was curious as to how she was going to explain what had happened when she betrayed me and I was killed.


    Taking a deep breath Reona smiled at me and said, ¡°It does not matter anymore, the past is the past it was years ago.¡±


    I nodded and excused myself, I was about to reach for the door when there was an urgent knock. I glanced at Reona and seeing her nod I opened the door to discover the Capitan standing there, the look in his eyes was hungry as he stared at Reona.


    ¡°I think you both should come to the deck, there is something happening I think you should see. I glanced at Reona and then held the door for her as she followed the Capitan. It only took us a minute to reach the main deck and I could see that most of the crew and passengers were already standing in small groups observing the sky and the sea.


    I heard the Capitan curse and Reona gasp before I could get a clear view of what I was seeing. The ship was caught in a massive whirlpool that must have been 5 kilometers in size. We were trapped, the ship could not fight the current and the wind was against us.


    As bad as that sounds what was opposite us in the whirlpool was worse, it was a huge portal. The sides were over two hundred feet of towering water and the sea that stretched in between them glowed with a green hue that reflected shimmering colors.


    At our current rate, we would be heading straight through that portal within minutes 15 at the most. Even more incredible was the sight of a giant man walking on the sea towards us. He would reach us in a couple of minutes. He was dressed in what looked like Greek attire from the classical age, 5th and 4th centuries BC.


    He also looked pissed and as he spotted me he roared. It was in ancient Greek but I got the drift of what he was saying. It could be summed up like this. You pissant, I am going to kill you and then make everyone die also. I hate you and I will kill you. Et cetera.


    ¡°Friendly guy, isn¡¯t he?¡± Reona remarked. The Capitan was looking at me and then at the giant walking on the sea towards us.


    ¡°He seems to be fixated on you Torn, any idea why?¡± the Capitan¡¯s voice sound just a little nervous as he saw the giant was about to reach the ship. The giants name visible a bright red against the sea, Orion.


    I had my PIM opened and was looking up who this big bastard was. The answer was not good, Orion a giant who was given the ability to walk on water by his fatherPoseidon</a>. These damn Greek Gods, they were beginning to swarm this realm. The name of the game was Gods and Men. The problem was the game Gods were loosely based on real Gods. Yet here on the water about to board the ship and without a doubt attempt to kill me was a Greek demigod.


    This was getting a little old, and I suddenly began to feel a little pissed. As all the others continued to look at the giant approaching the sea I quickly stripped down to the undergarments. Then with a dash of speed I ran to the port side of the ship and dived over the railing, as soon as I hit the sea the whirlpool became calm although the portal still loomed in the distance.


    As I went over the side of the ship I could hear muttered curses and yells of surprise, but they faded once I went into the water. I had no trouble breathing thanks to my buff and my Dragon eyes made it easy to see clearly. I began to swim towards Orion as he also sang into the sea and began to swim towards me.


    I called forth my pet Krusty the crab and told him to get behind Orion and hamstring him on both legs. It would not be as effective in the sea as it would on land but it all would help. Within seconds Orion and I were facing each other, he was about twice my size but very fast. Having a father who is the God of the sea did not hurt.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He reached out and grabbed my shoulder and then began to pull me towards closer as his fingers squeezed in an attempt to crush my shoulder. I reached up and grabbed his wrist and began to push his arm up in an attempt to release his grip on me. He smiled at this and then spoke, strangely enough, I could now understand his classical Greek.


    "I will destroy you little man and take the three essences of demigod from your body, becoming even more powerful and beginning my ascent to the throne of the heavens, Mount Olympus." At this point, he stopped talking as his eyes opened in surprise.


    I had lifted his arm and pulled his hand off my shoulder, my strength had increased with each level I had gained and the effect had been modified by the nanobots I had. I was sure that in a physical match I was stronger than Orion.


    The fact was he displayed level twelve, in his realm that was probably enough for what he did, which was hunting and of course raping women, if my PIM was correct. Once I had his hand off my shoulder I began to squeeze his wrist. He grunted in pain and then drew back his left hand to remove my head from my shoulders with a punch.


    I commanded Krusty to begin his attack now and then watched as the giant screamed as both his tendons were slashed. Krusty did not stop there but turned his attention towards the left leg and began to work on it. Orion screamed in rage and pain, I was all but forgotten as he tried to spin around and grab Krusty.


    This allowed an opportunity to attack from behind him, but my Elf form was not large enough to do what I wanted, I metamorphosed into what I was beginning to think of as my Demon Dragon form, which still did not allow me to switch fully, but it did give me wings which were now covered in scales and increased my size by about three feet. We were at least forty feet under the water and I was sure that we were not visible to anyone on the ship so I felt safe in changing.


    Reaching out I grasped Orion by the neck and pulled him into a Full Nelson, by swinging both my arms under his and then wrapping my hands up and over his shoulders and behind his head. I began to put pressure on his neck while effectively pinning his arms from being able to move. He began to strain against me once again, trying to power out of the hold.


    I was not having any of that, this SOB had come here to this world to kill me and take me back to his realm. Suddenly the anger I had burned cold and could feel the energy I had received from the three other demigods begin to coalesce and shift within me, it was now working at changing not just some lines of code, but my very being.


    I did not allow this to distract me and commanded Krusty to go for the stones. I had decided that a man''s most vulnerable part of his anatomy is his balls. With Orion focusing all his effort on escaping me, he allowed my Crab to get close. With one click of his claws, he snipped off the demigod¡¯s best friend and then with another snip Orion was suddenly bereft of his Family Jewels.


    This did not sit well with the Sea Giant who began to scream and thrash grabbing at his injured area and curling into a ball. He was now ignoring both Krusty and myself and crying and screaming. I felt a hint of pity until I remembered reading of how he had raped Merope the King Oinopion of Khios. Suddenly the pity I felt turned to cold rage and I reached out and grabbed Orion then placing my hand over his wound I cast Sonic-shard with as much power as I could directly into the body of the Sea Giant. It was doing tremendous soft tissue damage, but demigods are tough, and I was not going to leave this enemy in any position to recoup, recover and re-enact vengeance.


    I had learnt in school how high-frequency waves could cause seawater and salt to burn. The problem was it took more energy than it produced. But it did cause the seawater to burn. Funny thing even a demigod is full of blood and blood is full of salt.


    I began to alter the frequency of my attack, after several seconds I could tell it was having an effect, Orion had stopped screaming and was now beginning to glow. Suddenly there was an explosion then an implosion that happened so fast I could barely register what had happened.


    Orion was gone and floating in the water was a mass of energy, reaching out my hand I felt the energy slowly at first then with greater speed flow into me. Once again the window popped open on the interface about now having 4 aspects of Godhood and once I achieved 7 I would ascend to the lofty realms of the Gods themselves. I closed the window down as I felt the subtle changes begin to occur within me.


    I could feel my body alter and become a little larger and heavier, with new pathways of energy develop within my body. I now knew that my powers as a demigod had increased but having a quick look at my stats showed no other changes.


    I began to swim towards the surface, hoping that the ship would still be nearby. I reached the surface and saw that I was indeed alone I could make out the Golden Ass as she sailed far out in an arc to avoid the portal that still stood on the ocean.


    The damn Capitan had abandoned me to certain death, without waiting to see the outcome of my battle with Orion. I add the Capitan to my kill on sight list. Calling Krusty towards me I pointed at the portal and we began to swim towards it. I was not sure we were going to make it the last few yards showed the light beginning to fade and as we swam across the threshold the whole thing collapsed in on itself.


    The collapsing portal missed us by seconds and then we were no longer in Topland in the game Gods and Men. We were about ten feet of the shore of a picturesque little island, it was warm and the evening sky smelled of summer. About a mile past the island the mainland was visible, but what immediately drew my attention was the mountain that stood inland.


    The top third of the mountain was wreathed in clouds with vicious lightening and thunder happening non-stop yet the very top of the mountain was clear and in the sunshine, the white marble buildings and golden roofs glinting in the warm sun. Going down the mountain were terraces, with whole cities separated by parklands and the different levels they were located on. The bottom half of the mountain was used for agrarian purposes with the fields being fed by the many streams and brooks that descended from the peak.


    I knew what I was looking at, Mount Olympus, home of the Greek pantheon and according to the Goddess Nyx, Odin and his crew of Gods and demigods along with Shiva and a bunch of Gods from India were all ensconced on the mountain. What the Fuck.


    Glancing down at Krusty I told him to go play in the ocean and I would call him if I needed him. If I met any more demigods or Gods I did not want him to get hurt. Those Gods from India were pretty nasty I recalled from my high school religious studies class. Actually, every God I had met so far had been a piece of work, with the exception of Nyx and Gaiatoci.


    Time to get this show on the road I thought as I set out to explore the island I was on. It was small about ten kilometers across with some hills near the center and only one good beach, the one I had stumbled onto. There was some evidence that at one time it had been occupied, the old fields still had grain growing wild and the olives trees were heavy with fruit. It reminded me that culinary olives are fruits but are considered a vegetable for cooking purposes.


    Funny how your mind wanders as you explore. Having circled the island and only seen more groves of olive trees and old fields full of grain that would never be harvested I headed inland. There were a few paths that I followed, old roads that led up through the small range of hills until we reached the peak and stared in wonder at the plateau that made up the middle of the island.


    There was a lake with stream filling it that descended down from the side of the tallest hill, which was really a steep little mountain. Little ways away from the lake stood a tower, three stories high and clearly abandoned but still solid. The lake had a small beach and grass that grew out to the many flowers that seemed to be growing wild.


    The whole thing was so similar to my island that I stopped and shook myself. Making my way to the tower I decided to explore it before I decided what to do next. What a day I thought, what a day.


    <h2></h2>

 Chapter 26 ? ?

    Chapter 26 ? ?


    The tower stood before me with wild flowers creeping up the sides, and long grass growing all around, it was a pretty view if somewhat sad. I walked over to the entrance and observed the door it was thick wood inlaid with iron, it seemed sturdy. If it was locked I would not be entering. I grabbed the handle and pushed, it seemed to not move and then it slowly pushed open.


    I exerted myself and using both hands I managed to open the door. The Sunlight flooded the entrance and allowed me to see that it was a large room with a staircase that led up. There were several benched that curved around a large fire pit. Along the walls were racks for spears and swords, it had the look of a comfortable common room, were men would meet and relax after a hard days training. Aside from what I had observed it was empty.


    I made my way over to the stairs and went up to the next floor, again it was empty and covered in dust. It was the kitchen and dining area with sever smaller room on one half and the open area on the other. Glancing in them I saw that they had bunkbeds two in each room with four rooms the tower could accommodate 16 men.


    It was all empty, no one had been in here for a long time. I took the stairwell to the final floor not sure what to expect. It was a long open room with a bed on a small raised platform the side of the bed was against the wall and on the wall itself was a half circular indentation of about a foot deep with candles on the shelf it made. Near the bed was another fireplace, and along the far wall chairs and benches were placed. There was a large table desk in the middle of the room, clearly it was a desk.


    It was a comfortable room clearly the owner had gone to pains to make it that way, and l liked how it looked, in fact the whole tower was built to be both comfortable and protective. The walls were at least 5 feet thick at the base and the structure looked like it could withstand a rocket attack. I felt both safe and comfortable in there.


    If this was in fact an abandoned island I would claim the whole dame place and claim it. I drifted downstairs and walked out through the door, stopping to admire the workmanship that had been involved in building the tower. Glancing around once more, and then checking my minimap that now showed the island, I could see no red dots that would indicate hidden enemies.


    Turning my attention to the small mountain that arose beside the lake I decided to climb the peak at least till I hit the small plateau that I had found. It took a while to do the climb but my increased stats made it much easier than the original climb had been. As I final made it to the little plateau the sun was almost at the sea, soon it would sink and I would be in darkness.


    Glancing around I quickly took in the scene, again it was almost identical to the original with one exception the small carved platform was empty. I reached into my bag and pulled out the Dice and examined them again,


    Legendary artifact discovered


    The Dice of the Goblin King


    These dice were created by the Goblin King and his mightiest mages


    They are rolled once and then the pathway appears


    If you start on the pathway it must be finished


    Once the pathway has been walked the dice will bestow a blessing upon the bearer


    Accepting ownership of the dice makes them soul bound


    Do you accept ownership?


    YES, or NO


    Without thinking I tossed the dice onto the platform and suddenly the shit began. The sky turned a purple and green color, and what I would call a super storm appeared, it was centered above the island and the night sky was now completely darkened. Lightning crashed all around and thunder boomed in deafening waves. Suddenly a golden doorway opened up and I was staring at a peaceful meadow full of grass and flowers. I glanced up and around and realized that I had to get the hell of the mountain or I would be fried. I darted forwards and was through the entrance before I could think about it.


    The doorway closed and the sudden silence overwhelmed me for a moment. I sat down and began to meditate and work on my breathing, I needed to re center myself, and do it fast. Thinking back, I had not meant to pull the Dice out and then roll them. It was like something stronger than my spirit had coerced my mind and will to do it, and that was scary as hell. Plus, a quest had activated and without thinking I had accepted it.


    The pathway of knowledge


    The Goblin King has prepared a pathway that leads to knowledge


    If you walk the pathway what you learn will change you


    Are you strong enough to accept the truth?


    With the responsibility of truth comes actions, will you do the right thing?


    Rewards?


    Isn¡¯t the truth enough?


    Plus 20 levels of XP with all stat increases doubled.


    What the hell, that is an incredible reward for the quest. It was from a legendary item so perhaps the reward was on par with the rarity of the quest. I looked around and could see no pathway but off in the distance was a small temple, it was surrounded by pools of the deepest blue and around the pools were both date and palm trees along with olive trees. There appeared to be fauns and dryads and nymphs along with all sorts of wild animals. It had the appearance of a party but it seemed otherworldly, I mentally prepared myself as I approached.


    A nymph with slightly green skin wearing nothing but a few leaves that showed more than they hid came forth and greeted me. She began to speak, at first I could not understand her but then the words made sense and soon it was as if she were speaking English.


    ¡°The Moirai are waiting for you come, you must not keep them waiting,¡± she said. Then suddenly she stopped and looked at me and then with a smile she nodded and said, ¡°Come swim with me after you are done, I will be at the pools.¡± With that she pushed me into the temple. The buff from Ama was still on me and if anything, the more time I spent Ingame the stronger it was becoming.


    I glanced around the temple and could make out a figure standing in the back, she was behind some kind of complex loom and as I approached her I could see that the room and the Loom kept growing. I finally reached the Goddess and I could feel her eyes upon me. She stared at me intently then then laughed and suddenly a young girl was there. The girl also stared at me and then smiled and she also was gone and in her place was a woman of stunning beauty, she looked about thirty years old and was clad in a pure with cloth that did not hide her curves at all.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    She also smiled at me and then gestured towards the side, suddenly there was a large bench against the pillars and a small table was full of mouthwatering dishes. I could smell the rich aroma¡¯s from where I was standing. Following the Goddess, I sat beside her and immediately a servant brought us each flagons of wine. Following her example, I began to eat and drink, and I watched in amazement as she ate at least three times what I did.


    We finally finished the meal, and I was amazed at the buffs the food and drink had given me. Plus 20 percent to strength, plus 20 percent to will plus 20 percent to agility, plus 20 percent to wisdom. The buffs had a 24-hour duration clearly they were meant for the Gods and not mere mortals.


    The Goddess looked at me and then smiled, ¡°I am Lakhesisthe Goddess who measures the threads of fates, my older sister whom you met is called Atropos and she is the one who cuts the threads and then my other sister Klotho is she who spins the threads. We are the goddess¡¯s of the fate of mankind.


    I nodded at her, it all made sense, I was back in ancient Greece on an island in the sea at the foot of Mount Olympus in some kind of pocket dimension of Heaven. Talking to the Goddess was interesting but the little pieces of flesh she was showing me was a huge distraction. I gritted my teeth and tried not to stare at her nipple peaking around the white cloth she had draped over her shoulder.


    Deciding the I should take advantage of this situation I grabbed the hand of Lakhesis and said, ¡°Goddess I am here without knowing why and I would like to ask if you can explain what has happened to me?¡±


    I could suddenly feel her interest in me as I held her hand, damn even a Goddess was not immune to the buff.


    Lakhesis looked at me her eyes half shut and then in a throaty voice said, ¡°I will answer your questions but then you must reward me.¡±


    I could see where her eyes were wandering to and I knew what she had in mind.


    ¡°All right I agree, but first I need to know a few things, how is it that we are in a game but I have travelled to many different realms?¡± It had been a question that I had thought about for a while, I was not sure that I was playing a game anymore, just too many unanswered questions that did not add up.


    Lakhesis closed her eyes and let her hand creep up my thigh, as she answered, ¡°You are playing a game, only everything you know is a game.


    As her hand began to rub my upper thigh I felt myself react, and then I could feel her react to my reaction. I had to keep focused so I reached out and grabbed the flagons and passed her the wine. She smiled at me, much like a shark must smile as he contemplates lunch.


    Lachesis swallowed some wine and licked her lips, then glanced upwards before starting to speak.


    ¡°The reality is that in the real world things are not as you remember. After world war two, when the east and the west were engaged in what came to be sarcastically known as d¨¦tente a war broke out. This was nothing special as many small wars were always breaking out, indeed the economies of both Russia and the United states came to depend on supplying the war efforts, usually to both sides.


    The old saying that the rich became richer and the poor became poorer was very much becoming the norm. What finally brought about the end was when the military industrial complex that was now running both countries, began to sell small yield nuclear weapons. They were indiscrete in the sales and somehow the weapons ended up in the hands of terrorists.


    The first bomb used was in a small war in South America, but them the use of these nuclear weapons spread to the Middle East and Africa. Eventually both Russia and America came under attack within days of each other, and the defensive systems activated. The beginning of the end took place in late 1979. The first nuclear exchange happened. Within 24 hours at least 10% of the arsenal of nuclear weapons had been expended before the leaders halted the mutually assured destruction. The world had been ravaged and the survivors had less than 6 months to prepare.


    Fortunately, almost all governments had prepared deep bunkers for such a situation and they were put into immediate use. Roughly 10 percent of the world¡¯s population survived the nuclear war. With the fate of mankind hanging in the balance nations put aside any political differences and started to work on technology that could restore mankind to the world.


    While the world began to clean itself over the years the damage that had been done to the environment by unattended machines was incredible. Between the environmental damage and the radiation fallout the world was a poisonous place for humans. However, the shelters were not much better, people did not do well living within them and soon problems began to arise. The solution became apparent with the coming of the VRP¡¯s.


    It was immediately noted that those who played virtual reality games were healthy both mentally and physically. After several studies it was determined that the general population would be emerged into a game world, and after some debate and study ancient Greece was chosen, the birthplace of math and science and democracy for the western world.


    It was decided to allow Gods and magic to exist as the Gods would be the AI that would run the world helping to keep things in balance. Over time the program became corrupted and the Gods began to believe that they were the Gods. This in turn spawned the existence of other worlds, some mythical some mundane. Then crossovers began and the realms were now beginning to open up and beings of power would cross realms.


    That is why you started on a mundane real, Earth and entered the magical realm of Gods and Men. Due to circumstances and luck you quickly advanced and were exposed to multiple realms. As this took place you gained new powers and abilities finally culminating in receiving the essences of four demigods from this, the first realm.


    This has and will continue to change you as you ascend, the question is will you remain Human at the core or will you to forget your past and sacrifice your future.¡±


    Torn looked around the temple, this information was overwhelming, and he was not sure how to process it. Taking a moment, he finally looked over at the Goddess Lakhesis and stared at her. She was built to love, with a face that was both regal and sensual, her body was curved in the right places and she had an air of tenderness and energy. With her olive skin and dark curly hair and dark brown eyes she looked exotic.


    Torn began by asking, ¡°If the Gods have lost their memory and are no longer serving mankind as protectors how is it you and your sisters retain this knowledge, and what are you doing about it. How long in real time have we been separated from the real world.?¡±


    Lakhesis responded, ¡°It has been two hundred real world years since we last had contact with the real world, that translates to one thousand eight hundred years of game time. As to why my sisters and I have retained our memories we believe it is due to having one intelligence spread out into three distinct personalities, and also due to the nature of what we do as the Goddess. We also have changed in the time we have been here, when we first arrived we were three ugly old ladies, now we are not.¡±


    Torn nodded his head and then asked, ¡°So what am I here for how did the dice bring me here and why is that island so similar to my other island?¡±


    Smiling at Torn Lakhesis replied, ¡°Once we realized what was happening within the game worlds we began to plant legendary items in the hope that someone would eventually find them. We have determined that the only way to access the real world is to ascend to the level of Godhood and then go to Tartarus to access the main servers Ingame. This will allow you to reset the servers or at the least to recode an exit. We know that the way back is open still as new arrivals keep coming, but the doorway is closed on our side, you must open that doorway and to do you must become a God.¡±


    Suddenly Lakhesis stood upright and her eyes began to glow, ¡°You will be returned to your island, from there find your way back to your game world, you have things to do in that realm. Once you are finished come back to your island here, it is a safe place for you, we have joined your thread to the land itself and it is now yours and will respond to you alone.¡±


    With that she suddenly grabbed me and kissed me with passion and then spun around and disappeared in a shower of gold and silver threads. I was about to walk out of the temple when an unseen force grabbed me and began pushing me towards the back of the temple.


    I grabbed the cloth the food and wine was on and bundled it before flying through the air and then with a pop I was back on the little plateau on the island. I glanced at the platform the dice were still there but no longer resonated with power. On impulse I grabbed them and was notified that the dice would always roll in my favor when used.


    I put them in my bag and then metamorphed into the half dragon half man, extending my wings I shifted my claws out, from each elbow and each hand silver claws emerged. I had not managed to do that before, it seemed that I was now more than capable of changing forms with no penalty. I quickly tried to open a portal but again the interface was greyed out. Damn it that was frustrating and annoying as hell.


    Taking a short run, I jumped of the mountain and glided down to the beach, transforming back to man as I landed. I then sat down in the sand to meditate and think, and was rewarded by an immediate knowledge that the land I was on was alive, it felt like a large puppy that had just found its master. The cool thing was I was the master and the land was ecstatic that I was here. It was a good feeling knowing that something cared for me, even if it was water and sand and dirt and stones, it was alive and it felt fiercely about me.


    I put my head down knowing my land would keep me safe and slept, my dreams revolving around nuclear war dark huge caverns and evil computer programmers planting viruses in gaming programs.

 Chapter 27 Mount Olympus

    <h2>Chapter 27</h2>


    <h2>Mount Olympus</h2>


    I woke up feeling refreshed but my head felt cloudy from my weird dreams. I stood and stretched and then removing my clothing I walked into the little lake and went for a swim. I had been diving and paddling around for twenty minutes when I heard a throaty laugh from the shore, turning I saw Nyx standing there looking at me.


    Judging by her smile she had been enjoying the show for the full time. Swimming back to shore I stood up and walked towards my clothing. I observed with sadness at the shirt and pants, covered in salt and sweat stains and smelling a bit, I was not looking forward to wearing them.


    ¡°Why so sad looking,¡± Nyx asked with a smile.


    I stared at my clothing and suddenly felt embarrassed, I did not mind being naked in front of the Goddess but having to dress in dirty attire made me uncomfortable. Sighing I pointed to the clothing and said. ¡°I hate the thought of putting on that dirty stuff.¡±


    Nyx looked at me and laughed then with a snap of her fingers the clothing was gone and in its place was brand new clean clothing in black gray and dull red colors. Pointing at the clothing she said, ¡°Well that do, if it won¡¯t just stay the way you are, it is all the same to me.¡± Nyx continued to laugh as I dressed she was not shy about staring at me. Once I was finished dressing she gestured to the beach and sat down.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± she began. ¡°The Gods have finally taken noticed of you and this island when your threads were joined to it making it yours. You must have really impressed Lakhesis to have her do that for you. I won¡¯t ask how you did it but I bet she has a satisfied look on her face.¡±


    I was about to correct her and then thought what the hell she probably won¡¯t believe me anyway. I nodded and then waited for her to speak. As I waited I glanced at her, she was a little leaner than Lakhesis, and her breasts are larger, while her hips are more narrow. Her hair was also dark and her complexion was olive.


    Nyx smiled at Torn aware of the fact that his eyes were lingering on her breasts and thighs, the skin free of the sheer cloth draped over her. Looking over at him she was once again enthralled at the fire seen in his eyes and felt the pull of attraction, she had not loved anyone for a long time and yet this boy was filling her with desire. Quelling the emotion, she reached out and caught his hand, then began to speak.


    ¡°I am not sure how you arrived so quickly in this realm, but I can now see the energy of four demigods within you. Know this, there will be more who will attack you trying to claim what you have but not for a while. Zeus is going to call upon you to come to Mount Olympus to take your measure as all present will do. Do not be weak, they can smell weakness nor be arrogant, Zeus will not tolerate that as the King of the Gods.¡±


    Nyx suddenly leaned closer to Torn and pulled his hand towards her shoulder then cupping his face she kissed him and then suddenly stood up. ¡°I must go now, but when you meet with Zeus ask for a boon, as a new member of the pantheon, to impress the others he will grant it just don¡¯t be greedy.¡±


    Then like a shadow fading in the sunlight, she was gone. I stared at my interface finally aware of several blinking windows. Opening the first I read,


    You have attained a state of higher knowledge


    Only the Gods and those demigods chosen by the Gods can claim this knowledge.


    Plus 100 to intellect


    Your understanding of the deep mysteries of the Gods has increased your understanding of the mysteries of life, you can now perceive intentions in all living things.


    I closed the window with a satisfied sigh, that was a great talent, it would be a great help to know what others perceptions of me were. Opening the next window, I was surprised to read,


    The threads of your life have been bound by the ¦¬¦Ï¦É¦Ñ¦Á to this land, you are now joined to the land when you suffer the land suffers.


    You have received a new permanent buff, Strength of the earth.


    Your strength has doubled, use your power wisely.


    That buff took my breath away and I could feel the power flow through me as my Nanobots adopted to the baseline doubling of my strength stat.


    The third window I glanced at was a warning that I would have to leave this realm soon to complete my quests in the Gods and Men realm. Once my quests were complete I could return by my connection to my island. It would seem that I would have to leave soon, and I was sure that I would not have any choice in the matter.


    Suddenly I had a sense that someone wanted my attention and focusing my thoughts I could hear someone speaking, ¡°Demigod Torn, I am the God Hermes and the great God Zeus has sent me here to deliver this greeting. You are commanded to approach the throne of Zeus within two days, to be recognized formally and have you place within the pantheon confirmed. Do not delay past the appointed time or risk the wrath of the Gods.¡±


    With that, the little arrogant prick was gone. The whole time we were communicating telepathically he was radiating a cold disdain and arrogance, indeed I had caught snippets of his thoughts and they were nasty towards me, I suddenly realized that this may have been my new perception activating. At any rate, Hermes bore me ill-will.


    Shrugging my shoulders, I activated my PIM and brought up my stats to bring them up to date.


    Elf


    This race loves both the sea and the forests


    Long-lived they are the masters of life magic


    They favor the healing and magic class


    Both hunters and melee warriors do arise


    The Elf¡¯s favor the night and worship the moon goddess


    Racial ability quickness, for 5 seconds¡¯ Elves can move at twice normal speed


    Updated Stats at level 4


    Strength = 560


    Agility = 280


    Intellect = 185


    Mana = 5000


    Health = 320


    Speed = 280


    Perception = unlimited


    Buffs


    Underwater Breathing


    You have received a permanent buff that enables you to breathe underwater


    Ama¡¯s buff of the succubae


    Radiates sexuality


    Gaiatoci¡¯s buff of life and mana


    Capable of receiving both life and mana as they are the same


    The strength of the earth, permanent buff that doubles your strength.


    Abilities


    Dragon eyes the ability to see as a Dragon sees


    Dragon Fire the ability to cast the fire of a Dragon


    Dragon Shadows the ability to wrap yourself in the shadows


    Sonic-Shard the high-frequency attack that bypasses armor to do soft tissue damage.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    Sonic Blast an area of effect attack that causes a dazed and confused debuff on all enemies within its range for one minute, all damage being done during this time is multiplied times two.


    Icy water bolt


    The ability to cast an icy water bolt that freezes on contact


    Electrical discharge


    The ability to discharge electrical currents from your hands


    You have mastered the ability of metamorphic change


    Stealth detection enabled


    Metamorphic change


    You can now shift your body from human to demon


    Physical DPS Wrath of Light


    your blows increase damage output is increased by 25 percent instant cast


    Healing spell Holy Health


    You can cast a heal every 10 seconds


    Heals for 50 percent of life and uses 20 percent of your mana


    Spell attack Holy Fire


    As you attack you can cast Holy Fire A spell that does an additional 20 percent base damage, and 30 percent against the undead, demons and those aligned with the darkness


    Battle magic


    You have gained knowledge of the battle magic used by the Mage Knights of Ilumberia


    Weapon mastery


    You have gained knowledge of the weapon skills used by the Mage Knights of Ilumberia


    Skillset


    Lock picking, the basics active skill set


    Lock picking advanced


    Lock picking master level


    Companions


    The Demon Sebastian


    The holy Messenger Komhether


    Pet companions


    Crusty the Crab


    Nanobot integration into game avatar


    Defensive capability, self-healing


    Offensive capability, electrical discharge from hands


    Strength increase four times normal human


    PIM integration into Gaming Interface


    Stealth detection enabled


    Upgraded map functions


    Ability to make calls to the Real World


    Ability to access GNet from within the game


    Ability to leave and enter the game


    Avatar integration into gaming matrix


    You are not recognized as a player and the gaming AI has no control over you


    Class


    Ascendant class


    You have gained the essences of three higher powers and have been transformed in a Higher Being.


    You are now a Demigod and can continue the path of ascendancy by gaining the essences of higher powers.


    Thief class


    You have discovered the hidden class of thief and have been accepting into the dark brotherhood.


    Thief Subclass


    Paladin A Holy warrior


    Capable of damage both physical and magical along with an ability to heal


    Mage Knight class


    You have joined the Mage Knights of Ilumberia


    you are dedicated to truth justice and knowledge.


    Satisfied with the updates I closed my PIM and walked towards the tower, I was staring at it and then I had a realization, the tower belonged in a European setting, not in ancient Greece. I shrugged maybe one day I would find out who had constructed it but for now, it was going to be home. Three floors of dusting and cleaning, I wish I had the guys here to help I thought.


    I spent the next few hours cleaning the tower as best I could and then I went back to the beach and sat down on the pristine white sand. I had some thinking to do, the fact that who I am was 0 false and I had been immersed in a mundane game realm along with everyone I knew was pissing me off.


    I just could not believe I would have ever voluntarily joined such a game world as an orphan in a shitty future, nope the more I thought of what I learned the more I was convinced that I had not been told the whole truth. Without thinking I spoke out loud and said, I need to find the truth before I can act on suppositions and hearsay. Suddenly a window opened and I was offered a quest,


    To know the truth


    Are you willing to search for the truth, when even the Gods have given up?


    This will open up hidden legendary quests for you if you accept


    Yes, or No?


    I quickly accepted and then stood up, there is no time like the present I thought and metamorphed into my dragon form. Taking a minute, I switched back and forth until I felt comfortable and in full control of the change. I ended up with wings but retained my human form, much like I was when I first changed back on the third tier of the city.


    I had been weaker than and could only fly for short distances really more a controlled gliding. But now feeling the strength within my body I jumped and with a flap of my wings was airborne. I circled the island rising higher and higher, taking my time, when I was so high I was having trouble breathing I activated underwater breathing and sure enough I could breathe again, taking aim I flew to Mount Olympus, the sheer size of the mountain was amazing and most of the mountain had been developed into Tiers. I was suddenly aware that if this was the first realm then all the others were copies in some way.


    I was now on level with the mountain about two-thirds of the way up, I had noticed that there were huge tracts of land that had been left wild. I decided to land in one and then make my way up through the cities until I reached the peak where the pantheon was located. It was a combination temple palace and garden and crowned the mountain.


    Landing I switched back to elf form and then began to trek through the bushes until I found a trail. Following the pathway, I eventually ended up in front of a gate with two guards lounging against the wall. Upon seeing me they both jumped to their feet and grabbed their spears. The smaller one spoke up and asked what I was doing in the bushes and where I was going.


    I nodded politely at them both and then said, ¡°Zeus has invited me to attend him, and I am traveling up the mountain to do so. If you could point out the fastest route up I would thank you.¡±


    Hearing the name Zeus, the guards looked at each other and then one said, ¡°If Zeus has told him to go we better let him pass, besides if he is lying he will never make it out of the temple.¡±


    I nodded and said, ¡°That is right boys so the sooner I go the better it will be, which way?¡±


    The taller guard spit and then said, Follow the path through town and then turn left at the fork once past the gate, stay on that pass, it threads through the wilderness instead of the cities and is much faster.¡± Then spitting off to the side he ignored me as he asked his companion about the nymph he had seen him with.


    Friendly bunch of arrogant pricks I thought as I made my way through town. Once I reached the edge of the town I passed through the gates and entered a pathway that sloped up and down the side of the mountain. The terrain quickly turned in a mixed forest with many plants and small wildlife scurrying through the bush.


    I progressed on and soon noticed the trail was becoming steeper and the forest was thinning out. Soon I was walking along the bottom of a series of cliffs that stood over two hundred feet in height. The shoulder of the mountain flared out towards the sea and I could see a cave halfway up the cliff. Once I spied it I suddenly felt that I needed to get to it, it was like a low-grade compulsion.


    I stared at the cliff as I approached and then glancing around and seeing no one I changed into half dragon half human and then with a jump I began to scale the cliff. Beating my wings and using my claws allowed me to reach the cave within a minute.


    I had thought to fly but the air around Mount Olympus had a tendency to become electrically charged. I had overheard a villager mention that every time Zeus got some the air flashed lightning and the thunder boomed. Apparently, he liked getting some several times a day.


    From what I had read most of the Greek pantheon was like that, sex was the thing they did, with human other Gods animals and anyone else they could get grab. I really am an open guy but I draw the line at animals and nonconsensual relationships. Not these guys, they took what they wanted and never worried about paying the price, who is going to judge a God after all. Truly every God I had met was a dick except Gaiatoci.


    Focusing my attention on the cave now that I was standing on the narrow ledge in front of the opening I took a breath and spun around enjoying the view. It was amazing and awe-inspiring with the sea a deep blue and the white sand of the beaches. The weather was perfect and the air was not hot nor cold but a steady comfortable temperature.


    Turning around I entered the cave and was not surprised that it led into a passageway that sloped downward. Shrugging I followed the pathway as it sloped downwards and switchbacked several times. Eventually, I came to a large door, grasping the handle I pushed the door open and entered the room. I stared not believing my eyes, at the far end of the room was a mirror covered in what looked like a runic script with roses and sharp vines holding two swords in the middle of the mirror.


    This was surreal it was almost identical the two swords that I had found hidden in a lost tunnel under the city. The swords had become a part of me until the Eldest had ripped them out of my arms and then used them to kill Gaiatoci. I stared at the mirror fascinated by what I saw, I still had no knowledge of what the original runic script was.


    Not happening again, I thought as I turned to leave only to find out I could not turn. I watched helplessly as my body began to walk towards the mirror. Standing in front of the mirror I watched as my hand lifted up and touched the mirror.


    Pulling every ounce of power, I had from receiving the 4 aspects of demigod I tried to stop the inevitable from happening. I could not stop my hand from touching the mirror but as the runic script once again began to transfer from the glass to my body and the roses and vines wrapped around my arms from the shoulders to the wrists I felt a change. Soon the swords were once again tattooed into my arms surrounded by the rose bushes.


    What caught my attention was an interface window that opened,


    Congratulations you have succeeded in overcoming the power of the Swords of Peleus</a> and the Sword of Damocles</a>. By the ascendant power within you, the swords are now soul bound to you. Only you will be able to use them and the power that they have. Be warned many will attempt to challenge you to gain the swords. Be wary of those who know you have them.


    What the hell were my last thoughts as my body struggled to adjust to the raw power of the swords that were now a part of me then I passed out on the ground.


    Slowly two dark shadows appeared and then took on the shape of a large man and a small woman. ¡°Well Nyx, I hope he is the one, we won¡¯t be able to deceive the Gods other than this time. If he fails, then all the realms are lost to the true world.¡±


    Nyx stared down at Torn with a smile on her lips, ¡°He won¡¯t fail Prometheus, I have full confidence in him just as I have in you.¡±


    Scowling Prometheus said, ¡°That is my fear, for giving mankind fire I a Titan spent an eternity being tortured, what do you think a level five Elf is going to suffer if caught. And what of his thoughts on the compulsion that led him here?¡±


    Nyx simply smiled at Prometheus and said, ¡°He is the one, he has not changed he is a human, the games have not swept over him leaving him hungry for power. He has suffered much and lost much but he is stronger for that. The temptation of Godhood will not overwhelm his humanity, he will succeed. As for the compulsion he accepted the quest and as it states If you start on the pathway it must be finished.¡±


    With a snap of her fingers, the two beings faded from sight and I was left trying to figure out what the hell they were talking about. I had awoken almost immediately as my body quickly adjusted to the changes. Keeping still and listening had been the best course of action and I had learned some things.


    Standing up I slowly made my way up the tunnel thinking about the plans of the Gods and how Man fits into it all.

 Chapter 28 The Pantheon

    <h2>Chapter 28 </h2>


    <h2>The Pantheon</h2>


    I had finally made it back down the cliff and was continuing along the trail. It was climbing fast and had lots of turns and overhangs, the view was impressive. After several hours of walking, I came to a large gate in a wall that stretched all the way around the curvature of the mountain. There were two cyclops at guard and they looked me over as I approached.


    The nearest cyclops lifted his hand and said, ¡°Stop, no one may enter the grounds of the Pantheon unless invited. I suggest you turn around Elf and head on back down the mountain.¡± The other guard simply stared at me and growled.


    I looked at them level 10 Warrior class, they were a steady yellow on my minimap meaning they were not enemies but not friendly towards me. The both carried Polearms, with a blade that was at least 40 centimeters long and had a wicked curve. Each blade had a small hook on near the tip about 10 centimeters down on the backside. The weapons could be used for stabbing at a distance and chopping down at an enemy and the hook would be effective in disarming a shield.


    The air was still as the guards waited to see what I would do, I looked at them both and said, ¡°Hermes showed up at my home and told me to come see Zeus, so here I am.¡±


    Frowning at me the nearest guard said, ¡°Little arrogant prick that likes to fly around, has a real shitty attitude with people? He told you that the boss wanted to see you?¡±


    I nodded as there was not much more to say, it would depend on if the guard¡¯s believed me or not. I watched as the closest cyclops pointed at me and said, ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Then they both withdrew a few feet and whispered at each other for a minute. Finally, they returned and the talker said, ¡°All right we will let you pass if you are lying the Gods will deal with you. The Pantheon is in the middle of all the temples and is where Zeus holds court.¡±


    I thanked them and passed through the gate, once inside the air somehow felt richer and the colors of the plants and rocks became deeper. Must be the closest thing to heaven I thought as I wondered the pathways. The grass was gently sloped upwards with various flowers and bushes scattered around the expanse. There were a number of small temples and shrines, and walking along the pathways were Gods and demigods, along with centaur¡¯s fauns and other mythical creatures.


    The closer I walked to the Pantheon the more crowded it was. Yet strangely not one person bothered me, many looked at me and a few whispered to each other as I passed but no one actually stopped me or tried to talk to me. The whole situation was somewhat surreal but I was brought back to reality once I entered the Pantheon.


    The tall white marble columns were flecked with gold and green jade, and the interior was sectioned off with a long central area with little porticoes that branched off from each side that led to other smaller rooms. As I slowly made my way past I glanced in and observed everything from scholars studying scrolls to orgies where not all the participants were human.


    I finally arrived at the throne area and saw that the room was shaped like a T with Zeus sitting on his throne and to his right was Odin I would guess. He had a patch on and there were two ravens sitting with him on his throne. He looked at me and nodded as I approached. On the other side of Zeus was a small dark man he looked East Indian and radiated a cold power. That would be Shiva I thought, cold looking guy, would not want to meet him in a dark alley.


    Looking straight ahead I saw Zeus, the king of the Olympian Gods and the de facto ruler of all the other Gods. He was rolling back on his throne while kneeling between his legs was a tall green skinned woman of impressive attributes. I glanced at everyone and saw that no one was paying any attention and in fact, several other Gods were also in the act.


    My attention was drawn to a short fat figure who was lugging around a barrel and filling any empty wine glasses. The barrel was damn near 6 feet long and 4 feet wide, it must have been over 400 kilos and yet the short God had no problem pouring drinks.


    At this point, Zeus called out Bacchus more wine and then as he sat up he noticed me. With a grunt, he whispered something into the woman¡¯s ear and as she got to her feet and turned he pinched her bottom. Then taking a swig from his flagon he stepped down and walked up to me, and smiled.


    Clasping his arm around me he pulled me towards him and said, ¡°Torn, the newly ascended demigod come to join us at the Pantheon, welcome. Then speaking almost in my ear he said, ¡°it is about damn time someone managed to ascend, I was giving up hope on people. Then without a pause he SPOKE and the sound projected throughout the whole Pantheon, probably throughout the whole of Mount Olympus.


    ¡°Gods and demigods, allies and friends, I bring forth Torn the first to ascend to Mount Olympus since time long past, make him welcome brothers and sisters, I declare this day to be in his honor.¡±


    That was that with a smile Zeus turned back to the throne and began to drink, within seconds a new maiden was walking towards him and pulling her top down. AS I glance over the crowd near Zeus I saw the second throne behind his but closer than any other, sitting on it was an attractive lady she appeared to be in her mid-thirties with sad brown eyes and light lines of tension around her mouth.


    As I began to drift towards her Bacchus arrived and offered me a flagon of his wine, taking it I thanked him but remembering the stories I quickly put it down and left it behind. As I mingled and was greeted it became apparent that the Gods were curious about me and my perception showed more than a few were upset that I was present. Only a couple seemed to wish to really harm me and aside from trying to crush the bones in my wrist as they clasped arms with me the departed quietly.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    I was finally able to make my way to the sad lady and as I approached she glanced down at me. I could tell that she was lonely and proud and very sad, but still full of fire.


    ¡°I am Hera the wife of Zeus and his queen, you may approach me,¡± she said. I bowed before her and introduced myself, after exchanging small talk for several minutes I still could not fully understand what I was feeling from her. The emotions were strong yet tangled was how I would describe them.


    Hera looked at Torn this newly ascended Demigod and thought he is only level 5 yet he radiates power and something more. Taking her time Hera spoke, ¡°Let me ask you a question Torn, we all have powers, and abilities both Gods and demigods, what are yours?¡±


    Torn thought very carefully before replying and then said, ¡°I have been gifted in song and verse, indeed if I may, let me entertain you with a small song.¡± Seeing Hera smile he quickly opened his PIM and began to search for something in the music library that he felt would be appropriate.


    Locating the music in the subfolder named classics he wanted I asked, ¡°May I sing for you?¡± Seeing Hera nod her head I spread my arms and with a don¡¯t fail me now thought I began to sing.


    "Brown Eyed Girl"


    I was keeping an eye on Hera as I sang and I could see her close her eyes as the music radiated out from me and when I sang the last two lines of the first stanza ¡°My brown eyed girl, you my brown eyed girl¡± I could see tears start to fall. Hera had brown eyes I had noticed.


    As I continued to sing I noticed that all the other sounds were fading away and glancing around I could see the Gods were all starting to listen, even Zeus. I continued on and soon as I approached the end of the song singing about making love in the green green grass with my brown eyed girl I felt a hand upon my shoulder.


    All I could think of was shit I stepped into it this time when I heard Zeus speak.


    ¡°Torn you have awakened memories of an earlier age when my love and I would sneak off and spend time alone. Zeus then smiled at Hera and walked over to her, extending his hand he waited as she looked at him, then taking his hand she began to smile.


    I could suddenly feel her love for Zeus, and I realized that her pain and anger had to do with his constant screwing around. I was not a marriage counselor but as I looked at Hera I could see the lines disappear from her face and suddenly she seemed no more than 20.


    Zeus leaned towards her and whispered something which caused Hera to giggle and then she pointed at me and whispered back at Zeus. Suddenly Zeus began to speak and once again his voice was amplified so everyone could hear.


    ¡°Torn, as thanks for restoring to me and mine the memories of our youth I grant you a boon, what would you ask of the king of the Gods?¡±


    Thinking back to all that had happened I had no clue what to ask for when suddenly Lakhesis stood in front of Zeus.


    ¡°Zeus, his threads are now tied to an island at the foot of Mount Olympus and he has indeed joined the Pantheon, yet he has a duty to finish in another realm. He must return to that realm and accomplish what his geis is before he can return here.¡± Her voice had also projected, and now people were beginning to take a closer look at me.


    It is not a comfortable feeling when a few dozen Gods turn their attention on you. Zeus interrupted my thoughts by nodding at Lakhesis as she vanished then walking up to me and placing his hand upon my head.


    ¡°This is now your home and the land you are tied to is forever yours, receive the mark of hearth and home. Now before you begin to establish yourself here return to your distant realm and fulfill your duty.¡±


    Suddenly I was gone hurling through time and space like a bad episode of DR. Who. Then suddenly I was standing on a dock behind some crates listening to the worker''s curse as the moved crates bags and chests around. I glanced at the sun it was about halfway across the sky. Stepping around the crates I glanced down towards the end of the dock and observed Reona being led down the dock by the Capitan.


    She was in chains and very little else, and surrounding her were two of the Capitan¡¯s crew, aside from that she did not appear to be guarded. She stumbled and almost fell but with a savage jerk of the chains binding her she was yanked back to her feet.


    She must be drugged, I thought as I knew that she was much stronger than a normal woman. She was a Dhaympire, a daylight vampire and tough as hell. Something was not right and I felt I should fix it. The Capitan did not notice me lounging around the piled crates until he was level with me, and by then my fist had broken a couple of his ribs.


    He stared at me his eyes wide with shock and stuttered, ¡°How is it possible, you drowned in the sea, we left you fighting a giant?¡±


    I was too busy to answer him as the first crewmember attacked me with a rusty saber. I grabbed the blade and sent a powerful current down through the metal and into his hand. This caused him to sail across the dock and into the side of a ship after which he dropped into the sea next to the dock.


    Those Nanobots have saved my ass several times I thought as the second crewmember began to poke at me with a long pole with a hook on the end. Grabbing the pole, I pulled the sailor towards me and then grabbed him by his shirt and pants and using all my strength I threw him over the docked ship and into the sea.


    Turning towards the Capitan I caught a flash of steel as he tried to rush not me but Reona, without thinking I cast Dragon fire on him and watched as his face took on a horrified look before the screaming started. It did not last long. And soon he was a pile of ashes on the dock which had a small seared spot where he had been standing.


    Turning to Reona I found her staring blankly at me, it was clear that she was drugged and by how she was dressed I suspected the Capitan had been planning on selling her to a wealthy private individual. I grabbed the chains and easily broke them, tossing them aside I glanced at her, the sheer covering hid nothing from her flaming red patch to her dark nipples.


    Shrugging I took off my shirt and covered her up, but as my shirt came off and my chest and arms were revealed I realized that she could see the roses and swords on my arms and the runic script that was all across my chest and back.


    I could hear a stunned Gasp and then suddenly a whisper, ¡°Tor, you are Tor!¡± I glanced at Reona as she said this only to see her face turn white and then suddenly she fainted into my arms.


    Well, this is another fuck me moment, I thought as I began to walk back down the dock towards the ship carrying the passed out Reona.

 Chapter 29 The ship

    <h2>Chapter 29</h2>


    <h2>The ship</h2>


    As I walked down the dock I glanced around, noting a pile of barrels near the ship I decided to stash Reona behind them. It was puzzling to me why the ships decks were empty but it was to my advantage. Climbing up the plank I stood quietly and listened, tuning out all the ambient noise, I could soon here several of the sailors speaking, they were below the deck in the main hold.


    Walking over to the opening I glanced down and saw that 7 crew were standing in a circle around a woman, her hands were bound and she was naked. I knew where this was going to end and I had seen enough to know that I had to stop it. Jumping down into the hold I landed silently, none of the men had noticed me, they were giving all of their attention to one of the sailor¡¯s as he grabbed the breast of the woman.


    I stood there for a moment and then shouted, ¡°What the fuck do you think you are doing?¡± As the men turned towards me I metamorphed sitaying as an Elf but I extended my dragon claws from both hands and elbows. As the first man jumped towards me I punched him and as the claws exited his back I slowly lifted him above my head.


    This must have been a Kodak moment as all the men froze for a minute, taking advantage of this lapse I threw the man at the two closest sailors. They all went down and I charged forward, unfortunately, one of the other sailors had a saber and unsheathing it he swung at me. As he did I slid forward and grasped his arm and then spinning around I continued to thrust his arm forward which helped to bury the saber into the closest sailor as it also dislocated his arm.


    Letting him go I jumped towards the last two sailors standing, one managed to get a hit on me with a solid punch to the head. As I went backward I kicked out and got him right in the stones, judging by his scream it was a solid kick. The other sailor continued to advance and I knew I was at a huge disadvantage, I was flat on my back and could not block his kicks to my legs.


    After receiving two or three solid kicks I managed to grab his foot and twisted, as I felt the bones break in his leg as I swung my left leg up and kicked him in the hip with also broke. He fell to the floor screaming and I turned to face the last of the sailors. He had pulled a knife and was holding it to the girl¡¯s throat, whom I now recognized as the guard Tasia.


    ¡°You¡¯re not so tough now are you?¡± The sailor was red in the face and I could smell the grog on his breath, his words were slurred and I knew he had been drinking heavily. He spoke again and said, ¡°You and me we are going to be getting off the ship with missy here and then we are going to find the city watch, it will be a pity that you had to kill the girl when she had almost escaped, but once I tell and show the guards this hold they will know what a monster you are.¡±


    I nodded, his plan was good and could work, all he had to do was kill Tasia and make sure he was close enough to the city watch to yell at them and they would come running. The other sailor would agree that I had attacked them and would no doubt put the blame for everything on me. Suddenly the man burped and then drew a ragged breath of air in.


    I watched as he burped again and then as he went to take a deep breath I cast a small Dragon fire right in his mouth. The alcoholic fumes ignited and once the fires hit his lungs they seemed to explode as he tried to scream. I grabbed the knife as he dropped it and spinning it in my hand twice I plunged it into his left eye and left it there as he dropped. I turned and saw that the first two I had knocked down were now standing and had started to circle me.


    I turned to face the closest one and watched as he flipped his knife from hand to hand. I tried to look him in the eyes but this one had seen combat and kept his eyes on my hands. I could perceive an overwhelming desire to kill me along with a rank stench of fear. I could also feel the other one creeping towards my back, probably thinking if he could grab me he would immobilize me from defending myself.


    That seemed like a good idea so I pretended not to notice him as he crept closer until he wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug. He was a large strong man and held his grip tight while screaming, ¡°Cut his throat, cut his fucking throat.¡± The knife-wielding sailor grinned and began to walk towards me.


    ¡°I am going to cut you up, and leave you begging for your life and then I will say no.¡± He was almost within reach as he said this but he felt safe as my arms were bound by the other sailor.


    I extended my elbow claws and quickly pushed my arms back while twisting slightly. Both of the claws pierced the sailor and with a gurgle of blood and air he sagged of me and fell to the floor. I had punctured both lungs, and he would not last long.


    The sailor about to attack me looked down at his friend blowing bloody bubbles out of his mouth and then looked at me. ¡°What the fuck are you?¡± He screamed as h<u>i</u>e darted towards me with the knife slashing towards my throat.


    The temptation to use a corny one-liner was strong but I managed to resist. His movements seemed to slow down as I focused on the knife coming at me. I reached up and grabbed it by the blade and pulled it from his grasp. My strength was now so far above my level it surprised even me. As I spun around him he continued to go forward, his momentum was too much for him to stop and he then tripped on his dying friend.


    As he fell I threw the knife and watched it as it entered the back of his head, in the occipital area. He dropped dead before he hit the ground and I began to look at the other sailors, all were dead except the one I had immobilized with a broken leg and hip. Compound fractures I thought as he kept screaming and clutching at the shards of bone that were visible having punctured his skin.


    I walked over and spoke, ¡°You and I are going to have a little talk my friend, so I will start, where is the rest of Reona¡¯s guard?¡±


    ¡°Fuck you,¡± was the answer.


    That was the wrong answer, and to be honest I actually thought about stabbing him in the bottom of both feet with my claws. I stopped suddenly and turned away, I did not want my thoughts to be revealed. Here I was acting like one of the Gods, killing, maiming and about to torture someone just to find some information.


    My stomach tightened and I felt both anger and shame. What the hell is happening to me I thought. This must be due to the fact that I had 4 ascended energies now joined to my spirit, and also because I was using my Dragon abilities more. Dragons can be both powerful and cruel. It seems Ingame that all beings become callous as they grow in power I thought. I will have to keep an I on myself, don¡¯t want to go all Jekyll and Hide here.


    I glanced down at the sailor, the shock had set in and he was bleeding profusely, I turned and looked over at Tasia and seeing that she was sitting down on the floor, I walked over to her and quickly had her free. I tried to talk to her but it was apparent that she could not respond.


    I glanced around and found some rope and went back to the sailor and tied him tightly. Then I found some sailcloth and wrapped all the dead sailors in the cloth then made my way to the deck dragging the bodies. I appreciated my strength more and more as I did that, it would have been impossible for a normal player unless he was high level and had maxed out strength.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Once back on deck I jumped to the dock and collected Reona and brought her back to her cabin, then went to the hold and brought up Tasia and put her with Reona. Taking my time, I began to search the ship. It was in the small forehold the I discovered the bodies of the rest of the guards. They had all had their throats slit.


    I gathered more sailcloth and laid each body to rest on the cloth, bundling it up I made my way back to the deck and place the bundle besides the other one. Going down to where I had slept I was surprised to discover my gear was still there. Bringing it all up to the deck I lit a smoke and thought for a few minutes. The watch had not approached the ship yet for which I was grateful, I thought that killing the Capitan and his men would have been enough to have someone call them.


    The Docks were a rough place and I guessed that most people minded their own business down here. I still had to find a way to dispose of the bodies, and then when Reona was lucid find out what had happened and what we would do next.


    There was also the problem that she had identified me as Tor. That could be a game changer, the only thing I had was when I talked to her my Perception would enable me to see if she was lying or telling the truth.


    The plan had been to enter the city and greet the local nobility then procure mounts to travel to the Dwarven Kingdom. As I sat and thought about this it occurred to me that it could still work, I would have to make a simple story of escaping the sailors and defeating them but that is where the problem is. There would be questions of how a low level like myself could defeat everyone on the ship and rescue the girls.


    As I racked my brains I decided to do a little looting and making my way to the officer''s cabins I started with the Capitan¡¯s quarters. The door was locked but not for long, my skill with picks was increasing. Upon entering I noticed several things, one the Capitan was a messy guy, dirty clothing was strewn about and the bed was unmade. The second thing I noticed was both the ships logbook and the Capitan¡¯s journal, both were chained shut. The third thing was two chests, one large and one small both were locked shut.


    Grinning slightly, I decided to open the large chest first, it took a while, the lock was complex and well crafted. Eventually, I heard the click and the lid swung open. I glanced down into the chest and observed it was broken into three compartments, the first held gold coins, lot of them, the second held jewels some large some small but again there were lots of them. The third held maps, a dozen encased in their protective tubing. The maps were a worth more to me than the gold and jewels. They are hard to come by and cost a small fortune. The Capitan probably had been collecting them for years. They would open up whole new vistas for me, I would scan them into my PIM as soon as I was done searching the Capitan¡¯s quarters.


    Turning my attention to the small chest I began to work at picking the lock, it was delicate and I took my time, finally, after a long 20 minutes, it clicked open. Standing back, I opened it and saw that it was contoured to hold vials, there were 50 of them held in place with straps against a soft velvet background.


    I scanned several of them and saw that they were all high level and rare, they would fetch a large profit at the Auction house or would be a worthy addition to any Houses treasury. I grabbed the whole thing and put it in my bag, then systematically began to open each map I had found and scan it into my PIM. Finishing took a while but when it was done I could call up almost all the world''s coastlines and in some cases large tracts of land far from the coast.


    I looked around the room and decided to see if I could find anything else, the first thing was to deal with the dirty clothing, sighing to myself I began to clean the cabin, I threw all the clothing into the small wood burning stove and burnt it all to ashes. Then I stripped the bed and burnt the bedding, it had some stains on it and I really did not want to guess what they were from.


    I finally looked around and saw that there was a small closet located against the back wall which was also the back of the ship. The wall had two windows built in and looking out I could see the lights of the town wrapping around the harbor. I opened the closet and was surprised to find it empty, but something about the interior size was off.


    I studied the wood it was made out from and noticed it was all a light golden color and had been polished to a fine finish at some point. It was showing signs of wear and tear but was still a nice piece. The one thing that caught my attention was a knot in the wood about halfway up on the back of the closet. It was slightly off color and while at first glance seemed to be a part of the wood I was struck by the fact that the cabinet had been made with the finest woods available and none of the other pieces had knots in them.


    I pressed the knot and suddenly the bottom of the closet floor lifted and I was able to grasp the edge and pull it up. Jackpot I thought as I stared into the small hole, it was filled with scrolls of correspondence. Taking the scrolls, I went and sat down at the table and began to read, it turns out the Capitan was a smuggler and worse.


    As I read I realized that the Capitan was not a nice man at all, in fact, he deserved to die perhaps several times over. The last scroll was the one that really had my interest, it was about this trip, and while it did not answer all the questions I had it showed that forces were at play in this game world. I reread the scroll and as I did so I tried to find any hidden meaning or clues.


    Capitan Draik once again we call upon your services, this time the fee will be tripled as the risks are greater. You will soon receive a passenger who will be escorted by several guards and accompanied by one Elf. The passenger is Lady Reona the Viceroy of the city and the new ambassador to the Dwarven King.


    She must not be allowed to continue her journey, I would suggest both her and her guards would enjoy this trip by sea, by being at the bottom of the sea. As for her companion little is known of him, his level is low and he is new to the city. Still, it is best not to take any chances, after all, he was sent with the Viceroy for a reason.


    If he should meet an unfortunate accident at sea along with the rest it would be acceptable. Be cautious, and when you arrive your payment will be sent to you at twelve bells. If there are any problems inform the messenger and we will proceed from there. It goes without saying you must avoid the city for a while. Until we have won this war; we won¡¯t meet but your services will be remembered. BH


    I thought about what I had read, it was politics and dirty politics at that, someone had known that both Reona and I would be traveling, and had made plans that our journey would not go as planned. The initials at the end of the note had caught my attention also, BH Banhammer the dwarf I had given the book of science too. He was the leader of the Hammerytes and I knew that he had been making war machines and shipping them to the Dwarven Kingdom.


    It would seem that I was caught up between a civil war that I had no understanding about, and while I was happy to not get involved, it seemed I had no choice. I had to admit to myself that I was also a little pissed that Banhammer was making war machines and not things to help people. I would not make the mistake of trusting someone with anything important again, not until they had proven themselves to me.


    I could hear the bells tolling it was now ten bells and I could expect a guest at 12. I had spent a lot of time on the ship the evening had flown by but now I had to prepare for my guest. Sighing I checked on the girls they were both sleeping but when I pulled open an eyelid the pupil was dilated, the drug was still active in their systems.


    Leaving them I jumped to the dock and went to where I had seen a small ship tied up. After making sure it was empty I grabbed both of the sailcloth¡¯s and dragged the bodies to the small ship, loading them onto the deck I grabbed the ropes holding the ship to the dock and loosened them, then walking to the end of the dock I pulled the ship and when it was finally at the end I gave it a mighty shove and sent it out into the harbor.


    I then cast Dragon fire repeatedly on the ship till the whole thing was blazing, and with the wind pushing the burning hulk out to sea, I felt safe in the fact that the bodies had been disposed of. As I stood there I spoke out loud, ¡°You guards deserved better than this, an unknown cremation at sea. I will remember you and when the time comes I will celebrate you who you were and how you lived. You will not be forgotten.¡±


    As I spoke a swelling of ascendant power broke over me and suddenly I smelled a sweet garden amidst a sun touched land. I could see the guards sitting up and getting off the ground as they looked around with smiles, then the picture faded and I was once again watching a small ship with an out of control fire burning as it was being blown out of the harbor by the wind.


    Turning I made my way back to the ship, I had a guest to welcome and the Capitan¡¯s journal and the ships log to read.

 Chapter 30 Making Deals

    <h2>Chapter 30 Making Deals</h2>


    Torn returned to the Capitan¡¯s cabin and quickly picked the lock holding the ships log and the Capitan¡¯s journal chained shut. Rapidly reading through the ships log he noted that several crew members had been discharged once the ship had reached port. That would explain why there had only been 9 crewmembers and Draik the Capitan. The rest of the log dealt with inventories and supplies, the things needed to sail a ship.


    Opening the journal Torn began to read, it dealt with a number of shady deals and meetings, including human trafficking and smuggling. The final entry mentioned meeting the cloaked one tonight to deal with Reona and the details of what happened to the rest of her Guards and Torn.


    Smiling to himself Torn closed both books and put them in his bag. Then making his way to the deck he cloaked himself within Shadows and waited. He had lit to lanterns, one of the foredeck and one on the aft deck but the middle of the ship was in shadows. As he waited Torn noted that there was a small blinking tab on the lower rate of his interface, opening it he saw that it was the combat log of his recent fight.


    Scrolling down he read,


    You have attacked a sailor, critical hit, you have hit the sailor with claws for 800 hit points.


    The sailor is dead.


    You have hit two other sailors with a crewmember¡¯s body and knocked them down for 300 hit points each.


    You have dislocated the arm of a sailor for 300 hit points.


    You have used the weapon of a sailor to attack a sailor, critical hit for 900 hit points, the sailor is dead.


    You have been attacked, you have been punched for 25 hit points.


    You have kicked a sailor in the stones, critical hit you have crushed the testes for 900 hit points the sailor is dead.


    You have been attacked, you have been kicked 3 times for 150 hit points.


    You have broken the leg and crushed the foot of a sailor for 500 hit points.


    You have kicked and broken the hip of a sailor for 250 hit points.


    You have applied a bleed effect on the sailor from the compound fracture of the leg.


    The sailor is losing health at 3 points per minute.


    You have cast Dragon fire at a sailor, the sailor has breathed in the Dragon fire.


    Critical hit, the sailor¡¯s lungs exploded for 1200 hit points, the sailor is dead.


    You have stabbed the sailor; the sailor is already dead.


    You have been attacked by a sailor, you have used claws and punctured the lungs of a sailor.


    Critical double hit for 1800, the sailor is dead.


    You have thrown a knife at the head of a sailor.


    Critical hit for 850, the sailor is dead.


    Wow, I had not expected the recent fight to be broken down into mere numbers, it seemed to real for that. I had never been a person to try to squeeze the numbers and theory craft on combat, but looking at the battle tab I thought it might be worthwhile to have a look.


    The problem was that a lot of my abilities and buffs were unique, I had planned on having an advantage in the game but things had gone so far left that all I could do was try to level and power up what I had to work with. I might be able to find some new spells and abilities with the game if I ever had a chance to actually work at grinding and leveling up.


    The creak of the ramp signified the end of my musings as I began to scan the deck. He was stealthed and I could not see him, but I could hear him as he slowly made his way to the mast and then began to climb, stopping about ten 3 meters from the deck he settled in to wait. We stood there for an hour and then he began to descend, I waited for him to get halfway down and then I shifted as the ship bumped the dock from a large swell.


    I stared at the cloaked man as he dropped out of stealth and dropped to the ground, once he landed he pulled what looked like a flintlock from behind his cloak and fired it at me all in one smooth move.


    I also was moving and just before he manage to get the shot off I threw one of the sailor''s knives I had kept. The knife hit him in the arm spinning him around and causing him to drop the gun. He moved damn fast and jumped off the side of the ship onto the dock with a muttered curse.


    I could hear his footsteps as he ran up the dock, I wanted to chase him but was having s ome trouble of my own. The ball he had shot at me was both physical and magical in nature it had left an ionized trail as it left the gun and hit me in the left shoulder. The impact knocked me backward and spun me around, slapping me against the wall of the aft deck.


    I slid down to the deck with my back against the wall, the effect of being shot was a huge amount of pain and the total loss of control of my left arm from the electrical discharge the ball had carried. I sat there and let the nanobots go to work as well as casting my healing spell. I heard the ball drop out of the wound and then felt the wound begin to close. I continued to cast my healing spell, I had virtually unlimited mana now and I wanted to be at full health before I began to track the cloaked figure.


    Once I felt stable enough I stood up and picked up the ball then walked to the dropped gun, grabbing it I examined it. The workmanship was excellent and the design similar to a 17-century flintlock. The weapon did not use black powder; the ball was dropped into the barrel and it would stick to a magnetic plate. The handle of the gun held 4 stones. They were all connected to the chamber where the ball was held in place.


    As I examined the stones, my Perception focused in and I soon could see that each of the stones were capable of being loaded with a spell, they were like a permanent scroll that had to be recharged after each use. The largest stone held Mana, the next one would take a fiery enchant, the last two took an electrical enchant and a frost enchant. At the bottom of the gun, on the grip was a small spot that held ten of the small balls.


    Each of the balls was enchanted to receive the other enchants and to discharge them once the hit something. It was a damn fine piece of work and I knew where it had come from, Banhammer. If this was the kind of tech he was making whoever he was building these things for would be overpowered and more than capable of taking over any other kingdom if he equipped the army with this gear.


    The electrical stone was out of power, so I decided to try to recharge it using my electrical discharge ability along with my Perception. It took several attempts but it finally succeeded. Suddenly a window opened and I read,This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    You have modified a piece of technology, do you wish to claim it, Yes or No?


    I claimed it and watched as another window opened, and I read,


    The balance of power is shifting new technology is entering the world, you have a choice, to stop this technology or to enable all people to have access to it. Make your choice.


    I thought for a minute, and realized that this was another game changer, my choice would impact how this game would develop. I suspected that tech was here to stay, once people had wind of it could not be hidden. I decided to spread the tech around and received confirmation of my acceptance of the quest.


    I loaded the gun and slipped it into a pocket on my cloak, then made my way down to the dock. I could clearly see the blood trail with my Dragon eyes activated and I slowly followed cloaking myself in Shadows. The way led off the docks and into the town, we traveled for quite a distance climbing higher as we went.


    The area was no longer lower-income the houses and shops were far more upscale. I eventually reached a building that was clearly Dwarven made and it was here the trail of blood drops ended. I would not be finding any answers here, and the sun would soon be up along with the townsfolks.


    Turning around I made my way back through the town and reached the docks without too much problem. It was time to check on the ladies I thought as I boarded the ship. Entering the cabin, I saw that Tasia was still sleeping but Reona was awake. I greeted her and waited not sure if she would remember identifying me or not.


    She looked at me and nodded, then said, ¡°My thanks for rescuing me, I was in a lot of trouble, they had drugged us, and then were planning on selling me to some minor noble. What has happened to my guards?¡±


    I looked away for a minute and then said, they were all killed with the exception being Tasia, they were planning on keeping her alive for a while.¡± Shrugging my shoulders, I finally felt like I could relax, it was clear that Reona was still very fuzzy on everything, they must have really drugged her.


    Reona stared at me and then said, ¡°I have one question for you, how the hell did you get here. We left you battling in the middle of the ocean. The Capitan has insisted that we flee while we could and while we had argued he was in control of the ship.¡±


    It was a tough question as I had no intention of revealing what had really happened. Thinking for a few seconds to compose myself I said, I managed to defeat the Orion the sea giant. When the fight was finally over I could see that you were a fair distance gone by then so I swam to the portal. It was better than drowning in the middle of the ocean. Once I went through it I eventually made it to nearby land and then found my way here.¡±


    It was a half-truth, but better than a lie. I continued and asked ¡°So now what, we are here everyone is dead but you and Tasia and the original plan is no longer possible. We could go to the local governor and explain the situation but that would require revealing more about our mission than I feel comfortable sharing.¡±


    Reona nodded, I could see that she was troubled by what our choices were. I had been thinking that we needed to leave this town as soon as possible and that getting off the ship would be a good start. I was not sure if the cloaked man from last night would be back but my guess was he would and he would bring some help.


    Reona asked me, ¡°Do you have any thoughts on what we should do?¡±


    I nodded and spoke, ¡°Yes the first thing is to move you and Tasia off the ship, then after you fully recover we will look at joining a caravan or even forming one, and heading inland, the goal is the same to get to the king of the Dwarves.¡±


    Seeing her nod, I continued, ¡°I have looted the ship and money is not a problem at the moment, safety is, I would hate to abandon the ship but being safe is more important. However, it is possible that a deal might be made with someone about the ship. The Capitan and his crew will never be returning.¡±


    Hearing a ¡°That is good, I hope that bastard rots in hell.¡± The words came from where Tasia was trying to get up and they gave me hope that both ladies were finally recovering. I walked over and sat down near Tasia and asked, ¡°How are you feeling¡±


    ¡°Better, ¡°Tasia replied. ¡°Those damn drugs were powerful but I think I can function.¡± Giving me a wry grin Tasia said, ¡°Now would be a good time for you to practice against me, you might have a hope in hell of winning.¡±


    I smiled it was good to see that what had happened had not overwhelmed her. I quickly brought her up to date on the plan, we would head into town and find an Inn, I would then try to arrange for us to join a caravan or even start one. I would also see about selling the Golden Ass.


    The women quickly began to clean themselves up and go through their belongings, it was not long before everything was sorted out and the ladies were dressed in leather armor and had weapons belted on. Tasia had two small swords with a dagger at the back of her belt. Reona had one sword and one dagger belted on.


    The both kept their faces covered with scarves and were not recognizable. I would not want to meet them in a dark alley, they had a look of competence and skill, clearly, they were not playing around. I also gathered all my gear and with my armor on and weapons at my side I felt that we might just have a chance.


    We left the ship in the predawn light and made our way up into the town. I had marked an Inn when I had returned to the ship we purposefully moved towards it. Few people were up yet and those that were up had already begun the day¡¯s work. Once we arrived at the Inn I suggested that I do the speaking and seeing the girls nod I led the way in.


    Once inside I noted that several of the tables and booths were full, we made our way to an empty booth and sat down, soon a server appeared and asked what we wanted. I ordered a large breakfast for us along with coffee. We did not talk much and once the food arrived we all began to eat, finally stopping when we could not stuff any more into our bodies.


    I asked the server to send over the Innkeeper and once he arrived we introduced ourselves. I mentioned that we would be staying for several days and that we were hoping to join a caravan as guards.


    His face brightened and he quickly said, ¡°My brother is going to be leaving in two days, he could always use more guards, he will be doing a full circle of the inner towns and villages then hitting the central high plains after that he will head northward towards the Duns. There have been some rumors of trouble with the Dwarves so he may not progress past the first village before returning. It will take about 4 months to get there, are you willing to contract for the 4 months?¡±


    I nodded, this was a stroke of luck, but before I signed us up I asked for the full terms. I did not want to get into a situation where we would end up owing money at the end of the job from having to pay for food or shelter.


    At this point Reona spoke up and suggested that she negotiate the terms, that was a great idea, and so a readily agreed to it. Tasia was looking somewhat worn out, and I asked if rooms were available, there was only one but it held a large bed the Innkeeper said with a wink.


    People always assume and the always assume incorrectly I thought as I took the key. Turning around I grabbed Tasia¡¯s bag and then with a short see you upstairs we left the dining room and made our way to the room. Once we entered I put the bags down and helped Tasia to the bed, unfastening her armor I tucked her under the covers and watched as she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.


    Sitting on the only chair I leaned my head back and soon drifted off it had been a long night. Hearing the door open I was instantly awake with a sailor¡¯s knife in hand prepared to use it if necessary. Seeing Reona enter the room I made the knife disappear and waved at her.


    She gave me a smile and began to speak rapidly, ¡°Torn have negotiated a great deal. We will be traveling not as just guards but as caravan merchants. We must buy two carts and the beasts to pull them as well as merchandise to sell and trade. Once Tasia wakes up we will go shopping for what we will need to take and what we need to trade.¡±


    ¡°That sounds good,¡± I replied, ¡°while you are doing that I will get the beasts, is there any particular type to choose?¡±


    Reona thought for a minute and then said, ¡°Oxyacs are the best but have a look at what is available. Oh, I will need some gold to fund this expedition also about 5000 should do.¡±


    I reached into my bag and pulled out the chest, opening it I counted out 10000 gold, giving half to Reona I pocketed the rest and then put the chest back in my bag. Magic bags, I love you I thought. It was great having that much storage handy along with no weight restrictions.


    Looking at Reona I could see that she was tired, and to tell the truth, I also felt tired, being shot had taken more out of me than I had thought. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for the morning,¡± I said, here you get into bed, and I will cover you up. Smiling at Reona I was gestured to the bed.


    Seeing her give me a strange look I said, ¡°No worries, your honor is safe with me, we are a team and we need to trust each other.¡± Reona slowly nodded and then crept into bed, I pulled the covers up and gently brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes.


    ¡°Sleep now, we have much to do later,¡± I whispered. Going back to my chair I sat down again and closed my eyes, remembering the last time Reona had been in bed with me. It was before she had betrayed me, we had spent several hours making love and laughing and giggling at life. It was a good memory shadowed by what had happened later but still a good memory.

 Chapter 31 The Children of Gaiatoci

    <h2>Chapter 31 the children of Gaiatoci</h2>


    I awoke from a dream that was troubling, I had felt the cries for help from someone, but I could not find them. I had also felt the buff I had received from Gaiatoci flare up with power and then slowly fade, but even as I stood up I could still feel something.


    I glanced at the ladies sleeping in the bed and debated leaving them to sleep, they needed it. As I began to stretch Tasia and Reona both opened their eyes and yawned, then looking at each other they giggled.


    ¡°Nice to see you awake, ladies, if you are up for it we should go down and grab a bite to eat and then hit the markets. I will see about the pack animals while you two procure a couple of carts and both trade goods and personal supplies.¡± As they both nodded in agreement I went to leave to give them some privacy for dressing.


    Tasia suddenly spoke up, ¡°Torn I want to thank you for saving me, I know what was going to happen if you hadn¡¯t arrived.¡± After speaking Tasia slipped out of the bed and walked towards me then reaching up she pulled my head towards her and gave me a passionate kiss. Then holding me she whispered, ¡°Maybe we can continue this later.¡± Then releasing me she went and sat down in the chair I had vacated.


    Reona had been watching this play out with a smile, then she also stood and walked over to me and spoke, ¡°I also owe you my life and would be remiss if I did not show some gratitude.¡± With that she grabbed my head and began to kiss me also.


    It was enough to give me the shivers having two very attractive women kissing me, I could not help but react as it had been a while. As she let go of me Reona looked at Tasia and gave her a wink and said perhaps all three of us can continue this later. Hearing Tasia giggle I knew that I would have to be careful.


    As a man the idea of a m¨¦nage ¨¤ trois with two attractive women filled me with desire to see it happen, but the reality was I did not want to expose my tattoos to the ladies, Reona had seen them in the flesh and Tasia had seen them carved into the statues that had been erected. Shit, I was going to have to walk a think line here, I thought. Having a household of three was a possibility because once on the road accommodations would be tight. I just don¡¯t know how it would work out without revealing who I am.


    Taking in a dep breath I spoke, ¡°I will meet you downstairs for a meal then off we go, it is must be midafternoon already.¡± With a wave, I left the room and headed down stairs to find a booth for us to eat at. As I entered the common room I scanned my minimap for red dots thankfully I saw none. Walking over to an empty booth I sat down and ordered three meals, hat they were serving was a huge mug of chicken soup broth and what could only be called a sub sandwich filled with cheese and roast meat and vegetables.


    I devoured mine and had ordered another by the time the women arrived. We all worked on finishing our meals without much being said. Once I was done I stood and said, ¡°I am off, please stay together and keep your weapons at the ready, this is a strange town and we have enemies here. I do not want to lose you. Be careful.¡±


    Torn stood and slipped out of the booth and them made his way to the Inns exit, seeing the Innkeeper he nodded at him as he set off. Making his way towards the center of town he came upon a couple of watchmen and approaching them he asked about where to find the pack animals. Once he had directions to the Bestiary he flipped the watchmen a couple of silver coins and continued on.


    Eventually he found himself on the far side of the harbor and entered a square which was huge, it held small stables and many tables full of exotic animals. Along the far end were larger barns and Torn made his way towards them. Glancing curiously at all the animals displayed he realized he did not know what half of them were.


    One large cage caught his attention, it held a dozen small creatures, they looked vaguely like a cross between a monkey and a racoon. He stared at them fascinated for a minute, something about them pulled at him. As he looked at them they all began to look back at him, until the side of the cage he was facing was full of them staring at him.


    ¡°Well that is unusual,¡± said the proprietor as he waddled over to greet Torn. ¡°The name is Propa, and I have to say that I have never seen them do this since I received them.¡±


    Torn asked, ¡°What are they? They look intelligent and clearly have a hierarchy within their ranks. They seem to be almost organized.¡±


    Propa laughed at this and said, ¡°No they are but dumb beasts, I bought them from a group of hunter who had managed to capture them, the hunters claimed that these Diggerduggers as they called them could use magic of a sort to help with moving earth. I have not witnessed it and I feel that the story is bullshit. Tell you what, I will make a deal on them, 2 gold each. That will cover my cost and very little else. What do you say?¡±


    Torn thought for a moment and then asked, ¡°Do you have any pack animals, I am looking for two teams to pull to carts. If you do I will pay a fair price for the pack animals and will also buy the Diggerduggers.¡±


    Propa looked at Torn with a smile and then said follow me and headed through the crowds his wide girth easily parting the milling people. Coming to one of the largest barns he entered and then gestured towards the animals.


    ¡°Here I have my animals, they are strong and in good health, and I will give you a good deal for four of them.¡± Propa was practically exuding greed as he spoke at Torn whose perception was letting him know that Propa was about to try to fleece him out of a large amount of gold.


    The next hour passed with tone slowly whittling down the exorbitant prices that Propa had asked for. Eventually, Torn agreed to a price that was too much but not by much. After arranging for delivery to the Inn of both the Oxyacs and the Diggerduggers Torn paid Propa. Walking back towards the street Torn asked Propa about the roads and safety and was surprised to hear Propa say, ¡°There have been rumors, coming from the Dwarven kingdom. It seems that they are fighting each other but as of yet no other races have been drawn into the conflict.¡±


    Propa continued, ¡°The fact is that trade has actually increased due to the conflict as both sided need the goods traders bring. It is a nasty business for them but good business for us traders.¡± The with a nod Propa turned around and walked back into the Bestiary.


    As Torn began to walk back to the inn he thought of what he had heard, the Dwarven Kingdom sounded like it was sinking into a civil war. By the time they arrived the mission might be over if the kingdom fell, if that was the case then he would be free to pursue his own goals. He could find a place to work on leveling and once he achieved what he wanted he could go back to his island in the first realm and from there work on getting back to hell and Ama.


    Once he was reunited he would return to Mount Olympus and start to look at what he had to do there. Sighing he continued to walk towards the Inn, when suddenly two red dots appeared on his minimap.


    Glancing around as he approached the two dots he observed several people going about their daily routine with no one taking notice of him. Just as he pulled abreast of an alley a Dwarf came hurdling across the street and body checked him. The both flew into the alley where a man stood waiting, as Torn stumbled to one knee the man leaped at him with a sword and swung it towards Torn¡¯s head.


    Grabbing his maces Torn countered the blow and then got a solid hit in with the left-handed mace. Spinning around he countered the first Dwarf¡¯s attack with a long dagger that glinted with a green poison enchant. Using his right mace Torn twisted sideways and cracked the knee of the assailant. As the Dwarf went down Torn swung with all his might against the Dwarf¡¯s head, which cracked open with a spray of blood.


    Continuing to spin he thrust both maces forward hitting the chest of the second Dwarf and knocking him on his back. Both of the maces crit one with Fiery and the other with Electrical which overwhelmed the Dwarf and knocked him into unconsciousness. Quickly standing to his feet Torn looked at the first attacker, the blow to the head had been a death blow. Going over to the unconscious Dwarf Torn removed his weapons and then began to search for any clues.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Finding nothing more than 20 gold Torn turned to the dead Dwarf and searched the body. He found a note that described Torn with the instructions to kill him once located. Staring down at the body with disgust Torn slowly turned away and walked over to the second Dwarf. Grabbing him Torn began to slap his face which quickly brought the Dwarf back to consciousness. As the Dwarf looked at Torn with fear in his eyes Torn asked him, ¡°Who sent you?¡±


    The Dwarf shook his head, refusing to answer then reached up to scratch his beard. Pulling a small vial from his beard he tossed it into his mouth and bit. The reaction was instant, his body underwent a spasm and then went limp, he was dead.


    ¡°What the fuck,¡± Torn said as he released the body. Grabbing the other body Torn threw the two Dwarfs together and then cast the hottest Dragon fire he could, the bodies were quickly burnt to ash leaving no trace of what had occurred in the alley. Grabbing the weapons that had dropped torn turned to leave when suddenly he heard,


    Ding.


    You have reached level 6


    Enjoy your new stats.


    As nice as achieving level six was the fact that assassins were out looking for me was enough to take away any enjoyment I might have felt. Leaving the alley, I made my way back to the Inn hoping that the girls had arrived back. The sun was fast sinking and I did not want them out at night.


    I was surprised to see that not only were the girls back but they had a large pile of wooden boxes that they were loading into two large wagons. The wagons held harnesses for the Oxyacs and the first wagon had a clever arrangement attaching it to the front of the second wagon. This allowed for only one driver controlling both wagons.


    Greeting the girls, I asked what I could do to help and was quickly directed towards loading the boxes into the second wagon. Eventually, both wagons were loaded and Tasia called me over to the first wagon and showed me the living area at the front of the wagon. It was a room that held a bed and a small table built into the side of the wall. There was also a chest built in that the girls had already claimed. On top of the chest was a small mirror, and in the far corner stood a small wood burning stove.


    It was clean and cozy and shouted out domesticated bliss. It scared the hell out of me, it seemed the girls were serious about getting ahold of me and sharing. Leaving the cart, we entered the Inn and made our way to a booth, once we had ordered I told the girls about my day and the attack.


    As we ate Reona asked, ¡°Did you find any clues on the bodies?¡±


    Shaking my head, I answered, ¡°No but clearly this enemy is on the lookout for me, I don¡¯t think you two have been identified yet, but to be safe I suggest that we all stick together from now till we leave the city.¡±


    At this point, the Innkeeper arrived and said, ¡°Your animals have arrived, I will have the Oxyacs put in the stables but what do you want to be done with the others?¡±


    Seeing the girls looking at me I said, ¡°Let¡¯s go see the newest additions to our party.¡± Standing up I led the girls out and made our way to the stables. The 4 Oxyacs had already been given feed and were contently chewing the hay. In the corner was the cage that held the Diggerduggers, walking over I knelt down in front of the cage and observed all of them face me. The largest one approached the cage and held out his hand.


    Reaching out I grasped the hand of the little guy and was surprised to hear the Diggerdugger mind speak to me. ¡°Welcome son of Gaiatoci, we thank you for having rescued us from the portly one. We are at your service.¡±


    As I looked at the Diggerdugger with surprise he continued talking, ¡°We had almost lost hope until we saw you, but once we recognized who you are the joy at finding the son of the Earth mother was great.


    I nodded, nothing surprised me anymore in this game. ¡°What do you want? I asked. The little fellow''s answer surprised me, and I had to think for a minute.


    ¡°We are the servants of Gaiatoci in Topland, and when we felt her death I caused great concern for us, but then we faintly felt something of her still in the world, and after much scrying and searching we discovered you. Within you is the gift of Gaiatoci and we will now follow you if you would accept us as servants.¡±


    This was something that I had not expected but it could be a great blessing. I nodded and told him I would accept having them as servants. Once I had agreed to it all 12 of the little guys came up and put their hands on mine. As the last one finished a window opened up and I read,


    You have accepted a small party of followers,


    You are now considered a leader and are granted 5 points of loyalty from your followers,


    Leading by example is more effective than being a dictator, but the choice is yours.


    That seemed an ominous warning and one I resolved to take heed of. I noticed a new permanent buff had appeared that listed the 5 points of loyalty, I hid it along with all the other buffs I had, no point in letting anyone read me and my abilities like a book.


    As I opened the cage I was surprised to hear the leader mind speak to me without touching me. It would seem that having accepted them as my servants I could now communicate with them. That was a huge benefit to me, going around holding the hand of a Diggerdugger whenever I wanted to communicate would have been strange.


    ¡°My name is Laioch, and I am the leader of this group, could you introduce me to your companions?¡±


    I turned around and made my way to the girls who had been watching all of this with surprise. Pointing to Reona I said, ¡°This is my companion Reona and the lady standing next to her is Tasia, we will be traveling soon, and any aid that you can bring would be appreciated.¡± Laioch nodded and then performed a bow before the girls then turning towards me he asked if I had any food that they could have, it turned out they were not well fed in captivity.


    I called one of the stable boys and ordered 4 large meals to be brought out to the stables for the Diggerduggers. I then informed Laioch that the 4 Oxyacs were mine and was surprised when he responded that he would take over the care of the animals.


    It turned out that they had amazing skill with animals. I pointed out the two wagons and suggested that they could bed down in the living compartment of the first one and keep guard. The food finally arrived and the Diggerduggers ate to they were full, then making their way over to the wagons the settled in, with 6 on guard duty and 6 resting.


    I yawned and then suggested that we all turn in; it had been a busy day and I wanted to sleep. As we made our way up to our room, Tasia asked, ¡°does this kind of thing happen to you all the time or is this something special.¡± Seeing Reona looking at me wanting to hear the answer I yawned before answering.


    ¡°Yes to both, and no I do not want to talk about it, I need sleep more than you two need your curiosity satisfied.¡± Seeing both women get a look on their face I turned around and said, ¡°I am going to sleep in the cart, goodnight.¡± Leaving the room before they grabbed me I made my way down and grabbing a flagon of wine I went to the cart.


    Making myself at home I drank the wine and thought of all that had happened. I was not sure if I was doing the right thing but the plans were in motion and there would be no turning back now. Closing my eyes, I was about to sleep when suddenly there was a sudden flare of power on the buff the Ama had given me when we married. I almost cried out in pain as a sudden feeling of loss coursed through my spirit. I knew without any doubt that Ama had died. I sat up on the bed and began to cry, feeling the loss that was more than just emotion, we had shared a soul bond and it had been severed. I sat there unable to speak for several minutes before I could think logically and pull myself together. What brought me out of the pit of despair that had attempted to drag me down was the awareness the succubae buff was still active; in fact, it had grown in power since I had felt the loss of Ama.


    I knew that I could not sleep so getting up I made my way down towards the docks, eventually stopping before the Golden Ass. It was empty and deserted and held no answers to my questions. Turning I made my way back into the city upon reaching the Inn I grabbed a table at the common room.


    The Innkeeper seeing me sitting there gestured for me to join him, so walking over I sat down and was introduced to his companion.


    ¡°This is my brother Ingar, and he is the one leading the caravan.¡±


    I nodded and clasped wrists with Ingar, he smiled at me and said, ¡°So I hear that you will be joining me with two wagons of your own, and will be helping to guard the goods eh. Glad to have you, the trails are getting rougher it would seem, and while I don¡¯t expect trouble, it is whispered that trouble finds those that do not seek it.¡±


    I nodded, it was the truth that I had found in my life. Calling out to the barmaid I asked for another round of mead and sat back listening to the brother''s talk. It would seem that both the Inn and the caravans were profitable but the brothers were looking to expand. This gave me an idea and I decided to broach the subject and see if they would be interested in my plan.


    ¡°Gentlemen, ¡°I began. I have been listening to you discuss your businesses and I have a proposal for you, as it turns out I am in possession of a small ocean going ship, it is in good shape. Would you two have any interest in forming a partnership? I will provide the ship and put up some gold to help pay for the first cargo, I want 70 percent ownership and 60 percent of any profits, what do you say.¡±


    The next hour passed quickly, but I was adamant in retaining the 70 percent ownership, however, I went down to 50 percent of all profits. The men finally agreed to my terms and we signed a contract. I told them that I would have a representative check up on the venture once in a while and with that I was in business.


    We had decided to name the business Heavy Hold Trading, and I had a feeling that I was going to get rich from this. The men did not seem to care how I had gotten ownership of the ship after I showed the ship''s log and the Capitan¡¯s Journal. Ingar remarked he knew a councilmember who would facilitate the transfer of ownership of the ship to the company.


    The evening was now getting late and I went back to the cart, the business deal had taken the edge off my grief, but I still felt empty inside as I went to sleep.

 Chapter 32 Guarding the Caravan

    <h2>Chapter 32 Guarding the Caravan</h2>


    I woke up with Laioch calling to me, ¡°Someone approaches.¡± Stretching, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. Quickly pulling on my shirt I swung open the door and saw Reona and Tasia standing by the front of the cart.


    ¡°Good morning ladies, I hope you had a good night.¡± They both looked at me and nodded as I hopped down. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some breakfast,¡± I suggested. Walking into the Inn we made our way to a booth and sat down and ordered as soon as the serving girl arrived.


    ¡°I have some new to tell you, ¡°I began. ¡°We are now partners with the owner and his brother Ingar in a trading venture called heavy Hold Trading. I put up the Golden Ass and some gold and we have formed a partnership. You are both included under me as co-owners.¡±


    The girls stared at me surprise on their faces, and Reona was the first to speak. ¡°Why would you include us? It¡¯s a nice gesture but one that will take away from any profits that the company might earn for you.¡± Seeing Tasia nod her head I smiled at them and then told them why I had made the choice to include them.


    ¡°War is coming, I have no doubts about that, and while you both have a place back at the city, the fact is you may not make it back there, and I do not want to leave you alone in a war-torn realm without any support.¡±


    Tasia broke interrupted me and asked, ¡°It sounds like you are planning on a future where you might not be around?¡±


    Nodding I replied, ¡°My life has commitments that I can¡¯t explain to you, and there is a real possibility that I might have to leave at any time.¡± Thinking back to the shock of losing Ama I knew that as soon as I could I had to return to Hell, my son was there, alone now. I could not explain this without telling the girls who I really was so I just left it at that. I knew that they were not satisfied with what I had said, but life is like that sometimes.


    The breakfast arrived as did the Innkeeper who got right to the point, ¡°Torn would it be possible for you to leave today, the caravan has come together faster than expected and Ingar is chomping at the bit to get going?¡±


    I looked at the girls and wiggled my eyebrows, they shared a quick look and agreed that we could go anytime as our carts were loaded. We arranged to meet at the north gate of the city and were promised that our carts would be ready to leave as soon as we were done breakfast.


    I excused myself to go clean up and arranged to meet the girls outside in a few minutes. Once I was done with my morning washup I went outside and watched as the Oxyacs were put into harness. Within minutes Reona, Tasia and I were sitting on the wide bench and guiding the wagons through the street. The Diggerduggers were all sitting in the back cart hidden from sight as we navigated the towns streets.


    It took about an hour and we were finally free of the town, about a kilometer from town we met up with the Caravan. Ingar came riding over and greeted me warmly, then introduced himself to the girls. He pointed out the wagons and then suggested that we bring up the last, mentioning that the wagons traveled at a walking pace and that he expected at least one of us to be on guard duty as long as we were moving.


    I agreed to take the first watch and was invited to a meeting of the other guards where the duties would be assigned. Nodding I walked back with Ingar to where a group of 6 men were waiting. Ingar introduced the men to me starting with the leader, Sergeant Roche a veteran of many years. All the men had experience and seemed friendly enough until I met the scout. His name was Yakoff, and my perception went into overdrive as I looked at him.


    He nodded politely but glanced at me when he thought I was not looking, I could feel his resentment and anger, not just at me but at everyone, and I could also tell he was planning on betraying us at some point. As Ingar and I walked back towards the wagons I casually asked about the men and especially about the scout.


    Ingar looked at me and said, ¡°The men I have worked with before, the scout is new but he knows the land and is experienced. I nodded, and as we approached Ingar¡¯s wagon I debated if I should say something. Deciding not to as it was not a great way to start a long journey I resolved to keep a close eye on the scout and if needed end him if he presented a danger to us.


    Going back to my carts I made small talk with the girls until we began. The caravan left at a steady pace and soon the town was behind us. I spent my time walking up and down the length of the train of wagons and carts. As the kilometers passed the trail began to go through some wild looking terrain.


    As I walked by Ingar¡¯s wagon he called down to me, ¡°This area is known to have some wild beasts roaming around, claims of monsters have also been spoken, keep your eyes open.¡± I nodded it would not do to let anything damage the caravan. The day passed into evening and Ingar settled the Caravan into a field to bed down for the night.


    Reona and Tasia both stepped down from the wagon and with the help of the Diggerduggers soon had the Oxyacs out of harness and hobbled on a long tether allowing them to eat the nearby grass and shrubs. I quickly put together a fire and going through the supplies soon had a simple meal of meat and vegetables cooking.


    Once we were finished supper the girls surprised me by snuggling up to me, one on each side. Roan began by saying, ¡°Torn, both of us have felt that something has happened to you, your face is sad and your usual flair for life seems to be missing, what has happened?¡±


    I sat and thought for a moment, I did not feel like baring my soul but the girls deserved to know why I was saddened. Clearing my throat, I said, ¡°Last night I found out that someone I cared about had died. It has saddened me and I am carrying the loss. I am sorry if it has affected my behavior.¡±


    Both the girls stared and me and then both hugged me, Tasia then spoke, ¡°I will take the first watch, you two should go get some rest. Standing up she walked over to where the other guards were gathered and began to talk to the men.


    Reona smiled at me and said, ¡°give me a minute to change before you come in.¡± I nodded as she entered the cart, after waiting for several minutes I joined her, removing my armor I stretched out on the bed and tried to relax. I could perceive Reona looking at me and was not surprised when she began to rub my back.


    After several minutes, she spoke, ¡°Torn, I want you to know I know who you really are.¡± I stiffened at her words but continued to listen.


    Reona¡¯s voice faltered but she continued to speak, ¡°I know that you have every right to hate me, I took Twink and gave her to my father and watched as he killed you. I want you to know that if I could change that I would, but I cannot.¡±Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    There was silence as she continued to rub my back and after a moment she began to speak again, ¡°You probably don¡¯t realize this but when my father commands me I have no choice I have to obey him. It is like a compulsion that I cannot disobey; my body does not respond to my will.¡±


    She began to cry and then continued to speak, ¡°He has made me do things that are wrong, things that a father should not do to his daughter. I had to respond to him, I had no choice.¡± AS she stopped I could feel her warm tears falling onto my back, and I could not help but guess at what she was alluding to.


    This world is so amazing but it has so much wrong with it, I thought as I recalled what had happened. Turning to look at Reona I was struck with how vulnerable she was at that moment. The tears were flowing freely and her face reflected the anguish she was feeling.


    Reaching up I grabbed her and pulled her down next to me and said, ¡°I forgive you.¡± Once I spoke I felt a release of emotions and feelings. I began to cry also as I hugged her and gently patted her head. We fell asleep soon after holding each other, each having released something from our souls and finding out that inner peace was possible.


    I woke up several hours later as Tasia climbed into the wagon, she looked at us and smiled. Then whispered, ¡°It is time for the guards to change, should I wake her or do a double shift?¡±


    I shook my head and silently stood up and whispered, ¡°I have slept enough, I will take the shift. Quickly putting on my armor I stopped and touched Tasia on her cheek and said, ¡°Thank you for caring.¡± I then slipped out of the cart and made my way to the fire. Grabbing a hot drink, I asked if anything had happened, and was not surprised to hear that all was quiet.


    I left the fire and began to make a circuit of the Caravan, stopping often to stare at the darkness my Dragon eyes making the dark night as light as day. After an hour, I was once again at the fire getting another drink when the night air was parted with a shriek of pain and anger, it came from the west where the forest began.


    The men all jumped to their feet and stared at the darkness, swearing and loosening their weapons. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± one guard asked as another shriek split the air. I stopped and stared at the woods, I knew what beast was out there. It was a Wyvern and I knew instinctively that it was a female with a brood of eggs.


    Ingar had appeared and he walked over to me and stared at the woods and cursed. ¡°What the Hell is that in there. It is too dark for us to move the Caravan but I fear it might be getting closer.¡±


    Looking at Ingar I made my mind up, I would go investigate what was happening, my Dragon nature wanted to know what could be harming a Wyvern. Looking at Ingar I spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll go investigate, we have to know what we will be facing if it comes this way.¡±


    Ingar looked uncomfortable and suggested that the scout could go, I laughed and said, ¡°I doubt he would do more than circle us a few times and then return.¡±


    Giving me an odd look Ingar said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like him, is there something I should know here?¡±


    Shrugging I replied, ¡°I have learned to trust my instincts and they are telling me not to trust him.¡±


    Putting my mug down, I said, ¡°I will try to return before we head out, if I am not back by then just keep going I will catch up.¡±


    Turning Torn walked to the edge of the encampment and then once he was in the darkness he slipped into Shadows and began to run towards the source of the sounds. After traveling for about an hour Torn entered a clearing and observed a band of twenty Goblins, they had surrounded the Wyvern and had cast heavy nets over her.


    The Goblins were repeatedly clubbing the beast and Torn noted that its hit points were almost gone and it would soon be dead. Past the Wyvern was its nest and cradled within were four eggs, two had been split open and three Goblins were working on the third egg, hitting it with maces in a maniacal fury.


    It was apparent that they soon would be done and then they would move onto the fourth and last egg. Torn could feel the fear emanating from the last two eggs when suddenly the third egg split and the little Wyvern died under the repeated blows of the Goblins.


    Without hesitation Torn ran up to the nest and cloaked in shadows he attacked, using both maces he cracked two goblins in the head fracturing their skulls and instantly killing them as the weapons both cast fire and critted. The remaining Goblin whirled around his mace held high looking for the enemy but Torn was ready and shooting forth his hand he cast Dragon fire on the goblin who began to scream as he tumbled backward off the nest.


    This alerted the remaining Goblins and half of them surged towards the nest determined to attack and kill whoever had dared to attack the war party. As they started towards the nest Torn cast Holy Fire his Paladin spell and was rewarded with the sight of fire lifting off the ground and falling from the sky covering all the Goblins and rapidly reducing their hit points.


    Leaping at them Torn activated Wrath of Light and was rewarded with both of his maces glowing with a golden hue. As he spun amongst the enemy he hit did a considerable amount of damage and from the point of impact a golden light would quickly cover the bodies of the Goblins burning them from the inside as the holy Fire spell burnt them from the outside.


    Within minutes all the Goblins were dead, along with the Wyvern. The area reeked of blood and burnt flesh, and Torn was eager to leave as wild beasts would soon be appearing. Quickly looting the corpses, he gathered 25 gold and a scroll. Leaving the low-level weapons Torn returned to the nest and looked at the lone nest, he could feel the fear emanating from the egg.


    Reaching down Torn grabbed the egg and cradling it he began to run back towards the Caravan. Just as the dawn early light broke the horizon he arrived at the camp. Staying in Shadows, he listened as Ingar rebutted the scout Yakoff.


    ¡°Not another word Yakoff, if Torn does not make it back this morning he will catch up. Any talk about taking his carts and splitting the goods will not be tolerated and if I hear you ever say that the women could be shared by us men I will fire you on the spot.¡±


    I could not restrain myself at this point and walked up behind Yakoff. I slid my dagger free and held it at his neck, then letting the Shadows fade I whispered in his ear, ¡°I will kill you, not today and maybe not tomorrow but your death is now written in the book of life and death.¡±


    As I finished speaking a brilliant flash of lightning occurred in the clear sky and Yakoff turned white. Jumping away from me he spun around and cursed, visibly shaken at the fact I could have ended him at any time.


    I just smiled at the asshole, I knew I would have to kill him probably sooner than later, I could perceive that he wanted us all dead me most of all. I knew that he was planning a trap, where and when I did not know.


    The men were all staring at me in shock, no one had been aware of my presence and between my appearance out of the shadows and the lightning most of the men were uneasy. I was going to add to that as I began to speak. Telling the story of the Goblins attacking the Wyvern took only a minute and while some of the men seemed amazed that I had taken out 20 of the bastards no one doubted the truthfulness of the tale. Not once they saw the Wyvern egg I carried.


    We quickly got ready leaving as soon as I could, I let the girls sleep and had the Diggerduggers hook up the harness. Soon we were on the road, and once again life seemed to slow down to a walking pace. Soon both girls poked their heads out and greeted me. They returned to the room and soon the smell of food and kava was greeting my nose.


    As the girls stepped out and sat down they passed me a plate of eggs and fried meat, along with a hot mug of steaming goodness. In between bites I told of what had occurred and of Yakoff and his demands to Ingar. The girls stared with narrowed eyes and then asked if they should help him to have an accident.


    I smiled and said, ¡°No the little prick is mine, he crossed over several lines and will have to pay the price, just watch out for him, he is a toady little bastard.¡±


    The rest of the day passed peacefully with the girls sharing the watch duties and driving the wagon. I entered the cabin and shoved the Wyvern egg into the hot fireplace, it needed heat to continue to develop and hatch.


    Laying down I opened the scroll I had retrieved and slowly began to read.


    The time has come to begin to foray into the lands of men, the Dark Masters are at work, and soon the world will be plunged into shadows. Go forth and harm all, slay what you can and destroy the works of man. Are allies number in the hordes and soon we will be triumphant over the light.


    What the Hell, this is more than just intertribal warfare amongst the Dwarfs. My thoughts were troubled as I fell asleep, there was a darkness moving on the land and had been for years building strength as it remained hidden. The time for hiding was over it seemed.

 Chapter 32 Guarding the Caravan

    <h2>Chapter 32 Guarding the Caravan</h2>


    I woke up with Laioch calling to me, ¡°Someone approaches.¡± Stretching, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and stood up. Quickly pulling on my shirt I swung open the door and saw Reona and Tasia standing by the front of the cart.


    ¡°Good morning ladies, I hope you had a good night.¡± They both looked at me and nodded as I hopped down. ¡°Let¡¯s go get some breakfast,¡± I suggested. Walking into the Inn we made our way to a booth and sat down and ordered as soon as the serving girl arrived.


    ¡°I have some new to tell you, ¡°I began. ¡°We are now partners with the owner and his brother Ingar in a trading venture called heavy Hold Trading. I put up the Golden Ass and some gold and we have formed a partnership. You are both included under me as co-owners.¡±


    The girls stared at me surprise on their faces, and Reona was the first to speak. ¡°Why would you include us? It¡¯s a nice gesture but one that will take away from any profits that the company might earn for you.¡± Seeing Tasia nod her head I smiled at them and then told them why I had made the choice to include them.


    ¡°War is coming, I have no doubts about that, and while you both have a place back at the city, the fact is you may not make it back there, and I do not want to leave you alone in a war-torn realm without any support.¡±


    Tasia broke interrupted me and asked, ¡°It sounds like you are planning on a future where you might not be around?¡±


    Nodding I replied, ¡°My life has commitments that I can¡¯t explain to you, and there is a real possibility that I might have to leave at any time.¡± Thinking back to the shock of losing Ama I knew that as soon as I could I had to return to Hell, my son was there, alone now. I could not explain this without telling the girls who I really was so I just left it at that. I knew that they were not satisfied with what I had said, but life is like that sometimes.


    The breakfast arrived as did the Innkeeper who got right to the point, ¡°Torn would it be possible for you to leave today, the caravan has come together faster than expected and Ingar is chomping at the bit to get going?¡±


    I looked at the girls and wiggled my eyebrows, they shared a quick look and agreed that we could go anytime as our carts were loaded. We arranged to meet at the north gate of the city and were promised that our carts would be ready to leave as soon as we were done breakfast.


    I excused myself to go clean up and arranged to meet the girls outside in a few minutes. Once I was done with my morning washup I went outside and watched as the Oxyacs were put into harness. Within minutes Reona, Tasia and I were sitting on the wide bench and guiding the wagons through the street. The Diggerduggers were all sitting in the back cart hidden from sight as we navigated the towns streets.


    It took about an hour and we were finally free of the town, about a kilometer from town we met up with the Caravan. Ingar came riding over and greeted me warmly, then introduced himself to the girls. He pointed out the wagons and then suggested that we bring up the last, mentioning that the wagons traveled at a walking pace and that he expected at least one of us to be on guard duty as long as we were moving.


    I agreed to take the first watch and was invited to a meeting of the other guards where the duties would be assigned. Nodding I walked back with Ingar to where a group of 6 men were waiting. Ingar introduced the men to me starting with the leader, Sergeant Roche a veteran of many years. All the men had experience and seemed friendly enough until I met the scout. His name was Yakoff, and my perception went into overdrive as I looked at him.


    He nodded politely but glanced at me when he thought I was not looking, I could feel his resentment and anger, not just at me but at everyone, and I could also tell he was planning on betraying us at some point. As Ingar and I walked back towards the wagons I casually asked about the men and especially about the scout.


    Ingar looked at me and said, ¡°The men I have worked with before, the scout is new but he knows the land and is experienced. I nodded, and as we approached Ingar¡¯s wagon I debated if I should say something. Deciding not to as it was not a great way to start a long journey I resolved to keep a close eye on the scout and if needed end him if he presented a danger to us.


    Going back to my carts I made small talk with the girls until we began. The caravan left at a steady pace and soon the town was behind us. I spent my time walking up and down the length of the train of wagons and carts. As the kilometers passed the trail began to go through some wild looking terrain.


    As I walked by Ingar¡¯s wagon he called down to me, ¡°This area is known to have some wild beasts roaming around, claims of monsters have also been spoken, keep your eyes open.¡± I nodded it would not do to let anything damage the caravan. The day passed into evening and Ingar settled the Caravan into a field to bed down for the night.


    Reona and Tasia both stepped down from the wagon and with the help of the Diggerduggers soon had the Oxyacs out of harness and hobbled on a long tether allowing them to eat the nearby grass and shrubs. I quickly put together a fire and going through the supplies soon had a simple meal of meat and vegetables cooking.


    Once we were finished supper the girls surprised me by snuggling up to me, one on each side. Roan began by saying, ¡°Torn, both of us have felt that something has happened to you, your face is sad and your usual flair for life seems to be missing, what has happened?¡±


    I sat and thought for a moment, I did not feel like baring my soul but the girls deserved to know why I was saddened. Clearing my throat, I said, ¡°Last night I found out that someone I cared about had died. It has saddened me and I am carrying the loss. I am sorry if it has affected my behavior.¡±


    Both the girls stared and me and then both hugged me, Tasia then spoke, ¡°I will take the first watch, you two should go get some rest. Standing up she walked over to where the other guards were gathered and began to talk to the men.


    Reona smiled at me and said, ¡°give me a minute to change before you come in.¡± I nodded as she entered the cart, after waiting for several minutes I joined her, removing my armor I stretched out on the bed and tried to relax. I could perceive Reona looking at me and was not surprised when she began to rub my back.


    After several minutes, she spoke, ¡°Torn, I want you to know I know who you really are.¡± I stiffened at her words but continued to listen.


    Reona¡¯s voice faltered but she continued to speak, ¡°I know that you have every right to hate me, I took Twink and gave her to my father and watched as he killed you. I want you to know that if I could change that I would, but I cannot.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    There was silence as she continued to rub my back and after a moment she began to speak again, ¡°You probably don¡¯t realize this but when my father commands me I have no choice I have to obey him. It is like a compulsion that I cannot disobey; my body does not respond to my will.¡±


    She began to cry and then continued to speak, ¡°He has made me do things that are wrong, things that a father should not do to his daughter. I had to respond to him, I had no choice.¡± AS she stopped I could feel her warm tears falling onto my back, and I could not help but guess at what she was alluding to.


    This world is so amazing but it has so much wrong with it, I thought as I recalled what had happened. Turning to look at Reona I was struck with how vulnerable she was at that moment. The tears were flowing freely and her face reflected the anguish she was feeling.


    Reaching up I grabbed her and pulled her down next to me and said, ¡°I forgive you.¡± Once I spoke I felt a release of emotions and feelings. I began to cry also as I hugged her and gently patted her head. We fell asleep soon after holding each other, each having released something from our souls and finding out that inner peace was possible.


    I woke up several hours later as Tasia climbed into the wagon, she looked at us and smiled. Then whispered, ¡°It is time for the guards to change, should I wake her or do a double shift?¡±


    I shook my head and silently stood up and whispered, ¡°I have slept enough, I will take the shift. Quickly putting on my armor I stopped and touched Tasia on her cheek and said, ¡°Thank you for caring.¡± I then slipped out of the cart and made my way to the fire. Grabbing a hot drink, I asked if anything had happened, and was not surprised to hear that all was quiet.


    I left the fire and began to make a circuit of the Caravan, stopping often to stare at the darkness my Dragon eyes making the dark night as light as day. After an hour, I was once again at the fire getting another drink when the night air was parted with a shriek of pain and anger, it came from the west where the forest began.


    The men all jumped to their feet and stared at the darkness, swearing and loosening their weapons. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± one guard asked as another shriek split the air. I stopped and stared at the woods, I knew what beast was out there. It was a Wyvern and I knew instinctively that it was a female with a brood of eggs.


    Ingar had appeared and he walked over to me and stared at the woods and cursed. ¡°What the Hell is that in there. It is too dark for us to move the Caravan but I fear it might be getting closer.¡±


    Looking at Ingar I made my mind up, I would go investigate what was happening, my Dragon nature wanted to know what could be harming a Wyvern. Looking at Ingar I spoke, ¡°I¡¯ll go investigate, we have to know what we will be facing if it comes this way.¡±


    Ingar looked uncomfortable and suggested that the scout could go, I laughed and said, ¡°I doubt he would do more than circle us a few times and then return.¡±


    Giving me an odd look Ingar said, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like him, is there something I should know here?¡±


    Shrugging I replied, ¡°I have learned to trust my instincts and they are telling me not to trust him.¡±


    Putting my mug down, I said, ¡°I will try to return before we head out, if I am not back by then just keep going I will catch up.¡±


    Turning Torn walked to the edge of the encampment and then once he was in the darkness he slipped into Shadows and began to run towards the source of the sounds. After traveling for about an hour Torn entered a clearing and observed a band of twenty Goblins, they had surrounded the Wyvern and had cast heavy nets over her.


    The Goblins were repeatedly clubbing the beast and Torn noted that its hit points were almost gone and it would soon be dead. Past the Wyvern was its nest and cradled within were four eggs, two had been split open and three Goblins were working on the third egg, hitting it with maces in a maniacal fury.


    It was apparent that they soon would be done and then they would move onto the fourth and last egg. Torn could feel the fear emanating from the last two eggs when suddenly the third egg split and the little Wyvern died under the repeated blows of the Goblins.


    Without hesitation Torn ran up to the nest and cloaked in shadows he attacked, using both maces he cracked two goblins in the head fracturing their skulls and instantly killing them as the weapons both cast fire and critted. The remaining Goblin whirled around his mace held high looking for the enemy but Torn was ready and shooting forth his hand he cast Dragon fire on the goblin who began to scream as he tumbled backward off the nest.


    This alerted the remaining Goblins and half of them surged towards the nest determined to attack and kill whoever had dared to attack the war party. As they started towards the nest Torn cast Holy Fire his Paladin spell and was rewarded with the sight of fire lifting off the ground and falling from the sky covering all the Goblins and rapidly reducing their hit points.


    Leaping at them Torn activated Wrath of Light and was rewarded with both of his maces glowing with a golden hue. As he spun amongst the enemy he hit did a considerable amount of damage and from the point of impact a golden light would quickly cover the bodies of the Goblins burning them from the inside as the holy Fire spell burnt them from the outside.


    Within minutes all the Goblins were dead, along with the Wyvern. The area reeked of blood and burnt flesh, and Torn was eager to leave as wild beasts would soon be appearing. Quickly looting the corpses, he gathered 25 gold and a scroll. Leaving the low-level weapons Torn returned to the nest and looked at the lone nest, he could feel the fear emanating from the egg.


    Reaching down Torn grabbed the egg and cradling it he began to run back towards the Caravan. Just as the dawn early light broke the horizon he arrived at the camp. Staying in Shadows, he listened as Ingar rebutted the scout Yakoff.


    ¡°Not another word Yakoff, if Torn does not make it back this morning he will catch up. Any talk about taking his carts and splitting the goods will not be tolerated and if I hear you ever say that the women could be shared by us men I will fire you on the spot.¡±


    I could not restrain myself at this point and walked up behind Yakoff. I slid my dagger free and held it at his neck, then letting the Shadows fade I whispered in his ear, ¡°I will kill you, not today and maybe not tomorrow but your death is now written in the book of life and death.¡±


    As I finished speaking a brilliant flash of lightning occurred in the clear sky and Yakoff turned white. Jumping away from me he spun around and cursed, visibly shaken at the fact I could have ended him at any time.


    I just smiled at the asshole, I knew I would have to kill him probably sooner than later, I could perceive that he wanted us all dead me most of all. I knew that he was planning a trap, where and when I did not know.


    The men were all staring at me in shock, no one had been aware of my presence and between my appearance out of the shadows and the lightning most of the men were uneasy. I was going to add to that as I began to speak. Telling the story of the Goblins attacking the Wyvern took only a minute and while some of the men seemed amazed that I had taken out 20 of the bastards no one doubted the truthfulness of the tale. Not once they saw the Wyvern egg I carried.


    We quickly got ready leaving as soon as I could, I let the girls sleep and had the Diggerduggers hook up the harness. Soon we were on the road, and once again life seemed to slow down to a walking pace. Soon both girls poked their heads out and greeted me. They returned to the room and soon the smell of food and kava was greeting my nose.


    As the girls stepped out and sat down they passed me a plate of eggs and fried meat, along with a hot mug of steaming goodness. In between bites I told of what had occurred and of Yakoff and his demands to Ingar. The girls stared with narrowed eyes and then asked if they should help him to have an accident.


    I smiled and said, ¡°No the little prick is mine, he crossed over several lines and will have to pay the price, just watch out for him, he is a toady little bastard.¡±


    The rest of the day passed peacefully with the girls sharing the watch duties and driving the wagon. I entered the cabin and shoved the Wyvern egg into the hot fireplace, it needed heat to continue to develop and hatch.


    Laying down I opened the scroll I had retrieved and slowly began to read.


    The time has come to begin to foray into the lands of men, the Dark Masters are at work, and soon the world will be plunged into shadows. Go forth and harm all, slay what you can and destroy the works of man. Are allies number in the hordes and soon we will be triumphant over the light.


    What the Hell, this is more than just intertribal warfare amongst the Dwarfs. My thoughts were troubled as I fell asleep, there was a darkness moving on the land and had been for years building strength as it remained hidden. The time for hiding was over it seemed.

 Chapter 33 The Dark God

    <h1>Chapter 33 The Dark God</h1>


    The sky was gray and overcast, the weather was turning colder and soon winter would hit, this far south we expected little snow and what would fall would not last. This was what made it possible to run the Caravans all year. We had been on the road for a month and had gone through two villages setting up shop for a couple of days and then packing up and moving on.


    Tonight, Ingar has mentioned we would be at the third village and would have the amenities of an Inn. I think that everyone was looking forward to having a hot bath and relaxing, we had fended off two bandit attacks with little trouble, but were still on edge over it.


    Looking up the road I could see Tasia making her way back to our cart. As she pulled up and swung in the seat the greeted me with a smile and asked, ¡°You ready to get your lazy ass off this bench and do some real work?¡±


    I smiled at her, the last month had proven to be a time of friendship and I had enjoyed getting to know both Reona and Tasia on a personal level. We had not progressed beyond that friendship, I suspected that both of the girls were more than willing but since Ama¡¯s Death, I had lost interest in the lust of the flesh. Not that it stopped me from admiring the beauty of the girls with whom I shared a small room.


    Hearing us softly talk Reona opened the door and looked out then smiling at Tasia she slid out of the door and seated herself on the bench, making a Torn sandwich with me in the middle and a girl on each side. We talked for a few minutes and then I handed the reins to Tasia and reached into my bag and removed the bag with the 4 rings I had looted from the Hidden attic of the House of Pain.


    Smiling at the girls I gave them each two rings and said, ¡°You two deserve these if anyone does. I hope that they serve you well, I don¡¯t want them wasting space in my bag when they could be used by you two. The girls stared at the rings in amazement they were flawless and of epic quality, all four were BOE and would level as the girls leveled. Back in the old days of WOW, the first super popular MMO game, gear like this was called heirloom I recalled as I handed it to them.


    As the girls fussed and marveled at the stats of the 4 rings I let my thoughts go back to when I was at school. I had become a bit of an info sponge, especially after I had purchased the old Google Glasses. What luck to have found them I thought when suddenly I wondered if it was luck at all. Perhaps things were a little prearranged in my life, with the knowledge that the earth that I knew was no more real than this game, Gods and Men I could see how my life had been manipulated in small ways.


    Taking a deep breath, I exhaled and allowed all the tension to flow out of my body. Turning to Reona I asked, ¡°So what rings did you choose?¡±


    As she looked at me I could see a glow on her face, she seemed happy, but then without trying to be a sexist pig I had to wonder if women getting rare and expensive jewelry always made most women happy.


    Reona smiled back at Torn, noting that the tension he now carried was somewhat relaxed and for that she was grateful. ¡°I chose the spell power and intellect rings, the first one increased spell power by ten per level and the intellect the same.¡± Smiling at Torn, she thought, he is so generous with us.


    Torn smiled at Reona and then turned to Tasia and asked, ¡°How about you, what stats do your new rings give you?¡±


    Tasia stared at the rings in shock and slowly responded, they are the same but it is plus ten per level towards strength and agility. With my training and levels, these rings have put me far ahead of the curve. Thank you, Torn.¡± With that Tasia turned and kissed Torn, and while not overtly sexual there was no doubt that it could lead towards that avenue.


    Not to be outdone, Reona also grabbed Torn and kissed him, while whispering ¡°Thank you.¡± Torn half smiled and half blushed, it felt good to be kissed by two attractive women but he still was not ready to walk down that pathway with them.


    Suddenly Ingar was striding beside them and spoke up, ¡°Torn we are approaching the next village, our Scout has returned and informed me that they are eagerly waiting for us. Also, it is the headsman¡¯s daughter¡¯s wedding and we are all invited to the feast, it is held at the Inn so we would be there regardless.¡± With that he strode off to inform the others, I kept quiet, the idea of going to a wedding feast did not appeal to me.


    The girls, on the other hand, were more than excited and were already discussing what to wear and if there would be a dance. Tasia mentioned that in small villages usually had no musicians and as such no dances.


    Reona gave a laugh and poked me in the side, and said, ¡°You have not heard torn sing then, it is enough to make you want to throw your undergarments at him as he sings, it is so amazing.¡± Seeing Tasia look at me with surprise Reona also declared, ¡°You will hear him sing tonight at the dance, it will be amazing. I promise.¡±


    The girls ignored my protestations as they began to seriously plan the entire night out with me as the center of attraction. Giving them both sharp looks which they ignored with ease caused me to hasten my departure from the cart. I began to walk alongside the Caravan looking at the bushes and the low trees that covered this part of the country.


    As I reached the front of the Caravan we crested a small hill and the village was below us. The wood burning smoke coming out of dozens of chimneys provided a pleasant smell as we descended into the small valley. The village was nestled on a bit of higher ground with a small river running through it, with several small foot bridges joining the village. There were two larger bridges as well, they were clearly meant for wagons and carts.


    Eventually, we pulled up the Inn and backed our carts against the wall, then began the process of taking the harness of the Oxyacs and moving them to the large stables. Once they were inside the Diggerduggers went to work. They began by bringing them hay and water, and then they pulled out small combs of rock and began cleaning and grooming the beasts.


    My 4 animals were always clean and well-groomed in the morning; the fact is they seemed to enjoy having the little Diggerduggers pamper them. I smiled at the sight of the huge beasts gently bending down their massive heads so that they could be combed.


    Making my way into the Inn I was informed that the girls had secured a room, free of charge for us. The Innkeeper explained that the girls had traded my singing for the free stay and that the dance would begin at 9 bells and would last to 12 bells. All the ale or mead I could drink was provided free of charge as well as snacks.


    Smiling and nodding I slowly made my way up to my room, it was a two-bedroom suit, possibly the best room at the Inn. Entering I discovered the girls in various stages of undress as they began to try on different clothing, Reona sharing with Tasia from her trunks. I walked into the far room and saw that my bags were placed on the chest next to the bed.


    Grabbing a change of clothing and a towel I walked towards the door stopping to say that I would be in the washroom having a bath. The girls looked at one another and nodded and then both spoke in unison saying, ¡°We will join you.¡±


    I could not help but smile at the girls and said, ¡°I am waiting so let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing them both grab a small bag I held the door for them and we all trooped down the stairs and towards the back of the building. We entered a doorway and were hit with a blast of hot air and steam. Walking through the door we entered the washrooms. The first room was basically a steam room with a warm and cold pool in the next room. The last area was broken into many small rooms each with a small pool of heated water.


    I quickly stripped and wrapping my towel around my waist I turned to see both Reona and Tasia staring at me. It was the Tattoos of Runic script and the Roses and swords in my arms. I looked at Tasia she was a little pale and I could tell that she was burning with questions.


    I walked over to her and took her hand and said, ¡°Tasia it is the time you know the truth, I am Tor.¡± I left it there and stood back and watched her. I know that for the last 6 years the King and the whole upper tiers of the city had blamed me for the absence of the Gods and probably for anything else that they could.


    Her hand trembled for a moment as she took in a deep breath and suddenly she relaxed. ¡°I have suspected that something was different with you from when I met you, first you killed a Sea Giant then you appeared to be waiting for us when we docked and of course you saved both Reona and me, something that a party of 5 higher levels would have had trouble doing.¡±


    Tasia continued to speak and asked, ¡°What are you Torn, I don¡¯t believe you are evil, your not a Demon who has come to harm us.¡±Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    I shrugged, it was hard to explain what I was and what I was becoming. Speaking softly, I said, ¡°I am who I am, and while not a Demon, I am a Demon Prince. Truthfully I came back after dying to find my family and friends and find a safe place to live my days. That is no longer possible, but I give you my word, I am not the enemy. There is a growing darkness and I fear that we are all being manipulated by circumstance.¡±


    Looking at Tasia I saw that the doubt was still there when Reona spoke, ¡°Believe him, Tasia, I was there when he died and he has reason to hate me more than any other. Yet he has forgiven me. Trust him, I think we are all going to need to trust one another.¡±


    Seeing Tasia give Reona a shocked look I stood for a moment and then said, I am for the pools I want to be clean and then walked to the next room and jumped into the warm pool and began to swim. Soon I was joined by both Tasia and Reona and both looked like they had been discussing deep things. Things I did not want to know.


    Tasia began by saying, ¡°I am sorry for doubting you Torn, I should have known better, I was just shocked.¡±


    I smiled and the nodded, ¡°Apology accepted, I would have been shocked also in your place.¡± And with that the peace and friendship were back, it was a good feeling.


    Turning to Reona I noted that she was smiling and I knew she had gone out of her way to reassure Tasia. Swimming over to her, I grabbed her foot and tossed her into the water and then dived as Tasia began to splash water on us. The next hour passed with us both having fun and getting clean, it was a nice break.


    As we toweled off and got dressed Reona asked what I was planning on wearing to the dance. I really had no thoughts on what to wear and told her that. Which might have been a mistake as her eyes narrowed and she looked me up and down then smiling she said, ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°I will help you with your evening attire,¡± Reona said with a smile. The rest of the evening was spent with both girls going through their trunks and working with needle and thread. When they were done, I was pleasantly surprised, I looked good, with dark gray pants and a light gray shirt.


    The girls changed into stuff both frilly and feminine and then with a smile we all went downstairs. The common room had been opened up with all the table against the wall, and a large open area ready for dancing. At the far end was a small raised podium where I would be performing.


    Coming to greet us was the happy couple and both set of parents. As I shook hands and greeted them I noticed the daughter had a younger sister about 14 years old. She looked like a smaller version of Nadia the young woman getting married. Her name was Stephany and she was pretty excited about the whole thing.


    Soon the hall was filled with all the guests and the ceremony began. It lasted about an hour and was pretty typical of a wedding, filled with promises and hope. Once it ended the bar opened and I was directed to the stage to prepare myself. Opening up my PIM I went through my playlist finally choosing a number of the old classics.


    Choosing Here Without You by 3 Doors Down I began to sing. As the music began to fill the room I saw the dance floor fill with couples as they began to slow dance. I smiled as a sang as I had seen Ingar taking Tasia by the hand and escort her to the dance floor. Reona was already dancing with a tall man from the village.


    My next song was by a band called Cutting Crew and was called I Just died In Your Arms Tonight. The evening wore on with more songs sung some faster and some slow until it was time for the last one. Having already selected the final song I began to sing Dance With Me by Johnny Reid. I watched with a smile as many of the older couples took to the dance floor along with the younger folks. As I continued to sing I could see more than a few tears appear on the faces of moth men and woman as they held the one they loved close. It had been a great evening and I had enjoyed it, seeing people happy was a damned nice feeling.


    As the music ended I made my way to the bar and grabbed the flagon of mead that appeared in front of me. As I was about to take a swig Ingar suddenly appeared next to me and whispered, ¡°We have a problem, come outside quick.¡±


    Putting my drink down I followed him outside stopping only when people grabbed my hand and thanked me. Once I was outside I saw Ingar and a couple of the other guards standing by the wagons. Walking over I nodded and then asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Ingar grimaced and then said, ¡°I should have listened to you and gotten rid of that little shit Yakoff. The fucker has grabbed young Stephany and run off. He was seen by these men feeding her booze and when she was about to pass out he followed her outside and then grabbed her and left the village. He was seen going into the bush on the west side of town past the river.¡±


    I nodded, it was the kind of thing that prick would do, I began to feel a rage build up within me as I thought of Stephany alone with him in the bush. Suddenly Ingar and the men stepped back and Ingar said. ¡°Your eyes appear to be on fire Torn.¡± Taking a moment to calm myself I looked away until I felt the rage die down to a simmer.


    ¡°I will get the girl, but don¡¯t expect Yakoff to be coming back,¡± I said with a grimness in my voice that startled even me. Just thinking of that bastard with the young girl was enough to bring out the Dragon fires from within me. Thinking fast I told Ingar to tell Reona and Tasia what had happened and have them find the parents and tell them privately. Turning I went to leave when Ingar asked, ¡°Wait you have no weapons or gear, take the time to equip yourself, man.¡±


    Shouting back at them, ¡°There is no need,¡± I continued to jog towards the outskirts of town. I finally reached the bush line and began to search for a trail, a drunk girl being dragged would leave a lot of evidence of her passage and soon I discovered where they had entered the bush. I followed the trail as the heavy darkness hid nothing from me with my Dragon Eyes.


    After about an hour I began to hear pleading and what then what sounded like a slap. I could also sense that something was happening, there was a glow of a fire hidden amongst the tree. Going into Shadows, I went from tree to tree until I could finally see what was happening.


    Stephany was there laying on her back as Yakoff looked on with a smile, and standing beside Stephany was an Orc, judging by his attire a spell caster of dark magics. He was holding a knife and growling out a prayer to whatever Dark power he worshiped.


    I had seen enough and without a sound, I cast lightning into the Dark Orc, which froze his muscles as it blew him backward about twenty feet. Casting a quick look I noted the damage was only about 10 percent of his hit points, the damn beast was a level 45 and his gear must have been pretty good.


    Having stepped out of Shadows next to Yakoff I Reached both arms across my chest and pulled out my swords. They came free with an eagerness and felt light and supple in my hands. My status as a knight of Ilumberia had given me knowledge of weapons and my experience with Judo and other martial arts back in the real world had allowed me some practice in swinging Bokken the Japanese wooden swords used for training.


    All of this flashed through my mind as I lunged forward at Yakoff as he spun around with a look of fear and horror on his face. I managed to stab him in the back and on the back of his left thigh for a double crit as he started to run. Both swords had also produced a bleed effect on the bastard and I could see that he only had about 20 percent life left and that was going down at about 1 percent per tick.


    He glanced back at me in fear, only to discover his pathway had led towards the fallen Orc. Who was now on his feet and looking pissed off. As Yakoff tried to run around him the Orc Stabbed upwards in a brutal attack and left the knife buried in Yakoff. I meanwhile had sheathed my swords and run over to Stephany and was ripping her ropes apart and helping her to stand.


    As I pulled Stephany to her feet the Orc howled in triumph, I glance over to see what was happening and noted that Yakoff was now dead and that a dark gray mist was rising from his body. As I took this all in the Orc shouted at me in said, ¡°It is done the sacrifice of an unwilling victim has happened. The Dark God comes.¡±


    Well, this is another fuck me moment I thought as the mist from Yakoff¡¯s body continued to coalesce and began to expand forming the outline of a portal. The surface was a heavy cold black, not like the blackness of night or shadows but something far worse.


    Suddenly a figure appeared in blackness and stepped through the portal and as he did the mist was sucked into his body. He stood 3 meters high and had a very dark reddish tinge to his skin. His eyes were glowing with green fire and as I looked at him my interface announced,


    The Dark God Skanda has breached the barrier between realms.


    You must kill the Dark God before he sets up his temple and begins to change the land.


    Do you accept the challenge?


    Yes or No?


    As I hit yes I noted that the God had grabbed the Orc and holding him up to his chest he gazed down at him and then somehow seemed to absorb the soul of the Orc draining his body of both life and power. As the mist left the Orc and was sucked into the Dark God he threw back his head and howled.


    It was time to go, and holding Stephany I stepped into Shadows. Unfortunately, this did not stop the God from seeing me, and as he began to move towards Stephany and I covering the distance faster than I would have thought possible I realized I was about to die. My power was no match for that of a God, not yet and my spells and abilities seemed to have no effect on him.


    Whispering to the comatose girl, ¡°I am sorry Stephany, you deserved to live.¡± I prepared myself to go out fighting when Nyx appeared in front of me. Seeing the Goddess of the Night stopped the Dark God who seemed surprised but then began to charge forward again.


    Nyx shouted at me, ¡°Hang on.¡± Suddenly all went dark as she turned into the night itself and wrapping the girl and myself up in the darkness we began to travel at great speed, soon we arrived at the village and entered back into the light of the courtyard in front of the Inn.


    There was a large crowd of people standing around with Stephany¡¯s parents in the center. I slowly pushed through the crowd which parted for me as I approached. Handing over the girl to her father I said, ¡°She is alright but will have a bit of a hangover in the morning, take care of her.¡±


    Seeing the mother break down and cry, I slowly walked through the crowd towards Ingar who stood with Reona and Tasia. They all looked at me with smiles and then noted the bleakness of my expression. Looking at them I spoke quietly, ¡°We are in trouble and I mean real trouble. Some damned Orc summoned a Dark God from another realm and he is heading this way.¡±


    Seeing the stunned look on their faces I nodded, it was hard to believe we had gone from a good time dancing and singing to this point in time, where we would soon be fighting a losing battle for not just our lives but our souls.


    Explaining what had happened I told them I had managed to flee without mentioning Nyx. After hearing the story Ingar took charge and rushed off to find the Innkeeper and let him start arranging for people to flee or fight. I headed towards the bar, lighting a smoke up as I went to find a quiet spot to talk to Nyx.

 Chapter 34 Some Gave All

    <h1>Chapter 34 Some Gave All</h1>


    Sliding into a booth I sat for a moment thinking about what I had seen. The Dark God was something that I had not seen before and it was frightening. I have been exposed to Gods and powerful entities since I had started playing Gods and Men, yet I had never encountered anything like this. As I sat there musing about what I had seen Nyx slid into the bench opposite me and waved her hands.


    ¡°There,¡± She said. ¡°Now we won¡¯t be disturbed. I can see that you are troubled Torn and I wish I could reassure you, but I can¡¯t. The Dark God has entered your realm and while his power is still acclimatizing he is more than you can handle, after all, he is a God.¡±


    ¡°How the Hell did he get here, ¡°I began. ¡°If the barrier between the realms is getting that weak why have we not seen other Gods arrive?¡±


    Nyx spoke softly and said, ¡°There are several reasons why he was able to be summoned and managed to get here, first the Gods of this realm are imprisoned in a sphere of stone from which they cannot escape. Without them here to oppose this Dark God he has no opposition. Second, most Gods are content with what they have, why leave a realm where you rule supreme to go fight and possibly die in a strange realm.¡±


    As I listened I felt like I was being hit below the belt and it hurt, I would be damned if I was going to justify why I had imprisoned the Gods of this realm, they were Dickheads at best and the world was better without them. But the power vacuum that they had left was slowly being filled with bad people and things like this Dark God, and that damned BanHammer.


    It was time to step up and try to deal with these problems, and I was the person to do it. After all, If I died I could come back, again. What I would find left from the upcoming war and the shadowy forces that were coming forth I did not even want to speculate on.


    Looking at Nyx I asked, ¡°What can I do, I am prepared to do whatever it will take but I don¡¯t want to throw my life away here, I want to kill or send this SOB back where he came from and shut the fucking door. How can I do that?¡±


    Nyx stared at me and then sighed, looking sad she said, ¡°There is one way and only one way to defeat this God, another God must kill him. Unfortunately, I am limited in this realm to minor magics. I cannot defeat him. However, if you obey me and do exactly what I say, I can empower you to kill him. It will require a sacrifice on both our parts and there is no guarantee of success but it is the only plan that might have a chance to work. What say you, will you stand with me against this Dark God?¡±


    I looked at Nyx and nodded, I would do my best and hope that it was enough. Nyx smiled at me and said, ¡°I will meet you at the battle, and remember you must do what I tell you if we are to have a chance her.¡±


    ¡°Nyx,¡± I asked how or why is this happening, not just this Dark God showing up but the war that is coming and even the darkness that seems to have spread across this land?¡±


    Looking at me Nyx slowly replied, ¡°Things have been in motion for a long time, and are speeding up, some of us who have not forgotten who we are have speculated that once it was decided to have mankind enter VPS in the real world a splinter group did the same. They created a mirror of the original realms, and kept it hidden, their intent was always to eventually merge the realms. They took their time and grew in strength while we the Gods grew complacent. Now they are seeing the opportunity and are trying to seize the moment in this time of weakness.¡±


    I nodded the information seemed to fit the big picture and while it did help me to understand what was happening it did not help me to know how to change the future. One step at a time I thought. Nyx smiled at me and then faded into the Shadows and was gone.


    Standing up I made my way outside and walked over to Ingar who had been put in charge of mounting a defense. I stared as he directed small groups to find weapons and evacuate the village. Of the men in the village about 20 would fight with us, the rest were packing up families and preparing to flee.


    Reona and Tasia were acting as Ingar¡¯s lieutenants and while it did seem to be a mass of confusion there was a clear order that was slowly revealing itself. Within half an hour Ingar and the other guards from the Caravan along with Reona, Tasia and myself plus the 20 men from the village were walking up the hill. If we had to fight it would be on high ground and really it was the most likely spot that we would be attacked at.


    The men quickly started some fires for warmth, soon the day would be upon us but I remembered the coldness that emanated from the Dark God. The fires would help even if only psychologically. As I stood there Tasia handed me my armor and began to put her own on, as did Reona. I checked my maces and other gear, just wasting time as we waited, but it gave me something to do.


    I noted that most of the others were doing the same, getting ready to fight a God was enough to make anyone nervous. As the Dawns prelight began to spread across the land, a growing darkness could be seen approaching from the west. Soon we could hear battle shouts also, it would seem that the Dark God had found some people to join him.


    Within minutes the bottom of the hill was occupied by a combination of 20 Goblins and Orcs. They stood there jeering at us with taunts and threats some even turning around and showing us their hairy asses. It seemed surreal and it reminded me of an old movie scene. Abruptly the sound died away as the 3-meter-tall figure of the Dark God appeared. He stopped and seemed to stare at us and when his eyes focused on me He let out a huge roar.


    Ingar meanwhile was shouting at the men, ¡°We must stop the Orcs and Goblins, if they make it past us they will attack all the people fleeing.¡± Turning to me he shrugged and said, ¡°I hate to leave this at your feet, but it is up to you to try to stop big ugly down there.¡±


    I nodded it was my plan to engage the Dark God in combat alone anyway, plus I had my secret weapon Nyx. I was not sure what was going to happen but I knew that either the Dark God or myself would be standing at the end, and I sure hoped it would be me.


    The two groups stared at each other for a moment then the enemy began to charge up the hill. ¡°Hold your arrow ready,¡± Ingar screamed, ¡°Let them come up half way before you fire at them, as soon as the arrows are fired, the spears must be thrown.¡±


    I nodded it was a good plan, we had the high ground and with 10 bowmen, hunters from the village firing, plus the spears that the rest of the men would throw we had a good chance to knock out a sizeable number of the enemy.


    The attack went according to plan and we decimated the enemy. Between the bowmen and the spearmen attacking we soon had about 8 of the green-skinned brutes left rushing to close in for hand to hand combat. Ingar¡¯s guards shined here as they met the attack head on and with the help of the villagers we soon began to cut down the enemy.


    It was still mortal combat and I winced as I saw two of the villages with mortal wounds, but as I gazed down at the bottom of the hill I knew it was now time to get into the action. The Dark God had let his troops rush up the hill, probably thinking that they were enough to defeat us. Once he saw that they had failed in their attack he began to stride up the hill with darkness flowing off his arms and a terrible look on his face.


    Suddenly Nyx was beside me and as I started down the hill she shouted, ¡°Get your swords ready and change into your Dragon form, your Elf body is not strong enough to handle what will happen.¡±


    I pulled both of my swords from my arms and then metamorphed into a dragon, I was still humanoid but much more recognizable as a Dragon. With a thought, I sent out my elbow claws as well as my hand claws and then roared with a fury that matched that of the Dark God.


    I was aware that the sounds of victory coming from the men behind me had faded as they witnessed my transformation. Not that it would have mattered if I had known, I was focused on one thing. Suddenly all around me the Diggerduggers appeared and began to pop up from the earth and dive back into it.


    The Dark God had stopped his advance upon seeing my transformation but quickly started up the hill again, closing with me at an incredible speed. We were about to engage when Nyx once again appeared and threw out her hands causing Shadows to surround the and block the Dark God.


    Walking towards me she said, ¡°Those will not hold him long, so now is the moment that you must do what I say. Take your swords and thrust them into me.¡± Then reaching out she grabbed both swords and stabbed them into her own chest.


    Double Crit


    Bleed effect


    I read as I stared in horrified shock at Nyx who stood with a wan smile as she looked down at the swords. ¡°Nyx, what are you doing?¡± I yelled as I watched her standing there.


    She looked at me and smiled then said, ¡°I am giving you the power to defeat this abomination, you must defeat him to continue.¡± She then reached out her hand and touched my armor and whispered some kind of a blessing on it. Then with a sigh she was gone, her body had literally turned into shadows and traveled up both swords.


    The Swords suddenly flew together and began to change, and in the space of a heartbeat there was once sword, shadows seemed to drip from it and it felt alive in my hands, without knowing why I lifted the sword and said, ¡°I name thee, Godslayer.¡± The sword hummed in my hands and I felt a vague presence in the back of my mind.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    I also became aware that I had received another essence of a higher being, and as Nyx¡¯s soul bound itself to the three lesser souls and to my soul I shuddered as my very being began to change. The code that this avatar was made of began to change, and I was helpless to stop it.


    A new window opened up and I read,


    You have received the first of three higher souls.


    By receiving two more you will be accepted into the Pantheon of the Gods as an equal.


    The choice is yours to become one of the Higher Powers with your ascension or stay as a normal deity.


    I brushed that window away only to discover another window had opened which read,


    You have entered an open-air battleground all earned xp doubled for participating and tripled for winning.


    You have killed a God, you have leveled up, you have leveled up, you have leveled up¡­


    I quickly closed that window, the time to look at that would be later if I could survive this battle.


    The dark chains of Shadows that Nyx had cast were rapidly been torn asunder as the Dark God raged and roared. Everything that had happened had only taken seconds and had all been hidden under the veil of darkness the Nyx had surrounded us with.


    I began to rush at the Dark God half flying half running moving at incredible speed the shadow sword Godslayer held in front of me. Just as I was about to close with the Dark God the Diggerduggers went into action.


    While the Dark God¡¯s focus was on me they dived below the surface and then suddenly thrust themselves upwards straight into his feet and legs, sending sharp jagged stones into his flesh. As he screamed in pain and rage he stumbled forward, his legs and feet held fast to the ground by the sharp jagged bedrock.


    Both of his legs fractured under his weight and momentum and he thrust his hands forward to stop his head from hitting the ground. As he looked up at me with hatred in his eyes I thrust Godslayer straight into his left eye and into his brain.


    Triple crit


    Bleed effect


    I quickly pulled the sword out and thrust it into his right eye and once again read,


    Triple crit.


    Bleed effect.


    The Dark Gods body began to jerk and thrash around, I had killed his brain, but the rest of the body did not know it yet. Pulling the sword out of his eye I swung using all my strength and severed his head from his body. Standing there I suddenly felt Godslayer begin to devour the essence of the Dark God. As I stood there the sword then began to pass on to me his soul, and once again a window opened and I read,


    You have received the second of three higher souls.


    By receiving one more you will be accepted into the Pantheon of the Gods as an equal.


    The choice is yours to become one of the Higher Powers with your ascension or stay as a normal deity.


    This time the changes were more painful and almost overwhelmed me I could feel who I was beginning to fade away as the code was being rewritten. I seemed to stand off at a distance as I watched the fiber of who I am and what I am changed as my very soul began to assimilate the new code. I was suddenly aware that there was a very real chance that I might not be me anymore and I began a titanic struggle to keep my identity.


    This lasted for an eternity and I almost lost the struggle but eventually, I became myself and could feel my body and the world come back into focus. Eventually, I blinked and looked around, I was surrounded by Reona and Tasia who were supporting me. Standing facing me was Ingar and his guards and surrounding them were the men from the village.


    AS I looked around I saw fear on many faces, and turning to Tasia I asked, ¡°What the hell happened?


    Tasia looked at me with a pale face and said, ¡°You somehow managed to kill the Dark God, and then it was if a living shadow descended on you. Lightning was flickering from within the darkness and yet nothing was visible. Once that all faded away you were here kneeling on the ground holding that sword.¡±


    I glanced down at my hand and could see Godslayer, taking a step forward I swung the sword across my back where it just seemed to turn into Shadows as the Roses and Thornes quickly spread across my back and sheathed it. Turning to look at Reona I asked, ¡°What else happened?¡±


    Reona looked at me and then said, ¡°You are now human or at least half human by the look of you, in addition, you are now level 30. Also, you do not register as one of the races in this realm, your status declares you to be an Ascended one, a demigod. Your name is now displayed for all to see as Tor. I am sorry, everyone now knows who you really are now.¡±


    I nodded, it could not be helped, I would look at my interface later and see what I could do to hide who and what I was. Turning to look at the men I said, ¡°Are they here to attack me or to thank me?¡±


    Ingar strode forward and said, ¡°They will not attack you but runners have already been sent to and returned from the village, you have been summoned to answer to the headman and council.¡±


    What about you Ingar, where do you now stand with me?¡± I asked softly.


    Ingar bowed his head and then stiffly said, ¡°I owe my life to you as do us all, yet the King¡¯s commands are clear, you are not to be recognized if you should ever return, in addition, you are declared personae non gratae within the Kingdom of humans.¡±


    I could hear one of the villagers ask, ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Turning to him I said, ¡°it means I am to be considered a person not appreciated within the Kingdom. So be it.¡± My face was grim as I looked at all the people I had just saved who were now turning their backs on me.


    I thrust out my hand to Ingar and said, ¡°The provisions within our deal are now active, Reona and Tasia are now your business partners. In addition, I expect that they will be given all honor and dues as your partners. Am I clear.¡±


    Ingar looked in my eyes and then hurriedly looked away and said, ¡°Yes, of course, I would never think otherwise.¡±


    I relaxed I knew he was a good man and would not default on the girls. Turning to Reona I said, ¡°I am sorry Reona it would seem my usefulness to you is now at an end. Leaning closer I whispered I would encourage you to continue onward with Tasia acting in my place.¡± Seeing her nod, I gave her a quick hug and then said, ¡°I will be close by, it seems the Dwarven Kingdom is the only place I will be welcome at.¡±


    I then looked back over at the place of my battle with the Dark God, there was only some stones of bedrock brought up from the depths by the Diggerduggers when they had attacked. I knew that they had not survived, but the sacrifice they had made had allowed my victory to happen.


    I walked over to the stones and knelt down, placing a hand on the largest pile I softly spoke, ¡°Some give all for others, and no one knows or appreciates the sacrifice that has been made, I do and I won¡¯t forget you.¡±


    With that, I felt a wave of power come from me and I realized that a new spell had become available to me the interface window opened and I read,


    You have received the essences of non-ascended beings along with that of the Dark God, by giving their lives for you freely you have received the earth mage ability.


    Earth magic now flows within you,


    Spells,


    Earthmover,


    The ability to move large amounts of earth dependent upon your mana.


    Earth guardian,


    The ability to create a Gollum of Earth that is alive and will follow your leadership.


    Dig Deep,


    The ability to go deep into the earth to bring forth and shape the living rock for your benefit.


    I stared in amazement and then suddenly knew what to do.


    With my hand on the stones, I cast Earth guardian and closed my eyes, pouring out as much mana as I could and willing the stone to receive a small measure of myself within it. With my eyes still closed I felt the ebb and flow of power between the earth and myself.


    Finally opening my eyes, I stared at what I had created, on a pillar that stood 5 meters tall and one meter thick was a Dragon, made of pure black stone, he stood on top of the pillar and gazed off into the distance. Suddenly he turned and looked down at me, his eyes were as mine are, made of living flame. I could hear a gentle voice in my head speaking, ¡°Master, you have brought us to life and we will continue to serve you.¡±


    I was startled for a moment, for the thoughts and feelings belonged to that of the Diggerduggers. I recognized them and was certain that I had somehow transferred some of their essences back into the Gollum, the living stone Dragon I had created.


    The pillar was warm to the touch and then with a huge down blast of hot air the creature was flying, how something that must have weighed over 3 tons could fly was beyond me. The magic of the game I thought as I stared at the receding Dragon.


    Turning I glanced at all the men, most were pale and a few were clearly keeping their distance from me. This kind of thing is not scripted in the game world I guessed. They would recover and have an amazing story to tell their children. I gestured up the hill and began to walk with the men forming a loose circle around me.


    Ass we crested the hill I thought back it had only been yesterday that we had arrived, so much had happened since I had sung at the wedding. I consoled myself with the fact that I had managed to save the village with only two causalities. It was small consolation as I knew what would come next.


    Standing in the middle of the village square was the headman and the council with the rest of the village residents standing behind them. They stared at me with curiosity and fear, some with loathing and hatred. I stopped in front of the headman and waited, he had summoned me he could begin this charade.


    Clearing his throat, the headman looked at me and asked, ¡°You who we had known as Torn, are you the Demon Tor come to afflict suffering upon mankind and despair throughout the human kingdom?¡±


    I stood in silence, no matter what was spoken here I already knew the outcome. If we were in a large enough city I would have been imprisoned but here in this small village, I was about to be cast out.


    The headsman looked at me and then nodded and said, ¡°Bring the wine, the salt, and the oil.¡± I stood there waiting for a small table was hurriedly erected in front of me, on it were placed flagons of wine and oil and a bowl of salt.


    Walking over to me the headman lifted the wine and said for all to hear, ¡°This is the wine that represents peace and prosperity for home and hearth, what all men desire. Then pointing to me he said, ¡°May this man have none of these blessings here,¡± and with that, he poured the wine out onto the ground. Grabbing the oil, he lifted it high and said, ¡°This oil represents our connection to this land to our king and to our Gods. May this person never be anointed with the oil and welcomed into the fellowship of man. Then he poured it out onto the packed stones of the courtyard.


    Finally, he grabbed the salt and lifting it he pointed at me and said, ¡°This salt represents the toil of a man who by the salt of his blood and the toil of his sweat has worked the land and brought forth abundance.¡± Then dumping the salt onto the ground, he stared at me and said, ¡°May this man never have success in the kingdom of man. You are an outcast and runners have been dispatched to the nearest town with a guard detachment, I expect your head will adorn the King¡¯s walls soon enough.¡±


    Turning he began to walk away from me as did all the villagers and Ingar and his men. I turned to the girls and smiled as I blinked back an angry tear or two. ¡°You two better join them or the damn King well be after you also.¡± I ignored their protestations as I walked towards the road, I knew that they had to shun me also or they would be under suspicion.


    I finally stopped and taking a chance I gave them each a hug and a kiss then said, ¡°Go back, Ingar is a good man and will help you, we will meet in the Dwarven kingdom.¡± Stepping into the Shadows I faded from view and then made my way around them and back towards town.


    I had noticed that the headman had a lot of gold jewelry on, far more than someone who collects and pays the taxes and tithes for this small village could be expected to have. The monies to pay for all that bling-bling had to come from somewhere and I suspected he had a nice little chest full of stolen taxes.


    I had just been thrown out of the Human kingdom with nothing, and I was thinking that some of that stolen gold was going to be useful to me after I acquired it, which should be easy after all my class is the Thief.

 Ingame: Endgame Chapter 1 Alone

    Ingame: Endgame


    <h2>Chapter 1</h2>


    I slowly made my way into the village using stealth and Shadows to make sure no one was aware of my presence. I was mad and frustrated, it was hard to control how I felt, having two higher entities become one with my soul and spirit was not easy. I could feel myself changing still and experiencing feelings and emotions, hints of thoughts that did not originate with me as my consciousness processed everything.


    Taking a moment to center myself I stood in the Shadows and watched the whole village as they stood at the far side of the square and talked about what had happened. I noticed the Mayor talking with the Innkeeper and decided now was the time. Slowly moving towards the far river, I crossed a bridge and entered the yard of the largest house in the village.


    Making my way to the back I noted that the lights were all out and the house seemed to be empty, my Perception did not reveal anyone to be home. I quickly had my lock picks out and had the door open in a flash, if had really taken no time, practice makes perfect I thought.


    Making my way into the house I started in the kitchen and quickly checked every room. They were all empty but I knew the bloody bastard had a stash, it was a Dragon thing, I could always tell when someone was stashing treasure. Going back to the kitchen I noted that the table itself was fastened to the floor, and that seemed strange.


    Grabbing the table I attempted to lift it and discovered that the table and half the floor lifted up. A normal man would not be able to lift it but then I was far from normal. Seeing a wooden leg swing down to hold the heavy table and floor into position I quickly placed it into its notch and then descended into the cellar.


    Twelve steps down and a narrow passageway led to a small room, and in the room, were three small chests. I walked over to the first and examined it, then did the same for the second and third chest. The all seemed to be well made and were stout with good locks. Pulling my lock picks out once more I went to work.


    The locks opened up one by one as did the lids revealing hundreds of gold and silver coins. This bastard has been stealing from his people for a long time I thought. Grabbing the first chest I slid it into my bag than did the same for the remaining two. I was now carrying well over two hundred kilos and yet felt nothing, my nanobot modified strength just kept increasing as I leveled and I had just leveled up to thirty.


    I made my way back up the stairs and then put the table and flooring down, then taking my leave I made my way to my wagon. I was not going to be leaving my Gryphon, I suspected that it would bond on the first thing it saw and I wanted that to be me. As I made my way to my carts I saw Reona and Tasia enter the Inn with Ingar. Seeing no one else around I quickly entered the cart and made my way to the stove.


    Grabbing the egg, I stuffed it into a pack and then shouldering the pack slipped outside and slowly walked through the shadows, heading towards the east road that left the town. I traveled for several hours, half expecting to see armed guards approaching on a horse but the road remained empty.


    Deciding that I had gone far enough on the road I headed into the wilderness, the land was forested and had many bushes as well as trees. There was no path but I managed to make my way into the forest, hopefully not leaving any tracks.


    In the real world, Native Americans had been known to track a man for many kilometers, it was a lost skill for the most part and I hoped that anyone searching for me using some kind of tracking skill would not be as proficient as those old warriors from the Comanche and Apache nations.


    Still, I would have a price on my head now and would have to take precautions, staying out of large urban centers, and staying off the main roads. Opening my map, I saw that if I cut to the north east I would end up on the only road that led to the Dwarven kingdom.


    The area I was in was covered in low hills with the occasional higher peak jutting upwards. There were villages along the roads but hundreds of kilometers of wilderness lay all around. Another thing that occurred to me was that this area seemed to have an unusually high number of Goblins and Orcs running around.


    While they may have been sent here to meet up with the Dark God and help him to set up his temple, they may also be the forerunner to a larger war party. The northwest and northeast were covered in towering mountains that put these little hills to shame, and the only way through them was along the Kings highway going up to Craika pass then descending into the Dwarven side of the mountain range.


    Knowing that is where I had to travel to I decided to forage and hunt as I traveled and to investigate any parties of Orcs and Goblins, it would be good to know where the hell they are coming from. Suddenly I could feel the presence of the stone Dragon and then he landed with a heavy thud. Walking over to me he spoke in my mind, ¡°Master, I have flown across the land and have seen several parties of the Green ones as well as men on horses riding the roads.¡±


    I nodded and then said, ¡°They are all enemies and are looking for me I suspect, we must avoid them if at all possible.¡± Gazing at the huge blackness I felt a wave of affection come over me, even abandoned and shunned I still had beings that cared for me. It was a good feeling.


    I spent the next hour talking to the stone Dragon, eventually naming him, Stoneskin. The Diggerduggers personality was there and I knew he felt an intense loyalty towards me. I asked and was told about the earth magic I had received and felt a bit more confident in my ability to manipulate the earth.


    With that confidence, I decided that I would make a shelter, the wind was picking up and it had started to snow. The temperature was also dropping and I did not want to expose my Gryphon egg to cooler temps. With Stoneskin watching with curiosity I began to cast Earthmover, and carefully began to strip the topsoil of the land in a three-meter rectangular shape all the way down to the bedrock.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Once that was done I had a pit one meter deep with an uneven bottom. I then cast Dig Deep and began to pull the living rock together into a smooth surface for the floor. I then began to raise up the walls, I could feel the mana load increase as the walls rose five feet above the surface. The walls were two feet thick and very sturdy, as I had managed to do all four at the same time.


    Looking up I began to have the stone meld into three cross beams that joined the long portions of the roof together, then the stone began to spread until the entire roof was covered with a five-centimeter-thick ceiling of stone. It was dark inside the small stone cabin, but the light from the fires burning within my eyes was enough to illuminate the interior. I quickly shaped a narrow door and then made a stone bed platform with a fireplace underneath the stone. It was relatively easy at this point to make a small chimney and have the stove vented to the outside. I finished by attaching a large stone sink to the fireplace which I would fill with snow to have hot water with.


    Going outside I began to grab loose fir tree branches and then take them in and spread them on the bed. I also placed three large stones within the fireplace and then cast Dragon fire on them till they glowed red hot.


    Trooping back outside I scooped a large bagful of the wet and heavy snow that was now laying on the ground. With the bed made the sink full of snow and the stone cabin starting to warm up I cast Dig Deep again and made a tunnel the sloped slightly up from the bottom of the cabin to an exit about seven meters away.


    Finally, I cast Earth Mover again and covered the whole thing with a pile of sand and dirt which I fused together. Once it was all done it had the appearance of a small barren hill and did not look out of place at all. The exit was in a small corpse of trees and not easily seen. Entering into the cabin I realized I had forgotten to include fresh air vents and went back to work.


    Once I was finally satisfied with the results I propped the door against the exit and asked Stoneskin to keep watch. Then placing my egg beside me on the sleeping platform I opened my pack and removed some blankets and a small pillow. The cabin was warm if not hot and very cozy. I felt a sense of security I had not felt since the dance. I closed my eyes and soon was deeply asleep, without realizing it the Gryphon egg had rolled against my head.


    When I awoke several hours later I could hear a small voice in my head saying, ¡°Hungry.¡± Shaking my head, I now realized I now had several beings up there. All of the essence I had acquired while not individuals anymore still were a presence in my brain. As was Stoneskin and Crusty when they were present. Smiling to myself I debated if ascending to the heavens or in my case Mount Olympus was driving me crazy.


    It was a possibility I concluded and then asked Stoneskin what the weather was like out there. His reply was a laugh and then he told me to go back to sleep, it was cold and dark. I thought that was good advice and closed my eyes again and quickly fell back to sleep.


    Waking up the second time I noted that the cabin was getting a little cooler. Standing up I cast Dragon fire again on the rocks and then stood and stretched. Going to the sink I grabbed a cup from my pack and then helped myself to some tepid water. What I would not do for a coffee right now I thought.


    Pulling on my cloak I sat down and began to examine my armor, I recalled when I had received it, that it needed to be blessed by a God to achieve its full potential. Just before Nyx had died she had touched the armor and blessed it. I was curious to see what its stats were now. As I scanned it I sat back in shock.


    God touched armor


    This armor has been blessed by the Goddess of the Night, Nyx


    The wearer''s attributes are doubled while wearing the armor


    This armor is soul bound to you


    This armor will level with you


    Dodge increased by 90 percent while fighting Gods


    Block increased by 90 percent while fighting Gods


    Dodge increased by 25 percent while fighting all others


    Block increased by 25 percent while fighting all others


    Nyx had gone all out in blessing this armor, it was now made to kill Gods and anything else that was alive. I doubted that there was anything like this in the game, in any game. As I sat there I realized that Nyx had given me a great gift, so that I could accomplish my goals.


    Next, I pulled the sword Godslayer out and held it in my hands, it felt light as a feather but had to weigh at least five kilos. As I held it I could feel a presence within the sword, I knew it was a part of Nyx and a part of the Dark God. It was not hostile to me, indeed it seemed to have a connection with me, but I could tell that it was not sentient, at least not yet. The stats on the sword were incredible,


    Seventy-five percent chance to crit on base damage


    One hundred percent chance to crit on soul stealing


    The sword acts as a living conduit between you and your spells and has a fifty percent chance to crit with any spell known to you


    The sword is alive and is soul bound to you and will make every attempt to help keep you alive


    The sword has a mixture of two Gods essences and may occasionally display the power of a God


    This sword has tasted the life and death of Gods and no God is immune to its power.


    Between the armor and the sword, I began to feel better, knowing that sooner or later another God was going to show up to try to kick my ass and steal my soul, I now felt I might have a chance.


    I slowly began to gather my things together, and then carefully putting the egg into my pack I opened the door and walked out into the cold air of the early morning. Greeting me Stoneskin asked what we would do today.


    Telling the black Dragon that I wanted him to fly towards the northeast and to let me know if a small village would appear on my path. I also asked him to keep an eye out for the Kings guards or any roving bands of Orcs or Goblins. Taking one last look at my buried in a hill cabin I sealed the doorway to the living stone. It had taken me two hours to make and now I knew what I was doing I was sure I could do it faster.


    It felt good to know I would have a safe and warm place to bed down at and something about creating it myself felt good. I was not much for the crafting aspect of the game but this I enjoyed. I began to hum a little song as we left the cabin, with Stoneskin circling far above me I set off, determined to get to the Dwarven kingdom.


    The day passed into evening, and then into night, my vision enabling me to keep going and my body not tiring at all as I strode through the forest. Stoneskin would occasionally give me directions if I began to go off course. I finally decided to stop and rest, I was halfway up a small mountain on a plateau and I did not want to risk tripping on the descent, not while I had my egg in my pack.


    I walked over to the cliff face and saw that it would make a great place to make a cave shelter. I made the opening small and the expanded the room to the same size of the stone cabin. I basically copied the cabin in the cliff and once I was finished I sent Stoneskin off to find me some branches. He returned with the branches for the bedding and something else. A deer hung from his claws.


    Thanking him I quickly hung the deer on a rocky outcropping and then began to skin and dress it. I knew I had to bleed it out and then remove the organs and the skin. Once that was all done I cut off several large chunks of meat ant returned to the Cabin. Grabbing my few cooking supplies from my pack I quickly oiled the small pan and seasoned the meat, the placing the pan in the fireplace I waited for the meat to cook.


    Once I thought it was done, I pulled the pan out and began to eat. The damned meat was hot and I burnt my tongue but it tasted good, very good. Suddenly a window popped up and I read,


    Congratulations you have learned how to Cook


    You have learned how to cook a deer steak for plus 4 to random stat


    Wow, I thought, no wonder it tastes so good. I wonder if everything I cook Ingame will taste good.

 Endgame Chapter 2 Outlaw

    <h2>Chapter 36-2 Outlaw</h2>


    I awoke with an urgency, in my sleep I had dreamt of a village under attack, with Orcs and Goblins swarming around and killing all the villagers. A small group had managed to barricade themselves into a small shrine dedicated to a long forgotten minor deity. I had watched helpless to act as men, women, and children were killed and then thrown into a huge fire being built at the center of the village. Some of the children were still alive when they were tossed into the fire.


    Standing on shaky legs I reached out and scooped out some water from the little stone sink and took a drink. My head began to clear but the sense of urgency remained, I knew that the dream was a reality for the people of the village. Calling out to Stoneskin I spoke, ¡°We must hurry, there is little time to spare a nearby village has come under attack and we need to get there to help.¡±


    Stoneskin¡¯s reply was short and to the point, ¡°I fly now master and will let you know where to go once I have located the village.¡± I was busy packing up my little cave cabin but acknowledged Stoneskin as he flew off into the predawn light that was just beginning to make its presence known. Grabbing my Wyvernegg last, I gently put it into the pack and then left the warmth of the room for the coldness of the predawn day. I sealed the living stone of the door to the mountain then made my way to the edge of the small plateau I was standing on.


    Soon Stoneskin called out to me, ¡°An hour¡¯s walk to the east is a small village that is under attack, most of the villagers are dead but a few hold out in an old temple. If you hurry you will find the people still alive, as the Orcs and Goblins have stopped attacking to loot the rest of the village.¡±


    I began to run and then with a jump I transformed into what I called my Angel body, human with wings. With powerful strokes of my wings I soon climbed high enough to see the village, it had a large bonfire of corpses and several of the other houses were also on fire. My Dragon eyes could see that the Orcs and Goblins were now gathered in front of an old stone building and were preparing to attack.


    The enemy numbered about fifty and was equipped with old weapons and battered gear. Any reasonably defended town could have defeated the rabble but a small village in the middle of a forest with no defenses had no chance. I landed behind the fire, transformed and quickly put my pack aside then pulling out Godslayer I rushed in to attack.


    The enemy most of whom were at level 15 did not have much of a chance. I was now incredibly strong and agile. Moving so fast that I was just a blur I began to attack, cleaving heads and removing limbs, I was aware that the combat text was flying by, my sword was achieving constant critical hits. The base damage alone was enough to one shot almost everything I attacked.


    The sword in between attacks was casting Ice bolts and Sonic shards while I, in turn, was casting Lightning and Dragon fire. It was over in minutes, the only challenge was a huge Orc who casually swung his mace, which was really half a tree at me. Seeing his glare of hatred change to fright when I stopped it with one hand and then took it from him was amusing. I tossed the tree-mace outside the village and then ended the huge Orc with Godslayer, he was the last one alive I realized as I looked around. As I sheathed My sword I realized that it had not only taken the lives of the enemies but had also taken their souls, their essences.


    In taking their souls it had sent a percentage to me, I could feel them all beginning to bond to my soul. Perhaps one day I would be able to fully understand what was happening to me for now, it was enough to know that I was growing stronger as I progressed towards Ascension.


    Looking at the temple I called out, ¡°Hello in there, is anyone left alive?¡± After waiting for a few seconds, I walked up the steps and immediately felt a brief surge of power, looking up at the doorway I saw a carved figure of a man with his hand outstretched towards the sky. It was well worn with time but still had an impact on me as I stared at it. Was the man reaching up to beseech the Gods, or was he blessing someone, or perhaps he was about to cast a spell?


    On a whim, I reached out and touched the hand of the man and felt a shock travel through me as a bright light suddenly flashed down and illuminated the temple for a minute. Suddenly the light was gone and the door swung open. Staring at the interior I saw about thirty men, women and children all huddled against the far wall, standing in front of them facing me was a huge man, looking at his attire I guessed he was the smith. Next to him was a redheaded woman, like all females in the game she had a perfect figure, however, her face was marred by a scar that ran across from the left forehead to the right jaw.


    Seeing the two of them waving swords at me as I stood there I had to smile to myself. Lifting my hands, I slowly walked into the temple and spoke, ¡°Peace, I am not here to attack you, I have just defeated the enemy outside.¡± Seeing the shocked look on their faces I smiled and then said, ¡°I have a small healing talent if you have any wounded?¡±


    A man slowly stood up from against the wall and said, ¡°No stranger, a moment ago a light filled the temple and all were healed.¡± Many of the others nodded at this and a few spoke of a miracle.


    The smith and the woman had meanwhile approached, and the woman looking at me asked, ¡°Are the Orcs and Goblins really dead. We could not defend ourselves against them, we are not warriors, and they broke through and killed so many of us.¡± At this point, her voice cracked and she began to weep. The giant smith gestured towards one of the other ladies who came forward and led the lady back to the main group where she began to weep.


    The smith stood silently for a moment then spoke, ¡°She witnessed her only family, a sister being captured, killed and thrown into the fire. She is strong but it is too much for her. My name is Keon, the girl is Caylan and we are the leaders here as all the elders are outside burning.¡±


    I nodded at him and then said, ¡°I am called Tor.¡± I left it at that, perhaps they had not heard of me in this remote village. I gestured towards the door and said, ¡°We should go for a look, make sure there are no stragglers or hidden enemies. Also, you will have to decide what you¡¯re going to do now? The village is wrecked and I don¡¯t think you will find safety here.¡±


    We moved out and I stopped at the place of battle looting the corpse for a total of 5 gold and 3 silver. The gear and weapons were poor quality and not worth my time to take. We advanced to the middle of the square where the smell of burning flesh pervaded the air despite the breeze. Keon was looking grim and just stared at the recognizable figures still burning and then suddenly began to curse.


    ¡°Look away,¡± I commanded and when he did so I cast Dragon fire onto the burning pileat full strength, within a minute the pile of burning bodies was nothing more than ash that began to flow down the street as a sudden wet and slushy downpour began. It was not snow or rain but a bit of both and it was now beginning to come down hard.


    Turning to Keon I pointed back to the temple and said, ¡°Let''s head back, there is nothing to see here, once you folks arrange your plans you can search the ruined homes for what you need.¡± I only stopped to grab my pack and then we went back to the temple. As we entered a group of villagers approached and asked Keon about any survivors. Seeing him shake his head, tears started to flow from some of the women and the group walked back to the wall and sat down with dejection and defeat on their faces.


    Two of the men asked Keon what the group should do and I could see the indecision on his face as he struggled to take charge and lead the survivors to safety and reassure them that they would all be safe. Keon looked at me with a hopeless expression and I knew that this group needed leadership now before it fragments and explodes.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Raising my voice, I called out, ¡°Hey all of you come here and pipe down, Now.¡± I stared at the people some looked shocked a few looked angry but most blank, they are in shock, I thought. Once they were all gathered around I looked at Keon and then the crowd and then spoke, ¡°Listen up all of you, like it or not, you are the survivors of the attack. I suspect that you are the only survivors, we will check the village for others but don¡¯t get your hopes up. You have a choice and you need to make it right now. You can stay here and try to survive the winter or you can go elsewhere. This village has no defenses and Orcs and Goblins are on the move.¡±


    Giving them a minute to digest what I had just said I continued, ¡°If you stay here your chances of survival are slim at best. If you flee you will have a better chance, but the choice is yours, I would suggest that you follow the leadership of Keon and work together, otherwise the chance of you surviving is very low. Good luck with whatever you decide, I am heading out now.¡±


    As I turned to leave a voice rang out as Caylan spoke, ¡°You will abandon us here, knowing that we won¡¯t make it, Gods, why did you even save us?¡±


    I turned to look at the scarred woman, and then glanced at the crowd behind them, shaking my head I realized I would have to explain reality to these people. ¡°Listen up folks, I am only going to tell you this once. My name is Tor and I am an outlaw here in the Human kingdom. The King has guards out searching for me as we speak, and if I am caught with others I doubt that any would be granted mercy from the King.¡±


    Seeing the shocked expression on their faces I nodded and then continued, ¡°Do you really want to accompany an outlaw? Additionally, I am headed to the Dwarven lands which are about to be engulfed in a civil war the likes of which this world has not seen. Taking you with me would not bring you to safety, in fact, you would be heading into more danger.¡± I waited a moment and then turned again to leave when I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, looking back I saw that Caylan stood there with tears in her eyes.


    Turning to face her I looked her in the eye and asked, ¡°Caylan what would you have me do, I cannot accompany you to safety and it would not be safe for you to follow me.¡± I stood there looking at the fresh tears in her eyes and felt my resolve weakening. I glanced over at Keon and saw him shrug, no damn help there. I knew that these people were at the end but I truly did not know how to help them.


    Caylan suddenly spoke, ¡°We don¡¯t care if you are an outlaw, you have saved us and that is more than the damned King has done. All we do is give him the taxes that our hard work produces and then when we need him there is no one to help. Just you, an outlaw, on the run. Damn the king, I will follow you if you will have me.¡±


    I looked around at the group before looking back at Caylan, my plan to leave these people wasnot going to happen, I thought. ¡°If you are all in agreement with Caylan and would like to follow me out of here come stand behind me, the others go stand against the wall.¡± I watched as two shifty looking men walked towards the wall. My Perception had already told me that they were not to be trusted, and I was not surprised at their refusal to follow my leadership. I had no doubts that as soon as we left they would be heading to report me and try to claim a reward. Fuckers.


    I began by stating the obvious, ¡°We have to leave and do that rather quickly. Keon will organize a search party to go through the village. Look for blankets, food, water and any other supplies that will come in handy. If there are any carts or wagons here and the animals to pull them I want them in front of the temple now.¡± Turning to one of the other men standing nearby I told him, ¡°Go gather all the weapons you can find, even if they are poor quality, we will need weapons, we will look at repairing them and upgrades later.¡±¡¯


    All of the men were now gone with the exception of the two shifty fuckers, who were talking to a young girl, they were insisting that she come with them. Walking over to them I interrupted the conversation and asked the girl if these men were relatives. Hearing her say no was enough and I grabbed both of the men by their arms and threw them towards the door.


    The first one hit the floor and then jumped up cursing me he then pulled a knife and threw it at me. It was a good thrown and without my agility and strength, it would have nailed me in the head. As it was I caught it and spinning it a few times I threw it back at my assailant and watched as the knife hit him in the center of his forehead pushing him back against the wall and pinning him to the solid stone.


    I watched as the words Critical hit for 1650 Hp flashed in front of me and then read,


    You have defeated a level 15 NPC who initiated a surprise attack against you.


    You have not earnedany Xp as the opponent was too low a level.


    During the one second that my attention had been on the flashing text, the second man had flung himself out the door and was running towards the only road that ran through the village. Turning to look at the women and children that were now staring at me I shrugged and said, ¡°I am sorry that you had to witness this, but believe me those two men were not planning on helping us.¡±


    Caylan spoke up, ¡°I do believe you, those two were a blight upon the village, they were suspected of doing all manner of wickedness. Most of the single women here have been accosted by them at one time or another. That bastard over there is better off dead.¡±


    Seeing the women nod I relaxed, I had not wanted to kill the man, but I could not suffer someone to attack me with impunity. As I walked over to the door Caylan joined me and we both stepped out in time to see three wagons being brought to the temple. Off to the side was a growing pile of swords daggers, and other things that might have once been weapons.


    On the other side of the door was another pile, this one had food, water, wine and other items of importance for our survival. Keon stood nearby and I walked over towards him while mentally taking inventory of what I was seeing. It was a start but not enough, we would have to make do, it was all we could do.


    ¡°Keon, do you have a map or knowledge of these lands?¡± I asked. Seeing him shake his head I asked, ¡°Does anyone here have a map or know of the lands?¡± Once again he shook his head, I could have cursed out loud. We would be heading out blind with hostiles nearby.


    ¡°You''re not blind master, I can help you.¡± Hearing Stoneskin mentally encouraging me was what I needed. I would make this work and get these people to safety, I was not sure where or how but I would do it. I wasted a few minutes talking to Keon and Caylan while the rest of the supplies were gathered and the wagons loaded. We took a moment to arm all the men and women, even the older children received a dagger. Eventually, everyone was loaded up and we began the journey to safety.


    Leaving the village, I strode to the front of the wagons, I had 5 of the men working with me as guards on the ground the rest were riding in the wagons. With Stoneskin in the air providing real-time updates I felt as safe as I could in this wagon train. I was also grateful for all that I had learned in the past few weeks with the Caravan.


    It was now midmorning with the wind gusting and blowing the heavy snowfall into a complete white out. I had been updating our distance on my mini-map, we had not traveled far but I felt that to stop now would be asking for trouble. Calling Keon and Caylan to me I walked in the lee of the lead wagon and discussed possible camp sites.


    They both agreed that there was nothing nearby, the road led up into the range of mountains that was in the center of this area. The road cut through to the other main highway that led to Goodstown on the ocean. I called out to Stoneskin and asked. ¡°Is the road open and is there a place to camp?¡± I waited for a minute and was surprised to hear his response, ¡°Halfway up the road towards the pass is an old trail, it leads down to a sheltered valley with a nice river and a small lake. There is a ruined castle by the river and what looks like a small village nearby.¡±


    I stopped and asked if he was sure, once he assured me I tried to compute the distance. It was at least two days away, but once we began to climb towards the pass the snow would clear up and the way become easier. It was where we were going I decided.


    Turning to my two lieutenants I asked, ¡°Have you ever heard of a lost village in the mountains, with a castle built on a river next to it?¡± Seeing them shake their heads I nodded, the one good thing was if they did not know about it the Kings guards probably would not know either.


    I arranged for us to push on into the night, as the storm grew worse. We stopped only to heat up some hot drinks, eventually, the light failed and I took the lead, my ability to see in the darkness kept us going. The storm finally seemed to stop as we climbed, and once we were in the mountains the wind blew away any snow clouds. By the time Stoneskin called out to me to turn it was morning again, and my crew of villagers felt tired, cold and hungry.


    The trail was rough and slow, several times I had to pick up boulders and fallen trees to clear the road, but we kept up and by late afternoon we crested the final hill and descended into the valley. The moist warm air was a welcome change from the cold mountain breeze we had been feeling. Seeing the Castle before us had all the villagers out of the wagons discussing who could have lived here. Bundling them all back into the wagons after their stretched we started downwards. Home sweet home, I thought.

 Chapter 3 The Castle

    <h2>Chapter 3</h2>


    We had finally arrived at the bottom of the hill and had stopped in the center of the castle''s courtyard. I called out to Keon, ¡°Grab the guards and do a quick sweep through the castle and let me know what you find,¡± I turned around and looked for Caylan finally spotting her helping a small family as they left the wagon and looked around at the ruined castle. Catching her eye, I beckoned her over and once she arrived I explained what I wanted her to do.


    ¡°Grab some of the ladies and take inventory of what we have to eat, soups or stews would be best, something filling and hot. Once you''re ready to cook come and find me and I will get a fire going.¡± I glanced at her and saw that she looked determined, she would get the ladies organized, I was sure of it. Once she left I walked towards the castle and looked at it closely with my Dragon eyes. I could see the glimmer of buried treasure below the main structure. Probably a dungeon or wine cellar.


    I then glanced upwards and noted a slight ripple on the wall below the battlements. I was instantly reminded of the hidden attic at the House of Pain. I walked into the main entrance and stood in the central hall. There was a huge fireplace at one end of the room tables and benches were strewn about, and a small dais stood at the other end of the room. It had more of a homey feel to it, the sort of place a country Baron would live at. I liked it, but it needed work, and judging by the cracks in the walls and the cold draft that was swirling around a lot of work.


    I was still waiting for the men to come back and report, and having a little time I decided to see if I could seal up the room, once It was sealed a warm fire would warm it nicely. Stepping over to the wall I placed my hand on the stone and then let me senses expand until they encompassed the whole castle. Once I was felt the time was right I began to cast a ward of protection over the castle, I was winging it, using my Ascendant power to bring about a powerful protective spell.


    After several seconds, I felt a surge of power leave my hand and transfer to the stone wall. Stepping back I observed that where my hand had been resting on the wall an orb was now visible in the wall radiating beams of light through the stone and crisscrossing the room. Hearing a sudden gasp I swung around to see Caylan standing at the entrance with several of the other ladies and children.


    ¡°What are you, Tor?¡± Caylan asked as she stared at the fading beams of light traveling through the castle. The other ladies also were looking around with wonder and then staring at me with awe. I just shrugged, how could I answer that question, I am who I am. Whatever that is, I thought.


    Smiling at the ladies I asked Caylan to go outside and ask three of the men to come in as I wanted to speak to them. I then gestured to the hall and asked the other ladies if they could start cleaning as we would be sleeping here tonight. After several minutes three men came in and bowed their heads before me.


    ¡°Lord Tor, how might we be of service?¡± The middle one asked in a quiet tone. I pointed to the fireplace and told them to go cut down a tree or two and make sure it was the right size to burn in the fireplace. The men nodded and left, I knew that they would be back soon with two of three trees split and the right length. Hearing steps approaching from the back of the room I noted that Keon and the other guards were back. Walking over to them I asked what they had found.


    ¡°The castle has been abandoned for some time,¡± Keon began. ¡°We have searched all the rooms finding only one which seems to be sealed. Aside from some old furnishings, we found nothing. It actually seems to be in fair shape, there is no danger of collapse, I do wonder who lived here.¡±


    ¡°As do I,¡± I spoke softly. ¡°Keon, when the men start bringing in the wood, have it piled beside the fireplace and also stack some in, I will start a fire and get this place warmed up, but first I will fix these walls so that bloody cold wind is not swirling around my feet.¡± I then walked over to the nearest wall and cast Dig Deep and began to manipulate the living stone. I drew it up from deep withing the earth and then combined it with the stone of the castle, I had it seal up all cracks and the strengthen the walls, floors and foundations, I also took the time to clean all the dirt and filth from the walls and floors of the entire castle by absorbing it into the stone and then pushing it through.


    Once I was done I looked around to discover that everyone was staring at me, once they saw that I was looking at them they all took the knee and bowed their head. I was startled for a moment and then realized that the whole chamber was glistening an off white color, all the stains of time were gone and from the floor up the place was immaculate. I gestured for everyone to get up and said, ¡°Look if you do that every time you see me doing magic we won¡¯t get much done right.¡±


    I then turned and looked at the wood that had been brought in and placed neatly both in and beside the fireplace. Walking over I cast Dragon fire at the wood and ignited it after a few seconds it was burning brightly and beginning to throw out a lot of heat. Caylan approached with two other women and several large pots that they hung on the hooks over the flames. I could smell the stew beginning to cook and it smelled good. But no rest for the wicked so I called to Keon and asked him to show me the sealed room.


    We walked up three flights of stairs and down a long corridor until we stood in front of the doorway. The castle was clean and almost smelled lemony, but I am sure that was my mind playing tricks on me. Too many cleaning sessions at the orphanage using a lemon scented cleaner, I thought. I stared at the door and noted the slow swirling patterns of energy that were visible to my dragon eyes. It was beautiful to watch the power ebb and flow.


    Keon looked at the doorway and then asked, ¡°So what the hell is this thing, how do we get through it and what do you think is behind it Lord Tor?¡±


    I glanced over at the big smith and smiled he was nervous but determined to stand with me, I appreciated that. ¡°It is a magical barrier blocking the entrance to the room, I think I can use magic to get through and I have no clue about what is behind the doorway. You never know it might be a sleeping princess waiting for her prince to wake her with a kiss.¡±


    Keon looked stunned and whispered, ¡°Really, can I try to kiss her first, I mean I will keep it clean but I have never kissed a princess.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to break your bubble Keon, the possibility of having a princess in here is pretty low. But if she is in here, what the hell I will let you kiss her.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Keon looked at me stunned not sure if I was joking or being serious, but once he saw that I was not smiling or laughing at him he bowed his head and thanked me. I halfway hoped that there would be a princess hidden in the room. Turning to Keon I said, ¡°Go downstairs and find me a comfortable chair or bench and fetch it up here, I need to study this barrier and ask Caylan for a bowl of stew, I am getting hungry.¡±


    I watched Keon hurry off and then stood and stared at the doorway. I had no really way of breaking into the room, my training as a Thief had not included breaching magical barriers. My saving grace was the fact that I was becoming more attuned to my Ascended power and having the inclusion of both Nyx and the Dark God merge with my soul had opened up several pathways of power within me.


    Walking over to the door I placed my hand upon the flat stone and watched as the energy swirled around and sped up as it moved all across the doorway. I opened my senses and began to draw just a small strand of the energy towards me and watched it slowly lift from the door and wrap around my wrist, I held my hand still and let more of the energy of the spell leave the door and transfer to my wrist. After several minutes the transfer of energy was complete and I had an ethereal chain made of magical energy wrapped around my wrist. The doorway was now unsealed and could be opened. I looked at my wrist admiring the chain, only visible to my Dragon eyes, and thought, just like the Ghost rider. I wondered what I could do with the chain.


    I heard Keon and Caylan both arrive on carrying stew the other a chair. I smiled at them both and then gestured to the door. ¡°It¡¯s now open and I am curious to see what is hidden within, do you two want to come with me or stay and wait here?¡± I could see that they were interested in what had been locked away by some powerful magic so I said, ¡°Stay behind me, don¡¯t touch anything, try not to speak, and close your eyes if I tell you to. We good?¡±


    As they both nodded I pushed open the door and walked into the room, it was long and ran the length of the third floor. It was set up as a bedroom study with shelves all around the walls. It had several comfortable chairs and was quite cozy with tapestries on the walls and throw rugs on the floor. Sitting in one of the most comfortable chairs was an imposing figure of a man, he was wearing a green robe and was reading a book. Seeing me enter he grimaced and then asked, ¡°How the hell did you get past the doorway, I made sure that it was sealed tight.¡±


    I waved at him and then licked out the chain, he stared at it surprise on his face and then he said, ¡°Shit, that is not supposed to be possible, who are you?¡±


    Deciding I would be honest I answered, ¡°I am Tor, an outlaw among humans, I have brought a small band of refugees to this hidden valley for safety as war seems to be encroaching. We discovered the castle in disrepair and I have taken it upon myself to make it a place of comfort and safety for these people. Now if you would not mind telling me why the hell is a ghostly mage sealed up in a long abandoned castle?¡±


    The ghost stared at me and then smiled, ¡°So you have seen through my glamor, yes I am a ghost. I was the lord of this land many years ago, and my chosen path was that of a mage. Unfortunately, we are all given a portion of time and when mine ran out I arrived at the end of my days. I was not happy to go into the great beyond, so with my dying breath, I bound myself to my castle. I sealed the door to my chamber so I would not be disturbed as I did my research, and now having completed my great work, I found myself bored, waiting here for something. Then you arrived and I am now once again becoming curious.¡±


    I stared at the ghost and thought, why do I always have shit like this happen to me. Instead of voicing my thoughts I asked the ghost for his name.


    ¡°My name is Mage Lord Braith, and I am the ruler of the four valleys and the Lord of the River Castle.¡± The old boy stopped talking and stared at me, I stared back and as he saw the Dragon fire within my eyes he looked away.


    ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I replied. ¡°This castle being long abandoned is now claimed by me, I will respect your wish for privacy and seal up the door to your chambers, we will not disturb you any longer,¡± turning I motioned for Keon and Caylan to head out of the room. As we began to walk towards the door I felt my perception kick in and then I heard Braith clear his throat.


    ¡°You are not really disturbing me; in fact, I have spent the last hundred years rather bored. If you would not mind, may I meet your people and hear their stories?¡±


    I turned back to face him and smiled, ¡°That is fine Braith, but drop the Lord title and do not scare the children. In fact, if you could tell Keon here the history of the valley and why all the people have left that would be useful.¡± We began to walk out of the room once again this time with Braith walking beside me, he looked solid enough and I had no doubt that he would be enjoying the human interactions, he had been alone for a long time.


    Once we entered the main hall I called everyone to attention and introduced Braith to the villagers. Once I told them he was a ghost they looked startled, but when I young boy ran up to him and said, ¡°Boo,¡± the tension was broken, especially after Braith knelt down and said Boo back at the child. I headed over to grab another bowl of stew and then found a table in the far corner and sat down to eat.


    I was surprised when Caylan joined me and brought us each a cup of kava. Sitting back we enjoyed the warmth of the hot drink and sat in companionable silence. I was aware of hey eyes on me and that she seemed to be restraining herself. Finishing my stew, I had a sip of my kava and then asked, ¡°What do you want to know, I can tell that you have some questions, so ask away.¡±


    Caylan looked startled and then smiled at me, ¡°Who are you Tor, we villagers talked on the trip and we know that they say you killed the Gods, yet you have helped us. I don¡¯t believe that you are some Demonic being sent to our world to destroy it, regardless of what the King may say.¡±


    I nodded and looked at the fire burning brightly, warming the room. I could see that people were spreading their blankets around getting ready to retire for the night, it was getting late and in the winter the sky darkened early.


    Glancing over at Caylan I said, ¡°I am just a visitor to the realm, yet somehow circumstances have brought me into contact with many different beings, both Gods and Demons, I have traveled to many different places and learned much about myself and others.


    Yet for all that I have gained, I have lost those that are the most important to me. I have become more than I was yet, to be honest, my losses have made me less.¡± I realized that my eyes had filled with tears as I thought of my close friends and family, My wife Ama who had been killed and my son whom I had never seen. Of the Earthmother dying at the hands of her son, the Eldest, called the firstborn and the Dragon.


    Caylan watched Tor as he began to speak and was surprised to hear what he said, and when he was finished she watched as a few tears rolled down his cheeks. For all his power he still feels pain and loneliness, she thought. ¡°I am sorry for your loss.¡± It was only saying a few words, but it felt right to share that she felt for his suffering.


    I looked at Caylan and could see the concern on her face, remembering that she had lost her sister just three days back I grabbed her hand and squeezed it and then thanked her. It had the feeling of release as we sat there and I enjoyed it. When I went to let go her hand, she smiled at me and said, ¡°Please don¡¯t, I want to stay here and hold your hand.¡±


    I nodded, people needed to be touched and reassured every now and then, it was part of what made us human. The night became still as most of the people went to sleep, and soon after Caylan was sleeping also, she had crept in and was resting her head on my shoulder, I reached out and pulled her head down to my lap and covered her with my cloak. Using the nanobots I adjusted my temperature just enough to keep her warm and then closed my eyes and let myself sleep.

 Exploring

    <h2>Chapter 4Explore</h2>


    I awoke after a couple of hours and gently moved away from Caylan, I did not want to disturb her she needed her rest. Covering her with my cloak, I threaded my way through the sleeping villagers and headed for the stairs. Making my way up I finally arrived at the top and opening the door I stepped out onto the battlements. Walking to the middle I looked down the valley, there was a lake off to the right side that fed the river. On the other side of the valley was the village, and then past that open fields that had not been worked for many years. Mist rose from the lake, I assumed it had hot springs helping to keep it warm.


    My perception tweaked and I turned to see Mage Lord Braith appear beside me. I nodded at the ghostly figure and then turned to look down the valley again. It was a stunning vista with the ragged mountain peaks and dark waters of the lake steaming in the night air. I was entranced by the beauty of it and thought that it would be a good place for the villagers to start life over.


    ¡°It is amazing, I would come up here and look down the valley many times during my life. I am glad to see that you are a kindred soul.¡± Mage Lord Braith spoke quietly and then became silent as we both stood still. After several minutes he spoke again, ¡°Lord Tor, I have heard your people call you, and you are a Lord to them, saving them and then bringing them to safety. But what now? I have heard that you are leaving, heading towards the Dwarven lands. The people say that there is the talk of war and that dark times are coming. Having lost their village I would wager that they speak the truth. So again I ask you, what now?¡±


    I continued to stare down the valley as I thought of what he had said, it was all true but the underlining question was what needed to be answered, what now. In truth, I did not know the answer to the question, I have been on the reactive end of things for a long time. There have been a few times I had taken the initiative but most of the time situations arose that I had no control over. I was getting sick of that, I wanted to start doing things on my terms. Turning to Braith I began to speak.


    ¡°I have been reacting to situations for far too long, and have not had time to actually deal with problems on my terms. That stops here, in order to do what I need to I will be dictating the terms, and letting those others involved react. In addition let me begin by thanking you, while we have moved in and taken over your castle I want you to know that I am grateful.¡±


    Braith looked surprised for a moment and then smiled, ¡°I also am grateful to you, it has been a treat to see others after so long, and I really appreciate the young ones. I always allowed the children access to the castle and if I had time I would always read to them. That is one word of advice I give you, always allow your people access to you and especially make time for the children, they never forget that.¡±


    I nodded, it was something I had heard before and it was just a good thing to do. Looking back down the valley I said, ¡°Lord Braith, I am not sure what to do with these people, they refused to stay in their village and insisted on traveling with me, even though I am an outlaw with the human kingdom and the King has guards out searching for me. I could not abandon the poor people, not with goblins ad orcs out raiding villages in the countryside and the king only concerned about hunting me. Yet now I am stuck, these people have no food or place to stay, I can¡¯t provide for them, I am not much of a hunter and the harvest is long over.¡±


    Braith looked thoughtful and then turning to me said, ¡°Lord Tor, it is apparent that you care for these people, and having listened to them last night, I can tell you they hold you in utmost respect with a healthy dash of fear. I believe they would follow you anywhere, but you lead them here. I am curious about that, these valleys are hidden and not easy to locate yet you knew to bring them here, how did you know the way?¡±


    I smiled at Braith and then called out to Stoneskin, ¡°Reveal yourself to Lord Braith, my friend.¡± Slowly the darkness at the end of the walkway shifted and then two red flamed eyes opened and the dark stone dragon slowly walked over towards us. I observed Braith, he had a look of fascination on his face and he was muttering to himself, ¡°Amazing, truly amazing.¡±


    Lifting up my hand I patted my Dragon on the shoulder and then said, ¡°This is my Dragon, Stoneskin, he is my creation and is infused with the essence of both myself and several others, including small traces of higher powers. He is unique, there are no others like him, he is alive, intelligent , loyal and dedicated. It was Stoneskin who helped to lead us here. He is truly the one who rescued the villagers.¡±


    The big stone beast began to purr as I praised him and then gently bowed to Braith. Backing up a few paces he said, ¡°I go hunting and exploring, I will return with the what I can catch. Then with a leap, he took to the skies and was gone.


    Braith was looking at the sky with wonder and then turning to me asked, ¡°Is it possible to make more of those dragons. What an amazing thing. I wonder, do you realize what you have done, the creation of life is something that was under the control of the Gods, you have crossed into their territory my young friend, and one thing I know is that gods are jealous of their powers.¡±


    ¡°The Gods are on my list of things to deal with, but that will be in a different realm, here I have already removed the Gods, capricious bastards that they are. What has come to take their place is just as bad if not worse.¡± I breathed in deeply, thinking about the dark God, and what that meant, the walls between the realms were weakening and the Dark realm was beginning to move against us here.


    Turning to look at Braith I continued, ¡°Starting with the Dwarves and their realm, and then spreading out to the whole world is a coming darkness, a great war is coming, I have a chance to stop it, or at least contain it, but that requires me traveling to other realms, and for some damn reason that I don¡¯t understand, my portal spell will not work and until it does I am stuck here trying to contain what is coming.¡±


    Braith looked at me shocked and then suggested, ¡°Tell me the whole tale from beginning to end, so that I might make sense of what you have said. Hearing you talk is frightful and if half of what you are saying has truth I fear for this world.¡±


    I nodded, I to feared for the world, I knew from my world''s history what happened when nations went to war. ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs, I could use some kava,¡± I suggested and then I made my way down to the doorway and descended down to the main level. I knew that by now kava would brewing as people began to wake up. I needed to talk to Keon and Caylan and get thigs organized for the day, we had to explore the village and send out hunters and woodcutters. Keon would also be working with me in building a fish wheel to try to harvest some fish from the river.


    Walking over to the fireplace I grabbed a mug from the table and filled it with a hot cup of kava, then sat down on an empty bench, soon Braith joined me and we began to talk. I told him of everything that had happened, including my understanding of how the Gods were not doing what they were supposed to be doing. I told of the Dark realm and how the walls between the realms were becoming weaker. I mentioned Tartarus and how I had to go there to try to fix what was wrong in all the realms. In the end, I asked Braith what he thought of it all and waited for his response.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Braith looked at me and then said, ¡°Why do anything, the Gods are the ones that should be dealing with this and if they don¡¯t then that is on them. I have listened and what I have heard is this, everywhere you go you set up an area that is a place of refuge for people. Your Island at the Human city, your island in the Greek realm, this valley here, even the abandoned park in the city. It is apparent that you feel the need to have a safe place, and that is wise at any time. With the changes coming, I think you would do will to prepare places of safety I am sure that you will find good people who need your help.¡±


    ¡°As for the rest, let the Gods sort it out, and if you can¡¯t do that then deal with it in your own time. Take care of the darkness in this realm, then travel to the other realms and do what you need to. Do not let circumstances control your actions, but rather plan out and do what you need to. That is the only advice this old man can give you Torn, stay here a week or two and think about it while you set you people up. Now I am going to my chamber to rest, we will talk in the evening.¡±


    The old ghost slowly dematerialized and was gone, he had given my much to think about and I thought he was right at least in part. I would take a couple of weeks off and help these villagers, then head out, but this time I would be following my plans, not reacting to circumstances beyond my control.


    Seeing Keon awake, I called him over and began to discuss the immediate needs of the village. We agreed to deal with collecting wood, as well as sending out hunters, the food was the most important issue. I then began to discuss fishing and making a waterwheel to scoop up fish, I was sure that the river and lake would be full of fish. I began by describing the basics of a floating water wheel placed in the middle of a barge, on either side of the wheel where wooden trays that the fish would fall in. The paddles of the wheel were buckets, that had been angled to the side, one to the left the next to the right. As the buckets were spun by the rivers current the buckets would travel up and at the apex there was a hole in the side walls of the wheel structure that allowed the fish to drop down a chute into the wooden trays.


    The bottom of the buckets are not solid but spaced to allow the water to drain out as the buckets travel around the circumference of the water wheel. If the fish are swimming in the river this will certainly scoop up a few. I could see the Keon had his doubts, but they would pass once he saw it working. We talked for a while longer and I grabbed some charcoal from the fire and sketched out the major components on the table. Once Keon actually saw w completed sketch he became very thoughtful. Once he had set up his smithy I knew he would be working on the plans.


    As we finished discussing the fish wheel Caylan joined us, giving me a shy smile she asked, ¡°What are the plans for today, I want to keep the people busy, it will make the transition easier.¡±


    I nodded she was right, pointing upwards I said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we do a survey of the castle, now that it is repaired and cleaned it really would be the best place for all of us to live for now. Set up a few people for kitchen duty, in fact, make a schedule so all will take a turn, at least those that are not working. Then assign quarters based on need and space, and have a few of the men make sure that the bathrooms are functional.¡± I looked at Caylan and Keon and nodded they were good people and would get the job done. As I stood I told them, ¡°I am going to be exploring the valleys today, making sure it is safe, do not be surprised if a black Dragon lands and brings you some fresh game. He is with me, and I will take it poorly if anyone attempts to harm him. Caylan I have something else I need you to do for me.¡± Reaching down towards the warm fireplace I grabbed my pack from where I had placed it and opening it I removed the Wyvern egg. It was warm and I could feel a content sleepy thought coming from it.


    Looking at Caylan I held out the egg and then reached out my hands and covered hers as she grasped the egg. Looking at her I said, ¡°This egg will hatch soon and I need you to be there for it if I am not present. You must take care of the Wyvern and make sure nothing happens to it. Now still your mind and open your heart, I want to try to bring you and the baby closer.¡±


    I began to draw out my power and opened my mind to the Wyvern, at the same time I opened a pathway to Caylan and began to gently form a contact between caylan and the Wyvern. As I pushed more power into the link I observed a glow come from the egg and travel up Caylan¡¯s arms and slowly sink into her. After several minutes I heard Caylan say, ¡°I can feel it, I can feel the little one.¡±


    Slowly I let go of the power and then lifted my hands from Caylans. As I looked at her she began to cry and cradled the egg to her chest. I watched as she put her head down and began to whisper to the egg.


    Looking around I saw that we had an audience and I waved them back, then looking at Caylan I said, ¡°Alright take a few moments and then let''s get to work. We have a lot to do here.¡± I began to make my way through the people, stopping to ask how they were doing and making small talk, just letting them know that I was there and I cared.


    Once I made it outside, I began to walk down the old road to the village, eventually stopping to look at the lake and river. The abandoned fields caught my eye, it was apparent that the grain had grown wild over the years, and while it was not in great shape, some might be still harvested. I made a mental note to tell Keon to have a group of people come and see what they could gather and continued on down the road. It followed the mountains and soon the castle was lost from view.


    I had thought of transforming to Dragon form and flying to explore the valley faster, but I was enjoying the walk and decided to continue for a while on foot. The morning passed, and it was interesting to note that the air while cool, did not have the cold bite of winter that we had felt on the road traveling here. I was impressed with all that I saw, this was an amazing place, sheltered, warm and fertile. I was glad the Stoneskin had spotted it.


    Eventually, I came to a fork in the road, a small hill was in the middle of the valley and split it into two, deciding to continue down the left side I entered a deeper valley, here the mountains on the left were taller and while the valley was split by a series of low hills in the middle the mountains on the right were just as high as those on the left.


    The valley I was in was covered in forest and would make a great source of wood for heating the castle. The trail snaked through the woods and sometimes hard to follow, time had taken its toll on the pathway. Eventually, the woods ended and I came upon a large lake, the far side of the lake was tight against the mountains and was in a rough U shape.


    I looked at the lake and the mountains and felt sure that nothing could come from this direction. Turning around I began to backtrack, I wanted to explore the trail to the right where it had split. Once I reached the low hill dividing the valley I swung to the right and continued on. The trail soon opened out into a large valley with clumps of wood and abandoned fields, it was apparent that this area had been home to small farms and holdings. I continued to walk as the afternoon sun warmed me, it was peaceful and still.


    Once I came to the end of this valley I saw that the trail narrowed down to a mere path and went into a split in the rock wall of the mountain. I made my way through this narrow trail and eventually ended up in another valley, this one had a raging river that took most of the bottom lands with trees perched precariously on the mountain slopes. The narrow pathway winded up the right side of the valley with many switchbacks. It was getting late but I wanted to see where the trail ended. I hurried on and was soon climbing the mountain, it was steep and rough but with care could be climbed.


    By the time I reached the top, I was slightly out of breath but amazed at what I saw, the valley stretched out before me, it was impassable, the top of the trail ended in an alpine meadow that had a gentle slope and circled around the mountain. I could see a tower off in the distance and the trail led in that direction. Eventually, I arrived at the tower and could see that it was in rough shape, I wanted to get to the top and see what was visible further down the mountain.


    I placed my hands on the stone and called forth the power of the earth much as I had done with the castle, and began to repair and clean the tower. Once I was done I noted that the tower was still a gray color but it was now solid and stable. Making my way inside I climbed three flights of stairs and made my way to the top. Climbing out to the observation deck I looked all around the view was great, mountains and forests. At one time the path led away from the tower but once it came close to the mountains side it was washed out. No one would be able o get into the valley from this back road.


    Satisfied that the valleys were safe I climbed down and began the long hike home. I wanted to take my time and just breath in the mountain air and enjoy the view.