《Eternus Online [VRMMO, LitRPG, Portal Fantasy Isekai]》 B1 | Chapter 00: Project Genesis November 1st, 2094 Artificial Island ¡°New Atlantis¡± North Atlantic Ocean USA Sovereign Waters 0030 Hours EST Adrian Maxwell IV had killed, cajoled, blackmailed, bankrupted, and bribed his way toward the final stretch of this great work¡ªblackening his soul with sin of such an extent that, if hell existed, he was surely damned to it. Blood stained his hands as red as any assassin¡¯s, and yet, it was worth it. It had to be worth it. Adrian was the architect behind the greatest technological innovation in human history, and it was solely because if he failed two worlds would die. He stood with his left hand in his trouser pocket, and his cold gray eyes trained upon the engineers carefully working on the silvery metal that would eventually comprise the ¡®core¡¯ of Eternus Online. His right hand idly toyed with a platinum coin, thumbing it along his gloved knuckles and then back again to loop the movement. His attention was solely fixed on the teams as they worked, hidden as he was behind the one-way glass that lined his office. Project Genesis had been the work of his near-fifty years of life, his father¡¯s life before him, and his grandfather¡¯s before that. Seventy-four years of effort, starting from the first quantum breakthrough in the mid-2020s, all the way up to now. By the time it was completed, they¡¯d be on the cusp of the 22nd Century. Impatience, eagerness, and frustration gnawed at him relentlessly. Time was running out. That, among other reasons, was why he had summoned his lieutenants to give their reports¡ªthough he had been lost, once again, in thought since they had arrived. He could barely take his eyes off of the progress anymore, given how agonizingly close they were. ¡°Staring at them won¡¯t make them work faster, Your Grace,¡± a feminine voice teased from the deeper interior of his grand workspace. ¡°Leave him be,¡± a masculine baritone cut in smoothly, ¡°and focus on the latest reports. We can¡¯t afford another setback to Genesis this close to Revelation.¡± Adrian rolled his coin over his knuckles a final time and turned after the exchange, settling his eyes on the pair within his domain. Sterling Wallace was his head of security, as well as his Director of Operations, and looked every bit the soldier he had once been. The African man¡¯s head was shaved, his shoulders were broad, and he sat with his right foot crossed atop his left knee¡ªbespoke shoes reflecting the warm glow of the office lighting upon their polished surface. In his hand sat a next-generation tablet, thoroughly encrypted, and filled with partitioned windows that showed multitudinous details from interior cameras to financial reports, news, and even internet message board gossip. ¡°The only delays are the Judiciary and the House Sub-Committee,¡± the woman answered with confident self-assurance, ¡°and both will be taken care of after the election. The incoming President owes us his allegiance, and beyond that, he knows the price of failure.¡± Sterling just shook his head, but he did not argue. Seated across from him, Fiona Hayes was the Director¡¯s near-exact opposite. The red-haired, green-eyed Chief Financial Officer was poring over her state-of-the-art laptop while balancing two or three other tablets similar to Sterling¡¯s own, and spread out across Adrian¡¯s desk¡ªwhich she had commandeered for her use. Her large, ostensibly fashionable spectacles were entirely useless in reality, but it helped negate the disarmingly supernatural beauty the forty-something woman possessed at a glance. ¡°What about the Courts?¡± Adrian asked while walking back toward the desk and rolling the coin over his knuckles again. ¡°We chose Chief Justices that were openly biased against corporate interests, at least on the surface, in order to make their cooperation less obvious to the public.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And they are reliable?¡± Sterling probed while Adrian listened. ¡°Completely,¡± Fiona assured them with certainty. ¡°We own them.¡± Adrian nodded and rolled the coin again. The repetition soothed his tension. ¡°Be certain,¡± he commanded quietly. ¡°We are too close to afford any more delays.¡± ¡°You can rest assured, Your Grace, that we will not allow such,¡± Fiona declared with firm conviction. ¡°We have already sanitized several of the last impeding factors,¡± Sterling added with a supportive rumble, ¡°and made sure to remove anyone that came too close to seeing the full picture. As long as the Inquisitor manages her end of things, Your Grace, we will be well and truly clear of obstacles to Genesis¡¯ completion.¡± ¡°What about the Link?¡± ¡°The devices are fully attuned to the Euclidean Arrays,¡± Fiona said with confidence. ¡°All testing has shown nominal readings, and we have no reason to be worried about feedback errors. We are ready, Your Grace. All that remains is for DEUS to come online.¡± ¡°The main variable with regard to Earth is how far the public is willing to buy into this being a pure technological breakthrough,¡± Sterling said with a sigh. ¡°We can¡¯t do much if they refuse to accept what we are offering.¡± ¡°That will not be an issue,¡± Adrian said with a shake of his head, and a glance back down at the coin. ¡°If there is one thing the people of this planet are desperate for, it is the spirit of adventure. Industry, time, and greed have obliterated their agency¡ªand their spirits are yearning for their ancestors¡¯ freedom. We are not marketing a product, Sterling, we¡¯re giving them liberation.¡± ¡°Genesis depends on the integrity of the Traveler System, Your Grace, and the System¡¯s acceptance of DEUS as a local node,¡± Sterling responded in his deep, rumbling bass. ¡°If there is not sufficient amalgamation, the entire project will fail even if we succeed in our part.¡± DEUS. It always came back to that. The heart of it all; a near-perfect replication of a true quantum intelligence, designed, built, and born from the melding of true magic and Earth sciences. It was the wildcard, but Adrian had his conviction in its success for a reason¡ªhe still possessed the Old Knowledge, from before their ancestors had come to Earth. He knew what the System needed in order to perforate the veil between worlds and anchor to Earth. ¡°That is not a concern,¡± Adrian said steadily, allowing his belief to buoy his words. ¡°The System will embrace DEUS, and uphold the Traveler compact. Our only task is to bequeath the Key. The rest will be up to fate.¡± ¡°There is still the unknown factor of the Pantheon, Your Grace.¡± ¡°The ancient laws proscribe Power intervention so long as we adhere to the Traveler precepts, Fiona,¡± Adrian said while turning away, and moving back toward the single solid pane of one-way glass. ¡°Even using a proxy for the Transmigration, the effect remains identical. The System will rule in our favor. There is no reason for it not to.¡± ¡°Four centuries have passed there since we were sent to Earth, Your Grace, and it is very likely our joint sponsors are dead,¡± Fiona said with a frown of inflective rumination between rapid keypresses. ¡°It is quite probable that we are initiating Genesis without any supporting element awaiting us on the other side. The entire project will hinge on random chance.¡± ¡°We identified the right bloodlines,¡± Adrian said while the coin continued its passage, ¡°and we have a bevy of strong souls on Earth. The Pantheon will have too many potentiates to notice anything is amiss until it is too late, and by then, balance will have its chance. All we have to do is deliver the Key, and have Faith.¡± ¡°I am tired of this world,¡± Fiona admitted while the sounds of her typing faded to nothing. ¡°I am tired of this dreary, mana-dead civilization of cold machines. I am tired of hiding my gifts for fear of superstitious misconception. We have all been rotting here for too long¡ªpowerless and at the mercy of this world¡¯s stunning lack of Soul. I am afraid that we, too, will die here as the Vanguard did¡ªwithout ever knowing the beauty of our home.¡± ¡°We are all afraid of that, Fiona,¡± Adrian said without turning back to her, and while his gaze fixated once more on the engineers. ¡°But to quote Herbet, ¡®Fear is the Mindkiller¡¯. We cannot allow our concerns to frustrate our goals. We will see the land of our forebears again, even if we do so absent the laurels and power of our ancestors.¡± ¡°We¡¯re saving two worlds in one fell swoop,¡± Sterling muttered quietly, ¡°and they¡¯ll never even realize it.¡± ¡°They may even hate us for it, before the end,¡± Fiona said with a mirthless laugh. ¡°That is the price of our Charge.¡± Adrian stated pointedly. ¡°¡®Hidden truths and a sacred Charge to bequeath a dying world its salvation¡¯,¡± Fiona quoted while her fingers traced her keyboard. ¡°It¡¯s a romantic notion, at least¡ªeven if we are essentially turning more than a century of effort over to eventual entropy. If Genesis works, all the power and influence we have built here on Earth will mean nothing. Are you truly prepared to become just another person, Your Grace?¡± Adrian stared down at the coin on his knuckles, and his jaw tightened. ¡°This world is not my home, Fiona, any more than it is yours, Sterling¡¯s, or that of the rest of our people. I may not sit on a throne on Earth, but a King¡¯s greatest duty is not self-aggrandizement, it is sacrifice¡ªfor his people, his nation, his world. Success is all I care about. My bloodline knew the cost of this undertaking, but Faith forfends Doubt.¡± ¡°Spoken like a Templar,¡± Fiona said with a faint hint of approval. ¡°Spoken like a King,¡± Sterling agreed with a rumble. Adrian narrowed his eyes despite their words, and his fist tightened. ¡°Return to your tasks,¡± he commanded instead of allowing himself to indulge in their praise. ¡°If any complications arise at this juncture, deal with them with whatever means are necessary. We stand upon the cusp of Revelation, and nothing can be permitted to impede Genesis in these last four years.¡± Two sounds of assent came back to him, and Adrian loosened his fist in order to restart the coin¡¯s roll along his knuckles. ¡°Alea iacta est,¡± he muttered to himself, and fell outwardly silent. It is in your hands now, son. Adrian said into the safety of his own mind. One day, I hope you forgive me for what you must endure. B1 | Chapter 01: Luck of the Draw December 1st, 2099 Hampton Falls, NH United States of America 1853 Hours EST Darian King pulled into the driveway of his home in Hampton Falls. A sigh escaped him, and he glanced up at the rear mirror and found his own weary gray eyes staring back at him. ¡°Cheer up, idiot,¡± he muttered to himself good-naturedly, ¡°it¡¯s the weekend.¡± A snort followed his self-pep talk, and Darian rubbed his hands over his face before muttering ¡°driver door up¡± and stepping out when the car complied, followed by a ¡°lock and power off¡± command that saw the door close with a click of central locking. The last part of the command deactivated the electric engine immediately and allowed the vehicle to connect to the charging pad built into the faux-granite driveway under his feet. The only sign of the charge was the subtle flicker of electric-blue light around the rectangular pad, muted by the sporty chassis of the luxury two-door. Darian¡¯s footsteps were quiet as he approached the entrance to the massive house, glancing up at the center of the brown double-doors and allowing the small projector above the frame to scan him quickly. The wash of blue light raked his form, and a chime of approval echoed from somewhere nearby. Several loud clicks went off, and the doors opened inwards, offering him entry. ¡°Thanks, Alfred,¡± he said as he stepped inside, beelining for the large staircase at the end of the carpeted marble entrance hall and ascending it steadily. ¡°You¡¯re quite welcome, Master Darian,¡± the distinctly English accent of the residence AI responded warmly, its voice projecting from one of the many hidden speakers within the infrastructure. ¡°Shall I prepare dinner, Young Master?¡± Darian shook his head as he turned left at the middle fork of the staircase, still taking them two at a time. ¡°I ate while I was out,¡± he responded while glancing down at the sleek black band wrapped around his wrist, and noting the time when it appeared on his forearm in holographic blue digits. ¡°Has everything been set up, Alfred?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± the AI responded affirmatively, ¡°and I had the technicians install the device in your study, as you asked. I take it this is that new VRMMO you¡¯ve been excited for?¡± Darian nodded with a faint smile of anticipation. ¡°Eternus Online,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Did you snag that research I asked you for?¡± ¡°I took the liberty of familiarizing myself with the available information, sir, yes.¡± Alfred replied dutifully. ¡°Would you like me to elaborate on¡ª?¡± ¡°No thanks,¡± Darian cut in hurriedly as he stepped through multiple doorways and a long corridor, walking toward the opening doors to his bedroom. ¡°I¡¯d prefer to go in basically blind. The whole point of this game is that it¡¯s marketed as an unprecedented adventure, and there¡¯s no point ruining it for myself.¡± ¡°A wise choice, sir,¡± Alfred agreed affably. ¡°Is there anything else I can do to assist you, then, before you enter the game?¡± Darian hesitated. Was there anything that Alfred could do? He certainly didn¡¯t want the experience of Eternus spoiled by the AI, but maybe there was something he could take care of on Darian¡¯s behalf. ¡°Can you call Kate and tell her I¡¯ll be starting it up soon, please?¡± ¡°Ah, will Miss Kate be playing with you?¡± ¡°Last I checked, yeah,¡± Darian confirmed distractedly. ¡°Though¡­ she said she wouldn¡¯t be free until about¡­ nine-ish? So, I have a few hours to kill. Tell her I¡¯ll be figuring out the tutorial while I wait.¡± ¡°Of course, sir,¡± Alfred agreed, ¡°and I might remind you, the device requires you to remove your clothing per the instructions.¡± ¡°...it does?¡± Darian asked with a pause. ¡°It does,¡± Alfred confirmed, ¡°due to some manner of interface requirement, as I understand it.¡± ¡°Everything?¡± he asked to be certain. ¡°Everything, sir,¡± Alfred affirmed. Darian furrowed his brows, but knowing Alfred had done the research into the safety of the game, he shrugged. A moment later he doffed his jacket, rid himself of his casual jeans, and pulled off his shirt and underwear. Naked as the day he was born, the twenty-three-year-old stepped through the doors to his adjoining study and settled his eyes on the full-immersion pod resting on a dais at the center of the room. When Eternus Online had been announced, the company behind it¡ªEternus Entertainment, or ¡®E2¡¯¡ªhad also announced a special raffle: a competition where the winners would receive bespoke cradles for full-dive immersion into the game. The requirement for a medical waiver, which was to check for incompatible genetic markers, had made him hesitate¡ªbut most people¡¯s information was out there by default in the modern age regardless. It also did make more sense, after Alfred had done some research on the reasons behind requesting the information, for E2 to be sure there was no chance of negative medical reactions for people using the pods. Whatever machinery and chemicals went into them, it was unlikely the company wanted to risk someone dying due to a video game they just launched. That had been Alfred¡¯s thoughts as well, and Darian had felt comfortable enough with the rationale¡ªand eager enough for a chance at a bespoke system¡ªto enter the raffle afterward. Each person had been limited to one entry to make it fair, and Darian had been pleasantly surprised by the inability to ¡®pay-to-win¡¯ in the system. This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. When he¡¯d received the email he¡¯d won, he¡¯d been unable to believe his luck. Upon seeing his prize, however, Darian pulled up short and his eyebrows ascended into his platinum-blond fringe. The obsidian-colored pod was shaped like a coffin, as if it were a sleek prop from a suitably melodramatic Korean Manwha or some sort of fantasy novel, and stood at a sixty degree angle¡ªwith its bottom section connected to a large socket attached to the floor . His eyes raked its exterior, and he noted engraved symbols stylistically drawn along the sides of the pod. When he moved around it and bent to take a better look, he realized they were sigils of some sort, and were written in a language¡ªif it was a real language¡ªhe couldn¡¯t identify. ¡°Hey Alfred, do you know what these symbols are?¡± he called while frowning at the device. ¡°I do not, sir,¡± Alfred responded apologetically. ¡°I did attempt to decipher them, but they appear to be some amalgamation of multiple different occult sigils and runes, and ultimately appear to be complete gibberish by the reckoning of the accessible online knowledge base.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Darian said in consideration, and idly reached out to trade one of the sigils. It felt perfectly carved, like it was done with laser precision. ¡°Well, they sure did pull out all the stops. Bespoke is right. This thing would have cost a fortune even in Mother¡¯s eyes.¡± ¡°The estimated value is considerable, Young Master, yes.¡± Alfred confirmed conversationally. ¡°In fact, the average device appears to sell for ten thousand dollars per unit, with generous financing options from E2 themselves¡ªnone of which seem predatory, which is the most curious thing.¡± ¡°I heard they were making it maximum accessibility, but I didn¡¯t realize they were financing people to play the game,¡± Darian said with amusement while he moved around the pod and idly tapped his toes against the cold, reinforced steel of the socket the pod was slotted into. ¡°Oh yes! It even comes with benefits, like baked-in healthcare provisions.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s what happens when the company is run by a trillionaire,¡± Darian noted while tapping his knuckle against the pod, and noting the solid feeling of the metal that comprised its black exterior. It was definitely quality. ¡°Which I would wager is why this device is also so singularly impressive, Young Master.¡± Darian could only agree with Alfred while his eyes took in the entire image, and trailed down toward the socket once more. The socket, a large rectangular ¡®brace¡¯ of solid steel within which the pod was slotted, was connected to a low-grade fusion generator built under the floor. The generator was independent of the home¡¯s power supply and was self-recharging, from what he understood of it. He had no idea about the science behind it, of course, but that hardly mattered. All he cared about was the fact that it could run even in the case of a full blackout. The pod itself also had a state-of-the-art quantum uplink to the Eternus servers in the middle of the Atlantic, meaning that his connection was basically uninterruptible. From what his research had told him, the enigmatic trillionaire behind the creation of Eternus Online had spared no expense on project fidelity. The server mainframes for the game had been built onto a one-of-a-kind man-made island, named ¡®New Atlantis¡¯, which constantly shifted position within U.S. sovereign waters. Rumor had it that the United States Navy was also helping keep the island safe, given it represented a massive economic investment on the part of E2. ¡°Thank god for absentee parents.¡± Darian smirked as he approached the pod, once again finding a positive note in the relative absence of his eccentric, jetsetting mother and her inability to remain in one place for more than a few weeks. It had made his childhood somewhat chaotic, but he knew she meant well. ¡°How do I open it, Alfred?¡± he called while peering at the closed device. ¡°Place your hand on that stylized ¡®E¡¯ on the front, sir, and it should open! Your biometrics have already been registered by the company, as I was informed.¡± Darian raised his eyebrows, but did as Alfred told him to do and set his palm against the surface of the pod, atop the calligraphic ¡®E¡¯ dominating the upper half of the coffin where it was widest. The pod hissed quietly as it vented air. The ¡®lid¡¯ lifted up and moved sideways to reveal the interior of the metal device¡ªalong with the luxurious crimson padding that lined it. Darian took a slow breath and shook out his arms and legs subconsciously to ready himself, while eyeing the pod with a mix of wariness and excitement. A breath in and out followed, and then he stepped forward, turning to ease himself backwards into the pod before he could second-guess himself. ¡°Woah. Weird,¡± he muttered as the padding embraced him with memory-foam-adjacent comfort. With less hesitation, he settled himself back until he was fully lying inside the device. An oxygen mask and simple forehead band slid out from one of the side panels. Darian accepted them both, placing the band around his head and slipping the mask into place. A few moments of nothingness followed, and Darian was about to open his mouth to pose a query to Alfred when a sudden prompt lit up his vision.
Biometric Scan Successful. Registered User Detected. Initializing . . .
Darian blinked at the message, experimentally waving his hand in front of his face. When he touched nothing but air, he realised that the message must have been projected into his vision, and his eyes widened. ¡°Okay. That is cool,¡± he said under the muffling of the oxygen mask. A moment later, another prompt replaced the first one.
System initialized and calibrated. All power and connection readings nominal. Please relax and close your eyes to begin.
Darian did as the prompt requested without much hesitation, taking a steadying breath and closing his eyes. ¡°Good luck, Young Master!¡± Alfred said from the room¡¯s projectors. ¡°I shall monitor you for any irregularities. Happy gaming!¡± Darian gave a thumbs up, and then returned his arm to his side. Moments later, the quiet hum of gears sent soft vibrations through the coffin as the lid of the pod slid into place, and then closed with a faint and distant hiss of pressurization. His heart rate spiked, and in the same moment he detected both oxygen and the subtle hint of something else coming from the mask covering his mouth and nose. Before Darian could even open his mouth to question, he felt his consciousness fading, and his focus pulled from him. The last thing he was aware of was the feeling of warm viscous liquid spilling out across his body from his feet to his chest, with more rapidly filling the pod, and then everything slipped away. B1 | Chapter 02: Eidos and Errors Darian¡¯s eyes snapped open to an endless white void. Space seemed to extend infinitely in all directions, and a mixture of confusion, panic, and existential dread filled him in a rush. ¡°Uh¡­ hello?¡± He called out, feeling like an idiot, right until a prompt abruptly filled the air before him and elicited a sigh of relief.
Welcome, Traveler, to Eternus Online! Eternus Online is the latest, and most cutting edge experience. It is advised that every Traveler approach Eternus Online as if it were another world, in order to both maximize enjoyment and to fully understand the complexity of the living world. Permanent death is very rare in Eternus Online, but is not impossible. If you are permanently killed, an option to reactualize within the world will be granted for free the first time, and then once every 12 months thereafter. You are limited to one actualization at a time, without exception. Eternus Online operates with time dilation, meaning 4 hours will pass for every 1 hour on Earth. This equates to one in-game day for every 6 hours on Earth. Time dilation is an experimental feature, and all users must consent to medical monitoring to avoid any unforeseen complications, the terms and extent of which are included in the Eternus Online EULA. Do you wish to view the Eternus Online EULA?
YES NO
Darian hesitated, and then shook his head and selected no. Alfred had already been asked to go over the EULA when he¡¯d looked into the game, and the AI had raised no concerns when questioned earlier. If Alfred saw no reason to worry, especially given his programming to protect the lives of the household, then Darian saw no reason to bother with the minutiae. He¡¯d already known about the dilation technology as well, and that was part of what had made him so excited for the game in the first place. The dilation could be roughly calculated to 91 real life days per year in Eternus Online. With the average human lifespan nearing one hundred and fifty years thanks to modern science, that meant that if someone played Eternus Online for four years, one year would pass on Earth. The fact that the average human could then enjoy an extra forty years of existence for the price of a decade was an incredible breakthrough in modern technology, and something that even ten years prior had seemed beyond the scope of possibility. ¡°So, what now?¡± Darian asked to the empty air, only for another prompt to fill his vision. Well, at least he knew how to get things moving. He had to prompt it verbally.
By waiving the viewing of the EULA, your consent to its contents has been assumed. If you wish to view the EULA at any time, please access the [Help] option in your in-game menu. Now it is time to create your actualization! This manifestation, colloquially known as your ¡®Eidos,¡¯ will be your living self within Eternus Online for the duration of your journey, unless you are permanently killed. Once you begin the actualization process, it is extremely important that you do not log out or disconnect. Please ensure you are in a position to commit at least 2 Hours of Earth Time to this process. Are you ready to begin?
YES NO
Darian selected yes without hesitation, and he glanced around as the window disappeared. A few moments of silence passed as he considered whether or not another verbal prompt was required, and then he opened his mouth to speak. Just as he was forming the words, however, he was interrupted by a flash of light and the appearance of a new figure within the endless white. The new arrival was female, standing around 5¡¯5¡± with her blonde hair in a corporate-chic haircut, with a formal white blouse and a simple black pencil skirt. Below her skirt, matching black stockings and cream heels completed the look. ¡°Hello!¡± she said with a winning smile while wiggling her manicured nails in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m Ada, your actualization assistant. I¡¯ve been sent by the System to help with the construction of your Eidos within the world of Eternus!¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Uh¡­ hello!¡± Darian said with uncertainty, blinking at the bubbly tidal wave of personality before him. ¡°So you¡¯re here to help me make my character?¡± ¡°Your Eidos,¡± Ada corrected with a grin and a wink. ¡°You Travelers sure do use weird terms.¡± Darian¡¯s brow furrowed for a moment as he took in the blonde, before he decided to dismiss the momentary confusion. Was it really surprising that a game as ambitious as Eternus would have dynamic character creation wrapped into an immersive experience? In a way, he¡¯d already started playing the game. ¡°Right. So¡­ how do we do this?¡± he asked instead of answering her statement. ¡°It¡¯s simple really!¡± Ada replied cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and create a simulacrum for you to interact with. When you¡¯re happy with the look and feel of the example, I¡¯ll confirm the Eidos design with the System, and your mind and soul will be tethered to your body within Eternus!¡± Darian nodded along as she spoke. The gist of it was simple enough, and he saw no reason to ask for elaboration or hesitate in proceeding. It all seemed relatively straightforward. ¡°Okay,¡± he said with a smile and a resurgence of excitement, ¡°ready when you are, Ada.¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± Ada chirruped in approval. ¡°Here we go!¡± A sudden flash of light caused Darian to wince, and when he refocused his gaze, he found himself staring at what appeared to be a replication of himself. This rendition, however, was inert; arms at its sides and gray eyes staring vacantly ahead. Its blond hair was cut with a fade just like his, and it even sported the small crescent scar on its chin that he¡¯d acquired as a toddler. It was also, he noticed, completely naked. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± he said with a low whistle as he looked it over with a mix of awe, surprise, and mild embarrassment. ¡°This is your simulacrum! You are allowed, per the rules of Eternus, to alter yourself within a thirty-percent margin of difference,¡± Ada said brightly, ¡°in order to maximize synergy between your consciousness and your Eidos. For any changes you want to make, simply focus on the simulacrum and visualize the alterations in your mind. When you¡¯re satisfied with your choices, just say you¡¯re finished and I¡¯ll take it from there!¡± Darian hummed and braced his hands on his hips, while eyeing the construct thoughtfully. ¡°Any changes I want?¡± ¡°Well, you can¡¯t grow horns or add wings or anything,¡± Ada said with a laugh. ¡°But height, weight, muscle, limbs, hair, face, eyes¡­ Even your genitalia!¡± Darian blushed visibly at that, and laughed nervously. ¡°That¡¯s, uh, detailed.¡± Ada simply smiled slyly back at him, and she seemed to be waiting for him to act. Drawing in a breath, he shrugged and decided to dive in. The first thing he did was change his hair and eyes, altering the first to be down to the middle of his shoulders and adding a deeper shade to the gold. His eyes, after a moment of consideration, were tweaked and brightened to a more striking silver-gray, and then he went about modifying his muscle mass. Darian had played football in high school, but he¡¯d let his figure go in the five years since he graduated¡ªand that was something he still regretted. He tightened up the looseness on his belly, and brought three neat pairs of abdominal muscles back into definition. His arms and legs received the same treatment, and were enhanced and sharpened back up to what he¡¯d possessed prior to his loss of muscle mass. Thankfully he¡¯d managed to retain his general size, even if the definition had faded. The changes, therefore, were easily accepted. He was already reasonably tall at 6¡¯3¡±, but he decided to crank that just a little more, and pushed himself up to 6¡¯5¡± before slightly squaring and sharpening the structure of his jawline. He noticed his body seemed to proportionally increase in density and overall size with his modifications, which helpfully saved him the trouble of having to adjust anything to fit the new height. His eyes glanced down at his groin, and he only considered it for a moment before he snorted and shook his head. Above average was fine, he didn¡¯t need something ludicrous. Darian¡¯s eyes flickered over his simulacrum, he paused to tweak away the majority of his body hair below the chin¡ªhe¡¯d always hated having any¡ªand then nodded in final satisfaction before turning back to Ada. ¡°I guess I¡¯m done,¡± he said with an idle wave at the imitation. ¡°I can¡¯t really think of anything else.¡± The blonde smiled brightly, looked his simulacrum over, and then nodded to herself. ¡°You¡¯re going to be popular!¡± she said with a laugh, and then she waved a hand at him. ¡°Your psychological compatibility with the designed Eidos is also well over our baseline, which is great!¡± ¡°My psychological acceptance?¡± Darian repeated with interest. ¡°Why yes! One of my tasks is to be on the lookout for gender dysphoria or other disconnections from one¡¯s own body. This is a new world, Traveler! You can be whatever your heart desires.¡± Darian blinked, then shrugged. That made sense. ¡°Okay! I¡¯m going to go ahead and begin the soulbinding process, if you¡¯re absolutely sure?¡± Darian took a moment to have one last look over himself, and then nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± he confirmed. ¡°Great! Here we go!¡± Ada responded with a dramatic flourish of her hands. A sudden vortex opened before him a second later, resplendent with a kaleidoscope of every known spectrum of color. Darian raised his eyebrow at it, and then looked at Ada again, who appeared perfectly unperturbed by the development. Deciding not to worry, he watched as his new body lifted off the ¡®ground¡¯ and drifted toward the portal languidly. It was funny in a way, watching his own physical self inertly floating toward a rainbow-colored tear in the fabric of reality. At least, right up until something seemed to go wrong. The portal, in the blink of an eye, started to fracture. Its myriad of colors were abruptly shattered, and black lines of menacing power oozed in from the edges of the circle to turn the entire structure a roiling, vicious obsidian. Darian looked at Ada for answers, only to see her staring at the portal in shock. The blonde seemed frozen for a minute, and then abruptly spun back to face Darian. ¡°What did you do?!¡± He pointed at himself reflexively in question, and then stared at her for a moment. ¡°Me?¡± he asked in a tone of bewilderment. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything! This is your show!¡± His new body was greedily sucked into the black abyss, and Darian found himself watching it go with a mix of bafflement and mild trepidation. Concern began to replace bemusement, and he felt his heart rate spike. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked in follow-up. ¡°Is there an error with the¡ª?¡± ¡°Oh this is very wrong, very wrong. I am going to be in so much¡ªwhat did you do, Traveler?!¡± Darian panicked as Ada turned to him, her expression horrified, at the same moment as he felt his feet leave the proverbial ground. ¡°Uh? Hello? Do we need an Administrator or something? What is¡ª?¡± The blonde made as if to grab him instead of answering, and a bolt of crimson lightning struck out to swat away her hand. Ada yelped at the strike, and turned back to the portal that was already beginning to greedily draw Darian¡ªwho was flailing in the air helplessly¡ªtoward its voidlike depths. ¡°Ada!¡± he said as much with anger as with rising fear. ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± ¡°I have to report this¡­¡± Ada said while ignoring his question, looking between him and the portal. ¡°This isn¡¯t supposed to happen. She isn¡¯t meant to be able to¡ªugh! Just my rotten luck.¡± The blonde turned to him fully, and jabbed her smoking right hand at him angrily. ¡°You¡¯ll regret this day, Traveler! You¡¯ve just made some very powerful enemies.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about?!¡± Darian¡¯s demands for answers were in vain as Ada spared him a final glare, and then she vanished in a flash of golden-white light. Abandoned in full-blown panic mode, he turned back to the looming darkness of the portal and attempted to turn and freestyle the air to ¡®swim¡¯ away. Naturally, it had no effect. ¡°This is bullshit, this is bullshit, this is bull¡ªHEY! SYSTEM! I WANT AN ADMINISTRATOR! I WANT AN ADMIN¡ª!¡± Darian¡¯s words cut off as he was pulled into the portal, and his awareness was replaced by impenetrable walls of void-black darkness. B1 | Chapter 03: Agency Wake up. Darian floated in nothingness, barely aware of the fact he was aware. He remembered little of what had happened. The face he was conscious told him he was alive, but how and where remained outside the scope of his understanding. He tried to move, tried to blink, and he felt as if he were mired in deep water. The void seemed to undulate around him, compressing and supporting him in equal measure. Wake up. He struggled through the compression to bring his right hand to his face, and he touched his eyes. For all that he¡¯d thought he was looking at darkness, he realised that his eyes weren¡¯t even open. Another attempt to lift his eyelids told him something seemed to almost be fighting his ability to do so, and Darian pressed his forefinger and thumb to his closed eyes. With what felt like a herculean effort, he pushed up the skin. He almost wished he hadn¡¯t. Darian was afloat in the infinite void of space, surrounded by stars and nebulae. He was facing what appeared to be a gothic throne room, one bereft of any anchor to the physical world. Roman-style pillars lined the open-ceilinged chamber, marching toward the throne itself at the far end from him. The royal seat, built upon a tiered dais, was a beautiful construct of black marble, with gold and silver veins pulsing across its surface. When he raked his eyes over the open chamber again, a patch of darkness his gaze had previously rolled over caught his attention. Almost as if his attention was a desire for movement, he was abruptly standing on the marble flooring of the space, staring directly at the shrouded area. The more he focused on it, the more he noticed it started to erode¡ªsloughing away until what was beneath it was revealed. What he saw took him a long moment to process. The most unearthly beautiful woman he¡¯d ever seen knelt on the floor of the throne room, her arms bound by now-revealed golden chains, each one stretching to one of the pillars. The bindings danced with liquid sunlight, expelling coronas of power that snapped at and seared the airless void. Her silver hair fell like a river of starlight, flowing down across the chest of her sleeveless black toga, cinched at her waist in silver, which covered her central mass down to the tops of her knees. When his eyes focused on the material of her clothing, he noticed with a sudden sense of shock and dread that phantasmal skulls were undulating across the material, each one appearing in a silent scream before fading back from sight to be replaced by another. Darian abruptly remembered he was naked and vulnerable, and he glanced down in a panic¡ªonly to find himself attired in a simple white shirt, dark leggings, and a pair of comfortable, sturdy brown boots. Sighing in relief, he turned back to the woman in trepidation. Her arms and legs, he noticed, were clearly defined with muscle¡ªshowing him a person who not only had a supernatural grace, but a prominent physicality as well. He was reminded of a silver-haired Wonder Woman, in many ways, down to the generous proportions of her chest and hips. The forbidding prisoner seemed to be an incarnation of beauty, elegance, and raw power. When she lifted her head to look at him, her eyes were striking: each one was a black void, filled with what appeared to be irises forged from condensed moonlight haloed in blood. Momentarily overawed by the sight, his eyes drank in the scarlet coronas of power that bled jaggedly into the inky darkness of her sclera with stunned appreciation. ¡°At last¡­¡± she rasped wearily, her voice¡ªotherworldly and ethereal¡ªsending a chill of primal fear and disconcerting pleasure down his spine all at once. ¡°I have waited so long for your arrival.¡± ¡°Uh, what?¡± Darian asked in a voice shaken by the fear that kept him rooted in place, and echoing with his own confused uncertainty. ¡°I have no idea who you are, or where I¡ª¡± ¡°I am known by many names...¡± the woman replied before he could finish his sentence, her voice croaky from disuse ¡°...but you may call me Lilith.¡± He swallowed as she said her name, and he forced himself to come back from the strange sense of preternatural intimidation he felt just by being in her presence. ¡°Lilith,¡± he repeated carefully, while conscious of the slight tremor that remained in his voice. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± he continued, at a loss for what to say. ¡°I¡¯m Darian.¡± A ripple passed through his body, and Darian felt something within him, something beyond the physical and beyond his understanding, reacting when he said her name. A feeling of defiance reared up within his mind, buoyed by an emergent rush of pride and discipline, and he almost thought he discerned a hand gripping his shoulder in support¡ªuntil the feeling vanished abruptly. He felt his spine straighten, his heartbeat slow, and his fear eroding. This is Fate, something within him rationalized, and you belong in this moment. Almost as if a switch had been flipped, the fear that had crippled him was gone. Lilith¡¯s gaze widened slightly, and a small smile lifted the corners of her mouth. ¡°Impressive,¡± she croaked in approval as she watched him, ¡°you overcame my aura quickly.¡± Darian¡¯s response was pre-empted by a System Message that filled his vision, and through its sheer familiarity, soothed away some of his remaining concern about what was happening. This was, it seemed, part of the game still.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: [Indomitable] Despite being in the presence of the Dark Lady, you have overcome her [Aura of Death] and mastered your will. This is a feat of legend, granting you the unique boon of complete immunity to all forms of Fear effects. Your [Indomitable] will also protect you from the effects of [Mental Domination] and other such control abilities. You are now able to withstand the presence of all creatures; be they Mortal, Power, Elemental, Undead, or Aberrant.
¡°Dark Lady¡­¡± he muttered while reading the prompt, and then raising his eyes to look back at Lilith. ¡°Are you some sort of deity?¡± ¡°Ah, so the System has enlightened you,¡± Lilith rasped with a smile. ¡°Yes, Traveler, I am She of the End, the Dark Lady: Divinarch of Death, Darkness, Shadow, Order, and Sin. All creatures aligned to the Shadows, the Dark, Death, Corruption, and to Entropy are my servants, from the lowest of ghouls to the greatest of Reapers, Abyssals, and more.¡± ¡°Divinarch?¡± he asked immediately, when the foreign word failed to translate. ¡°Divine Ruler. ¡®Goddess¡¯ is another term, albeit a trite one. I am to mortals as you are to ants, but I am neither omniscient nor omnipotent.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Darian said with a furrow of his eyebrows while watching the beautiful woman warily. She sounded more like a mythological Olympian, the way she explained it. He hadn¡¯t missed the fact she had some affiliation with Sin, either, which definitely seemed like something to be cautious of. The Biblical Lilith came to mind, and he managed not to edge away. ¡°At least I can understand why you¡¯re chained up by Light, now,¡± he said with another glance at the divine shackles. ¡°Even so-called immortals fear the inevitability that I represent, Traveler,¡± Lilith said with a wry look at the radiant manacles. ¡°I am the antithesis to their self-aggrandizing myths of invulnerability, for if they should fall, it is I that shall wield the Scythe which reaps them.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± he asked her while taking a bold step forward, and closing a small amount of distance with the goddess¡ªit was easier to think of her that way¡ªwhile ignoring his thundering heart. It felt like a victory. ¡°Death is Eternal, Traveler,¡± Lilith explained with a more amused smile, and with subtly more vibrancy to her voice, as if speaking were bringing it back into form. ¡°I am but the chosen representative upon Eternus. There is only one world per cosmos with enough Aether to manifest Dominions, and in this one, it is Eternus.¡± Darian hesitated at her words, noticing she had technically evaded his question, and his reflexive response died in his throat. Instead, he took a moment to survey the area surrounding them, and then he refocused on Lilith once more. ¡°Why am I here?¡± he asked instead, changing the subject. ¡°This feels like something way outside the scope of a noo¡ªstarting area.¡± He had almost said ¡®noob zone¡¯, but he had caught himself at the last moment. Lilith did not seem to notice, but Darian caught what he thought was a glimmer of mirth in her decidedly unnerving gaze. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You, Traveler, are here because you entered Eternus through a special artifact; one that the Faithful created in the hope of liberating me.¡± Darian raised an eyebrow at her words, and then his eyes widened in realization. ¡°The coffin!¡± He exclaimed abruptly, and snapped his fingers in realization. ¡°So this is like a Hidden Quest?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lilith confirmed with another amused smile, ¡°which leads us to the Paths before you.¡± ¡°Paths?¡± Darian asked carefully, while fully aware that the word had been very distinctly emphasized in how she¡¯d said it. He knew he was about to make some sort of key decision, especially if this was a special questline he¡¯d earned through the raffle. ¡°You have two options before you, Traveler.¡± Lilith said with a measured tone, though he noticed she still hadn¡¯t blinked once, which was mildly disconcerting. The skulls on her attire, as well, seemed to appear and animate with greater intensity while she spoke, and Darian tried to focus solely on the goddess instead of her creepy toga. ¡°The first of your options is to leave me to my imprisonment,¡± she continued in a markedly stronger voice, ¡°while perpetuating the current state of affairs, and allowing the other Powers to stand uncontested as the ruling forces of Eternus and its surrounds. Doing this will likely earn you some measure of favor with the Pantheon, as well. It will be a quick means to a favorable beginning upon Eternus.¡± Darian raised his eyebrows at her honesty, but he nodded. ¡°Okay¡­ and option two?¡± ¡°You free me,¡± Lilith intoned with an indicative rattle of her gargantuan chains, ¡°and I shall deliver you to Eternus as a potential successor to the title of Dark Autarch. You will be my champion, my agent, my blade and my shield. Through you I will once again bring balance and Order to Eternus, and levy vengeance upon my treacherous contemporaries and their sycophants.¡± The goddess¡¯ eyes lit up as she spoke, and a flare of wrathful power ignited within the crimson patterns bleeding from the edges of her moonlit irises. ¡°This path will be the harder and more grueling of the two,¡± she continued as he listened. ¡°You will be hunted by the servants of the other gods, outcast from society, and thrown into a conflict you are ill-prepared to face. Your chances of success will be slim, and your chances of survival slimmer still¡ªDeath may very well be your only fate.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Darian said with raised eyebrows. ¡°You¡¯re not exactly selling that option.¡± ¡°I am not,¡± Lilith agreed with a smile that sent another shock down his spine. ¡°But should you overcome adversity, and proceed along that path, you shall receive powers and abilities beyond your wildest imagination. You will become a Power¡ª¡± Darian noted the emphasis on the word but did not interrupt. ¡°¡ªthe likes of which Eternus has not seen since the days of the last Revenant-King. Wealth, influence, women or men, even me: whatever you wish for, it can be yours. Every vice shall be yours to explore with impunity, and every indulgence shall be ripe for your plunder.¡± Darian stared at her for a long moment, and then cleared his throat when he realized his brain had gone to some truly depraved places. He knew Eternus Online was a strictly adult game, but the unvarnished hedonism of what Lilith had offered was staggering. Goddess of Sin was a damned accurate title. ¡°And how, in theory, would I achieve these things?¡± he asked directly. ¡°Through the only Law that truly matters,¡± the goddess answered simply. ¡°Might.¡± Before he could say a word however, a screen appeared before him.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Issued: Fate of the Dark Lady The Dark Lady, Lilith, has offered you a choice. Two paths now lie before you¡­ 1: You may choose to abandon Lilith, leaving the Dark Lady trapped in eternal imprisonment, and receive rewards from the rest of the Pantheon in return for such a selfless act. Your name will be lauded as a Hero of Virtue by the Powers that imprisoned the Dark Lady, and you will doom Lilith to a slow Entropy in the Realm between Realms. 2: You may choose to free Lilith, breaking the Dark Lady¡¯s bonds and releasing her back to Eternus in a greatly weakened state. Doing this will allow you to pursue the path of Dark Autarch, and grant you the ability to wield Dark Mana. This will also trigger a follow-on Quest with unknown rewards. WARNING: Both actions have irreversible consequences both for yourself and the world of Eternus. Choose wisely.
Difficulty: S+ Success: Variable Failure: N/A Rewards: Various
Darian stared at the screen before him in silence, and then looked up at the stars as he mulled over his options. On one hand, Lilith had all but admitted to being the ¡®evil¡¯ god in the mythos of Eternus, and pretty looks aside, she seemed every bit the temptress archetype. Her name, even, put him on alert given the reference to the biblical mother of demons. He could just ignore her and dive into the game with a great head start, some potentially unique loot, and a sterling reputation. Alternatively, he could accept her offer and start the game being hunted by beings of the highest levels, and what was most likely a whole legion or more of crazy zealots, each intent on claiming his head. On paper there was only one option that was sensible, but¡­ Darian frowned and looked back at Lilith, who was watching him in silence. Something about the implications of chaining away a goddess, regardless of what she represented, spoke of cowardice and duplicity to Darian. He¡¯d seen and read enough fiction to know that screwing with the natural cycle was bad. If Lilith were to be believed, which the System implied she was: she was the goddess¡ªor Divinarch¡ªof everything that fell under Darkness, including Death. When had chaining away Death ever ended well in any fictional universe or game? Exactly never, in fact. There was also the matter of his agency in the game. Being a hero would probably reap him some great benefits, certainly, but there was the converse impact to consider: he would be surrendering a path wholly his own, where he was essentially starting his own faction within the game from the outset, and instead giving away that chance to be a glorified peacock for the Pantheon to parade around as needed. There was also no guarantee that such a fate would not come with its own restrictive chains, and looking at the ones binding Lilith, it occurred to him that whichever god had imprisoned her certainly wouldn¡¯t be against shackling a ¡®hero¡¯ that got too big for their literal britches. Lilith¡¯s path was rife with potential for permadeath, but he did have a free bonus life, and more than that, she seemed quite upfront about the fact he could expect little in the way of guidance or hand-holding¡ªbut that also meant he could expect little in the way of compulsion or control as well. As long as he wasn¡¯t directly working against her interests, Darian had a feeling Lilith would probably let him do whatever he wanted. ¡°I have a question,¡± he said. ¡°Ask it,¡± the goddess responded calmly. ¡°How much agency can I expect, assuming I become your, uh, Champion?¡± Darian asked directly. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in being someone else¡¯s pawn. I came to Eternus to write my own story, not be a side character in anyone¡¯s glorious tale of revenge¡ªnot even if they¡¯re a goddess.¡± Lilith listened while he spoke, and when he was done, she laughed. It was a musical laugh, one that surprised him in its brightness, and excited him in more physical ways that reminded him exactly who she was¡ªas if he needed the reminder. ¡°The Faith of the Dark is one of self-determination, Darian. You write your path. You dictate your future. You control your destiny. All I care for is that you restore my influence. I am Death, I am Darkness, I am Order¡ªbut so, too, am I hedonism and indulgence.¡± The goddess smiled at him lasciviously, and he felt himself shiver again. ¡°I am the reaping scythe, and I am the temptation that sends the weak spiralling into the madness of their own lusts. I do not care what you do, nor what you choose to create for yourself in the mortal plane. All that matters, to me, is that I am given worship, I regain my influence, and you never allow another deity to sit above me in your places of reverence.¡± Darian listened to her until she was done, and he folded his arms while he considered what to do. Choices, choices. ¡°So in short, I can do whatever the hell I want, as long as you are the only deity I worship, and so long as I don¡¯t let anyone in my faction, domain, or whatever I eventually create put other gods, or Powers as you call them, before you in their worship¡ªwell, knowingly, at least.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Lilith said with another smile. ¡°I do not expect you to be omnipotent, but I do expect your fidelity insofar as Faith is concerned. If you find my worship being displaced in your area of control, I expect you to act. But, there will be measures in place to help with such things, which you may learn later, if you walk that path.¡± Darian nodded in thought, and Lilith continued after he didn¡¯t reply immediately. ¡°If it reassures you, dear Traveler, know this: by agreeing to free me, you are setting yourself at war with the entire divine pantheon anyway¡ªand all of their followers. I will be your only option, and you, in turn, will be mine. Autarchs are neither easily nor quickly replaced. If you succeed in gaining your place as mine, we will be stuck with one another for quite some time. It is in my best interests to see you happy, especially given the degradation of my Faith, far more than it is in yours to obey me. Betraying me may even win you mercy from the Pantheon, though I cannot speak on that factually.¡± ¡°At least now you¡¯re actually selling it,¡± Darian said with a faint smile. ¡°I am not ashamed to say you are my only hope, Darian.¡± Lilith admitted, seemingly without concern for how it made her look and with a shrug that rattled her radiant chains. ¡°I need you far more than you need me, for now. Whether that balance of power changes depends on your choices.¡± It was probably manipulation, but Darian found himself resonating with her reasoning. Lilith struck him as someone who was quite skilled in the arts of coercion, but there was a matter-of-fact manner of speaking to the way she explained things that worked to set him at ease. Even if he was being manipulated, he still had a bonus life. Theoretically, if things went south and he found himself in a truly terrible situation¡­ Well, he had options. There was something else to consider, as well, though it was less important. He¡¯d always played the ¡®hero¡¯ in video games: the virtuous paladin or heroic knight swooping in to rescue the ¡®people¡¯ from the ¡®blight of darkness¡¯ or whatever. Every MMO had been rife with the light versus dark motif that made for standard fantasy fare, and he¡¯d always chosen the side of the good guys, mostly because it was easier and he didn¡¯t want to deal with the annoyance of the ¡®hard¡¯ playthrough. In a lot of ways, this was his chance to upend that fundamental cowardice. After overcoming Lilith¡¯s [Aura of Death], that idea spoke to him powerfully. Hadn¡¯t he wanted something fresh from Eternus Online? That was it, then. He had made his decision. B1 | Chapter 04: Choice and Consequence ¡°Fuck it. Full send,¡± he muttered, before focusing back on the watching goddess. ¡°I will free you,¡± Darian stated simply, ¡°in return for what you offered. I can¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll be as ruthless or brutal as you might want, given the whole ¡®Goddess of Sin¡¯ thing, but I like the idea of total agency¡ªand as long as you give me that, maybe with some guidance here and there, I¡¯ll help you. There are lines I won¡¯t cross, but, hell; what¡¯s life without a Renegade playthrough?¡± Lilith listened to him speak in silence, and when he finished, her smile turned radiant upon hearing his answer. ¡°You will do well as my Autarch, Darian. I hope you succeed in claiming the title.¡± Despite his lingering caution, Darian believed it to be an earnest tone¡ªthough the pragmatic brutality of her implication toward his possible failure was a bit of a damper. ¡°On the throne behind me,¡± she continued, ¡°you will find a weapon. You must hurry and sever my bonds once you claim it, for it is very likely the Pantheon will know that it has been taken, and they will come to investigate.¡± Darian didn¡¯t need to be told why that would be a bad thing for both of them, and as his resolve firmed, he felt a sense of determination override all else. Stepping around the silver-haired goddess, he walked carefully past, under, and¡ªin a couple of cases¡ªover the chains tethering her to the pillars to approach the black throne. A seemingly innocuous weapon lay sheathed upon the seat when he reached the dais, its hilt and pommel reminiscent of a roman gladius, and its blade was hidden within the dark leather of the sheath. When he took the moment to properly examine it, a pop-up appeared in his eyeline. Instead of the usual blue screen, it was a simple notification that appeared in the bottom left hand corner of his vision as if it were inside a chat window. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Examine Skill Type: Active Skill Rarity: Common Skill Function: By focusing on an item, you are able to understand its nature. This does not work with people, or items that require specific rituals, codes, or special prerequisites to understand. Skill Level: Mastered Skill Description: Most items are now available for you to Examine! The moment he finished reading it, the prompt vanished. Darian blinked at the inconsistency of it not having a screen, until he realised why it had likely been designed that way: user friendliness. Not only was the alert far less distracting than the blue screens, it was also easily ignored and relatively transparent. It was very likely that personal alerts were not deemed as important as System alerts. It also likely meant that a bevy of skill increases or learned skills wouldn¡¯t occlude his vision with a mass of blue screens. That was great. The last thing I need is to be blinded by achievements in the middle of a fight. Pleased with the unexpectedly sensible turn of events, he refocused on the weapon resting on the throne and snatched it up quickly. A pivot saw him hurrying back toward where Lilith knelt on the floor, though when he tried to draw the sword in order to do as she had asked; it refused to budge. Bewildered, Darian looked down and thought about the [Examine] skill. The blade¡¯s details appeared as boxless text beside it an instant later. ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice if that happened when I got the skill¡­¡± he muttered in annoyance while he read. Name: Hidden Type: Hidden Rarity: Epic Slot(s): Main Hand, Off-Hand, Two-Handed Level: Hidden Description: This weapon hums with ominous power. Durability: Hidden Special Effect(s): Hidden Darian stared at the weapon in rapidly mounting frustration. Epic? That¡¯s cool, but why won¡¯t it¡ª ¡°Is there a problem, Darian?¡± Lilith cut through his thoughts when she spoke, and he turned to her and held up the weapon in frustration. ¡°I can¡¯t draw this, and can¡¯t examine it beyond some basics,¡± he explained with a grimace. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you left out some details, and I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, I should have¡­¡± She grimaced and shook her head. ¡°My apologies, I am still somewhat out of sorts,¡± Lilith said with a sigh. ¡°What you are holding is a Revenant Runeblade, one forged centuries ago, and the only one that remained unbonded prior to my imprisonment. To wield it, you must steady your conviction.¡± Her haunting eyes peered at him, and she smiled without judgement. ¡°Only you can overcome your doubts, Darian. Unless you do, I cannot help you.¡± Darian opened his mouth to say he already had, and then paused. Part of him did want a way out. He¡¯d only just started playing Eternus Online, and already he¡¯d been presented with a clearly irreversible choice. Doubt, concern, mistrust¡­ It was only natural he felt those things, wasn¡¯t it? His gaze lowered to the sword again, and he locked his jaw. No. I¡¯m just being a little bitch. He chided himself mentally. You¡¯re playing a goddamn video game, you¡¯ve got a badass custom questline, and you¡¯re going to dither at the starting line like a pussy? His resolve settled into place like steel, and he nodded once. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said simply while looking back at the goddess. He placed his hand on the hilt of the blade and pulled the weapon from its sheath. As he did, a sharp stabbing pain caused his hand to spasm and tighten on the grip, and the sword immolated. Black fire encompassed the weapon, and Darian very nearly dropped it by reflex¡ªor rather, he tried to drop it, but his muscles wouldn¡¯t respond to his reflex. Instead, it felt as if his fingers were glued to the sword. As he stared, the fire gutted out quickly, and the sword in his hand was immediately different. The steel blackened like the void of space, and the leather wraps had dyed themselves as white as bleached bone. The pommel had changed as well, morphing from a simple rounded end to the guise of a reaper¡¯s skull. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Woah¡­¡± The previously lackluster crossguard had also expanded outward above his fingers to form a cruciform with the hilt, and both sides had been capped with skulls to match the pommel. By the time the changes were complete, he no longer held a gladius by any stretch of the imagination. Instead his fingers were wrapped around a weapon he knew well: a bastard sword. A lot of people knew them as hand-and-a-half blades, referencing the hilt allowing for a one or two-handed grip. Darian had always preferred the term ¡®bastard sword¡¯. It seemed more badass to him, for reasons he¡¯d never fully been able to explain. ¡°Nice,¡± he murmured while admiring the weapon¡¯s changes, and used [Examine] on it again. [Unnamed Revenant Runeblade] Name: Unassigned Type: Evolving Weapon (Soulbound) Rarity: Epic Slot(s): Main Hand, Off-Hand, Two-Handed Level: Hidden Description: Revenant Runeblades are one of the most feared and powerful creations in the history of Eternus. Once wielded by the Dark Lady¡¯s favored champions, these storied blades brought fear and hope in equal measure to the peoples of Eternus. Durability: 1000/1000 Special Effect(s): Hidden ¡°You seem satisfied,¡± Lilith said and shattered his admiration of the sword, ¡°which is pleasing to see, but we are rather short on time, Darian.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh! Shit!¡± He responded with a curse, realizing he¡¯d been standing there staring at his new sword while the proverbial doom timer was already ticking. It was incredibly distracting, he realized, how lifelike everything was. It was easy to forget he was playing a game. Darian hurried toward her and lifted his runeblade. ¡°I just strike the chains?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lilith said while shifting to lift her arms and better present the manacles. ¡°One good strike should do it for each chain.¡± Darian nodded, eyed the closest chain, and then swung downwards awkwardly. His blow shattered the first of the chains linked to Lilith¡¯s left wrist with surprising ease. When it broke, however, it did not do so with effect. A tolling bell, or something very close to one, echoed from the ruptured manacle with grim intonation¡ªreverberating throughout the space and causing the throne room to tremble. Darian raised his eyebrows and grimaced. That couldn¡¯t be good. ¡°You must hurry, Darian!¡± Lilith urged him. He hurried. Each chain was severed one after the other, sending coruscating flashes of sundered radiance throughout the throne room. Pillars shook, the ground under his feet vibrated, and for each severed chain another bell joined the first and those that came after; tolling a sound not unlike a funeral march. The dark steel of the runeblade made short work of the radiant bindings until, as the last chain was severed and dissipated away into motes of light, Lilith was free. A roll of power echoed from the goddess, and Darian felt a chill grip his soul when she breathed in deeply. It was as if the room, the light within, and even the stars in the space beyond them shuddered when the Dark Lady drew her first free breath. ¡°Finally¡­¡± Lilith croaked, while ominous shadows pooled around her. Darian swallowed back his trepidation and stepped to her side quickly, sheathing the runeblade in his left hand, and offering his unencumbered right for her to take. The goddess raised her eyes to him, looked at his hand, and smiled wryly. When her pale fingers touched his, Darian felt his heart skip a beat¡ªand frost misted the air before him when he exhaled in shock. She was icy to the touch, and yet as warm as a bonfire. It was a juxtaposition that defied his understanding, and when she rose with his aid, he felt like electric currents were racing through his body. ¡°Thank you, Darian,¡± Lilith said while her fingers lightly gripped his own. ¡°No problem,¡± he replied as bravely as he could. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Eternus,¡± Lilith replied readily. ¡°There are tasks you must complete if you wish to claim the power of an Autarch. It will be an arduous undertaking, but with your new weapon and your evident force of will, I have full faith in your ability to succeed.¡± Lilith turned while still holding his hand in her right, and her left forefinger and thumb made a snap which echoed throughout the chamber. A dark portal awash with purple at its edges suddenly appeared, and Darian turned his attention toward it when Lilith looked back to him. ¡°We have little time, Darian, so listen well: I will not interfere with your dealings as I assured, but similarly, I cannot aid you beyond very limited offers of favor. The rest of the Pantheon has seen to it that my worship has been quite thoroughly eroded over the millennia, and my last bastion of Faith died over four centuries ago. Your primary task, should you gain the mantle of Autarch, will be to rectify this. Reintroduce the Dark Faith to Eternus, and spread the worship of my Dominions across its surface.¡± ¡°Your Dominions?¡± he questioned quickly, ¡°like Death, Darkness, Shadow, Sin, Order, that sort of thing?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Lilith confirmed while gently tugging him toward the portal. ¡°I know you have questions, and I do not mean to leave you in suspense, but there is far too much to explain in the time that remains. Should you succeed in becoming my Autarch, I have ensured that you will have a well of information at your disposal.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Darian said while glancing at the ominous portal, and then back to Lilith. ¡°May I ask one last thing?¡± ¡°Ask it,¡± she agreed with surprising warmth. ¡°Are you Evil?¡± he questioned directly, and with less trepidation than he expected. Lilith peered at him for a moment, and then let out a soft, pleasant laugh. ¡°Now you ask me this, after alreadying freeing me?¡± ¡°I guess I just want to know if I doomed a bunch of people to death, or something,¡± he answered a little lamely, but with complete sincerity. Lilith shook her head in amusement, and reached out to cup his cheek¡ªsending another shock of lightning down his spine in the process. Darian was surprised, momentarily, by how incredibly real her palm felt against his skin. ¡°In many eyes, I am, but that is because nobody wants to die, Darian¡ªand few wish to take responsibility for their own failings. I am a being of cause and effect. Sin is temptation, Death is final, but neither happen absent a seed of causation. I am Evil in that I will corrupt and I will End, but I do not do it solely for the sake of malice or selfish amusement; though certainly, I can be as wrathful and capricious as anyone else. I simply exist, and in my existence, I create the framework for others to succumb. Whether they do or not, ultimately, is their choice.¡± ¡°So you are Evil in the sense that you don¡¯t care about ethical or moral constraints, but you don¡¯t act with overt malice,¡± Darian surmised thoughtfully, and glanced back at the portal. ¡°I can live with that.¡± ¡°I am glad you understand,¡± Lilith said warmly, ¡°but I caution you: do not let your acceptance result in vulnerability. My Faith is one of strength, Darian. Strength of spirit, mind, body. If you allow yourself to be weak, to succumb to the very things I rule over, even I will not be able to shelter you from the blades of those that covet your place.¡± Her hand left his cheek, and she placed it over his heart. ¡°My Autarchs have always been a duality: revered and feared in equal measure for what they represent, and for the powers they alone may wield. You must find your path and balance yourself.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± he said with a nod, though he had a feeling she had not quite told him everything. Admittedly, she had also admitted that she had more to tell, so it balanced out. Sort of. ¡°You don¡¯t right now, not fully,¡± the goddess said with a smile, ¡°but you will. I only hope that such understanding does not come at too great a cost.¡± Darian nodded in tacit agreement, when she iterated his own thoughts, and took a breath in readiness. ¡°Is there anything else I need to know?¡± Lilith paused, and then stepped away and close to the portal, turning at the last moment to gesture him toward it. ¡°This rift will transport you near to the seat of power of the last Revenant-King. You must enter his Necropolis and claim the Liber Nox, my symbol of power. In its pages, should you prove your mettle, you shall find the key to becoming my Autarch.¡± The throne room shuddered around them, and both Lilith and Darian turned by instinct as several of the stars in the distance started to brighten, and emitted waves of power that even Darian could feel¡ªlike a current of force rippling against his skin. Goosebumps erupted across his arms, and he realized they had spent quite a while talking already. ¡°They¡¯re coming,¡± Lilith said calmly, ¡°which means we must withdraw. If you need my advice, my champion, you need only bequeath Death, and pray for my presence. I can visit your dreams, though the duration is mercurial. The more potent the life that is sacrificed, the longer the connection shall last.¡± Darian walked toward the portal as she finished, and he lifted his hand to lightly touch the swirling energy. Nothing dramatic happened, but he did feel his fingers warp slightly before he withdrew them, like something steady but non-overriding wished to draw them and the rest of him in. ¡°Remember, all creatures and followers of the Dark are yours to command, if or when you have the strength,¡± Lilith said. Darian turned back to her for a final farewell, and she stood on her toes when he turned to bequeath a kiss on his lips¡ªa soft, delicate brush of her own that froze him momentarily in place. ¡°You are marked,¡± she said to him, her voice now a temptress¡¯ velvet whisper. ¡°With this, the Trials will permit your attendance. I wish you luck, Darian. If you should die¡ªtake solace that I will guide you into Death myself.¡± With that, the goddess turned and stepped forward to vanish into the portal. A sudden surge in temperature caught his attention, and Darian turned to where those brightening stars were now hurtling toward the throne room with the coronal force of a cluster of solar flares. ¡°This is where the fun begins,¡± he muttered, quoting his favorite character under his breath and turning back toward the portal. He took a breath, stepped forward, and entered into its embrace with his eyes determinedly open. There was no going back now. B1 | Chapter 05: A Sharp Companion The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel was like an unwanted flashbang. Darian stepped out of the portal warily while blinking at the sudden brightness, his blade held in his left hand, and his eyes scanning for any other sort of weirdness like what he¡¯d already experienced. In the stories, the portal always, always ended in something bad. No slavering den of hellish hordes greeted him, shockingly; but the sun did, and it was horribly bright after the throne room. A moment of further adjustment kept him blinking, and he tried to look around to find his bearings. He¡¯d come out of the portal onto a rolling plain, lit by the sun at an unknown time of day. There appeared to be some sort of forest immediately to his right, and a distant silhouette of a wall to his left. The moment he noted both, his vision was filled with multiple notifications.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: My First Steps Congratulations, Traveler, and welcome to the world of Eternus! Your adventure awaits you within a dynamic, living world of infinite possibility. Your actions alone dictate your destiny from this moment on. Will you be the conquering hero? An enterprising merchant? A storied archmage? There are no set or standard Paths to Power in Eternus Online. Your only limitation is your own ambition! We look forward to seeing where your adventure leads, and wish you the very best of luck! Eternus Entertainment
¡°I wonder if that was delayed by what happened with Lilith¡­¡± he murmured to himself in thought. He¡¯d always found speaking his problems or questions out loud more soothing, since it broke the at-times uncomfortable silence of isolation. ¡°Should¡¯ve gotten that way sooner, otherwise. I¡¯ll have to ask her about it.¡± Darian resolved as he swiped away the notification to view the next one in line.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
You have yet to select your name in Eternus, and your name has been defaulted to ¡®Darian¡¯. Would you like to change this name now? WARNING: You may only have 1 name change!
YES NO
He stared at the follow-up alert in consideration, and frowned to himself. A new name? That was a difficult choice. He didn¡¯t mind playing as himself, but then again, there was no telling how utterly insane people would get in the game. It could very well be the same issue some famous early VRMMO legends faced, where they were hounded by fans. They had even been sent death-threats, and had to deal with stalkers and worse. Darian frowned to himself and then nodded slightly at his own reasoning. A new name would be a good cloak with which to shield himself. He¡¯d probably need a mask, too, or some sort of appearance change to ensure he wasn¡¯t easily identifiable purely based on his features. He hadn¡¯t exactly made himself that distinct. Decision made, he lifted his right hand and tapped ¡®YES¡¯. Almost instantly a new window appeared, showing a blank box and a keyboard symbol and microphone symbol for his use. Either he could input the name manually, or he could speak it. That was useful, and showed good judgement on the part of the developers, to. Accessibility was great. Darian fell into quiet consideration thereafter while he pondered what to name himself. He usually went for names like ¡®Lightseeker¡¯, ¡®Sunblade¡¯, and other such fanciful and righteous monikers. He¡¯d exhausted every combination of ¡®Dawn¡¯ and variations of ¡®Sword¡¯ in one game, after being perma-killed repeatedly by player killing guilds. He hesitated though, for obvious reasons, and a wry glance down at his new runeblade reminded him that such a name would be ironic at best, and very likely completely idiotic. Lilith wanted him to build her something. Lilith reminded him of an Olympian. Olympus. Greece. He hesitated, and then shook his head. ¡°Not going to call myself Achilles, what sort of asshole would do that?¡± His lips downturned, and he pondered further. He had always been fascinated by the evolution of the Olympian Faith and its spread to Rome, as well as how the Republic and later the Empire had integrated the pantheon. He wasn¡¯t a scholar, but he certainly had a mix of functional and fantastical understanding about Rome. More than that, the Liber Nox was Lilith¡¯s symbol of power¡ªand he hadn¡¯t missed the pseudo-latin in the item¡¯s name. A small grin split his lips, and he could already hear watching people¡ªassuming he ever streamed¡ªcomplaining about ¡®yet another Romeaboo¡¯. Darian couldn¡¯t have given less of a shit. His hand raised and he quickly tapped the keyboard icon to make his input. After he was done, he hit the ¡®Confirm¡¯ button.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: What¡¯s in a name? Your name has been successfully changed to ¡®Romulus¡¯. Welcome to Eternus, Romulus. Your legend awaits.
Romulus, as he was now known and would need to think of himself, smiled in satisfaction. He¡¯d always liked the old ¡®legend¡¯ of the founding of Rome, and it held good parallels for what it was Lilith had tasked him with doing. Romulus. It had a great ring to it. Just as he raised his hand to dismiss the screen, something stopped him, and he looked down to the sword still clutched by the sheath in his left hand. A sensation akin to need echoed into his mind from the blade, and he raised his eyebrows. Surprised and intrigued, Romulus instinctively pulled the sword from its scabbard and stared at the dark steel of the weapon. Immediately, that sense of need pulsed again and Romulus frowned at the runeblade in perplexion. It seemed to want something from him, though he couldn¡¯t tell what it was. ¡°Are you just wanting something to stab?¡± he asked, going for the obvious first. A small pulse of agreement came from the weapon, but somehow he knew that was a general agreement more than a specific answer to its need. It still wanted something else. How he knew that, Romulus couldn¡¯t even explain to himself, but know it he did. ¡°Okay well if you aren¡¯t looking to stab people, what else could you want? You aren¡¯t dirty, you¡¯re definitely not lacking in the sharpness department¡­¡± he frowned as a thought slithered into his mind unbidden, and then he glanced up at the achievement he¡¯d just gotten. All good blades have names. He remembered from some book or another. ¡°Do you want a name?¡± Romulus asked and looked back down to the sword. This time, the pulse of agreement was a powerful and clear affirmation. ¡°Hm¡­ I¡¯m not great with names. I normally choose heroic paladin ones¡­¡± The blade pulsed its dissatisfaction and disgust, and Romulus smiled wryly. ¡°Yeah, that seems really inappropriate for something with the name ¡®Revenant¡¯.¡± The sword pulsed in agreement. ¡°How about Darktooth?¡± The sword pulsed heavily in discontentment. ¡°Okay, uh, what about Blightcaller?¡± Another pulse of discontent, though this was lighter. ¡°Hm,¡± Romulus said with consideration. ¡°We¡¯re getting closer¡­ Uh, Dawnkiller?¡± A more neutral pulse followed the suggestion. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Definitely things to do with killing paladins and light users then, I suppose.¡± The blade pulsed with enthusiastic agreement to both sentiments. Not sure what that means for me, but it¡¯s not like Lilith hid the expectations,¡± Romulus said wryly. The runeblade pulsed in tacit approval. ¡°Mm¡­¡± Romulus said with a hum of consideration. ¡°Does it need to be one word?¡± A negative pulse made his eyes brighten. He had some room to play, then. ¡°So it could even be, like, a primary word or name and then an extended title?¡± A confirmation pulse rippled from the sword and Romulus nodded with growing enthusiasm, while a name percolated within his mind. It was edgy, ridiculous, and cheesy¡ªbut the late 1900s, early 2000s alt-rock fan in him urged him onward. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got it.¡± When he¡¯d first drawn the sword, Romulus had realised that the sunlight seemed to very nearly slide away from the blade, as if it refused to be illuminated by it. The subtle aura of darkness, in fact, was palpable while he stared at it. The name of the sword would need to exemplify its nature, its purpose, and its origins. Thankfully, a lifetime of Fantasy novels had prepared him well for that. ¡°I think we¡¯re going to name you ¡®Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady¡¯.¡± The sword pulsed once with fierce approval, and a flash of black fire covered it. When the flames cleared, several scarlet runes blazed near the base of the dark steel of the blade proper, marching up from the crossguard. Even without knowing the language, Romulus could understand what they represented. Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady. ¡°I guess that¡¯s that, then. I¡¯ll call you ¡®Lightsbane¡¯ or ¡®Bane¡¯ for short.¡± Another hum of approval followed, and Romulus used [Examine]. Name: Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady Type: Revenant Runeblade (Soulbound) Rarity: Epic Slot(s): Main Hand, Off-Hand, Two-Handed Tier: 1 Description: Revenant Runeblades are one of the most feared and powerful creations in the history of Eternus. Once wielded by the Revenant-King and Death Knights of his Court, these storied blades brought fear and hope in equal measure to the peoples of Eternus. Durability: 100 / 100 Special Effect(s): Revenant Runeblades evolve in power as they are fed Essence. Romulus nodded to himself as he read over the sword¡¯s stats. The moment he did, he also noticed the subtle dark aura vanished from the blade. For good measure, he took the time to properly belt the sheath around his waist afterward instead of carrying it, and adjusted it carefully so it wouldn¡¯t impede him while running or walking. Once he was satisfied, he jogged back and forth a little, and then nodded. ¡°Your sheath is pretty nice, though way more plain than I thought it¡¯d be.¡± Lightsbane pulsed indifference, though seeds of annoyance were present. ¡°Well, at least it stops the ominous shadows. It¡¯s more subtle this way, rather than walking around with a menacing sword announcing my presence.¡± Disagreement came from Lightsbane, and he snorted. ¡°Agree to disagree, then.¡± A pulse of acceptance was returned and Romulus shook his head, Satisfied with his choices for himself and the blade, he dismissed the alert with a swipe of his hand¡ªand then looked at the final one remaining.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Complete: Fate of the Dark Lady After meeting the Dark Lady in her prison, you were presented with the choice to free her and pursue the path of being her Autarch, or ignore her plight and doom her to Entropy. Whether wise or not, you chose to give your allegiance to She of the End, and are now on the path to becoming her Autarch on Eternus. In the process, you have managed to make enemies of almost every other Power, major and minor, that dwells on Eternus. The Dark Lady has also sent out a summons to her most loyal, and they will begin to find their way to your location. While now considered a Heretic and Harbinger of Doom in most parts of Eternus, you have also earned rewards for your actions on the Dark Lady¡¯s behalf.
Difficulty: S+ Success: Variable Failure: N/A Rewards: For freeing the Dark Lady, you have been awarded the following:
  • Experience: 10,000
  • Effect: [Mark of the Dark Lady] (Passive Effect)
  • Skill: [Dark Mana Channelling] (Active Skill)
  • Skill: [Swordsmanship] (Active Skill)
The moment Romulus finished reading the rewards, he felt something building¡ªa visceral feeling like that which preceded a lightning bolt filled him, and Romulus felt goosebumps break out across his skin. A second later, a tidal wave of energy erupted through his body. Romulus arched his back and opened his mouth in a strangled scream, enveloped by dark flames that locked his muscles, immolated his nerves, and left him insensate in the middle of the grassy plain. Pure power saturated his body, roaring around and within him in tandem, while a mind-altering blend of pain and pleasure sent him into a state of near-overlord. After ten full seconds that felt like an eternity, it was over, and he staggered backwards with a heaving breath¡ªpanting for air despite the immediate fading of sensation, and haggardly noticing another screen that had popped up the second the energy surrounding his body dissipated. With a feeling that mixed bewilderment and rage, Romulus read it.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Achievement Earned: You¡¯re gonna go far, kid! Congratulations, Romulus! You have achieved what no other Traveler has ever managed! Through providence, persecution, or perhaps both; you are the first to reach and pass level 10 on your first day! While this alone may seem unimpressive, you have done so with less than 5 minutes of time in Eternus! You now hold the record for time to level 10 at 00.01 Hours! Congratulations, and keep up the great work!
Rewards: For managing a hitherto unheard of rate of progression, you have earned:
  • Experience: 1,000
  • Title: Prodigy
Romulus stared at the alert, and then snorted out a mirthless laugh while dismissing it. The moment he did, another surge of energy built within his body, though this time it was comparatively infinitesimal. Black flames of a far smaller quantity rolled across him in a wave, and Romulus felt his limbs tingling as energy suffused them. When it was done, he blinked and wiggled his fingers. That had been much better. He¡¯d barely felt a thing. More than that, it had cleared his mind of his prior mild disorientation, and he could more clearly consider the implications of what had happened thus far. He immediately realized that his suspicions about the Dark Lady¡¯s event not counting as ¡®arriving¡¯ in Eternus, or potentially that she had done something to invalidate that playtime, had been accurate. That raised even more questions, such as how he was playing the game without technically playing the game during her encounter, and why the System could still send him alerts and prompts, but wasn¡¯t counting it toward his ¡®arrival¡¯ time. Eternus Online was Eternus Online. It could be as simple as ¡®continent¡¯ counted as ¡®start¡¯, but if that was the case¡­ Romulus shook his head and sighed, looking up at the sky with another squint. ¡°I can fall into this rabbit hole later,¡± he muttered. ¡°At least I got something out of it. It¡¯s nice to start any game with a bit of a power boost.¡± Lightsbane pulsed its agreement as well. Romulus patted the sword and considered the screen again. He had always liked hunting achievements in many of the games he¡¯d played, and while Eternus Online seemed like an altogether different experience, he wasn¡¯t about to complain about new milestones¡ªeven if the process of acquisition hurt like hell. Or, felt too good? There was a point where pain and pleasure became inseparable, and given Lilith seemed like exactly the kind of being to relish in that dichotomy¡­ Well, he wasn¡¯t going to think about that in too much detail, either. ¡°Alright, now I can¡ª¡± When the next screen popped up mid-sentence, he sighed in resignation.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Issued: Autarch of the Dark Lady You have successfully freed the Dark Lady from her prison and been rewarded for your efforts. Now, however, you must take the next steps on your path. She of the End has tasked you with finding the [Liber Nox], her holy book and the tome of scripture for the true Faith of the Dark Lady. You must enter the Necropolis of the last Revenant-King, pass its trials, and retrieve the tome in order to gain the power of the Dark Lady¡¯s Autarch. WARNING: This quest cannot be refused. Failure of this quest will result in permanent death.
Difficulty: C+ Success: Claim the [Liber Nox]. Failure: Die. Rewards: Should you succeed, you will receive:
  • Item: [Liber Nox]
  • Title: Autarch of the Dark Lady
  • [Hidden Reward]
  • [Hidden Reward]
B1 | Chapter 06: Baptism in Blood Romulus stared at the alert with a decidedly unimpressed face. He couldn¡¯t refuse, and failure meant permanent death in Eternus. ¡°Well, Lilith did warn me it would be hard,¡± he said while dismissing the alert and pushing his fingers through his hair. It felt as real as if he were doing it in real life, and he took a kind of comfort in the quality of the simulation. Lightsbane pulsed reassurance at his side as well, and Romulus smiled wryly. ¡°Thanks, Bane.¡± If he was going to successfully do what the prompt asked, though, first he needed to know what his abilities and build were. For that, he needed to figure out what the actual leveling system looked like. He knew he¡¯d gained levels, but not how to make them useful. ¡°Okay, now what?¡± he said to the air. ¡°Do I get points for leveling up or¡ª?¡±
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Level Up x 14 You have reached Level 15! You have 75 Attribute Points to Allocate! Would you like to Allocate your Points now?
YES NO
¡°Ah,¡± he said in appreciation, ¡°finally. Thanks, System.¡± 75 Points for 15 levels equated to 5 points per level. He could work with that. Romulus selected ¡®YES¡¯ immediately, and smiled. He¡¯d always enjoyed building his character in video games, especially ones with more robust sheet systems, and he was excited to see what Eternus would offer. His eyes scanned the space in front of him as he waited, watching the air eagerly for the next pop-up Seconds passed, and nothing happened. ¡°So you¡¯ll give me some prompts, but not others?¡± he said to the air with irritation. ¡°Come on, that¡¯s just inconsistent. Who designed this? Either it¡¯s always vocal commands, or it isn¡¯t!¡± he groused, before realizing something else: he had no notifications. Lightsbane pulsed its smug amusement, and he ignored it. Shouldn¡¯t he have gotten a Quest Log, a Notifications Tab, et cetera? Clarity struck him like a lightning bolt, and he realized that almost every game had an initial set-up stage, where someone¡¯s HUD was calibrated. VRMMOs especially contained that kind of feature in every experience he¡¯d had. It was critical for players to navigate the worlds, given a lack of top-down meta information. ¡°Oh. I guess I sort of skipped the tutorial and starter area,¡± he murmured to himself, reaching up to rub his chin in thought. ¡°That would explain why everything is so confusing¡ªI went right past noobtown. Okay, so, the most logical recourse then is¡­¡± Romulus took a breath and then spoke as clearly and firmly as he could. ¡°Open Main Menu.¡± Instantly, a menu screen appeared in front of him, and he nodded in satisfaction. He was on the right track. When the menu unfolded, Romulus¡¯ eyes were instantly drawn to a box outlined in gold, and titled ¡®Settings¡¯. He raised his eyebrow at the clear highlighting and tapped it to open it. Once it popped up and overlaid the main menu screen, another list of options presented themselves, and once again one of them was haloed in gold. Romulus smiled wryly to himself, realizing he was likely following a pre-programmed pathway, and tapped ¡®Player Preferences¡¯ to open a third overlayed screen. There, shining with its own golden border, was ¡®HUD Options¡¯. ¡°Okay, maybe it isn¡¯t so bad,¡± he said with a small laugh. ¡°I just missed some basic stuff.¡± A box appeared asking him if he¡¯d like to calibrate his HUD and Romulus selected ¡®YES¡¯ immediately. The moment he did, his view of the world changed. A digital clock with both Eternus and Earth time appeared on the center-top of his vision, while a compass appeared above a heavily fog-of-war obscured map window on the bottom right. The bottom left manifested a chat box, in which he saw absolutely zero activity in the ¡®General¡¯ and ¡®Local Area¡¯ tabs. While he stared at the chat, a few alerts populated immediately. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Dark Mana Channelling Skill Type: Active Skill Rarity: Rare Skill Function: You are able to channel, wield, and command Dark Mana and its myriad subordinate disciplines. As you gain new disciplines, this Skill will update to reflect their attainment, as well as their specific levels. Skill Level: Novice 3 Skill Description: By calling upon your magical talents, you are able to channel Dark Mana, and use it to fuel all Dark Mana Schools. Dark Mana is the most flexible and diverse of Mana Types, though it is not without cost. Channelling Dark Mana will gradually alter your physiology, and reduce your ability to use non-subordinate Mana Types. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Swordsmanship Skill Type: Active Skill Rarity: Uncommon Skill Function: You are able to wield any weapon designated as a [Sword] with increasing skill, dependent upon the level of this Skill. Skill Level: Novice 2 Skill Description: You have taken your first steps on the path to mastering the Sword! The greater your proficiency, the more effective you will be in combat. New katas will come to you instinctively, and you will passively grow more lethal as you hone this skill. Romulus sighed as he read over the new alerts in his log, reaching up to brush his fingers through his hair. Dark Mana seemed powerful, given the description, but the fact that using it would lock out all other non-subordinate¡ªhe made a note to investigate that later¡ªmana schools was¡­ Well, it meant he could kiss his dreams of being a Gandalf-esque Archwizard goodbye. ¡°There¡¯s always a catch¡­¡± he muttered as he walked, and read the final notification to enter his log. You are under the influence of a new effect! This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Effect Name: Brand of the Dark Lady Effect Rarity: Legendary Effect Function: Allies and Enemies of the Dark Lady and her affiliated Powers will be able to sense you, should they have sufficient strength to do so. Effect Level: Divinarch Effect Description: You have been soul-branded by the Dark Lady, and are now identifiable to all true believers of the Divinarch Power as her acolyte. Furthermore, those of great favor in service of other Powers¡ªespecially aligned to the Light¡ªwill be able to sense your presence, with increasing range based on the level of their own empowerment. These individuals will know you as a foe to be slain immediately. Romulus let out a long, slow groan at what he read, his palms rising to rub at his eyes in frustration. Not only had Lilith marked him, bound him to using a mana type that would erode others, and thrown him to the ass-end of nowhere: she¡¯d also managed to put a gigantic ¡®come kill me, please!¡¯ beacon on him that any frothing-at-the-mouth priest, paladin, cleric, or other stereotype would be able to see and set a beeline for. Romulus shook his head and returned to his HUD setup. He could worry about the skills, the brand, and their various impacts later. A red bar, blue bar, and yellow bar appeared in the bottom center of his vision, tagged as ¡®HP¡¯, ¡®MP¡¯, and ¡®SP¡¯ respectively. When he saw that his status bars had percentage values and numerical ones, he grinned. He¡¯d read that Eternus had done their system differently, since they emulated more realistic forms of combat, and that had massively appealed to him. It was a relief to see that he wouldn¡¯t need to meticulously track the numbers each time he took a hit, ran a set distance at speed, or cast a spell. Having the data available was certainly useful, but it was nice to know he could just use the percentages in a pinch to gauge his condition. ¡°Alright. Now we¡¯re in business,¡± Romulus said as he took in his HUD. ¡°I should probably track my quests in the blank space on the right to¡ª¡± As he said it, it happened: the space between the top right of his vision and the compass filled in with a simple transparent box that said ¡®Quest Log¡¯, with ¡®Autarch of the Dark Lady¡¯ as a bullet point within it. ¡°Can I minimize the quest log?¡± he asked the air, and he saw it happen instantly. ¡°So voice commands work for this too. Okay¡­¡± Romulus rubbed his hands together ¡°...close all menus, and open my Character Sheet for¡ª¡± Lightsbane pulsed in warning to cut him off. A low, snarling growl followed two heartbeats later, and Romulus turned. The menus closed, another window opened, and then automatically minimized itself as a bar titled ¡®Eidos Information¡¯ under his compass. A large, black wolf was snarling at him from the nearby treeline. ¡°Oh. Great. Wolves,¡± he muttered and lifted his right hand in placation. ¡°Why Uh, good dog?¡± Lightsbane pulsed eagerly at his side, and vibrated with palpable anticipation. Romulus knew there was a city nearby, but he was way too far away for it to matter¡ªand there was no way he could outrun a wolf. His eyes never left the animal either, knowing it would likely trigger the attack immediately, and instead he let out a breath to calm his racing heart. It was a game, after all. It wasn¡¯t real, no matter how uncannily lifelike everything was. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t the first time a wolf had been his enemy in a VRMMO. ¡°Well,¡± he said lightly, ¡°I guess this is where the other shoe drops.¡± Lightsbane thrummed a fierce agreement and the vibration increased. Romulus drew his runeblade, much to its satisfaction, and the wolf charged. With no attributes assigned and no idea how to use his mana, it came down to him and the sword¡ªand thankfully, he¡¯d gained a skill exactly suited to this situation. Lightsbane settled into his grip two-handed and Romulus pulled on his past experiences with VRMMOs. He was by no means an expert in sword combat, not by any stretch of the imagination. He¡¯d done reenactments for fun in high school though, and he had experience with being a traditionally martial character in most VRMMOs. It was something, at least. When the massive beast closed the distance between them, Romulus pulled Lightsbane back not unlike a baseball bat and then stepped forward into the charging animal, while swinging his runeblade directly at it. Lightsbane moved far faster than Romulus had expected, and the sword slammed into the wolf in a spray of blood, crack of bone, and a jarring vibration that radiated up his arm. Hot viscera sprayed his face, the wolf screamed in pain, and he found himself dropping the sword and staggering backward. His eyes widened at how disturbingly real it felt, and Romulus felt bile rising in his throat. In the games he¡¯d played, there had been blood settings, but it was always toned down and dampened for exactly these reasons. There was no heat, no smell, no taste¡ªit was an effect, and it even looked fake. The animals didn¡¯t even really get hurt, they just received glowing red lines on them where they¡¯d been hit. Nothing like this. ¡°Wh-what the f¡ª¡± Romulus turned and vomited before he could finish his sentence¡ªor rather, he tried to vomit. Given his stomach was empty, all he ended up doing was dry-heaving and expelling spittle. His heart thundered in his chest, he heaved for air, and he turned back to the wolf that was even then writhing and screaming in pain. Dogs. He loved dogs. Illogical tears welled in his eyes, and he looked around in a fugue for help automatically¡ªbefore reality asserted itself once more and he remembered where he was, and what he was doing. ¡°Oh God.¡± Panic and terror started to build, and Romulus found himself struggling to breathe, struggling to think. This was wrong. It was too much. He wanted to play a video game, not¡ª A surge of something bracing suddenly seared through him, and an alert popped into his vision¡ªnot as a screen, but in his ¡®chat box¡¯ to the left hand side. Trigger Skill: [Indomitable] is now active. All negative mental effects have been cleared. [Fear] immunity is now in effect. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Indomitable Skill Type: Active (Trigger) Skill Rarity: Legendary Skill Function: You cannot be subjected to [Mental Domination], nor any spells of similar or identical effect. Additionally, you are granted complete immunity to [Fear] and any similar Skills, Effects, or Status Conditions. Skill Level: Mastered Skill Description: By overcoming the aura of a Divinarch, you have successfully managed to inoculate yourself against the overpowering presence of other entities of equal or lesser rank. As a result, you now benefit from a total immunity to anything that would override, supersede, or otherwise influence your personal agency! Romulus felt his mind sharpen, his terror and confusion dull, and his sense of purpose reassert itself. A blink followed, and he reached up to feel his racing heart through his bloodied tunic, which was already notably slowing down. It wasn¡¯t that his horror and fear had gone anywhere, it was just that they no longer gripped him. He could view them objectively, and the situation as well, with a sudden and overriding clarity. The wolf had attacked, he had responded, and that was the end of it. Romulus looked down at his bloodied hands, and noted they were still subtly shaking. [Indomitable] hadn¡¯t removed his fear, it had simply allowed him to overcome it¡ªlike a courage injection. That was interesting. It also held implications about Eternus Online¡¯s level of mental interfacing that were mildly concerning, but he left that alone for later assessment. ¡°Okay. That¡¯s pretty scary, but, kinda wildly useful too,¡± he murmured while walking forward and, with a resolute breath, reaching out to grip his blade by the hilt, and ripping it out of the wolf¡¯s ribcage. The animal whined when he did, and Romulus took a breath to maintain his composure. This close to the creature, he couldn¡¯t help but feel empathy for it¡ªand the disturbing level of intelligence in its panicked, rolling eyes. ¡°Okay then,¡± he said with a low exhale, ¡°mercy killing. It¡¯s a mercy killing.¡± [Indomitable] continued to bolster him and he settled his resolve. Lightsbane pulsed its agreement and hungry enthusiasm in response to his words, and Romulus lifted the sword high in both hands¡ªtip pointed down toward the wolf. He forced himself to keep his eyes open, and with a wince he thrust his sword down through its skull to end its suffering. A shudder rippled through him again, and Romulus looked away while pulling his sword out of the wolf¡¯s skull. When he did, his chat box blinked again. You have slain an Adult Black Wolf! You have gained 150 Experience! [Lightsbane, Retribution of the Dark Lady] has gained 1 [Essence]! ¡°Okay, that¡¯s neat, I guess,¡± he said while steadily not looking at the corpse behind him as he stepped further away from it. ¡°Getting alerts for each individual kill will probably be distracting in some circumstances though¡­¡± Lightsbane pulsed in his hand, and Romulus chanced a look down at the runeblade¡ªwhich was, he realized, completely devoid of any sign it had been in a fight. His eyes instinctively moved to the grass, and he noticed there was no trail of blood or viscera from the sword either. ¡°How did you get cle¡ª?¡± His mind snapped back to the alert about Essence, and Romulus grimaced. Right, Lightsbane had likely consumed the remnants of the wolf. ¡°I take it you enjoyed that,¡± he ventured while looking back at the weapon. A pulse of enthusiastic agreement followed, along with a ripple of contentment. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get plenty more,¡± he muttered while looking up and toward the city in the distance. ¡°Part of me wants to go into the forest now, and force myself to get used to the violence¡ªand farm experience while I¡¯m at it.¡± He glanced back at the forest while he spoke, and shook his head. ¡°But I¡¯m not an idiot. No bag, no potions, no map, no gear¡ªit¡¯s suicide. Don¡¯t you think so, Bane?¡± The sword pulsed in agreement, though it was decidedly begrudging. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be plenty of murder to come if Lilith is to be believed. At least we know I won¡¯t freeze up every time it happens now.¡± The sword pulsed more positively at that, and Romulus smiled wryly. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go to the city then. That corpse is going to bring out other predators, probably, and I¡¯m not stupid enough to wait for that¡ªthough I should probably do my stats while we walk to the city, huh?¡± A more enthusiastic pulse of agreement followed. Romulus nodded, sheathed the runeblade, set off at a steady pace, and spoke aloud while looking at his HUD. ¡°Show Character Sh¡ªEidos Information,¡± he corrected himself upon re-reading. The moment he said it, the collapsed tab under his compass expanded once more, and Romulus swept his eyes over it. When he did, he smiled. ¡°Oh man, this is going to be fun.¡± B1 | Chapter 07: Build-a-Badass
EIDOS INFORMATION
DETAILS
Name Romulus Alignment Neutral Evil
Level 15 Experience 150 / 1,500
VALUES
Health 1,500 HPM 300 (5/s)
Mana 1,500 MPM 210 (3.5/s)
Stamina 1,000 SPM 300 (5/s)
ATTRIBUTES
Strength 15 (10) Agility 10
Dexterity 10 Intelligence 15 (10)
Willpower 10 Charisma 10
Vitality 15 (10) Endurance 10
Romulus nodded to himself as he looked over his character sheet¡ªor Eidos Information as the System called it¡ªwhile reading each of the sections carefully. His alignment was unsurprising, given his freeing of the Goddess of Death from her bindings. That probably wasn¡¯t going to win him any good boy points with the more traditionally benevolent Powers, as Lilith had called them. Besides, the Divinarch had herself confessed to the ¡®Evil¡¯ signifier, so it was hardly unexpected. His experience was also enlightening. Apparently, he needed an equivalent number of experience to his level, multiplied by one hundred. Based on that information¡ªand the experience he had gained from his quests and achievements¡ªlevel 1 to 2 required 100, and level 10 to 11 required 1,000, and so on from there. It was a logical system. The fact he received exactly enough experience to reach level 15 was, however, a little suspicious¡ªbut he filed that away for later discussion with a certain silver-haired Power. He glanced next toward his Health, Mana, and Stamina and noted the per second values in the regeneration fields. He didn¡¯t immediately query the mana value, since he had a feeling that would be explained when he did a proper deep dive into the Attributes. The unfortunate part of any game, really, was learning to understand the Attributes and how they affected an Eidos. Given Lilith¡¯s advice, Romulus was determined to approach things with a cautious and balanced mindset. Romulus did notice the lower values in parentheses next to the values of his main Attributes, which he assumed correlated to his base values before bonuses, such as those from Lightsbane. That was good information to file away. Any gear or other equipment he gained would likely also skew the numbers. Looking at his health and mana, Romulus could only shake his head. It was very likely that the management of those resources would become pointless in time. It would come down to a general sense of fatigue and battle weariness, more than any mathematical calculation. That explained the percentage values, as well. It was a smart choice on the part of the developers. Player versus player battles would be far more exciting at higher levels, with a more seamless and flashy form of combat almost indistinguishable from a movie or fantasy novel. Players would just fight like real people, ignoring small numbers and battling until their health bars bottomed out and they were knocked out or killed. Mana, very likely, would play no more than a cursory role in much of the fighting. Stamina would probably be a bigger factor than most people imagined, but he was already considerate of that. Without stamina, even the hardiest fighter would probably collapse and be easy pickings. Before he actually committed points, though, he needed to know more. ¡°Open Attribute details,¡± he murmured as he walked. It was going to be imperative, before he invested any points, that he understood how they would play into his ¡®build¡¯ and capabilities. The wolf had been a surprisingly easy kill, but he also intrinsically understood that Lightsbane, more than him, had been the reason he¡¯d won. If a different weapon had been in his hands, it may not have been the same result. He needed to make sure he was ready for what came next. That meant learning how best to work toward a style of combat that suited him. A new screen populated a second later, and Romulus read over it carefully.
Attribute Effect on Eidos
Strength Bonus Physical Damage, Carrying Capacity, and Physical Damage Resistance. Bonus Physical Damage 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% BPD) Physical Damage Resistance 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% PDR) Carrying Capacity 0.75 Kilograms per 1 Points. (7.5KG CC)
Agility Movement Speed Bonus, Weapon Attack Speed, and Unconscious Dodge Chance. Bonus Speed of Movement 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% MSB) Weapon Attack Speed 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% WAS) Unconscious Dodge Chance 0.2% per 1 Points. (2% UDC)
Dexterity Ranged Weapon Accuracy, Dual-Wielding Ability, Weapon Fire Speed, and Weapon Reload Speed. Ranged Weapon Accuracy 0.5% per 1 Points (5% ARW) Dual-Wielding Ability 0.2% per 1 Points (2% DWA) Weapon Fire Speed 0.5% per 1 Points (5% FS) Weapon Reload Speed 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% RT)
Intelligence Spell Potency, Mana Pool, Mana Regeneration, and Learning Speed. Spell Potency 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% SP) Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Mana Pool 100 per 1 Points. (1000 MP) Mana Regeneration 0.1 per 1 Points. (60 MPM/1.5 MPS) Learning Speed 0.25% per 1 Points. (2.5% LS)
Willpower Mana Pool, Mana Regeneration, and Spell Damage Resistance. Mana Pool 50 per 1 Points. (500 MP) Mana Regeneration 0.25 per 1 Points. (150 MPM/2.5 MPS) Spell Resistance 0.5% per 1 Points. (5% SDR)
Charisma Capability to Influence others through Speech and Actions. Chance to Influence Others 0.2% per 1 Points. (2% CIO) Chance to Resist Influence of Others 0.2% per 1 Points. (2% CRIO)
Vitality Health Pool and Health Regeneration. Health Pool 100 per 1 Points. (1000 HP) Health Regeneration 0.5 per 1 Points. (300 HPM/5 HPS)
Endurance Stamina Pool and Stamina Regeneration. Stamina Pool 100 per 1 Points. (1000 SP) Stamina Regen 0.5 per 1 Points. (300 SPM/5 SPS)
Romulus let out a low whistle as he read over the Attribute breakdowns, and hummed to himself in thought. There were a lot of options he could see, and already he understood why the developers had chosen the path they had: balance. It was almost impossible to be good at everything, or even multiple forms of one thing. Dexterity was absolutely integral for any kind of ranged fighter or multi-weapon specialist, but that also meant that they would have to sacrifice massively either in Agility or Strength, depending on what sort of fighting style they were pursuing. A spellbow, for example, could easily use Intelligence to make up for a lack of Strength, but would become very vulnerable in close quarters even with high Vitality. Conversely becoming a spellsword or paladin would require a sacrifice of Dexterity and perhaps even Agility, to focus on Strength, Intelligence, and Wisdom. Charisma, Vitality, and Endurance added even more dissemination to the pile, with each Attribute controlling important facets of a person¡¯s capabilities. Unless there was some way to combine attributes, he was quickly realizing that there was no easy path to dominance. He had wanted to go down the path of something like a tanky spellsword duelist. Looking at his options, Romulus was beginning to wonder if it was even possible. Sighing to himself, he dismissed the Attribute descriptions and went back to his Eidos Information. He had the runeblade from Lilith, which meant he definitely needed Strength. He¡¯d also acquired some form of Magic, though whether or not that was going to be immediately helpful was still frustratingly unclear. With Intelligence also controlling bonuses to learning speed, not taking it seemed crazy even if he didn¡¯t have practical applications for his Magic yet. The Dark Lady had implied he¡¯d gain some control over Death, and it didn¡¯t take a genius to connect that anyone named the ¡®Revenant-King¡¯ likely had some immense Necromancy at their disposal. ¡°So I¡¯ll be a spellsword either way if my suspicions are correct,¡± he muttered. On the off chance that he wasn¡¯t right, he would still have a solid foundation. ¡°Alright,¡± he said with a nod. ¡°Here we go¡­¡± Romulus sent a prayer to Lilith, as absurd as the act felt, and slammed home his Attribute distributions. He put 25 points into Strength, 15 points into Intelligence, 10 into Endurance, 10 into Agility, and dumped the remaining 15 into Vitality. Muttering to himself about min-max haters, Romulus confirmed his distributions when queried. The moment he did, he staggered sideways. The points allocations took effect far more viscerally than he¡¯d imagined. He could feel his muscles thickening, his steps growing lighter, and his body becoming denser and more durable. He felt his mind sharpening, and he seemed able to process information subtly faster¡ªeach thought produced with just a little more clarity. That was absurd, given he was in a video game, but he knew it was true. That was puzzling, but it may have been some kind of placebo effect. Romulus looked down curiously and squeezed his hands, staring at them as he did. His eyes widened at the feeling of new might coursing through him, and he made a couple practice jabs at the air. He felt powerful, and there was a notable change in both his force and his raw speed. ¡°I¡¯m only level 15, and I feel amazing,¡± he said with wonder. ¡°This game doesn¡¯t even have a level cap, either. By time I¡¯m in the hundreds¡­¡± Romulus shook his head at the possibilities and patted Lightsbane fondly. ¡°You and I are going to go far, Bane,¡± he said with a kindling of genuine excitement to the runeblade. ¡°Especially after I complete these trials.¡± Lightsbane pulsed its happy agreement. ¡°With that done, let¡¯s see how we¡¯re looking. System, display Char¡ªMm, Eidos Information and add the new Modifiers, please.¡± The System complied instantly.
EIDOS INFORMATION
DETAILS
Name Romulus Alignment Neutral Evil
Level 15 Experience 150 / 1,500
VALUES
Health 3,000 HPM 900 (15/s)
Mana 3,500 MPM 330 (5.5/s)
Stamina 2,000 SPM 600 (10/s)
ATTRIBUTES
Strength 40 (35) Agility 20
Dexterity 10 Intelligence 30 (25)
Willpower 10 Charisma 10
Vitality 30 (25) Endurance 20
EIDOS MODIFIERS
Strength 30% BPD 30% PDR 30KG CC Agility 10% MSB 10% WAS 4% UDC
Dexterity 5% RWA 2% DWA 5% WFS -5% WRS Intelligence 25% (15%) SP 3,000 MP 3 MRPS 7.5% LS
Willpower 500 MP 2.5 MRPS 5% SDR Charisma 2% CIO 2% CRIO
Vitality 3,000 HP 15 HRPS Endurance 2,000 SP 10 SRPS
¡°I need to get stronger, but, it¡¯s a start,¡± he said with a nod as he raised his eyes to focus on the approaching walls of the town, and was momentarily surprised by his good progress. He hadn¡¯t realized how far he¡¯d walked in such a short time. The benefits of his Agility increase had already been paying dividends without him realizing, and when he glanced back to see where he¡¯d left the forest, he noticed he¡¯d already walked quite a considerable distance. Where before the trees seemed to be only a dozen or so meters away, now the entire treeline was a distant block¡ªand Romulus was suddenly aware that he had probably zoned out hard while fiddling with his point allocations. The fact he¡¯d managed to be that distracted was itself concerning, but in hindsight, it was probably better for it to happen sooner rather than later. Now that he was aware of it, it would be far easier to keep himself from drifting. His eyes returned to the city ahead, and he considered it thoughtfully. Lilith had told him that he¡¯d be deposited nearby to the last Revenant-King¡¯s seat of power, and he had to assume that the wall he was approaching, over the top of which he could see the distant outline of a castle-like structure, was his mark. All he had to do then to proceed with his quest was gain access to the town, city, or whatever was behind the walls and make his way to said Necropolis. The fact that the quest text had even capitalized ¡®Necropolis¡¯, as if it were a title as much as a place, made him curious as well. A person had to be powerful, revered, or both if their castle or home was constantly referred to as a pronoun. ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to replace him¡­¡± Romulus muttered with a wry smile. ¡°No pressure.¡± Lightsbane pulsed in support and drew a more genuine smile from him. The sword was a real ride or die, as the saying went. Romulus glanced to his left as he walked and turned toward the beginnings of a faded and dirty road, stepping onto the overgrown path heading toward what he could see was a large gate perhaps five hundred meters away. The fact he hadn¡¯t seen the path until that moment told him how little use it likely received. ¡°I wonder if this place even has people left?¡± he questioned as he moved, flexing his hands idly and then resting his right hand on the hilt of his blade. ¡°I don¡¯t see anyone on the walls.¡± Lightsbane pulsed with indifference, and Romulus snorted. ¡°Well,¡± he said cheerfully, ¡°let¡¯s go find out.¡± B1 | Chapter 08: An Odd Pair On his final few dozen meters of approach to what Romulus was realizing was possibly a city after all, the gates seemed both menacing and powerful. They had been built with a black stone that seemed bereft of seams or visible masonry marks, as if the wall and gate were part of one massive slab of onyx. In front of the main body stood a forbidding portcullis, ten bars across and layered in thick brutalist spikes that gleamed with lethal capability. The defenses were equally intimidating, with vicious spikes angled groundward¡ªin intermittent rows five high¡ªalong the wall itself to deter climbers, as well as battlements of an equally imperious design protecting the theoretical guardians patrolling the bulwark. At a quick estimate, the height of the walls was easily in excess of ten meters. The closer he¡¯d gotten, the harder it had been to chance a look to see if anyone had been patrolling. The gate itself was even higher than the walls, with connecting platforms and shielded murder holes which no doubt provided a safe vantage point for the defenders in the case of an attack or siege. When he¡¯d reached the shadow of the gate, his surprise had been compounded. Given the beauty of the wall and the evidently masterful nature of its construction, he¡¯d expected to be greeted by some manner of royal guard or soldiers in equally impressive attire. Instead two roughly dressed guards, each of whom looked and smelled as if they had never heard of a shower, stepped out of a shabby guard house that looked to have been added long after the original construction. ¡°Halt!¡± the larger of the two said in a gravelly tone, and waited until Romulus complied before continuing. ¡°State yer business.¡± Romulus reminded himself that Eternus Online had been advertised as a living and dynamic world. He¡¯d read enough theoretical novels about such a thing to understand that treating the non-player characters as actual NPCs was probably a god-awful idea. ¡°Hello, friends,¡± he said as casually as he could. Did the game have Travelers as part of its common lore of the land? Things might become complicated if not, and even though Lilith had known what he was, there was no guarantee the guards would. ¡°You tryna be funny or summat?¡± the first guard asked while his eyes narrowed suspiciously. ¡°Yer covered in blood and smell worse¡¯n we do.¡± ¡°No, not at all,¡± Romulus said with what he hoped was a disarming smile. ¡°This might sound a bit crazy, but I recently arrived in this area, and to be honest with you, I¡¯m a little lost. I was attacked by a Black Wolf at the Forest edge, and¡ª¡± ¡°Y¡¯were attacked by a Black Wolf?¡± the smaller guard cut in immediately. ¡°And yer not dead?¡± ¡°Well, no, I fought it off with¡ª¡± ¡°Yer in feckin¡¯ linens!¡± the bigger guard interjected. ¡°How th¡¯feck did you fight it off?¡± Moment of truth. ¡°Well, to be honest, I¡¯m a Traveler,¡± Romulus said while glancing between them. Both guards straightened at that, and the pair exchanged surprised glances before the bigger one squinted analytically at Romulus. ¡°Yer a Traveler?¡± ¡°Yes, sir,¡± he responded with a hidden surge of relief. So they do know. Thank God. ¡°Well, yer certainly not runty¡­¡± the smaller guard said as he looked Romulus over. ¡°Thank you,¡± Romulus said with a smile, while silently thankful he¡¯d beefed himself up in character creation, and put so many of his points into Strength. ¡°I try to keep fighting fit.¡± ¡°Uh huh. Explains the blood, at least¡ªthough we didn¡¯t expect t¡¯see none of yer lot fer a while yet,¡± the big guard continued, his voice once again edging toward suspicion. ¡°Yes, well, I had a bit of a mix-up in my, uh, Travel¡ª¡± he emphasized and grinned at them winningly ¡°¡ªto Eternus. Spat me out a ways back, near the forest¡¯s edge. Hence the wolf and the blood.¡± The smaller guard snorted at that. ¡°Aye,¡± the bigger guard said with a snort of his own, ¡°mix-up¡¯s right. Them Powers plunked yer arse into the arse end¡¯ve nowhere. What level¡¯re ye?.¡± Okay, so they know what levels are. Romulus noted immediately. The System is probably part of their normal lives. That makes sense, and it¡¯d help with player immersion as well. It¡¯s not like a LitRPG setting is anything new for a lot of gamers. This was a smart call on the Developers¡¯ part. Before he answered the question, though, Romulus hesitated. In many instances, ¡®levels¡¯ could be considered socially improper to ask for, and in others, they were just a fact of life. He considered quickly whether to answer, but was saved by the smaller guard. ¡°Y¡¯can¡¯t just ask fer ¡®is level, ye big lummox. If he¡¯s a Traveler, s¡¯bloody rude.¡± The bigger guard glanced at his companion, and then grunted. ¡°Aye, s¡¯pose that¡¯s true. Sorry about that. Forgot me manners.¡± Romulus sighed in relief and waved a hand in companionable dismissal. ¡°Hey, no worries, I¡¯m not offended.¡± Both guards smiled at that, and the bigger one spoke again. ¡°Still, ye really did end up in the arse end¡¯ve nowhere, Traveler.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I assumed something like that had happened,¡± Romulus replied wryly. ¡°Truth be told, I¡¯m just looking to try to get my bearings, and to figure out what I¡¯m even doing here.¡± Both guards barked a laugh at his words, and seemed to relax further. ¡°Aye, as are we all,¡± the big guard agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you have any advice or tips for me? You know, to help me survive?¡± Romulus tried to appear casual as he asked, but some of his concern for his situation might have slipped into his voice, because both guards seemed to soften. Or at least, they certainly appeared more receptive to his presence. ¡°First thing yer gonna wanna do is speak to the local Wayfinder,¡± the big guard¡ªthe apparent spokesperson¡ªsaid with a jerk of his thumb toward the gate. ¡°He¡¯ll get ye sorted with a map of the local area, a homestone, and a Traveler¡¯s License. Yer gonna need that last one quick-smart, else yer likely to be mistaken fer a vagrant.¡± ¡°Or a deserter,¡± the smaller guard added while eyeing Lightsbane¡¯s hilt. Romulus nodded as he listened and filed away the information. ¡°May I ask why neither of you suspected that?¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t no deserters nor vagrants hereabouts,¡± the taller guard said with a shrug. ¡°Anyone halfway useful with a weapon is in the guard, with the King¡¯s garrison, or part of the Duke¡¯s wardens.¡± ¡°Though some of the townsfolk don¡¯t know any better,¡± the smaller guard explained, ¡°so it¡¯s best ye avoid the kerfuffle entirely, y¡¯ken?¡± ¡°Right. I get it,¡± Romulus said with a nod. ¡°I take it people don¡¯t often visit, then?¡± The bigger guard chortled. ¡°Sort¡¯ve, Traveler. There¡¯s only two ways into Blackstone: the docks or the forest, and ain¡¯t nobody come through that forest in our lifetime, and I been alive ¡®least forty winters.¡± ¡°And ain¡¯t nobody who gone in there come out neither,¡± the smaller guard added, spitting to the side. ¡°Bloody cursed, it is. If it weren¡¯t fer them docks, we¡¯d have all bloody starved. Only food we get is from the blasted ocean.¡± ¡°Fish, fish, and more bloody fish,¡± the taller guard agreed sourly. Romulus looked between them with surprise. ¡°Docks? This is a port city? I thought it was on a plain.¡± The guards squinted at him, and then both started laughing. ¡°Get a load of this¡¯un,¡± the taller guard cackled. ¡°He¡¯s a bloody Traveler alright.¡± The shorter guard shook his head in amusement and elaborated further. ¡°Aye, Blackstone opens up to the plains and the forest, lad, but it¡¯s built with its back to the sea on the edge of a peninsula. The walls go all the way ¡®round to the mouth of the bay. Y¡¯ken?¡± Romulus nodded, not wanting to interrupt as he listened. ¡°The bay itself is full¡¯ve all manner¡¯ve nasty shit what predates the claiming of the city. Dozens of ships were sunk tryin¡¯ to find the path to the harbor. Nowadays, it be the Duke¡¯s tugs what bring them into dock and guide them out.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t people just walk onto the beach to get around the walls, then?¡± Romulus asked with genuine curiosity. Both guards guffawed. ¡°Get a load of this¡¯un,¡± the taller guard repeated before answering. ¡°The peninsula ends in cliffs, lad. Sheer cliffs. The only way to access the city is thirty meters below in the dock, and the dock¡¯s built down and along the cliffs into the bay. It¡¯s an entire fake bloody island joined to the cliffs. Ye¡¯ll see for yerself.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± the shorter guard agreed, ¡°and the peninsula ends in what most folks call the Jaws. They be angry-lookin¡¯ cliffs what form the natural barriers of the bay. Two kilometers long. Whoever built this city knew what they was doin¡¯.¡± ¡°Aye, that¡¯s fer certain,¡± the taller guard agreed with a nod. ¡°And what about the big castle?¡± Romulus asked as casually as he could. ¡°I saw it near the back of the city, I think, when I was coming in.¡± The guards looked at each other for a moment, and then back to him with grim expressions. ¡°That be the old Citadel,¡± the taller guard answered darkly. ¡°Nasty place. Gates are open, but there be no light inside the place, and them what go in never come out.¡± ¡°Never,¡± the shorter guard confirmed. ¡°The Duke tried to hire adventurers to clear the place of whatever evil haunts it, once. Whole city gathered to watch.¡± The taller guard shivered. ¡°Was silence fer the first quarter hour, then¡­ screaming. Screaming so horrid yer dick would shrivel and yer blood would lose its warmth. Whatever happened to them adventurers, it was bloody awful.¡± ¡°Citadel¡¯s been ignored ever since,¡± the smaller one said quietly. ¡°No one¡¯s tried to get in for the past ten winters.¡± That sounds exactly like what I¡¯m looking for. Romulus thought with juxtaposed relief, and some mild trepidation as he nodded. ¡°Good to know,¡± he said aloud. ¡°So where would I find this Wayfinder?¡± ¡°Grand Bazaar in the outer city,¡± the big guard answered. ¡°Look fer the fella with the big map banner.¡± ¡°Outer city?¡± Romulus asked automatically. ¡°City has the inner ring and outer ring,¡± the shorter guard explained. ¡°Invasion failsafe, I s¡¯pose. We¡¯ve not got enough people fer there t¡¯be actual segregation ¡®tween ¡®em, so folks are allowed back¡¯n¡¯forth. Only the real posh can afford to live in the inner, tho¡¯.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Thanks,¡± Romulus said with a genuine smile. ¡°Yer welcome, lad,¡± the taller guard responded with a smile of his own. ¡°I hope all Travelers be as polite as ye. Have a good time in Blackstone, mind the laws, and watch yer purse always. Small as our population be, we¡¯re still afflicted by cutpurses and scoundrels.¡± The shorter guard spat. ¡°Nearly two hunnerd years since we claimed this place on order of the Crown, and we still ain¡¯t got enough support to make it a proper home.¡± Romulus nodded to the guards, and the taller of the two shouted back at the portcullis. ¡°Oi! One comin¡¯ in. Raise the ¡®cullis!¡± ¡°Eh?¡± a new voice responded. ¡°Ye gone feckin¡¯ daft? Waddayamean one comin¡¯ in?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a Traveler, y¡¯dolt! Open the feckin¡¯ ¡®cullis!¡± Another unintelligible shout sounded and the portcullis started rising a moment later. Romulus nodded to both guards in thanks as the taller of the two waved him on. ¡°I appreciate the help. Thanks,¡± he said to them warmly. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your names, though.¡± ¡°Ye¡¯re welcome, Traveler. I¡¯m Tom, and this be Jerry,¡± the taller guard said while gesturing to the smaller. ¡°Welcome t¡¯the City of Blackstone, such as it be.¡± ¡°Welcome,¡± Jerry agreed. Romulus took a second to process that particular pair of names, and then nodded. ¡°I¡¯m Romulus,¡± he said to them simply. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll see you both around.¡± ¡°Only if¡¯n ye frequent the taverns!¡± Tom said cheerfully and waved him on. Romulus smiled back and stepped through the looming entrance of the portcullis with a final wave, glancing up at the menacingly thick steel winched above him nervously. He had no doubt that the spikes above could obliterate him in an instant if dropped. He didn¡¯t manage to relax until he was fully through the gatehouse and walking down the main thoroughfare of the city. Life blossomed around him sporadically as he did, showing a city that was at the very least alive¡ªwith people going about their business in a steady stream of shouts, discourse, and hawking cries that leant a feeling of true habitation to the settlement. Blackstone was clearly far larger than its population, as the endless amounts of unused or ruined buildings revealed. I need to make it a point to look at this place from a vantage point later. Lightsbane pulsed its impatience at his side, and Romulus nodded absently. ¡°Yeah,¡± he murmured quietly, ¡°I know. Let¡¯s get to it.¡± Steeling himself, Romulus set off deeper into the city. B1 | Chapter 09: The City of Blackstone Romulus wasn¡¯t sure what he had expected, but what he discovered felt¡­ off. Despite the dark beauty of the walls and gate, Blackstone¡¯s architecture left much to be desired. Many of the buildings were seemingly built from timber or cheap stone, and more still were barely habitable¡ªand that was after discounting the ruined and abandoned ones. The people he passed on his way appeared to mostly just putter along in their state of existence, as if the city were itself in a fugue, and even the most enthusiastic hawkers and criers seemed to be fighting some kind of burden on their souls. Romulus took note of the grim faces, hard eyes, and general sense of despondency as he walked. Blackstone was a city in suffering, though he couldn¡¯t begin to wonder at how to fix it, nor what was causing it. It did not appear like they had enemies, nor a siege at the gates, nor any real shortage of food¡ªall of which ruled out the major possibilities. He did acknowledge that was no longer in the world he knew, with easy access to basic essentials and human needs. Eternus was its own reality, and the VRMMO did medieval fantasy well¡ªso much so that he could even detect the nose-wrinkling, pungent musk of manure, urine, and feces in the air. That was a first for any game he¡¯d played, and not an addition he was particularly fond of, though it did wonders for immersion. His history professor had taught him that cities in the dark ages had smelled awful. Whatever else he might have thought of her, she had not been wrong. Romulus continued walking for several minutes in silence while he examined his surroundings, allowing his feet to guide him until he came to a large crossroads. The population was growing steadily denser as he moved deeper into the city, and he began to see more than just sallow and unhappy faces. Some people even looked downright content in some cases! A glance up at a signpost told him he wanted to turn right to reach the Grand Bazaar, and Romulus smiled in relief at the easy directions. The fact he could read the signs, despite the clearly foreign nature of the language, also told him that the game was offering some level of ¡®ease of access¡¯ for the players. At least, to some degree. Romulus turned into the river of people streaming back and forth along the road to the Grand Bazaar and within moments felt at least three different hands brush along his belt. His lack of coinpurse, however, made the efforts futile. He almost laughed when someone even tried to filch his sword, only to hear a voice yelp in surprise at the result. He settled his left hand on Lightsbane after that, and murmured ¡°good job¡± under his breath. A pulse of smug satisfaction was its response. As he walked, he noticed another oddity: nobody seemed to care that he was covered in blood. It wasn¡¯t that nobody noticed, since he saw and felt eyes on him while he walked¡ªit was simply that no one that paid any heed seemed to care. Even the few guards or watchmen he saw spared him a glance, and then looked away as if it was beneath their notice. It was puzzling, but he was not about to ruin a good thing. Romulus was thankful for his decision to increase his height as he walked, for it allowed him an unobstructed view over the heads of most of the people traversing the street. With Romulus standing roughly a head or more above the average citizen, he could clearly see his destination in the distance. The canvas sheets and distant roar of voices were hint enough, but the colorful streamers and throngs of moving people were even more telling. Abruptly, a new alert filled his chat box and he paused to read it. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Perception Skill Type: Passive Skill Rarity: Uncommon Skill Function: You will gain a bonus chance to identify things of interest in your surroundings, increasing with every level of [Perception]. (Current: 2% Bonus Awareness) Skill Level: Novice 1 Skill Description: You have started to understand the local world around you and the various peoples and creatures within it. As you hone this Skill, your ability to pick up on things that are out of place, or sense when something isn¡¯t quite right will grow in tandem. A master of [Perception] need never fear ambush, surprise, or even the stealthiest of assassins! Now that¡¯s interesting. He ruminated while observing the Skill Effect. He had thought perception as a concept would be tied to something else, but to be its own Skill was an interesting take. It made a kind of sense, he supposed, especially given that none of his Attributes affected it directly. Making spatial awareness its own thing certainly opened up interesting possibilities¡ªand the last line of its description definitely piqued his interest. Satisfied with his new acquisition, he continued on. Romulus stepped into the chaos of the market a few moments later, and once again thanked his desire for height. He¡¯d very likely have gotten instantly lost if not for the advantage, and it was also what allowed him to spot the map-marked banner near the far end of the bustling bazaar. Threading his way through the crowd proved easier than he¡¯d suspected it would, and before long he was standing before a stall manned by the single most flamboyant individual Romulus had ever seen. Every one of the man¡¯s clothes was a different color, from his mustard yellow beret to his lime green tunic, bright red shirt sleeves, and vibrant blue leggings. Even his shoes were different colors: one white, the other black. When his eyes met Romulus¡¯, the eccentric individual grinned. ¡°Hello!¡± ¡°Hi,¡± Romulus responded after a few moments of surprised silence. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m a Traveler and I was told to¡ª¡± ¡°A Traveler?!¡± the man demanded as his eyes widened. ¡°REALLY?¡± Romulus leaned back a little in surprise at the man¡¯s enthusiasm, but nodded. People around them paused at his exclamation, and murmurs of surprise and interest spread through the crowd¡ªa reaction Romulus did his best to ignore. ¡°Yeah. I just arrived on Eternus and I need¡ª¡± ¡°I never thought I¡¯d get a fresh Traveler!¡± the presumed Wayfinder cut in excitedly. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Romulus said while reaching up to rub the back of his neck. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d end up here to start with either, honestly.¡± ¡°You get a choice?!¡± ¡°Something like that,¡± Romulus said with a bemused smile. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want to be rude, but I really need to take care of some¡ª¡± ¡°Oh! Right! RIGHT!¡± The man flapped his hands at Romulus in a gesture that seemed a mix between ¡®calm down¡¯, ¡®one moment¡¯, and ¡®get lost¡¯. ¡°I have it here somewhere¡­¡± Romulus glanced once more at the slowly building crowd, offered the gathered a polite smile, and decided to wait quietly. The Wayfinder, as he clearly appeared to be, busied himself with rummaging through the eclectic collection of random junk that seemed to populate his stall: from the strange masks, furs, and nicknacks hanging along the canvas walls; to what appeared to be several chests of varying size and elegance. The man was muttering to himself as he quite literally threw shirts, pants, and what Romulus thought was lacy female underwear to the other side of the stall¡ªall while searching for something frantically. A surreptitious glance at his immediate area told Romulus that, other than the people looking at him, no one seemed to find the Wayfinder¡¯s behaviour odd. He couldn¡¯t decide if that was a relief or a concern, though it begged the question as to what strange would qualify as if this behavior was considered normal. ¡°Are you¡­?¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! I am quite certain I put it¡ªAHA!¡± The Wayfinder suddenly straightened mid-sentence, clutching a package with an exclamation as if he¡¯d overcome a great foe. Romulus watched in bewildered silence as the Wayfinder marched back to the counter and slammed the package down, a manic grin on his features. ¡°I¡¯ve got what you need!¡± ¡°Uh, thank you?¡± Romulus ventured warily as he reached out toward the package. ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, Traveler!¡± the Wayfinder said with the same manic glee. ¡°You should find everything you need in there. Homestone, local area map, and a Traveler¡¯s License. I¡¯ll need to inspect the last one before you leave, however!¡± ¡°Yeah, sure, no problem,¡± Romulus said with still-present confusion as he unwrapped the package to reveal a simple wooden box. The lid wasn¡¯t nailed on, and so he lifted it off to reveal a rolled up scroll, an oval stone, and what appeared to be some sort of card or plaque made out of copper. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Romulus grabbed the scroll first, unfurling it and immediately receiving a prompt.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
You have found a map of Blackstone, Stormwatch Bay, The Dusklight Plains, and Darkwood Forest. Would you like to add the map and its landmarks to your map?
YES NO
With a tap of the ¡®YES¡¯ option, the map in his hands burst into motes of energy and threaded into his torso without warning. A ping on the border of his circular map window caught his attention, and the words ¡®MAP UPDATED¡¯ flashed over it before fading away. ¡°Huh. That¡¯s useful,¡± Romulus said while staring down at himself curiously. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just?!¡± the Wayfinder asked excitedly while resting his chin on his hands and his elbows on the counter. He seemed to be staring with rapt attention as if Romulus were the most interesting thing in the world. ¡°Try the homestone. Go on. Do it. Dew it.¡± Shaking his head at the Wayfinder¡¯s antics, Romulus focused on the stone and reached out to take it in his right palm. For several moments nothing happened, and then the stone abruptly melted into a runic tattoo which appeared on the back of his hand. Romulus stared at it in momentary confusion, until he realized he could recognize what the rune said. ¡®Traveler¡¯. A murmur of appreciation and a smattering of enthusiastic clapping echoed from the watching crowd, and Romulus glanced at them to give an embarrassed wave, which only emboldened their clapping. At the same time, his chat log flashed, and a new tab appeared in the top left of his HUD titled ¡®Social¡¯. Beneath it were the categories ¡®Friends¡¯, ¡®Party¡¯, ¡®Guild¡¯, ¡®Alliance¡¯, and ¡®Nation¡¯. ¡°Huh,¡± Romulus said with interest, ¡°that was¡ª¡± ¡°Fascinating! I know!¡± the Wayfinder cut him off happily. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered how that works. Gosh, the System sure is thorough with what it prepares for your lot!¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely an experience,¡± Romulus said with a wry smile. He couldn¡¯t help it, the Wayfinder¡¯s weird manic glee was somewhat infectious. ¡°Now the license! Go on!¡± the Wayfinder said eagerly while making the same odd flapping motion with his hands again. Romulus let out a genuine chuckle, and then reached out to take hold of the license. The copper card was light in his hands, and Romulus blinked at the blank slate when he took it. A moment later, another pop-up appeared.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
You have found a Traveler¡¯s License. These items are your way of identifying yourself in Eternus, and cannot be destroyed or stolen. A license will evolve in appearance to reflect the power and fame (or infamy) of its holder, and you will be required to show your license to gain entry to most major cities. Would you like to bind and activate the Traveler¡¯s License now?
YES NO
Romulus selected ¡®YES¡¯ and the copper tablet rippled, suddenly populating with his name, level, and sex¡ªonly for the second to blur itself a moment later. A perfect rendition of his face also appeared on the left side of the copper card, as if it were a photo fused to the metal. As a final touch, tiny threads of obsidian wove their way along the edges card in elegant patterns, though Romulus had no idea what that meant. He had a suspicion though. Once the license had been activated, he looked at the Wayfinder, who was watching him with wide eyes. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re not just any Traveler, are you?¡± Romulus¡¯ heart skipped a beat, and Lightsbane pulsed a warning. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Wayfinder opened his mouth, then cocked his head as if listening to something. Romulus waited in silence, left hand resting on his sword, until the man abruptly grinned as if he knew a secret. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Something you¡¯re not allowed to say?¡± Romulus pressed carefully. The Wayfinder simply smiled. ¡°Right, that figures,¡± Romulus said with a sigh, and a glance at the watching crowd. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll go explore the city for a bit, then. Can I ask your name before I go?¡± The Wayfinder brightened at the question, and his silence broke immediately. ¡°Of course! My name¡¯s Dave.¡± ¡°...Dave?¡± ¡°Dave!¡± ¡°That¡¯s so¡ª¡± ¡°Formal?¡± Dave asked. ¡°I know. Ugh. You¡¯re right.¡± He tapped one of his fingers to his lips, and Romulus noticed finally that all of the Wayfinder¡¯s nails were painted different combinations of colors. ¡°Well, I used to use a different name during my days as a travelling bard!¡± he said with a waggle of his eyebrows. ¡°I can use that, if you¡¯d like,¡± Romulus responded as he picked up the hint. ¡°Sure! Call me Ziggy, then,¡± he grinned. ¡°Ziggy Stardust.¡± Romulus felt as if he should have known the name, but it didn¡¯t quite register. Instead he gave the Wayfinder a friendly smile. ¡°Ziggy it is. It was, ah, a unique experience meeting you, Ziggy.¡± ¡°And you, Traveler Romulus!¡± the Wayfinder responded with a winning smile. ¡°I have a funny feeling we¡¯ll be hearing your name quite a lot in the days to come.¡± Romulus¡¯ eyebrow rose, and he wondered what exactly it was that the strange Wayfinder knew. Perhaps he was some sort of special NPC in Eternus Online, or otherwise very well informed. Whatever he was, he obviously recognised something about Romulus and it might have had to do with his [Brand of the Dark Lady]. It was probably best not to press that particular point in public, though. As the silence between them grew longer, Romulus made the decision to turn away instead of prolonging the sudden awkwardness, until a thought occurred to him. Almost cursing his own stupidity, he refocused on the Wayfinder and spoke quickly. ¡°Ziggy, before I go, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know how I can get access to the¡ª¡± he glanced at the crowd and lowered his voice ¡°¡ªcitadel, would you?¡± Normally it went without saying that telling random strangers about your plans was a terrible, terrible idea. With Ziggy however Romulus had the unshakable feeling he could ask the Wayfinder without being betrayed. The eclectic bard had kept his other secret, after all. There were obviously rules in place. Ziggy¡¯s smile widened and he even appeared pleased. ¡°I do, but I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t tell you that.¡± ¡°Of course you can¡¯t,¡± Romulus said with a sigh. ¡°Not because I¡¯m disallowed, but because our time is up,¡± the Wayfinder clarified. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ziggy nodded at something behind Romulus. When he turned to investigate, Romulus blinked at seeing a squad of well-dressed, green-and-black-attired soldiers approaching. Before he could do more than raise his eyebrows in surprise, the lead soldier came within five feet and stopped¡ªleft hand resting warily on her sword hilt. A tabard bearing a silver sword over a rearing white horse adorned her chest and was sewn from surprisingly modern-looking material. Well, this can¡¯t be good. He thought warily. Is this some sort of event? The woman¡¯s face was uncovered, and her blonde hair was tied back into a neat ponytail. Romulus could already tell she was beyond his abilities to deal with, given both the quality of her gear, and the fact that she looked like someone had taken a Valkyrie from the old stories, removed the wings, and plonked her into Eternus. Her blue eyes were piercing, she was at least 6¡¯1 and looked like Wonder Woman¡¯s younger blonde sister. ¡°Traveler Romulus?¡± she questioned in an elegant and distinctly ¡®aristocratic¡¯ voice. ¡°That¡¯s me,¡± Romulus answered cautiously. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± ¡°No,¡± the woman said, though her voice was about as warm as an ice cube. ¡°I am Isolde Argent, Captain of the Duke¡¯s Wardens. I¡¯m going to need you to come with me, please.¡± Romulus glanced at the six men fanned out in a crescent formation behind her, all of whom she was taller than, and realized that fighting his way out was definitely not an option. He also noticed an even bigger crowd growing around the spectacle, with more than a few people murmuring among themselves as they watched. Lightsbane pulsed its bloodlust at his side, but he wisely ignored the runeblade. ¡°Have I done something wrong, Captain?¡± Romulus asked instead with a polite smile. ¡°No, Traveler, but the Duke is curious as to how a Traveler of your particular¡­¡± she paused and eyed his bloodied clothes ¡°...disposition appeared so close to Blackstone, especially when it was reported you were coming from the direction of the Darkwood.¡± Isolde¡¯s expression never changed, but Romulus thought he detected curiosity and professional caution in her cool voice, not actual hostility. ¡°He¡¯d like to ask you some questions personally.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Romulus said as his mind raced and he looked between the Wardens. There was no easy way out, no way of earning crowd sympathy enough to matter, and likely no chance of evading capture even if he did get away. He was neatly backed into a corner. His uncle had always told him that when someone was out of options, especially when such happened due to a potential enemy, then the only option left was to turn the negative situation into a positive. The Art of War also stated that knowledge of the enemy was imperative. If the Duke was going to become a complication, then Romulus figured he might as well take the chance to do some intelligence gathering. After all, he was immortal. The Duke was not. At worst, he¡¯d just die and maybe even resurrect somewhere more hospitable. The delay would suck, but he doubted it was outside of Lilith¡¯s expectations. He suppressed a smile as he thought it over. If he managed to really twist the situation and make the Duke a friend, as crazy as the idea sounded, then his quest in Blackstone would become a whole hell of a lot easier. ¡°If you¡¯ll kindly follow us, sir?¡± Isolde asked without actually asking and gestured with a hand toward the west away from the market. ¡°Very well, Captain,¡± Romulus said as he schooled himself not to betray his churning thoughts, and tapped into his uncle¡¯s tuition on social niceties. ¡°I am in your capable hands.¡± For a moment, he could have sworn her eyes tightened in anger. However, the emotion¡ªif it had been there at all¡ªwas gone between eye blinks. ¡°Thank you. Follow us,¡± Isolde said a little more stiffly while turning to walk away with a clear expectation that Romulus would do as requested. With a plan in mind, he fell in behind her while waving goodbye to Ziggy. The Wayfinder¡¯s only response was a cheshire grin. B1 | Chapter 10: Mutual Benefit Almost an hour after he¡¯d been taken from the market, Romulus found himself admiring an opulent sitting room within the inner city of Blackstone. Isolde and her team, with surprising military efficiency, had escorted him away from the bustling crowds of the city¡¯s Grand Bazaar, travelling westward through the settlement. They had bypassed several checkpoints he likely would never have been able to pass alone, given the critical eyes of the heavily armored guards¡ªWardens, so he¡¯d learned¡ªthat appraised his ragged attire skeptically. The towering walls of the inner city had hidden an entirely different version of the Blackstone he¡¯d been exposed to. When they¡¯d entered the area, the traffic had died off considerably, though the presence of guards had ratcheted up in tandem¡ªas had the evident wealth and cleanliness of the inhabitants within its walls. Unsurprisingly, the guards within the inner city immediately stood out as both better presented and better supplied than those he¡¯d already seen. In terms of equipment and general health, they vastly outclassed Tom and Jerry. More than that, they presented a far more disciplined mien. Where the guards in the outer city had been casually aware, the inner city hosted a switched-on cadre of wary watchmen¡ªeach one alert and attentive, even under the strange fugue that seemed to hold the city in its grip. Blackstone consisted of three different layers according to his updated map: the outer city, the inner city, and the city heart. Each layer was divided by a single massive gate, with no alternative entry points¡ªat least, none marked on the map. Given the city was in fact built onto towering bluffs overlooking the ocean, with an ascending architecture that rose to a zenith where the Necropolis was built, Romulus was not surprised. The only way to invade Blackstone was to assault it layer by layer, gate by gate. He did not want to think about the cost in lives such an undertaking would incur. It was through the second of these gates that Isolde had led him when entering the inner city, and it was only a few hundred meters from the third and final gate that she led him. ¡°That gate leads to the restricted section of the city,¡± she had informed him with cool professionalism. ¡°You are strongly advised not to attempt access without permission. For your safety and the city¡¯s, the guards will not let anyone pass without express permission from the city¡¯s leaders.¡± Romulus had filed that information away and turned to follow her when they had diverted to one of the largest and most palatial villas in the inner city. All of the immense residences were wrought of the same obsidian-hued stone as the walls and Necropolis, which told Romulus that the buildings had likely belonged to some sort of noble elite within the city during the time of the Revenant-King¡ªpossibly even his Death Knights and other followers of the Dark Lady. Of course, that was just a guess, but it seemed to make the most sense. The skull iconography everywhere certainly lent credence to his theory. Isolde had dismissed all but two of her Wardens upon arrival, and led him deeper into the estate afterwards¡ªpassing at least two dozen guards in various areas as she led him toward what seemed to be the heart of the villa. It was as palatial internally as it appeared externally, and Romulus did not miss the fact that the villa total was large enough to comfortably house a small army by itself. It was more like a small manor-castle than merely a luxurious home. Finally, she had told him to wait in the sitting room he now occupied, along with enough gilded finery that even his eclectic mother would have cooed in delight. The floor was adorned with a gold-bordered green carpet, matched to a similar theme in the chairs and various pieces of secondary and tertiary decoration. The walls were covered in a tasteful selection of portraits and tapestries, some displaying what were no doubt famous ancestors, while others depicted battles against creatures of evil. In one place, heavy drapes were hung to obscure a section of the wall, and Romulus could only hazard a guess at what manner of dark adornment had been permanently added to the forbidding estate. He tapped the hilt of his sword in thought as he waited, still amused by the sequence of events that had allowed him to keep it. First Isolde had asked him to hand it over, and the moment he had: the man who tried to take it nearly launched himself away in his speed to wrench his hand back. That hadn¡¯t gone over well, until Romulus had explained that the sword was soulbound to him. He¡¯d called it a gift to aid his new life as a traveler on Eternus, directly from the Pantheon¡ªwhich hadn¡¯t technically been a lie. Lilith was part of the Pantheon, even if they all hated her. A small debate had occurred between his escorts at that point, until Isolde had grudgingly decided that even if he had the weapon, he was too ill-equipped to present any real danger to the Duke or anyone else in the estate¡ªthough he would be watched carefully. He didn¡¯t know how she seemed so confident in that assessment, but given his attempts at using [Examine] had failed on her and her Wardens, he assumed it was a matter of level difference. A pulse of derision had come from the sword at her words regardless, though Romulus had wisely said nothing. Lightsbane probably could have done some real damage on its own merit, but with no armor, no bag, no potions, and still no idea how to use his Dark Mana¡ªan oversight he desperately needed to correct¡ªRomulus didn¡¯t like his chances. Boredom crept up on him as he looked toward the clock in his HUD, and hummed in surprise. At least four hours had passed in-game, yet true to the word of the developers, his local time only showed the clock edging toward 8pm, though it was shown as ¡®20:00¡¯. The time compression was awesome. He could pass an entire day and night in-game, and only be playing for six hours in the real world. He¡¯d have to take a break to eat and use the bathroom at some point, but that was a problem for later. He assumed Alfred would alert him when it was time, or the System would give him a reminder. Those sorts of safety protocols were largely standardized in VRMMOs¡ªespecially deep immersion ones, though none had come anywhere near to Eternus Online in terms of sheer realism. Romulus once again let his eyes roam the interior of the room until they rested on the obscured area of the wall dominating the far end of the sitting room. Situated on the eastern wall, it was in perfect view of the two sets of doors entering the room from north and west, and Romulus couldn¡¯t help the curiosity that rose within him at what could be under the curtains. Glancing at the door he¡¯d entered from and then to the other one as well, Romulus threw caution to the wind and marched over to the end of the sitting room. His left hand rested on the skull-head pommel of his blade as he did, and he took comfort in its presence. Soothing pulses came from the weapon, as if it were trying to reassure him of the correctness of his choice to investigate. That only stoked his curiosity higher, and Romulus extended his right hand toward the drapes with determination. When he pulled back the heavy fabric, what he saw was not what he expected. A large family portrait was hung on the wall, displaying a proud-looking man with brown hair and what Romulus would call wise, compassionate eyes. He was adorned in a formal tunic in green and gold, and had an elegant-looking blade strapped to his hip. His legs were hidden behind a high-backed chair, and his right arm was resting atop it. In the chair itself sat an elegant blonde woman with bright blue eyes, and a familiar cast to her features. Her hair spilled down from her head to her waist, and she wore a dress of similar coloration to her presumptive husband with a gentle smile on her features. Last was a young lady, perhaps eighteen years of age, tall and thin, with a sword at her side and a decidedly exuberant expression on her face. She stood on the other side of the chair, her features a clear correlation to the seated woman. A sense of recognition struck him, and he peered at the girl more intently. Two seconds later, his jaw dropped. It was Isolde, looking nothing like the ice princess he¡¯d met. ¡°Wow,¡± Romulus said with quiet appreciation, his eyes never leaving the young Isolde as she beamed at him from the portrait. The Isolde in the painting was already visibly of a height with her father, though she possessed none of the feminine curves that the adult Isolde possessed, even in her armored uniform. The hint of them was present, but it was a far cry from the woman he¡¯d met. He wondered if the young girl had known how powerful¡ªand gorgeous¡ªshe had been destined to become. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Isolde¡¯s icy voice cut into his ruminations, and Romulus spun in surprise, cursing his low level [Perception] as he did. She had likely entered the room while he¡¯d been absorbed in analyzing her family portrait. ¡°Sorry. I got curious,¡± he said contritely with a gesture at the picture. ¡°I didn¡¯t actually know you were the Duke¡¯s daughter.¡± ¡°Why, do you have a problem with me serving as my father¡¯s Captain because I¡¯m his daughter?¡± she demanded coldly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m only in my position because of our relationship?¡± The sudden anger in her voice took him aback, and Romulus held up his hands in a gesture of peace and surrender. ¡°Woah! I never said that. I think it¡¯s great that you followed your dreams.¡± ¡°What the hell do you know about my dreams, Traveler?¡± she asked dangerously. Romulus quickly gestured at the portrait again while working to keep her calm. ¡°The painting, I guess. You obviously have a lot of pride in what you¡¯re wearing and how you¡¯re presented, and you look really happy. I can only guess, but I wouldn¡¯t call that a begrudging face. You must have wanted to be a soldier, and¡ª¡± he glanced at the portrait ¡°¡ªyour mother obviously looks very happy, and so does your father. I can only imagine they¡¯re both very proud of you.¡± Isolde stared at him for a long moment, and then slowly turned to the portrait. Her expression softened briefly when she looked it over, eyes lingering on her mother, until she turned back to him again. ¡°My mother died shortly after that was painted, so I wouldn¡¯t know her mind on my vocation,¡± the blonde responded icily. ¡°Now if you¡¯re done gawking, shall we go see the Duke?¡± Of course her mother¡¯s dead. He groaned internally. That¡¯s exactly the kind of thing that would be the case in this sort of situation. Well done, idiot! You just walked into the most classic gaming trope in history. Despite his internal self-recrimination and bafflement at the monumental chip on her shoulder, Romulus nodded in what he hoped was a contrite manner. ¡°That sounds great,¡± he said with sincere relief. The situation was incredibly awkward, and he added ¡®imposter syndrome¡¯ to Isolde¡¯s list of details mentally. ¡°Lead on, Captain.¡± Isolde gave him one more cold look and turned to open the door she¡¯d entered from, which was not the door he¡¯d been brought in with. Romulus promptly stepped to it and followed her through, falling into position behind the towering blonde as she strode down a long corridor wide enough for ten people in formation and lit by the sun, its rays slanting in through arched windows filled with stained glass. When Romulus took the time to actually look at the windows above and to the right of them, he nearly tripped in amazement. Each of the windows depicted a different warrior in forbidding attire, either standing on a field or sitting astride an equally terrifying mount. He recognised what must have been several different Revenant Runeblades, though they all looked subtly more menacing and lethal than his own. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s what we can look forward to?¡± he questioned under his breath. Lightsbane pulsed with eager confirmation in reply. The corridor ended in a pair of massive open black doors, and Isolde nodded to the two wardens on duty. The pair snapped to attention at the sight of their Captain, and slammed their silver-mailed fists against their tabard-covered chests. Romulus offered each of them a smile as Isolde led him past, though with their visored helmets covering their faces, all he received back was the impassive view of cold steel. What he¡¯d seen in the stained glass of the corridor had surprised him, but what he saw in the Duke¡¯s throne room took his breath away. The ceiling of the room was easily twenty feet above them, with massive stained glass windows from floor to ceiling that depicted battles, gatherings, and triumphant men and women that Romulus could only assume were Death Knights. Twelve windows framed the long room on each side, spaced almost a dozen feet apart, and two wardens stood on either side of each window. As they walked along the gilded green carpet, however, it was the stained glass window¡ªthe most immense one¡ªabove the throne that most captured Romulus¡¯ interest. It depicted a man with obsidian hair down to his chest, wearing a bone-white crown inlaid with diamonds, and attired in skull-bearing warplate that seemed at once menacing and regal in equal measure. Both of his large armored hands were wrapped around the hilt of a massive Revenant Runeblade, and his eyes burned with wisps of cold blue fire. ¡°The Unknown King,¡± a voice called out, drawing Romulus¡¯ attention back to the throne and the muscular black-haired man sitting upon it. He¡¯d completely glossed over the occupant, who was clearly the Duke himself, in his wonder at seeing the stained glass rendition on the back wall. ¡°Unknown King?¡± Romulus inquired before he could help himself, and drew a sharp glance of reprimand from Isolde. ¡°Yes,¡± the Duke answered while examining him with assessing brown eyes. ¡°Nobody knows who he is or why he¡¯s attired in such a macabre fashion, but he was clearly someone of great importance. Either the owner of this estate, or the master of the owner.¡± ¡°That theory holds merit,¡± Romulus agreed as he closed the last few feet of distance between himself and Isolde, and stopped beside her when she came to a halt. ¡°Your Grace,¡± Isolde said with cold formality, ¡°I present the Traveler Romulus per your summons.¡± Romulus was certainly not from any kind of nobility in the real world, but he was hardly new to fantasy settings thanks to his earlier forays into less advanced VRMMOs and MMOs in general. He executed a polite bow, left hand on his sword hilt and right hand clenched at his side while he bent at the waist. ¡°It is an honor, Your Grace,¡± he said while remembering his history lessons. ¡°Your home is breathtaking.¡± ¡°Oho!¡± the Duke said with a smile. ¡°The Traveler has courtly manners. Were you a Lord in the place Beyond, before you came to Eternus?¡± ¡°No, Your Grace. I just paid attention to my lessons on etiquette,¡± he explained with a wry smile. Another score for his preparatory school. The Duke leaned forward at that, raising his eyebrows. ¡°How interesting. You will need to tell me more about this, perhaps, another time.¡± ¡°If Your Grace so desires,¡± Romulus agreed amicably. Congratulations, you have learned a new skill! Skill Name: Intrigue Skill Type: Active Skill Rarity: Uncommon Skill Function: Each level of Intrigue grants you bonuses to your ability to navigate the realms of power present within Eternus¡¯ myriad lands and territories. Each level of Intrigue will give you a requisite increase to your CIO and CRIO when engaged in courtly, political, and other similar affairs. (Current Bonus: 1%) Skill Level: Novice 1 Skill Description: You have demonstrated a remarkable talent for the interactions of the courts of the land, and shown yourself to be a shrewd and intelligent individual in the eyes of a member of one of the world¡¯s many monarchic societies. Not to be confused with Charisma, Intrigue is a representation of your ability to identify and navigate delicate and convoluted social currents. ¡°So removed from what I¡¯ve been led to expect,¡± the Duke said with evident fascination, and a subtle look of amusement not unlike someone observing a particularly interesting animal. ¡°Here I thought all of you Travelers would be boisterous and belligerent headaches we would have to deal with. Instead, you already prove that inviting you here was the right choice.¡± Romulus maintained his polite smile despite the Duke¡¯s words. He¡¯d hardly been ¡®invited¡¯. That implied a right to refuse, which Isolde had certainly not given him. ¡°Perhaps you should impress upon the Traveler the reason for your summons, Your Grace?¡± Isolde prompted coolly while standing off to the side now that introductions had been made. ¡°The Captain is right, of course,¡± the Duke said, seemingly without much overt affection toward his daughter, given the near-disregard in his tone of voice. That explained the imposter syndrome, at least. Romulus added ¡®parental issues¡¯ to Isolde¡¯s list mentally. ¡°I did ask you here for a reason, after all,¡± the Duke continued. ¡°I am told Travelers are uniquely gifted in ways that could be of great value to me, and to my city.¡± Romulus could feel the prelude to another Quest as he answered. ¡°How might this Traveler serve the Duke?¡± ¡°I have a problem, Traveler Romulus,¡± the Duke responded with a pleased smile that never quite reached his eyes. ¡°No doubt you have seen the large fortress that dominates the inner city?¡± ¡°I have, Your Grace.¡± ¡°Then you have seen my problem. There is an¡­ issue with this fortress, one that more mundane assistance has been unable to solve for me. I was rather hoping that you might be able to succeed where they failed, regardless of your relative ignorance of our world.¡± Is he seriously about to give me a free access ticket to the Necropolis? Despite his thoughts and internal glee, Romulus remained outwardly calm to the best of his ability. ¡°I am not sure if I have the ability for whatever it is you¡¯re asking, Your Grace, but I would be happy to make the attempt. The Duke¡¯s good graces would be incredibly useful for a new Traveler.¡± The Duke smiled in approval of his words. ¡°You see, Captain? This is the kind of fearlessness I¡¯ve been looking for! You said it could not be done, but this Traveler does not even hesitate,¡± the Duke continued with a clear disparagement for Isolde¡¯s apparent refusal. ¡°This must be the courage of an immortal. If only my Wardens had bravery such as this.¡± Isolde said nothing, though Romulus noticed with a glance that her expression was icily neutral. She appeared to be standing at picture-perfect parade rest, and studiously keeping her eyes trained just above the Duke¡¯s head. ¡°Do you have a quest for me, Your Grace?¡± Romulus prompted while deciding not to drag out the discourse for his own sake. ¡°I do indeed. I want you to enter the fortress, Traveler Romulus, and I want you to fix whatever plagues it by any means necessary. Whatever you need to make that happen, you shall have it.¡±
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Quest Issued: Neutralize the Necropolis The Duke of Blackstone has tasked you with entering the fortress in the heart of the inner city and dealing with whatever is wrong within its depths. He has authorised you to use whatever means are necessary to ensure the completion of your task, and offered you anything you need to see it done. WARNING: The manner in which you resolve this quest will have lasting consequences for the world of Eternus. Choose your path wisely.
Difficulty: B+ Success: Variable Failure: Exile from Blackstone, Other Rewards: Various
Romulus read over the System prompt and carefully held back his grin. He swiped away the screen, offered the Duke his most polite smile, and cut a solemn bow for the nobleman¡¯s benefit. ¡°Your Grace, I would be pleased to undertake this task for you.¡± ¡°That is very good to hear, Traveler,¡± the Duke said with a pleased look. ¡°May I query the Traveler on a small detail, Your Grace?¡± Isolde said on the heels of the Duke¡¯s words, while her gaze shifted toward Romulus. Duke Argent frowned somewhat, but wordlessly motioned for Isolde to proceed. ¡°Traveler Romulus, you are new to these lands¡ªand ostensibly uninformed of their plight and goings on. As such, I must wonder, what is it you seek to gain from offering your aid so readily?¡± Isolde asked shrewdly, while her eyes narrowed somewhat in cold assessment. ¡°While I mean no disrespect to your courage, I am not a woman inclined to believe in the simple charity of others¡ªespecially not esoteric and otherworldly warriors.¡± Romulus noticed the Duke also looked interested in his answer when Isolde was done, and there was no mistaking the sharpness of the man¡¯s gaze as he joined his daughter in sizing Romulus up. For all the Duke¡¯s apparent goodwill, there was a steeliness to his eyes that told Romulus he¡¯d have to be very cautious in dealing with the man¡ªboth now and in the future. ¡°There are admittedly many things I could think of as a reward for this task, Captain, Your Grace,¡± Romulus said calmly, while his mind raced through The Prince, The Rise and Fall of Rome, A Game of Thrones, and every fantasy novel he¡¯d ever read in search of the proper response. With his increased Intelligence, it was a surprisingly manageable task. He needed something greedy enough to be believable, while also being reasonable. Selfishness would also be necessary, though he couldn¡¯t afford to be disrespectful. Romulus had to really sell the ambition expected of an immortal. His eyes turned toward Isolde, and a light bulb ignited in his mind. ¡°If I were to name my desire, however, it would be riches, servants, a place of power in Blackstone, Your Grace¡ª¡± he addressed the Duke instead of Isolde to show ambition, and he did so with bold lack of fear of reprisal that only required a truly arrogant and selfish request to bring it home ¡°¡ªand the chance to pursue the hand of your daughter.¡± Silence followed his statement for several beats, until Isolde¡¯s cheeks rapidly reddened and she opened her mouth with furious eyes¡ªno doubt ready to rip him apart for his impudence. The Duke, however, beat her to it. ¡°A title, wealth, position, and a chance at my daughter¡¯s hand in return for the resolution of whatever is amiss at the Fortress? Knowing, of course, that none of it will be yours unless you succeed.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace,¡± Romulus agreed while hoping neither of them could hear his racing heart. ¡°Done!¡± the Duke said with a laugh that drew a stunned look from Isolde. ¡°I like your boldness, Traveler Romulus. Such gall implies confidence to see the job through, and must be acknowledged! It gives me hope, in fact. I would be remiss not to agree to such generous terms.¡± ¡°Your Grace, I must protest¡ª!¡± Isolde started, only to stop at the Duke¡¯s raised hand. ¡°You must, but you will not, Captain. I have made my decision,¡± he said with flat finality, before turning back to Romulus. ¡°Go, then, Traveler. See to your preparations and undertake your task. I shall eagerly await your success, Sir Romulus.¡± Romulus bowed and tried to keep his immense relief suppressed, partially in disbelief that his gamble had paid off. Asking for Isolde¡¯s hand had seemed like something the truly arrogant or self-important men in many of the books he¡¯d read might do¡­ and for that reason alone, he knew, it was perfect. The Duke would have known those kinds of men and even women his entire life. He¡¯d likely have been among their number. At that moment, the Duke had likely seen Romulus as a potential threat. It would have earned the Duke¡¯s respect, and probably more than one future assassination attempt. He could worry about that later, though, after he claimed the mantle of Dark Autarch. ¡°I shall endeavor to meet your noble expectations,¡± Romulus said as he bowed respectfully, and left his internal monologue for his own mind. ¡°I shall see to my preparations, assuming your offer of aid in those preparations remains in place, Your Grace?¡± ¡°But of course!¡± the Duke said with a gesture of his hands. ¡°Isolde will see you provisioned with whatsoever you require from our personal stores, within reason. I cannot bankrupt myself, you understand.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Grace. All I desire is some potions, a change of clothes, and a bag of holding if you have one. Some armor would be nice as well, though I understand if¡ª¡± ¡°If that is all, Traveler, then it shall be no issue,¡± the Duke cut in with a mirthless laugh. ¡°That is a very basic list of requirements. Isolde will see them provided.¡± ¡°You are most generous, Your Grace.¡± The Duke nodded and made a simple dismissive gesture thereafter. Romulus bowed his head, turned, and followed Isolde when she bowed stiffly and stomped her way toward the exit. He had achieved the first step of gaining access to the Necropolis¡ªnow he just needed to lay claim to the gifts Lilith had left within it, and pass the Revenant-King¡¯s tests. A ping caught his attention and he glanced at it silently. Congratulations, you have levelled a skill! Your [Intrigue] Skill is now Novice 5! He grinned as he followed the Valkyrie-like blonde out of the throne room. A new Skill, free gear, and free potions? It was a murderhobo¡¯s dream come true. B1 | Chapter 11: The Harsh Reality of being a Noob ¡°Why did you do that?!¡± Isolde¡¯s voice caught Romulus¡¯ attention as she came to a halt outside of a smaller building connected to the central Argent estate, and he moved his gaze from the architecture to focus on the imperious blonde¡¯s hard stare. She stood with her arms folded, a frosty look on her beautiful features and a still-present pink tinge to her cheeks. ¡°What are you referring to?¡± Romulus asked carefully. ¡°The request to court me!¡± she growled. ¡°You do not even know me!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that was a requirement with the nobility,¡± he answered with a twinge of genuine amusement. Contrived excuse or not, the situation was quite funny. ¡°You are not a Noble!¡± she continued with a sharp gesture at his bloodied attire. ¡°You look like a vagrant in truth, far more than you do a Traveler from the stories!¡± ¡°And what do the stories say?¡± he asked with genuine interest. Her insult rolled off him like a wave crashing upon a cliffside, and Romulus found himself able to maintain perfect calm. He hardly cared about people judging him after almost being mauled by a wolf. Besides, being chosen by Lilith meant he would become Dark Autarch¡ªand the new Revenant-King if all went well. That probably rated him far, far higher than mere nobility. Not that Isolde would know that, of course. ¡°Travelers are supposed to be mighty heroes, equipped with mythical weapons and gifted with incredible sorcery. They can shake the earth, split the sea, and sunder the heavens above! They are brave, true, courageous, honorable, and¡ª¡± Isolde abruptly snapped her mouth closed, and the redness in her cheeks deepened. Oh my god, Romulus thought with sudden realization, she¡¯s a total nerd! ¡°Well, I am sorry to dispel your wild impressions,¡± he said, with a smile that was equal parts amused, wry, and apologetic. ¡°But I am a Traveler, and I intend to fulfill this Quest¡ªfor my own reasons.¡± ¡°Even if you are, and even if you do succeed¡ª¡± Isolde said in a tone that sounded as if she very much doubted he could ¡°¡ªand make safe the Necropolis, you cannot think you could truly be able to court me.¡± ¡°If I succeed,¡± Romulus pointed out conversationally, ¡°I have no doubt I will have more than enough status to at least make the attempt.¡± ¡°My father would never allow a Traveler to win my hand,¡± she said stubbornly. ¡°Even if your kind are legends, he only cares about bloodline¡ª¡± her expression flickered with anger at her own words, and Romulus didn¡¯t think it was his fault this time ¡°¡ªand advantage. You can offer neither.¡± Isolde turned when she said that and pulled some keys from the pouch on her belt. She fitted them into the doors they¡¯d stopped in front of and unlocked them with a resounding thunk of disarmament. ¡°You¡¯re probably right about that,¡± Romulus conceded with a shrug as she opened the doors. ¡°Not that it matters.¡± Isolde turned back to him with a look of momentary confusion, and then narrowed her eyes in suspicion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a secret,¡± he said airily and gestured to the doors, ¡°and I don¡¯t have the desire or the time to talk about this, Isolde.¡± With that, he walked past her into the building. The structure''s interior was not unlike a mix between a workshop and an armory, with wooden stands displaying sets of solid plate armor, half-plate, scalemail, chainmail, boiled leather, and ceremonial attire in various distributions. Swords, spears, shields, warhammers, maces, bows, and crossbows of various levels of quality were stacked in different barrels or set upon racks attached to the walls¡ªand Romulus even spied lances with green pennants wrapped near their tips. The space in its entirety was as big as a barn, and had only one other entrance: a presumably locked door leading deeper into the building. He turned toward one of the suits of armor on display, in fact, when Isolde¡¯s voice pulled him up short. ¡°Wait!¡± she demanded. Romulus turned to regard her with a look of exasperation. ¡°Listen, I know you¡¯re angry and don¡¯t like me, I get that; but I¡¯m kind of on a timer here. For my own reasons, I need to finish this Quest sooner rather than later. It has to do with Traveler stuff,¡± he explained without deception, ¡°and I can¡¯t afford needless delays, or the System will probably punish me or something. Would you mind at least getting me the gear I asked for while you interrogate me?¡± Isolde opened her mouth, closed it with a frown, and then glanced past him toward the various displayed items. ¡°The System will punish you?¡± she asked with what he was surprised to hear sounded like genuine interest. ¡°You are truly given missions, directives, and special interactions from the System? I thought only Powers and their Chosen received those.¡± ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± Romulus said with surprise. ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t get those?¡± ¡°We do,¡± she answered almost defensively, and then sighed. ¡°But not to the extent you are describing. A lot of it is very generic. Unless you are a Power or someone aiming to become a Power, the System can be frustratingly repetitive and non-interactive.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Romulus said in lieu of any otherworldly wisdom and filed away the information for later review. ¡°I had assumed it was pretty common, honestly. That¡¯s interesting to know,¡± he noted and then glanced around the space again. ¡°But uh, and I don¡¯t mean to be rude¡­¡± Isolde blinked at him, and then grimaced. ¡°I¡ªyes, my apologies,¡± she said sincerely and entered briskly while she spoke. ¡°I may not trust you, nor like the bargain you struck with my fa¡ªwith the Duke, Traveler, but I have no intention of disobeying my orders.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief,¡± Romulus said with a genuine smile and a quiet note of how she caught herself. Clearly, there was tension between her and the Duke. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d have been pretty screwed if you did.¡± Isolde stopped to glance back at him, and her lips actually twitched into something resembling a smile before she turned and gestured to the various mannequins. ¡°You are free to claim one set of armor for your use. None of these have been marked with the Wardens¡¯ colors yet, so it¡¯ll be plain steel. You¡¯ll also need certain baselines of Strength and Endurance to wear the heavier armor, so make sure you¡¯re aware of that.¡± That made sense, as much as it immediately made him worry. ¡°What are the baselines?¡± he asked while turning to approach the displays. ¡°Just Examine them,¡± Isolde said and turned back to the interior door. ¡°I will return in a moment with your bag of holding and potions, as agreed.¡± Romulus glanced at her in surprise but nodded his gratitude. With nothing else to do, he took her advice and used [Examine] on the various armors. Name: Plate Armor (Full) Type: Heavy Armor Rarity: Uncommon Slot(s): Head, Chest, Arms, Hands, Legs, Feet Tier: 2 Description: This is a full set of Plate Armor, including a helmet, cuirass, pauldrons, vambraces, gauntlets, cuisses, and sabatons. It is well-crafted and commonly used by sworn knights, heavy infantry, and the retainers of wealthy lords. Weight: 55 Kilograms Durability: 500 / 500 Effect(s): Requirement(s): That ruled out the full plate almost immediately, much to his disappointment. His Strength was the closest to the requirement, and his Endurance was nowhere near¡ªnot to mention that those seemed to be the base requirements, not the ideal ones. In all likelihood, wearing the armor without a buffer in his Attributes would result in rapid exhaustion and very likely lethal levels of immobility. The armor alone was heavier than he could currently carry as a maximum. Even at level 15, it seemed, he was woefully ill-equipped to wear even Uncommon quality armor. Romulus shook his head and turned instead to the half-plate hopefully. Name: Half-Plate (Partial) Type: Medium Armor Rarity: Uncommon Slot(s): Head, Chest Tier: 2 Description: This is a partial set of Half-Plate Armor, which comes with a helmet and cuirass. It is a well-crafted set commonly used by favored squires, medium infantry, and city guardsmen. Weight: 30 Kilograms Durability: 250 / 250 If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Effect(s): Requirement(s): ¡°Oh come on,¡± he said with a toss of his hands skyward at what he read. ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! What sort of plate is that heavy? This isn¡¯t jousting armor!¡± ¡°Actually, it is used by the medium cavalry,¡± Isolde said from nearby as she returned from her foray into the locked room, and shut the door behind her. ¡°The full plate is worn by the Wardens and the heavy infantry and heavy cavalry, and the half-plate is the standard for the rank and file infantry and city watch.¡± Romulus stared at her silently for a moment, then turned back to the armor. ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that your rank and file city guard can wear this stuff no problem?¡± ¡°Mmhmm,¡± Isolde said in what Romulus detected was a subtly smug tone. ¡°Their combined gear load is close to 55 Kilograms, when factoring in everything. The Wardens and Knights in the city carry about 120 Kilograms,¡± she explained while walking over without any visible discomfort, and offering him a brown leather satchel with an attached belt and buckle for good measure. ¡°You have not examined me, if your question is anything to go by, because of what I am guessing is a significant level difference,¡± Isolde continued, ¡°but my armor is of rare quality and weighs about 65 Kilograms by itself. That does not include my chainmail, sword, shield, or other supplies when we go patrolling further afield to cull the wildlife encroaching from the Forest.¡± ¡°Yeah. Okay, I get it, you¡¯re super strong,¡± he said distractedly while focusing on the bag she¡¯d given him, and using [Examine] on it. Isolde¡¯s look of annoyance was ignored while he scanned over the information. Name: Small Bag of Holding Type: Enchanted Bag Rarity: Uncommon Slot(s): Waist Tier: 2 Description: This is a small bag of holding, and is capable of storing a disproportionate amount of gear compared to its size. Items will shrink to fit the opening when stored, and will return to full size when summoned out by the wearer. Living creatures cannot be placed within the bag. Any food or organic material placed within the bag will be time-locked until retrieved, and retain the same condition that they were stored in. Weight: 1 Kilogram Durability: 1,000 / 1,000 Effect(s): Stored Item(s): Storage Total(s): 8.65 KG Used | 1.35 KG Available Romulus raised his eyebrows at what he saw and looked back at Isolde. ¡°This is much more than I asked for,¡± he pointed out honestly. ¡°I appreciate it, but I won¡¯t lie, I¡¯m pretty surprised by it,¡± he continued while belting the pouch around his waist without complaint. ¡°I am not a woman inclined toward friendship or care for random vagrants, Traveler, no matter my interest in your kind,¡± Isolde said with a surprisingly neutral tone despite her harsh words. ¡°However, your observations about my mother, paired with your genuine nature, show me a person that is¡ªif not entirely forthcoming¡ªgenuine in their kindness. You are hiding something, I know that, but without cause I cannot in good conscience impede your survival.¡± Romulus raised his eyebrows at her, but nodded in understanding. The words were more formal and articulate than he was used to, but they made sense, and he was once again struck by how real Eternus felt. Even Isolde, ostensibly a non-player character, acted with empathy and consideration that seemed so real it beggared belief. She even smelled like a real person¡ªwith lavender, sword oil, clean sweat, and metallic tang. It was disconcerting to think about in any great detail, and he had already given up on trying to rationalize it in his mind. He just had to go hard into the roleplaying and forget the rest. The game certainly made that easy enough. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said to Isolde while showing no insight into his racing thoughts. ¡°Genuinely, thank you. I appreciate it. That¡¯s pretty dang honorable of you.¡± Isolde blinked at his verbiage, but graced him with a polite smile when she finally parsed it. ¡°You are welcome, Traveler Romulus,¡± she said with a slight nod, and then gestured to the displays. ¡°I would also recommend you take the scalemail, if nothing else is a good fit. Alternatively, the chainmail alone would suffice. Both are of a kind, and if you are lacking in Strength and Endurance, neither will slow you down. The boiled leather is fine, but it would be wasted where you are headed. We know little about the Necropolis, but steel is used by whatever defends it. We have learned that much.¡± Romulus looked back at the available pieces and used [Examine] again. Name: Scalemail (Single) Type: Medium Armor Rarity: Uncommon Slot(s): Chest Tier: 2 Description: This is a single shirt of thick Scalemail armor. This well-crafted armor is commonly used by favored squires and medium or light infantry in combination with half-plate or other armor. Weight: 20 Kilograms Durability: 175 / 175 Effect(s): Requirement(s): Name: Chainmail (Single) Type: Light Armor Rarity: Uncommon Slot(s): Chest Tier: 2 Description: This is a single shirt of Chainmail armor. This well-crafted armor is commonly used by favored light infantry in combination with other armor. Weight: 10 Kilograms Durability: 75 / 75 Effect(s): Requirement(s): ¡°So the Chainmail would weigh less, which means it would tire me out less, but it provides considerably less protection as well,¡± he noted while eyeing both the Scalemail and Chainmail. ¡°I¡¯m guessing I¡¯d want to wear the boiled leather with the chainmail, though really, it¡¯s made to pair with the plate.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Isolde confirmed with a look of surprised approval. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take the scalemail then,¡± Romulus said with a shrug. ¡°It may be heavier, but it¡¯s better than nothing, and at least I won¡¯t be going into the Necropolis with just a shirt.¡± Isolde nodded and looked up at him critically. Once again, he thanked his decision for height. ¡°You intend to depart for the Necropolis now?¡± ¡°Pretty much as soon as I can, yeah.¡± ¡°Then I recommend you doff your shirt and avail yourself of the water barrel outside this building. You can clean off the blood, and go into the dark without it clinging to you.¡± Romulus smiled at her offer, but shook his head. ¡°Nah,¡± he said to her while grabbing the scalemail, and promptly tossing it on over his head. He grunted a little at the weight and readjusted his bag to sit on the outside of the armor. As he did so, he noticed his physical damage resistance advanced from 30% to 50%¡ªthough he already knew that was deceptive. PDR was a vacuum statistic, which meant it did not account for things like an opponent¡¯s bonus physical damage. If an enemy he fought had 50% BPD, his 50% PDR would equal out to flat zero. PDR wasn¡¯t about rushing for invulnerability. It was about bolstering defensibility to address the fact that high-Strength enemies could easily cut someone in half at sufficient levels of bonus damage. He¡¯d already caught that minor detail, though he had his time in Souls-like games to thank for that. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be clean?¡± Isolde questioned with a look of mixed confusion and mild disgust. ¡°I¡¯m probably just going to get dirty all over again,¡± he said with a shrug, ¡°and while a hot bath or whatever would feel amazing right now, I¡¯d rather just get this shit over and done with. I can bathe after that.¡± His hands finished adjusting the scalemail¡ªincluding belting Lightsbane onto his left hip above the armor¡ªand he shrugged at Isolde. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to understand, but that¡¯s fine. I appreciate your help, though, genuinely. Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± she paused and stepped past him. ¡°It is no burden. You are very likely going to die a horrible death in the Necropolis, regardless. This way, I at least have the peace of mind of knowing you were not ill-prepared.¡± Romulus stared at her for a moment and then snorted in derisive amusement. ¡°You really know how to bolster a guy¡¯s confidence, princess,¡± he said while following her out of the building. Isolde whirled when he did, and her glare was back in full force. ¡°Do not call me that!¡± she said with genuine anger. Romulus raised his hands placatingly and smiled apologetically. ¡°Yeah, sure, my bad. I didn¡¯t¡ªthat is, I wasn¡¯t thinking. Sorry about that, Captain.¡± She did seem pretty stuck on the idea of nepotism earlier. That was probably a big faux pas with her. Isolde stared at him, oblivious to his thoughts, before marching back to the door to lock it angrily¡ªslamming it shut and aggressively turning the key to thunk its various security measures back into place. ¡°You can still give up on this,¡± she noted without looking at him. ¡°The Duke will not even be surprised. You would not be the first would-be Adventurer that¡ª¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m good,¡± he replied cheerfully as he headed for the villa¡¯s exit, with only a polite wave and glance over his shoulder. ¡°Have a good day, though.¡± Isolde stared at him in momentary bafflement when he started walking away, and then shouted after him. ¡°You¡¯re going to die, Traveler!¡± In response, Romulus just laughed. ¡°Everyone dies eventually, Isolde!¡± he called back far more bravely than he felt. ¡°I just happen to have the advantage of being immortal!¡± B1 | Chapter 12: Into Darkness ¡°You¡¯ve been quiet,¡± Romulus murmured under his breath to Lightsbane as he strode with purpose through Blackstone. The sword pulsed a wave of apology in return. ¡°Were you trying to avoid detection, or something, just in case?¡± Romulus prodded. A pulse of firm agreement came from the runeblade. ¡°Yeah, that makes sense. Smart move.¡± Lightsbane pulsed again in proud acknowledgement. ¡°I guess the only thing we can do is become strong enough to not need to worry, eh?¡± Once again, Lightsbane pulsed its fervent agreement and Romulus smiled wryly. With the mystery of his silent sword settled, his mind turned to other things: namely, his plan for the Necropolis¡ªor rather, the complete lack of one, and his desire to correct that oversight. First and most importantly, he wasn¡¯t going to conquer the keep, and he knew that. Based on what Lilith had told him, he would face trials within the Necropolis. What those were, how deadly they were, and what his chances of success were¡ªwell, those were questions he couldn¡¯t answer immediately. The fact that the Dark Lady had not seemed overly concerned about his chances was reassuring, but the rumors he¡¯d heard about the Necropolis during his short time in Blackstone had not been as comforting. If it weren¡¯t for the fact he was worried about his [Brand of the Dark Lady] being discovered, he¡¯d have probably taken several days to scout, glean information, and try to find an agent of the Divinarch to help him. As it was, he knew Ziggy had already figured something out¡ªand the last thing he needed was a Priest or Cleric of a hostile Power seeing his Brand. He suspected that most people that braved the Necropolis had exactly zero chance against whatever was within. He was gambling almost everything on what the Dark Lady had told him when he freed her. The trials were his to attempt by right, based on what she¡¯d said, and while he could just say ¡®fuck this¡¯ and walk away¡ªthe temptation born from the strength Lilith had promised kept him on course. He wasn¡¯t about to run away at this stage of the game. Without the Divinarch¡¯s promised empowerment, he had no real hope of achieving his goals within Eternus in any reasonable timeframe. How would he climb the levels and become a World Ranker if he didn¡¯t take some risks? Worst case scenario, he was permadeath-killed and started all over again. It wasn¡¯t great, but it was hardly an incontrovertible setback. After all, he¡¯d just entered Eternus, despite the disproportionate time in-game. The sound of clicking, armored footsteps abruptly caught his ears, and he glanced behind him to see Isolde stalking along in his wake¡ªher eyes trained determinedly on his back, and her expression set with stubborn resolve. Romulus sighed at the sight of her. At his side, Lightsbane pulsed its annoyance in kind. Congratulations, you have levelled a skill! Your [Perception] Skill is now Novice 2! Small mercies, he grumbled while choosing to ignore the future Duchess. ¡°What will it take for her to leave me alone?¡± he muttered to himself, and received a sympathetic pulse from Lightsbane in response. He had no idea why Isolde was following him, but he had a feeling it was going to complicate things. Complication was the last thing he wanted, but that was life¡ªin a game or out of it, things rarely went how anyone expected. The fact he¡¯d gained a [Perception] level out of it was great, but whether it made up for whatever she did next remained to be seen. A few minutes of quiet walking later, the final hurdle loomed before him as he approached the Necropolis, noting the closed portcullis¡ªwhich itself looked like a set of massive fangs when combined with the skullhead gatehouse¡ªthat barred further entry into the gothic citadel. When he finally approached the gates, the wardens on duty eyed him askance, looking across his simple scalemail to the lone sword on his hip, and his complete lack of anything resembling armor. He had expected that much, at least. He couldn¡¯t blame their outright skepticism either, given what he¡¯d been told about the Necropolis. He probably looked like a brave, but ultimately suicidal idiot to them. ¡°Greetings!¡± he said in his most confident and charming voice, suddenly wishing he¡¯d put more points into Charisma. ¡°I¡¯m here on a mission from His Grace, the Duke. He¡¯s tasked me with resolving the issues inside the Necropolis.¡± ¡°And why would the Duke trust such a task to a vagrant?¡± one of the wardens asked with bored bluntness. ¡°I¡¯m a Traveler,¡± Romulus corrected with an easy smile while ignoring his trepidation, and starting to reach for his License. Lightsbane pulsed an abrupt warning and then went completely quiet. ¡°Of course you are, and I¡¯m¡ª¡± Whatever the man had been about to say was cut off as both he and his partner snapped to attention at the arrival of Isolde, and slammed their fists to their breastplates in salute. The noblewoman returned their greetings with a salute of her own, and Romulus could almost feel the moment her piercing blue eyes turned to focus on him. He swallowed a huff of impatience, and turned when she came up beside him. ¡°You¡¯re going to fail,¡± she declared immediately. ¡°No one who¡¯s ever gone in there has come out. No one.¡± ¡°And why does that matter?¡± he asked with what he hoped was a casual tone. ¡°If anything, it just means you¡¯ll be rid of me and my reward from the Duke if I fail.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a Traveler!¡± Isolde said with surprising animation. ¡°You¡¯re the only Traveler we have heard of in centuries, maybe even longer. I cannot¡ªthat is to say, it would be dishonorable not to try to persuade you away from this. There is so much we could learn from you, and it would be a great pity for you to meet your demise on a fool¡¯s errand.¡± ¡°You certainly have a way with words, Isolde,¡± Romulus said while reaching up to rub his forehead. ¡°So you want me to abandon the task your father, the Duke¡ª¡± he emphasized the title ¡°¡ªset for me, that being to resolve the issue inside this keep, and walk away because, despite being a Traveler, it is apparently still futile.¡± Isolde nodded with a striking amount of certainty and affirmation. ¡°Yes. You are too valuable a resource to throw your life away like this.¡± ¡°I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t impede me,¡± Romulus pointed out with an arched eyebrow. ¡°I am not impeding you,¡± Isolde replied with a narrowing of her eyes. ¡°I am simply trying to talk some sense into you. My father¡¯s orders were clear, but that does not mean I cannot convince you to see reason.¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re just worried I might succeed?¡± he asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Besides, if it¡¯s as impossible as you say, then once I enter the halls I¡¯ll be out of your lovely golden hair forever.¡± The blonde blushed again as before when he used the word ¡®lovely¡¯, and then cursed under her breath. ¡°Stop doing that,¡± she demanded. ¡°I am not some¡ªsome common wench for you to make such comments toward.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°No, but you are incredibly well-timed in your own way.¡± ¡°Pardon¡ª?¡± Romulus turned to the wardens instead of responding to her, and jerked his thumb at Isolde. ¡°Is this proof enough for you?¡± he asked casually. Isolde blinked, looked between him and the Wardens, and then seemed to finally realise what he had been doing with a look of mixed alarm, anger, and embarrassment. The two Wardens, meanwhile, had been wisely silent until Romulus prompted them¡ªand the one that had originally spoken nodded his acceptance. ¡°Yes, Traveler. The Captain¡¯s word is enough. We shall comply with the Duke¡¯s wishes.¡± The knight turned toward the portcullis and shouted, ¡°Open it!¡± a moment later, before resuming his quiet vigil while clearly avoiding Isolde¡¯s fierce glare. Romulus smiled in self-satisfaction at the same time as his chat log pinged him. Congratulations, you have levelled a Skill! Your [Intrigue] Skill is now Novice 6! His grin was genuine when he saw the alert and looked at Isolde. As he¡¯d hoped, the Captain couldn¡¯t do anything about it if it was confirmed the Duke had directly ordered Romulus to enter the citadel. There was a fine line between trying to convince someone to change their mind and outright impeding her father''s commands. ¡°Thank you for your help, Captain,¡± he said cheerfully. Isolde glared at him with rose-red cheeks. ¡°You baited me!¡± ¡°I did,¡± Romulus confirmed with an apologetic smile. ¡°Sorry, but it had to be done.¡± ¡°You are going to die here, Romulus,¡± Isolde repeated despite her frustration, and when she spoke there was an edge of genuine concern to her voice. ¡°Nobody survives this place. You are going to die here, and we are all going to be poorer for the loss of your knowledge.¡± ¡°Then I guess this is goodbye, Isolde,¡± he said with a wry smile. ¡°Best of luck with everything, I suppose. If we truly don¡¯t meet again, let me just say that you really are absolutely gorgeous,¡± Romulus finished with a cheeky grin. Isolde reddened from her cheeks to her ears, and he turned away to hurry through the open portcullis before she could do more than offer strangled sounds of rage and embarrassment. While he walked into the darkness of the passage, he glanced up at the entrance''s looming teeth and swallowed back a kernel of trepidation. ¡°Not the most welcoming venue,¡± he muttered. Lightsbane pulsed with enthusiastic agreement, and Romulus snorted. He dared a final glance back when he was almost through, and spotted Isolde watching him with her brow furrowed in thought. He¡¯d been worried the stubborn woman was about to follow him into the cursed palace. At least she took her own advice. He bore Lilith¡¯s mark, but there was no telling what might have happened if Isolde had joined him¡ªnor what sort of fate might have awaited her. ¡°Just you and me now, Lightsbane,¡± he murmured as he patted the sword. The runeblade pulsed with eagerness, relief, and excitement in response. When Romulus emerged from the expansive gatehouse a few moments later, a low whistle escaped him at the scene beyond. A massive circular courtyard paved in white dominated the area, with a black obelisk nearly thirty feet high at its center and paired ascending stairways connecting to the far end of the flooring opposite the gate. The courtyard was large enough for almost thirty people walking side by side around its circumference, and it was framed by high walls connected to those branching out from the gate behind him. The twin stairways at the rear of the courtyard¡ªeach rising staggeringly high toward the Necropolis proper¡ªbeckoned to him, and Romulus walked toward them whilst marveling at the beauty of the architecture and the sheer immensity of the area. As he approached the leftmost stairwell, he took a moment to admire the design. The two stairwells, each built parallel, would have been one if not for the massive block of marble separating them¡ªits length adorned by lethal spikes that forced passersby to choose one side or the other. Very likely, it was an anti-invasion design. ¡°Bottleneck,¡± Romulus murmured as he started up the stairs¡ªimpressed by the mix of beauty and ruthless pragmatism inherent to the design. The entire entry area was a mix of elegance and brutalism, with a clear emphasis on defensibility given to the courtyard''s design. It took him a short while to ascend the tall stairs, and he took the time to appreciate the towering statue of a runeblade-wielding Death Knight standing vigil at the peak of the segregated stairwells as he walked. ¡°God, their weapons and armor are so badass,¡± Romulus murmured to himself, and smiled when he received a pulse of happy agreement from Lightsbane. Clearly, the sword shared his view of the ancient, ominous warriors and their gothic aesthetic. He¡¯d never thought the ¡®hard goth¡¯ route was for him, but he had to admit that there was a certain elegance to how the skulls and animal furs were displayed. It completed the look of the imposing bulk of carved marble. Once his climb was finished, Romulus stepped past the statue and strode along the new plateau in silence while looking around at a much smaller square courtyard. In contrast to the lower one, there was no obelisk or decoration to be seen¡ªonly the curved and tiered stairs leading further upward, toward the ominous pair of double doors offering entrance to the fortress proper. The doors were set into the Necropolis'' superstructure and stood behind a Roman-style overhang held by several large pillars. This, combined with the sun¡¯s rotation from east to west, meant that no matter what time it was, the entrance to the fortress was shrouded in darkness. There was no hint of what lay beyond the open, immense, and forbidding doors. Romulus approached the entrance with passive use of long-honed breathing exercises, and schooled himself to calm. He reminded himself, in his mind, that it was a game he was playing. This wasn¡¯t real life, no matter how real it felt. It was a pixelated facsimile of a different reality. A very, very convincing facsimile, but false all the same. The self-reassurance helped a little, but not as much as he¡¯d have liked. ¡°Ready Lightsbane?¡± he said into the grim silence while his left hand rested on his sword hilt for self-assurance. The runeblade pulsed its confidence at his question, and in doing so, helped fortify his own. Romulus breathed out his lingering anxiety and ascended the marble steps toward the fortress¡¯ entrance. The doors were big enough for two elephants to enter while stacked on each other, and wide enough for twenty people across. His heart momentarily hitched in its rhythm when he considered why they would need to be that big, and then he shook his head. No Cave Trolls, no Balrogs, no Ancalagon, no Nazgul. It¡¯s just like any other game. With a squaring of his shoulders, Romulus steeled his nerves and strode into the double doors with determination. The moment he breached the limits of the entrance, blue fire erupted from large black sconces set along the walls of what appeared to be a colossal entrance hall. Above his head, massive chandeliers burst into flame as well, casting azure light across the interior of the space. Romulus hesitated momentarily when the light erupted into being, but he dismissed his concerns almost immediately. If what he¡¯d been told was true, he had far more to be worried about than a bit of fire. His footsteps echoed within the hall as he walked, and his eyes swept the interior in quiet appraisal. He noted the hints of intricate scrollwork, the beautiful artistry along the distant walls, the explicit depictions of Death, and what appeared to be more than a few murals and three-dimensional reliefs of Lilith offering a goblet to kneeling knights. The further he strode, the more he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and he was aware of a strange pressure settling over him. He could feel the presence of someone, or something, watching him, as clearly as if they were standing directly behind him. With instinct as much as the tingling of his [Perception] Skill, Romulus drew Lightsbane from its sheath¡ªand he glanced around when the sword immolated its blade in black flames. ¡°Something isn¡¯t¡­¡± The sound of rattling bones abruptly cut through the isolating silence, and a ping sliced through his HUD. Congratulations, you have levelled a Skill! Your [Perception] Skill is now Novice 3! From isolated alcoves and hidden passages, Romulus spotted the arrival of several skeletal warriors, bedecked in a mix of rusted plate, eroded chainmail, and rotted leather. Three, five, seven, nine, twelve skeletons emerged¡ªeach one with azure flames burning in place of their eyes. Romulus felt his heartbeat spike, and abruptly, a sense of comfortable normalcy settled upon his shoulders. This was what he wanted. This was what he had expected from Eternus Online. With instincts honed from a lifetime of gaming, he used [Examine] on them. Name: Reanimated Skeleton Race: Undead Tier: 2 Level: 25 Description: Reanimated Skeletons are among the most rudimentary of risen servants, and are often employed en masse as disposable foot soldiers by Necromancers. While non-threatening individually, their strength lies in numbers and an inexhaustible stamina. Special Effect(s): Like all reanimated undead, Skeletons possess a ¡®Binding¡¯ instead of Health, and will fall apart once their binding is sufficiently damaged. The information was thoroughly rudimentary, but his eyes didn¡¯t miss the red highlight of their level. It didn¡¯t require genius deduction to know that the System implied they were beyond his current capability. To that, Romulus just smiled and drew his sword. ¡°Hey, Lightsbane, just out of curiosity, how easily can a Revenant Runeblade damage an arisen undead¡¯s binding?¡± In response, his sword pulsed with savage assurance. He felt a vicious smile spread across his lips when the runeblade answered and settled the weapon into a two-handed grip. That was all he needed to know. ¡°Game on,¡± he declared savagely. Romulus charged with his sword held high. B1 | Chapter 13: Bone Patrol Romulus met the first of the twelve skeletons with pure force. Even with their level advantage, the shambling reanimations were slow and robotic in their actions. It created an advantage that he and Lightsbane could exploit without issue despite his low level of [Swordsmanship]. The runeblade was wielded like a bat as much as a blade, and Romulus cleaved into the skeleton¡¯s rusted cuirass with a clash of metal. The moment Lightsbane punched into the undead¡¯s ribs, it shivered in reaction and abruptly crumbled to pieces. You have slain a Reanimated Skeleton! You have gained 250 Experience! Romulus blinked at the alert in his chat log and realized precisely how distracting it would be. With a curse, he backpedalled and spoke out loud quickly. ¡°System, suppress combat alerts outside of critical information until the end of combat, or until I request them!¡± Almost instantly, a window popped up in front of him.
SYSTEM MESSAGE
Would you like to enable [Combat Mode] for your [Communications Window]? Note: [Combat Mode] will suppress any non-essential alerts, and will collate your combat logs into a truncated form for viewing once no enemies are within 10 meters.
YES NO
Romulus hastily tapped the ¡®YES¡¯ button, and the window vanished. At the same time, the chat window in his HUD minimized, and a small sword icon appeared above the tab, with the words ¡®Combat Mode Enabled¡¯ in red text beside it. ¡°Nice,¡± he said in appreciation while turning back to the skeletons that were steadily advancing toward him. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get down to business.¡± Lightsbane hummed its vicious agreement, and Romulus charged back into the fray. The skeletons had made things surprisingly easy for him, as they had emerged in groups of three. Four different formations of the creatures¡ªeach with a sword, spear, and bow wielder apiece¡ªfilled the expansive chamber as he rushed the nearest group once more. The sword wielder was already dead, and the skeletal archers were about as threatening as drunks with how methodical and predictable their aim was. Simply moving at a steady pace caused their shots to miss. The archer in the first group was his next target, and Romulus sheared through the creature within moments of closing. Once again when Lightsbane impacted the skeleton, it shivered and fell apart near-instantly. A glance down at the runeblade showed the sigils near its crossguard blazing cardinal red, and he glanced back up at the final spear wielder. A moment of mild consternation flitted through his mind, and the feeling that he was missing something percolated within his consciousness. ¡°Take what you¡¯re given, I suppose,¡± he muttered before stepping forward and engaging the spear wielder. The skeleton showed more fighting spirit than its two peers and moved a little faster to try to avoid his blow¡ªbut not nearly with the speed required. Lightsbane struck the creature near the collarbone, and it crumbled to pieces with a shiver like the first two. ¡°Okay, three down, and 750 experience collected. That¡¯ll put me at 900, which means I need 600 more,¡± he said while turning and jogging toward the next group of three. ¡°Let¡¯s get into it, then.¡± Romulus charged the next group of skeletons quickly, and blinked when a trio of arrows whistled by a little closer, and a little faster. Perhaps the Archers were finally getting their act together, though that meant he needed to finish things faster. He couldn¡¯t afford to let the skeletons find their stride. The sword wielder was once again the forefront of the trio, and Romulus engaged the creature with the same brute force swing as he had the first skeleton he¡¯d downed¡ªonly to be surprised by the ring of steel as the creature¡¯s blade blocked his swing. ¡°Okay then!¡± he said with amusement and annoyance, stepping backward and then darting in again. This time he leaned into his rudimentary knowledge of sword combat and tried for a stab at the creature¡¯s rusty-armored torso. The skeleton made as if to dodge, but was too slow. Its sword clanged loosely against Lightsbane¡¯s blade, but the sentient weapon pierced the skeleton in its ribs. With an identical shiver, it lost its binding and collapsed into bones. ¡°Two more,¡± he said with a grim smile and stepped immediately toward the archer. Instead, the spear-wielding skeleton moved forward with surprising speed and interposed itself between Romulus and his target. ¡°Okay, you first then!¡± he said in response and engaged the skeleton with a vicious overhead swing. The creature side-stepped just a little faster than the sword skeleton had, and Romulus missed by a hair. The downward chop and its momentum left him momentarily off-balance, and the skeleton took that moment to jab with its spear. A lance of pain flared through Romulus when the rusty tip bounced off the edge of his scalemail-armored ribs. He could feel the bruise already forming, but thankfully, the weapon had lacked the speed and power to penetrate his armor. Lightsbane pulsed its anger, and Romulus felt his fury¡ªfuelled as much by indignation as by embarrassment¡ªrise to the fore. He pivoted off his right foot with every iota of his increased speed, shifted his grip on his runeblade, and sliced hard at the skeleton¡¯s side in response to its attack. The undead tried to move its spear to block, but it was bare seconds too late, and Lightsbane smashed through its barely-armored ribs and shattered its binding in a skeletal shiver of bones. Before the creature had even finished collapsing, Romulus was already on the archer¡ªand by sheer providence of movement dodged two whistling arrows that had been aimed precisely and with enough force to have punched into his body. Alarm bells started ringing in his mind, but he ignored them momentarily and attacked the archer instead. He felt his posture shift subtly as his comfort with Lightsbane grew, and Romulus attached the creature with greater accuracy. He truncated his swings to maintain his relative positioning and keep moving to dodge the incoming arrows from the other skeletons. At the same time, his attacks harried the archer¡ªwhich was dodging with notably more Agility than the first group¡¯s bowman¡ªinto a more manageable position. On the fifth strike, Romulus closed his rudimentary trap, feinting left with another slice as he had twice before, only to step forward abruptly while pressing his palm against Lightsbane¡¯s edge and slam the other side of his blade into the skeleton¡¯s neck like a clothesline. A pulse of vicious approval came from the runeblade and Romulus realized simultaneously that the sword, as he had hoped, did not cut his palm. His faith in the runeblade¡¯s magic and sentience seemed to be proven true, or perhaps his attunement to it made self-wounding impossible without active desire. He could explore that later. All that mattered was that it worked; the skeleton collapsed with a shiver, and Romulus felt the now-welcome surge of energy that indicated a level-up. Black flames flickered across his body, and he kept himself focused on the remaining two groups of skeletons, which he noticed were now moving with even greater celerity and cohesion. Something about their changes nagged at his mind, but the information wouldn¡¯t come together. Instead of dwelling on it, he charged forward again with his renewed Stamina and barked a command to the System. ¡°Invest all points into Agility!¡± The System complied immediately, and Romulus felt his speed and the sureness of his footing increase measurably as he charged. No sooner had the effects taken place than his body¡¯s instincts seemed to ramp up, and he dodged slightly to the left before he even registered he was doing so. A second later, two arrows punched through the space he¡¯d occupied barely a second earlier. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Romulus didn¡¯t have time to marvel at the impact such a marginal increase to his Unconscious Dodge Chance created. He was engaged with the third and second-to-last group of skeletons in moments. The sword and spear skeletons moved to engage him this time, and Romulus found himself suddenly on the tail end of a decidedly unforgiving match-up. The sword came in from his right flank, the spear from his left, and both weapons forced him to move at the maximum speed he was capable of. ¡°What the hell?¡± he demanded, dodging left to avoid the sharp spear thrust, and lifting his blade to parry away the swinging sword. His body moved almost instinctively closer to the sword skeleton, and not even a heartbeat later, an arrow glanced off of his scalemail-armored ribs hard enough to send him staggering backward and sideways. The blow was like the agonizing fist of revelation. They get stronger each time I kill one of them! It hit him at the exact moment as he reoriented himself, and Romulus almost cursed his own stupidity. He hadn¡¯t even realized it, not with his heightened Intelligence nor with his [Perception] Skill. An unspoken curse died in his throat, he readjusted his grip on his sword, and then charged back in toward the steadily advancing melee skeletons. The fact that both remaining groups hadn¡¯t merged, for whatever reason, was his only advantage¡ªand Romulus had a feeling that wouldn¡¯t last much longer. His sword moved like an extension of himself, and Lightsbane seemed to be guiding him as much as he was guiding it. The symbiotic bond between him and the runeblade had grown passively during the battle, and its results were showing. The sword skeleton was sharply parried away when it came in for a sideways slash, the spear wielder received a truncated upward slash that sent its probing spearhead upward and wide, and then the sword skeleton was forced on the defensive with a pivoting stab at its midsection. Romulus¡¯ feet moved partially of their own accord, partially of his, and another whistling arrow flew past with a narrow miss. Breaths were counted in seconds, with steady inhales and exhales occurring with a natural three-second rhythm. The sword skeleton wasn¡¯t given time to recover, on the backfoot as it was, before Lightsbane was slashing toward it again. The runeblade met its rusted two-handed sword with a scream of steel-on-steel cacophany, Romulus shifted position to disadvantage both archers and the spear skeleton, and then his blade-lock ended with a sharp push of downward force that compelled the skeleton backward. A moment later, he rushed in while it was off-balance and pierced its ribs. The skeleton shivered and was falling apart while Romulus was already moving. The archers fired off two more shots, notably faster than at the start of the fight, and Romulus grunted when one glanced off his scalemail, then let out a snarl of pain when one punched into his ribs in almost the same spot. The armor just barely stopped it, but the blunt force trauma was very real. Romulus barely managed to maintain his breath from the strike. Adrenaline, anger, and what he recognized as the feeling of [Indomitable] overriding his natural fear pushed him onward to engage the spear skeleton. The creature shifted stance to intercept him with a clean thrust, only to barely scrape off of Romulus¡¯ armored ribs. He reached out to grab the spear thrust as it did, planted his feet, and then slammed his sword-holding fist into the skeleton¡¯s unarmored face. The creature creaked when its head snapped backward, only for Romulus to draw back his fist and deliver a rapid stab at the undead¡¯s exposed lower body. Lightsbane severed its binding, and the creature fell into a shiver of bone. Having already learned the lesson of what came next, Romulus was already in full charge before half the bones even hit the ground. His sword arced up at maximum speed when the archer tried to retreat, and he did swear when it barely missed the skeleton. Without missing a beat, Romulus launched himself forward in a half-charge, half-dive at the creature and extended Lightsbane out to tackle the reanimated minion outright while managing to ram the runeblade into its ribcage. The bones shivered and lost cohesion midway through his crash to the marble floor. Romulus knew he¡¯d made a mistake before he was halfway to his feet. The sound of the arrow met his ears just before it punched into the meat of his left shoulder with twice as much force as the previous direct hit. Blood pumped from his wound, his health dropped in his HUD, and Romulus threw himself sideways to avoid the follow-up. He barely had time to think. The arrows were being unleashed as if from a living creature, and he suddenly remembered that these were level 25 enemies¡ªand they were finally showing the difference in their stats. Romulus was moving non-stop while he tried to think of what to do. The wound in his shoulder was agonizing, with the arrow shaft agitating the bone each time he moved. The only mercy was that it wasn¡¯t his dominant limb, which wasn¡¯t much but was also everything. ¡°Okay, bud, time to play for keeps,¡± he said to Lightsbane while reorienting himself and turning toward the final three. The runesword pulsed a wrathful affirmation in his grip, and Romulus charged at maximum speed. His only deviation was to dodge incoming arrows, as much by sight as by the instinct borne by his increased Unconscious Dodge Chance. Projectiles whistled past his head or body by centimeters, and he barely had time to think about where the hell the skeleton was pulling them from. Sword and spear were racing to meet him, albeit at different paces, which Romulus registered immediately. Sword was notably clunkier and less steady on its feet than spear, who conversely seemed more nimble but lacked pure power. The spear was a weapon of precision thrusts and rapid movement, which, while it also required Strength, was more reliant on Agility due to its design. A sword, conversely, could afford to invest primarily in Strength. Romulus felt the beginnings of a tactic entering his mind and darted to the left toward the spear skeleton. He could go toe-to-toe with a beefier sword wielder. He could not afford to deal with an even faster spear wielder. A final arrow pierced the narrowing gap between both sides, and then they met. Romulus ducked left and under a spear aimed at his throat, parried away a rapid follow-up thrust, and stepped closer into the spear skeleton¡¯s guard. His efforts were aided inadvertently by the sword skeleton, who interfered with spear¡¯s movements due to its own attempts to navigate around to engage with Romulus. Spear attempted a warding thrust, and Romulus allowed it to glance off his side, hissing out against the pain and using his ruined arm to pin the weapon at his waist. Spear tried to pull it back, and he grinned at it viciously. Romulus stepped in closer while pulling on the weapon with his sword hand, then used that same hand for a truncated close-quarters slash at Spear¡¯s exposed neck. The skeleton¡¯s lower skull shattered under the force of the blow, its bones shivered, and it fell to the ground with a diffused binding. Two left. Romulus dropped the spear and charged at the sword skeleton, which was already in his proximity. Lightsbane emanated pure bloodlust as they engaged, and he found himself relying more on the sword than his own capability as Lightsbane passively guided his arm. Thrusts were parried away, slices were dodged or deflected, and Romulus gritted his teeth against agony each time he was forced to block a powerful slash with both hands. Sword bore down on him with a living fighter¡¯s speed and fury. Still, Romulus refused to be outdone, leveraging every iota of his budding skills and invested Attributes to keep his ground. He constantly moved in a half-circle one way or the other, dodging arrows and working to find some hole or weakness in sword¡¯s rhythm. It was when he realized the task was impossible that he understood how completely fucked he was. Romulus¡¯ eyes darted to the archer, and he abruptly shifted stance to deliver a fending kick to sword¡¯s chest. The skeleton stumbled backward long enough for Romulus to spin and blitz the archer, taking an arrow that cut deeply into his cheek and sliced through his ear for his trouble. Pain, fury, adrenaline, and [Indomitable] pushed him onward, and he outpaced the retreating archer in a near-suicidal straight-line charge. Another arrow slashed against his ribs, severing the scalemail links thereupon. Romulus roared in response and launched himself off his feet to smash good-shoulder-first into the archer¡¯s skeletal body. Both of them went down in a heap, and Romulus scrambled to roll around and wildly thrust his sword at the skeleton, impacting marble three times in the desperate scuffle before he managed to punch through its ribs. One left. Romulus spun at the whine of steel in the air and threw himself into a clumsy, inelegant roll across the marble. The arrow in his shoulder cracked into pieces in an echoing sound of shattering wood within the immense entrance hall, accompanying the clinking and clanging of scalemail and runeblade as he finished his roll. Sword was already coming toward him when Romulus forced himself to his feet. ¡°Gotta sheath the sword,¡± he said while glancing at his now half-depleted health. The bleed damage alone would kill him. ¡°Just need 150 by my math, Bane. Gotta do it.¡± The sword pulsed its confusion at his words, but he had no time to explain. Sword reached him, and the fight was on. Romulus met the now-withering power of the undead head on and felt every iota of its level 25 prowess. Power, speed, reaction, durability¡ªthe skeleton possessed all four in spades. The only thing Romulus had going for him was that even at its highest enhancement, the skeleton wasn¡¯t as fast as its contemporaries¡ªand Romulus had Lightsbane. Runic steel met rusted metal in repeated clangs and blood-chilling screeches of metal as the pair exchanged blows, filling the chamber with cacophanous echoes of brutalist conflict. Slashes were blocked, slices parried, thrusts deflected, and Romulus felt himself flagging quickly. He had lost too much blood, he was near the end of his stamina, and he was simply outmatched by levels. He knew that. Magic was his last resource, but trying to learn that in the middle of a fight would be absolutely brain-dead. He wasn¡¯t some genius chosen one, waiting for the right moment to unleash his magnificent potential: he was a gamer and he was losing. Romulus¡¯ eyes worked to assess the speed and force of the sword¡¯s blows, and he vaguely recognized a pattern from his repeated battles against slower versions of the same enemy. Instinct, courage, battle madness, desperation, and pure machismo pushed him to keep fighting long enough to see sword repeat the same thrust it always made after seven attacks. This time, Romulus didn¡¯t deflect; he shifted position and locked his jaw. The blade brutalized its way into his right shoulder with a piercing of his scalemail. Romulus used the opportunity to swap Lightsbane to his wounded hand, which he had avoided the entire duel, and slammed the sword into the skeleton¡¯s ribs while his shoulders burned in joint agony. The azure flames in the last skeleton¡¯s skull gutted out and died with a shiver of bone, before the creature finally collapsed. The moment it did, black flames erupted along Romulus¡¯ body, he felt the arrow¡¯s remnants and the rust-riddled blade forced out of him, and he laughed hysterically at the overwhelming sensation of pain bleeding into sudden relief¡ªlike a freezing shower during summer¡¯s heat. His HUD pinged at him, and his eyes slid to his chat log. What he saw made him laugh even harder.