The Citadel (Mirror World Book #2) (19 page)

Their leader snapped a few brief commands, making even me jump. The Calteans' attitude transformed. Their stance gained confidence. Who was is that said,
A commander's spirit is his soldiers' courage?
He was dead right there.

Finally the beast decided it was time to quit the staring game and get himself a bite to eat. His enormous bulk shifted. He advanced. Much to my surprise, instead of walking around the fire, the hedgehog headed directly for it.

The Calteans didn't seem to have expected this, either. A few more commands, and their semicircle widened. The five squat figures froze, awaiting the beast's attack.

His growl made me jump. I might never get used to the sound. Boris, however, was cool as a cucumber.

The beast was about to step into the fire when the leader took a big swing and hurled something right under the creature's feet.

Aha! This was the famous trap! The tiny rolled-up ball unraveled into a large net. The Calteans began shouting as if on cue, teasing the beast into taking just another step: one more step, then it would be over.

Unfortunately, the hedgehog had other ideas. He ignored the trap, clearing it in one long leap. I wouldn't be surprised if he was already familiar with these kinds of surprises.

The Calteans, however, didn't seem to like it. And seeing as their leader wasn't in a hurry to use another net, I realized he'd only had one.

In a few more snapped commands, the Calteans' ranks broke. Without awaiting the monster's next leap — which was bound to be his last — they charged at him themselves. Were they raving mad? This was like attacking an elephant with a feather!

The hedgehog took his time to strike back. It assumed a combat stance. Oh, yes. I'd seen it before. I knew what was going to happen.

His long spiky tail swished through the air like a giant sickle. Still, the Calteans weren't stupid. Some of them ducked while others leaped high, foiling his attempt to destroy all his enemies in one clean sweep.

Then it was their turn to assault the giant. He seemed to be taken aback by such brazenness. Using his tail to parry their blows, the hedgehog began to back off. A few more feet, then he'd trigger the steel net.

The Calteans doubled their effort. Then they made a mistake. Even I could see they'd underestimated their opponent. Seemingly awkward, the beast lunged forward, scooping a squat NPC up into his large clawed paw. The next moment his jaws ripped through the poor Caltean's chest, showering the rocks with blood. One down, four to go.

The Calteans screamed but didn't budge. I had to give their leader his due. Those were some well-trained fighters.

In the meantime, the tables had turned. Now the hedgehog was on the offensive, forcing the Calteans back, cornering them. They could still flee but I had a feeling that they wouldn't do that.

I was right. The Calteans charged.

Almost immediately their leader found himself alone. The bodies of his men lay listlessly like broken dolls. The hedgehog hadn't had it easy, either. His left eye socket oozed blood. A spear shaft protruded from his right side. Remarkably, the Calteans' leader was still unharmed. You couldn't really count the shallow scratch on his shoulder. But I could already see that the beast's wounds wouldn't prevent him from finishing the brave NPC off. Unless a miracle happened.

No idea what made me do it. It could be the sight of the warrior frozen in an en-guard position. The expression in his eyes. His spirit. His willingness to stand to the last. I don't know. It could have been my situation too, of course. Cowering in the safety of the cliff while smugly watching someone die... never mind. It wasn't the right moment for soul searching. I had to act fast.

I snapped a brief command. Noiselessly Boris dove. His wings flapped open directly above the monster's head. The Caltean's eyes were like two saucers. He'd been ready to die and there we were, a bearded guy astride a flying monster.

I gave him a wink. Which was a big mistake.

The hedgehog swung round, glaring its remaining eye in search of the new opponent. Then he froze. Admittedly it looked weird, as if the image lagged due to a slow internet connection.

It only lasted a few seconds but the Caltean leader jumped at his chance.

He somersaulted toward the trap, deactivated it, then threw it again right under the awakening mob's very feet. It all happened simultaneously: the creature stepped forward while the Caltean reactivated the trap.

The hedgehog disappeared in a bright flash of light, leaving behind a huge glowing lump of flesh. I watched the Caltean move it into his bag. This was virtual reality for you: something the size of a whale fitting into a shabby backpack. Having said that, it had probably taken at least twenty slots in his inventory.

Boris and I prudently returned to the safety of our perch, curious about what he'd do next. The Caltean seemed to ignore me entirely but I knew he was watching me out of the corner of his eye.

First he moved his men's bodies away from the fire. He knelt on one knee before each of them, whispering something. Having finished, he turned round and headed for me.

I thought against descending. You never know what kind of thoughts were brewing in his boisterous head. It was probably safer to sit it out. He might have looked worse for wear but he was still an almost level-300 NPC.

"These aren't your lands, Lightie!" the Calteans' leader shouted. "They belong to us! The fact that you helped me is the only reason you're still alive!"

Hadn't I been right keeping a safe distance? But before it sank in, I received a very interesting system message,

Congratulations! You've completed a hidden quest: Helping Hand!

Reward: +100 to your Reputation with the Red Owls clan.

Warning! You need to watch out! Now the clan's enemies will double their efforts in pursuing you wherever you go!

There you had it. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What kind of enemies did it mean? On the other hand, I was in the very heart of No-Man's Lands where every rock underfoot was supposed to be an enemy.

As I reread the message, I realized that the Caltean was still speaking to me.

"You, Lightie! You deaf or something?"

"Oh. No, I'm not. I'm very sorry. I'm just a little bit confused," I finished in a small voice.

"You gotta fly the fuck outta here, Lightie. My kinsmen will be here in a minute. They might not like your company."

"I'm happy to oblige."

Effortlessly Boris took off the cliff, spreading his wings nice and wide. The Caltean's eyes gleamed with admiration. Good.

"Fare thee well!" I shouted. "Hope to never see you again!"

He crossed his arms and gave a curt nod. I cast a parting glance at the ground below. The Caltean's name glowed bright over his head.

Chapter Sixteen

T
he place which my satnav identified as the North Mine was located in one of the numerous crevices of the Ardean Range. Had it not been for my useful little app, we'd surely have flown past it. How many such discreet locations were there in No-Man's Lands? The game developers must have done their best to ensure that a pioneer's life was anything but boring.

Before landing, I thoroughly studied the area. It would be little fun becoming some mob's lunch with my objective already in sight.

The place seemed to be quiet. Down we go, then!

I jumped off Boris' back, sinking up to my knees in snow. Had it not been for my elemental protection, my boots would surely have lost a few points Durability. Here it was noticeably colder than above the clouds.

I had no problem finding the entrance to the mine. Or rather, whatever was left of it. The upper beam had been shattered. The caved-in entrance was blocked with huge jagged fragments of rock, leaving only a small crevice just the right size for someone like myself to squeeze through.

When the entrance was within arm's reach, the system sent me another message,

Congratulations! You've just discovered the North Mine! Be careful! The mine is so old it can collapse at any moment. The resource deposits are long gone. You won't find anything but piles of slag inside!

Would you like to unseal the cave?

Excuse me? What did they mean, I
won't find anything
? What kind of trick was this? Had Boris and I made this journey for nothing? We couldn't have. I needed to check.

I stepped back and entered
Blue Ice
into the search box. The search engine unhesitantly offered my current location, pointing directly at the collapsed entry. What a bunch of jokers!

Never mind. It wouldn't hurt me to "unseal" the mine, would it?

I pressed
Confirm
.

Immediately a new message sprang up,

Congratulations! You've just unsealed an ancient mine! No one farms resources here anymore. The resource deposits are exhausted. The resource itself is depleted.

The Lord of the Underworld must have felt ignored and grown angry with the miners' greed, shaking the rock and burying the decayed remains of the Dwarven cohort which used to develop the mine.

Only high-level Diggers are granted entry here!

But hurry! The old God's curse is still active! The rock walls can close in on you at any moment!

Start countdown:

02:59:59...

02:59:58...

02:59:57...

They had the cheek to congratulate me? First, there was no Blue Ice here. Second, I could expect to be buried alive at any moment. Nice little excursion, thank you very much.

"So what do you think, kiddo? Do you agree with me? Or should we go down and investigate?"

Boris moved his shoulders which could be understood either way. He looked calm, staring curiously into the cave's dark mouth. For some reason, his behavior gave me an added boost of confidence. And having said that...

"Prankster? Come out, buddy, have a bit of a run around! And while you're at it, check out the premises, will ya? Three pairs of eyes are better than two."

The Grison materialized in a flash and disappeared down a snow bank. Immediately he re-emerged, screaming indignantly, and sprang onto Boris' back with one long leap.

"All right, all right! Stop it already! You'd better keep an eye on where we're going."

With a heavy heart I stepped into the darkness. My Ennan eyes adjusted promptly. What can I say? I was quite pleased with my racial peculiarities. The darkness wasn't so dark anymore. It felt comfortable, cozy even. I wondered if this ability of mine — this positive feeling that underground tunnels seemed to give me — stretched to my real-life body too. In any case, I'd have to try it and then I'd know.

As I scrambled over the piled-up masses of rocks, sand and wood debris — apparently the remains of the support frame — I came across my first pile of rocks. Aha! This was getting interesting!

Name: Old Pile of Rubble

Type: Advanced

Name of casualty: Thorgryr

Expires in: 2 hours

Unhesitantly I produced my pick out of the bag and took a swing.

You've tried to clear an Old Pile of Rubble.

-3 to the item's durability.

Durability: 97/100

Oh wow. Some piles they had here!

Let's do it again.

You've tried to clear an Old Pile of Rubble.

-6 to the item's durability.

Durability: 91/100

In total, it took me twenty swings to clear it. Finally, a new system message popped up. My arms shook as I leant against my pick handle, peering excitedly at the words,

Congratulations! You've cleared an Old Pile of Rubble!

Reward: 1500 Tyllill crystals.

Reward: 50 Crast stones

Reward: Blue Ice (2 pc.)

Reward: a wooden box, carved (1 pc.)

That's what it was. The mine was indeed depleted, but it had rubble deposits instead. And these deposits were the most interesting bits here. Tyllill alone was great news. Fifteen hundred — and that was only the beginning. Crast stones... it did sound familiar... whatever these were... never mind. I'd have to sort it out later. The fact was that these stones had the same icon as both money and tyllill crystals. It was probably some trading resource. Once I crossed back from No-Man's Lands, I might look it up on the info portal which was unavailable here just as the auction and the messaging service were. Which meant that a player should have done his or her homework before venturing into the neutral zone. At least now I could understand the raids' demand for high-level Alchemists, for instance. Having a player like this in your group, you wouldn't have to worry about running low on elixirs while raiding the vast expanse of No-Man's Lands.

Unfortunately, the game engine hadn't been too generous with Blue Ice. It must have been a very rare resource.

Now, the carved wooden box. Strangely enough, I already knew about these sorts of items. I'd first heard about them from Flint's group when they'd discussed hidden treasures. A few forums and open clan sites sometimes mentioned various "goodies" that were apparently stored in similar boxes. The more precious the carving, the bigger a player's chances were of a nice fat reward.

Oh by the way, one more thing. Experienced players warned newbs against opening the boxes straight away. On a long-distance raid, every bag slot is priceless. The box only took one slot but its contents could easily fill the entire bag. Some of the more curious players were known to have emptied their entire inventories just to accommodate the long-desired goodie. So the boxes would have to wait till I came back home. No, not home. I couldn't open them there. What was I supposed to do with all the loot, then? Never mind. I'd have to sort it out later, wouldn't I?

"So, guys? Not bad for a start, eh?"

My two pets stared at me eagerly. They seemed to be enjoying it too. Apparently, the emphatic link between us kept growing stronger every day.

We moved on.

We discovered the next Pile of Rubble very close to the entrance to the mine's main room. Its Durability was considerably lower which took me less time but was accordingly poorer paid. 700 tyllill crystals and 15 Crast stones, plus a Torn Pouch, whatever that was supposed to mean. I shoved it down my bag, too. I'd check it all later.

In total, I counted 32 Piles. I had just over two hours left. I should be able to make it. Plenty of time — I might even have an hour left.

"Listen guys, I'll work here for a bit and you can check this place out if you want."

Boris and Prankster seemed to be waiting for the offer. They darted toward the opposite wall, trying to outrace each other. I smiled watching them. Kids!

Never mind. Time to do some work.

My hand shook with excitement as I grabbed the pick and took a swing.

You've tried to clear an Old Pile of Rubble.

-3 to the item's durability.

Durability: 97/100

I kept swinging my pick like a crazed gold-digger. Every Pile I opened increased my hope of seeing my two girls even earlier.

Fifty-eight minutes before the mine's self-destruction, I had cleared everything there was to clear. I'd done two or three rounds of the cave, checking every nook and cranny twice.

So what had this Aladdin's cave given me? 48,000-plus tyllill crystals. 1200 Crast stones. 70 pieces of Blue Ice. 3 wrought chests, 12 steel boxes, nine carved ones and 10 holed pouches. I couldn't believe my luck.

My legs gave way under me. I collapsed onto a rock, feeling as if someone had removed a steel rod from my spine: the rod that had kept my back straight all this time despite all the problems that had showered us over those last few years. I knew it was too early to relax. I still had the bank to persuade. But the fact that I'd met each and every one of their requirements cheered me up. Had I really made it? Added to those I already had, the tyllill crystals I'd farmed today way exceeded the required Reputation quota. The Blue Ice would allow me to raise my profession level. And then there were these Crast stones. And the boxes which were a very nice big fat bonus in and by themselves. I just couldn't remember where I'd heard about those blasted stones... never mind. It would come to me later.

Prankster's excited squeak disrupted my musings. He was jumping around me, apparently trying to attract my attention to something or other. I raised a weary head. Boris froze by the far wall.

Had they discovered something else? I hadn't checked that particular direction very well. Also, there might have been something in this cave invisible to my human eyes. A hidden treasure, maybe. Still, there wasn't much I could do about it. I just didn't have the Piercing Vision ability which was mentioned so often by other forum users.

I struggled to my feet. "Prankster, that's all right! I'm coming! Let's have a look at whatever you two have found there."

Oh. How interesting. I was pretty sure that this one tunnel hadn't been there before.

It was small and neat, located in the shadows which was probably why I hadn't noticed it before. Somehow I doubted that my both pets had suddenly developed an ability to see what's hidden. Most likely, my clearing the last pile had automatically granted me access to this tunnel. It sure sounded like it. Game developers love creating chain reactions like this one. They make you do something which in turn would allow you access to something else...

Right, should we go and investigate?

My heart missed a beat as I stepped in. The tunnel was indeed small. It was dark and dry. It was also short, ending less than twenty paces away. I was about to exit its far end when another system message popped up,

Warning! You're trying to enter the second part of the North Mine! Watch out! This is the habitat of the Diadem Serpent!

Not recommended for players below level 200!

So that's how it was, then? This wasn't a mine even — this was a mini instance. Not that it changed anything for me, really.

"Come on, guys! There's nothing for us to catch here. Let's go back. We still have to get home. The cave's mob is way out of our league."

Was it my imagination or did I indeed see disappointment in their eyes? Or could it simply be the reflection of my own? Why not? I wouldn't lie to you: whoever smoked this Diadem Serpent might receive a nice hefty bonus. If I could only take a peek at this creature!

My pets perked up, sensing my indecision.

"Are you serious? It'll make mincemeat out of you — or me, as the case may be. You might get out of it relatively lightly. In any case, how are you going to fight it?"

Wait a sec. And what if... The thought made my ears itch. No way. Too risky. How much time did we have? Forty minutes. It only took a few seconds to vacate the cave. These weren't the deep emerald mines. In other words, it wouldn't hurt to take a look.

Inhale. Exhale. I stepped forward and took a cautious peek around the corner.

So what did we have here?

The game developers hadn't bothered to splurge on detail for this one-off instance. This cave was a carbon copy of the one I'd just been to. It was much cleaner, though: not a single Pile of Rubble in sight. By the same token, their proverbial Diadem Serpent wasn't around, either. Having said that...

Holy mama mia! They might have saved on adding detail to the cave but they sure hadn't skimped on the creature's size.