Path of Transcendence 1: Ultimatum of the Nameless God (32 page)

Securing passage on a river boat headed to the teleport gate had been simplicity in itself. The journey from Bogwater to the teleport gate was only two short days aboard the oar powered riverboats. In the middle of the afternoon on the second day, the four former Earthlings gathered together in the bow of their ship.

“Still ain't seen no other boats. Something's wrong.”

“Just cause we ain't seen no other boats don't mean there's a problems. Sometimes there ain't nobody coming from Tallifer. Ain't no captain worth spit gonna take an empty boat south.”

“Ain't been no boats since noon the day 'fore we left. Something's wrong.”

The sailors continued arguing in the same vein, but Jinmu's party was no longer paying attention.

*You actually came from Tallifer. What do you think about trouble at the gate?*
Jinmu's question is directed at the others in general.

Delilah and Xenia look at each other, unsure of how to respond. Neither of the women had played Taereun for more than six or seven months, before The Nameless' second stealing of player's minds and souls, and they were not very active as players.

Sigurd reached behind his head, scratching the back of his neck.
*I'm not sure, really. I'm pretty much from the Central Reaches. This is my first time coming so far into the Southern Reaches. I do know that the Tallifer Trade Corridors are legendary and are supposed to have more trade along them than any other trade routes in the Battleground. We're not really on one of corridors here, though.*

Jinmu remained impassive, as he looked around the deck.
Like most, they are fools. If I had passed through Tallifer and followed the trade corridor to Bogwater, I would know what the likelihood was of there being no trade caravans or riverboats. The boat's crew is no better, arguing like a pack of gossipy matrons, because they cannot be sure if there is a problem or not.

As the sun moved closer to the horizon, Jinmu remained near the bow. His eyes remained on the river unfolding to the north of the riverboat, and his breathing matched the flow of ki through his body. For a few minutes, his thoughts had weighed possible actions, but he decided to not brood on the matter, when he lacked too much knowledge. Spending the time training was a far more productive use of his time.

Along the river bank, stone became visible through the thick forest. As the riverboat rounded the bend in the river, a semicircular basin becomes visible. Its side were lined with more stone, that was covered with vines and weeds. On the north end of the basin, a mana-cannon pointed at the oncoming riverboat.

Mana-cannons are the work Artificers, Makers who specialize in the construction of mechanical and technological items. The mana-cannon is fueled by Power-crystals, that have been charged with mana, and convert the mana into destructive energies, commonly elemental type energies. Because of the stored Power, mana-cannons can release larger and more destructive spell effects than all but the strongest adepts or casters, and can even be used by people whose mana is too weak for them to become an adept or caster.

In many polities in the Battleground of the Damned, Artificers and their creations are outlawed by the rulers, who are almost always adepts or casters. Many Artificer crafted weapons allowed those with no Power or weak Power to become a threat to those with strong Power. Tallifer was not one of the polities that outlawed the magical technology and instead made great use of it. This allowed Tallifer to protect its expansive mercantile empire with its limited population.

Among the guardsmen, who wore tabards with the coat of arms of the Tallifer, there were a number of very tall thin men dressed in black chainmail and face concealing helms. Each of those tall soldiers carried a glaive taller than himself. To Jinmu's trained eyes, their fluid movements, as they walked, made clear the extremely high level of their martial training.

*Who are those tall men in the black armor?*

Sigurd squinted as he observed the camp next to the gate.
*I don't know. They weren't there when came through last time. I've never seen anyone like them before.*

As the riverboat entered the stone lined basin, the crew and passengers saw more than a dozen other riverboats tied to the moorings along the basin's edge. Also, the ruins of the city behind the basin became clearly visible.

The construction and architectural style of the deserted city reminded Jinmu of
pre-Columbian South American ruins, but there was a feeling of malignant hostility about the city that no Earth ruin ever possessed. Jinmu was certain that despite appearances that city was anything but deserted. Though, he could not guess what might actually be inhabiting it.

The mana-cannon at the end of the basin remained trained on the riverboat, and one of the tall black armored soldiers imperiously gestured for them to approach the mooring stone it stood beside.

“Sure as sure, we're in for it. Them are sheep-futtering DokkAlfar, or me mother is a whore.”

“Your mother is a whore, but them are DokkAlfar all the same.”

*DokkAlfar. From what Brand had told me, they are everyone's enemy.*

*I've never heard anything good about DokkAlfar, but I've never ran into them either. Only the most hardcore players ever went looking for trouble with DokkAlfar.*

As the riverboat closed with the basin wall, a group of five more DokkAlfar approached. Four of those DokkAlfar were more armored soldiers, but the fifth was dressed in a long black leather robe, with a hooded cloak, also made of leather.

“All human trash disembark and line up for inspection.” Despite the harsh tone, the DokkAlfar soldier's voice was still pleasantly melodious.

*What do we do?*

*Follow their orders, for now.*

Jinmu and his party joined the queue of passengers and crew at the gangplank. In turn, they departed the ship and lined up with the others.

The DokkAlfar in the leather robes began inspecting the lined up humans, with their backs to the basin. A baleful green glow emanated from under his hood, as he looked each person up and down. Until he reached Jinmu's group, he did not pause. After inspecting Jinmu, the DokkAlfar quickly assessed the rest of the group and the deckhand after them, before staring at Jinmu.

The DokkAlfar used the Slave Tongue with an odd accent. “Three Possessed and an anomalous latent Medium, you are an interesting group.”

Jinmu stared into the hood for a moment. Even with the light of the setting sun and the green glow, he still could not see more than the DokkAlfar's chin and mouth.

“There is a point to your observation?”

The DokkAlfar smiled. “You are nothing but trash, but you, at  least, are a trash that has the potential to be useful. I am giving you a chance to swear allegiance to Yggr and submit to a Spirit Bond from the Great God. You will become a priest of Yggr and obtain more value than you could ever imagine in you wildest dreams.”

Jinmu frowned. “My dreams are wild beyond your imagination.”

The DokkAlfar's smile broadened. “Ambition is a good thing in a priest of Yggr. Do you accept my offer?”

“If I refuse, you will kill me?”

The DokkAlfar's mouth hardened into a straight line. “There is no purpose or value in forcing someone to become a priest. If you do not willingly serve the Great God, you will not do His work.”

“I would like to think about it.”

The DokkAlfar nodded. “I am Kra'cha'len. What is your name and to where do you travel?”

“Jinmu. We are going to Tallifer.”

Kra'cha'len flicked his hand in the general direction of the others. “I will contact you again Jinmu. These others are of no account. They are complete trash, with no value or purpose in their existence. You are free to pass.”

Kra'cha'len turned to the other DokkAlfar and said something that Jinmu and his group could not understand, before moving on to the deckhand that was next in line.

“Go to the gate. Do not dither here.” A DokkAlfar soldier hooked his thumb in the direction of the teleport gate.

*Hurry! I do not trust that DokkAlfar to not change his mind.*
Jinmu swiftly leads his group to the teleport gate.

The teleport gate itself is an arch, close to thirty feet across at its base. Made from a black stone that Jinmu cannot identify, the arch rest on a block of the same stone, that is about forty feet square. Carved into the stone, dozens of runes are inlaid with a non-reflective grey metal. An upright pedestal on the side of the arch, has the control crystals for the gate set into its face.

The human at the controls of the gate looked toward the DokkAlfar, but they did not acknowledge him in any manner. Turning back the gate controls, the human began to manipulate the crystals set in its face. After changing the facing of five of the crystals, the human looked toward the gate.

A silver-grey shimmer filled the arch and darkens, until it looked to be an opaque pool of liquid metal. The runes inlaid into the surface of the gate gave off a radiance in the same shade, and the liquid pool in the arch began to swirl, turning into a cyclone of energy. As the color of the swirling energy turned from a silver to a spectral kaleidoscope, an infinite tunnel appeared to form in the center of the arch. When the colors faded away, the zone on the other side became visible.

Jinmu quickly passed through the gate, with the others following him.

A plaza of weathered white  marble surrounded this gate's block of black stone. On three sides of the plaza there were heavy woods, and behind the gate a sheer cliff rose above the gate. Leading away from the plaza in the direction they were facing, a dirt road disappeared into the forest.

There were no guards though there were rings of stones with ashes and some logs around them in several places, marking old campsites.

*It appears that no one is maintaining any guard posts on this side of the gate.*

Sigurd looked around. The gate was still open behind them.
*Until we reach the seaside trading post with ships that can to take us to Tallifer, we won't find any more guard posts. Is it safe to stand here like this?*

*Probably not. Let use start travelling.*

Nearing noon, Jinmu paused his steps. He could hear the faint sounds of metal banging on metal and explosions.

*Why are you stopping here?*
Xenia's face was covered in a perplexed expression.

*Do you not hear that?*

Jinmu looked at the glances of blank confusion his party exchanged with one another. He did not reveal the frown in his heart. It seemed that all of them had inferior hearing to his own, despite being younger and having bodies that had been raised in the ways of Power.

*There is a battle up ahead.*

*Delilah, you specialize in illusions. Can you conceal us or render us invisible?*

Delilah looked at Jinmu, her lack of confidence obvious in her visage.
*I can, but I am not sure how effective it will be. Since this all became real, my spells started to break randomly.*

*Do your best. I believe in you.*
Jinmu smiled at Delilah.

Delilah began to chant softly and a spell pattern grew in the air before her. Once it was complete, she examined it uncertainly.

*Trust yourself. The skill and Power to be successful lies within your body.*

Delilah smiled nervously. “Incipio!”

The spell pattern rapidly expanded, before bursting into fragments of light. As the light settled on the four like glitter, their outlines became hazy, and their bodies bodies turned transparent.

*I can still see everyone. Is the spell complete?*
Sigurd looked from one to another of his companions.

*We are all affected by the same spell, so it is not having a complete effect versus each other. It should have left us completely invisible to anyone outside the casting.*
Delilah's voice held no certainty.

Jinmu smiled again.
*Let us go and investigate this conflict.*

Without waiting for any affirmations or objections, Jinmu set off down the road. The increasing volume of the battle was his guide, and the rest could clearly hear the cacophony after a few moments. Passing two bends in the road, they found themselves watching a one-sided conflict.

Less than twenty people were facing more than fifty, and the twenty only had seven unwounded combatants. Five people, who were unable to fight any longer, were taking shelter behind the rest.

The fifty people all had the sign of an erect penis and testicles, representing Thug Horde, located somewhere on their gear. The Thugs were trying their best to injure without killing, which was the only reason the smaller force had not been overrun.

Jinmu observed the battle for several moments, a deep frown on his lips.

Jinmu placed his hands on Delilah's shoulders.
*Delilah, I am going to ask a great deal of you. I need you to make as believable an illusion as possible. It is going to be complex, but I trust in your ability to succeed.*

*A complex illusion? I don't know if I can.*
Delilah's eyes held the shadow of fear, the fear of disappointing Jinmu.

Jinmu stroked Delilah's cheek.
*I believe in you. You will not fail me.*

Delilah unconsciously straightened her posture.
*I'll do my best.*

*That is all that I ask. I need you to back out of sight of the battle and create an illusion of five archers. Model them on Sigurd, but do not try to make them exact copies. Any discrepancies in their appearances is a good thing. Once you have cast the spell, I want you to walk them around the corner with Sigurd and have them fire on Thug Horde.*

Delilah's fear and confusion showed in her face.
*But they are just illusions. I don't have the Power to kill with illusions.*

*You do not have to kill. With Sigurd's real arrows mixed in, they will not realize that yours are just illusory. Their own minds will give them wounds and sow confusion in their ranks. I will do the killing.*

*Okay, I'll try.*

*Tell me when you are ready.*
Jinmu softly moved forward towards the battle.

Delilah moved back so the curve in the path concealed her from Thug Horde and began to chant her spell. The spell pattern that grew was far more complex than the one that rendered the group invisible, and her voice shook as she built it.

*Ready.*
Delilah's words were hesitant.

Jinmu moved to within striking range of the leader of the Thug Horde group.
*Begin!*

“Incipio!”

At the vocalization of the activation command, the spell pattern flared and turned into five figures, that could have been Sigurd's brothers and cousins. The illusionary archers began to advance past the bend in the road, stopping in full view of Thug Horde.

“Aim!” Sigurd's yell preceded the archers drawing their bows.

A number of the Thugs looked in the direction of the shout, and fear became plainly visible on their faces.

“Fire!” Following his shout, Sigurd released his own arrow with the illusionary archers. As his arrow was in flight, he immediately drew and released two more rapid shots.

In confusion, the Thugs scrambled to avoid the incoming fire. Some of the illusionary arrows did no damage, but two caused injuries along with Sigurd's real ones.

The Thug Horde leader started to move, so that he was father away from the archers on his flank. His retreat ended, when Jinmu's sword removed his head.

Following the death of the Thug leader, Jinmu charged into the rear Thug ranks, on the opposite side from the rest of his party. Two more Thugs fell to his quick slices, and three more screamed in agony from injuries, before others began turning to face him.

The besieged twenty were gaping as the pressure of the Thug Horde attack relented. They could not imagine who would attack monsters like Thug Horde in defense of their own group.

“IF YOU WANT TO LIVE, ATTACK THE THUGS!”

Jinmu's yell spurred Thug Horde's intended victims to action. The ones still on their feet pushed their attack into the confused Thug Horde fromation. A war hammer flew into the air and began smiting thugs with no one's hand on its haft.

Without a leader, the Thugs were getting in the way of each other and being cut down from three sides. In less than two minutes, the odds went from fifty versus seventeen to thirty-one versus twenty-one. The Thugs began to break and run into the forest and down the road, in their attempts to mostly flee from Jinmu's deadly blade work.

As the last of the Thugs broke and ran, Jinmu lowered his sword.

“Let them run. We will only risk being separated and killed if we pursue.”

“Not that I'm upset at being saved, but who the hell are you?” A red haired, freckled man, who was about 5'6” tall stared at Jinmu. The floating war hammer was casually held in left hand and broadsword was in his right.

“Jinmu. I am from Earth.” Jinmu spoke in English.

The red haired man grinned. “I'm Carlson. We're all players who were caught up in this insanity too. You know I think you're the first person I've seen with an Asian character.”

“I'm not in my character's body. This is my real Earth body.”

Carlson and his group stared at Jinmu in gape-mouthed shock.

“I came here by choice, but I do not know of any way to return to Earth. This place is home for me as well as you now.”

Carlson's disappointment was plain to see, but he still smiled. “I guess that would have been too easy. Where are you headed?”

“Tallifer.”

“We have a base to the north of Tallifer island. There are a lot more of us there. You're welcome to join us.”

Jinmu looked at the three who were currently following his lead and seeing a glimmer of hope in their eyes, he smiled at Carlson.

“We would be pleased to take you up on that offer.”