The Secret of the Dark Forest ( (The Way of the Shaman: Book #3) (28 page)

"Thirdly, Anastaria will not be just an ordinary member in my clan, but a representative of Phoenix , even if she's not officially its member. A spy, level ... can't even think of a good comparison – a supersonic jet among crop-dusters. And you're suggesting I forget everything that's happened before? Like the Siren poison that was used against me. You still expect me to welcome this girl with open arms? A very lucrative proposal, especially after three of my fighters went and joined your clan."

"This is why I thought that we should tell you the whole truth and not try to outmaneuver you once again," replied Stacey. "This really is no joking matter now – Phoenix could be facing a split and we can't let that happen, at the least not until the intercontinental clan competition. The only way to preserve the clan now is to make a sacrifice. I'm ready to be that sacrifice. But if I were excluded now, I would automatically be excluded from all scenarios. As soon as we finish with the Guardian and meet the Patriarch, the clan leaders will take charge of the scenarios and freestanding players will be left out in the cold. I really don't want to miss out on this, because for me this is ... important ... I want to find out what it is the developers have come up with, what possible workarounds they've included. ... Of all the clans present here only Seathistles and Azure Dragons would be able to accept me without raising suspicions with Rick and his team. But the Dragons have Donotpunnik, who would be certain to draft an Agreement in a way that would force me to stay in that clan for five years at the least."

"So, I'm the fool that can be suckered into doing this, taken for a three-month ride and then dumped when appropriate?" I grinned. "I mean, it's not like I'm Donotpunnik, who knows how to draft Agreements properly."

"Mahan, I ... you're free to take whatever decision you want, but I'm asking you to please help us ... to help me ... I would get kicked out in any case, but losing the scenario ..."

"All right, let's suppose – suppose, mind – that I take you into Seathistles. Since we're talking openly now, I would like to share an interesting piece of information with you: it's about to become public knowledge anyway. When are you planning to get kicked out?"

"Today."

"Great. Then listen. In exactly ...," I went into the quest description and looked at the date I received the quest from the Emperor, .".. three days and two hours, a certain individual known as the Emperor of Malabar will appeal to all 200+ level heroes, saying that he is in dire need of help, the poor old thing. Moreover, he will also issue a similar summons for craftsmen with level 100 and above in a profession. This is a continent-wide scenario, not a normal one, like the Guardian and the High Priestess' quests. The Emperor will also announce that any player can take part, including those previously banished. They will be granted a pardon, I suppose. Just to prove I'm not making it up here's the quest description that I was given." I sent Anastaria the text and watched for any change in her emotions. "And now a question for the experts: who would have the ability to complete this quest, but with the words 'find and bring' instead of 'craft' in it?"

"Damn it!" said Anastaria and descended into a censor-worthy cursing spree.

"Are you sure that the information about what will occur in three days is correct?" 'Killer asked me, ignoring the enraged girl.

"Yes. The Emperor really will issue this summons, so we have to wrap things up here as soon as possible. The sooner we finish with the Guardian, the sooner we can start looking for the Holy Relic."

"You do realize," Ehkiller addressed the girl, "that if Phoenix completes this quest without you no-one would ever suspect our bluff now? Everyone knows how mad you are for all things unique."

"'Killer, there's no way I can miss this!" Stacey was almost shouting. "This thing is continent-wide, not locked to a particular class! You can then use it to get ..."

"Anastaria!" the mage sternly interrupted her. "Time to decide! Either you leave and Phoenix do the quest without you – showing everyone that the threat of punishment is real – or we scrap all our plans and forget what we've been trying to do for the last four months. From what I can see, Rick should get the quest for creating the Holy Relic. He wouldn't be able to complete it outside the clan, so he'll be facing a clear choice: either he follows in your footsteps or falls in line, signs a new Agreement – seriously curtailing his rights – and continues crafting for the good of the clan. Hellfire will focus on you and going after Mahan. Stacey, decision time!"

"Damn it all to hell!" the girl continued to curse, "'Killer, you can't force someone to choose between duty and passion! That isn't fair!"

"Guys, maybe you'll stop arguing and explain to me," I interrupted the bickering players, "why in hell should I accept Anastaria into my clan, only to become a target for her fans and Hellfire? Nice future to look forward to; a dream come true, for sure. No First Kill bonuses can compensate for being constantly kept at the respawn point."

"I do have something that can persuade you to cooperate," assured the mage. "Now I know for sure that you are the creator of the Karmadont Chess Pieces. You have already solved the first riddle and right now we are ready to give you the answer to the second. It's already been deciphered. We are prepared to help you with other riddles as well, but that's beside the point right now. The important part is that you will get a description of what the Chess Set is, what it's used for and what limitations and special features it has. There is a special scroll with all this information at the Emperor's palace and I'm prepared to obtain it for you."

"Some reward that is. I happen to have Respect with the Emperor. When I reach Esteem I'll be able to read this scroll myself."

"That's all very well, if not for one little detail. There is only one version of this scroll: no copies can be made of it and currently it happens to be in the firm grip of a certain Assassin's green paws. Even if you were at Exalted and a 100 in Attractiveness, you'd still never see it. I can make sure this scroll ends up in your hands. I call the Emperor as my witness that I'm telling you the truth about the scroll."

"So that's how it is ... but what has Attractiveness got to do with this?"

"Our Reputation with the Emperor and other elite entities simply opens certain doors to us, but Attractiveness is the key to quests," answered the girl, who had run out of curses for the time being. "For example, I have Exalted Reputation but zero Attractiveness with the current Emperor, so I would never be given any unique quests. Not a single one."

It was now clear why Tisha and the High Priestess sent me on these missions. They simply liked me as a ... to put it plainly, they just liked me.

"Stacey, what have you decided?"

"It's not like I really have a choice, is it?" growled the girl. "It's clear as day that this is an ideal situation: the clan will be subdued so we can ride this wave and re-draft Rick's Agreement. But ... dammit! A continental scenario!"

"Mahan, it's up to you now. Do you agree to take Anastaria into your clan in exchange for receiving the Emperor's scroll with the description of the Karmadont Chess Set in three months' time?"

"Yes; it looks like I don't have much choice in the matter either. You've really got me cornered. Agreed. Anastaria can be one of my minions for three months. Got any preferred position?" I asked the girl slyly.

"Of course! Only the deputy, only hardcore," she replied in the same tone.

"Then quit and I'll accept you."

"It's not quite so simple," Ehkiller intervened with more 'good' news. "Now, when the decision has been made, we need to put on a show for the clan and other players. We'll do most of the acting, but right now you need to leave the dome looking angry, grumbling and bad-mouthing me quite thoroughly. Something along the lines of 'Phoenix have gone completely crazy and want to buy up my entire clan'. Stacey will kick up a storm, as she has done on plenty of occasions, so it won't really surprise anyone, and then it will be my move. Everyone got it? Then let's do it."

My role turned out to be simple enough: I entered the dome looking angry and left it just as angry. All good. After asking the others once again about Plinto, who still hadn't returned, I called over Anastaria and Donotpunnik and told them that our strategy meeting would have to be postponed until the Rogue gets back. As soon as I stopped talking the girl began typing something into the clan chat and Ehkiller, who was sitting not far off, periodically shouted, “What are you doing? Stop that immediately!”

"That's it! My patience has reached its limit!" the mage shouted after some time. Plinto still hadn't reappeared (his respawn timer probably had one or two hours left to go), so there was no need to hurry. This gave Anastaria and 'Killer time to have more fun with their performance. "Guardian, I require your assistance."

"You called me and I came. If your summons was a false one, you will be punished," the glade vibrated.

"Agreed! Guardian, I ask you to confirm my decision!" Ehkiller addressed the Oak. "With the power bestowed in me by the Agreement of the Phoenix clan, I remove Anastaria from the clan for breaching the Clan Agreement! All her clan leader responsibilities will be assumed by me. From this moment on Anastaria has nothing to do with the Phoenix clan! I ask that all the interested parties are informed of this, including the Emperor, the Thricinians and the Lords of the Air."

"Accepted!" The tree's vibrations went through the glade, which had now descended into silence. "All the free citizens and faction leaders have been informed and Agreements with Anastaria have been transferred to Ehkiller."

Attention, residents of Malabar! For breaching the Clan Agreement free citizen Anastaria has been excluded from the Phoenix clan! All Anastaria's responsibilities as head of the clan have been transferred to Ehkiller.

The sign of the flaming bird above the girl's face faded and she looked up at me with eyes full of tears. What an actress! She even managed to tear up!

"'Killer, you can't!" she shouted.

"I can and I did! Enough is enough!"

"In that case I'll ... Mahan!" Anastaria shouted in my direction. "I ask you to accept me into Seathistles! You were stripped of three players, so I offer myself as compensation."

."..?"

"I'll repeat for those who are slow on the uptake! … I'm! … Asking you! … To take me! … Into your clan!"

"Anastaria, I ...," I tried to look completely bewildered by such a crazy request from the best girl in Malabar. "Ehkiller, talk some sense into her!"

"I've had enough of Killer and his ilk! Either you invite me or I'll go elsewhere. Donotpunnik will be happy."

"Fine! But I should warn you right away, that there's no democracy in my clan, just the harsh totalitarian system headed by a tyrant; that is, yours truly. If you're prepared to sign an Agreement that you will remain in my clan for at least three months, I'll take you in," I replied.

"Deal! Send me the Agreement!"

"Stacey!" Ehkiller intervened. "Do you understand that there'll be no way back after this?"

"I don't give a damn about your threats! It won't take a week for Phoenix to go stale without me! ..."

I had little desire to land a bigger part in this performance, so under the shocked gazes of other players, I selected Anastaria and sent her the invitation to my clan.

Player Anastaria has joined the Seathistles clan. Rank: Deputy Head of the Clan.

Due to the presence of players that earned the First Kill of the Bloody Scythe Dungeon, the Seathistles clan gains ...

"Holy shit," Etamzilat, the head of the Heirs of the Titans, exhaled next to me, a camera pictogram flashing above his head. Looks like the banishment scene had been caught on tape. "Back in a couple of minutes," he said, after which his gaming avatar became transparent and disappeared. He probably went off to upload the video.

"I
f there's one thing I don't get it's why you took that bitch in," summed up Plinto as soon as he appeared in the glade and was told the news.

"What's your problem with her?"

"I have enough problems with the flaming chickens for a year's worth of respawns, and for this 'lady' I'll make that three. If you hadn't initially included the condition that you couldn't waste other players, I would've rubbed her out ages ago. And you too – my hands are still itching to do just that."

"Then why the heck did you help me in Anhurs?"

"Because I didn't want to give those bastards the pleasure. You'll become my personal punching bag as soon as this quest is over. The pawn of Number Twos ... get ready for a meeting with a Herald – no-one else would be able to get you out of that one."

"Sure thing; I'm already shaking in my boots and looking for a place to hide. Before you start thinking up a more effective way to bump me off, tell me what you saw, what this 'Ash' is and how's it made? And by the way, have you ever considered that in chess a pawn is a rather formidable figure? Especially after it takes six moves forward."

Plinto mumbled 'mm-hmm' and 'froze' for a few moments, probably thinking over my words.

"Quit messing with my head," he said, finally reaching a conclusion. "The eastern side where I went was completely stuffed with ..."

"Hold on, let me call my advisors first," I interrupted Plinto. "I'll have to tell them everything anyway, so they may as well ask you all the right questions. Anastaria! Donotpunnik! Come over!"

"I'm not talking to that bitch," Plinto almost hissed. "Mahan, I'm grateful to you for access to the scenario, I had no money for the ticket and all, but dealing with her ...."

"Listen, cut the drama crap, eh? That's the last thing we need now! It's bad enough trying not to think about what Hellfire & Co will do to me for taking Anastaria into the clan, now you go ballistic every time her name is mentioned. Why don't you show me how to get them off my back instead of brandishing your trigger-happy side."

"Are you trying to recruit me or something?"

"Call it as you see it! Right, people have started turning up, so let's save this chat for another time. Think about what I said, though. I'm in dire need of protection from Phoenix and no-one would handle that better than you. If you have a bone to pick with that clan, let's use it to our mutual advantage. Anyway, we'll talk later ...."

"I see you've been chatting with our bad boy," Anastaria couldn't help quipping as soon as she came over. "But I should say that he surprised me. Writing down the words 'Back' and 'Ash' correctly and without resorting to spellcheck ... even I could have barely managed that. Did you practice in advance or something?"

"Anastaria," I interrupted the girl. "I'm asking you, as your boss, not to aggro Plinto while we're completing this scenario. At the end of the day, he’s the only one who has managed to gather any kind of useful information. The three ten-strong raid groups, the twenty-strong support group and the specially trained scouts screwed up most spectacularly (and that goes for you too), while one 'bad boy', as you put it, could've saved you all if you hadn't wandered off quite so far. Don't you think you're being more than a bit unfair?"

"Do you need him?"
A message popped up in the inter-clan chat almost immediately. It was just as well that the 12 hours hadn't elapsed since the battle, so none of my Fighters were present yet. This way the chat had ended up being private. But how can she write in such a completely surreptitious manner?

I barely nodded in answer to her question and then continued: "now that we understand each other, I suggest we begin. Plinto, please tell us what happened on the eastern side and how you were not detected?"

Flashing an angry stare at Anastaria, the Rogue began his report: "I'll begin by explaining what 'Ash' is. Everyone here knows what it is, except you, by the way. In all the most recent Dungeons the developers have tended to use a new type of spell, called 'Ash Tempest'."

"Not in all, but just the last four. It's as if they're preparing us for something," put in Anastaria. She behaves rather strangely when Plinto is around. I must speak to her about this later today. Why do they keep fighting like cat and dog for no apparent reason?

"Do you want to do the talking?" snapped Plinto.

"Maybe I do. This Ash, as raiders have dubbed it, is a very unpleasant spell. Unlike Armageddon it cannot destroy gear, but there's no way of evading it except with a bubble. This is why all the latest raids need so many Paladins and Priests for resurrecting fallen players. By the way, resurrection from Ash, into which your gaming avatar disintegrates, looks very beautiful. It comes together, forming a thin film, and then your body starts to take shape as if it were rising out of the surface of water, covered by a fine silk sheet."

"Women," Plinto spat for emphasis, showing that only a girl would start enjoying special effects in the middle of a fight.

"The 'Ash Tempest' can only be used once per Dungeon and burns up enormous amounts of mob Mana, so the main task is to survive the blast with at least one Priest alive. I followed the same tactic here – put a bubble over myself –, but failed to take the special characteristics of the Dark Forest and the Scenario into account. It says that the first attack in the wrong direction would result in failure and that no players would survive even in a bubble. The curse was cast on me two seconds after the Ash, which means that the Imitator outdid itself in getting around that defense. That's how I became 'Cursed Anastaria'."

"That’s what you were to begin with: no use pretending." Plinto wasn't about to miss this opportunity for a jibe, which finally made me lose patience with their back-and-forth.

"Plinto, Anastaria! One more dig from either direction while we're completing this scenario and I’ll quit being so reasonable. I've had enough of you! You're acting like a pair of little kids!"

"And you've never seen them going at each other in Anhurs”, grinned Donotpunnik. "The whole of Malabar's been laughing at these two – not that they care."

"Like I give a fig about all that! Plinto! As the head of the Seathistles clan I'm inviting you to join me as a Fighter."

"What, be in the same clan as this ..." the Rogue began, but I interrupted him.

"No! To be in the same clan as me! Phoenix will declare open season on me because of Anastaria coming over and I need protection. While in the clan you'll be receiving a salary, calculated in the standard way: 30% of the entire income of the clan, divided among the members depending on the rank and contribution to the clan. I'm also prepared to negotiate the sum that you'll be paid for preventing attempts on my life made by Phoenix members. Anyone else wouldn't bother if they see you around, but Phoenix, on the other hand, would get even more aggro. Do you remember what I said about the moves? You made two moves forward when you left Legion, Anhurs was another move and the next would be agreeing to join. You have just two squares left, this is one of them."

"I have a condition," said Plinto thoughtfully after some time. "I will have the opportunity to send you for respawn at least twice. You owe me and I won't rest until I do this."

"Agreed. As soon as we finish with the Dark Forest, you will have such a chance. Anything else?"

"Anastaria." (Wow! He actually used her name!) "What rank does she have?"

"She's the Deputy."

"I will answer directly to the head and no-one else. Neither the Deputy nor the Officers will have any authority over me."

"All right, this will be included in the Agreement. Anything else?"

"Five million gold, right now, for personal use," Plinto blurted out after a pause, all the while looking at Anastaria for some reason."

"And what would that be for?" I was beginning to lose track of what was going on here, because at this point Anastaria lowered her gaze.

"No! A thousand times no!!!"
The clan chat exploded with the girl's screams.

"Just a personal whim”, was Plinto's short answer and I suddenly understood where this money was going. It would go to the girl. But for what?

"I accept. As the head of the clan I guarantee you five million gold for joining Seathistles. However, in that case I have some conditions too: you will spend at least a year in the clan or until I personally exclude you; and you will accept the clan rules."

"Agreed." A smile spread across the face of the usually serious Rogue. "Guardian, I ask you to witness our Agreement on my joining the clan before we sign it!" shouted Plinto.

"The conditions have been recorded!" the glade immediately declared with its vibrations.

"Then send me the invite," concluded Plinto, "I'm prepared to join the Seathistles under the agreed conditions and will diligently carry out all responsibilities this lays on me.”

"Eh, Mahan ... thanks a lot, what can I say? ... "

Player Plinto the Bloodied has joined the Seathistles clan. Rank: Fighter.

Due to the presence of players that earned the First Kill of the Silver Scream Dungeon, all Seathistles clan members gain +2 to Attractiveness with all Malabar NPCs. ...

This was followed by another list of bonuses for the clan, but this one only had seven items on it, compared to Anastaria's twenty-something. So it looks like Dark Legion did complete some things before Phoenix after all. ... I started to look through the achievements that I got via Plinto, so didn't immediately notice how the Guardian's branches began to grow around my sole (for the moment) Fighter and around my, likewise, only Deputy. I don't get it, what's going on here?

"Plinto the Bloodied!" roared the Oak. "According to the Agreement, you must pay a monetary reward worth five million and four hundred thousand gold to free citizen Anastaria. Anastaria! According to the Agreement, once this amount is paid to you, you are obliged to hand over the final part of the phoenix reins!

"I'm ready to transfer the money," said Plinto immediately. "Please take it off my account and the remainder from the account of the Seathistles clan, according to the conditions under which I was accepted into the clan."

"Mahan," thundered the Guardian, “I ask you to give the final confirmation of the conditions of accepting Plinto the Bloodied into the clan."

"Confirmed!" Five million is a huge amount and it would take me forever to explain myself to the others, so I'll have to find out what I owe and to whom. And, most importantly, why?

"Anastaria! Plinto has fulfilled the conditions for acquiring the final part of the phoenix reins. Are you going to hand them over?"

"They’re in my Personal Room," said the girl, discomposedly. "I give my permission for them to be taken and handed over to Plinto."

"The Agreement has been fulfilled and is considered closed," concluded the Guardian and descended into deep thought once again.

"You know Nick, I’ll bury you for this”, said Anastaria after some time. "I'll even complain to your wife that you've upset me. She'll have your head."

"Stacey, then you should have thought twice before making the bet. I did say from the start, that I'd get my hands on them, sooner or later. Now my flame-wing will be the fastest in all of Barliona! This year I'll finally get the prize! The game's on!"

"Are you done yet?" I interrupted this fascinating conversation. I'll find out later what this is all about – right now, with Donotpunnik giving us a rather cryptic look, it was time to get back to work. "Plinto, do continue. I get the deal with the Ash. What happened on the eastern side?"

"Yes," added Donotpunnik, "you can also tell us how you managed to get through where other scouts were discovered."

"Who are you calling 'scouts' exactly? Lanterius and Fogger? Their arms should be ripped off and sewn onto their asses, which they've been using for thinking anyway. You think I didn't see how they were 'discovered'? Any dumbass would’ve realized that mist, which covers every part of the ground must conceal lots of alarm-traps. Why the heck did they go on the ground? Are they so low on Agility they couldn't use the trees? Hopeless idiots ...."

"Let's not get distracted!" I told my Fighter.

"In short, it's simple: we were toast in any case. There were three barricades to the east. First came level 100–150 Vampires. I counted forty, but I might’ve been wrong, they kept moving all over the place and my line-of-sight radius wasn't very big. It was the trees, damn them. They had no special attacks, just physical damage and speed. About half of them had bows and black arrows, which probably land you with a curse on hit. We'll have to be careful and make sure the Priests keep their eyes open and cleanse any cursed players. The Vamps were waiting a hundred meters from the glade and had a boss with them: the Sergeant. Level 200, nothing difficult at the first glance, if you discount the 'Regeneration' buff: it restores 2% of total Hit Points every five seconds. The second barricade, a more serious one this time, came a hundred meters further out: three level-300 Elementals, five 350+ mages and one boss, concealed by black mist. According to his properties he was some sort of Lieutenant, level 400. There was no information on his race or abilities. While I was logged out I tried to look him up on all available databases – nothing. The Elementals are interesting too: there was fire, water and an earth one. There should have also been an air one, but it was probably somewhere else at the time. They have no special abilities, but they’re no pushovers, because these three stand very close to each other and we won't be able to pull them one by one. You'll have to figure out how to bring them down. The third cordon wasn't even a cordon, but the camp of the final boss, and is two hundred meters further out. There we had another mist-covered boss, a General of some kind, level-450, and six Necromancers, who were busy summoning the Ash. There was nothing else there. Catch the video and the stats that I managed to get off the mobs. When Ash started to form, I tried to interrupt it, knowing where this was going ... but ... as soon as I came closer, the General took me out straight away. Just three hits and I was pushing daisies. He only used a physical damage attack, so while I was under 'cloak' I managed to warn you about the Ash. That's it, I think."