The Secret of the Dark Forest ( (The Way of the Shaman: Book #3) (4 page)

Beth's office had quite a Spartan look. There was a simple table, snowed under with various papers, a wooden chair and, pale modest curtains that completely covered the walls. If this were reality the curtains would have been sure to conceal a number of guards, ready to strike down anyone that threatened their mistress. In Barliona, however, I was quite sure that the curtains concealed shelves full of books and scrolls not meant for the eyes of ordinary mortals. Although ... ordinary mortals wouldn't have dreamt of being admitted to the office of the High Priestess, so the matter with the scrolls was worth further thought.

"Mahan!" Beth was clearly happy to see me. "It's so good that you managed to get here quickly. I have started to sort out the mess left behind by the previous High Priestess, which is mind-bogglingly terrible. There was no semblance of a system or proper record-keeping. I already demoted her to the rank of a Novice – it's better for her to bring light and warmth to ordinary people than to do paperwork. That was never her strength. I'm sorry, but I have very little time, so I'll get straight to the point. What are your plans in the next three or four months?"

"I must create a Holy Item for the Emperor in order to free the Throne," I answered honestly. There was little sense in doing anything else. My Attractiveness with the High Priestess was at 91 and I was Friendly with the Priestesses of Eluna, so I could speak the truth, whatever it may be.

"So you already know? The Emperor has shared this secret with you?" Beth froze for a moment. "Then again, I shouldn't be surprised, after everything that you’ve done ..."

After pausing briefly Beth started to dig around amongst the files on her table. For a few moments, all I could hear was the rustle of paper and the subdued mutterings of the Priestess: "Where is it? You could lose a herd of elephants in here. It's not an office, it's just one big mess! … Finally!"

"I can't give you back the ring," Beth continued, giving me a scroll. "It vanished the moment I was back in Anhurs. But I owe you a great deal, so I'm offering you the rank of a Priest of Eluna. You would skip the Novice stage and immediately become a Great Priest. This matter has already been discussed with the Emperor and he promised to help. Here's the draft of your agreement regarding the change of your class, you only have to sign it."

To the player located in a prisoner capsule: In view of your arrival into the main Gameworld and possession of a positive Reputation with the leading NPCs of Malabar, court decision No. 45-RS344328 grants you the permission to change your character class.

Proposed class – Great Priest.

Chosen deity: Eluna the Light-bearer.

Do you agree to change your class? Yes / No.

"This offer is insufficient to express my gratitude, but I have to start somewhere," added Beth, awaiting my reply.

Suddenly, a veil seemed to obscure my sight and a ringing sound filled my head. It was as if my blood pressure had shot up as a result of what I just heard. I even thought it a good idea to simply close my eyes and try to imagine that everything that just happened was a mistake and that when I opened them again it would all disappear. But no! The system really was offering me to change my character class from the unpopular Shaman to one of the most universal and esteemed classes. The ability to revive players during combat alone was worth a lot! And I would get all of this right now, on the spot!

"I can't … " I spoke with some effort, trying not to look Beth in the eye. Experience had taught me that those who consider Shamans a weak class understand nothing in this game. And those who know the truth are keeping shtum about it.

"You refuse?" Elizabeth lifted her eyebrows in surprise.

"Beth, please understand. Do you think I would have managed to do everything that I have if I wasn't a Shaman? It's more than just a class – it's a certain way of thinking, acting and feeling. You can't describe Shamans in words; you can only feel them. I may make a good Priest, but I would have to destroy an excelled Shaman."

"These are all just words! You think my gift unworthy of you?" Overcome with emotion Beth jumped up from the chair. Why are women so difficult ... ? Will I really have to lose Reputation with the High Priestess if I wanted to remain a Shaman?

"Beth, I never said anything of the sort. I can't become a Priest, I'm a Shaman!"

"You're a coward, not a Shaman! You are being offered a big responsibility and you're trying to wriggle out of it!"

So that's how it is? Then it's time to bring out the heavy artillery.

"Beth, if Clouter ... I mean Avtondil and Mariana were kidnapped by Kartoss minions and you were given an ultimatum: either become a Warrior or your children will die. What would you choose?"

"What?! How dare you compare such things?" shouted the Priestess. My level of Attractiveness in the NPC's properties began to plummet. Currently it amounted to just 63 points and if the conversation kept going in the same direction, I could forget about remaining in the High Priestess's favor. With all the ensuing consequences ...

"Yes, I do dare!" I had also raised my voice in response to Beth's shouting. "Do you think you're the only one in this position? You think that because I'm a Shaman I have no responsibilities? Tell me, what would you do?"

"You are forgetting yourself, Elemental Shaman," Beth cut me off sharply, emphasizing the last word. By now Attractiveness had reached 47.

"Fine, I will reply for you,” I continued. “What did you say in Beatwick? 'Let the children go, we'll stay behind and try to slow them down.' You're prepared to face death for the sake of your children, so why do you think that I ..."

"YES! I would give up everything just so they could live!" Attractiveness was at 34. "But what do you, a male free citizen, know about children?! How can you compare parts of me that have gained their own being with your Shamanism?!"

We had arrived at the moment of truth, the point towards which I had been driving all this time. I was ready to get to the heart of my argument with Beth. Let's see, oh High one, what you'll say to this, I thought. I wasn't even looking at the change of class message. The constantly flashing 'Yes / No' buttons distracted me only for the first few seconds. Now, as our conversation had descended into shouting, they had grown dim and almost evaporated. I don't need this: I'm a Shaman!

"Draco, come to me, we need to sort something out."

"Coming."

"Hello, brother. Did you call me?" Draco appeared right next to me.

"Do you remember him?" I asked Elizabeth, who stared at the Dragon, eyes wide. "He was playing with your son. If I become a Priest, he will disappear. Forever. Tell me, does he really deserve to be destroyed? Is the rank of the Great Priest worth the knowledge – for the remainder of my life – that I was responsible for destroying a Dragon? I'm prepared to fall out with you completely and forever be barred from Eluna's temple, as long as my brother remains alive!" Damn, I failed to restrain myself and broke into screaming towards the end. It came out altogether too emotional in the end.

"I forgot," said the Priestess, stunned, and I was pleased to see that my Attractiveness returned to its initial 91 points ... even overshooting to reach 93! I even gained Reputation now! "Forgive me ... I ..." The Priestess's eyes filled with tears. "Forgive me ..."

"Beth, I am very grateful to you for your offer, but you can see for yourself that it was never going to be possible for me."

"But I wished it for all the best reasons ... I thought being a Priest was such a high honor. Do you see this pile?" Beth nodded in the direction of the pile of papers. "These are all requests from free citizen Priests to re-take the rank initiation test. Currently there are over a million of these Priests of Eluna in Malabar and that number is growing every day. I don't know how many Priests other gods have, but they are also quite numerous. So, I thought ..."

"And you thought you would make me a Great One straight away, right? When I know nothing about what it means to be a real Priest? After all, there's a reason that people spend so long in the rank of a Novice. You have to learn how to communicate with the goddess and how to master your power. And here a former Shaman would become a Great Priest ... everyone in Anhurs would laugh if I tried to say a prayer."

"That's not that important. You would have learned quickly, so I wouldn't have accepted such a reason for your refusal, but a Dragon …" Beth came up to him and looked at me. "Can I touch him? I really wanted to do that when my son was playing with him, but I was too afraid."

"What about you, Draco? You don't mind?"

"Of course not. I like it when people pet me," Draco put out his head towards the priestess, expecting to be stroked.

"Now I can see that for you he is a person and not just a totem," the High Priestess said solemnly, in fact not reaching out to touch the Dragon after all. "You are a worthy Shaman and long may you remain this way.”

The choice of the character class has been made.

Changes have been recorded.

Current class: Elemental Shaman.

"Now, let's get down to business." Beth quickly changed the topic. "I asked you about time for a reason: Mahan, the Priestesses of Eluna need your help!"

Quest available: “Restoration of a Holy Relic. Step 1: The History of the Missionaries of Eluna.”

Description: Listen to the High Priestess and learn the story of the Missionaries of Eluna.

Requirements: Reputation with Goddess Eluna = greater than 0; Reputation with the Priestesses of Goddess Eluna = Friendly or higher.

Quest chain class: Rare.

Reward for completing Step 1 = +1500 Experience, +100 Reputation with the Priestesses of Eluna.

Reward for the quest chain: Variable.

Penalty for failing / refusing the quest: Neutral status with Goddess Eluna.

"I will do everything I can to help the Priestesses." I didn't hesitate for a moment in accepting the quest. Something interesting was afoot and I wanted in.

"Ten years ago …" Beth began the tale after settling in a seat behind her table, before abruptly interrupting herself: "Let your Dragon go, there’s no reason for him to keep doing laps in my office.” She continued, “Now then: ten years ago, as soon as I was removed from the position of the High Priestess and sent into exile, a missionary expedition was sent to the Free Lands. It was comprised of forty Novices, ten junior and five ordinary Priests and the mission was headed by the Great Priest Midial. Other than the priests, two hundred warriors and fifty mages joined the expedition. All of them were at level 200. The official purpose of the mission was to expand Eluna's zone of influence in the Free Lands, but this was a cover. Midial's main aim was to find the Tear of Eluna – the lost amulet of the High Priestesses. According to our archives it was last seen in that region. As you can probably guess, the missionary party disappeared. Neither Midial nor anyone else from the group ever came back and all their communication amulets ceased to function. What happened to them is anyone's guess. What is more important is that the Great Priest took with him the Stone of Light, and it hasn’t been seen since."

"The Stone of Light?" I interrupted Beth, seeking a bit more detail on this point "What's that?"

"A concentration of Divine Light. With its help Priestesses can either drive back darkness or completely restore their strength. With just one use the Stone can restore the power of two Great or twenty ordinary Priests. Afterwards it needs to be recharged. The recharging happens in a temple: if the Stone is placed on an altar just two hours later it's ready for use again. These Stones can have different appearances; some look like ordinary rocks and others are statuettes. All the Stones of Light located in Anhurs are currently standing around the Emperor's throne, shielding the palace from Geranika's Cursed Dagger. The recipe for making the Stones has been lost, so each specimen is precious. This is the complete story. On behalf of the Priestesses of Eluna, I ask that you travel to the Free Lands and return with the Stone of Light!"

Quest: “Restoration of a Holy Relic, Step 1: The History of the Missionaries of Eluna” has been completed.

Reward: +1500 Experience, +100 Reputation with the Priestesses of Eluna.

Quest available: “Restoration of a Holy Relic. Step 2: Search for the Stone of Light”.

Description: Go to the Free Lands, find the lost Stone of Light that was once in the Possession of the Great Priest Midial and find out what happened to the missionaries.

Requirements: Reputation with Goddess Eluna = greater than 0; Reputation with the Priestesses of Goddess Eluna = Friendly or above; combined group level = 600.

Quest chain class: Rare.

Reward for completing Step 2: +35 000 Experience, +500 Reputation with the Priestesses of Eluna, +100 Reputation with Goddess Eluna.

Reward for the quest chain: Hidden.

Penalty for failing/refusing the quest: none.

"One more thing," added Beth at the end "you can't travel to the Free Lands alone. You will need helpers. I will mark your map with the place where the missionary expedition was headed, but if the level of your group is insufficient, this mark will disappear. Please, don't go by yourself – it's very dangerous!"