Jet awoke alone in a dusty cave. Light shone in from above. All the items in her inventory, including her reagent pouch, were gone. She surveyed the cave for exits but came to the realization that she was going to be stuck here for a while. She got up and headed toward the source of the light. She was looking for anything that she could use to hoist herself up.
Maybe that rock.
Jet stood on a massive boulder that was nearby. She squinted as she tried seeing through the light. A grating covered the hole. The walls leading up to it were smooth and didn’t offer any purchase. She jumped, trying to reach a hole in the wall. She was nearly making it, then the rock moved. Jet fell and tumbled atop the rock in a heap.
“Watch it, young one,” a rumbling voice said.
She gazed in the direction of the voice. The rock morphed into an enormous human shape. Its front side was fleshy, but its backside appeared to be solid rock. Its shape reminded Jet of golems in fairy tales.
“Hello, human,” the golem thing said.
“You can speak?”
“Of course I can speak. Have you not seen a builder before?”
Jet remembered reading about these creatures in the many books of lore she’d read in the great library of knowledge. But that seemed like a very long time ago. Only Grand Magi were allowed to access those tomes, and she’d only got half of a gameplay session devoted to the study of the keeps of the constructs before her life got turned upside down.
“Aren’t the builders just legends?” Jet asked.
“That’s not a very good question. Maybe I expect too much from humans with their small brains.”
“Do you have a name?”
“No human has ever asked my name before. Perhaps there is hope for you yet. I’m Crebolm, and what might your name be?”
“Josephine is my given name, but you may call me JetaGirl.”
“Hm, strange name, but you little people are a strange lot.”
Jet examined the walls for any loose stones. They were made of smooth rock, which contained no handholds or edges to grab onto.
“I need to get out of here. If I don’t, then the world is doomed,” Jet said.
“Unfortunately, that is the way of things. If this mad lord has his way, there will be nothing left of either of us.”
“You mean the builders?”
“Nor builders or Magi will survive the purge.”
“What is the purge you speak of?”
“Every ten thousand cycles, the moons across the night sky will align for the briefest of moments. Rifts will form throughout the land, causing instability. I’m afraid the constructs in their weakened state will collapse. Taking this world with it.”
“Wait? Wouldn’t that destroy reality as we know it?”
Crebolm nodded. The golem looked defeated.
“There has to be a way to stop it.”
“The pillars of incarnation must be saved. Four out of the six are in dire straits.”
<<>>
New Quest: Help the Golem
Primary Objective: Gain knowledge that can help with restoring the pillars of incarnation, the constructs for all creation.
Secondary Objective (optional): Assist the golem in finding the constructs.
Quest Details: The pillars of incarnation are the glue that holds the world of the Colossal Machine together.
Stolen novel; please report.
Do you accept?
<<>>
Jet wished she had spent more time in the library upon her ascension to her position. The dungeon master had eluded that the path of becoming a Grand Magi was to complete an epic quest worthy of her position. She accepted the quest.
“My brother Arguyle has been corrupted, and only the blood from the builder can save him. And without him, this world has no chance.”
“You’re speaking in riddles. You’re a builder. Can’t you step in for your brother?”
“That’s impossible.”
Jet accessed the information in her personal database. She was not able to remove any of the sacred texts out of the Timemaker’s Terrace, but she did take a significant amount of notes. There was an ancient ritual that only builders could perform. But, if a single builder could not perform his duty, then a Grand Magi could take its place.
“I’m a Grand Magi. Can I step in for Arguyle?”
“It’s true that a Magi can take the place of a builder, but not the master builder. Will you help me transfer my lifeblood?”
“I will help you, but how much blood do we need to transfer? And where is your brother anyway?”
Crebolm pointed to a wall behind her. A face not unlike Crebolm’s was encased in the wall, merged with it somehow.
“What happened?”
“My brother defied the man known as Lord Aldoor. He refused to allow him to take control over the pillars.”
“What does Lord Aldoor want with them?”
“You don’t understand. If he controls the constructs, he can remake the world in his image. And you’ve only seen a taste of his true power.”
“There must be a way to defeat him.”
“The master builder must awaken. The only way to do that is by an infusion of another builder’s lifeblood.”
<<>>
System Message: Assist the builder.
Primary Objective: Find the materials to assist in the transference of the builder’s lifeblood.
Quest Details: The constructs holding the pillars of incarnation together are weakening. The alignment must be performed while the moons are aligned. Failure to do so will cause the rapid deterioration of the remaining pillars.
Do you accept?
<<>>
“I accept. We cannot let Aldoor win.”
Crebolm gave Jet a hopeful, yet sad look.
“I was wrong to doubt thee human. Thou art a credit to thy race,” Crebolm said.
Jet nodded.
“Now, how do I assist with the transference?”
“The cave is dry, but yet is moist in some spots. Hempiseed is a reagent with a hollow core. A few of the reeds from it is all that is needed. Now hurry, time is short.”
The light being reflected from above was starting to fade. Jet found it difficult to see anything. She searched where the floor met the walls. Patches of a long grassy substance grew in tiny clusters. The first group had the consistency of grass and came loose in her hands. The farther she went within the cave, the narrower it became. The light also seemed to be escaping faster than she thought possible.
Soon it will be pitch-black in here.
Before long she was flat on her stomach, crawling toward an outcropping of reeds. As she grasped one of the reeds, a shadow caught her eye.
“Human, watch for sludgelings. They come out at night,” Crebolm said.
“In-Por-Ot-Bem,” Jet said.
The cavernous passage lit up. Black ooze poured from unknown crevices and congealed in puddles nearby. She thought she could make out multiple groups of eyes forming in each puddle. The slimy puddles moved away from the light source. She pulled several reeds and scooted back. The light source dimmed once again. She made it back to the main chamber. Crebold sat near his brother. Enough light poured in to fend off the sludgelings. They lay just outside of the lit areas.
“Now, switch the reeds together.”
Jet pushed the reeds together, but they wouldn’t form a seal.
“Wet the outer leaves. That will create the seal.”
The moisture in Jet’s mouth evaporated as she put clumps of the leaves in her mouth. A bond formed over the tubes, effectively creating a straw.
“Take this and make a small incision on my brother’s neck.”
The edge of the rock was surprisingly sharp. It cut into the golem as effectively as a knife through human skin.
The light faded.
“The alignment begins now,” Crebolm said as he used another rock to tear into his own skin. Blood oozed from the golem.
“Attach the reeds.”
Jet held the reeds in place as the lifeblood pumped from between the brothers. Darkness overtook the cave. Hissing and chomping noises echoed throughout. The sludgelings were too close for comfort.
Now, I guess I will get to experience what it’s like to die in the CML.
A rumbling reverberated. Parts of the cave collapsed and the sludgelings retreated to safety. The cave holding Arguyle collapsed and the master builder was freed. Small rocks and dirt poured into the cave.
I’m going to be crushed.
“In-Por-Cad-Cras,” Jet chanted.
Her personal shield deflected the rock and sand.
“No!”
Before her was a man with a metal mask with several swirling patterns on its face. Two slits for eyes and several holes by the mask made for a frightening image. The man raised his hands and electricity shot out. Jet closed her eyes and braced for the impact. A smashing sound followed by a cry of anguish deafened her. Moments later, she opened her eyes. She was in the center of two massive humanoid figures. One was lying on the ground, dark fluid pooling beneath it. The other figure smiled at her.
“Thank you, Grand Magi. The construct is still weak, but thanks to you, it can be repaired.”
“What happened to Lord Aldoor?” Jet asked.
“He’s been banished to the outer plane. It will take some doing to get him back.”
“What now?”
“The immediate threat is over, but our job is far from complete. We must find the six pillars and restore them.”
“Okay, that sounds straightforward enough. Where do I start?”
“Seek out the gypsy at the edge of the meadow. She will reveal all. Now, I must heal my brother and prepare for the mending of the land.”
The golem handed her an ancient-looking parchment then picked up his brother. She watched in fascination as the master builder carried the fallen golem through the cave walls. The hard rock gave way to their passage and filled up as they walked through. The cave began to fill in with dirt and rock.
I have to get the hell out of here.
“Un-Por-Vet,” Jet chanted.
She closed her eyes, and the wall of dirt and rock rushed in.
Her breathing slowed as all the air left the cave.