11
The change in temperature was instantaneous, the air growing cool and damp as I stepped through the curtain of magical energy and into a large, dark stone room lit by lanterns that glowed an eerie blue. The room was perhaps 20 feet tall and had a ceiling that reached upward on a slight inward slant, like we were inside a step-pyramid. There were four walls oriented to the cardinal directions, and they were made of the same simple grey stone. Each wall had a large circular metal plate inset into its centre, engraved with twisting arcane glyphs. Within each plate was a small inset square, as though waiting for something to be inserted within.
At the centre of the room was a raised rectangular platform with two small steps that led up to a large rectangular basin, almost like a small sarcophagus. It stood at about waist height, and it was filled right to the brim with a gently luminous blue liquid with the consistency of mercury. The effect was like a shimmering blue liquid mirror.
Beside this basin stood a very tall, slender feminine figure, draped in a complex series of layered silks that comprised an ice blue set of elaborate robes. The robes were woven with intricate patterns made of silver embroidery. She stood unmoving, and her face was obscured by an equally ornate opaque silver veil. She waited in silence, pale blue hands with long, slender fingers were clasped before her. Sage, who I hadn’t heard from in quite some time, spoke up.
Welcome to the Shrine of Elaris, Luck. Since this is your first visit, would you care for a brief tutorial?
“Hey Sage,” I said companionably. I stood a bit awkwardly, looking up at the tall, veiled figure with something between awe and wariness. “You’ve been quiet.”
Yes. I try not to interrupt the natural flow of events in order to maintain immersion, both yours and that of the audience. It’s always more interesting for the viewers when you discover things yourself, and even if we’re speaking internally, it does have a small effect on your actions. However, rest assured, you may request my assistance at any time. Just like your HUD, I’m meant to be a tactical and strategic resource, and I’m available whenever you need me.
“Okay, thanks Sage. Yeah, let’s do that tutorial. I have no idea what I’m doing in here,” I said, looking up at the shadowed ceiling as I continued to study the place.
First, your liaison will have explained that Shrines of Elaris are Unobservable Spaces, meaning that the audience can’t follow your experience within these walls. That is not strictly true. The audience is permitted to watch you open your chests, but cannot observe you beyond the time during which you open your rewards. So, please note that your reactions and anything you say during the opening of your chests will be streamed live. The figure you see next to the Veil Basin is a priestess of Elaris, and she will summon your chests when you approach the pool.
“Alright, so the tall, creepy veiled lady gives me the loot. Got it,” I said, looking the figure over again. She didn’t move or otherwise indicate she was even aware of my presence. Sage continued.
Next, you’ll notice the four walls and the plates embedded within each. These are for the installation of modules that will modify your personal instance of the Shrine. These modules serve a variety of purposes, from crafting studios to training rooms or even domestic spaces intended for habitation. Your sponsor has granted you a free Triage Module, which can be installed in any of the four panels.This module will open the Triage, a space intended for minor medical treatment. This module contains an AI Attendant capable of treating minor wounds, status ailments and effects.
“Define minor,” I said internally, peeking into the pool as I paced slowly while Sage explained.
Wounds like those you took from Embermantle would heal much more quickly, almost instantaneously, when treated by your Attendant. They could likewise treat effects like bleed, poison, most diseases, blindness, deafness and similar ailments. They cannot, however, remove curses or powerful debuffs like those you might receive from a boss. Those require either a skilled Cleric or an upgraded Triage Module, which gives your Attendant the same status and powers as a Cleric; with the exceptions of granting boons or buffs. Attendants may not accompany you outside the Shrine, so you won’t be able to bring a Cleric-grade Attendant with you as a healer. I must also advise you that the upgraded Triage Module is quite expensive, likely beyond your means until you advance further.
“Yeah, that sounds like something they’d have me sink a ton of gold into. How bad is it?” I ask warily.
While your basic module is free, the upgraded Triage Module costs 75 000 gold pieces. Other modules, such as crafting or training modules, have varying prices, and may also be upgraded to enhance their capabilities. Modules and upgrades may be purchased from the Priestess of Elaris. She doesn’t speak, but will display a menu listing items for purchase upon request.
“Ouch. I feel like that price point is going to be out of reach for a while,” I said ruefully. “But having access to a space like this is pretty awesome,” I said as I walked over to one of the walls to lightly brush my fingers over the arcane glyphs that surrounded the circular plate’s small square depression. “So, if I buy a ‘domestic module’ or something like that, can I sleep and eat here, and can other people come in with me?” I asked.
That’s correct, though the Kitchen feature is available in the upgraded Domestic Module, and includes an attendant that can serve as a cook or home assistant. Your party members are permitted to enter the Shrine with you if you add them to your permissions list.
“That’s handy. Does every module include an attendant?” I asked curiously. “And who are they? Actual NPC’s?”
Many modules include attendants, such as the ones I previously mentioned. Additionally, training modules include trainers, and crafting studios have optional trainers who can guide you through the three stages of Mastery. Though, you can choose to progress through experimentation or the acquisition of training or crafting manuals. These are available as loot or in shops located in many medium or large-sized settlements.
As to your second question,The attendants themselves are not NPC’s in the traditional sense. They are magical constructs, though they are intelligent and highly competent in their fields of expertise. The training you receive from attendants is equal to training you could receive at a Guild Trainer, or training you could receive from a blacksmith, for example. Attendants can be customised in a number of ways, including gender, species and even personality. I can facilitate these changes if you choose to customise your attendants.
“Phew, okay. Let’s cross the customisation, crafting and training bridge when we come to it. I would really like to get those chests opened up,” I said.
Certainly. Simply approach the Veil Basin and touch your fingertip to the centre of the pool. Though, I should advise you, Luck. You will be live when you open these chests, and your audience is considerably higher than it was yesterday.
“Huh?” I asked, confused. “Why is it higher?”
I’m permitted to tell you now that viewers on the first day of the season are limited to those who receive an invitation by sponsors or premium viewers who pay for the privilege. If you recall, you had 126 viewers yesterday, and one of which was viewing your experience first hand. The viewer who followed you in POV was associated with your Sponsor. Comments and social media access were limited to a private feed for those viewers, but today all players are live streaming.The entire multiverse could be watching from this point forward, Luck. I was silent for a long moment as I let that sink in, standing at the base of the steps that led to the basin.
“Okay,” I said simply. “Let’s give them something to watch.”
Are you ready, Luck? When you ascend the stairs your feed will go live. Of the 6.7 billion viewers watching the main feed, 1 302 406 are streaming your feed.
“Woah, holy shit,” I exclaimed, stupified. “One point three million fucking people? Why…? I’m nobody…” I trailed off. “Is it the Divine-level chests? That would make some sense…”
I believe the level of your rewards are drawing a great deal of attention, yes. Certain players also receive more attention due to the identity of their sponsors. Also…your encounter with Aleth’Akaris was featured on the main feed during the Debrief this morning. That’s a recap-type program that features notable events and players. It’s quite exciting to be featured, though your particular circumstances received…colourful commentary.
“Fuck. Well, I guess a dude getting headbutted by a creepy deer-god would make pretty good blooper reel material,” I said wryly. “Good to know I’m already famous for getting my ass kicked.”
I took a breath, and bounced lightly on my toes like a sprinter getting ready for a race. One million, three hundred thousand people. It was just like a really, really big show. Bigger than any show I could think of on earth. Jesus Christ. “Alright, let’s do this.” As I ascended the stairs, Sage indicated we were live, and I almost laughed, having realised I was about to film a YouTube unboxing video for products awarded by a fucking fantasy-world deity.
I looked up into the air. “Hey guys. I’m Luck. I think I'm supposed to tell you to like and subscribe.” I smiled wryly before I looked at the veiled figure beside the luminous basin. I leaned over the shimmering silver-blue pool and gently dipped my index finger into the liquid. It was warm, but not wet, as though it slid right off my skin. I watched a ripple form and slowly pulse outward. I looked at the Priestess. “Show me what you’ve got.”
The tall, silent figure in its ice blue robes turned its veiled face slowly to regard the pool at the centre of the room, and her long, slender fingers gestured in a smooth, quick upward motion. The centre of the glowing blue mercurial pool continued to ripple, the movement pushing outward from the centre of the basin as something began to rise within the pool. It was displacing the liquid as it lifted slowly upward until it was fully revealed and the liquid had fallen away in beads and rivulets. I saw that it was a simple, unadorned wooden case, sitting upon the surface of the shimmering pool. The case was about the size of a small toolbox. The HUD indicator labelled it as “Common Chest - awarded by fan vote for the achievement ‘Murder Most Foul.’ I reached down and undid the simple brass latch, lifting the lid to reveal a little case of six small potion bottles, corked and filled with a shimmering ruby-coloured liquid.
I examined them and was happy to find that they were what I suspected - Basic Health Potions, each of which was good for healing 25% of my total health. Beside the small potion case were two other objects. One appeared to be a simple torch, about a foot and a half length of wood topped by a little curving bit of iron intended to keep something in place. Below this was a simple iron band engraved with scrollwork that read “Fillibrand.” I examined it, and the HUD called it “Fillibrand’s Flame Flicker.” It could be activated, and when I did so a flame sprung up from the head of the torch, and likewise disappeared when I willed it away. “Magic lighter,” I said, appraising the item. “Pretty cool.” I stowed it in my inventory along with my potions, and I immediately moved both over to my hotbar.
The last item was a simple dagger in a leather sheath. It was plain and unadorned, slightly shorter than the one I’d bought from Willy. It appeared to be sturdy, well-made and sharp. The HUD just called it a Squire’s Dagger. Weight: Light Damage: Low. “Nice,” I said as I hefted it. One less thing I had to purchase to replace my crappy goblin shortsword. “Thanks guys,” I said to the air. “I might even live through the day.” I moved the goblin blade from my equipment tab and equipped the new dagger to my offhand slot. I now had two reliable weapons awaiting their baptism in goblin blood. Now it was time for the real loot
“Alright,” I said quietly. “I know what you fuckers are really here for. Here we go.” My heart was fluttering and I could feel a slight tremble in my hands. Whatever this was, it could be life-saving. It could change everything.
The wooden box disappeared slowly in a pixelated breeze, leaving the still, liquid surface of the basin undisturbed. My heart began to beat more insistently as the silent priestess lifted her slender fingers again, and the pool began to ripple once more. This time the glow began to brighten, and a hum began emanating from the pool, deep and resonant. The air itself seemed to come alive above the water, glinting as though filled with tiny flakes of swirling crystal. Music began to play then, and I instantly recognized the melody from my first minutes on this gods-forsaken planet. It was the Final Fantasy-style piano melody that had begun the soundtrack that had eventually become a booming fight song.
This time it was softer, slower and more reverent, accompanied by a lush, rising swell of sweet sound that surrounded the piano and flowed around it as it rose. The piano danced and then fell in a slow cascade of rich bass notes. The pool began to shimmer with opalescent waves of colour, the music rising in volume, the colours shifting and roiling as an object began to emerge. As the multi-hued liquid fell away, it revealed another wooden box. It too was small, but square and about the size of two shoe boxes side by side. This one was not plain, however. Instead it was red and lacquered and gleaming beneath the eerie blue light of the chamber. It had intricate, elaborate engravings flowing around its edges in a language I couldn’t identify, which surrounded a breathtakingly lifelike carving of an oak tree. The tree’s tiny wooden leaves even rustled softly in an invisible breeze, rippling across the top of the box and causing my breath to catch in my chest.
The case alone was easily one of the most beautiful pieces of woodworking I’d ever seen; like something right out of Rivendell. I examined it and the HUD identified it as “Divine Chest, awarded by fan vote for the achievement “Introducing...God!” I took a deep breath and reached down to slowly, reverently lift the lid. There was no latch, the carved lid simply lifted upward on hinges. I opened it fully and stared down silently for a very long moment.
I wasn’t sure if I should laugh. I wasn’t sure if I was being mocked, or if someone had read my mind. It was like someone had been listening to my thoughts when I sat against that tree after the Embermantle encounter, alone and desperate and vowing to embrace a persona I could wear like armour. I needed something to put between myself and the raging violence that was sure to come. I needed a way to put Luck on like a mask, I had thought.
What regarded me from the inside of the beautifully crafted wooden box was just that: a painted wooden mask. And it looked pretty fucking scary. It was bone white with two downward-angled black slashes for eye slits. There was no nose or mouth. It was convex to fit the face, and a single seam ran between the eyes, directly down its centre. Each eye slit was bisected by a vertical blood-red straight slash that ran the whole length of the mask. The mask itself tapered down into a sharp point that would end just below the wearer’s chin. It was like a cross between a pagan ritual mask and the helmet of a god-damned Sith Lord. It looked fucking evil. Like, red-lightsaber-spiller-of-innocent-blood evil.
“So much for robin hood-style folk hero vibes,” I muttered as I gazed down at the strange mask. “This shit is going to play like I’m an assassin sent to exact vengeance on behalf of a blood-cult.” I paused, then after a moment’s consideration I added, “Well, I guess there are certain benefits to being scary as fuck,” I reached down to lift the mask from the box. When I touched it I could feel…power coursing through it. It was a bizarre sensation, like I could sense an immense river flowing right below the mask’s surface.
A shiver ran down my spine at the strangeness of it, and the feeling didn’t abate as I held the mask, only became slightly less insistent. I examined the mask with the HUD and was met with a literal page of text. “Wow,” I said as my eyes tried to take it all in. The description was accompanied by the dark-chocolate tones of Vedict’Atohl, the creepy stalker-god. This time the voice came from outside my head, resonating all around me and filling the Shrine with his rich, too-close-to-my-ear British oration. I assumed this change was for the benefit of the audience.The voice said:
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Smokeshadow’s War Mask of the Oaken Grove
During the 909th Solar Revolution, a war raged between Man and Elf over the lands of Upper Antellion. As the elves were pushed back by the combined forces of the human Army of Seven Nations, they encroached upon those lands called home by the Dryads of the Emerald Expanse. Within their territory was the Mothertree herself, in her Oaken Grove said to be the birthplace of all Dryads. Fierce defenders of their lands, the Dryads fought against the intrusions of Human and Elf alike. Among the Grove’s most ardent defenders was Smokeshadow, a dryad of unsurpassed beauty and peerless martial prowess. In her youth, Smokeshadow was captured alongside several of her sisters and sold into slavery by the Antelli. There, among the humans, her beauty became a terrible curse.
After suffering a long and cruel captivity punctuated by the depravity of her captors, Smokeshadow finally killed those who had enslaved her and escaped. Upon her return to the sacred Grove, she sank to her knees and wept in rage and sorrow before the Mothertree. She raised the twin long knives she carried, and sought to turn them upon herself, forever scarring her face so that she need never suffer the depraved desires of mortal savages again.The Mothertree sought to ease Smokeshadow’s suffering, but could not bring herself to see her daughter’s singular beauty destroyed. Thus, she denied Smokeshadow’s bitter request. Instead, she gifted her with a painted war mask crafted from the wood of the great tree itself, imbued with the potent magics of the goddess and her grove. From that point forward, trespassers into the Oaken Grove would be met by this menacing visage, which was often the last thing they saw.
This is a Divine Item
This is a Priceless Item (it may not be sold or traded)
It may be looted upon the bearer’s death
When worn, this mask grants the following benefits:
+10% Dexterity
+5% Constitution
+10% Movement Speed
Nightvision up to 20 metres
When worn, this mask grants the wearer Unobstructed Vision: clothing or equipment worn by the user, including this mask, that would otherwise obstruct their vision instead appears to the wearer as transparent. Magical effects that would blind the user or otherwise obstruct their vision, such as Radiant Burst, Nightfall or the Roiling Fog spells have no effect on the wearer.
When worn, this mask grants the wearer Unobstructed Speech: clothing or equipment worn by the user, including this mask, does not obstruct speech or the recital of magical incantations. Spells and magical effects that would silence the wearer or otherwise obstruct their speech have no effect on the wearer.
When worn, the user may command this mask to shift between three different patterns, each of which provides unique benefits. They are:
War Mask of the Oaken Grove: +10 to Stealth Skill, +10 to Cunning Strike Skill, +25% damage vs. Humanoids. For every successful strike against a target made while wearing the war mask, the user gains a stacking 2% chance to inflict the Fear condition.
Mask of the Great Hunt: +10 to Stealth Skill, +10 to Tracking Skill, +25% damage while engaged in combat in forests or other natural environments, such as mountains, deserts, or tundra. Permanently grants wearer Level 5 proficiency with Spears and Bows, regardless of class weapon restrictions. Successful strikes made with spears and bows while wearing this mask have a 5% chance to inflict the Paralysis condition.
Mask of the Treetop Dancer: +25% dexterity, +10 to Balance, +5 to the Dodge Skill, +5 to the Jump skill. Grants the wearer the unique skill Double Jump. Grants the Free Movement buff: user is unaffected by magical effects that would entangle, slow or otherwise bind a target.
“...Holy shit,” I said, and the words reverberated and hung in the air within the dimly lit stone chamber. Before I could say more, the mask’s case, sitting on the surface of the shimmering liquid, began to descend back into the pool, and I snatched it up before it could disappear.
I didn’t even have time to process the power or implications of the mask before the tall, robed Priestess gestured again, and the majestic music and lighting effects returned, the pool glowing and swirling and radiant. Once again something rose slowly upward from the pool, the liquid sliding away to reveal a tiny box about the size of a ring box. It was square with hard angles, and appeared to be made of silver or steel. As I examined it, the HUD read:
Divine Chest - awarded by fan vote for unlocking the achievement “Godsmacked!”
I reached down and picked up the metal box and looked at it closely. It was ornate with small decorative swirls that adorned the four corners of the box, with a strange symbol in relief on the top. It was a four-legged creature with squat legs, a small snout, a short pointed tail, and dark fur with a wide patch of white running down its back. It’s head was turned as though looking back over its shoulder with fangs bared. It had a single red ruby for an eye. It looked like a badger.
“No way,” I said with a small laugh. I recognized it; it was a Honey Badger. I plucked at the small lid and lifted it. Within was a shining silver ring with a wide band and a large square polished black stone, maybe onyx or obsidian. Inset into the black stone itself was the same ruby red eye as the one on the ring box, looking menacing and just generally pissed off. The ring seemed to glow gently, pulsing a slow red. The small golden circle of my hud blinked into existence as I examined it. This time the description was in the voice of Meta-Me, which always freaked me out. Subtitles accompanied my weird-ass counterpart, and it read:
Kinnion the Unbroken’s Ring of the Honey Badger
Nothing quite screams defiance in the face of insurmountable odds like the indomitable will of the Honey Badger. A solitary creature that can be found in the savannah on most Deviations, this diminutive psycho is like a miniature Viking Berserker on PCP. Through sheer tenacity, this furry little hurricane of teeth and claws routinely defends itself from opponents many times its own size, making it a symbol of raging audacity and unrelenting perseverance. For this reason the Silosian god of rebellion and discontent, Kinnion the Unbroken, took the Honey Badger as his sign.
Nearly indestructible due to its weird, squirmy, furry hide, the Honey Badger doesn’t care if you’re a King Cobra; it doesn’t care if you’re a hyena; it doesn’t even care if you’re an entire pride of god-damned lions. It will fight anything, anywhere, anytime. This crazy bastard does not give a fuck. It doesn’t give One. Single. Fuck.
This is a divine item
This is a priceless item (it may not be traded or sold)
It may be looted upon the wearer’s death
When worn, this ring grants the following benefits:
+10 Constitution
+5 to the Melee Combat Skill
+2 to Armour Rating
Resistance to Poison, Paralysis, Sleep, Stun and Slow
Once per day, if the bearer’s health is reduced below 15%, the Batshit Crazy buff activates. If the attack that triggered the buff would otherwise prove fatal, the bearer’s health is instead reduced to 1 hit point, and the buff activates. If the bearer is healed above the 15% hit point threshold while the buff is active, it remains in effect.
Note: When activated, the bearer must attack the target that struck the triggering blow until that target is killed or the buff times out. If the target is killed before the timer ends, the bearer may select new targets.
The Batshit Crazy buff has the following effects, lasting 60 seconds:
All previously listed resistances become immunities
+20% movement speed
+75% Damage reduction
+25% damage when outnumbered, or when opponents are of a higher level, or larger in size than the bearer
Awed, I slipped the ring onto the index finger of my right hand, and it slid on easily, constricting just slightly to fit my finger snugly. It was heavy, and I could feel a slowly pulsing warmth that rose and fell in time with the faint glowing red aura that centred on the ruby eye. I could feel the change in my body as my constitution more than doubled from 7 to 17. When I added the effects of the Mark, it was a stunning 23. I felt good. Really good. Better than I had in years, maybe ever.
Back on Earth, I had been pretty terrible at self-care. My frame was slightly larger than a swimmer’s would be, and I had always held the kind of wiry, corded muscle of a more slender physique. But, I was shitty at taking care of myself, and my diet consisted mostly of coffee. But even now, my physique was gently filling out, my back straightening, my shoulders slowly easing back as muscle swelled and tightened. I realised as this change overcame me that I felt stronger too - another benefit of the Mark that I hadn’t even had time to process amidst all the chaos of the past two days. There had been nothing to test it yet, so it hadn’t even crossed my mind, but even the 5 point strength increase from the crappy deer’s mark probably made me stronger than I had ever been in my life. That wasn’t to say I was suddenly bulging with muscle, but I felt considerably more fit.
I took a deep breath as the sensation of general good health washed over me, a sensation like I hadn’t known in as long as I could remember. I took a deep breath, then closed my eyes as I slowly released it and basked in the sensation of simple fucking wellness. Jesus, I thought ruefully. Is this what healthy people feel like all the time? I pushed the uncomfortable thought away, and my mind returned to the overpowered death mask I’d just received.
“Hey Sage?” I asked out loud. “The lore behind this mask…was Smokeshadow real?” My voice sounded low and resonant, echoing gently off the stone walls. “Is that story true?” When she replied, Sage seemed to understand that I wanted the audience to hear this. That the answer was important. Sage too spoke aloud.
Would you like to hear more about her?
“Yeah, I think I would,” I said, and for a reason I couldn’t explain, I wanted the people watching this to know this woman I’d never met; this angry, broken woman who had fought through slavery and war. She had lived a life of strife and agony and undoubtedly crippling trauma, and she did so on a world that they had made just so they could watch. They needed to own that, even if most of them missed the point. Sage began:
Smokeshadow was a real, historical figure. She was a Non Player Character, a dryad, that lived during the early 900’s. She spent six years as a slave among the Antelli - the direct forebears of the humans who now populate United Antellion. Hers is a story that began and ended in tragedy.
After escaping slavery, she proved to be a warrior of shocking skill. The hatred she bore towards her enemies was a potent motivator, and she was soon feared as an unrelenting killer. She played a major role in ending the war between Humans and Elves, though not through seeking peace. She achieved this through attrition and assassination. She and her sisters made the cost for occupying the Expanse so high that neither side was willing to pay it. The Unproven fought for both the humans and elves during the war - it was the culmination of the season’s story arc. The dryads, however, were entirely made up of Non Player Characters. They were not initially considered a force of any consequence, and their successes threatened to upend the climax of the war, causing an outcry among players and the audience alike. I listened intently, standing still, gazing at the mask. She went on.
More than anything, it was Smokeshadow’s prowess that infuriated those who had a vested interest in the outcome of the war. She was thought to be unsurpassed in single combat, but a top player sought to test himself against her. She was challenged to a duel by a Gaian Professional - an extraordinarily talented and popular player not unlike one of Earth’s professional athletes. During this particular season, all the players were Professionals; actors, in a sense. The player’s name was Ardentium, and he had sided with the Antelli in the conflict. He was considered the preeminent swordsman among all the players that season. He was a Paladin with a class specialisation known as an Antelli Sword Saint. He bore a longsword called Sky Render, a Divine blade gifted by the Godhead himself, Vedict’Atohl. The sword was blessed and enchanted to be so sharp as to cut through anything, or anyone.
The duel is remembered as one of the most anticipated and viewed in the production’s history. It’s said that Smokeshadow fought like a dancer possessed by a demon, and the Paladin met her head on. Unable to gain a decisive advantage, Ardentium famously removed his helmet during the final minutes of the duel and declared that he wouldn’t kill the dryad, rather he would take her alive as his slave; as his ‘reward’. He began reciting, in no uncertain terms, all that he would do to the dryad when she fell. Many believe Ardentium meant to follow through on every threat, but others say his words were just as fueled by cunning as by lust.
Servitude at the hands of her depraved Antelli masters had been Smokeshadow’s greatest shame, and It’s said that her hatred and outrage blinded her in her final moments. She attacked with a singular ferocity, but in her rage she left an opening in her defences the Paladin was finally able to exploit. She was badly wounded by the divine blade, though not fatally. At sword-point Ardentium offered to spare her in exchange for her submission before all the gods. Unbroken by defeat, Smokeshadow removed her infamous mask. She revealed the truth of her staggering beauty for the last time. She spoke softly and regarded him with eyes too beautiful to be filled with such black hatred: “Look upon that which I deny you, human. If my last act is to take away that which you most desire, then I die happy.” She then spat blood in the Paladin’s face, and impaled herself on his blade.
After a long moment of silence, Sage added, almost apologetically, …It’s quite the legend. For many years, the holo-rec for the duel remained one of the top selling recordings in the production’s history. The tale has faded under the weight of history, but the return of her mask is ominous.
I swear the Advisor’s voice had actually become emotional as she finished the elaborate story of Smokeshadow’s downfall. Sage had gone into full-on storytelling mode, using language that sounded almost like the lore text written by the showrunners. I guessed she was doing it for the audience’s benefit, but she was decidedly less…clinical.
She spoke in my mind then, and her voice was soft and careful. I sense the hands of the Showrunners in this, Luck. It may be a planned plot point, intended for the first recipient of a Divine-level reward. Storylines are part of the program, and this may be intended to draw us in.
“If it has to do with this mask, we might already be on rails,” I said internally. “All we can do is be careful and take it as it comes.”
I looked down at the dryad assassin’s mask, staring up at me with its unblinking, murderous intent. I tried to grasp the history that coursed through the object; all the emotions that had stormed and raged behind those jagged, black, anonymous eyes. I wondered how many times this mask had been the literal face of death. I looked up towards the ceiling. “You know, I hate Paladins. Those guys are always such self-righteous, sanctimonious assholes. They can kiss my shady rogue ass.”
I lifted the mask from its box, and I was immediately struck by the feeling of…power. It was surging there, a torrent of energy shaped into…purpose. “Smokeshadow must have been a serious badass,” I said quietly. “I’ll take it from here. It won’t be wasted. This is my war now.” I closed the box’s lid and added it to my inventory.
I took a slow breath and looked down at the painted wood. I regarded those slashes, blood red and cutting down through the black eyes, bisecting their unrelenting gaze. I turned it over and slowly lifted the mask to my face. It had no strap, no way to fasten it, but as it touched my face it seemed to snap gently into place, and held there like a second skin. In spite of a lack of a mouth, or nose, my senses and my breath remained unimpeded. Then, to my eyes, the mask became transparent, and I could see as though I wore nothing at all. I could feel it there, an unmistakable presence due to the river of power that ran just below its surface. I looked down to see it reflected in the veil basin. It was haunting.
I equipped my black leather armour and cloak, then pulled the hood up over my head. I knew the audience would be looking into the unblinking stare of a hooded and cloaked pagan-sith assassin, and part of me wanted to laugh. Like it was Halloween. Like I wasn’t about to become a killer. I shook it off; It was time to get into character, I knew. I was already in costume; in killing costume. Time for the show to begin.
I looked up again, right into the eyes of an audience of over a million god-damned bloodthirsty human beings, and for the first time, I really became Luck. I gave the ravenous masses my best thousand-yard stare, and I spoke low and dark, just quietly enough to force the audience to listen more intently.
“I understand many of you gamble significant amounts of money on this game. Naturally, you’ll all want to increase your wealth,” I said reasonably. “If that’s the case, you bloodthirsty bastards will want to bet on me.”
I let the words hang, then decided that even a half-assed protagonist like me required some enemies. “I’m going to win, so be careful where you put your money. If some prick like Ardentium is the kind of repulsive shitstain you want to see win, then consider this a warning: You’re about to be very fucking disappointed.” I descended the steps and let the feed die. That should piss off a few people “Sage?” I said internally as I turned to leave the Shrine.
Yes, Luck?
“Let’s make that our first post.” I said, and I swear I heard her sigh.