Three screens each displaying a different individual held The Game Master’s attention. Originally the slime wasn’t of interest to him. But that all changed when she killed the assassin chasing after Rina. Not only was she resilient and determined, she had a connection to an entity that should not have been able to contact the slime.
There was something odd about that kraken. Whatever she did, opened a hole permitting him to peek at what was happening inside the Soul Nexus. The kraken was already a powerful demi-god in her world, a world where Killa was rather low on the power level. If Killa had made it to Rina’s homeworld, she would’ve been an apocalyptic event, potentially erasing all humanity. He was glad she was Rina’s friend.
Nyxnthix, now Nyx, had become trapped in a whole new way. The Game Master wasn’t sure how he felt about it. It was a new player in the grand scheme. But was that a player he could permit? There was some poetic justice to her predicament. Before, the assassin was only concerned with killing Rina and then would die to flee the place. All he wanted for the assassin was to use it to give Rina a bit of a helping hand.
“But does the Soul Nexus know that I was the one pulling it out before it could be absorbed by it?” The Game Master mused to himself.
He took another sip of tea as he watched the vampire cleaving through a pack of other climbers with her impractically long katana. She had let her hunger get the better of her. Instead of finding monsters in dungeons, she hunts the other climbers, hoping to reach the top to get shards and levels. Now that she’s ignoring Rina, she has unwittingly become The Game Master’s backup plan.
Rina had progressed so much. He gave her a leg up on the competition by infusing her with the tiniest aspect of himself, and she was using it. The entity, Orange, had established itself as an AI for Rina to navigate her system much easier and expand it for her. But Orange wasn’t a part of him anymore. It had grown into something else, and it was still growing.
A genuine smile grew on his face. “Just like Rina. She found a way to exceed my wildest expectations. I have no doubt now that she’ll succeed.” He leaned forward and eyed her screen even closer. “But what will you do when you learn the Soul Nexus created you, Rina?”
The Game Master poured himself another cup of tea and dumped two spoonfuls of sugar into the brew. He leaned back and settled himself more comfortably. “We all have made mistakes and have things we regret.”
He continued watching Rina and her new friend Shadara spend their days attacking different undead camps. They were gaining levels quite quickly. Unfortunately, Nyx killed hundreds on her way to the next floor while the slime enjoyed her time relaxing before reading the sphinx stories to go to the next floor.
It was interesting. Nyx recognized the slime and followed after her through the gateway to the fifth floor without her knowing until they appeared on the next floor together.
Before he could watch the confrontation, there was a knock on his door. He stood up from his desk, waved the screens black, and held his cup as the room became the dining room in which he greeted guests. As the room finished its transmogrification, he sat at the far side of the table and waved his hand to open the door.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
In walked The Broker. A black-and-white checkered suit danced at the whims of a lanky, near-formless being of darkness. Where one would think to see skin, there was nothing more than a light-consuming darkness surrounded by an otherworldly outline that was impossible to describe. The more you looked at it, the harder it was to see.
In his “hand” was an ornate cane that clicked on the tile. A solid gold serpent with ruby eyes swallowing its own tail formed the handle and cradled a round, brilliantly cut diamond. The slender shaft was glistening silver, etched with meticulous engravings of unimaginable creatures while clutching onto the base of the diamond.
The Game Master kept an eye on the cane. The power flowing from it told the story that the cane was who The Broker really was. The puppet carrying it around was more for show. But he was one of the few who knew that truth, and he wasn’t about to let The Broker know that he knew about the phylactery.
“Aren’t you an active one?” The Broker’s hypnotic voice held back none of his amusement. “For someone who’s supposed to be on vacation, you look like you’re working.”
The Game Master placed his cup on the saucer in front of him. “For someone who’s supposedly supposed to be a recluse unless called, you’re visiting uninvited.”
The Broker let out an obviously fake laugh before leaning forward and dropping his voice. “Cute.”
The Game Master arched an eyebrow, unimpressed by The Broker’s attempt at humor. “What brings you here, Broker? I highly doubt it’s for a social call.”
The Broker’s leaned in closer, his arm resting on the back of a chair. “You know me, always eager to stir the pot a little, especially when there’s something interesting brewing in your little experiment.”
The Game Master raised his other eyebrow. “Your insatiable curiosity brought you here?”
The Broker chuckled softly, tapping his cane against the floor in a rhythmic pattern. “Oh, just a little bird told me about something intriguing. Something about a certain slime making waves, a vampire with a penchant for chaos,” he stopped tapping his cane and whispered, “and an artificial soul.”
The Game Master’s neck tensed. So he grabbed his cup of tea and drank it to hide his twitching. “I fail to see how any of that concerns you, Broker. My affairs are my own.”
The Broker lulled his head forward. “Ah, as closed off as ever. Fine, you got me. I want something from you.”
There was a substantial pause as The Game Master slowly returned the cup to the table. Finally, he spoke, his voice flat. “What do you want, Broker?”
The Broker spun a chair out and sat in it as he kicked his feet up on the table. “See? I knew you’d be a bargaining individual. But don’t fret. It’s nothing too extravagant, just a small favor. You see, I want you to build me one of your patented systems.”
The Game Master’s gaze hardened. “And what makes you think I would be willing to?”
The Broker’s smile never wavered as he leaned back in his chair, swirling his cane in a lazy circle. “Because, Game Master, we both know that cooperation is far more beneficial than conflict. Besides, it wouldn’t do for our little arrangement to sour over such trivial matters, now would it?”
The Broker placed his cane in his lap and folded his hands over it. “Now, I’ll not tell anyone of the little mess you’re trying to clean up and keep any interested eyes pulled away for a time. I know you built a system recently for The Judge. Build me exactly what you did for him, only better.”
The Game Master shook his head. “One system is never truly better than another. They serve different purposes. And like all my systems, they will be balanced. No cheating.”
“Fair enough,” The Broker said. “Shall we then make something unique?”
“Fine,” The Game Master sighed.