Chapter Two: An Unwanted Ally
The voice called her again, and her name echoed in the air. The Ichthyoid responded with guttural roars and charged ahead even faster. The spider took advantage of the fact that she was faster than the invaders and that they had their backs turned to her. She could hardly help herself. No predator could resist an exposed back.
It was a primal and ancient drive for hunters to strike at an exposed backside. Before she even realized what she was doing, she had leapt onto the spine of one of the trailing assassins and driven her fangs deep into the back of its neck, efficiently severing the spinal cord in one go. The creature's legs went out from under it instantly, losing ninety percent of its Health points in a second. Clackhissis noted the flash of a notification informing her of a successful backstab and critical hit, but she ignored it as the remaining ten percent of the Icthyoid's health vanished as she sucked its lifeblood from its throbbing blood vessels. The beast's life fluid left an odd aftertaste in her mouth, a taste that was not her liking. She spit it out in a spray as she rejoined the chase. Truly, these were foul creatures that deserved to die.
She continued until the Icthyoid stopped and formed a semi-circle around a solitary human. The manling was dressed in dark armor carved with designs of various monsters; his pauldrons looked like dragon heads that faced away from him. His gauntlets had a batwing design on the back of his hands, and his fingers were shaped like claws or talons. His helmet was a stygian black tone traced with golden designs that flowed around his eyes, and a swooping metal blade projected from his forehead for about a foot's length, but that did not catch her attention as much as the spider that adorned his breastplate. It was her. She was dropping from a strand of silk with her legs outstretched as if she were about to grab some unsuspecting prey. There was no doubt that the graven image was of her. No other spider in the realm looked like her; she was a species all unto herself now. The appearance of the representation of herself caused the arachnid to freeze in place. She had not expected this. Why would a manling bear her image? Hu-mans hated spider-kin on an instinctual level, and rightly so. Spiders should be feared, not idolized.
The Ichthyoid startled the man-thing, as he had not been expecting them, but he managed to draw his sword. As he did, it lit with a crimson flame that snaked around the blade and fluttered in the wind. The sword guard, Clackhissis noted, was designed to look like a spider's legs entwining the hand holding the hilt; the pommel had the appearance of a pair of mandibles. The burning blade suddenly flared into a brilliant light after the man mumbled something, the glare blinding the Icthyoid where they stood. Even Clackhissis, who was some distance away, had spots dancing before her eyes.
"Where is Clackhissis," he demanded of the gray-skinned killers. “Where is the Death’s Head spider, champion of Kaali?” His voice was strong and unafraid, and he faced them stoically. He even turned his head slightly from side to side to ensure that no more of the creatures before him crept up from behind and caught him unawares.
He took a step closer, and the spider nearly chittered a warning. The man-thing was right beside the first trap she had set. He was the only one in this area and was inches away from setting it off. One step and he would be ensnared. She debated on warning him but hesitated. She could not know if he was there to help her or if he was hunting her.
Regardless, what did she care if the two legs died? She could, she supposed, use his death as a distraction for the remaining six warriors. Or she could help him. Clackhissis weighed her options and decided to err on the side of caution and do nothing. If he wasn't prey, then he would survive. If he was, then he did not matter in the greater scheme of things. Ultimately, spiders were prudent creatures that allowed events to unfold while they waited patiently to see what would happen. Arachnids did not lure prey into their webs; the prey came to them. It was better to see what the hu-man was about before interceding.
"What have you done with Clackhissis," his gaze rolled over each of the creatures who edged closer. The initial shock of his appearance had worn off; Clackhissis realized that the Icthyoid's ability to see had once again returned by the looks on their faces and saw that he was utterly alone. Clackhissis bobbed up and down in anticipation. They had the pack mentality, and right now, their group thought it was little more than kill the human. The thought of them killing him excited her more than she would have liked to admit. She was not, after all, a fan of manlings. The hu-man stepped forward, and he triggered the surprise that she had intended for the invaders.
Without warning, a stone the size of a man's head whirled from the darkness and spun about the human's upper torso, pinning his arms to his sides. She had intended the trap to catch an Icthyoid around the thighs. Still, the human was far shorter than them and completely entangled him as the silk line attached to the rock spun around his body over and over again like a ballistic bola. The man was knocked from his feet when the stone struck his back. He let out a woof of air and fell face-first to the ground.
The assassins laughed as soon as they realized that he had trapped himself. The leader stepped forth and rolled the man over onto his back. He looked at the armored man, his head slightly tilted with a quizzical expression on his face. He then disregarded whatever he was thinking of and raised his axe in preparation for cleaving the man's head in twain.
Without thinking, the spider leapt reflexively; her targets had their backs to her, and she took advantage of their ignorance by sailing over them and landing before them in a manner better than a cat could ever have dreamt. She cast Impact Webbing on three of the Icthyoid lackeys and managed to ensnare them before they could move. She then used another of her new abilities, Acidic Venom, and sprayed the invader's leader in his eyes.
^
Skill: Acidic Venom
Spit a fierce stream of acid-enhanced venom that causes damage and temporarily blinds the target. As your proficiency increases, both damage and the duration of blindness increase. Proficiency will adjust according to usage and success. Acidic Venom also has a chance of confusing at higher levels—your target may become panicked and start randomly attacking friendly forces. The acid damages fot 25 to 50 hit points, Blindness, duration 15 seconds, 10% chance to cause Confusion for 30 seconds.
Essence Cost: 55
Active/Passive: Active, two seconds to activate
Range: 10 Yards (Line of Sight)
Trigger: Be within range of the target
Cooldown: ½ an hour
^
Without slowing, she spun about and tackled a lone warrior. She did not have time to do more than give him a shallow bite before his companion had managed to swing his blade at her. She dodged to the right of the downward blow, and the creature hacked off its companion's left hand. She saw HP draining slowly from the leader; the poison was burning him, and he'd been blinded as well. The other three trapped in her web were still hale and hearty and were waiting for the timer to run down so that they could spring back into action.
She knew that she had to move swiftly. Her best hope was to free the manling and hope that he would help her battle the assassins. If she had presumed wrong, then she would be the one never to see another sunrise. This new plan had run through her mind for several seconds, and she hoped that she had not misjudged the human and his reason for being here.
She was fast for her size, that of a small pony, but with about half of the mass. Still, it was enough to knock the Icthyoid leader to his knees as Clackhissis passed him on her way to the man. Clearly, the human was insane because he was smiling as she approached. Even the smallest of her people was enough to instill fear within even the most steadfast human heart, and this fool was smiling at her. She did not pause as she simply ran the tip of her razor-sharp leg across her silk thread that had entangled him as she skittered by slashing through it as a knife cut through the air.
She gave him credit since the second he was free, his blade had found its way into his hand. He was beside her as she charged the three still entangled in her web of shadows. He went left as she went right, and they each attacked the Icthyoid on their side, leaving the middle one for later. The man jumped an impressive distance and arced his sword between the invader's neck and shoulder; he cleaved a solid gash from his point of impact all the way down to the creature's stomach. As far as his sword was concerned, the beast might as well not have been wearing armor. Then the human fell into the writhing webs and became as trapped as the filth he had just slain.
Clackhissis's leap was so fast that the second Icthyoid hadn't time to ready his blade. She drove her two forelegs into its chest as her lower legs slashed downwards from his stomach. Intestines and bowels dropped as his Health points vanished most satisfactorily. Her umbral web dissipated as the body collapsed to the earth. The third invader was not as slow as his brothers had been and swung his sword at Clackhissis. Her rear left leg caught the brunt of it and was neatly severed just below her patella. She shrieked in anger and whirled upon the beastling but stopped when she saw a familiar stygian blade protruding from the Icthyoid's chest. The human had skewered it when it had turned to strike her. The creature's lifeless body hit the ground with a thud, and the man gave her a nod and then looked back at the remaining three Icthyoids.
The leader regained his senses but lost about forty percent of his HP. His eyes were swollen and filled with tears, but something told Clackhissis that he was not as helpless as he seemed. The one she had bitten was sluggish and could barely hold its blade up while its compatriot eyed them wearily. Their number had been cut in half in mere moments, and all the spider had to show for the effort was one injured leg.
The man stepped forward, looked at her, and said, "I’ll handle these two if you can take out the big fella.” She chittered an agreement. The man raised his sword over his head and screamed, “For Kaali!”
His battle cry shocked Clackhissis. Why would a man-thing call to Kaali? She was surprised, but not enough to stop her from squaring off against her opponent. She had to think. She did not relish a straightforward encounter with this being. She knew it was potent, her venom would have killed many creatures ere now, and the fact that he had lost less than half his Health points to it was a testament to his strength and vitality. She preferred taking her foes by surprise and from behind if possible, but that would not be the case here. She had no choice but to face him head-on.
Something stirred in her heart. It was a challenge that she could not refuse. She had to prove herself as the ultimate predator. Clackhissis could not brook this affront to her territory. She would not stand the audacity that the Icthyoid exhibited in facing her. Suddenly, all thoughts of her using guerilla tactics had fled her mind. She could kill this thing before straight up one one-on-one; there would be no games, and she would not toy with the vile thing. She stilled herself and looked at the thing before her. He was injured far worse than she was. His vision was impaired, as was his breathing. The venom had done its work very well.
She could hear grunting and the clanging of metal to her right, but it barely registered with her. Her whole universe was the ax-wielding interloper that had so foolishly challenged her. She could see now that he was waiting for her to make the first move. She edged forward, and he took an equal step back.
Clackhissis knew that her opponent was more than likely more muscular than she was, but she realized she did not need to beat him in a battle of strength. Every battle was won or lost in the mind, and while she was locked physically into this fight, that did not preclude her from using her intellect to slay him. Speed would win out over brawn if applied wisely, and she knew she had him in that instant. Naturally, it would be risky if she was too slow or he was faster than she thought. She would have opened herself to her doom if that were the case. By her calculations, she had just enough Essence remaining to do what she needed.
She only gave herself a count of two and then lunged forward to the right of the leader. Then she pulled herself back in the space of time that a human would term an eye blink. The leader of the Icthyoid took the bait and swung his axe where she had been; his timing was off, but it was still fast enough that she felt the bladed whip by her as it struck out.
Without thought, she leapt again, this time embracing the leader with her legs. She then fired a silk line into the sky from her spinnerets until it was about thirty feet in the air. Clackhissis then channeled her Essence into her dragline. The Essence then infused the silk with energy, and she was yanked skyward as if a giant had grabbed ahold of her. She had activated her most recently acquired ability, Ballooning.
^
Skill: Ballooning
The Patchwork Weaver rises into the air like a balloon by releasing a dragline and infusing it with essence; the caster will rise straight up into the air for a distance of one hundred feet per level of this ability. The rate of climb is ten feet per second. The caster may lower themselves at will at a rate up to but not exceeding terminal velocity. Extra Essence may be used to guide the direction of the caster’s movement at 2 points per change in direction.
Essence Cost: 75 Essence
Active/Passive: Active, lasts for one minute per level of ability
Range: Self
Trigger: Release silk line into the air; takes 5 Seconds
Cooldown: 1 hour
^
The pair rose rapidly. The Ichthyoid leader kicked and thrashed to free himself, but Clackhissis’s grasp was firm and unbudging. Once she had estimated that they had risen at least one hundred feet in the air, she channeled the Essence to move her away from any trees so that all that was below them were the bare stones of the escarpment. Realizing her plan, the leader looked her in the face and grumbled. He showed no sign of fear, his face stoic, barely registering the resignation that he felt regarding his fate. A moment later, she released him, and he plummeted to the rocky terrain below. Admirably, he made to grab her as he dropped, but he missed her limbs and shrank from the spider’s view as he approached the ground. Clackhissis could not hear the sound that his impact made and respected the fact that he had not uttered a sound as he fell.
She stopped pumping her Essence into her dragline, and she gradually descended. Her eyes caught sight of the manling, and she could see the human had killed his enemies and remained unhurt. He stood watching her slowly drop from the sky. Her Essence depleted when she was about five feet from the ground, but that was a fall she could handle. Clackhissis dropped silently to the rocky terrain as gracefully as a ballerina and approached the manling.
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The man looked her over and saw her wounded leg. He removed his helmet and set it on the ground as he stepped toward her. Clackhissis edged away from the hu-man. He was more than close enough in her estimation for them to communicate safely.
He held out his right-hand fingers spread, and said, “Kaali, I call upon you to help me heal this monster. Give your humble servant your strength that I might aid Clackhissis in her time of need.” With that, his hand began to glow a verdant green, and a wash of warmth flowed across Clackhissis’s body. She recoiled, fearing some deception, but she reassessed her thoughts on the manling as her leg tingled and regrew in seconds. She would have needed to molt to do that on her own. He had wholly healed her in moments.
She forced herself to use the human tongue, as alien as it was for her to do so. She could easily communicate with other monstrous animals, but the human speech was difficult for her to produce. “How?” Her voice was a soft barking chirp and was not what the man had expected.
“I am a Game Warden. I follow the path of the great god Kaali,” he said with a grin.
Clackhissis’s body vibrated, “Lies,” she chirped. “You are human. Kaali is for creatures like me, the ones that you call monsters.”
He nodded. “That’s true,” he said, still grinning, “but I’m what you call a special case. I actively petitioned Kaali to be my patron.” He paused and looked to the sky, “Like you, he was skeptical at first, but I proved my sincerity through a series of quests for him.” The manling sat on the ground across from Clackhissis Indian style. “The last of which I just recently completed. My success proved my sincerity, and I am now his only human follower.”
Her chelicerae clacked out a soft, “Why?”
He laughed, “Because I love what you call monsters. I always have. I’ve been a monster fanatic since before I could walk. That’s the truth of it. Monsters fascinate me.” He sheathed his sword and removed his gauntlets. “Now that I have completed my trials, he has sent me here to help you, his chosen one. I know what it is that he wants you to do.”
“And what is that?” Not that his healing hadn’t made her trust him a little, but she still had a long way to go before she would take a two-leg’s word at face value. She still saw him as prey and desperately wanted to drain him of his fluids. The only thing stopping her was the thought that he might be an agent of her god.
He wiped the sweat from his face and took a deep breath. “Can’t tell you that just yet, but I can tell you that your days of watching over me,” he made a face with his tongue sticking out and rolled his eyes, “Are over. He was pretty clear on that fact. “Clackhissis, you have a large role to play if we are to survive this invasion.” He reached into a pouch, withdrew an apple, and took a huge bite. He chewed through a mouthful of fruit and did his best Ed Sullivan imitation. “A really big role.”
Clackhissis listened, but things did not make sense to her. Why wouldn’t Kaali talk to her directly? He had done so in the past. Why would he use a human to convey his message? In fact, why would he empower a human with his divinity? “Who are you,” she asked curiously.
“I’m a player, er, Gamer,” he quickly amended, “I’ve always preferred to play solo.” He squinted his eyes, “See, I’ve never really been a people person, not even as a kid. I preferred to be by myself and read or watch movies about monsters.” Clackhissis stared at him. She had no idea of what he was talking about, and she could see by the look on his face that he realized that. “Uh, movies are like books that you can . . . um, do you even know what books are,” he asked.
Clackhissis hissed and then chittered, “I have seen them. I know their purpose. I cannot use them. I only know that the bipeds look at them to know things.”
The Game Warden nodded, “Yes, books convey knowledge, but where I am from, they also tell stories. Stories of faraway lands, different cultures, and wonderful beings, such as yourself.”
Clackhissis clacked her cheleate, “These stories tell you how to hunt and kill?”
“What? No, no,” he said quickly. “They are made up, pretend, not real at all. They are made only for enjoyment.”
Again, the spider hissed, “Then books are useless.” She was bored with this man now. She had to decide whether she would kill him or leave him. She studied him carefully. Unlike many of his race, he did not seem disturbed by her presence. He did not lean away from her, nor did he look above her or off to the side. He stared directly at her as he spoke, and his gaze never wavered from her eyes. Most men would have watched her fangs or her legs, but he concentrated on her. It was most unnatural. She could respect his courage. He did not act like prey, so she decided she would not treat him as such. Perhaps what he had said was true, but it did not matter. She turned to leave.
“Wait,” he said with panic in his voice. The panic tugged at The spider’s kill sense. That was a sign of weakness. Fear, when one was not in danger, was something that only game experienced. She wondered if she shouldn’t drain him after all. The blood of the Icthyoid had not tasted good, and she was hungry.
The man smiled and visibly relaxed his stance. Again, Clackhissis was surprised that he was not afraid of her even now. She could not sense any hint of fear or trepidation within him. The fear she had sensed was from her act of leaving. He was calm, his breathing was steady, and his eyes were full of steel. This mortal was not a weak man. His demeanor eased her tensions, and she remained poised but did not strike. “I will tell you if you will listen to my story,” his voice was soft yet full of tempered strength.
Clackhissis stood down. He nodded to her and sat on a stone after kicking away the body of one of the Icthyoid warriors. He brushed his hands on his legs and began, “My name is Cushing, uh, Vincent Cushing, but I just go by Cushing now. I grew up in a place called Columbus, Ohio. You’ve never heard of it,’ he said as he waved his hand dismissively. “I was always an odd kid. I liked things that no one else was interested in: things like ghosts and monsters. I got that from my dad,” he said with a wan smile. “We were always watching creature features and monster movies. Hell, I had a huge collection of EC Comics that he had given me, and I liked those better than the superhero stuff they put out.” She tapped a leg impatiently.
“Anyway, I’ve always been fascinated by monsters. Horror made me get up in the morning and stay up late at night,” he said with a slight chuckle. “Darkest Knights is a world filled with monsters, creepy crawlies, and bogeymen. I knew before I ever entered that I wanted to be a monster. A vampire or wolfman, something along those lines, but those weren’t something they had programmed in as options,” he said with a hint of sadness tinged in his voice.
“I wanted to either be a monster or protect monsters somehow. The AI didn’t know how to respond to my odd racial request, and so it pulled Kaali in to chat with me. I had no idea what a god was; I still don’t, really,” he mumbled.
“I don’t know how long we talked, but he got a feel for who I was and what I wanted to do.” Cushing squatted down to be better able to face the arachnid. “He agreed to give me an opportunity, but it was a one-shot deal; either I succeeded or I missed it completely. There was no middle ground.”
“Regretfully,” he continued, “I had to pick a human for my race. No matter how much I begged, he would not let me be a goblin or troll. I chose to become a Wild human solely because that got me closer to your woods and you. The one place monsters still roamed free, and, more importantly, it was the place he wanted me to go. All he told me was that he would make a specialized class for me, but it was one I would have to discover and earn in stages.”
“I didn’t know anything about you,” he continued, “But if I had, I would have gone to see you as soon as I arrived in Ravankist; I think you are supposed to be my NPC since I didn’t get one like I’m supposed to. I could be way off on that, though.” He paused and took a drink from his canteen. Refreshed, he continued with his story, “I figured that if I couldn’t be a vampire or other such thing, then I’d just have to work for the guy who’d made them. Thankfully, he made me a deal. I think he needed someone like me, too. Strange things are afoot at the Circle K.” Clackhissis said nothing but was sure she understood what he was trying to say. Since her return to the world of light, she had learned about the “gamers” and how they had come from somewhere. . . else. It was not hard to understand or believe, after all, hadn’t she been reborn in the Realm of Monsters? Hadn’t Kaali reshaped her for his needs? Why would he not do the same to a lesser being, such as a hu-man?
He took another bite of his apple and chewed it slowly. “When I entered your world Kaali watched me. I had no idea, but he saw me helping monsters survive encounters with other gamers and even different Mobs. He saw that I’d been sincere, and it seemed that he liked the idea of a human protecting his children, children that the majority of my kind killed out of hand and without a second thought. So, he came to me and gave me three trials.
I underwent a trial of strength, a trial of blood, and a trial of fire. I completed the fire challenge a week ago, and that was when I was given my Game Warden class. It’s not my final class, but if I follow the tenants set down by Kaali, it will allow me to unlock my true potential. I can do things for monsters, such as healing and enhancing them; I can call upon them in times of need and a few other things, but my real strength lies in my sword.” He patted the blade that dangled from his waist.
He stood and drew the blade from its scabbard after he tossed his apple away. “I earned the blade in my trial of strength when I killed a steel golem. This sword is forged from its metal flesh. In the second trial, I was forced to fight a deadly beast with teeth like a chainsaw on steroids, which I then used to make my blade so sharp that it could cut through most armor as if they were not there. In the third trial, I had to claim the soul of a salamander to bring my blade to life. The flame that dances across my sword is its essence that was infused within the metal of the blade.” He slipped the sword back into its sheath. Unconsciously, he patted its hilt and then gave it an easy grip. His thumb gently caressed the end of the hilt in a slow circle.
Clackhissis scanned his weapon; now that he was talking about it, she was curious as to how he’d managed to blind their opponents earlier. She read its description
J=I===>
Unnamed Sword
Weapon: Longsword, Soul-Bonded
Requirement: Blade Skill: Sword
Base Damage: 100
Special Effects:
* 50 pts Fire Damage + (1.5 x Character Level)
* Under most circumstances, the blade cannot cut or burn the wielder.
* Strength Bonus = .5 x Character Level
* Constitution Bonus = .25 x Character Level
* +13% Fire Resistance
* +10% Damage to all Bladed Weapon attacks
* Hidden Ability: This ability has yet to be unlocked.
* Hidden Ability: This ability has yet to be unlocked.
Unlocked Effects:
* Going Nuclear: Once every 24 hours, The sword may transform its heat energy into a searing light that will blind any opponent that sees the burst for one full minute. This effect cannot be removed by any means other than timing out. Dragon’s Breath’s owner is unaffected by the burst. The resulting explosion of light will leave the blade cold and flameless for 10 minutes. This effect is triggered by the command words, “Nuke’em!”
* The Unnamed Sword’s blade may not be extinguished by normal means. The sword will burn underwater as well as in a vacuum. If extinguished via magical means, it can be reignited by infusing it with 10 points of Essence per level. Otherwise, it will relight after fifteen minutes. Dragon’s Breath’s flames are standard in all other respects.
* The weapon is Soulbound and cannot be used by anyone other than its creator. It may be passed on only if the forger, Cushing, is willing and receives 2000 Essence in return. The blade cannot be passed on while Cushing is under duress. Attempting to use Dragon’s Breath without proper transfer will result in 200 points of fire damage being applied every ten seconds by the unauthorized individual until they release the blade or die. Beings immune to fire suffer cutting damage instead.
J=I===>
“I didn’t realize it then, but as I forged the sword, I was making it in your image,” he looked at himself and pointed to the design on his chest, “A spider theme would not have been my first choice. I’m more of a wolfman or kaiju person, but that was Kaali subtly guiding me as I crafted my equipment.”
“What am I to do if what you say is true?” There was no denying that the weapon and armor reflected her form. She hadn’t seen it before, but the sword guard was not only spider legs, but the blade connected to, and the clawing limbs came from an abdomen. The cephalothorax bore an uncanny resemblance to her. As far as Clackhissis was concerned, it undoubtedly looked like she was guarding his hand.
Cushing looked pensive. “Beyond coming with me, I can’t say. I know that you are no longer needed to babysit me. The extent of my knowledge is that we are supposed to head north. North and east of Hellsingville to some sort of an active dungeon there. We’ll get further instructions along the way.”
The spider heard him. She was beginning to believe him. Still, she had questions that begged for answers, “How did you know where I was?”
He chuckled, “That one’s easy. Kaali told me where I’d find you after I completed my trial. It was a mini-quest. I’ve been after you for days.” He pulled a waterskin from his side and took another long drink. The walking and the exertion of battle had left him more parched than he’d realized.
“And you decided to announce yourself to the world by calling my name? Are you a fool? Do you seek death? Because that is something only a fool would do, manling. You not only announced your presence but revealed mine as well. If the Icthyoid were half as smart as they were strong, we’d both be dead right now.”
Cushing’s head dropped sheepishly, “I know,” he said, chagrined. “I wasn’t thinking. I was sincerely afraid that I had missed you. I thought that I had passed you by or that you had moved ahead of me again.” He returned the waterskin to his side and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
“You are lucky that the Icthyoids found you. I have this whole area trapped. You move like a goblin with clubbed feet and see half as well as a worm. If they had not attacked you when they did, then you would have died as a result of your ineptitude.” Her pedipalps wiggled around as she spoke like someone who talked with their hands.
“Technically, that is true, but I’d have just respawned and had to come back to find you again,” Cushing said this casually as if he were saying he would have just taken a nap and then got right back to work. His words and attitude irritated the spider, but she suddenly understood what her mother had meant about killing the human.
“You gamers, as you call yourselves, treat your lives very casually. I cannot “respawn,” Clackhissis spat as her pedipalps made a motion that looked suspiciously like she had been making air quotes. “Nor would you if one of those warrior’s blades had struck you down.” She spit again, “I have heard it said that the Ichthyoids are carrying something called PK blades and that what they kill with it stays dead.” She lifted her right front leg and pointed at Cushing’s heart. “There is no respawning from this,” she said as she pushed the hilt of one of the Icthyoid’s swords that lay before her.
She spit, “I have heard it said that they have something called Anti-Essence blades and that what they kill with them stays dead.”
“There are PK weapons in here that have permanent effects? No bloody way.” Cushing scanned the weapons of the dead at their feet. They all looked like standard swords and pikes to him. Maybe they weren’t kept in as good of shape as they should have been, but that was all he discerned.
It was Clickhissis who discovered the type of weapon that she was warning him about. She lifted her right front leg and pointed at Cushing’s heart. “There is no respawning from this,” so saying as she pushed the hilt of one of the Icthyoids’ swords that lay on the ground before her.
Cushing went pale. “Are you serious,” he asked the spider. He could see the weapon was as clean as polished steel could be. Its edge was still razor-keen, and in spite of having been in battle, there were no nicks or disruptions on the sword. It was the hilt that made his heart stop. He could see an elaborate design etched into the metal. The image wasn’t static, though. He could see it move and wriggle as he stared at it, and he caught his breath.
The Game Warden considered things for a moment. He couldn’t see how a digital sword could permanently kill him. It didn’t seem possible. Then it struck him. It wouldn’t kill him, Cushing, the player, but it would kill Cushing, the character. He would never be able to return as the Game Warden. Hell, for all he knew, it might even eject you from the game and force you to log back in. If that happened, then he really could die. He had his game running at a time frame that made years IRL feel like seconds in game time. If he woke in the apocalypse, he might be killed before he could reenter. His pod might be destroyed. There was no escape from that. Right now, his frame rate was such that a thousand years in-game was half a second’s time IRL.
He didn’t know how, but the madness that had infected everything IRL had made its way into the game world. There was no escape for him. Now that he thought about it, the Ichthyoids looked like the squid heads and fish-men that people were transforming into just outside his shop doors. He prayed that the symbol hadn’t tainted his mind.
He stared at the blade and shivered as a chill ran down his spine. “I had no idea,” he said soberly. The implications of the spider’s words finally impacted his brain. Death, true death, was still possible for him to experience even now. What had seemed like a brilliant respite from the horrors roiling in his hometown streets suddenly didn’t seem so bright.
“Of course,” she replied, “I’m a spider; when have you ever seen a spider not be serious?” She turned away from him and trundled into the darkness. “Come and help me clean up these bodies,” she called after him, “Then we will rest.” Cushing sighed. He looked at the battlefield and wondered aloud, “You think these guys have any good loot? I think I deserve a little something special after my unknowing undertaking of so great a risk as a true death.”
“You deserve a kick to your backside for the sad excuse of a performance, and that is all you have earned,” Clackhissis said snidely. “You are clumsy and full of undeserved bravado, but I am sure these creatures have something shiny enough to make you happy as a magpie.”