Theo and his party, minus Michail and Tallia since they had to return to work, sat at a wood table inside one of the refurbished warehouses. The older adventurer teams claimed the old building for use as the temporary guild hall during the two-week-long mission to protect the miners. While the group waited for Baldrin to begin speaking, they talked amongst themselves, discussing the battle with the rats and different strategies that don't get Theo nearly eaten. For some reason, the most popular idea so far was for Anita to cast Entangle on Theo, letting the rest do the work themselves with ranged attacks.
Two and a half hours later, everyone walked from the building stretching limbs, sore from sitting so long. The meeting boiled down to what their jobs for the next two weeks will entail. Basically taking turns babysitting the miners. That particular job landed on the as the older men called them nubies. So for the first twelve-hour shift Theo and his party followed the miners into the tunnel and kept an eye out while they hit nodes with picks. While the three other groups either scouted new tunnels or were patrolling nearby.
Halfway through the day's shift, Anita grabbed Theo's hand, dragging him toward a wall where they sat and ate the wrapped sandwiches supplied by Tallia. Anita barely took a bite before she put hers down and began poking her finger into the air excitedly. "Max has been telling me about the system he knows a lot, well I suppose that makes sense as he has had it over twenty years now. But anyway here he showed me how to share screens and notifications with anyone in the area that you choose."
Theo only sat there chewing slowly at his sandwich, watching Anita's adorable face as she excitedly tried to explain how to share status screens. When she finally finished speaking, she turned her expectant eyes on Theo. But he only continued to stare at her while slowly eating his sandwich.
Anita's excitement turned to embarrassment as she began to squirm slightly under Theo's stare. After a full minute more, her face began to start to turn red.
Poping the last bite into his mouth, Theo reached down. He picked up Anita's forgotten food and, still staring into her eyes, took a big bite before offering her a taste. Anita's face flushed as she leaned down and, after tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ears, took a bite, finally lowering her eyes.
This was the final straw as Theo burst into laughter, spraying bits of sandwich all over Anita's face and hair. Apologizing while shaking with uncontrolled laughter, he used both palms to try and wipe the mess from Anita's now completely red face as she glared at him.
Moments later, something white caught Theo's attention from the corner of his vision. A hand flashed, and he found a piece of clean cloth wrapped around a small stone accompanied by the disapproving glare from Tallia, who sat across the tunnel with Michail. Taking the fabric in hand, Theo was about to use it to clean Anita's face when she snatched it from his hand before she shot to her feet, stomping off.
It might be best to leave her alone for the moment. Now, what was she telling me? Something about sharing notifications or some such. Theo sat back against the wall doing his best to ignore the glare from Tallia. At the same time thought back to Anita and what movements she made with her hands and as much of what she said as possible. Nope, I can't remember anything. I will look at my status screen again. Maybe I missed something.
Noticing almost right away since he was looking for anything that he hadn't touched yet. Theo found a small box on the top left of his screen with three small arrows pointing left. Pushing the button, a notification appeared.
Do you wish to share your status? Yes, No.
Theo opened his mouth to ask Anita about it but remembered he was on his own for the moment. Mentally shrugging, he turned his attention back. How difficult could it be? On the notification, there are several small buttons. Starting from the left, A button with the letter S and the outline of a person in the background. Next is the outline of five people, and the letter P. The next three have no designs, just the letters A, K, and W. Theo did notice the W button lit up, shrugging he pushed yes and waited.
It didn't take long before he noticed Anita stop walking. She turned to face Theo, face paling noticeably. At the same time, Michail looked up in alarm. However, before either could make a sound, there came a crash from Max's table. Turning that way, Theo saw Max sprinting toward him. Table knocked over. with ores and paper either rolling or fluttering about.
Max stopped dead in his tracks face to face with Theo. "Was that your status sheet just now?"
Theo's face paled. He understood the other's shocked looks now. Theo slowly nodded as he slumped his shoulders. Well, crud, now he knows who I am and will probably be after the bounty.
Max grabbed Theo's shoulders, and Theo noticed Anita raise her staff. "You have a sixteen on your luck stat. Do you understand what that could mean?"
Theo's urge to try and flee dissipated in an instant as he stared at Max in confusion.
Grunting, Max turned and threw an arm over Theo's shoulder. "It would be easier to show you in the meanwhile look up the luck stat and you should get a better grasp of why I am so excited right now."
Letting the overly excited Overseer guide him on looking up what an individual stat does, they headed away from the break area. On the way, Max somehow got a pick and shoved it into Theo's hand. Theo, meanwhile, read the description for the stat.
Luck stat increases users' chance of finding items of greater value. Where others see the occasionally dropped copper, you find a sack of gold. 5 points, Unlocks Rare, drop chance 15.5% +1% per level +50% at level 10, +75% at level 15. Current bonus 66.1875%. Max 75%. 10 points, Unlocks Epic, drop chance 15.625% +.5% per level +75% at level 15. Current bonus 33.89375%. Max 50%. 15 points, Unlocks Legendary, Drop chance 6.51875% +.1% per level +100% at level 20. Current bonus 6.61875%. Max 10%. 20 points, Unlocks Relic, Drop chance 1%. Users can only raise it through unique means. Upon unlocking a higher tier of drops, all levels are added retroactively.
Theo exited the screen finding himself staring at a copper node, the same one he had been curious about the day before, in fact. "So what? You want me to be a miner instead of a bodyguard?" Theo looked between the pick and Max in confusion along with a small amount of annoyance.
Max immediately began waving his arm back and forth. "No, no, I only need you to break this one node. The rest are common nodes; they won't drop anything extra. This one, however, is a Rare node with a twenty percent bonus on a Rare drop. That is on top of your current bonuses. Plus the chance to drop a magic crystal. Should you be so lucky that crystal would be enough to not only pay off Michail's debt but everyone in the teams as well.
Theo now drew his attention to Michail, who had gone back to work smashing his pick against a node. Then he watched Tallia shoving a cart toward another man further down the tunnel. Theo frowned before looking back at the pickaxe in his hands then turning back to Max. "And Tallia?"
Max, too turned to watch Tallia. "Tallia does not have a debt she was abandoned here when she was around four." A distant look came to Max's eyes as he thought about the past. "This happened twelve years ago, A Demon as you locals call them, dropped Tallia off at the mine entrance, never said a word to any of us who witnessed the commotion. Tallia kept running back to the woman crying that she would be a good girl and please don't leave me, over and over. Eventually that person, I refuse to call her a mother in any sense. Anyway, she yanked out a command rod pointed it at the child's face then ordered her to enter the mine and never step foot in her presence ever again. Nearly broke my heart witnessing the tiny form of the child walking into the first level mine shaft tears streaming down her tiny face."
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Max continued to watch Tallia in silence for a few more seconds before shaking himself. "Anyway, it took me many months but I eventually got the girl to let me adopt her and we have been together ever since."
Theo observed Max calmly. Then with a grin, he jabbed a finger at Max. "You look more like Brother and Sister than Father and Daughter."
Grumbling Max slapped the offending hand away. "Dont you know its rude to poke your elders? Anyway I honestly want Tallia to leave the mine and see the wide world but she has always been reluctant to go any further then the small mining communities above. But if Michail leaves I have no doubt my little girl will follow him."
Giving the pick a couple of experimental swings, Theo gave a hearty laugh. "Then what are we waiting for lets see if we can get gold from copper." Theo pulled the pick back and swung the point at the node with all his might.
Cursing from behind brought Theo from visions of gold raining from the node. Turning around, he found Max sitting on the ground, the tip of a broken pick stuck in the tunnel floor between his legs. Looking at the shattered handle in his hands, Theo smiled awkwardly. "Oops."
Scowling at Theo as he got to his feet, Max growled. "Let's try this again but this time wait for my instructions." For the next half hour, the team of miners did their utmost to keep working and not stop to watch Max screaming at the young adventurer. Nearly an hour after the 'instructions' began, the node crumbled, and a small mountain of copper mixed with a couple of blue objects fell to the floor.
Theo didn't bother to look at the drops as he wasn't really interested. He had seen copper falling to the ground many times already today. Instead, he focused on a new blinking icon.
Mining skill unlocked +1% mining efficiency. Mining has achieved level 2 +1% mining efficiency Mining has reached level 3 +1% mining efficiency
Closing the notification, Theo stepped up to the squatting Overseer looking over his shoulder. Theo smiled when he saw Max marking sixty copper ores and two Lapis Lazuli under Michail's name. A small egg-shaped white stone caught Theo's attention. Reaching down, he picked it up, enjoying the way the colors changed as the small amount of light in the tunnel hit it. "What is this?"
Max glanced up took a second to stare at the stone before returning to his notebook. "Thats an opal fairly rare could get you ten gold in the right market."
Theo gawked at the opal. This small stone is worth as much as Jeffree made in the tavern in six months. His eyes glanced toward Anita as if they had a mind of their own. "Can I keep this?"
Max looked up from his task noticed where Theo was looking. With a bemused chuckle, he stood placed a hand on Theo's shoulder. "As far as I am concerned you mined it so it is yours... Good luck." Max walked back to his table with those parting words. Noting thoughtfully that someone put it to rights and began sifting through the pile of ores and notes left with each pile by Tallia.
- - - - -
A thousand miles away in the ruins of the former capital of Andoon.
A purple-skinned being with horns protruding from the sides of his head and curling up and around his ears sat on a red throne, watching his Queen whip a huge man. This was no ordinary whip, though. It had nine tails, each ending in a hook that tore meaty gouges from the man's body on each pass.
In a deep but smooth voice, the man on the throne spoke. "Amos my old friend do you think I enjoy having this done to you? Please tell me where Brea is and this can end I will personally send you on a painless journey to respawn."
Spitting out a mouthful of blood Amos glared at the man on the throne. "Greg I alrea..." But he got no further before a flick of Greg's finger, and Queen brought the whip down once more, this time taking off Amos's left ear, rupturing his left eye, and shredding half his face.
Greg sat back, examining his black fingernails. "What is my name Amos? or should I call you Samantha that is what you're parents named you afterall."
Amos flinched. It wasn't my Parents the fucktards at the orphanage screwed up the paperwork, and that became my legal name. Not that you would listen, you psychotic bastard. But he deflated. He didn't have any choice at the moment. "Lord Arthur."
Another raised a finger, and Amos gritted his teeth. "King Arthur. I don't know what happened to Brea I awoke on the carriage found it abandoned on a small island in the swamp Brea was either taken or left me there alone. After looking around the area I discovered none of our retainers were around, I even found all of their clothes discarded nearby. I waited nearby for a day in case that airhead showed back up and then tried to swim to another nearby landmass I was immediately eaten by something in the water. Since that day I have been you're guest in the Dark Fortress."
Greg tapped a finger on the arm of his throne while humming. Looking like he had not already heard this from Amos a dozen times before."What about the mission I gave the both of you. Did you find out if our missing Cinderella was indeed hiding amongst the filth in that swamp?"
"No, King Arthur... As I said we never made it to the village in Blackmoore."
Greg sat straighter and screamed at Amos. "Yet according to these reports you're carriage was found not an hours walk from the village I specifically ordered you to investigate immediately. Not only did you not complete the mission. Instead of using fast travel points to cross the distance in days, you both spent weeks in a carriage fucking your way across the entire Kingdom."
In his anger, Greg slammed his fist down, shattering the arm of his throne. "The same report claims that the village was in fact destroyed with all lives lost, not even two days before you arrived in the area. On top of this, I received a status that someone apparently accidentally shared with the whole world. The status of one whose name is Theodore Arturian the Twelfth. Is that not interesting Amos. You know my opinion on coincidences, there is no such thing. But the truly terrifying thought running through my mind upon seeing that status screen is not the fact that the damn former King somehow managed to transfer his Legacy before he sacrificed himself. No, what worries me is the simple fact that an NPC now has access to our system. Is this an isolated incident made possible by the boy being Elenore's little bastard? Or is the system A.I. getting bored and spreading on its own?"
Greg sat back on his throne, rubbing his temples, and spoke under his breath. "So many unanswered questions." A noise made Greg look up. Queen stood behind Amos, wielding a curved, serrated blade. She expertly carved symbols into the flesh that glowed with demonic power.
Amos stared in horror at a new debuff.
Soul slave. Your soul is the property of Gregorian Soleil. Aka Arthur. The Player cannot remove it.
With a friendly smile that never reached his eyes, Greg spoke. "Amos, I am a merciful King. I will give you one month to either bring me Brea, Her daughter, or failing either of those this former Prince, Theodore. If you fail me again I will rip out your soul and feed it to my pets." The moment he said the word pet, Queen let a single drop of blood fall through a grate on the floor. A second later, the sound of thousands of screaming, wailing voices could be heard coming from the depths below the throne room.
The Queen Slowly walked up the dais, hips swaying back and forth with a slim tail swinging in rhythm with her body. She dropped her robe halfway, revealing a lithe body enveloped with tiny, almost delicate scales of a light purple color. She spoke in a sibilant voice, emphasizing the S's. "Master Shall I relieve some of that stress?" Queen slowly walked around behind the throne dragging her long black nails along Greg's shoulders.
Greg watched his Queen with amused interest before standing. He grabbed Queen's arm and began pulling her down the dais to stand directly before Amos, still chained to the floor with massive hooks through his wrists and ankles. While Queen stripped him of his robes, Greg watched the growing unease and horror in Amos's eyes at what he saw. Greg stood fully erect with a massive member covered from hilt to tip in serrated barbs placed in such a way along the shaft to cause maximum damage going in as coming out.
Greg leaned into Queen's ear, whispering something to the Demoness, never taking his eyes from Amos's. A moment later, Queen uttered a spell, and an exact visage of Brea with her perfect pale skin and golden curls on her head appeared in Queen's place. The Brea illusion used the same bright girly smile, complete with the cutesy giggling as she bent over the top of Amos's head. Greg gave a malicious toothy grin toward Amos before sheathing his sword to the hilt. Blood splattered Amos's face sizzling upon contact.
People shuddered inside the Dark Fortress as the sounds of agony and pleasure merged, echoing through the hallways.
Hours later, Amos appeared outside the massive eggshaped building, hatred, and murder flashing through his mind. "That psycho has a point there are no such things as coincidences" A recollection of a village boy walking along the King's Road appeared in his head. He set out to the nearest fast travel point to begin the hunt.