Yggdrasil Fallen, LitRPG Series
Book 1, Obsidian
Chapter 24: Broken
“So, the Beastmaster has been set loose?” Silderson spoke, a wry smile playing across his lips as he sat, leaned back into his luxurious couch to a gaunt framed older man.
“Yep, and she’s just as terrifying as we had hoped, I’m just glad my phase skill worked on the chamber door and my hidden stalker skill worked on such high level beasts.” A deep, silky voice responded with a hint of laughter playing across the words.
“Any survivors?” The old man exploded with a malevolent cackle, gripping his abdomen as he shook with quakes of peeling, unnerving mirth.
“The soldiers were absolute fodder as you expected, only reason some even made it to the final chamber was Andre. The rest were slaughtered quickly by the controlled beasts. That kid didn’t stand a chance against her, she toyed with him like a cat does a mouse. The last thing I saw before the “Escape Stone” fully charged was her ripping the arm with that accursed brand off.”
“So, our problem has been neutralized?
“I would say that’s a safe bet, while I didn’t dare to gamble to stick around to witness his execution, it was all but assured. Though IF he managed to escape her grasp, he’s down an arm, the powers granted by the seal gone. The weight of all those deaths on his conscience a nice added bonus. Yet another brilliant play on your part I must say: playing to the idiot’s ego, allowing him to truly believe their survival was dependent on him.”
“It was a hefty price to pay: losing all that high grade gear and weaponry, but I am quite relieved to hear things went to plan and we have eliminated the Ascended threat.”
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
“Enter” Silderson’s commanding voice rang out shortly before the redhaired Killen strode into the chamber, a manilla envelope in his hands.
“Preliminary reports are coming in from the surveillance team. As soon as the incursion team penetrated the dungeon all the drivers moved back to a five-mile perimeter where they continue to keep watch. They have reported her emergence from the dungeon where she made prompt work of the 2 Heavy Gunners we left positioned at the opening. She is currently wreaking havoc throughout the mountain side terrain, making no significant progress towards any populated center. It’s as though she’s terraforming the area.” Killen reported, handing the manilla envelope containing field reports and pictures over to Silderson who flipped through them his wicked smile curling tighter with each picture.
“Well, this answers at least one question. There is no way she would leave him alive given a choice in the matter, eh Greg?” The Architect had doubled over with wheezing laughter at the report.
“Poor bastard may have actually stood a chance had he met the sisters or even known what he was. Now he’s just monster shit and a blood splatter in the depths of some hellhole.”
Silderson had paused on one picture in particular, his face losing its maniacal humor. Flicking it across the table to the Architect, it spun to a stop, inches from his hand. Picking it up, he closely examined it, his face turning stony.
“Is she… missing an arm? How the hell is that even possible with their reported regeneration rate? Do you see how long ago was this picture taken?”
Silderson’s voice had frosted over, a chill filling the room from his words:
“According to the timestamp, that picture was taken 30 minutes ago. Look closer at the missing limb.”
Greg “The Architect” picked the picture back up, looking more carefully over the photograph. Where the Beastmaster’s arm had been severed he could make out sickeningly green and black flesh hanging loosely from a yellowing shoulder socket.
“Necrotizing Plague. I thought that was only something inflicted beasts of the dungeons…?” Killen asked softly.
“Yes. It is, Killen. While he was under our “care” we took the liberty to examine that sinister weapon. Lab reports state that it has a chance to inflict such a disease upon those struck by its edge.” While it seems young Andre has had the misfortune of perishing in the “failed incursion” attempt, he at least successfully inflicted a dire blow to our dear Prime Alpha. Please see to it that the assigned room is cleared out, and everything he left behind is brought to me.” Silderson seemed to growl.
“I’m on it sir, anything else?”
“Prepare a helicopter and bring everything you find to the helipad.”
“Yes sir, I’ll get it taken care of.” Killen had turned, exiting the room without hesitation. Setting the photo down Greg met Silderson’s eyes:
“What exactly are you planning to do?”
“Join me on the flight if you’re really that curious.” The calculating smirk once again playing across his lips.
“With Andre conceivably out of the picture, we should have no problems getting things back on track. Let us plan to move into phase 2 this afternoon.” Silderson replied as Greg stood to leave the room:
“That sounds quite ambitious, so I’m quite eager to see exactly what you are planning to do. I’ll see you at the helipad.” Following Killen’s path, the Architect left the room leaving a grinning Silderson in his stead.
“At least that punk left us the resources to fix the problem he’s created for us.” Standing, Silderson traced the prior two men’s path out of the room, making his way for the helipad atop the building.
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A loud melodic chime rang out in Andre’s ears, signifying the completion of the repair cycle he had started several hours before. He sat, his back leaned against the back wall of the Depot, near the spot he had injected the “Biomimetic Resynthesis Stimulant”. The process of regrowing his arm was still fresh in his mind, as he flexed his newly grown fingers. While the process was miraculous in his eyes, it had been bloody, gory and absolutely agonizing. Each new cellular layer that formed had brought fresh new flesh with all the fixings stinging in the cool air that had dripped the residual biomatter. The reformation of the nerve endings had been the worst, each extension to the endings flared in a fresh fiery flash of pain before their newness numbed to a dull ache. He was gladdened that he had taken his armor off for the repair cycle before discovering the stim, the wash to cleanse the blood and flesh drippings would have taken quite some time to scrub out of all the crevices, should he even be able to clean it all out.
Without his phone, a TV or even a magazine to distract himself from everything that had happened in the dungeon spiraling through his head, he just sat wallowing. Haunted by his own supreme ineptitude and inability to do anything to protect the men who briefly called him brother, he just sat broken and alone; reliving the coppery stench that grew exponentially thicker with each solider crushed and wrung like a sponge at the sink. The Beastmaster weighed heavily on his mind, she had to have made her escape. With him having been forcibly extricated from the dungeon, the only bulwark that stood between her and the world outside had been the two heavy gunners. Though it was unlikely they could have stood a chance against her. Who knows how many beasts she regathered on her triumphant march out of the hellhole, leaving 2 more blood pools on his conscience.
Andre glanced over at his machete; its macabre form leaned against the wall next to where he sat. The spiked vertebrae laced sinew swinging lightly in the odd cooling breeze that seemed to sweep through the Depot at random intervals, keeping the air from stagnating.
“It seems to me that in this game of life and death it’s really not about how powerful the items I obtain are, but my mastery of my skills and abilities… and getting these fucking aspects unsealed to start their growth… on that note, why did I not show any growth this last dungeon?” Andre grumbled aloud as he stared ruefully at his character screen.
“Though your last trial was marked as a failure; all experience gained, and then some was lost as part of the life force conversion in your final stand against the Beastmaster.” ALIAS answered in muted tones.
“Well fuck, I guess that explains it. Better alive than dead… I guess” Andre replied with bitter sarcasm.
Andre sat, numb for another thirty minutes, dwelling on everything that had transpired when he felt his stomach growl. Standing, he smacked his dry lips and again flexed his newly formed arm again, still struggling to grasp its sudden loss, and just as quick reformation.
“Well, at least the wicked scar marking my old one decided to reform on this one.” He grumbled to himself as he took a more careful look over the limb, the scar evident through dry caked on blood and scaly fragmented skin that was beginning to peel off.
“There appears to be an item of interest at the near the register at the front of the store.” ALIAS chimed, interrupting his self-deprecation.
“An item of interest? You’re just now telling me?”
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“Until the application of the “Serum of Purgation” I had found my senses dulled and unable to detect it upon our initial entry to the Depot. Did you not notice the fog you’ve seemed to be stumbling through for the last 12 hours? Or…”
“That’s fair enough.” Andre interrupted as he began removing his gear from the machine while dressing himself. Re-geared, he tightened his sword belt across his midsection over the tunic and slid the machete into its awaiting ring. It wasn’t until he began to walk away, feeling the cold tile floor under his bare feet that he realized he forgot to put his boots on.
“Hey jackass… didja forget something?” ALIAS mocked.
“Yeah yeah, I need my fucking boots.” He irritably responded as he looked into the machine.
“Wait.. what? Where the hell are they?! My socks are gone too!!” he almost shouted.
“So… uh… did you actually read the sign before you put your stuff in there?” ALIAS asked, brimming with laughter. Andres’ eyes flicked to the large sign above the row of machines and groaned to himself as he finally read the large text, bold letters.
“WARNING: Does not work on and will destroy clothing and gear without Aspect qualities.” He read aloud, groaning to himself.
“Now I really need to find some fucking shoes… maybe socks too.” He grumbled.
“At least my gear is all repaired, fresh and new… though I’m a crusty, grimy bloody mess.” He bemoaned to himself as he wandered to the front where he found what appeared to be a small clerks desk, with an old fashioned crank till sitting atop it.
“Just missing the old timey store clerk to crank that thing, counting the days pennies.” He laughed to himself as he admired the ornate bronze and brass trimmed machine, each of its levered buttons and cranks a shiny silver. On the corner he found an ancient rectangular woven reed basket, its rusting wire frame poking through the flaking/decaying weavings.
“Well, that is interesting… that thing looks like its been sitting here for a millennia, while the machine almost looks new.” He said to himself as he walked around the desk to where the basket sat. Standing upright on its edge with a red embossed wax seal stamp Andre found a yellowing, dust covered envelope sitting atop a bed of decayed hay. Picking it up he found his name printed in calligraphy across the front of the shockingly heavy envelope.
“This must be the item of interest ALIAS was talking about…” Andre murmured, popping the wax seal on the back and opening the bulging packet. Inside he found a weathered piece of parchment, more text scrawled across the neatly folded page:
“Congratulations Newborn Ascended! The fact you have managed to secure this package signifies your success in awakening, leaving your own world and arriving at your first Safe Haven Depot. While we hope you have made it here in relative safety, we have included some currency to help you recover your state and make your stay here more comfortable. To memorialize this remarkable occasion, we have included 5 coupons to help you on the journey to come! Each is redeemable for any items of your choice, for which they apply, that can be found within the depot itself! The main floor of the depot contains consumable items, with equipment repair stations. The second floor holds our Ascended’s armory, where you will find a vast collection of weapons, armor and useful items. The third floor holds the rest and recovery facilities, fully equipped with comfortable beds, showers, baths and training facilities where a wide magazine of enemies can be conjured to test and hone skills and abilities on. Of Note: within the training facilities you cannot be critically wounded and while you can accrue exp and skill levels, the amount earnable is capped per day. The cash register near the front can be used to break greater pieces into lesser if needed. Please enjoy your stay here. May Yggdrasil fuel your future. – The managers”
Contained within the parchment he found 5 hand sized coupons, and 20 bronze tokens. While his identification didn’t activate on them, each one of the coupons was simply embossed, with beautifully written calligraphy scrawled across their faces as he leafed through them:
*Present this coupon for one “Skill Book” of your choosing*
*Present this coupon for one “Weapon” of your choosing*
*Present this coupon for one “Armor Piece” of your choosing*
*Present this coupon for one “Accessory” of your choosing*
*Present this coupon for one “Bag” of your choosing*
“Seems I may be able to spend at least a couple days here recovering, planning and getting my head about myself, doesn’t seem so bad to me.” Andre thought to himself, the fragments of his broken being beginning to shimmer with hope.
“Maybe I’ll be able to train up, get a lot stronger so I won’t leave here as such a feeble jackass... and I really hope they have some fucking boots.” He grumbled to himself.
He worked his way back through the store towards the far back corner where he found a staircase leading upwards to the second floor. Climbing the spiraling steps his identify ability went haywire as he found himself in a much larger room surrounded by racks upon racks of various types of armor, ranging from thick heavy plate to light supple leather similar to what he was currently wearing, each and every item having a pale, translucent dot sitting over it. Creating what was essentially a holey blanket of spider silk.
“It’s like a malfunctioning cloak of invisibility is laying over everything.” He laughed to himself.
“Now, if I were a pair of legendary boots, where the hell would I hide.” He asked himself, gauging the equipment around him. Over an hour later and having worked through several armor stands and racks he realized, much to his dismay, the highest-grade armor he had found was ranked Epic. While they were very few and far between, none of the armor pieces had stats to match what he’d thought to be “epic”.
“Since my body and pants are rated epic, I doubt I’ll need to replace them any time soon. Besides… I really need some fucking boots.” He murmured to himself, having placed his hands on an Epic ranked set of robes that augmented Blaze abilities, intelligence, and mind. He had found them tempting as the augment from the ring to his healing abilities had been significant, bringing the shieldsman and axman back from the precipice of death with ease. Rounding the corner of his 3rd row of armor racks he stumbled across something that really made his heart soar: shelves, and they were packed edge to edge with boots! Andre let out a sigh of relief as he proceeded to rifle through the equipment until he came across something that really caught his eye:
*Item: “Windwalker Boots”: Crafted from Shimmerskin Serpent leather, these sturdy yet supple adaptable boots are known to ease the wearers travels by wicking away excess moisture, and padding steps with a cushion of compressed air. +5 augmentation to “DEXTERITY” “AGILITY” “PIERCING” “RESISTANCES” statistics. Also augments Gale Aspected abilities. Rarity: Epic, Quality: High, Value: Moderate, Aspect: Gale, Durability: 1500/1500.”
“These will do nicely... though I don’t exactly have any “Gale” abilities… Oh well.” He thought to himself, pulling the “Armor” coupon from his diminutive stack.
“Now, how do I use this?” As though responding to his thoughts the coupon a box popped up:
“Would you like to use your “Armor Piece Coupon” to purchase “Windwalker Boots”? Andre assented, and with a flash of heat and puff of smoke the coupon crumbled to ashes in his hand and another box popped up:
“Congratulations, you have obtained “Windwalker Boots”!”
He sat, and reverently slid the almost silky boots onto his now sore and cold feet.
“These are what I imagine wearing moccasins that wrap up to the shin are like!” He moaned out loud in evident pleasure as he hopped to his feet. The light and delicate yet supportive shoes quickly warmed and comforted his feet.
“Now, let’s look at the available weapons! Maybe I can find some kind of brass knuckle or something to protect my hands should I get into a fist fight, not that I’ll find anything to replace this.” He contemplatively rubbed his thumb across the silky leather of the grip to his machete. Moving to the back walls of the third floor he carefully looked through the weapons lined up on the wall, ranging from great swords to battle axes, to halberds. Nothing of interest caught his eye. Moving onto the ranged weapons on an adjacent wall he continued to look through them.
“A bow might be nice, pick off some enemies from a distance, thin the herds before moving in to finish them off.” ALIAS suggested as Andre browsed weaponry ranging from bows, to crossbows, to self-regenerating throwing spears and knives.
“Naw man, I really don’t want yet another thing I suck at weighing on me.” Andre replied as the frustration at the lack of viable weapons continued to grow until his eyes fell on a belted holster hanging from a hook in the far corner of the wall. He walked over to where the belt hung, noticing a huge handgun poking out of the holster.
“Item: “Revolver of the Lost Ascended”: A self-sustaining firearm of unknown origins, lost to time and ages awaits its original owner to reclaim it. Many ascended have attempted to add this weapon to their arsenal, only to be rejected by it. This firearm does not require ammo, instead firing rounds of aspected energy. In the right hands, this weapon will evolve with its handler. Provides +15 Augments to ALL statistics. Rarity: Ascended, Quality: Ascended, Value: Immeasurable, Aspect: Indeterminate, Durability: ????.”
“Items don’t make the Ascended, Andre… Do you want to waste your one free weapon coupon on something that will likely reject you?” He thought to himself. As he stood there gazing at it the weapon seemed to vibrate threateningly.
“Wait, did that thing just shake itself at me?!” The weapon vibrated again, this time in a smoother manner.
“Should I waste my coupon on this thing… what the fuck is with the shaking?” He whispered while staring at the holstered cock extender.
“Would I even be able to handle a gun that huge… the kickback must be ridiculous. Plus, I’ve never actually fired a gun in my life…” He thought, when the weapon began to shake so violently the belt loosed itself from the hook and clattered to the floor. Startled, Andre cautiously walked up to the gun laying on the floor, it almost seemed to shimmer with a silvery golden light.
“Ok then. I’ll give it a go. Not like anything else here will work for me. At the very least the belt will look awesome cross draped with my sword belt.” Andre held up his second coupon, which upon assenting the confirmation box; quickly turned to ash and was swept up by the cool breeze blowing through the depot.
“Congratulations! You have obtained: “Revolver of the Lost Ascended”!”
“Yay, I’ve got a handgun likely to abandon me! Such an epic gain!” He grumbled as he wrapped the belt around his waist, securing the weapon to his right hip. Andre continued his wandering, and as he turned yet another corner, he was greeted by shelves upon shelves of books that so tightly packed together he wasn’t sure how to navigate their passages.
“Fuck man, I’m exhausted. But there’s no knowing if or when I’ll ever make it back to one of these Depots, Phione made it seem as though they are few and far between, very difficult to acce…” His blood ran cold, his thoughts having been halted by a book his eyes had fallen upon.
“Item: “Tome of Glowstone Artifices”: Teaches the user basic, moderate and advanced glowstone artifices that can be conjured to varying effects and uses. Rarity: Epic, Quality: ????, Value: High, Aspect: Light, Uses: 1/1.”
Without a thought he pulled it from the shelf and utilized the coupon to purchase the tome.
“That… dream… is this?” His thoughts came in staggering bursts as he took several steps back, time skill book in hand, his mind racing suddenly overwhelmed by memories of the last dream he was certain was just that… a dream.
“I need to use this item! But first…”
The next hour was a blind rush, Andre having returned to the lower level exchanged one of his bronze tokens for 1000 brass, purchased himself a bunch of water, food and snacks before carrying his loot to the upper floor, which resembled a series of hotel suites, each room having its own bathing facilities, four-poster beds, bookshelves full of reading materials. All complete with stoves and large stacks of towels and linens. Locking the door to his room Andre ate, drank then stripped before taking a long, shockingly hot shower; the crust, grime and gore peeling away from his skin. Leaving the shower, Andre left his clothes and gear in a disheveled pile and curled up in the form fitting feather bed, the skill book in hand.
“Use Item: “Tome of Glowstone Artifices”?” Andre accepted and the book opened itself to its first page. Wispy motes of light began to rise from the pages, dancing around the room, illuminating it while the pages they left disintegrated. They rose at a constant rate, the pages evaporating into the motes themselves. Once the book was just a shell of itself, the motes congregated above Andre, spinning in rapid circle, forming into a large halo as large as Andre himself, losing their individual shape. A beam of light shot down, bathing him in a warm soothing aura. Despite the bright light of the room, the rush of unfamiliar energy washed over him; the entirety of his body relaxing; lulling him into a peaceful slumber, the strain of the last several days washing away.