Chapter 43: Finishing Up

It took the goblin chief a long five minutes to die.

But finally, the deed was done. Drenched in gore, I rolled off the corpse and onto the ground. Heaving in deep breaths, I spat out the blood that had spurted into my mouth and tried futilely to clean the ichor off my face. God, what I wouldn’t do for a bath now.

The five wolves padded over and licked my face. Closing my eyes, I let them while I perused the avalanche of Game messages awaiting my attention.

You have killed a level 41 goblin goliath. You have reached level 16! You have reached level 17! You have reached level 18! You have 3 attribute points available.

Your shortswords has increased to level 29. Your dodging has increased to level 23. Your two weapon fighting has increased to level 25.

You have accomplished the feat: Solo your First Boss! Requirement: slay a dungeon boss while not in a party. As only the 1037th rank 1 solo player to defeat a sector boss, you have been awarded the trait: Beast tongue. This rare trait is normally reserved for rank 3 druids and allows you to converse with any beastkin capable of speech. Note, the traits you earn from feats are based on the circumstances and manner of your achievement.

You have completed the hidden task: Free the wolves! Tasks are special missions that can be allocated to you by either by one of the Powers, or the Game itself. In certain instances—and only at the Adjudicator’s behest—the nature of a task will be hidden until completed. Be wary of which tasks you fulfil. All tasks will have consequences and a bearing on your standing with the Game’s factions.

You have accomplished the feat: Play the Game! Requirement: complete your first task or reach rank 2. You have been awarded the trait: Marked. This is a generic trait that all players eventually receive.

Congratulations, Michael! You have joined the ranks of the Marked! As a Marked, you can now see the spirit signatures of other Marked and determine their allegiance to Shadow, Light, and Dark. Beware, other Marked can similarly read your own Mark and it may affect their interactions with you.

Your actions during the execution of your first task have shown a mix of ruthlessness, good intentions, and cunning, and have influenced the Marks you’ve been allocated. Marks are not fixed, and will grow or diminish based on your future actions.

Your spirit signature has been etched with 3 new Marks! You have acquired the Mark: Lesser Light, and have begun to tread the ways of Light.

You have acquired the Mark: Lesser Shadow, and have begun to tread the ways of Shadow. Your deeds have also attracted the notice of Loken and Artem, Powers of Shadow and members of the Shadow Coalition.

You have acquired the Mark: Wolf-friend. You have proven yourself an ally to wolfkind, making them less inclined to attack you in future. Only wolves will see this Mark on you.

My head was spinning after reading all the notices. Marks? Feats? Powers? It was a lot to digest, and to try and make sense of it all, I worked slowly through the messages again. But much of it, I still didn’t understand. Suddenly, the Game seemed a lot more complicated. I needed help. Time to have another long conversation with Gnat.

But not right now. Later. After I had time to savor my victory—and the rewards.

I opened my eyes. The wolves had stepped back and were sitting on their haunches in front of me. Feeling a little less dipped in blood, I sat up, and addressed the patiently waiting wolves.

“It is done,” I said gravelly to the wolf mother and sire. I could scarce believe it. It was no mean feat we had accomplished, and I still felt energized by our success.

“Thank you.”

I blinked. Someone had just spoken to me. And in my mind. My gaze flitted between the two wolves. Lowering herself to all fours, the wolf mother opened her mouth, tongue lolling out.

She was laughing at me, I was sure.

“I am Aira. My mate is Oursk.”

It was the dire wolf talking to me I realized in stupefied awe. Only then, did I belatedly remember the trait I had earned: beast tongue. Tentatively, I tried responding through whatever mental communication channel we were using, and speak directly into Aira’s mind. “I’M MICHAEL.”

Aira whined and lowered her head. “It’s a pleasure to finally speak to you, Michael. Only… try not to shout.”

I lowered my head, abashed. “Sorry,” I mumbled.

Another voice laughed in my head. “Do not feel bad, human. Youngsters are always loud and brash,” Oursk said. He nipped at one of the pups tugging on his coat. “These three young idiots are Shadetooth, Stormdark, and Moonstalker,” he said fondly.

“Hello there,” I greeted the pups, and waited expectantly.

All three turned my way, but remained silent.

“They are still too young for speech,” Aira said.

Of course, I thought, reddening slightly at my own foolishness. “How did your pack end—”

I broke off as Gnat flapped down from the darkness. “Wow Michael! You actually killed the big bugger. I can’t believe it.”

I smiled wryly. “Me neither. You won’t believe—”

“Don’t trust him,” Aira said.

I turned to stare at the dire wolf mother. “Who? Gnat?”

“He serves the Dark,” Oursk said, fixing the skeletal bat with a predatory gaze.

“Oh, I know that,” I said. “He is the Master’s creature, but is bonded to me through—”

“Something wrong?” Gnat interrupted.

“Uhm,” I said, wondering how to explain.

“Trust him if you must,” Oursk said, rising to his feet. “But don’t tell him you can speak to us.”

At the dire wolf’s movement, Gnat flapped his wings. I glanced at the bat. He was eyeing the wolves sideways and almost seemed… nervous.

I frowned.

Had the familiar always been this wary around the wolves and I just didn’t notice before? I couldn’t remember. But he had disliked the beasts from the very beginning, I recalled, and had advised me against freeing them from their cages. He is as mistrustful of them as they are of him.

“Yes?” Gnat prodded, still waiting for my answer.

I rose to my feet myself. “Nothing,” I said, not yet certain how to handle the matter, and deciding to put it off for now. Looking for a distraction, I searched for the loot chest. Surely one must appear this time?

But there was no wooden box next to the chief’s corpse.

God damn, I cursed. What do I need to do to earn…

My internal monologue trailed to a stop, and my eyes grew round as I saw what was on the stage.

It wasn’t one chest.

It was six.