Chapter 44: Just Desserts

“By damn,” I murmured, still not quite able to believe my eyes as I studied the chests in front of me.

Gnat, the five wolves, and I were on the dais. Arranged in a neat line in front of the throne were five wooden loot chests—and one bronze one.

“Why is that chest bronze?” I asked Gnat, slightly breathless at the possibility of what it contained.

The familiar cackled. “It’s your lucky day, Michael. Bronze metal chests carry better loot than plain old wooden ones and not many earn them. The Adjudicator must have judged your performance exemplary for you to get one.”

“Bronze,” I mused. “Does that mean there are higher order chests too?”

Gnat laughed. “Heh, already dreaming of bigger things, are we? The short answer to your question is: yes. But to earn anything better than bronze, you have to perform truly extraordinary feats.” The skeletal bat’s amusement faded abruptly, as something seemed to occur to him. “You mentioned rewards earlier. Did the Game award you with anything unusual?”

“No,” I replied, not looking away from the chests.

I wasn’t sure why I lied. Perhaps it was because of the seed of doubt planted by the wolves, or perhaps it was because of my own recent misgivings regarding the Master, but whatever it was, I realized there were some things I wasn’t willing to share with the familiar yet.

“Really?” Gnat pressed. “You got nothing strange at all? You sounded so excited.”

“Well…” I said, struggling not to let my expression slip, “I did gain in nearly all my skills and advance three whole levels. Which far surpassed my expectations.” I paused. “But I wouldn’t call any of that strange.”

“Oh,” Gnat said.

I wrinkled my brows and finally turned to look at him. “Why do you ask? Did you expect the Game to reward me with something… different?”

Gnat shifted uncomfortably on my shoulder. “No,” he replied. “I just thought the Adjudicator might have provided you with some explanation for the bronze chest.”

“Explanations!” I snorted. “Those would be nice.”

I glanced away, so that the skeletal bat wouldn’t see my troubled expression. I was sure now that Gnat was lying to me—or at least not being entirely forthcoming.

What, I didn’t know, was why.

I turned back to the chests again and only with considerable effort, did I stop myself from rubbing my hands in glee. I had an abundance of loot in front of me, and didn’t really want to deal with Gnat at the moment.

I had six chests to open.

I stepped closer, but still maintained a healthy distance to the chests. They had to be boobytrapped, of course. I rubbed my chin. The question was: would I be able to detect the traps’ nature?

I sighed. Only one way to find out, I thought and got to work probing the chests.

~~~

The five dire wolves watched curiously as I first threw pieces of armor at the chests, then poked them from afar with a spear, and finally banged their sides with a goblin hammer. None of these tests revealed any traps, but I was only getting started.

Gnat flew off, pleading boredom and no doubt realizing it would be some while yet before I risked raising the lid of any of the chests.

No sooner had the bat vanished into the cavern’s depths, than Aira addressed me again. “Why don’t you just open them?” she asked, tilting her head to the side.

I had joined the wolves’ former chains together and looped the a portion of its length around one the chests. Fearing a hidden pressure plate or some such, I was slowly dragging the chest out of position. “They might be trapped,” I replied, not looking away from what I was doing. “In one of the earlier dungeon legs, I found—”

“They’re not trapped,” Oursk interrupted.

I glanced at him with one eyebrow raised in polite disbelief. “You can’t be certain of that.”

“I am sure,” he said with complete assurance.

When I still didn’t look convinced, the dire wolf growled in frustration. “Look here human, we are wasting time. Any moment, more goblins may arrive. We have to leave the dungeon.”

I paused, letting the chain in my hand go slack. “Leave? You know the way out?”

“We know the route to the surface,” Aira confirmed. “And my mate is correct. Time is not on our side. We must get our pups to safety. Will you come with us?”

“Of course,” I replied. I turned back to the chests. “As soon as I open these. It will only take another hour or two,” I assured the wolves.

My response, however, was not to the wolves liking. Before I could stop him, Oursk dashed forward and shoved his nose under the lid of the first chest.

“Wait! Stop, it could be—”

It was too late.

With a flick of his head, the dire wolf flung back the lid and it yawned open. I froze.

But no trap was sprung.

“I told you,” Oursk said, padding casually to the next chest. “They’re not trapped. Now loot them, and let’s be on our way.”

~~~

I took Oursk at his word, and flipped opened the lids of the other five chests in quick order. Still, I couldn’t help but wince each time I did. The dire wolves’ confidence proved well-founded though.

None of the chests were trapped.

It was confusing.

If any of the chests in a dungeon were going to be boobytrapped, surely it would be the ones revealed after the boss was killed? I found the Game’s choice not to trap these chests confounding, but overcome by my eagerness to see the items I had earned, I let the matter lie.

I looted the five wooden chests first, saving the best for last.

You have acquired 6 moderate healing potions, 3 full healing potions, and 4 packs of field rations. You have acquired a basic fire-starting kit. This item contains all the items necessary to start a campfire.

You have acquired a moonstone lamp. This item contains a gem enchanted to provide 3 hours of white light. The enchantment can be replenished with mana. You have acquired a common fighter’s sash. This item increases all known weapon skills by: +3.

You have acquired a basic ability tome: crippling blow. You have the necessary skill: any weapon skill rank 2, to learn this ability. The ability tome is a single-use item.

You have acquired a basic Class stone. This stone contains the path of: a rogue. The rogue is a basic Class that confers a player with three skills: sneaking, daggers, and poisoning. This Class also permanently boosts your Dexterity attribute by: +2.

The items from the five wooden chests were… interesting—especially the ability tome—yet still less than I hoped for. I studied the book in my hands. Reading it would provide me with my first ability, and without hesitation, I set about it.

The pages of the tome were filled with bronze script, and I absorbed its knowledge too fast for conscious thought to follow.

You have acquired the basic ability: crippling blow. This is a touch-based ability that simulates a debilitating attack by locking a foe’s limb in a stasis field. The targeted limb is disabled for 3 seconds. This ability can only be activated by physical contact—either directly or through a weapon. The effects of this ability may be overcome by physical resistance. This ability consumes stamina and its activation time is near-instantaneous. Crippling blow may occupy any Dexterity or Strength ability slot, and has been installed in one of your available Dexterity slots.

I smiled as understanding of the ability filled me. In battle, it would prove enormously beneficial. I turned my attention to the other items. The path of the rogue, I didn’t even consider adopting. The Class was only a basic one, and I already had one of the class’ skills.

The sash, I draped about my waist, and immediately felt a small, but perceptible increase in my shortswords skill. I stored the remaining items in my backpack and finally turned my attention to the bronze chest.

I flexed my fingers in anticipation. Now, let’s hope this contains something better, I thought and reached inside.

You have acquired a lesser attribute gem. This item grants you one attribute point.

You have acquired an advanced Class stone. This stone contains the path of: a psionic. The psionic is an advanced Class that confers a player with four skills: telepathy, telekinesis, chi, and meditation. This Class also permanently boosts your Mind attribute by: +4.

You have acquired a basic ability tome: simple charm. You cannot learn this ability. You do not have the necessary skill: telepathy, or slots available in the required attribute: Mind. The ability tome is a single-use item.

I sat down in stunned shock as I studied the items in my hand. All three items were valuable. The lesser attribute gem alone was worth one free level. The other two items seemed to have been paired together: an advanced Class and a basic ability for one of its skills. I stared at the marble in my hand. Unlike the other Class stones I had seen, this one was solid silver.

Psi, I mused. Magic of the mind.

It was not the more traditional magic I had envisioned myself wielding, but judging from the skills listed in the class description, the psionic Class did have a magic of sorts, and possibly quite strong magic too.

Did I wait for a better Class to come along? But how long could I wait? If I died before absorbing the Class I would likely lose the opportunity to do so forever. A Game window opened in my mind.

You have two available Class slots. Do you wish to acquire the psionic Class?

It makes no sense to wait, I concluded and made my decision.