Chapter 74: Confrontation

You have acquired the basic spell: one-step. This is a psi ability that allows you to take a single step in the air as if it were solid ground. This ability consumes psi, and can be upgraded. Its activation time is fast, and its cooldown time is average. You have 2 of 5 Mind ability slots remaining.

I wasted no time learning the spell, and after thanking Hamish profusely, I returned to Tantor and Morin.

“I have a plan,” I said to the pair as I ducked into the tent, and proceeded to explain the barebones of what I had in mind, and being deliberately sketchy on the details.

“It’s risky,” Morin said, when I was done.

“But we don’t have any other options,” Tantor said quietly.

The painted woman nodded and glanced at me. “When you reach the top of the crater, let down a rope, and Tantor and I will join you.”

I shook my head. “No offense, Morin, but this first part, I’m better off doing alone. Neither you nor Tantor have stealth, and—” I held her gaze—“you two are on your last lives.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but I spoke over her. “Please. Its smarter this way. Have someone keep a lookout for my signal, and as soon as I judge it safe, I will rejoin you. Agreed?”

She nodded reluctantly. “Good luck then.”

~~~

I chose the remotest section of the crater to enact my plan. It was as about as far I could get from both ramps. I was still within sight range—if barely—of the gang members on either end, but given how far I was from them, I didn’t think I would have a problem concealing myself with sneaking.

Reaching the spot I had selected, I scanned the area. None of the candidates in the safe zone were close by. Tantor and Morin had seen to it that I would be undisturbed. Drawing on the shadows, I masked my presence.

You have successfully concealed yourself.

Now comes the hard part, I thought. Looking upwards, I eyed the handhold I had identified—a rock seam about four yards up, and deep enough to grip, or so I hoped. It was too far to reach under normal circumstances, even with my high Dexterity, but with air step to boost me, I thought I could manage it.

Here goes. I hurried towards the wall at a fast walk, not running, because that would break my stealth. At the same time, I drew on my psi, and began channeling. When I was about two yards away, I jumped while simultaneously casting one-step. Energy flowed from my mind, and out my leg, but instead of solidifying the air underfoot, the psi frittered away.

You have failed to one-step. You have failed to advance your telekinesis: skills cannot be gained in this area.

Unbalanced, I crashed to the ground face-first. Sitting up, I swore bitterly. The reason for the spell’s failure was obvious. My telekinesis skill was too low. The only silver lining was that my concealment hadn’t been broken.

With a sigh, I rose to my feet. This may take a while.

~~~

It took me five more attempts before I was successfully able to cast the spell. And then predictably, I fouled the next maneuver and crashed face first into the wall, scratching futilely for the seam that was only inches above my reaching fingers.

After another ten failed attempts—with a meditation break between to regain my psi—I was getting desperate. I was too stubborn to quit, but I was no longer certain I could defeat the wall.

Come on, Michael, you can do this.

Standing still, I breathed in deeply and took a minute to settle myself. I mapped out in my mind what I needed to do, picturing every step and move in exacting detail.

Exhaling a slow, controlled breath, I launched myself forward again. Two yards from the wall and timing the move to perfection, I leaped upwards, channeling psi as I went.

You have successfully one-stepped.

The air underfoot turned solid, and my left foot found purchase. In the same motion, I sprang upwards again and flung up my hands.

For a heartbeat, I sailed through the air, then crashed into the hard rockface, but my body was braced for the impact and my fingers blindly searched for purchase.

I found the seam.

Gravity yanked me downwards. My knuckles turned white with the strain, but to my relief, my grip held.

Yes! I exulted. I had done it, or the first part anyway. I was hanging four yards up on the crater wall. Bending back my head, I spotted my next objective: a deep crack about a yard above the seam I clung onto. I expected reaching it would be much easier.

Contorting my body weirdly, and using one-step to temporarily anchor my feet as I worked, I pulled my body up the rockface inch by inch, until finally my toes rested on the seam, and my fingers dug into the crack. From there, scaling the remaining one yard to the crater’s edge went off without a hitch.

You have left a safe zone.

Reaching the top, I rolled onto my back and breathed a sigh of relief. I had done it. I made it out of the safe zone alive.

~~~

My escape went unnoticed by the gang, and despite the cavern’s soft light, my stealth was sufficient to conceal me as I crept to the closest cavern wall. Bracing myself against the wall, I took stock of the area again.

Saben and Sigmar were still with the gang squads on the west ramp. A few yards to my left, the door to the goblin complex lay open, and directly across me, on the opposite side of the cavern, was the tunnel leading to the gang’s camp. Amongst the group guarding the east ramp, I thought I spotted Goral. He, like Saben, could see about as well in the dark.

While I surveilled the chamber, Gnat glided down from the darkness to land on my shoulder. “Well done,” he whispered in my ear.

I didn’t reply as I considered my next move. My first priority was arming myself. Unfortunately, with both gang squads in the cavern alert and with candidates able to see in the dark, I could see no easy way to go do that. Which meant moving on to my next objective: finding Bornholm. There were two ways I could go about that.

One, retreat back through the goblin complex and maze, and make my way around to the gang’s camp from the other end. It would be a tortuously long journey, but safe.

Two, make for the gang’s camp more directly through the tunnel across me. It was likely guarded, and the risk of discovery would be greater.

I favored the second option. Time was of the essence. The gang was still hunting Bornholm’s people and the longer I took to reach them, the more of my allies would die. And besides, if the north tunnel was too well-guarded, I could always retreat and go the long way around through the maze.

The north tunnel it is, I decided. I glanced at the familiar on my shoulder. But first, I have to deal with Gnat.

With that in mind, I slipped back into the goblin complex. It was time for me and the skeletal bat to have a long overdue discussion.

~~~

Ideally, I had wanted to have the conversation with Gnat while armed to the teeth and braced for anything. But given the recent events in Saben’s chamber, I didn’t think I could afford to put off my confrontation with the familiar any longer. And besides, if my suspicions were correct, I feared that if matters between the bat and I devolved to a fight, I was dead already.

Ducking into an empty chamber that was sufficiently far from the safe zone’s cavern that we wouldn’t be disturbed, I sat down cross-legged.

“Why have you come here?” Gnat asked.

I brushed the familiar off my shoulder and gestured him to a spot across me. He alighted on it obediently.

“We have to talk, Gnat,” I said.

The skeletal bat tilted his head to the side and looked at me curiously. “Talk?”

I held his gaze squarely. “Yes, talk. About whom you serve and your true purpose in accompanying me.”

“What nonsense is this?” Gnat asked, his tone dismissive. “I serve you of course.”

I shook my head. “No, you don’t. How did Stayne find me?”

“You think I told him?” Gnat asked scornfully. “Preposterous! Saben must have informed him.”

“Saben serves Ishita. He had no reason to inform Stayne of my whereabouts. Try again.”

“Then it was Sigmar,” Gnat said, disinterest lacing his voice.

“Possibly,” I allowed. I still don’t know if Sigmar was sworn to any amongst the Dark. He could very well have given his allegiance to Stayne. Letting the point be, I moved on. “How did Stayne know about the wolves?”

“I don’t know.” The bat feigned a yawn. “Enough with the questions. Can we get going now?”

I wasn’t buying his pretense. “Not good enough, Gnat. Answer me.”

Gnat scowled. “How should I know? Maybe he scryed you out from afar!”

“Unlikely. Why would he go to all that trouble for some random candidate?” I shook my head again. “I know you are lying to me, Gnat.” I held up my hand to still his protest. “What I want to know is why.” I stared at the bat coldly, making certain he saw my resolve. “If you don’t come clean, then I will sever our Pact.”

This at last seemed to shake Gnat. “You don’t want to do that, Michael,” he said softly.

I nodded. “I suspect you are right about that. But if you leave me no other choice, I will.”

“Are you sure you want to know?” Gnat asked, the luminous orbs of his eyes glinting. “You will be turning down a dangerous path if you do this.”

I smiled wryly. “There has been nothing safe—or easy—about my journey ever since I got to this world.” My face hardened. “Tell me.”

“Very well.” Gnat sighed. “I did not tell Stayne about you, or the wolves. I don’t serve him. But,” he allowed, “Stayne may have found out about you from the one I told.”

“You informed the Master,” I stated.

“I did,” Gnat admitted. “I am bound to him by ties greater than the ones I have to you.” He met my eyes. “It is my duty, and that of every other familiar to report any unusual occurrences we observe.”

“So the familiars are spies?”

“We are.”

I had suspected as much, but I feared that spying was the least of their tasks. “That is not your only function though, is it?”

Gnat did not try dodging the question this time. “It isn’t. I’m also obliged to contact the Master’s death squads when it is certain a candidate has rejected the path he has set for them.”

My eyes narrowed. “Contact how?”

“With an aether magic spell that sends a distress signal to them. They will then open a portal to my location, and send through the kill team.”

“I see. What happens if I break our Pact?”

“I contact the Master.”

“And if I attack you?”

“I contact the Master,” Gnat replied, just as evenly.

I was unsurprised by the familiar’s answers. It was what I had been afraid of all along. I thought for a moment. “Do you report to the Master through the aether too?”

“No. Such magic is too advanced for me. My reports are delivered personally.” Gnat gestured upwards. “You cannot see it from here, but there is a small opening in the ceiling above that connects to a second tunnel network that overlays the dungeon itself. It leads directly to the Master’s domain.”

I glanced up, but true to Gnat’s words, could see no opening. “How many times have you reported on me?”

“Thrice.”

I winced. “Tell me about them.”

“The first time was during your battle with the goblin chief. Once it—”

“Why did you report then?”

“Your interactions with the wolves were… unusual, and it was beginning to look like you might actually triumph against the boss. Both events were worthy of reporting.”

“And what did the Master make of your report?”

“His interest was roused,” Gnat replied. “Before I returned to you, the Master cast a psionic shield over me.”

“Why would he do that?”

Gnat shrugged. “To shield me from the dire wolves I suspect. They are natural telepaths.”

I nodded. “And the second time?”

“When the bronze chests appeared. The Master scryed you out himself after that.”

I shuddered. “Why?”

“To make sure you didn’t receive a Light or Shadow Class.” Gnat looked at me solemnly. “If you had received a non-dark aligned Class the Master would have acted immediately.”

I didn’t have to ask him how the Master would have acted. I could well imagine. “And when was the third time?”

Gnat fidgeted. “That wasn’t at my behest,” he said, sounding puzzled.

I looked at him sharply. “What do you mean?”

“Vomer, one of the merchants, slipped me a handwritten note to pass on to the Master. It was after the Master received the merchant’s report that he sent Stayne to find you.”

My eyes narrowed. “When exactly was this?”

“It was during your first visit to the grey merchant.” Before I could ask, Gnat added, “I could see—but not hear—your conversation from above.”

I rubbed my chin in consideration. “Can other players see my Classes, Gnat?”

“Only if their insight is high enough.”

The pieces were falling into place. Vomer must have observed my Class evolve from scout to nightstalker and reported it. The Master’s interest in me was troubling, but it perhaps gave me a bit of leeway to work with. This is something I can use.

I turned back to Gnat. “Thank you for your candor Gnat,” I said gravely. “I assume that this conversation is something else you must report to the Master?”

The bat bobbed his head. “It is.”

“Then I want you to carry a message of my own back to the Master.”

Gnat looked startled, but he waited patiently to hear what I had to say.

I closed my eyes, and took a moment to compose my thoughts. “Tell the Master that I will assume a Dark Mark as he wishes. But I ask that I be allowed go about it my own way. Request that he keep Stayne away. I intend on killing those who’ve betrayed me: Saben, Sigmar, and all that follow them, and I ask that the Master does not interfere. Let me go about my vengeance unimpeded.” Opening my eyes, I glanced at Gnat. “Do you think that will satisfy the Master?”

The bat snorted. “It just might, assuming you can pull it off.”

“Well, then,” I said rising to my feet. “I better get started.”