Chapter 35: The Secrets of the Gate, part 1

As he ran on through the dark streets, Ricky was aware of how terrifying he must look to the inhabitants. After their city had been besieged and attacked for... well, how long had the Rokerians been at the gates?

He didn’t know.

But he knew that the citizens must have felt genuine terror to see or hear about the army of ogres, goblins and worse, especially knowing that mighty allied cites such as Doomstar had fallen one at a time. They would have felt in their hearts that fighting was futile, and that before long their brave sons and daughters would face mutilation and death against the remorseless, implacable enemy.

And now a werewolf was running through their streets by the dead of night. He could only hope that he was able to stay in control, focused, at least mostly human for as long as it took to reach the gate.

The gate...

With four orbs in place, today might be the day that he finally achieved his goal, together with his guild companions. While he would be sorry to leave Channia behind, becoming a citizen of New Baravia surely had to come first. It was his original task, his main ‘quest’, even if it had never been a quest inside the Dark Framework. He couldn’t let anything come in the way of it.

Curiously, this line of thought led to a new quest appearing, and one of the highest level he had seen so far:

*Quest 055 (level 12): Become a citizen of New Baravia.

Guide – thank you, but I won’t be able to keep track of that quest in the Dark Framework. I’ll be out of here if I succeed.

“All right, Ricky. If you say so.”

He chuckled, but realised as he did so that it sounded more like a vicious snarl, and with a sinking feeling he recalled his conversation with Xarok when they had found him by the side of the river.

Wait – Guide... Can you tell me what to do once I pass through the gate? How do I actually get into New Baravia?

“Ricky, I am sure that everything will become much clearer to you when and if you pass the gate itself. Unfortunately I can’t comment on levels of the Dark Framework beyond Portalis, any more than I could guide you to the afterlife. This game is, in many ways, about exploration.”

Exploration, right.

Ricky mused on the concept as he ran on. In many ways, it had felt like he was exploring himself as much as exploring the game world. And he hadn’t always liked what he had found.

*Damage report: You have lost 1 hit points (26 remain).

“Urgh. More bleeding.”

Now, he was in a street that smelled strongly of pungent cheese, and while he knew that the market was close, it was hard to be certain of his route in the dark.

Map.

With the mentally-spoken command, a partial map again appeared across his vision, like badly-drawn pencil sketch, but more detailed in the areas where he had actually been before – the top of the wall, the city gates, the oval marketplace, the safe house. He was coming very close to the side street from the marketplace that he had once run along in beast form. From there, he could just follow his nose.

The marketplace, however, looked very different from what he remembered. It been converted into a makeshift military hospital, with multiple tents, many lanterns and torches, and healers working hard to treat the wounded. Many soldiers and civilians with a multitude of injuries were lying on pallets, blood flowing, wounded men and women moaning.

And my oh my, did the blood smell good...

The chaos and death on the battlefield had been too tainted by the tarry odor of torches and fires and by foul stench of crushed goblins. Now, this was a feast in the waiting. A dessert. Something to savor in the dark.

Ricky wiped his snout with the back of his furry hand to catch some of the drool.

The orb, the orb, he told himself. Come on, man. There will be time later to gorge yourself.

He swallowed.

Of course, perhaps if there was a soldier who had already died, nobody would notice if he took a bite? A spare amputated limb, perhaps, or a pool of blood...

He began to creep around the square, sniffing deeply again at the odors lingering on the rich, cool night air. The exterior of the area was dark enough, and the healers activity was near the middle; so far, he had not alerted any defenders.

Moving towards the nearest tent, he looked both ways.

Why was he here again?

Oh, yes. For food.

The entrance to the tent was on the other side, and he began to carefully lift up the back of the canvas, crouching down and trying his best to creep underneath.

Inside, around twenty wounded citizens and soldiers lay on pallets, with a single healer moving between them. A dozen torches in sconces lit the scene. The healer was leaning over one patient, and didn’t notice Ricky at first.

*Achievement: Stealthy moves! You have avoided alerting foes while on the hunt. +10XP

*Game mechanics alert: your hiding bonus (+2) has made the difference between success and failure.

Now he crept towards the nearest pallet. There was a man there, older, balding, a wrinkled face. Surely this was no warrior... Ricky sniffed again, and realised that there was a suppurating stomach wound, and that rot had set in. He was intrigued to taste it, but knew that it would be strange at best – nothing like the fresh bloody venison from the forest.

Was there perhaps a younger, more lightly wounded victim...?

Then there came a scream. Looking up, Ricky saw that the healer, a very old woman with braided hair, was shouting out for guards.

Soldiers.

And now there were people coming from both sides.

Knocking over a table with healing supplies, he slashed the side of the tent and ran out through the hole he had created, finding himself near the center of the marketplace.

Turning, one way, another, Ricky started to become aware of arrows raining in, with some of them hitting home...

*Damage report: You have lost 3 hit points (23 remain).

*Damage report: You have lost 4 hit points (19 remain).

He dropped to all fours and ran like a wolf, making for what he hoped was the area near the main gate.

Gate.

That meant something to him. But what? He was unsure... but he somehow had a feeling that it was the right direction to go in.

As he passed the last of the great healers’ tents, a fully-armed soldier rushed out into his path, lowering a spear towards his stomach.

Ricky batted the weapon away, surged forward and clamped his jaws down upon the soldier’s exposed neck.

*Combat event: Critical hit. +35XP

*Combat event: You have killed a human. +20XP

*Debuff: Non-allied citizens of Imperialis will react more negatively to you for the next 7 days in all interactions.

*Game mechanics alert: your mighty strike bonus: (+4) has been trebled as part of your critical hit.

Now four more soldiers surrounded him, three with spears and one with a composite bow. Roaring with fury, Ricky lunged at one and then another, thumping out with his great paws.

He became aware of another hit, but barely felt it... He was biting, scratching, running, and people were shouting in multiple directions...

And then everything went dark, as the beast took hold again.

The fog lifted from his senses, and Ricky found himself just inside the entranceway of the safe house once again. Xarok was beside him, having resumed his normal demonkind form, and Gabriella was in the street just a few yards away, holding a raised crossbow. He could also hear the clashing of swords not far away.

Xarok had his hands cupped around Ricky’s face, and was staring directly into his eyes while incanting. He then slapped him sharply on the cheek. “So, are you with us again, wolf brain?”

Ricky nodded, and then groaned, feeling two new wounds in his left side in addition to the one near his shoulder blade. He must have gained at least five more experience points, too, because he became aware of the following notifications hovering across his vision:

*Experience update: You now have 500 unallocated XP. Please select an attribute to increase.

Guide – back to human form, please.

“Confirm, please – you wish to resume human form.”

Yes, and quickly!

*World event: You have transformed into the form of a human.

The pain was again moderated, presumably still affected by Xarok’s potion, but as he changed into his own form, the agony of his multiple wounds took hold. Each one felt much more severe – and perhaps was – than it had been in beast-form.

Recovering his focus, Ricky looked outside from the entrance. “So how did you find me, and what’s going on?”

Xarok didn’t answer immediately; he was looking intently out towards where Gabriella was standing.

Ricky cleared his throat.

Guide – I am due another attribute increase, correct? And my hit points have risen by another five?

“Right on both counts, Ricky!”

And if I increase endurance, will that bump my hit points up by one, like it did at the start?

“It will.”

Do that then, please. Add one to endurance. I need all the hit points I can get.

“Very well, Ricky. I see that you still have no plans to become a spellcaster. Anyway, here’s another summary of your scores.”

***

Endurance: 7

Mana: 0

Nimbleness: 6

Speed: 4

Strength: 8

Hit points: 86

***

He then silently muttered another command:

Status.

Time: 01:07

Location: The City of Imperialis (city location 529)

Hit points: 4

Wait – four hit points? Shouldn’t I now have at least seven, what with the level increase and the boost to endurance?

“I never make mistakes, Ricky. Upon reaching a total of five hundred unspent XP you gained five hit points, bringing you to nine at that point, as you had recently sustained a number of wounds. Since that time you lost further hit points due to injuries and bleeding. This left you on three, prior to your increase in endurance, which took you to four.”

Ricky let out an exasperated groan at this. He looked around at Xarok and then groaned again, feeling at his body. “Man, I am feeling pretty beat up.”

*Damage report: You have lost 1 hit points (3 remain).

Ricky shook his head. “Shit, shit. Xarok – I am bleeding badly.”

“Yeah. I noticed.”

“Thing is, I’m losing a hit point every few minutes, and I only have three left now.”

“Then let’s get you down to the gate quickly,” said Gabriella, now hurrying inside whilst restoring her axe to its place at her belt, “and through to our destination.” Just after her came two NPC warriors, both tall stern women who resembled what Ricky imagined Viking shield-maidens would look like. Ricky watched as the pair closed the great wooden door of the safehouse. Moments later, someone began to hammer at the same door.

“Your actions at the marketplace certainly drew some attention,” said Gabriella, motioning her head towards the door. But rather than being annoyed, the warrior’s eyes were gleaming with excitement – even jubilation. And Ricky had now seen a notification that also gave him a certain amount of relief, too:

*Quest 029 complete: Carry the orb safely back to the safe house. +100XP

Xarok had already begun to descend the steps.

“It’s time, my friend,” said Gabriella, moving alongside Ricky and taking his arm as she began to descend. “We finally have all four orbs in our possession, and the Green Hand Guild have been stopped in their tracks. We can finally make it through the gate.”

“Correct,” said Xarok gruffly. “We three here are real players, in that we reside in the camp, or near it in my case. Big Mindar and Greenbow are waiting for us at the gate already, together with a trusted ally who is set to join our guild. Our NPCs will hold the safehouse for us, buying us time, but we three mustn’t delay. Enemies are on the move, both outside the city and inside the walls.”

Together they ran down the remaining steps until they reached the long bar room where the companions had first explained to Ricky about the gate and the orbs.

Then Xarok led the way off to the side, towards the wide corridor that Ricky recalled from his one and only brief visit to the gate. Then came the dingy stone stairs, taking them deeper in the complex, with Gabriella now moving ahead and holding up a flaming torch. At the foot of the stairs they emerged into the dark stone rectangular room, with its manacles on the wall and four arched doorways.

This time, Ricky knew which way to go. He hesitated for just a minute, glancing curiously at the three archways that he hadn’t yet had a chance to go through, and then he followed Xarok and Gabriella through the archway by the foot of the stairs, and into the deeper tunnel beyond. He knew that they were close to the gate now, but it wasn’t long before his companions had hurried ahead and were out of sight.

*Damage report: You have lost 1 hit points (2 remain).

“Xarok? Gabriella?” called out Ricky, peering into the dark. He was aware that he hadn’t been moving well due to the pain from his injuries, but before long he had turned a corner and saw Gabriella just ahead of him with the flaming torch. “Come. Let’s not delay, brother,” she said.

Clearly the tall warrior was still brimming with excitement; she could barely keep the grin from her face.

Ahead, Xarok was now holding a blade in his hand. It suddenly occurred to Ricky how little he really knew these companions of his. But loyalty to the pack, to the guild – that would keep him safe, right? Surely the man didn’t mean to kill him and take his orb at this late stage.

Was it possible that this had all been a ruse to get rid of a new player – a threat – and ensure that the older guild members maintained control..? Granted it would have been easier to kill him from the off, though he would just respawn; perhaps they had found a more permanent way to deal with threats.

But surely not...

As the small group hurried down the long downward-sloping tunnel, he shook his head and tried to dismiss such paranoid thoughts. Soon, Gabriella was several yards ahead of him, with Xarok almost out of sight.

“Can you help with my wounds?” called out Ricky weakly, as he tried his best to keep up. He was tired and shivering from the cold of the tunnels, and was well aware that there was still some way to go.

“When we get to the gate, help will be at hand,” said Gabriella, looking around without breaking stride. She was now clutching the magenta-colored orb in one hand, having pulled it from some pocket or pouch. “Come on, my friend – be strong. It’s not far to go now.”

“I’ll manage.”

Though he wasn’t too certain of his own words.

She nodded, looking ahead once more. “By the howl of the wolf.”

“By the howl of the wolf,” he murmured in response, clutching at the arrow wounds on his right leg and limping on.

Guide – how long before I drop to zero hit points?

“You have one and a half minutes before death, Ricky,” the Guide replied brightly.

And am I right in thinking that food and water would help?

“They won’t stop your bleeding, but they can restore a small number of hit points, correct. That in turn would increase the amount of time available before you die.”

Got it.

Now the narrow tunnel had turned round into Xarok’s kill corridor, and Ricky became aware that his companions were speaking in alarmed voices.

Something was wrong.

What was it?

The others had stopped near the barrel of ammunition, but there was no sign of the legendary archer Garbon.

Until there was... As Ricky came closer, he saw the tall one-eyed man sprawled on the floor, face down in a pool of blood.

“His throat has been cut,” said Xarok, rising up from a kneeling position.

“How can our enemies have reached even to here?” said Gabriella, looking nervously over her shoulder.

“We have to check the gate. Stay wary,” replied Xarok.

“Come – carry on, my friends,” called an unfamiliar voice from further down the tunnel, and again the others hurried ahead without waiting for Ricky.

Ricky paused to lament the cruel death of Garbon.

And then, with a furtive glance ahead, he took a moment to crouch down and lap at the man’s delicious blood. It had a familiar taste to it, and as he drank, Ricky realized that it reminded him of the urn of blood that he had been given to drink when he first ascended to the Tooth and Claw Guild.

It was wholesome – nourishing.

*Healing report: You have gained 3 hit points (5 remain).

“Ricky!”

The others had moved on, and now Gabriella was calling for him from the room ahead, her voice echoing in the dark. Ricky rose, guiltily wiping his mouth with the back of his arm.

And now, as he hurried on and reached the room with the huge glowing gate that he had seen once before, he could see that indeed, certain other core guild members were clustered in front of him. As well as the two with whom he had come, there stood Big Mindar, as well as a muscular male elf and a female demonkind.

Xarok nodded grimly as Ricky arrived, and indicated with one hand towards the others. “We’re all here at last. Too few of us remain, due to the merciless actions of our enemies. But nevertheless, we stand. We alone have the gate, and now we have the orbs.”

“Let’s open it then!” cried the elf. He was dressed in leather armor with a steel chestplate, had a sword at one hip and a bow across his shoulder, and very long curly black hair tied back from his pale face. Ricky assumed that this must be the warrior known as Greenbow.

But Xarok shook his head. “There is something even more urgent. Our newest recruit.”

Me? Ricky thought to himself. Do they mean to do me harm after all?

“I can’t answer that,” replied the Guide calmly, but Ricky shook his head – he had not intended to direct the question at her.

Xarok was still holding a knife in one hand, and was now also clutching a small clay container – not unlike the one that Ricky had once drunk from upon his induction to the guild. As Ricky looked on, several drops of blood fell from Xarok’s forearm into the container.

“What are you doing?” asked Ricky.

“I told you,” replied Xarok shortly. “We are initiating another new member. You won’t be the newbie when Shattara here joins us. We have to keep our numbers up somehow, and there is no time to lose – hence the unusual surroundings.” He indicated with his thumb towards the female demonkind as he spoke. She was a very beautiful individual, albeit rather strange-looking to Ricky’s eyes due to the very thick horns on her head and the scaly appearance of her arms and hands. She appeared to be some kind of rogue or thief, judging by the midnight blue cloak sashed at her waist and leather armor beneath, though Ricky was again mindful that there were no character classes in the Framework – just choices.

The demonkind woman also wore a long curved dagger at each hip and Ricky took one nervous step back as she came towards him, but she passed by him with barely a glance, and handed ten silver pieces across to the demonkind spellcaster.

“The ceremony,” he said, realization catching up with him. “What we drink from the urn – it’s the blood of our members?”

Gabriella nodded. “Naturally. The surviving ones, anyway, which sadly is only those of us here in the room.”

Hesitating, looking at the new recruit and back at Xarok, Ricky reached into his bag and pulled out the green orb, then cradled it close to his chest and took a step away. “Wait,” he said. “How do we know she’s really on our side, and loyal to the guild? It could have been her that killed Garbon.”

“No,” grunted Big Mindar with a shrug. “Invaders from the Green Hand Guild must have done it. Shattara made it here first, along with the elf, and I came after, and at that point the archer still lived. I suspect Garbon was assassinated by someone who fled when he saw that the gate was well guarded. An infiltrator.”

“Perhaps,” muttered Ricky. “But at a time like this, is it wise to trust...” He then stopped, as the beautiful Shattara stepped towards him and winked. “Why, hello, Ricky from Barrowdale. Remember me?”

He frowned, silent for a moment, trying to figure out where he had heard that voice. And then he made the connection; this must be the avatar of Vik, the young woman who he had sat beside to eat, before logging back on. Her face was of a similar shape and her manner and way of speaking was just the same; hearing the voice coming out of her avatar was strange indeed.

“Vik?” he said.

She nodded. “Though here, you should call me Shattara. And as you can see, not all of the gang from the labor camp are Green Hand drones.”

“So you infiltrated Julie’s crew? Or did you infiltrate us?” Ricky was still holding the orb close to his body, a sense of defensiveness pervading him.

Shattara paused, pulling out one of her curved knives and making a small cut upon her own hand. “I gave them a few vague promises of loyalty without actually signing up to their guild, much the same as you did yourself, Ricky. The fact is, I can think for myself. Besides, I’m not on board with toppling cities with slave armies and then massacring the inhabitants. While the Green Hand do have some worthwhile intentions, I decided to align myself with your crowd. For the more pragmatic goal of citizenship, rather than ruling a virtual world.”

“Nice,” growled Xarok. “Now – we’d better hurry, before either the City Watch or the invading forces can make their way here. Come on, Greenbow.” Big Mindar was now holding the jar out towards the muscular elf, who had so far remained quiet. As they watched on, the latter pulled out a blade, cut the tip of his left index finger, and allowed several drops of the blood to join the mixture. Ricky could smell the rich metallic smell of the blood in the pot very distinctly, now, and a hunger pang hit him violently for a moment. He would have been happy to drink the lot.

“Our new member is right,” said Greenbow. “We have to be careful. Let us see her drink it before we proceed any further with the orbs.”

Xarok nodded. He took the urn from Greenbow and now approached Ricky, holding out a knife. However, Ricky instead pointed to the multiple wounds on his leg. Xarok stooped, gently squeezing a flap of Ricky’s slashed leggings such that several drips fell into the clay container. At around the same time, and perhaps coincidentally, another update appeared:

*Damage report: You have lost 1 hit points (4 remain).

Gabriella was next, cutting her own left palm with a long, deep slash, after which the blood ran liberally down her fingers and into the pot. With that, Xarok moved over to Shattara again and handed her the urn.

The roguish demonkind took it in both hands and drank deeply. Soon she was gasping in pain, and Ricky recognized the beginnings of the transformation which he had also experienced only days before.

“What did you do? What’s happening to me?”

Big Mindar raised one eyebrow as the demonkind fell to her knees close to him, while Gabriella hurried over to support her. “Don’t worry, sister. We are here for you. The pains are temporary, but the power will last.”

“I... I don’t feel so good.”

“You are a part of the pack now,” growled Xarok, as he stoppered the little clay urn and tucked it back inside his robes.

As Shattara crouched, shaking her head to battle the temporary disorientation that followed ascension to the guild, Gabriella’s gaze fell on Ricky once again. “Now,” she said, nodding down towards the green orb that Ricky was still holding. “Our sister Shattara here will be back on her feet shortly, and there’s no time to waste. I want to get out of here.”

“As do I,” said Greenbow, holding up one fist and clenching his teeth. “We have lost friends and companions. But now the time of the Tooth and Claw Guild has arrived.”

“Indeed. And I’ve certainly had enough of being beaten and mistreated in the camp,” added Gabriella.

And with that, she walked towards the gate, raising the magenta orb in her hand.

Accumulated XP: 2615 (unspent: 115)