Into the Pandemonium

by StarKnight2.0

Part 2 of "Somewhere Far Beyond." Things are beginning to heat up. Follow Gareth and Kane as they dodge enemies and assume new roles. Ainz follows the path of the Overlord while battling a mysterious rival who wants nothing more than to see Nazarick burn. Meanwhile, secrets are unearthed and ancient powers are awakened, threatening both the players and the New World.

10. A Symptom of Being Human

(a/n: Sorry for the wait. Thank you for your patience, your reviews and DMs Please enjoy this new chapter. Big thanks to Lucius Walker for all his help!)

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Ch.10: A Symptom of Being Human

Evileye let out a bored sigh. The vampiric Adventurer leaned against the railing and gazed out into the moonlit sea. Despite the moon hanging above their heads and her inhuman eyes, she couldn't spy any sign of another ship. The Golden Autumn cut a smooth path through the water, rising and falling gracefully over the even waves. A shower of salty mist splashed against her mask, which made the vampire glad that she didn't remove it yet. The deck was silent and devoid of the crew, save for those few on watch for the night, and the weather was cool and pleasant for once. After a few moments of staring out into the midnight sea, Evileye spied Lakyus, the leader of their team, standing closer to the bow and decided to join her.

As she made her way toward the bow of the ship, which rose up and down gently with each step, Evileye was beginning to question why they took this job. It wasn't like she hated the sea or sailing. It was the feeling of being…stuck. Trapped. Being out at sea, in close quarters and sharing limited space with dozens of others at once. Evileye was more accustomed to being on the open road and with fewer company. If it weren't for the job they were hired to do, and for the fact that the vessel they were on had more elbow room than she'd anticipated, the vampire would've teleported or flew away by now.

"Anything yet?" Evileye asked, sidling up beside Lakyus.

The blonde cleric shook her head. "Nothing. I haven't sensed anything. You?"

"Quiet as always."

The vampire glanced at her friend. The young cleric stood stockstill, staring forward into the dimly illuminated darkness, her face a stoic mask. She looked every bit an Adamantite-class Adventurer, complete with her fine armor and the six golden swords floating behind her. Looking down, Evileye noticed that Lakyus's hands were balled up into fists. Although she was confident of Lakyus's resolve and strength of will, the vampire was always on her guard. Hanging from the cleric's back was Lakyus's primary weapon: the cursed sword, Kilineiram. Despite its awful true nature, the sword's beauty matched its legendary reputation. The blade itself was as black as night, though when it caught the light or was used in battle, it shimmered with a deep sapphire blue.

One of the four legendary Swords of Darkness, once wielded by the Black Knight himself, a former member of the Thirteen Heroes. Evileye remembered him. He was the strong silent type, speaking only when necessary. While most of the Thirteen Heroes bonded, the Black Knight was always aloof, always keeping to his own council. From what she remembered, the Black Knight never seemed to have struggled for control with his swords like Lakyus did. But perhaps that was because he wasn't fully human. Despite that, Evileye was confident that Lakyus was strong enough to control Kilineiram without it overwhelming her.

Lakyus let out a sigh and unclenched her fist. She looked at Evileye and smiled. "Not a particularly exciting job, isn't it?"

"No," Evileye agreed, "but it does pay well and it benefits the Kingdom greatly."

The cleric nodded. Despite a week of uninterrupted peace, the job they were currently tasked with was of the utmost importance to the Kingdom: hunting down and dealing with pirates. As of late, the sea routes that connect Re-Estize with the Council State and the rest of the ports along the continent's northern coast have been infested with pirates and smugglers. According to accounts from various sailors and merchants, these pirates would seize ships and steal cargo or impose a hefty fine in exchange for not losing their livelihoods. Or lives. In the meantime, there were ships spotted sailing through these same waters unhindered and, at times, even accompanied by these same pirates. Word of this reached authorities in Re-Uroval and E-Naeurl and both had tried to handle it themselves. They've sent ships to destroy, or at the very least, capture these brigands, but the authorities of Re-Estize's two major ports have so far been unsuccessful. Which was why Princess Renner, Count Naeura, and Margrave Urovana hired them.

Judging from the information gathered about these pirates, Princess Renner deduced that these pirates weren't a series of disparate and unrelated crews. She theorized that they may be employed by, or even be a part of, the Eight Fingers organization. After all, one of their eight departments was purportedly dedicated to smuggling. From their actions, it appeared as though they were trying to tighten their control of the sea routes and expand their operations. Which would explain the reported increase of Black Dust use in several of the Council State's coastal cities. The increase of piracy and the boldness of these incidents hint that Eight Fingers has grown confident of their growing strength or that they had paid off enough nobles and officials to not worry of reprisals.

Which was why this job was so important. Not only would they strike a blow to Eight Fingers, but they'd also salvage the Kingdom's reputation and not draw the ire of the Council State. The plan was to send a ship to Argland from Re-Uroval, disguised as a merchant's vessel laden with goods and valuables. The journey would be slow and would follow a particularly lengthy route that took them further out to sea, where pirates had reportedly frequented. Once the pirates took the bait, the Adventurers would capture and question them. If they didn't feel like talking and attacked first, as they have done with the last few ships, then the Adventurers would respond in kind. Unfortunately, so far, they've had little luck in running into another ship, pirate or otherwise.

After a while of silent nothingness, Evileye and Lakyus's shift was about over and their replacements had emerged from the crew quarters.

"Ready to hit the sack?" Durwald Mikhun said, as they approached the cabin that the captain had set aside for the members of Blue Rose. Durwald was a large, solid man dressed in light armor and a long overcoat. He was the leader of a team composed of former Adventurers from Re-Uroval, they called themselves The Swords of the Sea. Ordinarily, they helped guard Re-Uroval itself and the occasional high value ship. However, the Margrave had thought it prudent to send them to aid Blue Rose. The Swords of the Sea were adept at sea based combat and have dealt with their share of pirates. While the extra help was welcomed, it was beginning to appear that they weren't needed after all.

"Just about," Lakyus yawned.

"I'm fine," Evileye replied, truthfully. Being a vampire, night was like her daytime and she wasn't feeling particularly weary, even though she had been awake all day.

"Looking for some company then?" Weldon, Durwald's second in command, asked jokingly. He wiggled his eyebrows and produced a green glass bottle from his pack. "I got a bottle of Spiced Wine, freshly imported from the Briarheart Vineyards in Argland. It'd be a shame to drink it all by myself."

"On second thought…" Evileye began, which elicited chuckles from Lakyus and the two former Adventurers.

It was then that Evileye felt a chill run down her spine and she sensed something behind her. The vampire spun around and the chuckles died down.

"What is it?" Lakyus said, alert and serious.

"I sense…something, up ahead," the vampiric Adventurer said.

"Sense what?" asked Durwald, his brows furrowed.

Evileye didn't know how to explain or voice what she was feeling. It wasn't that she can't, but rather that she didn't know how to explain that what she was sensing was…familiar. Although she said nothing, Durwald and Lakyus both knew that whatever was ahead of them was serious. The two leaders quickly roused the rest of their teams and the ship's crew. In moments, the ship was alive and the deck was filled with sailors and Adventurers, scurrying about to gauge the situation and prepare themselves.

As the crew and passengers prepared themselves, Evileye noticed thick clouds gathering above. Slowly but surely, the clouds smothered the moon and snuffed out the light, plunging the Golden Autumn into total blackness.

"How ominous," one of the Swords of the Sea murmured.

Evileye silently agreed.

The petite vampire rushed to the bow and gazed into the night. She searched and silently hoped that what she was feeling wasn't real. It had been a few centuries now since she felt that power, that presence and would've been happier to not feel it ever again. Glancing backward, she saw the rest of her team, along with the Swords of the Sea, the ship's captain and his men. They were tough but, if it was truly him out there in the dark, then they didn't stand a chance.

"See anything, pipsqueak?" Gagaran called out.

"Nothing yet, meathead!" Evileye called back.

She looked into the dark once more and was growing more anxious. Ordinarily, darkness did little to impede a vampire's sight. However, this darkness was strangely resistant. Evileye was hesitant to let their unseen enemy know of their position, she wasn't eager to let the ship crash into any unexpected obstacles. The vampiric Adventurer conjured up a light orb, which shot from her hand and arced high into the dark sky. The light grew until it was the size of a melon. It bathed the ship in a pale light and pushed back the darkness enough to see a short distance ahead.

Evileye had conjured the light orb in just the right time as a ship of equal size came lumbering into view, heading right for them. The captain barked a series of commands and the ship slowed and changed trajectory.

"Get ready!" Lakyus told her fellow Adventurers as she unsheathed Kilineiram.

The Golden Autumn gradually came alongside the other ship and found…nothing. There didn't appear to be a single soul aboard. On the decks, up in the riggins, up in the crowsnest, nothing. Evileye inspected the ship, sniffing the air. She didn't smell any unfamiliar scents, or any scents from long ago.

"I don't like this," Durwald said, clutching his saber tightly.

Lakyus invoked the [Detect Life] spell and looked puzzled. "I'm not detecting anything."

"Maybe they've abandoned the ship?" one of the Swords of the Sea suggested.

"Unlikely," the captain of the Golden Autumn said. "A ship like this? Sure, it's probably seen better days but I doubt anyone would abandon it."

"Not without cause," Evileye chimed in. The vampire climbed up onto the railing and gazed at the lifeless vessel. Although she trusted Lakyus's abilities, if he is on this ship, then it's likely that the cleric wouldn't be able to detect him unless he allowed her to. She studied the ship carefully and didn't see any signs of a struggle or bloodshed. Not that there would be, not with this particular monster.

"What should we do?" one of the sailors asked the captain.

"We could claim it," suggested another. "Take it back with us? Fix it up, give it a bit of paint and it'd make a fine addition to the Margrave's fleet or could fetch a bit of gold from one of the trading companies."

"We should torch it," Gagaran grunted, eyeing the ship suspiciously. "I don't like it. It's giving me the creeps."

"It'd be an awful shame," the captain said, scratching his chin, "but I'm inclined to agree with Lady Gagaran. This whole thing reeks of a trap. Probably waiting for us to leave or to board the ship so they could ambush us."

"Wait!" one of the sailors said. Everyone stopped. "Does…does anyone else hear that?"

Everyone stopped and listened. For a moment, there didn't seem to be any sound, save for the lapping of the waves against the ship's hull. But, after listening closer, the assembled crewmen and Adventurers could hear…singing. At first it was a soft, melancholy voice. A man's voice.

"Dark the stars and dark the moon…hush the night and the morning loon…Tell the horses and beat on your drum…gone their master, gone their son…"

The voice was full of sadness and longing, of something or someone gone. Everyone listened as the voice continued, growing louder and clearer.

"Dark the oceans, dark the sky…Hush the whales and the ocean tide…"

Evileye felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. She knew this song. It's been centuries but she remembered it clearly. The last time she had heard it was when her mother, Queen Annie Fasris Invern, was alive. Back before Inveria became a kingdom of the dead.

"Tell the salt marsh and beat on your drum…gone their master, gone their son…" a female voice sang, joining the man's. The voice was gentle and sweet and carried a hint of soothing magic.

"It's a trap!" Evileye cried, turning to her comrades and the crew. But it was too late. Almost everyone on deck was standing stock still, their eyes glassy and unfocused. Each began to drop their weapons and shields.

Lakyus, Gagaran, Tina and Tia were struggling to maintain control and focus. Quickly, Evileye aimed at her friends and cried "[Silence]!"

The rest of Blue Rose were enveloped in silence, thus sparing them from the enchanted song of their unseen foe.

Gagaran thanked the vampire, or at least that's what it looked like. The silence spell worked both ways, muffling the enchanting song and muffling the rest of Blue Rose. With that, Evileye looked and saw, stepping into the light on the other ship were figures she hadn't seen in many years.

"Dark to light and light to dark…three black carriages, three white carts," the Vampire Lord Ludwig Gerhardt sang. His pale clammy features were made ghostly in the light of the magical orb. His long white hair flowed gently on the breeze, as if he were moving underwater. Although an immense amount of time had passed since their last encounter, Ludwig looked exactly as he did long ago. Not just physically but he still wore the same dirty black coat and trousers and boots. The only new thing was the eyepatch, which covered his left eye. He looked every bit the undead seafaring captain he was.

"What brings us together is what pulls us apart…" sang the second voice as a beautiful, white haired woman emerged from the dark. The woman was dressed in a white gown that clung to her like a burial shroud. "...gone our brother, gone our heart."

Ludwig raised his hand and the woman bowed her head, their enchanted performance was at an end.

The Vampire Lord stepped up to the railing of his ship and leaned against it, a warm smile appeared on his cold gray lips. "Been a long time, huh Landfall?"

"Not long enough," Evileye growled. "And don't call me Landfall. I have abandoned that name."

"So I've heard," Ludwig said glumly, "but try as you might, you can't change who you truly are, anymore than a fish trying to change its scales."

"What are you doing here?"

"Why are any of us here, really? Isn't that one of life's most maddening secrets? No matter how powerful or well read, we still chase after answers. Some say that it's a flaw only in humans but I've found that even the undead ask themselves this very question every so often."

"You know what I mean."

Ludwig blinked and gave her an innocent look. Evileye glared back as best as she could with her mask on. The Vampire Captain rolled his eyes.

"Alright! No need to get so uptight. We're here on a job."

"What job?"

"We're here to clean up these waters."

Evileye tilted her head, which caused Ludwig to raise his hands defensively.

"I swear, it's the truth. I won't say why exactly but from what Manfred said, it's all a gesture of good faith to our new friend."

Evileye went stiff. "Manfred?"

"Yeah, Manfred. Surprise! He's still alive."

The vampiric Adventurer felt her throat go dry and her gut twist into knots. Manfred, the Vampire Lord who led the vanguard against the Thirteen Heroes. Manfred, the Vampire Lord who took her in and taught her how to be a vampire. The one who helped destroy Inveria all those years ago.

Evileye shook her head, trying to free her mind from the horrific events of that night and focused on Ludwig, who was now on the deck of the Golden Autumn. The Vampire Lord moved among the immobilized sailors and Adventurers. He sniffed one man and seized up another. Eventually he paused before the rest of Blue Rose, who brandished their weapons and waited for Ludwig's move.

"Still playing with your food?" Ludwig teased. "If you don't eat, you won't grow any taller and your food will rot and lose its flavor. Maybe if I were to take one or two off your hands…"

"This is between you and me!" Evileye roared and used [Magic Arrow], sending a lance of magical energy flying at the vampire.

Ludwig moved with inhuman speed and fluidity. He drew Riptide, his saw toothed saber, and with a series of strikes, reduced the magical projectile into a cloud of glittering light..

Before Evileye could react, Ludwig had cut the distance between them in a blur and brought Riptide right up to her throat. The rusty teeth of the saber dug into her flesh and threatened to draw blood if she moved. The younger vampire gazed into the older vampire's eye and felt a chill run down her spine. Despite his chatty mood, Ludwig was all too ready and willing to spill her blood here and now. But, strangely, he didn't.

The Vampire Lord pulled Riptide away from Evileye's throat and sheathed it.

"I'm afraid that isn't true and you know it," Ludwig said, turning away from Evileye. He gazed out into the dark on the portside of the Golden Autumn and his voice became soft. "The past has a funny way of catching up to us, huh? No matter how hard we fight, or how far we run, the past always follows us. It may take some time but it will catch up to us in the end. If not properly laid to rest, the past can consume us and infect our present. Kind of like a vampire."

Evileye looked at him strangely.

Ludwig looked back to Evileye. "He's changed…you know."

"Who?"

"Manfred."

"What do you mean?"

"He's…not himself. He hasn't been himself, not for a long time. Not after Gideon's death, Harlon's betrayal and the hardships we endured in the Winter Isles."

Evileye gazed at Ludwig with a mixture of confusion and fear. She wasn't sure what to make of the vampire captain's words. If what he was saying was true, then her old mentor turned foe was probably even more dangerous than before.

"And that's supposed to, what? Make me feel sorry for him?" Evileye said coldly. "Manfred is a cruel and sadistic monster who cares only for himself."

"No, I'm just…trying to let you know what you're getting yourself into."

"Huh?"

Ludwig reached into his coat and withdrew an immaculate envelope with flowery calligraphy on it and a wax seal on the back featuring the sigil of the Emperor of Baharuth. The vampire captain offered the Adventurer the envelope and Evileye cautiously accepted it. Breaking the seal and emptying the envelope, she inspected the contents.

"An invitation to a ball held in honor of Emperor Jircniv's birthday?" Evileye read aloud, clearly confused.

"Lord Manfred hopes to see you there," Ludwig said, walking toward the Golden Autumn's starboard, heading back toward his own ship. He stopped and looked back at Evileye and then to the rest of Blue Rose. "Feel free to bring your friends. It'll be fun."

"Why should I go? How do I know it's not a trap?"

Ludwig shrugged "Stay, go, I don't care. But let me tell you…you'll be missing out on one hell of a party." He climbed up on top of the railing and paused. Without looking back, the Vampire Lord told her, "And while I may not care, Manfred does. After all, he waited so long and has done so much in order to prepare for this little reunion. He told me to tell you that, should you feel disinclined to accept the invitation, he'll be sure to remind the humans of this world of what happened to Inveria. Make of that as you will."

Before Evileye could say or do anything, Ludwig jumped off the side of the ship. She ran over and peered over the railing. He was gone without a trace. Looking over to the other ship, the vampire woman was gone as well. A few moments later, the Swords of the Sea, the captain and the rest of the crew stirred from their daze.

"W-What happened?" Durwald asked, confused.

"You were incapacitated," Evileye explained, "by a spell called [Siren's Song]. It combines music with magic."

"Sounds like something a bard can do," Gagaran said, the [Silence] spell now worn off.

"It's similar, though [Siren's Song] is specifically made to incapacitate anyone who hears it."

"How come it didn't affect you?" Weldon asked.

"Because of her insane strength," one of Weldon's comrades answered, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's Adamantite-class for ya," said another, causing the others to nod.

Evileye gazed out to the other ship and to the seemingly endless darkness beyond. Despite a rather unnerving encounter, the vampiric Adventurer thought it funny. Ludwig mentioned that Evileye can't change who she really is, but he certainly has changed. The Ludwig she knew wouldn't have taken the time to incapacitate the crew and talk with her. No. The Ludwig she knew would've taken them by surprise. He would've rammed the other ship right into the Golden Autumn, howling a battle cry and violently ripped the crew to pieces. Of course, this could be explained that he was merely a messenger sent to deliver a message to Evileye. Even still, Ludwig wasn't nearly this talkative or restrained.

He mentioned how Manfred has changed. If he has, then it scared Ludwig and if it scared Ludwig, then it certainly made Evileye uneasy. She looked at the invitation in her hands and considered the path before her. After a few moments, the vampire tucked the invitation into her pocket. They still had a job to do and she can worry about the invitation once they reach port.

Once everyone had regained their senses, Lakyus led all of Blue Rose and the Swords of the Sea over to the other ship, the Lucky Jack, to investigate.

When they reached the Lucky Jack, Evileye was the first to smell it. It was cloaked by a spell but the vampire could tell that the spell was wearing off. Pretty soon the others could smell it. The smell of rotting flesh. Lakyus and Durwald searched the captain's quarters and uncovered all sorts of charts, documents and log books. Unfortunately they were all written in code. Fortunately, the leader of Blue Rose was on good terms with a certain princess who was good at cracking codes.

Below decks, the findings were less useful and more grim. In the crew quarters, the Adventurers found the captain and crew, all lying in their hammocks, dead. Their bodies pale and sporting a single wound in various places: bite marks. They'd all been drained completely while sleeping in their beds. From the documents and from the tattoos of some of the dead crew, these men were without a doubt members of Eight Fingers. Perhaps the most chilling discovery came when Weldon and the other Swords of the Sea searched the cargo hold.

"I-I think I know why things have been so quiet lately," the slender second in command said, gesturing with his lantern.

The other Adventurers followed him down into the cargo hold and, upon crossing the threshold, the two teams were struck by the overpowering stench of rotting corpses.

Before Evileye could warn her comrade, Lakyus conjured up an orb of light to get a better look. The cleric covered her mouth and fought hard not to vomit.

Instead of the usual cargo of a merchant or the ill gotten gains of a pirate, the Lucky Jack's cargo hold was full of rotting corpses. Bodies of men, and some women, mangled and hacked and chewed upon, all lying in carefully distributed piles. Judging from the tattoos on some of them and the fact that others still held onto weapons, it was safe to assume that the bodies belonged to the pirates that were causing trouble in the area.

It would seem the Lucky Jack and the other pirates weren't so lucky after all. For they fell victim to the Vampire Lord who once terrorized the Rhynd Sea centuries ago, a vampire Evileye once called "Uncle Ludwig."

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Elsewhere, the night had been much kinder and calmer to the Imperial Capital of Baharuth. The moon gazed down at Arwintar dreamily. Despite the late hour, the bustling city was still abuzz with activity. Street lamps and lanterns from nearby shops illuminated the paved streets as shopkeepers and laborers hurried to put the finishing touches on their decorations. Carts and wagons full of travel weary people trickled in, eager to find lodgings and a warm meal. Members of the City Watch were out in force, patrolling their designated areas and eyeing the new arrivals for any trouble makers. Everything had to be perfect and in proper order. After all, it was the Emperor's birthday celebration.

However, despite the extra security and heightened alertness, none of the armored knights or sentries noticed the danger currently in their midst. Among the trickle of late arrivals, there was a covered wagon that was being inspected by the guards at Arwintar's East Gate. Sitting in the driver's seat was a large man with dark hair and dressed in roughspun clothes and a shaggy cap. At a glance, the man's attire and features would suggest that he was a farmer or field hand. However, if one were to properly scrutinize the man, they might glimpse a rather unique tattoo on his shoulder: a black hand with eight fingers. On top of that, one would see that his eyes had an intensity that belonged not to a mere field hand but to a hardened mercenary. A criminal.

Rider, mentor and right hand to the head of Eight Fingers' criminal enterprises in Baharuth, Lucian, waited for the go-ahead. It was an arduous journey, but he finally made it. The mercenary was ready to ditch these dirty, itchy clothes and get a good night's sleep. If only the guards would hurry up. In front of him was a wagon belonging to a merchant, hoping to sell his wares in the capital during one of the busiest seasons of the year. Unfortunately, something about the contents of the wagon, or the merchant himself, steered the soldiers the wrong way. Whatever it was, they've been questioning the man and searching his wagon for almost an hour now.

"Any change?" a voice rasped from behind Rider.

"No. No change whatsoever," Rider grunted, trying not to look like he was talking to someone.

"Shall I attempt to expedite things?"

"How? By killing the guards and bringing the entire Capital Garrison down on us?"

Silence.

Rider snorted "You know, for a man who's supposed to be Baharuth's greatest thief, you sure don't think things through."

"I do think things through," the voice hissed. "I'm just sooo bored! I can't bear to sit in this wagon any longer."

"You'll wait until I say otherwise."

The large man could hear the thief grumbling some curses as he shifted and wriggled around in the back of the packed wagon. Despite being annoyed by his comrade's complaints, Rider pitied him. Despite a long and lonesome journey, they had to maintain all manner of precautions to mask their intentions and identities. Jircniv was clever and paranoid, so he'd have all sorts of agents scouring the countryside, especially on such an important week. There was also the fact that he had one of the most powerful mages in the world at his beck and call. So it didn't hurt to be extra cautious. The job they were hoping to carry out was the biggest in their careers, if not in all of history. They couldn't afford to slip up. Not now, not when fame and fortune awaited.

After a few more minutes, the guards directed the merchant and his cart aside in order to allow the flow of travelers to resume. Rider took a deep breath before urging the horses onward. He's done this hundreds of times before.

Rider pulled the wagon to a stop as the guards surrounded them, carrying lanterns.

"State your name and business," grunted one of the guards.

"Lan. Delivering to the Capital Granaries on behalf of the Gladrask Group," Rider answered with the rehearsed response, offering a badge and a roll of parchment to the guard. The parchment was an official document, granting Rider, or "Lan", the right to deliver and handle grain shipments on behalf of a prominent company that has, for sometime, served Lucian and Eight Fingers. Meanwhile, the badge granted the false trader the ability to travel between provinces on official business and bypass the usual paperwork and fees.

Ordinarily, Rider would've utilized falsified documents and a different identity, but, thanks to Lucian's new friends in the capital, they were able to whip up genuine documents.

The guard accepted the parchment and badge. As he inspected the documents, the other guards investigated the wagon. Rider went still as a statue as they threw open the tarp and inspected the cargo. At a glance, it looked like a wagon load of barrels full of grain. If they cracked open the barrels they'd see nothing but grain. It was perfect. So long as they don't empty the barrels completely, especially the barrels closer to Rider, the ones around his stealthy comrade. The items in those barrels would lead to a trip to the dungeons at best and to the executioner's block at worst.

After a few long uncomfortable moments, the guards returned his documents and waved him through the gates. Rider thanked the soldiers and urged his horses onward. The large criminal kept his eyes forward and remained still, even when the gates were well behind him. It wasn't until the wagon neared the warehouse district did he begin to relax. The wagon came to a stop behind a row of large brick buildings where a dozen Eight Fingers agents dressed in plain work clothes emerged.

"Get these barrels unloaded and bring them inside," Rider commanded the men, gesturing to one of the buildings. The false laborers jumped into action, keeping their heads low and murmuring words of acknowledgement.

As the laborers worked silently and swiftly, Rider's companion emerged from the opposite end of the wagon, stepping over the driver's seat and hopping down. The thief was clad in a long black cloak and soft leather boots. He was shorter than Rider and was thin as a reed. Despite his size, the large enforcer knew that his stealthy companion was deadlier than most. Once the barrels were unloaded, the laborers rolled them into the designated granary. The enforcer and the thief followed them inside.

Inside the granary, a single lantern illuminated the interior. In the dim illumination, Rider saw at least a dozen other men in dark cloaks waiting for them. Each man varied in size and age but they each carried themselves like warriors, hardened criminals and seasoned killers. Among them, the large enforcer recognized his three colleagues, the men chosen to assist him in his part of the job and command the numerous agents they've assembled.

Rider smiled. He was glad that they actually came. Despite being part of the same criminal organization, which often demanded strict loyalty, he feared that the vagueness in his message would've kept them away. Luckily, their sense of comradery or greed won out. They needed not just numbers, but also the skill and experience to pull off what they were going to do. While this trio of criminals may not be on the same level of Six Arms, they made up for it in experience and cheapness.

The large enforcer let out a small sigh of relief, knowing that he at least had people he knew and trusted. He fought alongside them when he was a Worker and when he joined Eight Fingers. However…

Rider's eyes went to the pair lingering in the shadows in the corner. The enforcer didn't know these men and never met them until tonight. Lucian vouched for them and had insisted that these newcomers attend the meeting. Despite his reservations, Rider complied.

The false laborers placed the barrels right side up in the middle of the room, before the waiting figures. After all the barrels were inside, Rider dismissed his underlings with a sharp command. Once the last of the false laborers had gone and the door closed behind them, Rider turned to the assembled criminals and mercenaries.

"Welcome, gentlemen," Rider said with a smile "I'm glad that you were able to make it."

"Not like we had much of a choice in the matter," Idren Mersk, the first of the three men selected to assist Rider, joked. The man was average sized to the untrained eye, but beneath his cloak hid solid muscle. He was a monk, quick and light on his feet and deadly with his fists. "Times have been lean and you pay us for the pleasure of our company."

There were some chuckles from the assembled criminals, though the two strangers in the shadows remained deathly silent.

"So, what's the job?" Firzid Imremro, a tall swordsman and the second of Rider's colleagues, asked.

"It's a big one," Rider answered solemnly. "Perhaps the biggest one of them all. If we pull this off, it'll be spoken of for centuries to come."

This caused some of the men to share glances, full of worry and excitement. After letting his comrades soak in the gravity of this job, Rider spoke.

"Now before we begin, I want you all to know that this job is not for the faint of heart. You have to be committed. You will have to be ready for the extremely likely possibility that you won't escape with your life. You have to be all in or not at all. If there is a man here who is not willing to commit themselves entirely to this endeavor, now is the time to walk away. No one will think less of you. To be perfectly honest, I'm hesitant about all this myself."

This earned him some curious looks. Although Rider wasn't one to weasel his way out of a job, he wasn't stupid. If a job looked too suspicious or looked impossible, he'd back out of it before it got too dangerous. If the large man was having doubts, then it's all likely that this job wasn't the big easy payday some of these guys were thinking.

However, even after some murmurs and uncertain looks from the assembled criminals, nobody moved. Everyone stayed right where they were. Each man gave Rider a look of determination and seriousness.

"Certainty of death and a slim chance of success? I like those odds," Firzid chuckled.

Rider smiled and nodded. "There's no going back after this. If you don't back out now, it'll be far too late to change your mind."

"You ain't scaring me that easily!" Thiam Bocrim, a veteran archer and the third colleague, said, voicing everyone's thoughts, earning some chuckles and nods of agreement.

"So what's the job? And don't spare any details." one of the assembled men asked.

"Very well. Our job is this: this week, at the ball at the Imperial Palace, we are going to take Emperor Jircniv Rune Farlord El-Nix and all his wealthy and powerful guests hostage."

Silence filled the room. Any excitement and energy that was present before had evaporated in an instant. The men all gazed at Rider like he was insane. The large enforcer could tell that they were struggling to grasp the scope of the job, the ramifications and what it would take to pull off the job.

After a length of uncomfortable silence passed, one of the men spoke.

"You're joking, right? This has to be a joke!"

"It's not," Rider replied casually.

"But how? The Emperor was already heavily guarded but his security had already been doubled, no, tripled by now."

"It's suicide," one of the assembled crooks grunted.

Although Eight Fingers and their associates were powerful, to take the Bloody Emperor head on would be tantamount to declaring war. One wrong move and the job failed, then the Emperor's retaliation would make his purge of the nobility look like a mercy.

Rider nodded and held up his hands as more of the assembled criminals began voicing their concerns and supposed flaws in the job. "I know! I know. As I have said before, it is likely that you will lose your lives. However, Lucian has been planning this for years. He's covered every detail. What's more, he's got new allies on the inside and the outside."

The men each looked at Rider with varying degrees of doubt but none said anything. Even though they were uncertain about this job, Rider included, they had faith in Lucian. After all, there was a reason the young man became head of all Eight Fingers operations in Baharuth.

After answering a few questions and allaying fears, Rider decided it was time to get to the meat of the job.

"As you all know, this week is the Emperor's birthday. All week there will be activities and celebrations. People from all over the Empire will be here to honor our beloved monarch. It's during this time, among the crowds and the chaos, we'll be setting up for the job itself."

Rider produced a large map of the Imperial Capital and laid it out on the floor. The men gathered. The two shadowy figures in the corner drew a little closer but remained in the shadows.

"You will be broken up into teams and each of you will take positions, here, here, here, and here," Rider pointed to four areas, each in the furthest extremes of the city's boundaries. "Once there, you will place one of these…" he pulled out a small item from his pocket "in places with the most people gathered."

Rider held up the object for everyone to see. In his beefy hand was a small silver idol of some kind. He handed it to one of his comrades, who held it up to the light. The silver idol was smooth, showing no signs of tools or blemishes. It was an idol of a beautiful, curvaceous woman with long hair and ruby eyes. The woman's figure drew some looks and made some stare longer than normal, but what really drew their attention was the eyes. Set into her immaculate face were a pair of ruby eyes. The eyes shimmered in the lantern light and looked as though the tiny silver woman was looking into their souls.

"What is it?" Idren breathed, being handed the silver woman.

"It's a magical item," Rider answered cryptically. "All you need to know is that, once you set it, you utter the incantation and get the hell out of there. It has quite the range so only the fastest among you should handle them."

"And what will they do?" Thiam asked, eyeing the silver idol suspiciously.

"They'll be our distraction. The job will happen during the ball on the last day of the celebrations. We will need to isolate the Emperor and his guests in the palace. If these little idols do their job, then the City Watch and the Capital Garrison will have their hands full."

"What of the Palace Guards and the Royal Air Guard?"

"I'm confident that every man here is more than enough to handle those high and mighty Royal Guards. Even with their equipment, if we handle this carefully, then they shouldn't be a problem. In regards to the Royal Air Guard, they'll be a bit busy aiding the City Watch and Capital Garrison. However, if they were to catch on to us…"

Rider looked to his travel companion, Bron the thief, who cracked open one of the barrels and kicked it over. Grain spilled out on the floor and, after digging around inside, Bron pulled out a small iron box. He handed the box to Rider, who placed it on the ground and opened it. Everyone got closer, trying to get a better look. Inside the box, resting on a purple velvety cushion, was an orb.

The enforcer pulled the orb out of the box. Despite its weight and solid feel, Rider cradled the item carefully in his hands, as if it were a fragile egg. Holding it up to the light, the orb gleamed in the light but its depths were pitch black, invulnerable to the light. Impenetrable.

"This should keep them off our backs."

"What is it?" asked one of the crooks, who handed the silver idol to Bron.

"A gift," answered one of the two strangers in the shadows.

Everyone looked toward the two, who had been silent this whole time.

"It is a gift from our Lord to yours," the stranger said, his voice soft and refined.

"What does it do?" Firzid asked, eyeing the strangers suspiciously.

"When activated, it'll create an invincible barrier encompassing an area the wielder chooses, cutting it off from the outside while trapping those inside. So, for this job, it'll envelope the entirety of the Imperial Palace, along with most of the Royal Quarter."

This caused a murmur to arise from the criminals. The Royal Quarter was a large area, making up the heart of the capital. It included the Royal Palace, the Ministry of Magic, the Imperial Magic Academy, and a sprawling complex that housed the various government ministries and departments. The Royal Quarter is perhaps the most well guarded area in the Empire. To steal from it, let along seize it, would take resources beyond what these men were used to.

"I'm not certain of the full potential of the orb," the stranger admitted, "but I do know that it will be more than enough to seal everyone inside. Even this Fluder Paradyne fellow will be powerless."

This drew some gasps and looks of bewilderment.

"No way!" one man of the criminals exclaimed.

"But how?" another demanded before looking at the orb in Rider's hands. "Fluder Paradyne is by far the strongest magic caster in the world! He's capable of 6th Tier Magic! There's no way this thing is able to hold him."

The shadowy figure laughed. The laugh was high and mocking. Although they couldn't see them, Rider could tell that the stranger was smirking at them.

"He is the strongest human magic caster in the world," the stranger said snidely. "But what your leader holds in his hands was not made by petty human mages. That orb, my friend, is a product of Wild Magic. It was created by the legendary Yrsintyd Cursoronth, the Arcane Dragon Lord."

This elicited even further bewilderment and shock. It's not everyday that someone claims to have seen, let alone own, an item created by Wild Magic. Wild Magic was the ancient mystic art practiced solely by the most powerful of Dragons, the Dragon Lords. Not much was known of this ancient magic, only that it was powerful and deadly. Those who traded in items or knew the stories of the Dragon Lords were familiar with the Arcane Dragon Lord. He was a legend, even among his kind. He mastered Wild Magic to such a degree that he created all manner of powerful magic items and wonders. To this day, there were some who considered him a god of craftsmen and mages. Most of the items and wonders created by Yrsintyd were lost or destroyed during the war between the Dragon Lords and the Eight Greed Kings, and the secret to creating them died with their maker.

It was a bold claim to say that the orb was one of Yrsintyd's own creations, but nobody attempted to challenge the stranger. The more they looked at it, the more that they believed the possibility.

"Where…Where did you get such an item?" Thiam asked in shock.

"My Lord found it," the shadowy stranger answered simply. "He has loaned it to you and your organization to aid you in this endeavor."

"Why? And who is this lord of yours?"

Silence filled the space between the stranger in the shadows and the assembled criminals.

Rider could feel that the strangers were standing there, staring them down. Not wanting an argument or a fight to break out, he cleared his throat.

"As I was saying, this orb will isolate the royal quarter. Nobody will be getting in or out, not without permission of the one holding the orb. Once the barrier is up, we will ransack the palace, taking everything of value. Gold, jewels, even magical items."

The enforcer nodded to the strangers in the shadows. "That's where these two come in. In exchange for their help and for the orb, we have agreed to split the take. We take the majority of the gold and valuables, but they get most of the items in the vaults beneath the Palace and the Ministry of Magic. Any questions?"

Firzid raised a hand. "What of the Four Imperial Knights and the Palace Guard? I doubt they'll just let us walk out of there with all those valuables."

"That's why I've called you all here specifically," Rider said with a smile, looking at his comrades and fellow criminals. "With all of your skills, we'll be able to catch the Palace Guard by surprise and overpower them. As for the Four Imperial Knights, well, I know for a fact that one is currently halfway to the Dragon Kingdom with General Zirdam Ginostus on a diplomatic mission."

"That still leaves three other knights," Idren pointed out, "and I don't think I need to remind anyone that individually, they're nearly as strong as Gazef Stronoff. Hell, they're almost as strong as Six Arms. But together, well…our odds don't look so good."

"Leave them to me," a deep voice rumbled from the shadows.

Everyone looked towards the shadowy corner, startled at the sound of a new voice. Everyone knew that there were two newcomers standing there, but they'd just assume that the first one spoke for them both. Rider stared at the shadows and saw a shape, a very big shape, move.

"That'll leave us two other-" Idren began but the voice cut him off.

"Leave them all to me."

Everyone shared questioning looks. Each man there was confident in their abilities but to take on three of the Four Imperial Knights at once. This newcomer must either be suicidal or overconfidant. Judging from the size of the stranger's silhouette, nobody dared voice their opinions.

"And that takes care of that," Rider said. "Anything else before we proceed?"

A man raised his hand. "How exactly are we going to get into the royal palace? I can see how we can seize it, but I'm having difficulty seeing how we can reach it in the first entire Royal Quarter will be heavily guarded, more so than usual at this time of year. Anyone with so much as a butter knife won't make it very far."

"Not to mention that members of both the Royal Guard and Royal Earth Guard are equipped with high tier magical weapons and armor." another man grumbled. "Even with that fancy orb and the men we've got, I don't see us subduing them. Not without taking some serious casualties at least."

"Lucian is taking care of both of those problems." Rider answered cryptically. "For now, you need only concern yourself with your part of the plan. Anything else?"

Nobody said anything and the large enforcer began laying out the rest of the scheme, or at least, the details they were allowed to know about.

As Rider explained the job and gave each man his part in the plan and assigned groups, he watched his comrades carefully.

The information they heard made most of the men nod, though he could see the wheels turning in the minds of some. They knew something was off. While the plan sounded solid and every detail was accounted for, there were things that didn't make sense. For instance, why were they robbing the vault at the Ministry of Magic? Why were they using a legendary orb for a robbery? And why were they bringing these shadowy outsiders? None of the men knew these strangers and yet they were loaning a very rare and powerful item so willingly. Rider was certain that some of the men were noticing details that were missing. Something about this whole thing was rotten and Rider shared in their concerns. He didn't like these outsiders Lucian brought in, nor did he feel comfortable about a job this bold and dangerous. But he couldn't say no. This job was years in the making and Rider himself was guilty of leaving his comrades in the dark on the true aim of the job. If they knew everything, that this wasn't just a straight up hostage-taking and robbery job, then they'd be way more hesitant. This job had to go off without a hitch and he needed everyone on board. If not, then they'd all suffer horribly.

While Rider didn't like this plan or these strangers, he'll just have to trust them both. For now. They'll just have to be careful and keep an eye on these outsiders and even each other. It's likely they were thinking the same thing. Once they got what they wanted, who's to say that one won't betray the other? It's a fact of life. It's human nature and the way of thieves and criminals. Treachery was as natural as breathing.

The only question was, who will betray who first?

---

Damien held his breath and adjusted the power in his thrusters as the suited Artificer descended deeper into the vertical mineshaft. Unfortunately, due to being out of practice with operating his Powered Suit, Damien's descent wasn't as smooth as he had hoped. The Artificer constantly adjusted the power he poured into the thrusters, causing it to slow to halt before dropping rapidly and coming to an abrupt halt.

"Easy…easy…" Damien murmured under his breath, trying to adjust the settings once more.

The armored Artificer's descent began once more, smoother and less jittery.

Damien exhaled. Although Powered Suits were generally used by newcomers on YGGDRASIL to help them level up fast, the model that he was using was handmade by the Artificer himself and was sturdier and packed more of a punch than the base model. It was likely that he was going to run into some serious danger, going from the way the dwarves spoke of this mine shaft and where it led. While he was confident in the armor's protective capability, being able to withstand high tier spells and immense physical punishment, he wasn't sure how it'd hold up being dropped from such an immense height or how it'd stand up to punishment against this unknown enemy.

As the descent proceeded in a smooth, orderly fashion, the Artificer began to reflect. How did he get into this situation? Why was he here? He began retracing his steps that led up to him descending into the deepest mine shaft he has ever seen.

…

Following his adventure with Gareth and Kane, Damien had become an ally of the Dwarf Kingdom of the Azerlisia Mountains. Their initial interest was with the Clockwork Sentinels and the tanks, but, after a series of meetings and discussions, the dwarves came to view Damien as a longtime partner and not just an arms dealer.

In addition to providing them with their own contingent of Sentinels, the Artificer installed a rudimentary security system for the dwarven capital, Feo Jera. While he had all manner of designs and ideas to turn the city into an impregnable fortress, Damien decided to start them off with the basics. He installed a network of sensors throughout the tunnels around Feo Jera, and some under the city itself. These sensors were able to monitor and track body heat, sound, seismic activity, and even magic use. This system was tied into a single console located in the heart of Feo Jera, providing the Regency Council and their soldiers eyes and ears all over their territory. There were concerns and questions regarding the system, namely privacy and the possible flaws within it, but those concerns were quickly silenced when a sizeable Quagoa force was caught by the sensors attempting to tunnel under Feo Jera.

Following this failed sneak attack, there were a few other attempts before the Quagoa ceased these attempts when the dwarves intercepted their last attack and obliterated their foe completely.

Damien was hailed as a hero and a genius. For a time, things became peaceful and the dwarves were able to smile more and live more comfortably. The mood in Feo Jera grew more jubilant and lively, a stark contrast to the grim and gray atmosphere that had long pervaded the air of the capital. With the Quagoa attacks becoming less frequent, focus had begun to shift to more constructive endeavors, like brewing, farming and crafting. There was even a brief surge in interest regarding Runecraft, though this interest was eclipsed by the rise in interest regarding mining.

With the Quagoa being pushed further out of dwarven territory, more and more of their old mines were becoming available to them once again. The Master of Caves and Mines, chief of the Dwarven Mining Guild, had organized and led an expedition out into the tunnels to begin exploring and recovering ore from mines that had long ago fallen into Quagoa hands.

Armed with new mechanical tools provided by Damien and escorted by a fresh contingent of Sentinels, the dwarf miners marched into the tunnels to reclaim their mines. Accompanying them was an army of laborers and craftsmen from Feo Jera who constructed a series of stations to expand the dwarves security network and to provide shelter for those out in the tunnels in case of a Quagoa attack.

In a matter of days, a diverse selection of ores trickled their way back toward the capital via a newly constructed network of rails and carts.

For a time, it seemed like the dwarves of Feo Jera were on their way to a new golden age. The people were happy, commerce and creativity thrived, miners were hard at work, venturing deeper into the earth and uncovering new veins. A network of rails brought a steady stream of ore to Feo Jera daily, fueling new dreams and ambitions for the Dwarf Kingdom.

Then came the troubles.

At first, there was some equipment going missing, followed by cartloads of ore and then portions of the rail being destroyed. Damien and the Regency Council chalked it up to mischief from a neighboring kobold tribe who would occasionally venture into their territory and steal from them. But then things intensified. Whispers among the miners about hearing sounds and seeing shapes in the darkness, despite not showing up on the security systems. Even an attack on one of the miners, who claimed it was a demon of some kind. All this culminated into the tunnel collapse.

The tunnel in question was a new offshoot of an existing mine shaft, which followed a vein deeper into the earth. If one were to believe the surveyors and dwarven historians, the tunnel was dangerously close to the Depths. The Depths was the oldest and deepest section of the dwarves' abandoned mines. Back in the days of the ancient Dwarf Kingdom, this section was the source of the kingdom's wealth due to rich deposits and veins of incredibly valuable ores like Adamantite, Oricalcum and Mithril. Despite the wealth it brought the kingdom, legend has it that the Dwarf King Darethim Ironbeard, also known as Darethim the Grim, had ordered this section of the mines sealed and barred any dwarf from entering, under pain of death.

As to why the king would seal off such a valuable source of materials, nobody knew but most chalked it up to a curse or to some unknown danger discovered deep underground. Legends of what lay at the bottom of the Great Rift and the various dangers the Dwarf Kingdom faced in the succeeding ages made the Dwarves heed their ancient king's warning. Until now, until Damien gave them hope.

Damien joined in the rescue efforts, accompanied by several new automatons that were specially designed for digging. They worked quickly and carefully and managed to recover one of the miners. The poor fellow was shaken but not from the collapse itself. But rather what preceded it. He spoke of hearing a sound and seeing a monstrous shape that moved like lightning. It destroyed the support beams and kidnapped one of the dwarves working nearby.

After some further digging, Damien and the dwarves made an unsettling discovery. Embedded into the wall of the tunnel was a brass metal pipe. It was as thick as a log and, despite being embedded into a wall of rock and dirt, it shone in the light of the miner's torches and the light of the Sentinels. Some further excavation revealed that the pipe ran a considerable length of the tunnel and dived downward into the earth. Near the end of the tunnel, where the collapse had occurred, the diggers discovered a massive chamber. Within the chamber, on the floor, they found the torn remains of a round metal seal. The seal had plugged up a circular hole in the earth, big enough to fit a jumbo jet. Etched into the metal seal was the royal sigil of the Dwarf King, indicating that this was the entrance to the legendary Depths. Clearing away the ruined seal, the rescue crew unveiled a vertical shaft that led down into endless darkness. Damien eyed what looked like the crumbling remains of stone stairs and a rudimentary elevator. While possible options, it'd take too much time to repair the stairs or craft a new elevator. Which led the Artificer to conjuring up his old Powered Suit and jumping into the mine shaft.

…

Damien blinked as his Suit's sensors beeped in his ear, signaling the close proximity of the bottom of the shaft. The Artificer refocused on his Suit's sensors. Aside from a slight drop in temperature, everything seemed normal. Seconds later, Damien's armored feet touched solid ground.

Switching on all the lights on his Suit, the Artificer began investigating the floor of the seemingly bottomless shaft. Damien found himself alone in a large, circular area. The walls of the shaft rose high above him, vanishing into endless darkness. Off to one side, Damien spied what looked like the bottom of the ruined stairs. He shuddered at the thought of having to climb all those steps. Following the circumference of the area, Damien found nothing. No doorways, openings or any sign of where the kidnapped dwarf may have been taken.

For a moment, Damien considered that he may have missed something. Maybe there was an opening somewhere up the shaft, a door perhaps? Maybe he dropped right past it, completely oblivious to its existence.

No, the Artificer thought to himself. He had his sensors scanning for any anomalies and openings in the walls on the way down and they found nothing but solid earth.

Scanning the circular area, Damien pondered where this unknown assailant may have disappeared to. A series of theories and ideas popped into his head but were quickly dismissed. Even in a world of magic, there are rules and logic. Things just don't happen at random.

The Artificer directed his Suit's sensors to search for any hidden panels, doors, levers or switches.

*PING!*

Damien looked and saw a blinking dot on his HUD. He moved toward the dot and looked down at the floor. Traced into the smooth, stony floor was a glowing square shape. Glancing around, the Artificer didn't see any other hidden devices. Either this was going to open the way forward or trigger a deadly trap. Or both.

The Artificer took a deep breath and pressed a foot on the glowing square. The square sank a little, causing an audible click to echo through the silence. Moving his foot, Damien prepared himself for an attack. With a single command, he raised the Suit's magical shields and conjured up one of his primary weapons: a powerful, magic-based rifle loaded with rounds equivalent to Tier 8 spells.

Damien held his breath, eyes squinting and his fingers on the trigger for the moment all hell broke loose. But the attack never came.

Instead, a series of metallic clanks sounded, followed by a loud groan as a large portion of the wall across from him slid away, revealing a pair of tall doors made of polished brass.

Damien used the sensors to scan the doors, trying to see if they were real and if there was anything dangerous about them. According to his readings, the doors were as solid as rock. Whether it was rigged up to a hidden trap, the sensors didn't pick up anything. Curiously, the sensors did indicate that the doors were presently unlocked.

Probably trying to lure me in, Damien thought to himself. With time limited and a life in the balance, the Artificer forced himself to push forward. Reaching the doors, the Artificer gently pushed them open. The doors opened without a sound and without resistance. Brandishing his weapon again, Damien directed the lights of his armor toward the front, pushing away the darkness before him before proceeding.

Through the doors, Damien found himself standing in what looked like the great hall of a medieval castle. Before him were a pair of tables that were flanked by benches. At the far end of the hall was a raised dais, where the high table was. Behind the table was a large tapestry that covered the entire wall, depicting humans and anthropomorphic animals in medieval garb dancing, playing and fighting, under the shade of a gargantuan tree with nine branches and a sinister serpent coiled amongst said branches.

Damien inspected the hall as he proceeded carefully. The tables were set up for a feast that never came, with dusty plates, cups, and simple cutlery waiting for guests to arrive. To his right, the Artificer spied a large fireplace, blackened as though it had seen constant use. Questions continued to fill Damien's mind. What was this place? How did it get down here? How was it connected to the kidnapping? In fact, was it connected to that pipe they found earlier?

He glided closer to the raised dais and the high table, and he noted how crooked the table was. On the floor, he saw scuff marks and a fallen goblet. Judging from the layers of dust on the floor and on the table, something moved through here recently. Very recently.

Initiating another scan, Damien's sensors picked up two points of interest. The first point was one of the bricks on the mantle of the fireplace. Gliding over, Damien pressed the brick. There was a loud click and the back of the fireplace creaked open, revealing what looked to be the beginnings of a tunnel. Shining a light into the opening, the Artificer saw that the tunnel stopped dead after a few feet. Which led to the second point of interest: the high table.

Near the center of the high table, where the king would ordinarily sit, sat a vacant throne. Upon closer inspection, Damien discovered a button disguised as the eye of a fierce lion carved into the armrest. Gently pressing the button, there was a loud click and a deep groan. The room shook a little, causing dust to be shaken loose from the furniture around him. The groaning and trembling ceased and a soft gust of air caused the tapestry behind the high table to shift.

Damien pulled the tapestry aside, revealing a doorway that didn't show up on his initial scans. The Artificer was half tempted to investigate the great hall further, to see if there were any clues that could help him understand what this place was or who constructed it. However, a soft moan forced him onward.

"Harnum?" Damien called out through the Suit's speaker, hoping it was the missing dwarf. "Is that you? Are you alright?"

Silence filled the air for a brief moment, before a pained voice moaned, "Help…meeee…."

"Hold on!" Damien said, moving to act but stopping himself. This was the perfect opportunity for a trap, so he can't just go barreling in there blindly. He thought back to one of the numerous raids that were carried out on the Forge, recalling how it was thwarted partially thanks to that certain NPC that was capable of mimicking voices. He shivered at the memory, and decided on a plan of attack.

Reaching into his inventory, the Artificer pulled out a large flask filled with glittery, silver powder. A special concoction from an old friend, it acted as a flash grenade, producing a brief but powerful light that should blind any foe in there temporarily.

Damien lobbed the flask and shielded himself. There was a loud crash of glass and the pitch darkness beyond the doorway was suddenly filled with light. A shrill scream joined the light and, as it began to dim and fade, Damien hefted his weapon and charged into the breach.

His paranoia was rewarded, else he would've run directly into the waiting arms of a horrific, mechanical monstrosity that writhed in surprise and pain.

Writhing on the floor was a large, snake-like woman. The upper body belonged to a beautiful, curvaceous woman with long platinum hair, while the bottom half was long and serpentine, with the tail ending in a sharp point. Her body was smooth and metallic, shining in the lights projected from Damien's Suit. Although he knew he should be emptying his rifle into this mechanical enemy, the Artificer couldn't help but admire the beauty and craftsmanship of the snake woman. It'd be a shame to destroy it. Then again, if he neutralized it, he could perhaps scavenge its parts and study its design without worrying.

The snake woman shook her head and looked up at Damien, her flawless face twisting into an ugly scowl. She hissed, revealing a set of razor teeth and a forked, metal tongue, before lashing out at the Artificer with her tail. Damien reacted, using his Suit's thrusters to evade the attack and get around the automaton. He fired a few shots. Some missed but one cut into the snake's metallic flesh. The snake woman snarled with rage and pain before spitting a dark green acid. Damien dodged again and fired another shot. The snake woman's arm went flying, eliciting a piercing shriek of agony. Furious and in pain, the snake woman began to thrash wildly and blindly, kicking up dust.

Although he couldn't see her directly, he could see her on his HUD: a singular red dot remaining in one spot. Without warning, hundreds of shiny and jagged pieces of metal burst forth from the dust cloud. They were too quick to dodge so Damien shielded himself and hoped the magical shields built into the Suit were enough. The metal projectiles struck him, sending him flying backward a little and drained his shield a little. Though the damage was not nearly as much as he had expected, it surprised him that the attack was strong enough to actually lower the energy level of his defenses. What surprised him even more was that the jagged projectiles flew back to the snake woman. Through the fading dust cloud, Damien could see the projectiles return to her serpentine body, locking themselves into place and forming a scale-like coating.

Powerful and reusable, Damien thought, feeling a mixture of awe and annoyance.

He can't let this drag on for too much longer. The monster might be able to harm him and, who knows, might have reinforcements well on the way and was just delaying him.

Damien triggered one of the Suit's defense mechanisms: [Invisibility]. Just as the name implies, this little mechanism renders Damien invisible. On the other hand, it required the Artificer to temporarily sacrifice his shields and a significant amount of the Suit's power. But, if handled carefully, [Invisibility] was useful in escaping detection or sneaking up on an enemy.

The armored Artificer shimmered and vanished. Fortunately, the snake woman didn't seem to see where he was as she began to spit acid at random and lung with her tail. Damien easily dodged the blind attacks and positioned himself above the snake woman. Before she could move, Damien cut the power to his thrusters and switched off the [Invisibility] mechanism. The armored Artificer dropped like a stone, firing a few rounds on the way down. The shots tore the snake woman's lower body and tail to pieces. He landed feet first on the automaton with enough force to slam it into the ground. Planting his boots squarely on her back, Damien took aim and unloaded into her skull. It only took a few shots, but the snake automaton's head exploded, becoming a splatter of molten metal and oil.

The snake woman's upper body was limp, though the mutilated remains of her tail wriggled about for a few moments before finally going still. Damien waited, scanning the mechanical monster, and the surrounding area, for any signs of life or movement. The sensors showed nothing but then again, it pays to be very cautious.

Switching over to auto pilot and setting it to defensive mode, Damien climbed out of his Suit and began inspecting the wrecked automaton. Taking out a mini plasma cutter, the Artificer sliced open the creature's metallic chest. Inside, he was astonished to see all manner of wires and machinery. Although he's had experience with all sorts of machines, both in YGGDRASIL and in his real job, the Artificer was surprised how sophisticated the snake woman was. After a quick, preliminary search, Damien deduced that there was no failsafe or boobytrap. He removed a faintly glowing purple crystal from the automaton's heart.

Holding the crystal up to the light, Damien admired its beauty and pocketed it for later study.

With a command, Damien's Powered Suit used its lights to sweep their surroundings. Here and there, he spied what looked like boxes, pieces of machinery and humanoid shapes. The Artificer's eyes located what looked like a light switch on the wall closest to the entrance. He went over and flicked the switch on. There was a deep hum and a series of pale artificial lights flickered to life overhead.

Damien found himself standing in the middle of a spacious chamber, one that dwarfed the medieval great hall by a wide margin. Box-like in shape and resembling a factory of sorts, the chamber was filled with all manner of items. Lining the walls were racks full of suits of medieval armor, various heavy machinery and metal crates and boxes.

Scattered about were dozens of tables, each one holding half assembled and half completed metallic humanoids in varying styles and qualities of medieval clothing, as well as wolves and goblins. One table held a life-sized metallic dragon skull that shone dully in the pale light.

The Artificer felt a mixture of excitement and curiosity. It reminded him of an old sci-fi horror movie he once saw back home, called Nightmare Land. It was about a theme park that utilized life-like animatronics and automatons that later ran amok.

Up on the ceiling, the Artificer spied a number of air vents and conduits running in different directions. He traced the direction of one conduit which seemed to lead to a doorway at the top of a set of stairs, beside a window overlooking the factory floor. If there were any good places to resume his search, it'd be there. Moving among the tables, Damien glanced at the exposed machinery and admired that there was no sign of dust or decay on these machines. The Artificer made a mental note to return to this place very soon and really investigate this place.

Reaching the doorway at the top of the stairs, Damien paused and listened. Inside, there was silence. Not wanting any new nasty surprises, and not being able to squeeze his armor through the door, the Artificer decided to use a trusty old friend.

Digging into his inventory, Damien brought forth a pair of golden colored orbs. Roughly the size of apples, the two orbs had intricate designs and seams running along its surface. Once he was sure the door was unlocked, Damien rolled the orbs inside. He watched through the narrow opening as the orbs rolled for a few feet before transforming. With a single pop, the two orbs became miniature, metallic spider automatons with bulbous bodies and dozens of tiny glowing eyes. Their spindly legs clicked and clacked as they moved, their glowing eyes sweeping the interior of the room for a few moments, feeding data back to the Artificer's wristwatch. A chime sounded, signaling the all clear. With that, Damien opened the door and proceeded.

The inside of the room resembled something like a break room. There was a round table, some scattered chairs, a cushy old couch and a row of large metal lockers. A brief investigation of the lockers revealed nothing, except some dirty old overalls, helmets and an unconscious dwarf.

Damien blinked. "Harnum?"

Harnum, the dwarf who was taken during the tunnel collapse, the one he was searching for, was bound and unconscious. In a locker in a secret, modern looking abandoned factory. This day just gets weirder and weirder.

Carefully, the Artificer pulled the dwarf out of the locker and laid him on the couch. Summoning the little golden mechanical crabs, Damien cut the dwarf's bindings and removed the gag. He had his mechanical probes run a quick scan. The scan showed that, aside from some cuts and bruises, Harnum was alive. Fishing a healing potion from his pocket, Damien carefully poured some into the dwarf's mouth. The dwarf's body glowed for a moment before he moaned. The cuts and bruises vanished but still, he didn't wake. Unsure of what to do next, the Artificer waited and began running scenarios through his mind of what could be wrong and how he could fix it. After a few moments, the dwarf stirred awake.

Seeing a pair of miniature, mechanical spiders crawling all over him, the dwarf panicked.

"Get 'em off me! Get 'em off!" Harnum cried, thrashing about.

"It's okay! It's okay!" Damien assured him, rushing to the dwarf's side.

Once he saw the Artificer, the silver haired dwarf calmed down a little.

"By the gods, am I glad to see you!" he chuckled a little. "Though I can't say the same as those little beasties."

"Are you alright?" Damien asked as the mechanical spiders crawled up onto his shoulders.

"Aye," the dwarf grunted, his voice raspy and hoarse. He coughed and looked around, appearing dazed and confused. "Did you kill it? That-That monstrosity?"

The Artificer nodded. With questions still filling his mind, he asked the dwarf. "What happened prior to the tunnel collapse? Why did the automaton take you?"

Harnum frowned and stroked his beard. "Last I remember, Berdan and I were working on the new tunnel. Everything seemed to have been going fine but then we found some metal. We thought it was a nugget or something but…but it was a pipe. Not long after that, we heard something and that…monster burst out of the ground. It thrashed around, destroying our equipment. It cut the support beams and, before I could run, it grabbed me. I hit my head and…I woke up."

Damien nodded slowly, absorbing and pondering the information. It would seem that the automaton was protecting something. With its speed and abilities, it could've easily killed the two miners and vanished. Instead, it kidnapped one and caused a collapse. Its intent wasn't purely destruction and death. Was it a security measure? Did it attack because the dwarves got too close? Or did it lure Damien here?

As Harnum regained his strength and got to his feet, Damien had a look around the break room. There didn't appear to be any other doors or cabinets. So far, neither the Suit nor the spiders have picked up any hidden doors, buttons or levers in either the factory or the break room. The sensors he gave his machines were good, able to pick up lifesigns, sound waves and detect traps and hidden devices. But they weren't perfect. For example, they can't detect undead without some fine tuning. Traps and hidden devices can go undetected depending on proximity, the materials they were made from and the level of their creator. His machines weren't perfect and there's always numerous factors to consider, even in YGGDRASIL. Most find it a pain in the ass, but Damien found it to be a challenge to be overcome.

"Well then," Harnum said, stretching his limbs "If we're done here, I say we should get going."

"Not yet," Damien said, scratching his chin.

"Why not?"

"I'm not done here."

Harnum cocked an eyebrow "How so? You killed the beast and have saved my life. The way I see it, we're finished."

"Well, yes, that is true. However, there's something about this place that's…off."

Harnum frowned and watched as Damien studied the room in silence.

He glanced out the window overlooking the factory below, staring at its layout and the machinery inside. The factory had reminded him of that old sci-fi horror movie. Now that he thought of it, there were other things that reminded him of said movie. The theme park in which the film's protagonists were trapped was divided up into diverse sections, each with its own theme and activities. One of those lands was a Medieval European Fantasy land where guests could watch and participate in duels with knights, solve riddles in dungeons and fly on a giant mechanical dragon. Damien recalled in the film that there was a scene involving a great hall in the Medieval Fantasy castle. It was at the point in the film where the automatons began to lash out at the park visitors. He remembered that there was a hidden button on the throne that opened a door leading to one of the park's workshops behind the scenes. The other passage, behind the fireplace, was used by the protagonists to escape an ax wielding knight.

Damien scowled and directed his gaze toward the tables and stared at the automatons lying there, half expecting to see faces from the film. None of them resembled their cinematic counterparts. However, the way they were arranged and left half completed, as if they were in mid service, was strikingly similar to the film.

Curious, the Artificer turned and went to the storage lockers. Though faded, he could see names etched on the doors of each locker. On the last locker, the one in which Harnum was kept captive, Damien discovered a familiar name.

"Wootan Yu," he murmured.

Dr. Wootan Yu. It was a name that was brought up repeatedly in the film. It belonged to an unseen character, the mastermind behind the park and the one employee who happened to not be present when everything went wrong. If Damien's remembered correctly, the big twist was that Wootan Yu was a false name belonging to a mad scientist who purposefully engineered the tragedy of the park as part of some twisted experiment. On top of being a pseudonym, it was a sick joke from the villain aimed at the protagonists. In the latter part of the film, the name appeared inscribed in blood on the wall of the room housing the park's central computer system. There, the protagonists attempted to force a shut down and, when it failed, the heroes saw the name filling the screen before locking them out of the mainframe. It was then they realized that the name was an anagram and uncovered its meaning. Rearranged, Wootan Yu became "No Way Out." The villain had accounted for everything, he had outsmarted them, and they were trapped in his sick little game. At least until rescue came from outside the park at the end of the film.

The movie wasn't popular nor well liked. It was derivative and was average all across the board in terms of acting, effects and music. Despite this, Damien loved it. It was a thrill ride filled with action, twists and puzzling situations. It was a treasured piece of his childhood. And now it's here, deep underground in this magical world.

Opening the locker again, Damien had his spiders switch on their lights. The lights filled the interior of the locker. The locker was empty, save some dust, an empty shelf near the top and an empty hook to hang clothing on. The Artificer felt around and everything felt solid, until he tugged on the clothes hook. The hook moved, eliciting a click and the back of the locker to slide away, revealing a dark, narrow passage.

"Bingo," Damien said with a smile.

"You're not thinking of going in there, are you?" Harnum asked, sounding nervous. "We don't know what's down there."

"That's true. But, in order to get to the bottom of this mystery, I have to see this through to the end."

"If you're so intent on venturing into the unknown, I'll wait for you right here."

"You could do that…though it could be dangerous."

"How so?"

The Artificer looked at the dwarf. "The moment I leave, more machines might arrive and kill whoever remains."

"Oh."

"Besides, you won't be alone and we might discover how to stop these machines for good…if there are any left."

Although he was eager to leave, Harnum saw the logic in Damien's words.

The two climbed through the locker and ventured down the dark narrow corridor. The corridor was of smooth stone. Running along the walls were more conduits and air vents. There were some sharp turns and a few doors at random points. The doors were thick, heavy and metal. Although the two tried them, the doors wouldn't budge. Harnum noticed that each door had a series of unique runes etched into them. When asked about their meaning, the dwarf shrugged, saying that he was a miner not a runesmith.

Eventually, the two came to the end of the corridor where a large, imposing bulkhead door waited for them. The door looked like it belonged on a submarine or a bank vault, with a large wheel at the center. Beside the wheel was a large combination dial. Damien worried about finding the right combination and the potential traps that would go off if he used the wrong one. However, upon reflection, the Artificer considered all that he's seen so far. If the layout and make up of this underground structure was styled after a workshop from a film and featured the name of a fictional antagonist, who's to say the film references ended there.

Taking a deep breath and silently praying that he was right, Damien stepped up to the door and entered the combination. There was a metallic thunk. Together, Damien and Harnum turned the wheel and managed to open the door. Behind the door was darkness. After sending the spiders in and finding no traps or threats, the two entered.

The moment Damien's foot crossed the threshold, a loud hum began and lights began to flicker on. The Artificer and Harnum both jumped in surprise. They quickly looked around for a possible attack. Instead of hidden foes, they saw that they were standing in what looked like a control room of sorts. In front of them, on the far side of the room, was a computer console. The console itself was large, roughly the size of a dinner table, and sported a keyboard and dozens of other keys, buttons and switches. Above the terminal were twelve large dusty monitors bolted into the wall. The monitors were bulky and resembled old fashioned televisions from the Cold War.

There was a soft warbling sound that was followed by music. A soft trumpet sounded, accompanied by a soft beat. A woman began to sing.

"Stars shining bright above you…night breezes seem to whisper, 'I love you'..."

More lights flickered on, revealing, to Damien and Harnum's left, a small lounge area. A pair of cushy armchairs and a couch between them, all sitting on a thick antique carpet. A wooden bar stood close by with a shelf full of dusty bottles arranged neatly behind it and a jukebox in the corner glowing and pouring out old music.

"Birds singing in the sycamore tree…Dream a little dream of me…"

To their right, Damien observed a crowded, dirty workbench and stool.

The Artificer spied scattered parchments with notes and sketches, books, some tools and machine components. On the wall above the workbench was a bulletin board with maps and schematics all pinned and arranged in an unknown order. Beside the workbench was a sad looking old mattress that was partially covered by a tattered blanket.

Judging from the set up, the one who built, or at least operated, this place had a lot in common with Damien. Aside from taste in film and affinity for machinery, this unknown craftsman evidently had also spent many a long night working on a project, too tired to drag himself to his bed and set up a sleeping area near his work space.

Unsure of where to begin, Damien decided to try the computer first.

He placed himself in the dusty old swivel chair before the computer and flipped the power switch. There was a moment of silence, before there was a soft whining sound and the computer buzzed to life. The screens blinked on, one by one, each displaying different things in a greenish hue. One screen had what looked like a radar display, showing dozens of moving red dots. Another screen showed what looked like a live camera feed of somewhere on the surface, near the frozen peaks of the Azerlisia Mountain where the Frost Dragons frequent. There were some screens listing off status reports of various systems, sensor sweeps of tunnels and rooms nearby. One of the screens displayed only static.

Damien was unsure of what to make of this system. On the surface it appeared to be somewhat similar to systems he's used before. However, he wasn't eager to start pounding on keys and experimenting with an unknown system. One false move could lead to disaster.

On the center most screen, a window opened up and asked for a passcode. The Artificer thought for a long moment and tried to use the code that opened the door and was also used in Nightmare Land. The computer buzzed, the window declared the code invalid. He frowned and tried another code that was used in the movie. Also invalid.

After two more attempts, Damien decided to return to the console another time. Although a small hint popped up briefly, it didn't help in the least. Written in German were the words: Mein Herz, mein Leben, meine Seele. My Heart, My Life, My Soul. Without the proper context or tools, there was no way he could crack it.

Instead, Damien turned his attention to the workbench. The key to this mystery had to be here.

At the workbench, the Artificer carefully began to sift through piles of parchment and organize the books. Dusting off the parchments and books, he saw some intriguing sketches that looked like designs of some sort. He tried to read the notes but was puzzled by the inscriptions.

A code? He mused. If it was, it wasn't one he was familiar with. He turned to the books and began to gently thumb through their pages. The pages were cracked and frail, threatening to rip and crumble. Despite some fading and stains, Damien could see the writings and sketches. Unfortunately, these too were encoded. After perusing several other books, Damien was about to call it quits until he spied a thick, leather bound book with a symbol etched into the cover. The book sat on the farside of the workbench, pressed up against the wall and partially buried under a pile of parchment he hadn't investigated yet. Switching on a nearby desk lamp, Damien pulled the book free and dusted it off. Holding it under the light, he got a better look at the symbol: an intricate circular maze in the palm of a hand.

The Artificer frowned. He had seen this symbol before, a long time ago. He pondered for a moment before his mind wandered back to when found that ring in that crypt. In the Azerlisia Mountains. Could they be related? Damien considered Gareth's little side adventure, all that he has encountered thus far and all the information he can remember regarding the Azerlisia Mountains. It'd be a hell of a coincidence if they were. If they were related, then…

It dawned on Damien whose workshop he was standing in; whose machine he had destroyed and whose book he was holding.

He didn't know his real name, but the Artificer had known him as simply "the Toy Maker." The Toy Maker was a gifted craftsman who built all manner of weaponry, armor and items that made him the envy of every player who dedicated themselves to the creative side of YGGDRASIL. Unfortunately, the man was a loner and didn't get along with anyone. Damien met him once, long ago. This was back before the formation of the Artificer's Guild, back when he worked out of a blacksmith's shop in Vanaheim. The Toy Maker showed up with his guild, a group calling themselves Typhon. They put in an order for stat boosting items, custom made for their avatars. While the guild of eight mostly kept to themselves, Damien managed to talk with their craftsman. He wasn't particularly forthcoming, though he did open up a little and talk shop with Damien when the Artificer asked him for advice regarding another crafting job.

Despite his standoffish behavior, Damien invited the Toy Maker to join the Artificer Guild in the hopes that he could lend his talents to theirs. He never got a response.

But how can this be? What are the odds? Astronomical…impossible even. About as impossible as ending up in a world of magic in the body of a video game avatar.

Looking up from the book, Damien spied something shiny poking out slightly beneath the parchment pile where he pulled the book from. Brushing away the parchment, the Artificer uncovered a black cube. A little larger than a Rubix cube, the cube in his hands was a shiny black material. Each side had intricate geometric patterns, carefully etched into the cube. Judging from the designs of the cube, Damien was reminded of a puzzle cube. He shook the cube a little and could hear something rattling around inside.

"Something wrong?" Harnum asked, feeling uncomfortable with their present situation and noticing the puzzled look on Damien's face.

"N-No," Damien said, pulling himself from his thoughts.

"Find anything interesting?"

"Oh yes." He held up the puzzle box. "I believe I have."

...

Damien piloted his Suit, careful not to harm the passenger dangling in the crook of his arm. The dwarf was silently praying for the ride to be over, his eyes squeezed shut as they rocketed up the mine shaft.

After no more answers could be found from the workshop and the factory, Damien decided it was prudent to leave. Harnum was growing ever jittery as the underground complex slowly came alive in their presence and was feeling overwhelmed by the technology he was seeing. Although Damien could've spent days, weeks even, combing through the place, Harnum's safety was top priority. Additionally, Damien had already made a list of tools and equipment he could use to safely crack the computer system in that place.

As the two ascended the shaft, Damien could hear a chime in his ear indicating a message was coming through.

["Yo! D-Man! You busy?"]

["Please don't call me that again, Kane."] Damien deadpanned as he swerved a little to the left. ["Anyways, what's up?"]

["Well, my bro and I are invited to some big shot emperor's birthday. Wanna come over, if only to show off your shit and make bank?"]

Damien fell silent for a moment. He wanted to tell the duo about his new discovery. It was, after all, conclusive evidence that other Players like them were transported to this world. Players that weren't exactly the best of people, either in real life or in the game.

But…

["...Of course."] Damien smiled. Eh, the ominous news could wait. It's been weeks since he's had a break and even longer since he last had cake. The last cake he had was at a formal work party, to celebrate the company's fruitful year.

A birthday party for an emperor. While he hasn't even met an actual noble, Damien has mingled with his world's equivalent a few times, including a Regional Director and even the C.E.O of the company he worked at, Zetatech. He could picture how the whole shindig will go: a lot of pomp and circumstance, a gathering of the Empire's bigwigs who will brownnose the Emperor all the while verbally jousting with rivals and subtle acts of consolidating or enhancing their own standing in court. Fortunately, Damien was not a member of the court and had no dog in that race. What the Artificer did have to worry about, however, was a stampede of merchants, nobles, scholars and every other interested party hoping to get their hands on the technology and items he has.

Damien shook his head and focused. He can work out a strategy when he gets back to the surface. Wouldn't be the first time he had to handle a room full of potential customers. While he was not looking forward to playing the role of a salesman once more, Damien thought of the food he'll be able to sample at the party. The Artificer's mouth began to water. Dwarven cuisine was fine and all, but Damien was hoping that the human dishes wouldn't disappoint.

He also hoped that there would be plenty of cake. Lord knows there wasn't enough of those back home.

---

End of Chapter.

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(a/n: thanks again for your patience. Things will certainly begin to pick up soon. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you next time!)

(references)

(chapter title): song by Shinedown

song sung by Ludwig: a song titled Gone from Snow White & the Huntsman

song from the jukebox:lyrics are from Dream a Little Dream of Me- Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong

Wootan Yu: The 2019 film Escape Room

Nightmare Land: the 1973 film Westworld

Zetatech: Cyberpunk 2077