The Lesser One Arc 2 Version 2 Chapter 11: Hello Darkness

 

Hello Darkness

I toss the black orb into the air and catch it. The orb is slightly warm, as if filled with energy. I lift it up to eye level and examine it. There is a single faint seam running along its center. It feels as if I have an incubating egg in my hand. Is it an egg?

Sage. Try to figure out what this object is.

I am sorry, Markus. That information is protected.

I sighed. Then tell me what you can.

You already know it is a communication device. I can tell you that it is a device dedicated to maps and cartography. That is all.

So there could be a map in here?

I cannot say.

I tuck the orb back into my pocket, and look around the room. It’s devastated. The tea table is toppled, and Jenma cards cover the ground. I pick one up. “I hope these weren’t worth much.”

Mandrake is collecting the cards. “Well, they were vintage reserved list cards. The whole deck was worth as much as a small car.”

“Again, I’ll have Sebastian find you some replacements.”

Sebastian bows. “You truly are a magnanimous person.”

“Hah.” I kneel and start collecting the cards as well. “Can you track those clowns?”

“We’re on it already.” Tia rips an icicle out of the drywall, and dematerializes it in her palm. “I’ve got several druid scouts on their tail. They won’t make it anywhere without us knowing.”

“They’re Deeve’s men, right?”

“Most likely.” Mandrake finishes picking up the cards. Most of them have significant damage. He stacks them and puts them into a deck box. “You’re going to have to go about your daily life eventually. I’ll do my best to keep you safe and prevent things like this from happening. However, I can’t promise anything.”

I look up at the hole in the roof. “I get it, yeah. When the bad guys are this powerful, there’s not really anything anyone can do.” I look at my watch. “Welp. I’m late for work.” I turn to Sebastian. “Can you handle cleanup?”

“Of course.” Sebastian bows.

Tia walks up to me. “I’ll be your bodyguard for the moment. Please do not mind me.”

Tia and I leave the room. Several devils dressed as janitors walk past us, bowing slightly. It seems like, despite how loud that fight was, not many people have been alerted. I turn away and we take the elevator to the floor where the lab is situated. We enter the lab, I introduce Tia as a new intern, and I start my day of work. We’re getting really close to actually producing Rearden Metal. Several of the conjurers have created type two. With the help of Sage, I might be able to manage a full conversion by the time my contract is over in two weeks. Then I can see about handling Robin’s quest. After that, I’m going home. I might be a Silverbone by then, I might not. It all depends on what happens.

I return to my room. It’s being refurbished. The holes in the walls are covered by raw sheet rock. The hole in the ceiling is being worked on by several elven carpenters. Mandrake is standing in the lounge, looking out over the window.

“That black object Grey gave you. Can I see it?”

I take the orb out of my pocket. “What do you need it for?”

“I’ve understood its purpose. I just need to see it to confirm my suspicions.”

I give him the orb. Mandrake takes it and holds it up to the light. “This is a map.”

“I knew that.”

Mandrake raises an eyebrow. “Then you’re more perceptive than I gave you credit for.”

“Ahaha.” I smile.

Mandrake lowers the orb. “A map to the ultimate treasure. An artifact of the precursors.”

“Precursors?” I blink a few times.

Sage responds to my question. Markus. The precursors were a race of hyper-evolved beings who built the framework on which portal and spirit technology hinge.

That stuff is technology?

If you wish for me to explain, perhaps we should do it when you’re not in the middle of a conversation.

Thanks. I look at Mandrake. “Yeah, precursors. I know them.”

Mandrake raises an eyebrow. “Hm. Well, in any case, this orb has the location to a certain artifact that was placed here on Planet Earth millions of years ago. Or, at least, that’s what I surmise. The Database information on that point is spotty.”

“Database?”

“Ah, yes. The Silver repository. All Silverbones have access to it.”

“Is it like a magical library?”

“It’s a website.”

“Oh.”

“We don’t know who updates it, but yeah. Think Wikipedia but full of cosmic secrets.” Mandrake places the orb gently on a brand-new coffee table. “This orb will only active under certain circumstances. And we don’t know what those are. I want you to keep this on your person. It’s possible that something you do while holding it will trigger it and cause it to activate.”

“So we’re shooting in the dark right now.”

“Yes.” Mandrake turns back to the window. “Keep it secret, keep it safe.”

“The bone sword.” I look at Mandrake. “Can you tell me something about it? Is it the same kind of artifact?”

“Yes.” Mandrake turns to me. “That sword is a precursor artifact as well. Probably a class C. By the way, where is it right now?”

I hold out my hand and the sword pops into existence in a flurry of sparkles. The sparkles float to the ground like dust motes.

“Well that was unexpected.” Mandrake shrugs. “I have no idea what it might do or what its purpose is, but if you still have it, then that’s great.” He looks at Tia. “Do you know what this sword is?”

“That’s the Sword of Truth.”

“What does it do?”

“It severs the body from the soul.” Tia says it like it’s nothing.

“Now that’s dangerous. Keep it with you. Don’t use it in combat if you don’t have to.” Mandrake sits down in a chair and lights a cigar. “Do you have a moment?”

My cell phone rings. I answer. “Hello?”

“Markus. The Blue Dryads are moving out. There’s an B-class portal in Newham.”

“I’ll be there.”

“We’re meeting in the sortie room.”

“Gotcha.” I hang up. “Sorry, Mandrake. Duty calls.”

Tia and Sebastian look at me. “We’re going with you.”

“I’m not sure—”

Sebastian glares at me. “With all the Darks after you, we don’t want you to be anywhere unsupervised.”

“But you’re not part of the guild.” I grab my armor from a closet and start putting it on.

“We’ve managed to secure positions as interns.”

“You sure about this?” I snap on my Teflon breastplate. “You guys are probably better fighters than the rest of the Blue Dryads.”

“No matter. We’re here to protect you.” Tia and Sebastian share a glance.

We take the elevator to the basement floor, where the sortie room is located. This is the first dungeon I’ve challenged while with the Blue Dryads. I am introduced to the members.

“We’re joining with Dungeon Solutions UK.” The leader, Carl Stevenson, stands on a small stage. “The dungeon will prolapse in two hours. Everyone in!”

We pile into two large busses. They take us through the streets of London. Adventurer vehicles have access to the same sirens that police and firefighters use. Vehicles pull away from the road as we fly past them. Ten minutes later we are at the portal.

Dungeon Solutions UK arrive just as we pull up. The portal shimmers in front of an old brick building.

We arrange ourselves and prepare to enter. Twenty minutes later, Carl stands in front of both teams.

“This is an B-class portal!” He claps his hands. “We’re going to need to work with more coherence than usual if we want to survive!”

The leader of Dungeon Solutions UK, Richard, gives an address as well. When we are ready, we take our ranks.

We enter. The dungeon swallows us, line by line.

When I enter I am hit with an aura of despair. The walls are pure white, but seem to vibrate with unseen energy. There are bright florescent lab lights on the roof of the tunnels.

A spider-like robot clambers around a corner. Ten more follow. They are about the size of dogs.

“Stand your ground!” The tank members take their positions. Spellcasters and DPS stand their ground.

The robot spiders slam into the wall of shields. Two tank types go flying, slamming into the wall, their armor clattering.

Sebastian throws a ball of smoke at the downed knights, hiding them from view. He then holds out his hand and stands in front of me.

A spider robot breaks through the line and heads straight towards me. I pull out my bow and conjure armor-piercing arrows. I have enough time to take two shots before it gets close.

Sebastian whips a sword out and charges the spider robot. He slices through its legs, sending sparks flying. Sliding on the ground, he turns to rip the head off the robot and throws it across the room.

Tia sniffs and lets her ice sword dematerialize. She looks at me with her lips pursed. “He’s not all talk.” She motions to Sebastian.

“Well, no.” I look at Sebastian as well.

The rest of the adventurers manage to handle the robot spiders. After the technicians hoover up the low-level spirit rings, we regroup and start moving again.

We come to a large chasm that stretches as far as the eye can see in either direction. The room above us opens out to an impossible size, to the point where the roof isn’t visible through the dungeon’s fog. The whole place has the feeling of a liminal space, that kind of place that is between worlds, like empty office halls or a hospital at night.

Two gigantic robot spiders leap from beyond the fog and land in the middle of the group.

“Contact!”

Two adventurers die immidiately. Their blood sprays across the white tile floor. The tank members do their best to surround the spiders.

I try conjuring an RPG, but the dungeon’s magic causes it to fizzle. I remember the fact that dungeon’s don’t accept modern weaponry. It was worth a try, at least.

Sage. Is there anything I can create that can take this thing down?

Another adventurer is hit square in the chest by a spider’s claw. He flies across the room and of the edge of the cliff, screaming as he falls. I flinch.

The Sage replies. While there are options, they are all very drastic operations that would completely change how the other adventurers view you.

Well, I am an S class by name. I should act like it. Show me what I can do.

Here.

I hold out my hand and a massive amount of anima fluid pours from my palm, my legs, my feet, my entire body. I feel energy draining from my bones. The anima fluid coalesces into a gigantic metal golem.

The other adventurers give a rallying cry. My golem rushes towards the spiders. It slams one spider with both fists, shattering the spider’s carapace. The spider’s legs curl up. Metal bits fly everywhere.

The golem then picks the other spider up and rips it in half. Sparks leap. Mechanical guts spray everywhere. The golem dunks the spider onto the ground and stomps on it. It stands above the broken robots, its armored hide moving up and down as if it were breathing.

Carl takes his glasses off, blinking. “My god, Markus.”

Richard looks shocked. “Wow. You really are an S-class.”

I smile, and then collapse to the ground.

Sage: You’ve expended ninety percent of your energy reserves. I recommend a recharge.

“Does anyone have some chocolate?” I vomit.