Book 5: Chapter 52: Guardian at the Gate

Book 5: Chapter 52: Guardian at the Gate

In the still quiet of the void, Heather knew peace. She drifted gently through the emptiness as her mind flitted through random thoughts. She wasn't aware or unaware; she simply was and wasn't as if frozen in time. It was in this state that her world suddenly shattered as a voice rang out.

Get up! the voice shouted as Heather floated.

What? she mumbled in confusion, her mind unable to remember who she was.

I said get up!

I cant, Heather sighed as she struggled to move. I am dreaming, or Im dead.

Youre not dead yet, but you are dying! the voice shouted. You have one minute to act.

Who are you? Heather asked.

The voice in the crown, it replied.

I thought you said you could take over if I was unconscious. Heather groaned. You do it. I just want to sleep.

I cant do anything while you're wearing the ring! the voice shouted back. It's the only thing keeping you from being reclaimed, but they will notice if it goes on too long.

Reclaimed? Heather stammered as she drifted in oblivion. What does that mean, and who will notice? I dont understand.

You dont need to! the voice shouted. All you need to do is listen to my voice.

I just want to sleep, Heather repeated and started to fade. I need sleep.

You need to use the ring to open your panel. Then convert your essence to health and get up, now! the voice shouted.

I cant open my panel, Heather sighed. I am dead.

You're not dead yet! the voice shouted in annoyance. You are in the buffer, but the reclamation process hasn't begun because the ring prevents it. It buys you three minutes to act, and you have already wasted two. Despite this not being your real body, you can still open your panel. Use the ring and tap on your essence.

My essence? Heather replied and thought of the strange point pool her character sheet listed. She didn't understand how the voice knew, but she lifted one hand and saw the blue ring. With a touch, her panel came open, and she tapped at the stat labeled essence. To her surprise, it opened a submenu with options she had never seen before.

This wasnt here before? she stammered.

It only works in the buffer, the voice replied. It gives you options you were not meant to have. Now click the slider and turn some of your essence into health!

Heather nodded to nobody as she peered at the new options for the mysterious stat known as essence. It was set to something called overcharge, but underneath it was a slider to turn essence into health. With a quick swipe, she moved the slider to the middle converting half the pool.

Good! the voice echoed in her head as Heather felt as if she was suddenly flying upward with great speed. Remember, the collar might limit your abilities to low levels, but you can still overcharge them! Use the crystal handle; it is meant to be a focus for your power, so you cant overtax! Now stop fooling around and WAKE UP!

Heather's hand curled around the handle of her scythe as blue light and sparks of what looked like electricity crawled across her skin. The handle began to glow, as did the ring, shining with a blue-white light that drove away the darkness. Black smoke wafted around Heathers form as her eyes came open and filled with green fire.

Oh no! Frank said as the light-filled the magical monitor.

This is bad, Legeis said as the whole banquet hall noticed the sudden change and began to point in confusion.

She's going to go supernova right in front of a hundred people, Quinny added.

I hadnt considered this, Blackbast said as she looked about nervously. How will we explain what happened?

Does she look bigger? Frank asked, drawing all eyes to the scene as Heather rose to her feet.

She is bigger, Blackbast agreed and wondered where this display would end.

Heather shook her shoulders as the smoke formed into dark metal plates. It became a suite of armor decorated with hellish emblems and sharp spikes. She stamped the foot of her scythe on the floor, and the weapon was engulfed in flames that burned with an unnatural red color. The same fire suddenly spread up her horns and created a barbed and twisted halo over her head.

That's hellfire, Frank said as the whole room looked on in awe.

She doesnt have access to that, Quinny said and pointed to her own neck. The collar traps her at like level 2 in her race.

Somehow, she has broken the hold of the collar, Blackbast said in shock.

Even so, Quinny said and pointed to the screen. She still wasnt high enough to use that, was she?

Not that I was aware of, Frank said as a devil goddess with lava red hair captivated the entire room. All they could do was watch as Heather appeared on every screen, the hungry crowd captivated by the display of power.

Alura also noticed the light as she battled the horrific monster. She managed to drive it back just long enough to look over and see the woman bathed in hellish flames.

Heather? she gasped at the sudden transformation.

Heather rushed forward, leaving a trail of hellfire in her wake. She swung the scythe with such force that the blade cut through a blocking arm of the monster. It was buried in the stone nearly to the handle but was easily pulled free as the stone became molten around the blade.

The beast fumbled to turn and face both the intruders, but Alura pressed the attack, keeping it on the defensive. Heather leaped into the air, swinging the scythe overhead as she trailed fire and smoke. The monster lashed at her with two limbs, but her black armor blunted the attack. This time, the scythe managed to connect with the body, and the beast wailed in anguish.

Burn! Heather yelled as fire flared in her eyes. It ran down the scythe handle and across the blade, pouring into the wound.

The monster twitched and flailed, lashing at Heather with every limb that could reach her. She was battered and beaten but held on, burning the monster from the inside out.

Alura took advantage of the distraction and called for a quick strike, landing a blow on the beast's horrid head. The monster swung wildly to drive her back, but Heather anchored it in place. Alura was free to attack, landing blow after blow until the monster began to stumble. Eventually, the fire became too much, and the horrid thing finally collapsed to the floor.

Heather stood over the twitching form with a cruel smile on her face. Something about burning the creature felt natural, as if grasping for a long-forgotten memory.

Are you alright?Alura asked as she approached carefully.

Im fine, Heather said as she remembered herself. We should go before something else shows up.

As if the dungeon were listening, the walls shuddered, and dust fell from the ceiling. It created the impression that the whole complex was about to collapse. They fled down the next hall, with Alura taking the lead. Less than a hundred steps in, the floor opened up, and Alura nearly fell in. Unable to stretch her wings in the narrow tunnel and too heavy from the coins, she hung from the side of a shaft until Heather pulled her up.

I am tired of traps, Heather growled as she threw out a hand. She broke into a song, causing plants and vines to grow from the stones, splitting and cracking them as they writhed. A moment later, a dart trap went off further down the hall.

You can set them off ahead of time, Alura said with an impressed smile.

I can, but it slows us down, Heather replied as they quickly moved down ahead through the now safe area. She continued to grow plants down every hall while wishing she could summon some skeletons. They would be able to run ahead and find the traps much more quickly, and they could fight if a monster attacked. However, she knew that summoning even one would give her away. A flower singer did not have undead, and it was too late to claim she was something else.

I dont mean to pry, Alura said as they rounded a corner. But why do you suddenly have black armor and a halo of fire?

Heather looked up and saw the rim of her halo. It looked like red hot twisted wire with sharp thorns of black glass. The wire simmered with flames that danced on the surface and gave it an evil appeal.

I activated a unique power, Heather said in reply, unsure how to explain it. Not that she could explain it after all. Even mentioning essence would cause more questions than it answered, and somebody might know what it meant. She had to be as vague as possible while alluding that it was a devil-related power. After all, it was a devil power called hells defense, but the collar should have prevented access to it.

And you decided not to use this earlier why? Alura pressed.

I can only use it so many times, Heather replied as she thought about her limited use abilities. And my plant armor is almost as good.

I doubt that, Alura remarked with a suspicious glance. Your plant armor cant be anywhere near as good. It also doesnt explain how you stood up from what looked like a fatal wound while glowing with blue light.

Heather had to think fast and decided to build on an old lie. She held out the ring and told Alura that it was a gift from another, and it came with some perks. One of them was a healing power that only worked when she was knocked out. The light she saw was the power taking effect.

So it acts like a device of recovery, Alura said with a nod. Usually, only the highest level players have those.

As I said, it was a gift, Heather lied. It has some serious negative effects as well, but I don't want to talk about that when everybody is watching.

What is that? Quinny asked as they watched the creature come to life.

That guy is a gnomish engineer of some kind, Legeis said as she studied the machine in the viewer. I bet he's configured for close combat and gadgets.

Maybe Heather will know how to deal with him because she has worked with you? Frank asked, but Legeis shook his head.

I am kitted out for traps and ranged attacks. I only fight up close with my armor, and even then, only when I have to. I bet he's got more machines like that hidden in his belt, Legeis said.

She should use her teleport to run through the portal, Blackbast growled.

How can she? Frank asked as the mechanical bird advanced on the group. She never leaves people behind.

She wouldnt even leave Lydia behind, Legeis added.

Be that as it may, she should grab Breanne and get out, Blackbast insisted. The other two got them into this, and they can get themselves out. If she keeps this up, people will begin to ask questions.

At least she didnt go wild with her blue power, Quinny said. Maybe nobody will realize she was using powers she has no access to.

We had better pray they don't, Blackbast added as they watched intently.

Breanne loosed arrows at the metal creature as Skullman moved to intercept it before it got off the bridge. The strange woman created a bolt of green liquid and began to hurl it at Heather. Heather used a plant shield to block the attacks, but they sizzled on the surface, causing the plants to die rapidly.

Is that poison? Heather said in alarm and had to duck under a bolt. The short man produced what looked like a slingshot and fired a glowing red ball that exploded on Alura's armor as she tried to aid Skullman. Heather had enough of the two, so she blinked across the gap, arriving behind the short man who tumbled out of the way.

Ah-ha! he cried and tossed something down.

Heather was alarmed to see it looked like a bundle of old-style dynamite. However, this bundle had two legs and large black eyes that flashed with a red light. It ran at her with alarming speed as the wicks on top sparked and hissed while burning away. She ran away from the bomb only to find he had placed two more that were now patrolling the platform as he aimed his slingshot at her. In a flash, she was behind him, but he reacted first, dropping the slingshot and swinging what appeared to be a heavy wrench. Heather felt the impact as it collided with her black armor, the shock stinging her leg.

Thats some nice armor, he said with a sneer as he danced aside and avoided her scythe. But I know how to dismantle armor.

Heather used rush to close the gap and make a slice, only to find his small size hard to hit. He rolled away and battered her again, causing her leg to sting. As she turned to face him, something behind her exploded as the mobile bomb finally caught up.

Heather! Breanne cried as Heather was thrown into the air to crash on the side of the platform. The gnome rushed in and produced a comically large hammer just as she got up.

Enjoy the fall, he said and swung it like a golf club, battering Heather over the side.

Fly after her! Skullman shouted as he dodged a wing slash from the mechanical bird.

I am too heavy to fly after her, Alura replied and stabbed at the monster as a green light flashed behind them. She glanced back to see Heather down on hands and knees beside Webster, panting in shock.

Thank goodness, Breanne remarked and turned her arrows on the snake-like woman. She fired several only to have them strike an invisible barrier as the woman laughed.

Those two are well prepared, Skullman said and tried a powerful swipe to topple the mechanical bird. All he managed to do was scratch the metal as the bird lashed back with a powerful bite. It caught him in the shoulder, crunching his armor as it lifted him from his feet. He cried out in pain, but a whistling noise caught his ear as a hellish red light collided with the bird.

What the? Breanne said as Heather's scythe buried in its chest and began to blaze with hellfire. The bird's body began to melt even as Heather appeared out of a flash of green to grab the handle. A second later, she was gone, only to appear on the central platform ablaze with fire.

Didnt learn your lesson the first time, the gnome laughed. You arent fast enough to catch me.

I don't need to catch you, Heather growled as the two turned on her. She blinked away, arriving beside the woman with her scythe leveled and used an old trick. Let's see if you like my flavor of poison.

The woman covered her eyes with a wail as Heather sprayed her with a cloud of perfume. The gnome charged at her immediately but the air filled with golden pollen. From the outside, the central platform appeared hidden inside a ball of golden pollen before suddenly turning into an inferno. For a brief moment, they saw Heather standing in the heart of the flames with her head thrown back as she screamed in anger, then it boiled away into obscuring smoke. Screams and curses echoed from the cloud, and when it parted, the gnome was rolling away while trying to beat out the fire in his beard. The woman was nearly down, gasping for air and clutching a deep wound to her chest.

Heather threw her burning scythe, striking the gnome before he could recover. He tumbled close to the edge and quickly reached into a pouch. He threw down something that resembled a spider with four legs and a pincer-like jaw. It fired the jaw like an arrow, the weapon trailing a thin cord behind it. Heather blinked out of the way, arriving just to the side as she recalled her scythe.

Youre a pain in the butt, the gnome growled as he threw down a second spider.

You should have left when you had the chance, Heather snarled and dodged away from the second spider's attack. She arrived beside the snake woman to score another hit and topple her to the floor. The gnome shouted in rage and produced a funny-looking ax that suddenly fired a spreading net. Heather blinked and arrived just before him as he swung up and cut a line across her armor. A light on the ax flashed as it cut, and suddenly her armor started to come apart.

Its called an ax of dismantling, the gnome laughed. It specializes in breaking armor.

Heather ignored the sudden gaps and rushed in, slicing wildly to hit the elusive gnome. He tumbled away with a laugh and left another mobile bomb where he was standing. It exploded, sending Heather flying to the side to crush with a thud.

Ow, she groaned as the gnome raced her way with the ax in hand. She struggled to get up as Breanne fired arrows to stop him, but he ignored it and raised the weapon high. Heather was too stunned to blink away and could only watch as her death came rushing down. Before he could complete the strike, something landed on his face as Webster tackled him in defense of his owner.

Get off, you worthless pest! the gnome yelled and dropped the ax to try and pry the spider away.

Heather struggled to get up when something snapped around her leg. One of the mechanical spiders had fired its jaws and clamped them around her leg. Now it rewound the cord, dragging her across the platform as the robot began to beep. She realized it would explode when she got there and wasn't about to endure another blast. With a flash of green, she escaped to the other side of the gnome. He managed to throw Webster aside and produced another heavy wrench out of thing air to wield it like a club.

I am going to feed you to my mechanical shark, he said, but Heather was focused on communicating a plan to Webster. She rushed at the gnome with her scythe raised, and he quickly brought his weapon around to attack. She stopped short and sprayed him with perfume, causing him to gag and curse, but his goggles protected his eyes.

Perfume? he said as he tried to spit it out.

Heather shrugged and swiped, driving him back as he laughed and easily avoided it. He went to tumble to one side but suddenly found his feet rooted to the spot. Webster scurried away, leaving a trail of sticky silk, giving Heather just enough time. She lunged at him and wrapped him up, squeezing him against her armor. He yelled and flailed with surprising strength while trying to pry her off. A moment later, she felt two thumps as the spider bots latched on and began to reel. Heather dug in, and instead of being pulled to them, the spiders came to her. She timed it perfectly, waiting until they were almost on her before blinking away and leaving the gnome facing his two pets as they exploded.

Surprisingly he was still standing, with a sooted face and smoke curling from what was left of his beard. He pointed the wrench her way before toppling over at last. Heather breathed a sigh of relief and turned her attention on the mechanical bird to see her friends were finishing it off. They began to cast heals when the whole space shook, and the bridge began to crack.

We can heal on the other side! Skullman shouted and limped onto the bridge as the other two followed. Heather waited for them and was the last to dive into the pillar of light as the platform began to crumble.

The sensation was like stepping through her magic doorways, and an instant later, they were standing in the center of the party hall.

We have our winners! Maline shouted as the crowd cheered to see the heroes had returned.

Thank goodness thats over, Heather sighed and nearly fell to her knees. I am so tired of carrying this pack. She let go of the spell that created her armor, letting it melt away in a puff of smoke.

Maline relieved them of their treasures, and it was apparent immediately that Heather's team had won. She announced the winning team and heaped the spoils at Heather and Alura's feet.

We did it, Alura said with a weak smile. You are an outstanding player.

I just want to sleep, Heather sighed and had to lean on her scythe. Around her, the room was alive with comments about her being the most creative flower singer ever. She tuned it out as Blackbast arrived with the others and quickly had Frank support her.

Lady Blackbast, Maline began with a broad smile. I will divide the spoils, and you may take your slave's share.

Then get it done, Blackbast hissed with ears pinned back. I am weary of your little game.

Maline shrugged and had two of her maids set about the test of dividing the loot. She wanted to have Heather and Alura speak to the crowds, but Blackbast had Frank take her away. She was sequestered back in their little space, where Quinny was quick to get her a drink.

Blackbast gave Maline a look that said she wasn't pleased with how this turned out but demanded the treasure be delivered to their space. She then returned with Alura, Breanne, and Skullman as Heather laid flat on the pillows with Webster at her feet.

Are you alright? Blackbast asked as she knelt beside Heather and applied a heal.

I am tired, Heather admitted. I think I depleted a lot of my magic.

Well, you certainly surprised me, Alura said as she loomed from the side. I must say I am delighted to have met you. I hope our paths will cross again.

I have a feeling they will, Breanne remarked as she scowled at Skullman. What did you think you were doing by dragging us in there?

He smiled and leaned in close, giving her a slight wink. Consider that payback for how you left me before. Do you have any idea how much I missed you?

Breanne sighed and looked away as Alura smiled and began to laugh. Oh, so you two had a thing before.

It wasnt a thing, Breanne remarked. It was complicated.

Well, I am going to change my outfit and return to the party, Alura said. It was an honor fighting at your side, Heather. I will see you when our time comes again. With that, she sauntered away and left Skullman, who took Breanne aside to whisper to her privately.

Heather didn't care what they were saying. All she wanted to do was sleep, and quickly faded away.