“Get a hold of yourself, kid! Clear your head! You can trust everyone in this flyer. Think about how to fix things back there, in the game! We’ll help you in real life. You have far more friends than you think!”
“That’s right, Alex!” Maria Saar said. “There are lots of people who want to protect you! For free! When we land, you’ll see for yourself!”
Sergei, Roj and Yoshi echoed her words, telling me I could count on them. Hung just rose from his seat, walked over to me and placed his forehead against mine.
“We’ll build a second temple. You know that. There’s a place, and it’s a place no one else can get to for years! We’ll use Orthokon to protect Kharinza, you’ll see—I’ll stand watch there for days at a time! And on top of that… Your friends—your real friends—are with you too. Don’t worry, bro. We’ll get through this! How much left until your maximum potential?”
I thought for a moment, smiled. Took heart.
I nodded to my friend and he went back to his seat. Once seated, Hung asked:
“Have you decided what to do next, Alex?”
“We’ll decide together, Hung. You, me, Ed, Malik, Irita, our adult friends…” I nodded toward Hairo. “But if you were asking about Dis, you said it all yourself. We’ll build a castle and erect the Righteous Shield. Then we’ll think of how to level up on Terrastera. We’ll build Tiamat’s temple there. You go to the nagas for your divine quest.”
“Do you remember where they are?” Hung chuckled. “Meaz ain’t far from there!”
“I can’t wait to see it,” I answered, not without sarcasm.
“What are you going to do?”
“Me… I think I’m going to take care of the Destroying Plague. That bastard thing needs ending.”
“How?”
“I have an acquaintance, someone who has spent time in the Nether. I think he can help.”
Hung didn’t understand right away. When he did get it, his eyes lit up.
I couldn’t shake the thought—how had Mogwai met with Tissa if she was in the sandbox? Apart from those two, only one other former legate of the Destroying Plague knew the answer. I turned to Yoshi: “I need to talk to someone, Mr. Uematsu.”
“Name?”
“Wesley Cho. But everyone knows him as Big Po.”
Epilogue
THE DULL SNAPPING of portals split the air in the dark of night. Two figures emerged from rifts in space above the stony plateau: an elf and an elf girl. Their gender wasn’t the only difference between them; the male elf was undead.
“I want to confirm the conditions again,” the girl whispered. “The Elites will pay the cost of three Annageddons, and Mogwai will make me a legate of the Destroying Plague, right?”
“Are Fen’s words not enough for you?” the elf whispered in annoyance. “Break the dome and you’ll get what was promised to you.”
“What do you want with my former castle anyway?” The elf girl frowned. “I think I get it… Mogwai is there! Locked up! Right?”
“No, he isn’t there now,” the elf said. “But he’ll appear at my signal. Now summon the Arbiter.”
“As you say. I, Eileen, summon an Arbiter to confirm this exchange.”
A blazing blue Eye materialized in the air next to them, crackling with energy and smelling of rain.
“The item to be traded?”
“I, Eileen, in the interests of the Elites, here represented by deputy clan chief Criterror, agree to use three of my own Armageddon scrolls, aiming them at this castle. In exchange, I will receive fifteen million gold and the status of Legate of the Destroying Plague, promised to me by Supreme Legate Mogwai.”
“I, Criterror, speak on behalf of the Elites and at the behest of clan leader Mogwai. I confirm the conditions of the exchange.”
“Trade complete. If either party violates the conditions of the agreement, the Celestial Arbitrage shall inflict penalties upon the culprit. Good fortune.”
The Eye disappeared. Against the brightening horizon, the guards of the Green League could just be seen patrolling the fortress wall.
“Satisfied?” Criterror asked. “Just take down the shield and your job is done. “I’ll take care of the rest!”
“Yes,” Eileen answered, smiling. “I’m satisfied.”
She activated a scroll and the burning trail of a falling meteorite lit up the dark-gray sky.
End of Book Five
Scyth’s skills, achievements and equipment
Most important game skills
Unarmed Combat rank I
Damage dealt without a weapon increased by 5100%. Attack accuracy increased by 505%.
Path of Justice (completed): You completely ignore penalties in battle against enemies above your level.
Moves learned: Crushing Hammerfist, Stunning Kick, Combo (with linked ability Lifesteal: corwerts 1% of damage dealt to health).
Cartography
Cartography is used for forming maps of areas. The skill allows you to create your own maps of previously unexplored zones, create routes for ships on the ocean, and use other people’s maps to find treasure and ar’tifacts.
In your tr’avels around Disgardium, you can find encrypted treasure maps that point to locations where troves are buried. Using the Cartography skill, you can determine the place to go searching.
You move faster in previously mapped areas. You can see hidden entrances to dungeons, treasure troves and caches.
Persuasion rank I
When talking to intelligent beings, you influence their consciousness and reduce their critical thinking. During the discussion, your reputation with your interlocutor is effectively one level higher than it is in reality.
Your eloquence is reinforced with the ability to see how your words influence the mood of those you speak to.
Resilience rank IV
Resistance to all types of damage increased by go%. Pain sensation reduced by go%.
Path of Justice (completed): you completely ignore penalties in battle against enemies at a higher level than you. If your health drops below 10%, the Diamond Skin of Justice ability activates (for go seconds, you are covered in a diamond skin that fully absorbs all damage; removes all crowd control effects and debuffs).
Path of Reflection (completed): go% of total damage taken is reflected and ricochets back to the enemy.
Path
