“What do you mean?”
“Panther is a player with a complicated history,” the Prophet said, thoughtful. “In a way, I feel sorry for him. The bets he had placed are higher than some of ours. In short, he was forced to work for the Pandas for a long time. He had his own goals. This war gave him the opportunity to cut the cord and avenge himself.”
“Listen, I’m about done with your hints!” I put my hand to my throat to demonstrate how. “Can you give me a normal explanation? Why did he backstab us in Condor?”
Olaf nodded and said, “In Condor, when they sicced the Ancient beasts on us, we realized that we couldn’t hold the castle. For Panther, proving his loyalty to the Pandas by stabbing us in the back was a big plus.”
“Are you sure he isn’t trying to double-cross you? Throw you a curveball? Why would he work for us in the first place?”
“Yes, our paranoia was going into overdrive, of course. At first, we had the same thoughts, but Captain showed us proof of his loyalty. Something that he wouldn’t just squander.”
“Interesting.”
“Full access to the alliance forum, including the private section, as well as Pandorum’s operative channels in instant messengers. Can you imagine the possibilities?”
Whoa! I almost reeled when I grasped his words. But it couldn’t be true! Only clan leaders and their immediate circle had access to the private section and channels.
“Yes, our Captain is anything but simple. He’s an active player with a head on his shoulders and actual skills. Such people can achieve a lot in little time. He’s a Consul — in Pandas’ private hierarchy, the entourage of clan leaders with full access to all alliance functions.
All in all, our tactics worked because we had access to their inner workings,” Olaf continued. “We didn’t take any risks to avoid suspicion.”
“Even if we really wanted to!” Komtur added.
“In short, you know it yourself. It’s a bomb: strategic, tactical, informational. We need to set it off the right way to destroy Pandorum for good.”
I slowly nodded. Access to the enemy’s secret information, archives, and plans was priceless. Even publishing it on the official forums — partially or in full — would cause an explosion that would send the Pandas to the hospital to heal their sore butts.
“I want to share with you a small discovery that concerns you specifically,” Olaf said. “While studying that information, I found something. Read it yourself.”
I opened the link. Contrary to my expectations, it wasn’t my profile. It was a long list with several thousand NPC names. The Prophet marked one of them with a red line.
Weldy Nialit.
Rank 2 NPC, Noble Townswoman type.
Race: Human
Origin: Eyre Nation
Home location: Dorsa, Dan-na-Eyre, Rose Street, “Potions, Scrolls, and Magic Items” shop
Main skills: Alchemy, Herbalism, Trade, Charm
ATTENTION: Reputational and emotional link to player HotCat. Possible use to pressure him? Need to check!
ATTENTION: Hidden ability discovered: ANCIENT GENE. Recommended for capture and imprisonment in the Heart.
“What does it mean? What’s this Heart?”
“It means that Pandorum wants to take your girlfriend to the Astral Plane. I don’t know how they’re going to unbind her from her faction, but facts don’t lie. In matters like this, they’re pretty consistent. As for the Heart...it’s a story in itself.”
“I’d love to hear it.”
“It’s an unknown castle artifact of the Ancients — something like a giant phylactery containing NPC souls. The Heart is an extremely powerful resonator that amplifies inborn abilities a hundred times. There’s also a drawback, however — it causes a malfunction in reputation, ‘drugging’ the NPCs.”
“There’s a theory,” Olaf chimed in, unable to resist, “that the Heart is the reason why Pandorum are hunting souls. It’s also how they forced thousands of prisoners in Atrocity into submission.”
“And you want me to destroy this thing?” I asked, doubtful.
“This is the most efficient solution. The Heart, like many Ancient mechanisms, has overwhelming durability. If we use ordinary instruments, we will have to pick at it until kingdom come. The bottom line is, destroying this thing is one of Captain’s demands.”
“One of? Were there many of them?” I smirked.
“Let’s just say, several,” Olaf replied, evasive. “Well, we’ve revealed our hand. It’s your turn to act!”
I didn’t need long to process the information. In truth, I didn’t really care about Panther’s demands or the opportunistic goals of my clan leaders. However, the list from Pandorum’s forum mentioning Weldy changed everything. It meant that the Pandas wouldn’t back off, wouldn’t stop until they captured her and pushed her inside the Heart. I had a motive. Our goals were finally in sync: if what the clan leaders had just told me was true, the Heart had to go.
“All right, I got it. One question: is the Heart where I think it is?”
“Yes. We’re going to the Astral Plane. Destination: Atrocity!”
Interlude: Revenge
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED in Sphere of Worlds was the result of someone’s choice. Sometimes, one man’s decision could shape many worlds, changing thousands of fates.
Once, mercenaries hired by one of the Pandorum clans had captured a small group of NPCs. It was a routine operation. One of the NPCs enslaved and brought to Atrocity was a girl called Primavera with a rare Ancient Gene trait.
Sometime later, Pandorum got a new recruit. He quickly rose through the ranks and soon became recognized by those in charge. Active players were always valued. An elite clan, the leaders’ favor, wars and raids bringing reputation and fame... Gradually, he became one of them, quietly entering the circle of those who ruled Pandorum.
It was a big alliance with thousands of players and dozens of clans under its banner. Castles, outposts, transportation, logistics, supply, trade, a large astral fleet, diplomacy, counterintelligence — all of that required a lot of administrators
