“Well said.” It was time to get to work, so Alex spoke hurriedly. “We have twenty-four hours to prepare. Something tells me these ‘builders’ will surprise us. We should eat something, take a breath and tune in to intensive training. I think we’ll be working hard there.” Alex pointed north.
The casual meal included much chatting about nothing. It allowed all present to relax and regain their full senses. The food from the dry ration was delicious. The crew ate, commiserated, and laughed – no one else cast fearful glances northward.
Alex activated his Multi-threaded Consciousness skill and worked on the ‘Ghost Archer’ spell from the ‘Dark Ghost’ cluster. He tried to create his own spell, modeled after the undead’s powerful one. Sadly, it turned out to be a faded parody of the original. He registered the sequences of steps and designated it the ‘Small Archer of the Cold.’
After lunch, Alex raised his hand, drawing everyone’s attention. “Check your stats. You must have a new Small Archer of Cold spell. The Homo-42s also have the Shield.”
The clan members checked their stats and jumped to their feet in jubilation.
Alex cut off the incipient glee by saying, “Sofia, help the Homo-42s acclimate to magic and the Shield. The rest of you, split into pairs and utilize the combat clash. Go!”
Chapter 22. Range and Zone of Intensive Water
Time flew by, as did the time allotted by the strange creature who called himself the Minstrel of the Stone Plateau.
Many in this mysterious ice lacuna could only speculate what would come next. None wanted to flaunt their worries or concerns. On occasion, they would glance furtively towards the thundering north, their tension growing with every hour that passed.
Despite their anticipation, every Ice Vigor flinched at the Minstrel’s sudden appearance.
“Alex Phoenix, everything is ready,” he announced, and right there in the north the roars and the flashes of lightning stopped. Then the Minstrel addressed all. “I ask the guests to proceed to the camp. Know its functionality, settle in. Initial training will begin tomorrow at 6:00 Igloo time. You may use the portal. Utilize the following voice keys – Camp, Range, Exit. You may walk or run to the camps, but remember to focus on the red stripe.”
The red line stretched towards a distant object in the north. The Minstrel summed up with an unobtrusive threat, “Do not be late for practice.” He bowed to Alex and disappeared.
Alex chuckled. Very interesting. Time to act.
The clan leader breathed in the frosty air. “In truth, the red color of the line doesn’t suit me. I don’t want us slogging a hundred miles on a snowy crust. Do any of you?” he looked around his clan members.
No one answered, but it was clear from their facial expressions that no one had such extravagant desires.
“Okay, lads. Come on.” Alex laughed, then added more seriously, “Range!”
He wanted to see the range first. Having spoken the keyword, the head of the clan disappeared. No one even heard the sound characteristic of the portal. Ten seconds later, the rest of the crew disappeared, as if they had never been here. The snowdrift swept away their last traces, bringing the space to its original cold order.
***
The people stood a short distance apart from each other, gazing around in amazement. The room in which they stood, empty and made from some incomprehensible pimpled black material, was so large that it could hold several Airbus-380s. Or so it seemed.
Alex touched the floor, which resembled dense rubber and possessed similar elasticity. He felt nothing else. Nothing at all, flashed through his head.
“We can practice magic here without harming the surrounding space,” he said.
The Minstrel appeared. “Alex Phoenix, I’m bringing out the stats of the Range.”
A three-foot translucent panel flashed in front of the group, striated with neon indicator lines.
.
Igloo Range (capabilities)
Creation of illusions of increased certainty
Creation of a landscape of any complexity
Creation of obstacles of any configuration and complexity
Creation of opponents of any level
Number of revivals without restrictions (bypassing the System)
Accelerated Respawn (Choice: Start Position, Place of Death)
Information support – individually
Notes:
Pain sensations reduced by 50%
Medication support (start position only)
Information support (vestment - second skin)
Adjustment of settings is available only to player Phoenix
The range can be used as a space for creation. (Adjustment is individual — no more than thirty persons at a time).
.
“Wonderful,” Alex said. “Minstrel, what’s the planned schedule?”
The range included generation and round-the-clock circulation of combat situations. It calculated everything according to an undisclosed algorithm, ready to unleash the potential of the subjects to the maximum.
Seeing his clanmates’ confusion, Alex said, “To be honest, mates, I don’t understand it myself. We’ll have to adjust as we go. But we cannot refuse the level-up.”
Finally, his crew found their voices. The resourceful Anna spoke first, grasping his hand as if checking whether he was real or not. “Alex, can you explain what it is? Have you created the Igloo spell? How was this be done? Are you a demiurge?”
Anna’s question hit the very spot. Apparently, all present were haunted by similar thoughts.
Under his comrades-in-arms’ demanding gazes, the clan leader paused for several seconds, collecting his thoughts. “Yes, that’s right, Anna.” Alex threw up his hands. “I also have many questions. My best guess is that the Igloo was created spontaneously, intuitively and under the influence of the strongest temporary insanity. I believe the Igloo triggered the disproportionately larger spell, which somehow harmonized with my spell. I think this is the legacy of our great ancestors. I’d reckon that the further we move along this magical path of the ancients, the more inexplicable situations will appear. This will ultimately become a confirmation of my version.”
“Grrr. Goosebumps,” Talker spoke out. “Alex, what do you think of the key words?”
Alex shrugged, glad
