Guide 5: Chapter 21: Hiding the Fact

Heather stood on the foot of a robed Hathlisora with wings folded and tail wrapped round one leg. A fragile smile graced her face as she appeared down with slender eyes. Her left arm was curled as if about to play together with her hair, however her proper arm was prolonged, a single finger pointing down. At her toes was one thing of a map, specified by stone.

How did you discover this? Heather requested as Breanny and Quinny appeared on in awe.

Iskathet scratched at her head, as she thought-about her reply.

There have been ruins right here after I started, she admitted. On the floor have been some minor buildings, almost misplaced to the desert. Beneath was a scattering of collapsed tunnels or empty chambers. As I construct my house, I uncovered a number of, however this was the one one which held something of curiosity. If you don’t thoughts my asking, why is that this statue so vital to you?

Cannot you inform? Quinny laughed. Take a look at her face; she seems precisely like Heather.

Iskathet appeared between the 2 and tilted her head in confusion. Is that this you?

No, Heather replied firmly. But it surely’s the rationale why everybody errors me for her. I’ve managed to detect a path of her artifacts. She even left issues behind with messages addressed to me.

What? Iskathet scoffed. Thats ridiculous. Who would do such a factor?

None of us know, Frank answered for her. However we have now determined to observe the path and discover out.

You have to be making big leaps of logic to attach these dots, she argued.

Hardly, Heather replied. She left me notes addressed to me, figuring out I’d arrive to seek out them. I cant take a stroll within the woods with out magically tripping over one in all her discarded gloves.

This doesnt make sense, Iskathet pressed.

I’ve been saying that since it began, Heather replied and stepped nearer to check the statue. What’s she pointing at?

Iskathet turned to check the map and pointed to a location off to the aspect. That’s the place we are actually.

Heather appeared to see a miniature metropolis with a blue-domed temple. This will need to have been a picture of how this place as soon as appeared. She adopted the trail to see it was a major distance to the place the pointed finger indicated. Roughly following the purpose led to a black rectangular stone with a purple line.

And the place is that? Heather pressed.

In the midst of the glass sea, Iskathet mentioned. The mountain no person dares go to.

Fantastic, Heather remarked and appeared to the others. Its apparent she is pointing to one thing vital.

Legeis appeared over the map and did a silent calculation. Perhaps, however judging by the space, that is days away.

And the map predates the glass, Breanne noticed. In order that construction she is pointing at was their first.

Who is that this individual that appears such as you? Iskathet requested.

Her identify is Hathlisora, Heather replied. She is somewhat notorious from the server’s early historical past.

Hathlisora, the ghoul lady mentioned with a nod. I’ve heard this identify earlier than. She was concerned in one thing that despatched King Kevin on a rampage.

Yep, thats her, Heather mentioned. She has angered almost each main group of group that I do know of. She additionally bears a hanging resemblance to me, which has precipitated no finish of bother.

Absolutely she has gone removed from right here, Iskathet mentioned.

So far as we all know, she’s lifeless and hasn’t respawned, Heather corrected. Which is one other downside as a result of individuals appear to suppose she goes to respawn and check out no matter she was doing, once more.

They usually suppose you’re her, Iskathet replied as she linked the dots. How unfortunate.

Inform me about it, Heather sighed and returned her gaze to the thing within the middle. Do you know something concerning the ruins earlier than you constructed right here?

I knew they have been player-made and deserted way back. Two-player wraiths have been haunting what remained after I arrived. It was solely a single crumbling constructing and some tunnels that hadnt but collapsed. They’re each down within the metropolis under the pyramid now. They’re very good.

I can solely think about, Heather sighed and appeared to the others. Effectively, Frank was proper; following this path was going to result in extra. And following that can doubtless result in an increasing number of. She shook her head in frustration and paced alongside the map’s edge finding out the constructing within the middle.

Have you ever ever been to this mountain? Heather requested, turning her gaze on Iskathet.

Me? No, I can not cross the glass, and I’m not positive I’d need to strive, she admitted.

Why cant you cross the glass? Quinny requested.

Iskathet laughed and stood tall, her gaze sweeping the group. The warmth of the sands is nothing in comparison with the glass. As soon as the solar is excessive, the floor acts like a mirror, and the warmth will kill something making an attempt to cross it. Even us undead do not dare the glass. We slowly burn and char like paper in a fireplace.

Sounds disagreeable, Heather remarked and appeared to the constructing. What are the percentages that constructing even stays? If Endril was telling the reality, a mountain fell on it and turned the sand to molten glass for miles round. What might need as soon as been there might very doubtless be destroyed or inaccessible and not using a month price of digging.

You are not significantly contemplating going there? Iskathet requested. No one goes there.

How are you aware that? Heather requested. Do you get out a lot?

There isn’t any have to be impolite, Iskathet replied. I’ve associates who come to go to sometimes. I hear of what’s going on within the wider world and particularly the desert. One among them has a temple on the paths utilized by vacationers. She might inform you a lot of what’s going on proper now.

Perhaps we must always go converse to her, Frank urged. She may know extra concerning the mountain or the constructing that was as soon as there.

In case you significantly need to know extra, she will inform you the place to discover a hidden library, Iskathet identified.

However that might imply veering off our present activity, Quinny identified.

Hmm, Heather mentioned as she thought-about the map. Is your good friend’s temple right here someplace?

Iskathet walked round to the aspect and pointed to a spot on the ground. The map doesn’t present it, however she can be roughly about right here.

And thats the place the roads to the oasis are?

Iskathet nodded as Heather started to weigh her choices. There have been now three paths to think about. Possibility one was to press on to cross the desert and cope with the egg. Two head for the glass and the mountain on the middle, or three hunt down this good friend of Iskathet and see if she is going to share this library’s location. Of all of the choices, this one was probably the most alluring. A library from years in the past may include all types of helpful data. To not point out there have been a dozen books she was hungry to seek out and use to additional her analysis. Nonetheless, this was another distraction from what all of them wished, to calm down and play of their new houses.

Alright, Heather mentioned as she labored out a plan. We wished to go to the city on the sting of the glass anyway. Meaning we have to get again to the roads. So, we return to the highway, go to her good friend and see if she is keen to assist us. Then we transfer on to the glass and play the position of curious adventurers, asking a number of questions concerning the mountain. Our main activity is to cross it and get to the opposite aspect and press on with our quest.

So that you dont need to examine this object within the middle? Breanne requested.

Heather appeared again to the map and shook her head. I need to examine all of it, however Frank is true as soon as once more; I’ve to complete a few of the issues I began first. We press on and ship the egg. Then on our means again, we take into account exploring what could be discovered within the glass.

Its a superb plan, Breanne agreed with a smile.

Egg go first, Umtha acknowledged.

Frank stepped ahead to look Heather within the eyes as she tipped her head again.

Sadly, I do, Heather agreed. Effectively, that is one other bundle of mysteries so as to add to my listing. Now we have to work out why she wished this pyramid constructed and guarded.

It could be fascinating to know what was right here first and why it was destroyed, Breanne added.

Perhaps this good friend of hers can inform us, Quinny urged.

Heather nodded however went again to Iskathet with a thought. You’ve been right here because the starting, residing within the hills. Absolutely you understand one thing of what was taking place within the desert.

It was a greater time, Iskathet mentioned with a way of regret. Gamers got here to the desert in massive numbers, and lots of monster gamers laired within the hills or deep sands. There was an almost straight highway via the desert linking a sequence of participant cities. There was one which had pyramids as effectively, however they have been golden, and there was a backyard with fountains and flowing water throughout them. It was an open metropolis, the place monster gamers have been welcome to purchase and promote.

That they had cities like that? Heather balked.

I instructed you about these, Breanne remarked indignantly.

Heather shook her head and acknowledged Breanne had certainly instructed her about such cities, however they have been within the necromancers kingdoms the place it appeared anticipated. She had no thought such cities existed exterior that remoted incidence.

Iskathet went on to clarify how hundreds of gamers as soon as performed in and across the desert. The open metropolis allowed monster gamers to situation challenges and supply rewards to gamers to tempt them into their fastidiously crafted dungeons. It was a superb time, but it surely had its issues. There was at all times the core of downside gamers who made it a rule to reset monster gamers. The extra a monster participant needed to lose, the higher a goal they turned. It was a relentless wrestle and the monster gamers, together with some hero gamers, shaped a kind of guild to problem the difficulty makers. Within the midst of all this got here Hathlisora, who, alongside together with her get together, started some kind of mission within the desert. She heard of their group taking down a few of the greatest threats, together with these downside gamers. Her get together took on a few of the highest-level gamers and drove them off, restoring a kind of peace to the area.

I’m starting to love this lady, Heather mentioned and urged her to proceed.

Iskathet defined how this era went on for over a 12 months, however then all of it modified. Gamers have been immediately at one another’s throats, and monster gamers weren’t welcome wherever, even within the open cities. She heard via her associates that some kind of battle occurred between Hathlisora and a few members of her get together. They break up into two teams, and gamers started to choose sides. Battles raged throughout the desert, and the cities burned, ending the shorter highway throughout the sands. The battles prolonged to the encircling lands, and immediately, monster gamers have been seen as a menace to everybody. It was now overtly inspired to reset monster gamers as a punishment for selecting to play such a category. Folks boasted that they have been doing monster gamers a favor by permitting them to choose a correct race.

This sounds acquainted, Breanne remarked. I’m keen to wager this coincides with the struggle on the necromancers.

I’ve heard that it does, however I by no means went to see the necromancer empire, Iskathet admitted. I’ve been instructed that Hathlisora was doing one thing right here that upset individuals. She was accused of all types of loopy issues like by some means killing gamers to steal their energy or turning them to stone eternally. I heard one rumor say she was elevating a military of orcs, trolls, goblins, and giants to rampage via and destroy the participant kingdoms.

With a sigh, she completed with an outline of how the desert turned a barren panorama almost devoid of gamers. Most moved on to hunt much less turbulent grounds to play, and lots of the monster gamers grew sick of being reset. They picked hero courses and joined the opposite aspect. It was the one option to accomplish something with out being hunted down. These few who nonetheless traveled right here appeared solely to be fascinated about crossing it. The battle that created the glass occurred a number of months after the sands have been almost empty. She had escaped the worst of this carnage by a intelligent ruse. She broken and looted her lair, altering it so that each door was damaged open and the traps all laid naked. It gave the phantasm that different gamers had already raided it. She secluded herself to some hidden halls with all of the ghouls she might muster. She wasn’t positive how lengthy they have been there, however gamers did lastly discover them.

One fateful day the hidden doorways that protected them have been found and thrown open. She was positive this could be a bunch of gamers in search of to reset her, however as a substitute, it was Hathlisora. She wanted someone to assist her rebuild one thing vital. She had 4 associates together with her, a vampire named Lydia Valrossa, one other a harpy lady with nice blue feathers. She was referred to as Sersi and was significantly offended. One was a human wizard, however she by no means did get his identify. The final was a troll whose true class she by no means discovered. She suspected it was a witch physician as he carried a cranium in a single hand. He was at all times urgent them to rush, saying it was going badly and time was working out.

They supplied to construct me a fortress within the sands if I’d lend them the help of my ghouls to assist do the work. They wanted their capacity to tunnel to perform the duty shortly. She was very cordial and spoke to me as if we had at all times identified each other. I spotted that hiding in a gap was solely going to final so lengthy. I agreed to assist them, they usually took us into the sands, to the ruins of a earlier metropolis. I’m not positive what metropolis this was or the way it got here to be destroyed, however she was very upset about it. I heard her as soon as say that one other lady had betrayed her and precipitated all this. She was in some form of ache as if her very physique was a jail. Regardless of this, she labored with the wizard to open portals to different locations. I despatched a whole lot of ghouls via and quarried the rocks with ease. They started to move to the desert quicker than they could possibly be positioned. The wizard left for a day and returned with a dozen rock giants who helped with the work. They’ll form stone and levitate it with ease. They smoothed the tough reduce blocks to polished perfection and positioned them in accordance with some plan. I by no means realized what was so particular about this specific stone or why it needed to be executed this actual means. The internal rooms have been left naked, however they instructed me to brighten them as I wanted, even offering an unlimited quantity of gold to assist me buy factors.

That is all beginning to sound a lot bigger than we anticipated it to be, Heather mentioned and requested the apparent query.Then what occurred?

They completed the work and left, Iskathet replied. They instructed me I needed to defend this place and to make use of a portion of the gold to fill the halls with traps, monsters, and each trick I might throw at gamers.

And you’ve got been right here ever since? Heather surmised. You don’t have any thought what occurred to Hathlisora?

Most of what I learn about her present state I realized from you. I do know she is lacking, Iskathet mentioned. I do know as a result of, as I mentioned, I do have associates who come to go to sometimes. I requested Black Bast about her, and he or she relayed a rumor that Hathlisora had been accused of some form of plot by King Kevin. He despatched his paladins after her and condemned anybody who would help her. She paused to have a look at Legeis and Umtha, who famous the sudden glace. I’m instructed they went after the goblins significantly onerous. For some purpose, the goblins revered her and wouldn’t give her up.

Goblins, love Hathlisora, Umtha grunted as Iskathet nodded.

Iskathet appeared to Heather as her eyes dropped, producing a glance of unhappiness. I’m sorry for you. Not solely did you choose probably the most hated class in all of the land, however you appear to be a girl detested by these in energy. You need to reset and choose a brand new race and sophistication. To maintain on this highway goes to guide you to nice ache.

Sorry, I occur to love who I’m, Heather replied however bit again her anger. Thanks for telling us all this. I perceive why you wanted to make certain we could possibly be trusted.

I respect that, she replied. However let me provide you with a warning. Don’t be so fast to belief a participant just because they’re undead. You instructed me immediately that you simply have been Heather the necromancer since you assumed I could possibly be trusted together with your secret. I guarantee you there are monster gamers who would gladly promote you out.

Heather felt a chill run down her backbone to suppose that such might ever occur. She realized that Iskathet was proper, and the bounty on necromancers was so excessive even a monster participant may attempt to accumulate it.

Thanks for the warning. You’ve been an incredible assist to us. I want there was a way we might repay you.

Iskathet shrugged and scratched at her chin. You possibly can come and go to infrequently. I do discover skulking concerning the metropolis to be boring, fortunately Tanya and Tharsis are glorious at video games.

Are these the wraiths? Frank requested.

Sure, they’ve a small assortment of board video games, and Tharsis is excellent at crafting issues. He makes little statues and creates new video games out of them.

So what will we do now? Quinny requested.

Heather paused to consider her subsequent transfer. They wanted to cross a major quantity of sand, so she requested Iskathet how her associates managed it. To nobody’s shock, all of them had magical technique of journey and thus prevented the risks.

Effectively, then there is just one answer to this downside, Heather mentioned with a smile.

It took an extended whereas, however they lastly gathered within the graveyard to see a sky stuffed with stars. Heather led them to the partitions and appeared out into the sands from the route they got here.

Wait right here, she mentioned and took out her hen statue earlier than handing the pack with Webster nonetheless inside to Frank.

What are you planning on doing? Frank requested.

I’m going to rearrange a experience, Heather mentioned with a smile after which became the raven, flying off over the dunes.

She could be very headstrong, Iskathet identified.

Heather is wonderful, Frank sighed. I’ve by no means identified anyone to suppose as creatively as her.

Iskathet smiled on the response as a inexperienced mild flashed within the distance.

What’s that woman doing? Breanne remarked as one thing moved within the distance.

Is {that a} sand dune coming this fashion? Quinny requested.

No, Legeis mentioned. Its greater.

It has legs, Frank added as the thing plowed over the sands, coming nearer and nearer.

It is the crab! Quinny cried as they appeared on in awe to see a single determine standing on high of the beast’s shell.

Heather’s hair blew within the breeze as she stood tall, holding her scythe firmly in hand. The zombie crab moved sideways throughout the dunes, effortlessly passing over them till it arrived beside the graveyard, towering over these under.

Your chariot has arrived, Heather referred to as from above. She issued a command, and the crab started to shuffle its legs, burying itself into the sand till the others might simply stroll onto the shell.

She is highly effective! Iskathet gasped in awe because the group climbed onto the shell.

Thanks once more, Heather mentioned with a wave. We’ll come again and go to, I promise.

I’m positive you’ll, however heed another bit of recommendation earlier than you go. Dont let Black Bast scare you off. She generally is a little playful.

With that thought in her thoughts, Heather tapped the shell, and the crab stood again up, scuttling throughout the sand with ease as they vanished into the night time.

Good luck, Iskathet referred to as to the night time. I hope you discover what you’re in search of earlier than they discover you.