The Greystone Chronicles: Book One: Io Online Read online

  The Greystone Chronicles

  Book One

  Io Online

  by Dave Willmarth

  Copyright © 2017 by Dave Willmarth

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  Chapter One

  Caverns of The Dark Lord

  Alexander stood upon a wide stone ledge, looking out over an underground cavern below. To his right, a roughly hewn ramp sloped down a few dozen feet to the cavern floor. Above him the stone rose up fifty feet or more to a domed ceiling, from which hung hundreds of stalactites. From Alexander’s perspective, with the unsteady light from their torches fading into distant darkness, the entire cave looked like a monstrous maw, waiting to grind and swallow him and his party.

  This is it. We kill this boss, and there should be some epic loot!

  One massive grandfather stalactite hung near the center of the cave. Its tip having grown down over millennia to reach a corresponding stalagmite growing up from the cavern floor, the two of them forming a sort of column. Surrounding the base of the column was a small pond, presumably fed by the same water that formed the cavern’s fearsome teeth, one drop at a time. To one side of the pond stood some sort of low stone altar, with a 3-foot tall pedestal set in its center. It too looked as if it had grown from the living stone, its surface marbled and glistening with moisture. With the limited light of his torch, he could not make out the object sitting upon the pedestal, but that had to be what they were here for.

  Alexander took a deep breath, and held it. He focused on the feeling of his chest expanding fully. Of his muscles moving. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, rolled his shoulders, and flexed his arms. There was certainly a fight coming. He could see no adversaries below, but he knew they were there. One last battle, and they would finally clear this dungeon. He was ready.

  Behind him, he could feel Sasha smiling at him. They had adventured together for years now, and she knew well his pre-fight rituals. She understood his need to focus, to establish firm control over each muscle in his body. He drew his sword and executed a few casual practice swings as he turned to face her. She was his oldest friend, and she was beautiful. Dressed in supple tan deerskin armor, and holding a wooden staff that was taller than her 5-foot frame, she had auburn hair that reminded him of autumn leaves, and eyes shaded a nearly crystalline silver he’d only ever seen in arctic wolves.

  “Are you ready, oh purveyor of band-aids?” he asked.

  Sasha’s smile faded to a pretend scowl as she made a gesture with one hand that would be universally recognized in any land. “I got your band-aids right here, muscle head. But maybe I won’t heal your rude ass when the boss down there is munching on your face! Your life will literally be in my hands. Didn’t your daddy teach you it’s not wise to annoy your healer?”

  “My apologies, most beautiful and talented druidess. I know it must be stressful, standing way in the back during a fight, wiggling your hands about occasionally, while the rest of us are face to face with our foes.”

  “Speak for yourself” said Max, the third member of their group. Six feet tall, with the lithe but obviously powerful body of a half-elf. He was dressed all in dark green leather armor with lightweight blackened steel bands fastened in critical areas on his chest, forearms, thighs, and shins. Max was a Ranger, and while he wore a curved elven sword at his hip, and two knives sheathed at the small of his back, he was primarily a bowman. He held up his enchanted elven bow, smooth wooden curves engraved with a leaf and vine pattern, and pointed at Alexander. Then shifted it to indicated Sasha and himself. “Not all of us want get up close and personal with these monsters. Smell their foul breath. And it takes forever to get monster blood out of this armor. Some of us are content to work from a distance, and laugh as you get poked with pointy things and bashed with heavy things.”

  Alexander smiled at his friend, and was about to respond when he was interrupted by Brick, the team’s tank.

  “Face to face, ye say? Were ye not paying attention to that last mini-boss. That demon had to be fifteen feet tall at least. Meself, I was able to spend most of the fight hunched behind me shield, stabbing it in the knees and insulting its mum to make it angry. Alex pretty much spent the whole fight lookin’ him right in the ball sack!”

  As the others laughed, Alexander grimaced, remembering the unpleasant battle just an hour earlier, one level up. He and Brick had had to focus on the monster’s legs for quite a while, weakening them until it fell to its knees and they could reach its torso and head to get some critical hits.

  “At least you were in front of him” said Alexander. “I don’t know what he ate for breakfast, but I can tell you he had a ‘gas’ weapon; made my eyes water so badly I nearly couldn’t see to hit him!”.

  “Exactly my point, oh stabby stabby one.” Max commented dryly. “From where Sasha and I were standing, the air was relatively fresh the whole fight.”

  As everyone laughed at the exchange, Alexander looked to his friends, one by one. He thought to himself how lucky he was to have found each of them. They were good people, good friends. And over the last couple of years they had learned to work smoothly together as a team. Almost without speaking during a fight, each knew where to position themselves, what was needed from them, and when. When Brick was low on health or got stunned, Alexander would step in and steal aggro on whatever mobs or boss they battled, then would slowly back up, defending himself and kiting the mobs in a small circle while Brick recovered and Sasha healed. The whole time, Max would alternate shots into any mobs that were threatening to flank Alexander or otherwise penetrate his defense, doing consistent damage, without drawing aggro himself. Then Brick would shout or shield bash to take back aggro, and Alexander would go back to cutting and stabbing the mobs from behind. Each transfer was seamless. The only need to speak came when it was necessary to call out adds (roving patrols who walk into range during a fight, or minions called by a boss) or to remind everyone of an AOE, or special attack a boss was about to unleash.

  These are the best people I know. Alexander thought to himself. I’ll miss them when I’m gone.

  Of course, there was the occasional unnecessary communication. Just yesterday they had nearly wiped when Brick, a stout Dwarf whose 4 foot frame was engulfed in heavy Dwarven-crafted plate armor, barely managed to raise his shield in time to block a massive overhead blow from a rock giant. The force of the blow was absorbed between Brick’s shield, armor, and his nearly unbreakable Dwarven bones, but it drove him into the soil up to his knees. Upon discovering that he couldn’t move, and hearing a short joke drift in from Max (as usual, well distanced in the back), Brick let out a stream of inventive and colorful curses that caused even the giant to pause and tilt its head, eyes wide in respect. Which had the rest of the group laughing too hard to fight.

  This was what Alexander lived for. The adventure, the friendship, the challenge. Not for the first time, he wished that this was his real life.

  “You know I love you all, right?” Alex said when the laughter faded. “You’re my family.”

  “Shaddup with yer lovey dovey crap,” Brick responded in his typically sensitive manner. “I don’t care how pretty you are, I ain’t givin you a smooch!”

  Max simply grunted and nodded his head in agreement. Sasha looked into Alexander’s eyes, and gave him a small half-smil
e. She alone understood. She knew what his life was in the real world.

  “And, as usual…” Alexander began, “I shall demonstrate my love for you by leading you into yet another battle against impossible odds. Where you will likely be maimed, or killed, then eaten. And eventually shat out onto a pile of old bones.”

  “Awww,” sniffed Brick. “Ya know just how to touch me heart!”

  Sasha stepped closer to the edge of the rock shelf and looked down for a moment. Then she turned to the group and took over. “Ok morons, everybody loves everybody, we’re all likely to die, so let’s get on with it”. Sasha had a gift for tactics, and though Alexander was their group leader, Sasha most often planned and directed their fights. From her position at the rear, she was able to see more of the fight, and had the time to monitor things like the boss’s health level, upcoming special attacks, or incoming adds. So she was the one to call out adjustments.

  “Everybody grab some food or drink, buff up. There are no mobs visible down there, but you just know there are things with sharp teeth and pointy sticks hiding behind those rocks. Probably a lot of them. And we don’t even know what the boss looks like. Nobody has been in this dungeon before.”

  “Yeah, baby! First kill means epic loot drops!” Max cheered.

  “Focus on living through this fight! Then we’ll celebrate and loot,” Sasha admonished, only half serious.

  “Right, then. Everybody to the bottom of the ramp. Max, find something to shoot when we get there. Try… PLEASE try… to pull just a few mobs. Not like upstairs when you hit that imp in the very back of the room, and it pulled a dozen others with it all at once!”

  Max, hung his head in shame while Brick mumbled something to himself about huntards. “I know. My bad. I was aiming for the closest, but it moved at the last second and the arrow just kept going. Won’t happen again.”

  Sasha nodded her head and continued. “Brick, once Max has their attention, pick a narrow spot near the bottom of the ramp, leaving our retreat path open just in case. Maybe get between two of those stalagmites to block your flanks and limit how many of them can get at you at once.” Brick simply nodded his head.

  “Alex, do your thing once Brick has control. Stay aware of your position, and keep yourself within my line of sight for heals. And, as always, you and Max focus on healers and casters first. Hopefully the boss won’t jump in until the other mobs are dead. But if he comes in early, I’ll call it out and we’ll adjust. Max and I will position a few steps up the ramp for better sighting.”

  Our plan established, the group moved down the ramp. Brick chose his spot, and each of them tossed a torch to the ground in a rough circle around it; far enough out to see approaching monsters in time to react, while being careful not to drop them into any puddles that would extinguish them.

  Without a word, Max activated his stealth ability and crept forward in search of their first victims. Much more effective in forest settings, Max’s stealth still allowed him to blend into the cavern’s shadows well enough to avoid detection by your standard mob, at least at a distance. Since he was planning to shoot them, he didn’t need to get close.

  After just a few moments, the group heard a short screech, followed by two more. Then Max came running back into and through the circle of light, past Brick and Alexander. He winked at them as he passed, taking position next to Sasha on the ramp.

  Brick lifted his shield with his left arm. Made of solid steel, and nearly as tall as the dwarf himself, it weighed more than 50 pounds. But with his Dwarven strength, Brick handled it easily. In his right hand he gripped a war hammer with a frosty mug of ale etched into its head. Brick stepped forward with his left foot, leaving his right well behind, and crouched almost into a sprinter’s stance. As the first three minor demons entered into the light and approached Brick’s chosen spot, he activated his Shield Rush ability. He shot forward 10 feet and his shield met the foes with a resounding clang just as they reached the spot between two stalagmites.

  The lead demon took the shield directly to its face, instantly claiming half its health, and knocking it back into the other two. Brick called out, “in your FACE!” as he swung his mighty war hammer down, crushing the already dented head of the first demon and ending its life with a critical hit. As the other two regained their feet, he slammed the bottom edge of his shield into the cavern floor, sending out a shock wave that temporarily stunned the two remaining demons. He set his iron-shod feet, leaned into his shield, and began loudly insulting the mobs. Brick called this “taunting”, though it wasn’t an actual ability he was using. He had those ready, in case they were needed, but he preferred to develop his litany of “love poems” as he called them. He relied on the stuns and damaging blows from his hammer to hold aggro.

  As Brick engaged and insulted the mobs, Alexander used his “Identify” ability to assess them.

  Minor Demon Warrior

  Level 75

  Health 9280/9500

  So either Brick’s shield bash, or the impact with the other demon, had already cost the remaining two some hp. Well done, Brick!

  The demons stood about 7 feet tall, with ebony skin that rendered them invisible in the dark. They had dead black eyes with red slitted pupils that glowed slightly in the firelight. Though they had large leathery wings, Alexander knew from previous battles that they were not capable of flight. The wings were as tough as boiled leather and the demons often used them to shield themselves. Both had wicked looking one-handed swords, and razor sharp claws on each hand. They sported sharp horns on their heads, and used them as weapons given a chance.

  Alexander moved around behind the two monsters and raised his two-handed sword above his head. The sword was enchanted with extra strength and sharpness, and with a powerful swing could cut through stone. As he was deciding which demon to strike first, an arrow struck the side of the left demon’s head. Max had chosen the demon on Brick’s hammer side, as that was where the dwarf was more vulnerable. Left it is, then.

  Alexander took one step to his left and jumped forward toward the chosen target. As he came down, he put all he had into a downward swing, aimed between the wings at the demon’s neck where it joined the shoulder. Completely focused on Brick and his love poetry, the demon did not see the blow coming. The massive sword sliced down through the demon’s shoulder and well into its chest cavity.

  Critical hit!!

  Damage dealt -6,000hp

  Minor Demon Warrior has died

  Just like that, there was only one. Battle mechanics in Io Online dictated that backstabs, strikes from behind, and stealth attacks had a higher likelihood of achieving critical hits which did up to three times the normal weapon damage. Between Brick’s stun damage, and what was probably also a critical hit to the demon’s head by Max’s arrow, the damage from Alexander’s blow took all of the demon’s remaining health in one shot.

  Seeing its partner’s death, the remaining demon turned and set its gaze upon Alexander. As Alexander pulled at his sword to remove it from the fallen monster, Brick swung his war hammer down, striking the wrist on the demon’s sword hand. There was an audible crunch, and the sword dropped to the ground. Having freed his sword, and expecting a slash to the face from the demon’s claws, Alexander raised his sword in a high guard position.

  In a flash, the demon kicked an iron hard cloven hoof into Alexander’s unguarded torso. The impact crushed the breath from Alexander’s lungs and sent his body tumbling back out of the circle of torchlight to crash into a hard stone surface. His vision flashed red, indicating he had taken damage. A quick look at his health bar showed he was at about 40% health. He tried to rise, but something in his chest was broken, and he was still unable to take a breath. There must have been internal damage, because a “bleeding” icon that looked like a box with a drop of blood in it was flashing in the corner of his eye. He looked down in the dim light and was barely able to see that his chain mail was visibly damaged where the hoof had struck him. These demons are no joke! That one mu
st have incredible strength.

  Alexander heard Sasha cry out in frustration, and realized she would be unable to see him out here in the dark. He needed to move back to where she could see and heal him. The impact with the stone had caused him to drop his sword. He felt around until he located the hilt, then took up the sword and used it as a crutch to lever himself up. Unable to stand straight, he stumbled toward the torches and his friends.

  He could see Brick was still battling the last demon. Protected by his shield, he was hitting the monster as often as possible but not doing much damage. His job as a tank was more to absorb damage than to inflict it. Alexander saw half a dozen arrows stuck into the demon’s head and chest. Max had been busy. Its health bar was at about 60%. It had taken up its fallen sword in its undamaged left hand and was attempting to get around Brick’s shield.

  As soon as he stepped into the light, Alexander felt the cool tingling of a major heal from Sasha. At the same time, he felt the searing pain of his bones and organs resetting and mending themselves. His legs grew weak from the shock and wanted to collapse beneath him, but he would not allow his body to fail. He would not accept weakness that might endanger his friends!

  Alexander clenched his jaw, took another deep breath, and held it. His pain level in the game was set at about 50% of real life. He focused on controlling every muscle in his body while ignoring the pain. He was stone. He was steel. There was no weakness, only strength. He would not fail.

  As he straightened up and stepped forward for another attack, he felt a second heal from Sasha wash over him, taking him back to 100 percent and ending the pain completely. He raised the sword over one shoulder like a baseball batter at the plate. Stepping behind and to one side of the remaining demon, he spun to his left in a complete 360 degree turn. With the momentum of his spinning body’s weight he swung the sword at the demon’s torso. The blade struck, shearing through ribs and organs, severing the demon’s spine in a spray of blood and bits of tissue. As the demon fell dead against Brick’s shield and slid to the ground, Sasha and Max came running over.