Patch 17 (Realm of Arkon) (45 page)

We would like to remind you that being a member of an NPC clan, you can still join any other clan founded by the players. You can also be a member of several NPC clans at the same time.

Attention! Once you go through with the ritual of joining the Night Hunters clan, you will learn extra skills and gain passive abilities which will remain with you forever.

We would also like to remind you that if your affiliation with the Night Hunters clan becomes known to the representatives of other communities within the game, their relations with you will be determined by their relations with the High House of Nightcrawlers.

Please remember that only a few high-level characters have the ability to identify you as a member of the Night Hunters clan.

Accept invitation? Yes/No.

Max took the chalice from the werepanther and slowly drank the rest of the salty liquid. His head suddenly swam and he was overcome by unbearable heat. His vision blurred as if what he had drunk wasn't a few ounces of blood but rather half a gallon of brandy on an empty stomach. It took Max all his willpower to stay on his feet.

Congratulations! You are now a member of the Night Hunters clan.

Your reputation has increased. The High House of Nightcrawlers is now neutral to you.

Your reputation has decreased. Dark elves are now unfriendly to you.

Your reputation has increased. Light elves are now unfriendly to you.

"You're a strong one all right," Phylatrim chuckled approvingly as he took the empty chalice from the warrior. "Welcome to the clan, brother."

"Welcome to the clan, brother." The dark-haired beauty repeated the ritual formula.

"Hey, what about me? I want in, too!" Luffy looked like a child who had been denied a treat.

"You'll be one of us once you take part in the Rite of the Scarlet Moon," the werepanther smiled. "You should have joined up first and started hitting on my daughter later."

"Have some patience, my dear," Tasha approached the mage with a gracious gate, hugged him by the waist, and rested her head on his shoulder. "We only need to wait a tiny bit more..."

"Sure thing," the young man replied in a voice that was suddenly hoarse with tension. "Whatever you say."

In the meantime, werepanthers started to emerge from the trees. Max had never seen so many large felines before. He counted about forty panthers all in all—some were followed by tiny cubs.
Am I going to become like them now?
he thought, knowing perfectly well he could no longer change anything. Still, he wasn't going to regret it—it makes no sense to regret your actions, after all. You couldn't make things the way they were before anyway, so let someone else waste their time on worries and regrets. The werepanthers seemed to be good folks, and he really wished none of them would die during their exodus through the Gates. You couldn't bring the dead elves back to life at any rate, and he really needed allies in this world. As well as a place to call his own...

You have earned a new title,
Night Shadow
. Now you can command groups of sentient NPCs affiliated with the Great House of Nightcrawlers of up to 50 members. You and the warriors under your command receive 10% to your Disguise skill, 10% to movement speed on woody terrain, 3% increase to physical and magic damage, 3% to armor class and all resistances, and 3% to the effectiveness of healing spells.

Attention! All the above buffs only apply to soldiers affiliated with the High House of Nightcrawlers.

You've learned
Advanced Disguise
, a passive skill. Now you can become invisible when you use the Disguise skill next to objects whose size compares to that of your body. If you stay invisible for over three minutes, the intensity of smells coming from your body and equipment decreases by a factor of five.

You've learned
Forest Dweller
, a passive skill. Your movement speed on woody terrain is increased by 50%.

"Well then," the werepanther lord's voice interrupted his reverie. "Time is short—accept your fighters."

You've accessed the quest: Saving the Clan.

Quest type: unique.

Take the Night Hunters clan through the Origin Gates.

Reward: experience, increased reputation; unknown.

Attention! The time for completing this quest is limited: 11.59.59... 11.59.58... 11.59.57

The rest was like a bizarre dream. The clan was forty-seven members strong. They moved quickly, detouring the villages that lay on the route to the Origin Gates, never stopping to rest. The only thing that stuck in Max's memory was the slack-jawed expression of shock on the faces of the few players they encountered on their way.

They reached the Origin Gates—a long and narrow passage in a rocky formation guarded by three dozen level 250 dark elves, by the evening. When one of the guards cast a scornful glance at their group, turned away, and walked on by without saying a word, Max realized that they made it. The group passed the actual Gates in a few minutes' time. Emerging from the tunnel near Ellorian, the group instantly left the road and entered the forest. They kept moving south for two more hours until Phylatrim finally gestured them to stop.

"You know, mage," the werepanther took his measure of Luffy, smiled and slapped him on the shoulder. "Now I think the goddess had a reason for pointing you out to my daughter. "Here, take this," he gave Max a leather scroll, yellowed with age. "I don't know what's written here—I received it from my father. It's unlikely that anyone will be able to read it where we're going, but you may have better luck..."

You've completed the quest: Saving the Clan.

You have gained a level! Current level: 14.

You have 1 talent point to allocate.

Racial bonus: +1% to resistance to earth magic.

Class bonus: +1 to constitution, +1 to strength.

You have 3 stat points to allocate.

You received:
Scroll with Mysterious Lettering.

You have gained a level! Current level: 15.

You have 2 talent points to allocate.

Racial bonus: +1% to resistance to earth magic.

Class bonus: +1 to constitution, +1 to strength.

You have 6 stat points to allocate.

Your reputation has increased. Lord Phylatrim, also known as Instant Death, considers you a friend.

Your reputation has increased. The High House of Nightcrawlers relates to you with respect.

You've accessed the quest: Mysteries of History.

Quest type: unique.

Find someone who can read the cryptic scroll and find out what it says.

Reward: experience, unknown.

"Phylatrim, you do realize you shouldn't leave the group until you reach a safe place, right?"

"I know, brother," the werepanther nodded. "Thank you!" He gave Max a firm handshake and slapped Luffy on the shoulder. "Don't forget who you are—and remember that you have family in the south of the Great Forest. Say your goodbyes," he nodded to his daughter. Then he turned around and shouted to the others, "We're leaving!"

Tasha's face looked pale and mysterious in the twilight that fell on the forest. She looked at her chosen one silently for a while, then quickly approached him, hugged his neck and kissed him firmly on the lips.

"I will find you when the time comes, mage," she whispered, then took a step back and looked at Max. "See you later, brother, and good hunting to both of you."

The girl transformed into a panther right before their eyes, and disappeared in the forest a moment later.

"Got a smoke?" Luffy sat on the grass, took a flask of wine out of his inventory, and made a few large gulps.

"But you kept telling me you were a non-smoker," Max chuckled as he gave the mage a rolled cigarette.

"I did, giggling like a complete moron," Luffy chuckled back. "Do you think she'll come?"

"I'm sure she will! But you're a goner now, brother... Barely a day has gone by, and here you are, hooking up with a new babe! Just to think of all the drama you gave me..."

"Keep your judgments to yourself," the mage shook his head. "Do you realize what we have gotten into? This thing is forever."

"Is there anything you object to?"

"Not really—it's just that everything was so unexpected and surreal, like in a dream. I'd hate to find myself waking up out there," he pointed towards the starlit sky, "in the game capsule..."

"I'm afraid we'll never wake up there anymore," Max sighed heavily. "You know, I reckon we shouldn't tell anyone what just happened to us here."

"I agree," the mage nodded, saluting with his flask of wine. "So, shall we drank to our new life?"

"Aye aye," Max smiled. "I'll drink to that..."

To be continued