The Excisionists: Book 1 Read online

  I didn’t think it was an enemy because the music never changed, but I wasn’t sure why it was there. I neared the furball and announced my presence. “Hello. I’m Lilly, can I help you?”

  It jumped in reaction to me and then nodded. The voice was gruff, but it seemed to be a gentle creature. “Oh! I didn’t see ya there. As ya can see, I’m in a bit of a pickle. I’m Duna. Do ya think I could get a hand?”

  I nodded and walked right up to it. “What do you need me to do?”

  The pebble gray eyes stared back at me. “I need a hand to get this bucket of bolts workin’ again. I’ve got me a drone that’ll do the work, but I aint got a Bismuth to power it so I’m doin’ the work myself. I could sure use a hand. Can ya work a wrench?”

  I smiled. “I can do one better. What will you trade for a Bismuth? Because I’ve got one.” I pulled the multicolored crystal out of my suit and held it out for Duna to see.

  Duna’s eyes lit up. “Holy Cracker! I’d be mighty grateful for that. I’ll be tradin’ what I got on the ship. Wait here.”

  Duna returned moments later carrying a chest filled with crystals, a necklace, two crystal shards, some gears, and fuses. “This is what I’ll be givin’ ya for one of those Bismuths. Deal?”

  I nodded. “Sure.”

  I pulled out the multicolored Bismuth Crystal and handed it to Duna. The furry creature let out a whoop, did a little dance, and forced the heavy chest into my arms before jogging back onto the ship. Seconds later, a humming worker drone flew out of the ship and began the repairs.

  Duna returned to my side and pointed to the drone. “That’ll do. I’ll never forget what ya did for me.” It started dancing again and then jogged back inside the ship.

  I figured I got what I could from this encounter, so I left shortly after putting all of the items from the chest somewhere in my suit. I decided to return to the crystalline tower warp point to see if the crystal shards would fit. When I reached the large crystal, I could see that there were more than two missing shards. I fit the two pieces in and saw that I would need two more. I set back out to see where else I could find the missing pieces. When I consulted my map, I realized that I’d only covered half of Yargkee. I started walking in a direction that would take me to the other side of the planet. I continued to pass wind carved towers of ice that refracted the sunlight but didn’t see anything new for some time.

  Finally, I could see a whirlwind of ice ahead and heard the music ramp up again. My heart sped up in response and I reached for a light bomb as I jogged toward the funnel cloud. When I was close enough to see the object clearly, it was surrounded with dozens of anthropoids running in a circle around the twister of ice along with countless bouncing gray blobs.

  “What the…” I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw the beast emerge from the top of the twister. It was made of ice, was horned, had blue lightning blasting from its eye sockets, and had claws and teeth like shards of glass. I wasn’t sure I could take these out with my current weapons. I backed away hopping none of them would see me. When I was a safe distance away, I turned around and jogged in another direction to find something easier to kill. Luckily, I came upon the bouncing gray blobs that died quickly with minimal strikes. Jumping and spinning while shocking them with my tesla glove was the most effective way to explode these little menaces. For every three blobs that dropped into a writhing disintegrating mass on the ice I received a clear hexagonal crystal. They kept coming from somewhere, so I moved toward their origin to determine why they seemed to regenerate.

  The horde of featureless globs were coming in waves from a crack in the glassy ground. I approached the fissure and saw four metallic domes that intermittently opened and spit out more alien balls. I dropped several bombs to break them open and was successful after multiple attempts. The last dome did more than just split into pieces like the others. It left a crater in the ground that revealed a tunnel just large enough for me to scuttle through. I hopped down into the opening and began to crawl deep under the surface of the ice. After several minutes of creeping through the tunnel, it opened up into a warm misty environment. Large green leaves hung on vines that crept up the walls like ivy. The spongy ground was mushy and covered with greenery. It squished between the lugs of my boots as I walked.

  “Cygnet, what is this place?”

  Her sweet voice seemingly floated through the heavy air. “You have found Dobos the portal to Dobleest. This area allows you to travel from Yargkee to Dobleest without a ship.”

  I ran my fingers along the dew-covered leaves. “Can other players come to Yargkee through this portal?”

  “That is correct. Portals are found on only three of the planets ten planets in the Akula system.”

  I squatted down to touch the grass. “If other players can come here, they why haven’t I seen anyone else?”

  “Phase one of the game allows each player to explore a holographic version of their own planet without others present. Once either a portal is found, or the crystalline tower warp point is activated, players begin to populate the actual planet and are then allowed to interact with other players.”

  I was confused. “Wait, what do you mean by actual planet? This is all a simulation, right?”

  “It is a simulation however, level two is designed to fully integrate players and allow for an extremely realistic total immersion experience.”

  I stood back up. “Awesome. Guess I’ll see what this planet is like.”

  Chapter 3 – Mica

  I was absorbed in the reality of the verduous foliage surrounding me. It was breathtaking. I reached out and touched the massive leaves and could feel the cool slick of water on them. “Cygnet, tell me about this planet.”

  The familiar voice responded immediately. “Mica, you have chosen to be a Nomad from tribe Dropos. Dobleest is your home planet. It is the third planet in the Akula system. There is no water above ground on this planet, but it exists in the air, the plants, and in deep underground aquifers. This forest planet is full of life and magic. As a member of tribe Dropos, you have the ability to control fluids. However, as you progress through the quests you may obtain the abilities of other Nomads from the remaining three tribes making you an invaluable player for the party you choose to join.”

  I turned around in all directions. “Is there anyone else on this planet or is it just a bunch of animals and stuff?”

  Cygnet was always quick with her responses. “Currently you are the only player here on level one. When you pass of the first level, you will be allowed on the main planet with other players.”

  I nodded. “Cool.”

  I looked down at my shimmering deep copper skin. Although I was not large, my muscles were well defined. I was clad in a gauzy top and leggings that appeared to be millions of pale golden fish scales woven together. No shoes were present, and my bare feet were webbed. I opened the pouches on my belt to see dozens of tiny bottles filled with colored liquids and dried herbs. I carried an empty leather pack on my shoulders that would likely be useful for collecting items.

  “This is so awesome!”

  I stared at the fingers on my left hand. I’d never had them before and hadn’t expected to be given a fully functioning hand in the game. Before this game I’d only ever had a shriveled piece of flesh where my hand was supposed to be. Apparently, I had adapted quickly as a child to mostly use my wrist or elbow to pick things up. I’d never known anything else, but now I could feel the movement of each individual digit along with the slippery cool leaves that brushed against them. It was a strange and wonderful sensation.

  “How can I feel things with my left hand?”

  Cygnet answered without hesitation. “Mica, the nerves that would be present in your left hand are still intact in your forearm and wrist. Your suit sends impulses to your brain in response to how you interact with your environment. It will feel and act just as if you had a hand.”

  I was dumbfounded by the technology I was now a part of. “Can I keep the suit when I’m do
ne with the game?”

  “Unfortunately, the suits are only used for players actively engaged in the game. However, there are other options for you once you win the game which will allow you to have a fully functioning prosthetic.”

  “Oh.”

  I was somewhat disappointed but that didn’t last long when I started to look around at the vast forested planet. I began to explore the world before me and entered the lush green terrain. Leaves on towering trees waved in the breeze. A thick carpet of grass covered the planet and fields of flowers filled the air with a sweet fragrance. Thick mists of water clung to the tree tops and clouded the horizon at a distance. The vapor in the air partially obscured the light, shrouding the pathways between the arcing trees in fog. The planet was alive with the noise of a myriad of unseen creatures.

  The trees were smooth and flexible with blue-green bark and narrow lime colored strips as the leaves. I peered up at a nearby tree and saw what looked like olive and russet colored vines hanging in fringes from the moss-covered branches begin to move and lift upward toward the apex.

  I pointed to the strange objects. “Cygnet, what are those?”

  “These organisms are called zmeya. They live on the trees and get their food by tapping into the sap inside the tree. The liquid that drips from the mouths of zmeya are often used in potions. The orbs you see are referred to as puzri. Healing spells and potions typically require at least one puzri. You can capture them and keep them in the bottles in your pouch for future use.”

  I turned to see what she was talking about to see cotton ball sized transparent floating green orbs made up of tiny jade colored cells and filled with bioluminescent blueish spheres. Thin filaments of pale purple jellylike projections undulated in all directions as the orbs rotated through the air.

  “Wow! How are they able to float in the air?” I poked at one of them and it quickly changed direction.

  “It’s the low gravitational pull combined with the drops of moisture suspended in the air. Puzri grab on to the molecules and push themselves in different directions with their tentacles.”

  I dug through my pouches to find an empty bottle and chased the puzri until I was able to catch it. I dropped the bottle back into my pouch and continued my exploration after filling a second container with the clear liquid from the zmeya’s mouth. I came upon a strange plant and bent down to closely examine its structure. It resembled dozens of water drops clustered in a flower type arrangement. At the base of each drop was a long yellowish orange filament that extended almost to the end of the drop inside it. Each one sparkled in the light and acted like a prism projecting scattered light and rainbows. This had to be something special, so I grabbed it too and put it in my pack.

  Off to my left I could see a well-worn pathway in the grass that I decided to follow. My feet were remarkably well suited to the terrain, and I moved noiselessly toward an unseen goal. As I walked, the misty unknown opened up to my view. I eventually came to a clearing where the pathway formed a circle. I moved to the center of the circle, but nothing happened.

  “Cygnet, what am I supposed to do here?”

  Her warm voice calmed me. “Mica, your task is to read the runes on the trees to open a portal to the fluid deep below the surface.”

  I peered around at the narrow blue-green trees and saw dark symbols deeply etched in the bark. Despite not ever having seen these runes before, I could read them perfectly. I pulled another empty container from my pouch before I began my chant. “From the deep lift the drops, fill my bottle to the top.”

  The ground shifted and fractured with a wet slurp, opening a deep chasm below. Swirling raindrops shot upward and then arced back down into my container. When the bottle was full, the remaining drops fell back where they came from into the deep aquifers below and then the ground squished back together. I placed the cork into the narrow opening and stowed it for later. I kept my eyes open for more runes while I continued walking through the pathways between the trees. Until now, I hadn’t paid attention to the sounds in the background, but now it became obviously loud and creatures shrieked warnings at me. A dark shape began to take its form in the mists and became clearer as it neared me. When I could finally make it out, I realized it was a massive brightly colored centipede creature with spikes, eyes, and legs everywhere.

  “Ugh!” I hopped backwards and grabbed the nearest branch to use it as a device to bludgeon my enemy. It was light and just long enough for me to use as a staff. I stabbed at the creature as it reared up and screeched. I spun the stick around and whacked the beast with the larger end. The skin split open and leaked gray fluid as it tried stabbing back at me with its pale spikes. One of the long white spines hit its mark and stabbed me though the chest. Pain shot through my chest as I dropped to my knees and my vision went black. Seconds later, I was returned to the circular grove of trees where the runes had been carved into the trees.

  It took a moment before I regained my bearings. “Wait, did I just die?”

  Cygnet’s response was polite. “You are correct. When a player is unsuccessful at a task or is taken out by an enemy, their avatar respawns at the most recently successful point in the game.”

  The realization that I’d been killed by an enemy was frustrating. I was irritated that the centipede creature had won and that I had to fight it again. “Is there an easier way to kill that thing?”

  “Domordians are weak due to their many eyes. While their vision is sharp, these organs are easily damaged.”

  “Oh, makes sense. Well, is there some kind of spell or something I can do to it?”

  Cygnet’s pleasant voice answered immediately. “Spells must be learned before they can be used. Look for carved tablets, rune inscribed pebbles, and inscriptions on cave walls.”

  I threw my hands up in exasperation. “That sucks! I thought I’d have more powers when I started.”

  “Players must complete tasks and find items to increase their abilities.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Guess I better head back to the stupid Domordian.”

  I trotted back to the area where I saw it last and found a longer staff that would be more effective. Just before it came through the mist, I saw some pebbles on the ground and grabbed a handful to throw at it. Before the beast reached me, I the hurled pellets through the air as hard as I could. Many of them struck and burst the shiny black eyes. The creature reared up and screamed in agony before it dropped back down to stab at me. I anticipated its attack this time and jumped out of the way. Suddenly, the Domordian started circling, keeping its remaining eyes fixed on me. I jabbed it dozens of times with my stick, spilling gray fluid on the spongy ground with each hit. This time, the strike came from behind. My vision went dark as the pain ripped through my ribcage and I was transported back to the same circle of trees.

  I dropped to the ground and slammed my fist into the grass. “How does it keep killing me? That’s it. I’m not fighting it anymore.”

  I hopped up and trudged off in a different direction. Soon, I came to a moss-covered stone structure and found an opening large enough crawl into. Inside was dark and I couldn’t see anything. I felt around and opened my pouches and pack to see if I had anything that would glow. To my surprise, the raindrop plant I’d collected was giving off light. I lifted it like a torch and stared at my surroundings. The cave was littered with pebbles and I could hear liquid dripping deeper in the cave. I followed the sound and found a small pool of pink liquid. I scooped some up in a bottle and wandered around looking at all of the walls. One of them had multiple spells bored into the stone wall. I read them out loud to learn what they were for.

  “Drop to the bottom, soar to the top, make the fluid freeze and stop.” The runes lit up as I read them as their holographic images swirled around me. A dark leather bracelet materialized on my left arm and the symbols imbedded themselves into the animal skin.

  Cygnet’s voice floated across the cavern. “Congratulations Mica. You have found the first of four caves inscribed with ancient
runes that each represent a spell. When these spells are needed, tap the rune on the bracelet and the appropriate spell will scroll across your vision. After you have successfully defeated an enemy or completed a task using a spell, you may tap the rune without using the spell for quick access.”

  “Cool.” I continued reading and the runes for each spell moved from the wall to my bracelet. “Ripple and flow, clouds be full.” Another rune lifted from the wall. “Rain and pour, dry earth be no more.” I read the final rune remaining on the wall. “Vapor and heat form a team, make the fluid turn to steam.”

  I moved about the cave but didn’t find anything else of interest. Since I knew there were more caves to find, I didn’t want to waste time and scurried off to discover their locations. The terrain was lush and smelled of green plants and rich dark earth. I hopped across lichen covered rocks and jogged through forests of towering plants. After some time of unsuccessful hunting, I lost interest in finding caves and decided to try out a few spells.