Chapter 8. BLOOD
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Day [1/40]
People died in the Vegas desert from exposure all the time. But I hadn’t frozen to death by morning. I squinted as a ray of light shone into the crevice. But something was off. My back was hot. I placed my palm on the stone behind my head and noticed it was oddly warm.
The cliffside behind me suddenly rumbled. A ghostly groan echoed as everything shook violently. I dove head-first between the rocks and rolled to the river’s edge. Behind me, a mountainous figure arose, no longer camouflaged by the side of the cliff. An enormous hand erupted from the wall, swiveling in my direction.
What do I do? Fight? Run?
I loaded my hand of Jingozi cards.
HAND: [1/1] [4/4] [6/1] [BLOOD STRIKE +1] [1/7]
The technique Cragmarr used to escape the pond Golem would have to work for me. I loaded the [1/7] card for a higher defense score.
Running as hard as I could, the ground darkened. Based on the looming shadow, I calculated the timing and leaped into the air at the last moment, flinging the card downward at my feet.
A burst of energy launched me forward as the hand slammed into the ground behind me, followed by a stone avalanche. Upon landing, energy surged into my legs, making each stride faster and faster.
Stones pelted my back, but somehow, the boulders missed. Zigzagging, I dodged more jagged rocks, like I had eyes in the back of my head. But that meant I wasn’t paying attention to my feet.
Tripping over myself, I face-planted into the raging river, my cheek bouncing off a cold rock. The water muffled my scream as it rushed down my throat and nose. The white-water rapids took me downstream.
Straining my head above water to gasp for air, my back crashed into another stone, winding me and pulling me under again. Disoriented, my chest convulsed as I swallowed more water.
* * *
I found myself lying on a dark, glassy floor. The air shimmered around me as lights danced overhead. Sitting up, I peered around—it was the Jingozi arena.
“Am I dead?”
After standing up, I looked down, and there I was, a copy of me drowning face-first in the river. How is this possible?
I double-checked my surroundings, confirming I was in the Jingozi arena. But how? It wasn’t a match, and Cragmarr never mentioned the possibility. I paced in a circle around my body.
This means I’m still in the river, but time is frozen.
“Welcome,” a man’s voice scared the shit out of me.
Spinning around and squinting into the darkness, there was no one there.
“Um, hello?”
“Hi.”
The voice was deep and calm, with a quality verging on whimsical—the kind that could lull you to sleep with a bedtime story.
“Are you a Jingozi?” I asked.
“Oh no, sorry to disappoint you,” the voice chuckled. “They don’t even know I’m here, although I’m sure they have their suspicions.”
“Some sort of AI, then?”
“Nothing artificial about me at all. Although I have been accused of the intelligent part.”
“What are you then?”
“That depends on you.”
“A ghost in the machine?”
“I can work with that, for now anyway.”
“Okay, so how did I get here?” I asked.
“Well, the Jingozi can only use this plane of existence for their game,” he replied. “The fact you’re here otherwise means you’re special. This is your unique gift.”
“You mean nobody else can do this… gift?”
“You’d be the first in a very long time. Nobody knows about it either unless you tell them, of course.”
“None of this makes any sense,” I sighed.
"I know, and I''m sorry about that. But here''s something to help you get started."
A notification blinked into my vision.
YOU HAVE RECEIVED A POWER CARD
Evolve
Increase any 0 on your card by +1 for every Zii paid.
"And remember, what Cragmarr said is true," the voice added. "Nobody knows about these power cards, just like your gift. You can share freely, but I''d take his advice and be careful."
"Huh? All these are from you? Why?"
“All in due time, Ember Lynn. We mustn''t overwhelm you with everything that''s happening as is. While I’d love to chat for a while, I believe you have more pressing concerns.”
“Wait, how do you know my full name…”
The voice was gone, and I was back to the gravity of my situation.
How was I supposed to get out of this jam? If I somehow managed to return to my body, I’d drown. But if I stayed here, I’d be stuck in time.
I noticed something reflected in the smooth obsidian floor. At first, it was a translucent image. But after a little focus, I saw the river and surroundings mirrored on the floor. With more concentration, the image improved until it showed every detail in HD.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
I could also manipulate the image like a giant 3D interactive display. It allowed me to zoom in and out, pan and rotate perspective. It was the ultimate control over every camera angle, except everything was reversed, like a mirror.
What if this was like hitting the pause during a video game?
Taking a few steps down the river, I found the opportunity—an overhanging tree branch downstream.
“Let’s see if this works.”
I loaded my cards.
Hand: [1/1] [4/4] [6/1] [BLOOD STRIKE] [5/2]
During PVE, you automatically draw the next card, so I was back to five in my hand. I chose the [6/1] card and spun it to make it a [1/6].
Now, how do I get back?
Cragmarr once used the term “anchor image.” So, I laid down in the position of my suspended self.
It worked.
Like hitting play on a paused video, I was again submerged and taken by the punishing current. I twisted underwater into a squat, planting my feet on the waterbed. Swinging my arm, I released the card downward and pumped my legs upwards. I shot like a cannon out of the water and caught the branch on the way down.
* * *
I must have set some record for the number of times an individual passed out and drowned in a week.
Slumping under the tree, I caught my breath as warm blood trickled down my face. I felt a bloody flap of flesh dangling off my cheek. My knees were scraped and bloody, poking out from my torn pants, and my eyes stung. The scarf clung like a wetsuit.
This is PVE, all right.
I heard a rustling above me.
“Who’s there?”
Looking up, it was the silverglint.
We stared at each other.
“Here, kitty, kitty,” is all I could think of through the brain fog.
Tying its long, scaly tail on the branch, it lowered itself and sniffed my face, which would’ve tickled if it wasn’t so numb. I tried to smile, but my cheek stung too much.
A long, slender tongue extended out to lick the gash on my cheek, leaving a sticky trail of warm salvia. I expected pain, but the wound tingled as the cut closed. The skin flap dried into a scab, which dropped off my face like an old, crusty bandaid.
“Okay, I admit that was pretty cool.”
The silverglint dropped onto the ground. Wrapping its tail around my wrist, it tugged, much stronger than expected. I was pulled to my feet.
“Okay. I’m up. I’m up.”
The silverglint would’ve yanked my arm off if I hadn’t run full tilt with it. It led me up a hill to a ledge, climbed onto a rock, and peered over it. After stumbling to the top, I did the same.
I spotted what the fuss was about. Between the bushes below sat a cage made of twisted and thorny branches. Inside was another silverglint.
There are always two, Cragmarr’s voice repeated in my mind.
The silverglint beside whined and drummed its tail on the rock.
“Don’t worry, little guy. Let’s go get your friend.”
As I stood, a whistle echoed through the canyon. We both ducked behind the rock and peeked down. Seconds later, a figure walked towards the wooden cage, whistling a tune.
It was a purple humanoid male with long, pointy ears—an elf. He was about seven feet tall and shredded with knots of veiny muscle—literally, everywhere. His chest was bare, while dark animal skin covered his legs, complete with oversized boots reinforced with rusty metal plates. The elf’s hair was jet black and shoulder length with white painted tribal markings all over his body. He looked like a steroid abuser in a heavy metal band.
At first, I thought he was wearing a chain cape. But to my horror, the cape was made of four long silver-scaled tails secured by a clasp around his neck.
I froze.
The elf shoved a hand into the cage and grabbed the silverglint by the back of the neck, avoiding its thrashing claws. The cage animated and transformed into a praying mantis of spiny branches and thorns. It snapped and hissed. The wooden bug skittered away after the elf''s sneer and swift kick. The silverglint contorted in desperation, whipping its tail, nicking its captor’s forearm to no effect.
The elf kept casually whistling while pinning his catch to a rock with one hand and planting a boot on its tail. He drew a machete from the same boot and raised it in the air.
Do something, Em. Now!
“No!” I shrieked, jumping on top of the rock.
The elf’s menacing yellow eyes met mine. And with a sinister, fanged grin, he chopped.
The first and second strikes deflected off the silver armor, but the scales splintered with each blow, eventually splitting the skin to expose muscle and bone until the tail severed. The wails of both silverglints filled the canyon.
Chest heaving, the elf stepped back to admire his butchery.
He didn’t notice me leaping down to smash 8a basketball-sized rock on his head.
* * *
Hand: [1/1] [4/4] [BLOOD STRIKE] [5/2] [1/3]
My strongest card, a [5/2], wasn’t enough. The elf brought the hilt of his blade right into my pelvis and delivered a spinning back fist to my face, sending me reeling sideways.
I managed to land on my feet, but the damage was done. Dropping to one knee, I dry heaved as my left eye started to close from swelling.
“Thar yar,” it sneered. “I’d knoo I’d find ya!”
The accent sounded like a cross between a pirate and a demon. But before the elf advanced, the silverglint jumped between us, hissing like a feral cat.
That gave me just enough time.
Hand: [1/1] [4/4] [BLOOD STRIKE] [1/3] [3/2] [4/6]
My newest card was a [4/7], which could be spun to make it a [7/4]. Would that be enough?
A notification flashed.
POWER CARD IS AVAILABLE:
Blood Strike
- PVP: Pay 1 Zii to attack plus +1.
- PVE: Pay 1 Zii to attack plus +1.
played the [7/4] with 1 Zii, activated [Blood Strike], paid another 1 Zii, and made my attack an [8/4]. The combo sparked me into action.
Launching myself from a boulder, I jabbed my two fingers into the elf''s torso. The impact created twin indentations, roughly an inch in depth, yet left the surface unbroken. A crimson surge raced down my arm before bursting from my fingertips.
After touching down, I tensed for retaliation. The elf stood dazed, crimson seeping into his eyes while twin wisps of scarlet mist drifted up from where my fingers had pierced his chest. His weapon slipped from his grasp, descending as if time had slowed. I tumbled forward to catch it before it hit the ground, then whirled around behind him, slashing at his lower back like a batter at home plate. The weapon plunged deep into his body until it struck what I guessed was his backbone.
The elf grunted and dropped to his knees. I dislodged the machete and swung again like a lumberjack, aiming for the head. The blow landed with a squelch, spattering blood across my face. But I kept swinging with both hands until I hit nothing but air.
My mind went blank until the gurgling sounds came from the elf, now flat on his face. His severed ear rolled off a stone. Blood pumped from gashes in his neck, each spurt getting weaker until it was a dribble.
A scream tore from my throat before I could stop it—a raw, involuntary sound driven by adrenaline, fear, and the shock of what had just happened.
Ember Lynn, you just murdered someone.
A slew of text flooded my field of vision.
YOU HAVE DEFEATED THE DARK ELF
This is a unique Jingozi mob.
Reward: 4 Jingozi Tokens (based on the reward score of the cards used to defeat this mob).
FEAT ACHIEVED: FROM PVP TO PVE
Use your first card during PVE to defeat an enemy.
FEAT ACHIEVED: FIRST BLOOD
Defeat an enemy or kill your first PVE mob.
LEVEL UPDATE
Name: Ember [Doctrine Dealer]
Tier: 1 [Ruby] Rank 8
Ignoring the notifications, I stared into nothing.
The silverglint scurried to the carcass of its friend. Whimpering, it nudged and licked its slain companion.
There was so much blood.
* * *
A scaly tug on the wrist from the silverglint snapped me out of my trance.
Gathering myself, I buried the dead one by digging a shallow grave and covering it with rocks. And after observing a moment of silence, I looted the elf.
YOU HAVE LOOTED A DARK ELF
You receive:
<ul>
<li>
Medium Machete [1]
</li>
<li>
Tinderbox [1]
</li>
<li>
Rations [10]
</li>
<li>
Waterskin [1]
</li>
</ul>
I hadn’t noticed the four black coins floating just off the ground around the body, but I recognized them immediately. Extending my hand, they sprang into my palm and disappeared into my inventory.
YOU HAVE RECEIVED:
<ul>
<li>
Jingozi Tokens [4]
</li>
</ul>
I don’t know why I decided to bury the elf. Maybe guilt or shame—or both. But it took much longer because of the size of the body.
What did you mean you knew you’d find me?
With every stone I put on the pile, my frustration festered, the emotions overwhelming.
Fuck you.
The silverglint sat and watched, tail swishing back and forth.
Fuck. You.
I slammed the last stone over and over until it cracked.
I hate the goddamned place.