Aries Constellation, The Emperor’s Ascent - 9:47 AM

  “Yeah, I can fix it,” Ash said as she looked over Vermon’s Smash Stick.

  While the weapon hadn’t broken enough that the description had changed, it was still shorter than it had been before. Luckily, she had just received the perfect material to upgrade it and give it new life. At least, I was pretty sure she did; I had never asked her to mix Vermon’s Smash Stick with a Rust Wolf Fang before. It was new territory and I was looking forward to seeing what an oxidizing component could do for something meant for destruction.

  “Excellent, can we go now?” Mercury requested, tearing his eyes away from a screen. “It’s been five minutes and I’m stoked for this next room.”

  Stretching, I stood up from my step. “What, are you in a hurry or something?” I asked, amused.

  “Yeah, Warmonger, it’s the stealth room!” he exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air. “That’s my bread and butter. The only reason why I was waiting was because you said everyone needed a break. Even though the last, like, two minutes was just watching you and some sports guy beat up a big rock werewolf.”

  “Well, I certainly can’t argue with that,” I replied with amusement.

  Honestly, Mercury’s enthusiasm was infectious. He hadn’t been able to sit still after the last room and went ahead to check what we would be facing next. I don’t think I’d seen him return to the group with such speed before.

  “Of course you’re excited. We just get to sit back and wait some more,” Jamie said with a roll of her eyes. “Don’t you think it would be a much better tale if we dealt with the consequences of getting caught three times like the master quest text box said?”

  “Better tale nothing,” he scoffed in return. “The moment I saw there was going to be a stealth mission in every constellation I told myself, ‘Mercury, you’re going to be the MVP of each and every one of those.’ Do you want to destroy my dreams, Jamie? Huh? Just rip them away?”

  “Like I haven’t been trying to do that since the moment you came on the train,” she retorted with just a small hint of sarcasm.

  “Yeah, you used to be scary back then,” Mercury admitted with a dramatic sigh.

  Jamie narrowed her eyes before arching an eyebrow. “Used to?” she asked coolly.

  “Hey, Mercury, let’s get moving,” I said, putting my hand on the ninja’s shoulder and leading him up the stairs. He pulled away from me almost immediately, taking the steps two at a time.

  “I remember being that young and energetic,” Jeff sighed. “Ah, the good old days.”

  Kayla gently smacked him on the chest. “You’re 30; don’t reminisce like you’re an old man,” she chastised. “Especially not now that we’re all superhumans. We’ve all got that energy now.”

  “Speak for yourself. I’m just as tired as I was before this all happened,” Ash complained, stifling a yawn.

  “That’s because you spend eighteen hours a day in your forge and only emerge when you’re hungry, thirsty, or want to sleep for a few hours,” Jamie shot back.

  “What, you gonna take care of me now or something?” the Monstersmith challenged. “Teach me some proper time management skills?”

  That question was met with a scoff. “Not until you’re done making all the shit I want.”

  Ash nodded. “Top of the damn list, then. You drive a hard bargain.”

  Before Jamie had a chance to respond, Mercury yelled from up ahead. “Come on!” He had his hand on the door, but I knew that it wouldn’t let him open it until we were all close enough to get pulled in.

  The two women looked at each other before mutually deciding to put their conversation behind them. Mercury wasted no time opening the door the very moment he could.

  Our surroundings shifted in a flash, depositing us in a town that wouldn’t look out of place in ancient Greece. The moon could barely be seen, close to new as it was, but the bright stars of Aries provided dim illumination for those who could not see in the dark. We looked around at the houses made out of sun-dried mud bricks, but something was immediately off about them.

  “They’re way too big for us,” Kayla remarked. “Some variation of Cyclops and the Odyssey, maybe?”

  I nodded, but didn’t voice my opinion out loud. The houses were definitely made for people nearly twice as tall as we were. Not only that, but the odds and ends left out were all oversized for human inhabitants. From water pails to farming implements, everything was just too large. Including the walls, which were made with stones that were too large for normal people to lift.

  <<<>>>

  [[Emperor’s Ascent: Aries Stealth Room]]

  Players: 7

  The Cyclopes listened when Perseus told them to construct the walls of Mycenae. What happened next was something anyone could see coming.

  Thinking that their achievement was only for them, the Cyclopean people decided that the town was theirs to inhabit. They blocked off the entrance and built their own shelters and culture. Now the displaced population wants their home back, and there’s only one way to do it.

  For all their building prowess, the Cyclopes have only managed to create one object powerful enough to cut through a Steel Merino’s protections or a Charcoal Sheep’s wool without setting it ablaze. Without this magical shear, their ravenous hunger will cause them to starve without outside help.

  Locate the divine artifact in the middle of town and bring it back to your current location without alerting the locals to succeed in this scenario quest. You have three attempts remaining before you will have to suffer the consequences of your failures.

  Objective: Find and return with the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes.

  Reward: 1,000 points, the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes.

  <<<>>>

  “That’s… not accurate,” Kayla sighed.

  “Do you still expect it to be?” Jeff asked, surprised. His wife simply shook her head.

  “Really? The prize is shears?” Jamie complained, wrinkling her nose. Since we already had a break, Bethany had nothing to do but watch us from atop Corwin so I began translating the conversation for her.

  “That’s fine by me,” Ash said, crossing her arms. “You know how fucking hard it was to try to get the wool off of those Steel Merinos in the last room? I ruined a shit ton of stuff that I’m going to have to fix now.”

  “I’m glad we got it before the field room, to be honest,” I pitched in. “We’re going to get a lot of materials there, so it’s going to come in handy. Personally, I hope it has some built in ability that allows its wielder to shear faster so we don’t spend so much time there. The sooner we make it up to the safe zone, the better.”

  “And I don’t plan on leaving anything behind,” Ash added, a look of fanaticism in her eyes.

  “Jeez, we should get you out of the train more often, Ash,” Jeff said with a grin. “The fresh air is doing you good.”

  She paused, staring off into the middle distance as if she was processing something in her head for the first time, and then she scowled. “Yeah, whatever. I just like hoarding stuff,” she replied, crossing her arms. “Do you know how damn strong that steel wool is? And how comfortable I can make it? Imagine wearing a shirt that’s as hardy as Jamie’s armor but as soft as your wife. That’s what I can do. Can you even fathom that?”

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  Jeff’s eyes lit up and he took what seemed to be an involuntary step forward as he raised his hands. Ash had said exactly the right words. “Really? That soft? Promise?”

  “Of course I can,” Ash answered dismissively. “I’m the goddamn Monstersmith, after all.”

  “Okay, I think this conversation is getting out of hand,” Kayla said after clearing her throat. Jeff gave her a sheepish grin and took a step back, putting his arm around her. The look on his face made it clear that he was still thinking about it.

  <<<>>>

  [[Warning!]]

  You have been spotted. Returning to the starting position.

  You have two attempts remaining.

  <<<>>>

  Everyone except Jamie and I jumped back in surprise as Mercury appeared in the middle of us mid-sneak. He was confused, looking around at each of us before standing up straight and rubbing the back of his head.

  “I, uh, I guess I got caught,” he admitted before shaking his head. “Wait, how did I get caught? I had an illusion up and I was invisible! That doesn’t make any sense.”

  “Like me, there are some Cyclopes that can see auras,” I explained. “And there are some that are pretty sensitive to magic, like illusions. Not all of them, of course, but the ones that are older, more skilled, learned, or some other variation can.”

  “Man, why didn’t you tell me that sooner?” he asked.

  “Because you snuck off the moment the quest dropped,” I told him, giving him a look.

  “Oh, yeah, I guess I did…” he said, looking away. “Well, is there anything else I should know?”

  “The Princess’ astral form might give you away, too, so be careful there,” I answered.

  The sword spirit attached to his wakizashi was getting to the point where I could start to sense her aura, which reminded me of cherry blossoms. As they became more powerful together, she would eventually be able to manifest herself in front of all of us instead of just him. That was going to be a fun day of chaos.

  From there, I continued. “Less illusions, but you can stick to invisibility because, for you, it’s not a magic thing somehow. Take your time and observe those you’re sneaking around. Stay out of the direct line of sight of any particularly well dressed enemy or ones that are larger than the others. Listen to your Patron, too. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

  Mercury was nodding the whole time I was speaking, taking in my advice like it was the gospel. “Got it,” he said sternly. “Then I’m off to try again. Marishiten gave me a quest where I could fail it once, but not twice. Going to nail it now. Ready?” That question was asked to the empty space beside him, and nodded when he received a response. The next moment, he was gone, and I was watching his aura slink back into the town.

  “Good thing he has such a great guide,” Jamie grumbled.

  “Yeah, I really am awesome, aren’t I?” I asked humbly with a grin.

  I shaped my awareness aura so that I could see more of the town he was heading into, pulling it away every time I sensed an enemy. Even though he was invisible, he was taking my advice to heart. Every time he moved, he made sure no one was looking, and he always stopped behind cover. Since many of the objects were much larger to accommodate the Cyclopes’ size, it made hiding easier.

  The almost completely transparent aura of the Princess stuck close to him. Normally, she wandered and called out where he could go, but since that was a risk she was hiding with him. They really did get along well, and her well polished blade made for a good mirror when he needed it.

  “How’re you all feeling about him, by the way?” I asked before anyone had a chance to call me out. “How he's doing and whatnot. I know Mercury’s a quick learner, but is he keeping up with y'all's training?”

  “Man, if there was a student like him back in the Society, I would have picked him up as a squire on the spot,” Jeff answered. “Then, he probably would have surpassed me in… probably two years, depending on how often he showed up. The kid’s a little goofy, but I find it charming, really.”

  “That’s because you encourage it, hon,” Kayla said before putting on a pensive look. “He’s learning a lot faster than I am, though. I’ve been wondering how much of that is him and how much of it is the Princess, but you did mention his raw talent and enthusiasm before.”

  “The Princess provides him with someone watching his back at almost all times, but she helps keep him focused,” I explained. “You can see where he’s kind of everywhere sometimes. How he needs to turn the world into one of fantasy to get over his anxieties. She takes and channels that anxiety into improving his skills. He would do well on his own, I feel, but the Princess really fast tracks the whole thing.”

  “So she’s his nanny,” Jamie summarized.

  “More like his trainer, but that’s really another word for nanny, isn’t it?” I asked with amusement. The Weapon Master shook her head, and I gestured towards her. “What about you? You train with him just as much as you do with Kayla, right? How do you feel about our favorite roleplayer?”

  “Full honesty?” she asked, and I nodded. “Tried to get him to quit early. Pushed him hard, after you got stuck in your trial thing. Really hard. I didn’t care for his roleplaying, his attitude, or the fact that he brought along a ghost with him. Figured if he quit of his own volition, then that was that.”

  “Mercury’s a lot of things, but he’s living in a world where he can do great things with a sword and some friends. He’s not going to give up, not when given the chance to train with the best,” I said, chuckling.

  “Yeah, I learned that real quick,” Jamie said, wrinkling her nose. “So I kept pushing him harder and harder. After we got that training car, I’d leave the pain jacked up high during spars. I’m trained to deal with it even if he wasn’t, so I thought that’d do it. But no, of course not. I can tell he’s not a masochist—he relies too much on the promise that the pain will be over once the match is—but damn if he’s not spirited.”

  “That’s why you put the pain threshold up?” Kayla asked, crossing her arms. “I went through that training, too. I thought you were just going through a sadistic streak or something.”

  “Little of column a, little of column b,” she said with a shrug. “Either way, the kid’s… acceptable now. The fact that he’s trading barbs verbally with me now makes him a lot easier to stomach than that phony, gentleman thief, chivalry-is-the-bees-knees persona he puts on.”

  I smiled. “But you still want to deck him in the face whenever it reemerges?”

  “Right in his smug mouth, maybe knock out a tooth or two. They can be put back into place with a timely application of Pocket Bacon,” Jamie replied, jerking her head towards Jeff.

  “I think missing teeth is going to make eating the…” the Queen’s Knight trailed off when the Weapon Master looked at him. “Oh, that’s the whole point. Got it.”

  “Alright,” I said, thinking it over. “Well, aside from the first floor I haven’t seen him in an actual fight since the time I took you four on back in Chicago, so—”

  “Is it time for round two?” Jeff asked excitedly.

  “We’re going again?” Jamie also asked quickly.

  I looked between the two of them before snorting out a laugh. “No. I was going to say I wanted him to have a bigger part in whatever competitive room we end up with,” I explained. “Let him take the lead, bolster him up, give him the toughest guy to fight. Stuff like that.”

  “Yeah, my man Merc will do just fine,” Jeff said, his excitement only slightly diminished. “In fact, I hope it’s soon. I want to see him in all his glory.”

  “Same, actually,” Ash said. “I’ve been meaning to make something for him, but I want to see his fighting style first. When I tried to watch him spar it was fucking hard to keep up with. He’s just too damn fast.”

  “That’s not going to change just because he’s fighting a person,” Jamie pointed out.

  “If you’ve seen him spar, then just use the Orb of Amarii,” I suggested. “It’ll let you see things from his perspective and his from yours, but as long as you were both there to witness it then it should work. That’s what I left it with you for.”

  Ash arched her eyebrow. “The orb of what now?”

  I noticed her confusion and looked at the same expression on everyone else’s face. “Did I not drop off the Orb of Amarii?” I asked.

  “No, what’s that?” Kayla asked in return.

  “Damn, I dropped that ball,” I chuckled. “Guess I’ll get that to y’all when we’re back on the Angel Express.”

  “Get what to who?” Mercury asked, suddenly standing in front of us all.

  Everyone else reached for their weapons and I prevented Bethany from falling off of Corwin in surprise. “Don’t do that!” Ash yelled, hitting the ninja on the arm.

  “Sorry! Sorry!” he said, holding up the shears. The opalescent tool, which had waves of different colors making their way down the blades, sparkled brightly in the starlight. It almost seemed to glow on its own. “It’s just that, I won, okay?”

  <<<>>>

  [[Emperor’s Ascent Aries Quest 3 Complete]]

  Without the Divine Shears, the Cyclopean population will have no choice but to reopen the walls in search for a new source of food or tools. With this, the humans can return to the town.

  Reward: 1,000 points, the Divine Shears of the Cyclopes.

  <<<>>>

  “Aren’t they just going to eat the humans now?” Jamie asked in confusion as Ash tried to steal the shears from Mercury.

  “Yeah, probably,” I said, waiting to get sent back to the mountain. “Good thing it’s all make believe, huh?”

  I looked down at Bethany, who tugged on my sleeve. She hid her hands from Mercury as she signed to me, giving me an answer to my earlier question. “I think Leonard is kind of cool.”

  Smiling, I nodded and replied, “Me, too.”