Jace tapped his ipad to send the images into the group chat. He had logged-out of virtual and into the ipad. Not immediately, he had needed time to recover from the gruesome realistic scenes of Sharak's backroom. Thank God his mandatory virtual hours were done for the day. He really didn't have the stomach to stay virtual for another second. Constantine had understood when Lazarus abruptly disappeared after retching violently.
Now, the others were all online for discussion. News had been exchanged and everyone in the group updated. It was a closed elite chat group consisting of the five gatekeepers and two specially invited players, Nyx and Jinx.
Lazarus : Isis, did you get screenshots?
Constantine : These are some I took too. It will help, yes?
Screen shots of Sharak's work room and it's various items spammed the group chat. Aria blanched at some of the graphic screen shots of the orc's experiments. Oh my God! It was horrible. Horrible but necessary. She wondered if Isis had a similar room at her place. The chat scrolled up on its own as Isis answered.
Isis : Yes, thanks. Give me a few minutes to look at it.
Lazarus : Sure thing. Val, send us what you got.
Valentine : Sending ... By the way, what you are looking at are pages of Sharak's journal and work books found at his home. Isis, I've included Kasakh's translations on her father's notes. It's a special code between them. Only she can decipher his secret findings.
Isis : O'kay. Thanks, Val.
Lazarus : Secret code? Ahhh, it makes sense now. I was wondering why Mallarg did not take them. It was useless to him.
Constantine : He wouldn't have understood it even if he had taken the Banished Ones' work. Better to wait for someone else to understand it and get the information from them. The Necromancer is probably waiting to see if we do.
Jinx : You know, that's also probably why he was after Kasakh. He must have figured out that she would know what her father had written. She is the key to deciphering his research.
Constantine : Aiiyayayayaii!! That means he will be after us when we go back in!! He will target us if he knows we can understand Sharak's works! Oh, oh, oh!! We are so dead!
The Red Warlock's next message made Jace laugh.
Constantine : Do not be afraid, Laz my friend. I am here. I, the great Red Warlock will protect you. I will think of a way for us to get out alive!!
Jace shook his head smiling to himself. Lorenzo was so dramatic. He better put his friend at ease before he went off on another tirade.
Lazarus : Relax, Constantine. We can just pretend that we too don't understand them. It will gain us some time and an excuse to poke around the Stronghold. I want to have a look at the little prince. I hope he is relatively o'kay.
Constantine : Ahhh! That's right. We will act!! I am a fantastic actor!! I will be brilliant!!
Kirana : No he is not. He is a terrible actor. Terrriiible!! And stop shouting at me through my door!!
Constantine : Or WHAT?!?!
Kirana : OR I will tell everyone here what you wear to sleep at night!!
Jinx : Oooooo!!What does he wear at night?
Constantine : Nooo-ooooo. Don't you dare, Kir!! I'm going now!! You can't tell!!
Kirana : He ... oh!! He is gone. Too bad, maybe I'll tell you another time Jinx.
More screen shots spammed the group chat from Valentine.
Valentine : This second batch is in regular orc.
Nyx : Regular orc? That's funny.
Valentine : You know what I mean. It's about the orc prophesy and the Lifestone. Apparently, the Lifestone quest set for Orc War Players who get across the portal will be destroyers of the orc realm. So, the orcs actually have an excuse to be hostile to incoming players. Nice, huh? Simtrixx really has a twisted sense of humour. I would really like to meet the mastermind behind the game story.
Constantine : Lifestone quest? I thought we were not doing that.
Lazarus : We will avoid it if it's unnecessary for the antidote, unless... do you want to do it Constantine?
Constantine : We'll see. Right now, I am more interested in seeing the jaav ukon and the 'slow spell' spell the Necromancer has put on him. I am sure I can replicate it or even do better, yes? And his other spells, it makes me curious.
Kirana : You just want to beat him at his own game.
Constantine : True but that is because I am better. I will prove it, even if he did cast that awesome illusionary spell during our fight.
Valentine : The Lifestone quest won't be easy. According to Kasakh, the Lifestone is the energy source to all life in the orc realm. It is guarded by a ferocious monster, the Bello.
Nyx : Bello? Doesn't Bello mean beautiful? Or pretty? The monster doesn't sound scary at all! Maybe it's like Pixel! He is technically a monster too and he is amazing.
Constantine : Ahhh! It sounds like a super Boss!! I bet a monster from the orc realm is different from a monster from the human realm. Nyx, you have to be careful, it might mean entirely something else altogether. You must never, never, NEVER , ever trust Simtrixx!!
Valentine : Maybe we could have a go at it. She sounds cute!
Jinx : Val!! Just because I'm quiet here doesn't mean I'm not really here! Laz! Constantine! If the Bello really is a cute female creature ... feed Val to the monster!! Let her bite him to pieces or swallow him whole! That would teach him a lesson!
Jace shook his head smiling. Seriously, Ash had his hands full with Chloe. She was doing her best to end his flirting days. Poor guy.
Constantine : What about the journal Laz found.
Nyx : You found a journal? Quick, take pics of the pages and send Laz!
Valentine : Send it to me. I'll get Kasakh to translate it like she did the scrolls we found. I'll post the translation in here later.
Lazarus : O'kay. I'm gifting it to you after I make a copy. Don't lose it.
Valentine : No problem. I'm a Thief. I get things not lose them.
Jace smiled at the screen. The chat paused as everyone became busy downloading and scrutinising the information.
Isis : I have to admit, some of Sharak's experiments look familiar. My own research, well, it was not going so well. I must study some of the mixes he did to make them last longer. Those screenshots of the stuff on his worktable and shelves are really something. And those cages, their creatures are different from what we have ...
Nyx : Isis!
Isis : What? I'm sorry but I say it like it is. My main research was focused on increasing and sustaining Laz's health since we didn't really have any clues to the foreign poison. With Sharak's notes and shots of his work, I am sure I will be able to progress faster. Be more productive.
Nyx : I suppose so, still ...
Aria sighed at her screen thinking of Jace.
Nyx : I understand.
Isis : Thanks. I will do my research and post here.
Nyx : Laz, did prince Kalthu, I mean the Warlord, say anything? Why was he sent to the human realm?
Lazarus : Sharak wanted Kalthu to find two things from our place. The Illaru for his continued research and the Xakhta, whatever it is. It was rumoured Varbuk brought one blade with him so Kalthu was actually stalking him to get it. Unfortunately, Varbuk used it on me and it ended up with Isis.
Isis : Yes, it is still with me. I have extracted the white liquid for experiments. Somehow, the orc blade is still alive, dormant for now but still definitely alive.
Jinx : That's gross.
Lazarus : Could you also check out the Xaktha? Kalthu didn't know how to explain it to me but he said the Item could only be found in our Realm. He just mentioned it had something to do with extending life.
Isis : I'll check it out.
Valentine : Me too. I'll ask Kasakh what this Xaktha is. Maybe she has heard of it.
Everyone became silent again as the exchange of information ended. They all had their work cut out for the, especially Isis and Valentine.
-----------------------
"The humans have taken Sharak's work," Mallarg stated.
"Isss that sso? Well, I hope they can make something out of it."
The two high ranking orc advisors were standing outside the jaav ukon's chambers looking through the open doors. The shimmering Shield glinted around the perimeter of the large room. Within the space, Mallarg had slowed time to almost a standstill. It was the only way to prolong the prince's life.
Both the Imperial guards and the Warlord's warriors lined the wide hallway to the prince's room. Both factions were also stationed outside. Neither trusted the other.
The little one was probably the most important orc next to the Overlord, but this was still overkill though Thalasis. She hoped the human Ghost Lords would find a miracle and save the little one. He was a handful but very bright and intelligent. She adored the mischievous prince. The Holy Seer had been in charge of his studies whilst Mallarg was in charge of his military training.
'Me too. If they do, they must tell me so that I can continue the work."
"It is unnatural how he iss sso ssstill. He usssually cannot sstay sstill even for a little while," she sighed sadly.
"He is an orc. He will survive."
"I hope sso. He iss the future of our realm ... even if the desstroyersss are here."
"Do not worry Holy Seer. I plan to kill them once they are of no more use to us."
"What? Why? You don't really think the humansss are a threat do you? One is dying and will be dead ssoon. The other will return to where he came from after his friend diess. There will be nothing elsse to hold him here. I really think it iss not necesssary to kill them."
"I am not taking chances. "
"Really, Mallarg. You are ssso paranoid ssometimesss."
Mallarg growled at Thalasis. "They may or may not be the foretold destroyers but the security and peace of our land is my responsibility. I will do whatever it takes to keep the peace."
Thalasis blinked her reptilian eyes rapidly a few times in disbelief. Mallarg did not notice the momentary change in her expression since he was focused on the jaav ukon. Even killing the human Ghost Lords and the little one?, she thought.
Outwardly, the Necromancer showed the proper forms and said all the right words but instinct told her otherwise. His actions and body language often clashed with what he was saying. It jarred her logical analytical sensors. The conflicting messages she received from him made her feel anxious and uneasy.
No, she concluded. She did not trust him one bit. Thalasis looked on worriedly at the slumbering prince.