The Lord of Ragnarok

The Lord of Ragnarok

Chapter 4: The Unwitting Wizard

Wainwright the Weary’s P.o.V.

I had absolutely no idea of how long I’ve been here. I do know that my first reaction was someone must have pushed turning off the servers back. Of course at the time I had been in my player’s home. Unlike a good number of the players of Ragnarok I didn’t go full immersion. In truth I didn’t see the justification for doing it. It could be played with a smaller scale set up, and that’s what I had done. My neuroconnection was through an older system. That system allowed me to see everything that anyone else would, and it would look just as real. However, I only had gloves for my hands, so that meant that I could just feel what my hands felt.

After the countdown ended, and basically all of my menu screens disappeared, I could feel everything. Of course I tried to convince myself that it was still the game, maybe there was an update that allowed older setups like mine to completely manipulate my senses. Looking back on it now I realize how juvenile that thought was. The next thing was something I had also thought must have been an upgrade, and that was for Miia to talk to me. NPCs didn’t speak in Ragnarok. Even the most advanced NPCs, with thousands of hours of time dedicated to their creation were unable to speak to anyone.

So, when Miia spoke, and specifically spoke with the voice of the English Dubbed voice actress that was used on the character I based her on, well, I might have freaked out a bit. I tried to contact the Dungeon Master, or game master, although I know most of the old school players in Ragnarok called them Dungeon Masters, and there wasn’t a reply. Finally I settled on exploring my little four room hut. I could feel every imperfect piece of lumber that had been used to build it, and I could smell the thick scent of pine and tallow, and slowly some part of me began to realize that this wasn’t a game anymore.

I might have gone on like that for days, weeks, maybe even months, but as it happened I was discovered by a bunch of asshats wearing armor and barding resembling that of the people that fought in the crusades. They made their intentions known when they saw Miia. Several torches were thrown onto my player home, and I was forced to run outside with her. She turned on them, using her bow, sending arrows flying at them faster than I believed possible, and it wasn’t enough. She killed three of them before one of their spell casters hit her with some kind of spell that completely froze her.

I realized that her weakness to cold had carried over, and in the end that’s how they killed her. I heard them joking, laughing, each of them pointing out that if she had been human she might have been worth taking for a breeding que. And then they captured me. I was chained up, pulled behind the wagon, and Suddenly I understood how Ashley J. Williams felt in Army of Darkness. I had been brought before some high up member of what turned out to be the Sanctus Theocracy, and he stated that I would be allowed to live, and my sins of fornicating with a demihuman forgiven, if I chose to join them, and use my magic for their purposes. I had created my character to be a healer, and someone that could use the earth for traps. I originally had planned on getting more NPCs like Miia and using them as defence, but now I wish that I would have gone with the more popular option of creating a dark wizard.

I agreed, and I watched as Miia’s body, the same they had dragged behind them, was beheaded, and then they began the process of cutting her apart. The sick bastards knew how to dismember a body with little effort. They had her in pieces when they were done, and then they moved her over to a large pit. I watched as they dumped her into it, and once that was done I was told what we would be doing.

It made me sick. I was watched, closely, and I was forced to move with a scout ahead toward a small village. Maybe it was because I was coming to terms with what was happening, or maybe it was because I figured there was nothing to lose, but I cast a spell causing a magical mist to cover the plains just outside of the village. The scout next to me was killed by a group of hobgoblins, and I didn’t say a word. I went with them, explained to the village what was going on, and I promised that I would do what I could to help.

Given the choice between working with psychotic bastards, or helping a group of farmers with kids, I took helping the group of farmers with kids. All I could really do was help them with the basics of setting up traps, and of course the hobgoblins had been aiding the villagers with learning how to use bows, swords, and spears. Even though I knew that there was every chance in the world that they might not listen to me, and I could just be spinning my wheels, I suggested that they build a wall around the village. Memories of an old poem came to mind. Good fences make good neighbors. The Hobgoblins took to the idea, and without question they began scouting trees that would be best suited for building a fort like wall around the village.

As their special guest, and because I’m sure they didn’t trust me, I was instructed to go with them. We exited the village only to find a fight brewing between the Sanctus Theocracy and four Equis. The horsefolk that stood there were powerful. I could sense it from where I was, and the hobgoblins seemed to do the same. We held back, and I watched as display of power I had only heard of in Ragnarok. The entire army was burned to ash, and those that didn’t burn were destroyed via magic. The hobgoblins began sneaking away, and I found myself unable to move.

The Hobgoblins didn’t attempt to force me to move, and I didn’t blame them. After all, I had been with an enemy force, regardless of my reasons, and for all rights and purposes they had far less concern with my welfare than that of the village itself. Instead I was left in place, and it wasn’t until the leader of the Equis spoke that I was finally shook out of my stupor. I had two choices, and at first I planned on being brave about it. Standing, allowing myself to be seen, but quickly the part of my brain that lived for self preservation screamed that now was the time to run.

And that’s what I attempted to do. I attempted to run like a man possessed. I made it six steps before the winged cyan blue one caught me. She lifted me into the air, and I heard her whisper that if I kept struggling she would give me flying lessons right then and there. Of course that was an excellent reason to no longer resist. I became docile and was brought before her leader. When she let me go I looked at him. For several long seconds I couldn’t say a word, and then suddenly I felt it simply spill out.

“If you’re going to kill me, please make it quick. I’m so tired. I haven’t slept in days, I’ve barely ate, and… I just want to go home! I wanted to log in and get my character information out before the damned servers shut down!” I cried, “I just wanted to transfer my files and magical items!”

He looked at me, his eye showing suspicion, but after a moment he seemed to relax.

“Tell me, hedge wizard, where did you come from?”

I looked at him, surprised, “Ragnarok. It was the last thing I was in before I was here.”

The cyan blue one with a rainbow mane was watching me, almost daring me to do something. Smartly I stayed put. I had absolutely no intention of being given a flying lesson when I didn’t have a charm, or spell, to use in order to fly.

“Rainbow, stand down. He’s a Hedge Wizard. He could cast holy healing upon me and it would cause me pain, but it would do little to actually hurt me,” he said as he studied me, “You will find no way of logging out. Because, from what I can tell, this is real now.”

I know that I looked crestfallen, “I know. They captured me and forced me to join them. They’re fanatics, dedicated to exterminating all Demihumans. I didn’t want to be part of it, but I couldn’t get away,” he said as he looked toward Twilight and Rainbow, “They killed Miia. She was my creation, a Lamina I created early in the game, and they killed her before they captured me.”

He nodded, “You weren’t a high level, were you?”

I looked down at the ground again, “No, I’m a level forty-one Hedge Wizard. I can pull maybe three fifth tier spells a day, and one sixth tier if I’m willing to use all of my MP.”

He nodded, “Then I have a proposal for you. You can leave here, travel on your own, and be at the mercy of those that live in this world, or you can stay in this village. I have ties here, and I have staked my name on its protection. If you stay, you will help in defending it, and you will assist those in the village in need. Do this, and if the body of your Lamina still exists, I may resurrect her.”

My eyes widened, “But how?”

His purple companion laughed, “My Lord Mannulus is the most powerful Necromancer to ever exist! Life and death bend at his very will. If he says he can raise your pet snake then he will do so!”

Instantly I felt that of the two companions she might be more dangerous, if only for the magic, and certainly her attitude was arrogant. Part of me wanted to put as much distance between myself and them as possible, but if I could bring back Miia, oh it would be worth it to find out.

He studied me for a moment before he motioned toward a dead foot soldier. The white winged unicorn Equis had gotten him with her first blast of fire, but it hadn’t reduced all of him to ash. I watched as he focused his magic on him, connecting with his body, and then what happened surprised the living hell out of me. The body jerked in place for a few moments before the foot soldier opened his eyes and screamed.

“NOOOOO!!!! PLEASE MAKE IT STOP! IN THE NAME OF COELICOLA LET ME DIE!”

He walked toward him, his legs gone, his right half of his chest little more than a charred skeleton, and I watched as he pulled out a blank spellbook. I don’t know what happened exactly, but I do know what I saw looked like that soldiers soul being sucked out of his body and then forced into that spellbook. At that moment the body went still, and the book itself began to chance. I could see some of it, the dark crimson words, the burnt leather pages, but it seemed remarkably able to work. He seemed to wait until the book was finished and then he turned back to me.

“If I wanted I could have healed him, made him whole, and perhaps even wiped his mind and made him a guard here. However, he blindly followed those in charge with the intent of slaying people because of what they are. He deserved no mercy, no peace, but I promise that I will heal your Lamina completely. It will be as if she never died.”

I looked at the ground, “You swear?”

After that I shook his hand, and I made a deal. My grandmother would be so mad at me. She would have told me that I traded my soul for a girl, but I’m not so sure of that. I do know that I traded my freedom. I traded it all for Miia. Miia, looking at her I could barely believe what had happened. I felt terrible. I had tried to make myself okay with what happened by pretending that she was just an NPC. That she wasn't a person, and that it was a game. Of course I had doubts about that the more I tried to log out.

Then when she talked to me, called me darling, and when she took up her bow and tried to protect me from those two dark mages... She hadn't lasted two seconds against them, but she did so because she wanted to protect me. She had a driving need to protect me.

I hated myself a little more. My player home, a simple wooden hut, had been burned to the ground. The only items I had ended up saving were the ones on me, and of course Miia.

Now she was alive again, and me... I was entering willing servitude with an Equis Necromancer. A fucking Beast Folk Dark Magic Necromancer!

Whoever he was, he was powerful, far more than I was. In truth I think that if he was a player, and it was likely that he had been, then he was one of those that lived to play. He had to be at level one hundred eighty. That was the most anyone could level up to, and that meant that he could resurrect the dead regardless of how long, or how, they died.

And that soul collecting thing... That was just fucking weird. My mind would have kept wandering down the rabbit hole if not for the feeling of something touching me. I looked to see Miia, her flaming red hair, her sultry gold eyes, and she smiled at me before she fished my manhood out from the ranger pants I wore. I felt her lick me, and before I could protest she took me into her mouth. Her skilled tongue danced across the skin of my shaft, her head bobbed up and down, and I leaned back feeling the weight of the world leave my shoulders.

Her serpentine tongue wrapped tightly around my shaft, squeezing my length as she sucked and succled me. Miia’s eyes locked onto me and a smile spread upon her lips from where she had me in her mouth. I could feel her chuckling; she seemed amused by the pleasure that crept into my visage. Christine would never go down on me. We had dated for three years and yet she had never done anything like this. Granted, Christine was a petty bitch, jerked my chain for a long time, then went behind my back to bang some rando off the street. Miia didn’t care about such things. I think she considered Christine as part of the Outside, a world and people she would never know nor understand.

The lamina’s ministrations kept me at peak arousal, never taking her eyes off me or her lips off my staff. I knew this wouldn’t last forever, as the burgeoning climax that was building in my loins could attest. From the look she is giving me, she seems to be enjoying this immensely. I know I sure am. It isn’t long before I feel the well deserved orgasm go from creep to urgent. I don’t even get the chance to tell Miia that I’m about to explode before I erupt in her mouth. She takes my load, as heavy as it seems and swallows every ounce.

“Mmmm,” she crooned, “darling, your essence issss sweet! I could spend all day drinking it.”

A knock on the door caused us to scramble to get dressed. Miia pulled on her shirt and quiver of arrows. I pulled my ranger pants up, and the door opened to show Tukor standing there. The Hobgoblin gave me a nod before looking at Miia.

“The Boss said that she would like for you to make some more of those traps for the south end of the village. We’re giving you a lot of trust, so don’t go making me regret it.” he said.

I nodded, “I won’t and thank you for the home.”

He waved us off, “It’s worth it. Having a Hedge Wizard living here is a big help. You can do some pretty decent healing spells, and knowing where some of those herbs are located knocked our search time down by a few days.”

With that he turned around, “And by the way, You both might want to spend a few minutes cleaning up. We Hobgoblins have a keen sense of smell, and I can smell what you’ve been doing. So, unless you want the rest of them to know, wash off.”

Miia laughed as he left. She filled a small basin of water, and then she wet a cloth and handed it to me. I followed suit and cleaned up a bit as she swished some of it in her mouth and then slithered to the door to spit it out. Walking out I began to think about a few things. If my player home was exactly like in Ragnarok then I would need to get there again. Under it was a few things I had collected in game. One of which was a fossilized dragon’s claw. That fossil had been able to cut through most mid level armor, and honestly in game it had saved my but a time or two. There was also the war hammer.

It had been something of a special prize for anyone completing the Leeroy Jenkins quest. Which honestly was running through a hatchery of dragon eggs and grabbing a roasted chicken from a split. The quest was something most players had never finished, and only a small fraction of those that did discovered the entrance to an old Dwarven Stronghold. The entire thing had been designed to look like Lonely Mountain from the Hobbit. Which made sense because of where the quest took place. It was in a cave at the top of Odin’s Reach, the tallest mountain in Ragnarok, and Odin’s Reach was based on the Lonely mountain itself. Getting into the Stronghold allowed the players to select what treasures were there. Ragnarok rewarded the players, and common treasures would respawn.

Gold, gems, some basic armor, those things would respawn every time someone played, but Rare Magical Weapons didn’t, and as it so happened I found some rare magical weapons. Well I found a rare magical weapon. Sturmrytter, according to the information panel, was crafted by dwarfs in order to fight off dragons attempting to steal their gold. It couldn’t kill a full grown dragon, but a small one was no problem for it. Naturally I could have used it earlier in the quest, but having was certainly well worth the effort.

If it was brought with everything else, then I needed to get it back. If things went from bad to worse then I needed the extra help it would provide. I put that thought on hold. First things first I needed to get outside, and see what I could do to help. Stepping out of our new home Miia and I walked toward the gathering of the villagers and hobgoblins. I saw Tukor, Luzon Tuk, KonKor, and Gudjag working at positioning the cut down trees into a strong wall. Each one of them was their own person. Tukor was dressed in animal skins. His muscles were well definied and he was lifting a log in each arm as he carried them. Luzon Tuk carried his long bow with him, and he was dressed much like a ranger from Ragnarok would have been dressed. KonKor was chubby, usually complaining that he was hungry, but he seemed to be well versed in how to build things. And finally Gudjag himself looked to be a good head taller tha the other hobgoblins, and he was dressed as a blacksmith.

We moved in with helping and as the day wore on I heard one of the villagers complaining.

“Damn it,” he swore.

“What’s wrong?” Gudjag asked.

The villager leaned against the wall, “My daughter just told me that the something had got into the barn again. She said whatever it was had chewed through six bags of grain. If this keeps up we’re not going to have enough for winter.”

“Think it’s rats?” Tukor asked.

He shook his head, “Normally I’d say yes but we haven’t seen any.”

Miia looked at me and then back at him, “I’ll check for you.”

He gave her a smile. Perhaps it would just be some crafty rats after all.

Temple of Celestia

Throne Room

Mannulus’ P.O.V.

Finding another player, even one that I didn’t actually know, gave me some hope. I didn’t want my friends to be stuck out in the world believing themselves to be alone, but if I could get my name out there, get the name of the Temple out there, and if they were around then I could hopefully reconnect with them. I leaned back as I looked into the mirror before me. I hadn’t been focusing on what I was doing, but I took back to it.

Oppidum Village was building a wall around itself, and it pleased me to know that they were taking steps to protect themselves. I placed the mirror back form where I had pulled it and then I brought out the two spell books I had bonded the souls of those two individuals to. The first opened and I could see all that was written about his life. He had been called the Verse of the Sunrise. His entire purpose was in destroying demihumans, and he was a fanatic about it. Yet, I saw much of what the Sanctus Theocracy was built on. From what I could see there was at least two powerful mages, one holy, and one dark, that helped rule over the Theocracy. If what his soul said was correct they were on par with me.

Could I destroy them, possibly, but I would need a well thought out plan, and unfortunately it meant leaving Solar Flare behind. I understood it would hurt her, but she was far too eager to rush into battle, to crush her enemies, and I didn’t want her strength to be a liability. Twilight would be useful as backup, and Dash would follow orders, but perhaps Luna would be the best at coming up with a plan. She was as experienced as her sister with war, and in truth she had a head more suited for strategy.

I heard the door open and I looked to see my three brides. I placed the book back where it had been.

“Lord Mannulus, my love, you called for us?” Twilight asked.

I nodded, “That I did. It is time we discovered more about about the outside. From what we’ve seen there are others similar to us, at least in appearance. I think that we need to send ambassadors out into the world, each to connect with the Kingdom of Coronam and the Barbarus Empire.”

Solar Flare watched, “You’ll want to send those of us who are able to deal with commoners.”

I nodded, “I will. Rainbow, I want you, Fluttershy, Lala, and Maxine to go into the Kingdom of Coronam. While there you are find out what you can about the power structures of the Kingdom. Look into how the population is treated, and attempt to blend in. Stay with others similar to us.”

Rainbow nodded. I looked at Twilight and Solar Flare, “We will sit up a similar time for the Empire at a later date.”