God Mode

  a novel

  by Andrew Novak

  AlterGame

  Book#3

  Magic Dome Books

  AlterGame

  Book # 3: God Mode

  Copyright © Andrew Novak 2018

  Cover Art © Vladimir Manyukhin 2018

  English translation copyright Krystal Diehl © 2018

  Editor: Neil P. Mayhew

  Published by Magic Dome Books, 2018

  ISBN: 978-80-88231-64-6

  All Rights Reserved

  This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Amazon.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is entirely a work of fiction.

  Any correlation with real people or events is coincidental.

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  ALL BOOKS BY ANDREW NOVAK:

  AlterGame LitRPG Series:

  The First Player (AlterGame Book #1)

  On the Lost Continent (AlterGame Book #2)

  God Mode (AlterGame Book #3)

  Short Stories:

  You’re in Game!

  (LitRPG Stories from Bestselling Authors)

  You’re In Game-2

  (More LitRPG stories set in your favorite worlds!)

  Table of Contents:

  Prologue

  Chapter One. Don’t Turn Your Back

  Chapter Two. Good Old Stoglav

  Chapter Three. Back to Gaerthron.

  Back to Fire from the Sky

  Chapter Four. The Bear-Men

  Chapter Five. Steel Guardians

  Chapter Six. Divine Portents in the Temples

  Chapter Seven. Times Are Changing

  Chapter Eight. Wyverns and the Pyramid

  Chapter Nine. Road Through the Past

  Chapter Ten. The Men from the Past

  Chapter Eleven. Way of the Gods

  Chapter Twelve. Land of the Taunites

  Chapter Thirteen. The Secret City

  Chapter Fourteen. Jackcity

  Chapter Fifteen. Jackcity Townsfolk

  Chapter Sixteen. Eternal Light

  Chapter Seventeen. Eternal Darkness

  Chapter Eighteen. City Status

  Chapter Nineteen. Great Mystery of Alterra

  Chapter Twenty. The Battle of the Gods

  HOW FAR THE Dark Service questline has brought me... It all began like an epic adventure. Finding the Tear of the Demon King and the Black Sword, journeying to the lost continent, meeting good friends and battling vicious adversaries. It was a breakthrough into the depths of the virtual world, where no one before me had gone. What more do you need when your name is Jack the Tramp, both in the virtual world of Alterra and in reality’s ghetto?

  The quest started out promising at first. I met the ancient hero Theokrist, who spoke through divine fire, and earned his Rosary. Each bead had the power to reignite a fire in each of the abandoned temples. So I went, temple to temple, reviving the sacred flames. This was how I was supposed to uncover the Great Mystery of Alterra and find Chronos, the king of Alterra’s gods.

  Everything changed, however, the day Brandt Ironfist blackmailed me into traveling to the very place in the Blighted Wasteland where, according to the old Walker stories, death itself lived. I came back alive and brought back the infragun, a forgotten weapon located in an old laboratory. And what did I discover upon my return? That Brandt had killed my girl, Lisa, and that I’d been hit with a lethal dose of radiation, with only a little time left to live. Days.

  So much to do in such a short time, but I managed. Brandt is dead now and the infragun went to my former patron, the resistance leader, Shifty Peter. An unconventional old man, known to me only as Goodwin, promised to cure me of the radiation sickness. All we had to do was make it across the Barrier and infiltrate New Atrium, our last island of civilization. The alphas who live there share the magnificence that is Alterra with us, the omegas. Many have dreamt about this, many have tried. But few have succeeded.

  General Ruger Eckerhart, resident of New Atrium and influential alpha-citizen, was going to carry me across the Barrier on his personal airship, but death caught up with him. Which, again, added to my considerable task list. Enter New Atrium, cure myself, and now I had to find the one responsible for killing Ruger... Yeah, so the old general wasn’t a good man. Yeah, so he had hundreds of omega lives on his conscience. But he died trying to save me! One might say that it wasn’t the ideal time for revenge but, for me, it was perfect. I’d settle the score for the general, then continue along the path of Dark Service in Alterra, complete Necta’s quest, and solve Alterra’s Greatest Mystery. First, though, I had to save myself from the deadly illness that came back with me from the old Genotech company laboratory.

  What options did I have left? Only to seek help from Sartorius, my adventuring partner in the virtual world. Sartorius wasn’t one of the most prominent alphas. He couldn’t simply fly over the Barrier under the gaze of the guards, but he did know where New Atrium’s water supply system opened the sluices to pump water in from the East River.

  So, here I am in New Atrium. The first move’s been made and the game continues, so help me Dark Necta!

  Prologue

  THE MAN STOOD at the edge of the cliff. A warrior, he wore plate armor and a scarlet-crested helm rested on his head. In his left hand, he held a round shield and a massive sword in the right. The broad, red cloak on his back fluttered like a banner in the wind.

  Far below, waves lapped the stone. The man stood transfixed on the edge of a flat, stone slab, poised hundreds of yards above the sea. Castle walls adorned with lancet window towered behind him. Long ladders and arched bridges connected the countless towers. This place, the castle and the rock bed underneath it, was called the Skyfort. It was controlled by game magic, a magic nearly as ancient and powerful as the most fundamental laws of the virtual world. The Skyfort could go anywhere its few inhabitants desired. At the moment, though, there was no consensus among the rulers of this heavenly castle.

  The armored warrior was one of the four living inhabitants of the Skyfort. All others were servants, guards, domestic beasts. NPCs, children of the software.

  He was gazing intently at what was occurring ahead. The horizon was gone. Where the glassy surface of the water should have met the sky, something inconceivable was happening. Lines, spots, streaks, and blobs mixed and flowed together, broke apart and then reformed again. From time to time, strange silhouettes formed and straight lines appeared. Impossibly straight, the sort that weren’t found in nature. Spirals coiled and instantly scattered, becoming something paper-white, like little rips in the landscape. These tears in the universe were filled with the chaos of thousands of whirling dots. There was no end to this process. The four castle residents called it Fragmentation.

  Scattering pebbles clattered behind the observer. He finally tore his gaze from the cosmic Fragmentation and spun around. A man and woman were casually making their way down to him from the rampart wall. She was lovely. Anyone in Alterra could design their character to be beautiful, but this young woman was devastatingly stunning. Her dazzlingly white dress, drawn in precisely selected spots with silver chains, showcased the elegance of her figure. Gems sparkled in her tresses, which created a beautiful frame for her face.

  The man supported her down the steep slope. Rather, more accurately, he simply had his arm around her waist. And was trying to drop his hand just the slightest bit lower. He was the complete opposite of the lovely woman and the warrior. Where she was audaciously beautiful and the warrior in red was the embodiment of valor, the third man looked neither heroic nor handsome. Broad-shouldered and thick-set, with a noticeable paunch under his humble attire. He wore a dark mantle and, instead of a sword, a purse hung at his belt, just as rotund as its owner. An unpleasant smirk cut through his scraggly beard.

  His palm slid along the woman’s white dress. She was smiling demurely.

  “Hey, you, take your paws off! That’s another man’s wife!” the warrior growled. It was clear now that his contemplation on the Fragmentation had put him on edge and he was taking it out on the first person to turn up. “I’ll get around to it... Look! It’s approaching.”

  The woman pursed her lips petulantly.

  “It’s hard to see from here. We should fly closer.”

  “It’s too dangerous to get closer. Even for us,” murmured the man who had come down the hill with the beautiful woman.

  He hadn’t removed his hand but did shift it higher, back to her waist, and squinted at the formless jumble on the horizon. The smirk faded. He’d become serious, now.

  “You claimed to have found a way to stop it,” the warrior subconsciously dropped his hand to his sword hilt. He had been playing in Alterra for so long, the motion was second nature. “Well? What are your promises worth?”

  “We need more souls for Alterra. It’s the only way to keep the Fragmentation at bay.”

  “That’s what you said last time, too... Take your paws off her, I said!”

  Finally, the warrior had found an excuse to vent his anger. The sword slid from its scabbard and the warrior stepped toward his bearded opponent. His sword tip traced a curve in the air, creating a stream of bright radiance. The ray of light from the sword rushed toward the paunchy man. Who, as if expecting the attack, jingled the purse at his waist. A handful of coins shot into the air, surrounded the squat man like a dull halo, and the light emitted from the sword went out, trapped in the ring of little, golden discs.

  “Stop!” sounded from nearby.

  It had come from the fourth inhabitant, who appeared on the rock ledge from out of nowhere. He hadn’t been there a moment ago.

  Lanky, lean, and wrapped from head to toe in a dark blue cape. His face was hidden behind a white mask with narrow slits for his eyes and mouth. The fat man stepped away from the woman. Oddly, the masked man’s tranquility held a greater sway than the warrior’s rage.

  “If we do not intervene in a more active manner, the Fragmentation will devour Alterra,” the warrior muttered, his temper cooling. “Zaratos promised us that he had found a way to stop the Fragmentation. But, as you can see, Alterra is unravelling.”

  “I’ve found it,” repeated the lumpish Zaratos. “We need more souls. Many more. Astra, my dear, you’ll have to begin sending signs more often in your temples.”

  The woman made another face.

  “Me, again! Why must I always do the dirty work?”

  “Because you are the kind goddess and the people turn to you most often. Kindness is dreadfully unprofitable, but someone has to be kind. And beautiful. It draws the players in scores.”

  “That’s just it! They show up in my temples in crowds, but the sign is meant for only one viewer. For others, the effect is blurred. They don’t experience the full impact, but become witnesses. You said it yourself. This is dangerous.”

  “Yes, I did say that. Omegas call it “degeneration” because they don’t understand. However, suspicions are already creeping around the ghetto and too many people are whispering about the degenerates. We should pick them up one by one, no witnesses.”

  “What am I supposed to do, wait day and night by a crystal ball for a single temple visitor?”

  The squat man thoughtfully turned his head and tugged at his beard.

  “Then we need to alter the sign to obtain several souls at once. And add the algorithm to our temples, as well. We need more souls.”

  “Then take care of it!”

  “Of course, o fairest one. As soon as Gaerthron is clear of all players, we will be free to deal with the signs in the temples on Stoglav. Dealing with the outlanders was Ged’s task, but it seems that he is only so bold when he’s angry with me.”

  “But we’ve gotten rid of the players on Gaerthron,” the warrior objected. “That old bastard, Eckerhart, is dead, and he posed the most dangerous threat. And even though he had a couple of flunkies hanging around...”

  “Three,” the most recent arrival, the one in the mask, interjected. “The general is gone, but three others remain. And they are dangerous, Ged. Your Fiery War Hound was a strong fighter, was it not? Yet, even it failed.”

  “That was a good hound,” the warrior murmured. “However, I believe none of the outlanders showed on Gaerthron yesterday.”

  “Alright,” the fat man recapitulated, “Astra will continue sending out the signs. Faceless and I will also begin sending them out in our temples, just as soon as we can we can embed the appropriate scripts. But it’s not enough! Gentle Astra should be seen suffering outside of the temples. Think of a way to do it. Ged, we are trusting you with Gaerthron. You must track down the remaining outlanders. You do want to avenge your Hound, don’t you? Find the one who killed your doggy.”

  “I will turn him to ash. Annihilate him. Right back to level one,” the warrior muttered. He was still angry at Zaratos and would gladly drop the god of answers right back to level one before all else. “Why are you ordering us about, anyway?”

  “I’m not ordering. I’m providing the best possible answers to the questions we face. This is my task, for I am the god of answers,” the fat man gave another crooked smirk. “If you had attacked the outlanders on Gaerthron as decisively as you attacked me minutes ago, the matter would be resolved already.”

  “Victorious Ged’s mobs are powerful. I did not want to bring them into play, but it seems that I must. Afterwards, I’ll introduce you to them. You listen to me, little man. If I see your paws where they shouldn’t be one more time, I’ll rip your arms from their sockets.”

  Zaratos gave an insolent smile.

  “Enough!” the man with the mask finally raised his voice. “Your squabbling makes you look ridiculous and pathetic. We have more serious matters. The Fragmentation is drawing nearer. If we’ve finished, then we should clear out of here.”

  The warrior remained on the precipice while the rest climbed the path back to the magnificent castle. Astra walked ahead, her wind-blown dress pressed flat against her body, and the men couldn’t pull their gaze from her sculpted figure.

  “Stop antagonizing him,” the man in the mask hissed. “Now is not the time for your jokes.”

  The fat man, troubled, pulled at his beard and muttered,

  “No, no, let him get good and angry. He underestimates these players on Gaerthron. In fact, my temple was unsealed after we removed Eckerhart. Which means the threat remains. Can you imagine what will happen if this player completes all the temples? If he reaches the Hall of Oblivion or the smith? A new conflict with the AI, that’s what. And that’s something we can’t afford right now. The Fragmentation is advancing.”

  “Alright,” the masked man nodded. “Maybe you’re right. Necta always seemed inconsequential. We underestimated her, too. Without her help, the players would never have been able to reach Gaerthron. She needs to be dealt with — either neutralize her or get rid of her presence altogether.”

  “Oh, I’ve already thought of a fun little game. Remember the Undying Light?”

  “Sounds familiar,” the mask nodded again. “It’s one of Vecta’s relics, right?”

  “Right, that’s it. Vecta’s daylight relics are quite injurious to her nighttime incarnation. I’ve obtained the Undying Light, and all we have to do is use it deftly. If we’re lucky, we will force her out of the game. Without the Goddess’s help, the players will weaken and then even our Ged should be able to take care of this problem.”

  “By the way, they didn’t show on Gaerthron yesterday, these... outlanders. What if they’re already dead? Omegas die quite often.”

  “You also put too much hope on chance! No, we must stay alert. I hope that the loss of his Hound and my behavior today infuriated Ged enough to make him focus on catching the players on Gaerthron... To be honest, I’d also prefer it if they would just disappear and save us the trouble. However, something tells me that they’re alive.”

  From his place on the cliff, the warrior watched the trio with a frown. Then, an embossed bronze horn appeared in his hand. He brought the horn to his lips and blew, issuing a lengthy howl, and golden swarm of horsemen on winged pets soared over the castle. Their gold armor twinkled as they drew a final circle above the Skyfort and swept down over the waves of the endless sea. A long flight awaited them to the continent known as Gaerthron.

  Chapter One. Don’t Turn Your Back

 

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