Taboo Online

Aelira’s expression hardened. "Your system intends to place them among the invaders."

"It found the nearest route," Lauren said.

"That does not make it a good one."

"No," Luke replied. "It may still be the only one."

The request disappeared from their vision and reached four people elsewhere inside Powerforge.

Several tense seconds passed.

[One candidate has accepted.]

A second response followed almost immediately.

[Two candidates have accepted.]

The count climbed to three while the extraction machinery repositioned below. Hydraulic arms lifted the enormous severed root, and branded chains dragged it toward the center of the operation.

[Three candidates have accepted.]

The final answer did not come as quickly. Below the overlook, another cutting platform began moving toward the fifth anchor.

[Four candidates have accepted.]

[Emergency Reinforcement Party formed.]

[Rhea Calder: Sanctuary Warden]

[Kellan Price: Stormrunner]

[Dorian Hale: Oathbearer]

[Iris Venn: Lifeline Keeper]

[Transit initiated.]

The messages faded while the fifth cutting platform continued moving into position.

"They’re coming," Luke said.

Aelira followed the machinery with her eyes. "Then they will have to survive the Forge before they can help anyone here."

White light split the darkness inside the Warden’s Forge and deposited four figures onto a circular platform built from dark metal and ancient stone.

Heat from the generators struck them first, followed by the smell of oil, blood, and scorched wood. The transfer released all four at once, giving none of them time to prepare for the sudden return of weight and momentum.

Rhea Calder landed first and raised a broad shield made from overlapping blue panels. Short brown hair framed a tense face, while heavy white armor covered her body beneath a gray cloak.

Kellan Price appeared beside her in a burst of white-blue electricity. He nearly ran straight off the platform before catching himself, and lightning snapped around his dark armor as he skidded to a stop.

"Could’ve warned us about the momentum."

"No one knew you were going to arrive running," Rhea said.

"I wasn’t running before."

A large man in dark bronze armor appeared behind them. Dorian Hale steadied himself with a heavy mace and surveyed the chamber without joining the argument.

The fourth arrival dropped to one knee. Iris Venn caught herself with one hand, her dark red hair falling across her face. Thin golden bands circled her wrists and forearms, while several small metal anchors hung from her belt.

"Anyone hurt?" she asked.

Kellan rolled one shoulder. "Nothing important."

"I’ll decide what’s important."

He opened his mouth, reconsidered, and remained quiet.

While the others recovered, Dorian moved to the edge of the platform and examined the Forge. The chamber had once been built entirely from silver stone, with branching symbols covering the floor and an enormous arch rising along the far wall. Modern cables now buried most of those ancient markings.

Industrial generators filled the lower alcoves. Reinforced hoses ran into openings cut through the walls, while black plates carrying glowing brands had been bolted over the Forge’s original controls. Earth machinery covered so much of the chamber that little of the original structure remained untouched.

Rhea lowered her shield slightly. "We landed inside their operation."

Dorian crouched beside a dark smear crossing the platform. After touching two fingers to it, he turned toward the nearest corridor.

"Blood."

Iris joined him. "Fresh?"

"Fresh enough."

A faint sound reached them from beyond the arch. Someone was struggling to breathe, and Rhea immediately raised her shield before moving toward the noise.

Dorian followed on her right while Kellan gathered lightning around both arms. Iris stayed behind them, though the golden anchors around her wrists had already begun to glow.

An elf lay between two generators. His white-wood armor had split across the chest, and one leg bent beneath him at an angle no leg should have taken. Blood covered the floor around his body, but his fingers still moved weakly against the stone.

Iris hurried toward him. The elf recoiled when he saw four humans approaching and reached for a broken sword beside him, but his arm failed before his fingers reached the handle.

"We’re not with them," Rhea said.

His gaze shifted toward the machinery surrounding the chamber.

"The other humans," Dorian said.

The wounded elf managed a small nod.

Iris knelt beside him and pressed one golden anchor against his chest. Light spread around his ribs before tightening into several narrow bands. His breathing steadied, but the wounds remained open and blood continued gathering beneath him.

Kellan watched the dark pool spread. "You didn’t heal him."

"I stopped his heart from failing," Iris said. "I can’t close the wounds."

"Can you do anything about the leg?"

"No."

Kellan looked at the ruined limb again and said nothing.

The elf caught Iris’s wrist, and his voice barely carried above the machinery. "Queen."

"We know," Rhea said. "We accepted the request."

He pulled weakly against Iris’s arm. "Above."

A heavy impact shook the Forge, sending dust raining from the ancient arch and causing several black brands to brighten across the machinery. Somewhere beyond the chamber, metal began grinding against living wood.

Pain tightened the elf’s expression.

"Fourth," he whispered.

Iris leaned closer. "What did you say?"

"Fourth root."

Another impact traveled through the walls. The Forge lights dimmed before returning in a deep red pulse, and system windows opened before all four candidates.

[Emergency Reinforcement Objective]

[Reach the final defense of Lethariel.]

[Prevent the remaining Heartroot anchors from being severed.]

[Protect the surviving elves.]

[Warning: External supervisors cannot observe or control this assignment.]

[Warning: Death and injury conditions remain active.]

Kellan read the messages before facing the corridor leading upward. "How far is Lethariel?"

A minimap opened and displayed a route through the Forge, across the extraction site, and toward the final circle. Hostile markers crowded almost every section of the path.

Rhea tightened her grip on the shield while Dorian lifted his mace. Iris secured the golden anchor around the wounded elf’s chest before rising beside them.

Kellan studied the enemies waiting between the Forge and the village above.

"This is worse than the prompt suggested."