Lost in the Aether:
Shiva's Cave – Second Run



















By:
Erik Amill


The sound is deafening. The beast comes down on us hard, dealing blows like a heavyweight-
boxing champ. Red flashes invade my vision while my comrades fall like twigs snapped by a stiff 
wind. All the while I think to myself, "This is why I Solo."



The day started well enough. I met up with Dave, a friend of mine fro a couple of years, at the 
local arcade. We got to talking about the online game "Aether: Battle of the Five Kingdoms" and our 
gaming styles.
"My buddies and I are raiding Shiva's Cave," he said, "and we could always use a strong 
Polearms."
"Shiva's Cave? That's a tough run. You sure your buds can hack it?" I took on the Cave some 
time ago and lost. Big monsters, no shortcuts but worth the risk if you make it.
Dave waved off my question. "My buddies are top notch. They're good people, but we need a 
strong distance guy"
Dave had a point.
I hadn't partied since my last run at the Cave. Yet even an experienced player like me knows 
that is the only way to make it through. I agree to join and, late that night, met with Dave (Ryu the 
Holy Knight in the game) and his party outside the mouth of the Cave.
Dave had with him a brother/sister elf team named Masa and Mune (A Mage and Priest 
respectively) and a human player calling himself "BewareOf" the Assassin. I could tell this guy was a 
smart-ass. Dave sent me an invite and soon the words Kitfox the Polearms has joined Ryu the Holy 
Knight's Party danced across my screen. And with that, we entered the Shiva's Cave.

We made good time, dispatching the weaker foes as we went. I knew the harder stuff was up 
ahead but the party just kept plowing forward. Something was up with Dave though. He kept falling 
back until he just logged out. The party disbanded as soon as his avatar left the screen.
"Whoop whoop! What happened to Ryu?" messaged BewareOf as he hopped around like a 
damn fool. People like that make me long for a worldwide player vs. player event. I root around my 
computer desk for my address book when, as if on cue, Dave calls me on my cellphone. His system 
locked up and he had to reboot. I pass the message on to the group.
BewareOf: Whoop whoop! That sucks.
BewareOf the Assassin has to be all of ten years old. Dave tells me to bring them deeper into 
the Cave.
"Look man, my system's down and I promised them a run"
"No can do, Dave."
"Vinnie; my brother, my comrade. Do this for me. I'll own you one."
I bit. I was just as excited to make the Shiva's Cave run as the rest and only I knew the way. I 
ended my call with Dave and invited the group to join my party. Cheers rose from everyone with 
BewareOf leading the way.

Masa and Mune saw it first - Shiva, a woman of unearthly beauty. Her pale blue skin. Her long 
flowing hair the color of cobalt. Her dress that seemed as light as snow itself. In the game, that means 
one thing: She was aiming to kill us.
The two were in awe. BewareOf fell back, guarding the rear.
"Well folks, that's Shiva." I wrote, making my avatar point at the silent vision of digital beauty 
before us. Masa and Mune started with a flurry of questions: her strengths, her weaknesses, her attacks. 
They remind me of myself.
Before I could answer anything, my chat screen was filled with a single message:
BewareOf: WHOOP WHOOP! FOR THE KAISER!
BewareOf pushed in front of us, activating the event. He closed in for a melee; he never even 
had a chance. There was a flurry of snow and ice as Shiva struck. BewareOf's avatar fell to the ground, 
a word balloon with a skull and crossbones appeared over his body. This was the least amount of 
movement he had made all night.
BewareOf: Whoop whoop! Avenge me!
And with that, BewareOf's avatar disappeared and he left the party. Masa, Mune and I 
regrouped to a safer position near the room's door. It bought us some time but Shiva moved slowly 
toward us. I typed furiously in my chat window.
Kitfox: Masa, Mune – Status Report.
Masa: I have a weak Fire spell and some status effect 
spells.
Kitfox: Do it. Shiva's weak against fire. Any spell will 
do.
Mune: I have a weak Healing spell.
Kitfox: Good. Can you protect us from some damage?
Mune: I have Shield. Will that do?
Kitfox: It will cut her attack damage a bit. This will be 
close.
Dave chose well. I stepped to the front of the group while Masa and Mune's attacks loaded up. 
Magic users get some powerful attacks but they take a hit in speed. I used my ability to strike from afar 
to distract Shiva without taking too much damage.
Stick and move. Stick and move.

Masa's spell resolved first. A fireball struck Shiva from behind. Bad timing. Shiva waved her 
hand, blasting Masa and Mune within an inch of their lives. Before Shiva could strike again, Mune's 
healing spell resolved. A whirlwind of glowing feathers surrounded each of us. The flurry of light filled 
my health bar but blinded me for just a second.
Mune fell next. Masa and I took Shiva's attention away from her long enough for her to cast 
Shield but it was all for nothing. Shiva cast an ice spell. The air around us grew cloudy. My world 
turned blue. The hellish sounds of screaming winds filled my ears. My comrades and I stood frozen, 
jagged spires of ice and snow lay at our feet. Shiva stepped back and stood quiet. It was what I feared. 
Shiva pressed her delicate hands to her lips and blew a kiss.
The wind stopped. The room fell quiet. It was Shiva's Twilight Kiss and it wasn't over yet. The 
ground cracked, rising and falling like the unholy wake of an atomic blast. The ice came at us hard and 
fast. A million glittering shards of virtual death cloud my screen, slicing my life bar in half.
Mune fell dead. Masa fell next, taken while gearing up for another Fire spell. Just too slow. 
Now, Shiva turned her attention toward me. I did an inventory check: a few weak Healing potions and 
an item to revive a fallen player. I'm boned.



Kitfox: Masa, Mune – Hold tight. I can only raise one of 
you.
Their characters may be dead but a player can still interact with others until they quit. I just 
hope they see it.
Mune: I have a spell that can raise people!
Masa: I can wait. Raise Mune first!
Shiva hits me hard. I use all of my potions just to survive it. I can't attack Shiva and target 
Mune for an item at the same time. Damn it.
BewareOf: WHOOP WHOOP! FOR THE KAISER!
He bounds over my head, striking Shiva and running away. I'm amazed he came back. I take 
advantage of his distraction and raise Mune. Her lifeless avatar is spotlighted as she rises into the air, 
lifted by unseen hands like a doll cradled by a child. Small points of light rise from the ground as she is 
set back on her feet.
Mune: BewareOf's back!
BewareOf: Whoop whoop! You bet.
A small box popped up from the corner of my screen. Ryu the Holy Knight wants to join your 
party. Accept? Decline?
Dave finally made it back. His avatar charges past me, joining BewareOf and attacking Shiva. I 
happily accept. Ryu the Holy Knight has joined Kitfox the Polearms' Party danced across my screen.
Kitfox: Nice of you to join us, Ryu.
Ryu: Wouldn't miss this for the world.
Kitfox: Mune – Raise Masa.
Kitfox: Ryu – You and I will buy Mune some time.
BewareOf: Whoop whoop! What about me?
Kitfox: Cover the elves!
With that, we sprang into action. Ryu and I attack Shiva with everything we've got. Before 
long, Masa is up again and casting his Fire spell. BewareOf hops around, avoiding Shiva's attacks and 
taking the digital goddess' attention away from the siblings.
I feel like a kid again. This is why I used to play. Masa's casting fire spells, Mune backs us up 
with healing spells and Shield, Ryu and I deal out damage and BewareOf picks at Shiva and holds her 
attention.
Shiva begins to flash. In the game, that means a boss character like her is about to croak. This 
also means her attacks are stepped up. She pulls back and the sequence for her Twilight Kiss begins. I 
look around my screen and see that she caught all but one of us – Mune.
Kitfox: Mune – Go around back and melee! She's weak!
Mune: Won't she hit back?
Kitfox: Once she starts this attack, she can't stop. You'll 
be safe!
I watch as Mune disappears behind Shiva. The sounds of wind fill my ears. I hope Mune can do 
it.
My vision turns blue. Ice spires rise up around me.
Come on, Mune.
The wind goes quiet and Shiva steps back. I brace for impact in my seat. I close my eyes. I 
don't want to see what's next. I hear the ground rumble and crack… then silence.

I open my eyes. Shiva lies on the ground, everyone is jumping around in celebration. My screen 
reads Kitfox the Polearms' party has beat Shiva. I let out a sigh of relief, relaxing in my chair. Our 
characters all gain two levels. Masa learns Twilight Kiss and Mune got an attack spell called Heaven's 
Fury. BewareOf, Ryu and I each learn ice attacks. This was a good payoff.
We exit the cave and go our separate ways. We all type "Good Game" as we part. Ryu pops up 
next to me.
Ryu: So, you have fun while I was away?
I think about it. Masa… Mune… Even that fool BewareOf. This is the first time in a long time I 
really enjoyed playing. Before I log out, I type in one last message.
Kitfox: Yeah. Want to party again next week?


2
Erik Amill -