《Project Dawnfall》


 Ep 1: Welcome to Rosenburg

    ¡ª EPISODE ONE ¡ª


    Welcome to Rosenburg


    Welcome to Rosenburg - the tutorial scenario of Project Dawnfall - a multiplayer instance built to introduce the game¡¯s lore and mechanics. In one particular instance filled with a number of colorful characters, things don¡¯t quite go to plan.


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    Contents:


    Chapter 1: Welcome to Rosenburg?(Release - 10/17)


    Chapter 2: A Moonless Night?(Release - 10/19)


    Chapter 3: The Siege?(Release - 10/21)


    Chapter 4: A Moonless Knight?(Release - 10/23)


    Chapter 5: The Choices Made for Us?(Release - 10/25)

 Ch 1: Welcome to Rosenburg

    ¡ª CHAPTER ONE ¡ª


    Welcome to Rosenburg


    -Fritz-


    Everything around me was sheer black, but not dark. It was the kind of blackness you get when the TV is on a blank screen. I stood on solid void, my body perfectly visible in the flat lighting.


    Then a glowing grid of blue lines shot out from beneath my feet, mapping the contours of a landscape that extended far to the horizon in every direction. Geometric shapes rose from the plane. Towering blocks and spires surrounded me, assembling themselves into the crude skeleton of a narrow canyon.


    Smaller grids crawled across their surfaces, sprouting the wireframe of structures and objects. It pulsed and shifted around me, details filling in with each flickering iteration. Cobblestones bubbled up from the ground and bricks snapped into place along the walls. Vine-like rods sprouted like trees, curling into the wrought iron of street lamps and benches, and molded into the walls as window frames.


    I found myself standing on a narrow, winding street lined with worn buildings that leaned in over me. Chimneys, spires, and a distant clock tower peeked over the roofline.


    For a moment, it stood perfectly still. Then, in an instant, color, texture, sound, and sensation exploded outward from my avatar. Thunder crashed, and the digital sky turned to true darkness. Rain pelted down, soaking through my clothes and plastering my hair to my head. Icy droplets ran down the back of my neck and under my collar.


    "Ack!" My whole body shivered. There was a bridge underpass about a block up the street. It was the only decent cover I could see, so I sprinted for it, my shoes splashing through the rapidly forming puddles.


    Once out of the downpour, I shook the water from my hair and wiped my face with a sleeve, falling against the wall and panting. My clothes were stuck to my body and geez the numbness in my fingertips felt disturbingly authentic. I had to give it to the devs - the simulated sensations were on point!


    As I got my breath back, I finally had a moment to look over my body. To ease the transition into the game, players started off in recreations of their real bodies. Customization was available once inside the game proper, but for now, at least, I was still Fritz Carlton: a lanky dude in his late twenties with messy sandy hair and an easy smile.


    "What a way to start things off." I sighed to myself, grinning as I wrung out the hem of the plain brown shirt they''d started me off with. I was definitely awake; I''ll say that.


    ''Ding-a-ling-a-ling!''


    A chime sounded, and a 2D text box popped into the air before me. A holographic, partially see-through thing. ''Quest Acquired: Welcome to Rosenburg. View log >''


    I reached out and tapped on the log button. As insubstantial as it looked, it felt solid and sleek, and, at the touch, the window expanded and solidified into a glass tablet that hovered in the air. It - no, the whole HUD - was anchored to my chest, rotating with my body but letting me glance freely between the elements.


    The log read: ''As you were travelling, an unexpected rainstorm forced you to search for shelter in the nearest town - Rosenburg. When you arrived, you found the streets quiet - the residents were deep in the safety of their homes and none answered you over the roar of the tempest. You had better find an inn.''


    After a moment, the quest log faded back into a translucent display element.


    It was a simple enough goal, but how was I supposed to find an inn? Where was the menu button? I''d literally just gone over the controls in the test dive.


    Ah! There was a little button attached to the side of my health bar. Tapping that brought up the system menu on another glass panel. I quickly found the map screen and zoomed in. A pulsing marker indicated a building only a few blocks away. The map I moved to the side and let hang there for reference, then closed out the other menus.


    That''s when I noticed that, in the minute I''d been standing there, I had completely dried off. So the devs weren''t completely sadistic throwing people into a monsoon, but I was going right back out there.


    Taking a deep breath of that rain-fresh air and rolling my shoulders, I ran out from the underpass. Immediately, the roar of the storm enveloped me again, soaking clear to the bone as I dashed through the winding streets and swung around corners.


    Rounding the final bend onto a roundabout intersection, I slid to a stop in front of the tavern. Warm yellow light spilled out of its bay windows, illuminating the glistening cobblestones and making the gutter streams shimmer as they flowed toward the drainage grates. Through the rain-streaked glass, I could make out a smattering of patrons hunched over tankards.


    It was heaven.


    I shouldered through the door and slammed it behind me, dulling the sounds of the sounds of the storm to a distant patter. I fell against the door with a sigh, feeling that sweet, sweet heat seep into my body. Water streamed from my clothes, pooling on the doormat.


    As I caught my breath, I took in the atmosphere. The place had a run-down charm to it. Slightly crooked tables and chairs were scattered around the main room. Wrought iron lanterns holding magical flames dangled from the raw timber rafters, and a massive stone hearth on the far wall held a roaring fire whose crackling fought the rain tapping on the windows. Along the back wall was a long wooden bar backed by shelves upon shelves of gleaming bottles in all sorts of shapes and colors. Now that was a sight! What better way to start than with a flagon of cider? Oh, maybe with a dash of cinnamon!


    I pushed off from the door and walked toward the bar, looking over the other patrons on the way. We had a pair of burly guys sitting on stools at the bar looking like they''d just clocked out from a shift at the mines. Out in the sea of empty tables, a trio of figures in soaked traveling cloaks huddled together with their whispers and such.


    They were all minding their own business, not even reacting to me coming in. However, right behind the shady folks, staring back at me, was a kid. Red hair, tired blue eyes, I''d put him about sixteen - somewhere in the high-school range. He was in the same basic starter gear as me, and when I looked at him, a nameplate popped up over his head: ''Percival''.


    "Howdy there!" I offered a wave.


    "Hello." he replied flatly, then went back to eavesdropping on the mysterious strangers.


    "What are they up to?" I asked.


    "They''re with the Resistance."


    "No shit, Muse is playing here? Sweet! Didn''t know this game had live concerts."


    Percival fixed me with a blank stare. "What year is it?"


    "Hey now, Muse is timeless! I''ll have you know they released-"


    "Alright, grandpa; beds are that way." He pointed to a staircase tucked between the fireplace and bar.


    I waved him off. Whatever; I''m comfortable with my taste in music. There''s not enough time in a kid''s life for them to recognize quality!


    "So, who are they ''resisting'' then?"


    "The Corrupted King. He''s too... y''know, corrupt. Tyrant, overlord stuff."


    "Cool, cool." I nodded. "So the story''s about overthrowing the government?"


    "Sort of? One part is; there was more in the promotional materials. We''ll find out."


    "Fair enough. So what are we supposed to do in here?"


    "The quest log says to wait out the night." Percival shrugged and leaned back in his chair, pulling up a menu and flicking through pages.


    I leaned against the bar. "So is this, like, a waiting room? The servers are overloaded, so they stick us here to chill while they spin up more shards?"


    "There''s no sharding, and it''s a limited initial release - they knew exactly how many people would be logging in. It''s in the journal, so I think it''s story-relevant."


    Well, whyever we were stuck there, I was gonna do it in style. I spun back to the bar and raised my hand to flag down the barkeep.


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    Before I could open my mouth, the door crashed open. In bounced a girl who looked a little younger than Percival, her long brown hair whipping around as she practically ricocheted off the walls. Behind her strode a woman in her early-mid thirties with dark hair and amber eyes - almost red. ''Excalibur'' and ''Rose'' respectively. My first instinct was to peg them as a mother and daughter logging in together, but there was no resemblance, and Rose wasn''t tracking the girl like a parent would. It was more like exasperation. Whose brat is this?


    Rose scanned the room, looking at me and Percival. "Evening. Has a man by the name of Filius come by?"


    "Nope." we shook our heads.


    "Hm." she frowned. "We logged in at the same time."


    I shrugged, "If he''s here, I''m sure he''ll show up soon."


    Meanwhile, Excalibur had clambered up on a bar stool and slammed her palms on the counter. "Yo, barkeep! Gimme a beer, my good man!"


    Rose pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ok, you are definitely not old enough to be drinking."


    "Aw, c''mon! I''m twenty-one!"


    "You absolutely are not."


    "Who cares; it''s a game! Not like I''m chugging IRL!"


    I had to give the spitfire points for audacity. And, honestly, at her age, I''d probably do the same. I shrugged, "Hey, better in a controlled environment where the damage is simulated than bumming a can off a homeless person in some seedy back alley."


    Rose closed her eyes and held up her hand. "Not helping. This one''s what, twelve?"


    "Almost fourteen, thank you very much!" Excalibur huffed.


    "The devs wouldn''t let her get blitzed if it''d actually hurt her." I said. "We all gotta get our life experience sometime! Barkeep! A cider for me, if you please!"


    A menu popped up in front of me listing all kinds of artisanal ciders. However, the prices beside them were listed in glaring red, and the number at the bottom of the menu said I had a whopping zero... whatever the currency was called.


    "... Spare change, anyone? Help a fella in need."


    Percival blinked at me blankly, and Rose crossed her arms and gave me an unamused glare.


    Then, once again, the door burst open. In stumbled a kid so thoroughly drenched that, as the first wave of water dripped off him, he looked like a swamp monster. Gasping for breath, he shook himself off like a dog, spraying water everywhere. Rose walked away from the splash zone.


    "Oh, hi." the kid said, flushing beet red as he noticed all of us staring. "It''s bad out there."


    His name was Davi Crockett, and he was somewhere in his late teens, early twenties. It was hard to say what he looked like when his hair was plastered over his face.


    "You ok, buddy?" I asked.


    "I didn''t know where to go," he smiled sheepishly, "then I got lost and fell in a gutter."


    "Well come on in and warm yourself by the fire!"


    Davi left a trail of water in his wake as he scurried over to the hearth and proceeded to make himself even smaller and more unobtrusively out of the way than Percival.


    Rose asked, "Did all of you get directions to come here, too?"


    "Yup, big glowing waypoint on the map." I confirmed.


    Davi said, "An arrow appeared on the ground for me."


    I said, "Sounds like they''re ratcheting up the pressure to funnel us here. Shouldn''t be long until it starts."


    "How many more are we waiting on?" Rose asked. "I logged in with my husband; I assumed we would start together."


    "The party size is five." Percival said.


    I said, "It''s launch day; things are gonna get chaotic. Whatever we''re here for, it can''t take too long, right? So let''s go!"


    Rose nodded and looked around. "Do we need to find the event trigger...? Excuse me!" She waved at the trio of hooded NPCs. "Hail there, fellows! Do you have any quests for us?"


    They continued their hushed discussion, apparently not even hearing her.


    Just then, as if on cue, the tavern door burst open one final time. In staggered a man in a dark, dripping cloak, his chest heaving and his eyes wild. Not a player - he was an NPC.


    "There we go." Rose said and stepped out of his way.


    "Places everyone!" I shouted. "And... action!"


    The newcomer threw off his hood, and his name updated to Torval, Hand of the Resistance. He staggered through the empty tables, knocking chairs aside as he ran over to the group in the corner. "King''s men!" he whispered in a hoarse panic, loud enough to foil any attempt at secrecy. "Outside the town!"


    The names of the three at the table updated as they reacted. Baldwin, Hand of the Resistance, jumped up and started pacing over to the windows, head in his hands. "Already?! They must have caught our trail again! Oh, this is Annesburg all over!"


    Livitha, First Blade of the Resistance, stood and slammed her hands on the table, the edge of her long, stringy blonde hair falling out of the corners of her hood. She was pretty underneath the dirt and stern fury. "Get ahold of yourself! Panic is what let Annesburg get out of control - we need to move quickly and deal with them. How many are there?"


    Torval''s voice trembled. "It was too dark to get a count; i-it''s a whole host!"


    "Blast!" Livitha cursed. "We''ll need to draw them into the city and use the closed-in streets to take away the strength of numbers."


    The last NPC, Alephred, the Spymaster, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. He was an old man with closely shaven grey hair and a nasty scar over one milk-white eye. "No, we aren''t prepared for this. Fighting here will only endanger the civilians."


    "We can''t hide in the shadows forever!" Livitha argued, her knuckles going white against the table.


    "You''re right, we don''t have the resources to delay much longer," Alephred remained calm, "but here they have us up against a wall. If you want to discuss strategy, we will do so another day. For now, we need to reach that other day." He stood. "I''ll meet the King''s men at the Edge of the city and hold them off. Torval, gather our people and send them my way. Livitha, warn and evacuate the locals - even if they didn''t know it, the King will not tolerate them sheltering us. Baldwin, you''re with me. Move!"


    The Resistance group scrambled into action and headed for the door with hurried purpose. One of the burly men at the bar spun around. "Hold up, you Resistance?"


    "Yes." Alephred replied. "My express apologies for bringing this trouble to your doorstep, and I take it upon myself to resolve it."


    The man slammed his fist on the bar. "Stuff it, old man! If you''re fighting the King, I want in! Dastard''s been dredgin'' us under his feet for too long!"


    The man sitting beside him shook his head. "Suit yourself; I''m gettin'' out of here." He slapped some coins on the counter, pulled his coat up closer around himself, and walked out.


    Alephred shook the new recruit''s hand. "Your country thanks you."


    He turned and looked at the other patrons of the establishment - at the redhead watching them passively, at the mop drying by the fire, at the woman standing expectantly in the middle of the floor, at the child trying to nick the coins the other man left behind, and at the sorry excuse of a sod at the end of the bar.


    "What about you lot? You look too capable to be ordinary civilians. We''re short on hands here; would you mind helping escort the citizens out of harm''s way? I can''t offer you much, but we have extra equipment if you need it."


    I stared into my mug, long empty - much like myself. "I gave up that life a long time ago... All I wanted was to retire out here and die in peace, but you can''t even let me have that, huh? You drag the King''s men to my doorstep... I oughta turn you over to ''em. ... But damn it, that''s not what Sheila would have wanted." I turned to Alephred and jabbed a shaky, barely sober finger at him. "Fine, one more job! But don''t think for a second I''m doing this for you!"


    Excalibur let out a whoop, bouncing on her stool. "Let''s kill ''em all!"


    A set of UI panels materialized in front of each of us. At the top was the headline, ''Pick your starting class - this may be changed at any time during the introduction, and equipment will be reassigned to match. Unchosen classes may be unlocked later.''


    Seven options were laid out underneath, each with a brief description and sample skills. The top four were standard melee fighters - Lancer, featuring heavy armor for a defensive playstyle; Barbarian, which had ''big axe'' listed as a key feature; Swordfighter as the balanced choice; and Thief, which came with position-based crit bonuses and utility skills. Below those were a trio of non-melee options - Medic as the support, Mage with an arsenal of elemental spells, and Archer.


    Excalibur made her pick with zero hesitation - her clothes shimmered and reformed into sleek dark leather. She closed her fists near her belt, and a pair of twin daggers materialized in them. She twirled them around wildly. "Aw yeah, I''m ready!"


    Percival''s outfit shifted into a slate grey robe over simple light-grey clothes. Feeling the fabric of the robe, he said, "I was hoping this would be a little thicker, given the rain."


    Rose changed into a set of light chain and leather with an arming sword hanging off her belt. She drew it and examined the blade, testing its weight and balance.


    "Did you pick mage?" Davi asked Percival, who nodded. "Then we don''t have a healer...."


    "Who cares?" I said. "It''s the tutorial - they''re not gonna make it impossible. Try whatever you''d like."


    "Ok... then I''ll be an Archer!" Earthy brown leather replaced his clothes, similar to Excalibur''s but with more reinforcement at the shoulder, and a quiver shimmered into existence across his back.


    For the sake of variety, I wanted to pick something different from the rest of them. I wanted to get my hands dirty and see what the game had to offer, so Medic was off the table. That left Barbarian and Lancer. Big axe or big armor. Neither would be my first choice; I''ve always been more of a rogue player.


    After considering it, I decided to try out Lancer - see what having the reach of a spear could do for me. In a flash of light, my clothes reformed into a cuirass over a long chainmail shirt, thick pants with strips of metal sewn into them, and sturdy gauntlets. Not as heavy as I expected, but I could definitely feel the weight.


    "Your country thanks you." Alephred said. "Please follow Livitha''s instructions - we''ll keep the worst of the fighting away from you.


    With that, the NPCs who had stuck around to wait for Alephred filed out alongside him, leaving just us players alone in the bar. Rose and Percival were reading through their skills while Excalibur hopped off her stool and ran out into the street.


    I pulled up my own menu and checked my equipment. The gear was currently locked to my body - probably would be as long as we were testing out classes. For a weapon, I was equipped with a ''Trainee Infantry Spear'', currently cosmetically hidden, which was listed as a hand-and-a-half weapon.


    "Hey, Percy, your read the lore, right?" I asked. "What''s a hand-and-a-half weapon?"


    "Selectively one- or two-handed. You can use a sidearm, like a shield, for added utility, or both hands to gave some skills stronger effects."


    "Huh, neat." I flipped over to my skill list and read through them. I had a taunt, a sweep that pushed enemies away, and an armor-piercing thrust. "Oh, I see - this one gets a stronger knockback, and this one leaves a broken armor debuff. Cool, thanks."


    From outside, Excalibur''s voice rang out. "Read your shit later; get out here!"


    I straightened up. "She''s right - the townsfolk are in danger! Let us sally forth, my friends!"


    The four of us headed outside into the storm-swept streets.

 Ch 2: A Moonless Night

    ¡ª CHAPTER TWO ¡ª


    A Moonless Night


    -Fritz-


    The roundabout was in chaos. Hooded Resistance runners dashed in every direction carrying torches with magical flames that resisted the rain. They shouted over the storm, herding a growing crowd of frightened civilians who huddled in their nightclothes, trying to cover themselves from the downpour with whatever they could grab on the way out of the house - pots, pans, blankets, a cutting board. In the center of the square, the Resistance had dragged a wooden cart in and were now tossing weapons from it to anyone willing to fight.


    Livitha jogged over to the wagon and sorted through the items. "Heads up!" A piece of glass glinted in the darkness just before it smacked into my face. Fumbling, I managed to catch it against my chest as it fell. It was a vial of red liquid - a little more vibrant than wine. Pulling up the info menu on it put it as a ''Minor Health Potion''. She threw them out to each of us. "Put those in your belt pouches for fast access!"


    There were eight little pouches attached to my belt. Opening one, I slid the vial inside and watched it vanish with a brief flash of light and a notification: ''Item Added to Inventory: Minor Health Potion''. Going into my inventory menu, I saw some of the slots were in a different color. Eight quick-access slots, each able to hold one stack of items. Gotcha. I nodded.


    One of the Resistance agents came sprinting up to Livitha in a panic. "Ma''am!" he gasped out. "The King''s men are attempting to surround the city! We''ve lost control of the southern perimeter- the only route we''ve got left is the forest to the northwest!"


    "Blast." Livitha spat. She looked to us. "You hear that? The northeast forest is your target! Do we have a group ready to evacuate?"


    "Here!" Another hooded figure waved from the edge of the roundabout, corralling a knot of frightened civilians.


    Livitha gestured to us. "These adventurers will escort you to safety while we hold off the King''s men - follow them!" Then she gave us one last look. "May the Goddess'' speed be with you!" And then she was gone, dashing off shouting orders to the Resistance runners.


    A notification popped up in front of me with a little chime: ''Journal Updated: Welcome to Rosenburg.'' At the same time, a holographic blue arrow appeared on the ground pointing down one of the streets branching off the roundabout. That would be the way to go, but the dozen-odd NPCs were staring at us like we were their last hope in the world.


    "Do we just go and they follow us?" I asked.


    Excalibur jabbed a finger down the indicated street. "Alright, maggots, get a move on!"


    The crowd shuffled into motion, keeping close together as they followed her instructions. I took up a position at the rear, herding any stragglers and keeping an eye out for pursuit.


    As we sloshed through the streets, they mumbled among themselves.


    "Why has the Goddess forsaken us?"


    "Damned Resistance rats, bringing this nonsense to our doors."


    "It were bound to happen sooner or later. The King''s gone looney, I tell you."


    "Why''d they have to hole up here, of all places?"


    "A f-friend of mine lived over in Annesburg - apparently that was the Resistance headquarters until the King''s men flushed ''em out a few weeks back. Now they''re scrambling all over the countryside, looking for a new base."


    A little old lady hobbling along near me said, "Making trouble for good people is what they''re doing."


    "S-someone''s gotta do it. Do you think they''d take me, even after I ran out of my house screaming earlier?"


    "If you''re set on opposing the King, you''re better off siding with the Prince."


    "Are you daft, boy? This''ll be the second king in a row killed by his own son! They''re all loony - it''s in the blood!"


    "Bold of you to think it''ll go the same way. The King''s fought this war before, and he''s not sitting idly by while his son and the Spymaster plot against him. Rumor has it screams can be heard in the Capital at night. Dark experiments - cooking up monsters of steel and warped flesh to sic on the rebels."


    "... Sorry for calling you daft; this guy''s got a head full of noodles!"


    "You mark my words! Something ain''t right with that Citadel! The cause of all this madness is buried under there! Someone''s gone and dug up a skeleton that never should''ve seen the light of day!"


    Streaks of lightning flashed across the rough clouds, briefly illuminated the buildings around us. The structures thinned and shrunk as we moved away from the heart of the city, and mud started filling the space between the cobbles.


    A woman clutched a golden star pendant against her chest. "Oh, Goddess of the moonlit skies, in this dark hour, grant us the shield of your divine light, guide us through this perilous night. May your love surround us like a gentle breeze, and lead us to safety through these troubled seas-"


    "Aah!" She was interrupted by a scream from the front of the group. The crowd fell backward like a chain of dominoes, throwing them all onto the pavement. The elderly woman had an arrow protruding from her chest. Screams of terror burst out as the NPCs scrambled and tried to drag themselves out of the pile.


    A bolt of lightning crashed in the city, not more than a few blocks away. Its light caught on the metal of armor as three red-clad soldiers charged down the street toward us. Two had swords drawn while the third nocked another arrow to his bow.


    "Traitors!" the lead swordsman shouted. "Put ''em to the sword!"


    "Forgive the doubts and fears that drive us astray!" the praying woman pleaded on the verge of tears. "In your wisdom, lead us back to your gateway! Goddess of dawn and night, pray be our guiding light!"


    The swordsman bore down on the defenceless woman, sword raised high. As he brought it down, he was slammed aside by the full weight of Fritz Carlton bowling into him shoulder-first. The impact sent him staggering back a few paces, then he squared up against me.


    "Not today, scumbag!" I reached over my shoulder and closed my fist, feeling the haft of a spear materialize in my grip, then swinging it into a ready position in front of me. It was a simple, roughly six-foot-long shaft with a diamond tip. Nothing fancy, but the edge was plenty sharp.


    The soldier stepped in, reeling his sword back for a wide horizontal slash. I slammed the butt of my spear against the ground, and the tip began to glow, preparing my thrust skill. Stepping in to meet the soldier, I stabbed, easily outranging his strike. The empowered spearpoint crunched through his breastplate to impale him through the gut. It felt like... well, stabbing a can of meat. There was the initial clang of resistance against the armor, then a pop through into a soft, dense, squishy mass. It was... a little disgusting, honestly.


    The man let out a wheezing gasp and stumbled backward, his sword arm falling limp at his side for a moment as his free hand grasped the shaft of the spear protruding from his stomach and pushed it free. I stood there, frozen by a feeling of ''what did I just do?''


    The wound took the form of a textureless, blue wireframe patch etched across his chest. The soldier wiped his mouth and hardened his grip on his sword, squaring up again as if it was nothing. He took a determined step toward me, intent on continuing the fight.


    Before he could close the distance, an arrow whizzed past my ear and buried itself deep in the man''s unarmored throat with a meaty thunk. A heartbeat later, a crackling ball of flame followed, exploding against his face in a burst of sizzling embers that hissed and sputtered in the rain and left a hint of a barbeque smell.


    The soldier stumbled for a moment as molten flames consumed his face. From the wounds in his chest and neck, glowing blue fissures spread across his body like shattering glass. When the light had consumed him entirely, his body lost coherence, disintegrating into a swarm of motes of shimmering blue dust that scattered into the storm. All that was left was a little pile where he had been standing.


    I looked over at the other two soldiers, but they had already been taken care of. Rose was sheathing her sword by another pile of dust, and Excalibur was dancing by the archer''s disintegrating body. "Yeah! That''s what I want to see!"


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    The NPCs were staggering back to their feet and gathering around the old woman who''d been hit by the first arrow. "Stay with us, granny!"


    She was mumbling unintelligibly, lying limp with her eyes closed.


    "There''s nothing we can do for her. We have to keep moving, before more of them show up."


    Her body began to glow and dissolve just like the soldiers, her little pieces blowing through the air and scattering like dandelion fluff. The woman who had been praying closed her eyes and bowed her head. "Goddess of the moonlit night, please accept her into your embrace."


    "There ain''t no moon tonight, girl." the crazed man growled.


    Percival walked past me and knelt down, scooping up a handful of the soldier''s remains. As he touched the dust, all three piles vanished. A small notification popped up on the side of my HUD: ''You have received: 1 pfennig.''


    "Auto-distributed, AoE looting." Percival noted, standing back up. "That''s convenient."


    "Keep it moving, folks!" Excalibur shouted, waving her daggers further down the street. "Exit''s that way!" The terrified NPCs huddled closer together and hurried onward, giving the dissipating clouds of dust a wide berth.


    I released a shaky breath, following behind them and trying to regather my wits. The game wasn''t playing around with the effects; that really felt like I''d stabbed a man. And... I didn''t want to do it again.


    But the others didn''t seem too bothered. Maybe it was something I just needed to get used to. No one was actually getting hurt, I reminded myself. I decided I could try using my spear to herd the mobs together, keep them occupied while the ranged fighters took them out. That seemed like a decent middle ground, for the time being. At least until I adjusted.


    Soon, all semblance of an ordered road turned into a muddy rut, and the forest appeared as a dark void in the low grey of the distant cloud cover. As we came onto the last street leading out to it, the civilians cried out in relief and broke into a run.


    Rose narrowed her eyes. "I don''t trust this."


    "Neither do I." I agreed. They wouldn''t end this quietly. I drew my spear and ran after them.


    Sure enough, as they closed in on the treeline, a squad of King''s soldiers filed around the last corner, blocking their escape. I couldn''t get an accurate count at a glance - seven or eight of the red bastards. Rose and I ran around the crowd, putting ourselves between the two groups and got ready for a fight.


    I said, "I''ll knock back the center, then take the right side. Think you can handle the left?"


    She flashed me a cocky grin. "Easily!" And then she was gone, charging at the left flank.


    I repositioned my grip on the spear, holding it more like a bat, and held it behind myself until the tip started to glow. With a shout, I swung in a wide arc. A shockwave of force rippled outward, slamming into the center of the enemy line. Two soldiers were thrown back into the darkness, their armor clanking as they tumbled end over end.


    But that was just a temporary measure. The three on the right flank were closing in fast. I met them head-on, wielding my spear more like a quarterstaff. Whack, thrust, parry, dodge - I goaded them close together.


    Excalibur shot past me, leaping onto the nearest soldier and swinging around his back like a rabid squirrel. Her knife flashed, then she kicked off him, jumping away as the man clutched at his throat. Blue dust sprayed out of the wound, catching me full in the face.


    I sputtered and spat, frantically wiping at my eyes. By the time my vision was clear, Excalibur was finishing off another victim, and the third stumbled back, flames leaking between his fingers as he held his face.


    The two soldiers I''d sent flying came charging back out of the woods - and they weren''t alone. A pair of hulking knights, each easily eight feet tall, stomped after them. The armor was a deep red, concealing every inch of skin, and their eyes glowed yellow in the narrow slits of their visors. They didn''t run. They walked, slow and implacable, like the goddamn Terminator.


    A sharp, metallic grate rasped from one their helmets. "Your defiance of the King shall not go unpunished. Your souls will find no solace in death, for eternal damnation awaits those who dare challenge the will of the Divine."


    Excalibur let out a screech and flung herself at the nearest knight. It backhanded her in mid-air, sending her soaring a good ten feet through the air to smash into the side of a building. She slid to the ground on a pile of loose firewood. A fireball whizzed past me and burst against the knight''s armor, but it didn''t so much as flinch.


    "Fritz, armor break!" Percival shouted.


    I turned to face the thing and gripped my spear, but... I couldn''t do it. I was afraid! This god damn game - all I wanted to do was kick back, have a drink at the tavern, maybe go on a quest or two. But now it had me too scared to move! It was... worth every penny! I''d never felt more alive!


    I laughed, raw and more than a little manic, and slammed the butt of my spear on the ground. Lunging forward, the blade of my spear punched right through the plate and hit something fleshy underneath. That threw me off a beat; the lumbering awkwardness to their movements made me expect machines or animated constructs. I was also expecting it to at least flinch.


    It looked down on me, entirely ignoring the spear impaling its chest, and raised its longsword with both hands.


    Fwip! An arrow appeared in its visor - dead in the eye, sinking halfway to the fletching. The knight''s head snapped back, and it fell off my spear, struggling to catch its own weight.


    "Nice shot, Davi!" I cheered.


    "What?" Davi asked. He was standing a few yards to my left, ineffectually peppering the other knight with arrows while Rose dodged its swings.


    "Ahh!" A battle cry rang out as a man ran past me, a massive battle-axe held high. He brought it down on the knight''s sword arm, shearing right through the metal. The severed limb hit the ground with a clang and began to dissolve into dust.


    Another man - another Lancer - another player! - ran up beside me. "Sorry we''re late! Are you alright?"


    "I''m feelin'' great!" I smiled.


    Another arrow plinked off the knight''s helmet, right next to the eye slit, but the Barbarian had it covered. He hefted his axe high, and the blade flared with light. He brought it down hard on the neck of the still-recovering knight. There was a screech of parting metal, a gout of sparks, and the knight''s head tumbled free. The rest of its body remained standing for a single second before toppling backward and exploding into motes of light.


    Meanwhile, Excalibur had regained her feet and ran at the remaining knight. Rose had its full attention, nimbly evading its attacks and poking back where she could. Cali circled around, looking for a chance to strike.


    "Excalibur!" Percival shouted. "Turn its helmet around!"


    She froze mid-step, then a wicked grin spread across her face. Quick as a fox, she dropped her knives and dashed at the knight from behind. A leap carried her onto its back, and she scrambled up the last foot to latch onto either side of its helmet and wrench it sharply clockwise.


    The knight staggered, suddenly blind. It flailed its sword, trying desperately to ward off anything in front of it while bucking Excalibur off. The girl jumped off on her own terms, and Rose stepped back to let it struggle. We all lined up a few yards away, watching it lurch and windmill, stabbing at empty air.


    "Wow." the Barbarian said. "That''s almost disappointing." He raised his axe. "Better put it out of its misery!"


    The knight fumbled at its helmet, managing to screw it back around to the front, only to find itself staring down all of our weapons on their way to its face.


    As it died, I turned to the newcomers to introduce myself, but a crash of thunder shook the earth. A whinny pierced the night.


    From the darkness of the forest strode a monstrous warhorse, its eyes blazing red. It dragged behind it a macabre bundle - the broken bodies of blue-hooded agents and rose-red-armored soldiers, their wounds seeping azure dust as they dissolved into nothingness.


    Astride the steed loomed a hulking figure in midnight armor, a greatsword clutched in one gauntleted fist. Sulfurous yellow eyes glared from the depths of a horned helm, regarding us with impassive contempt - like flies. Above its head hovered a special, boss-level nameplate:


    The Black Knight, Captain of the King''s Guard.


    At the sight of the thing, the NPCs we''d been escorting fled screaming back toward the city. I couldn''t blame them, but I didn''t think the buildings were going to protect them. No, I held my ground, raising my spear. Beside me, the others braced themselves, weapons ready.


    But a shout rang out behind us. "There the beast rises!"


    I whipped around to see a squad of soldiers in rose-colored armor closing in from the city. For a moment, I thought we were caught in a pincer of King''s men, but these guys were focused on the Knight. Their leader, a stern-faced man with a military haircut, wore no helmet. No ominously glowing eyes.


    "Send word to the Prince! Soldiers, hold your ground! We must waylay it until his arrival!"


    "That won''t be necessary, Lieutenant; I would never miss this." A rich baritone voice cut through the clamor.


    The soldiers parted, and a man strode forth in gleaming ruby plate. Shaggy black hair spilled down to his shoulders, framing the face of a noble warrior. Prince Nicolaus.


    "Eight years have I been waiting for you, monster. Eight long years, and you finally crawl from my father''s Citadel! By every grace left in this kingdom, I swear that you will never return!"


    He drew his sword and shield, then ignited the sword with a fierce azure flame.


    The Black Knight slowly dismounted, its armor clanking and the ground groaning beneath it. It was easily over a story tall - it could see over the roofs of the surrounding cottages. "Your flames of rebellion pale before the inferno that awaits you in the abyss, Prince." The Knight''s voice scraped like metal on bone. "There is no place in this world for those who challenge the Divine Will."


    It raised its greatsword high. Lightning split the sky and struck the blade, leaving it writhing with tendrils of black and violet fire.


    Beside me, the Barbarian hefted his axe. "Aw, hell yeah! Let''s go!"


    "Lieutenant!" the Prince called out. "Secure the city! I will have none interrupt my hunt!"


    The lead soldier snapped a crisp salute. "By your command, my liege! Come, adventurers, fall back to the town square; we must regroup and open a new escape!"


    As the soldiers began to withdraw, the Barbarian snarled. "No way, man! Gimme a shot at this guy!"


    But a soft voice said, "Please, just follow the instructions. We need to get through the scenario." A woman in a white robe I hadn''t noticed was standing at the back of the group. Then I saw the kid clutching onto her robe. He was... I can''t tell kids'' ages - he was probably old enough to have started school, but couldn''t have a double-digit age. And he looked absolutely terrified.


    "Yeah." I said. "There''s a whole world waiting for us - let''s get into the proper open world, shall we? No need to rush it."


    The Barbarian exhaled gustily but let his weapon vanish in a shimmer of light. "Fine, fine."


    Metal sang on metal as Nicolaus and the Knight began their duel, their flames reaching outward and pressing into each other.


    Before turning away, the Barbarian jabbed a finger at the thing in ebon plate. "But you listen up, bucket-head! This ain''t over! I''m coming for you, and I''m not going to wait for you to leave your citadel! Don''t doubt that for a second!"

 Ch 3: The Siege

    ¡ª CHAPTER THREE ¡ª


    The Siege


    -Fritz-


    "The King''s Men have encircled the city! Our options are to break through their lines to open a new escape route, or hold out until the Prince''s main column arrives to relieve us!" The Loyalist leader, Lieutenant Anderson, planted his hands on the command table, looking at us, then at Livitha. "Lucky for you Resistance, the Prince, in his mercy, has ordered that you shall be allowed to leave unharmed, provided you assist in the defence of the city."


    "Stuff it, hound!" Livitha spat. "You''re just as screwed as we are!"


    We had retreated to the town square - a plaza where the Loyalists had set up canopies and hung lamps to turn the place into an operation room to coordinate their forces in the city. Loyalist soldiers and Resistance fighters alike hurried in all directions. In the center stood a large, open-sided tent with a six-foot-wide map of the city laid out across a table. Glowing dots moved across it, showing the state of the battle in real time.


    Ignoring the fight, Anderson focused on Livitha. "The Prince has restored order to a significant swathe of the countryside while your little band has done nothing but cause trouble for the people you claim to protect. The most that can be said for you is that you make excellent bait - the King''s men would never expose themselves like this without your help. For that, you have my thanks."


    Livitha snarled, her hand twitching toward the blades on her belt as she leaned toward Anderson. "When we get out of here, you''re next on my list, tin man!"


    Us players were standing in a line watching them argue. I said, "So these two are bangin'', right?"


    "Absolutely." Rose nodded.


    The girl in the white robe hastily covered the child''s ears, her brow furrowed in disapproval.


    Turning to the rest of the other group, I asked, "So where were you guys? They start you in a different part of the city?"


    The other group''s Lancer was a guy named Siegfried. He was a well-built guy, a little over six feet - looked like a high-school senior or college football player. "We were all directed to a tavern where these soldiers came by and recruited us to help them get the civilians out of the way of the fighting."


    "Same for us, but it was the Resistance." Rose said.


    Erik was the name of the other group''s Barbarian. He was another young man scantily clad in fur-trimmed armor with leather straps - which had to be horrible in the freezing rain. He handled it well, though, warmed by his excitement as he eagerly bounced on the balls of his feet. "So, what, are we on opposite teams here?" he asked.


    Percival said, "I doubt there''s a mechanical difference; just flavor."


    Flora, the girl in the white robe, was another late-teen looking kid. Which, now that I noticed, other than me and Rose, they were all college or under. Man, when did I get old? Whatever; you''re never too old to game. Anyway, she asked, "Have any of you seen a girl named Lily? She''s the Captain''s sister; they logged in together."


    The boy clutching her skirt had scruffy black hair and green eyes. He was wearing the same light chain/leather combo as Rose, making him a Swordfighter, but it looked absolutely adorable on him - like a little toy soldier. His name was Captain Galactic.


    Rose said, "My husband wound up in a different instance, too. Do you know her full username? You could try messaging her."


    The Captain shook his head. "No." he squeaked.


    The other group''s fifth member - their Archer - was a blonde girl that carried herself with the poise of nobility - Lady Lucia. "The fastest way to solve this will be to complete the scenario. So, how do we break out of the siege?"


    The ten of us gathered around the map of Rosenburg. A sea of pink, blue, blood red, and green lights moved about in packs. The dark crimson swarm of the King''s forces pushed in from the outskirts while the pink and blue of our allies fought them off and guided the greens toward the heart of the entente''s territory. Above it all, an empty progress bar floated in the air with a timer ticking down from 30 minutes.


    Percival said, "My read is that we have to kill King''s men and protect civilians to fill the bar."


    Siegfried said, "It could also be we have to clear a path out of the city and funnel the neutrals through it."


    "I think we should kill that knight!" Erik punched at the air. "That''s gotta end it, right?"


    "I don''t think that thing''s supposed to die here." Rose shook her head.


    "It was a raid boss in one of the commercials." Percival added.


    "Well, I''m gonna try anyway!" Erik''s eyes lit up with determination.


    Siegfried stepped in and said, "If we want to get through this as fast as possible, we should work together."


    "It''s going to take a little time no matter what." Percival said. "We should split up, try different things, see what''s most efficient, then come back and trade notes."


    Rose nodded. "It''s presented as a very open-ended goal, and exploration is a part of the game."


    "Alright," Siegfried agreed, "let''s meet back here in ten minutes, then determine an efficient course of action."


    "Yes!" Erik cheered. "Flora - back me up! I''m gonna need a medic!"


    She shook her head. "I''m not leaving the Captain; take the other team''s..." She trailed off, looking around with a frown. "Do you not have a healer?"


    Excalibur raised her fists and cried, "Healing is for those who haven''t won yet!"


    "Yeah!" Erik cheered. "Wait - no! I need the healer''s help!"


    "I can protect the Captain." I offered. "I''m a tank class, right? That''s my job!"


    "Do you want to go with him?" Flora asked the kid.


    "Come on," I said, "we can see if any of these shops are open and get some umbrellas."


    "Ok!" The Captain nodded.


    We started out of the plaza, turning back for a quick wave. "Good luck, all! See you in ten minutes!"


    \Davi/


    Everyone began to disperse into the city, but I was left standing there. I''m not much of a... you know, go-getter, and I don''t play a lot of games; I didn''t know what to do with myself. Siegfried was the only one that stuck around, carefully looking over the map and writing notes on his in-menu map.


    "The King''s men are pushed back to the wall here." he said, pointing to the thickest knot of units on the map - a salient where the entente was nearing the edge. "That''s where we''ll find the densest concentration of mobs for a kill objective and closest exit point for escape. Probably a risk-reward scenario; a tougher, more concentrated fight, but faster victory if you can pull it off." He turned to me. "You want to check it out?"


    "O-oh, sure. That sounds good. I''ll go wherever you think is best."


    "Stay behind me and focus my target; I''ll keep them in check for you."


    "You got it!" I replied, trying to inject some enthusiasm into my voice, despite the butterflies in my stomach.


    The rain pelted down as we started through narrow streets. Makeshift barricades of overturned carts and rubble fallen from damaged buildings blocked our path at every turn. As we passed over a bridge spanning another street, a trickle of civilians fled into the underpass to cower in the knee-deep water.


    The tutorial alone was far more intense that I was expecting; hopefully the rest of the game wouldn''t be quite as overwhelming. I didn''t want to fight a war - I just wanted to spend time with my brother.


    Lost in thought, I barely registered Siegfried''s battle cry as he charged ahead, spear drawn. Snapping back to reality, I hurriedly drew my bow, pulling back the string. That spawned an arrow, already nocked. Siegfried closed in on a pack of three King''s men bearing down on a woman in a near-fetal huddle. His spear was a blur as he twirled it around, poking and bashing the men away from her and into a corner. I took a deep breath, steadying my aim as I shot over his shoulder, doing my best not to hit him.


    And that was the easiest fight we had! As we got farther from the city center, the fighting grew thicker. The packs of enemies swelled to five, sometimes even seven at a time! And occasionally those red knights followed them. Those ones we avoided as best we could - those things were nothing but trouble. There were Resistance and Loyalist NPCs around to help even the odds, but if Siegfried weren''t there, I knew I would been cowering back with those civilians in the underpass.


    The action came to a boil as the city wall came into view, a story-high stone barrier with a once-formidable gate now lying in ruins. The massive wooden structure had been knocked inward, its broken and burning pieces strewn about, the flames raging despite the downpour. The fire had spread to the nearby houses, casting an orange glow across the area. As we arrived on the scene, a boulder covered in flaming pitch sailed over the wall, landing just a street over with a plume of flames and wave of screams.


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Amid the chaos, a squad of Loyalist NPCs poured out of a nearby house, one of them shouting, "We''ve got another bomb ready! Escort it to those trebuchets!" They wheeled a wagon filled with barrels out onto the street, pushing it toward the open gate. Almost immediately, the King''s men swooped in, their advance barely held back by the efforts of the NPCs.


    If we didn''t act, they were going to detonate it inside the town! Instinctively, I drew back the string of my bow and readied an arrow.


    But Siegfried put a hand on my shoulder, gently interrupting my aim. "It''s going to take more than the two of us to escort that thing out of here; save it for when we tell the others. It looks like they need help extinguishing those fires. Let''s try that first."


    I lowered my bow, a wave of... relief washing over me. If we could contribute without fighting, I was more than happy to take part.


    -Fritz-


    The Captain and I rummaged through the goods of a dark and empty store. The door was open when we got there - looked like the owner fled, leaving all those perfectly stocked shelves unattended. And everything on display was an actual item! I could feel my sticky fingers getting restless. I was salivating at the potential of shoplifting in the proper game world - I hoped to all hope that this wasn''t just the intro scenario that was like this.


    As we started rifling through the aisles, the Captain asked, "Where do we pay for this stuff?"


    I was already busy pouring a whole basket of apples into one of my belt pouches. Gotta love that incorporeal inventory - I could carry an entire fruit stand in a single slot! "Uh... I''ll leave a check on the counter; don''t worry about cost."


    "Oh! Found them!" the Captain called from the other side of the store. He beamed with pride as he held up a pair of umbrellas. He''d found a whole rack in the back corner beside a collection of winter gloves and scarves.


    "Nice, nice." I grabbed a couple pairs of gloves - winter was only a few months away. Oh, and a beanie - it was a cold night. "Grab enough for everyone - and, hell, one for your sister, too. Eat while the eatin''s good, I say!"


    "Ok!" The Captain shoved his inventory full of umbrellas, keeping two out and handing one to me.


    We walked back outside, into an unlit side street, and put our umbrellas up. The difference was immense - I didn''t have to wipe the water out of my eyes every handful of seconds, and I could finally see the city clearly! It''d be a nice place, if it wasn''t lightly on fire.


    ''Item added to inventory: Trainee Infantry Spear.''


    Huh? I pulled up my menu to check my equipment. It appeared that holding the umbrella had equipped it into my hand, kicking the spear into my inventory. The umbrella was listed as a sidearm, so I could have put it into my left hand to keep the spear, but if we got into trouble, I wanted those empowered abilities, so instead I moved my spear to a belt pouch slot so I could draw it easily.


    "Let''s see if there are any other shops around - maybe we can get some adventuring supplies or cool clothes."


    I started to walk toward the main street when heavy stomping echoed between the buildings. A group of King''s men ran past the alley we were in, continuing farther down the street. Captain Galactic shriveled behind me.


    "They''re gone; we''re fine." I reassured him.


    But he continued to stare out at the street where they had passed. "I''m scared." he whispered. "It''s just a game, right? So why am I scared?"


    I sighed. "This may be too much of a game. I''ve played some hardcore stuff over the years, and this is more than anything I''ve seen. Hell, I''m having a hard time with the combat myself. No matter what our brains think, it''s the body that''s in control. It''s going to overwrite your mind when it thinks there''s a threat around. - And that''s perfectly ok! Better afraid of nothing than complacent around danger!"


    I peeked around the corner, scanning the main street for further enemies. The cobblestone gleamed in the lamplight, but not a soul was in sight. No NPCs, no players, no mobs. Just stillness broken by the patter of rain.


    "The coast is clear. Let''s cross to that narrow street on the far side."


    "Ok!" the Captain nodded nervously.


    "And... run!" I said, breaking into a sprint. My boots slipped on the cobbles, and I nearly face-planted, but I caught myself at the last second. The Captain darted ahead, stopping at the edge of the alley''s shadows to make sure I was going to make it, then disappearing as he hid in the darkness.


    It was similar to the little capillary street we''d come from - no lighting and a few doors on one side. I tried the first one, but it was locked. The Captain walked ahead, glancing between the buildings. I looked away for one second to try the next door - also locked - and he let out a scream of pure terror.


    His umbrella flew through the air as he fell onto his butt and scooted backward. From the intersection in front of him, one of those red knights lumbered around the corner, its yellow eyes fixed on the kid and armor clanking with each step.


    I raced over to him, grabbing the Captain by the back of his collar and hauling him to his feet. Shoving him behind me, I began to back toward the main street, keeping myself between the boy and the knight. Then another clatter of metal came from behind us. King''s men - three of them appearing in the mouth of the alley. They fanned out in a V formation and raised their swords.


    "Dammit." I shoved my umbrella into a belt pouch and pulled my spear out of another. Despite all the soldiers, I did a feel little like a stage magician - pulling a full six-foot spear out of a fist-sized bag - but there wasn''t enough time to fully revel in it. "I''ll shove the group back into the street." I told the Captain. "When I do, you run out behind them and break for the center of town, got it?"


    Not waiting for a reply, I moved forward, holding my spear level in a sweeping position. The tip began to glow as the ability queued, but as I released it, a sting pierced my shoulder. The force twisted my aim high, and the shockwave went clear over the enemies'' heads.


    It wasn''t three soldiers - it was four. The last one was an archer standing back in the shadows of the trees lining the main street.


    My knockback was on cooldown for a moment, but I couldn''t wait for it - I could still zone them. Gritting my teeth, I rushed the soldier directly in front of me. Holding my spear crosswise like a bar, I shoved him aside, slamming him into the wall. Not pausing, I pivoted and jabbed at the soldier on the V''s left arm. He dodged nimbly, stepping to my right and avoiding the attack while backing a step off. In doing so, he opened up a lane on the left side of the street.


    "Hug the wall and run!" I yelled to the Captain.


    "Look out!" the boy cried.


    Before I could turn around, a pinching sensation ran down my shoulder, followed a moment later by light stinging where my arm... used to be. The knight''s longsword flashed in the rain beside me, and my arm, still gripping my spear, fell to the ground and dissolved into blue particles. It was standing just behind me, glaring at me with those yellow eyes.


    Never take your eyes off the guy that walks everywhere.


    Without a weapon or an arm, I wasn''t sure what to do - I couldn''t fight. Keep them busy while the Captain ran off, I guess. And was that arm going to grow back?


    I hope the respawn penalty isn''t too bad.


    Before either of us could move, a blur of motion tackled the knight. Hands grabbed it by the helmet, jerking it backward on its head as the attacker threw themself around the armored figure. Using the momentum, they then pivoted forward, dragging the knight to the ground and slamming its head against the cobblestones with a metallic clang.


    The attacker rolled, jumping to his feet in a whirl of black fabric and fiery red hair. It was Percival, glaring at the soldiers and snarling like a rabid dog.


    "Igni!" he barked. A mote of flame flickered to life behind his shoulder as he threw himself at the trio of foot soldiers. He reached toward the ember and threw it at the wrist of one brandishing his sword. It struck forward, exploding and engulfing the man''s hand.


    Percy seized the soldier''s burning fist, wrenching the sword from his weakening grip before shoving him back against the wall. A second soldier stepped it to stab Percival - and he let it happen. The blade sunk into the kid''s side. Barely flinching, he rounded on the mob, stabbing the stolen sword into the attacking soldier''s throat and ripping it out through the side of his neck. The man disintegrated in a shower of particles.


    The kid quickly stepped backward, and an arrow whizzed past my head. "Igni!" he returned fire on the archer as he lunged back to the knight - now struggling to get back to its feet. Percy impaled the stolen sword in the knight''s wrist, loosening its grip on its longsword so he could wrench it free and pick that up instead.


    One hand on the hilt, the other grabbing the naked blade, Percival flitted back to the soldiers, finishing off the one against the wall and cutting across the chest of the last sword-wielder. Sidestepping again, he directed the archer''s next arrow into the back of the last soldier, killing him. One more fireball was enough to take out the archer, then he turned on the knight. With a flourish, he impaled the blade in the back of its neck and swept the blade to sever it. As the knight''s body shone and disintegrated, the stolen longsword despawned with it.


    The alley fell silent. Percival stood there, palms glowing with wireframe where the skin had been rubbed away, panting and shaking and staring at the pile of dust that was left of the knight. I glanced around and spotted Captain Galactic pressed against the wall, cowering next to a stack of crates. We all got through... alive, if not unscathed.


    "Nice save, man!" I tried to clap Percival on the shoulder, but...


    He took a deep breath and stumbled a step, steadying himself against the bricks of the wall. "No problem." he mumbled, the fire draining from his eyes.


    Pulling my umbrella from my belt, I held it out to him. "Here."


    The Captain retrieved his own umbrella from where it''d fallen and got me a replacement out of his inventory. "Are you gonna be ok?"


    I looked at the sheared-off stump of my shoulder. What would have been my innards was that same blue mesh that seemed to be under the textures of everything. My health wasn''t dropping any further, at least. "I''m not bleeding out and I feel fine, so I think so? Hey, Percy, does this come back?"


    "Yes, but nothing I read gave a timeframe." He extended his umbrella, then stared up at the canopy. With no emotion, he asked, "I wonder if this would be classified as blunt or piercing damage?"


    "Let''s, uh, test it somewhere else."


    We made our way back to the main street, which was once again devoid of NPCs, and started to walk back toward the city center.


    "The shops are unattended, by the way." I said. "A dishonorable ne''er-do-well could loot them and no one would be the wiser."


    Percival raised an eyebrow. "The items are real? Not just set dressing?"


    "Yeah." I nodded.


    His blank line of a mouth turned into a smirk. "That changes everything."


    "Yeah it does. What about you; you find anything yet?"


    "Killing mobs contributes to the siege meter, but so does non-combat actions. They''ve got people using fruit stalls to make barricades around intersections. Once they''re built, they function as new spawn points for friendly NPCs. Also, if you can get up to the roofs, there are traps you can dump on the King''s men."


    "Wow. They really packed a lot into this 30-minute scenario."


    "I believe it''s a mechanical proof of concept. This was the showcase they used at conventions."


    "Alright." I nodded, turning us toward an unattended shop, its door invitingly ajar. "So what''s that trick you used to take those soldier''s weapons?"


    "The weapons are technically parts of their bodies - they only stick around as long at the mob is alive, but you can disarm them. They deal as much damage as the mob''s basic attack, which is good for the knights, but even the trash mobs'' swords are good enough to dismember, and that''s enough most of the time."


    "Sounds like the fighting''s going to be scrappier than I thought. And why are you only using your fire spell? You get one of each element, right?"


    Percival stopped and thought for several moments. "... I like fire."


    I couldn''t help it - I laughed. "That''s it? Man, I was expecting some, ''the DoT on the fire spell deals 25% more damage to armored foes.''"


    He just stared at me, expression unchanged.


    "Sorry." I smiled.


    As we entered the shop, Percival said, "Fire does seem to damage textures and enable dismemberment better, but I don''t know if it''s any more effective on armor than the others."

 Ch 4: A Moonless Knight

    ¡ª CHAPTER FOUR ¡ª


    A Moonless Knight


    ?Flora?


    Black and red and blue and green flames crackled and roared, spewing embers across the darkened sky. The Black Knight was a writhing mass of shadow lurking in lightless tree line, straining to break through into the city proper.


    Opposing him, Prince Nicolaus stood firm in the muddy street. He was dwarfed by the Knight''s size, but the rainbow of flames around him flowed at his command, lapping at the darkness like an ocean in a storm.


    Between the two, a shadow flickered - Spymaster Alephred, barely visible as he darted around the Knight, stilling just long enough to fling a shining blade at its joints. But for all his efforts, each one bounced off harmlessly.


    "You''re getting rusty, old man!" the Prince called out.


    Alpehred materialized for just a moment. "It''d be easier if you held the blasted thing still, whelp!"


    He disappeared again, the Knight''s greatsword crashing down where he had been standing a moment earlier. The ground cracked and splintered under the impact, opening a fissure that spewed forth oily black flames.


    The cursed fire raced in a line down the street, not more than a few feet to the side of where Erik and I stood. The air ran cold around it, fogging my breath.


    "I don''t think we should be here." I said. "We can''t do this - look at that thing! It''s tearing the city apart!"


    But Erik only grew more eager. "That''s the point! Where would we, as humans, be if we said, ''the moon is too far'' or ''this ocean is too wide''?! When we see a challenge, we overcome it! Maybe it takes years, maybe it takes failures, but we solve it!" He thrust his axe into the air. "You can''t keep a man down! Taste my steel, Knight! Ahh!"


    Erik charged forward, jumping into a leaping smash toward the inferno. Sparks flew as his axe crashed against the Knight''s leg. It didn''t leave a dent that I could see. Undeterred, he spun into another strike at the back of its knee. Again, the axe clanged off the jet black armor.


    "See?" I yelled, "We have to get stronger - we''re gnats to it at this stage!"


    "Well this gnat''s carrying malaria!" He crouched low, charging another leap, then launched. Ten feet into the air he soared, axe raised high and aimed straight for the Knight''s visor. The blade pierced through the metal grating, and for a fraction of a second, it looked like he''d landed a hit. Then those dark flames exploded out of the gap.


    Erik''s body rocketed backward like a meteor, leaving a trail of smoke as he tumbled down the street and skidded to a stop at my feet. The fur of his armor was singed black, wisps of acrid smoke rising from it. His health was down to a sliver. I made some hand gestures, queueing a healing spell and casting it on him.


    I hoped that would be enough to discourage him, but he sprang up, grinning ear to ear. "Did you see that?!"


    "Yes, it looked like it hurt!"


    "It reacted! I tried to hit its eyes, and it showed fear!" He wiped the rain off his face and pointed his axe at the Knight. "You''ve played your hand, Knight! Your weakness has been exposed!"


    Erik pulled up his menu and opened his class tree. With a few taps, his armor shimmered and reformed. The fur melted away and the leather expanded to cover his whole body. His axe vanished, replaced by a bow. Looking at the new outfit, he said, "No delay or anything, sweet! I''m gonna keep that open." He moved the menu panel to the side, leaving it floating beside him as he walked back toward the fray.


    He drew the string back to his ear. "Now it begins!" He loosed the arrow at those round yellow dots. For a moment, it looked true, then a flash of colorful fire incinerated the arrow far before it could reach its mark. Erik rounded on Prince Nicolaus. "Come on, man!"


    The Prince paid him no heed, his attention fixed on the Knight. "Foul beast!" he cried, brandishing his sword. "I know not what hell my father dragged you up from, but I shall return you with express delivery!"


    He slashed his blade through the air, and a pillar of green fire shot toward the Knight. The monstrosity extended its arm, dark flames gathering around its hand to catch and deflect the assault.


    Erik picked up a bucket lying on the side of the road and ran at Nicolaus, then dunked it over the Prince''s head. He... didn''t seem to notice - Nicolaus continued to wave his sword around. What it did do was interfere with his ability to cast spells. The flames died down, letting a chill run through the air.


    "There we go!" Erik shouted. He drew another arrow and let it fly, straight and true. This time, it found its target, striking the Knight in the eye. The behemoth flinched - a tiny motion, but unmistakably a success.


    Then, slowly, it turned its horned helm to regard Erik standing before it.


    He stood firm, tapping a button on the UI panel floating beside him. His armor shifted again, taking on the heavier chain of a swordfighter. The bow in his hand shortened and straightened into a blade. "Now it''s a fight."


    The Knight advanced, a wave running through the mud with each footfall. It raised its greatsword high, the flames along its length pluming. With an earth-shattering crash, it brought the weapon down, black flames exploding from the point of impact. The inferno roared toward Erik, devouring all in its path.


    But Erik was already moving. He jumped aside and ran in close to its body, then jammed his sword under the kneecap of the Knight''s greave. Using the hilt as a foothold, he clambered up its side, and found purchase on the thing''s broad shoulders.


    As the Knight pulled its blade from the ground, Erik grabbed one of the helm''s horns. With a roar of effort, he heaved, twisting the helmet not all the way around, but a good quarter turn. Except - maybe it would be more accurate to say he turned the Knight''s head on its neck, because those eyes remained fixed in the visor. The head continued to rotate, slowly, inexorably, until it was staring over its own shoulder - straight at Erik.


    "I should have known you''d be more clever than that." Erik panted.


    The Knight''s gauntlet rose, wreathed in hissing flames as it reached toward Erik. He quickly hit his UI, changing class to Lancer, and leaped clear before the hand could close around him. Drawing his spear in the air, he thrust downward, using it as a pole to guide his fall onto the nearest rooftop - a little thatch cottage that was still only chest height to the Knight.


    The head remained fixed as the body turned to follow, righting the orientation of its neck. It extended its flaming hand, and a fusillade of black-purple fireballs burst forth, buzzing toward Erik like angry hornets.


    Not missing a beat, Erik changed class again, returning to Berserker and leaping. The fireballs exploded behind him as he bounded across the rooftops. And again - a swap back to Archer!


    "Twinshot!" Two shafts leapt from his bow. One glanced off the Knight''s helm - but the other found the dark slit of its visor, vanishing into the abyss.


    It was undeniably an impressive showing, but it''s health was still floating at 99.99%.


    "This isn''t working!" I called out. "There isn''t enough time to fight it like this! We have to meet back up with the others!"


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    "You''re right..." Erik said. "I need something more decisive! Cutting the heads off the soldiers killed them instantly, so let''s see what''s under there!"


    With a tap on his interface, Erik swapped class once more, the Berserker''s fur-trimmed armor settling on him. He readied to leap as the Knight launched another barrage of fireballs.


    Erik leapt, arcing over the swarm of flames, his trajectory carrying him straight toward the Knight''s helmet. He dropped the axe just before impact, seizing on one of those spikes and, with a grunt of effort, heaved upward.


    And it worked. The helmet slid upward, exposing a sliver of softer leather around its neck. Erik let out a cry, spawning his axe once again and swung. But before he could make contact ... something erupted from the gap. It could have been those black flames, but at the same time it looked too... solid. Like an actual substance. Nevertheless, it swatted Erik back, hurling him through the air to crash at the edge of the tree line.


    "Erik!" I tried to run, but the Knight was between us, and its range was much better than mine. It turned, swinging its greatsword down on him while he was still prone. He burst apart, instantly exploding into dust.


    Then it all stopped.


    The Knight straightened, going utterly still. Nicolaus was still flailing about with the bucket on his head, while across the way, I could see Alephred crouched on a box, scanning for the Knight but unable to see it was now behind him.


    I fumbled for my menu to submit a bug report, then it began to move once more. The Knight turned, slowly, to face the city.


    To face me.


    It began to advance, its sword trailing black flames.


    "EEE!"


    {Lucy}


    "Woo, yeah! Suck my dick, Imperial chodes!" Excalibur shouted gleefully as she ran rampant through the ranks of the King''s men. I watched as the young girl stabbed soldiers in the back of the leg, shoving them down into the mud before slitting their throats with savage efficiency. But she was only cleaning up the ones that Rose missed. The older woman moved through the enemy lines like a scythe through wheat, her blade flashing in the firelight as she ducked, weaved, and slid around the foot soldier''s clumsy attacks.


    Following the pair from an adjoining rooftop, I called out, "Do you fence, Rose?"


    "No, I''ve never been a fan of ''rules-based'' sports." she replied, sweeping the legs out from under a man, then crushing his windpipe. "All I have is a lifetime of LARPing! And I suppose the dance lessons I took when I was younger help, but I haven''t been able to move this easily in ages!" There was a fierce joy in her voice, a sense of liberation from the limitations of the flesh. I could sympathize; there was a freshness to the air - even in the pouring rain, I felt... unhindered.


    The sharp clomp of boots on cobblestones drew my attention to the next street over. A squad of the King''s soldiers were running past, oblivious to the carnage on the other side of the buildings. I drew my bowstring, nocking an arrow, and released in one smooth motion. The arrow found its mark, piercing straight through the lead soldier''s head and sending him tumbling to the ground in a spray of glowing blue motes.


    "Seven more, north side!" I shouted in warning as the rest of the squad veered toward the alley that would lead them to Rose''s street.


    I hopped across to the next rooftop. Below, Excalibur crouched in wait at the mouth of the alley. As the first soldier rounded the corner, she pounced like a jungle cat, bearing him to the ground. Rose stepped in a moment later, churning through the rest while they were stuck in the confines of the alley.


    As the last one fell, I asked, "What do you think our progress is at now?"


    "It should be about time to check in." Rose said. "Shall we?"


    I nodded, taking a moment to savor the cool rain on my face before stepping toward the edge to join them. Then something further up the road caught my eye - two of those eerie knights lumbering in our direction. The shine of their armor was a dead giveaway.


    "Hold on. Knights - up ahead!"


    I nocked an arrow and let it fly at a stack of barrels conveniently perched on the edge of the roof across from me. It struck true, sending the barrels tumbling down onto the knights in a cascade of splintered wood and tar. The knights went down hard, struggling to rise as the tar seeped in.


    "Nice shot!" Rose called up. She and Excalibur wasted no time in rushing over to finish off our friends.


    As they worked, I slowly walked along the rooftops, my mind drifting. As little as I expected to be able to play this game, for a moment, it felt like I was a different person in an entirely separate world from reality. And it felt good - no worries, no pressure, no expectations weighing me down.


    I was broken from my thoughts by a woman''s scream shattering the post-battle silence.


    Flora came tearing down the street toward Rose and Excalibur. "Knight!" she shrieked. "Black Knight - right behind me! Run!"


    They decidedly did not run. Both women planted themselves firmly between Flora and the direction she had come from, weapons at the ready as the distraught woman cowered behind them. But as I scanned the surrounding streets, I saw no sign of pursuit. No menacing black-armored figure looming out of the rain.


    "I think you lost him!" I called down.


    Flora slumped with relief. "Oh, thank God, I-"


    A thunderous crash ripped through the air, cutting her off mid-sentence. It sounded like an entire block of houses had just been smashed by a wrecking ball. A plume of unnatural black flames billowed into the sky a few streets over, accompanied by the terrified scream of a young boy.


    "Was that the Captain?!" Flora gasped, her already pale face draining of the last of its color.


    "Southeast - three blocks!" Without hesitation, I leapt down from the roof, hitting the ground in a sprint. Rose, Excalibur, and Flora were right on my heels as we raced through the rain-soaked streets.


    Barreling around a corner, we nearly collided with the boys fleeing the scene. Captain Galactic clung desperately to the back of Fritz Carlton, an umbrella hat flying off the child''s head as they swung out of a side street. The sight might have been cute if not for Fritz''s missing arm. Percival hopped awkwardly after them, struggling to yank off a pair of fuzzy bunny slippers.


    "It''s on the next street over!" Percival shouted, finally managing to stuff the slippers into a pouch on his belt.


    All three of them had found rain ponchos that flapped around them as they ran. As they reached us, Fritz set the Captain down, and the boys pulled out umbrellas. We gathered under the shelter, readying our weapons.


    The heavy, rhythmic stomping of the Black Knight grew louder, echoing off the buildings. But as we braced for its arrival, the sound began to recede, continuing past our position on another street.


    "Where is it going?" Rose asked, relaxing her stance but keeping the sword unsheathed.


    "No clue;" Fritz said, "we were just coming out of the clothing store when it broke through an entente checkpoint."


    Percival fished a pair of plain boots out of his inventory, dropped them on the ground, and slipped them on.


    I blinked. Wait, how had they changed their clothes? "I thought our equipment was locked?" I asked.


    "Only in the menu." Percival said. "They don''t seem to have locked smart replacement."


    Fritz asked, "Is that what you call it when you pick something up?"


    Percival nodded. "Yeah, if you hold something or physically put it on, it''s equipped automatically."


    "Handy!" Fritz nodded, mildly impressed.


    "Not the time!" Rose snapped. "I''m going to follow it - come on!" She took off down the street.


    As the rest of us hurried after her, Captain Galactic handed out umbrellas.


    "Thank you!" Flora gave him a warm smile. "How nice of you to think of us!"


    I couldn''t hold mine with my bow equipped, so I went weaponless for the moment.


    The rain pelted against our umbrellas as we splashed through puddles. Up ahead, the monstrous form of the Black Knight, the tips of the horns on its helmet level with the roofs of the two-story buildings of the inner city, marched through the streets. It smashed through market stalls and trampled barricades without pause. The NPCs didn''t seem to notice it, allowing the dark flames dripping off its body to wash over and consume them.


    "Is it supposed to be doing this?" Rose asked.


    Flora said, "I think... I think Erik bugged it out."


    "Launch day, baby!" Fritz laughed from behind me.


    Rose squinted and looked back at our group. "Where is Erik anyway?"


    "Oh, he died!" Flora said cheerfully.


    Not surprising - nothing could have stood in that thing''s way.


    "It looks like it''s heading for the center of town." Rose observed. "If it gets there, do we lose?"


    Fritz looked at Percival, but the redhead shrugged, "I don''t have a clue - I thought the timer was there to make it impossible to lose."


    As we continued to follow it, something up ahead caught my eye - a pile of fur lying unmoving in the rain. I squinted, trying to make out the details. "What is that?" I pointed. "Is that Erik there?"


    It was - as we ran closer, we came close enough to see his nameplate.


    "Erik! You ok?" Fritz shouted.


    Flora cupped her hands around her mouth. "Don''t let one little death get you down! Where''s that indomitable human spirit?!"


    But Erik didn''t respond. He just lay there like a discarded ragdoll, the rain pattering against his still form. Right in the path of the Knight.


    "Oh for Pete''s sake." Fritz sprinted forward, ducking and hugging the wall as he passed the Knight to reach Erik. He tried to drag him to his feet, but, with one arm, he was having a hard time. Rose quickly joined him, and together they managed to hoist Erik up onto Fritz''s back. Fritz staggered slightly under the weight, but he was still hobbling along faster than the Knight''s lumbering walk.


    Rose shouted, "Come on! let''s get to the center before it!"

 Ch 5: The Choices Made for Us

    ¡ª CHAPTER FIVE ¡ª


    The Choices Made for Us


    \Davi/


    I stared at the map displayed on the command table, trying to make sense of the chaos. Any semblance of a line of battle had disintegrated - King''s men and entente strongpoints were scattered like spilled marbles. As we watched, another line of entente defences faded. Ten minutes were left on the timer, and we were half way to filling the progress bar.


    "Well," Siegfried said, "at this point it looks like we''re better off waiting out the time. Is there anything you''d like to try while we''re here?"


    I shook my head. "No. Thanks for bearing with me - I know I''m not very... I''m not much of a gamer."


    Siegfried hopped up to sit on the edge of the table. "No problem; this place is different than anything I''ve done, too." He pulled up his menu and looked through it. "Hm. I never did get to try any of the other classes. How does Archer feel?"


    "I like it!" I smiled and scratched the back of my head self-consciously. "Though I guess I don''t have anything to compare it to."


    A series of crashes drew our attention to one of the barricades surrounding the base camp. All eight of the other group members came rushing into the plaza in a panic.


    Siegfried leapt to his feet. "Where have you all been?!"


    At the head of the group, Fritz called back, "Sorry man; we''re getting chased by the unstoppable force!"


    An explosion went off behind him, and a cloud of pitch-black smoke billowed up over the skyline. On the map, one of the entente strongpoints winked out of existence.


    -Fritz-?I swung Erik off my back and set him against a tree next to the command tent. Rose had been holding an umbrella over me as we ran, and Flora and Siegfried came over with concerned looks.


    I slapped Erik across the face. "Come on, man; talk to me!"


    "What''s wrong with him?" Siegfried asked.


    "I don''t know." Flora said. "He was fine a few minutes ago! He was fighting the boss over by the forest and, er, I think he broke the NPCs that were keeping it occupied. He couldn''t do any damage, and it killed him."


    "Could he have rage quit?" Siegfried asked.


    Flora shook her head. "I don''t think so; he was so excited..."


    "Disconnect, maybe?" Rose suggested.


    I said, "The server connection''s been fine for me - it''d have to be local."


    "He wasn''t lagging beforehand." Flora said. "He was swapping between classes just to use abilities to dodge attacks!"


    That caught Percival''s attention. "You can swap mid combat?" he asked.


    "Yes!" Flora nodded. "And it changes your equipment to match!"


    \Davi/?Percival suddenly froze, his eyes going wide. In a flurry of hand motions, he pulled up his UI and began sorting through menus with a frenzied intensity. He shuffled his inventory, moving things around, then tapped some buttons.


    His black mage robe reformed into the chainmail of a swordfighter. He drew his sword and dropped it on the ground, then just as quickly switch back to the mage armor. A heartbeat later, he was a swordfighter once more, a second blade appearing in his hands.


    "Perfect." he smiled slowly. Then he was moving, fingers flying as he jumped between classes, swords and spears and bows and wands clattering to the ground around him in a steadily growing pile.


    "What are you doing?" Lucy asked.


    "These things have a vendor value - you think I''m passing up on that jumpstart?!"


    Lucy gasped, her eyes going wide. Then she was opening her own menu, fingers moving in a blur as she started duping weapons as well. "It looks like the value is tied to how many hands they require to wield. The bow and axe are worth the most."


    "Good catch."


    Excalibur stared at them, her face scrunched up in concentration as she tried to replicate their actions. But each time she swapped class, her previous weapon vanished. "How are you doing that?!"


    Percival slowed down just enough to show her the cycle. "First, spawn the weapon and set it down. Before it auto-despawns, pick up an umbrella and let it equip itself. That force-drops the weapon that should be locked to your hand. Then put the umbrella in a belt pouch so it doesn''t get overwritten, and change class to reset the weapon. If it''s not in your inventory, it will give you a new one."


    I watched them work. It was impressive how fast they stitched those glitches together. But having multiple weapons got me thinking. "Earlier, you said spears can be used with one hand, right? Could you dual-wield a sword and spear and use both Lancer and Swordfighter skills?"


    "If you have both classes unlocked, sure. But here we can only try out one at a time. So yes, once we''re out of the tutorial. I wonder if there will be any broken combos."


    Just then, a thunderous crash shattered the air. The barricade at the edge of the plaza was torn apart by a rush of seething purple flames. Blue dust whipped up in a flurry as the NPC soldiers guarding it were obliterated.


    Amidst the smoke and debris, a dark outline appeared. Blacker than the shadows themselves, it waded through the remains of the fortifications. The Black Knight''s feet sank half a foot into the ground as it stepped onto the wet grass.


    Percival, Lucy, and Excalibur hurriedly scooped up their duped items and reset their classes into proper fighting order - except for Percy, who kept one of his swords equipped while he was in Mage.


    -Fritz-?"Spread out!" Siegfried shouted, his commanding voice cutting through the panic. He spun his spear into a ready position. "Flora, what kind of attacks does it have?!"


    "Uhm, fire?" her voice quavered. "It can shoot fireballs if you get too far away, and if you try to take its armor off, it will vent out of the gap! Oh, and you can''t turn its helmet around!"


    Sounds like Erik did his homework.


    Percival watched the thing approach warily. In a calm tone, he said. "It''s not human. There''s something else in there - by the colors, it''s shadow-based." Glancing at Flora, he asked, "Does Medic come with a light attack?"


    "No!" she cried, wringing her hands.


    "Then try fire or aiming for the eyes."


    "When Erik shot it in the eye, it flinched!" Flora added.


    Lucy drew the string of her bow, spawning an arrow. "It''s hard to get a clear shot while it''s moving!"


    "Then let''s hold it still!" Siegfried shouted. "Fritz, help me!" He slammed the butt of his spear on the ground and charged forward. He brought the spear down on the Knight''s foot with all his might, the empowered tip impaling through the metal and pinning it into the ground.


    "I hope we don''t need the two-hand bonus." I muttered, running in after him. Drawing my spear with my remaining arm, I readied my own armor pierce and stabbed downward, burying my spear right next to Siegfried''s.


    The Knight strained against our hold, trying to lift its impaled foot. The soft mud sucked it further down, but it didn''t give up. It was like trying to hold back a hydraulic press. Somehow, we were managing to keep it in place, but it wasn''t going to last forever - I could feel my spear bending and cracking.


    {Lucy}?It strained against them but ultimately ignored the two Lancers, keeping its focus on the center of town. That was perfect - it was holding its head still and wasn''t moving its eyes.


    I aimed for those glowing yellow dots, big and expressionless. Percy piled on, throwing a fireball in right after my shot.


    Both projectiles struck home, slamming into the Knight''s visor. The behemoth reeled backward, the boys holding the foot down straining as it tried to catch itself. For a moment, it teetered on the edge of falling onto its back, but it managed to slip its free foot behind itself.


    "Overbalance it!" Percival commanded. "Get extra weight on the head and drag it down!"


    "On it!" Rose didn''t hesitate. She swiped her menu, changing class to Berserker and preparing her axe to leap.


    "Fritz, pile more on!" Percival opened his inventory and spawned in a bundle of duped lances, tossing them to Fritz.


    -Fritz-?The pieces clicked together in my mind. As long as I equipped a new weapon, the spear I''d already planted in the Knight''s foot would remain. Letting go of my current spear, I snatched up a fresh one from the pile that landed at my feet and queued up the armor pierce ability. With a wheeze of effort, I slammed the tip down, driving it through the Knight''s foot.


    "Alternate, Siggy!"


    He caught on immediately, grabbing up a fourth spear and added it to our pincushion.


    \Davi/?"Captain!" Percival shouted. "Dupe more spears!"


    Captain Galactic, who was cowering behind the command table, nervously replied, "O-ok!" He opened his menu with trembling fingers, but could only stare at it helplessly.


    Excalibur showed him her own menu. "Drop, umbrella, belt, swap!" She showed him the motions, beginning to dupe out spears.


    The Captain nodded and mimicked her. In moments, they were pumping out a pile of spears for Fritz and Siegfried to jam into the Knight''s foot.


    I couldn''t just stand there - I had to help, too! I didn''t trust my aim when my hands weren''t shaking, but I had to try! I fumbled to draw. The shot wavered, my arms unsteady. But I refused to let my fear control me. The world narrowed to the gleaming point of my arrow, to the thin slit of the Knight''s visor.


    ?Flora??"Flora, go mage and use fire!" Percy commanded.


    I gave a shaky nod, my jaw not working. The Knight loomed over us, burning shadows coalescing around its gauntlet as it reached out.


    "Now!" Percival shouted. "Everyone fire!"


    As it unleashed a barrage of obsidian fireballs, a storm of arrows and magic bolts converged on it from all directions, cutting into the void of its visor. Its attack went high, streaking harmlessly into the sky.


    Rose seized the opening, launching herself through the air. She crashed into its head and dragged it backward. The thing''s spine bent like a green branch, too fluid for a human body. Rose, clinging onto its helmet, came so close to the ground that she could set her feet down and pull. With all her strength, she heaved, and - *pop*!


    Rose went tumbling across the ground, tangled with the helmet as the Knight sprung upright. Where its face should have been... wasn''t. A writhing mass of living shadow, darker than the blackest pitch. The surface rippled and warped, solidity bleeding into empty void. Its only features were the sickly yellow, star-like pinpricks that shone as if on its surface yet deep in the night sky.


    I looked to Percival for orders, but he stood transfixed, staring into those baleful lights.


    The Knight hefted its greatsword high and brought it crashing down. The blade cleaved the earth, opening a seething fissure that raced toward Erik''s unconscious form.


    "No!" Davi cried. He dove for Erik, tackling him aside a hairsbreadth before the flames washed over the tree we''d left him under.


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    "Stop!" Rose suddenly shouted. "Everyone back off! It''s after Erik!"


    Davi and Erik hit the dirt and rolled, the Knight turning to track them - except for the leg still pinned by Fritz and Siegfried. That one remained stationary as the Knight''s body rotated freely around its knee.


    "It tracked his body across the city to his respawn point, then followed us here! Let it kill him again, then it will leave to follow!"


    I said, "We can''t let it grief him!"


    "He''s clearly not here!" she snapped back.


    Siegfried looked at Erik''s body lying limp in the grass. "She''s right. Let it get itself out of the way so we can end this in peace."


    Davi released his hold on Erik and scrambled out of the way as the Knight raised its hand again. Black flames swirled and burst forth, streaking toward Erik''s helpless body. They engulfed the patch of grass in light-devouring flames. When the blaze dissipated, only a swirl of blue dust remained.


    The Knight''s eyes dimmed, fading until its was nothing more than a perfect dark orb, and the thing stopped moving. Just like it had the first time it had killed him. Slowly, cautiously, Fritz and Siegfried backed away, letting go of their spears.


    I said, "It will take a moment for Erik to respawn, then it will-"


    A constellation of stars brightened on the Knight''s face. They scrambled erratically, one coming to stop on each of the nine players ringed around it. It once again tried to raise its foot. The dozens of wooden shafts that impaled it creaked under the strain. Several snapped, dissolving into dust.


    Fritz and Siegfried charged back in to regain control, but it was no longer content to leave them. It spun its greatsword into a backhanded grip and stabbed it down on them. They dove to either side as the blade cleaved the cobblestones.


    The Knight pivoted to follow Siegfried, further loosening it skewered limb as it raised its sword. More and more spears broke by the second.


    Siegfried scrambled backward. "What''s the timer at?!"


    "Five minutes!" Davi read off the map table.


    "I''ll kite it! It only walks, right? I''ll run a loop through the city!"


    Fritz saluted him with his good arm. "Godspeed, man!"


    Siegfried made a break for the far side of the plaza. The Knight strained to chase after him, only a couple spears remaining. They were enough to give him a decent head start - or so I thought.


    The Knight extended its arm, but not to shoot fire. It beckoned toward Siegfried, and a wave of starless sky rose from the ground to cut off his path. Siegfried quickly swapped to Berserker and made a desperate leap over it, but it reached out to grab his ankles, dragging him to the ground and scraping him over the cobbles. A gully was left in the mud as it brought him to the Knight''s feet.


    Fritz quickly pulled up his menu. "Shit, how do you activate the taunt skill?" Cupping his hands around his mouth, he yelled, "Hey, you ugly bastard!"


    The Knight paid him no heed, raising its sword and bringing it down on Siegfried''s prone form.


    And then... everything stopped.


    Not as the scene went calm as the Knight chose a new target after Erik died - it stopped. The fires raging in the plaza hung motionless, the raindrops suspended in mid air. The Knight held its blade mid-swing, the edge embedded in Siegfried''s chest as the wound it left in his shoulder glowed brightly.


    But I could still move.


    Looking at Davi, I asked, "Did... did it time out?"


    He looked at the table and said, "It''s still five minutes - a-and it''s not ticking!"


    A voice said, "Sorry about that, folks. It''s launch day - bugs and all that. You know how it goes." A man walked across the plaza. He was dressed for a day at the office - beige slacks, light-colored button-up, and a plain tie. He adjusted his glasses as he jogged over to Siegfried. "Are you still with us?"


    Siegfried, staring up at the Knight in shock, managed to gasp out, "Yes. It''s a... little heavy."


    The man hummed a little tune as he opened a menu with a flick of his wrist and tapped some buttons. "Get out of here, you." The Black Knight''s texture faded, revealing its wireframe skeleton, then that unwrote itself, disappearing into nothing.


    The man reached down, extending a hand to Siegfried. "How did you manage to break it out of combat?"


    I stepped forward. "Erik - er, the other member of our group - put a bucket on Nicolaus'' head."


    Fritz burst into laughter. "That''s what did it?!"


    The man, setting Siegfried on his wobbling feet, thought for a moment. "Must be a line of sight issue paired with the hardcoded interactions we put here." He sighed, shaking his head. "Now I need to delete all the buckets out of this place..."


    He hit a few more buttons, and Siegfried''s health, which read ''dead'', filled back to a vibrant, full green. The wound on his shoulder closed as well.


    "There you go."


    Siegfried rolled his shoulder experimentally. "Thanks."


    "What happened to Erik?" I asked.


    The man glanced around the plaza. "Hm? Who?"


    Rose spoke up. "He died a minute ago."


    "For the second time." I added. "He died... ten minutes ago?"


    "Ten-?" With a frown, the man brought up another menu. Erik''s body spawned in front of him. He was utterly still, his chest unmoving, his eyes staring sightlessly at the frozen sky above. The man crouched beside him. "Why didn''t it alert me- whatever. Was that the Black Knight, too?"


    "Yes." I nodded.


    "Figures. Players aren''t supposed to be able to die here - the mobs refrain from dealing fatal hits."


    Fritz waved his severed arm stump in the air. "Coulda fooled me, geez!"


    Still examining Erik, the man absently said, "Yes, they can be quite convincing when they want to be." Standing back up, he shook his head. "It looks like his body wasn''t properly deleted."


    "But why is he... like that?!" my voice broke.


    His eyes were half-open, glazed and unseeing, and his tongue lolled from the corner of his mouth.


    "And what do you mean ''wasn''t deleted''?!" I practically screamed. "What was supposed to happen?!"


    His gaze met mine. His expression was impassive, almost clinical. "Because he''s dead."


    The words hit me like a physical blow, and I staggered back, my hand flying to my mouth. "You... like... dead?"


    "Well, practically dead. You see, the Dive Units that you all are using to access the game interact directly with your brain by... ''dyeing'' it with what, for simplicity''s sake, I''ll call a chemical. It''s more of a ''state of matter'', but we don''t need to get into that. The important thing is that, when you die - in the game, that is - this ''chemical''... scrambles things around. It disrupts the higher functions of the mind. For all intents and purposes, this man is a vegetable."


    He looked down at Erik''s body. "A shame - it sounds like Mr. Bradwell would have been one of the good ones. ... Oh, buckets." He said it like a swear.


    The world tilted around me, and I felt the blood rush to my head. My vision swam, the colors bleeding together like a watercolor painting left in the rain. My legs, suddenly boneless, gave out beneath me.


    This has to be a dream, a nightmare. I''ll wake up any moment now, safe in my bed, and this will all have been nothing more than a terrible, terrible dream.


    -Fritz-?Flora collapsed. The others weren''t much better off - they stood frozen, expressions ranging from shock to disbelief.


    Rose was the first to break the silence. "What. The. Fuck. Is. Wrong with you?"


    The man frowned, crossing his arms as he looked down at Erik''s body with... resignation? "... I don''t have a proper response to that. The courses of our lives are complex things that interweave too thoroughly with the forces around us to be put into words. Regardless, we have to live with our choices, the choices made for us, and the present. I will not apologize, but I will honestly wish you luck."


    Looking at each of us he continued, "I''m going to end this instance for you - the proper announcement of what is happening and what you will need to do will be at eight."


    "Eight?!" I sputtered. "PM?!"


    "Well it''s certainly too late for 8 AM."


    "It''s 2:00! That''s six hours a significant number of people are going to be exploring and limit testing and running wild! If you''re serious about this, they should at least be given a chance to know what they''re doing to themselves!"


    The man raised his hands in a shrug. He simply said, "I don''t make the rules."


    Then he hit a button, and everything went black.


    (Percival)


    I was pulled backward into a lying position, and a grid of wireframe stretched across the expanse. Pieces rose from the plane, shaking and forming the shape of a long hall filled with beds - an infirmary. In an instant, color, sound, and NPCs spawned in around me.


    I found myself lying on a soft medical cot, early noon sunlight streaming through the bank of windows over my head. On one side of the room, Prince Nicolaus sat on the edge of a bed, wearing rose-colored underclothes and feeling his bandaged head. In the other corner, Alephred was a mummified bundle of casts, his arms stuck outward and one leg suspended by a sling.


    The Prince noticed me stirring and spoke up. "Ah, you''ve awoken at last. Thank you for your assistance." He tossed me a sack of coins. As I caught it, a notification popped up on my UI: ''Quest Complete: Welcome to Rosenburg. You have received: 30 pfennigs, 200 character experience.''


    "Given the difficulties," he continued, "I wish I could give you a medal, but I hope this will do for now. That Knight may have gotten away, but we prevented the city''s destruction. For that, I thank you. We''ve been evacuated to Faustenburg, but my men are still fortifying the area from royalist counterattacks."


    "What of my men?" Alephred strained to lift his head, his voice raw.


    Nicolaus said, "As I always have, they have been granted safe passage out of my territory. My offer still stands, Uncle - my fight is not with you."


    Alephred shook his head, the movement stiff from his bandaged neck. "No. Not again. I have seen it too many times - you''re not far off the man your father was at your age. He held the same wishes, the same ideals, and you see where that led us. I have no wish to see you follow that path, my boy. That is why we need change."


    "You know I can''t abandon my people, especially not in times such as these."


    "And I wish you and your father both could see it''s not them that needs you."


    They both fell quiet, then the window at the end of the hall near Alephred''s bed cracked open. Livitha and a couple Resistance agents slipped inside.


    Livitha''s eyes flashed with anger as they landed on Nicolaus. "Prince." she spat.


    He was entirely unruffled. "Hello, Livitha. If you''re here for the old man, you only had to ask. I''m sure my Lieutenant would be more than happy to help you carry him."


    She snarled back. "Tell your hound to sleep with one eye open - this isn''t over."


    "I''m sure he''ll be thrilled to hear that." Nicolaus smiled.


    The Resistance agents moved to Alephred''s bedside, carefully maneuvering to support his mummified body between them. As they shuffled toward the window, Alephred caught my eye, keen and assessing despite the pain clouding them.


    "You know, adventurer, you could do your country a lot of good." he rasped. "The Resistance could use more brave people like you."


    "He''s right, of course." Nicolaus said. "Though I would recommend putting your skills to more practical use. You don''t have to assist me, but don''t throw your lot in with those unavailing ruffians."


    Three windows popped up in front of me, each one listing the perks of a faction.


    The Loyalists: When the Crown no longer serves the people, it must be reclaimed. Prince Nicolaus and the Loyalists wish to overthrow the Corrupted King and return a stable monarch to the throne. The Loyalists hold their capital at Faustenburg in the Celestial Plains region. Players selecting this faction will remain within Faustenburg Keep.


    The Resistance: As long as there is a King, there will be a Tyrant. Alephred and the Resistance have grown tired of the abuses of the throne and wish to abolish it entirely. The Resistance is currently looking for a new headquarters and is investigating the remote city of Townsville in the King''s Woods region. Players selecting this faction will be moved to the Townsville City Hall.


    Neutral: Not my problem. You''re just a bystander; you don''t have to choose a side. Yet. Players selecting this position will not be attacked by either faction''s city guards, but will also not have access to faction-specific government or embassy buildings in any zone. Players selecting this position will remain within Faustenburg, but be moved outside the Keep. Do not return without declaring loyalty to the Loyalists.


    I''d had my mind made up since I first read about the factions. As a freedom-loving American and 16-year-old punk, there was only one choice I could realistically make.


    I met Alephred''s gaze. "Shove it up your ass, commie!" I declared, slamming my hand on the Loyalist window.


    "A pity." Alephred''s face fell. "I hope we do not meet on the battlefield, and I wish you luck with your future endeavors."


    Nicolaus nodded approvingly. "May this trouble be over soon, Uncle."


    With one last sneer in the prince''s direction, Livitha led her agents and Alephred out the window, vanishing into the sunlit city beyond.


    Nicolaus slumped back onto his bed with a groan, one hand coming up to rub at his bandaged head. "That beast got me better than I''d like to admit. If you have further questions, please direct them to Lieutenant Anderson in the command room; I need to rest."


    With that, he flopped back onto the mattress, one arm over his eyes. The soldier guarding the door stepped aside, opening the way for me to leave.


    As I stood and stretch my legs, two more notifications popped up in front of me. First was a reminder: ''Don''t forget to set your class to the one you would like to start with! Unchosen classes will be locked until their class questline has been completed.''


    I was quite happy with Mage plus my free weapons, so I dismissed that one.


    Second was a party invite from Fritz Carlton. I accepted, and the side of my UI filled with names. The game''s party size was five, but raids could go up to 50, so there was plenty of room for all nine of us. The group chat popped up a moment later.


    [Fritz Carlton]: Hey guys, check it out \O/ two arms!


    [Rose]: Good for you. Now, in case anyone was wondering, the logout button in the menu doesn''t work. This thing isn''t just going to kill us - it''s going to force us to play. What are we going to do about this?


    [Siegfried]: A lot of people are going to die before the announcement. We have to warn them.


    [Rose]: No one''s going to believe this. I don''t even fully believe it.


    [Siegfried]: Well we have to try - people''s lives are on the line.


    [Fritz Carlton]: Hey, Captain - pick ''Neutral'' - I''ll help you find your sister.


    [Flora]: Oh, right! I''ll go to Townsville, in case she picks that side. Her name''s Lily, right?


    [Captain Galactic]: Yeah.


    [Flora]: Don''t worry; we''ll find her! And your husband, Rose! What was his name?


    [Rose]: Filius. I''ve got him on messages; don''t worry.


    [Siegfried]: Has anyone else picked a faction yet? How are we distributed?


    [Percival]: I went Loyalist.


    [Davi Crockett]: I''m neutral!


    [Rose]: I already agreed to meet Filius in Townsville.


    [Excalibur]: I''m thinking about staying neutral. Wait to see which one''s got better perks, you know.


    [Lady Lucia]: There are fewer of us going to Townsville, so I''ll go with the Resistance.


    [Excalibur]: Actually, scratch that - I''m going with Team Girl!


    [Siegfried]: I''ll stay in Faustenburg then. Good luck, everyone.


    [Flora]: Let''s stay in a group until the announcement - share info.


    [Percival]: Dupe your inventory full of axes before you leave the hospital - it''ll only work with the class trial gear!


    [Fritz Carlton]: Sounds good. I''m going to go through the rest of this dialogue; talk to you when I''m outside.


    I left the messaging window open but moved it off to the side. Nothing left to do now but enter the game world proper.


    But before that, I leaned against a bedpost. The image of the Black Knight was stuck in my mind. I should have known it from the first second I saw it. Those eyes... those horrible, staring stars.


    A choked laugh forced its way out of my throat.


    Given who''d given me my Dive Unit, of course they were behind this. Of course that was what this was! But hey, if there were going to show me how to kill those monsters properly, I wasn''t going to complain. These virtual replicas were nothing - I was going to eviscerate every last one of those bastards.


    ---


    Next time:


    It''s launch day, and the mood is fervorous. Players run wild, unchained by the limits of reality in a world ripe for exploration - and unaware of just how much danger they are truly in. The group take it upon themselves to try and stop as many unnecessary deaths as possible, but, sometimes, truth is difficult to accept.


    Episode 2: Welcome to Hell

 Ep 2: Welcome to Hell

    ¡ª EPISODE TWO ¡ª


    Welcome to Hell


    Project Dawnfall - launch day! The players are excitedly exploring this new world, testing the limitations of the engine and mechanics. However, they are unaware of the dangers around them. The tutorial group appears to be the only ones aware that the game is rigged to actually kill them, and the official announcement won¡¯t be until tonight. That¡¯s a lot of time for unsuspecting deaths, and they have to do what they can to prevent them. The problem is it sounds like a sick joke - how are they going to convince them?


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Contents:


    Chapter 6: The Gateway to New Horizons - Faustenburg?(Release - 10/27)


    Chapter 7: Soft Disclosure?(Release - 10/29)


    Chapter 8: Welcome!?(Release - 10/31)

 Ch 6: The Gateway to New Horizons - Faustenburg

    ¡ª CHAPTER SIX ¡ª


    The Gateway to New Horizons - Faustenburg


    -Fritz-


    The girl standing in front of me had shaggy black hair that went down to her shoulders. She clutched Captain Galactic tightly against her chest, her big green eyes wide with a mix of fear and relief. Her name was Lily of the Valley. Couldn''t have been more than a teenager herself.


    "Jesus..." she breathed out.


    "Yeah." I nodded.


    "Well thank you for being there for him!"


    "It was plenty more than just me - I can''t take all the credit. You stay safe out there!"


    "I''ll warn anyone I meet!" Lily patted the Captain on the back, gently leading him away with a brave smile. "Come on, Robbie, let''s... check out the restaurants! The food''s gotta be good here!"


    "O-ok..."


    "Don''t forget to party up so you don''t lose each other!" I called after them.


    "Right, thank you!" she called over her shoulder with a small wave.


    Watching them blend back into the crowd, I had to wonder: how many kids were gonna play this game, and how many of those weren''t going to have anyone to help them? And why would anyone want to do that? What could someone possibly get out of trapping any of us in the game? But asking ''why'' wasn''t going to solve anything; I had to focus on what I could actually do to help.


    With a sigh, I started walking and pulled up the group chat.


    [Fritz Carlton]: The Captain has been returned to his sister.


    [Flora]: Good; that''s one worry off my chest. Has anyone been able to get a foothold convincing people we''re in danger?


    [Siegfried]: No, and there are still over five hours to go until the official announcement.


    [Filius]: I admit I find it hard to believe myself - if it wasn''t Rose telling me, I''d dismiss it as a joke in bad taste.


    [Percival]: I''ve gone out into the forest. The mobs I''ve found so far are weak, so there''s not much danger even if someone pulls a whole bunch of them at once.


    [Rose]: Someone will Erik their way into danger.


    [Filius]: You put enough inquisitive monkeys in a cage and they''re bound to find flaws.


    [Lady Lucia]: The man I was just talking to, when I told him the logout button doesn''t work, started having a conniption, then it turned into a general rant against women.


    [Rose]: You can''t save people from themselves; move on to the next one.


    I slid the chat window off to the side.


    On any other day, Faustenburg would have been a beautiful sight. Colorful tiled roofs, streets lined with vibrant trees, bushes bursting with fantastical flowers. The skyline was dominated by two hills covered in lively magical decorations, shops, and industrial buildings.


    NPCs went about their routines, seemingly oblivious to the chaos unfolding around them. The players ran through the crowds, crawling and clambering over anything they could get their hands on like a swarm of toddlers.


    Floating lamps bobbed over the streets, serving as streetlights. Players used the trees to climb up, jump, and grab them, swinging and riding on them with whoops and hollers. Some had managed to parkour their way up to the roofs of the two-story buildings and were actively looking for paths to the three-story ones. Players that started Berserker had an advantage with their leap.


    Percival may have been right about how weak the mobs were, but fall damage didn''t take prisoners.


    Not a dozen yards from me, someone was climbing across a crossbeam underneath the peak of a house, probably aiming to use the flower box under the window there to boost up to the roof. As I stopped to watch him, his hand slipped from the narrow lip of the beam. For a moment, he dangled off the side of the building, then fell. On instinct, I sprinted in, arms outstretched. He fell heavily into me, nearly bowling me over with him.


    "Woah there, man." I pushed him back to his feet.


    Taco Bellmont, as his nameplate read, smiled and slapped me on the shoulder. "Thanks, bro!"


    One of his buddies still on the roof called down, "You almost got halfway that time!"


    Bellmont jogged back over to his starting point. A couple of his friends reached down to help haul him back up.


    I called after him, "Take it easy there, man; you don''t want to get yourself killed!"


    "Who cares?" another guy on the roof laughed. "We''ll just respawn! My turn!" He hopped off the roof and grabbed the lip of the crossbeam with his fingertips, swinging dangerously before steadying himself and starting to inch his way across.


    "Don''t be too sure about that! One of the guys in my tutorial group died, and his brainless body was just lying there. The admin, uh..." I trailed off. I immediately felt insane, and didn''t even know where to start with that admin.


    One of the climber''s friends scoffed. "Psh, who dies in a tutorial? He probably just rage quit out of embarrassment."


    Another chimed in, "Yeah, if people were turning into vegetated husks, they''d be piling up at the graveyard or wherever you respawn."


    "I think I read it''s the church?" one of them added.


    I shook my head. "They''re supposed to be deleted - that was a tutorial glitch. Just try the logout button in your menu - it doesn''t do anything!"


    Bellmont waved a dismissive hand. "Look, bro, it''s probably just a menu bug - which is kinda worrying, sure, but nothing to start fearmongering over." He tapped his knuckles against his skull. "They wouldn''t sell these things if they were physically capable of killing people. That doesn''t make any sense! Chill out, bro."


    Meanwhile, their friend had made it about three arm-lengths along the ledge before his fingers slipped. He plummeted headfirst onto the cobblestones below with a sickening crunch, his health bar dropping by a third. Springing back up, he wobbled around clutching his head. "Woah, that doesn''t feel too good..."


    His buddies just laughed and helped boost him back onto the roof. I tried one last time. "Could you just... hold off until tonight?" But they weren''t listening to me anymore.


    Shaking my head, I kept walking. You''d think people would at least err on the side of caution here. Honestly, it still didn''t quite feel real to me either. There had to have been some safety checks on the Dive Units, right? He was right - how would they be allowed on the market? And what was the motive? If we were actually getting hurt, it couldn''t be ransom, and... that was the only thing that made even the remotest of sense to me!


    What if that admin was just screwing with us? Sure, it''d be in incredibly poor taste, but what was more likely - one sicko messing with people, or the entire game being engineered to murder us? Then again, there was that look in his eyes. He was so... sad. That was a man telling a truth he didn''t want to acknowledge.


    I could only hope it was a joke, but until tonight, I had to believe it.


    |Ace>


    A bell chimed as we entered the general store. It was a small place with a couple short aisles filled with displays flanking either side of the entryway. The rest of the store''s perimeter was lined with shelves bearing all manner of adventuring goods.


    "Welcome!" The NPC shopkeeper behind the counter greeted us with a broad, slightly vacant smile and an enthusiastic wave. Feeling awkward to just leave her hanging, I waved back with a "Hey."


    Following me in was a woman that needs no introduction - Cherry Keane.


    <Cherry|?Thanks, Ace, great to be here.


    |Ace>?We made our way down the aisles, perusing the eclectic mix of items. Anything you could need for a quest, all in one room! They had trail food - jerky, dried fruit, nuts - right next to a shelf of low-level potions in glass vials of varying colors.


    Cherry picked up a dark, muddy concoction and held it up to the light. "Whaddya think this one tastes like? Dirt?"


    "It looks more like root beer to me. Or one of those fudge things we used to put gummy worms in!"


    "We should get gummy worms! ... Later! How much will you give me to chug this whole thing?"


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    "That tiny thing? There''s not enough to ''chug''! Besides, it''s 50 pfennigs - you''d have to pay me to let you blow all our money on a thimble of mud."


    "Spoilsport." She set it back down. "Where''s your sense of adventure?"


    We moved further down the aisle. Metal racks from floor to ceiling were covered an assortment of tools - hammers, nails, basic cooking gear for both the kitchen and road.


    I picked up a shovel and pickaxe. "Hey, how deep do you think we can dig with these?"


    "Oooh, what if the world just... ends! No bottom, only void! How wild would that be?!"


    "Only one way to find out! These are only... 30 pfennigs for the pair!"


    Cherry picked a spear off the rack. "Yeah, but look at the quality of these weapons - they''re even junkier than the starting gear. If we''re digging into oblivion, we''ll need the good stuff!"


    I set them down and we kept walking into the adventuring supplies. "Gear is always useful."


    "There''s everything you need to go camping." She picked up one of the bedrolls. "Do you think it''s healthy to sleep in here?"


    "We are in our actual beds in real life, and it''s not like having a screen in front of your face; this thing is basically dreaming, right? You want to try it before the summer gets out?"


    "Dude, hell yeah! I dig it!"


    "Like we''re gonna dig to China?"


    "Oh my god, what if they have another server down there?!"


    She darted ahead while I paused to look at the backpacks. They had to be physically carried - couldn''t be put into your personal inventory - but provided extra storage. Decently large expansion, too. I was no where near maxing out my natural inventory, though, so I held off. Torches and lanterns however... You never know when you''re going to need a light source until you''re exploring some catacombs a mile under the surface. I picked up a hooded lantern and checked for a price.


    "Ace, check this out!" Cherry shouted, popping up from behind a shelving unit holding up a lute. She struck a rockstar pose and strummed a ''sound''. "We''ve gotta get this!"


    "How much is it? We only have 72 pfennigs."


    She read the description. "2 kingsmarks? How much is that?!"


    "200 pennies, I imagine."


    "Ugh, these prices are ridiculous."


    "We''ve only been playing half an hour!" I said. "Let''s get collecting bear asses and get you set up as the next fantasy folk sensation!"


    But she didn''t put it down. She got that distinctly Cherry look in her eye. That ''I''m about to do something wild - and I''m dragging you along with me!'' look. "Or... what''s stopping us from just... walking out of here right now?"


    I surveyed the shop. The only other being in there with us was the NPC, whose vacant smile hadn''t so much as twitched. Just how advanced were Dawnfall''s anti-theft systems?


    "... Let''s find out." But why stop at a lute? The items had a warning in their descriptions - ''This item cannot be placed into your inventory'' - but that didn''t mean we couldn''t grab an armful. I pointed over to the rack of travelling cloaks. "Grab one of those!"


    She smiled manically, snagging a dark grey cloak and running over to the potions. "We''re gonna sample all the flavors, baby!" She started sweeping armfuls into the cloak, wrapping them up in a bundle. "Dibs on anything that tastes like blue raspberry!"


    I threw some jerky on top.


    "I saw some bread and cheese over there!" She flew down the far aisle, throwing in sourdough and Swiss.


    While she was looting the charcuterie board, I grabbed that lantern I was eyeing, then saw a black, write-able journal in the stationary section. Sure, we had places to write in the menus, but you can''t beat free!


    Cherry joined me in the supplies aisle and picked up a bedroll, but I stopped her. "That''s kind of big; it might be hard to carry. ... Save it for the second visit." She nodded and put it back, then I got an idea.


    I found a big backpack with a bunch of straps and slots on the side and attached the big stuff to it! Camping supplies, digging tools, sure, why not throw in a fishing rod? And while the items couldn''t go in the inventory, there was still the physical space inside that was big enough for a couple bedrolls and blankets!


    I slung the pack on my shoulders, and Cherry tied the bundle tight and slung it over her shoulder. We gave each other a look. Deep breaths. This was the point of no return.


    We positioned ourselves near the door. The NPC attendant continued to stare forward over our heads with that vacant smile.


    "On my mark." I said. "Three, two, one... Go!"


    I drove my boot into the wood of the door, busting it open.


    The shopkeep jerked her head up, glassy eyes focusing in with fury. "Thief! Guards, thief!" Reaching under the counter, she produced a pump-action shotgun, its barrel glowing a cool blue. I hit the deck just as a blast of pure elemental ice exploded over my head, flash-freezing the door frame. It locked the door in a partially-open state.


    Cherry slipped right out, but my backpack was too bulky; I had to wiggle and squirm. She grabbed me by the collar and yanked, popping me through a heartbeat before another icy shell slammed into the door. The enraged shopkeeper vaulted the counter, running after us with murder in the eyes. But that wasn''t our only problem.


    We turned to run only to see, charging in from both ends of the street, town guards carrying spears tipped with crackling lightning. The smattering of players between the two lines of guards dove for cover as they closed in.


    "Alley, there!" Cherry pointed across the street.


    We ran for it, me pushing Cherry''s head down as another cryo-shell whizzed by to explode against the alley wall in a nova of ice shards.


    It wasn''t ~quite~ an alley - it was a side entrance to one of the buildings, and the far end was walled off. I started to slow down to shoulder through the door, but Cherry kept going at the wall full-tilt. Feet flying, she ricocheted off the close-set walls and bounced over to the next street.


    "Come on; you know I don''t know how to do that stuff!"


    She popped back on top of the wall and reached back for me. "Take my hand!"


    I leapt for all I was worth, stretching my arms up and faceplanting into the brick. Cherry''s fingers locked around my wrists like a vice. I scrabbled at the brick, trying to get a grip with my shoes and climb as she heaved me up.


    With a grunt of effort, Cherry hauled me onto the crest of the wall. No time to catch me breath, though; I could see the flash of light.


    I rolled over the far side of the wall, falling underneath the trajectory of a blast of ice and landing on top of Cherry, flattening us both on the ground. I could already hear the guards double back, seeking another route to cut us off.


    We managed to roll away from each other, Cherry picking up her bundle while I used a box full of flowers to help myself stand.


    "Go, go, go!" Cherry chanted, running down the clear street. For a second, it looked like we were in the clear - no sign of guards ahead of us.


    "I don''t hear them!" I said.


    "Hah! Another victory for Jack and Liz!" She punched the air. "Nothin'' but W''s, baby!"


    Then I heard a buzzing... above us? Looking up, I said, "Don''t say that ye-" A large metallic bird flew low over the rooftops, a quick whirring sound come from the rapid flapping of its wings and a metal bow strapped to its belly.


    Cherry followed my gaze. "What the-"


    It swooped on us, and the box snapped open. A net shot out, unfolding as it flew straight for Cherry. She yelped as it engulfed her. "Aagh!" She tripped mid-stride, wiping out and rolling a dozen feet down the street. Bright blue and yellow sparks flew off the net. "Bluh-bluh-bluh-bluh!" she sputtered and convulsed.


    I skidded to a stop beside her and drew my sword, poking at the netting, but I didn''t know how to cut it without carving her up. No time to think about it - shouting came from down the street behind us - the guards were back in sight and closing in. As the electricity died down, I got on my knees and started pulling on it, trying to find an opening.


    "Woah there!" someone shouted. Cherry slipped out of my hands as she was yoinked up by a skinny guy with dirty blonde hair and the ragged armor of a Lancer. "No time for that - just run!" He slung Cherry over his shoulder, net and all, and ran down the street.


    The guards were only a few second away now. I jumped back to my feet and ran after the man - Fritz Carlton, as I caught his nameplate - not looking back as we fled.


    We rounded corners, zig-zagging toward the edge of the city. Luckily, they only sent the one bird, and as long as we stuck to the alleys, it didn''t seem to be able to get a clear shot. From there, it was a relatively clear chase - we steadily gained distance from the guards.


    At last, the buildings fell away and we burst out onto an open countryside road that rode the rolling hills out into the distance. Now that we were in the open, I was certain that we were no longer being followed.


    Fritz staggered to a halt and dumped Cherry in the dirt before collapsing beside her, chest heaving. "I can''t feel my arms." he groaned, flopping spread-eagle across the road.


    "I can''t feel anything!" Cherry mumbled, wrapped up in a ball.


    I tossed off my backpack and dropped to my knees with my sword in hand, setting to work sawing through the threads of the net. It took a few minutes, but it gradually started to loosen; we got some holes big enough to get her limbs out and managed to untangle her.


    The moment her last limb was wiggled out, Cherry sprung to her feet with a whoop, throwing her hands skyward. "Woo, yeah! Freedom! I love this game!"


    While she was retrieving her bundle of stuff, Fritz sat up. "What''d you two do?" he asked.


    "Robbed a place!" Cherry replied cheerily. "Want a root beer?"


    "Always." He caught the vial she tossed his way and kicked it back in one swig - only to double over, coughing and sputtering. "Ack! That is not root beer! It tastes like potting soil!"


    "Aw, man; I grabbed five of them!"


    "Notes for next time!" I shrugged. "What else did we grab? That jerky''s looking good." And it was! A moment later, Cherry and I were both gnawing on some delightfully salted meat.


    Fritz said, "Maybe hold off on the crimes, guys - those guards didn''t seem like they wanted to take you in."


    "Aw, what''s the worst that can happen?" Cherry asked. "They''ll take our stuff away? Make us wait for a respawn?"


    Fritz''s gaze drifted, his brow furrowed in thought. "Look, I know this is gonna sound crazy, but just... hear me out here."


    That''s when he dropped the bomb on us. The whole brain-dead thing.


    At the end, I said, "You''re right, that does sound crazy."


    "Nice!" Cherry nodded. "It''s like one of my Japanese animes! Talk about hardcore mode!"


    Fritz held up his hands. "I know, I know. It''s wild. But I''ve got it on good authority. Just... try to stay out of trouble until tonight, okay? That''s when the guy said he''ll lay it all out for everyone."


    I was a little torn - something like that was... impossible. This was real life! Except, well, it wasn''t. Either way, if it was just ''until tonight'', I didn''t see any problem with humoring it.


    "I think we''ve got enough loot for one day." I said.


    "Hey," Cherry asked, "how long do the guards stay hostile? ''Cause if it''s permanent, that''s gonna suck."


    "Like you''ve never fantasized about being a brigand." I said.


    "Ugh, I wish I was rich. Then the guards would help me steal!"


    "I''m not having that conversation with you right now. Come on, we got these shovels; let''s find some pirate treasure!"


    Cherry said, "I thought we were going fishing."


    I said, "Oh yeah, that''s how this started."


    "This game''s got fishing?" Fritz asked.


    "It''s one of the utility classes." I nodded.


    "Utility classes?"


    "Yeah, crafting, gathering, all that. They''re on the side of the class tree. That''s what we were trying to unlock when we got sidetracked."


    "Where do you learn to fish?" he asked.


    I brought up my map. "The guild office gave us a breadcrumb. It looks like it points to... the lake north of the city."


    "That''s convenient." Cherry said. "No way the guards go that far, right?"


    Fritz chuckled. "Sounds like you two have plenty to keep you busy. Good luck!"


    I slung my new pack over my shoulder. "Even if this is a prank, thanks for pulling us out of there!"


    "Don''t mention it! Really, I don''t need the heat!" He waved as he started back toward the city.


    We headed off toward the lake, this death thing nagging at the back of my mind. Well, whatever. True or not, it was a lovely day with a refreshing wind. Perfect for a spot of fishing. ... If only I could get it out of my head. How? How many people would have to be in on it? And why? He said there would be an explanation tonight, so we just had to sit tight. That led me back to fishing, but this gnawing worm in my gut kept me from fishing, and it went in circles. Anticipation really is the worst.

 Ch 7: Soft Diclosure

    ¡ª CHAPTER SEVEN ¡ª


    Soft Disclosure


    -Fritz-


    "I believe you!"


    I blinked. "You do?"


    Faustenburg was surrounded by a curtain wall on its north, west, and south sides. There weren''t many places to exit through that wall, so it naturally funneled exploring people to the east side, where the city blended into a forest where the first mobs and tasks were. The neat lines and curves of the streets wobbled as they faded from brick to gravel and dirt. The buildings shrunk and grew further apart as nature began to dominate.


    While heading out there, I started up a conversation with a man - perfectly normal guy in his mid-thirties.


    "Of course! It''s exactly the what the CIA would do!" he exclaimed, eyes going wide. "Whipping up our brain activity while keeping our bodies comatose, all so they can harvest the adrenochrome from our blood!"


    "... Oh." I did my best to keep smiling. I was just as crazy as he was, after all. "Why, uh, why would they want that?"


    "It''s what the starlings feed on!"


    I thought about dropping out there, but you know what? Why not? "What''s a, uh... ''starling''?"


    The man quickly glanced to the side and leaned in a little closer. "They''re a race of aliens that crash landed on Earth back in the 30s. They''ve infiltrated the world governments, drip-feeding us their technology to bring us up to their level and make us more dependent on them! The endgame? Turning humanity into their puppet as they rebuild their galactic empire!" He tapped on his temple. "How else do you think they created these Dive Units? You think this is possible with modern technology?!"


    He had a point on that - these things came out of nowhere. There was nothing close to what they were capable of, then, *bang* ''We cracked it guys - true VR - check out the previews at the next con - it''s gonna be the next big thing.'' How tightly closed the development was weird, too, but we chalked it up to protecting the tech while they built the flagship game. There were vague promises of opening the system up to other developers sometime after launch, but there were no dev tools released.


    All that being said, I was confident neither me nor this guy knew enough about these things to say how they worked. At least, the people that got to take one apart seemed to think they were using normal stuff you''d find in any advanced electronic device.


    "So why are you in here?" I asked. "Aren''t you playing right into their hands?"


    "You have to know your enemy! I''m scouting - seeing what they''re trying to implant in our heads - or at least I was. Confarn it, I did fall into their trap!" He opened his menu and smashed on the logout button repeatedly and in vain.


    "We all did, buddy." I nodded and patted him on the shoulder. "So... how exactly do you know about these ''starlings''?"


    He closed out his menu and his eyes took on a haunted glaze. "I saw it. In college, went off trail skiing on Mount Shasta - wound up deep in the woods when I found it. A pitch black thing crawling through the fresh snow - like the sky itself had dripped to the surface!"


    "Did it see you?"


    "No... but they did! They got to me - tried to wipe my memory - but I held on! I know what I saw!" His voice rose frantically as he spoke. He grabbed my arm and looked me in the eye with increasing desperation.


    "I believe you!"


    "... You do?"


    "Yeah! Of course they''d be trying to get at that... sweet adrenochrome in our blood! Listen, I''m gonna keep warning folks not to die in here, alright?"


    The man''s shoulders slumped. "They don''t care about the truth. They just want to believe they still have control over their lives. And that''s how they want to keep them."


    "Well I still gotta try. You stay safe out there, yeah?"


    "You too, friend!" The man shuffled off, disappearing around a corner.


    I blew out a breath and shook my head. Did that count as a win? You know what? Yeah. That was a win in my book.


    \Davi/


    Players started with practically nothing - one combat class and no utility classes. The first thing anyone is going to want to do, I figured, was to unlock those. According to the notes on the class tree, there was a place called the guild office that pointed players to all of their available class unlocks. That was obviously going to be a high-traffic area.


    And because I was too nervous to try and shout to the crowd, my idea was to put up a sign so that anyone going out on a quest would know to be wary of danger! I found a store that offered customizable signs, bought a simple wooden one, and wrote out a message in big bold red.


    ''Warning: The respawn penalty is really rough. Do not die or endanger yourself under any circumstance!''


    There! It was... a little more believable than the truth, and targeted something gamers would care about! Now to find a good place for it.


    The plaza that the guild office was part of was just as busy as I thought it''d be - people streamed through in every direction. It was definitely one of the most popular places in the city, but would that work against me? There was so much commotion that it would be easy to miss one dinky little sign. Maybe it would be better inside, where people could see it as they were about to sign up for dangerous situations. Yeah!


    Fighting the current, I swam my way into the office. It was a very open-plan, dome-shaped building. Kind of felt like a convention hall with how the crowd of people clustered around kiosks where the NPCs handed out the class quests. They excitedly discussed class options and skill combos. It also looked like the office handled player guild management with how one group of players was discussing names off in a corner.


    Placing the sign by one of the kiosks would mean all the others would miss it - I needed something more generally visible. Much of the wall space was filled with advertisements and notices for NPC shops and services - restaurant listings and the like. There were blank sections between those, presumably for players to put up their own ads. No one had anything to put up yet, so even my little sign would stick out! It was perfect!


    I walked up to an empty space, lifted the sign, and set it on the wall. A notification popped up, ''You cannot place that decoration here.''


    Figures. You had to buy advertising space, but I didn''t have anything left.


    I thought for a moment, then poked around the sign''s settings menu and found a ''display stake'' option. Ticking that spawned a simple pole beneath the wood board that let me set the sign in front of the empty wall!


    There! I stepped back and checked how well it stood out. The bright red was perfect, but maybe it would pop out more if the text had a border or drop shadow on it? Was I overthinking it?


    As I was contemplating, two men stopped by me to read what I''d put down.


    "How bad is it?" one of them asked.


    I said, "Bad enough that I''m considering remaking my character; I just don''t know if I want to go through that intro again. ... Oh, wait! The logout button isn''t working, is it?! I guess I''m stuck with... a permanent -1 to all of my stats!"


    "Geez, permanent?!"


    The other man frowned. "Wait, what was that about the logout button?"


    "Oh, it doesn''t work." I opened my menu and showed it to them as I tapped on the exit button with no reaction.


    The first man said, "Man, I''ve got dinner in two hours! How the hell do you release a game with that broken?!"


    "Your wife will probably unplug you; it''ll be fine. I live alone though. Hey, if I''m still in here by midnight, come by and shut it down, will you?"


    A wave of overwhelming dread crashed over me. What would happen if we were force-disconnected from the server? The admin seemed to imply there was no way out, so would being unplugged automatically kill us? There was nothing I could do to prevent that. Not even telling the players the truth would help - that man''s wife was going to accidentally kill him, and neither of us could do anything about it.


    I could see it - she would come into the bedroom. ''Honey, it''s dinner time! I know you just got your new game, but you still have to eat!''


    Seeing him unresponsive, she would unplug the Dive Unit. Sparks fly as it... did its thing, but she wouldn''t know what was going on. She just tries to nudge him awake. ''Honey, get up!''


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    But he would remain still. She removes the Dive Unit, shaking him with increasing desperation, more frantic by the second. Why won''t he wake up? She''d scream, begging for him to open his eyes.


    Oh God, why? Why was any of this happening?!


    The man in front of me, noticing the fear on my face, said, "Cheer up, bud; you can probably pay to get the debuff removed at a... church or something. Anyway, thanks for the heads up!" The pair of them walked away.


    I needed more signs - we needed to put them up everywhere! But this one cost all of the money I''d gotten from the intro. Why was I too nervous to ask Percival for instructions on how to dupe those starting items?!


    I needed money, and fast. Quests - that''s a way to earn cash, right?


    I turned around and approached one of the kiosks, where an NPC greeted me with a generic smile. A menu popped up, displaying a list of all the classes I was eligible for with breadcrumb quests pointing to where I could find the unlock quests. There wasn''t time to read them; I accepted them all - I''d look at them while I walked.


    Behind me, another group of guys gathered around my sign. In the middle stood a giant, bear-looking man with a greataxe slung across his back. His nameplate read ''Mortre''. As he read the sign, he chuckled heartily. "Oh-ho! Who''s up for a little competition?! Fight to the death - loser has to play with a handicap!"


    The guys around him erupted with excitement and started getting rowdy. I was horrified - how did that backfire so fast?!


    "No!" I shouted, running over to the group. "Please, reconsider that! The penalty is bad - like, reset your account kind of bad!"


    One of the guys grinned. "Hell yeah; playing on hard mode!"


    "That''s why it''s a punishment!" Mortre boomed.


    Suddenly, Siegfried appeared beside me. "Excuse me, I couldn''t help but overhear. You know the game has a built-in duel system, right? It leaves you on 1 HP at the end of a fight - you can beat each other up without the unnecessary deaths."


    One of the guys scoffed, "Where''s the fun in that?"


    "In the sport of the fight!" Siegfried said. "Why not hold a tournament? Level 1 only - see who''s the best fighter with only the most basic mechanics available! Open it up the public! The most duel victories by sunset is the grand winner!"


    Mortre nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "I like the way you''re thinking, but there''s gotta be a punishment for the losers! It''s not the same if you''re not risking anything!"


    "Would a reward not be enough?" Siegfried asked.


    "No, you need that fire pushing you forward! That''s where mettle is forged!"


    Siegfried paused for a moment, then suggested, "How about this: the bottom... 10% or so get executed - make them play with the respawn penalty."


    "Now we''re talking!" Mortre roared, turning to his group. "You boys up for a league?!"


    The group cheered. Again, I was horrified - how could Siegfried suggest that?! He knew!


    He pulled me off to the side, his voice low, and said, "Look, we won''t call the winners and losers until after sunset. By that point, the admin will have made the announcement. It''s fine; we just need to keep them busy for the afternoon."


    I nodded. "Oh, good idea!"


    Siegfried called over to the group. "You guys mind running around spreading the word? I''ll find a good spot in the fields northeast of the city!"


    "You got it!" Mortre gave him a thumbs up.


    Leaving the guild office together, I said, "Thanks for stepping in there."


    "No problem. Smart idea with the sign - and the penalty thing."


    "Oh! Right, I need to tell the group!" I quickly pulled up the group chat and informed them people were responding to the idea of a ''respawn penalty''.


    [Rose]: Clever - we don''t need them to believe the truth, just to avoid the consequences.


    As we started through town, I said, "You know, you remind me of my brother."


    "Oh?"


    "Yeah, he always protected me from the neighborhood bullies. He lives across the state, at college, so I don''t see him that much anymore."


    "Does he play games?" Siegfried asked. "This one seems - seemed - like it would be good for long-distance relationships."


    "Oh yeah - it was his idea! We were supposed to play together, but I don''t know when he''ll log on or how to find him - I don''t know what username he uses."


    Siegfried frowned. "With any luck, he won''t log on at all. But if he does, I''d love to meet him."


    (Percival)


    Faustenburg was set at the intersection of a desert and the plains. The southwestern gate of the city opened directly into a stretch of rolling grass hills fading into dunes like the edge of a beach. Walking just a few steps down that road, it didn''t take long to run into some very high level mobs - the map said the zone was intended for level 16-20. No one was going out that way yet.


    North and east of the city was a level 1-5 zone called the Faustenburg Plains. That was the obvious starting point. The first section of that zone - where pretty much every quest that pointed out of the city led - was the forest adjacent to the city. If anyone was going to die to mobs, it was most likely going to be there.


    As forests go, I was genuinely impressed with what they did with the place. In most games, forests are far too open and accessible - but not here. The sky was obscured by a thick canopy with streaks of light dappling through here and there, keeping most of it in heavy shadows even in the day. A thick layer of soft, squishy detritus covered the ground, hiding stray roots and rocks to trip on. Big mossy rocks, fallen trees, walls of ferns and bushes, and steep slopes held together by the root networks made it hard to navigate anywhere off the narrow paths, though they didn''t outright stop you from climbing up and wandering free.


    They absolutely nailed the smell, too, for better and worse. The air had that heavy, wet feeling of earth and decay to it. The trees leaned in around you, closing in from every direction, but keeping every side open enough that you could never be sure if that scritching and growling was coming toward you or not.


    The mobs didn''t quite follow your normal ''patrol an area until something comes into range, then attack'' routine. They''d stalk you for a while, waiting either for you to stop or enough of them to group up, then ambush you. It was alarming the first couple times, but once you caught on to what was happening, it was a matter of keeping my ears out for the extra rustling as I walked, then throwing fireballs out to trigger the attack on my terms.


    The place was absolutely dripping with wolves and slimes, and I killed every one I came across as I wandered around - usually relying on the sword I''d duped in the intro. Numerically, magic was pretty weak - even the basic sword swings without skills were doing more damage than the fireballs. But hey, conjuring fire was still fun! I was holding out hope for better stuff at higher levels. I''d always dreamed about being a wizard. - And now, I roleplay one at a theme park for a living! Who says dreams don''t come true?!


    Anyway, my casual genocide of the forest''s large predator population was interrupted by frustrated shouting. Pausing to listen, more shouts followed, along with the sound of splintering wood. It sounded like whole trees were breaking apart. I hadn''t seen anything nearly big enough to do that, so I ran to investigate.


    I caught myself from going over a ledge. Nestled into a hilly section of forest, a circular arena sat at the bottom of a pit roughly a dozen yards wide and dotted with thin, tall, leafless trees. Sharp spurts extruded from the tree trunks like spears, aimed to impale a player that was running around down there.


    Leonard - an quite plain guy in a swordfighter''s gear, his scruffy brown hair ruffled from all the action - wove between the spikes, parrying and dodging as he chased after a trail of blooming ferns and undergrowth that fled around the edge of the arena. "Hold still for a second so I can kill you!"


    The plants sprouted as fast as he trimmed them, and the number of spikes blocking his path was only growing, slowly choking away his maneuvering space as he was led in circles.


    Once I was certain the guy wasn''t going to manage it on his own, I shouted, "Igni!" and threw out a fireball at the row of bushes blooming across the field. They caught fire, the flames following the plants as they formed, overtaking and consuming the whole basin.


    Soon, all the greenery had been burnt away, leaving nothing but a floating green crystal the size of a human head. Its nameplate read ''Life Elemental'', and it was already down to one third of its health. It turned to either side, seeming confused at its sudden lack of cover.


    Leo cried out in triumph. "You''re mine now!" He dropped his sword and dagger and drew a greataxe from his belt, positioning it behind himself to ready a leap.


    The trees lunged for him with their spikes, but they were too slow to stop him as he sailed across the arena. The elemental watched him, frozen like a deer in headlights, as he crashed down on top of it, burying his axe in the crystal.


    It shattered, spraying glittering green shards into the air that disintegrated into blue dust. As it died, the spears retracted into the trees and the burnt underbrush faded into nothing, resetting the arena to a blank state.


    Leo stood up and sighed with relief, putting his axe over his shoulder and wiping his brow as he turned to me. "What was that for, dude?! I had it under control!"


    "I, uh... hear the respawn penalty is brutal. Something like you lose all of your progress on your current level and half your money. It''s not worth the risk."


    "Ah really?" he rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks, then!"


    Hopping down to the arena, I asked, "What is this place? Home of a rare spawn?"


    "It''s for one of the class quests." he explained. "Gotta complete a contract for the swordfighter''s guild to become a member!"


    "Anyone that wants to be a swordfighter has to fight this thing?"


    "No, they offered me a bunch of different contracts - you get a bonus reward based on which one you do. People that started Medic have to be able to get other classes, y''know? This one was listed as the hardest!" He chuckled. "I guess I wasn''t as ready for it as I thought. I think Mage will be my next unlock; I heard it was weak, but shouldn''t''ve underestimated the utility!"


    "Amen to that."


    Putting his axe away and swapping back to his sword and dagger, he asked, "What about you? What are you doing out here if you''re not on the quest?"


    "I''m just... taking in the nature. Does this count as touching grass?"


    "Close enough for me!" he laughed. "Good luck, dude; I want to get through these other classes before I log off for the day!" With a final wave, he jogged off, disappearing into the trees.


    As I watched him go, I wondered if I should have been doing the class quests. I was out in the forest anyway, and they might have pointed me toward the places people would have been in the most danger. It was almost seven - only an hour left until the announcement. Probably not long enough to run back to the city and get them, so nothing for it at that point.


    I could still stick around there - if it was the hardest contract, then it would be the most likely to kill. I climbed back up the rim of the arena and found a sturdy tree that wouldn''t stab me, then climbed up to get a vantage point to light fires as needed.


    -Fritz-


    The hiss of quenching metal and tink of hammers resounded through the smoky air on Faustenburg''s southern hill. The crest held a plaza surrounded with smithies and shops specializing in blacksmithing goods. But that''s not what I was there for.


    I was sitting on the low wall that lined the path that spiraled up the hill''s side. It had a fantastic view over the city''s wall and into the desert beyond. From there, I watched the clouds of dark sand blowing on the twilight wind.


    Had I made any real difference today? It sounded like several of the other groups had found ways to convince people to avoid dying, but it didn''t feel like I''d had any major impact.


    "You! Hey you!" Taco Bellmont - that guy I''d seen climbing buildings earlier - came sprinting up to me, eyes wide. "You''re the the dude that told us not to die! Well my buddy, he fell off the clock tower and hasn''t respawned!" He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me. "I thought it was a prank! I thought he logged out after he died to freak me out, but the logout button doesn''t work! Where did he go, man?! WHERE DID HE GO?!" His voice broke into hysterical sobs as he collapsed beside me on the wall, face buried in his arms.


    I opened my mouth but no words came. All I could do was watch.


    "I... don''t know man." I whispered, putting a hand on his shaking back. "I just don''t know."

 Ch 8: Welcome!

    ¡ª CHAPTER EIGHT ¡ª


    Welcome!


    {Lucy}


    Townsville could loosely be described as the result of a drunkard building a child''s fort in a junkyard. Not a single wall was completely straight, and the roads meandered in scenic arcs between buildings built to lean on and integrate with the largest trees of the forest that pervaded the city.


    As the sun set, the crooked towers of the downtown district looked like black, jagged teeth against the twilight sky. In real life, I would have wondered what could have possibly allowed civil planning to go this wrong, but there, in game, I could appreciate the beauty. It was an artistic take on the construction of a city. It was fascinating, if nothing else.


    However, few people were in the same frame of mind as me.


    As the day had drawn on and more had noticed players were not respawning, they were beginning to take the ''rumors'' seriously. With each minute, the panic grew. They searched for answers they already had but refused to accept. If nothing was done soon, a riot would break out. And if that''s what it came to, I was half inclined to join them.


    Until then, the Townsville team had agreed to meet outside the airship factory - a hangar in the city''s industrial yards cobbled together from raw, undecorated metal scaffolding and rusting plates. From the rail of a walkway leading up to the factory''s observation balcony, I watched the masses running back and forth like chickens. I couldn''t explain my own comparative calmness; I found I had simply... accepted it all as inevitable.


    Below me, Rose and Filius sagged against each other on a bench, exhausted from all the talking we''d had to do. I couldn''t blame them; all I wanted at the moment was to be left alone for a while. Even Excalibur was sitting quietly in the shade of a tree. Only Flora was pacing in front of us, fidgeting with her hands and struggling to slow her breathing down.


    "It''s out of our hands now." Rose told her. "If there''s anyone that doesn''t believe after the announcement, nothing will convince them."


    "That''s not why I''m panicking!" Flora waved her shaking hands in the air. "What happens next?! The admin said we''ll have to do something! Why are we here?! When can we leave?! Are we going to have to kill each other?!"


    It was a good question. Killing each other sounded like a stretch, but I''d been so focused on warning others I hadn''t given it any thought - what were we there for?


    "There''s no evidence for any of that." Rose shook her head wearily. "We''ll find out at eight. No point speculating until then."


    And it wouldn''t be a long wait - it was 7:59.


    "Does anyone know how the announcement will work?" I asked. "Will a notification be sent out to everyone?"


    Just then, a message popped up before me - ''Teleporting to [Celestia Grand] in [10] seconds.''


    "Oh, that''s how it will work."


    Rose sighed and straightened up. "See you on the other side."


    The color and texture dissolved around me, leaving the still blue wireframe structures floating in the endless black void. They then melted down, collapsing back into an infinite plane before rising anew.


    A stadium took shape, laid out like a baseball field in how the seating was arranged with more weighting on two adjacent sides. Hexagonal tiles formed the arena floor, and when the color came in, the exposed steel supports and pulsing neon faerie lights lent an industrial-magic aesthetic to the place with just a hint of classical styling in the coupled layout of the columns.


    Flashes of blue twinkled over the stands as the rest of the players spawned into their seats. A significant number were left empty - I would estimate about 20%. Assuming the capacity of the stadium was set to accommodate the full potential player base, that was... concerning. Hopefully most of them simply failed to log in. It was a Thursday, after all; some people must have been waiting for the weekend. That''s what I told myself, at least.


    There was one person that was not seated - they spawned in the air and fell into the middle of the arena floor, faceplanting on the tiles. As they hit the ground, one of the health bars on the side of my HUD jumped downward. That wasn''t some random person - that was Percival! He''d lost three-quarters of his health falling there. He pushed himself off the floor and looked up at the crowd, everyone staring back at him.


    Suddenly, the jumbotron flickered on. I had to do a double-take - Wait, they have a jumbotron here? ... Huh. I wasn''t expecting that in a fantasy game, but I suppose once you put in airship factories and sports stadiums, there''s no hard limits on what''s possible.


    The camera focused on a black-robed figure materializing beside Percival. No name or information visible on him. With a flick of his wrist, Percival disappeared. "Get back to your seat, thief." His voice carried clearly across the whole arena. It was the same voice as the admin that had helped us in the tutorial. Was it a coincidence he had been the one to help us? Was he the head of the admin team? How many admins were there, anyway? Certainly they would have more than one person handling the launch of the game.


    The group chat updated:


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    [Fritz Carlton]: What was that about, Perce?


    [Percival]: I have no idea. I was up a tree when I was teleported - maybe it threw off the height?


    There was no time to discuss further. The crowd went wild, shouting and jeering and throwing bits and bobs at the hooded man. Some demanded to know why we couldn''t log out, others were asking about their dead friends, and still others were seeking clarification on what was going on as a whole.


    The man turned slowly, surveying the chaos with exploratory interest - like someone strolling into a butterfly house. He pulled up a game menu, hit some buttons, and everything went completely silent. Mouths were still moving, people were still shaking their fists and hopping in frustration, but they couldn''t make a sound. That only made them angrier. An apple shot through the air, clear across the stadium, and hit the man square on the head.


    Rubbing the point of impact, he said, "That''s it; you''ve lost movement privileges as well."


    Another press of a button, and everyone went still. My eyes could move, but the rest of my body was... unresponsive. Not tied down or constricted - it simply didn''t move. It was worse than being tied down - it was like my consciousness was trapped in a floating, helpless state.


    With another set of flashes, everyone was moved back to their original positions - including Percival, once again set into the air above the arena. Before he could hit the ground, the man teleported him away. "I told you to get back to your seat!"


    The man cleared his throat. "Ladies, gentlemen, people, ... animals, if any got in. Welcome! I had a speech prepared, but as you are all so eager, why don''t we skip right to the announcements? Yes, you are incapable of logging out. Yes, I am aware of the issue. Yes, it is intentional. Starting now, login servers are offline. No further people will be allowed in.


    "It looks like... 83,519 Dive Units have established connection to the server, and currently 76,438 are active. That gives us... 16,482 absentees and 7,081 lost. Unfortunate, but I have the utmost faith in you all - your success has been forecast! Now, what do I mean by ''lost''? Well, there are two ways to sever a connection to the server.


    "Number 1: Die. Upon death, your character will be deleted, and the Dive Unit you are all wearing will render you comatose with significantly less than 1% chance of ever waking up again. However, you will be disconnected. And to be perfectly clear, there are two conditions that will lead to death: either your health drops to zero, or your neck is severed. Watch out for that second one - it can sneak up on you.


    "Number 2: Win. Progress through the story and get to the end - only a single person needs to do it. I wouldn''t recommend trying to do it alone, but that''s your call.


    "And don''t worry about the state of your bodies - the world has been informed, and preparations are already underway to transfer you all to hospitals for care. The government has already agreed to foot the bill on that!"


    Good to know, but that wasn''t the part I was most concerned about. My father would kill me if he found out I''d been wasting time playing games. Getting trapped in one for... however long this... game was going to take? I was probably going to be disowned!


    You know what? Fine! There was nothing I could do about any of this at that point. So fine, go ahead and take my whole life away! That''s what I wanted, wasn''t it?! Someplace I could live on my own terms?! Throw me into this fantasy hellscape; I''ll do whatever the hell I want with my fu-AARGH!


    ... God damn monkey''s paw.


    The man continued, "I do regret dropping you so blindly into this, so let me give you some advice.


    "First, I encourage you to explore. I still find myself surprised by the interactions of the systems we''ve cooked up!


    "Second, this is less of a numbers-based game and more of a skill-based one. If you take the time to think, your preparation will carry you far! Don''t get too bogged down with a specific way of doing things; look at the encounters. Remember the adage: slow is smooth and smooth is fast! So, before you do anything, sleep on it!


    "Now, it is getting late and you have plenty to think about, so I''ll return you back to your previous locations in a moment. This isn''t goodbye; I would like to see you all again at the end. And so I will say:


    "Welcome!"


    He raised his hand and snapped. Once again, the world blacked to wireframe and rearranged itself, this time returning to Townsville. Outside the airship factory, right where we''d left from.


    When we came back in, I could feel my body sag and my breathing come back. The crowd spread across the avenue in front of us stood in hushed silence, looking down at their hands and bodies as they tested that they were able to move again.


    The quiet was short lived. Like a dam bursting, the panic erupted anew, this time boiling with rage. Shouts and cries filled the air, a maelstrom of fear and fury - the riot had begun!


    ... But what was it going to help? The admin laid it out clear what our circumstances and goals were - and he certainly didn''t seem like he was going to change his mind because we burnt down one of the cities.


    What we needed was a plan - to figure out our next steps.


    The rest of the Townsville group were lost in thought, so I pulled up the group chat.


    [Lady Lucia]: So, what is everyone going to do?


    [Davi Crockett]: I have no idea.


    [Siegfried]: The admin''s right. We should sleep on this. There''s nothing else to be done tonight.


    [Fritz Carlton]: I sent y''all friend requests. No sense keeping the group together now, but I''ll let you know if I find out anything useful.


    [Filius]: Good luck. To all of us.


    Yeah, sleep was a good choice. Give it some time to stew, recover from the day, and reassess with a clear head.


    With a deep breath, I turned my gaze to the horizon, where the sun was sinking behind the teeth of the silhouettes of the darkened buildings, painting the sky above in crimson and purple. It was a beautiful sight, a fleeting moment of peace amidst the chaos.


    There were worse fates.


    It... was what I''d wanted, wasn''t it?


    ---


    Next time:


    With no option but to accept their fate, the players begin to settle into life in this new world. Some take this as an opportunity to live as freely as they''ve always wanted to. To others... it presents a power vacuum - their chance to seize a place at the top. Achieving this level of control requires holding an advantage over other players - such as information on the best gathering and grinding spots.


    Now, there are two types of ''quests'' in Dawnfall: The simple kind - kill some bears, gather some flowers - used to guide players through the world as they level. ''Tasks'' as the quest log lists them. And then there are the ''Quests'' - dynamic adventures built to respond to player action and, most importantly, alter their rewards based on player choices.


    This presents a wild card: if one can figure out how to get a powerful reward out of a quest, they then gain a significant advantage in both material and information. Naturally, many parties seek to get this kind of knowledge ahead of the curve - by any means necessary.


    Episode 3 - Fritz and Percy Work for the Mob

 Ep 3: Fritz and Percy Work for the Mob

    ¡ª EPISODE THREE ¡ª


    Fritz and Percy Work for the Mob


    With no option but to accept their fate, the players begin to settle into life in this new world. Some take this as an opportunity to live as freely as they¡¯ve always wanted to. To others¡­ it presents a power vacuum - their chance to seize a place at the top. Achieving this level of control requires holding an advantage over other players - such as information on the best gathering and grinding spots.


    Now, there are two types of ¡®quests¡¯ in Dawnfall: The simple kind - kill some bears, gather some flowers - used to guide players through the world as they level. ¡®Tasks¡¯ as the quest log lists them. And then there are the ¡®Quests¡¯ - dynamic adventures built to respond to player action and, most importantly, alter their rewards based on player choices.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    This presents a wild card: if one can figure out how to get a powerful reward out of a quest, they then gain a significant advantage in both material and information. Naturally, many parties seek to get this kind of knowledge ahead of the curve - by any means necessary.


    Contents:


    Chapter 9: A Couple of Boys in the City?(Release - 11/2)


    Chapter 10: A Couple of Boys in the Plains?(Release - 11/9)


    Chapter 11: A Couple of Boys on a Quest?(Release - 11/16)


    Chapter 12: A Couple of Boys Get Paid?(Release - 11/23)

 Ch 9: A Couple of Boys in the City

    ¡ª CHAPTER NINE ¡ª


    A Couple of Boys in the City


    -Fritz-


    "Mob? What mob? How did a mob form so quickly? And what did you do to piss them off?" Percival was sat at the base of a tree on the outskirts of Faustenburg, the morning sun dappling through the branches and breeze rustling the leaves.


    It was August 4th - three days since launch. I had found myself a nice Hawaiian shirt with toucans sitting in palm trees and a pair of khaki slacks - I like to look good when I''m about town. Much more comfortable than hanging around in mail. And, because I put them in the cosmetic slot, I still had the stats of my combat gear! I could go out and grind mobs just fine looking like that - though I did lose some protection from the physical toughness of the metal. Still, every day I got a little bit lazier in changing into proper equipment.


    Percival had not broken immersion yet and was still in his dark-robe, grey-shirt mage outfit, though he had hidden his belt pouches. It did look more comfortable than my armor - and seeing him made me think of getting a fuzzy bathrobe. It''d never get dirty, always have its fluff - I could feel me pulling it close around myself already. I was sinking deeper into the pit; it was only a matter of time before I was going out on quests dressed for a spa day full-time.


    But I was already in financial trouble, so that would have to wait.


    I sighed, "Well, ''mob'' might be a strong word; they''re not that organized. They''re just... a gang of people that claim a corner of the city as their turf, loan money, and threaten to cut your limbs off if you don''t pay it back."


    "What could you possibly need money for? We don''t need to eat, and you can crash in an NPC house if you can''t afford an inn."


    I scratched my head with an embarrassed smile. "Remember how we were talking about letting Excalibur have some booze? Well that got me thinking - what else do they have here? You know when the programmers were making this game, playtesting the feeling of getting drunk, they were whipping up all kinds of trippy effects. They had to! Humans can''t keep their hands off drugs! Just imagine - no real side effects, no overdose risk, hopefully no chemical addiction!"


    "Are you trying to sell me something here?" Percival narrowed his eyes.


    "So I went to the casino - the mob set up a casino, by the way."


    "Of course they did."


    "And I may have, uh..."


    "Gotten yourself so deep in the hole it''s a miracle you''re not a quadriplegic."


    "They did take an arm yesterday." I felt my newly-reformed right arm. That was twice I''d lost it already - thank the devs for being merciful enough to put regeneration in. On the bright side, "But! Now they''ve given me a job to pay part of it off! It''s not hard work, just out of the way. And maybe a little risky."


    "Are you trying to sell me something here?" he asked again.


    "No, it''s just... I''ve seen you moping around town the past few days and I thought maybe you''d be interested in a little adventure! Word is there''s this quest out in the Stonehearth Plains with a sweet reward, and I''m gonna go check it out. Figured I''d extend an invite."


    He stared at me for a long moment with that blank, unreadable expression. Then, to my surprise, he shrugged and said, "Alright." He stood up, brushing bits of grass off his robe. I sent him a party invite, which he accepted.


    As we started walking, Percival pulled up his menu and opened the world map. "Stonehearth Plains... that''s a level 10-15 zone to the north."


    "Yep. What level are you up to?"


    "Level 4. I unlocked all the base classes and almost all the utilities."


    "Nice! I hit 3 last night. Got my base classes sorted and did some low-level stuff out in the forest, but haven''t really delved into crafting yet. How''s that going?"


    He made a so-so gesture. "It''s alright. Resources are a bit tight - even if you gather everything you come across, without dedicated grinding, you''ll only have the mats to make a couple items. My crafting levels are already falling way behind my gathering."


    I groaned. "Man, I should have been gathering this whole time! Maybe I could barter against the debt."


    Still looking at his map, Percival said, "This zone''s really wide - do you know where to start looking?"


    "Nope! And barely anyone''s even been out there yet. It''s way above anyone''s level; the highest I''ve seen so far is 5."


    "Where did the rumor come from?"


    "Someone exploring ahead, I guess, trying to get the jump on everyone else."


    "So we''re going to track this person down?"


    "That''s the idea! The bosses gave me the name of a guy to try - come on!"


    Smokestacks spewed plumes of sooty smoke into the clear sky, the air filled with the stench of sweat, metal, and progress. Minecarts clattered along tracks, hauling heaps of raw ore from the depths of a gaping maw into the earth ringed by rickety wooden scaffolding. As part of Faustenburg''s crafting sector, the south hill of the city had been hollowed out and covered in the trappings of industry.


    Strolling through the processing yard outside the mine, we picked through the NPC workers in grease-stained overalls looking for our contact. He was sat on a minecart near the mine entrance, lounging on a couch of crushed rocks and reading a book - a tall, bored guy in a mage robe with dark hair and bleak, tired eyes. Everything but the fed-up, dour expression and ore dust covering his clothes was out of place in the industrial yard.


    "Howdy there, friend-o!" I called out with a wave.


    Shingen, as his nameplate read, glanced at us with a flicker of annoyance. "Can I help you with something?"


    Closing my hand where my belt pouches should have been, as if I hadn''t cosmetically hidden them, I pulled an orange poker chip out of thin air and held it up for him to see.


    "Ah." He snapped his book shut and sat up straighter in his tub of rocks. "And what are you looking for?"


    "Hear anything about the Stonehearth Plains? The bosses are under the impression there''s a quest out there with a good reward."


    Shingen set his book down and sorted through his inventory for a journal. "Yeah, I know the one." Flipping through the pages, he said, "There''s a few different versions of the rumor, but they all lead back to the same source - a guy named something Ted. Could be Turnabout or Tourmaline or Tumultuous; some long T- name that the drunks can''t keep straight. Apparently he''s a regular down at the tavern on Wisteria and Crabapple, but he wasn''t around when I got there. You might try there at night."


    "Alright, thanks." I flipped the chip to him.


    Shingen snatched it out of the air and put in his inventory, then stopped to glare at Percy. "What''re you staring at, kid?"


    Unfazed, Percival asked, "Of all the places you could hang out, why are you out here on a pile of rocks?"


    "Get lost, kid." Shingen rolled his eyes and picked his reading book back up.


    But Percy kept staring at the man''s shoes. In an almost disappointed tone, he said, "Oh. You''re camping the copper nodes in the mine, aren''t you?"


    Shingen blew out a puff of air and slowly turned to Percy. "Buzz off, you little shit."


    I gently set my hands on Percy''s shoulders and started to steer him away.


    "What?" he asked. "I respect the dedication! If someone want''s to inefficiently gather slow-spawning, low-yield nodes intended to teach people mining mechanics, that''s their business!"


    "Well respect it in your head - you don''t want to make enemies out of these people."


    "I''m not making enemies; I''m just curious."


    "You know what they say about curiosity and cats, right?" I asked.


    "My mom always said curiosity is the stem of half of humanity''s discoveries."


    "Really? What''s the other half?"


    "Accidents."


    "Well you''re going to get in an accident with cement shoes if you piss off the wrong temperamental jackass. - And they are all temperamental."


    "I don''t think that would be effective; we can cut our feet off and swim away."


    "Not the takeaway, Perce. Just... let me do the talking around these guys."


    "If you say so. So what was the deal with that poker chip?"


    "It''s from the casino." I explained. "They only give ''em to people they send on official business. Their partners can cash them in for their pay - and it comes with the connotation that not helping someone with one is an insult to the bosses."


    "How did they set up this system so quick?"


    "You gotta move fast if you want to get ahead of the competition."


    The two of us headed across the city down Wisteria street, a winding avenue known for the drooping trees that leaned over it. Lovely place for a stroll.


    "Do you think he''s back at the bar already?" Percival asked.


    "The bars never close here. Chances are someone that saw him last night will be around; they might give us a tighter timeframe of when he shows up."


    "Oh, isn''t that him there?" Percy pointed into the window of a store.


    We were still a few blocks from the tavern, but sure enough, there was a man scrolling through a menu at the counter of a store. Nameplate: ''Tumultuous Ted''. He looked ready to set out on an adventure, with light leather armor strapped over comfortable traveling clothes and a sword swinging at his hip. It all fit; that was our man.


    We entered the shop, a small bell tinkling as we pushed through the door. Racks of weapons lined the walls - swords, spears, bows and more. A suit of engraved silver armor stood on a pedestal in the center, watching us come in. Around it, glass cases held neat rows of colorful potion vials. Barrels overflowed with spherical elemental crystals, sparkling with frost, flames, and lightning. I hadn''t looked too closely at the combat consumables yet, and reminding myself I was in the negative, I didn''t have time then, either.


    "Hey, Teddy!" I called out, strolling up to the counter.


    Ted looked up from his menu, one eyebrow raised. "Do I know you?"


    "Nah, but we''ve heard of you! Rumor has it you''ve been up to the Stonehearth Plains recently. That true?"


    Ted looked us up and down. "Yeah, I''ve done some exploring up there."


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    "It''s a high level place; even the basic mobs must be dangerous." I commented.


    Ted just shrugged. "They''re no smarter than any mobs around here - just stronger."


    "We were thinking about heading up that way ourselves." I said casually. "Would you mind giving a few pointers to some rookies?"


    "Stick to the roads if you don''t know what you''re doing." he advised. "Mobs don''t aggro onto people on the roads."


    Percival peered at Ted''s open shopping menu. "Ice crystals. Can they freeze mobs that are above your level?"


    Ted quickly dismissed the menu with a swipe. "That''s a trade secret."


    "So..." I cut in before the kid pried too far. "The rumor is you found a quest out there, but people are telling me different things about the reward - what was it really?"


    Ted''s eyes narrowed suspiciously. "5 marks and I''ll tell you everything."


    I scratched my head. "Uh... you got money, right, Percy?"


    "Don''t you have those poker chips?"


    "He''s not part of the network; he can''t cash them in."


    "Oh." Ted shifted his feet and crossed his arms. "You''re Eagle''s guys, aren''t you?"


    This was either going to go very good or very bad for us. "Yeah." I admitted. "Official business."


    "20 marks then."


    "Come on, man."


    "Take it or leave it." Ted said with a shrug. "Oh, and I''m leaving town later today, so make up your mind fast."


    I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. "That''s more than I have."


    Ted scoffed. "Then ask your bosses for a raise - and don''t get exact change; it''ll be higher when you come back." With that, he brushed past us and walked out of the store, the door chiming cheerfully behind him.


    "People are already fed up with the mob, huh?" Percival remarked.


    "Can''t blame ''em. If there''s one group that can afford those prices, it''s them. Still, it takes some guts to be so open about it."


    "He must feel safe." Percy noted. "Could the reward be a weapon?"


    "Maybe he''s just cocky, or he thinks he''ll be outside their range once he''s out of town."


    As we exited the shop, Percy asked, "Are you going to get the money from your bosses?"


    "Nah;" I shook my head, "they''d tack it onto my debt, and we''re tryin'' to reduce that here." My gaze followed Ted as he turned a corner. "... Let''s see where he''s going. Maybe he''ll let something slip."


    "Alright." Percival pulled his group chat up. "I''ll circle around the surrounding streets, watch for where he''s heading."


    He slunk off to stalk from a distance while I hurried up to the corner Ted had gone around and peeked after him. He was there on the next street, casually walking along. Hands in my pockets, I kept my distance, letting a throng of NPCs fill the space between us. When he turned another corner, I gave him a wide margin before following.


    A ping popped up from my chat.


    [Percival]: He stopped at another adventurer''s shop. Probably getting those ice crystals.


    [Fritz Carlton]: Can you see what else he''s buying? Could be some clues in that.


    [Percival]: Not at this distance. We need binoculars.


    [Fritz Carlton]: I hope this isn''t a regular-enough thing to warrant that.


    [Percival]: You can never be too prepared.


    Coming out of the store, Ted headed east, cutting through alleys and parks to go straight for the forest.


    [Percival]: Could be gathering some mats to craft something for the journey.


    [Fritz Carlton]: Can you make any good CC consumables?


    [Percival]: Not with my levels.


    But as the minutes ticked by and the trees drew closer, Ted made a sudden turn and entered a small building in a cluster of trees. Laughter and shouts floated from the playground out front where a motley of player children ran wild. I ducked into a row of bushes across the street. It was good to see the kids had found a little haven in this mess of a situation, but what business did Ted have there?


    Percival slipped into the bushes behind me a moment later and sat down with his back to the wall behind us. "Whatcha thinking?"


    "Maybe he''s got a younger sibling here?" I suggested. Even if that was true, I wasn''t going to use that to blackmail him or anything. I worked with the mob; not for them.


    "I don''t know, but what''s your excuse?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "You''re a grown man spying on a playground full of kids. If we''re found, how are you gonna talk your way out?"


    "Oh... that is... real sketch, isn''t it?" I slumped back, dragging my hand down my face. "Maybe we should just get out of here. This whole thing seems like a bust."


    "Yeah..."


    An excited shout rose above the general clamor of the playground. "Hey Ted! There''s someone in those bushes!"


    Ted had come back out of the schoolhouse, and his jaw was clenched and eyes fixed on our hiding spot.


    "Shit."


    Percival snickered. "Better get your excuse ready."


    Ted stomped over, looming over us with his arms crossed. "Hey! What the hell''re you doing peepin'' on little kids?!"


    I scrambled to my feet, holding my hands up in surrender. "FIRST OF ALL, we''re after you, not the kids. There''s no reason to make this more untoward than it already is. Second, you know exactly what we''re doing here!"


    "Did you follow me?!" Ted snapped.


    "Of course we followed you! We need to know about that quest!"


    Ted jabbed a finger in my chest. "Well you can tell your bosses to shove it! And don''t you dare think about telling them about this place - these kids have nothing to do with any of their business."


    "Look, man, I''m doing this because I''m in debt and I''m tired of losing my arms. I''m not helping them any more than I have to, and I''m especially not going out of my way to cause trouble for some kids."


    "Look, man, that''s rough, but that''s your problem, not mine."


    "Is there trouble out here, Ted?" Another adult had come out of the school - a man well into his middle ages going by the name ''Benedict Clerk Pascal'' watching us with a concerned frown.


    Waving vaguely in our direction, Ted said, "No, just a couple of..." he trailed off.


    Pascal brightened. "Are they here to make a donation?"


    I shifted awkwardly. "I''m afraid I''m a little strapped for cash right now. Are you taking care of these kids?"


    "As best we can, yes, but money''s not the only thing we''re looking for! Come in, come in! Ted''s a frequent contributor of ours; any friend of his is welcome here!"


    Even Ted couldn''t interrupt the guy to explain the situation; before any of us knew it, he was herding us into the school, chattering all the while. A useful skill for handling the kids, I''m sure.


    The interior was one big classroom. Chalkboards and posters covered the walls, including some interesting pro-Loyalist war propaganda. A handful of kids were scattered about, some reading in the beanbag chairs, others working on assignments. Pascal led us to the back corner where a disaster zone of a desk was sitting under scattered papers and overstuffed folders. He shuffled some lesson planning materials into a loose pile off to the side. I wasn''t paying attention to the week, but now that I thought about it, it was a Sunday.


    "What is this place?" I asked.


    "It''s an orphanage!" Pascal beamed. "And school. And help center!"


    "Wow. That''s a lot of hats."


    Pascal nodded. "I''ve been playing these games since I was in high school, but I think this one''s a little above my skill level. However, I''ve also been a teacher for thirty years - how could I not help out where I can?" His smile turned wistful. "There are a lot of children that have been separated from their parents here, and we don''t know how long it will take to get out. School starts up again next month, so we should be prepared to compensate for that lost time."


    I scratched the back of my neck, feeling a twinge of guilt. "That''s one hell of a noble goal, but if you''re looking for volunteers, I''m sorry but my schedule is all kinds of whacked right now."


    "Oh, no no! Well, that is a shame, but that''s not what we''re after! You remember what that admin said, don''t you? Preparation is everything! We''re collecting everything we can - the goal is to create a centralized resource that anyone can use to find the information they need."


    "Oh, you''re making a wiki!"


    Pascal''s smile widened. "I suppose so! I was thinking of it in terms of a library. Some of the players - like Ted here - have been kind enough to come by and tell us about the things they''ve found."


    "Do you have anything on the Stonehearth Plains?" I asked. "That''s where we''re heading."


    "Ooh, that''s a tough one. Level 10, I believe?" Pascal forced a drawer open and began rifling through the packed contents, sending a few sheets of paper fluttering to the floor. "I know we have some scraps, but... Elie, do we have an official file for the Stonehearth Plains started?"


    A young woman looked up from where she was helping some of the kids with their work. "I''ll check." She got up and started looking through a bookshelf. Meanwhile, Pascal had pulled up a folder full of handwritten notes and was flipping through it.


    As he skimmed through them, Ted sidled closer to me. "I didn''t tell them anything." he hissed. "That information is too dangerous to give to the public right now - not while Eagle''s goons are sniffing around."


    "You were going to sell it for 5 marks earlier." I whispered back.


    "I was going to lie to you."


    "I think you''re full of shit."


    Ted snorted. "I don''t care what you think."


    To Pascal, Percival asked, "What kind of information are you looking for?"


    "Oh, any and everything - quests, tasks, where you find them, what they require, what they give, where the objectives are - we''d rather have too much than too little. Sorting through it sure can be a hassle, though." He let out a chuckle.


    "Is this the kind of thing you want?" He summoned his menu tablet and pulled up the world map, than handed it to Pascal. From where I was standing, all I could see was that it was absolutely vandalized with colorful notes - there was hardly any map left on there.


    Pascal took the tablet and squinted at it. "Are these... resource nodes?"


    "And a map of the forest paths with general mob locations. I have all the class quest bosses marked, too."


    "Do you mind if I copy this?" Pascal asked.


    "Go ahead."


    Pascal summoned his own menu and opened the camera, using it to take pictures of Percy''s map.


    As he handed the map back to Percival, Pascal frowned looking at the kid. "How old are you, young man?"


    "I just finished my sophomore year."


    Pascal nodded. "We''re currently focused on the younger children, but our plan is to extend across the whole public school range - and possibly college subjects if we can find the right teachers. If you would ever like to continue your education, please come by."


    "Thank you for the offer, but I..."


    Pascal held up a hand. "I understand; it''s just an offer. Unfortunately, education is a secondary goal to the immediate problems we face. Take care of yourself - you have a lot of future ahead of you."


    Suddenly, Pascal''s eyes lit up. "Oh!" He snatched up a little dish of caramels from the desk and offered it to Percival. "Please take one! It''s the least we can do for the people that help us!"


    That emotionless stare broke into a childlike smile as Percy plucked a caramel from the dish and popped it into his mouth. His shoulders melted with a satisfied grin.


    "We did start the file," Elie called over, "but Pete took it with him to Stonehearth City!"


    Pascal slapped his forehead. "Of course!" He shuffled the papers again to get what he was looking at out of the way. "I''m sorry, but our man is out updating the book as we speak. However, I know where you could start." He opened up his own menu map and showed us. "There are six big cities in the game: The starting cities of Faustenburg and Townsville, the capital of Celestia Grand, and three others on the outer parts of the continent. Stonehearth City is located in the western section of the Stonehearth Plains, deep in the zone you''re looking at. You can get there in a matter of hours by train - there''s a station in each of the five outer cities that connect them to the Capital. Faustenburg''s is in the north of the city, near the keep."


    I nodded, committing that to memory. "Alright, thank you. You seem busy, so I''ll let you work."


    Pascal waved off the concern with a warm smile. "Any time; we''re here to help!"


    As we (meaning both Percival and me and Ted) stepped out into the streets, Ted turned to face us. "Alright, maybe I was a little rash lumping you in with those bloodsuckers. But... whatever you find out there, just think about what those guys will use it for. If it will help people, potentially save lives, it should be made available to everyone. And if it''s dangerous, you could do a lot of harm handing it to them."


    I said, "I''m right there with you, man. I''m not happy with it either, but I''ve gotta do this."


    He sighed. "Well... I won''t wish you luck, but I hope you come back alive." He turned to leave.


    "Any survival tips for us?" I called after him.


    Ted paused, glancing back at us with a smirk. "Nothing personal, but no, sorry."


    I smirked back. "Fair enough. See you on the road, friend!"


    Once again, Percy and I set off through the winding streets, this time making our way north toward the train station. As we walked, I took a closer look at my own map. Or farther, as it may be - I hadn''t taken a lot of time to look at the whole world in detail.


    The continent was laid out roughly as a circle with the capital city of Celestia Grand in the dead center. To the southwest of it, separated by only the sea of verdant hills and sprawling farmlands, was Faustenburg. Then, directly west of the Capital and northwest of us now was Stonehearth City.


    Townsville was way out to the northeast of the Capital - deep in the dense forests of the King''s Woods. The other two cities were clear out on the coast - the frosty citadel of Falconworth in the snowy north and the tropical paradise of Florin in the balmy southeast. If they were all connected by trains, it should have been safe to visit them. I''d like to see what else the game had to offer, but that was business for another day.


    Closing the map, I asked, "Did you know this city had a train station?"


    "It''s underground. You wouldn''t see it unless you''d been inside."


    "Oh, ok. And it only goes to Celestia Grand? Not straight to Stonehearth?"


    "Yeah, the outer cities only have the one connection. They wanted to keep the Capital the center of it all."


    "Mind leading the way to the station then?"


    But Percival shook his head. "I don''t think that''s our best option."


    "What do you mean? If anyone knows about the zone, it''d be the people in the city there."


    "This rumor was discovered by a person. The location of its discovery can then be estimated by the distribution of people moving throughout the zone." He opened his map and drew a line between Stonehearth and Faustenburg. "There is a road that leads directly between the two cities. Most people traveling through the zone will be walking along that road - there''s very little reason to go poking around anywhere else yet."


    "So the rumor originated somewhere near that road." I nodded.


    "Statistically-speaking."


    "Well shoot, better than anything I got. Alright, let''s walk. If we don''t find anything by the time we reach the city, we go back to asking around."


    And so we set out from Faustenburg heading north-northwest, the edge of the desert on one side, the plains on the other, and dead ahead - Stonehearth City!

 Ch 10: A Couple of Boys in the Plains

    ¡ª CHAPTER TEN ¡ª


    A Couple of Boys in the Plains


    -Fritz-


    The Stonehearth Plains - breadbasket of the Kingdom! Golden wheat swayed in the breeze, stretching as far as the eye could see. Bushy blossoming potatoes and broad leaves of cabbage added deep greens to the landscape. Along the winding brick roads, vibrant wildflowers bobbed - crimson poppies, azure cornflowers, and buttery dandelions making a shifting kaleidoscope highlighting the way forward.


    Out beyond the orderly farmland, mobs roamed. Clumsy bumblebees the size of dogs with tiny wings hovered between sunflowers. Big ol'' cows with shaggy coats and sharp horns grazed on the long grass, looking docile enough from a distance, but I wasn''t going to go out there and test it. Beady eyes glared out from dark burrows honeycombing the distant hills, watching us. But Ted was right, while we were on the road, nothing came near. So we stuck precisely on the brick boulevard cutting through the countryside.


    As we followed along a shallow valley, a wooden watchtower came into view, poking up from the top of a hill. And a quaint little village sprung up around it soon after. Tidy cottages with thatch roofs made a ring around the watchtower, trickling down the hillside to where the main road wrapped around its edge. The smell of hay and livestock wafted from the pastures where NPCs were letting their goats graze. Others sat in front of their homes, weaving reeds into baskets.


    I was about to suggest we stop and look around when a voice called out, "Ahoy there, travelers!"


    Rocking back in a chair on a cottage porch sat a dude in a Hawaiian shirt and khakis.


    "Hey Fritz, that guy stole your clothes." Percival said flatly.


    "Yeah, and he looks great."


    As we approached, his nameplate popped up, naming him as ''Titus X''.


    "What''s good, man?" I asked, stepping up to his front porch.


    He spread his arms wide. "It all is, my dude! Fresh air, wide open skies - just ''cause we''re trapped here doesn''t mean we can''t take it easy, ya feel?"


    "I''m right there with you, man." Next to him, nailed to the wall beside the cottage door, was a sign painted with the name ''Titus X''. "You living here?"


    "Hell yeah!" Titus kicked his sandaled feet up on the porch railing. "No rent, good neighbors, what more could you want? Hey, could I buy you guys a drink? I guess that''s something we don''t have a lot of - real faces. Hopefully more people come out here."


    "I''ll never say no to a good time!"


    "I think that''s why you''re indebted to the mob." Percy said flatly.


    Titus sat up straight, sandals thunking to the floorboards. "Woah, there''s a mob around here?"


    "... Let''s talk over a drink." I suggested. "There a tavern here?"


    There was, and it was rustic as hell. A long, squat building cobbled together from thick-hewn timbers, gold hay poking from between the logs and littering the floor. The hazy air was warmed by a crackling hearth. A smattering of NPCs were sipping tankards, and the braying and clucking of animals seeped in from outside.


    We claimed a table off to the side, beside the hearth. Titus and I got ourselves some ciders while Percy stuck with water.


    Titus nodded as he sipped his drink. "Rumors, huh? Well, not a lot of people pass through here - I''ve met about a dozen or so. One guy mentioned he was looking for farm spots so he could sell the locations."


    "Did he find anything?" I asked.


    He looked down at his mug and shook his head. "Who knows? Never came back. Most of ''em don''t. I hope they took different roads back to the city. Every time they blow through here, I wonder - what''s the rush? The world''s not going anywhere."


    "They''re scared." I said, sipping that crisp, sweet cider. "Things''ll settle down as they dig in for the long haul."


    After a contemplative drink, Titus set his mug down. "What I can tell you is that I''ve walked the whole road to Stonehearth and back, and there''s one thing that''s stuck with me. A little west of the main road about halfway between the cities, a woman stopped me. She was crying, begging for help, screaming that they were going to kill everyone in her village. I felt terrible saying no, but... I''m only level 2." He shrugged helplessly, staring into the cider.


    "It''s natural to want to see them as people, but it wouldn''t have made a difference." I tried to reassure him. "It''ll all reset for the next player that passes through."


    Titus met my gaze, nodded, and raised his tankard. "Cheers to video game mechanics, eh?!"


    We clinked mugs and drank deeply.


    It was a nice little lunchtime stopover, but after we finished, we set out to continue toward Stonehearth. That encounter sounded promising, so we left the paved highway for the network of dirt paths that surrounded it. Still safe from the mobs, but a little slower to travel along than the direct route.


    As we continued to walk, the distant silhouette of a tower, tall as a skyscraper and black as pitch, rose over the horizon. It stood alone - a dark obelisk in the middle of nowhere.


    "What is that?" I squinted, trying to get any details through the haze of the atmosphere.


    Percy opened his map and oriented it to sight the landmark. "I think that''s Stonehearth City."


    "Are you sure? They didn''t plop Orthanc down between us and it?"


    "Nope. It''s all farmland."


    "Visit Stonehearth City today - come see our beautiful pastoral landscape, then stop in at the evil wizard''s tower for lunch!"


    "Maybe it needs to be cleansed of the Corrupted King''s influence?" Percy suggested.


    "Maybe." I said. "Hey, so, Faustenburg is a Loyalist city, right? Resistance players can''t go there? And Townsville''s the same for them, yeah?"


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "Yes. The guards are hostile to the other faction."


    "Then what''s the downside of being neutral? Aside from not being allowed in the faction headquarters?"


    "A lot of task areas and towns in later zones are faction-based. It will be more limiting then."


    "Ok." I nodded. "So what''s Stonehearth City? Loyalist?"


    "The Capital and three major cities are controlled by the King. Technically neutral to all players."


    The sun sank lower, dying the fields in the bright oranges and dark purples of twilight. And we walked on, curving through the patchwork hills. I didn''t feel tired, not physically - we didn''t need to eat, and our muscles didn''t get sore. But I was mentally fried. Anything to break the monotony.


    And then it appeared - Eden.


    Around the bend, a sparkling lake emerged from the hills.


    "Let''s stop here!" I suggested, already veering off the path.


    It was specially made for camping. Some fallen logs had been rolled over from a copse on the far side of the lake and set around a stone firepit. And the water! That was the perfect spot for some fishing! I rubbed my palms together, fishing my rod out of my inventory.


    Percival said, "The sooner we find this quest, the sooner you can fish all you want."


    I waved him off. "Oh relax. We''re not on a timer. And get a load of that sunset; enjoy the beauty while it''s here!"


    The lake mirrored the gradient of the sky, ripples making the first glimmers of starlight dance. Just beneath the surface, the shadows of fish lurked like star-devouring monstrosities, occasionally coming up high enough to splash a nebula of shining droplets into the air.


    I kicked off my shoes, rolled up my pants, and waded into the shallows. "Come on, fish with me!"


    "I''m not much of a fisher."


    "Even in video games?"


    "Especially in games."


    "Oh come on; how can you hate fishing in games? It''s relaxing!"


    "It''s boring."


    "That''s the point! You take your mind off things, let the nothingness flow through your head."


    "If I want to do nothing, I don''t need to pretend to fish. And if I want to do something, I can do better than fish."


    I waved him off again. "Bah, fine. Go do your nothing, then; I''m catching a lunker!"


    I flicked my rod, sending the lure sailing. It plopped into the center of the reflected sky with a satisfying splash. Leaning back, I watched the bobber drift on the mirrored heavens. Kid didn''t know what he was missing; this was the life!


    (Percival)?I walked around the campsite, gathering twigs and branches and tossing them into the firepit. When I had a sufficient pile, I sat down on one of the logs.


    There were three ways to cast a spell in Dawnfall. First, use the associated hand sign or, for more complex spells, draw the symbol in the air. Second, simply shout the spell''s name. ''With FEELING!'' the instructions said. I believe it was measuring emotional intensity to differentiate between idle chatter and intent to cast. Third was to issue a system command.


    "Command Sharp: Spell: Igni." I stated. That materialized a small orb of flickering flame that hovered just off my left shoulder. Dawnfall also didn''t have your standard cast time on abilities, instead using a ''queue time''. Once triggered, they took a moment to charge up, then sat in the cast bar until needed. Effectively the same output as a normal cast time, but it let you load up before hand to use them on split-second reactions. I liked it.


    To release the spell, I could have either physically reached toward the spell ball and threw it out or used another system command. I was feeling lazy, so I went with the latter. "Command Sharp: Spell One: Cast."


    The fireball shot forward, striking the pile of tinder dead center. The twigs burst into flames, crackling as they released a wave of warmth that blew away the evening chill.


    I reached out and picked a twig from the fire''s edge. The flames steadily crawled from one end to the other, devouring the texture of the wood and showing the underlying wireframe. Then, as the fire passed by, the texture regenerated in a blackened, charred state. However, I poked one of my fingers into the flames. A light stinging sensation pricked as it burnt away the texture of my skin, but when I withdrew my hand, it remained in that raw wireframe state - no burn marks. It seemed to work that way with mobs and creatures as well - anything intended to be a combat unit kept its texture damage. But did every bit of scenery have a burnt texture? And is ''texture'' really the right word? Because they weren''t ''image files'' in a normal sense; they were some kind of mental impression being fed directly into our brains.


    Then, if I tilted the twig so that the flames were burning up the shaft, it climbed faster, but turning it upside down, the fire was slower. Was that a specifically programmed behavior, or an emergent facet of underlying systems? Just how ''designed'' was this world?


    A sudden splashing from the shore interrupted my thoughts. Fritz was grappling with a fish as big as his arm, water spraying everywhere as they thrashed. I''m not good with fish, so let''s call it a crappie.


    "Boring my hiney; look at this bad boy!" he called over, even as the crappie whipped around and slapped him across the face with its tail. The pair fell backwards into the shallows, splashing and struggling against each other. "Gah! Get me a knife! It''s dinner time!"


    "Command Sharp: Spell: Geo. Command Sharp: Spell One: Cast."


    A glob of packed earth shot past my ear and bonked the fish square in the head. It spasmed once and fell limp. Fritz lay back in the water, clutching its body against his chest as he laughed between panting breaths. "Nice shot!"


    He hauled himself up, water streaming from his clothes as he sloshed toward the campfire. He collapsed on another log, eyeing the fish in his lap before turning to me. "You said you have all the crafting classes, right? You know how to cook this sucker?"


    Most crafting required specialized stations, but the tutorial briefly mentioned that cooking was more flexible with its utensils and appliances.


    "As long as you want something basic, I can try." I offered.


    "I''ll take anything!" He tossed the fish in my direction.


    I caught it, getting a little fish taste in my mouth as it flopped limply in my arms. Ugh; not a fan of fish. Pulling up the interaction menu, I looked through the cooking options. With the campfire nearby, it said I could prepare a simple roasted fillet.


    "Fillet?" I asked.


    "Fill-up my belly!"


    I selected the recipe, and a small knife materialized in my hand. Translucent holograms appeared around the fish, outlining each step of the process. I followed the guides, removing the head, scraping away the scales, readying the meat for cooking. Finally, I speared the prepared fillet on a stick and held it over the flames to roast.


    When it was done, the whole thing disappeared, replaced by a plate bearing a steaming hot, greying-brown slab of slightly charred meat. ''Crappie Fillet (Poor)''.


    I held the plate out to Fritz. "Here you go."


    He drew a dagger out of his belt - a combat dagger, mind you - and chopped it in half. Spearing one of the halves on the blade, he raised it in a toast. "Bottoms up!"


    I wasn''t hungry, but since I made it, I felt obliged to try it. I took the other half and bit in.


    It was... like eating cardboard.


    Fritz burst into laughter, falling backwards off his log. "Oh that is... rough! Next time we''ve gotta bring seasoning!"


    "Or pre-cook meals at a real crafting station."


    "But that''s half the fantasy! Roughing it in the fields with nothing but a rod and knife! Man (and a spice rack) versus nature!"


    "You''re a strange one, you know that?"


    He pushed himself back onto his log with a smile. "Pot calling the kettle black there, buddy!"


    Shabby cooking aside, for a brief moment, I got what he was saying. There was a... calmness to just sitting out there with nothing else going on. Once I turned off the concern for the job we were out there to do, it was nice.


    But only for a moment.


    "Is that... smoke?" I pointed over his shoulder at a broken pillar of thin and wispy dark smoke rising up from beyond the nearby hills, rapidly vanishing into the purple dusk.


    He followed my gaze as he put his shoes and socks back on and folded his pant legs down. "Looks like a forge fire; could be another town. We could crash there for the night." He smirked and took off at a run. "First one there gets dibs on the biggest house!"


    "What happened to roughing it?!"


    "Later - I want a big, cushy bed!"


    "And you''re calling me strange?" I put the fire out with a water spell and took off after him. Surprise start or no - I was always first around the track at school; he wasn''t getting away from me!

 Ch 11: A Couple of Boys on a Quest

    ¡ª CHAPTER ELEVEN ¡ª


    A Couple of Boys on a Quest


    -Fritz-


    I hurried down the road after Percy. The trees that had flanked the path near the lake gave way abruptly as we crested a shallow hill. My pace slowed as I caught up to Percy, who had stopped to stare.


    "Well, damn." I said.


    Below us sprawled the charred remnants of what had once been a quaint little town. Blackened timber frames jutted up like skeletons while the worst-off had crumbled entirely into heaps of ash. Not a single building remained intact. We exchanged a look, then walked down to get a closer look. Charred beams creaked and groaned around us, and the air still had that ashen, dusty smell to it.


    I pulled up my map and checked our progress. We were only about a quarter of the way from Faustenburg to Stonehearth; a little short of Titus'' estimation. But it was too... active to be generic set dressing. Another support beam collapsed as we surveyed the place, kicking up a cloud of soot. And the mobs in the surrounding fields stayed well away from the perimeter - the same kind of berth they gave actual towns.


    "Hey, Percy, how dynamic are the events in this game?"


    He was picking his way into a ruined tavern. "Depends how much you want to believe the marketing. They claim there are consequences to your actions, but it''s all a bunch of keywords. It probably resets on a timer or gets rebuilt by another event."


    "Do you know that for a fact or are you saying it to make me feel better?"


    "I don''t have a clue. Maybe the orphanage has better documentation on quest mechanics." He opened his map and started making notes.


    I walked over to what remained of one of the houses and brushed my boot through the pile of ashes. The house had been burnt down to its foundation, and mixed into the grey ash were traces of glowing blue specks. They really destroyed the place.


    As I paced around the ruins, Percy was busy snapping pictures with the camera mode on his menu. The road was choked with debris - chips of scorched wood and scattered stones - but I noticed a trail leading away from one of the houses. A dark smear that staggered down the road a ways before curving into an apple orchard. Perfectly aligned rows of short trees dyed black in the fading light.


    "Percy!" I called out. "Over here!"


    He came jogging over. Seeing the line of ashes, he summoned an orb of fire behind his shoulder and drew his sword. "Scavenger, you think?" He stalked forward like a cat, carefully watching his surroundings. I drew my own spear and followed behind cautiously. If it was an enemy, we''d be lucky if we could survive a single hit. Shoulda sprung for those ice crystals. Or a flashlight.


    Then something glinted in my periphery. Before I could react, Percy was moving, diving to the side and throwing out the prepared fireball. It exploded against something metallic with a light *ting!*, followed by a woman''s terrified scream. The object went flying into the air - a frying pan, glinting in the twilight, spun end over end before thudding to the ground at the feet of a cowering woman in a plain dress. She had fallen backward and was scrabbling away from us in sheer panic. She was an NPC, but that was genuine fear in her eyes.


    "Woah, easy there!" I held up my hand and lowered my spear. "We were just passing by and saw what happened to that village. Are you ok?"


    Percival was a little more hesitant - he glanced around before sheathing his sword. The woman slumped back against an apple tree, her chest heaving as she gulped in deep breaths.


    "Praise the Goddess! I thought they would come back to make sure it was done." She clasped her hands to her chest and did her best to recompose herself. "It was the Resistance! They held my mother at swordpoint and demanded we turn over whatever we could. We- we tried, we begged and pleaded, but it wasn''t enough for those heartless fiends. They set our homes ablaze and cut down everyone they could find. I barely escaped with my life and hid here. Once I''d heard their horses pass, I went back to do what I could, and I pulled my father out from our home. He was already sick when they arrived - confined to his bed."


    The woman pushed herself up and hurried a few rows back to kneel beside a man laying in the shadows. "Please, they destroyed anything I could use to help him - have you any elixirs or cures? I''ll do anything!"


    I had some potions, yeah - I wasn''t completely unprepared - but Percy beat me to the punch.


    "Medi!" He threw out a ball of golden light that splashed over the man like water.


    The man coughed weakly and stirred, grumbling and groaning. The woman gasped, then broke down into tears, hugging him close. "Father! Oh, rest; save your strength. Thank you!"


    "Our pleasure, Ma''am." I said. "Do you need a hand getting him to a town? The closest one I know is a few hours back toward Faustenburg."


    "Oh yes, if you could-" she began, then stopped short. "No, wait! There is something else! When I went back this morning, after the fire had died, I searched for any usable supplies in the wreckage. But there- there wasn''t enough bodies! There must be others somewhere!"


    "You think they took prisoners?" I asked.


    She nodded vigorously. "They must have! Don''t trouble yourselves about us; we have water and apples here in the orchard. But please, if you could follow those Resistance soldiers, please find those they took! I beg of you!"


    "We''ll see what we can do, but they''ll have, what, a day''s head start?" I asked.


    Percy said, "The prisoners will slow them down. They''re not going to set this up if it''s not possible to solve."


    "Thank you, a thousand times thank you!" the woman exclaimed. "You''re the Goddess'' own hands!"


    The man whispered something, and the woman leaned in close to hear him. "You''re certain?" she asked. At his nod, she turned back to us. "Down the road, at the end of the fields, there''s a cache of my father''s old monster hunting supplies. It''s buried at the base of a gnarled tree standing apart from the others. Take anything you need - the soldiers went off that way as well! Please, hurry!"


    "Alright." I said. "You wait here, maybe check there''s no one else hiding nearby. We''ll get the prisoners and escort you all to a town."


    "Good luck!"


    As we left the orchard and turned to continue down the road, Percy said, "Interesting. Not only do quests change based on other people''s actions, but there are hidden rewards for optional objectives, too."


    "Is it all about the loot to you, man?"


    "Yes." he replied flatly. "They''re objects within a computer program."


    "Come on, seeing that woman cry her heart out didn''t get you sniffling even a little?"


    "Not really; I''m not into trauma dumps." He opened his map and kept writing his notes.


    I sighed. Cold as that crappie, he was.


    A few minutes later, we came to a wooden bridge arching over a wide, lazily flowing river. On the far shore, the tilled fields and farmland paused and opened up into a vast expanse of open pastureland stretching to the horizon. The wind rippled through the knee-high tufts of grass, making waves that shimmered between green and gold in the sunset. Horses in a smorgasbord of coat patterns ran free across the plain, their manes and tails streaming behind them.


    And there, just as the woman had said, a copse of trees huddled on the riverbank. One ancient, weathered tree stood apart from the others, so far outside the group that the road had to curve around it. Its branches were stuck together in a thick tangle, and its bark was greying. Despite the half-dead look, its roots spread out in a ''V'' shape, making a lovely little nook perfect for an afternoon sit down on the riverbank, watching the horses frolic. Or to bury treasure!


    "You got a shovel?" I asked.


    "Nope."


    "Huh. ... Does earth magic let you dig holes?"


    "In the trailers, yeah, but all I''ve got right now is conjuring bolts."


    I scratched my chin, thinking. "What weapon would work best for digging?"


    Drawing his sword, Percy suggested, "I''ll stab the ground to loosen the soil. You shovel it out with... I don''t know, a greataxe? That''s got a wide blade."


    "Better than nothing."


    And so we engaged our most tenacious foe yet - Mother Earth herself! Percy threw in some water spells to tenderize the beast while I went ham, raking the axe to scoop out her rocky innards. She was a mighty foe, but every chip we dealt wore away ay that tough hide - we would not give in! Rocks beware, the Dig Boys are in town!


    (P)?I am not calling myself a ''Dig Boy''.


    -F-?Shovel Squad then, fine.


    At last, Percy cried out in triumph, plunging his blade deep into the enemy''s intestines. It thumped against something solid about two feet under the surface.


    "Jackpot!" I exclaimed. Together, we hauled a heavy wooden trunk out of the hole and popped it open.


    Inside was a trove of equipment. A coil of chain with a padlock, packets of smoke powder, a silver dagger inscribed with magic runes, and- "Well hello there, beautiful!" A small crossbow, compact enough for wielding with one hand. I picked it up and checked its stats. It was classified as a sidearm - exactly what I was dreaming of! And the numbers were insane! It must have been normal for the zone - intended for the level 10-15 range, but it didn''t have any requirements! I could rock that baby at level 3!


    "Oh hell yeah!" I let it equip into my left hand and drew my spear with my right, taking aim at an imaginary target down the road. "I''m here to peg some suckheads!"


    Percy, examining the dagger, said, "This disrupts any magic it touches. That could have niche uses even at high levels. I wonder how common of an effect that is."


    "No cooldown or level cap on the effect?"


    "Not listed anyway."Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "Then that''s broken as hell! It''s gotta be rare!"


    He slipped it into one of his belt pouches and asked, "You want the chain or the smoke bombs?"


    "Oh, I absolutely want to whip a fool with a chain!"


    He packed the smoke powder into his belt while I picked up the chain. It didn''t have any combat stats - it wasn''t supposed to be a weapon, but we''d see how that one worked out.


    As we continued down the road, Percy went into his map and kept making notes on what we''d found. He was so focused on the writing that he didn''t notice the tree up ahead - a tall, gnarled oak leaning over the road. What stopped me wasn''t the tree itself but the body hanging from it. A grimy sack had been pulled over the man''s head and a sign hanging around his neck was painted with messy letters: ''All who oppose the Resistance are traitors!''


    I stopped in my tracks. "Good god - there are children playing this game, man!"


    Percy glanced up. "Command Sharp: Spell: Igni. Command Sharp: Spell One: Cast." A burst of flame shot past him, incinerating the rope. The body thumped to the ground in a heap. He hurried over, drawing that new dagger to cut the rope away.


    "You think they left something on him?" I asked.


    "No, think for a second - dead people turn into dust. Even in cutscenes. That is what the lore acknowledges as death."


    I froze. "Is he still alive?!"


    Percy yanked the hood off, revealing the man''s heavily bruised, purple and red face. One eye was swollen shut, and the other was a vacantly staring slit. And his health bar wasn''t empty!


    "Yep - just a sliver left. Medi!"


    As the healing magic suffused the man, he convulsed and gasped and groaned. I stepped over to help drag him to the tree and propped him in a sitting position while Percy cut his limbs loose.


    "Easy, buddy." I said. "You''re still with us. Can you hear me?"


    The man managed a shaky nod and a rasp, his one bleary eye scanning around me but not focusing.


    "How long have you been here?" I asked. "Where did the others go?"


    With a trembling hand, he pointed down the road. "F-five. With two prisoners. Left me... this morning..."


    I gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Ok. Hang tight - sorry, wait here; we''ll get ''em, then come back for you. There''re some survivors holed up in an orchard nearby."


    The man nodded and sagged against the tree, his labored breathing the only sound in the gathering dusk.


    Springing to my feet, I said, "Let''s go, Perce!" I took off at a sprint, kicking up a cloud of dust running down the road. Percy easily outstripped- then fell into pace beside- me. Little bastard flaunting that youthful energy. If I were five years younger-!


    "So not everything gives a reward." he commented.


    "Come on, man, people are in danger!"


    "They''re not people."


    "They''re close enough!"


    We ran full-tilt for maybe half an hour. The game didn''t have a hard fatigue system - there were no tired limbs or burning lungs, but sweat was pouring down my face and my heart was jackhammering. The sun set fully as we ran, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds, leaving us in near total darkness. Fireflies lit up the landscape, and the howls of something I did not want to meet echoed through the hills.


    Eventually, a light appeared up ahead - firelight in the road. We slowed as we approached, ducking off the road and crouching in a shallow ditch running beside it. I army-crawled through the weeds until the blue cloaked figures came into view. Two were holding torches - one on horseback waiting on the road and the other helping his comrades tie a gagged man''s hands behind his back.


    I started to spring up and reach for my weapons, but Percy dragged me back into the ditch. "They''re level 12." he whispered. "8 up on us."


    "NPCs or not - I''m not letting this happen!"


    He pinned me with that cold, unfeeling look, the fire reflected in his eyes. "That''s not what I''m saying. Remember - preparation is key."


    *Torglax*?I watched as my men tied up one of the prisoners. The last one I kept by my side, one hand firmly on his shoulder. "Make sure you set him up to last till noon!" I called out to them. "We want him to be seen!"


    I leaned in close to the prisoner beside me, his breath quickening. "How long do you think you''ll last?"


    He swallowed hard. "A good while, I hope." he squeaked.


    "I hope that, too." I gave his shoulder a squeeze, relishing the fear in his eyes.


    One of my agents looped the rope around the other prisoner''s neck and tossed the end up into the shadowed branches above. It fell back down. "Can you hold the light a little higher? I can''t see the bloody branch."


    The other bloke stood on tiptoe, stretching his arm up as high as he could while his partner tried again and again to sling the rope over. I shook my head. Useless, the lot of them. But loyalty was hard to come by these days.


    "Idiots!" I barked. "We don''t have all night!" Shoving the prisoner toward the horses, I grumbled under my breath. "It''s hard to find good help these days. We only ever get the desperate bunglers now."


    "O-oh?" the prisoner perked up with a hint of hope. "Are you, uh... hiring?"


    I narrowed my eyes at him. The cheeky bastard.


    He laughed nervously. "You know, we out here have been crushed under the boots of the bourgeoisie as much as anyone! Death to the Crown and all that! Hey, we could even hang those, uh, bunglers instead. Nobody will be able to tell the difference!"


    I grabbed him by the hair and wrenched his head back. "Are you suggesting I kill my own men?! They may be bunglers, but they''re MY bunglers!"


    The prisoner flinched, his eyes wide with terror.


    With a sudden sizzle, the torch behind us went out, plunging us into darkness.


    "Aw, man." one of the men whined.


    "Nice job, Greg."


    I whirled around, squinting into the black. "What are you idiots doing now?!"


    Silence. Then a nervous gulp and the sound of panicked scuffling.


    Huffing out an exasperated breath, I thrust my hand out to the man still on his horse. "Give me that."


    He passed me his torch and took hold of the prisoner while I stalked back toward the hanging tree, holding the light out in front of me. But as I approached the spot, where my men had stood just moments before, there was nothing left but a couple piles of glittering blue dust, swirling in the night breeze.


    "My bunglers!" The anguished cry tore from my throat.


    SMACK! The torch was knocked from my hand. It spun through the air, clattering to the ground near the horses'' hooves. It squealed in fright, rearing up and throwing its rider. He landed hard in the dirt with a pained "Oof!"


    As he lay in the dirt, a fiery Irish devil flew from the shadows, leaping on the fallen man, blade flashing. I- SMACK! A whip to the side of the head sent me reeling. The world tumbled end over end as I rolled across the rough ground until a heavy boot thudded into my chest, pinning me flat on my back.


    Gasping, I looked up into a man''s shadowed face, a long chain dangling from his fist, glinting in the hellish light. The red-headed demon straightened from the shimmering cloud of dust that had once been my agent, his teeth bared in a feral grin.


    "Tie him up!" the devil hissed devilishly. "Let''s see how far this roleplay goes!"


    The man standing over me chuckled. "Way ahead of you."


    -Fritz-?I wrapped the lead Resistance Agent up in the chain and locked it with the padlock. His arms were tightly bound to the chest; no way he was getting out of that. Standing up, I looked over the carnage.


    One, two, three bodies... wait a minute.


    Percy kicked the torch lying on the ground, launching it into the air. Catching it, he lunged into the darkness just as a cloaked figure charged at me, thrusting the flaming brand into the man''s face with a sickening sizzle. The figure recoiled, dropping his sword to clutch at his detextured face. Percy pounced mercilessly, cutting his throat and killing him instantly. A flash of cold blue light, and the body disintegrated into dust.


    "Nice catch." I said.


    Straightening up and brushing the dust off his pants, he said, "I guess the information was the reward from that last one. So, what''s our reward from you?" He held the torch near the lead agent-


    (P)?He has a name, you know.


    -F-?Sorry, sorry. He held the torch up to Torglax''s face.


    He glared up at us, snarling with a fierce determination. "You''re not getting anything from me - I live for the Resistance! Death to the Crown!" He spat at Percy''s feet.


    The kid shook the torch, sending a sprinkling of embers pattering across his nose, where they sizzled and singed away pieces of the texture.


    "What would you like to lose first, your left eye, or the right?"


    "Christ, Perce, why is that the first thing you try?"


    "I don''t know. What else can we do? Take him back to Faustenburg?"


    "Sure," I shrugged, "maybe there''s a bounty on him!"


    "... Alright." He stood and strode back to the hanging tree. The other torch was still lying on the ground. "Igni!" He relit it, then tossed one to me. Ducking behind the tree, he retrieved the man they were going to hang, cut his bonds, and took the sack off his head.


    The second prisoner was on the ground, wiggling against the bonds on his hands like a fish. Percy knelt and cut him free while the first man rubbed his neck. "Thank the Divine Light! I thought I was gonna choke up there like Oliver!"


    "Oliver?" I asked. "Is that the guy that was left on a tree a ways back? He''s alive - though not in good shape. We should get back there fast."


    I hauled Torglax up by the scruff of his cloak. Percy had already started rummaging through the felled Resistance agents'' saddlebags, looking for anything useful.


    "Oh, good idea." I said, shoving Torglax toward the rescued prisoners. "Watch this guy for me, will you?"


    The one who was talking to him earlier slung an arm around the chained man''s shoulders with a wry grin. "Looks like you chose the wrong bunglers, friend."


    In one of the saddlebags, I found a tarnished badge and a beat up journal. "Oh ho, what''ve we got here? 10 pfennigs say this has all their dastardly plans!"


    Percy said, "I''m not taking that bet; what else could be in there?"


    I flipped it open and cleared my throat. "Melt ? cup butter in saucepan. Remove from heat. Add ? cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, ? cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread batter into pan."


    "Are those... brownies?"


    "It''s his secret recipe!"


    "My mom always added marshmallow creme."


    "How freeform is cooking in here?" I asked. "Could you make that? And does it affect the taste?"


    "I haven''t experimented with it. So what does the journal actually say?"


    I cleared my throat and adopted my best gravelly villain voice, ready to regale him with the rest of Torglax''s nefarious dessert plotting.


    <blockquote>


    The plan is proceeding surprisingly smoothly. My men and I have obtained Resistance insignias and infiltrated Loyalist territory. It amuses me how easily these simple folk are manipulated by a few well-placed lies and acts of brutality.


    I was skeptical at first - these recruits they stuck me with are as clumsy as newborn cubs trying to walk on ice, but their loyalty and dedication to our cause shone through their fumbles and mishaps. Watching them stumble over their own feet while attempting to intimidate the commoners in the last settlement brought a rare smile to my face. Oh, how useless they can be, but their sheer determination to follow my lead was endearing in its own way.


    As we were hanging the survivors of the last raid up, I knew that, as long as I have these idiots, this mission wasn''t the suicide I''d signed up for. The people will soon remember that we are the saviors. This world will be saved!


    ''Death to the Crown'' indeed.


    Lieutenant Torglax.


    </blockquote>


    I closed the journal with a snap. "Well, well, well - King''s men! A true warden of the realm here, people! I think the Prince is going to be very interested in this one!"


    Torglax growled at us, his face contorted in impotent rage. "You''ll pay for what you''ve done to my bunglers! You''ll all pay when the Glorious Dawn rises!"


    "Mhm. I''m sure." I nodded.


    Putting the journal away, I took a closer look at the badge we''d found. ''Falsified Resistance Insignia: A rank-and-file insignia of the Resistance. Consumed on use. Permanently grants the user protection in Resistance-held territory and facilities. Only effective below level 60."


    "Take a look at this." I tossed it to Percy. "What''s special about level 60? Is that the max level?"


    He shook his head. "No. Classes go to level 50, and your character goes to 100. 60 must be when the zones require you to side with a faction."


    "Alright. You take that one - I can already go to Townsville."


    He clipped the badge onto his robe, and it disappeared in a shimmer. Flipping through some menus, he said, "Yep, I''ve got a status now. There must be a Loyalist equivalent somewhere in the Resistance starting region."


    "I''ll tell the guys that went over there to keep an eye out."


    As we walked back up the road, I wrote out some messages, and Percy documented it all on that map of his. That thing had to be more writing than map - I don''t know how he fit it all on there.


    (P)?Zooming in all the way and writing in two colors crossways - red and blue, then dotting in purple where they overlap. My mom taught me.


    -F-?Efficient woman.


    Anyway, there was a wild dog sniffing at Oliver''s unconscious body when we got back to him, but as we learned, as long as the body was still there, he was alive. I hoisted him over my shoulder and carried him back to the orchard. The woman and her father were overjoyed to see the other survivors, sweeping them up in tearful embraces.


    By that point, it was far too late to go anywhere, so we slept right there in the orchard. And for breakfast, all I had to do was reach up and pick a fruit - didn''t even need to sit up.

 Ch 12: A Couple of Boys Get Paid

    ¡ª CHAPTER TWELVE ¡ª


    A Couple of Boys Get Paid


    -Fritz-


    We came trooping over the crest of a hill - me followed by our gaggle of villagers (even Oliver and that woman''s sick father were up and walking), then Percy brought up the rear leading the grumbling Torglax by a short leash. Before us spread the little hill town we passed through yesterday. At the sight of it, the NPCs couldn''t contain themselves - they rushed forward through the gates, hooting and hollering with joy. One of the men fell to his knees, arms spread as he looked to the sky.


    "I never thought I''d see civilization again!"


    Titus X came wandering over to see what was happening. "Hey guys! What''s all this?" He waved at us, then saw the woman. He immediately shrank into his very tasteful shirt like a turtle. Doing his best to keep his back to her, he backed toward me. "O-oh, hey. I''m glad everything worked out for you!" The poor guy looked like he wanted to melt into the cobblestones.


    "How''s it going, man?" I laughed.


    The woman paid him no mind, her attention wholly fixed on Percy. She grabbed his hands. "Oh, thank you, adventurers! I know we don''t have much, but please, take these! This is what I foraged from the fields around our village." Then she ran off to catch up to her father. "Let''s see if Uncle Theodore still lives here!"


    The old man grumbled, "I gotta put up with that codswalloper again?"


    A whole stack of notifications popped up in front of both me and Percy.


    ''Quest Complete: What Remains. View log >''


    ''You have advanced to Level 4! Congratulations!''


    And last was a list of the fruits and vegetables the woman had given us. Some of them were quite pricey in the Faustenburg markets - she''d even found a bunch of bananas! Still, it was nothing too exciting.


    "Wow, they really load the good stuff into the bonus rewards." I said.


    Percy shrugged. "Exp is exp. That''s me halfway to 5."


    As our rescued NPCs dispersed throughout the town, I pulled Titus aside for a quick word. "Hey man, sorry they''re not human, but I hope they can change things up around here for you."


    He said, "Don''t worry about it. If they were people, she''d recognize me as the guy that left her village for dead."


    "True." I nodded. "But listen, could you do me a favor and keep an eye on them for me? The scenario we found was completely different than yours. We want to see how long these dynamic event chains can go - is this a permanent resettlement, or will they rebuild their village and restart the chain?"


    "Oh, yeah, sure! I''ll message you if they start moving out or something!"


    "Thanks, man." I accepted his friend request.


    Returning to Percy, who was still keeping a close hold of Torglax''s chain, and asked, "Anything we need to take care of here?"


    "Not me." he replied.


    We both looked at Torglax. He''d been in a pouty, grumbly mood all morning and stubbornly ignored us.


    I clapped my hands together. "Then on to Faustenburg!"


    (Percival)


    Later, by early afternoon, the three of us were stood outside the drawbridge of Faustenburg Keep. Set into the northern segment of the city wall, it was an impressive stone fortress surrounded by a moat diverted from the river running out of the lake to the north.


    Fritz, who couldn''t enter on account of being a neutral player, said, "I''m gonna go shopping for brownie mix - you want anything?"


    "No, thank you."


    "Alright. See you on the other side." He wandered off.


    I pushed Torglax forward. The guards in rose-colored armor flanking the entrance watched us as we entered the darkness of the gatehouse. The inside was actually quite nice. The dense stone architecture was softened by wood paneling and torchlight. It almost felt like a reading den.


    In the lobby, a foppish man with an absurdly poofy hairstyle was shuffling files behind a directory desk. I approached him and held up Torglax''s journal. "I''ve got a Royalist Lieutenant pretending to be Resistance stirring up trouble here. You handle that sort of thing?"


    The fop clapped his hands in delight. "Do we now? Isn''t that an exciting little twist!" He leaned forward over the desk, fixing Torglax with a smug grin. "Well, Mr. ''Resistance Freedom Fighter'', why don''t we put you with the rest of your friends, hm?"


    Torglax swallowed hard, glaring and growling at the both of us.


    The fop snapped his fingers sharply. "Guards! Take this one to the Resistance wing - and make it a popular cell! But do make sure they don''t kill him; I''m certain the Lieutenant will have use for him in negotiations!"


    One of the guards with a short halberd grabbed Torglax by the arm and dragged him down a side hallway. "A new dawn is coming!" Torglax shouted as he struggled against the guard''s grip. "And you''ll wish you''d died before it rises!" The clattering of his chains echoed off the walls as he disappeared from view.


    The fop reached under his desk. "Excellent work, Squire! You are a crrredit to the Loyalty!" He set a pouch of coins on the desk and picked up the journal. "Now, your bounty! One officer, plus I''ll make sure this evidence gets to the Lieutenant post-haste."


    I picked up the pouch, and it absorbed into my inventory. 2 kingsmarks and 20 pfennigs. You''d think a human life would be worth more, but hey, money''s money. That''s a nice lunch right there. Honestly, I was surprised there was even an interaction like that. I was expecting either, one, the guards would shoot Torglax as soon we tried to enter the city because he was a hostile mob, or two, no one would acknowledge his presence. The marketing said that your actions would have an impact, but nothing to that degree of reactive AI - I wasn''t giving the game enough credit.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    I kind of wanted to go visit the dungeons and see what was going to happen to Torglax - was he going to despawn once he was out of the way in a cell? Was someone else going to stumble on those ''negotiations'' the fop mentioned? Questions for another day; I had more important business to take care of.


    Crossing the city, I headed toward the orphanage. The yard was quiet when I got there, the children all inside for class. At the front of the classroom, Pascal was at the board teaching them... I don''t know, what do elementary school kids learn? How to compute a partial derivative.


    Elie, serving as teaching assistant, saw me come in and headed over to the lore desk to help me.


    "I have some notes on the Stonehearth Plains here." I said.


    "Oh, how''d everything go out there?"


    "Fine." I pulled up my map and scrolled it around so she could get pictures of my notes. Then, opening my screenshot album, I showed her images I''d taken of Torglax''s journal - just in case we lost the original.


    "Clever thinking!" Elie said. "Could you attach those to a message and send them to me?"


    I did, then thought. "Let''s see... was there anything else? Oh! Have you seen any items with effects like this one?" I drew the magic-neutralizing dagger and showed it to her.


    "I don''t usually handle quests, so I haven''t read all the files myself." she admitted. "But it''s the first time I''ve seen anything quite like that. Is it one of the optional rewards?"


    "Yeah."


    "I''ll make a note to have someone follow up - see if the item is reproducible by following the same steps."


    "One more thing. Me and my friend, we were kind of sent on this whole journey because he''s indebted to the mob, and they want this information. Could you, I don''t know, wait a few days before showing anyone? Then pretend you didn''t get it from us?"


    She nodded. "I don''t want to get anyone in trouble. I''ll have one of our other adventurers ''independently discover'' it."


    "Thanks."


    "Anytime! Thank you for your contribution! Oh! Your reward!" She picked up the dish of caramels and offered it to me.


    I took one and turned to leave just as Fritz was coming in the door. We both froze awkwardly.


    Rubbing the back of his neck, he asked, "Hey man, you, uh... give them your notes?"


    "Yep."


    "Good, good. Yours are way more thorough than mine."


    "Were you going to tell them what we found?"


    "Yeah, why not?"


    "What are you going to give to the mob, then?"


    "Ah, you let me worry about that." We left the orphanage and started walking down the street. "Did you grab my chain?"


    I stopped and slapped my forehead. "I forgot the chain!"


    "Ah well; it served its purpose. At least I''ve still got his bad boy!" He drew his mini crossbow and aimed dramatically at a stack of nearby barrels.


    "You''re not going to give that to the mob, are you?"


    "Are you kidding me?! I may be a debaucherous rapscallion in deep with forces I can''t contend with, but I still have a civil conscience! Plus, this baby''s our ticket to breezing through the low level zones!"


    "How much are you in for, anyway? With these guys?"


    Fritz sighed and despawned the crossbow. "I got cold feet once it hit 100 marks, but they talked me into a double-or-nothing, so... 200 marks."


    "And how much are they knocking off for this job?"


    "I didn''t ask - I was too busy looking at the swords they were pointing at me."


    -Fritz-


    The casino was as lovely as always - a dark, damp basement warehouse renovated into a smoke-filled parlor with tables for cards and dice. The air hung thick with the stench of desperation and stale beer. Tarnished brass fixtures cast a sickly glow over the sea of unwashed faces hunched over games of chance, puffing on cheap cigars. Yep, this joint was filled with the skeeviest, most desperate bastards in the city - people like me.


    I headed toward the back, where a bouncer stood watch, arms crossed over his barrel chest. The dude was wearing a full suit of armor with exposed rivets holding together the patchwork steel plates. He looked like Frankenstein''s monster - and was built like him, too. I wondered if he''d recustomized his avatar to get that ridiculous bulk or if he was just naturally the size of a sedan.


    I pulled out a loyalty mark - one of the orange poker chips - and flashed it at Goliath. He gave a menacing grunt, eyeing me up and down, then turned to lead the way. I followed him into the bowels of the casino.


    In the back, through a mildewed hallway, was what had once been a storeroom full of rotting grain. It''d been gussied up into a halfway decent office, complete with a plush velvet carpet, shelves crammed with tacky knick-knacks, and a finely polished mahogany desk. Behind that desk sat Garbage Gary, a slovenly grease ball with a wispy pencil mustache and the most aggressively garish velvet suit I''d ever laid eyes on. He had to be wearing it as a statement - ''I''m above taste.''


    Behind Gary, the other boss, Eagle, was pacing impatiently. He was the one to watch out for. Gary? Predictable - he was in it for the cash, nothing else. But Eagle, he''d stumbled into this power trip and was riding it to the end of the line.


    Gary dragged his gaze up from picking at his nails. "You are... one of the debtors we sent out, yes?" He waved a hand vaguely. "What was his task again?"


    "The plains rumor," Eagle said, still pacing. "So, what''ve you got?"


    I cleared my throat and opened my inventory. "Well, I went up to the Stonehearth Plains to poke around, and wouldn''t ya know it - I struck gold!" I spilled a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables across Gary''s desk. "You find some rando village under attack, beat back the bandits, and they shower you with all this good stuff!"


    Gary wrinkled his nose at the produce rolling around.


    "But that''s not all! If you save all the villagers, they throw in one of these bad boys!" I whipped out a box of brownie mix. "Local specialty! ... Allegedly. Looks just like the stuff in the store to me though."


    An orange escaped the pile and plopped into Gary''s lap. He tossed it back on the desk and made a shooing motion. "Get this... refuse off my workspace."


    Eagle huffed out an exasperated sigh. "Well, they can''t all be winners."


    I started scooping the fruits and veggies back into my inventory. "So... we square then?"


    Eagle stopped his pacing and pinned me with a hard look. "Oh no. You did a piss-poor job." He stepped forward, looming. "You''re here until we say otherwise."


    Gary leaned back, nose in the air. "Do we really need a... bungling fool like this? We should focus on growth - curate some actual talent."


    Eagle slammed a fist on the desk, sending another orange rolling into Gary''s lap. "This is about principle! In fact..." A nasty smirk spread across his face. "I think you need a reminder that we aren''t running some kind of... vegetable farm!"


    He snapped his fingers at Frankenstein''s monster and pointed my way. I gritted my teeth as a pinching sensation tore through my knees. My legs vanished in a flurry of glowing motes and I pitched forward -


    Only to be caught under the arms by Percival. The kid propped my stumps on the floor and held my torso upright against him.


    Eagle quirked a brow as if he was just noticing the kid. "Who''s the squirt?"


    "Uh... this is Fritz Carlton." Percy said, holding my torso up. "... One of the guys that owes you money."


    "Don''t get smart with me, brat." Eagle jabbed a finger at me. "You''re working for his sake now, too. Mess this up again, and the kid pays the price. You''re part of this now, kid. Get me?"


    Percival blinked slowly, showing no emotion. Then, "... Mother-!"


    ---


    Next Time:


    It''s a newspaper. The players set up an in-game newspaper.


    Intermission 1 - Celestial Daily Issue No. 31

 Int 1: Celestial Daily Issue No. 31

    ¡ª INERMISSION ONE ¡ª


    Celestial Daily Issue No. 31


    Saturday, September 7th - Day 38


    Weekly Closeout


    It''s the end of another week, folks, and this officially marks the one-month anniversary of our first issue. Only two weeks of summer remain, and I''ve spotted the first yellow leaf on the trees outside the office. My daughter was supposed to start her senior year of high-school earlier this week, and all I can think about is if she ever started looking at colleges. We can''t stop time from passing, but that doesn''t mean we have to focus on what we''ve lost.


    Now, if you haven''t heard, Florin, the major city on the southeast coast, is built like a tropical resort. Sounds like a fun place to visit - sparkling waves, breaches, cool drinks. I hope I can go before the summer''s over. There''s plenty more like that out there for us to find. So instead of worrying about what we''re missing, look at what we have around us at the moment.


    A lot has happened this week, especially on the burgeoning political front. We don''t want anyone to miss what''s happening, so I want to remind everyone that the Protectorate keeps archived copies of old editions in their library, free for the public to view. If you need to catch up or make a copy of an article for a friend, they''re your best resource. For more information, see the following article.


    Now on with today''s news.


    -Editor Reggie


    Partnered Ad - Help and Other Game Resources


    We would like to remind everyone that the Protectorate, currently operating out of the Magic Academy located in the southwest district of Celestia Grand, offers plenty of resources and services for any in need of help or assistance - with the game or adjustment to life here in general. Here are a few of our current projects:


    The Wiki - A library containing an extensive collection of documentation on lore, mechanics, quest help, and more! If you''ve got a question, chances are we''ve got an answer. All of our research is contributed by the player base, so if you know something we don''t, please tell us!


    Continuing Education - Secondary education classes have begun! Classes are organized in a college style with separated quarters and many time slots for more flexible enrollment schedules. Even if you only have time to stop in a few hours a week, don''t let yourself fall behind! We are also seeking more experts to expand our range of higher-level subjects. Check back winter quarter for the latest course offerings!


    Counseling - We are happy to announce Dr. Killgore, who has previously been featured in the Celestial Daily for her services as a mental health counselor, has signed on as the head of our new counseling services, and we are open for appointments! If you''re having trouble with our new environment or worried about the world outside, come by and have a chat.


    All of the Protectorate''s services are free of charge and operated off donations and volunteer work. If you would like to assist us in either of these ways, please ask at the front desk of the Academy''s lobby.


    World News - World Guard puts out Call to Action!


    The World Guard has put out an official announcement - the first boss of the game will fall before the end of next week!


    In case someone missed it, the way to get out of the game is by advancing through the global story. This is done by progressing through the Grand Citadel on the north side of the capital city of Celestia Grand. Outside the Citadel gate is the first boss - Oxtongue the Grassinator. Don''t let the name fool you - this thing is a tank on legs capable of tearing people apart with its bare hands, intended to be fought by a whole raid group of players.


    However, someone''s got to get through it, and the World Guard has taken up the banner. The guild, which has been championing for a united player front since near the beginning of August, has been testing mechanics and gathering information on the fight. Guildmaster Sir Alka the Seltzer had this statement to share: "It''s time. Now that we have established ourselves in this world and have the experience on how to play the game, we are ready to begin. What we are doing here is not killing a boss - we are making a statement. We will fight, and we will win. This game will not break us."


    The Guard are now assembling a team to execute the kill. The boss itself is level 10. If you are at least that level (higher not consequential due to auto-downscaling) and interested in taking part in this historic moment, ask for Rose or Siegfried at the front desk of the World Guards'' headquarters, located in Evermoon Gardens on East Boulevard.


    It always starts with one step. Once it has begun, the rest will follow.


    -Ace reporter, Cherry Keane


    Trade Union Partners with Guard


    The Trade Union yesterday announced they are entering into a partnership with the World Guard.


    Starting as a collective of non-combat players dedicated to the crafting classes, the Trade Union has established market supremacy over the crafting materials of several disciplines with the stated aim to ''keep prices fair and consistent for both our members and the consumers''. This new partnership follows on from the Trade Union-Ethanolics Anonymous contracts reported on earlier this week, wherein the two signed exclusive deals to provide faster and cheaper crafting materials and distribution for both guilds'' crafting sectors.


    The aim of the Union-Guard partnership is to expand Trade Union control of the game''s inbuilt player market system to control prices and prevent small groups from developing monopolies over commodities.


    The Trade Union is the latest in a collection of guilds that have banded together to provide stability in different aspects of the game, including Ethanolics Anonymous, Shake Spear, the World Guard, and the Protectorate.


    -Lekowski


    Behind the Protectorate: An Interview with Guildmaster Pascal


    The Protectorate is a wonderful organization. If you don''t know who they are, flip a few pages back and read the partnered ad, because what we were curious about was: what''s behind the front? What goes into what they offer? Today we sat down with Benedict Clerk Pascal, Guildmaster and history teacher, to find out.


    [Cherry]: Hello hello!


    [Pascal]: Hello, glad to be here.


    [Cherry]: I would hope so - it''s your office.


    [Pascal]: Well I''m always happy to receive guests.


    [Cherry]: Then let''s get started. Tell us about the beginning. What was your inspiration for founding the Protectorate, and how did the organization start?


    [Pascal]: There are so many people cut off from their families here, and as much as I wanted to help them, I''m just one person. So I started small. The first thing I thought when we were teleported to the arena for the announcement was, ''What about the children?'' That''s the foundation of it all, really. I''ve been a teacher for 30 years, all up and down the public school range, so that was something I was comfortable with.


    [Cherry]: How has the Protectorate evolved since its inception, and what impact have you seen it make in the community?


    [Pascal]: The first idea was to set up a school, but that immediately required caring for the children without guardians. So we first set up a group home, then organized classes from there, and as more people have pitched in and signed onto the project, we have been steadily working toward tackling that original goal - helping everyone that needs it. It''s amazing, really, how quickly things are growing. That''s the greatest part of it, I think - not what I do as an individual, but to see how that root has spread, inspired others to continue on to inspire others. It''s just... people helping people.


    [Cherry]: What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced, and how have you overcome them?


    [Pascal]: Our most persistent limitation is time and manpower. Like I said, at the start it was just me and Elie - one of our curriculum coordinators - and whoever walked in the door on a given day. We couldn''t handle more than a couple dozen kids. And it wasn''t me that solved it - currently is solving it - it is the collective efforts of the community. We set up the platform, but it is the people building the community that they want that does the heavy lifting.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    [Cherry]: Could you share the moment that most exemplifies the work you''ve done so far?


    [Pascal]: Just yesterday I walked into the school - coffee in one hand, the latest issue of your wonderful paper in the other - and, seeing everyone getting ready for morning lessons, I froze. It hit me - none of this - all of this is because of that simple start. I guess what I''m saying is the Protectorate itself is greater than anything I could imagine accomplishing on my own. It both is and is beyond my work.


    [Cherry]: How has your partnership with the World Guard affected your work?


    [Pascal]: The funding has been a boon. We wouldn''t be able to afford the schooling materials or to finance our new counselling division without them. But there is always so much more we have to put on hold, either due to lack of available resources or personnel. The majority of our funding still comes from small donations by individuals.


    [Cherry]: If you had the resources available, what is the next goal you would like to reach out for?


    [Pascal]: Oh, that''s a tough one. Obviously we''re always working on improving our catalogue of courses offered for students. My personal pet project has been expanding our library - investigating the game - but with so many other groups across the world working on that task, I think we should focus on things more unique to our skillsets. We have discussed what would be necessary to set up extra branches and offices in the other major cities - everything we have is now condensed in the school in the Capital. I think that would expand our reach the best - it''s a long train ride for those living outside the city. Though, realistically, there so much more to do with what we have that I don''t see it happening soon.


    [Cherry]: Lastly, what message would you like to convey to those considering getting involved or supporting the Protectorate''s mission?


    [Pascal]: Everything counts - it''s the sum total, not the parts that move us. That''s how we got here, that''s how we keep going.


    [Cherry]: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us.


    [Pascal]: Anytime.


    There you have it - we may have spoken to one man, but it''s a lot more that keeps the Protectorate functioning. If you would like to chip in, the Protectorate is located in the Magic Academy in Celestia Grand''s Sunfire District, on the bend where Libeccio turns into 12.5th Avenue.


    -Ace reporter, Cherry Keane


    Ad - Advertisement for Adventurers!


    Does city life make you restless? Do you dream of the open plains and cavernous depths waiting to be explored? Then you probably came into this game for the same reason as us!


    Shake Spear is an open-world-focused guild with more than 500 members and looking for more thrill-seekers and pioneers! Nervous about what''s out there? Ask one of the veteran adventurers hanging around our guild hall for advice or sign up for one of our bi-weekly training sessions in the Park.


    Of course, the main feature of membership is exclusive access to our job board. We take requests for missions of all sorts, from scouting and information-gathering assignments from the Protectorate to farming drops for the Trade Union to providing protection services for Ethanolics Anonymous'' resource gathering runs. Get paid for your quests - we handle the logistics, you focus on the adventure!


    Inquire at our guild hall located between the train station and the Park in Celestia Grand''s Constellation District for further details.


    Editorial - Stability and Normalcy


    Once again, there are reports of a fatality in the northern markets of the Eclipse District. A group of hooligans attempted a coordinated robbery of an NPC-owned store, but were caught out by the city guard. We would like to start by reminding people that, first, this is an extraordinarily dangerous stunt to try, and second, this is not a victimless crime, as many are keen to dismiss it as. These activities present a danger not only to the participants, but to the uninvolved pedestrians that risk getting caught in the crossfire as the town guards chase down the culprit. The NPC guards do not care if they shoot an innocent, and we have received reports of many near misses in the past few weeks as halfwits continue to try to make some ''free money''.


    The environment of danger that these activities produce are but one of the issues that stem from a lack of stability and normalcy in the current ecosystem. That is why we have been publishing so many stories focused on the World Guard and the growing system of guilds around them lately. They present a solid foundation on which we can feel safe in our daily lives. Far better than anything promised by the pseudo-governments cropping up, such as the one that dominates the Faustenburg area and the lawless bands that claim some of the remote settlements.


    Happening Now! - Local News at your Doorstep!


    Did you know that the Solar Arena isn''t just some place for a cult-robe wearing dick to taunt us about trapping us here for some sick reason? (Probably voyeurism; I still can''t take all my clothes off - there are dozens + 1 never-nudes now, Tobias!) I didn''t, until some guys told me they were setting up a baseball league! That''s right, turns out the field is totally usable with automated tournaments running things like rock climbing competitions (next one scheduled for Tuesday!)


    Between the automatic stuff, players can choose the field layout themselves, and loads of people are getting together to play ball! They''re running sign-ups in the lobby most days, so head on down if you''re interested. Or, if you''re just looking for fun, there''s something happening there every day! Oh, right, the arena''s on Libeccio Avenue, if you didn''t know - straight south from West Boulevard!


    A month and a bit ago, if you asked me what I''d miss most if I were stranded on a deserted island, I''d have said my phone. Now? Good riddance - I''m happier than ever without that thing! What I didn''t think I''d miss, though, is music. It calms the soul, and with how accessible it is these days, it was easy to take for granted. Now that I have to listen to the utter, deafening silence of my room and my own whispering as I mumble to myself while writing, I understand what we have truly lost in coming here.


    Well heed those voices no longer - blot them out with street music! Bringing the spirit back to the people, one rockin'' corner at a time! It''s not just musicians, though! If you head on down to the Constellation District, around the train station-crafting hall-Park triangle, you''ll find all kinds of talented people struttin'' their stuff for your entertainment (and spare change - they''ve gotta eat. Or... well, they''ve gotta afford a copy of the paper anyway!)


    If you''re real lucky you''ll catch a glimpse of my muse - Ezra! She''s just a girl with an acoustic guitar and a voice, but give her a stage, and she will sing herself into tears. It''s inspiring. Just don''t scare her off; I need my fix!


    And now, a machine-gun of the hottest rumors and locales coming across our desk - it''s the Spray Down!


    If you''ve got more info on anything you see today, we''re dying to hear it!


    - A few days ago we reported on what locals were calling ''The Nightwalker'' - a tall man in a dark coat seen lumbering around the streets of the north end of the city in the dead of night. We''re happy to report that this is an NPC! He''s a monster hunter from the northwestern church (the one by the creepy graveyard) that is part of a class quest chain. He does a patrol every night to protect the city. A lesson that first appearances are only skin deep! Still, if you see a giant shadow ominously coming your way after sunset (or before, honestly) - I wouldn''t stick around.


    - I know we don''t need to eat here, but that doesn''t mean it''s not fun! Scattered around the cities are all kinds of restaurants. I''ve seen Mexican, Thai, sushi, Italian - you name it! The one I want to mention today is Hero Hero - a sub place in the northeast corner of the Sunfire District, a little over a block from Syzygy Square. It''s a little hole in the wall, so pay attention - you might miss it! It''s not the most interesting cuisine, I know, but this place does it all - any three toppings you want for 7.50. I know what you''re saying - that''s a lot for a sandwich - but when they say ''any topping'', they mean ANY. They got filet mignon on that menu! You want basilisk meat, gnaeblak, and hydra-breath chili? Get it, girl!


    - As many people have noticed, Celestia Grand''s got a massive sewer system that runs under the whole city. It might be fun to take a peek at if A, it wasn''t a sewer, and B, it wasn''t filled with nasty mobs! The useful thing about these mobs, though, is that they appear to scale to your level. No matter how high or low you are, they''ll always be your perfect match, which makes it a consistent grinding spot, and never too far away, if that''s how you want to spend your lunch breaks. One thing you should know before going on an urban exploration adventure, though - there is no map of the tunnels. It''s a messy labyrinth, so if you get lost, there may be no way out.


    - We''ve gotten several reports of scammers claiming to be in possession of Trade Union ''materials certificates'' - some kind of receipt they claim can be redeemed at the Trade Union office for the equivalent in raw materials. The Trade Union would like it known that they have no such system, and if the person you are trading with claims one of these certificates is just a stand-in for the real stuff, they''re scamming you. Better yet, ask them to redeem it and drag them to the offices - see what happens! Get a good picture and I''ll include it in the next issue!


    That''s all from the news desk today. Wishing you a happy weekend and, as always, mind your potion count!


    -Courtney


    -Classifieds-


    Party Listings:


    Ranged DPS (12) and Melee DPS/Healer (12) looking for group [Tank, DPS (any), Healer/DPS (any)] to farm Castle Thorn (5-man, 10-12, Southern Walk). Expected commitment: 1 day. Contact: Matsen#78985


    Tank (8) looking for (any) to quest or grind with - I go crazy spending all that time in the wilderness with no one to talk to. Expected commitment: See how it goes for an afternoon? Contact: Dogfael#56498


    Tank (14), RDPS (14), MDPS (13), RDPS (12) looking for Healer for static dungeon progression. Expected commitment: 8-12 hrs/day, 5 days/week. We''re here to DOMINATE. Contact: Crash Zato#36931


    Public Letters:


    Got another rumor off some gossip dialogue, and this one''s BIG. Out in Desert there''s supposedly the ruins of a lost civilization buried under the sand - cities of gold and all; you''ve seen National Treasure 2! Anyway, it''s too high level for me right now - I''m betting it''s either in the Sandsea (16-20) or Dusty Hills (26-30).


    Keep it tight.


    Andy


    Rumor has it there''s a second server to the game located right beneath our feet! If you try digging down through the dirt, you''ll get stopped by the bedrock, but some places go deeper than others. In certain locations, you can dig all the way to this ''subserver''. Those that have found it say it''s a world that''s a mirror of our own - a perfect replica down to the person ... except, they''re the opposite of us. They bask in the dark of the Mun and sleep under the Soon.


    Reports vary on these anti-people. Some say they''re just as curious about us as we are of them, while others say they were attacked on sight. To me, I''d say they''re just as varied and volatile as we are. So if you''ve ever wanted to do your clone, maybe keep an eye out for caves next time you''re out in the wilderness.


    You didn''t hear it from me.


    Fruit Wise


    I found a rare plant out in the Celestial Forest called dreamleaf. The description says it''s mildly hallucinogenic and is a reagent for alchemy. If any alchemists are high enough level to make it into a potion, hit me up. For science. MadDog89#77999


    Y''all hear the Guard are setting up for kill attempts on the first boss? Well I have it on good authority that, next time, we''re gonna get a glimpse of what this game''s got.


    Episode 4 - Grassinated


    If you would like to submit a classified ad, please leave a message at Protectorate PO box 3, or send a letter via in-game mail to Lekowski#82011

 Ep 4: Grassinated

    ¡ª EPISODE FOUR ¡ª


    Grassinated


    The time has come.


    Having been locked in the game for a month, the players have begun to understand the world and mechanics they now live by. As the chaos of the unknown days fade, the prospect of progression comes into focus. Just what will be required to beat this game? How long is it? What sorts of tasks are needed to advance the story? Well, the first step lies in the capital city of Celestia Grand. Looking down on the people from the courtyard of the Citadel, snarling and clomping, is a minotaur.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Contents:


    Chapter 13: A City of Stars - Celestia Grand!?(Release - 12/7)


    Chapter 14: The Plan?(Release - 12/14)


    Chapter 15: The Execution?(Release - 12/21)


    Chapter 16: Opening Day?(Release - 12/28)

 Ch 13: A City of Stars - Celestia Grand!

    ¡ª CHAPTER THIRTEEN ¡ª


    A City of Stars - Celestia Grand!


    -Fritz-


    I read the paper out loud as Percy and I rode in the back of an NPC''s vegetable-filled wagon trundling down the dusty road toward Faustenburg.


    "Dang, I''ve gotta get to work on leveling my alchemy." I mused, lounging back against a sack of radishes.


    Percy opened his map and wrote something on the edge, mumbling, "Basilisk meat, gnaeblak, and hydra-breath chili."


    A bell chimed as a notification appeared in the corner of my HUD. "Oh, got a message." I said, sitting up with a grunt. "If it''s Eagle, I''m gonna pretend I didn''t hear it."


    "Why do I never get messages?" Percy asked. "Whenever someone calls us, they message you."


    "You know how everyone''s got a 5-digit ID number after their username that you use for messages and mail and stuff?"


    "Yeah."


    "Well, the ID field in the message window only takes numbers, but your ID on my friends list is ''R-0''."


    He blinked at me. "Really?"


    "Have you never noticed that?" I pulled up my friends list and showed it to him. Running down the side was a nice, neat column of perfectly-aligned ID numbers, then a single offset value next to his name.


    "Huh. I wonder why." he asked flatly.


    "You could try submitting a ticket."


    He sat back down on a crate of apples. "I''m not giving that admin anything!"


    "You''re the only one losing out, but alright, man." I swapped over to the messaging window and checked the new one.


    It was from Rose. ''Fritz, are you still with Percival? I still can''t message him. In case you haven''t seen the paper, Filius, Siegfried, and I have been working with the World Guard to research the first story boss. We''re confident enough to start real attempts now. I want you two on the team. I''ve contacted everyone from the tutorial group. (Other than the Captain, of course.) After how we handled the Black Knight in the town square, I think the lot of us make a good team. If you''re unsure, just come by and see what we have prepared.''


    I read the message aloud to Percy. He immediately said, "Let''s do it."


    "Really? No hesitation? You don''t even need to see the boss first?"


    "Nope. I want to see what this game''s got."


    I sighed, leaning back and looking out at the wide open sky stretching across the rolling green plains. The breeze ruffled my hair, carrying with it the scent of earth and growing things. I hadn''t gotten tired of it yet, but could go for a change of scenery.


    "Yeah, maybe it''s time we stopped bumming around out here and see what people are doing."


    ---


    A woman''s voice crackled over the loudspeaker. "Now arriving at Constellation Station, Celestia Grand. Don''t forget your consumables, and enjoy the rest of your day."


    Percy and I stumbled off the train from Faustenburg, our legs wobbly from sitting so long. "Geez," I stretched out my back, "I was not expecting an actual three-hour train ride. Did they expect us to be logged in that whole time?"


    "There was a cabin full of arcade machines." Percy said.


    "What?! Why didn''t you tell me?"


    "I thought you saw it."


    "Man, you know I miss the important stuff! Whatever; we''ve got a lot to see."


    Constellation Station was a massive hexagonal chamber underneath the streets of Celestia Grand. It was a mechanical monstrosity, all hissing steam and grinding gears of polished brass and riveted steel. An oily scent lingered under everything. In the center, a pillar was decorated with displays listing the schedules of all the trains. From the ceiling surrounding it, light spilled down from an elaborate domed skylight that gave a small peek out at the streets above.


    Five of the hexagon''s sides were occupied by train platforms - one for each of the three major cities and two starting cities. And other than the people waiting to board them and the guy selling copies of the Celestial Daily, there wasn''t much down there for us. So we headed for the sweeping marble staircase that took up the station''s northwest side - up into the fresh light of the atrium.


    From the moment we stepped outside, a kaleidoscope of colors and activity overwhelmed my senses. Vibrant bunting adorned the station plaza, fluttering cheerfully in the breeze. The surrounding shops displayed a dazzling array of wares - glittering potions, clockwork devices, and trinkets of every description. The majority of people walking around were players, though it was getting harder to distinguish between them and the NPCs. Most of them had ditched the armor and were wearing fully casual clothes, some in a recognizable modern style and others leaning full into the fantasy vibe.


    The area immediately around us was similar to Faustenburg, architecturally-speaking. It was a denser, more closed-in city with less room for nature, but it still had that heavily magical feel - distinctly Victorian with a lean toward medieval. Gas lampposts with colorful flames, animated gargoyles in soldier uniforms keeping an eye on the markets as they patrolled the rooftops.


    But beyond them, the skyline was a fantastical mishmash of styles and eras. Heavy industrial towers of raw steel pierced the clouds, while turn-of-the-century high-rises of fading brick and thick columns loomed over the streets. And there, in the distance, a cluster of small towers floated untethered around a nest of interconnected spires. In the eastern districts, an enormous, tiered palace dominated. It looked like a city unto itself - gilded domes and fluted minarets rose from the highest levels, while terraced gardens and streets adorned the lower floors.


    But even that paled in comparison to the monolith spanning the northern horizon. Built atop a massive earthen mound was a citadel, its blood-red walls soared hundreds of yards into the air, dwarfing the skyscrapers below. Sinister ramparts and jagged battlements jutted from its surface like the spines of a slumbering dragon. Similarly tall curtain walls stretched down the sides of the motte, reaching downward behind the skyline like they were shepherding the city into the building''s shadow.


    "That''s it, huh?"


    "The Citadel." Percy nodded. "An open-world raid where the Corrupted King is waiting. That''s where the progression will happen."


    But ignoring that for the moment, there was a whole theme park of a city to explore! And just like a theme park, I was hit by the paralyzing question of ''What attraction do we go see first?''


    Luckily, Percy kept on task. He checked his map and scrolled around the meticulous notes he''d collected from the newspaper''s gossip column. "The Trade Union offices are off North Boulevard."


    He led the way west from the station, over to South Boulevard. It was a massive brick road wide enough to land a plane on. Colorful cafes lined the sidewalks, their tables spilling out onto the pavement in a riot of parasols and chairs. Stalls crowded the median strip, hawking everything from exotic fruits to sizzling kebabs that filled the air with mouth-watering aromas. I had to hand it to the devs - they''d nailed the greasy street food smells.


    We followed the boulevard up to Syzygy Square - the centerpiece of the entire world. It was a park. Inside the perimeter of streets leading to the four main boulevards of the city, gravel paths meandered between manicured bushes and burbling fountains, shaded by trees that rustled in the breeze. At the center - coordinate 0,0 - was the statue of a winged woman reaching toward the sky, one cheek stained with a streak of tears.


    On the north side, about a block outside the square, a thick stone bridge carried us over a river to North Boulevard. It was a narrower, more subdued street than South hemmed in by taller, more tightly-clustered buildings that gave it a darker, quieter feel. It led straight to the motte and up into that bloody fortress looming over us.


    We turned off about halfway to the motte, entering a little capillary street that passed under the joined balconies of a block of wooden, lodge-looking buildings that enclosed a dark courtyard. The place was packed - dozens of players milled about, most of them part of the guild ''The Trade Union''. They scurried between the buildings and surrounding streets after some business or another, barely sparing us a glance as we pushed our way through the crowd.


    The gaggle of independent players were huddled around a large noticeboard in the center of the courtyard. That would be the Market Board, the means of accessing the player market. There were only four in the whole game - one in each of the major cities. I had yet to encounter an item that bound to my character, so I imagined literally any item in the game could be found on there. For the dedicated merchants, those bulletin boards were like the New York Stock Exchange.


    But that wasn''t what we were there for.


    Percy scanned the surrounding buildings. "She said the offices were around here somewhere..."


    I snagged the sleeve of a passing Trade Union member. The man, Jovik Runeblade, had a slightly withered look and his hair was thin in places. It looked like he''d tried to recustomize his character to patch over some bald spots, but it was still a little under a healthy head. The wrinkles around his eyes were smoothed away, but something about him still screamed middle age.


    That reminded me - I''d had this forehead crease for a few years now; maybe I could- not the problem at the moment. Excalibur had told us she had gotten a job with the Union.


    "Excuse me, could you point us to the... what''s the name of the place again?" I looked at Percy.


    "The Underground Intelligence Office."


    Jovik looked us up and down, his gaze lingering on Percy. "You wouldn''t happen to be looking for a job, would you?"


    "Nope. Just thought we''d congratulate a friend on the new office."


    "Are you sure?" Jovik pressed. "You''re awfully young to be risking your life. There are plenty of things you can do other than combat."


    Percy''s face went blank, all emotion draining away. "I don''t think there are. But thank you for your concern."


    "O-ok." Jovik seemed a bit thrown by the response. He pointed southwest. "The UIO is a few blocks that way. There should be a sign on River Street."


    "Thank you!" Percy turned on his heel and marched toward the southern exit.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "If you change your mind, there are plenty of places that would be willing to take you! We always need more hands!"


    I gave him a quick nod. "Thanks, man. We''ll keep that in mind."


    There was a river that cut through the Capital - the River Moondrop. Entering from the southeast, it was left exposed and surrounded by grassy pathways for its southern leg, then hugged around Syzygy before disappearing under a block of pavement as the northwest district bridged over it. The result was River Street - a winding avenue that occasionally featured railing-lined openings into the river running underneath. According to the signs, that was the southern border of the space the Trade Union had claimed for its offices, and many of the street signs had been adjusted with new directions pointing to its various departments and offices.


    "Man, they bureaucracied this stuff up fast." I commented, reading down a directory.


    "There it is." Percy pointed to a sign a few blocks along.


    We followed the directions, the din of the market and River Street fading as we entered a network of dim back alleys. The close-set buildings blocked the sunlight, leaving nothing but the scraggliest of flowers to decorate the place. A rusted gate creaked in the breeze in the far end. Not a streetlight in sight. Honestly, I kinda dug it. It''s exactly where I''d want to deal in ''underground intelligence''.


    On the dark stoop of a corner building, a sign reading ''Underground Intelligence Office'' had been nailed into the brick. I knocked on the splintering wood, and the door swung open at the touch. Stepping inside, I blinked in the sudden light. It wasn''t a grimy noir detective office at all; it was someone''s house! Over in the kitchen, a woman was humming absently as she chopped vegetables, a pot on the stove beside her hissing and popping. She was seemingly oblivious to the heavy wooden desk that had been plunked in the middle of the front room.


    Behind that desk, leaning back in her chair as she transplanted notes from a manilla folder onto her UI map, was Excalibur. Her long brown hair had been shorn into a short, professional bob, and she''d swapped her armor for a button-up with the sleeves rolled to the elbows and a pair of plain slacks. She reminded me of my nephew, actually.


    "Sup, dil-holes?" She tossed the folder on the desk and straightened in her chair.


    "Heyo, Cali" I waved. "Sorry for dropping in unannounced, but, well, we wanted to see what a ''job'' looked like in this wild set-up y''all got going on here. Are all the offices, uh... occupied?" I looked at the housewife.


    "We make what we can with what we''ve got." Cali shrugged. "The NPC places are basically free real estate, so you get people moving in and using ''em for whatever."


    "I can dig it." I nodded. "Hey, does she make real food?"


    "Nope. She''ll stand there chopping lettuce for hours, then just wander off like nothing happened. Nice to have someone to talk to, I guess, and it smells nice."


    "Are you the only one working out of here?"


    "Yep. The brass doesn''t know what this department is gonna be yet, so for now they''ve got me chasing down leads on scammers and grifters."


    Percy asked, "They made an entire office without knowing what it''s for?"


    "Do you read the paper?" she asked him.


    "Every day!" I said. "We''re big fans of ''Happening Now!''"


    "Then you know the World Guard is itching to set themselves up as the de-facto government, and the Trade Union''s hitched onto them. What I''m supposed to be doing is finding people in violation of trade regulations, then turn their names over to the main office and Guard for... cop stuff, I guess. But ''trade regulations'' don''t exist yet - they don''t think they have the clout to start imposing ''laws'' - so I''m just looking for scammers. It''s a whole... infrastructure pre-setup thing. Working out how things''ll work before putting it down on paper."


    "This really is a bureaucratic hellscape." Percy muttered.


    "Anywho," I said, "did Rose message you?"


    She heaved a sigh, tilting her chair back on two legs. "Yeah."


    "I take it you''re not signing up for the raid, then?"


    "Oh, hell no! I ain''t signing up for whatever half-cocked raid y''all are plotting. I''m still level 1! I''m not risking my neck on this nonsense!"


    Percy said, "Normal mobs aren''t a significant threat. Basic grinding is pretty safe."


    "I don''t care! I have one policy: I ain''t gonna die! I don''t take risks like that!"


    "Alright, man; it''s your life." I said, "Oh, we weren''t sure if you were going to have, like, a cubicle or not, but we brought you something."


    Percy went into his inventory and spawned a small flowerpot with a lush head of cabbage sprouting from it.


    I said, "We got it out in the farmlands - some of the quests give decorations. We thought it could liven things up."


    "Is it edible?" she asked.


    "... Technically yes?"


    Percy set the pot on a clear corner of her desk, and she tore a corner off a leaf with a crisp snap. She popped it in her mouth. The reaction was instant - her eyes bugged out and she toppled backwards out of her chair, hacking and spitting.


    "It''s a tad bitter." I chuckled.


    Excalibur''s hand rose up from behind the desk, clawing at the surface like a zombie digging out of its grave. She slowly hauled herself into view, murder in her eyes, and hurled a dagger at us. It clattered harmlessly on the floor, missing by a mile. "You bastards! I''m gonna be tasting that all day!"


    Still laughing, I fished a sugar-dusted muffin out of my inventory. "Here. This helped wash it down for me."


    She snatched it out of my hand and took a massive bite, falling back in her chair and glowering.


    "So, one more question before we head out." I said. "Has the Union heard anything about, uh... ''illicit substances'' in the game?"


    Cali took a good minute to chew and swallow the muffin. "Some of the guys are talking about a thing called dreamleaf. Won''t tell ''a kid'' anything about it, but it''s out there."


    I nodded. "Alright; I''ll let you know if I find out more."


    "Getting ''em started young, huh?" Percy asked.


    "Aw, come on, it''s a game - what harm could there be? See you Cali; don''t eat the whole cabbage!"


    Next up, we headed across North Boulevard into the northeast district of the city - the Nebula District. It was a quieter place with larger, more spaced out buildings. Primarily residential, at least in the parts that we saw, and a little more high-class than what most players could afford that early on.


    Percy had marked the directions out on his map. Comparing them to the street signs, he said, "This is the place."


    A secluded pocket park enclosed by a ring of towering trees and overgrown bushes on three sides with a quaint little pond where ducks were paddling around. It''d be a nice spot for a date, but at the moment it was empty.


    Across the street, I spotted a bakery. Or ''Boulangerie'' as the sign said in curly script. My stomach rumbled at the thought of a fresh, warm bagel. I licked my lips in anticipation.


    As I started across the cobblestones to get a cheeky little snack, Rose called out, "Hey there! Sorry to keep you waiting!" She came jogging up the street toward us.


    Following her was Filius. He was quite a large man, had to be at least a head taller than me and twice as wide. At least some of that was coming from the armor - he was wearing a full suit of thick plate, minus a helm, and clunked with every step as he struggled to keep pace with his wife. Rose herself was also geared up for a fight in a mix of leather and chain - similar to but more professionally-made than the starter gear.


    "No problem; we just got here ourselves." I said, pointing the the bakery, "Do you know if this place is good? I am dying for a good pastry right about now."


    The four of us went inside, the mouthwatering scent of baking bread enveloping us as we got a big ol'' basket full of fresh, golden bagels and sat around a table. I grabbed myself a cheese and onion and bit into it, savoring that perfect, chewy texture. There was plenty of fresh food out in the farmlands, but you can''t beat the artisanal perfection and variety you get in the city.


    Between mouthfuls, I said to Filius, "I don''t think we''ve met in person before."


    "No, I suppose we haven''t. But we''ve spoken so often it''s hard to think of it as a first meeting." Looking at Percival, he added, "But you''re the one with the messaging problem, right? I guess this is our first time talking directly. Good to finally put a face to the name!"


    Percy glanced up, mouth full with an overambitious bite of bagel. He swallowed hugely. "Hey." he said before going right back to his systematic demolition job on the baked good.


    I turned back to Rose, who had shed her gloves and was slathering an everything bagel with cream cheese. "So, you''re working with these ''World Guard'' guys now, eh?"


    "With, not for." she said. "I get why they''re doing what they are, but I want to focus on what we''re here for - progression."


    "Alright then, what''ve you got?"


    "It''s not a complex fight." she said, licking a smear of cream cheese from her thumb. "More of a damage check. Adds drop an AoE field that shrinks the size of the arena while tanks control positioning to prevent mechanics. Filius and one of the World Guard gentlemen we''ve been working with will handle the tanking, so we''re looking for reliable people to burn the boss down. I know you two have good heads."


    "That''s what they called me in college." I nodded. "Sounds like a pretty cut-and-dry intro fight. How deep have you tested it?"


    "Only to the soft enrage at 35%. We''re able to get there consistently, but the healers have had mana problems, even with the best potions. Davi has already volunteered to fill in as an extra healer, so we should be fine there." She turned her gaze on Percy. "The other concern we''ve got is add management, which needs ranged damage. Based on the robe, I''m guessing you''re still running Mage?"


    He nodded and kept chewing.


    "I haven''t seen many people stick with it; how is the damage in later levels?"


    "Not great." he said. "I mix in sword skills when we need to rely on numbers. But if Fritz can stay on the boss while I''m on adds, I could borrow the crossbow."


    "Oh?" Rose raised an eyebrow at me. "That ''secret weapon'' you keep bragging about?"


    I grinned and drew the mini crossbow. "Yeah, check this baby out! It''s fallen off a bit now that we''re about on par with the intended level for it, but this thing absolutely carried us through the early zones! Pierced through three wolves with a single bolt, killing them all 100-0!"


    Rose picked it up, turning it over in her hands as she checked the stats. "We haven''t found any unique items like that in our quests. I wonder if they only appear rarely or if we''re just not looking hard enough for optional objectives."


    "I told you we got stuff for capturing a mob and dragging him, like, 20 miles back to town, right? Some of this stuff is real far out of the way."


    "I wonder how this will work with level scaling?" Rose asked. "Normally, when you enter the boss'' arena, you and your gear are scaled down to level 10 - the boss'' level - but if this doesn''t have a requirement, will it change?"


    "Guess we''ll find out." I handed the crossbow to Percy. "Take care of her."


    He drew his sword, stuffed it in a belt pouch to unequip it, then took the mini crossbow in his right hand. Leaning back in his chair, he shot through an open window. One of the ducks in the pond across the street exploded in a puff of feathers. Gears whirred as the crossbow began to automatically reload itself. "Yeah, I like this."


    "Can you still use magic?" Rose asked. "I know some weapons interfere with it."


    "You need a wand, staff, or bare hand to cast." Percy reached his left hand to his side, and a little crooked stick with a magical fairy star on the end appeared in his fist. "I don''t use it, but I keep this in the slot."


    "So it''s effectively a sidearm." Rose said. "That could explain the low damage numbers - it''s intended to be supplemental. Anyway, you don''t have to commit to anything at this moment. We''re holding a meeting tomorrow to go over the mechanics in detail and talk group composition. Come meet the group."


    "Sounds good to me." I said.


    "Tomorrow at Evermoon Gardens - 9 AM."


    "Is that on the map?"


    "It''s the capitol building on East Boulevard." Percy said.


    "Right. Then yeah, we''ll be there."


    With the social calls done, that left Percy and I with an afternoon to kill.


    Now, as has maybe been apparent, Dawnfall had a class system. You obviously only got the one character, but you could freely swap between unlocked classes. Other than a boost to relevant stats, there was no reason to worry about which class was active - the unlocked skills were usable so long as the proper weapon was equipped.


    That meant two things: One, many classes were not whole - they were pieces of a larger system, especially the magic classes. Second, I was exhausted just looking at the class tree and thinking of how much grinding would be required to unlock them all, let alone level them to get their skills.


    But that was a problem for future-Fritz. Present-Fritz and Percy had been out in the fields levelling their base classes, and now we were ready to unlock some second-tier classes!


    Most of the progressions were pretty straightforward. Lancer split into Soldier, a versatile generalist, and Shieldwall, a dedicated tank. Swordfighter had a branch for heavy blades and another for light. Archer could keep going down the Sniper path for bows, or veer off into Beast Tamer to get an animal companion, or even pick up Rifleman for guns, though we hadn''t found one yet. You get the idea - more advanced, specialized versions of the base classes.


    But there were a few oddball combos too, like Cavalry. With both Swordfighter and Lancer, you got a horse, which sounded amazing given how much walking there was between locations. That one was first on my list.


    Then there was Mage. It was offset from the rest of the tree because of how it ballooned outward. The second tier alone had eight different branches, and there was even more after that. Thank the Goddess I was leaving the magery to Percy.


    Anyway, each one of those classes had an associated quest to unlock it, generally following the formula of going to some group of NPCs, helping them out with something, then getting initiated into their order. It was time-consuming and sometimes repetitive, but it made for a fun afternoon. We spent the next few hours traipsing around the city, sticking our noses into everyone''s business.


    The Soldier trainer had us running laps in full armor until I thought my lungs would burst. For Beast Tamer, we had to help them rein in a group of escaped zoo animals. The Cavalier wanted us to groom a whole stable full of horses to a mirror shine. Then a particularly wild one they''d been trying to break escaped, and we had to capture it - then they let us keep it! By the end of it, I was bruised and sweaty and smelled like a barn, but you know what? Totally worth it for a free horse! I called mine Caesars Palace, and Percy named his John Munch.


    Taking a break to stop in at the arena to watch a marksmanship tourney, that was our day. It wasn''t a bad one. All the while, the Citadel loomed over the city, that big, red, unavoidable reminder of where we had to go.

 Ch 14: The Plan

    ¡ª CHAPTER FOURTEEN ¡ª


    The Plan


    -Fritz-


    Evermoon Gardens. It sounds like a conservatory or arboretum, but it was a neoclassical marble building with a pillar-dotted wing sticking out of either side stretching out toward the boulevard. Between them, a cute little fountain area was shaded from the sun where people were eating breakfast before the front steps. It was like a capitol building you''d find all over the states.


    "I wonder what they put a capitol building in for." Percy asked.


    "Out of all the things we''ve seen, this is the one that throws you off?"


    "Fantasy stuff is fantasy stuff - of course it''s strange. It''s fun! It''s meant to be different! This is a government building! This is... ordinary!"


    "Maybe they knew players would need to form a structured society to manage ourselves. Makes you wonder, right? How much did the designers know about what this game was? How broad or deep is what''s going on here? What even is going on here?! ... Is this a Lord of the Flies-esque thing? An experiment to see what happens when we''re left alone?"


    "I doubt that." Percy said flatly. "I think we''re here for something more... clear to the intention of the game."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Our task, as assigned on the first day, is to progress the story. So let''s see what the story has to say." He walked toward the building.


    I didn''t get it, but the only way to go worth thinking about was forward, so I followed him up the steps.


    In the lobby, I approached the receptionist and asked, "Excuse me, could you tell us where Rose and the raid meeting are being held?"


    "Upstairs, take a right, second door on the left."


    And so we went up to the mezzanine level and hooked right into a long hallway lined with wooden doors. Muffled voices leaked out of the second one.


    It was a conference room. War maps and diagrams were pinned on the walls, it was moodily dim with the sole lamp hanging over the far end of a long, handmade wooden table, and the people were wearing armor. But cut the aesthetic, and it was just a meeting room. Rose, Siegfried, and Filius were already there laying out their plans and photos of a minotaur.


    "Hey guys." Rose greeted us with a quick wave. "We''re still setting up. Grab a seat wherever."


    Percy and I sat about midway down the table''s length.


    "How''s it been going, Siggy?" I asked. "Haven''t seen you in a while."


    Siegfried blew out a heavy sigh, rubbing his forehead. "You would not believe the amount of... finagling that is involved with this. I was hoping for a quick ''get some people together and bring it down'', but we don''t get to make mistakes here. We''re dotting the ''i''s and crossing the ''t''s over and over again, but now that we''re finally ready to make a real attempt, I can''t shake the feeling we forgot something."


    Filius slapped him on the back. "It''s just nerves. We''ve all gone over the notes - we''ve all seen it in action. We haven''t missed anything."


    I counted up the chairs around the table. There was space for about two dozen in the room. "How big of a group are we using here?" I asked.


    Rose said, "The raid size is flexible. It starts at 10, then scales up from there. We haven''t found a max yet, but, keeping it in a single raid group for simplicity, that gives us a cap of 50. Today, we don''t have that many coming - we''re looking for skill over numbers."


    "Alright, groovy."


    A nervous creak drew my attention to the door. In crept a slight girl in leather armor, hands clutched anxiously in front of her. Her name plate read ''Davi Crockett''. And... it took me a second too long to process this was our Davi - the shy boy from the tutorial group. Well, not boy - oh, geez, I''ve always been terrible with these things. There''s just so much room to step on people''s toes with how carelessly I talk.


    And while I was staring and sluggishly connecting the dots, Davi was fidgeting awkwardly.


    "Hey Davi!" I finally said with what I hoped wasn''t too overexaggerated a smile. "Been a while!"


    Davi returned my greeting with a small, timid wave and tremulous smile.


    Siegfried said, "Welcome! Please, sit anywhere. Any luck tracking down your brother yet?"


    Davi''s smile faltered as she shook her head. "No, nothing so far. I''m hoping... maybe he''ll see me in the paper."


    I said, "Aw man, were we supposed to have been looking for your brother?! What''s his name?"


    "Clark, but I don''t know his username."


    "Alright, I''ll keep an eye out. Oh, and hey, just to double check - you still going by ''Davi''?"


    "I like the name." she nodded.


    "Alright, cool, man. - I call everyone man, by the way... if you hadn''t noticed." I trailed off.


    Davi did her best to smile back.


    Percy broke the following awkward silence. "I love what you''ve done with your hair - it''s very pretty."


    Mumbling an embarrassed thanks, she seemed to shrink in on herself, doing her awkward best to blend into the wallpaper. Alright, no need to make her any more uncomfortable than she clearly already was.


    Luckily, from the sound of heavy boots rapidly approaching in the hall, someone far more eager to have eyes on them was about to arrive.


    The door burst open, revealing a short, muscular dude rocking a crew cut and a greatsword strapped across his back. He strode in and thrust his fists in the air.


    "Alright team, who''s ready for glory?!" His booming voice matched the cocky grin stretching ear to ear. The nameplate hovering over his head read ''Razzmatazz''.


    "Hey Razz." Rose greeted him calmly.


    He plopped down across the table from Percy and me. "What''s good, fellas? You ready to DO THIS?!"


    "You know it, man!" I replied, finding myself smiling back.


    "Yes." Percy said as blank as ever.


    "So where''d you two meet the boss?" he asked.


    "Rose?" I asked. "We were in the same tutorial instance."


    "Ah, the infamous Knight slayers!"


    "I don''t think we slew much." I said.


    "The way I heard it, you had that thing dead to rights! Pinned to the ground, flesh exposed, ripe for the kill!"


    Percy said, "I don''t think it was flesh."


    I rubbed the back of my neck. "We did do some of that, I guess. Probably not as big as the stories make it sound."


    Razz waved me off. "Nah, I''m sure it was epic! Me, I grouped up with them for the first dungeon, then again for the second and third."Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The door clicked close. Razz had left it hanging open when he''d stormed in, but the next person closed it behind them. I had to do a double take, because for a second I thought it was Lily - the Captain''s sister.


    No, she just looked similar. It was the hair - that same dark, messy mop. This ones nameplate read ''Cinter''. She slipped in with a curt nod and took a seat without a word.


    Turning back to Razz, I asked, "So you''ve killed some bosses before, huh? We''ve been avoiding the dungeons so far."


    "Pfft, they''re nothing if you''ve gone toe to toe with the Knight! This Oxtongue dude? He''s gonna look like a critter in comparison. Here''s hoping we can recreate some of that Knight slaying magic!"


    Siegfried rubbed at his shoulder. "Hopefully not an exact repeat."


    (Percival)?"Can I help you?" Cinter''s voice snapped me back to reality. I blinked, realizing she had sat in the direction I was spacing out staring in.


    "No." I turned to stare at another spot on the wall.


    The door swung open again, and two more joined us - Leonard and James Bong. James, predictably, hit it off with Fritz and joined in on his and Razz''s conversation. Leo sat between me and Cinter.


    "Hey, I know you!" he said, pointing at me. "You''re the guy that helped with that mob on the first day! Man, if you hadn''t stepped in, I''da been gone! Talk about a lucky save there, eh?"


    "Yeah. Glad to see you''re still here."


    Leo turned to face Cinter. "Hey there, nice to meet ya!"


    Cinter glanced at him briefly. "Likewise." she said flatly before returning to studying her hands folded in her lap.


    "So, what''s your reason for wanting in on this raid?" he asked.


    "There are people waiting for me out there. I need to get back to them." Cinter responded.


    "Oh. Shoot, sorry..." Leonard rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Well, now I feel like a selfish prick. I''m just here chasing fame, ya know? I''ve never had a chance to... be somebody, you know?" He forced a chuckle.


    Cinter stood abruptly and moved to a seat farther away.


    "Alrighty then..." Leonard muttered before turning his attention back to me. "What about you, huh?"


    I didn''t know how to answer that right away. The truth was... too complicated. Did I start with, ''Hey, there are monsters in this game. No, I don''t mean mobs - I mean the monsters - did you see under the Black Knight''s armor? No? No one else was stupid enough to try it? Well, you have to believe me that there''s a type of monster in this game, but it''s not just in the game - they''re real! No, I''m serious! I think the government built this game to ... expose us to their presence. No, really, I met them! There''s a secret government agency that hunts and destroys these things! I know I play a lot of fantasy games, but I''m not a conspiracy theorist! ... Anyway, I''m here to kill those monsters.''


    No, I''d get written off as a nutjob faster than when we were trying to warn people they were in danger of actually dying.


    Instead, I went with the much safer, much more believable, "I''m going to kill the admin."


    Leo nodded. "Alright, more power to ya."


    -Fritz-?The next person to arrive was - put your hands together folks - Lady Lucia!


    (Percival)?Woo!


    {Lucy}?Don''t patronize me; I know I was an absolute mess that day.


    -Fritz-?She was looking... ''a little'' worse for wear - shoulders slumped, dark bags under the eyes. Much less... held together than she was back in the day. She plopped down heavily between me and Rose.


    "Rough night?" Rose asked.


    Lucy let out a long sigh. "Has anyone ever told you the sewers are a good place to grind?"


    "They scale to your level, yeah." Rose nodded.


    "Don''t believe what you hear. Every hallway looks the same. There''s no pattern to them; you just keep making turns, and if you forget or miscount a single one, there''s nothing you can do. You''re lost, and there''s no way out. I was down there until 4 AM until I wandered into a sewer access to the canal under River Street and climbed up. I killed so many rats and alligators that I''m level 15."


    "Well that''s exp you won''t have to grind later!" I tried to spin it positively. "Percy and I are only closing in on 14!"


    "The grime has encrusted itself into my skin. I want to take a shower, cry, and go to bed."


    Rose patted her on the shoulder. "We''re not going to attempt the kill until at least tomorrow, so you''ll have plenty of time to night."


    The door opened once more, and in walked another guy I didn''t recognize. I can''t think of any words to describe him; he was just... your average guy. Brunette, mid-20s, maybe a tad on the skinny side. He had a nice coat over some casual town clothes. Nothing too remarkable. Name ''Sebastopol''. He made a few awkward greetings and quietly took a seat off to the side.


    His entrance, however, drew my attention to Flora. She''d slipped in without anyone noticing and was twiddling her thumbs nervously all by her lonesome in the back. She was about the same as I remembered, but she''d dyed her hair green. That got me thinking - was there anything I''d wanted to do with my hair? It''d be very easy to experiment there - no upkeep or damage to worry about. But no, anything I could think of would clash with Percy''s red.


    Before I could start up a conversation with either Sebas or Flora, Razz checked his menu. "We''re a couple minutes past 9; how many are we waiting for?"


    Rose did a quick headcount. "We''re only missing the off tank." She opened her menu and started to type, then the door opened one last time.


    In walked a man in a full suit of armor - helmet included. Schumacher, from the World Guard. "Ho there, travelers!" his voice rattled in the helmet. "My apologies for my lateness; I hope I haven''t kept you waiting!"


    Rose dismissed her menu. "Not at all. Everyone take your seats."


    The fourteen of us gathered around the table as Rose began laying out photographs. "Oxtongue the Grassinator." she announced. "He''s a minotaur, level 10. The arena is the courtyard in front of the gates of the Grand Citadel. It''s a rectangular area enclosed on three sides by the curtain wall. The fourth is open, facing the city. Should we need to retreat, that''s our only exit, so keep it clear of field effects.


    "For the most part, it''s an open spate of grass, but flanking the road leading up to the gate is a line of hedges and columns. The ranged damage will have to move from side to side through them, so if you get targeted by the adds, mind you have a limited number of pathways."


    As she spoke, she passed around photos of the boss and field. It was exactly as described - a sparsely decorated arena put in deep shadows by dark, blood-red walls stretching too high up for the photos to show, a hint of malice seeping out of the mortar.


    "There are two main mechanics -" Rose continued, "- one for the tanks, and one for the ranged. First, there''s a charge ability. If there''s enough space between Oxtongue and its target, or behind its target while it''s in melee range, it will usually go for a charge. There is very little room for error on this one - it deals enough damage that... well, if you aren''t in plate, it will outright kill you."


    Leo asked, "Should I ask how you know it does so much damage?"


    "No, you shouldn''t. Luckily, it can be kept in check by keeping Oxtongue close and facing the walls. The safest way we''ve found to do that is to turn it around and use the gate it''s standing in front of. Our tanks are well-trained on the movements to kite it safely, so the rest of you focus on the damage. If you do get aggro, sprint straight for the wall until the tanks take back over. That is the single most significant threat, but we''re also on a timer."


    She laid out pictures of the walls. Open slots broke up the solid surface.


    "Every minute or so, adds will spawn - archers on the balconies on the east and west sides of the arena. They shoot arrows tipped with jars of... napalm? Greek fire? Something that leaves a patch of fire that sticks around for the rest of the fight. They alternate which side they spawn on. The ranged need to take them down ASAP, then cross the field and get in position to hit the next wave. Some shots are inevitable and the targets are random, so as the area around Oxtongue gets clogged, the tanks will need to drag it around the wall. If we run out of wall ... we''ll actually end up right next to the exit, so we can retreat freely. But it will mean resetting the fight.


    "Because the ranged will be busy with the adds, it''s on the melee to keep up the damage. Give everyone enough space to squeeze in around the boss and keep out of the fire - we want to maximize the time before moving the boss. Also keep your mind on your threat. There''s a threat reset with every add wave, so back off for a second when you hear the shouting. This doubles as a way to disperse the initial volley of fire arrows away from the boss."


    She looked at each of us in turn. "Does everyone understand that? Tanks kite along the wall, melee moves in and out to control the fire, and ranged move back and forth to control adds." Filius laid out some simple play diagrams of the movements for each group. I nodded along with the others. There were a few things going on, but any given role only needed to focus on one.


    Rose picked up a list. "Then the roles as I have them are as follows: Filius - main tank, Schumacher - off tank. Healers - Leonard, Flora, and Davi. Ranged damage - Percival, Lucis, Sebas, and Razz."


    Razz''s head snapped up. "You''re putting me on add duty?!"


    "We need them dead fast."


    "Then you chose well!"


    "The rest are melee." Rose continued. "That''s me, Siegfried, Fritz, Cinter, and James. Does everyone understand their role?"


    Schumacher clanked as he raised his fist. "Forsooth! Let us banish this cretin to the depths of Tartarus!"


    "I''m glad you''re eager, but we''re not making attempts until tomorrow." Rose said.


    Leo raised a tentative hand. "Hey, how does loot work?"


    "Bosses are the same as normal mobs." Rose answered. "The game automatically distributes it."


    Leo said, "Aw, man, that system constantly gives me stuff I can''t use."


    "Does it matter?" Sebas frowned, crossing his arms. "Is that what we''re here for?"


    "Seb''s right." Rose''s face hardened. "If loot it your hang-up, I don''t know what to say. We''ve got bigger problems."


    Leo threw up his hands. "Just a gripe with the game''s systems. I''m in it to win it!"


    "Good." Rose said. "Now, the Guard have set us up a space in the Park to practice the movements at real scale. If everyone''s ok with it, I would like to spend a couple hours there. Make sure we get this down tight."


    "I''d like that, too!" I nodded eagerly.


    The general sentiment of the group was with me on that. So off we went, making our way down to the Park - a massive nature reserve inside the city near the train station. We spent the afternoon running drills with Rose barking out commands and some helpful volunteers from the World Guard waving around a big stuffed bull scarecrow. Running around dodging balloons full of dyed water, it almost made it all feel like a game.

 Ch 15: The Execution

    ¡ª CHAPTER FIFTEEN ¡ª


    The Execution


    |Ace>


    "Here they come folks, walking up the motte now: the heroes of the hour, the slayers of Oxtongue! Fourteen brave souls, marching fearlessly into the beast''s lair!"


    The raid trooped up North Boulevard, past the last of the buildings and up the side of the Citadel''s motte, where the bricks faded to a dirt path as it led into the Citadel''s courtyard.


    The courtyard almost felt like it was inside - the walls closed the space in on three sides, stretching so high up that I had to lean backward to see the top. They blotted out the early morning light, putting us in murky shadows. Balconies, galleries, and murder holes dotted the cyclopean, dark-red bricks of the curtain wall. The back wall was dominated by a colossal wooden gate - double doors at least a hundred feet tall made of... I''d say the entire redwood tree. I''d hate to be the guy that had to open it. That''s probably what the minotaur was for.


    Oxtongue the Grassinator. It''s name hovered above it its head, red letters burning against the dark. The thing was a hulking brute, ten feet tall with the upper body of Atlas and the lower body of Atlas covered in coarse brown fur. A wild mane coated its brawny shoulders and ran up its thick neck to the head of a bull. Two wickedly sharp horns, each as long as a sword, stuck forward in front of its face. When its eyes snapped open, they blazed like twin suns, pulsing with a malevolent yellow light and an angry fire. Steam jetted from its flaring nostrils as it pawed the ground, gouging deep furrows in the dirt.


    The raid lined up across from it, at the crook where the motte leveled out and entered the courtyard.


    Cherry and I hurried over to them. I started up the cassette recorder and asked, "Alright, how''s everyone feeling today?!"


    Cherry ran out in front of them, opening her menu to snap a photo of the group.


    Razzmatazz, one of the group''s archers, cheered, "I''m feelin'' good!"


    I held out the microphone and offered it to any of them. "Any comments for the paper?"


    Siegfried, one of the group''s stalwart leaders, stepped up, his armor shining in the morning light as he took the microphone and paced in front of the assembled adventurers.


    "The players - no, the people - are afraid of the game. We are here to show them that victory is possible. This is not a complicated fight. This game is not a death sentence. Freedom, victory, whatever goal you''re after - it''s right in front of us. We need only to seize it. Stick to the plan, stay calm, and this will go smooth."


    "Hooah!" Razz shouted.


    The group fell silent, every eye fixed on the boss glaring them down.


    "C''mon guys, all together now! Hooah!"


    "Yeah!" Cherry pumped her fist. "Hooah!"


    At the end of the line, a nervous girl - Davi - lifted a trembling fist. "Hoo- hooah."


    "On three!" Siegfried called. "One, two, three-"


    "HOOAH!" The unified cheer shattered the hush. Nervous energy transmuted into eager shouts and laughter.


    Schumacher, one of the Guard''s own, brandished his lance, the steel tip flashing. "Let us take the fight to the enemy!"


    The Grassinator loosed a rumbling snort, pawing the earth, its yellow eyes aflame. Killing intent saturated the air, pressing against us like a physical force. But no one wavered.


    Rose strode forward, entering the looming shade. Her boots crunched on the gravel running between the rows of hedges and stone pillars that lined the road. "Everyone, to positions! Adds start west side! Filius, pull it to the west door, then work east. Hold your attacks until it''s in position! Healers, one of you keep an eye on the ranged group once adds spawn!"


    The team scattered into formation, fanning out across the west side of the yard.


    "We''ve got tomorrow''s headline all lined up!" I shouted, "Grassinator: Grassinated!"


    "That cow''s ass is grass!" Cherry whooped.


    "This is humanity''s declaration of war against those glorified calculators!"


    We backed off the field, out on the slope of the motte - well out of the arena''s perimeter. Cherry took the cassette recorder. We were the only ones up there watching them. The Guard didn''t advertise when the kill attempts would happen - they didn''t want people to see the failures, if they happened, but they wanted the success to be publicized as widely as possible. So naturally, Reggie sent his best reporters.


    Cherry checked the timer. "30 minutes of tape left."


    "They said this wouldn''t take more than 15, so we''re gravy." I opened my menu, getting ready to take pictures. "You want to try that sub place afterward?"


    "Ugh, pass. I''m not taking a recommendation from Courtney."


    "It''s not like she gets a commission on their sales or anything. Oh, here we go: the first blow!"


    Oxtongue snorted and stamped, seemingly oblivious to the players readying themselves beside it. Filius crept up from behind, tower shield in one hand, longsword in the other. He drove his blade into the back of the beast''s leg.


    The minotaur spun around with shocking speed, its bellow reverberating off the walls, distorting into a pained, monstrous screech. It smashed a giant fist into Filius'' shield, staggering him back. Filius dropped into a defensive stance, putting his back to the gate and edging along it.


    Oxtongue pawed the ground, priming to charge, but held back. Instead it took a thunderous step forward, rearing up and hammering down with both fists. Filius sidestepped, the blow pulverizing the earth where he''d stood. He kept inching toward where the rest of the group was waiting with their weapons ready.


    "Ooh, nice moves!" Cherry hollered.


    A blaze of lightning seared the walls, striking a balcony high above us. As the afterimages faded, a figure was standing there, midnight armor staining the darkness with a deeper void. The Black Knight had arrived. I quickly zoomed in and got a picture of him.


    "Archers, to the walls!" its hollow, clanging voice called out. "Defend the gate!"


    About two stories above the ground on the west side, a quartet of bowmen ran out into a gallery, nocking arrows tipped with ceramic bulbs with fuses burning on them. They drew back, aiming high. But before they could loose, a bolt struck one of the bulbs. The firebomb shattered, detonating on the archer''s bow in a blossom of flames and tar. The fire washed over the mob, dripping to the ground and pooling around their feet. It took a steady and heavy stream of damage, but it let itself burn and drew another arrow to take aim again.


    The ranged specialists were spread across the field below them, three with bows drawn and one mad lad with a freshly-fired crossbow.


    Cherry said, "Ooh, remind me to ask where we can get one of those!"


    "Don''t just react; commentate! We''re recording!"


    |A>?In the first volley, one of our heroes has hit the flammable vial out of the enemy archer''s hands! The enemy is now taking constant damage from its own attack! An excellent shot from... Percival is the shooter! He''s throwing fireballs now. A hybrid weapon user? Ask for his commentary on that one later.


    <C|?That''s a pretty far shot; was it luck?


    |A>?Looks like he''s taking aim again. Hold your applause... and no visible effect!


    <C|?Well, I''ll take one lucky shot over zero.


    |A>?That wraps up the first wave of adds - a clean showing; looks like they''ve only taken a few steps along the gate.


    <C|?Oh, man, look at that guy - he''s just holding his shield up and getting beaten into the wall!


    |A>?The archers are repositioning to the other side of the field with a quick volley on the boss.


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    |A>?And no time to rest!


    <C|?Do you think this thing can pick up the Knight''s voice?


    |A>?We''ll check later. What in the-. Woah! Percival took a shot with the crossbow, tossed it to another of the archers - Razzmatazz that is - and they immediately fired a second shot! No hits on the arrows, but that''s some teamwork!


    <C|?You love to see it, Jack. Nothing better than watching the team make some big time plays.


    |A>?Looks like they''re repositioning for the next add wave. How''s the - oh, that''s not good. Some bad fire volleys on the melee there; they''re losing ground on the wall. The boss is coming up on the 80% health mark. How''s the healers'' mana looking, Cher?


    <C|?I can''t see. Why do we have four different mana bars? They''re clustered so tightly it''s impossible to read them off the nameplates.


    |A>?Do you have the binoculars?


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    <C|?No time - more adds!


    |A>?There''s Percival''s shot!


    <C|?Dead on!


    |A>?To Razzmatazz!


    <C|?No dice!


    |A>?And Lucia!


    <C|?Another hit!


    |A>?Oh, a beat too late passing it to Sebastopol! Two for four, and that makes three of the add spawns locations on the west side doused in flame. That''ll make their work easier.


    <C|?I wonder why they have to use the crossbow? They''re archers, aren''t they? Arch, you fools!


    |A>?Projectile speed, maybe? They''re aiming with a much flatter trajectory with it.


    <C|?We''ve passed the quarter-way point now.


    |A>?The ranged group''s got a bit of time for the boss!


    <C|?Do you think it will get-


    |A>?If you''re going to say something that will jinx this, don''t.


    <C|?Fair enough.


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    |A>?Oh no! They''re not in position yet! Taking some time to hit the boss slowed them down! That''s the side that doesn''t have any fire on it yet, either.


    <C|?Hey, Jack, get a picture of me roasting this marshmallow on this pool of fire.


    |A>?There, happy? Now, how''s the melee side doing?


    <C|?Looks pretty stable to me! They''re about halfway across the gate and the boss is at... 55%? You definitely have the binoculars, by the way.


    |A>?You''re absolutely right. Slightly behind schedule on the adds, but if they can get some fire down on the east side, they''ll kill all future waves faster. The ranged are clustering up to pass the crossbow - all eyes on that empty spot on the west side. Hold your applause...!


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    |A>?There''s the callout from the Knight! And they hit it! I don''t know whose shot that was, but that''s the entire west-side gallery in flames!


    <C|?Oh, that''s gonna hurt!


    |A>?While the archers were bunched up, one of the other firebombers landed a shot on all four of them! They''re running for the healers, but that''s time they aren''t shooting the adds!If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    <C|?The fire''s ticking them down.


    |A>?Alright, I have found the binoculars, and I''m getting a read on the healers'' mana. Flora is looking great, Davi just a little lower than her. Leonard is struggling, I''d say 40% earth mana left - that''s the main type for the healing spells we''ve got so far.


    <C|?If the rate keeps steady, he''ll run out just before the boss dies.


    |A>?Well, not counting for the soft enrage.


    <C|?What''s a soft enrage? Is that, like, when you punch someone with a pillow?


    |A>?One sec; next wave coming up. They''re in position - ready to handle it.


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    |A>?... That''s a fine result - they got one of the archer positions in flames. The rest are going down quick. So, enrages. A hard enrage is an instant game over - you''re done. A soft enrage is a manageable difficulty increase - a way to tighten the screws to weed out the weak. These fire pools could be considered a soft enrage - they shrink the usable field and make it harder to navigate. But what the prep documents are calling a soft enrage is a flat damage increase starting on 35% health. That''ll put more pressure on the healers, so Leonard will be running through his mana faster.


    <C|?Do they have a plan for that?


    |A>?Let''s see - that''s 36%, and... here we go!


    *Ox*?[Furious roar]


    |A>?Healers are repositioning - it looks like they''re putting Flora on dedicated tank duty, and Leonard is moving out to top-up the ranged. They''re quick on their feet, so that''ll be an easier job for him. But that leaves the entire rest of the group to Davi alone.


    <C|?Go, Davi! You''ve got this, girl!


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    <C|?Adds are coming up. It''s the west side - their strong side.


    |A>?And the ranged group holds it down! We are under 30% health left!


    <C|?Get your-!


    |A>?Don''t jinx this, Cherry! Leo''s mana is ticking down; it''s going to get worse before it gets better!


    <C|?Set your flags to half mast and wear your best black in memory of this group.


    |A>?I don''t think you can anti-jinx something, Cher. Here''s 25%! Adds coming up on the east side!


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    |A>?Looks like the archers are shooting faster. They''re almost out of gate space, so they''ll have to maneuver around the bump of the doorframe and start kiting along the wall. Plenty of room left, though; it''s not going to be a space issue.


    <C|?Adds down.


    |A>?Adds are down and Oxtongue''s health has reached the teens. It is lower than our ages!


    <C|?You ever think how convenient it would be to live exactly 100 years? How far along in your life are you? Exactly your age as a percent.


    |A>?We just have to live with the knowledge that, for most people, the actual amount of our lives that''s over is greater than that number.


    <C|?Aw, that gives us plenty of time!


    |A>?Another west-side add wave down and the ranged are repositioning. We''re coming in on the single digits! Here''s the countdown!


    <C|?Ten!


    |A>?They''re switching around the frame of the gate!


    <C|?Nine!


    *BK*?Archers to the walls! Defend the gate!


    |A>?Another clean hit on the firebombs! Ei- woah! What just happened there?! Oxtongue has moved away from the gate! I see blue dust - who''s missing?!


    <C|?I was checking the healers'' mana!


    |A>?We have a casualty! I see both tanks - who was that?!


    -Fritz-?It was me. Or- or at least it felt that way. While we were angling Oxtongue around the lip of the gate''s frame, we got tangled up. Coupled with the excitement of the home stretch, we - all the melee - didn''t pull back fast enough when the next wave of adds spawned. Everyone got one last parting shot in before scattering across the yard to dodge the firebombs. With the threat reset, that was enough to pull aggro onto us.


    But it couldn''t have been me - at least, not at the top of the threat table. Because Oxtongue swiveled to face us, scraped its hoof through the dirt, and leaned forward, almost dropping to all fours as it charged straight at - James! Guy didn''t even see it coming; he was too busy checking if the archers had him targeted.


    Oxtongue plowed right through him, exploding him into a swirling cloud of glowing dust. The minotaur skidded to a stop in the center of the courtyard, then spun around and prepared another charge.


    Geez; where''s the cooldown?!


    It barreled toward the gate again, smashing into Filius. It''s horns punched clear through his shield and gored his chest. But he was alive - for a second. A firebomb landed at his feet, setting him on fire at already critical health.


    Schumacher grabbed Filius and tossed him onto the grass, shouting, "Pray, get behind me, friend! This uncouth beast''s underhanded tricks will avail it no further!"


    "Leo!" Rose shouted, "Heal Filius!"


    "I''m fresh out and my potion''s got 10 more seconds on cooldown!" Leo yelled back.


    Flora called, "Davi, get Filius!"


    Davi''s head was swiveling rapidly as she rapid launched spells, struggling to keep track of everyone in the haze of dust and embers. "What about everyone else?!"


    "Just until the DoT''s gone; I can barely handle Schumacher!"


    Tears streamed down Flora''s face as she grit her teeth, visibly struggling to contain her rising panic. Both Filius and Schumacher''s health bars staggered lower, barely bobbing above water. The adds continued pelting the melee with firebombs, but they had yet to come back in to finish the boss. And Rose... stood there, transfixed watching Filius'' health bar.


    It was Siegfried that shouted, "Retreat! Every-!" Mid-sentence, a firebomb nailed him square in the face.


    Flora let out a shrill, choked squeal. Oxtongue charged into the field, putting distance between itself and Schumacher, who was now slumped against the wall with a gaping hole in his gut, his body starting to glow. Another whirlwind of dust scattered as the boss trampled someone else. I couldn''t tell who. The air was thick with motes of fairy dust mingling with the smoke and haze of the heat.


    Rose snapped out of her stupor and grabbed Filius, dragging him toward the open end of the yard. "Everyone get out! It won''t go past the boundary!"


    It''s health was at 6%. Six! We can''t fail at six!


    A crossbow bolt whizzed across the battlefield and sank into the minotaur''s eye with a meaty thunk. Percival stepped onto the road, aiming down sights with an orb of fire hovering over his shoulder. "Hell no! Kill that fleabag!" The fireball flew forward and hit the boss, followed by a hail of arrows from the side yard.


    Make that 5%.


    Tightening my grip on my spear, I charged straight at it. But before I could close the gap, it dropped to all fours and barreled toward Percival like a freight train. The kid shoved the crossbow in his belt and pulled a greataxe out of another pouch. Holding it behind himself, he primed a leap, then jumped clear over Oxtongue.


    He landed beside me, spraying dirt and pebbles.


    I couldn''t help but grin. "Clean move!"


    He had a broad smile and that cold look in his eyes as he shove the axe into his belt. "Then you''re gonna hate how dirty this next one is!"


    Oxtongue skidded to a halt, spun around, and came charging right back at us, churning up the ground. I slammed the butt of my spear against the ground to ready the pierce ability. If I could time it right, I could pin it to the ground before it hit him! I stepped forward to intercept-


    "No!" Percy shouted. "On my mark!"


    I didn''t have any time to hesitate, so I trusted him. I stepped aside.


    Another volley of arrows pincushioned Oxtongue''s side as it closed in - 30 feet, 20, 10! At the last possible second, Percy dove aside, barely falling out of the way of the boss'' hooves. It thundered between us, so close I felt the wind in its wake.


    Percy rolled into a crouch. "Now!"


    Just as it slowed down, I lunged forward and drove my spear clean through Oxtongue''s leg and into the ground. Percy dashed in, leapt up, and grabbed fistfuls of the shaggy hair on its neck. He pulled himself up to grab it in a choke hold. Reaching back to his belt, he whipped out the silver dagger and jammed it into the beast''s throat, wiggling it madly.


    Oxtongue bucked and spun, trying to shake him off, but with its leg pinned, it could barely move. Our archers unloaded into the boss, aiming low to avoid Percival as he waved around like a flag. Its health steadily chunked down under the barrage.


    3% left!


    But Percy wasn''t wearing white - it wasn''t going down that easy! With an angry, bellowing roar that echoed off the walls to shake the courtyard, it reared up and wrenched its leg forward. My spear snapped like a toothpick. Percy went flying across the battlefield and crashed down in the middle of the inferno of fire near the gate.


    I stumbled back, tossing aside the broken shaft of my spear and thinking through my belt pouches. I couldn''t respawn the lance for about a minute. If only I kept as many weapons ready as Percy. Looks like it was time to go old school.


    Balling my hands into fists, I charged at Oxtongue, swinging a haymaker straight into its chest. A crack of pain shot up my arm as my knuckles collided with rock-hard muscle. The thing''s abs were as hard as iron!


    Oxtongue snorted disdainfully. With an almost casual swipe, it backhanded me. The blow sent me flying into one of the pillars lining the road. The column exploded into little bits, and I collapsed to the ground, stars flashing across my vision.


    Through the daze, I saw Oxtongue turn toward the archers and charge - at Razz in the middle of them. Sebas and Lucy stepped calmly to either side, continuing to fire as Razz stood his ground.


    He threw his bow down and planted his feet in a wide stance. "Toro, ya animal!"


    Oxtongue crashed into Razz with the force of a wrecking ball. His health plummeted, and a twelve-foot long rut was cut in the dirt as he skidded backward, but he held on. He had grabbed the minotaur by the horns, straining with all his effort to hold them back from impaling him.


    Unfortunately, that wasn''t Oxtongue''s only attack. Still driving forward, it brought one boulder-sized fist up in a devastating uppercut that caught Razz under the chin. His head snapped back and his health winked out. Razz scattered into dust as Oxtongue trampled through his remains.


    The boss stood up to its full height as its yellow eyes found its next target - Lucy. Her eyes narrowed as she fired another arrow, then bent her knees to dive to the side. Oxtongue pawed at the ground.


    *THWACK!* A crossbow bolt sprouted from the monster''s eye.


    "I''m not done with you, you oversized cow! I''m gonna use your hide as a bathmat!" Percy limped out of the flames, half his face singed into wireframe and his clothes smoldering.


    Oxtongue roared furiously and dropped to all fours, galloping at Percival, hooves churning up divots in the blood-soaked earth. Staring it down with murderous glee, Percy tossed my crossbow aside and drew his axe, using it to jump straight up. He landed right on top of the beast as it passed under him, blade buried deep in its shoulder.


    All four of my limbs felt like they''d been pulled out of their sockets - which I didn''t even know was possible in the game! Sucking in a breath, I shoved what bones I could back into place, then pushed through the rest. Gritting my teeth, I crawled toward the fallen crossbow.


    Percy anchored his legs on Oxtongue''s back and used the embedded axe blade as a fulcrum to lever its body backward. It was forced to lean back, its spine arching until its horns were pointing straight up.


    My fingers closed around the crossbow stock. As I touched it, the weapon momentarily lost its texture while it reset into my possession. When it came back, a fresh bolt was already nocked and ready to fire. That''s what they''d been whooping about while shooting the adds - the shot cooldown was linked to the player, not the weapon.


    Still lying on the ground, I raised the crossbow and joined in on Lucy and Sebas'' volley of arrow fire. Oxtongue''s health was a sliver of red - just a fraction of a percent from oblivion. This was it!


    The minotaur roared in fury and strained, trying to charge forward. But with its body locked into an awkward angle, its arms scrabbled frantically at empty air. Arms windmilling, it staggered drunkenly backward in a graceless half-hop, half-run. It would''ve been comical if it wasn''t about to-!


    Crunch! It crashed spine-first into the courtyard gate, the impact splintering the wood and smashing Percy between them. The impact resounded through the courtyard, a shockwave of air washing over everything and wiping it clean. The sea of flames, the archers that we''d left in the balconies, the arrows still flying through the air - it all simply vanished as Oxtongue''s health hit 0.


    The minotaur''s eyes flickered and went dark. For a single, stretched second, the monster stood frozen.


    (P)?It felt like I was suspended in a dark space. I was frozen in the air, my feet dangling freely as I just... floated there.


    Is this what it''s like when you die? You get stuck at the moment of death?


    Then the force holding me up loosened. Instead of a wall of muscle crushing me, it was a wall of coarse fur lightly scratching at my face. Then it was nothing but a wall of sand. My vision was consumed by light as I fell through a slurry of blue dust. The ground rose up to meet me, and my jelly legs refused to catch me. I faceplanted into a mountain of corpse dust like it was a pile of fall leaves.


    I struggled to flip over, the wind kicking the dust into a swirling cyclone around me, a tornado that spiraled upward and away from the walls of stone, disappearing into the cloudless blue sky. Then a pair of blue eyes appeared above me. It took a long moment for me to realize there was a voice, too.


    "Hellooo?" Lucy asked. She looked to the side. "I think we lost him."


    Fritz appeared beside her with a goofy grin. He held out a hand. "Come on, matador!"


    I took his hand, and we dragged me up to my feet. Shaking my legs out, I brushed the flecks of monster dust out of my hair.


    "How''re you holding up, man?" Fritz asked.


    I nodded absently. "I - me maybe blue."


    Fritz let out a bark of laughter. "No kidding! You lost half your body there; take it easy."


    People were limping toward us from every direction. Lucy picked my hand up and guided my finger to tap a notification that I hadn''t seen floating in front of me.


    "Thank me later." she whispered.


    "Blokay."


    And then there were fireworks. The sky filled with light spelling out the message, ''Oglethorpe Bluegrass is a vampire!''


    "I gotta kill a vampire now?"


    "Oxtongue the Grassinator has been vanquished!" Fritz read. "Damn fine job, kid."


    "How''d do we?" I asked.


    Lucy said, "We lost four - Schumacher, Cinter, James, and Razz."


    "Puff one out for the bong." Fritz lowered his head solemnly.


    "Fritz..." Lucy gave him a look.


    "It''s what he would have wanted."


    "Then Leo ran off." Lucy continued. "Everyone other than Sebas and us were watching from the outside."


    I was barely processing what she was saying. I didn''t even notice the drool dribbling out of my mouth until a drop fell on my hand.


    "Alright, team!" Cherry cheered. "Let''s go! Score one for humanity! The machines will rue the day they crossed us!"


    The reporters came over with the rest of the group, Ace leading Siegfried, whose eyes had been seared away with most of his face. Filius hobbled over, one leg twisted way too far to the side. Rose trailed behind him at a distance, almost... ashamed to come close to us.


    Flora tackled Fritz and me in a hug, crying and sputtering. "I''m sorry! I''m so, so sorry I couldn''t do anything!"


    Fritz gently pried her off, then stabilized me on my feet. "You did what you could." he told her. "There''s a physical limit on how fast spells can go out. It''s not a skill thing; it''s just not balanced for one person to manage." A ways behind her, Davi was hyperventilating and clinging to a hedge for dear life. "Same goes for you, Davi! You did good, especially for using an off spec!"


    "Out of curiosity," Filius asked, "did anyone get any loot from that fight?"


    No one answered.


    Sebas, standing a little coldly apart from the rest of them, said, "If this place is the goal and the fights aren''t repeatable, maybe it doesn''t have any. Progress is the reward."


    "And what progress you''ve made!" Ace abandoned Siegfried to grope about blindly and strode up to me. "Those were some fine moves out there. You mind doin'' a little interview?"


    "I maw mee-maw hagendorfite." I smiled.


    He nodded. "... We''ll get it on another day, then."


    "What have you found back there?" Cherry walked past Fritz and me to Lucy, who was stood in front of the gate with a menu in front of her, brow furrowed.


    "Get a load of this." She showed the menu to Cherry.


    The other girl whistled. "Dang. I''d say that''s more than I''ve had in my life, but everything I''ve seen wouldn''t scratch that."


    Lucy read out, "5,000 oak planks, 7,000 bronze bars, 5,500 thin leather straps, 10,000 cotton swatches, 10,000 kingsmarks, and 15,000 life crystals. That''s what we need to open the gate."


    "What''s a life crystal?" Fritz asked.


    "It''s a crafting reagent." Filius answered. "Drops from dungeon bosses. We''ll have to hand that part over to the Guard and Union and Shake Spear. We''ve done our end of the bargain."


    Siegfried, trying to follow our voices, chimed in, "Yes, excellent work, everyone. I... may have been hasty calling for a retreat. Truly, excellent work."


    "Hell yeah it was, kid!" Fritz slapped me on the back, knocking me into the dirt. "Oop, sorry ''bout that!" He hauled me back to my feet. "Let''s get you to a bed."


    But that impact jolted everything back into place. My mind sharpened, and I realized what that message Lucy dismissed was. "Oh no, not yet!"

 Ch 16: Opening Day

    ¡ª CHAPTER SIXTEEN ¡ª


    Opening Day


    (Percival)


    I blinked awake to pale sunlight streaming through the dusty window of the inn room. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes and tapped open my party chat. Fritz had put in two new messages.


    The first was an invitation from the Guard. A week had passed since our raid on Oxtongue, and they wanted everyone involved to attend the gate opening ceremony. Guess they finally scraped together the resources. It was scheduled for later this afternoon.


    The second was a message forwarded from Excalibur: ''I can''t message Percival; pass this on to him, will ya? I can''t send him mail either, so I''m sending it to you.''


    I leaned back in bed with a satisfied smirk. She was faster than I expected.


    ---


    I limped through the shadowed back alleys of the Trade Union. Half my body was singed into streaks of wireframe and flecks of my burnt robe fell off as I jogged around the tight corners. We were coming fresh off the Oxtongue fight. Behind me, Fritz and Lucy followed, somewhere between curious and concerned.


    Excalibur''s office was still in its desolate little corner, and I bashed right through the door.


    She was wobbling behind the desk, a half-empty bottle of bourbon in her hand. She jumped at the sound of the door, but spread her arms wide when she saw us. "Looked what the cat dragged in! You lookin'' for a new face? We don''t sell those here!"


    "I''m here to sell, actually." I said.


    "Hold on a second here, Percy -" Lucy stepped past me, "- who let you buy that?!"


    Cali waved the bottle around. "The store!"


    "That has to be illegal!"


    "International waters, baby! No one knows what''s legal anymore!" She took a swig straight from the bottle, then flinched violently. Several shots of booze spilled on the floor as she nearly fell forward off her chair, barely catching herself on her desk.


    Fritz said, "Nah, Percy had this problem - they didn''t let him buy alcohol ''cause he''s underage."


    "So I paid a guy to buy it for me! It''s my paycheck; sue me!"


    Lucy gaped at her in horror. Fritz leaned toward her and whispered, "The stuff''s watered down; that''ll be weaker than a canned beer. Just... let her believe."


    I cleared my throat. "So... check this out!" I went into my inventory and pulled out the Oxhide Greatcloak. A floor-length cape of thick, deep purple fabric spawned in my hands.


    Lucy reached out to feel it. "Oh, is that suede?"


    "Where''d you get that?" Fritz asked.


    "This is an epic drop from the first Citadel boss!"


    "Dang - you''re gonna sell that?!" he sputtered.


    "It''s level 10 and we''re 13; we''re gonna outclass it quick. Plus, it''s dex-based, and you use str and I''m str/int hybrid. So... why not?"


    "You know I use dexterity, right?" Lucy asked.


    "How much money you got?"


    She sputtered indignantly. "I- I''m the one that hid that notification for you!"


    "I''d do this even if they knew I had it!"


    Excalibur watched us blearily, a bit of drool leaking out of the corner of her mouth. "What are you guys talking about?"


    I tossed the cloak onto her desk. "Look at this."


    She grabbed it to bring up the interaction menu and squinted at the description. "Dang, man. What do you want me to do with it?"


    "I was hoping you would... know how to find someone that could afford such an exclusive and valuable piece of finery. You know, with your work connections."


    "Oh..." she nodded absently, "Yeah, I can do that. ... For a 50% cut of the profit."


    Lucy put her hands on her hips and said, "I''m already taking 50% - I''m blackmailing you now."


    I turned to glare at her, but she stared me down, making a ''roll with it'' motion with her hand. Catching her drift, I nodded.


    "Ah, fine." Cali grumbled. "Half of what''s left, then."


    "For a commission?" Lucy scoffed. "You''d be lucky to get 5% of what''s left!"


    Excalibur took another swig of bourbon, nearly choking on it before slumping back in her chair. "Why you gotta do this to me right now?" she whined. "I want, like, a quarter of what''s left."


    "That''s hard to calculate; why don''t we make it a nice, round 10% of the total?" Lucy said. "I haven''t even seen another epic - that''s still got to be a lot."


    With a dispirited shrug, Cali mumbled, "Fine." She pulled the cloak off her desk and leaned back in her chair, hugging it against herself like a blanket as she stared blankly at the ground. "Why do people do this to themselves?"


    Fritz walked over and took the bourbon on the verge of falling out of her hand, setting it on the desk. "Because life can get messy, and sometimes it''s simpler if you''re the one screwing yourself over. And, y''know, on the responsible side, it''s fun to get stupid with friends. Nothing you can do but wait it out. Here, try some water."


    He sat on the desk and looked back at Lucy and me. "I''m gonna stay with her for a bit; you get out of here, matador."


    "Alright." I shrugged. To Lucy, I asked, "Have you heard of a place called ''Hero Hero''? It was in the paper."


    "I have not." she shook her head.


    "Man, I thought we were gonna go!" Fritz protested.


    "It''s supposed to be hard to find; I''ll sus it out for you!"


    ---


    Back in my bed, I lay there and typed in the group chat.


    [Percival]: Oh-ho-ho, how much we lookin'' at?


    [Fritz Carlton]: It looks like the final price was 1,000 marks - she sent me 900.


    [Percival]: Hot dog, baby! Go ahead and split the rest 30-30-30- between you, me, and Lucy.


    [Fritz Carlton]: A''ight. You know where to find me.


    I hauled myself out of the cushiony depths of the bed and headed out.


    Fritz had taken to an arcade - an actual 80''s-style arcade with all your cabinet classics plopped right in the middle of this VR world. I watched him mash buttons, leaning side to side as he fought through the last life of a game of Space Invaders.


    "Doesn''t this feel unnecessary?" I asked as his last cannon exploded. "You can play these on your computer."


    He slapped the machine in frustration. "No way, man! Arcade games are so much more than the game itself! It''s the sense of community - seeing the locals'' scores and competing against them! Getting tips from the guy that just dominated Galaga! You need that physicality, that human element!"


    I looked at the empty arcade around us. "What human element?"


    "So people haven''t discovered this place yet! You know what? I''m going to write in to the paper recommending it." He pointed to the back. "Plus, have you seen the stuff they''ve got in the back? There''s this 3D fighting game where you get in pods that put you in the game for real! Can''t get that experience sitting at home!"


    "Minigames are fine and all, but doesn''t it kind of break the immersion? We''re in a fantasy game. You could at least do all of this within the theme."


    "If we were out in some backwater village out in the plains, I''d agree with you. But in this city? It''s the center of the world! There''s an Egyptian pyramid next to a roman villa over in the mansion neighborhoods! A few blocks from the arena, there''s an Italian joint next to a blacksmith! This place was built to be a playground; a place where you log in on the weekend to just hang out!"


    "You are dressed like a tourist."


    "Exactly!" he said. "Oh, Eagle messaged me, by the way. They''ve got another job for us."


    "If we used this money to pay off the debt, do you think they would actually let us walk out?"


    "C''mon, it''s not bad work. We''re not out there busting kneecaps or anything - they just send us into high-level zones to look for chances to get ahead. And honestly? Better us than someone actually loyal to them. If it''s big, we can always leak it. Don''t think of it as helping them, think of it as us using them for information!"


    "Yeah, alright. So what do they want?"


    "Word is there''s a quest up in the Deep King''s Woods."


    I checked my map. The King''s Woods was one of the largest regions in the game, broken into three zones. The Deep King''s Woods was the second, in the far northern section out by the coast - intended for the 15 - 20 level range.


    "Only level 15?" I asked. "That''s awfully close to the current par level - why are they sending us?"


    "''Cause it''s Resistance territory and, after they found that grinding exploit, all of their go-to guys have committed to the Loyalists."


    "Are there still not enough falsified insignias to go around?"


    "Guess not. That one''s in the current-level zones, so only the dedicated adventurers are in the right area, and you only get one per group that happens into the quest and remembers to search the insurgents'' supplies."


    I said, "Alright, I guess we''ll take the train to Townsville tomorrow."


    "Since we''re killing time until the ceremony, you want to check out Dino Attack with me?" He jumped excitedly as he started toward the games at the back of the arcade. "It''s another VR game - you''re on a jeep driving through the jungle, fighting off dinosaurs with an assault rifle!"


    "... Sure."


    So we spent the day getting eaten by dinosaurs in a virtual jungle within a virtual arcade. I still had doubts about the standard games, but there were definitely things there that were impossible on a normal computer - or even at a normal arcade!


    ---


    Later in the evening, as the sun was still about an hour or so above the horizon, crowds of people began to trickle up the side of the motte. The ceremony was being held in the courtyard, right where the fight had taken place, though you''d never recognize it.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    Even as we were walking up the hill, we could see the bleachers and stands that had been built out of tables and wood scaffolding surrounding the edge. The bulk of the courtyard was filled with rows of chairs all facing toward the gates. Most of the seats were still empty at that point, and the people currently milling about were largely members of the World Guard and Trade Union finishing the setup.


    At the back, roughly where Oxtongue had stood, they''d made a stage out of a block of pushed-together tables. Two people were standing up there, talking to some of the event coordinators. The first was a quite large man in a suit of polished armor with a tabard showing the World Guard crest - a globe with a winged shield in front of it. Sir Alka the Seltzer - the founder himself. He looked to be in his mid-forties, touches of grey coming into his dark hair. The game''s character creator turned his dad bod into a heap of raw muscle, but he carried himself casually.


    Next to him was a leaner man in a more modern business-casual getup - khakis and a button-up. Poe, also World Guard. I knew I''d seen the name in the papers, but I wasn''t sure what he''d done. He kind of reminded me of what I imagined Fritz would look like in 30 years - if he got serious rather than leaned into hippie grandpa/beach bum territory.


    The two of us standing in the middle of the aisle caught their attention, and Poe waved us over with a broad gesture. "Fritz Carlton and Percival!" he called out. "Two of our raid members!"


    Alka gave us a broad smile. "Welcome! We''ve got front-row seats reserved for you all."


    He motioned to a cluster of chairs directly in front of the stage, and Fritz and I made our way over to the earmarked section. The coordinators Alka and Poe had been speaking with dispersed, and the two men descended from the platform to greet us.


    "Hello there!" Alka said. Even without the stage to boost his height or if I was standing, he towered over me. "I don''t believe we''ve met, though I''ve read your names many times. I''m Alka - please, just Alka - guild leader of the World Guard."


    Fritz leaned back in his chair and crossed his legs. "I used to name my alts after whatever was on my desk; I get it."


    "And this is Poe, our primary logistics coordinator."


    He gave up a quick smile and nod.


    "He''s the one that pulled our guilds together to gather the resources for the gate." Alka explained.


    I had read his name in the paper, I realized! He was the one that proposed the alliance between the Guard and other large guilds!


    "That was the easy part." Poe said with a humble smile. "If there were anyone whose efforts were irreplaceable, it''d be your group''s."


    "Oh, stop; you''re going to make me think I''m a responsible person!" Fritz said. "We were just the first ones that signed up - someone woulda got it done."


    "I don''t think that''s true." Alka said. "I saw the pictures and heard the uncut recording." Looking at me in particular, he said, "You, young man, did something very few could."


    I said, "It was reckless disregard for the commander''s orders. In most situations, that would have put everyone in danger."


    "I''d say command had already broken down." Poe put in. "Regardless, we would like you to be the one to do the honors of turning in the materials to the gate."


    Oh boy.


    A crowd full of people, all those eyes on me... Monsters are easy - simple. You know exactly where you stand with them - they¡¯re going to try and kill you, and you¡¯re going to try and kill them. Facing down a minotaur? Old hat! But that many people? Watching every move I make, silently judging me, waiting for me to mess up - that was truly terrifying.


    "Oh... I, uh, I don''t have the inventory space for all that! I''m a... consumable hoarder. I''m saving those potions for when it counts, you know?"


    "That won''t be a problem!" Poe reassured me. "Most of the materials have already been submitted; we''re just waiting on the last of the life crystals. You only need a single slot."


    "But... so many people worked on this! We were only there for half an hour, really. You should let someone that''s been grinding all week do it!"


    "There''s no need to be modest!" Alka chuckled. "We''re making sure we recognize everyone''s efforts getting us this far."


    I shot Fritz a desperate look, but he was too busy holding in laughter. Jerk.


    Before I could think of another protest, a Trade Union runner hurried over to us. "Sirs! A representative of Shake Spear arrived with the last of the crystals; I have them here!"


    "Give them to our designated gate opener here - Percival." Poe indicated me.


    And suddenly there was a trade window in front of me with a thousand life crystals on offer. The deliveryman said, "Oh, you''re that guy from the paper! I can''t wait to see what''s in there. I''m not going in, but it''s hard not to be curious! Are you going to continue fighting inside?"


    The only thing I could do at that point was accept the trade. "I don''t know about that. There''s a lot of levels to get, and... who knows what the future holds, really?"


    The deliveryman ran off, leaving me alone with my impending doom.


    Poe said, "We''ll be calling your team up onto the stage at the end of the ceremony to give you medals, and we''ll open the gate right after. Until then, relax! Enjoy the moment - you earned it!"


    With that, he and Alka returned to the procession of coordinators looking to confirm details, abandoning Fritz and me to our front row seats.


    I spawned one of the crystals in my hand. It was a little transparent gem about the size of a house key with a double helix of light and darkness frozen inside it. "You want these?" I offered it to my so-called friend.


    "No, I could never take this achievement away from you!"


    We sat, and we waited. The chatter of the crowd swelled behind us as people began to fill in. I tried to shut them out, focus on the stage ahead, but each one added together, the babble of a thousand faceless voices pressing in, echoing off the walls, closing in on me bit by bit.


    The other members of the raid group trickled in as well. Most of them, anyway. Lucy came by and sat with us, and Fritz passed her her cut of the cloak sale.


    She nearly fell out of her chair when she saw the amount. "How- who even has that much money?! And why waste it on some cape?!"


    "People do dumb things for shiny stuff." Fritz said. "I once blew a hundred bucks trying - trying, I never got them - on a character in a gacha game. And an addict will tell you that''s nothing!"


    Siegfried arrived next. His eyes had healed fully, and he gave us a nod as he took a seat. After that was Flora, who was looking a tad overwhelmed by the crowd. Then came Filius with Rose trailing behind. She looked distracted as she sat at the end of the line.


    Last to arrive was Davi, bouncing over excitedly. "It worked! I found him!" she said. "Or, he found me!"


    "You mean your brother?" Fritz asked. "Fantastic!"


    "Yeah, he''s-" Davi scanned the crowd behind us. "Oh, shoot, I lost him. There''s a lot of people here."


    Thanks for reminding me. I clenched my jaw.


    "You''ll have to meet him later." Davi said, "Is anyone free after this? I thought it might be nice to get dinner or something. To celebrate."


    "Sure, I''m game!" Fritz said. "I''ll even pick up the tab!"


    "Really? Are you sure?" Davi asked.


    "I came into some money, so why not?"


    "That sounds lovely." Flora said.


    Fritz pulled up his menu to check the time and said, "Only a few minutes to go. Anyone heard from Sebas or Leo?"


    Siegfried looked up his friends list with a frown. "I know Leonard said he wasn''t coming, and I messaged Sebastopol earlier. He didn''t reply, but he was still in the Capital this morning. ... That''s odd. Now I can''t find him."


    Flora''s smile stiffened. "That''s uh... isn''t that what happens when someone ... you know, dies?"


    "I''m sure there''s a simpler explanation." Siegfried said. "Where would he even - I mean, I suppose the sewers are always dangerous, but still. No news is good news - all we know is that it doesn''t look like he''s coming."


    A neatly-dressed event coordinator came by our row. "Excuse me, when you come up to receive your medals, would any of you like to say a few words?"


    Rose remained quiet in the corner, frowning at the ground. Filius put an arm around her shoulder, and she broke into a faint smile, but still didn''t speak up.


    I sure wasn''t going to try to say anything, and Siegfried shook his head. "I don''t feel I have the right."


    The coordinator nodded. "Alright then. We''ll be getting started shortly."


    Going back in time, I wonder what would have happened if I got up on the stage and started shouting about the government conspiracy behind the game. I can''t imagine it would have changed anything - they''d haul me outta there and throw me in an asylum - but it''d make a memorable event.


    A few minutes later, the sun began to set, dying the walls black and turning the grass amber. Alka took the stage with a microphone. The chatter died away. He tapped the microphone, the sound reverberating through the speakers set around the perimeter of the courtyard, echoing off the stone ramparts until it reached every last seat.


    <blockquote>


    "People of Dawnfall, it is time.


    "It is with immense pride that I welcome you all to this momentous occasion - the moment we take our first steps into the Citadel.


    "Today marks the culmination of countless hours of hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment of thousands of people - crafters, gatherers, and dungeoneers alike. This celebration is not only a reflection of our achievements but also a testament to the collective effort of each individual who has contributed to this journey.


    "To the members of the teams that worked tirelessly to get us to this day, your hard work, resilience, and dedication is the driving force behind our success. To every unaffiliated donor who gave their time and materials to help us gather the toll, your support has been invaluable. And to our guests, thank you for taking the time to join us in this celebration. We hope that you will share in our excitement and take pride in what we have accomplished together.


    "I would like to take a moment now and acknowledge those that gave their lives to make today possible. This includes all of the people that risked their lives out in the field - in the dungeons and gathering areas. But also, the four individuals who died in the line of duty in the fight against the boss. Those four are: Schumacher, one of my guild''s own members; Cinter, who was a woman of few words; James, who always had a way of making people laugh; and Razzmatazz, who stood his ground with the last fighters and tackled the beast head on."


    </blockquote>


    He lowered his head for a moment, and the courtyard went silent.


    <blockquote>


    "They were not the first to die in this game, and they will not be the last. But whatever fate has forced us into this position, we will not give in to it! We of the World Guard are committed to creating a stable ecosystem so that we all may focus on what matters: returning to our friends and loved ones beyond the reaches of this world''s boundaries. Joining us in this endeavor are several partners, and now I would like to give them a chance to say their piece."


    </blockquote>


    The heads of each of the World Guard''s coalition guilds stood and headed for the right side of the stage. They all had their turn giving their pledge of support and that hoopla. The only one I was really listening to was the Protectorate''s. Pascal ended the procession by reminding everyone there would be a public forum on how to handle property right to NPC houses - make your opinion heard!


    Property rights! The wild west was dying. Well, it was fun while it lasted. It was probably for the best, honestly - don''t want another squatter muscling in on your turf.


    When they were done, Alka retook the stand. "In addition to these esteemed groups and tireless volunteers, a few remarkable individuals proved absolutely integral to our success. Without them, this project would have never started. I am, of course, speaking of the valiant players who slew the boss. Raiders of Oxtongue, come forth!"


    Fritz helped drag me to my feet with the rest of the line. We filed onto the stage to thunderous applause. A cacophony of claps and cheers rose from the sea of bubbling spectators. They sloshed and hopped in a crashing tide of colors backed by the bleachers rising like a tidal wave coming to engulf us.


    Yeah, I''d take the minotaur any day.


    Poe joined us on stage with a cluster of gold medals.


    "A small reward compared to what you risked." Alka said. "But please, accept these tokens with our deepest gratitude."


    They draped them over our necks one by one. I flipped mine over. It was engraved on one side with the head of a bull, and a depiction of the Citadel on the other.


    <blockquote>


    "And now, it is time!" Alka declared. "Today, we throw open the gates! Today, the true fight begins! Today marks the second step on our march to freedom! Let the game commence in earnest!"


    </blockquote>


    The crowd erupted in a deafening roar. Alka turned to me expectantly but I stood completely frozen; none of my limbs would move. I could only stare out at the churning throng, a teeming mass roiling like a sea of hamsters coming to devour my flesh one nibble at a time.


    "Woah!" Fritz suddenly shouted. He windmilled his arms, teetering dramatically on the edge of the stage, then fell backwards. The crowd gasped, but he stood up chuckling and waved. "I''m good! No worries!" Relieved giggles rippled through the spectators.


    Taking advantage of the momentary break in tension, I hopped down from the stage and awkwardly walk-jog-stumbled toward the towering wooden gates. Laying a hand on the timber, a notification popped up listing all the materials needed to open it. Most were filled and greyed out. All except for the very bottom line - life crystals.


    I maxed out the donation quantity and hit the confirm button. The notification winked out, and, for a breathless moment, everything went still.


    Suddenly, shouts rang out from the back of the crowd. I couldn''t see what was going on back there, but Lieutenant Anderson''s voice echoed through the courtyard. "The gate''s exposed! Sappers, get in there and burn through before they can muster reinforcements!"


    The crowd rippled as a squad of Loyalist soldiers in rose armor pushed their way through. But before they could take more than a few steps, a flash of purple lightning forked across the sky, striking the curtain wall. Gasps and screams rang out as the crackling energy seared a smoldering line along the archer''s gallery.


    From the dark flames, a hunched figure limped into view, swathed in a rich purple cloak. On his head, over the unkept and matted white hair was a crown of gold and rubies. One eye gleamed a sickly yellow, the sclera around it dyed into a pool of swirling, inky darkness that spidered out in tendrils across his withered, ashen skin. The Corrupted King sneered down at us in contempt.


    "So, you finally muster the courage to face me directly." he rasped.


    "Defensive formation!" Lieutenant Anderson called out. "Do not approach!"


    The King let out a mirthless chuckle. "Oh? Getting cold feet at the merest sight of me? You scabs share the spine of my traitorous spawn." His cloak billowed as he gestured toward the gate with a long, skeletal hand with discolored fingernails. "But please, be my guest! Come in, come in! Let us cease dragging out this tiresome dance! Bring my son! Bring my spymaster! Bring all you can muster - I have no wish to leave anyone out! Come in, come in! This long night draws to a close - let us greet the end as a proper family. Dawn approaches!"


    With another flash of purple electricity, he vanished, leaving only tendrils of fading fire. And once again, we were left in silence.


    Then a deep, grinding thud resonated from within the walls, the weighty sound of ancient mechanisms stirring to life. With a shudder and groan, the massive doors began to move.


    They lurched inward, opening the way to a carnival of colors. The Citadel proper rose across from us, an imposing monolith of a more vibrant red stone as the outer walls, and here adorned with countless entrances, balconies, and rooms. Spires reached above terraced gardens and glimmering pools. Billowing smoke stained the sky, pouring from an industrial sector in the east wing.


    Between us and the main structure, filling a half-mile-wide gap between us and the body of the Citadel, was a tangled labyrinth of floating pathways. They rose and dipped and coiled about each other to make an aerial hedge maze surrounding plants of all sorts. Giant luminescent mushrooms rose from the far west side, glowing in a rainbow right next to the autumnal colors of orange-leaved trees. On the east side, the skyways steered out of the way of a terraced depression, forming a massive bowl. In its center stood a tree as tall as the curtain wall. Pitch-black veins streaked through its trunk and limbs, while its canopy - and the orbs of oily darkness hanging from it - dominated a vast swath of the gardens.


    Standing there, one thought crossed my mind:


    For hell, it didn''t look half bad.


    ---


    Next Time:


    What is love? Is it something that can be classified? Can it even be defined? Who''s to say?


    On an unrelated note, looking to get away from the attention, the boys head back into the world following another quest rumor.


    Episode 5 - Love and Other Potions

 Ep 5: Love and Other Potions

    ¡ª EPISODE FIVE ¡ª


    Love and Other Potions


    What is love? Is it something that can be classified? Can it even be defined? Who''s to say?This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    On an unrelated note, looking to get away from the attention, the boys head back into the world following another quest rumor. This time, they are sent deep into the forests of the King''s Woods outside Townsville. What''s lurking in the depths of the wilderness, however, may be more than anticipated.


    Contents:


    Chapter 17: A Little Town Called Hope


    Chapter 18: The Winding Road Ahead


    Chapter 19: In the Depths of the Sky, Part 1


    Chapter 20: In the Depths of the Sky, Part 2

 Ch 17: A Little Town Called Hope

    ¡ª CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ¡ª


    A Little Town Called Hope


    *Lowe*


    The scent of pine needles and wild flowers drifted on the breeze. Towering evergreens closed in around the clearing, perfectly still as they huddled around the house, while the upper branches rustled in the heavy winds above the treetops. The rustic apothecary''s hut was draped in greenery - window boxes overflowing with herbs, flowering vines climbing the lattice walls, and the greenhouse''s glass plastered with exotic blooms looking out and soaking in all the light they could get through the rough grey clouds.


    By the pond, a family of rabbits nibbled on the leaves of carrots and cabbages that were growing in the vegetable garden. I sat on the porch, sketching a little guy lying on top of a massive old bunny as they chewed on the same leaf. The way their noses were twitching, eyes glistening as they looked around - the amount of details in the game''s ambient animations was incredible.


    The cottage door creaked open and Brynn emerged, her dark hair glinting in the foggy light. "I''m off!" she called over her shoulder. "Back by dusk!"


    "Have a good one." I replied with a wave, not looking up from my sketch.


    Brynn turned on me and planted her hands on her hips. "If you''re going to laze around out here, you could at least keep the animals from eating the vegetables."


    "Aw, but Brynn, look at the little fellas!" I vaulted over the railing, diving into the garden. The rabbits scattered, but not before I could scoop one up. Its fur was impossibly soft, the resolution on the textures - was resolution even the right word? The game was closer to a dream than a virtual space. And it really did feel like I was holding a living, breathing creature. I held it up, letting it give Brynn the puppy eyes. "How could you let this face go hungry?"


    I could feel the muscles underneath its skin moving as it flailed and wiggled free. It launched itself off my chest, then kicked a clump of dirt in my face as it bounded away.


    Brynn snorted. "Fine, but it''s coming off your dinner plate." She shook her head, grinning as she set off down the winding path to town.


    I got up, brushed myself off, and collapsed back into my chair and propped my feet up on the porch railing. Picking up my notebook again, I flipped to a blank page. Droplets of water condensed on the ends of the pine needles, occasionally dripping into the mirror-like surface of the pond and spreading tiny ripples across it. I began to draw.


    This is the life.


    -Fritz-


    Ah, Townsville - a forested city of fresh, pine-scented air, late summer breezes, and- oh my. Waiting for us as we walked out of the station was dour ol'' Shingen. Tall, skeletally skinny - kinda looked like the grim reaper. He gave us a curt nod and opened a trade window with me without so much as a hello.


    "Some busybody at the front of the leveling curve handed over a bunch of info to the Protectorate, but the notes were bland and undetailed. All I could find was a half-remembered report of a quest in the Deep King''s Woods. It doesn''t say what the reward was, only that it was listed as unique."


    I said, "A''ight. Better than nothing."


    He put two items into the trade window - a copy of ''The Protectorate''s Local Player Guide - Deep Kings Woods, Rev. 9-13'' and a ''Trader''s Wagon''.


    "What''s this?" I asked.


    "Something Gary wanted passed on to you." Shingen said.


    "What is it, a decoration?"


    He put a third item into the trade - a copy of ''The Protectorate''s Mechanics Guide - Vehicles, Rev. 9-15''. Printed just yesterday!


    "I didn''t want to explain, so I got this for you."


    "Oh, why thank you!" I tapped the accept button, and he turned to leave.


    "Knock yourself out. If it takes more than two days, they want updates." He walked past us into the train station.


    "You got it, buddy!" I called after him. "Pleasure doing business, as always!"


    If he heard me, he pretended he didn''t.


    I spawned the two books and handed the vehicle guide to Percy. "Absorb this information for me, will you?"


    While Percy looked down the table of contents of the vehicle guide, I flipped the zone guide open to the bookmark Shingen had left on the area of interest. He was right on the details - it was an isolated little corner of the forest with only a couple tiny towns. There was a list of mobs without levels or drops. A few grinding spots were marked near task hubs and a few words on the intended route of progression through the zone. It was enough to give someone an idea of how to approach the place for leveling, but specifics on quests? Not so much. The few stems there were only said things like ''difficult, need party'' or ''unique''. The one Shingen had circled for us was way out in the boonies, in a little hamlet called Hope.


    "Looks like this one''s gonna be a trek." I said. "Please tell me this wagon''s fast."


    Percy read out, "Cruising speed of 5 miles an hour with no limit, plus an endurance system allowing up to 30 miles an hour in short bursts assuming hard, flat terrain."


    "How fast is normal walking speed?"


    "I have no clue."


    "Well, I''d rather sit than walk. So, how does this work?" I opened my inventory and looked at the item there.


    Percy flipped back a few pages. "Use the item near an open space to deploy. Vehicle will be facing the same direction as the player. Vehicles cannot be picked back up manually and must be ''checked-in'' at a stable, found in most large cities. Once back in item form, they may be redeployed at any time."


    "Alright." I nodded. "Let''s get away from the crowds."


    We headed on down to the quieter outskirts where the buildings really started blending into the nature.


    Percy kept reading as we walked. "Trader''s Wagon - it''s the second wagon available out of the three currently known to exist. Above the Simple Wagon and below the Covered Wagon. It requires level 30 Carpentry to make - and look at this materials list."


    He turned to show me the book. The crafting tree spanned two pages, dipping into all the crafting disciplines to make dozens of little bits and bobs to assemble the wagon components. The raw materials alone must have been worth thousands of marks.


    "Geez, Gary''s really going for the carrot over the stick now, huh?"


    Percy said, "They must be hemorrhaging people to the World Guard''s umbrella."


    "Threats can only get you so much loyalty." I nodded.


    "Where do they get that much money, though?" he asked. "Is that back-alley casino really that popular?"


    I shrugged. "People love to gamble, and it''s always rigged in the house''s favor. But hey, all the better for us."


    At the edge of the city, where the cobblestones faded into packed dirt, I stopped on an empty stretch of road and rubbed my hands together. "This looks like as good a spot as any; let''s check this baby out!" I went into my inventory, tapped the wagon icon, then hit ''deploy''.


    A swirl of dust was kicked up in front of us by a sudden burst of air that cleared the road of stray branches and anything the could be in the way. Then, a glowing blue wireframe weaved itself into the empty space. It started from the ground up, etching out four wheels, tied them together with axels, filled out the frame with a big pit bed, and finally put in the driver''s bench up front. When it was done, like a brush painting across it, a wooden texture crawled over its surface. Iron rims on the wheels, finely sanded and polished planks - it was a warm, honey-colored beauty! It bounced slightly under its own weight as physics took hold on it.


    I circled around it, and I liked what I saw. The driver''s seat was a cushioned bench, wide enough to comfortably seat two, maybe three if we squeezed a bit, and the bed was big enough to park a car in. A small one, anyway. The only problem was... well, it was just the wagon. There was nothing to pull it.


    "Do we need to buy the horse separately?" I asked.


    "All wagon-type vehicles are drawn by a player-owned horse, license obtained through the Cavalry class."


    "Then it''s a good thing we got all those new classes! Yo, Caesar''s Palace!"


    My horse, Caesar''s Palace, came trotting out of the forest conveniently just out of sight and stopped next to me. I led him over to the tongue of the wagon, and a notification popped up asking if I would like to hitch him on. Hitting confirm, ropes shimmered into existence, linking him up.


    "Easy breezy." I hopped up into the driver''s seat and got comfortable on the bench. "Aw yeah, this is so much better than walking. You ready to go?"


    Percy climbed into the back and lounged against the back of the driver''s seat, still reading the vehicle manual. He gave a thumbs up.


    "Hi ho Caesar''s Palace, away!" I snapped the reins.


    We lurched into motion, bouncing along the unpaved road.


    "Ooh, get a load of that suspension!"


    Percy said, "Apparently you can decorate these like player-owned houses - fill the back with chests for extra storage or benches to hold more people, or even add a crafting station, if it''s big enough. Decorations remain after being checked back into item form, but stored chest contents are dumped."


    "Man, we should put a bed back there - sleep in style!"


    "Inns are common enough, and I don''t think this is safe from roaming mobs."


    I waved a hand dismissively. "Man, just let me dream - in my wagon bed!"


    The Deep King''s Woods was a different zone to the normal Greater Kings Woods where Townsville was. It was something farther from the cluster of civilization in the middle of the continent - something more wild. The sun lost its battle with the thick canopy of pines, then disappeared entirely as the remaining patches of sky turned an overcast grey. Crows cawed in the distance, and things rustled in the impenetrable darkness surrounding the road.


    So imagine my surprise when the village of Hope broke through the woods. Drooping, snowdrop-shaped streetlamps burned brightly with colorful faerie lights. Thin log cabins with steeply sloped roofs were arrayed irregularly in a meandering loop of a street that surrounded a small lake. Above the water, blue-green firefly-like motes hovered.


    As we rolled into the clearing, some of the residences noticed our arrival, and one approached us. He was a stout guy dressed in a plain linen shirt like any of the NPCs were wearing, but his nameplate had all the extra details of a player. The name read ''Hadfor Thunderfist''.


    "Howdy there!" he called out. "That''s a slick set of wheels! Where''d you get something like that?"Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Not wanting to let on we had anything worth stealing, I said, "We, uh, rented it. In the big city. Figured why not - it''s a lot of road to walk out here."


    "They''re renting wagons now? Man, things are moving faster than I thought!" He chuckled. "It feels like we''re still in the early game!"


    "Oh yeah." I nodded. "We''ve got a government forming, and they managed to take down the first boss. It''s all coming together."


    "No shit?!" he raised his eyebrows.


    "Do you not get the newspaper out here?" I asked. "You can take out a subscription and have them send you one every day."


    "There''s a newspaper?!" He looked genuinely stunned.


    "Yeah, man." I opened my inventory and spawned my copy of the Celestial Daily from that morning, handing it over to him.


    He flipped through it with surprise. "Wow, here I thought we''d be living in a fantasy world, but they''re full-on restarting society!"


    "You can''t keep humans down." I said. "Hey, so, you know of any quests out here? We''re looking for a little adventure."


    "I don''t know much about that - I haven''t been paying too much attention to the game." he laughed. "But there''s another traveler in town - he''s staying over in the tavern. He''s been poking around the area; you could ask him."


    "Alright, thanks, man!" We kept riding around the lake to the building with a bed and mug sign on it. It was a large, low building built halfway into the ground. The dirt sloped up around it, making it look like a hill, and its walls were draped with vines and moss. Sitting on the roof, a half-story above the surface, was a biergarten looking out at the lake.


    There was no stable I could see in the town, so we parked the wagon around the back of the tavern. There was at least a lock function to prevent anyone from hitching their own horse onto it. Satisfied no one was going to steal it, we headed down the stairs inside.


    Even in the middle of the day, it was a dark, earthy place with a homey feel. The fireplace was roaring, keeping out the dreary weather and filling the place with a warm, woody smell. A smattering of patrons were lingering about - looked like a handful of NPCs and two players having a conversation by the hearth. One of them looked like a local, and the other was wearing light chainmail.


    "Hello there, fellow people!" I walked toward them with a wave.


    The guy in chain, nameplate ''Hafan'' raised his mug in return. "Ahoy! You just blow into town, too?"


    "That we did!" I took a seat with them, while Percy turned a chair from another table around and sat a few feet back. "Anything crazy going on around here?"


    "Nothing you won''t find anywhere else." Hafan said. "It''s a quiet little corner of the forest. Nice place, too."


    The local, a man named Lowe with unkempt brown hair and a ruffled button-up, said, "Oh, yeah - not too busy, not too active. It''s a good place to settle down."


    "So you''ve been living here?" I asked. "How long?"


    "I came in a couple weeks ago. A few others had already found the place."


    "So you''d know if there were any quests here?"


    "Quests? Noooo." he shook his head with a chuckle. "We don''t have any of those. It''s very... quiet. Honestly, I think they forgot to fill this part of the world out - it''s so far from anything there''s no reason for anyone to hang around aside from leveling, you know?"


    "I''d believe it." Hafan nodded. "One for the roleplayers!" He and Lowe clinked mugs and took a drink.


    Checking the time on his menu, Lowe said, "Oh, I should probably get something done today. Enjoy your stay!" He stood up.


    "Have a good one!" I called after him, then got myself a cider and sat with Hafan. "So, what level have you gotten up to?"


    "Almost done with this zone - just hit 19 the other day."


    "Nice, nice." I nodded. "We''re still 14 ourselves."


    "You''ll want to start closer to the border with the Greater Woods then. The mobs down there are only 15."


    "Oh, we know." I said. "We''re not here for leveling, strictly, and, between the two of us, we can handle higher-level mobs. What we''re after is quests - the loot! The adventure!"


    "That''s what it''s all about, isn''t it?" he grinned, and we raised our mugs.


    Looking past me, he asked, "Hey, where''d that kid that was with you go?"


    I turned and saw Percy''s chair was empty. Not at the bar, either - he was no where in the tavern. "... Who knows? He''s old enough to take care of himself." I turned back to our table. "So what kinds of things have you ran into out here?"


    "In the Deep Woods? Not much, truth be told. I''ve been focusing on the task-based quests - the zone story stuff. I want to grind through the levels so it''s safe to move around, then dig into what''s in the game. Now that I''m near the zone''s max level, I guess I''m just starting to look around myself."


    "Solid plan - better safe than sorry."


    "I keep telling myself - in this world, at least, adventure will wait."


    "Very true." I nodded. "Now, I''m gonna go around town and check out the gossip dialogue - get some lore for the Protectorate. You staying the night?"


    "I figure I will. Good view, good beer - it''s a fine place to recuperate. The view of the fairy pond from the biergarten at night is something else."


    "Then I''ll see you here tonight!" I finished my drink and headed for the door.


    Pulling up the group chat, I typed:


    [Fritz Carlton]: Hey, you following that local guy?


    [Percival]: Yeah, he went out to an apothecary''s place in the woods, then left with some building materials. He''s by the road we came in on, looks like he''s building a mailbox.


    [Fritz Carlton]: Huh. Do you think it''ll be functional?


    [Percival]: Hard to say. Could be a dynamic event for the area where mailboxes keep getting vandalized - I don''t see any in town. Which means there''s probably a reward for catching whoever did it.


    [Fritz Carlton]: You think that''s our quest?


    [Percival]: Possibly. We can stake out a mailbox tonight. In the meantime, what is this guy hiding?


    [Fritz Carlton]: Maybe he found out who did it and is covering for them?


    [Percival]: I think he lives at the apothecary''s - why else would he go there to get lumber?


    [Fritz Carlton]: Right. Let''s check the place out while he''s not there.


    I veered off the squiggly main road out to the outskirts of town, then circled around until I ran into Percy lurking in the bushes off a footpath in the woods. I joined him and we followed the little dirt trail through the trees. The sounds of the town faded behind us, replaced by the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind.


    Maybe a minute out of the town, a clearing opened up before us, dominated by a quaint apothecary shop nestled snugly in the pines. Garden plots filled with lush herbs and flowers stretched out on either side of the path, their vibrant colors almost glowing in the damp, foggy woods. At the far edge of the garden, a narrow stream slowed its burbling flow to form a tranquil pond before continuing to trickle toward the town''s lake.


    Crouched at the water''s edge was a young woman, her hands encased in thick leather gloves as she carefully harvested leaves from the plants growing along the bank. Her long chestnut hair was messily tied back, slick with sweat and with loose strands clinging to her dirt-smudged face. Her simple padded clothes were patched and frayed at the hems. An NPC named Brynn.


    "Excuse me!" I called out as we approached. "Are you the local apothecary?"


    She sat up to look at us, then stood and tugged the gloves off. "Oh, yes! Do you need something?"


    "We just came into town and were looking to resupply on potions. Say, do you have anything that... affects the body? You know, messes things up a little?" I made a swirling motion up by my head.


    She tilted her head. "Like an emetic?"


    I blinked. "Uhh..." Leaning toward Percy, I whispered, "What''s an emetic?"


    "Why don''t you try it and find out?" he said flatly. "You want to explore new drugs, don''t you?"


    "Sure, emetics." I shrugged. "What''ve you got?"


    "Follow me." She motioned for us to come inside.


    The... well, it wasn''t as much a shop as it was a home and workstation. Just inside the door were a set of short aisles filled with colorful bottles and jars. That little store area connected directly to a cozy little foyer that spun off into a living room and bedroom. Next to them, a narrow staircase led up to a balcony with a couple more doors.


    On the other side of the aisles was a room whose walls were made of frosted glass, giving it a very natural glow. The room itself was tiled like a kitchen and its counters were cluttered with an array of alchemical paraphernalia - a couple sizes of mortar and pestle, racks of dried herbs, cutting boards, jars of reagents, various other tools for mixing and grinding and cutting and measuring. Then a door in the back corner led off into a green house, a few leaves that had been caught in the door now scattered around the lab''s floor.


    Brynn rummaged through a shelf of tonics. "This one''s a classic!" She plucked out a copper-colored bottle and handed it to me.


    A shop window popped up in front of me, like a cart in an online store. "Syrup of Ipecac." I read the item''s name. "Sounds like a magical cough syrup if I''ve ever seen one! I''ll take it!" With an eager tap, I confirmed the purchase, and the bottle poofed into my inventory.


    "Did you need anything else?" Brynn asked.


    Before I could respond, a horrible, hacking cough echoed from upstairs, like someone was choking.


    Brynn''s eyes went wide. "Oh dear, I''m late!" She turned and hurried into the workshop. "I''m coming, hold on a second!" She took the leaves she had been picking outside out of a pouch and started to mince them, mixing in a few dashes of other things.


    "Could you grab the nava leaf from the greenhouse?" she asked, not looking up from the potion she was stirring.


    "Sure, what''s it look like?" I headed for the back door.


    "It''s an almost blue plant with wide, spade-like leaves. It''s right near the entrance."


    It wasn''t hard to find; it looked like something servants would fan a king with in an old movie. Yanking one off the stem, I brought it in to Brynn. She quickly folded and crushed it into a paste, then added it to the potion and stirred vigorously. The potion shifted from a cloudy green mush to pale blue. She then poured it into a filter to strain out the fibers and bits. What dripped out was a clear, deep blue liquid, kinda looked like Gatorade.


    Brynn pulled the filled vial off the rack and hurried for the stairs. Percy and I exchanged a glance and followed her up. The hacking coughs grew louder as we entered a bedroom. A middle-aged lady was lying in bed, coughing and groaning, her body twisting under the sheets.


    Brynn sat on the edge of the bed. "Here, mother, it''s ok. Here you go. Drink." She gently put her weight on the woman''s shoulder to anchor her down, then put the vial to the woman''s lips and propped her other hand behind her head, helping her drink.


    As the last of the blue potion disappeared, the woman went limp, falling back into the bed. Her breathing was exhausted but steadier. Brynn gently placed her mother''s arm back on the bed and tucked the blankets around her. For a long moment, Brynn just sat there, staring at her mother with a heavy longing.


    I glanced at Percy. He gave me a nod. This was reeking of a quest.


    "What''s, uh, wrong with her?" I asked hesitantly.


    Brynn looked at the floor, then stood up and motioned us out of the room. "Let her sleep."


    Brynn closed the bedroom door softly behind us. She leaned her head against it, her hair falling forward to hide her face.


    "It''s called creeping rot." she said quietly. "A fungal infection that ravages the body. You saw the pain she was in - she can''t even control her own limbs. The potion stalls it, but it leaves her so drained she barely has the energy to eat most days." She lifted her head, staring bleakly at the ceiling. "For all my skills, all I can do is watch as she waits in the mist. Slowly wasting away."


    "There has to be something that can be done." I said. "Maybe a doctor in the city has something that can kill it?"


    Brynn shook her head. "There is a cure, but it''s not in any city. Comet''s tooth. It''s a fern, found only in a remote marshland. But it refuses to grow anywhere else, and must be used fresh. It''s too far, and the journey is far too dangerous for me to make."


    "Could we get it for you?" I offered.


    "No, it''s too delicate. You need to know what you''re doing."


    "Well, then we could escort you. We''ve got a wagon - we can get you there in a jiffy!"


    She turned away, leaning against the door and looking down at the floor, silent for a long moment. "That... might be possible."


    Just then, the door downstairs creaked open, and Lowe walked in. "I''m back!" he announced, then froze as saw the three of us up on the balcony.


    Brynn straightened up with resolution, snapping out of her melancholy. "The sedative doesn''t sit long."


    "NO!" Lowe shouted. "Please!"


    Percy crossed his arms with one hand on his chin in thought. "A time-limited escort quest. I could see that being difficult on foot, but should be easy for us. Definitely sounds worth it."


    Brynn looked at us with determination blazing in her eyes. "The medicine to sustain my mother can only last three days at most! If we can make the journey to the marsh and back within that time... I will be able to synthesize a true cure!"


    "No!" Lowe cried out, desperation cracking his voice. He staggered forward, grabbing the banister. "Say you can''t do it! Please!"


    "Why not?" I asked.


    "It never ends well! Every time someone takes her out, she comes limping back alone, her clothes in tatters, nearly dead herself. And her mother..." He shuddered. "Vomiting blood, one foot already in the grave. Both of them, suffering on the edge of death. Over and over. And the people never come back. It''s a cycle of suffering! It''s... please, just leave them be."


    I scratched the back of my head, unsure how to respond. "Uhh..."


    Percy looked at Brynn, standing there looking at us with a fierce hope, completely ignorant of Lowe, and said, "We''ll do it."


    "Yes!" Brynn exclaimed, clapping her hands together. Sudden tears glistened on her lashes. "Thank you!"


    "No!" With an anguished wail, Lowe collapsed to his knees, burying his face in his hands. His shoulders shook with sobs of despair. "You-...!"


    Percy leaned against the railing, looking down at Lowe at the foot of the stairs. "They''re NPCs. They are not alive and do not feel. The effects of the quest are irrelevant; we need to find out what the reward is."


    Lowe slammed his fist against the floor and looked up at us. "Fine then! If you''re gonna do this to her, then I''m going to make sure it''s done right! I''m going with you and making sure you don''t let her get hurt!"


    "Have you spent much time outside the towns?" I asked.


    "I did my share of adventuring before I came here - I''m level 10!"


    "Well at least you aren''t completely inexperienced."


    Percy said, "He''s going to slow us down - this is time-sensitive."


    "C''mon, we''ve got plenty of room in the wagon, and just look at how desperate he is! Give the guy some peace of mind."


    "Fine." he shrugged.


    "Alright, Lowe," I sent him a party invite, "welcome aboard!"


    "I''m counting on you, Lowe!" Brynn cheered.


    "I won''t let you down!" He sprung to his feet, accepting the invite. "This one''s going to be different, I swear!"

 Ch 18: The Winding Road Ahead

    ¡ª CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ¡ª


    The Winding Road Ahead


    (Percival)


    The following morning, Fritz and Brynn went into town to get someone to watch Brynn''s mom while she was out, leaving me and Lowe at the shop. I leaned against one of the counters, watching him dart around Brynn''s workshop, getting reagents and using the crafting stations to mix up a crate full of miscellaneous potions. I appreciated the attentiveness to preparations, but he was going overboard. We did not need 20 jars of anti-itch cream. I would have been surprised if we''d needed two.


    Fritz, Brynn, and the local priest then returned. She showed the older man upstairs, explaining how to care for her mother. She''d already made three days worth of the sedative. That was it''s maximum shelf life, and that meant our timer was already ticking.


    Fritz joined me and asked, "Hey, you think this quest was balanced for taking real-world time off of the game? Or did they expect us to be playing three days non-stop?"


    "I don''t know, but if people keep failing the quest, it can''t be that easy."


    "Hey," he slapped me on the shoulder, "it''s never met us before!" He gave me a cheesy smirk.


    "Sure."


    Meanwhile, Lowe was stuffing his potions into every pocket he had. "Uh, my inventory''s full - could you take some of these?"


    "Sure thing." Fritz started picking up what was left on the counter and reading the labels. "Man, they''ve sure got a lot of different types of debuff cleanser. What''s wrong with a simple ''removes all diseases'' potion?"


    "Panacea is only available at high levels." Lowe said.


    "Not to mention the side effects." I added. "I remember there was a blog post on balancing where they said they wanted to give potions negative effects to make them a tactical decision over a straight advantage. There should be a couple varieties for any purpose with different side effects. ''Pick your poison''."


    "Oh, neat." Fritz took the syrup of ipecac out of one of his belt pouches and looked at the description. "Does this thing have a side effect?"


    "Have you tried it yet?" I asked.


    He shook his head. "Nah, last night was a beer night - we were watching the faerie lights. Don''t worry; you didn''t miss it!"


    Brynn came back downstairs and picked up her backpack at the foot of the stairs. Putting it on, she said, "Alright, that''s everything! I''m ready when you are!"


    "Then let''s hit the road!" Fritz put the last of the potions away.


    We stepped outside and went down the path to town, where Fritz had the wagon parked and his horse hitched. Fritz took the drivers seat while the rest of us climbed in the back.


    Putting on a bit of a pout, Lowe said, "I''ll admit you''re better equipped than most of the schlumps that come through here. This is a nice wagon."


    "Darn tootin''!" Fritz exclaimed. "Only the best for us! Hi ho Caesar''s Palace, away!"


    "Stop trying to make that a thing." I told him.


    "Bah, let me have my fun!" He urged the horse forward, and we started down the road out of Hope with a rhythmic clip-clop of hooves.


    As we rode toward the main route that would take us to the rest of the King''s Woods, Brynn got a map out of her backpack and laid it out across the middle of the wagon''s bed. It was handmade with many things - including cities and roads - not explicitly marked. Using what was there, however, I was able to match it to my world map, placing it as a stretch of the forest extending from the Deep King''s Woods down into another zone to the southeast - the Celestial Forest. That would be the third zone of the region, intended for levels 20 - 25.


    "Ok, so here-" Brynn pointed to a spot in the far southeast, right up against the coast. "The Star Marsh is here."


    I found it on my own map and scrolled around its surroundings. "That''s pretty remote - there are no villages anywhere near it."


    "That''s part of the problem." Brynn nodded. "And it''s the only place comet''s tooth will grow."


    "Well, we can take major roads most of the way. Easily doable in three days. Based on how long it took us to get from Townsville to Hope, I''d guess it shouldn''t take us more than a day to get there." Moving my map off to the side for a moment, I then leaned forward. "Now what are these other landmarks you have marked?" I pointed at her map. In addition to the major cities, roads, rivers, and mountains, there were a number of other things marked on her map that didn''t correspond to anything on mine.


    "Those? Oh, those are the locations of rare herbs I''ve found at one time or another."


    "Are you low on any?" I asked.


    "Uh- we-! Wait just a minute!" Lowe sputtered. "We''re on a deadline here; let''s not get distracted!"


    "Well..." Brynn started. "If you don''t mind, I could always use more."


    "Brynn!" Lowe''s voice cracked. "Your mother''s sick; we have to focus on saving her!"


    "Of course I want to cure her, but there''s more to the world than that! Each one of these herbs has the ability to save a life, and we can''t know when they will be needed! When an emergency strikes, there may not be the time to go and get them - it could even be your life they save! Plus, they said the trip will be quick; we have some time to spare!"


    "One thing at a time! If you really want those herbs, let''s cure your mother first, then go back out!"


    Brynn folded her hands in her lap and closed her eyes. "It''s up to them. If they want to make the detours, that''s their decision."


    Fritz turned back to say, "You heard the woman, Percy, plot us the optimal path!"


    I slid my map back in front of myself. "With pleasure."


    -Fritz-


    Our first detour led us south off the main road toward an escarpment that rode along a large part of the border of the zone. And we could hear what we were looking for long before it appeared:


    The roar of cascading water grew louder as the cliff appeared over the tree tops and we entered its shadow. Nestled in a nook-like recess, a colossal waterfall tumbled over the precipice, its frothy white torrents plunging a hundred yards to the rapids below. The water caught the sunlight as it fell, throwing a shimmering, prismatic mist into the air. Pine trees and thick underbrush clung to the sides of the cliff face around it, while the lower shore where we pulled up was lined in mossy rocks.


    "Peekin''s cave lichen -" Brynn explained, "- it has powerful regenerative properties, but animals eat it to get high, so only the stuff in hard-to-reach places survives predation."


    "I can''t blame ''em." I nodded. "So... where is it?"


    Brynn pointed to a dark section of the rock face, about halfway up and just to the side of the waterfall''s path. "See that fold in the rock? There''s a cave behind it that the lichen grows in. It''s the perfect little hidey hole to keep it safe!"


    Scratching my head, I then asked, "How do we get up there?"


    "I don''t know..." Brynn said.


    Before anyone could chime in, Lowe jumped out of the wagon. "I''ll climb it!"


    He started toward the sheer cliff, but Percy said, "That''s well above the fatal fall distance."


    "Well someone''s gotta do it!" he kept marching.


    Brynn said, "The lichen is a delicate, symbiotic ecosystem. If you don''t know exactly what you''re doing, you''ll more than likely ruin it."


    Looking at Brynn, I said, "So you''re the only one that can harvest it."


    "Figures it''s not as simple as swinging by each of the bonus locations." Percy looked up in thought. "We can''t spend more than a couple hours at each of these if we want to hit all seven."


    "Then let''s get puzzling." I said.


    Staring up at the waterfall, Percy said, "Shame we don''t have a rope - we could tie it around Brynn, find a way up to the top, then lower her down to it."


    As it was, the best we could do was look around for a path to the cave. Brynn was already picking her way along the riverbank, eyes fixed upward, and Lowe trailed after her like a puppy. Percy and I spread out behind them.


    It was Percy that found it. "I think I''ve got it!" He was already 20 feet off the ground, standing on a narrow ledge against the cliff face. "There''s a ladder of handholds up from the ground!"


    Brynn looked for the handholds he mentioned. Trying to grab some rocks to climb, she asked, "Here?"


    "Yeah, it''s a straight rise up to the ledge."


    Lowe ran over and gave her a boost. She scrambled up the cliff, finding each handhold and pulling herself higher. Percy reached down to help haul her up the last few feet to stand on the ledge beside him.


    "Oh, wow." Brynn said breathlessly, pressing her back against the cliff. "This looked a lot safer from the ground." The ledge was barely wide enough for her to put one foot down. She sidled along carefully, following Percy''s lead.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    The kid was smaller and more agile, carefully walking along the ledge as it followed the curve of the cliff, passing right underneath the roaring waterfall. The ledge wasn''t continuous, and Percy hopped over small gaps in the rock. He locked arms with Brynn and helped pull her across as she struggled to find her footing on the slick stone.


    On the shore below, Lowe scurried back and forth, eyes glued to the pair.


    "Let the kid work; he''s got it under control." I told him.


    "But what if they fall?" Lowe asked, voice pitched high.


    "We can''t control that. And unless you can walk on water, we can''t catch them." I jerked my head back toward the wagon. "Come on."


    I led Lowe back to where we''d parked by the tree line. We sat on the rim, watching as Brynn and Percy disappeared behind the curtain of white water. Lowe bounced his leg nervously, waiting for them to appear on the other side.


    "Relax, man." I said. "Even in the worst case scenario, she''ll respawn."


    "But what if it''s not... ''her''? What if she doesn''t have the same memories? What if she doesn''t remember anything we''ve done? She can never remember anything that happened when she comes back from a failed quest."


    "Does she usually recognize you when she comes back?"


    "I don''t know... Partially - she knows my name. But... every time, it feels like something''s missing. There''s little things, like jokes she doesn''t remember."


    "It could be the limits of what NPCs are allowed to retain."


    "It''s not that. There are plenty of small things that she remembers - like what I made for dinner last week. But then... one time when she came back she couldn''t remember how we met."


    That''s when Percy appeared on the far side of the waterfall, walking along the ledge without a problem. Brynn struggled after him, holding onto the wall as best she could.


    Percy stopped, pointing ahead and saying something I couldn''t hear. Brynn edged forward tentatively. With a small hop, Percy leapt across a gap to a slightly wider section of ledge. Brynn hesitated, eyeing the distance nervously. Percy turned, extending a hand toward Brynn.


    She took his arm and tried to take the jump as a large step, but her foot slipped. She scrabbled at the stone, teetering just a moment before falling. Lowe let out a choked squeal.


    Percy, however, adjusted his feet and yanked Brynn toward him. They spun around each other, Brynn getting flung onto the ledge and plastering herself flat against the cliff while Percy took the fall. He splashed into the seething white water at the base of the falls.


    "Get a health potion!" I hopped off the wagon and jogged toward the water.


    A dozen yards downstream, I spotted his black robe and red hair dragging himself onto the far bank.


    "You good, Perce?" I called.


    "Just some bruises!" Percy stood, and wringed out his sleeves. "Brynn! There''s another set of handholds to your right! Keep climbing!"


    "Alright!" Still hugging the wall, she shifted to the side and felt around for the grips.


    Percy, meanwhile, walked downstream and hopped across a series of rocks sticking up above the frothing rapids, returning to our side.


    "Need a boost back up?" I asked.


    He shook his head. "Part of the ledge behind the water got splashed. It''s too slick to use again." His gaze roved assessingly over the cliff face. Reaching into his belt, he withdrew a pair of knives. "Let''s try this one - there!"


    He took off jogging toward the treeline, where dangling brush and moss created a net of foliage clinging to the rock. I followed, lacing my fingers together. Percy stepped into my hands and I heaved upward, launching him high enough to sink his blades into the tangle of vegetation. Using the knives like climbing picks, he scrambled quickly up the side.


    On the other side of the waterfall, Brynn was struggling on her own. One of her hands slipped, and she dangled precariously off one arm, her eyes wide with fear.


    Lowe yelped and ran up and down the shore of the river, looking for a place to cross. "Wait there, Brynn!"


    She managed to get her feet, then other hand back onto the cliff, steadying her position.


    Lowe ran over to the set of rocks Percy had used to cross and steeled himself to jump them, but I grabbed him by the shoulder. "It''s way too high for you to get up there, man. Just trust her." I led him back toward the wagon.


    Trying to steer the conversation away from the cliff, I asked, "So how''d you two, uh... meet anyway?"


    "I almost died out in the forest by Hope. I thought I could farm some high-level mobs to boost my level, but then I stumbled into a venomous beaver." He laughed and shook his head. "I thought it was just the one, but it called a bunch of friends - a whole herd of them came running out of the bushes and jumped all over me. I got away, but the poison was going to finish me. And then... she found me. She was out gathering some herbs in the forest and stumbled on me as I was watching my health tick down. Gave me an antidote. She saved me. It''s cheesy, I know, but... everyone likes a little cheese, right?"


    I nodded. "Cheese, crust, sauce, pineapple - you need it all to make a dynamite pizza."


    He sighed and continued, "I gave up trying to level after that. Now... after giving it some thought, I don''t even know if I want to leave the game. I... came here to find something different - that''s why I like fantasy stuff. That''s why I logged in. It''s funny - isn''t that what most people are looking for in these things? Something to immerse themselves in? The escapism, the adventure, the break from the day-to-day? So why is everyone in such a rush to... ''progress''?


    "Circumstances change." I said. "You don''t want to live everywhere you take a vacation. Day-to-day may be dull, but it''s reliable - comfortable, and most people are going to fall back on that reliability."


    What I said made sense to me, but still, the question stuck with me. We weren''t participating, but Percy and I had been following what had been going on in the Citadel through the newspaper. They''d started to call the group of guilds actively working on the story bosses the ''Vanguard''. I was rooting for them, hoping things would go smoothly and we could get through the story quickly... but why? I wasn''t in any kind of rush to get back to anyone.


    A sudden shout from Percy jolted me out of my thoughts. "Hold right there!"


    I looked up to see he had climbed even higher than both Brynn and the cave and found a thin, wiry tree jutting out the side of the cliff. He shimmied his way out onto a far branch, his weight causing the whole tree to bow downward until it formed an upside-down ''U'' shape, the tip dangling freely in front of the waterfall. There, he began to rock back and forth, building momentum to swing towards Brynn.


    "On my mark, I want you to jump and grab onto me!" Percy called out.


    "I- I can''t do that!" Brynn squealed back.


    "Get it done!" Percy shouted. "The sooner it''s over, the less time you''ll have to be afraid! Ready? ... Now!"


    Brynn hesitated for a split second, then launched herself off the side of the cliff just as Percy swung towards her. She clutched onto him, letting out a hysterical scream as they swung straight into the thundering waterfall. Water exploded around them, and they vanished from sight.


    "Brynn!" Lowe yelped, leaping off the wagon and sprinting toward the river''s edge, ready to fish them out. But they didn''t resurface. The tree remained bent, its branch poking into the churning water like a giant fishing pole.


    Then, I spotted movement. Percy emerged, gripping the end of the branch and using it like a rope, his feet finding purchase against the cliff face. Brynn clung to the branch above him, hugging tightly onto the spindly tree. Carefully, Percy walked them sideways until he reached the mouth of the cave. Brynn hopped off onto the ledge. Without her weight, the tree started to snap back upright. Percy quickly threw himself into the cave after her, and the tree sprang back to its original position.


    Brynn looked like a drowned rat - soaked to the bone, clothes plastered to her skin, hair dripping into her eyes. She sagged against the cave entrance, gasping for breath.


    "Are you okay?" Lowe shouted up anxiously.


    "Yes!" Brynn called back, voice trembling with exhilaration and residual fear. "Yes, we''re fine! And we made it!"


    After taking a moment to collect herself, she disappeared into the shadows of the cave. Her voice echoed out a few seconds later. "There''s plenty of lichen up here, too!"


    A few minutes later, Brynn reappeared at the cave mouth, a bundle of lichen tucked under one arm. She very carefully did not look down, staying well back from the edge. Percy, in contrast, leaned out and looked straight at the ground.


    "Alright Perce," I called up, "what''s your plan on getting down?"


    "... Put rope on our supplies list - we need to keep it in stock at all times."


    ---


    Later that evening, we were trundling down the road in the wagon. The sun was approaching the horizon, turning the trees red and purple in the twilight. In the back, Brynn''s clothes were torn in several places and her hair was a mess, but she carefully moistened the lichen and folded it up, tucking it nice and safe in her backpack.


    "Look at yourself!" Lowe said. "We can''t do this six more times for side stops!"


    "Aw, don''t be such a worry wart." she waved him off. "I can handle a few cuts, and these reagents are worth it!"


    "What can you make out of that stuff?" I asked.


    "It''s used in a potion that speeds up wound regeneration - including limb regrowth!"


    "And you said animals eat the stuff to get high? Does it, uh, do that for humans?"


    "The potion retains some mild hallucinogenic effects, yes. It''s mostly used in cases of amputation when the patient would be indisposed anyway."


    "Ooh, can I buy some of those when we get back to your shop? You know how dangerous it gets out here on the road."


    "Oh, you don''t have to go that far - I''d be more than happy to give you some! It''s the least I can do to thank you for going out of your way to help me!"


    Just then, a cluster of buildings peeked through the trees ahead.


    "Civilization ho!" I called out. "This is the last town on this side of the zone border, and I don''t think we can cross before nightfall, so how do y''all feel about stopping here?"


    "We haven''t made it very far." Lowe muttered. "We haven''t even gotten to the Celestial Forest yet."


    Percy said, "As long as we reach the marsh by tomorrow, we should be fine getting back in time. We should leave early in the morning, to be safe."


    We drove into town, and I parked us in front of the tavern for the passengers to unload. Some of the NPCs of the town came over, apparently recognizing Brynn as an apothecary, and asked her about herbs and illnesses. She wandered off to help them, and Lowe trailed after her.


    I pulled the wagon around back and locked it, then headed into the tavern with Percy. It was about what I''d come to expect from the game''s taverns - warm food, cozy air, crackling fire, and a crowd of players and NPCs alike. Nothing special and plenty of atmosphere.


    We got some stools at the bar, then I rented us four room keys and a beer. Percy went for a hot chocolate with cinnamon, whipped creme, sprinkles, and an edible cookie straw.


    With our drinks in hand, we sat there and looked out at the crowd. Everyone in the tavern was mingling peacefully - drinks, pub food, a couple games of dice. From how they were chatting and laughing together, you''d never tell which were people and which were programs. Out the window, in the town square, Brynn was surrounded by residents and adventurers, selling them potions, showing them how to prepare herbs, and playing with a little kid.


    "It''s spooky how easy it is to forget you not talking to a person sometimes." I said.


    "The admin said it on the first day - they definitely have their moments." Percy said. "It''s odd how much variation there is; most NPCs act like oblivious boards."


    "Yeah." I glanced back at the barkeep behind us, polishing a glass and staring blankly off into space.


    "Did you ever hear anything back from Titus?" Percy asked.


    "Didn''t I tell you? The villagers wanted to go back and rebuild their houses, but he convinced them to stay a little longer. They bring it up every few days, and he''s trying to see how long he can keep them out."


    "So the game appears to have a default state that it tends toward, but it will adjust according to player action. I wonder how far it will bend?"


    I took a deep drink of beer. Rich, dark, and frothy - a little weak, but it made up in flavor. No limits. Good beer, no disease, no permanent injuries or pain. We didn''t know how aging would work, but it wasn''t that bad a deal, living in the game.


    "Hey, Perce," I said, "how would you feel if we never managed to beat the game?"


    He bit off the end of his cookie straw. "That''s not a possibility."


    "Why not?"


    "We were not put here to live out some fantasy life. That would be a waste of investment. There''s real, definite purpose behind everything happening here."


    "What makes you say that?"


    "You remember the admin''s speech in the arena? ''Your success has been forecast'' - they expect us to beat the game. It''s part of the intention."


    "Well, I''ll just wait for the Vanguard to find out why they''re putting us through it, then. Anyway, I''m gonna get groovy with this syrup of ipecac stuff. You want in?"


    "I''m not into the mind-altering stuff." He ate the last of his straw, chugged the rest of the hot chocolate, wiped the whipped creme mustache off with his finger and licked it, then took one of the room keys and headed for the stairs. "And remember we''re leaving early - there are six more places to hit on the way to the marsh."


    "I know!" I waved him off and got the bottle of cough syrup out of my belt pouch. "Does this stuff have a dosage?" I mumbled, squinting at the label. "Guess we''re doin'' it live."

 Ch 19: In the Depths of the Sky, Part 1

    ¡ª CHAPTER NINETEEN ¡ª


    In the Depths of the Sky, Part 1


    -Fritz-


    In the morning... well, I''d be lying if I didn''t say I felt refreshed. Vomiting my guts out last night left me so exhausted I was down like a rock for a solid nine hours. Not my recommended sleep aid, but... I don''t know, could be worse. I choose to look at the silver linings.


    Anyway, with an early start, we continued snaking our way toward the Star Marsh. We ended up hitting 5 of the seven bonus locations. The sixth one took longer than expected, and we had to leave partway through to keep our schedule, then we skipped the seventh entirely.


    It was a shame we were in such a rush, because we crossed the border of the Deep King''s Woods and entered into the Celestial Forest. The bark of the trees grew darker, down to a blue-black, but the shadows around them got lighter. Bright shining specks streaked across the trunks and leaves and grass, letting the depths of the forest glow with constellations and milky spills. Falling dewdrops shone like comets, and ferns rustled like cloudy nebulae.


    For the final leg of the journey, we had to leave the roads. That meant getting off the wagon and going on foot. It was impossible to tell what time it was - there was no sign of the sun, only the night sky all around us. I couldn''t even tell where the ground was with the black-blue-purple shade of the grass. I didn''t recognize the void of the cliff until my foot hit open air.


    "Woah!" I tumbled forward.


    Brynn grabbed the back of my shirt, stopping me from plunging, but she couldn''t hold my weight. I steadily felt myself dropping as Brynn''s heels slid toward the edge. Percy and Lowe rushed over a split-second later and pulled us both back onto solid ground.


    That was the real sky we were looking at there. Beyond where we stood, the stars of the sky blended into their reflection in the distant ocean, and the ocean disappeared behind a sea of starry trees at the bottom of the cliffs below us.


    Brushing myself off, I said, "I think we should hunker down for the night - this place feels a little treacherous in the dark."


    "We''ll have to finish things here early tomorrow if we want to get back to Hope in time." Percy said. "What are we looking for? Can we see it from the cliff?"


    Brynn shrugged. "I don''t know; I''ve never seen the marsh in person before. It''s a fern, so it will be under the canopy."


    "We''ll see what it looks like in the light, then." Percy said.


    We set about setting up a camp. Lowe and Brynn began to assemble the tents, giggling to themselves over jokes. I moved around the perimeter to check for mob spawns, careful to poke my spear at the ground ahead of me to avoid any other cliffs.


    Then something caught my eye - a faintly glowing, pale bluish-green plant growing at the base of a tree. It stuck out from the rest of the star-patterned environment - it was the only solidly-colored thing around. So I poked it, and an information window popped up.


    ''Dreamleaf''


    Aw yeah.


    It was a harvestable herb, but my herbologist level was still behind the curve, and I was worried I''d ruin it. I wasn''t going to take a chance on this.


    Instead, I called out, "Brynn, could you pick this plant for me?"


    "Sure thing!" She came over and knelt beside me with a small knife.


    "Be gentle with her." I pleaded.


    She carefully cut off some of the leaves and handed me a small pile. "There you go!"


    "Oh yeah, baybee! We''re in the money now!"


    Making sure the leaves were well and safe in a corner of my inventory, I kept patrolling until I circled back to where Percy was sitting near the edge of the cliff. He was checking his map against Brynn''s and looking for something in the darkness.


    "The coastal ridge we''re on goes for several miles in either direction with no obvious descent points." he said. "Looks like we''re going to have to climb down."


    "Then it''s a good thing we bought all that rope!" I stood there a moment, listening to Brynn and Lowe working on the tents. Their laughter floated through the air as she showed him how to tighten the ropes. "... Just what are the NPCs in this game? How intelligent are they?"


    "They''re robots following instructions." he said.


    "Ok sure, at their base they''ve got their basic routines and rules on aggro and whatnot. But what about the ones that do more? Maybe they''re not intelligent at an individual level, but there''s something making choices for them - some part of the game is capable of reacting and adapting to players."


    "A smart computer is still a computer - it''s still a far cry from something that is capable of feeling. An algorithm calculating that a situation requires an emotional response and taking steps to display that emotion doesn''t mean that it is feeling it. The game is essentially a DM playing the NPC characters. The technology is impressive, but it is still a machine running calculations."


    "Some people will tell you that''s all a human is - a complex machine run by chemicals and reflexes. Where''s the line between us, do you think? Is it empathy? There are plenty of certifiable humans that don''t have empathy."


    "We don''t have a reliable tool for determining that." Percy said. "All we have is our instincts and prior knowledge. What we know is that the NPCs are pieces on a game board being moved by a machine."


    Brynn was now helping Lowe adjust the tent poles. "Then it''s downright creepy how well that machine can play Brynn. ... Well, if we''ve got to move fast tomorrow, we should get to sleep early. See you in the morning."


    ---


    Expedition Day 3! The four of us were up and at ''em bright and early, double checking our supplies were in order and measuring out the rope. I did a quick check to see if the dreamleaf node had respawned, and oh boy did it! So Brynn harvested it for me again. We then looked out over the cliff in the daylight.


    Waiting below us was not just another segment of starry woods - it was a rainforest of massively overgrown plants shrouded in a nebula of fog - the Star Marsh. A thick blanket of fog swilled around the canopy, the neon lights of the forest casting shadows and shining through its surface. Like islands in a sea, exceptionally tall trees rose above the mist. Vines hung from their branches, dripping with colorful blooms that pulsed in the light.


    "Those trees look like good landmarks." Percy said. "Let''s start there." He started to plot their locations on his map while Lowe and I tied a rope around a tree and let it down the cliff side. Several lengths of rope, actually - it was a tall cliff. We then tied another rope around all four of our waists - in case someone lost their grip - and made the descent.


    The air thickened with the smell of sea salt as we entered the fog, cool and humid and dark. Ghostly filaments of color drifted around us - pinks, blues, greens - swirls of lights that condensed only for a moment before scattering into nothing.


    "Whoa, I dig the effects!" I remarked.


    We hit the ground and started to untie ourselves.


    "It''s a mana overdensity." Brynn explained. "It''s so thick that the mana is dripping out of the air. The combination of that excess mana and the moisture blowing off the ocean creates the perfect conditions for all sorts of life, including our comet''s tooth!


    Percy pulled up his map and pointed. "We want to go that-"


    A vine laying along the ground sprang to life, whipping around his ankle and dragging his legs out from under him. Percy slammed into the muddy ground with a yelp, his fingers digging ruts in the soft, wet soil as the vine reeled him in like a fish on a line.


    I stood frozen in shock as the massive, tulip-like maw of a plant snapped shut around Percy''s waist. He drew his sword and started whacking at the plant''s jaws.


    My brain finally kicked into gear. I ran over, sorting through my inventory as I went. C''mon, c''mon... there! I spawned the little amber bottle of syrup of ipecac and splashed it into the plant''s gaping mouth.


    The reaction was immediate and violent. The plant convulsed, its maw flying open as it spewed out a geyser of sickly sweet ooze. Percy tumbled free, rolling away and coming up in a crouch with his wand drawn - a gnarled twig with a golden star on the end.


    "Flamethrower!" Percy shouted. A stream of fire erupted from the wand''s tip, hosing the plant down until it burst apart in a cloud of glowing blue dust.


    Percy coughed and slumped back, panting.


    "You okay?" I asked.


    "Yeah, yeah. Nothing lasting." He used a minor fire spell to clean the slime off his pants.


    Brynn stood behind Lowe, who had his shortsword out in a protective stance. "Many dangerous things grow in overdensities." she said. "They feed on the oversaturated mana. It warps creatures, making them larger, harsher versions of themselves."Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "Thanks for the warning." Percy said. "Anyway, we''re going that way."


    He led the way through the fog, toward one of the massive trees.


    When it materialized out of the mist, I saw that calling it a ''tree'' was an insult. The forest split around it, giving it a wide berth as its roots broke the ground around it. It was more like a skyscraper-sized pillar holding up the sky, absolutely covered in lush plant life. Vines as thick as my torso coiled around its trunk, studded with fist-sized flowers in eye-searing neon shades. Mosses and lichens carpeted every inch of bark in technicolor hues. Pods the size of cars hung from the branches, something glowing from within.


    The soft, bioluminescent colors, however, were marred by streaks of an inky purple corruption. Dark, oily slime oozed from cracks in the tree''s bark and the seams of burst pods, pooling on the ground and contaminating the plants it touched.


    "Oh no!" Brynn ran over to the base of the tree and knelt down, brushing through the foliage with shaking hands. Nestled in the undergrowth was a fern-like plant with long, dark fronds. The stems of the leaves glowed a bright blue-white, like a tail coming out from the central bulbous leaf on the end.


    But the light was splotchy and stuttering, choked by the purple stuff. As Brynn let go of the leaves, it went limp, falling flat on the ground.


    "Is that the comet''s tooth?" I asked hesitantly.


    She wilted herself, sitting and staring at the diseased plant. "It should be. But there''s nothing we can do with this. We have to find another colony."


    I looked at Percy. He had his sword out, scanning the tangle of vines and branches above us warily. "Watch the trees." he warned. "We don''t know what''s out here." Every now and then, I caught glimpses of shadowy shapes shifting in the fog - creatures or plants or mana mirages, I couldn''t tell.


    We went deeper into the gloom and found another massive tree, but it was the same case - sickly, corrupted plants, and that dark sludge. While Brynn examined another withered patch of comet''s tooth, I stood next to Percy. He was squinting up at the oily blotches on the pods hanging overhead.


    "What do you think, Perce?" I asked quietly.


    He shook his head. "This isn''t a puzzle to be solved. It''s an entire investigation. We don''t have enough time for this. Looking at the scale, it could be engineered so you''d never have enough time."


    "Then do we cut our losses? Head back to Hope?"


    "I think we should stay." he said flatly. "Her mother is one person - and one that will respawn. The lessons we could learn here are far more important."


    "Well, we don''t have to do it in one trip." I said. "We can get Brynn back within the time window, then come back to figure out what''s going on."


    "But what if she''s part of the solution?" Percy argued. "This is her quest, after all."


    I dragged my hands through my hair. I didn''t know what the right call was. So in the end... I didn''t make it.


    "Brynn?" I called, walking over to where she kneeled in the undergrowth. She looked up at me. Her eyes were red-rimmed and exhausted with worry.


    I hunkered down next to her. "We don''t have a lot of time left." I said gently. "Would you like to leave now, so we can get you back home in time to keep your mother alive?"


    She deflated, her shoulders slumping as she stared at the ground. In her hand, she cupped the wilted end of a comet''s tooth, its once vibrant colors now sickly and faded.


    "I don''t know." she whispered, her voice barely audible over the eerie creaks and groans of the corrupted forest. "Without these plants, all I can do is keep her on life support - prolong her pain. She''s as good as dead already." Her fingers tightened around the ruined fern. "And more people will suffer if they die out completely."


    She squeezed her eyes shut, looking truly torn. "On the other hand... I''ve seen how creeping rot kills. I... I can''t let my mother go through that. I would rather... help her myself."


    Lowe crouched down beside her, resting a tentative hand on her shoulder. "Why don''t we go back to Hope and ask, uh ... the Environmental Protection Agency to investigate?" he suggested.


    Brynn just shook her head. "The government doesn''t care," she said bitterly. "None of them care about what happens out here. We''ve been managing ourselves for decades."


    "Then... could you put out a quest?" Lowe tried again. "For adventurers? Now that we know there''s a problem here?"


    At that, Brynn broke, silent tears streaming down her dirt-smudged cheeks. "We can''t leave." she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "This is too important. I... I want to stay."


    Lowe wrapped his arm around her shaking shoulders, holding her close as she wept into her hands.


    I nodded. "Ok." I said simply, respecting her choice.


    I stood and made my way back over to Percy, who already had his menu up and was looking at his map. "These clusters seem to be affected more severely than the freestanding plants." he said. "If we visit several of them and compare the levels of corruption, we may be able to plot a gradient, then follow it towards the epicenter."


    "Sounds like a solid idea to me." I agreed, studying the map. It looked like he''d marked at least a dozen colonies scattered throughout this section of the forest. Hitting all of them would take time we might not have.


    "We should split up; there''s a lot of ground to cover." Percy said. "Do you want to take Lowe or Brynn?"


    "I''m going with Brynn!" Lowe declared before I could respond. The two of them had stood back up, Brynn wiping away her tears with a resolute frown. There was steel in her reddened eyes now.


    "Neither of you are experienced fighters." Percy said. "And I don''t trust this place."


    "Let the man go." I said. "He''s gotta do what he''s gotta do."


    Percy sighed, but relented. "Fine. But this is a terrible idea."


    Lowe just grinned, undaunted. "Don''t doubt us!" he said, puffing out his chest a bit. "We''ll get this done and still have enough time to get back to Brynn''s mom!"


    "Alright, champ." Percy pulled up his map again, showing it to Lowe. "Here, copy down these locations."


    "Be safe out there." I told them. "And stick together, no matter what."


    "Got it!" Lowe said with a determined nod. Beside him, Brynn squared her shoulders.


    With one last round of nods and meaningful looks, we parted ways - Lowe and Brynn heading west while Percy and I turned east. We checked one colony after another, and it was always the same thing. Percy took pictures of the infected plants and bulges in the bark that leaked out the ooze.


    Lowe sent me pictures from their side of the marsh. Putting them all together, Percy did some very scientific analysis (I think he just guessed.) Plotting the levels of corruption on his map, he drew some arrows and showed me the results.


    "The ground contamination gets thicker toward the coast, coming from a spot directly north of our current location and east of Lowe and Brynn."


    As we made our way in that direction, I asked, "So this stuff, what do you think it is? Is it the same ''corruption'' that got to the King?"


    "It looks too similar not to be. I mean, how many shadowy goops does one lore setting need?"


    I said, "I''d take zero, honestly."


    "What if we find out it''s smokable?"


    "We should check that, actually - just in case!"


    "Fritz," he put his head in his hands, "we are not smoking the corruption."


    "Maybe it''s safe - you don''t know! When do you get a class that can conjure holy fire - that''ll purge it! C''mon, I''ll take one for the team! For science!"


    Moving deeper, we found a large rock in our path. The thing was as large as any of the giant trees and occupied a clearing where the forest thinned around it, which also reduced the corruption, giving the grass a healthier sheen.


    "This could be a good waypoint." I said. "I''ll tell them to meet us here." I sent the coordinates to Lowe, and we waited.


    "So what are the greater implications of this place?" I asked. "You know, on the game''s lore as a whole?"


    "There''s definitely something spreading across the world, and it''s seeping into both the center and edges of civilization. This isn''t a problem just with the King."


    "Do you think there''s anything we can do to slow it down?" I asked. "Some world-changing stuff to affect the main story - make it easier down the line? You know, like how quests can change based on what you - or even other people - do?"


    "That''s true..." Percy crossed his arms in thought. "Everyone is assuming the ''story'' is Citadel raid progression, like something that''s fixed. ... But the King is just a symptom of a greater problem."


    "We need to get the Protectorate in on this." I said. "Crowd-source a survey of the remote parts of the world."


    "And it would help if we could figure out how to remove it here." he added.


    A piercing scream cut through the air, making me jump. It came from deeper in the forest, back the way we''d come.


    "Was that Brynn?!" I asked, already moving.


    We sprinted through the trees, branches whipping at our faces. Shapes moved in the fog ahead - Brynn and Lowe, sprinting full-tilt toward us, eyes wide with terror. First of all, that was Lowe''s scream I heard. Second, a massive stag bounded after them, its body writhing with pulsing black goo. Ropey strands of the stuff draped from its antlers like cobwebs. One eye glowed a sickly yellow. Charging alongside it was a wild boar, half its face overtaken by the corruption. The gunk glued its mouth shut on one side, leaving its jaw hanging askew. Its movements were jerky and unnatural, like a puppet with half its strings cut.


    It was the perfect time to bust out our new class abilities.


    "Blink!" Percy drew his sword and threw out his other hand. In an instant, he disappeared into threads of blue magic, reappearing right next to the deer, sword already swinging.


    He sliced clean through one of the stag''s antlers. The severed point spun away in a spray of black ichor.


    I reached over my shoulder, pulling my spear out of the air and spun it through my fingers. The tip glowed as it activated a Soldier ability - Javelin. With a sharp breath, I launched the spear at the deer. It struck it in the flank with a meaty thunk. The beast stumbled, its leg suddenly refusing to take its weight. The skill left it with a crippled debuff.


    Percy seized the advantage and ran in to finish it off. With that handled, I turned my attention to the boar, still fixated on Lowe and Brynn.


    Reaching into my belt pouches I grabbed one of the ice crystals I''d picked up in town. The pale blue gem was cold against my palm. I threw it to the ground in front of the onrushing boar.


    The crystal shattered on impact, exploding into a wave of icy mist. Frost raced across the grass and the boar''s front hooves were instantly encased in ice, freezing it to the spot.


    I respawned my spear and charged, using an armor-breaking pierce to impale the beast into the ground. As it writhed and squealed and glared at me with its sick eye, I drew a short sword from my belt with my off-hand, then got to work at the mob''s head. It never got any less disgusting, killing that stuff.


    By the time I''d finished, Percy was looting the pile of dust that had been the stag. Brynn and Lowe peered out from behind a mossy pine.


    "You two alright?" I called, wiping monster goop off my cheek.


    "Yeah, we outran the rest of them, but that second one almost pincered us!" Lowe replied.


    Brynn emerged and approached the clouds of blue motes warily. "What... what happened to them?" she asked, horrified.


    "We might be able to find out." I said. "Come on."


    Percy led us through the forest in the direction of the epicenter. The fog thickened around us, but the darkness of the trees receded. The salt in the air grew more pronounced, and I didn''t notice the chittering of small creatures had faded around us until I heard the distant crash of waves on rock.


    We entered a gorge cut out by the water and followed it toward the sea. Just as I was starting to wonder if we''d gone too far, the shadows of the cliffs parted ahead of us, and something new appeared in the fog.


    We were at the edge of the tide, on a narrow, rocky beach of large boulders where the water washed back and forth between the cracks, spraying up at us with every wave. Splayed out on the rocks was... well, it had the loose ''shape'' of a squid. A long, tube-like head broke into a mass of writhing black tendrils glistening with ooze. Gelatinous and not bound by any skeletal structure, it pulsed and squelched, oozing into gaps and spreading across the stones like a fungus. Embedded in its surface were dozens - maybe hundreds - of dot-like yellow eyes that roamed across its surface independently.


    "I think it''s safe to say this is our source." Percy said.


    "What in the hells is it?" Lowe asked, face pale.


    I said, "Whatever it is, we need a priest, ''cuz it ain''t from God''s green Earth."

 Ch 20: In the Depths of the Sky, Part 2

    ¡ª CHAPTER TWENTY ¡ª


    In the Depths of the Sky, Part 2


    -Fritz-


    The thing gurgled, seeping dark ichor that dribbled into the rocks. Its eyes drifted lazily in our direction, unable to focus on us. As disgusting as it was, it almost looked... sick. Like it was barely clinging to life. Must''ve been stranded outside it''s normal habitat.


    Percy drew his sword. "What we need to do is excise it."


    He stepped forward, but Brynn darted in front of him, hands outstretched.


    "Wait!" She looked back at the monstrosity. "We need to study it first! If we can figure out what it''s doing and how, maybe we can reverse the process? Or protect the land from further harm?"


    Percy hesitated, then lowered his sword with a sigh. "Alright. But we can''t leave it here. Learn what you can right now, then we destroy it."


    Brynn nodded and approached the mass cautiously, wisps of mana trailing from her fingertips.


    Lowe made to follow her. "Careful!" he called. "Who knows what that thing can-"


    His words cut off as his foot slipped on the slick stone. Arms pinwheeling, he started to fall. I lunged and caught him, hauling him upright.


    "Easy there." I said, steadying him. "Let''s maybe watch - ... what is-?" Movement near our feet caught my eye. Under the boulder Lowe had stumbled on, a glob of shadow was oozing up from the ground. It burbled and writhed, pustules forming and popping on its surface as it clawed and scrabbled toward the surface. It globed together into a heap, like it was alive.


    That''s as far as it got before Percy walked over and stamped on it. The goo squelched under his boot as he ground it into the rock. Once. Twice. Until it stopped moving.


    Meanwhile, Brynn stood before the main body, hands outstretched. Glowing strands of mana curled out of the mist and gathered around her hands as she probed at it. After a long moment, she said, "It''s a parasite. Feeding off the ambient mana of the forest. Maybe it... sensed the overdensity and was washed ashore by a storm when it came into the shallows."


    Percy said. "That''s another reason to never go in the ocean."


    "It appears that it... ''spits out'' this substance to capture mana, then swallows it back in to absorb what¡¯s been gathered."


    I looked at the dead blob seeping back into the cracks between the rocks. "So all of this... gunk is its saliva?"


    "No, I don''t think so." Brynn shook her head. "It... feels like it''s alive. Like a... colonial organism sending out ''workers'' to harvest its food."


    Another plume of goo bubbled out of the ground near us. Percy immediately crushed it under his heel. Checking his shoes, he said, "It''s eating through my soles."


    "Guess it has a taste for fashion." I said.


    He ignored me, going into his inventory and changing out to another set of boots.


    The audience didn''t seem to like that joke, so I brushed past it. "So what do we do?" I asked. "Cut off the head and let the rest die off?"


    "Who knows?" Brynn shrugged. "Maybe that will work, or maybe the remainder can make a new nerve center."


    She crossed her arms and studied the mass, watching as Percy picked up a rock and chased after a little blob that scooted across the beach away from him. "Percival, could you hold off for a second?" She called out. "Let''s... let''s see what it does."


    We all gathered around, watching the little glob hide in a corner and root itself into the ground. It jiggled and pulsed, glowing slightly as it pulled more of the substance up from the ground. Slowly, it grew, eventually sprouting out a pair of tentacles large enough to pull it along the ground. As soon as it tried to move, Percy''s rock came down. Goo splattered across stone.


    Brynn crouched, poking at the remains with a skinny stone. "The remnants don''t seem to be... active. Or alive."


    "So it is possible to ''kill''." Percy tossed the rock aside, dusting off his hands.


    "I hope so." Her brow furrowed. "Actually... that gives me an idea! It appears these little organisms are capable of harvesting the substance - probably to bring it back to the ''hive''. So if we could... trick one, it could be used to suck the corruption out!"


    "Like a cancer cell." Percy said. "Break it to force unsustainable, rapid ''eating'' of the mana-absorbing material. Choke out and kill the ''healthy'' ones."


    "Is that something we can do?" Lowe asked.


    Brynn said, "I don''t know - we would need some way of making it want to eat."


    I grimaced. Sacrifices must be made for the common good. "I know one way to give someone the munchies." I got the dreamleaf out of my inventory and offered the leaves to Brynn. "Can you do anything with these?"


    She took the leaves, considering. "Dreamleaf... maybe... Yes, I think this might work!"


    Brynn hurried over to a flat slab of rock, dropping to her knees and swinging her pack off her shoulders. She rummaged through it, pulling out glassware, a crystal-powered Bunsen burner, and the bundle of Peekin''s cave lichen.


    "If this thing''s biology works like any known organism''s," she said, "the lichen''s regenerative properties should kick growth into overdrive. And the dreamleaf will stimulate appetite. Together, with the being''s amorphous structure, it should be able to ''regenerate'' to whatever size the food it can reach will allow it."


    "Then we destroy it." Percy said.


    "Yes!" Brynn mixed the potion with a cold fury. She wanted this thing to die. Maybe even suffer.


    "Brynn, you''re a genius!" Lowe exclaimed.


    "Don''t say that until it actually works."


    Percy said, "I''ll capture a... ''larva'' to inject."


    While Brynn continued to mix the potion, Percy found another puddle trying to bubble out of the rocks, then pounced on it, bundling it into his robe. He came running over to Brynn as it burned and dripped through the thin fabric. "Bottle - bottle!"


    I picked up an empty beaker, and Percy held his robe over it as the thing fully ate through the cloth and fell into the glassware. It immediately started melting through the glass as well, so I grabbed a larger beaker and double-layered it.


    Percy used a fire spell to burn up the residue left around the hole in his robe. "I need a thicker coat."


    "This container isn''t going to last long!" I warned, watching the blob slowly sink lower.


    Brynn stood up, the new potion in a large syringe in her hand. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she said, "Let''s get to one of the tree colonies!"


    Percy brought up his map and took off in a sprint. "This way!" The rest of us scrambled after him, up the rocky valley and into the rainforest.


    The thing in the beakers hissed and spat, straining against its glass prison. It disintegrated through the first beaker and started on the second.


    "It''s really burning here!"


    Lowe shrugged off his jacket and bunched it up. "I''ll take it!"


    I set the beakers on the bundle and kept running. It didn''t take long to eat through the second layer of glass, and he winced as it got to his hands.


    "Here - pass it back!" I opened my inventory to look for something thicker than a Hawaiian shirt, but-


    "There!" Percy shouted, pointing.


    A grove of luminous plants clung to a gnarled tree, their veins pulsing with inky corruption. Brynn hurried forward, syringe at the ready.


    I pried the twitching blob free from Lowe''s jacket. It latched onto my fingers with a wet squelch, burning the skin away. Brynn jabbed it with the needle, depressing the plunger.


    The thing shuddered, then boiled madly.


    "Quick, toss it!" Brynn urged.


    I lobbed it at the tree. It splatted against the bark, leaving a viscous smear that quickly began to drip down.


    For a moment, nothing happened. I thought maybe I''d thrown it too hard and killed it.


    Then it began to convulse.


    Tendrils whipped out in all directions, embedding themselves in anything they touched. The plants, the tree, the very air seemed to warp around it, the thick mana swirling closer. Filaments and constellations of faerie lights spun in a vortex, like a galaxy drawn around a black hole. The blob swelled, veins popping out in sickly shades of pinkish-purple. Slowly, it grew, and it grew. Easily the size of a person, then larger. The fluid goo solidified into the consistency of dough. Sickly yellow stars appeared on its surface, staring up at nothing. Ribbonlike appendages slithered from its body, fingers extending to drag blindly at the ground.


    But behind it, the black rot seemed to drain away, sucked out of the plants. Emerald leaves unfurled, glowing with renewed vibrancy.


    The blob itself only grew - an amorphous, pulsating tumor latched onto the tree''s trunk like a bloated tick. So large that it couldn''t support its own weight, and it drooped to lie on the ground.


    The issue now was - what did we do with it? It just kept growing, struggling to make a cohesive shape and instead forming an awkward, bloated, malformed mass that writhed on the ground. A mouth-shaped slit ripped open, lazily chomping in our direction. Its tentacles slapped at the ground in an attempt to drag itself towards us, but it was so engorged that it couldn''t move.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Percy drew his sword. "Time to pop this zit."


    I reached for my spear, but paused. "Wait, one thing!" Holding up a hand, I reached into my belt.


    The bottle of syrup of ipecac was still about half full. I held up the little amber bottle, the faerie lights glinting off the glass. "Dessert''s on the house."


    I lobbed it, the glass shining as it sailed right into the gaping maw.


    For a moment, nothing happened. Then a violent shudder rippled through its entire form.


    It made a sound like a belch mixed with a scream, and a stream of chunky black tar sprayed from its mouth. It was like watching a geyser going off - or me in the hotel bathroom after I got food poisoning in Tijuana - or me last night after I tried the syrup. Every time it started to slow down, a new haze of foamy, rotting gunk spewed out.


    The four of us scrambled out of the line of fire. Covering his face with his sleeve, Percy drew his wand and started to channel his flamethrower spell, burning away some of the black river and keeping it away from us.


    The fumes coming off the stuff made me gag. Trying to waft them away, I said, "Jesus, that stuff is definitely not smokable."


    It took maybe a quarter of an hour, but slowly, gradually, the flow petered out. What looked like every ounce of corruption in the surrounding area had been eaten and expelled. It didn''t clear the whole marsh, but this one island of life in the rainforest was perfectly healthy.


    The deflated husk of the mutated blob monster began to glow blue as it starved to death. With one final shudder, it disintegrated into blue motes like any other mob and wafted away on the breeze.


    "Well that was disgusting." I said, then turned to the small lake of ooze we had lying around.


    Lowe prodded at the edge of the inky black lake with his boot. "What do we do with... this?"


    "I''ll get it." Percy started up his flamethrower and started chipping at the pool.


    As I watched him work, I asked, "You think this stuff''ll mess up the atmosphere?"


    Percy said, "Don''t give the game ideas, Fritz! We know it''s listening!"


    It took him the better part of an hour after that to finish purging the place with fire. While he worked, I thought about how we were going to cleanse the rest of the marsh. It was far too much for us to handle alone - we''d need the Protectorate''s help. Then we''d need to look into recording the long-term environmental impact. If this stuff could spread, it was gonna be a bad time. For now, at least, Percy was finishing the last of the ooze, and Brynn knelt at the base of the tree, looking through the clean plants.


    She held a large leaf of comet''s tooth in her hand, studying the stardust trail pattern on it. "They''re weak, undernourished, but... they''re clean - completely disease-free. We did it..."


    We all fell silent for a moment. At least we completed one of our objectives. Lowe rested a comforting hand on Brynn''s shoulder. She leaned into his touch, just for a moment, before straightening with a sigh.


    Checking the time, I said, "It''s getting late, and I don''t want to sleep anywhere near what we''ve seen crawling around down here. Let''s get back to camp."


    Brynn harvested a few leaves of comet''s tooth, and we made our way back to the cliff. The rope was still there where we left it, and we climbed back up to the tents.


    I hauled myself over the ledge, taking a deep breath of the clean, low-salt air. The others clambered up behind me, Lowe giving Brynn a hand up the last few feet. The sun had already disappeared behind the trees behind us, leaving the Star Marsh below in darkness. The shadow of the cliffs crept outward over the ocean, only the far distance still shimmering in the golden light.


    Brynn sat at the edge of the cliff, watching the night consume it all. "That''s the last day." she said quietly. "We''re out of time; there''s no way we can make it back."


    "Don''t be so sure!" I said. "Humans are resilient! If we leave first thing in the morning, we should be able to get back tomorrow!"


    "But there''s still so much to do here... We''ve barely scratched the contamination."


    "... The timer''s not done yet." Percy, who had been lighting a fire, stood up and joined us. "By my count, we''ve still got an entire night before our three days are up. We know the problem and the solution, so we don''t need you here anymore, Brynn."


    "Yeah, but there''s a zone and a half of forest between us and Hope." I said. "And the forest''s near pitch black at night."


    "I can see well enough." he said. "There''s room for two people on a horse, and if we don''t have any baggage and don''t stop, we should be able to make it by morning."


    Brynn struggled to look up at him, not wanting to give herself the hope. "Are you sure?"


    "Reasonably."


    I slapped him on the back. "Aw, he''s just being modest. If the trip is possible, the kid''s the one that''ll be able to make it!"


    "Ok..." she nodded slowly, wiping a tear from her eye. "Ok! I''m not giving up on her!"


    "That''s right, Brynn! You''re gonna save your mom!" Lowe cheered.


    "Munch, to me!" Percy called out. The horse materialized from the shadows of the trees, cantering to us and stopping beside him. He hopped on, and Lowe helped Brynn up behind him.


    "Godspeed!" I saluted.


    Munch reared back. "Hi ho Munch, away!" With a powerful kick, they galloped off into the thicket, the sound of hooves thundering against the earth and resonating through the air.


    "You rat bastard!" I yelled after them. "Don''t steal my 80-year-old reference!"


    I stood there for a moment, staring into the distance where they had vanished. The world felt quieter now, as if holding its breath. In silence, Lowe tried to pull a dinner together at the fire, and I went to check on the dreamleaf node. It had respawned, but I completely failed to harvest it. At least we knew where we could reliably get the stuff.


    I noted to train my herbologist and alchemist levels, then ate some watery stew while Lowe stared at his dinner.


    "It''s out of our hands." I told him. I don''t think he got any sleep, though.


    ---


    When morning finally came, we were both already awake. We packed up the camp quietly and rushed back to the wagon, still parked where we''d left it at the side of the road. No stops, burning through Caesar''s Palace''s endurance on cooldown, we rode up the Celestial Forest and on through the Deep King''s Woods.


    Late afternoon sunlight was turning the sky amber and rose when we finally rolled into Hope. Lowe jumped out as soon as the trees parted and sprinted across town for the apothecary''s hut. I locked up the wagon and followed.


    We burst through the door into the shop, where Brynn was sitting at the counter in the workshop. Her head was down in her arms on the cutting board.


    "Brynn!" Lowe shouted. "Are you ok?!"


    Her bleary eyes flicked up, struggling to focus. "How did you...?" she murmured, blinking slowly, confusion knitting her brow. "What time is it?"


    "About six o''clock." I replied. "PM, that is."


    "Oh dear," she croaked exhaustedly, "I need to make dinner." She stumbled to her feet, legs wobbling, and limped toward the kitchen. Lowe stopped her.


    "I''ll buy something from the tavern - they have a good steak and potatoes. What about your mother? Is she..."


    "She was coughing up blood when we got here. She hasn''t woken up, but the disease is gone, and she''s alive." Brynn''s voice was a whisper. "She needs a liquid diet; I have to make it."


    "I will mash the steak into a liquid myself - you need to rest." He guided her back to a stool, and she collapsed against the counter. Making sure she was steady, he dashed out.


    "Where''s Percy?" I asked, glancing around the place.


    "Sleeping in the bedroom." she replied, not bothering to look up. "He fell asleep as soon as we got here." Her hands trembled slightly as she pressed them against the counter, grounding herself. This wasn''t just an NPC; this was a person on the edge trying to hold together.


    Moments later, Lowe burst back through the door carrying an armful of tinfoil packages. "I''m back! They made it special - on the house!"


    At the smell, Percy came walking down the stairs, completely calm and unruffled. "Hey. Did I miss breakfast?"


    "Just in time." I told him.


    We ate right there in the workshop, shoveling down loaded potatoes, grabbing some herbs off the rack to sprinkle on the steak. Afterward, Brynn was looking much more awake and went to feed her mother.


    When she returned, she wiped her hands clean. "Alright," she sighed, "time to unpack these reagents you helped me gather." She got her backpack from where it was lying on the floor next to the door and rummaged through it for the packages of rare plants. She then set about mixing them into potions.


    Finally, she packed them into three little boxes and handed them to Percy, Lowe, and me. "Here you go!" she announced with pride.


    ''Quest Complete: A Daughter''s Hope.''


    A notification popped up in front of me listing a whole slew of rewards. Oh, and enough experience to level - nice! Percy and I both went into our inventories to read the descriptions of the potions. We each got one regeneration potion from the leftover lichen, then five of the other varieties. There was one that fully restored all types of mana at a negligible health cost, one that sped up metabolization of both buffs and debuffs, one that gave resistance to elemental damage and healing, and one that... cured any poison at the cost of making you vomit. An emetic.


    "Hey, Lowe." Percy turned to him. "Since you''re staying in town so much, I''ll buy your potions for 5 marks."


    "Deal." He handed over his box of potions for a couple of coins.


    "Hey, Fritz." Percy turned to me. "I''ll trade you my regen potions for your mana potions."


    "Yeah, sure." We traded his 2 regen pots for my 5 mana.


    Everyone was tired, and there was no longer any reason for us to stay, so, with that, we said our goodbyes and left.


    Walking back down the path to the wagon, I stretched my arms above my head and felt the familiar ache of fatigue creeping in. "You want to stay here tonight?"


    "I''m wide awake. You want me to drive back to Townsville while you sleep?"


    "Sounds good to me."


    "Munch, to me!" Percy got his horse set up and climbed up in the driver''s seat while I settled in the back with some extra blankets. I guess we didn''t even need a bed back there.


    As we started to trundle down the road, I stared up at the twilight sky, the stars starting to appear in the deep purple.


    "Good job getting Brynn back here so fast." I said, breaking the comfortable silence.


    "After everything we did, there was no way I was going to fail that quest."


    "Of course that''s why you did it." I laughed. "So what kind of notes do we have to give to Eagle?"


    "First of all, that was definitely not the quest we came here to find."


    "Dammit - you''re right! The notes would have at least mentioned going to a separate zone! We should''ve investigated those missing mailboxes!"


    "The rewards are still good. Instant, complete mana restoration with no cooldown? That would be massive for Citadel healing."


    I sighed. "But if we leak that to the Protectorate, there''s going to be a train of Shake Spear farmers getting these one-time rare potions to fuel the Vanguard''s healers. They''re going to be constantly dragging Brynn back and forth through the forest. Let them live in peace."


    "She''s not a person; there is no ''peace''." he said. "Progress will reset, and her mom is going to get sick again."


    "You don''t know that! Titus is preventing that one part of that quest from resetting! If Lowe never takes his eyes off Brynn''s mother, the game will never have an opportunity to reset the quest!"


    "That''s a reality propped up on belief."


    "Is there something wrong with that?" I asked.


    "It''s unstable, disingenuous, and ultimately pointless."


    "Come on, the man''s in love; let him have it."


    "The NPCs in this game are not intelligent - they''re objects - not real. The guy is coping on an emulation."


    "Well... what is it that we fall in love with, anyway? Is it really another ''person'', or is it some constructed perception? Is the ''person'' part really that important?" I leaned back, staring up at the sky. It was definitely possible to fall in love with someone you haven''t met yet, I knew that. "... He''s not hurting anyone."


    "Except the mob, and anyone missing these rewards."


    "Ok, sure, but since when do we like Eagle?"


    "You go ahead and tell them whatever you want." he replied. "I''m going to make sure the Protectorate looks at the Star Marsh."


    "Deal."


    With that, I let the conversation drift away. The cool night air wrapped around me, pushing me deeper into the blanket''s warmth.


    As I surrendered to sleep, the last thought crossing my mind was the vastness of those stars - all those pinpricks of light staring down at us - the depths of that sky.


    Just what are we up against here?


    ---


    Next Time:


    There once was a bird who lived in a cage, kept high out of reach of the world. By day, she would dance to the tune of her father''s song, and by night, she would watch the world outside, see the people laughing and playing. But no matter how much she asked, he would never let her out of her cage. ''You have more important things to do.'' ''Games last a day - skills are for a lifetime.'' ''When you own this company, they''ll be down in the offices working for you.''


    And so she could but dream of flying free.


    One day, due to an unforeseeable accident, the bird found the door to her cage wide open. She stumbled out and took a deep breath of the fresh air, saw the expanse of the horizon in all directions. She spread her wings, and for the first time, felt the unbound air around her. Given this new freedom, what did she do? The only thing she knew how - work.


    Episode 6 - A Girl Who Dreams Of Open Skies

 Ep 6: A Girl Who Dreams of Open Skies

    ¡ª EPISODE SIX ¡ª


    A Girl Who Dreams of Open Skies


    There once was a bird who lived in a cage, kept high out of reach of the world. By day, she would dance to the tune of her father''s song, and by night, she would watch the world outside, see the people laughing and playing. But no matter how much she asked, he would never let her out of her cage. ''You have more important things to do.'' ''Games last a day - skills are for a lifetime.'' ''When you own this company, they''ll be down in the offices working for you.''The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    And so she could but dream of flying free.


    One day, due to an unforeseeable accident, the bird found the door to her cage wide open. She stumbled out and took a deep breath of the fresh air, saw the expanse of the horizon in all directions. She spread her wings, and for the first time, felt the unbound air around her. Given this new freedom, what did she do? The only thing she knew how - work.


    Contents:


    Chapter 21: Recruitment Drive


    Chapter 22: Dawn of the Vanguard


    Chapter 23: Economy and Politics

 Ch 21: Recruitment Drive

    ¡ª CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE ¡ª


    Recruitment Drive


    - September 21 - Recruitment Day -


    {Lucy}


    Solar Arena - the stadium in Celestia Grand''s Sunfire District - was always a lively place. The surrounding plaza and the tall glass walls of the arena''s foyer were plastered with signs and banners advertising upcoming player-run events. The most widely featured was today''s - the Citadel progression recruitment drive.


    The World Guard had done some poking around inside the Citadel gardens and found they were quite open. There was a lot of maze to cover and things to find in all directions. So they opened the place up to any guild willing to help. Now, everyone was looking to set themselves up as a leader in the game''s raiding scene. The Guard also set up a high-prize-pool dueling tournament at the same time to draw in crowds and let the potential guilds scout promising talent.


    As one of the Oxtongue raiders, I practically had a free ticket to join any of the recruiting guilds. And so, I used some of the money from the cloak sale to buy a professional white button-up and black dress pants - my job interview best - and headed inside.


    The interior was set up like a convention center. Booths lined the space advertising guilds and signs laid out directions and times to scheduled presentations. Immediately, it was apparent seeing everything would be impossible. I was going to have to move fast.


    As soon as I started to negotiate through the crowds, Rose called out to me. "Lucy!"


    She was now a member of a guild called Rose''s Thorns. Actually, she was co-leader alongside Filius. They founded it as soon as the Guard announced they''d be leaving the Citadel to the community. Dressed in her full combat gear - everyone was in combat form, now that I looked, making me feel a little silly that I took the time to dress up - she fell into step beside me.


    "Hello, Rose. How''s Filius?" I did my best to speak over the clamor.


    "He''s fine, just manning our booth." She motioned over to one of the quieter corners in the shadow of the stairs to the upper seating levels.


    "How has recruitment been so far?"


    "Fairly well. We don''t have any big speeches planned like some of these clan-based groups, but being the leaders of the Oxtongue raid is bringing in plenty of attention."


    "That''s encouraging to hear."


    "So, have you given our offer any thought?"


    They had invited me - all of us in the raid - to join them, but I hadn''t given them a hard answer yet.


    "Yes, and you''re on my list. But, professionally-speaking, it would be irresponsible not to see what is available."


    "Of course." she nodded politely. "No hard feelings if you go elsewhere; every bit of work in the Citadel gets us closer to finishing this."


    "Right. So, tell me about Rose''s Thorns - what''s your strategy?"


    "Oh, you want a pitch? Ok." She cleared her throat and stood up straight. "Our goal is to maintain the momentum we''ve built off our first boss kill and tackle the rest of the Citadel in a similar fashion. Our initial group was made up of individuals who played to their personal strengths. We didn''t conform to some cookie-cutter comp; instead, we adapted our tactics based on who we had and what we were up against. What we''re looking for is to put together a low-commitment roster of talented individuals so, when it''s time to set up for a fight, we can draw whatever composition best suits the information we have. No rigid core teams here! It''s all about collaboration and camaraderie."


    "And what do you look for when creating the raid team?"


    "I would rather have people that are masters in their preferred class, who know all of their abilities'' uses in all situations, than those that follow and replicate the meta. It was individual flexibility, not numerical performance that cinched the Oxtongue fight."


    But it was Percival''s gumption that carried the final push.


    "Thank you." I smiled. "I''ll let you know my decision by the end of the day."


    Looking at the schedule, there was a presentation from a guild with an already large membership base in about 30 minutes. That left me with a spot of time to wander through the smaller stalls in and around the lobby and mingle with their recruiters.


    There was one booth whose name and members made me think they had confused the recruitment drive for a garage band convention - Hermann Park Vacancy. A man with a mop of hair that drooped over his eyes sat behind the counter - obviously their drummer - while their lead guitar and vocals - a man in an untucked button-up with unruly hair - animatedly chatted up anyone passing by. Matsen was his name. Out of intellectual curiosity, I approached.


    "Heya there!" Matsen waved with a smile wide enough to rival the sun.


    "Good afternoon." I kept my tone measured. "I take it you''re recruiting for the Citadel?"


    "Yeah, yeah!" he nodded with his whole body. "We''re looking for more to get started up there! Have you seen the place yet? Man, doesn''t it look cool?!"


    "Do you mind if I ask some questions then?"


    "Hell yeah! Go for it!"


    "First off, what do you look for in your members?"


    "Hey, as long as you''re cool, I don''t got a problem. We just want peeps who can roll with whatever comes our way!"


    "Mhm." I nodded. "What do you offer to your members, and what do you expect out of them?"


    "Expectations? Just be yourself, have fun, and give it your all when the moment calls for it. We''re not big on rules or strict roles."


    "What are your goals within the Citadel?"


    "Who knows, you know? I hear there''s no loot up there, so I guess we just want to pitch in and see some cool stuff." He shrugged with a carefree smile.


    "What is your experience with raiding and group content?"


    "We''ve done a bunch of dungeons! All PUG stuff, never had anyone die. You just gotta know when to back off and try again, right? Know your limits - don''t take risks." he nodded sagely.


    "And how do you approach strategy planning for raids?"


    "Well, first you get the group together, then talk about what you''re going to do. You know - you stand over there, I''ll be there. The boss''ll move here, and we''ll go from there. You know!"


    "How would you have handled the Oxtongue fight?"


    "Oh!" He bounced on his feet as he grabbed a piece if paper from the desk and started scribbling on it. "You know that guy running around at the end, right? Percival? Well, I would''ve had him front and center, rope-a-doping the boss and keeping it distracted, then put everyone else in a circle around it on ranged damage!"


    The mop-haired man behind the booth nodded in silent approval.


    "Ok, thank you." I said, forcing a polite smile.


    "So?" he asked. "What do you think?"


    "It''s too early in the day to make a decision. I''ll give you an answer by the end of the day."


    I walked away, and he hopped right on to another conversation. My honest assessment? ... I liked the enthusiasm. He was very approachable for a leader. However, their planning left ... quite a few things to be desired. Lives were at stake here; we couldn''t just traipse around and have fun - which is a laughable sentiment, now that I know what Fritz and Percy were getting up to. Still, I hoped my questions would help them consider their weak points.


    That led me up to the appointment for a presentation from that large guild - Tempest. When I arrived at the little auditorium they had booked, their presenter was already taking the stage. He was a middle-aged man in knightly armor, complete with greying hair and a kind yet commanding presence. Like someone''s dad that was very into the ren faire. Name of Wulfric - the guild leader, as I later learned. As the murmurs settled, he cleared his throat.


    "I''ll start by introducing myself. I''m a stay-at-home software engineer who really picked up gaming after my son left the house. I''ve got eleven years of raiding experience, starting back in Everquest, eight of those leading in World of Warcraft. We were realm-first Sunwell!" he gave us an excited smile.


    "That''s where many of our founding members came from - we wanted to try out this new game together. But I don''t think I need to say the situation has changed." he continued, his tone shifting to one more serious. "We''re not looking for people with experience; we''ll work you up to that. In fact, if any of you have done a dungeon, you may have noticed this game doesn''t play like anything else before it - not all experience transfers. What we are looking for is people with the drive to take us home. We encourage anyone that wants to help to sign up. Give it a shot."


    He seemed to have a good grasp of leadership, a firm plan of action, and an understanding of how to execute it in this game. Noting to see if I could ask some follow-up questions in a one-on-one later, I left.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    As I stepped out of the presentation hall, I spotted Siegfried looking at a map with a puzzled expression. His nameplate didn''t have a guild tag on it yet. Strange; I thought he would have signed up with Rose, given he was also one of the co-leaders of the Oxtongue raid.


    "Oh, hello there." I stopped beside him. "Are you looking for a guild?"


    "Yeah..." he gave the map another look before turning to me. "Do you know where the stairs are?"


    "I saw them on the other side of the auditoriums - here." I led him through the halls. "So, you''re not taking a leadership position?"


    "No, I don''t... think that''s my strong suit."


    "Alright. Have you seen any other members of the raid?"


    "Davi - and her bother - signed up with that adventuring guild - Shake Spear - and they''ve stated they will not be participating in the Citadel. And Flora said she was going to look for a ''normal'' job. No news on either Leo or Sebas."


    In all honesty, I had forgotten about the two of them.


    "I know Percy and Fritz aren''t signing up either." I added. "They''re still... doing whatever it is they''ve been doing."


    "Finding broken crossbows." he chuckled. "So, what do you think of the crowd?"


    "I haven''t seen half of what''s available. Honestly, I''m worried some of them are in for more than they expect - a serious guild is an organization, not just a friend group. What about you? Will you be taking Rose up on her offer?"


    "I don''t know yet." he admitted. "I''m... concerned with how many of these guilds are approaching this. Like a sports league. The game is our enemy, not each other."


    "There''s nothing wrong with a little competition - it gives people a goal to strive for and keep pace against."


    "I just hope it doesn''t lead to keeping strategies secret or undermining each other. We need to work together here."


    Before Siegfried could respond, a booming voice broke through the crowd. "Hey hey hey!" A bare-chested giant clad in a leather harness and fur-trimmed pants honed in on us, or specifically Siegfried. He was from a guild called Steel Rage. "How you doin'', man? You lookin'' for a guild?"


    "Yes, I am." Siegfried replied, standing tall but not quite as intimidating next to this hulking figure.


    "Well, if you think you''ve got what it takes, check out Steel Rage! We''re looking for the baddest mothers in town to pound this game into dust, and I think you''d be perfect! Our leader, Rex, is in it to win it! He''s in the tournament if you want to see what kind of skill we''re bringing to the table!" He gestured toward a booth not two steps away from us. It was one of the larger, more professionally organized of the bunch.


    Siegfried and I glanced at each other, shrugged, and stepped over.


    The center of the administration appeared to be a man named Brian2378 - a similarly jacked muscleman, though he was gussied up in a button-up and tie. It looked a little goofy in how it strained taut around his biceps. Like Superman trying to blend in. His demeanor was calm and collected, a stark contrast to the exuberance of the first man.


    "Our goal," he explained to us, "is to create a tighter, more-efficient ship with a carefully trimmed roster of competent individuals. The Citadel isn''t a place for messing around unprepared. We aren''t even doing recruitment today; we''re setting up tryouts in dungeon runs. Even if you don''t make the cut, you keep the loot from the run. Although," he gave us a knowing smirk, "you two specifically have your credentials already established."


    Was that the first time someone recognized me? Interesting. This guy was sharper than his looks let on.


    I said, "Thank you for taking the time to speak with us. However, I''m not ready to commit to a decision at this moment; there are still more groups to explore."


    "That''s the smart way of approaching it." he nodded approvingly.


    ---


    Later in the day, I settled into a quiet corner of the arena''s seating to review my notes. On the field, the dueling tournament was entering the quarterfinals.


    Up next was Rex Basilikos - Steel Rage''s leader - squaring off against Mortre from the guild Bad Charlotte. I hadn''t seen them in the pool of recruiters, so they were either small-time or here for the fun. Both were hulking, surprisingly agile men going at it with great axes. That booth himbo wasn''t lying; Rex was a tank rampaging across the battlefield, yet he wasn''t bull-headed. He easily juggled between weapon sets to suit the situation as the fighters prodded and attempted to corner each other.


    That, however, meant little. It was not an individual''s skill but leadership and efficient management of the whole group that would carry the guild in the long term. So - who has the most stable structure?


    As I started to flip through my notes, two particularly meddlesome reporters popped up on either side of me.


    "Why hello there!" Cherry leaned over the back of the seat on one side.


    "Fancy running into you here!" Ace plopped down in the seat next to me, a pen and notepad in hand.


    "I get the feeling it''s less of an accident than you''re letting on."


    Ace said, "We just happen to be covering the event here and saw you looking all lonely!"


    "The people are dying to know where the Oxtongue slayers will wind up!" Cherry added.


    "So," Ace smiled, "mind telling us your plans?"


    I thought for a moment, then asked, "Have you been here all day?"


    "Since before opening!" Ace said. "Interviewing, watching fights."


    "If you check out the concessions, the garlic fries are bomb, by the way." Cherry added.


    "How about a trade?" I proposed. "You tell me what you''ve found on these guilds, and I''ll tell you which one I''ll pick."


    Cherry and Ace exchanged a glance, then nodded. She said, "Throw in a basket of garlic fries, and you can have all our notes."


    So we repositioned over to the food court around a basket of golden, crispy, and steaming fries with a generous sprinkling of garlic and parsley. And they were absolutely right about them - best garlic fries I''ve ever had. We sat at a table on a balcony high in the stands looking over the area, a cool breeze blowing by in the twilight.


    Tapping his pen on the table, Ace said, "So the obvious question I''ve gotta ask - Rose''s Thorns? The guild put together by two of the other Oxtonguers - nope, that''s not it."


    "O.X. -" Cherry suggested, "- Oxtongue eXterminators."


    "How about Grassinators?" Ace asked.


    "That''s fine, too."


    One eye on his notes, Ace said, "It''s led by the same people that led the original raid, and we hear you were in the same tutorial instance as them."


    I took a deep breath. "I like Rose... but I hesitate to say I trust her leadership abilities. The loose approach they are taking toward group composition is exactly what put the Oxtongue group in danger. We lacked sufficient healers to handle the enrage mechanics."


    Ace nodded. "And it wasn''t Rose or Filius that salvaged that fight."


    "Precisely. Not only is she prone to losing focus, but, if in a tight spot, she may endanger others for the safety of her husband."


    Cherry said, "I want a partner that''d throw other people on the fire for me."


    "Ok, but no one wants to be the one thrown on the fire." Ace shot back.


    "No one but a masochist."


    "Is that a no for the Thorns?" Ace asked. "How will Rose take that?"


    I said, "We''re all adults. It''s simply a professional decision."


    "Let us know if you get a Christmas card."


    Cherry asked, "Does this game have holiday events?"


    "Well there wasn''t one for Labor Day." Ace said.


    "Boo!" Cherry jeered. "Proletariat, rise up! Down with the bourgeoise! We demand recognition!"


    "Maybe Halloween?" Ace asked. "Anyway, who''s next on the list?"


    "Tempest." I said.


    "Tempest." Cherry repeated.


    Ace said, "Biggest guild present. That alone gives them weight, and the officers have experience. About half of the top sixteen in the tournament were Tempest''s people."


    "But none of them made it to semifinals." Cherry added.


    He said, "Still, you can tell they came prepared to show off."


    I said, "That speaks to a decent organizational structure and forethought."


    "Open invitations can attract all sorts, though." Ace added. "You''re going to catch a lot of... mediocre talent."


    I said, "I believe they are attempting to capture the largest share of the interested population, then filter through it to find the diamonds. The rest will either be dropped or relegated to generating resources to support the main raid group."


    "Hoo-boy." Ace rolled his eyes. "Sounds a little too..."


    "Exploitative?" Cherry suggested. "Nepotistic?"


    "I was going to say ''corporate'', but I didn''t want to get you started."


    "Please! Don''t get me started!"


    "Corporations don''t succeed on accident." I said. "And with limited group sizes, funneling resources into a few select people would make for more efficient progression - minimize the amount of time they need to spend on things other than beating the game."


    Cherry said, "Well I''m glad we''re not signing up."


    "Put me down for Doughnuts Per Second any day." Ace added.


    "Ugh." Cherry scoffed.


    "Who''s that?" I asked.


    Ace said, "They wrapped up their recruitment earlier in the day. Cherry''s not a fan of their leader - he threw her out of our interview for asking if he had a foot fetish."


    "How did that even come up?"


    "It''s just one of those things people are curious about." Cherry shrugged. "So, uh...?"


    "I do not, and I have no desire to field any more questions from you." I smiled politely.


    "Right, so, DPS." Ace twirled his pen through his fingers. "It was made by a bunch of role-players that decided they''d had enough."


    Cherry said, "Their founding group is a clan with a rep for going to any lengths to set up a stunt. These guys are legends - I''ve seen compilations of the stuff they''ve done. We''re talking multi-day player-run festivals, kiting world bosses into strange places, setting up entire guilds on other servers to troll hardcores."


    Ace added, "I have them earmarked to watch for unorthodox approaches and theatrics."


    "Using them to fill articles aside, what do you think of their capabilities?" I asked.


    He said, "They may not be hardcore raiders by trade, but they are dedicated and know their game mechanics."


    "Hm." I looked down at the arena below. "What about Steel Rage? What do you have on them?"


    "My two cents?" Cherry asked. "They''ve got the hottest lineup of guys. It''s like they raided a muscle convention!"


    Ace said, "Most of them we''ve met are meatheads."


    I said. "There was one I met that seemed like he had a decent head for strategy."


    "Brian?" Ace asked. "He''s their second-in-command, yeah. He was the one we interviewed, too. Seemed like he was going to be doing the actual management while the head does the bombastic, showy stuff."


    "They''re taking the opposite approach to Tempest -" I said, "- keeping the roster thin with less dead weight, higher average skill level. There could be something there, but there''s less underlying structure than Tempest, and I don''t know how much of that... ''Rex'' will bleed over the ''Brian''.


    Scribbling notes, Ace said, "Ooh, ''bleed over'' - I like that. This is good stuff; can we quote this as an anonymous commenter?"


    "... Anything but the Rose''s Thorns opinion. I will not have them disparaged."


    "Disparaged!" Cherry repeated. "That''s a fun word! Yo, Ace, let''s disparage some tacos after this!"


    "If you hadn''t spent all our money on garlic fries..."


    "It''s a business expense! That was our lunch!"


    "You try getting it comped, then."


    Wanting to finish this off, I interrupted, "Do you have any other groups written down?"


    Ace said, "There are dozens of smaller guilds down there. With your pull as a Grassinator, you could probably get yourself an influential position with one of them and shape it however you''d like."


    "That may be possible," I mused, "but none of the ones I saw showed the level of promise I''d like - they aren''t firmly structured or thought out."


    "So who are you going with?" Cherry asked.


    "Looking purely at who I believe will be most successful... I have to choose... Tempest."

 Ch 22: Dawn of the Vanguard

    ¡ª CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO ¡ª


    Dawn of the Vanguard


    - Sept 23 - Day 1 -


    {Lucy}


    I woke up on a couch in a house. It wasn''t my house - it was an NPC''s residence I''d... invited myself to stay at. The owner worked a forge by West Boulevard, and their hours were so long that I didn''t have to worry about them - provided I remembered someone was going to come in late at night. Good roommate; never complained, didn''t make messes, covered the rent - highly recommended.


    Anyway, I sat up and brushed my hair out while I checked my messages.


    [Davi Crockett]: Clark and I just finished our first contract - escorting some Ethanolics Anonymous folks on a gathering run! It''s not an exciting job, but check out this view!


    Attached were pictures of drifting clouds against a backdrop of open plains, painted in hues of orange and pink from the setting sun.


    [Lady Lucia]: Congratulations! I''ll send you some pictures from the gardens when we get up there.


    Once I sent the message, I pushed myself up from the couch, shaking off the last vestiges of sleep. Outside was a cool day and the streets were bustling. NPCs went about their routines, vendors called out their daily specials, and the distant sound of hammers striking anvils echoed through the alleyways. I strolled over to the local market, where a colorful array of stalls lined the cobblestone path. Picking up a copy of the Celestial Daily from the newsstand, I kept on walking toward South Boulevard.


    Should I get breakfast? Oh, why not?


    Outside a cafe, I settled in under the fading autumnal trees - deep crimson and gold leaves piling up on the ground, a steaming pumpkin hot chocolate with cinnamon to sip on, and the morning news.


    Guild vs. Government: Should the World Guard''s Structure Change?


    We''ve made it no secret here at the Celestial Daily that we support the World Guard, but that''s not to say it''s a perfect organization. To highlight that, last night, a debate was held over whether the World Guard''s structure as an in-game ''guild'' is conducive to its role as the burgeoning central leadership of the player base. Arguing in favor of the Guard''s current structure was Poe, the World Guard''s head of logistics and a lynchpin in its negotiations with other high-profile guilds. Arguing against was Benedict Clerk Pascal, founder and head administrator of the Protectorate. A full transcript of the discussion is available in the Protectorate''s library, but here is a brief of each side''s argument.


    Pascal:


    The guild structure, while effective for organizing like-minded individuals towards common goals within a game, falls short when it comes to governing a diverse player base. Guilds, as with many ''group'' structures, inherently create an ''us versus them'' mentality, drawing a clear line between members and non-members. This exclusionary dynamic can lead to favoritism, unequal treatment, and limited representation for those outside the guild.


    In a government setting, inclusivity and representation are crucial. A guild''s primary focus is often on its own interests and members'' advancement rather than the well-being of all players. Decisions made within a guild may not consider the broader player community''s needs or viewpoints, leading to policies that benefit a select few at the expense of many.


    Furthermore, the hierarchical nature of guilds can hinder equal participation and decision-making. Leaders within a guild hold significant power over its direction without necessarily being accountable to the wider player population. This lack of transparency and democratic processes can result in decisions that do not reflect the majority''s wishes.


    Governments should aim to serve all players equally, regardless of their affiliations. By moving away from a guild-centric model towards a more representative system, the player base as a whole can have a voice in shaping policies that benefit everyone. A government structure promotes unity, fairness, and cooperation among all players, fostering a more harmonious gaming environment where every individual''s perspective is valued and considered.


    Poe:


    I see your point, and at a fundamental level, I agree, but that does not take account for the full situation at hand. While there is a guild called the ''World Guard'', what people have begun commonly calling the World Guard is not a singular entity. It is an interwoven alliance of many formal and informal groups and guilds, including the Trade Union, Ethanolics Anonymous, Shake Spear, and even the Protectorate.


    To even say that our goal is to ''govern'' is not accurate to the philosophy the Guard was founded upon. In connecting together these major guilds, the World Guard has assumed the role of a facilitator. It''s a nucleus, a platform, the operators of a phone exchange* that allow the multitude of people to converge and pool resources and expertise for the greater good.


    Rather than a government imposing decisions from above, by its nature of weaving together disparate threads, it embodies a democratic ethos prioritizing collective well-being.


    What is around us is already far beyond a mere ''guild'' and is instead something formed directly by the collaboration of the community. This inclusive approach ensures that policies and actions taken are reflective of the diverse player community''s needs and aspirations.


    [*Reporter''s Note: Landline telephones** used to have human operators that manually connected callers to recipients.]


    [**Reporter''s Note: Phones used to be connected by wires.]


    This is one of many subjects of discourse that have been floating around about the nature of the World Guard. The evolution and maintenance of a political machine is a dynamic and constant process, and we would like to encourage everyone to make their opinions heard. For anyone interested, the World Guard holds town hall meetings in each district every weekend. You can find the location of your nearest meeting at Evermoon Gardens.


    -Editor Reggie


    Underneath the headline article was a reminder that there would be a public forum on property rights scheduled for the 25th in Syzygy Square. I noted to go - I needed to lock down that house I was staying at. For today, however, I had to meet my new guild.


    Tempest held is organizational meeting in the barbican at the south gate of the city. There, the city''s walls surrounded a football-field-sized kill zone between two overbearing gates. South Boulevard came in on one side and exited the other as the Southern Walk - a highway that went all the way down to the coast.


    And today, the pit was filled with members of Tempest - a sea of adventurers buzzing with anticipation. Hundreds of people, maybe even a thousand. It was even more crowded than the recruitment convention.


    At the entrance, a woman with a clipboard flagged me down. "Welcome! We''ve sorted everyone into starting groups - your designated captain will have details on your assignments. Let''s see - Lucia... you''re in... Team 13! East side - look for the flag!"


    Thanking her, I navigated through the crowds until I spotted the little banner pinned on the wall of the barbican, well in the shadows. The crowd thinned toward the edges, finally giving me the space to breathe as I got to the table. Under the banner was a man sat on a table. He was an older man- ... Older? Older! I used to think people in their mid-twenties were older! I''m in my mid-twenties right now!


    (Percival)?You''re an older woman now, and there''s nothing wrong with that - it''s part of life. I, for one, like a woman with experience.


    {Lucy}?Oh dear lord.


    So, he was a very young and spry gentleman, barely a sapling at around 25 with quaffed hair. By his armor, he was one of the melee classes. His nameplate read Matt. Just Matt. The limited player count left a lot of ground uncovered for naming.


    He straightened up from his slouching as I approached. "Hey hey, welcome welcome! You''re first here, so get comfortable!"


    Taking a seat on the edge of the table, I asked, "Would I be correct in guessing this will be a standard five-man team?"


    "Yeah, that''s right. We''re breaking up into normal parties to start with, then things will get shuffled as we settle in."


    "Ah, well, nice to meet you. Please call me Lucy."


    "Right, right. I guess you can call me Matt. Part of the OG Tempest that came here with the guild."


    "Oh, are all of the group leaders from the core guild?"


    "You kidding? There''s, like, 20 of us. We spread out as best we can, but unless we gave everyone their own raid, that''d be impossible."


    "Mhm. And... how were these groups chosen?"


    "Are you asking if it''s an accident you ended up with an insider?" He smirked.


    "I don''t want to make accusations."


    "Well, I wouldn''t say it''s ''stacked''. At least, not all the way. We did a first pass, picked out the people we knew had potential, and made sure they were in groups we could easily see the progress of, then assigned the rest mostly randomly - a few adjustments for roles. We had a bit of trouble getting enough healers. Our group''s got 2 random assignments."


    As he was speaking, he sat up a little straighter and made a quick wave-salute hybrid at someone behind me. "Archie! Sir!" The hint of stink he put on that ''sir'' gave me the impression he''d been reprimanded previously.


    I turned to face an older man - which is a statement I will likely regret when I am also in my late thirties. He had impeccably trimmed hair and a thin mustache. Looked a lot like Vincent Price, actually. He stood with his arms folded behind his back like a general surveying his troops. Archibald, his name was.


    "Matthew." he replied with an acknowledging nod. Then his gaze shifted to me. "And Lucia. Terrific you could join us. Do you know what happened to the other three that stood their ground against Oxtongue? Fritz Carlton, Percival, and Sebastopol?"


    "Last I heard, Sebas went missing. Avoiding attention, we''re guessing. Then Fritz and Percy are out somewhere - they won''t be working in the Citadel."


    "That''s a shame - spine like that is a rare resource. Nevertheless, I''m glad you could join us."


    "I''m happy to help."


    With another side look at Matt, he continued walking through the crowd, observing the assembling groups.


    Watching him leave, Matt said, "So, uh, that''s Archie, one of our raid assistants. He''s a real stickler for schedules - if he gives you a time, he expects you to be there 30 minutes early. I gotta say, I liked him better when I couldn''t see his face. But, you know, here, at least, I can understand the strictness - this one isn''t just a game. But that''s just me rambling. You got any other questions?"


    "What will we be doing once the rest of the group has arrived?"


    "The schedule right now is to alternate days between doing dungeons to get to know each other and get geared up, then go into rotation exploring the gardens. There''ll be people observing our performance in the gardens - you know, checking efficiency and how well we work together. They''ll take that data and use it to form the raid group when it''s time to tackle a boss. Our group is starting with the gardens today, but we''re just getting a grip on the conditions - not anything too harsh. I''d call it a half-day for introductions."


    I liked the general professionalism and planning. No surprises, expectations laid out, and clear goals. Very clean.


    - Sept 24 - Day 2 -Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    I woke up on the couch of my stolen house and sat up with a stretch, pulling up my messages. Yesterday, I had sent Rose some pictures from the regions of the garden we had explored, and now she''d sent me back their recon on the lower layers. It looked like a cave made of plants - all sorts of vines and fungi growing out of the ceiling, walls, and floor lit by colorfully luminescent mosses. It''d be a wonderful place for a stroll - nice and tranquil on the surface, dark and adventurous in the depths - if only it wasn''t full of patrolling mobs.


    Rose''s tips included a warning that some of the vines would grab and try to drag you into carnivorous plants hanging off the ceiling. That part sounded like a real mood killer. Maybe the enemies would clear out as we progressed deeper into the Citadel. But that was a thought for another day.


    With a sigh, I got up and went outside, walking to the market in the cold, early morning light. After getting my paper, I wondered, Do I want to get breakfast? It''s going to be a long day - I should.


    So I went to a cute little retro corner diner and got a full breakfast, eating pancakes with syrup as I read. And today''s headline was about me! Well, everyone in the Citadel.


    Dawn of the Vanguard


    Today marks a landmark up at the Citadel. Following last week''s recruitment drive, a myriad of guilds have assembled with the intent to push through the game''s story and bring it to an end. They are now champing at the bit to get in there, and the first properly organized groups are set to begin exploring the gardens today. We''ll have reports of the conditions inside tomorrow, but today we have a different pressing issue.


    Many people have started to give this collected group nicknames, and we have to agree - ''those fighting in the Citadel'' is quite the mouthful. As a matter of convenience and in recognition of their courage, we would like to put forward the name ''Vanguard'' - those leading the charge against the game. It''s simple, sweet, and to the point. If you feel you have something better, please write in.


    And to those in the Vanguard that may be reading this: Everyone here at the Celestial Daily salutes you. o7


    -Ace reporter, Cherry Keane


    After that, I went to the train station to meet my group. We took the train out to Stonehearth City together, then headed out into the countryside, hiking up a river valley to a dungeon north of the city.


    I had never been in a dungeon before. The first time was nerve-wracking, but it was nothing like the Oxtongue fight. Honestly, there was no real challenge to it. The tank and healer knew what they were doing and remained firmly in control, so all I had to do was focus on maximizing damage. By our 10th run through of the day, it was all very rote. It was good gear and experience, though.


    - Sept 29 - Day 7 -


    I woke up on the couch of my house, as usual, and checked my messages, as usual. Looks like Flora opened her own pet store. And it wasn''t too far from that sub place. Good for her. I didn''t want a pet; I had a hard time seeing the animals in the game as anything more than disposable critters, and keeping one around seemed like a chore. Still, I decided I should swing by and congratulate her in person.


    As usual, I went out to the market to buy a paper. Should I get breakfast? It''s a big day, it needs to be something special. A breakfast sandwich with king crab and... would a cheese pair well with that? Why not give it a try; I''d like a nice burrata spread.


    So I got a sandwich, then split it with Flora at her shop. It was a nice little place. Kind of in a back alley, so I was worried about visibility, but it was nothing a sign on the next street over couldn''t fix.


    I then made my way up to the Citadel, reading the paper as I walked, though I didn''t need to look at the headline too thoroughly.


    Citadel Progress to Pick Up Soon


    Today will be the seventh day the Vanguard has spent exploring the Citadel gardens. So far, things have been quiet up there with early efforts devoted to mapping the labyrinthine layout. With multiple vertically- stacked layers and dense foliage, this has proven to be quite the task. That, however, is not what has been stopping our intrepid Vanguard from making progress.


    Similar to the gate to the Citadel, the bosses and distant sections of the gardens are partitioned off behind more gates that require the donation of significant amounts of crafting resources. Be they vine walls that require the financing of Resistance flamethrower teams to incinerate or the fortifications around the keep''s main gate requiring a Loyalist trebuchet to be smuggled in to smash, the game seems determined to make us work for every inch.


    It is a reminder that ''progression'' is not simply the responsibility of the Vanguard, but something that will require the joint efforts of the entire player base. Gatherers and crafters, such as those within Ethanolics Anonymous'' networks, and dungeon-farming teams, including those contracted by Shake Spear, are essential for both supplying our fighters and keeping our momentum. If you would like to help with the story but don''t feel the intense combat is right for you, consider dedicating your time to one of the support tasks.


    But the news is not all bad! According to insiders, the Trade Union has prepared a package to open one of these resource gates, and the Vanguard guild Tempest has been given the go-ahead to begin attempts on the second raid boss of the game. We have not yet gotten confirmation of what the boss is, so stay tuned for tomorrow''s report!


    -Ace reporter, Cherry Keane


    Stepping through the gates of the Citadel, I found myself on a circular platform below the highest layer of the garden''s hedges, enclosing me in the lush greenery with scattered glimpses of the middle layers of the labyrinth poking out. Dead ahead was a trench bisecting the east and west halves of the gardens. Floating between the walls of plants, a pair of bridges spiraled around each other in a double helix pattern. They pointed right at the doors at the foot of the keep opposite where I stood.


    In the center of the span between Oxtongue''s courtyard and the keep, the bridges briefly paused at another platform with stairs to access into the gardens proper. That is also where our raid gathered. I joined Matt and our group''s healer as everyone assembled. Due to limited space, our tank was staying out - there were only 3 tank positions in the full raid of 50 - one for each statue plus an emergency backup. Our third DPS also didn''t make the cut.


    The arena for this fight was the front door of the Citadel itself. It was a smaller arena than Oxtongue - limited to a half-circle roughly 50 feet in radius. And the boss appeared to be a pair of statues - ominous, dark-granite beaked humanoids watching us with gleaming ruby eyes and halberds as tall as apartment buildings.


    On the ends of the bridges, just outside the arena, sets of bleachers had been erected out of pyramids of tables and benches and were filling with people. A reporter from the paper that I didn''t recognize was there. Well, I recognized the name - it was Lekowski, usually their business reporter - but I didn''t know the man. The rest were members of Tempest and the other Vanguard guilds, including Filius and Brian. They weren''t only there to watch, but to take notes - what happens, what works, what doesn''t. To provide analysis for future improvement.


    Following preliminary mechanical testing after the boss was unlocked last night, we already had a basic idea of what the fight was. Heavy AoE damage was thrown out from the stone shards that broke from the ground with every attack, and we needed to keep the bosses apart. Neither mechanic was my responsibility; I was on pure damage. The general plan of action was then to stay ready to evacuate the arena if we were surprised by any mechanics - to retreat, adjust the plan to the new information, then go in again, getting a little farther into the fight each time.


    However... Well, the fight began smoothly enough. We spread out, the tanks keeping the statues separated easily. I focused on maintaining my rotation, unleashing a barrage of arrows, occasionally swapping between them to keep their health pools roughly equal. The stone shards flew through the air each time they smashed the blades of their halberds into the ground, but our healers were on top of it, mending the wounds almost as quickly as they appeared.


    As the battle wore on, the statues'' movements grew swifter, more erratic. Their attacks came faster, the aim somewhat randomized, the stone shards whipping through the air with increasing frequency. Our healers began to struggle. Still, it wasn''t their fault.


    A scream tore through the arena as one of our melee fighters crumpled to the ground, his head lolling at an unnatural angle. A jagged line encircled his neck where the stone shards had chipped away at the texture. The blue light crawled over his body, consuming him before he burst into a cloud of glowing dust. There was nothing anyone could have done; spells didn''t close the wireframe scars. And command didn''t think it was a severe enough problem to call off the attempt, so we kept up the fight.


    As we registered what happened, the statues continued to churn out damage, forcing our healers to their limits. They eventually had to tag out with the backup team waiting in the stands. Even with fresh mana reserves, they struggled to keep up on throughput.


    In the end, we managed to take the statues down on that first attempt - no surprise phase changes - but not without further loss. Another fighter fell, overwhelmed by the damage right at the end. As the pair crumbled and disintegrated, the arena fell silent save for the labored breathing of the survivors.


    I stood there, numb, trying to process what had just happened. We had won, yes, but it felt so... simple. Why had it been so much more smooth than the first fight? Was it our preparation? Was the boss simply easier? The lack of an instant kill mechanic certainly took some pressure off. But still, it felt... underwhelming. I could only hope I was overthinking it.


    And standing there trying to stay focused on the job as people died in front of me... There was both comfort and worry that not every fight would be as precarious as Oxtongue. Not everything would be that stressful. But at the same time, there was a chance to simply slip through the gaps. To take one bad hit by pure chance. Like speeding down the highway at 150 mph on every commute to work - statistically, you can only dodge the odds so many times. And when it did happen, everyone was going to do their best to ignore it and keep on. Walk over your body without a glance.


    I shook my head. We were alive. We had won again. That was two bosses down. That had to be enough for now. I glanced towards the front gate of the Citadel, where some of the raiders were poking around looking for a way to open it or pull up the menu to submit resources.


    No such luck on that. Figures we couldn''t simply skip over the rest of the gardens. And so, the Vanguard continued its progress down in the labyrinth.


    - Oct 1 - Day 9 -


    I woke up in my new bed, the sun filtering through my windows and glinting on the pair of medals hanging on the wall - one featuring a bull and the other a pair of statues. Honestly, I''d probably have to move them; the glare could get annoying in the morning.


    Checking my messages, it looked like Fritz and Percy found something new. They were asking if anyone could look some things up for them at the Protectorate library. Then about an hour ago Fritz followed up saying Flora had volunteered to cover it. I''d have to ask them about their discovery later tonight.


    I stepped outside, the crisp morning air filling my lungs. That''s right, I needed to get a sign made with my registration info to put out front. What was it? Name, address, registration number. At least the registration fee had been reasonable - the property itself was a steal, if it was your only property.


    Strolling across the street, I collected the newspaper from the mailbox, delivered conveniently as always. Should I get breakfast? Going out felt like too much effort. Maybe it was time to stock up on some groceries to have on hand.


    Settling onto a bench in a nearby park, I unfolded the paper.


    Trade Union Introduces Orders


    The Trade Union announced yesterday the introduction of a public system to buy and sell crafting materials for competitive market prices.


    The game''s in-built player market system, accessed through the market board located in each of the four major major cities, provides the functionality of listing goods for sale and allowing the automated purchasing of those goods. However, this system comes with some limitations. First of all, it does not allow users to place offers for automatic fulfillment, and, especially when it comes to new, high-level, and rare materials, severe price fluctuations have been observed, creating economic waves with every new tier of materials unlocked.


    The Trade Union''s answer to this, to make trading more convenient and to stabilize the prices as the economy settles, is their new ''ordering'' system. Put simply, the Trade Union will, on the spot, buy or sell crafting materials for a ''blue book'' value calculated based on supply and demand. There is no wondering how much something is worth and no waiting for someone to accept your offer.


    In addition to speed, orders can be processed at any of the Trade Union''s depot offices, of which there are currently four in Celestia Grand and one in Stonehearth City, though Townsville, Falconworth, and Florin locations will be opening in the coming days. Further expansion is anticipated, but not firmly planned until initial rollout is over.


    Currently only available for crafting materials, the Trade Union has stated, if the system is received positively, they will consider expanding into other spaces. One proposed expansion would be to commission completed goods such as gear or furniture by ordering the raw materials and having them automatically crafted by Ethanolics Anonymous'' contracted associates.


    -Lekowski


    The Guard and associates were slowly spreading their control. Their next step would be imposing full-on trade regulations. Excalibur''s office would finally have something to do. I made a mental note to examine the new rules for any exploitable loopholes, then went up to the gardens.


    My group... didn''t really exist in its original form anymore. Our other DPS quit, and the healer was reassigned to cover another group. I had been put on Combat Oversight Committee until further notice. And honestly? It felt like a better fit for my skill set.


    My job was to sit in the audience and watch fights. The goal was to give a critical, third-person view of the fight to better understand mechanics and team performance. And today promised to be an exciting one! This wasn''t another day going over Tempest''s practice fights - another guild was going in for a boss encounter!


    By that point, we''d thoroughly mapped out most of the available space in the gardens, and signs had been planted at every intersection listing elevation, giving them our own numbering system, and listing directions to nearby landmarks. The gardens were a complex place - multiple floors of walkways freely weaving between each other with environments ranging from caves to the canopies of the trees. And yet, they were no match for human categorization. All I had to do was follow the directions to the far east section.


    The gardens were laid out with rough correspondence to the world map. The area for today''s fight represented the Black Marshes on the east coast, south of the King''s Woods and north of the Woodsea. We were one floor down from the top, nestled right up against the curtain wall. Dense foliage pressed in from all sides, and the branches of the colossal tree that dominated the east side cast dappled patterns on the muddy ground.


    The observation stands were set up on the walkways above the field - like a zoo exhibit - and looked down on a still, algae-covered lake. At its center was an island - or what appeared to be an island if you didn''t look at the slowly blinking eye watching from just above the waterline. Across the glade, the members of Doughnuts Per Second assembled.


    What struck me immediately was that they were going in with a smaller group - only 20 or so - and their composition was light on healers. They seemed to be taking a more aggressive, action-oriented approach to the fight. One of their tanks in particular caught my attention. Rather than the heavy plate armor most of them wore, they were instead running leather with a heavy blade.


    As they started the fight, and the massive gator came surging out of the water, it became clear why. They dodged most of the attacks, and, when forced to take the hit, blocked it with the flat of the blade. It was a good idea; shields didn''t block all of the damage - some chip still got through to the wielder. It was negligible for most mobs, but it could add up, especially on bosses that could take significant chunks out of health bars with each attack. Weapons, however, didn''t have that leakage. In addition to physically dodging attacks, the tank was blocking all damage.


    The group also incorporated mages - usually left out because of the low damage - but what they did was freeze spans of the lake. The ice wasn''t thick enough to trap the gator, cracking and shattering as it thrashed, but it was an interesting attempt of a tactic.


    The damage dealers had an unusual approach as well. The archers focused their fire on its eyes and other potential weak points. Meanwhile, the melee fighters hit the joints and gaps in its plating. They weren''t trying to whittle down its health; they were attempting to literally cripple and kill it like an animal.


    And incredibly, it was working. The mages managed to freeze one of its eyes open, and the ranged DPS concentrated their attacks and burst the orb in a spray of dark, goopy fluid. The gator howled and reared back, but the short-range fighters pressed the assault, hacking at its jaws and breaking several of its teeth.


    By the time we went into the last leg of the fight, it was a shadow of its original threat. It slumped into the water and dissolved into glittering blue dust with barely a whimper. I had to admit, I was impressed. They''d turned it into a swift, clean execution.


    It was excellent data, and I wrote it all down in my report.

 Ch 23: Economy and Politics

    ¡ª CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE ¡ª


    Economy and Politics


    - Oct 9 - Day 17 -


    {Lucy}


    As had become my routine, I woke up and checked my messages. Excalibur had gotten back to me on the innards of the Trade Union''s ordering system. Looked like they were operating it like a stock market. Excellent news - I responded with a proposition. With the remains of my share of the cloak sale, I would make the economic calls while Excalibur, with her easy access to the main office, managed the trading.


    While that plan was cooking, I went out and retrieved my morning paper, then went back inside. I had some eggs, bacon, and toast I''d made the other day sitting nice and fresh in the cupboard, perfectly hot despite the age. I sat down to read.


    The Green Book Manifesto: What Is It?


    If you''ve passed through the less-busy public spaces in the past few days, you may have seen or heard one of the soapbox orators that have been popping up across the city. Or maybe you have heard wind of or even gotten a copy of a blank green notebook that has been making its way around the underbelly.


    The Guard usually shut down the speakers as a public disturbance, insisting that such discourse should be kept to the weekly town hall meetings. And while, to our knowledge, they do not have an official restriction against the book, there are individual reports of Guard patrolmen confiscating copies, and we have confirmed the World Guard have objected to the Protectorate preserving a copy in their library.


    So what is this manifesto, and why does it have the World Guard on edge? Well, as you may have guessed, the source is one of their detractors.


    The group in question is a guild called the Black Hand, and the principal cause for their dissent is what they are calling the undemocratic policies of the World Guard, namely the lack of direct influence that the people have over the policy-making process. This is not an uncommon criticism, with prominent community figures such as the Protectorate''s Pascal making similar claims. However, the difference lies in how this new group respond to the problem. The Black Hand are calling for peaceful non-recognition of ''self-imposed'' World Guard authority.


    The World Guard''s stance is that these activities, while well-intentioned, serve primarily to cause baseless worry and fear among the player base. "We are as transparent and open about our operations as always." an official commented. "There''s a difference between expressing opinions and actively calling for resistance. A political system only works when people participate in it, and we encourage anyone with ideas or objections to voice them in a productive setting."


    What do you think: free speech, or nuisant fearmongering?


    -Editor Reggie


    I... honestly didn''t have strong feelings either way. The Guard had been quite reasonable and attentive so far, but I saw the need to set good precedents to maintain that status. As long as neither side started to interfere with me directly, I had no horse in the race.


    Anyway, I had not received any special instructions on what to do for the day - no key fights to watch, no news on getting a new group. That meant it was another miniboss day. Just as I was preparing to head out, however, I got a guild notification. There was going to be a meeting regarding the raid group for the next boss kill later that day, held in the Resistance camp after garden patrols were recalled. Given my lack of action on part of not having a group, I couldn''t imagine I would be needed, but I figured I''d go anyway. It would be just as productive as watching the same fight over and over.


    And I was right that it was a dull day - I was doing oversight on one of the small, repeatable miniboss fights that dropped dungeon-grade loot. It was well-trod ground; everyone had done it a hundred times. There was nothing more to learn from them, except maybe to experiment with dealing physical damage to the mob''s bodies - which I had been recommending for a week now and received no response on whatsoever.


    As the sun began to set, I made my way out of the Citadel. Early on, after the courtyard gates had been opened, the Resistance and Loyalists set up camps on the motte outside the Citadel. They didn''t do anything to help the players inside; they were simply there to ''prevent that mad bastard from sending anything into the city''. It gave the Vanguard places to organize ourselves before heading inside, anyway.


    On one side of the road was a haphazard collection of tents stitched together from mismatched swatches of blue fabric. Makeshift fortifications of salvaged wood and scrap metal ringed the perimeter. The banner of the Resistance fluttered overhead, the fabric snapping in the evening breeze.


    Tempest members were slowly trickling into the center of the camp, where the NPCs normally pored over maps and charts and discussed the logistics of getting reinforcements and supplies into the city. I found myself a spot with a nice view on top of a stack of crates at the edge of the clearing. The crowd got fairly thick. This would be Tempest''s third boss, and everyone was eager to claim a piece of the glory. I couldn''t bring myself to care.


    "Hey, Lucy!" a familiar voice called out. I glanced over to see Matt working his way into the camp and lean against my crates. "What have I missed?"


    "It hasn''t started yet." I replied. "Any news on my group assignment?"


    Matt grimaced, shaking his head apologetically. "Sorry, but I don''t think they''re going to listen to me. If it makes you feel any better, they''ve had me stuck on administrative... bologna for the past week."


    "Is that where you''re coming from?"


    "Yeah, we just had a meeting with the Guard." he confirmed. "They want to open the gardens up to the public, let them see what''s going on. Outreach and exposure and all that to get the public more invested in what''s going on up here, get more donations. And they want the Vanguard to offer protective services, kind of like how Shake Spear does those escort contracts for Ethanolics Anonymous."


    I nodded. "That could offer a significant source of income, as well as generating fresh interest in the cause."


    "Yeah. My idea is to set up a ''containment breach'' and let a mob get up close and personal with the visitors. Picture it: ''Ah, no! Look at this giant, scary monster! Run for your lives!'' And of course, it''s just a regular trash mob, completely under control the whole time." He chuckled at his own cleverness.


    "What is this, a theme park?"


    "Well, that''s essentially what they''re proposing, isn''t it?" he spread his hands wide. "Charge admission to see the attractions. May as well go all the way and turn it into a proper show!"


    Before I could respond, a hush fell over the crowd. I turned my attention to the front, where Wulfric had taken the stage. His expression was... between disappointment and frustration as he made his announcement.


    "I know everyone has been excited to hear about the next raid - it''s what we''ve been working toward for weeks. However, I don''t want to get anyone''s hopes up here. Preparations are being put on hold for the time being. There''s been a competing claim for the same boss by Steel Rage. For now, everyone is to continue grinding for life crystals and gear in the dungeons and focus on securing the gardens. We''re handling the issue; we''re working with both the World Guard and Steel Rage to sort this out. Just hold tight; we''ll have more news soon."


    A wave of disappointed groans washed over the crowd. Another setback, another delay in our progress. Well, disappointment was my norm, so it was on with my life.


    - Oct 16 - Day 24 -


    The ping of an incoming message woke me up. I''d put curtains up to stop the light from shining in my face, so my room was still dark. Rubbing my eyes, I pulled up my menu. The message was from Siegfried, asking if I would be doing combat oversight on his fight today. That I was.


    As I typed out the confirmation, I noticed the time. Half an hour until the raid started - and that was about how long the run across the city was.


    "Bob Saget!" I flung off the covers and ran out the door, switching from my pajamas to business outfit as I ran. Grabbing the paper out of the first mailbox I came across, I quickly stopped in at Hero Hero. I really shouldn''t''ve - it was expensive, and that cloak money was getting thin. Hopefully Excalibur and I would start to turn a profit soon. Still, I deserved it.


    I sprinted through the gardens, getting to the observation stands as the raid was preparing. Matt was there, so I sat next to him, shoving bites of sandwich into my mouth and glancing over the paper.


    Citadel Open for the Public!


    For those of you who haven''t been keeping track, the Vanguard have been progressing very smoothly through the Citadel gardens. In total, six bosses have been brought down with three more located and awaiting resource unlocks from the Trade Union. But have you ever been curious what that looks like? What it''s like to walk through the garden''s maze? See how large these monsters they''re fighting are in-person? Well you no longer need to be content reading the reports and living vicariously through our pictures!


    In conjunction with the Trade Union''s management team, the Vanguard has announced that they will be offering tours to the public starting this Friday - in two days! The World Guard has assessed the Vanguard''s security and judged the place to be perfectly safe. They have teams roaming the labyrinth, culling the respawning mobs, and all paths have been labeled according to the Vanguard''s navigation system.


    Come see our finest experiment with mechanics, fight minibosses, or simply admire the beauty of the gardens - every plant in the game is here in one place, from the volcanic depths of the Line of Fire to the gargantuan redwoods of the Woodsea to the luminescent neon nightscape of the Fungal Valley - it''s a way to explore the world without taking weeks off work or worrying about overleveled mobs. And our tip: Make sure you take a picture of the sign that explains the Vanguard''s navigation system - it''s a big place.


    The Citadel gardens will be open from 9 AM to 9 PM every day. Admission is 1.50 marks per person, .50 for minors, for a day pass. All proceeds go to the Vanguard guilds and help to finance their gear, consumables, and the resource gates to continue progression.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    -Ace reporter, Cherry Keane


    They did it. They actually did it. Naturally; we needed the money to gear up the lower-performance people to boost them up for better dungeon grinding. They''d also set up a contract with Ethanolics Anonymous to harvest the gatherable herbs in the gardens. From what I understood, there were random, slow-spawning nodes that could be any plant in the game, even those from the max-level zones.


    I trusted they had arranged for sufficient security. The additional personnel needed may even mean I was going to be reassigned to help. ... But what if they made me a tour guide? And what if one of the tutorial crew came by and saw me? ''Oh, hey Lucy! So... you give tours now?''


    ''Yeah. Yeah, I''m doing tours now. ... Ah, a giant, scary monster broke loose! Run for your lives!''


    I tossed the paper down. "You hear about this?" I asked Matt. "They take you up on that monster thing?"


    "It''s too much of a ''safety hazard'' ..." He smirked, "So, you know, not ''officially''. Oh, looks like we''re starting."


    The raid today was the first mixed guild group - a coalition of the smaller guilds had banded together to make a joint claim against a boss. Siegfried, who had chosen to remain a free agent, was helping them. The group was composited from Ruin, Hermann Park Vacancy, and the FUN Rangers.


    The arena was a long loop of desert sand and rocks that spanned across several floors of the gardens like a racetrack. The boss was not currently visible; only the rocky caves that dotted the course and a suspicious tuft of dark tentacles sticking out of the ground in the middle of a bulbous crook in the circuit.


    The tentacles waved in the wind as the group split up around them and approached carefully.


    Suddenly, the ground erupted in a geyser of sand and stone. The boss burst forth, a monstrous kangaroo rat, its yellow eyes blazing with that possessed light most of the monsters had. Shadowy tentacles whipped the air in place of its whiskers, and its fur was encrusted with chunks of rock to provide armor.


    The creature moved quickly, hopping erratically around the arena, evading the tanks and the group''s melee fighters and seemingly ignoring the threat table. At times, the ground rose up to encase the beast in a hardened shell. It rolled along the track like a ball, scattering players. Then it used the burrow network to vanish, only to ambush stragglers at the edges of the group. It was the most generally chaotic fight I had seen yet, but the raid countered it with impressive coordination.


    Beside me, Matt frowned. "Hermann Park is supplying about half the personnel, but it looks like they''re the least prepared."


    I had noticed that most of the people getting caught out by the boss'' burrow attacks were Hermann Park members.


    "I was worried about that." I said. "Their leader''s not rallying them - it''s Siegfried holding them together."


    Matt nodded. "Now FUN, on the other hand, they''ve clearly got the most individual skill, but there''s only six of them here. They''d do better with a group that can make more room for them."


    I had to agree. There may have only been six FUN Rangers, but they were consistently the ones rescuing the ambushed people. As I watched, two of them, a girl with a gun and another with a bow and a tiger pet, laid out a rope across the track. With the help of two heavily armored men, they yanked it taut right in front of the boss moments before it could leap. The creature stumbled, tripped up by its own momentum, and fell to the ground with a thud that sent dust billowing into the air.


    Before the kangaroo rat could recover, the other two FUN members - mages from the looks of it - joined in. They encased one of its spindly legs in ice. As the boss struggled to break free, the girls tied the rope to a large rock, effectively chaining it to the ground.


    With the monster prone, the melee fighters of the raid closed in and hacked at it for some real damage. The corrupted whiskers whipped at them as if they had a mind of their own, but otherwise the beast was unable to retaliate.


    It did eventually break free by warping the stone of the cliffside and causing a small rockslide that dislodged the rope. But while it didn''t end the fight, that clever trick had bought them about a quarter of the boss'' health.


    "Yet again, there''s a way to neuter the mechanics." Writing it down for my report, I mumbled, "And the chances anyone will care are still zero."


    "Who cares about the tactics?" Matt said with a shrug. "The chances of the same exploit working in multiple fights is low. Remember what that admin said? Don''t get stuck looking at what worked before."


    "What are we here to do, then? This is a tactical analysis position!"


    "We''re identifying the meta composition the competition is using and identifying individuals we could use to solidify our groups."


    I was about ready to throw my pen and paper down in frustration. "Is that why no one listens to any of my advice?! Why didn''t anyone tell me that''s what we''re supposed to be doing?! Good god, this is even more of a waste of time than I thought!"


    Some fellow observers glanced over at my outburst, so I quieted down. Taking a breath, I tried again. "Are we not trying to beat the Citadel in the most efficient way possible?"


    "Sure we are." Matt said, infuriatingly calm. "But in order to do that, we need a foundation."


    I nearly choked on the word. "Foundation?! Is that where their heads are still at?! They''ve been at it for a month! The cement''s already dried; you can''t even put the steel beams in anymore!"


    "It''s nothing to freak out about."


    "Freak out?! I just realized I''d been doing my makeup wrong this whole time! It''s me; I''m the clown!"


    I sat there, stewing in shock for the rest of the fight. Good gravy.


    Marvelous work by the minor guilds there, by the way. Their teamwork truly put Tempest and Steel Rage to shame.


    - Oct 24 - Day 32 -


    I woke up to darkness, my bedroom blinds blocking the morning light. I struggled out of bed and twisted them open. Bright sunlight flooded in, blinding me momentarily. I shut them again with a groan. Glancing at my messages, I saw a note from Fritz about mob spawns changing due to player actions. Interesting, but I hadn''t ventured outside the city walls much lately.


    Walking outside, I grabbed my newspaper from the mailbox. Breakfast? ... Nah. Instead, I read the headlines as I walked up to the Citadel.


    Sweet, Sweet Sound!


    What''s up everyone? It''s another Thursday and we''re coming at you with the biggest bomb of the season: Live concert performances are here! Those of you that went to last month''s Summer''s End Beach Party know what that means! (Wait, it''s been a month already?) And if you didn''t, you''re going to have to trust me - you don''t want to miss this one. The energy - the life - the music! It''s a spiritual enlightening.


    A collection of musical performances originating in Celestia Grand''s street talent scene have announced they will be doing a series of live shows throughout the world starting on October 28th and leading up to Halloween night, where they will be playing Syzygy Square! We''re talking Ernie and Finkelstein, Bzeech, Feb, Dubois and the Blocks, chlorinE, Funkalicious Stottlemeyer, and no lineup would be complete without my main girl Mila Ezra.


    They''ll be playing two shows a day split across both starting cities, the three major cities, and Celestia Grand itself. Times and locations are listed down in our Happening Now! column. Only the Syzygy and Park performances are free of charge, so remember to get those tickets!


    You can catch me in the crowd!


    -Courtney


    That sounds nice. I''d have to check the time for the show in the Park.


    In other news, the guilds had cleared out most of the garden labyrinth. Excluding Oxtongue and the Sentinels, seven bosses had been discovered down there. Five were already dead and another was expected to fall soon. That only left the disputed claim between Tempest and Steel Rage hanging in limbo.


    Precious little was left to actually do in the gardens, but they were more active than ever. Tourists swarmed the courtyard in droves. The major guilds were hard at work patrolling the place and keeping it safe for them. So now, in addition to watching the fights on loop, I had a constant flow of sightseers coming and going on their rotation to see all the minibosses. They were awed by the bravery and theatrics of the Vanguard. Wow! Look at them valiantly fight that same thing for the fifteenth time today!


    By the end of the day, my notepad was completely empty. There was nothing of value left here.


    With a sigh, I wandered out through the turnstiles and ticket booths, past the excited line of night tourists eager for their evening monster show. From the courtyard, the city sprawled out below me, dyed a cool blue in the dusk. Cheerful NPCs busied themselves putting up Halloween decorations. Sorry - Festival of the Hallowed Stars decorations.


    I turned off the boulevard into the Resistance camp. Inside one of the tents, Archibald was going over a pile of collected reports from the day. I dropped my blank notepad onto the stack.


    Archibald glanced at it, then fiddled with his pen. "Lucia, your performance in oversight committees has been slipping."


    "My advice isn''t used, so why bother?"


    "We can''t use everything we get - that would be counterproductive and sometimes paradoxical."


    "But you don''t listen to anything! And is there any news on my request to transfer out of oversight?"


    "Well..." Archibald fiddled with his pen again, the silence stretching uncomfortably. "You are falling behind most of the groups in level; there isn''t really a place for us to put you right now."


    "But I''m falling behind because you put me on oversight duty! And then you don''t even take my feedback!"


    I had been trying to grind in the sewers in my off hours to keep up, but there simply wasn''t enough time in the day. I wasn''t getting anything done, and they weren''t giving me any way to work out of this hole they''d shoved me into.


    "... I want a vacation." I declared.


    Archie''s brows rose. "It''s only been a month."


    "Well, I need some time to grind my own levels if that''s the problem!"


    "Christmas isn''t too far away; perhaps around the holidays-"


    I shook my head, cutting him off. "I-... Then I guess I quit."


    "Lucia-"


    "No, just... no one will even miss me, so who cares? No one wants me here; I''m just another carnival attraction." I laughed bitterly. "''Hey, look here, we''ve got one of the people that killed Oxtongue on our roster!''"


    "Lucia-"


    "''Join us and you could become that famous!''" I mocked, throwing my hands up. "I''m only here because of that stupid medal! I''m just something tacked onto the accolade."


    "Lucia-"


    "Tell you what, I could even give you the medal! You can pretend you were there! No one will check; no one remembers my face!"


    Archibald sighed heavily. "If that''s what you want to do, I won''t stop you. But think for a second - do you have a plan?"


    "I''ve got no future here, so what''s the difference?!"


    "You''re frustrated." he said. "Are you sure you don''t want to sleep on this? Come back tomorrow?"


    I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "No. No, I''ve... been stewing on this awhile, and right now, this is the best I''ve felt in weeks." A manic smile stretched across my face. "I''m done. I''m out! I''m... gonna buy a car and just drive! Command Sharp: Guild: Quit!"


    A glowing notification popped up in front of me: ''Are you sure you want to leave your current guild?'' And I was. I absolutely was.


    Archibald nodded in understanding. "Then I wish you luck... finding something."


    "Oh, I already have!" I turned on my heel and strode out of there giggling my head off. My laughter echoed through the encampment all the way down to the city and down North Boulevard.


    At Syzygy Square, I collapsed onto a bench. Above me, the wide, deep blue dusken sky stretched out into infinity.


    What the hell was wrong with me? What the hell was wrong with this world?


    And as I was coming down from my fit, it set in.


    What do I do now?


    Anything! I told myself. I can do anything!


    Well, how about getting out of the city, for starters.


    I opened my friends list, and scrolled through it. Aside from the Vanguard people, I had... Flora and Excalibur, who worked in the city; Davi and her brother, who were probably on Shake Spear business. Did I want to sign up with Shake Spear? Davi seemed to be enjoying it... No, I needed time alone.


    And then... there was Fritz and Percy. I wonder what they''re up to? I was under their level... but they always seemed to be tackling content way above their level anyway. Would it make a difference for me?


    It was worth asking, at least. My fingers hovered over the holographic keyboard, and I started to type, the UI glowing a bright blue against the fading night sky.


    ---


    Next Time:


    What are the boys doing when they get Lucy''s message? Searching the wild blue yonder? Watching amber waves of grass roiling in the fading light? Resting under the boughs of a Woodsea Redwood? Who can say what''s going on in that wide, wild world.


    Episode 7 - Fritz and Percy Kill a Man

 Ep 7: Fritz and Percy Kill a Man

    ¡ª EPISODE SEVEN ¡ª


    Fritz and Percy Kill a Man


    Life is not something that can be planned out. The tides of fate take us where they may, and all we can do is struggle to stay afloat. Sometimes, due to no fault of your own, you simply find yourself in a messy situation, standing over a corpse with a bloody knife in hand.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    So, while investigating a change in mob spawns in the Badlands, when Fritz and Percy find themselves in a questionable situation, all they can do is roll with it.


    Contents:


    Chapter 24: Fritz Runs a Man Over


    Chapter 25: Fritz Pushes a Man Off a Cliff


    Chapter 26: Fritz Shoots a Man

 Ch 24: Fritz Runs a Man Over

    ¡ª CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR ¡ª


    Fritz Runs a Man Over


    -Fritz-


    "Oh my god, is he dead?!"


    The man''s body lay face-down in the mud, a set of wagon tracks clearly imprinted across his back.


    Percy spawned his little fairy wand and poked at him curiously. The man let out a faint groan.


    "Nope, still alive!" Percy reported brightly. "Back over him again!"


    I glanced around at our surroundings as I hopped down from the wagon. We were deep in the Badlands, a desolate region of red rock northwest of the Capital. This particular area was called the Rough - a jagged stretch of barren cliffs and mesas broken by tangles of dense jungle squeezed into the gorges below. The thin dirt roads traced precarious paths along the ridge tops, bordered by decaying wooden posts that looked about one strong gust away from tumbling into the abyss.


    The man we''d run over pushed himself up, wiping the dust from his face. I blinked as I read the nameplate flickering over his head: Leonard.


    "It''s Leo!" I said in surprise. "Hey man!"


    Leo''s eyes went wide as he took in me and Percy. "Oh... hey... guys." he mumbled, clearly embarrassed as he got to his feet.


    I reached out to clap him on the shoulder. "Good to see you''re still kickin'' it, man! We weren''t sure what happened to you!"


    "I, uh, yeah..." Leo stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. He glanced down the rutted road stretching ahead. "Hey, so, are you guys heading to the next town? What was it called again?"


    "Freighton Gorge?" I asked. Leo nodded. I grinned and jerked a thumb at the wagon. "Yeah, hop on! Sorry for running you over!"


    Leo flashed a sheepish smile as he clambered into the back of the wagon. I climbed back into the driver''s seat, snapping the reins to get the horses moving again. Percy hopped in the back and picked up one of the Protectorate''s manuals from the pile he''d been working through. Leo hunched awkwardly in the corner, twiddling his thumbs and determinedly not making eye contact.


    "So what''re you doing all the way out here, man?" I asked.


    He shifted uncomfortably. "I''m, uh... just keeping on leveling, you know?"


    "Right on. Yeah, we''re getting into some exploration ourselves. So are you already like level..." I trailed off, frowning. What was the level range for the Rough again? "Yo Perce, what level is this place?"


    "It''s a 36 - 40 zone."


    "No no, I''m only 32." Leo said quickly. "I just like getting that bonus XP for fighting higher level stuff."


    "Nice! We''re only 29 ourselves."


    Awkward silence fell again as we trundled on. The road climbed higher, winding along knife-edge ridges. To either side, sheer red cliffs plunged down to the green jungles filling the gorge bottoms far below. Up top, we were surrounded by nothing but sky - a harsh blue dome filled with lazily drifting clouds and the incessant, skin-searing sun.


    Lost in thought, the city took me completely by surprise; I didn''t see it until we were right on top of it - literally on top of it. Freighton Gorge was built into the cliffs themselves, just under the surface. Buildings were carved right into the red rock, linked by an extensive network of balconies, bridges, and staircases threading across the canyons. At the very bottom, rope ladders dangled down to the dense green canopy.


    I pulled the wagon off the road and down a slope into the blessed shade of the subsurface. As we descended, the scorching heat was instantly replaced by deliciously cool, damp air. Faint animal calls and the rush of hidden rivers echoed up from the jungle depths.


    "Oh man, feel that coolness!" I said, breathing deep.


    We pulled into the stables, a cave-like opening hewn into the rock near the city''s exit ramp. Leo and Percy hopped down as I guided the wagon over to the stablemaster. From the menu there, I despawned the whole thing, compacting it into a little item in my inventory.


    "Thanks for the lift, guys!" Leo said, giving a quick wave. He immediately scurried off into the crowds thronging the city''s walkways.


    I raised a hand. "See ya, man!"


    Percy and I stepped out of the stables, taking in the vibrant, vertically-stacked city. Freighton Gorge was a kaleidoscope of color and life, people bustling to and fro across the labyrinthine wooden walkways.


    "Alright, first order of business." I said, rubbing my hands together. "Let''s see what we''re dealing with here."


    I spotted a little pop-up newsstand down the way, manned by a dude with an enormous backpack. Perfect. I strolled down the path toward him, on a track of wood planks sticking right out of the side of a cliff, trying real hard not to look down at the sheer drop a few feet to the side.


    "Excuse me!" I called out as I approached the stand. "You got a copy of the Protectorate''s Player Guide for this place?"


    "That I do!" the guy replied cheerfully, pulling a slim notebook from a stack. "Latest edition - printed right before I left the city two days ago."


    "Groovy!" I grabbed the guide and snagged a chocolate bar off a nearby rack. "Hey, is there a mailbox around here?"


    He pointed across the bustling market square. "Over by the stairs leading down."


    "Alright, thank you!"


    "Mind the ledges!" the merchant added.


    "No kidding!" I chuckled nervously.


    Breaking the candy bar in two, I handed one half and the book to Percy. He held the chocolate in his mouth as started flipping through the guide while I went and picked up my subscription of the Celestial Daily. Quickly glancing down the article titles, I lead the way down the walkway, looking out for a tavern and keeping well away from the edge of the path. It had guardrails, sure, but I didn''t trust that rickety wood for a second. We''d busted a bunch of posts just driving there.


    The front page headline caught my eye as we walked. More World Guard drama, apparently. A growing number of smaller guilds that objected to their governance had started to organize. To ''preserve the peace'', the Guard had gone and exiled the rowdiest ones from the Capital. Their official statement acknowledged the controversial nature of the move, but insisted it only applied to those unwilling to discuss things in a civil manner. ''Violence will not be allowed on the streets.''


    The exiles, collectively branding themselves as the Fringe Consortium, were now flocking to the other major cities, especially Stonehearth. I couldn''t wait for the follow-up article where the residents of the outer cities were complaining about their ruined property value. Moving the problem wasn''t going to help anything!


    I blew out a long breath and shook my head. "What are these clowns doing? Don''t we have bigger issues?" God, I felt like my dad.


    Percy pointed across a ravine, voice muffled by the chocolate. "Thrrr itt ith!"


    "Good eye, buddy." We crossed a wobbly rope bridge to reach a large wooden platform built right into the corner where two chasms met. Nice view of the lush jungle canopy below though. And being on the wide intersection let some natural light spill in, even this late in the day. Prime tourist real estate. No wonder they built the tavern there.


    I pushed open the heavy oak door. Muted conversation and the stale smell of spilled ale greeted us. The cavernous interior had a dark vibe with stalagmites serving as table legs. Chandeliers made from stalactites, metal-braced and strung with glowing lanterns, cast shadows on the walls. Still early yet, so the place wasn''t exactly jumping, but a smattering of players and NPCs already peppered the room.


    "Our guy''s supposed to be sitting at the bar." Scanning down the line, it looked like it was all NPCs, except... I did a double take. Leo? He was sat on the far end, nervously twiddling his thumbs. Percy and I exchanged looks.


    "You don''t think...?" I whispered.


    He shrugged and chewed his chocolate. "Muth be."


    We sidled over, trying to act casual. "Hey, Leo! You, uh... waiting for someone?"


    He practically jumped out of his seat. "Wh-what? No! No, of course not. I mean - I just got here. I don''t know anyone!"


    Riiight. I dug an orange poker chip out of my belt pouch and held it up with a raised eyebrow. "So you''re not here doing a favor for a friend?"


    Leo''s eyes widened as he saw the chip. Grimacing, he fished out an identical one from his own inventory. "Oh. Huh... Small world, eh?"


    (Percival)


    A haze of blue motes swam in front of me as Fritz held my legless body up. Eagle passed the claymore back to his bodyguard - a giant in a Frankenstein''s monster suit of bolted-together mismatched plates. He paced in front of us, agitated, stirring up the office¡¯s dust that swirled in the stale air. No matter how much money they poured into that place, the game''s natural grime seeped from the very walls.


    "Why can''t the two of you ever do a single thing right?! It doesn''t matter how basic or stupid the job is, you find some way to mess it all up!" he snarled. "Maybe I should tell you to go help the World Guard! You can stumble into some way to accidentally screw them over; get ''em off our case! Ugh. You''re lucky Gary likes you -" He jabbed a finger at Fritz. "- and don''t think I don''t know you went behind my back to give him that dreamleaf stuff! You pull that stunt again and I don''t care who is protecting you! He does the business, I handle the operations, including you - get that through your thick skulls!"


    We''d heard it all before; we stood there - well, Fritz stood there propping me up - and we just let him go.


    He finally paused his rant to suck in a breath, sagging against the mahogany desk. "Right then. I''ve got another job for you. Even you two can''t get this wrong. Word is there''s an area where a new set of mobs are spawning. Kill, I don''t know, a thousand of them, and bring us back a copy of their drop table. Got it?"


    "Roger that, boss man." Fritz saluted.


    Eagle leaned down to look me in the eye and pointed a finger in my face. "And you - for the last time - enable your goddamn messages."


    "Yes sir."


    Fritz lifted me up to cling onto his back like a monkey as we left.


    -Fritz-


    Leo nodded knowingly as he sipped his IPA. "Yeah, sounds like Eagle alright."


    The three of us were sitting at the bar - me with a cider and Percy with his hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream.


    I turned to Percy. "So what are we lookin'' at, Perce?"


    He laid out the dog-eared copy of the Protectorate''s Player Guide on the bartop and flipped to a page detailing mob spawns by subzone. Running one finger down the columns, he explained, "The mobs we''re interested in are spawning in the southeast section of the Rough - not too far from here. New animals are appearing in the bottom layer of the jungle. So we''ll be looking for anything that doesn''t match these tables. Once we find a good farming spot, I''ll keep a tally of our kills. After every 50, we''ll AoE loot all the bodies and I''ll record what drops."


    "Sounds dull." I said. "But hey, at least we''ll be grinding some high-level mobs. That''s bound to give us good experience - should be a decent boost. Whaddya say we head out tomorrow? It''s been a long day on the road already."


    Leo raised his glass. "Seconded!"


    The next morning, I respawned the wagon and we continued riding across the zone to the southeast, the wagon''s wheels kicking up clouds of rusty dust. The canyons steadily widened as we approach the Rough''s border with another part of the Badlands - the Celestial Quarry. At Percy''s direction, we stopped at various points along the way so we could scope out the jungle below.


    At one, he pointed down and said, "There."


    I squinted against the glare of the sun, shielding my eyes with one hand. There was an oasis in the intersection of several canyons. At all exits, dense jungle plunged the gorges into deep darkness, but the clearing was nice and open. The lake was picturesque enough, but nothing jumped out at me as unusual. Clearly we were looking for different things. "Where?"


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    "Those mobs aren''t the ones listed in the guide."


    I focused my eyes and then, sure enough, I caught a glimpse of a squat, armored armadillo trundle out from the underbrush to take a drink. "Oh, yeah, that''s definitely not a jungle critter. This is our place then?"


    "Looks like it."


    After a bit of scouting, we found a narrow, switchback trail that snaked its way down the cliff face. The descent was nerve-wracking. On one side, the stone rose in a sheer wall. On the other, it dropped away into absolute nothingness. I gripped the reins with white knuckles and tried not to look down. Meanwhile, Leo and Percy abandoned ship and scampered down the rest of the way on foot, the traitors. Though I can''t say I blamed them.


    About halfway down, I realized we should have just left the wagon at the top - we didn''t need to go anywhere down there - but it was too late at that point. By the time I guided the wagon to a halt on the valley floor, my arms were burning from the strain and I was drenched in sweat. I breathed out a shaky sigh of relief.


    As I unhitched Caesar''s Palace and started setting up a camp, Percy and Leo were already getting into the grind. When you''re going for 1,000 kills, you don''t want to take the time to get a decapitation quick-kill on every single one. So, while Leo sprinted around collecting mobs into dense clusters, Percy stood back and unleashed torrents of fire, engulfing dozens at a time in hungry magical flames. The jungle lit up with flashes of orange and red as they methodically burned their way through the roaming critters. His magic was finally starting to hit a turning point - especially when it came to AoE damage.


    As night fell, they came over and joined me as I was roasting some fish I''d caught in the lake. The sizzling aroma mingled with the earthy smoke and the sharp ozone scent of magic. Percy ate his alone with a calculator and his list of drops. Meanwhile, Leo sprawled on his bedroll and pulled out a joint of dreamleaf. He took a deep drag, sighed contentedly, and passed it to me.


    As we ate, we talked about our jobs. I said, "Yeah, Eagle''s had us running around all these high-level zones looking for unique quests and rewards. Lookin'' to get that edge, y''know?"


    Leo chuckled. "Lucky! They''ve had me running errands for Gary!"


    "Well, when you''ve got to report to Eagle, how lucky is it?"


    "True that. Gary tips well, at least - he gave me that." he indicated the joint.


    "Really? Then it might be one of the one we gave him!" I took another puff and squinted at Leo. "So what''d they trap you with?"


    "Well... I thought maybe if I got some rare gear, I''d..." He trailed off with a shrug.


    "I get it." I said. "These games are usually all about the stats, aren''t they? Get the good stuff to take on the harder enemies."


    "Yeah, I..." Leo sat up. "I don''t want to run out of mana next time I need it. So, I, uh, tried to follow some rumors, wound up in Faustenburg, and started doing favors for information. Next thing I know, I''m getting threats if I don''t do what they say. ... Do you think they can get to me if I hide in Celestia Grand?"


    "Who knows?" I said. "I doubt they''re as strong as they want us to think, but I''m not going to test it." I leaned back, lacing my fingers behind my head as I gazed up at the star-strewn sky. The campfire crackled, sending embers spiraling up to join the constellations. Strange animal calls reverberated through the night, bouncing off the cliff faces. "We''re out here, and that''s good enough for me."


    "I don''t think 1,000 will be enough kills." Percy called over.


    I glanced over at him. He had several menu windows opened around him, along with his calculator, a pen, and notepad.


    "The number of trials needed to confirm the existence of an item is the log of the p-value divided by the log of one minus the presumed drop rate. To obtain a 1% drop with a probability of 95%, you need 298 samples."


    "That sounds fine to me. So what''ll 1,000 get us?" I asked.


    "99% probability of capturing all items with a drop rate greater than 0.5% - that''s 1 in 200." he explained.


    "Okay, so what''s the problem?"


    "That''s hardly anything!" Percy exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "We only have a 63% chance of getting a 1 in 1,000 drop! 40% if there''s two separate 1,000 drops! And that kind of rare drop is what the bosses would be interested in!"


    "Man, who cares? The guy said 1,000, so give ''em 1,000!"


    "Fine." he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But I''m not taking the blame for imprecise confidence intervals."


    "Ooh, yeah, throw in as many numbers and big words in there as you can! Make sure they don''t know what they''re looking at so they can''t say we messed it up!"


    He kept tapping away at his calculator. "So why do you think these mobs are appearing here, anyway?"


    "Smells like a quest, doesn''t it?" I said.


    "We should easily wrap up the grind tomorrow; should we take a look around?"


    Leo sprung up into a sitting position. "I''m down for that! I haven''t seen a good quest in weeks!"


    I said, "You know I''m in; that''s our specialty! You got any theories?"


    Crossing his arms and putting one hand on his chin, Percy said, "Well, if you look at the types of mob, they aren''t native oasis or jungle animals - they''re desert dwellers. They must have come from more rugged conditions - either down from the surface or in from the quarries."


    I said, "Well we didn''t see anything on the surface, so let''s keep moving outward."


    The next day, we spent most of the morning gathering the rest of the data. We were right that it was repetitive work. However, we got a massive boost because Percy had been funneling all of his experience into one class. Even though classes usually got reduced gains when they outleveled your character, the sheer volume of mobs we were churning through, combined with the hefty bonus for fighting above our level, pushed him over the edge. He capped Pyromancer at the class level cap of 50. And hoo baby, the final spell unlocked at max level - for the first time, I was a little jealous I''d been ignoring the magic classes. Ah well; throwing spears is pretty cool, right?


    Anyway, we finished up early in the afternoon, and I maneuvered the wagon back up the steep slope to the surface. From there, I turned us to follow the gorges toward the Celestial Quarries. Our copy of the Protectorate''s Player Guide didn''t cover the quarries - just a brief mention in the surrounding areas section. Apparently the quarries were crown-owned and sourced all of the red stone used to build the Citadel.


    "You think the corruption could be coming out of the rocks?" I asked.


    Percy closed the Player Guide. "It''s possible."


    I smirked. I''m pretty sure that was his way of saying ''You''re completely bananas.'' It made sense to me!


    Not too long later, we came to the edge of a massive open-pit mine. Hundreds of yards wide, it curved away into the distance, strata of rock laid bare like a layer cake. The worn-down terraces of the old mines left a -slightly - more gentle slope than the sheer drops of the Rough. It was quite the sight, but... the only way to go from where we were was down. So, once again, I angled and edged the wagon down a narrow road carved into the cliff face. Here, at least, the paths were designed for hauling big loads of rock.


    When I joined the boys at the bottom, they were staring off into the distance, listening for something. Bringing the wagon to a stop beside them, I asked, "What is it?"


    Percy cocked his head. "You hear that?"


    I strained to listen, but all I caught was the wind blowing through the gorge. I shook my head.


    "It''s a ''tinking'' sound." Percy said.


    Then I heard it - a high-pitched ringing, echoing rhythmically through the valley. I glanced around. "Let''s stash the wagon here. Best we keep things low-key." I guided the horse over to a cluster of boulders and unhitched him, locking it up before rejoining the others.


    The three of us set off on foot, following the sound. As we drew closer, the ringing intensified, resolving into the unmistakable clink of metal on stone - dozens of picks chipping away at the rock. Gruff voices bounced off the walls of the mine, the words indistinct.


    We rounded a bend and pulled up short. There, scattered across the far wall of the valley, was a whole mess of people, working away at the stone.


    "What do you think?" I asked, keeping my voice low. "A quest to bust an illegal mining operation?"


    Percy pointed at one of the figures stalking along the top of the rock face, watching over the workers. "Is that a player?"


    I squinted and realized he was right - a player''s nameplate hovered over the man''s head, plain as day. I checked the other overseers, and sure enough, they were all players, every one I could target. But the workers were NPCs.


    As we watched, one of them lashed out with the butt of his axe, catching an NPC across the back. The NPC stumbled, and the overseer shouted something that was swallowed up by the distance.


    "Holy," I breathed. "Are they...?"


    "Using NPCs as slave labor is quite the idea." Percy mused. "Incredibly suspect, but I suppose there is a logical foundation for arguing it''s free labor. No one is technically getting hurt."


    I shook my head. "It''s messed up is what it is."


    "It certainly feels wrong."


    Leo piped up. "So the migration of animals is, what, the game responding to the situation created by these players?"


    Percy nodded. "That seems in-line with the other ways the game responds to player interaction within quests. Relocating the NPCs could move the protective boundaries of their town, displacing the mobs that normally live here. We changed the ecosystem of a rainforest out in the King''s Woods, too."


    Leo asked, "So what do you guys want to do?"


    Percy glanced at the mining operation again. "There''s gotta be a couple dozen players - we''re outnumbered."


    Yeah, this one... If this operation was big enough to shift the environment of the game, it may have been out of our hands. We wouldn''t have been able to finish the cleanup in the Star Marsh without a gang of the Protectorate''s volunteers. This may have been a similar situation.


    "We could report it to the World Guard." I suggested.


    Percy looked at me with uncharacteristic annoyance "... What are we, narcs? Screw those guys; I''d rather die than treat them like a proper authority."


    I blinked at him. "Where did that come from?"


    "Mama didn''t raise no fool that trusts authority - especially if they don''t have any accountability to their people."


    I held up my hands. "I mean, you''re right, but... maybe this one''s worth talking to them about."


    Leo chewed on his lip. "Can the Guard even do anything?"


    "They kicked the Fringe out of the Capital; it looks like they''re willing to take action there at least." I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Well, we did our job. Let''s go back and report the drop table, then send a tip in to the Celestial Daily. The least we can do is spread the issue to the public."


    Percy frowned poutily. "I bet the Guard will start their own slave labor operation."


    I clapped him on the shoulder. "Have a little faith in humanity, Perce."


    We slipped away from the rocks, creeping back toward where we''d left the wagon, then rode back to Freighton Gorge.


    ---


    It was late evening by the time we rolled into town, the sun dipping below the mesas on the horizon and coloring the sky in fiery pinks and purples. Too late to push on to Stonehearth, so we stabled the wagon and rented a few rooms at the inn.


    Percy mumbled a goodnight and went straight down the stairs to the rooms. Leo and I parked ourselves at the bar and got lightly baked and a little tipsy. Soon enough, we had a good little smoking circle going, passing around a joint of dreamleaf as the night wore on and more locals, both player and NPC, drifted in.


    One hulking bear of a man, an NPC who worked the winch that carried cargo up and down from the base level of the gorge - apparently salvaging stuff that fell off wagons travelling the surface roads was a whole industry there - anyway, this guy was pounding back tankards of ale like it was his job. But one hit of dreamleaf and he keeled over backwards off his stool, dazed the rest of the night. I couldn''t help but chuckle. It was... each one of them was so unique. Spend five minutes talking to one, and I just didn''t understand how anyone could beat them or force them to mine like that. But hey, humans did plenty of things I''d never understand.


    It was around midnight, as people were starting to drift off and thin out, when the door slammed open.


    A young woman - a player, Yunica according to her nameplate - staggered inside. Her clothes were a thick, reinforced material, likely a design of leather armor, but they''d been cut to tatters. Her exposed skin was more wireframe than body. A pair of rifles clinked together on her back.


    Several locals rushed forward to help her to a stool. She waved them off with a grunt. "I''m fine. Fine."


    "Need a drag?" I held out the smoldering joint. "It''ll take the edge off."


    "No, thank you." Yunica shook her head, her focus quickly shifting between everyone there, like she was looking for someone.


    "What happened to you?" one of the other patrons asked.


    She pushed a tuft of singed hair from her eyes. "I was camping on a ridge a couple miles over when some goons ambushed my camp, tried to rob me. I managed to drop into the jungle and lose them. I had to leave my tent and some gear, but I''ll be fine."


    One of the local players said, "Yeah, that''ll be the Fringe Consortium."


    "You''ve got Fringe this far out?" I asked.


    The local took a swig from his tankard. "''Course. Where else would they go? ''Peaceful rejection'' of the Guard my ass; they''re a bunch of bastards that''ve taken to robbing people in the countryside."


    "Are they the ones running that slave mining operation over in the quarries?"


    The man shrugged. "I don''t know anything about that, but I wouldn''t be surprised."


    "They''re doing what?!" Yunica snapped. Her face, however, remained perfectly neutral.


    "They''ve got a bunch of NPCs out there and are forcing them to mine." I explained. "We were just heading back to the city, so we''re going to tell the Guard about it."


    Another one of the locals let out a derisive snort. "Please; the Guard is useless. What are they gonna do? Put out a stern announcement condemning them? Again?"


    Yunica stood up. "That''s... if they won''t, I''ll do it myself."


    The locals erupted into concerned protests. "Woah there! Think about this for a second." one man said, holding up his hands. "The Fringe is a big group! They''re not something you can just go in and break up - not on your own!"


    Yunica adjusted the straps of the rifles on her shoulder, face impassive. "Well, I''m going to try. They made this personal."


    Leo, who had been contemplatively silent, staring at the floor, suddenly looked up. He hopped off his stool. "I''ll help you!"


    Everyone turned to look at him. I glanced between him and Yunica, then said, "I guess I will, too." Be the change you want to see and all that.


    Yunica glanced over the rest of the room, then nodded at us. "Thank you."


    The three of us gathered around a table, the crowd of locals muttering amongst themselves.


    "You saw this operation of theirs, yes? Where is it? How many of them are there?" Yunica asked, leaning forward. She had very intense, staring eyes. Like an owl.


    I rubbed the back of my neck. "You know what, let me go get the kid - he''s better at this planning stuff."


    Leo shook his head and stood up. "I need some fresh air."


    As he and Yunica walked outside, I climbed the stairs down to the rented rooms.


    I knocked on Percy''s door. A moment later, the door swung open. The kid stood there in a grey t-shirt and sweatpants.


    "You''re in room 3, Fritz." he said flatly.


    "I know!" I said defensively. Geez - you forget your room number one time. "Listen; we''ve got something happening upstairs." I explained the situation with the mugging, maybe slurring a few things. "I can''t just leave this, Perce. She''s gonna get herself in trouble, and these Fringe guys are causing problems all over the area."


    "Okay." He slipped on his shoes and shrugged on his robe.


    I blinked. "...That''s it? I thought it was going to take more convincing."


    "I don''t like it either. And this isn''t a quest - it won''t simply reset. It''s something truly worth doing." His voice was quiet but firm.


    "Are you awake enough to make a plan tonight?" I asked.


    He brushed past me, heading for the stairs. "Are you?"


    I wobbled as I followed him. It''d been a long night and I''d had a few... of multiple things. But that''s... you know, I''m used to it. "Of course I''m good!"


    We walked outside into the chilly night air. I shivered, the cold cutting through my buzz. "Oh, that''s nippy!"


    "It''s a desert." Percy said. "The lack of moisture causes the temperature to rise and drop quickly."


    "Why couldn''t they build this place closer to the oasis?" I grumbled.


    We approached Leo and Yunica, who were standing by the railing. "Hey, guys! So this is-!" My foot caught on an uneven plank and I stumbled, crashing into Leo. The railing he was leaning on cracked and swung outward like it was on a hinge.


    "Whoa!" Leo shouted as he tumbled over the edge, plummeting into the darkness below.