《Umbra Online - Halgor's Horde: A LitRPG Adventure (Invocation Book 1)》 One: A Summoning on Rye THE RHYTHMIC CLICK of mouse buttons and the clatter of fingers smacking keys drowned out the low rumble of thunder and the slow-building epic sweeps of classical music spilling from the speakers. ¡°Wooo! Take that, Malisuck!¡± Tyler shouted as his character in the game stepped forward and delivered the fatal blow to Malicus Mor. His warrior¡¯s shimmering sword, Soulreaver, cleaved the head from the necromancer¡¯s broad shoulders. +666 slashing damage. Death blow! Malicus stumbled, his blackened robes flaring around him. Jaundiced eyes went wide as his skull toppled forward and fell away, glaring at Ty until it dropped to the dusty mausoleum floor with a wet thunk. Obsidian blood splattered in its wake but dried as quickly as it spilled, the whole of the necromancer¡¯s flesh, now free of the unholy spells that had held it corporeal, turning into a fine mist of ash that sparkled as each mote faded away. Bright lights flashed in the background, illuminating the dim bedroom as explosions filled the screen. Damage pops went off in response to the area of affect spell Ty had triggered through his mystical amulet a moment ago. They slowly subsided, taking out Malicus¡¯s remaining undead minions, a mixed army of wights and liches, fire raining down upon their heads. A moment later, none remained alive. Victory! You have defeated the foul necromancer plaguing the Olerit Province and completed the quest The Dead Undead. Congratulations! Again. ¡°As if there was any other outcome,¡± Ty laughed, teasing the snarky AI the programmers had plugged into UO to oversee the day-to-day game operation. A grin on his face, he watched the chaos of the battle dissipate, the minions¡¯ bodies dropping to the floor, ready to be looted. ¡°That corpse-wrangler never stood a chance.¡± It helped that Ty had killed Malicus over thirty times in the last two years, returning over and over to participate in the quest. You have earned +22,348 XP! ¡°Yeah, like that matters anymore,¡± he said with a grin. At level 50 for over the last year, the max his character could be in Umbra Online¡ªuntil the programmers patched the game again and raised the level cap¡ªall the experience points he gained were little more than a pat on the back, doing his character no good. Still, at least the drops were still worth it. He raided the corpses of the minions, clicking on each in turn, and collecting the coins and valuable items they possessed. You have looted 45,423 gold, 18 Soul Gems, and an unidentified item (an ebony dagger, whose wavy blade appears coated in a sheen of mercurial liquid.) Ty had a pretty good idea what the dagger was, but he had to identify it before it had any value for him. So, he brought up his inventory window and scrolled through the items he had on hand, looking for a specific ring he¡¯d stored for just these sorts of occasions. As a warrior, Ty¡¯s character was incapable of casting magic on his own. He needed amulets or rings or other warrior-allowed magical items in order to pull off some of his basic spellcasting needs. He was okay with that, though. At his level, he had pretty much everything he ever needed so he could coast through the game without having to drag a mage along to help him out. He¡¯d never been a fan of parties, preferring to go his own way. Once he found the ring, on the last screen, of course, he slipped it on. You have equipped Ring of Mystical Identification. It has 4 remaining uses. Ty triggered the spell, double-clicking on the ring, and then dragging his mouse pointer over to the dagger and clicking on it. Identify activated! Ring of Mystical Identification now has 3 remaining uses. ¡°Good thing I have six of the things in my vault, right?¡± Ty laughed. The dagger glowed a bright blue for a moment, and then, when the shimmer faded, the system showed him the weapon¡¯s name and stats. Blade of Orkam! +6 to surprise attack, Perpetual Shadow, Plague Seep. This is an assassin¡¯s prized possession. With a perpetual gloom cast about the wielder, surprise is nearly assured, allowing the wielder to strike at almost any target without being seen. And should a hardy soul resist that stealthy blow, the pustulent sickness unleashed upon them, fouling their blood, and setting their organs alight with foul poisons, will ensure none but the most powerful of targets survive. ¡°Meh, it¡¯s all right.¡± Ty shrugged as he read the description. ¡°Can¡¯t use the darn thing, but at least I can pawn it at the shops for about 20k gold.¡± All in all, it wasn¡¯t a bad haul for a few minutes¡¯ work. After he stuffed the dagger deep into his inventory for when he was in town later, he leaned back in his seat, ignoring the crunchy squeak that sang out, a sign that it was about time to beg his mom for another computer chair. This one was on its last legs. Not that she would indulge him. He¡¯d spent the entirety of his summer vacation sitting in that chair, eyes glued to the curved 43¡± extra widescreen monitor his mom bought for him the last year and dodging whatever chores she¡¯d wanted him do, spending his days running through the circuit of UO quests and doing them over and over until he had the things memorized. Fortunately, she worked long shifts at night and spent the majority of the day sleeping, leaving Ty and his little brother, Jerrod (J as Ty called him), to their own devices most of the time. ¡°Overtime pays the bills and keeps you two in Doritos and Mountain Dew,¡± she always said with a laugh, right before taking on another shift for some less dedicated ER nurse who¡¯d decided to take the night off. It¡¯d been that way since his mom kicked his dad out when Ty was just five, his father¡¯s excuses for not contributing piling up until she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She said it was easier to support two kids than three and booted his butt to the curb. Ty hadn¡¯t seen or heard from him since, not even a card on his birthday or at Christmas, but Mom had always been there. A guilty sigh slipping loose, Ty pulled his headset off and tossed it onto the desk, where it bumped against the monitor stand. ¡°Guess it won¡¯t hurt to take the trash out,¡± he muttered, stretching his legs to get the feeling back in them before he got up. ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll do the dishes, too.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Well, some of them, at least. J can do the rest. No point getting carried away.¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Right then, his monitor flickered, flashing a rainbow of colors before going dim, the backlighting seeming to drain of life, the screen going dark. ¡°Aw, no way,¡± Ty shouted, reaching out and checked the inputs, begging, pleading, he¡¯d just hit one of the cords with his headphones and knocked it loose. He groaned when he realized they were still plugged in snugly. ¡°No, you can¡¯t die on me now, dang it!¡± There was no way his mom would splurge on a new chair let alone a monitor. The stupid things were expensive. Hands shaking, Ty went to check the surge protector, hoping he¡¯d just blown the fuse, and that was when the screen fluttered, coming back to life. He let out a loud sigh, glad to see it return to life, but the grin on his lips slipped away when he realized something was still wrong. It wasn¡¯t his game he saw. Ty leaned back as an eerie white noise spilled from the computer speakers, ringing in his ears, the monitor showing static like one of the old, solid-state TVs set between stations. A splotch of purple appeared in the middle of the black and white snow, like a drop of ink splattered on the inside of the screen. It grew and grew, and swirls of green and orange danced in its depths, drawing Ty¡¯s gaze. A flutter of weird symbols appeared around the edges of the screen, growing brighter and brighter. They burned tracers across his retinas before dimming. He had a strange sense of familiarity, and while it took a second for his brain to remember where he¡¯d seen them before, he recognized them. It was the same runic script that adorned the crypt of a high-level monster lord he¡¯d yet to defeat in the game. He gasped, struggling to catch his breath, only realizing then that he¡¯d been holding it, and watched as the colors whirled ever faster, a whirlpool forming behind the screen. ¡°What the¡­?¡± A subtle vibration ran through the room, prickling his skin with goosebumps. He stared at the monitor, transfixed by the weird display playing out before him, hands clasping the arms of his chair, knuckles white. A soft sound, a kind of whispered chant, rose up out of the static, a cacophony of twisted voices calling to him. He could hear his name carried on the sound. The colors enveloped the whole of the screen then, and there was sharp crack, dark spider webs of breaking glass spreading across the LCD display before the screen gave way, shards clattering across the desk with a jingling clatter. A purplish goo oozed from the edges of the screen, and Ty was bathed in an otherworldly glow that seemed to seek him out. He went to run, common sense finally winning out against curiosity and fear, but it was too late. His muscles stiffened, his body feeling as though some great hand had seized him and was crushing him in its palm. The voices grew, a warbling concoction of noise that sounded familiar and alien all at the same time. Then he felt a tug. Ty grunted, terror taking over, and he clasped at his chair, desperate for something to cling to, to keep him grounded, in place. It did him no good. A second tug pulled him to his feet. He stood there, frozen, unable to move, the pressure squeezing the breath from his lungs. Inch by inch, step by step, he was pulled forward, toward the maelstrom in his monitor. It threatened to devour him. Then he remembered he wasn¡¯t alone. Both his mom and brother were home, just a few doors away, each asleep in their rooms. They¡¯d hear him; they¡¯d help. Ty gathered the last of his breath and went to scream. He never got a word out. His body folded in on itself, an origami jigsaw puzzle, agony shooting through him, setting his nerves alight. Then he was yanked forward, pulled into the very monitor itself. And as the purple whirl swallowed him whole, his last thought was: You have got to be¡­ There was a bright flash, and Ty emerged from the swirling glow, dangling in midair. ¡­twerking me! Gravity took hold then. ¡°Oh¡­Shih Tzu!¡± Ty fell, crashing into a table a few feet below. He hit hard, stars dotting his vision as cards and mugs and coins erupted beneath him, exploding in every direction, and landing in a clatter. A warm wetness splattered him and stung his eyes. Bits of sandwiches rained down around him, peppering him with slices of stinky cheese and warm meat. A slab of bread smacked him right in the face and slid across his lips, leaving behind a sour aftertaste. Sadly enough, he recognized it immediately as rye. He hated rye bread. As he went to spit the taste out, there was a loud crack, and Ty felt the table give way under his weight, and he groaned as he hit the floor, his skull bouncing a couple of times before settling. His eyes rolled in their sockets as he fought to peel them open, staring up and trying to make sense of the cluster of chaotic voices rumbling around him. Nothing made any sense. Ty wasn¡¯t at home anymore. He looked to be in a¡­medieval tavern? He shook his head to chase the cobwebs away and spied a bar. An older, gray-haired man wearing a stained apron loomed behind it, and a half-dozen patrons on the other side stood there staring, drinks in hand. Smoke billowed along the low roof, flitting through the rafters, and congregating above as if they were storm clouds. Tables and chairs surrounded him, people gathered about, forming a half-circle at his back. All of them looked on with amused expressions, their eyes focused on something in front of him. Still unsure as to what was going on, he followed their stares to see what they were looking at. And then he saw the ax. ¡°Holy¡­!¡± he squeaked, throwing himself backward in a desperate flail of limbs. The ax slammed into the ground right where he¡¯d just been, its massive blade hacking a deep furrow in the wooden floor, splinters flying. He glanced at the ax-wielder, taking in the hulk of a man snarling before him. Dressed in a leather breastplate that left the bowling ball muscles of his biceps bare, studded bracers on his forearms, the guy peeled the ax loose and lifted it again. A wild mop of dark hair partially covered his obsidian eyes, but there was no mistaking the murderous intent Ty saw gleaming in their depths. ¡°Whoa! What the heck, man?¡± Ty screamed. ¡°You ruined my hand, and I was just about to cash in,¡± the man growled, spittle flying. ¡°You¡¯re gonna pay for that!¡± ¡°Kill that punk, Defiler!¡± one of his friends encouraged unhelpfully. Charice has invited you to join her party. Do you accept? Y/N? The words appeared in Ty¡¯s head, situated at the top of his vision, intrusive yet not quite, all at the same time. He blinked to clear them away as the ax-wielding lunatic advanced on him, blade raised and ready to cleave Ty in two. What is going on? Before his brain could supply an answer, the ax dropped again, and Ty barely scrambled out of the way again, slipping and sliding in the pool of spilled drinks his inexplicable arrival had created. He kicked up a froth of liquids behind him. Ty clambered to his feet, his heart pounding against his ribs so hard he was afraid one would break. He held a hand out toward the guy to ward him off, noticing then that shimmering blue words hovered above his head. It read: Defiler of Souls! Ty stiffened, tilting his head as he stared at was obviously the guy¡¯s name. It hung there, identifying him just like it did in the game, Umbra Online. He glanced over at the others gathered by the shattered remains of the table, catching sight of their names, too: Primmus, Zurber, and Vile One. In fact, as he cast a furtive look sideways, everyone in the room had a glowing blue or green name floating in the space above their head. He craned his neck and looked above himself as the ax-man closed, but there was no gleaming sign telling anyone who he was. That¡¯s when it hit him. An idea, not the ax. ¡°Hah! I¡¯m dreaming,¡± he barked, shaking his head as he let out a loud chuckle. ¡°I must have fallen asleep playing my game.¡± Had Ty been playing UO, his name would be hovering there just like everyone else¡¯s. Charice has invited you to join her party again. Do you accept? Y/N? ¡°This ain¡¯t no dream, chump!¡± Defiler called out, bringing his ax around in a wide swing. Ty laughed and ducked as the blade hissed overhead, slipping out of the way, and moving behind Defiler. The bruiser spun about, growling. ¡°Yeah, if this ain¡¯t no dream, then tell me how I can do this?¡± Ty lashed out and punched Defiler right in the jaw. He laughed at the surprised look on the guy¡¯s face, and then sharp stabs of pain washed along Ty¡¯s knuckles and through his wrist. -2 HP! ¡°Ohh,¡± Ty mumbled, grasping his fist with his other hand, cradling it to his chest. He stumbled back a step, his vision of heroically decking the dream opponent withering in his mind. This is one crappy dream, he thought. He looked back at Defiler, who just grinned and raised his ax once more, blade gleaming in the lantern light as Ty winced. ¡°That¡¯ll teach you to mess with Defiler of Souls!¡± the guy told him, then let his blade fly. Knuckles throbbing, Ty stood there in a haze, his every sense screaming for him to run, to dodge the gleaming death headed his way, but he couldn¡¯t find the will to push his feet into motion. Then the ax took the choice out of his hands. The blade thudded into his skull, and everything went black. -83 HP! Charice¡¯s invitation has expired. You have been defeated! Better luck keeping your head attached next time! You might find you need it at some point. Two: Respawn Revelation TY BOLTED UPRIGHT with wide eyes as he came to with a gasp. His hands instinctively went to his head, fingers probing, digging through his hair to examine every inch. He let out a loud sigh of relief as they gratefully came away without finding anything resembling an ax protruding from his skull. You have been restored! Welcome back to the realm of the living! Once more, strange words appeared in his mind, accompanied by an annoying ding, and Ty went rigid. He remembered the ax-guy, Defiler of some crap, swinging at him, then everything going dark, but there was no way that could be¡ª Real? Ty looked down at the hard cot beneath him, running a hand along the scratchy woolen blanket covering it. The movement stirred up a dusky, dry scent with an antiseptic tang undertone that tickled his nose. Head swiveling, he found himself in a sparse room, a half-dozen cots squeezed into the small space, narrow end-tables the only thing separating the cot he was on from its neighbor. A small, clay bowl sat on the table nearest him, half-filled with water, a slight oily sheen floating on the surface, reflecting the light. Ty stuck his hands in the bowl and splashed his face with the lukewarm water, hoping to wake himself up. All he managed to do was wet his shirt as the water ran down his face unchecked. ¡°Where the heck am I?¡± he asked. He started when someone answered. ¡°You are in my hall,¡± a woman told him. Her tone was pleasant, soothing. She stepped through the adjoining door and came over to stand before Ty. ¡°I am Savan, the healer of Altunn. You were injured, but you are no longer.¡± You have been defeated! Ty remembered those words echoing in his head right after Defiler hit him with his ax. ¡°Uh¡­there¡¯s no way¡­¡± he stammered. He didn¡¯t know how to finish the sentence. Savan simply nodded. ¡°You have questions, I¡¯m sure,¡± she said. ¡°All of you do.¡± ¡°All of us?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, those whose stories begin here in our quiet corner of the world, and there are many.¡± Savan offered a soft smile, tiny dimples pocking the corners of her mouth. ¡°But you must understand, our quiet village, Altunn, is nothing like the wilds beyond our village walls. Here, the shadow of death is held at bay by the will of the gods, Gorod¡¯s capricious touch tempered so those who begin their adventures here might learn the ways of our world before being scarred by his cruel hand.¡± Ty stared at the woman through narrowed eyelids, his mind whirling. D¨¦j¨¤ vu warred with reason and made it hard to understand what was going on, but he was certain this wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d heard Savan make this statement. In fact, he remembered sitting right where he was now when she leaned over the cot, examining him with those same emerald eyes, speaking those exact words. When did that happen? He groaned and leaned back, thumping his head against the wall accidentally, letting out a frustrated grunt. ¡°Are you well?¡± Savan asked, absentmindedly running a gentle hand along his brow. Her fingers were cool, calming. ¡°I sense no injury to your flesh. Are you in pain still?¡± Ty brushed her hand aside as he sat up. ¡°I-I¡¯m okay,¡± he managed, the words getting tangled on his tongue. But he really wasn¡¯t. How can I still be dreaming all this? Shouldn¡¯t I have woken up by now? This is way too real! Ty glanced about. Though he recognized everything about the room he was in, knowing it was a part of the starter town in Umbra Online, it seemed all too real to be some vivid hallucination. He looked into the woman¡¯s eyes, unable to explain how he¡¯d ended up there, none of the answers his brain provided making any sense. He climbed to his feet unsteadily, and Savan hovered nearby until he stood there a moment without showing signs he might collapse. She smiled and motioned toward the door she¡¯d come through earlier. ¡°I declare you well, traveler,¡± she told him. ¡°You may leave when you are ready, and be sure to peruse the contents of my store. There are many tools one might find useful in this dangerous world, and I might be persuaded to depart with them for a fair price should one ask nicely.¡± Savan let out a quiet chuckle. Then, just like that, she moved off, not saying another word, going into the room beyond. Ty watched her go, her skirts flowing behind her until she disappeared, a quiet clatter sounding from where she¡¯d gone. Still thinking he had to be dreaming, Ty pinched his forearm and hissed as the pain radiated. -1 HP! ¡°Dang it!¡± he muttered, seeing the numbers glowing in his mind, clearly reacting to his hurting himself. +1 HP! ¡°Be careful back there,¡± Savan¡¯s cheerful voice rang out from the other room as glittery sparkles engulfed him like a swarm of lightning bugs. They faded a second later, and the pain in his arm subsided. ¡°What kind of healer would I be if you hurt yourself in my shop?¡± She let out a soft giggle. ¡°Man, this makes no dang sense at all,¡± Ty grumbled to himself as he went into the other room. Much like he had the last one, he seemed to remember every detail of what he saw there, right down to the bright yellow and blue flower arrangement set upon the low counter Savan stood behind. ¡°Greetings, traveler,¡± she told him as he entered, speaking as though seeing him for the first time despite having just spoken with him. ¡°Might you need a poultice to heal a wound or cure a deadly poison? Perhaps you have use of a regeneration potion, a healing, or maybe some bandages to ease bleeding?¡± She waved at the counter, motioning to her wares, and Ty¡¯s gaze followed her hand. What appeared to be jars of gooey liquids were stacked there alongside plain brown packages, where no effort had been made to distinguish them from the others outside of the occasional change in size or placement. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ty patted his pockets subconsciously, knowing dang well he didn¡¯t have any cash on him, not that he expected the woman would accept it anyway. He couldn¡¯t see her accepting dollar bills for some reason given the medieval nature of his surroundings. Still not quite able to form a complete, coherent sentence, he spun in slow circle and examined the room while he tried to get his mind in order. A large mirror hung beside the door, reflecting the room and making it appear as though it were twice the size it actually was. Shelves lined the entirety of the shop, from floor to ceiling, and every inch of available space was covered in an array of strange glass containers filled with more strange liquids, as well as boxes and small chests that displayed all sorts of unidentifiable objects within. Yet, they weren¡¯t exactly unidentifiable. Ty knew what each and every one of them was, weird sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu washing over him. There¡¯s no way any of this is real. His thoughts running amok, he waved a lazy goodbye to Savan and staggered for the door, yanking it open and stumbling outside. ¡°Farewell, traveler,¡± she called to his back. ¡°Be well.¡± He sucked in a deep breath to clear his head as the door shut behind him, clutching to his chest as clouds of dust wafted in the air, kicked up by his Converse dragging on the sandy earth. A whole different world appeared before him than the one outside his front door. In place of his urban surroundings in Chicago, wrought iron fences and brick homes, a sleepy little village sat clustered. A packed dirt road ran through the middle of town, tiny buildings lining the wooden walks. The place looked like the Old West. Shuttered windows hung open to the street, and Ty recognized the symbols on the metal signs, swinging above the shops. He noted a blacksmith¡¯s forge and a general store and even a clothier. He craned his neck and spied what he thought was a tavern a bit down the road, The Shady Orchid¡ªprobably the one I got my butt kicked in¡ªas well as an inn, and another shop he couldn¡¯t identify from where he stood, its windows dark and the porch draped in shadows.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. This sure ain¡¯t Kansas. Not that he¡¯d ever been to Kansas. He rubbed at his eyes as if that would make this strange insanity go away. ¡°There you are,¡± a sharp voice announced. Ty stiffened, peeling his hand from his eyes, blinking away the flashing spots so he could see who had spoken. Three people stood before him, a woman and two men. It¡¯d been the woman who¡¯d spoken. She stood slightly in front of the others. He thought he recognized them from the tavern, sitting at a table and watching him right before he¡¯d been¡­ Ty shook that thought aside, preferring not to think about that, his mind morbidly wanting to replay the instant Defiler¡¯s ax hit his skull in graphic detail, over and over again like some B-rate horror flick. ¡°You know, if you had joined our party when you were invited, we might have been able to help you,¡± the woman complained, placing her hands on her hips. Her voice carried a soft lilt, but there was no mistaking the annoyance in it. She bared the tips of her teeth in a low-key snarl. Struck by her ferocity, Ty took a good look at her. In her mid to late twenties as a quick guess, she appeared to have spent her digital life working hard. Crow¡¯s feet had started to settle in at the corner of her bright, brown eyes, and her features were on the verge of being severe, stress or hard times having carved her from obsidian stone. She wore no makeup to soften her features, but that didn¡¯t stop her natural attractiveness from shining through, though she could hardly be called a classic beauty. She might not turn heads in Hollywood in competition with the slew of plastic-assisted models and actresses there, but she wouldn¡¯t be able to walk down the streets of Chicago without getting hollered at. Taller than Ty was, the way she loomed made it feel as though she were trying to intimidate him. And while it was petty of him, Ty didn¡¯t want to appear weak in front of her or the others, so he returned a bit of her attitude. ¡°Sorry,¡± he answered with a casual shrug, one he¡¯d perfected on the South Side streets. ¡°I was a little distracted by that ax flying at my head, you know?¡± Not that he had any idea how to do what she¡¯d asked him, and he only barely remembered seeing the weird prompt in his head earlier. Which, of course, only cemented the idea that he was still dreaming. The woman scoffed, shaking her head as if that was unimportant. She clearly had something else on her mind. ¡°Who are you?¡± she pressed oddly, despite having clearly sought him out. ¡°Uh¡­Tyler¡­well, just Ty,¡± he stammered. ¡°He is not the one we sought,¡± one of the men said with a growl. A literal growl. ¡°This is not him, damn it.¡± Ty glanced above the man¡¯s head to see his name, then quickly scanned those of the others, before answering. ¡°Who were you expecting¡­Amon?¡± he asked. While the woman was feral in attitude, this guy was feral in appearance. About six foot, he was lean but in a wiry, strong way. His features were a cross between a human¡¯s and a wolf¡¯s, his nose and mouth extended into a short snout. He was covered in a silky, gray fur that covered his entire body¡ªnot that Ty could see all of it, clothed as he was, but he assumed as even his arms were furry¡ªand his hair hung luxuriously over his shoulders. He had a long, thin goatee, which jutted from his chin, making Ty picture the guy more as a goat rather than a wolf. Betraying that illusion, though, were his eyes. Red and piercing, they stared at Ty with what appeared to be disappointment lurking behind his obvious frustration. ¡°We expected a great warrior to answer our summons,¡± Amon replied, shaking his head, ¡°not some scrawny child or halfwit thief.¡± ¡°Hey! I¡¯m no thief¡­¡± Ty fired back, only then realizing he hadn¡¯t defended the halfwit part. He sighed. ¡°Whatever you might be, you are most assuredly not the powerful AzzKickerofTheGodz420,¡± Deven replied, the second of the men, dressed in a bloodstained apron, his clean-shaven face scarred and pocked. He glared at Ty, deep circles around them appearing to draw his eyes into pits of blackness. ¡°Wait! What?¡± Ty muttered. ¡°No, that¡¯s me. Well, my character tag. My real name is Tyler¡­Ty, like I said.¡± The woman, Charice, chuckled harshly, a nasty grin stretching her lips. ¡°The only thing you are is a liar if you expect us to believe such a foolish tale,¡± she spat out. ¡°The whole of you doesn¡¯t even compare to even one of AzzKicker¡¯s legs. You are no hero. You¡¯re not even a man.¡± Ouch! ¡°Damn this fool,¡± Deven growled. ¡°We have wasted all of our ingredients summoning a weakling rogue. We must have fouled the spell somehow.¡± The other two nodded their agreement. There was no mistaking the disappointment distorting their features. ¡°We should speak with Varus,¡± Charice said. ¡°Perhaps he will know where we went wrong.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s not chin-deep in his cups already,¡± Amon groaned. ¡°That wizard drinks more than any dwarf I¡¯ve ever known, and he smells nearly as bad.¡± He snorted as if expelling the wizard¡¯s scent from his nose. ¡°What choice to we have?¡± Deven asked. ¡°Wait! You said you summoned me?¡± Ty asked, everything the people having said finally sinking in. ¡°Why¡­how? I don¡¯t¡ª How is that even possible?¡± Amon snarled at Ty, silencing him. ¡°The only thing that matters is that you have ruined our only hope of saving our home from destruction by the horde,¡± he answered. ¡°Now, with all our ingredients spent, we¡¯ve no choice but to wait for the great moon to rise overhead and bring ruin down upon us. The summoning was our only chance at our people¡¯s survival, and we wasted its energy upon you.¡± The man let out a long, pained sigh and spun about, turning his broad back to Ty. He marched off without another word. The others followed, heavy footsteps thumping their disappointment. Char cast a quick glance back, but there was no compassion in her eyes, and she went on her way. ¡°I¡¯m really AzzKickerofTheGodz420,¡± Ty called after them. ¡°I swear! I¡¯m him!¡± If the trio heard him, they didn¡¯t bother to respond. They were around the corner and gone from sight a moment later, leaving Ty alone in the silent street outside the healer¡¯s hut. ¡°I¡¯m so very confused,¡± he mumbled, running his hands over his head, smoothing his wild hair down. They¡¯d called him by his gamer tag, the name of his character in Umbra Online. How could they know that? The idea that he was dreaming was the only thing that made sense, but no matter how many times he thought it and tried to convince himself that was the case, a sour feeling deep in his gut warned that wasn¡¯t true. He¡¯d never experienced such a lucid dream before and couldn¡¯t imagine doing it now. Ty had been awake, he was certain of that. Wasn¡¯t I? Now, thinking back on it, he wasn¡¯t so sure. It was all so crazy. ¡°They said they summoned me,¡± he went on, discussing his dilemma out loud as he often did, the familiar sound of his voice some piece of reality he could latch onto, sound off against. He remembered his monitor exploding, the purple goo and being sucked into the screen, then appearing above the table in the tavern not more than a few seconds later. The glowing symbols flashed in his mind right before that, too, the same ones he¡¯d remembered seeing on the crypt of Althor Rahn, the demigod son of Katar, goddess of the moon, and the hero of legend, Remus Rahn. What does that have to do with anything? he wondered. Althor Rahn was one of the greatest monster challenges in Umbra Online, the most powerful of all the engageable bosses in the current version¡ªuntil the next content patch, of course¡ªan accomplice of Gorr Kura, the ultimate bad guy in the world. Ty had fallen in combat against Althor more than fifteen times, doing his best to close out the latest expansion with a bang and accomplish a feat only a handful of players had ever managed. He¡¯d been close, but never close enough. ¡°Getting my hands on Althor¡¯s warpblade sure wouldn¡¯t hurt, either,¡± he laughed as he imagined retrieving the greatest weapon in the game, a blade capable of slicing through both time and space, not to mention every PC, NPC, and critter who got in Ty¡¯s way. It was the ultimate drop. Picturing the weapon and wondering what it might feel like strapped to his hip, he glanced down at himself and realized that, despite all the glitz and glamour of the world around him, UO recreated so perfectly down to the very last detail, he was still wearing the same clothes he¡¯d been lounging around his house in. He had on a black BTS shirt¡ªshhh, don¡¯t tell anyone¡ªwith a spattering of Cheeto dust staining the collar and chest a dusty orange, and a pair of gray shorts badly in need of a belt, as well as his blue, high-top Converse with dirty white laces¡ªuntied, of course. Ty ran his hands over himself and, as much as he wanted to notice something weird, something out of place, something he could point to in order to explain everything, he was just him, plain old Ty. He pinched himself again. -1 HP! ¡°Son of a noodle!¡± he hissed when the pain shot through his arm, the same as it had inside Savan¡¯s shop. ¡°I¡¯ve gotta stop doing that.¡± At this point, there was no more denying it. ¡°I¡¯m really in the game.¡± Excitement warred with terror, and Ty slumped to the ground, lightheadedness washing over him. ¡°I¡¯m really here.¡± No one argued otherwise. -1 MP! The glowing red text flickered at the top of his vision, and Ty stared at it, vaguely remembering something like that in the game. You feel¡­blah. MP? Mind points? It had been so long since he¡¯d seen his MP take a ding that he wasn¡¯t entirely sure that¡¯s what he was even seeing. As a level 50 warrior, there was nothing in the game that gnawed at his confidence or mental wellbeing outside of a few psionic creatures, such as the Mind Scourge or the Psi-Lich, and those dang pskeeters sucking his brains out. Other than that, he walked through everything, leaving death and destruction in his wake, with only Althor Rahn besting him in any serious way. But I¡¯m not really level 50 anymore, am I? I¡¯m just¡­me. He felt sick as the negative score flashed and winked out, leaving tracers behind on his eyes. It was if a weight pressed down on top of him, making it hard to breathe. It felt like that one time he¡¯d asked Janie to the school dance. He¡¯s mustered up the nerve after six months, finally working out exactly what he would say, exactly how he¡¯d act and dress and even smell, his cologne game on point. His mirror was probably tired of seeing him practicing in it, but Ty was bound and determined to get her to go with him to the spring dance. Then, when he cornered her in the hall after finally catching her alone, the gaggle of her friends nowhere to be found for once, he dug deep, bootstrapped his courage, and approached her, swallowing hard. He forced a smile and spit the words out in a jumbled mess that was nothing like what he¡¯d practiced, but he¡¯d done it, nevertheless. There was a long, quiet pause that lingered in the air after he¡¯d asked her out, his heart thundering as he awaited her answer, his breath still in his lungs. Silence settled over the hall. Then, she just sneered and put her hand in front of his face, palm out, and said, ¡°Ewww, I got a man, and you don¡¯t even qualify.¡± Then she circled around him as if he had cooties and walked off. Her laughter rang out in her wake, echoing off the walls, each little utterance a knife stabbing Ty in the chest. That¡¯s pretty much how he felt right then. Crushed. His stomach churned, bile stinging the back of his throat, as he surveyed the world around him once more. He always imagined being a part of the Umbra Online game world ever since he started playing, he and his friends talking about what they¡¯d do if they were their characters, running amok in the game as though it were real, killing and looting. He clambered to his feet and looked at himself again. ¡°Not quite how any of us pictured it, I gotta admit,¡± he muttered, but Ty wasn¡¯t one to wallow in his troubles; that¡¯s not how his mom had raised him. He¡¯d only moped about Janie for another three months before he got over her. Sorta. It helped she moved away, and he didn¡¯t have to see her at school, traipsing through the halls with that punk Calvin Maines hanging on her arm, the pair leering at him and chuckling as they walked past. ¡°Whatever!¡± Ty grumbled, shaking his head to chase his sour thoughts away. ¡°I¡¯m here now¡ªI think¡ªand there¡¯s nothing I can do but see it through. If this is all a dream, I¡¯ll wake up eventually and have a heck of a story to tell. If it¡¯s not, ain¡¯t no point sitting here moping like some noob who lost his death pile.¡± He drew in a deep breath, let it out slow to steel his nerves, then marched off down the street with his head held high. No matter what this was, Ty wanted to experience it to the fullest, regardless how it ended up. +1 MP! Your MPs have recovered! Ty grinned. ¡°Now, that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Three: Unsettled In TY¡¯S CONFIDENCE LASTED all of about another twenty steps or so. Fortunately, though, he didn¡¯t take another hit to his MPs when his uncertainty returned. As he made his way deeper into the town, Altunn he remembered Savan calling it¡ªthe name sounding right, though it had been a good five years since he¡¯d been there in-game¡ªthe staring eyes of every passerby boring into his soul made him uncomfortable. It didn¡¯t take more than a few seconds to understand how different he appeared, how strange he looked even in a game full of make-believe beings. As he strode down the street, he realized he was looking up at pretty much everyone he passed, except the occasional kid or two, and most of those were even taller than he was. Ty thought back to the character creation screen of UO, and even the shortest of the height options he remembered topped out at about five-foot-ten, including the females. He was a debatable five-two with his high-tops on, a straight back, and a bit of tiptoe action. Ty also weighed about a buck-ten fully dressed. He was tiny compared to everyone else, and it made him a bit self-conscious. No wonder they thought I was a thief, he thought, remembering what Amon had said. No one takes a short guy seriously. Ask Napoleon. But despite everyone staring, Ty couldn¡¯t help but return the gesture. Even living in an international city like Chicago, he¡¯d never seen as much diversity on display in one place. Split between PCs and NPCs, there were dwarves, elves, gnomes, humans, a pair of abyssins¡ªregal cat folk who looked descended from Siamese¡ªas well as the ferals¡ªthe catch-all term for the various were-breeds whose primary form was humanoid, like Amon, apparently¡ªa couple of pixies, and he even spied a half-orc lurking on the porch of an adventurer¡¯s guild, the banner waving overhead telling him it was the rogues¡¯ den. The half-orc¡¯s yellow eyes followed him down the street. As Ty hurried to break free of the NPC¡¯s lingering gaze, he was startled to spot a draug, a mystical cross between a dark elf and a dragon. He stumbled to a halt, unable to pull his eyes from the majestic being. He¡¯d only seen a few of them in-game before, and he¡¯d never seen one in real life, of course. She was tall and lithe, brilliant emerald eyes gleaming in darkened sockets. The tiny scales that made of her flesh caught sunlight, reflecting tiny rainbows that brightened the air as though she were surrounded by brilliant gems. Long, ebony braids hung down her back, her hair gleaming like the softest of silks. Ty was immediately enraptured by her. His video card had done the race no favors, he realized. She was beyond beautiful. Clearly just starting out in UO, she wore the basic starter shrift and pants, their billowing ends tucked into worn, black leather boots that rose to mid-calf. Daggers hung in simple sheaths at her sides, and she strode through town with a haughty confidence, the air of one of regal descent. He was blown away by seeing her. Almost no one played the class these days. Barring the obvious hurdles of conception¡ªTy chuckled as he imagined the specifics¡ªit was difficult to fathom why a PC would choose one of them to play in the game. Though more powerful at the starting levels than every other player race, the draug were an XP drain that never stopped sucking. While the first level was reasonably obtained at 10,000 XP¡ªmost other races, regardless of class assignment, meeting that first goal between 2,000 and 3,000¡ªit became exponentially more difficult to level after that. Draugs fell behind in skills and power quickly compared to everyone else, and it became harder and harder to level and earn new abilities since they were stuck competing in the lower-level quests and XP-farming ranges, unlike the other races who could move on to better locations. Ty had seen maybe a handful of draugs over the years, and the highest of them had been level 22 (Morrigron, he thought he remembered his name being). He was an absolute beast in battle, testing Ty to the fullest. Of course, Ty had only been level 35 at the time, but that showed the disparity between the two player classes, especially since Ty had been way better equipped. Caught up in his thoughts, he hadn¡¯t realized the young draug had caught him staring and stopped in the middle of the street. ¡°What the hell are you staring at?¡± she growled, her forked tongue flicking out in emphasis. Ty stiffened and gasped. He raised both hands in surrender and took a step back. ¡°Nothing. My bad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± she chuckled darkly, shaking her head. Still laughing, she marched off and left Ty to collect himself. He glanced down at his crotch and let out a relieved sigh. Whew! Glad I didn¡¯t wet myself. After a moment, waiting until the draug was gone from sight, all while awkwardly pretending he wasn¡¯t, Ty forced his feet to move and started down the street again. The half-ogre on the porch offered a sly grin over Ty¡¯s shoulder, rubbing the encounter in. He¡¯d seen everything. ¡°Dang it,¡± Ty muttered, hurrying his pace. It¡¯s like the first day of middle school all over. At least I ain¡¯t got no lunch money to take. It took Ty about a half-hour to re-familiarize himself with the basic layout of Altunn, it having been so long since he¡¯d been there last. Fortunately, it hadn¡¯t changed all that much in any of the upgrades, but there were still a few places he couldn¡¯t recall. Back where the Savan¡¯s hut had been, all the class trainers had similar little buildings where they helped players spend their level points. True to the game, the starting trainers were of a generalized nature rather than specialized, only the most basic of classes represented, none of them offering any real specialization. There was the warrior trainer, the priest, an alchemist, rogue, druid, monk, pscionicist, and a ranger trainer. The larger towns catering to higher level characters would have a better selection of alt-classes. As they were in Altunn, each hut was marked with the sign of their professions on the door and a banner fluttering overhead, which could be seen from a distance to lead players to the trainers. Down the main road was a bank, which offered up accounts and storage facilities¡ªfor a fee¡ªfor players to stash excess gear and cash in, all to avoid losing it in the random player-versus-player (PvP) that sometimes happened outside of the protected areas. Ty chuckled, he¡¯d gained a ton of gear by ambushing assholes players, and he¡¯d lost even more being attacked by them when Ty was AFK, not paying attention and off doing something for his mom or grabbing a snack. It wasn¡¯t a major part of the game these days, though, most PCs looking to just play and adventure without drama, but there were plenty of folks who got a kick out of shanking dudes for the fun of it. To temper that a bit, there were specific areas designated for players to fight and kill each other without negative consequences, such as losing their gear or damaging their reputation points, and they even earned a few XP while doing it. The PvP zones made for a good outlet and kept players from clawing at each other¡¯s throats¡­most of the time. Defiler and his friends came to mind. Ty brushed the thought of them away and marched on down the street, still feeling the stares of everyone around him as he surveyed the rest of the town. Near the bank was a large temple and a bronze statue of the town¡¯s founder, Altunn Ree, an NPC whose history Ty couldn¡¯t remember. The statue made him look like a badass, though. He caught sight of the draug entering the Shady Orchid, across the street from the Waytan Inn. Ty remembered being foolish enough to stay there one night when he¡¯d first entered the game. The dang bedbugs were bigger than the beds. Midnight random encounters sucked! Nothing like battling for your life in only your drawers. The shop he¡¯d seen earlier but couldn¡¯t identify turned out to not be a shop at all. It was the local constabulary, though it looked more like a house of ill repute or a thieves¡¯ den. Two city guards lazed outside in the shadows, watching the town stroll by from their post on the porch. The guards¡¯ swords leaned against the walls, within easy reach of the two men in their wooden chairs. They glared at Ty as he walked by, and he subconsciously sped his pace until he was down the street and they¡¯d moved on to glaring at someone else. That was when a loud gong sounded overhead, as if coming from the clouds, the ringing echoing through the town. ¡°Oooh!¡± Ty moaned not two seconds later, a great, grumbling gurgle erupting from his stomach. He clasped his belly as a second rumble rolled through it. You are hungry! ¡°Duh,¡± he laughed, but he knew starvation was no joking matter in the game. Left unchecked, his stats would begin to take hits, and his skills would suffer, as well as his health points (HP). If he didn¡¯t get something to eat, he would eventually wither away until he died¡­well, respawned since he was still in a starter town. Regardless, it wouldn¡¯t help to be any weaker than he already was.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Too bad he didn¡¯t have any money. The bakery across the street, Sully¡¯s Baked Goods, had a broad window where dozens of different types of sweet breads were on display, stacked in delicious-looking piles. The smell wafting from the open shop door made Ty¡¯s mouth water. He knew it was all part of the game, a Pavlovian response built-in, UO demanding a player eat three times a day in order to maintain some supposed illusion of reality in-game, but he¡¯d never felt so hungry in his life. The first thing I¡¯m going to do when I get out of here is petition the dang programmers to change this crap. Starving sucks. This hadn¡¯t been a problem for Ty at level 50. He¡¯d even written a macro to stuff a portion of rations in his mouth every time the notification came up, just so he wouldn¡¯t have to take time out of the game to eat. All he had to do was hit a hotkey, and he was good for the next eight hours. Got so he didn¡¯t even remember doing it half the time, it had become such a habit. But of course, AzzKickerofTheGodz420 had an endless supply of money and food so that it wasn¡¯t a problem. Ty, however, had an endless supply of jack. He¡¯d gotten so used to cruising along in the game that he¡¯d forgotten what it was like to start over from nothing. Even when he¡¯d gone back and played the game with a different character, he had access to AzzKicker¡¯s stash of equipment and money. His new characters never wanted for anything. They were equipped with the best gear for their level. But that didn¡¯t do Ty any good now. ¡°What am I supposed to do now?¡± Then it hit him. ¡°That¡¯s right, there are quests all over this little town,¡± he crowed, as if he¡¯d had some amazing epiphany. ¡°I can go and¡ª¡± The thought curled up and died on his tongue, leaving behind a bitter aftertaste. He glanced down at himself again, taking his visage in once more, and sighed. ¡°Or maybe not.¡± He didn¡¯t have so much as starter gear; no padded jerkin or pants, no boots, and not even a dull, rusty blade or a wooden practice sword to fight with. Ty literally had nothing. And he knew from patting his pockets earlier that he didn¡¯t have any coins stashed away to buy anything with either. ¡°I am so screwed.¡± He sniffed the air again, savoring the sweet smell of the bakery¡¯s wares and, before he even realized it, he¡¯d crept up to the shop and leaned against the window, his nose squished against the glass with a squeak. The glass fogged, and he wiped it away to keep the treats in view. ¡°Daddy loves you,¡± he whispered to the nearest of the sweet breads. A few seconds later, he was through the door and inside the shop and what amounted to autopilot. The shop wasn¡¯t crowded, but there were enough customers perusing the shelves that the proprietor, Sully himself, barely glanced up and offered a wave as Ty came into the store, before going back to hustling about, serving another patron. Ty sighed. While he thought of himself as a good person, he knew dang well what he¡¯d come into the store for. Maybe I am a thief like Amon said, he grunted in his head, disgusted with himself. He¡¯d have never contemplated this in real life, would have never even imagined it but, then again, Ty had never been starving in his life. His mom had always taken care of him, no matter what. She worked her butt off to make sure Ty and J had food on the table, and they¡¯d never gone hungry, not once. But she isn¡¯t here now, is she? You are hungry!! Another gnawing gurgle clawed at his guts, and Ty bit back a snarl at its fierceness. He hated that feeling. Just this once, he convinced himself. It¡¯s only a game, right? He furtively glanced around, making sure no one was watching him, and his trembling hand crept toward the nearest of the sweets in the window display. Ty¡¯s heart thrummed so loud he was afraid everyone in the shop would hear it, but no one seemed to care. He swallowed hard as his fingers wrapped around the soft bread, and he tugged it toward him, holding his breath. He¡¯d just about cleared the frame of the window when the pile of treats he¡¯d plucked his would-be prize from toppled over, a dozen fat muffins thumping to the floor in a pastry rain. You don¡¯t have any proficiency in shoplifting, but due to an unexpected display of beginner¡¯s luck, you managed to bungle your way into something remotely resembling success. You have stolen a muffin, but maybe you should reconsider pursuing a career in thievery. The collective breath of the customer¡¯s sucked in at once, and Ty glanced over his shoulder to see everyone staring at him. Well, all but Sully, who¡¯s look was probably more defined as a glare. He rose up, eyes gleaming like fires on a distant hilltop. -2 RP! Your reputation has taken a hit for your failed attempt at stealing from Sully! Shame on you! Shame! ¡°Guards!¡± the baker screamed. He started around the counter with a rolling pin held menacingly in his hand. That was Ty¡¯s cue to run. He bolted for the door and skittered out across the porch, his feet slapping the dirt road a moment after that. Several long strides later, he¡¯d started to think he¡¯d gotten away when he heard the gruff shout behind him. ¡°Stop! Thief!¡± A guard kicked up dust behind him, sword drawn and screaming. A knot in his throat, Ty ducked low and sprinted, terror setting his feet alight. He ducked down a side street, then another, but the guard kept coming, closing on him. ¡°Stop!¡± Ty gasped. He hadn¡¯t run so hard since Willie had chased him down, threatening to break his legs and steal his iPad. His lungs felt as if her were breathing napalm, and he wheezed, desperately trying to catch his breath. His legs burned. At this rate, it¡¯d only be another few seconds or so before the guard caught up to him. He¡¯d already lost two reputation points for the theft, but if he were caught, he¡¯d have to spend the night in jail, and he¡¯d lose another five points before they released him back into Altunn in the morning. No one would trade with him then, even if he did find a way to make some money. He snarled and pushed harder, wondering which way to go when he streaked past the half-orc still standing vigil outside the rogues¡¯ den and an idea came to him. Ty cast a furtive glance over his head to see if a shining light bulb had appeared. There was nothing there. Hey, you never know, right? He chuckled and skidded to a halt, reversing direction, then darted down the alley alongside the rouges¡¯ den. The half-orc raised a bushy eyebrow and watched him fly past, but he didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Stop!¡± the guard cried out once more, but Ty ignored him. He knew where to go now. Though he¡¯d never played a thief character, Ty had explored the whole of the starter town way back in the day. He might not remember it all that clearly, time having taken its toll on his memory, and updates having altered some of the layout in the intervening years, but he recalled the Shadow Walk. It was a staple in the town. He raced down the narrow alley and smiled when he spied the first of the crossroads leading into the Shadow Walk, an array of labyrinthine passageways used by the local rogues to avoid the town guards and fellow players. The alleyways shot off in nearly conceivable direction at random intervals, and each narrow corridor looked exactly the same as the last, a thick gloom settling over it to further confuse pursuit. Huffing, he took a sharp left at the first split, then ran down about twenty feet, then took a right at the second, then another right at the third, running straight for several more before his fiery lungs forced him to stop, memorizing each turn he took so he could find his way out. Finally, Ty stumbled to a halt and bent over at the waist, hands on his knees, drawing in great gulps of air, yet doing his best to do so quietly. He listened between gasps, projecting his focus back the way he¡¯d come, but there was nothing indicating the guard had followed him into the Walk. He¡¯d escaped. You have avoided capture by the constabulary. Good job¡­I guess. Ty slumped to his butt at seeing the notification, still huffing, his chest rising like a bellows as another notification hit. +1 to Fitness! ¡°Well, ain¡¯t that something?¡± he muttered as the text glowed in his vision. ¡°Who says crime doesn¡¯t pay?¡± he laughed, though he couldn¡¯t really find the humor in the situation. All he could imagine was his mom standing over him, hand on hips, giving him that look. He sighed and let his head loll back and rest against the cold, brick wall of the passageway. Today had been a crappy day, but at least he¡¯d managed to hold onto the muffin he¡¯d stolen from Sully¡¯s. Ty raised his hand and opened his eyes, salivating at seeing the sweet treat, however mangled, still clutched in his fist. Bits of muffin poked out from between his fingers, but he didn¡¯t care. He went to take a bite when a darker shadow fell over him. A cold chill followed. This can¡¯t be good. ¡°I¡¯ll take that,¡± a smooth, measured voice told him. ¡°And everything else you¡¯ve got on you, too.¡± Ty glanced over his muffin to see a dark, cloaked figured looming before him. There wasn¡¯t much detail to be had, the person¡¯s face hidden in the deep folds of their hood, the person dressed entirely in black and fading into the background. What was abundantly clear, however, was the glistening sheen of cold hard steel in the figure¡¯s hand. ¡°Seriously?¡± Ty complained, glaring at the man robbing him. It was obviously a player character as the glowing name tag above the figure¡¯s head was a PC shade of blue rather than the green of NPCs, but the thief had used the Mask Identity skill to blur the name so that it couldn¡¯t be read. Gibberish that shifted and morphed appeared in its place. ¡°Unless you want to be stabbed, I suggest you hand over your things,¡± the thief warned. Ty climbed to his feet so the guy could get a better look at him. ¡°Do I look like I have anything work ripping off to you?¡± he fired back, snarling as he shook his head. ¡°And to be honest, you¡¯re going to have to tear this muffin out of my cold, dead hands if you want it that badly.¡± Ty took a huge, sloppy bite out of the muffin before the thief could even react. Two bright pinpoints of eyes gleamed inside the hood as Ty chewed, crumbs flying. Your hunger has been assuaged! Ty sighed through a mouthful of muffin and slumped against the wall, clutching to the muffin remnants. It was delicious. The thief took a half-step back and appraised Ty. He pulled his hood back, revealing a dark-skinned elf with sharp features. His thin, upper lip was peeled back in a WTF sneer, as though he¡¯d only just realized how Ty was dressed. ¡°What the hell are you wearing, dude?¡± he asked. ¡°You don¡¯t even have a weapon.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to offer you a cape, Captain Obvious, but as you can tell, I¡¯m all out right now,¡± Ty fired back, biting his tongue after the fact, wondering why he was antagonizing the guy. Too much time behind the dang keyboard, he thought. The thief laughed so hard his Mask Identity skill dropped off, and his name appeared in bright blue: Theolin. ¡°Looks like you¡¯re having a seriously rough day,¡± Theolin said. ¡°You have no idea.¡± Ty grunted and took another bite of the muffin, his cheeks puffed up like a desperate squirrel. ¡°Hope you weren¡¯t really planning on stealing my muffin still,¡± he said, licking what remained. Theolin raised his hands in defeat and grinned. ¡°Not anymore¡­¡± ¡°Good,¡± Ty replied, stuffing the last of it in his mouth, ¡°because I really wasn¡¯t going to hand it over even if you did stab me.¡± ¡°You clearly need it way more than I do,¡± the thief chuckled. ¡°What happened to all your gear? And how are you wearing RL clothing? I didn¡¯t realize that was an option in the game.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long, confusing story that even I don¡¯t believe,¡± he answered. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know where to start.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have time for all that, anyway. You know, people to rob, villages to pillage,¡± Theolin smiled and reached into cloak, sheathing his dagger. He pulled out something a moment later, clenched in his fist. ¡°Here.¡± He held his hand out to Ty. Unsure of what was inside the thief¡¯s closed fist¡ªhe pictured a poisonous scorpion, a severed rat¡¯s head (the assassins guild¡¯s calling card), and even one of those joke devices that delivered a short electric shock¡ªbut he sure hadn¡¯t expected what Theolin actually handed him. It was a single gold coin. ¡°Wait!¡± Ty sputtered as the thick coin settled into his palm. ¡°Seriously? Why would you¡­?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s clear someone has already robbed the hell out of you,¡± Theolin replied, eyes taking in Ty from head to toe. ¡°If things are so bad that you¡¯ll risk getting gutted for a muffin, I¡¯m thinking you could use a little goodness in your life, you know?¡± Ty swallowed hard and nodded at the thief¡¯s kindness. ¡°Thanks, man. I owe you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡± Theolin told him with a sly wink, backing away, slowly disappearing into the shadows. ¡°Probably be best if you found someplace to lay low for a day or so, too. Tomorrow¡¯s the full moon, and the horde will ride over the town.¡± With that, the thief was gone. Ty looked after him, but the darkness had swallowed him completely, as if he were nothing more than a figment of Ty¡¯s imagination. But the gold piece was real. Ty stared at it, feeling its rigid stiffness in his hand. He had a chance at surviving this world now. He had money and, soon, he¡¯d have some basic equipment. It wouldn¡¯t be anything impressive, but something was better than nothing. He grinned at the coin, still shocked Theolin had given it to him. The guy had thought him so pathetic that, instead of robbing Ty, he¡¯d handed over gold to keep from feeling bad about it. Ty wondered how that made him feel for a minute, then he shrugged. ¡°You know, I¡¯m okay with it,¡± he told himself. ¡°Pity cash still spends.¡± Four: One fit Shops All MORNING FOUND TY lurking outside of the armorer¡¯s shop, sitting on the step, tapping his foot in a fevered rhythm, impatiently waiting for the place to open. He¡¯d spent all night loping around the village, checking various places out and familiarizing himself with Altunn¡¯s layout again, though he¡¯d purposely avoided the darker, seedier parts of the town. Ty had been excited to spend his gold and didn¡¯t want to stumble across some less scrupulous thief than Theolin, who¡¯d take his little windfall away from him. So, he essentially camped out on the armorer¡¯s step once he felt comfortable navigating town. A guard was stationed just twenty feet away from the row of nearby shops, so he felt safe waiting out the business day there. All night long, he¡¯d played with the coin in his pocket, wondering what he¡¯d buy. He knew the two reputation points he lost would bite him in the butt when he tried to haggle for a better price, not to mention his complete lack of anything resembling a haggling skill, but the gold Theolin had given him would still be enough to buy what Ty needed, and then some. Then he could make more money on his own once he was equipped properly. First thing I¡¯ll do is go back and pay Sully for the muffin I stole, he thought, sighing. As much as he understood he was in a game, it was clear it was so much more than that. If what Charice, Amon, and Deven had said was true, this was his world now. His actions here had consequences just as they did in the real one, and now he was a criminal. The consequences might be a little more apparent in this world, seeing how they popped up in a weird shade of blue text on the insides of his eyelids, but he figured they were just as far-reaching as those back in Chicago. His heart sputtered as he thought of home. His mom would just now be getting up to go to work, if he¡¯d converted the weird difference between game and real time. Of course, she¡¯d wait ¡®til the very last minute, like she always did, her blaring alarm going off and barely giving her enough time to hop in the shower, grab a quick bite to eat, then yell at Ty and J about being good, her mouth still full, before she bolted out the door to catch the L and head off to the hospital. She wouldn¡¯t even know Ty was gone. ¡°That¡¯s probably a good thing,¡± he whispered. For now. What happens when she does figure out I¡¯m gone? He swallowed back the tears that threatened to break loose, knowing he¡¯d get stung by another MP drop if he kept thinking that way, and he didn¡¯t need any more challenges. He¡¯d racked up more than enough already since he¡¯d been dragged into the game. At last, after the sun had risen and hung in the sky for a while, the armorer leisurely made his way to the shop and unlocked the door, ignoring Ty, who still lurked on the step. The scruffy man didn¡¯t so much as look Ty¡¯s direction, but that was normal. The NPCs had limited function in-game, specifically the shop owners and other background characters. Unless they had a quest to offer, or that were part of some greater story line that required interaction, they didn¡¯t speak to PCs unless spoken to outside of their designated locations. To them, Ty didn¡¯t exist. Not until they thought he¡¯d spend some money, at least. He laughed, that in mind as he entered the shop behind the armorer. And, true to form, the man was stationed behind his counter as if he¡¯s been there all night rather than just having shown up. ¡°Greetings, traveler!¡± he called out, grinning from ear to ear. Ty grinned back. Yeah, so now you see me, huh? A mug of something warm sat on the counter beside the man, wisps of smoke rising into the air. Ty caught the scent of cinnamon, and it reminded him that he¡¯d soon be hungry again. He¡¯d have to do something to fend the hunger pangs off here soon. Fortunately, he only needed to snack on something small in order to ward them off or, at least, that¡¯s how it was in-game. The system wasn¡¯t so finely calibrated that it knew what or how much a player ate, just that they had. As long as Ty stuffed a bite of something into his mouth, the hunger notification and, more importantly, the debilitating effects of not eating would be delayed until the next food bell. ¡°What can I do for you today?¡± the man, his glowing green nametag reading Oswald, asked. ¡°I¡¯ve some great deals on plate mail and brigandine,¡± he announced. Ty just laughed and glanced down at himself. Oswald, of course, was oblivious to his meaning. Even if Ty was tall enough to wear either, and could afford them, either of those suits of armor would tax his encumbrance beyond its max. He wouldn¡¯t be able to roll around, let alone walk in that stuff. Though he had no idea what his strength was in-game, he was pretty sure he¡¯d be hard-pressed to even lift the armor, let alone wear the stuff. ¡°I was thinking of something¡­cheaper and in a smaller size, and maybe weighing a whole lot less than either of those,¡± Ty clarified. For the first time, Oswald seemed to actually look at Ty, the older man examining him, sizing him up. ¡°I see,¡± he replied after a moment. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t carry much in children¡¯s sizes, ¡®fraid to say, but maybe I¡¯ve got some dwarven leather you can try on. It¡¯ll be used, mind you, though still hardy. That okay?¡± Ty nodded. He¡¯d expected as much. The stores in the starter towns didn¡¯t stock brand-new gear, largely because the parade of noobs passing through couldn¡¯t afford any of it. The armorer smiled and slipped through the curtain at his back. He rustled around in the other room for a moment or two, seeming to search through his inventory for the aforementioned armor. Ty laughed under his breath at the juxtaposition of what seemed to be happening and what he knew was really going on. Oswald knew exactly where every piece of armor he had was stashed, and it wouldn¡¯t have taken anywhere near the amount of time it had already for him to retrieve it. Yet, the game was designed to approximate the feeling of dealing with a real, live person in every aspect. Ty knew if he peeked behind the curtain, he¡¯d likely see Oswald standing there, doing nothing but staring off blankly into space while phantom noises rattled on around him until the system timer warned enough time had elapsed for Oswald to return to the front room with the chosen piece of armor. Ty was half-tempted to peek in on him when Oswald reappeared, carrying the soft leather jerkin in his meaty hand. ¡°I found it!¡± he announced, wiping sweat from his brow. ¡°One day, I¡¯m gonna have to clean that mess back there or I¡¯ll never be able to find anything.¡± He circled around the counter and came over to Ty, holding the jerkin up against Ty¡¯s chest. It was painfully obvious to both of them that it was way too wide. While the length was perfect, he would swim in the jerkin, two and a half Tys able to fit side by side in it the way it was now. Oswald grunted, tugging at the sides to tighten the leather. ¡°You know, I could take it in a bit,¡± he said. ¡°Would take a couple days to resize it and add some longer straps to the sides. Of course, it¡¯d cost a bit more, too.¡± He said the last with a sly grin. Ty sighed. ¡°What are we looking at for all that?¡± Oswald offered a causal shrug and paused a moment, as if he were really contemplating the cost rather than simply accessing a pre-determined amount already programmed in as his answer. ¡°I¡¯d reckon, fifty silver, all told. Less¡¯n you want a rush job. Then you¡¯d be looking at eighty.¡± Ty stiffened at the amount, a sick feeling roiling in his stomach. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have blinked at such a price. To AzzKickerofTheGodz420, powerful warrior and ultimate sugar daddy, that was nothing, a grain of sand in the desert that was his wealth, but to Ty, tiny noob, that was half the cash he had, more so if he wanted the armor rushed, which he¡¯d need if he had any hope of facing down the horde. ¡°How much for the armor as is?¡± he asked, knowing he couldn¡¯t invest all that in a single piece of equipment. ¡°Seeing how it¡¯s worn, got a few blemishes here and there, not that those will impact its defensive qualities¡­¡± Ty snorted at the obvious lie¡ªnever trust a used-armor salesman¡ªbut Oswald went on without pausing. ¡°I could see me parting with it for ten silver,¡± the armorer finished. ¡°You think maybe you could go¡­eight?¡± he hedged, offering up his best sad puppy face. Oswald grinned. ¡°You know, normally I could see myself offering up a discount, but¡­¡± he looked hard at Ty, sizing him up, and Ty knew his failed effort at pastry smuggling had derailed his attempt at haggling, ¡°I think given the circumstances, ten is the lowest I can go right now.¡± Ty nodded, biting back a sigh. He tried. ¡°I guess can do that,¡± he replied. ¡°Sold.¡± And the deal was struck.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. You have paid Oswald 10 silver in exchange for a used, dwarven leather jerkin. It will provide basic protection against most attacks, lowering your damage taken and increasing the difficulty of a foe landing a critical blow. More or less. ¡°And how about some rope?¡± Oswald left the jerkin with Ty and moved behind the counter and shuffled about underneath before bringing out a short coil of Sisal rope, only a few frays showing. ¡°This is all I¡¯ve got at the moment, so hows about it?¡± The rope was a good bit thicker and bulkier than Ty had been hoping for, especially given what he planned to use it for, but he shrugged. It¡¯d have to do. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± Beggars can¡¯t be choosers. You have purchased rope for 5 copper. ¡°Now, all I need are some boots and a pair of leather leggings,¡± Ty continued. ¡°Think you¡¯ve got anything in my size for those?¡± Oswald examined him again and nodded. ¡°The leggings might be a challenge, finding some to fit those twigs you call legs, but you¡¯ve got huge feet for a little guy. Those, I can work with.¡± ¡°Heyyyyy,¡± Ty whined as Oswald slipped behind the curtain again, the same rustling noises picking up where they¡¯d left off the last time. While he was gone, Ty unraveled the rope and set to work. With one hand, he tucked the excess leather of the jerking under the rest of it and maneuvered it around until it laid somewhat flat across his back. Then, holding it in place, he wrapped the rope around his chest, pulling it tight until it held the armor in place, freeing his hand. He then tied a small knot to keep the rope in place, and then wrapped the rope around his torso again, this time positioning it closer to the bottom of his ribs. Another loop around him ended at his waist, and he pulled the rope as tight as he could without hampering his breathing, and then he tied it all off. He panted a little as he finished, the work awkward, and stretched side to side to adjust the grip of the rope so that it settled more comfortably around him. You have equipped¡ªthe word used loosely¡ªdwarven leather jerkin. Your Armor Rating (AR) has improved slightly (+2). You are now ready to take the fight to your foes. Small, delicate ones, at least. Oswald walked out of the back room right then. He started to speak, but his mouth just kind of hung there, dangling open and silent as he spotted what Ty had done to secure the leather. Ty could only imagine what he looked like right then and offered up an embarrassed grin. ¡°Sometimes a guy¡¯s gotta make do with what¡¯s available.¡± Oswald nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡± It took him a moment, his eyes locked on the makeshift effort Ty had put in to keep the jerkin in place, before finally coming around the counter to offer up the other items Ty had asked for. ¡°The boots will be a perfect fit, though the leggings, I¡¯m afraid, might be a little loose on you,¡± he said. ¡°We could, of course, find you some more rope¡­¡± An annoyed growl slipped loose of Ty¡¯s mouth, but he forced a smile to cover it. ¡°Do I amuse you enough to get a discount?¡± he fired back. Your attempt at Charm has failed! Sarcasm is not an appropriate bargaining tool. The heck it¡¯s not! Oswald grinned but shook his head. ¡°No, but nice try.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the damage then?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll be five silver for the leather leggings, and while they are sized for a small woman, they are new¡­¡± ¡°Great selling point, Oswald,¡± Ty grumbled. ¡°And the boots will run you two silver. They, however, are not so new, nor are they sized for a woman. They¡¯re closer to half-ogre size, minus those ragged toe-claws they¡¯re so proud of.¡± For a moment, Ty wondered what the hit to his reputation would be if he stabbed the old man in the throat. He decided against finding out, especially considering he didn¡¯t even have a weapon. Besides, he wasn¡¯t up for getting his butt kicked by a shopkeeper, then getting dragged off to jail. ¡°Sold,¡± he finally spit out. You have purchased a pair of women¡¯s leggings and a pair of huge boots for 7 silver coins. Ty groaned, realizing both of those wonderful descriptions would show up should anyone examine his equipped gear. As if people aren¡¯t eyeballing me enough already, he thought, sighing. Now I¡¯m going to be the BDSM freak with girl pants. Who needs friends, anyway? Still, it was better than nothing. He¡¯d spent less than eighteen silver for everything, and while it was hardly top of the line gear, it¡¯d keep him from dying if he stumbled into a rose bush, maybe even if he got stabbed a time or two. He slipped the loose pants on, tightening them with the waist clasp, all while doing his best to ignore Oswald¡¯s amused chuckle. He then eased into the boots which, of course, fit him perfectly. You have equipped small ladies leather pants and noticeably large leather boots. Your Armor Rating (AR) has increased slightly (+1). If I ever get out of this place, I¡¯m going to have a long talk with the programmers of this game, Ty vowed. All the trash talk was exactly how he pictured high school being. At least I¡¯m not missing out on anything if I never get out of here. As he made to leave, he remembered something else her needed. ¡°Hey! You have any backpacks lying around?¡± he asked. ¡°Of course,¡± Oswald replied. He dug under the counter and pulled out a ratty pack that looked as it¡¯d had better days. ¡°Got one here you can have for free. Not even sure where I picked the thing up, to be honest. Just been sitting here collecting dust for a while.¡± Glad to avoid having to dig into his already meager stash of cash, Ty nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take it. Thanks.¡± ¡°You got it, traveler. Use it well.¡± Ty slipped the straps over his shoulder and cinched them tight. He was as prepared as he could possibly be. So, ready to get out into the world and face the disapproving eyes of his peers and the neighborhood NPCs, Ty offered a backhanded wave to Oswald and headed for the door. ¡°Thanks for your patronage,¡± Oswald called out to his back. ¡°Be sure to tell your friends about us.¡± ¡°Oh, you can be sure of that¡­¡± Ty muttered as he left. ¡°Not.¡± Though, to be fair, he didn¡¯t have any friends to tell, anyway. Outside the shop, the sun beat down on him. It was already mid-afternoon in game time, but he was surprised to realize how neutral the temperature was. Though the sun was shining, and it was technically summer in Emerhant, Ty felt quite comfortable despite the layers of armor¡ªand rope¡ªencasing him in dark leather. A great gong sounded then, and Ty grunted as a wave of hunger shuddered through him. You are hungry! ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± he griped, starting off at a brisk march. He¡¯d spied several food stalls the night before, though they¡¯d been closed, but he knew where to go to get some lower-priced food he could stave off hunger pangs with. Doing his best to ignore the grumbling pains in his gut, Ty took in the town in the daylight, watching all the people as they milled about, headed about their daily lives. There seemed to be more of them today than yesterday, both PC and NPC alike, and there was a kind of shrill tension in the air. He could feel it as he joined the crowd, a palpable sense of something¡­wrong, something looming. +1 to Perception. You have become more aware! It¡¯s a shame people don¡¯t look around more often. Ty caught the notifications and blinked them aside, though it was nice to know he¡¯d been right after all. There was something different about Altunn today. He wasn¡¯t sure what, but it hung in the air like storm clouds ready to unleash their load. He listened in on everyone as he walked toward the food stalls, angling for the thicker crowds, slowing in order to get a better feel for what was going on. It didn¡¯t take long for him to be reminded that there would be a full moon tonight. It was all everyone was talking about. That¡¯s when he remembered Theolin mentioning it during his aborted robbery, along with something about a horde. Charice, Amon, and Deven had brought it up, too. It was what they¡¯d supposedly summoned him for, but outside of the obvious connotations of a horde, Ty didn¡¯t know anything about it. Whatever was coming, the town was on edge. Ty stopped off at the nearest of the food stalls and ordered the cheapest meal they had, gulping it down without tasting it, just so he could avoid being hungry. He was glad to see the hunger notification subsiding, so he could focus on what was happening in Altunn. No memory of a horde from his time in the starter town way back when, he figured it was one of the newer quests the programmers had added into the game to keep things fresh. And while that was cool, no one wanting to run the same quests over and over, it left Ty at a distinct disadvantage of not knowing what was going on in his newly adoptive home¡­realm. He didn¡¯t like it one bit. While he wasn¡¯t one to obsess over game tutorials or YouTube videos of gameplay, watching other nerds play scenarios he¡¯d yet to get to, he did, on occasion, Google the less obvious of quest mysteries so as to avoid dying and having to rush back and grab his death pile before someone else looted it. Ty wasn¡¯t a big fan of surprises. You know, crap like being sucked into a game world out of nowhere. Had I known that was going to happen, I¡¯d have dressed more appropriately. Riot gear would have been my choice, along with an AK-47 and a couple thousand rounds. Curious as to the nature of this coming horde, he left the food stall behind, already missing the scent of fresh meat cooking over an open fire, then made his way to the town gates. He¡¯d only taken a quick look at the area last night, the neighborhood more than a bit shady even by his standards, and approached the guard stationed just inside. The gates sealed up tight, he couldn¡¯t see anything beyond their wooden exterior. Ty paused for a few seconds when he got close to the guard, waiting to see if he was wanted for the Great Muffin Heist of 2019, but the soldier barely even glanced at Ty, and there wasn¡¯t any indication he had landed on the Altunn Top Ten list. He let out a quiet sigh and went toward the gates. ¡°Hold there!¡± the guard shouted, suddenly way more interested in Ty than he¡¯d been seconds before. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Just wanted to take a quick look outside, get some eyes on this horde everyone is talking about.¡± The guard looked him over, taking in every inch of Ty, then shook his head. ¡°There¡¯ll be none of that, traveler. You have not yet reached the required level of skill to survive in the world outside these protective gates. I cannot allow you to pass.¡± ¡°Dang it,¡± Ty growled. He¡¯d forgotten all about the limitations placed on exiting starter towns. Before the guards would open the gates to PCs, they had to first resolve all their debts. If they had any quests outstanding, or owed a shopkeeper money, they had to clear those debts or cancel the active quests. Then, on top of that, they had to be level 5, otherwise the guards would block their passage. Ty wondered for a second if he could dart past the guard and make it to the gate, but he dismissed that as a stupid idea. Unlike when he¡¯d outrun the guard before, he¡¯d had someplace to go, someplace to slip away, out of sight. Now, he doubted he¡¯d even get the bar raised before the guard bashed Ty over the skull with his halberd. If that happened, then he¡¯d have a twelve-hour timeout, and he¡¯d miss the horde altogether. Then again¡­ Ty contemplated doing just that, but what purpose would that serve? None, he figured. Having slowly put the pieces together, it was clear Charice and her buddies had thought he could help them with their horde problem. Mind you, they¡¯d expected AzzKickerofTheGodz420, the destroyer of MMORPG worlds, not the guy clacking the keys behind the screen name. However, despite the lack of muscles and skills and real armor and courage and a kick-butt weapon, Ty might still be able to help. He eased back from the guard to keep from getting walloped, hands raised, and surveyed the area, looking for a way around the guard and his moratorium on the outside world. Not more than a moment later, he spotted what he was looking for. Just about ten yards off to the side of the guard¡¯s position, he spotted a small shack built right up against the great stone wall that separated Altunn from the wilds the other side of the gate. The roof wasn¡¯t more than ten feet from the ledge of the battlements. Sat alongside the shack were a variety of wooden crates. Ty examined the arrangement for a moment, then grinned. He went over to the shack, keeping an eye on the guard for a moment, until he realized the man didn¡¯t give a dang as to what Ty was doing, and examined the crates up close. He nudged a smaller one with his toe, and it moved easily, scraping across the dirt. Ty glanced over his shoulder at the guard again, still oblivious to what Ty was contemplating. Must be a programming thing, he thought. Regardless, he planned to take advantage of the soldier¡¯s inattentiveness. No longer worried about being interrupted, he piled the crates up into makeshift steps so that he could reach the top of the shack without much difficulty. Then he tossed a few of the smaller crates onto the shack, each landing with a loud thump. One last glance around to ensure no one was going to stop him, Ty clambered up the crates and onto the roof of the shack. Then he quickly arranged the crates there so he could climb onto the battlements. Not more than a moment later, he was there, standing on the narrow ledge that encircled the wall, providing a clear view of the open field just outside. He regretted his curiosity immediately. Five: The Untoward Horde TY HADN¡¯T KNOWN what to expect when he looked out over the wall, but he sure as heck hadn¡¯t expected what he saw. Across the clear killing field beyond the wall, a massive gathering of monsters filled his vision as far as he could see. They sat at the edge of the field and ran what had to have been several miles back to the shadowy forest that stood behind them, the trees reaching up to the skies and casting ominous shadows down on the horde. This ain¡¯t no horde. It¡¯s a flapjacking army! A cold tremble ran though him as he watched the monsters mill about, their snarls and growls filling the air and wafting across the distance between them. The setting sunlight cast a red pall over the assemblage, reflecting off their bared weapons as if they¡¯d already been about the work of spilling blood. Ty had never seen such a terrifying sight before. -1 MP! It¡¯s easy to face a rumor. It¡¯s much harder to stare down reality. Despite the fear rising in him, its bite gnawing at his confidence, Ty forced himself to take a closer look at the horde. He wouldn¡¯t be cowed by the horrific show of force. It¡¯s just a game, remember, he told himself, repeating the words over and over in his head until he almost believed it. The army was a mixed bag of goblins and orcs, both races easily identifiable as those he¡¯d seen in his time playing Umbra Online. That didn¡¯t make them any easier to stare down, though, he had to admit. In-game, Ty had always thought them cool-looking. Vicious and barbaric, they wore piecemeal armor, crafted out of chain and bits of leather woven together with thick ties, the only real color in all their assembly coming from the various bits of fur that had been added to the collection. Some showed off the reddish-brown of foxes, others the cloudy gray of wolves, while a few even had the darker hides of bear sewn into their outfit. That was mostly the orcs, though. The goblins, far smaller than their crueler brethren, didn¡¯t have the capacity of taking down a bear or forest cat, even with a number advantage. Small and wiry, goblins were the runt of the bad guy litter in the game. Most of them weren¡¯t much bigger than Ty. Definitely uglier, though, he thought, laughing. With big heads set awkwardly on top of tiny necks and long, lithe bodies that brought to mind gristly meat, their congregation looked like a wild collection of poorly-groomed elementary kids on a public outing. So, pretty much every kid ever! Ty grinned, but the smile slowly slipped away, escaping his lips. As much as he wanted to minimize what he was seeing, make it more acceptable so he could imagine staying against the horde, there wasn¡¯t much hope swimming about in the mass of barbaric creatures. He could almost picture fighting the goblins, even with only his natural attributes, but the orcs were another matter entirely. Twice his height, at a bare minimum, they stood there with the discipline of a trained army. While they shifted in place and let loose ragged howls and threatening snarls, they stood their ground, weapons at the ready, pale yellow eyes locked on Altunn, just waiting to be unleashed. Thickly-muscled, with broad chests and wide shoulders, the orcs gnashed their tusks in anticipation. While Ty knew he was imagining it, he could have sworn he could see the excited drool oozing from their mouths in foamy rivulets. Just the thought made his stomach churn. He could picture himself being gnawed on as the horde broke through the walls and spilled into the village; if he didn¡¯t get cut down by one of their rusty blades first. He sighed, not likely any of the possible outcomes. ¡°How do you people expect anyone to win this encounter?¡± he called out to the sky, aiming his question at the programmers he knew would never hear him. Ty looked back over his shoulder at the town. Even though the sun was nearly down, the last of its light fading, and the moon had started to rise on the horizon, a ghostly pallor following in its wake, the streets of Altunn were mostly empty. A few brave adventurers milled about, waiting for the attack, knowing it was coming, but the NPCs had shuttered their shops and gone to ground. Even the guards had largely disappeared though, he grudgingly had to admit that the one at the gates still stood there boldly, maintaining his station. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s because he has to,¡± Ty laughed. He¡¯ll be the first to die. I¡¯ll probably be the second. A flurry of motion amongst the horde drew Ty¡¯s attention back to it. He glanced out over the wall and saw the army of monsters stiffen and go quiet. Even the spastic goblins settled and drew themselves up straight, making the attempt at showing discipline. That¡¯s when Ty saw him. A darkened figure exited the woods with a confident stride, and the forces splayed out before him parted in unison, making room for its approach. As the form trundled through the ranks, Ty got a better sense of context between the two. The newcomer was huge! He towered over even the biggest of the orcs by a half-dozen feet or more. And as the daylight was washed out, and the ominous moon cast its reflection upon the field, Ty caught a good look at the looming monstrosity. He stumbled back, covering his mouth to stifle a gasp. That¡¯s a fripping troll! But he knew right off that it was more than that. The tiny, crooked circlet sat sideways on its head like a gangster¡¯s cap, told of a bestial royalty Ty hadn¡¯t expected.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. ¡°A troll king?¡± Ty wished then that he¡¯d taken more time to find out exactly what was coming for the town because, right then, he didn¡¯t want anything to do with an army of goblins and orcs, let alone a dang troll. ¡°Uh¡­make that three trolls,¡± he muttered. Two more of the monstrous beasts left the cover of the woods and positioned themselves just behind the largest of them. And while neither of them held the height of their king, or the obvious ferocity that emanated from him, each was more than terrifying in their own right. The three of them alone could sack the city. Ty turned to look at the guard at the gate. ¡°Uh, you might want to call the cavalry or the National Guard, buddy,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re about to have that gate shoved somewhere uncomfortable.¡± The guard looked around, never once glancing up at the battlements, his faced scrunched into a confused glare. Then he went back to pacing, hand on his pommel, but he didn¡¯t look any more prepared for an invasion that he had a moment before. ¡°You¡¯re going to be a ton of help, I can see,¡± he grumbled. ¡°This really is a dang game.¡± Like almost every other game-generated scenario, Ty knew the NPCs would play a limited role in the outcome. Their job was to play the victim, be the foil so the PCs could appear heroic. Problem was, Ty was feeling anything but heroic right then. The fact that his lost MP hadn¡¯t returned made that abundantly clear. ¡°How am I supposed to do this at level¡­whatever the heck I am?¡± he asked no one in particular. Largely because there was no one there to ask. ¡°I don¡¯t even have a dang weapon.¡± His breath catching in his lungs, he looked out at the horde again. The troll king and his entourage had reached the front of the army. The thing took in his followers, his crimson gaze sweeping over them, Ty assuming he was gauging their preparedness. They looked dang ready to him. The horde stilled under the appraisal, and Ty shuddered. He¡¯d thought them horrifying before, but now, the menace felt multiplied in the silence. This was no disorganized rabble, it was a force to be reckoned with. The troll king turned from the horde and set his gaze upon Altunn. The world moving slow and still cloaked in silence, the king raised his massively muscular arms, clawed hands reaching for the sky, threatening to tear it from its mooring. Ty swallowed hard. While he knew what was about to happen, he couldn¡¯t pull himself away. He had to watch it unfold. Sure enough, it did seconds later. The troll king dropped his arms in a rush and shrieked, the icepick shards of his voice stabbing deep into Ty¡¯s chest. The horde roared in response, and then charged as one, goblins leading the way. The sound was like thunder echoing across the plain. Ty¡¯s ears throbbed, and he instinctively clutched to them as the battlements shook beneath his feet, threatening to throw him over the ledge. ¡°The horde is coming!¡± he heard a random voice cry out from somewhere, and he was grateful for the warning, despite its obviousness. Ty grabbed ahold of a crenellation to keep his balance, and that¡¯s when he realized the horde was already at the gate. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Stupid game mechanics! As no one would normally be able to see the horde approach, at least not if they weren¡¯t in one of the towers that rose up at the corners of the town¡¯s wall, the programmers hadn¡¯t bothered animating the horde traveling the distance between the far side of the field and Altunn¡¯s wall. But Ty had expected it, his mind still wrapped up in the physics of the real world. But¡­isn¡¯t this the real world now? He shook his head at the thought, too confused to even attempt to unravel the logistical mechanics of what was going on. Then it was too late to bother. The horde crashed into Altunn, and the city¡¯s gate crumpled under their ferocity. It fell apart in splinters, wood flying as the first wave of the horde, the goblins, made entry into Altunn. The guard looked surprised, and Ty shook his head at the fact that he only just then unsheathed his sword and turned to face the enemy. ¡°You guys were way faster when I stole that dang muffin!¡± he shouted. Though not any more effective, he had to admit. The guard raised his sword to fight, but the goblins ran him down before he got a chance to swing. Like ants on a dropped ice cream cone, they swarmed over him. The guard went down under the crush without so much as a scream. Seconds later, the guard¡¯s body lie there, crumpled and bloody, little more than a speed bump in the way of the advancing army determined to take the town. Ty had a fleeting thought of climbing down and trying to find someplace to hide, but before his feet found the courage to start off, he realized, just like the guard hadn¡¯t, the horde appeared to not notice him on the wall. None of them even glanced his direction. Or up for that matter. Ty thought back to his days in Altunn, and though his memory was more than a little bit hazy, he couldn¡¯t recall having ever seen anyone even attempt to climb the wall. It was common knowledge that a PC needed to be a certain level to leave town, and everything they needed was provided there, so why would they even try? Ty glanced around, his gaze trailing the length of the wall in each direction. He was alone up there; no guards, no PCs, not even any birds or insects or anything that made him think that anyone had ever been up there before. They probably haven¡¯t. This is some kind of game mechanic thing, part of the program, he realized. It¡¯s there for looks, not to actually be used for anything. +1 to Deduction. See, it¡¯s good not to just assume things are exactly how they appear sometimes. Maybe, Ty thought, but there¡¯s no mistaking what this attack looks like: the end of Altunn. Flames erupted just inside town, the goblins and orcs setting everything they came near on fire. The nearest shops and homes were engulfed almost immediately, flicking orange and red tongues lapping at their walls and roofs, burning them away. People spilled from the various buildings to avoid the flames, only to run straight into the slashing death of the horde. Blades cleaved the air and flesh in equal quantities, and Ty bit back the bile trying to escape his throat. They¡¯re only NPCs, they¡¯re only NPCS,¡± he muttered over and over, but his invocation did nothing to lessen the brutality of their deaths or assuage his guilt. They were cut down with a feral cruelty. Blood and viscera flew in the wake of hacking blades and gnashing teeth and slicing claws, and the NPCs shrieked and cried out, clearly feeling every bit of the torture inflicted upon them. They were truly dying. Much as he wanted to shove his feelings aside, to picture the NPCs as purely automatons in the game with no value, it was clear they were much more than that. They were as real as he was. Ty swayed, feeling a bit lightheaded as he tried to stop his morbid curiosity from winning out and taking in the carnage happening all around him. Fortunately for his guts, he spotted something to steal his focus then. A short distance across town, Ty caught sight of Charice, Amon, and Deven, the three winding their way through the clustered goblins and making their way toward the tavern. Ty shook his head. ¡°What the heck, guys?¡± he asked. ¡°Is this a Shaun of the Dead remake? Why would you idiots go to a bar during an invasion?¡± Despite none of them wielding the weapons so obviously hung upon their hips, the trio slipped past the enemy and disappeared inside the tavern, slamming the door shut behind them. But they hadn¡¯t gotten away unnoticed. Dozens of goblins headed their way, weapons drawn and torches out. It wouldn¡¯t be more than a few moments before they surrounded the building and set it alight. Then, all they¡¯d have to do is wait out the patrons who¡¯d decided burning to death wasn¡¯t how they wanted to die, then cut them down in their exodus. ¡°Too bad you idiots can¡¯t level up in brains,¡± he shouted across the distance, knowing full well the three NPCs couldn¡¯t hear him. He stood there a moment, debating what he should do but, deep down, he knew he couldn¡¯t just let them die without trying to do something, even if they did suck him into the game and trap him here. Ty snarled and clambered down his makeshift steps, amazed that the goblins hadn¡¯t set them on fire yet. +1 to Climbing. You¡¯re a long way from mastering Parkour but, at least now, you can climb a tree without falling on your face. Ty ignored the notification and set a course for the Shady Orchid, angling to stay in the shadows and avoid the goblins and rampaging orcs. He wasn¡¯t ready to be a hero yet, but he was the only hero they had, apparently. They are soooo screwed.